US07708407B2
Motion blur associated with hold-type display devices may be reduced by eye tracking compensation. Eye tracking compensation may depend on the magnitude and direction of a motion vector, which may be used to generate a human-vision image compensation signal. An original input image signal and the human-vision image compensation signal may be used to generate and output a compensated image signal. As a result, motion blur arising from eye tracking characteristics is reduced.
US07708394B2
A liquid container includes an air-tight liquid-storage chamber or reservoir, a movable member for agitating liquid, and a protrusion portion for supporting the movable member. The movable member and the protrusion portion are disposed in the liquid-storage chamber. The movable member includes a first end that is linearly movable along the protrusion portion and a second end that is free.
US07708392B2
A refill unit for refilling a negatively pressurized ink storage compartment that supplies ink to a printhead assembly. The refill unit has a body with a variable volume container for holding a quantity of ink and an actuator for fluidically isolating the printhead assembly and the ink storage compartment as the refill unit engages the ink storage compartment.
US07708388B2
In order to provide a liquid ejection head which enables ejection of a droplet at a higher frequency, according to the invention, a piezoelectric vibrator has a multilayer structure. In the multilayer structure, an upper piezoelectric layer and a lower piezoelectric layer are laminated one on another. A drive electrode is formed at a boundary between the upper piezoelectric layer and the lower piezoelectric layer and is electrically connected to a source for supplying a drive signal. An upper common electrode is formed on the surface of the upper piezoelectric layer. A lower common electrode is formed on the surface of the lower piezoelectric layer. An inertance of a nozzle orifice and an inertance of an ink supply port are set so as to become greater than an inertance of a pressure generating portion.
US07708385B1
Disclosed is a multi-nozzle inkjet print head using an electrostatic field induced type. The inkjet print head in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first electrode being formed in each nozzle; and a second electrode located on a side spaced from the nozzle and arranged to block between any two adjacent nozzles and inducing an electrostatic field for discharging ink from the nozzle by forming an electric potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US07708376B2
A device cleans an inkjet printhead in a franking and/or addressing machine. The inkjet printhead is disposed in a stationary manner such that it can be pivoted in a printing window of a guide plate for the print carrier. A cleaning and sealing device is disposed behind the guide plate such that it can be displaced toward and away from the inkjet printhead. This improves the print quality, prolongs service life, and provides a high throughput rate. Spraying clear is possible both during the print carrier transport and in a rest position without the letter run being soiled. The cleaning and sealing device is disposed underneath the inkjet printhead to be displaced by an associated displacement device. A matched baffle piece is disposed underneath the inkjet printhead such that it can pivot and is coupled to the latter.
US07708374B2
An inkjet image forming apparatus includes an inkjet head including a nozzle portion having a length in a main scanning direction that is at least equal to a width of a printing medium, a conveying unit to convey the printing medium, a driving motor to drive the conveying unit, and a cap member to cap and uncap the nozzle portion, and the conveying unit and the cap member are driven by the driving motor.
US07708370B2
Systems and methods for testing inkjet printer cartridges are disclosed. An embodiment includes a plurality of adapters, where each adapter is configured to electrically connect to a predetermined inkjet printer cartridge configuration, and at least one receiver configured to electrically connect to the plurality of adapters. The system further includes electronics connected to the receiver and configured to eject drops of fluid from specific nozzles of the inkjet printer cartridges, and a sensing device configured to detect which nozzles of the inkjet printer cartridge are ejecting drops of fluid.
US07708346B2
A seating unit has a base pivotably coupled to a back by a reclining mechanism, which has a pair of arms pivotably coupled to the base side members. The arms are coupled to a rearward transverse member that swings forward and compresses a cylinder actuator as the user reclines the back. The opposed end of the actuator is coupled to a forward transverse member, which is in turn coupled between the base side members. The actuator has a release valve that is operated by pulling a manual lever of a release mechanism. The release mechanism frees the cylinder actuator from a rigid position thereby allowing the user to force the back rearward or allowing the predisposed extension force of the cylinder to return the reclining back to the fully upright position. Discontinuing the release mechanism will cause the actuator to arrest the back in a reclined position.
US07708342B2
A body-conforming booster cushion seat having a malleable filler material so as to permit the cushion to conform to the body shape of a user when the user is seated thereon. The booster cushion seat includes a strap for securing the cushion to the chair, and the height of the cushion may be adjusted by adjusting the tension on the strap. The bottom of the cushion is provided with a textured base to prevent slipping when the textured base contacts a corresponding surface, and a safety belt is included to secure a juvenile user in place on the booster cushion seat.
US07708340B2
A massage chair of the present invention includes an electric reclining mechanism for moving a backrest into different sloping positions, left and right holding mechanisms for respectively holding user's left and right forearms, and a controller for controlling operations of the mechanisms. The controller separately controls operations of the electric reclining mechanism and the left holding mechanism as well as operations of the electric reclining mechanism and the right holding mechanism. When controlling the former operations, the controller controls (A) allow the left holding mechanism to hold the left forearm, (B) allow the electric reclining mechanism to recline the backrest to any of the different sloping positions, (C) allow the electric reclining mechanism to raise the backrest to any of the different sloping positions, and (D) allow the left holding mechanism to release the left forearm. Similarly, the controller controls the latter operations.
US07708329B2
A stowable storage compartment for a motor vehicle having a frame and a flexible container portion attached to the frame, and a lid mounted on the frame, wherein the lid includes a receptacle for holding the flexible container portion when the storage compartment is stowed.
US07708327B2
The technology described herein provides a slidable, retractable, and foldable cargo floor organizer with a rotatable and extensible retention net frame and associated cargo retention net for the rear cargo floor area of a vehicle. The system additionally provides an interior cargo tray having multiple partitions. The system includes a cargo retention net frame disposed about the interior cargo tray, wherein the cargo retention net frame is extensible, and a cargo retention net, the cargo retention net being disposed about the retention net frame, and wherein the cargo retention net is extensible and extends as the cargo retention net frame extends. The system provides for the secure containment of cargo in the rear cargo floor area of a vehicle.
US07708323B2
A vehicle body strength adjusting system is provided in which a bumper beam includes a body portion which extends in a widthwise direction of a vehicle and inclined portions which extend from left and right opposite ends of the body portion and which are inclined in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Further, the vehicle body strength adjusting system includes a variable crush-strength device which is disposed between the inclined portions of the vehicle body frames, which can be crushed when a collision with the vehicle occurs, and which has a variable crush-strength. A first bolt hole is formed in each of the inclined portions of the bumper beam and a second bolt hole is formed in the mounting bracket of the variable crush-strength device. At least one of the first bolt hole and the second bolt hole is an elongate hole. The first bolt hole and the second bolt hole are fastened to each other by a bolt.
US07708321B2
A pipe-connector molded part for pre-insulated pipe conduits consisting of plastic, whereby the pipe conduit is pre-insulated with polyurethane foam and the pipe-connector molded part is positioned so that it can be connected to the internal wall of the pipe conduits to be connected by a method for connecting pre-insulated pipe conduits consisting of plastic by way of the molded part.
US07708317B2
A hollow pipe connector is described for interconnecting opposed ends of two hollow pipes in abutting end-to-end relationship. Preferably, but not exclusively, the pipes are hollow pile cylinders of circular cross-section. The connector is formed by two flat metal plates each having interconnecting slots whereby the plates are coupled together to form a connector of X-cross-section. Each of the plates have outer side edges having opposed sloped edge portions on a respective side of an arresting raised projection formed in the outer edge in a mid-section thereof. The sloped edge portions slope inwardly towards a respective one of the opposed ends of the connector member. The connector engages opposed end portions of pipes coupled together by a frictional retaining force exerted on the inner walls at opposed ends of the coupled pipes.
US07708316B2
A scraper structure for a vehicle includes a scraper for scraping material accumulated inside a disk wheel of a wheel. The scraper is detachably attached to a lower surface of a knuckle which rotatably supports the wheel. The scraper includes an extending portion and a bent portion. The extending portion extends inwardly in terms of a vehicle body and downwardly from the lower surface of the knuckle. The bent portion is formed by bending a lower end of the extending portion toward a front in terms of the vehicle body.
US07708309B2
Provided is a driver's airbag module assembly structure including: an inflator for generating gas by igniting an exploder; an airbag inflated toward a driver by the gas generated by the inflator; a cage covering the inflator; a mounting plate for accommodating the inflator, the airbag, and the cage to be fixed in a cover member disposed at a handle; and a horn plate installed between the mounting plate and a steering wheel, characterized in that the mounting plate has a plurality of fixing clips formed at its outer surface, the cover member has a plurality of coupling holes coupled with the fixing clips, the horn plate is provided with a bracket having an angled tip and a fastening hole, and the steering wheel is provided with a groove having an angled step corresponding to the bracket of the horn plate.Therefore, hooks of a mounting plate push flexible pieces formed at coupling holes of a cover to allow the mounting plate and the cover to be easily coupled with each other. In addition, since the hooks are closely inserted into lower horizontal holes, movement of the hooks can be reduced. Further, the hooks do not separate from the coupling holes when the airbag is deployed.
US07708307B2
A method for protecting an occupant seated on a seat of a vehicle in a side collision of the vehicle is disclosed. In the method, the lumbar region of the occupant is retained in a section that corresponds to the pelvis rearward of the acetabulum in the skeletal structure of the occupant by using an impact absorbing member. Specifically, the lumbar region of the occupant is retained in a section that corresponds to an ilium in the skeletal structure of the occupant. In a side collision of the vehicle, the impact absorbing member initially contacts the lumbar region in a section corresponding to the ilium.
US07708304B2
The present invention relates to an airbag assembly comprising: a folded airbag adapted to be inflated and deployed into a passenger compartment upon detection of a collision, a chute for guiding the airbag when it is inflated, the chute extending between the folded airbag and a deployment opening, wherein the chute widens into a side direction.
US07708299B2
A frameless modular trailer for towing behind a motor vehicle is provided. The trailer is made of slidably coupled extrusions for easy assembly. The front and side panels include a protrusion on the top surface. This protrusion allows for the stacking of additional panels for vary the height of the trailer. Additionally, one of a variety of top panels may be stacked on the front and side panels to multiple configurations for securing objects within the trailer.
US07708298B1
A method of preventing motorcycle repair injuries includes a motorcycle having a handlebar. A grip and a lever are attached to and form a terminal end of the handlebar. A primary sleeve has an end wall and a perimeter wall that is attached the end wall. The perimeter wall has a distal end with respect to the end wall. The distal end defines a primary opening into an interior of the primary sleeve. The grip extends into the primary opening and is covered by the primary sleeve. The primary sleeve prevents injury to a mechanic working on the motorcycle.
US07708296B2
A bicycle fork includes a pair of fork leg assemblies, each of the leg assemblies having an upper leg telescopingly engaged with a lower leg. A damping assembly is provided in at least one of the legs. The damping assembly includes lock-out and blow-off compression circuits. These compression circuits are externally adjustable without tools. Furthermore, these two compression circuits may be adjusted independently of each other.
US07708295B2
A bicycle transmission assembly that is mountable to a bottom bracket shell of a bicycle frame. The bicycle transmission assembly includes an input crank assembly, an output chainring, a planetary gear mechanism, a control system and a mounting system. The planetary gear mechanism is mounted coaxially about an axis of the bottom bracket shell and provides a plurality of transmission paths. The control system is operatively connected to the planetary gear mechanism for selecting one of the transmission paths. The mounting system mounts the planetary gear mechanism and the control system to the bottom bracket shell. The mounting system includes at least one attachment point disposed on at least one frame boss extending radially outwardly from the bottom bracket shell. The control system is mounted nonrotatably to the at least one attachment point.
US07708294B2
A vehicle is provided having a cargo area, a passenger compartment, and a detachable dual-use platform which is connectable to the cargo area to form a ramp, and to the underside of the vehicle to form a running board. The platform is supported by brackets at either end when used as a running board, and includes an internal locking mechanism. A platform apparatus is also provided for accessing the vehicle, including a first locator portion that is adjacent to the cargo area, and a dual-use platform portion having a step surface on one side and a second locator portion on an opposite side. The locator portions are mutually engageable to secure the platform to the cargo area. A method is also provided for accessing the vehicle, including configuring a platform for alternate attachment adjacently to the passenger compartment as a running board and adjacently to the cargo area as a ramp.
US07708290B2
The described embodiments of the present invention provide a modular mobile workstation with storage capacity. The apparatus has a modular shell that can be used for a variety of purposes, including, but not limited to, a stool and low table combination, a table and coat-rack combination, and a high table combination. The modular shell encloses a removable inner shell that can be used to store goods while traveling with the unit. In one embodiment, two large wheels cap the respective ends of the shell and allow the apparatus to roll freely behind a user. A multi-use handle is also included with the apparatus. In one embodiment, the handle is collapsible and is secured to the apparatus by a securing scarf, which also serves to hold the interlocking pieces of the outer shell together. The unit is useful for travelers needing a mobile workspace, and prevents the need for additional luggage, as it also provides storage capacity.
US07708287B2
A collet assembly that holds two disks to be processed simultaneously uses alternating pressure zones to press against the inner diameter of the disks to hold them in place in a processing machine. While the disks to be processed are typically media disks, any type of disk processing can make use of the collet assembly of the present invention. Each pressure zone includes a contact surface on a chuck blade. When a travel stroke is initiated by an actuating device (typically an air cylinder), the drawbar pulls an angled expander rearward. The expander urges the chuck blades outward. Half of the pressure zones apply pressure (via the contact surfaces on the chuck blades) to the first disk, while the other half of the contact surfaces press against the second disk, so that both disks are held securely in position. The pressure zones that apply pressure to the first disk are interspersed with the pressure zones that apply pressure to the second disk, so that the pressure zones alternate around the circumference of the collet.
US07708285B2
A mechanical composite seal assembly for providing a seal between a rotating shaft and a static surface. The mechanical composite seal assembly includes first and second axially adjacent annular seal elements. The first and second seal elements each include a sealing edge contacting the shaft to provide a respective seal between the first and second seal element and the shaft. A static housing receives the first and second seal elements and engages the static surface to provide a static stationary seal, while concomitantly providing a flex region that engages the seal elements to form a dynamic seal therewith.
US07708283B2
A split mechanical composite seal assembly for providing a seal between a rotating shaft and a static surface. The split mechanical composite seal assembly includes first and second axially adjacent annular seal elements. The first and second seal elements each include a sealing edge contacting the shaft to provide a respective seal between the first and second seal element and the shaft. A static housing receives the first and second seal elements and engages the static surface to provide a static stationary seal, while concomitantly providing a flex region that engages the seal elements to form a dynamic seal therewith. A holder assembly receives one seal element and may include a double-angled lead-in to facilitate installation of the seal element. The holder assembly may include a detent groove for receiving and retaining an O-ring disposed about the seal element. The static housing may comprise two mating segments having overlapping surfaces.
US07708282B2
A gasket for the cylinder head of a motor-vehicle engine includes a body including a polymeric matrix containing a reinforcement material including a dispersion of nanofibers or nanotubes of electrically conductive material. Each nanotube or nanofiber has a substantially elongated shape. A uniform distribution of electrodes is associated to the body. Two layers of electrically insulating material are arranged on the top and bottom surfaces of the body, one on top of and one underneath the polymeric matrix, and designed to insulate electrically the dispersion of nanofibers or nanotubes contained therein. Control and processing means are designed to be connected to any pair of electrodes of the distribution for determining any variation of load applied in an axial direction to the gasket.
US07708280B2
A poker game wherein conditions for a player's hand(s) and a dealer's hand(s) are different such that the player may have different probabilities of winning than the dealer. Payouts are adjusted such that the player's hands are disadvantaged compared to the dealer (e.g., the dealer can have more cards in the dealer's hand) so that the player's payouts may be more than even money to compensate for long odds.
US07708279B2
The present invention is directed to a logical board game featuring hexagonal primary playing fields as a playing area, and pieces, the primary playing fields being congruent geometrical figures that form a regular six-pointed star-shaped playing area that has axes of symmetry, one playing field of which is at the center of the playing area, and that the primary playing fields adjoin, by at least two of their sides, their neighboring primary playing fields.
US07708278B2
A fishing game is played with a rod, a reel, and line. A holder is connected to the end of the line and an engaging fabric marker is removably attached to the holder. The holder and marker are cast at a target having an engaging fabric surface. If the marker lands on the target, it remains engaged to the target and separates from the holder when the line is retrieved.
US07708276B2
An easy-to-use, inexpensive, and small sheet conveying device, which can stably and separately convey not only sheets of a fixed size that are normally used, but also highly rigid sheets and special sheets, and can further separately convey a bent sheet reliably. In a sheet conveying path switching device having a sheet carrying-in path and a switching separating nail, outlines of two separating/conveying paths out of a plurality of separating/conveying paths positioned on a downstream side of the switching separating nail are configured by a movable belt surface, the two separating/conveying paths being located closer to the separating nail than the other separating/conveying paths.
US07708275B2
A paper materials sorting apparatus that includes note denomination discriminating mechanism for discriminating the paper materials based on note denominations of the paper materials, cassette assignment mechanism for assigning each of a plurality of wrapping devices and/or storage devices a note denomination, and a sorting mechanism for sorting the paper materials in accordance with their note denomination and for directing the sorted paper materials to the corresponding assigned wrapping devices and/or storage devices. The sorting mechanism further contains counting mechanism for counting throughput of the sorted paper materials into each of the assigned wrapping devices and/or storage devices, comparison mechanism for comparing the throughput of each of the assigned wrapping devices and/or storage devices, and an operation display for displaying a recommended operation to reassign the note denominations of the wrapping devices and/or storage devices in order to balance the sorting load among the wrapping devices and/or storage devices.
US07708272B2
A method and device for forming a stack of sheets including a delivery surface, and also a stop and a pusher element movable in the direction of the stop, and also a guide which can occupy a first and a second position, in which the first position a sheet can be received in the guide, and in which the second position a guide path is formed, wherein the freedom of movement of the sheet edge is substantially limited in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pushing direction and substantially perpendicular to the delivery surface of the preceding sheet.
US07708270B2
In one embodiment, a media handling system is provided to transfer media through an image forming device having a primary media path and a duplex media path. The media handling system includes a media feeder configured to input media into the duplex media path of the image forming device.
US07708265B2
A sheet feeder includes a housing having a cassette housing part recessed horizontally from the front surface toward the depth direction and a sheet feed cassette that can be drawn from the cassette housing part. The sheet feed cassette has an open top for storing sheets of paper. The sheet feeder includes a pressure plate provided pivotably about a first pivot so as to be inclined downwardly toward the depth direction of the sheet feed cassette and a pressure mechanism that presses sheets of paper against a pick-up roller when the sheet feed cassette is pushed into the cassette housing part. The sheet feeder includes a pressure plate regulation mechanism that inclines the pressure plate downwardly toward the depth direction while separating sheets of paper on the pressure plate or the pressure plate from the pick-up roller when the sheet feed cassette is drawn from the cassette housing part.
US07708255B2
A thermal deburring apparatus has a pressure-tight closeable deburring chamber connected to an environment via a ventilation passage having a passage direction; a ventilation valve closing said ventilation passage and having a stationary valve seat encompassing said ventilation passage, a valve tappet that is movable in said passage direction, and a seal affixed to said valve tappet.
US07708242B1
A bucket holding apparatus includes first and second carriages with pivotally attached inner edges arranged in such a manner that the first and second carriages freely rotate upwardly from a horizontal plane defined on a support surface. The bucket holding apparatus further includes first and second arcuate walls directly conjoined to the first and second carriages and oppositely situated from the inner edges such that the first and second arcuate walls define a circular cavity within a combined perimeter thereof. The bucket holding apparatus further includes an arcuate lever directly and statically conjoined to the second carriage and extending laterally upwards away from an outer edge thereof.
US07708234B2
A clamp used to create a bond between under floor wiring systems and a common bonding network is disclosed. The clamp includes a mounting bracket, a J-bolt and a split bolt for securing wires to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket has a main body with an aperture and a slot. The J-bolt has a first end and a second end. The first end of the J-bolt is attached at the aperture of the mounting bracket and the second end of the J-bolt is positioned within the slot of the mounting bracket. The second end of the J-bolt is removed from the slot to enable the second end of the J-bolt to pivot away from the mounting bracket enabling the J-bolt to engage a floor pedestal.
US07708231B2
Aircraft trailing edge devices, including devices having forwardly positioned hinge lines, and associated methods are disclosed. An aircraft system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a wing and a trailing edge device coupled to the wing. The trailing edge device can be movable relative to the wing between a stowed position and a deployed position, with the trailing edge device having a leading edge, a trailing edge, an upper surface, and a lower surface. The upper surface can have an intersection point with the wing when the trailing edge device is in the stowed position. The motion of the trailing edge device relative to the wing can include rotational motion about a hinge line positioned forward of the intersection point, and a gap can be positioned between the trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge of the trailing edge device when the trailing edge device is in the deployed position.
US07708227B2
A region of an airfoil to be protected from accreted ice is heated to reduce the strength of the bond between the ice and the airfoil, and is mechanically deformed to shed the accreted ice after the bond has been sufficiently weakened. Heating ceases before substantial water runback is generated. The mechanical deformation and the cessation of heating occur approximately simultaneously.
US07708221B2
A kernel processing assembly includes a first roll supported in bearings on a first frame element and a second roll supported in bearings on a second frame element, that forms a slot with the first roll through which harvested crop can be conducted. A rotary bearing is arranged on the first side of the slot that retains the first frame element and the second frame element free to pivot against each other. A pre-load arrangement is arranged on the second side of the slot that pre-loads the first frame element and the second frame element against each other. The rotary bearing includes a shaft to which an eccentric is fastened that retains the first frame element free to pivot, and that the shaft is supported in bearings, free to rotate, relative to the second frame element, so that the width of the slot can be varied by rotating the shaft about its longitudinal axis.
US07708218B2
A jaw crusher includes: a crusher frame to which a cross member for connecting a pair of side wall plates is provided; a fixed jaw; a swing jaw swingably hung between the side wall plates; a pair of toggle link pins both of which are disposed along a common axial direction having a first outer end pivoted on the side plate and a second inner end pivoted on a main supporter provided to the cross member; and a reaction force-receiving link mechanism including a toggle link rotatably supported by the toggle link pin. The main supporter of the cross member on which the second end of the toggle link pin is pivoted is box-shaped.
US07708208B1
A method and apparatus to disintegrate a liquid having a tendency to solidify and improving the operational safety of processes involving dispensing or spraying of small liquids amounts. The method of the present invention comprises the prevention of the formation of nozzle built-up of formerly suspended particles or formerly dissolved solute by means of closing the nozzle aperture when the spraying process is stopped using a sealing liquid.
US07708207B2
A nozzle assembly for spraying a wash liquid towards a pulp mat, the assembly including an integral fastener-nozzle having a conduit for the wash liquid, an outlet to the conduit for discharging the wash liquid and an attachment to secure the fastener-nozzle to an aperture in a wash liquid pipe, and a wash liquid direction device extending outwardly from the pipe and adapted to direct the wash liquid from the outlet towards the pulp mat.
US07708204B2
A laser alignment system includes a laser emitter for producing at least one fan beam. The laser alignment system further includes a target assembly with at least one CCD linear array. The CCD linear array is disposed to be impinged upon by a portion of the fan beam to provide displacement data. Mirrors are disposed to redirect a portion of the fan beam to a second position on the CCD linear array to provide a second reading. The first and second readings are used to calculate angular alignment data.
US07708201B2
A system and method for verifying the authenticity and payment of a bank check at any of a plurality of banks or check cashing sites, wherein a payor or issuing site determines a first set of data including account and individualized payee data, which is communicated to a processing center for temporary storage and eventual comparison. Upon presentation of the check for redemption, the cashing site will establish a second set of data at least including the pre-printed account data and, depending on the embodiment, the individualized payee data that appears on the face of the check when presented. The second set of data is communicated to the processing center where the first and second sets of data are compared. Subsequent to comparison, authenticating data will be communicated to the cashing site, which is indicative of redemption authorization or refusal. Additional embodiments include assuring payment for and delivery of merchandise associated with an Internet commercial transaction.
US07708200B2
A fraudulent business transaction application (FBTA) is provided for monitoring application based fraud. When a consumer supplies account access information in order to carry out an Internet business transaction, the FBTA uses an online fraud mitigation engine to detect phishing intrusions and identity theft. Methods are also provided for calculating travel velocity and transaction frequency, which are useful for determining a fraudulent transaction.
US07708199B2
An electronic fund transfer (EFT) system capable of displaying a menu including one or more user-defined custom transactions associated with an identification card so that the user can select a desired transaction by a single selection or with limited inputs. The transactions may be defined by a user during a set-up/authorization operation and/or may be stored based on transactions performed by the user. Additionally, the transactions may be stored on the identification card, in a local memory of a transaction terminal and/or in a system memory of the EFT system. A single identification card may be used to enable the user to select from a plurality of financial accounts with different institutions. Another asset of an ATM system and method comprises a graphical user interface that enables a user to select a transaction type and the transaction parameters necessary to define that transaction from a single display. By use of a pointing device (and possibly other input devices), the user can select or change selections for the transaction type and/or transaction parameters. Preferably, the display is created using object-oriented programming and has a plurality of objects corresponding to the transaction type and transaction parameters. Using the pointing device, the user selects the transaction type. Once the transaction type is selected, the transaction parameters necessary to define the selected transaction type are selected. The ATM system may preselect transaction types and/or transaction parameters based on stored information relating to the user (such as a previous transaction or other information). If the selections are as the user desires them to be for the desired transaction, then the user can simply click on a command button (e.g. a button labeled “OK”) to cause the transaction to be executed. This potentially reduces the number of inputs or selections that a user must make to execute a desire transaction.
US07708195B2
A memory card has external interface terminals, an interface controller connected to each of the terminals, a rewritable nonvolatile memory connected to the interface controller, and a data processor connected to the interface controller. The interface controller can perform an operation based on another command supplied from the outside in parallel with the operations of transferring a command for a data process supplied from the outside to the data processor and operating it. The interface controller has plural buffers and, after completely inputting the command for a data process from an outside to a first buffer of the plural buffers, allows data related to the other command supplied from the outside to be inputted to a second buffer of the plural buffers. The memory card can receive a command data and data to be processed subsequently from the outside without the need of waiting for the completion of the communication process between the data processor and the interface controller.
US07708193B1
System and methods for transaction processing using a rewards account are described. The method may include: receiving a transaction containing a transaction type, formatting a message based on the transaction type and sending the message. The method may alternately include, receiving a transaction message and processing a transaction based on a transaction type contained within the transaction message. The system may include one or more software modules performing the following functions: receiving module to receive transactions, transaction processing module to parse the transaction and determine a transaction type, message processing module to format a transaction message based on the transaction type, and a user interface module to provide a user interface to a customer.
US07708185B2
A plastic box formed of plastic that closes an opening by bending inner Flaps, arranged on one pair of opposite two sides at a periphery of the opening, towards the inside, and folding an outer flap arranged on one side of the other pair of opposite two sides, while inserting and latching an insertion flap piece into the inside of the opening. The plastic box includes a lock mechanism that functions by engaging respective base end parts of the inner flap with notches formed on respective end parts of a bend line bent from the outer flap of the insertion flap piece. In addition, the plastic box includes a finger-receiving brim piece protruding from the bend line towards the outside at a position shifted from the center of the bend line towards the side edge.
US07708182B2
A surgical instrument comprises a first elongated member and a second elongated member, the first elongated member and the second elongated member being operatively connected and configured to rotate in opposite directions to substantially limit counter torque. The first and second elongated members are flexible shafts. The surgical instrument can be configured to apply fasteners to a tissue portion. This embodiment of the surgical instrument includes a cartridge having a plurality of fasteners, an anvil, said anvil and cartridge being relatively movable between spaced and approximated positions, and a sled disposed in the cartridge. The sled includes a cam member. The cam member is designed to drive the fasteners through tissue and toward the anvil.
US07708177B2
A powder-actuated fastener-driving tool includes a barrel unit inserted movably into a housing, a holder disposed movably in the housing, abutting against the barrel unit and having a through hole defined by an inner annular surface, and a spring-loaded firing pin disposed fixedly in the housing, having a free end portion extending into the through hole in the holder, and movable among normal and standby positions, where the firing pin is inclined due to engagement between the free end portion thereof and the shoulder portion of the holder, and a firing position. When a trigger unit mounted on the housing is operated to switch the firing pin from the standby position to the firing position, the free end portion of the firing pin disengages the shoulder portion of the holder to move frontwardly to thereby contact and ignite gunpowder in a chamber in a rear end portion of the barrel unit.
US07708175B2
An apparatus is provided for securing tools with respect to a spare wheel for a vehicle. The apparatus includes a hub member that is adapted for selective securement to a central area of a spare wheel. At least one securement structure is provided on the hub member. At least one strap member is secured to the at least one securement structure. The at least one strap member is adjustable to at least partially define a variably sized opening and is configured to selectively secure at least one tool within the variably sized opening.
US07708174B1
A top sizing system for a garment hanger. The system includes a sizer seat secured to an upper portion of the hook of the hanger. The seat includes a ledge and a tab extending substantially perpendicular therefrom. The tab includes at least one guide slot. The system further includes a sizer having an internal cavity configured to receive the tab therein. The sizer has at least one guide repositioned to engage the guide slot whereupon the sizer can be moved from a first unengaged position to a second engaged position.
US07708168B2
A fluid dispenser member comprising a body (1), an actuator element (2), and a return spring (3), said actuator element comprising a portion disposed inside the body and a top portion (21, 23) that projects out from the body, said actuator element being axially displaceable, downwards and upwards, inside said body between a rest position and a depressed position, said actuator element being urged towards the rest position by the return spring (3), the dispenser member being characterized in that it further comprises blocking means (14, 24, 3) for preventing the actuator element (2) from turning relative to said body (1).
US07708164B2
A fitment for package holding a liquid and a package including such a fitment. The fitment is a metering dispensing valve arranged to be secured to a flexible bag for selectively dispensing a metered quantity of the liquid therefrom. It includes a compressible bulb and a piercing member which when actuated pierces through the bag to enable a metered amount of the liquid to be drawn into a reservoir in the bulb. The bulb can then be compressed to dispense the metered amount of liquid from the reservoir. The dispensing valve also includes a inlet valve to the reservoir and an outlet valve from the reservoir. The fitment may include a pair of barriers to enable it to be sterilized before being secured to the bag form an aseptic package.
US07708161B2
A vacuum chamber with an innovative wall structure. Instead of a conventional homogenous wall structure, the invention uses an array of internally-pressurized, thin-walled cells to contain an enclosed volume. The walls are arranged so that when a vacuum is present in the enclosed volume, the cell walls are placed primarily in tension. In this way the likelihood of buckling instability is substantially reduced. The result is a much lighter vessel compared to a conventional homogenous wall vessel of similar strength.
US07708154B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a dispensing system (for dispensing a product) that helps prevent theft, while also providing a simple, easy to manufacture advancing or pushing system that advances product forward. In certain embodiments, the system comprises a base having a back portion, a platform having a track, a flexible plastic pushing device with a connecting end and a pushing end, wherein the connecting end is attached to the back portion of the base, and wherein the pushing end slides along the platform track to advance product to be dispensed forward, and a hood that covers the base.
US07708149B2
A large vault or tank receives the runoff water to be cleaned. There are one or more small tanks in the large tank (vault). Each small tank is inverted and receives water at its open lower end, from the large tank. The water entering the small tank rises, as the water level in the large tank rises, and flows upward through a filter. When the water level rises above the top of the filter it enters an outlet tube or pipe and then flows downwardly along the center-line of the filter. A float, a valve and a check valve may cause the system to function as a siphon and feed the filtered clean water to an outlet. Alternatively the siphoning effect will occur if the inside diameter of said outlet tube is small enough to form a partial vacuum.
US07708147B2
A fluid filter assembly comprises a filter and a case. The case defines a filter chamber receiving the filter. The case comprises a notch extending into the filter chamber and engaging the filter.
US07708146B2
A hydrocyclone can be used for separating components of a fluid. The hydrocyclone can include a substantially open cylindrical vessel and a helical confined path connected upstream of the cylindrical vessel. The open vessel can include an open vessel inlet configured to introduce a fluid tangentially into the open vessel. The helical confined path can be connected to the open vessel at the open vessel inlet. One or more wash inlets can be used to introduce a wash fluid into the helical confined path and/or the open vessel. An overflow outlet and underflow outlet can be operatively attached to the open vessel for removal of the separated fluid components. Although a number of fluids can be effectively treated, de-sanding of bitumen slurries from oil sands can be readily achieved.
US07708140B2
An exemplary display package for an item having a loop portion includes a card having a front side and a back side, a post extending from the front side of the card, and a hasp extending from the front side of the card to define a slot. The item may be attached to the display package by positioning the loop portion of the item around the post and through the slot.
US07708129B1
A multiple coin actuation mechanism has a latch biased to an inward home position with its inner end extending through an upstream side of a first coin slot of a stationary front cover plate toward a rotatable carrier wheel and generally alongside an unobstructed path for insertion of a first coin through the first coin slot into a first coin recess of the carrier wheel. The latch is pivotally yieldably movable away from the carrier wheel due to engagement with a second coin in a second coin recess in the rotatable carrier wheel, as the second coin is brought into alignment with the first coin slot, to allow the second coin to pass under the latch while the latch remains in contact with the second coin, preventing its removal from the second coin recess outwardly through the first coin slot, as the carrier wheel rotates past the first coin slot.
US07708123B2
Spring device with capability of intermittent random energy accumulator and kinetics release trigger
A spring device includes an intermittent accumulator and kinetics release trigger that gradually winds up to accumulate kinetic energy (kinetics) as driven by manual or other random intermittent kinetics, and drives a kinetics release control to trigger the spring to release kinetics to drive a load once the kinetics supplied to the spring is accumulated to a preset value.
US07708122B2
A slack adjuster for a vehicle drum brake includes a pinion that rotates about a worm axis whenever the slack adjuster pivots. Excess clearance is taken up upon commencement of the apply stroke, at an accelerated rate. This enables a larger amount of initial clearance to be built into the brake.
US07708121B1
A disc brake system comprising a brake piston with an annular groove defined in an outer side wall of said piston disposed to slide within a cylinder. A dust boot seal made of a flexible material having a first end and a second end, the first end engaging an outboard end of the cylinder, the second end engaging the annular groove. A plurality of flexible convolutions provided in the dust boot seal between the first and second ends, and the second end defining one or more slots.
US07708116B2
A catch device, as part of a fall protection for ladders and similar climbing devices, for application in a guide rail with a C-profile, includes a body and at least two pairs of rollers, arranged in the body so as to run inside the guide rail. At least one pair of rollers is rigidly fixed to the body and one roller pair is arranged to pivot about an axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the guide rail and which runs up to the rotational axis of the roller pair. The pivoting roller pair can be fixed in a secure position such that the pivoting roller pair is fixed on a shaft, mounted so as to rotate in the body, the upper end of the shaft projecting from the body and having an indent. A hanging latch is connected to the body which may engage in the indent. The hanging latch can be locked in the engaged position.
US07708107B2
A suspension system structure is provided which permits a suspension arm to be disposed without being affected by a driven sprocket or a brake disc. A final drive case is supported on rear portions of left and right vehicle body subframes. A driven sprocket and a brake disc are coaxially disposed on the left and right of the final drive case. The driven sprocket and the brake disc are disposed on the inside of the vehicle body frame. An upper arm and a lower arm are disposed on the outside of the vehicle body frame. Support portions of the upper arm and the lower arm relative to the vehicle body frame are overlapped partly with the driven sprocket and the brake disc in a side view to provide a guard therefor.
US07708106B1
A vehicle having a rear suspension according to the present teachings may include one or more of the following features: (a) a chassis carrying a seat, (b) at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel coupled to the chassis, (c) a steering member for steering the at least one front wheel, (d) an engine carried by the chassis for powering the vehicle, (e) a swing arm having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to a rear axle coupled to the rear wheel, (f) the second swing arm end coupled to the chassis at a point forward of a vertical centerline bisecting the vehicle, and (g) a suspension system operably coupled to the axle and the chassis.
US07708103B2
A power unit support structure to minimize vibration of a vehicle body frame. A mount bracket disposed on a vehicle body frame supports a power unit that includes a longitudinal engine. Specifically, the mount bracket is disposed substantially at a center in a vehicle width direction between a pair of right and left center side frames that form part of the vehicle body frame and extend in a vehicle fore-aft direction. The center side frames are connected together with cross members. The mount bracket is mounted to the cross members via a connection member as a vibration damping material. The power unit is then mounted to the mount bracket via a subframe.
US07708102B2
A collision detecting system for a vehicle has a pressure detecting member for detecting a pressure in a substantially closed space which is arranged at a periphery portion of the vehicle, and a vibration detecting member for detecting a vibration of the vehicle. The pressure in the space is calculated for a detection of a vehicle collision, based on pressure signals detected by the pressure detecting member and vibration signals detected by the vibration detecting member. Therefore, the influence of the vehicle vibration on the detection of the pressure in the space can be restricted, thus improving the detection of the vehicle collision.
US07708094B2
A user input for controlling acceleration of a vehicle. The user input has a movable member capable of deflection by a user such that a degree of deflection corresponds to a specified velocity commanded by the user. The correspondence between the degree of deflection and the specified velocity may include a plurality of zones, each zone characterized by a distinct sensitivity that may be capable of customization for a specific user. The user input may also include a neutral position of the movable member, wherein a substantially sudden motion of the movable member to the neutral position causes a slewed slowing of the vehicle.
US07708093B1
A motorized wheelchair machine with stand-up support capability having independent front drive motors and wheels, drive wheels with axle centerline in vicinity of arches of user's feet, allowing more instinctive and natural maneuvering, simplified lift system using a linear actuator and collapsing parallelogram lifting frame design, for reduced cost and greater comfort. A preferred embodiment includes an onboard electrical cell charger, extendable and retractable charger cord compatible with standard household electrical outlets and an interlock switch that prevents use of the drive motors while charger is plugged into an electrical power receptacle and a novel leg-brace device.
US07708089B2
An upper stripper rubber canister apparatus has a canister body and a canister body lid. An upper end portion of the canister body includes a breech lock structure exposed within the canister body central passage. A lower end portion of the canister body lid is configured for fitting within the central passage of the canister body. The canister body lid includes a breech lock structure that is configured for allowing the canister body lid to be fixedly engaged with the canister body by inserting a lower end portion of the canister body lid into a canister body central passage and rotating the canister body lid with respect to the canister body such that at least a portion of the canister body breech lock structure become at least partially overlapped with a respective one of the canister body lid breech lock structure.
US07708087B2
A roof bit drill has a central shaft with a front end and a back end. The drill also has a base secured about the central shaft proximate to the front end, wherein the base has clearance channels extending axially therethrough. At least one cutting element is arranged on the base in a convex cutting pattern to permit loosened material to be evacuated. The roof bit drill may further include a drill depth locator to identify when the drill has been advanced within a mine roof to a predetermined depth. A method for using the roof drill bit is also disclosed herein.
US07708082B2
Firefighting bucket (11) suspended from an aircraft by lines (15), has open top (12A) and a valve at base (13). The valve is attachable to the aircraft by remotely actuatable line (16) and independent movement of lines (15-16) may utilise the weight of the water to facilitate opening and closing of the valve. Dynamic sensing of a bucket attribute, e.g. weight, enables bucket (11) to be filled or discharged by a pre-determined volume by the pilot. Chemical fire retardant may be added by entraining it with water discharging from the valve.
US07708081B2
A wellbore system is provided including a wellbore formed in an earth formation, the wellbore extending into a salt layer of the earth formation. The wellbore system comprises a tubular conduit arranged in the wellbore whereby at least a portion of the tubular conduit is surrounded by the salt layer whereby an annular space is formed between said portion of the tubular conduit and the wellbore wall. The wellbore system further comprises an annular body of a- resilient material arranged in said annular space and extending substantially the length of said portion of the tubular conduit surrounded by the salt layer.
US07708080B2
A packer includes a sealing element, a gage and a plurality of foldback rings. The rings are located between the gage and the sealing element.
US07708076B2
A liner rotates a bit to make more hole. The liner has openings with inserts in them to lend torque resistance to the liner. The inserts have a passage with a send control media in the passage and a seal so that the liner can hold pressure for run in to get proper circulation through the bit. When sufficient hole is made, the liner is hung off an existing cemented tubular and the seal for the passages with the sand control media is removed by a variety of techniques so that the formation can be produced in a single trip.
US07708075B2
A chemical injection system includes a TRSV; a communication nipple in operable communication with the TRSV and positioned relative to the TRSV to be downhole of a flapper closure mechanism thereof when installed in a wellbore; a chemical injection line in fluid communication with the communication nipple; and a capillary sleeve receivable at the communication nipple and configured to sealingly convey fluid from the communication nipple to a remote location without affecting operation of the TRSV and method.
US07708068B2
A gravel packing screen with an inflow control device and a bypass. A well screen includes a flow restricting device for restricting inward flow through the screen, and a bypass device for increasing a proportion of the inward flow which passes through the flow restricting device, the bypass device including a material which swells in response to contact between the material and fluid in a well. A method of gravel packing a well includes installing a screen in the well, the screen including a flow restricting device which restricts flow through the screen, and a bypass device for selectively permitting relatively unrestricted flow through the screen; and actuating the bypass device in response to contact between a material of the bypass device and fluid in the well, thereby increasingly restricting flow through the screen. Flow through the flow restricting device and flow through the bypass device may be in parallel.
US07708058B1
A selectably elevatable coiled tubing injector is described that is suitable for a mobile self-contained unitized coil tubing rig for the drilling and workover of petroleum wells. The selectably elevatable coiled tubing injector includes a mechanism for positioning a trailer mounted coiled tubing injector either in a first stowed position on the deck of the transport trailer or in a second position resting on an elevated rig floor of a drilling rig. Furthermore, the selectably elevatable coiled tubing injector includes a further mechanism for selectably elevating the injector above its second position on the rig floor while clamping the tubing in order to provide additional tension on the tubing string or to raise the tubing deployed within a well.
US07708057B2
A method for inserting a tool into a wellbore includes uncoiling a coiled tubing into the wellbore to a selected depth therein. When the tubing is at the selected depth, the tubing is uncoupled. A tool is inserted into the interior of the tubing. The tubing is reconnected, and the tool is moved along the interior of the tubing.
US07708054B2
A heat exchanger includes a heat exchange core including a plurality of heat exchange tubes, a refrigerant inlet header and a refrigerant outlet header arranged toward one end of each heat exchange tube, and a refrigerant inflow header and a refrigerant outflow header arranged toward the other end of each heat exchange tube. The outlet header has an interior divided into two spaces by a flow dividing resistance plate, and some of the heat exchange tubes are joined to the outlet header so as to communicate with the space. The resistance plate has a plurality of refrigerant passing holes formed therein that are different in shape and/or size. The outlet header is provided on the outer surface thereof with identification marks for discriminating the positions of the refrigerant passing holes and representing the shapes and/or sizes of the holes.
US07708050B2
A composite material having a high thermal conductivity and a small thermal expansion coefficient, which is obtained by impregnating a porous graphitized extrudate with a metal; the composite material having such anisotropy that the thermal conductivity and the thermal expansion coefficient are 250 W/mK or more and less than 4×10−6/K, respectively, in an extrusion direction; and that the thermal conductivity and the thermal expansion coefficient are 150 W/mK or more and 10×10−6/K or less, respectively, in a direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction.
US07708042B2
A labeling apparatus has a source of printed labels that have adhesive backing, a vacuum pickup with two opposable arms, a blower bar to support a label on air. Each opposable arm has its own vacuum head and each head is removably attachable to a respective end portion of the label. The apparatus also has a label position sensor, and the vacuum pickup is movable from a pickup position to a wrap position. Each pickup arm has a plurality of spring loaded pins. A two layer label has a backing strip, an inner layer, and an outer layer, and at least one removable portion of the outer layer. The label has a neck portion and two end portions, such that the label set may be wrapped a container with the two end portions adhered back to back to each other. The neck portion is relatively narrower than either of the two end portions and is relatively offset so that it is closer to a front edge of the label.
US07708040B2
A high speed planer head. A threaded member having a frustoconical portion wedges against a knife, to clamp a knife to a hub for rotating the knife about an axis of revolution. The knife has a front and back side, two cutting edges and mirror image symmetry about a mirror plane passing through the knife. To cut both a planar face and two opposed, radiused corners, the cutting edges include respective linear face-cutting portions disposed between two concave, arcuate corner-cutting portions.
US07708028B2
A high pressure storage and delivery system having a fail-safe vacuum actuated valve is provided. In particular, through the innovative design of the vacuum actuated check valve, the system can accommodate up to three times the volume of product in similar size cylinders.
US07708021B2
A composition and method for simultaneously lightening and coloring hair. The composition generally consists of three components, specifically, a bleaching composition, an oxidizing composition and a dyeing composition. The composition preferably lightens hair color by a plurality of levels and simultaneously deposits tones that are attractive and long lasting. In a preferred embodiment, the bleaching composition is a powder composition based on silicate and/or carbonate salts and/or persulfate salts of ammonium, potassium or sodium. The persulfate bleaching composition can be ammonia-free, if desired. The oxidizing composition is preferably an anhydrous hydrogen peroxide solution, or another source of oxygen. The bleaching composition can be mixed with the oxidizing composition to form an anhydrous creme that is applied to the hair.
US07708019B2
A spinal restraint device includes a body member with a head support portion, a neck support portion, and a back support portion. Left and right body wrap portions extend from the back support portion, and left and right head wrap portions extend from the neck support portion, and these portions respectively wrap around an individual's torso and head and are secured to each other to secure the torso and head against movement. A chest flap section is provided in the left and right body wrap portions for folding away from the individual's chest, for comfort or for better access to the chest area. Declaration buckles and straps are also provided for securing the spinal restraint device (and individual) to a support board or stretcher. Other benefits are realized from the positioning of securing straps and leg straps and the dimensions of the body wrap portions.
US07708016B2
A gas regulator includes a delivery valve assembly having a delivery outlet and a delivery valve member engageable with the delivery outlet for controlling flow of a gas from a gas source. A timing gas chamber receives gas from the gas source. Gas pressure within the timing gas chamber controls the operation of the delivery valve member. An adjustment system controls the amount of time required for the gas to fill the timing gas chamber so as to control the length of time that the delivery valve assembly is opened to conserve gas. In other embodiments, a capacity adjustment system can adjust the capacity of a gas reservoir system.
US07708011B2
A dry powder inhaler (1) is to be made available, with which a particle size and particle size distribution preferred for inhalation are to be achieved and by means of which as high a line particle fraction as possible is to be realized. This is achieved by means of a dry powder inhaler (1 ) that is characterized in that provided in the inhaler (1) is a nozzle (10) through which the aerosol (9) flows before leaving the inhaler (1).
US07708003B1
A football throwing system for propelling a football down field to be caught and receiving the football when the football is thrown back includes at least one receiver assembly being positioned on a support surface. The receiver assembly receives footballs. A housing is positioned on the support surface. The housing is coupled to the at least one receiver assembly to receive the footballs from the at least one receiver assembly. A pair of conveyor drives is positioned in the housing. Each of the conveyor drives is orientated along a height of the housing. Each of the conveyor drives engages one of the footballs in the housing and lifts the football towards a top end of the housing. A plurality of wheel assemblies is mounted to the housing. The wheel assemblies receive one of the footballs from the conveyor drives and propel the football down field to be caught.
US07707992B2
An apparatus and method to detect combustion conditions using ion signals for use in a feedback control of a reciprocation engine is presented. The ion signals are used as a feedback signal to control EGR and diesel injection timing. The apparatus is an ignition system with a spark plug type of sensor. The ignition system is used to provide a cold start mechanism for diesel engines and start of combustion for spark ignition engines. The ignition is combined with ion sensing feedback that can control the engine.
US07707988B2
An engine includes an in-cylinder injector injecting fuel into a cylinder, a port injector injecting fuel into an intake manifold, and a valve-opening-characteristic changing mechanism changing at least lift or opening duration of an intake valve. When the engine is in a predetermined operating region and the valve-opening-characteristic changing mechanism decreases the lift or the opening duration of the intake valve, the ratio of fuel injected by the in-cylinder injector is increased according to an amount of the decrease of the lift or the opening duration and accordingly a decrease in tumble ratio is compensated for by the injection flow.
US07707987B2
A hydrogen G-cycle rotary vane internal combustion engine has a sodium vapor chamber transferring excess combustion heat into combustion chambers. An active water cooling system captures heat from the engine housing stator, rotor, and sliding vanes and transfers it back into the combustion cycle by premixing it with hydrogen to reduce peak combustion temperature and with an early an late stage combustion chamber injection to help transfer heat from the sodium vapor chamber, to control chamber temperature, and to increase chamber vapor pressure. A combustion chamber sealing system includes axial seals between the rotor and the stator, vane face seals, and toggling split vane seals between the outer perimeters of the sliding vanes and the stator. Sliding vanes reciprocate laterally in and out of the rotor assisted by a vane belting system. A thermal barrier coating minimizes heat transfer and thermal deformation. Solid lubricants provide high temperature lubrication and durability.
US07707985B2
An electrode for an ignition device formed from a dilute nickel alloy with improved resistance to high temperature oxidation, sulfidation, corrosive wear, deformation and fracture. The electrode includes at least 90% by weight of nickel; zirconium; boron and at least one element from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, silicon, chromium, titanium and manganese. The weight ratio of Zr/B may range from about 0.5 to 150, and may include amounts of, by weight of the alloy, 0.05-0.5% zirconium and 0.001-0.01% boron. The oxidation resistance may be improved by the addition of hafnium in an amount that is comparable to the amount of zirconium, which may include an amount of, by weight of the alloy, 0.005-0.2% hafnium. Electrodes of dilute nickel alloys which include aluminum and silicon, as well as those which include chromium, silicon, manganese and titanium, are particularly useful as spark plug electrodes.
US07707983B2
A cam shaft assembly is provided which includes a rolling bearing providing for effective oil feeding to a raceway. The assembly includes: a shaft 1; the rolling bearings 3 rotatably supporting the shaft 1; and cams 2 fitted on the shaft 1. The rolling bearing 3 includes a circumferential groove formed on an outer periphery of an outer ring 5 and an axial groove extending from place in the circumferential groove and opening on a lateral side of the outer ring 5.
US07707976B2
An efficient novel motor is described which works with hydrogen. The motor has 2 compressible chambers for better control of fuel and oxidant ratios. A turbogenerator is utilized to ventilate interior and exterior parts as well as generate electricity to transform waste water into fuel.
US07707962B2
An apparatus for forming a film of solution of carbon nanotubes includes a retaining member, an array of spray nozzles, and a supply tube. The spray nozzles are mounted on the retaining member. The spray nozzles being in communication with the supply tube. The apparatus can deposit a film of solution of carbon nanotubes having high thickness uniformity.
US07707956B2
The present invention is a wake control mechanism for watercrafts comprising flat or upwardly curved wake control plate(s) which is/are connected to the stern in a variety of ways, either fixed or adjustable, such that the water passing beneath and/or beside the transom is scooped upward by the plate(s) and the watercraft is therefore pushed deeper into the water causing a larger wake. Additionally the plate(s) may have walls so that the scooped water is held above water level thus adding weight and further increasing wake size. Adjustments to the plate(s) position may be used to control the shape as well as the size of the wake.
US07707955B1
A lifting apparatus includes a lift arm for carrying a platform or cradle and is pivotally attached to a base for movement between lowered and raised positions. A crank arm is pivotal with the base and a connector arm is pivotal with the lift arm. The crank arm and connector arm are pivotally connected to each other for rotation about a common pivot axis. Rotation of the crank arm by an actuator moves the crank arm and connector arm combination through a top dead center alignment a lowered over center alignment with the lift arm movable from the lowered position to the raised position during operating positions of the apparatus, and to a raised over center alignments with limited movement of the lift arm in the raised position for providing a locking position of the apparatus thus eliminating a need for typical additional locking mechanism.
US07707947B2
A table may include a table top, a frame and one or more support members such as legs. Advantageously, the table top may include a generally planar upper surface and a generally planar lower surface. In particular, the lower surface of the table top may be substantially free of any downwardly extending projections such as a lip. Desirably, the table includes a frame and at least a portion of the frame is exposed and visible when the table is being used. In addition, the table may include one or more guard members that are sized and configured to protect portions of the table, such as the corners. Significantly, the guard members may be selectively connected to the table top or the frame, which may allow the guard members to be repaired or replaced.
US07707935B2
A printing group of a printing machine is comprised of a pair of cylinders each having a circumference that corresponds essentially to a length of a section of a side to be printed. The effective generated surface of at least one of the cylinders comprises, at the most, one break in the circumferential direction. The surface forms, in the longitudinal direction, a plurality of adjacently arranged breaks which, when viewed in the circumferential direction, are arranged in a staggered manner with respect to each other.
US07707930B2
Device for manufacturing lollipops, including a rotatably driven drum provided with lollipop moulds at its circumference, a supply for supplying a strand of lollipop material to the lollipop moulds and a discharge for lollipops formed in the lollipop moulds, wherein the drum is disposed on a hollow shaft and wherein the lollipop moulds are disposed at the circumference of a casing, which defines an annular space with the hollow shaft, wherein the hollow shaft is provided with a first passage and a second passage, each forming a fluid connection between the cavity in the hollow shaft and the annular space, wherein the hollow shaft is provided with a fluid supply and a fluid discharge, which fluid supply is in fluid connection with a pressure source for cooling air, wherein the lollipop moulds comprise lower moulds that are fixed to the casing and the casing with the lollipop moulds forms a detachable part of the device and can be slid on the hollow shaft when being placed or removed.
US07707921B1
An ambidextrous charging handle for a Stoner-type firearm. The charging handle comprises two separate assemblies, these being an oblong handle that contains a latch assembly and a central shaft member. The parts are joined together by a compound pivoting arrangement in which a combination of the latch assembly and alignment grooves in the central shaft member interacting with slidingly engage a locating flange on the oblong handle, and a pair of pivoting connectors that secure the latch assembly to the oblong handle and the central shaft member independently from one another. The latch assembly includes cam activation via a retention relief cut acting against a fixed minor pivot connector. The second point of retention for the assembly is via a major pivoting connector the combination of which transmits the retraction force applied to the oblong handle on one end of the latch assembly and to the central shaft member through the interconnection of the minor pivot connector located at the proximal end of the latch body.
US07707919B1
A one-piece stripper retainer for plastic cup shaped strippers with a universal snap-in design that can be used with both older style and newer style punch retainers. The stripper retainer incorporates an anti-rotation heel with a snug fit around a portion of the punch retainer body and clamps to the punch itself. In a second version, the stripper retainer also clamps to the punch itself but lacks the heel. In a third version, the stripper retainer bolts to the punch retainer with a separate threaded screw. In all three versions, the plastic stripper is locked in place by the snap-in feature without any additional clamping force.
US07707914B2
A method and apparatus for handling tubulars is provided. In one aspect, the present invention provides a spinner having a first arm having a first roller and a second arm having a second roller, the first arm and the second arm simultaneously adjustable to retain the tubular. The apparatus also includes a third roller capable of urging the tubular against the first and second rollers, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third rollers is actuatable to rotate the tubular. In one embodiment, the spinner further comprises a fluid operated cylinder for adjusting the first arm and the second arm. The arms are adjusted by actuating the cylinder extend or retract the first arm and the second arm.
US07707913B2
A method of using a power tong (2) for use in the pipe make-up and pipe break-out of pipe lengths (22) during drilling in the ground as it is known from, for example, the recovery of petroleum, the power tong (2) being part of an assembly (1) which includes a back-up tong (4) movable relative to the power tong (2) in the longitudinal direction of the pipe length (22), and at least one guide column (10). The tong is releasably connected to a chassis and is arranged to be lifted up from a drill floor to a level higher up in order to break out a pipe from a pipe string, should the pipe string get stuck in the borehole.
US07707911B2
A dual clutch transmission which has a first clutch, actuated by a first hydraulic cylinder, a second clutch, actuated by a second hydraulic cylinder, shift devices for shifting gears, which are actuated by respective hydraulically operated cylinders, and a hydraulic energy source for supplying the hydraulic cylinders and the hydraulically operated cylinders with hydraulic energy. The hydraulic energy source has a first pump, a second pump and an electric drive driving the second pump.
US07707908B2
A steering column is attached to a fixing bracket of a vehicle body through a support bracket such that the steering column is inclined with respect to a vertical plane perpendicular to the width direction of the vehicle body. A guide plate is attached to one of both side portions of the fixing bracket. The one side portion is located on the side toward which the rear portion of the steering column is inclined. When the support bracket moves due to external force acting thereon, the guide plate restricts movement of the support bracket in the width direction of the vehicle body to permit the steering column to move toward the front of the vehicle body while at the same time suppressing swaying motion of the steering column, thereby stabilizing the load at the time of absorption of impact.
US07707902B2
A bearing rotor thrust sensor assembly is provided for being secured to a bearing housing having a plurality of fingers extending between a pair of opposite portions of the housing. The assembly includes a first anchor member including a first cleat and configured to couple to a first housing portion of the pair of opposite housing portions, a second anchor member including a second cleat and configured to couple to a second of the pair of opposite housing portions, and a head sensor bracket positioned at least partially between the first and second anchor members. The head sensor bracket includes a load cell including a bridge circuit for producing a signal representative of forces on said cell.
US07707898B2
According to the invention, a system for determining at least one property of a fluid flow through a conduit is disclosed. The system may include a bearing, at least one blade member, and a monitoring device. The bearing may be coupled with an interior of the conduit, and may include an inner race, where the inner race may rotate. The blade members may be coupled with the inner race, and may extend from the inner race toward the interior of the conduit. The blade members may rotate when a fluid flows through the interior of the conduit, and the inner race of the bearing may rotate when the blade members rotate. The monitoring device may be configured to determine a rate of rotation of the blade members. At least one property of the fluid flow may be determined based at least in part on the rate of rotation.
US07707892B2
A mounting structure for a pressure sensor serves to facilitate easy attachment of the pressure sensor as well as easy detachment thereof without requiring any large work space. A pair of elastic snap fit portions (8) are formed on a surge tank (4) so as to protrude from a surface thereof, and have engagement protrusions (8a) formed at their one end, respectively, so as to protrude to a side opposite to a case (2). A pair of engaged portions (2b) are formed on the case (2) so as to be engaged with the engagement protrusions (8a), respectively. The snap fit portions (8) are forced to flexibly deform to the pressure sensor (1) when the pressure sensor (1) is attached to and detached from the surge tank (4).
US07707891B2
A pressure measuring cell has a first housing body and a membrane arranged proximate the housing body, both of ceramic. The membrane has a peripheral edge joined to the first housing body to create a reference pressure chamber. A second housing body made of ceramic material is opposite the membrane and is joined to the peripheral edge of the membrane, the second housing body together with the membrane forming a measurement pressure chamber. The second housing body has a port for connecting the pressure measuring cell to a medium to be measured. The first housing body, the second housing body and the membrane are tightly connected along the peripheral edge of the membrane in a central area of the first housing body a hole is formed, reaching through the first housing body and at least in the central region of the membrane and opposite the hole a surface of the membrane is formed as a first optically reflective area. An optical fiber is arranged and tightly fixed within the hole for feeding light onto the surface of the membrane. The end of the fiber reaches at least the surface of the first housing body and is formed as a second reflective optical area linking the surface so that between the fiber end and the reflection area an optical cavity is present which forms a measuring section for determining the level of deflection of the membrane and which is part of a Fabry-Perot Interferometer.
US07707883B2
An instrument for measuring gravitational acceleration from within a borehole, the instrument including: a light source having a semiconductor that comprises a bandgap greater than about two electron volts (eV); and a gravimeter for receiving light from the light source and providing output light with a characteristic related to the gravitational acceleration, the gravimeter implemented at least one of a nano electro-mechanical system (NEMS) and a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS); wherein the light source and the gravimeter are disposed in a housing adapted for insertion into the borehole.
US07707879B2
There is provided a gear pair evaluation apparatus capable of performing accurate tooth surface analysis based on actual tooth surface measurement information without using information about a reference tooth surface. A processing unit 6 associates three-dimensional coordinate data on a gear tooth surface 102G and three-dimensional coordinate data on a pinion tooth surface 102P with each other at a predetermined meshing rotational position and converts the three-dimensional coordinate data into three-dimensional coordinate data on a cylindrical coordinate system based on the gear 101G. The processing unit 6 generates functions representing points on the pinion tooth surface 102P on the basis of the three-dimensional coordinate data on the pinion tooth surface 102P and calculates the coordinates of points on the pinion tooth surface 102P that correspond to points (grid points) on the gear tooth surface 102G by using the functions.
US07707878B2
A circulation pump for circulating downhole fluids is provided. The circulation pump includes a cylindrical pump housing, a shaft secured in the pump housing extending in a longitudinal direction thereof, an impeller rotating around the shaft in the pump housing, a cylindrical magnetic coupler rotating around the pump housing, the cylindrical magnetic coupler including a magnet, and a motor positioned outside of the pump housing and connected to the magnetic coupler to rotate the magnetic coupler around the pump housing. The impeller is provided with a magnetic piece, which is capable of being magnetically connected with the magnet of the cylindrical magnetic coupler to cause the impeller to rotate around the shaft by rotating the cylindrical magnetic coupler around the pump housing.
US07707876B2
A method for estimating the magnitude of a tire force acting on a rolling tire is disclosed, wherein: using at least seven sensors mounted on a tire sidewall portion, surface strain is simultaneously measured at seven measuring positions; with respect to a combination of the seven measuring positions, a coefficient matrix representing correlation with seven force components is defined, and a equation including the coefficient matrix is defined; using the data on the surface strain measured with the sensors, the equation is computed to find at least one of the seven force components, e.g. air pressure. The estimated air pressure is compared with a reference pressure, to determine whether the tire pressure is dropped or not. Further, a secondary sensor is mounted in a peculiar region where the surface strain is substantially not affected by the vertical load.
US07707870B2
A method and apparatus to test for oil leaks in an engine component after being machined. The method and apparatus include a wash station that washes the engine component after being machined, and a buffer that heats the engine component to a first temperature. An oil leak test station tests the engine component at about the first temperature for oil leaks.
US07707861B2
The brake bolt and the lock cylinder of the vehicle lock are mounted in a part of the vehicle for preventing the rotation of a wheel of the vehicle in a locked state. The brake bolt and lock cylinder are mounted in a brake bolt bore and a lock bore, respectively, located in the swing arm, the chain guard, or a lock body mounted over the axle-retaining nut. The vehicle lock engages a ventilation hole on the rotor, a ventilation hole on the sprocket, the teeth of the sprocket, or a hole on the hub to prevent rotation of the wheel in the locked state. Preferably, the lock cylinder is mounted to the vehicle in both the locked state and the unlocked state, and in the unlocked state the brake bolt is removed from the brake bolt bore for operation of the vehicle.
US07707860B2
There is provided a washing machine combined with a dryer. In the washing machine, a tub is provided, a lint collector is connected to the tub to collect lint, an air-vent pipe is connected to the lint collector, a dryer duct is connected to the tub and it is provided with a blower fan therein, and a water drain line is provided to discharge water from the tub to an outside of the washing machine.
US07707847B2
A refrigerator includes a housing having at least one refrigerator compartment, a door for accessing the at least one refrigerator compartment, and an ice-dispensing assembly. The ice-dispensing assembly includes an insulated housing arranged within the at least one refrigerator compartment, an ice-making device arranged within the insulated housing and configured to produce ice, an ice-storage container arranged within the insulated housing, and a dispenser arranged within the door and communicating with the ice-storage container, wherein the dispenser is configured to transfer ice from the ice-storage container to an external portion of the refrigerator.
US07707839B2
This invention relates to a declogging device (9) and declogging method used to declog and clean the precipitation of metal dusts, compressor oil and the foreign matters in the refrigeration cycle (1) in a refrigerator.
US07707838B2
An embodiment of the technology described herein is an auxiliary power unit assembly. The auxiliary power unit assembly includes an auxiliary power unit being installable in an aircraft having a cabin, a duct connecting the cabin and the auxiliary power unit, and an airflow management feature in the duct.
US07707824B2
A method of regulating an amount of NH3 stored in a catalyst of an exhaust after-treatment system includes determining a mass of NH3 into the catalyst based on a dosing rate of a dosing agent that is injected into an exhaust stream upstream of the catalyst and determining a mass of NH3 out of the catalyst. An accumulated mass of NH3 within the catalyst is calculated based on the mass of NH3 into the catalyst and the mass of NH3 out of the catalyst. The dosing rate is regulated based on the accumulated mass of NH3 within the catalyst.
US07707815B2
An axial flow positive displacement engine has an inlet axially spaced apart and upstream from an outlet. Inner and outer bodies have offset inner and outer axes extend from the inlet to the outlet through first, second, and third sections of a core assembly in serial downstream flow relationship. At least one of the bodies is rotatable about its axis. The inner and outer bodies have intermeshed inner and outer helical blades wound about the inner and outer axes respectively. The inner and outer helical blades extend radially outwardly and inwardly respectively. The helical blades have first, second, and third twist slopes in the first, second, and third sections respectively. The first twist slopes are less than the second twist slopes and the third twist slopes are less than the second twist slopes. A combustor section extends axially downstream through at least a portion of the second section.
US07707812B2
In an exemplary embodiment, a compact lawn mower that includes at least a shroud positioned a fixed distance from a lawn, by a common rear axle extended between and supported by a pair of rear wheels, is provided. The exemplary embodiment further includes a motor adjustment member confined within and supported by the shroud. The motor adjustment member interacts with a motor, which includes a cutting member attached to a motor shaft of the motor. In the exemplary embodiment, by manipulating the motor adjustment member, the height of the cutting member relative to the surface is set. That is, the motor adjustment member is rotated in a first direction to move the motor closer to the lawn, and in the opposite direction to move the motor further from the lawn, allowing the grass to be cut to a desired length, while the shroud remains a fixed distance from the lawn.
US07707811B1
A method and system for controlling the operation of a header lift and flotation system for a plant cutting machine, which provides dual modes of operation, including a first mode allowing operator settable and controllable header height with an upward floatation or up-float capability, and a second ground contact mode having a full (up and down float) capability. The system is automatically operable for switching between the two modes responsive to predetermined input commands, and can automatically calibrate for changes in the header weight so as to provide consistent float function and feel.
US07707807B2
A stopper and container body are molded in the same molding machine. An assembly device, such as a pick and place robot, transfers the stopper from one mold cavity into the opening in the container body located within another mold cavity, or vice versa, to assemble the stopper and container body. Then, the assembled container body and stopper are removed from the molding machine and transported to a needle filling and laser resealing station for filling and laser resealing. A laminar flow source directs a substantially laminar flow of air or sterile gas over the mold surfaces, stoppers and container bodies, and assembly device, to prevent contamination during assembly.
US07707806B2
The present invention relates to an erectable and/or collapsible floral easel for holding a floral object, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to an erectable or collapsible floral easel for holding a floral object. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a floral easel for holding and/or supporting a floral object. In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to methods of shipping a floral easel, methods of using a floral easel, methods of storing a floral easel, and methods of placing a floral object on a floral easel.
US07707800B2
A beam construction, particularly a so-called doctor beam, for use mainly in pulp and paper mills to carry blade holders (7) intended to hold doctor blades. The beam (1) is a composite-construction hollow beam, which also includes at least one composite construction pre-tensioning rod (9, 10, 12). The construction has an essentially triangular cross-section.
US07707799B2
A self supporting panel system used to fabricate ceilings, floors, walls, or roofs. The panel system is assembled from a plurality of panels, each having a core that is sandwiched between opposing plate members. In a preferred embodiment, the core of each panel includes a unifying material to enhance the load bearing capacity of the panel.
US07707797B2
A circular concrete cap foundation poured in-situ within a perimeter forming corrugated metal pipe set atop or within an excavated pit and enclosing a series of circumferentially spaced pile anchors. The circular concrete cap foundation supports sets of inner and outer circumferentially spaced tower anchor bolts having their lower ends anchored to an embedded anchor ring and their upper ends projecting vertically and upwardly out the top of the circular foundation to engage the base flange of a supported tower. The pile anchors are formed with perimeter corrugated metal pipes set deep in subsurface soils with cementitious material surrounding and partially bonding to a centralized steel bolt or tendon which extends through the cap foundation. The tower anchor bolts and the pile anchor bolts are both partially encased in a PVC sleeve so that the bolts can be post-tensioned. The pile anchors are in tension only and serve to pull the cap foundation down to compress the underlying ground soils.
US07707796B2
A connector device is provided for a curtain wall system of the type having structural members secured to the building framing to define frames to support glazing panels. The glazing panels each have a sash by which they are secured to the frames of structural members to form an outer wall portion of a building. The curtain wall system has connector devices securing one of the glazing panels to the frames of structural members. The connector device comprises a keeper secured to a frame, and a latch mechanism secured opposite the keeper on the sash. The latch mechanism has a latch bolt automatically displaceable to a locking position upon contact with the keeper. The keeper and the latch mechanism cooperate in the locking position to lock the glazing panel to the frame in a secured position. A method for installing the connector device is also provided.
US07707788B2
A buckling restrained brace includes a deformable core contained within an outer casing. Ends of the core protrude from the casing for connection to a frame or other structure. A length of the deformable core between its ends, referred to as the gauge or yielding section, is capable of deforming during an earthquake or blast loading. The gauge section is differentially heat treated from the ends so that the gauge section has a lower yield strength than the ends. The casing provides containment of the core to prevent buckling of the core. A metal foil interface or unbonding layer is provided between the deformable core and the casing so that the deformable core does not bind to the casing. The buckling restrained brace provides significant performance improvements over prior art BRBs coupled with simplified assembly.
US07707786B2
A modular area wall system for constructing area wall assemblies at a jobsite. The area wall system provides modular sections of varying heights, each provided with a connection plate and a strengthening rib to allow them to be connected to one another in a simple and secure manner. By providing the strengthening rib in overlapping engagement with another area wall section, lighter material of more inexpensive construction may be utilized to reduce the overall cost and weight of the resulting assembly. The system may also be used with sections of varying depth to create a tiered area wall, using teachings of the present invention.
US07707783B2
A modular enclosure, such as a shed, may include sidewalls and a roof. The roof, for example, may include one or more roof panels. The roof may also include a truss that is sized and configured to support the roof panels. The shed may also include one or more support beams that may be connected to the truss and may be connected to one or more panels. The shed may include one or more brackets used to connect a pair of panels that are positioned at an angle to form a corner of the shed. The shed may also include a cover, which may include one or more receiving portions sized and configured to receive at least a portion of the brackets. A plurality of roof panels may be positioned within a shipping container to form storage areas or cavities sized and configured to receive all or at least a portion of one or more floor panels.
US07707774B2
A portable, tactical building door opener comprises a door opening mechanism comprising: a body; a door opening arm pivotally connected to the body at a first end and having a roller for engaging the surface of the door at a second end; and an actuator for rotating the door opening arm with respect to the body, from a ready position in which the roller is not forced against the surface of the door, to a door-opened position in which the roller is forced against the surface of the door to open the door. The actuator is remotely and manually operable. The device further includes a support for temporarily and removably bracing the door opening mechanism with respect to the door.
US07707773B2
A combined seal activation system positioned within a panel for use with a combination of the panel and a frame includes a first seal activation system and a second seal activation system. The panel pivots relative to the frame. The first seal activation system activates a first sealing system positioned within the frame, and the second seal activation system activates a second sealing system positioned within the frame. The first seal activation system is positioned adjacent a first side of the panel, and the second seal activation system is positioned adjacent a second side of the panel different than the first side of the panel. The first and second seal activation systems having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration.
US07707769B1
The bouquet holding device includes an outer ring, a plurality of inner rings, a door attached via hinge to the outer ring, a locking clasp, and a track. The track runs along the interior periphery of both the door and the outer ring, and engages a grooved notch located on each end of each inner ring. The hinged door locks in place with respect to the outer ring to ensure that the inner rings are enclosed within the track. The inner rings are capable of rotating freely about the outer ring. The inner rings are capable of securing a single or a plurality of flowers or objects associated with the bouquet.
US07707765B2
A fishing rod fixing device includes a base that is supported by two suction cups for easy and efficient attachment of the device to a smooth fixture surface. A seat is rotatably mounted on the base and is releasably set any desired horizontal direction by an adjustment knob. The seat includes a tubular bar on which at least one retainer is mounted and rotatable about the bar for setting the retainer at any desired inclination angle. An angle locking member is provided to releasably secure the retainer at the desired inclination angle. The retainer has a base support mounted to the tubular bar and a top wall member spaced from the base support to define a passage therebetween for receiving a fishing rod. A locking member is provided on the top wall and is manually movable to releasably and selectively secure the fishing rod to the base support.
US07707763B2
A firearm barrel assembly having a gun barrel with a muzzle opening on a distal end, a shroud coaxially surrounding at least a portion of the barrel, the shroud having a distal portion extending beyond the muzzle opening defining a shroud front region having a distal end portion, a proximal portion extending proximally from the muzzle opening defining an annular region between the barrel and shroud, the shroud front region and annular region in fluid communication with substantially no obstruction between the shroud front region and the annular region, and a front wall disposed at the distal end portion of the shroud. The wall has an opening to allow passage of a projectile fired from the firearm.
US07707762B1
A modular integrated rail system for a firearm includes an upper hand guard having a dovetail rail extending longitudinally between the forward end and the rearward end thereof. The rearward end of the upper hand guard includes a clamp that removably secures the upper hand guard to the barrel nut of the firearm. The rearward end of the upper hand guard and the clamp include clamping surfaces configured to cooperatively engage the outer surface of the barrel nut. The upper hand guard further includes mounting channels that are used to mount accessories, such as a lower hand guard or a grenade launcher, to the upper hand guard. The rear end of the upper hand guard includes alignment tabs for automatically aligning the dovetail rail of the upper hand guard with the dovetail rail of the upper receiver during mounting. The tabs also prevent rotation of the rail system relative to the upper receiver during use.
US07707759B2
A retaining device for improving the functionality of placard holders when the placard holder is subject to transient atmospheric conditions. The retaining device includes a member used in conjunction with a placard holder to more fully secure a placard with the placard holder when transient atmospheric conditions are encountered. The retaining device may be adapted to use with many designs of placard holders, including, but not limited to, U.S. Department of Transportation approved hazardous material information placard holders.
US07707758B2
A composite magnetic card for bearing printed data and suitable for mailing purposes comprising (a) a first planar sheet of paper cardstock having a first face and second face; (b) a second planar sheet comprising a magnetic material having a first face and a second face and defining at least one detachable portion defined by a die cut while having suitably located portions integrally retained to non-detachable magnetic material of the second planar sheet; wherein the first sheet first face is sufficiently and suitably adhered with an adhesive to the second sheet first face to retain the detachable portion of the second sheet to the first sheet but wherein the adhesive is not disposed at first selected locations between the first sheet and the second sheet within the card. The resultant card after the detachable portion has been removed is adhesive-free to provide a non-sticky, clear area of the card, which may be readily used to clearly displace further desired data.
US07707754B2
A machine, such as a scraper machine, includes a bowl, a cutter and a loading apparatus coupled with the cutter and including a chute having a first end disposed outside the bowl, and an auger positioned at least partially within the chute. The auger includes at least one auger, and is configured to move work material between the first and second ends of the chute. A method of operating the scraper machine includes capturing work material at least in part by moving the cutting edge of the scraper machine through the work material, and conveying work material from the chute into the bowl at least-in part by rotating the auger.
US07707748B2
Support structures for footwear and the like include a contacting member (e.g., an outsole) that includes at least two recessed segments extending in a longitudinal direction in the forefoot portion. The recessed segments provide lines of flex such that various regions of the contacting member independently move about the lines of flex and separately engage/disengage from a contact surface when a wearer shifts his/her weight. Additionally or alternatively, the contacting member may include a set of traction members in the forefoot portion that inhibit forefoot movement in a lateral direction while optionally allowing forefoot movement in a medial direction and a set of traction members in a heel portion that inhibit heel movement in the medial direction while optionally allowing heel movement in the lateral direction. Such support structures may be used, e.g., for golf shoes or shoes for other activities requiring a swinging or twisting action.
US07707747B2
A footwear shoe structure for sports and general outdoor activity, having excellent benefits with respect to hallux vulgas, has an internal half-size tabi (Japanese sock) structure that uses a stretchable cloth and separates the big toe from the other four toes, the internal structure being interposed between an instep covering material and an upper toe part of a sole. The stretching property of the stretchable cloth forming an upper part and the stretching property of the stretchable cloth forming a lower part of the internal structure are differentiated from one another so as to be smaller in the latter than in the former. A partition member 4 formed of a soft elastic material is fitted into a crotch part between a big toe part and a part of the internal structure for the other four toes. In one embodiment, the upper part of the internal structure is formed of two sheets comprising stretchable cloth of nylon or polyester fiber, and a urethane foam 1c is interposed therebetween. The lower part is formed in a two-sheet structure in which an insole surface is formed of a stretchable nylon tricot cloth, the face thereof in contact with the inside of the sole is formed of a synthetic fiber flat weave cloth, and a urethane foam is interposed therebetween.
US07707732B2
A scribing system comprising a mounting mechanism, stylus, and force generating mechanism is provided. The mounting mechanism is configured to rotate an elongated object in such a manner that the object is subjected to a bow effect wherein a middle portion of the object bends relative to the end portions of the object. The stylus is for scribing the object at a position x along the long dimension of the object while the mounting mechanism rotates the object. The force generating mechanism is connected to the stylus so that the stylus applies the same constant force to the elongated object regardless of the position x along the long dimension of the object that the stylus is positioned, while the mounting mechanism rotates the object and thereby subjects the object to the bow effect, thereby scribing the object.
US07707726B2
A reciprocating shaver including an inner cutter upwardly pushing spring for pressing the inner cutter against the inner surface of the outer cutter; slide members held on the outer cutter frame so as to be able to slide; outer cutter elastically supporting members which are for elastically supporting the outer cutter and mounted in the outer cutter frame with one end of each one of them engaging one of the slide members, and another end thereof engaging the outer cutter; and float setting members which are provided in the shaver main body and respectively engage the slide members, in linkage with the mounting motion of the outer cutter frame relative to the shaver main body, so as to determine the position of the slide members.
US07707717B2
A method of repairing a used electrode device 1 is disclosed wherein the method has the steps of providing a used electrode assembly 1 having an inner conductor 9 with an integral electrode tip 3 encapsulated in an insulator body 8 having an outer conductor 10 and an outer electrode tip 4C; and pressing the inner conductor 9 with integral electrode tip 3 while holding or restraining the insulator body 8 to apply an force sufficient to overcome at least partially the adhesion forces at the mating surfaces of the inner conductor 9 and the insulator body 8. Thereafter by grasping an end 9A of the inner conductor 9 opposite the tip 3 while holding the insulator body 8 and withdrawing the inner conductor 9 from the insulator body 8 the parts can be separated. Then by measuring the amount the inner electrode tip 3 has been burnt as compared to a new tapered tip to establish a cut distance ΔX; and recutting the tip 3 by machining the burnt portion along the tip 3 taper surface toward and into a shoulder 3A of the inner conductor 9 by a distance equal to the cut distance ΔX the electrode tip can be reshaped.
US07707716B2
A method of manufacturing a build-up printed circuit board, in which the circuit of a build-up printed circuit board including a core layer and an outer layer is realized by forming the metal seed layer of the core layer using a dry process, consisting of ion beam surface treatment and vacuum deposition, instead of a conventional wet process, including a wet surface roughening process and electroless plating. When the wet process is replaced with the dry process in the method of the invention, the circuit layer can be formed in an environmentally friendly manner, and as well, all circuit layers of the substrate including the core layer and the outer layer can be manufactured through a semi-additive process. Further, the peel strength between the resin substrate and the metal layer can be increased, thus realizing a highly reliable fine circuit.
US07707704B2
The invention relates a method for providing reconnection to a ferrule to a service line from within the bore of a lined host pipe adapted to carry a fluid, comprising lining the host pipe with a liner, locating the ferrule from within the lined host pipe, forming a passage for fluid through the liner to the ferrule, and forming a seal of the liner with the system whereby to obviate leakage of fluid between the liner and host pipe.
US07707700B1
An exemplary embodiment of the tool comprises an elongated shaft having a longitudinal axis and a first portion with a first end and a second portion with a second end, the second portion having an elongated aperture or slot. The tool includes a pull line attachment assembly coupled to the elongated shaft, the pull line attachment assembly being configured to couple to a pull line or strap. The tool also provides a self-orienting pull arm pivotally coupled within the elongated shaft and being configured to automatically latch and be concealed within said elongated shaft. The pull arm is configured to automatically orient to a deployed state under a force of gravity after the elongated shaft has been inserted through a barrier. The pull arm, when in the deployed state, is configured to apply pressure to the barrier to breach the barrier. Methods are described for using the tool to breach a barrier or ballistic material of an enclosed chamber.
US07707696B2
A binding machine includes a tightening mechanism adapted to tension a belt and a limiting mechanism adapted to limit tensioning of the belt. The tightening mechanism includes, for example, a ratchet and a pawl coupled to a body of the tightening mechanism. A handle is adapted to rotate the ratchet in a first direction in response to a first force applied to the handle. The pawl is adapted to prevent the ratchet from returning in a second direction when the first force is released. A spring mechanism allows the handle to indicate when a second force opposing the first force achieves an established magnitude.
US07707691B2
The present invention relates a hinge assembly for an electronic appliance and a stand apparatus having the same. The present invention comprises a hinge assembly for an electronic appliance including a bracket connected to a main body of the electronic appliance, a hinge housing connected to the bracket such that a tilt angle of the electronic appliance can be adjusted, and a supporting plate connected to the hinge housing such that a swivel angle of the electronic appliance can be adjusted. The present invention further comprises a hinge cover which covers the hinge assembly and includes a detachable portion for allowing the main body to be folded in parallel with the base plate.
US07707690B2
A device has a closed position and at least first and second open positions. The device includes a base. A hinge assembly is engaged with the base. The hinge assembly has first and second axes. A hinged portion is engaged with the hinge assembly. The hinged portion is individually pivotable with respect to the base about each of the first and second axes of the hinge assembly. Pivoting of the hinged portion about the first axis moves the device between the closed position and at least the first open position. Relative pivoting of the hinged portion about the second axis moves the device between the closed position and at least the second open position.
US07707676B2
The toothbrush of the present invention comprises an elongated handle having a head attached to one end. The head has a bristle-bearing face having longitudinal perimeter portions adjacent longitudinal edges and at least two perimetric, elastomeric massaging elements alternately arranged with groups of bristle tufts along each of the longitudinal perimeter portions. The brush can comprise further massaging elements which are not located along the longitudinal perimeter portions though the use of such additional elements is preferably minimized. The perimetric massaging elements have rotational symmetry through an angle of 120° or less, preferably being circular. The cross-sectional area proportion of elastomeric massaging elements to bristles on the brush head is less than 25%. Alternately there are four or fewer elastomeric massaging elements which are not perimetric massaging elements A brush with both bristles and gum massaging elements arranged as set out above provides both cleaning and gum massaging benefits without creating an undesirable aesthetic impression derived from the use of rubber-like materials in the part of the brush head traditionally comprising only bristles.
US07707675B2
A pipe-cleaning device (1) comprising a cutting head (2) for cutting away material on the interior of a pipe, a body (111) on which the cutting head is rotatably mounted and drive means (3, 4) for driving the rotation of the cutting head (2) with respect to the body (111). In a first aspect the cutting head (2) is provided with one or more inwardly collapsible cutting elements (21) and the body (111) has a plurality of arrays of inwardly collapsible support elements (30) extending in longitudinal direction of the body (111) for supporting the body (111) on the interior of a pipe. In a second aspect the cutting head (2) comprises at least one first collapsible cutting element (21) which extends radially from a rigid central part (11), ends in a first cutting block (22) and is provided with at least one mass increasing element (22) at an intermediate location. In a third aspect, the drive means comprise a stator (3) and a rotor (4), the stator having at least one nozzle (7) for directing a liquid stream successively onto a plurality of drive elements (5) of the rotor (4), the at least one nozzle (7) extending substantially within a plane (V) perpendicular to the rotation axis (9) of the rotor and being located inwardly from the rotor (4).
US07707674B2
A hand-held motorized household cleaning apparatus that includes a housing, a battery located in the housing, a motor located in the housing and connected to the battery, an output drive shaft connected to the motor, a cleaning attachment coupled for movement with the output drive shaft and a liquid delivery system with a pressurized reservoir. A flexible adapter is also provided.
US07707672B2
Disclosed are a method for controlling a driving of a drum type washing machine preventing vibration and noise of a drum, reducing a usage of washing water, and reducing rinse time, and an apparatus thereof. To this end, the drum is rotated with a preset equilibrium speed faster than a speed that vibration of the drum is excessively generated accordingly as a rotation speed of the drum is decreased when a dewatering process of laundry is completed, and washing water is supplied into the drum type washing machine while maintaining the drum as the preset equilibrium speed.
US07707670B2
A support cushion has an elastic core having a first surface, a second surface and a thickness defined by the first surface and the second surface. A first cover portion substantially entirely encloses the elastic core. A pillow top surface is positioned adjacent the first surface of the elastic core. The pillow top surface includes a plurality of foam portions. A second cover portion at least partially covers the pillow top surface and the second cover portion attached to at least one of the first cover portion and the elastic core.
US07707666B2
A litter tie-down apparatus is provided for quickly and easily securing a litter safely and securely in a transporting vehicle, the apparatus having a main body strap member arranged to engage the lift handles of a litter, the strap member mounting a pair of adjustable-length securement strap members arranged for connection to a securement fixture in a vehicle, and a ratchet winder assembly is provided to shorten at least one of the securement strap members and thereby tension the apparatus and litter against movement in the vehicle. A quick release arrangement selectively operates to immediately loosen the securement straps and allow the main body member to be slided off of the lift handles of the litter for emergency evacuation of the litter and patient from the vehicle.
US07707664B1
A bathroom cleansing apparatus for use by individuals when taking a shower. The bathroom cleansing apparatus is an improved showerhead which is attached to a length of flex hose. The flex hose itself is not normally visible when the shower head is not in use, but rather, is attached to a spool that is axially mounted behind a shower wall. The flex hose winds around the spool a few times before being attached to an incoming water line. The spool itself is attached to a torsion spring, which will cause the apparatus to slowly pull any extra length of flex hose not being used back onto the spool for later use.
US07707663B1
The shampoo basin cushioning piece cushions the neck along notch in the shampoo basin, and also securely fastens along the top perimeter of the shampoo basin. The ability of the cushioning device to securely attach along the perimeter of the shampoo basin enables the cushioning device to avoid movement and remain steady when the neck of an end user is placed upon it. The cushioning piece seeks to eliminate the movement and associated neck soreness associated with moving cushions that are designed for the neck notch of a shampoo basin. A sink or porcelain base converter that when placed over the sink or porcelain base will convert it into a shampoo basin.
US07707662B2
A cover for a swimming pool includes a flexible sheet of material covering substantially all of an opening into the swimming pool. A split extends within the cover. Zipper elements line edges of the cover along the split to close the split, thereby preventing debris from entering the swimming pool through the split. A locking plate member covers top and bottom sides of the zipper to secure the zipper during the off-season. The locking member includes spaced apart upper and lower plates, forming a slot therebetween, whereby the slot provides clearance for fabric edges of the zipper. A bridge section joins the plates adjacent to a rear side of the locking plate member. A recess is formed in facing surfaces of the lower and upper plates between the bridge section and a front side of the locking plate member, to accommodate the zipper elements therein.
US07707659B2
The present invention provides a chamois for use with athletic shorts and/or pants. The chamois comprises an elastic portion that stretches to conform to a wearer's body to reduce irritation and a relatively inelastic portion that resists stretch to inhibit breakdown of the foam in support areas.
US07707656B2
A head scarf has a main body and a lining that are made of flat planar flaccid fabric. It has a crown for covering a wearer's head and a tail that hangs down from the rear of the crown. The lining has front and rear margin areas attached along their lengths to the main body. The end points of the front margin area of the lining are flush with the end points of the crown portion of the main body. The lining has its greatest length, measured longitudinally, in a central longitudinal plane of the scarf. The length of the lining fabric measured between the front and rear margin areas is greater, by differential amounts that decrease progressively toward the end points, than the linear distance between the front and rear margin areas to enhance the ability of the scarf to conform to the shape of a wearer's head.
US07707652B2
Described herein is an exercise system having wearable components and resistance components. For example, in one illustrative embodiment, an exercise system can include a vest, at least one adjustable band and a resistance device. The vest can have a plurality of anchors and the adjustable band can be worn on a user's arms or legs and have at least one anchor. The resistance device can comprise (a) an anchor attachment section that can be detachably connectable to at least one of the anchors of at least one of the vest and the at least one adjustable band and (b) an object attachment section that can be removably secured to an object. When the anchor attachment section is connected to at least one of the anchors of at least one of the vest and the at least one adjustable band and the object attachment section is connected to an object, the resistance device is capable of resisting movement of a user wearing said one of the vest and at least one adjustable band away from the object.
US07712145B2
An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to provide a secure authentication of chipset configuration. A first chipset configuration (CC) register set in an input/output (I/O) manageability engine (ME) partition authenticates and controls enabling a CC functionality. The I/O ME partition manages I/O resources shared with a processor in a secure manner. A second CC register set in a processor interface space provides the CC functionality. The second CC register set includes a global enable register having an enable field securely accessible to the I/O ME partition in a read and write-once accessibility and accessible to the processor via the processor interface space in a read-only accessibility.
US07712139B2
A data transmission method is described, where first data is transmitted to a first processor, then second data based on the first data is transmitted to a second processor, and a check result is transmitted back to the first processor. This permits an independent check of data transmitted to a first processor by a second processor, so that abuse or prohibited use of first data in the first processor can be prevented.
US07712133B2
A present invention integrated intrusion detection method integrates intrusion detection information. In one embodiment, intrusion detection information is gathered from a plurality of different types of intrusion detection sensors. The information is processed in a manner that provides a consolidated correlation of the information. A response is assigned to the information and the response is implemented.
US07712127B1
In an RBAC system, a capability is defined as including an operation and an object on which the operation is to be performed. The capability is assigned to a role, which is in turn assigned to a user. Whether a user's request to perform an operation on an object should be authorized is determined based on whether a capability to perform the operation on the object is assigned to a role which is in turn assigned to the user. Further, the authorization is determined based on the evaluation of the constraint(s) attached to the role. If the evaluation result of the constraint(s) disallows the user to assume the role, the user is prohibited from performing the operation on the object even the user has such capability.
US07712126B2
Methods and devices provide dynamic security management in an apparatus, such as a mobile telephone terminal. The apparatus includes a platform for running an application; a security manager for handling access of the application to functions existing in the apparatus; an application interface (API) between the platform and the application; a set of access permissions stored in the apparatus and used by the security manager for controlling access of the application to functions through the application interface. Methods can include downloading into the apparatus an object containing access permissions applicable to at least one function; verifying the object; and installing the access permissions together with the existing permissions.
US07712124B2
A VSB communication system comprises a VSB transmission system and a VSB reception system. The VSB transmission system multiplexes a coded MPEG data and a coded supplemental data having a null sequence inserted therein, with required multiplexing information included in a field synchronization signal or in a supplemental data according to a number of the supplemental data packets being transmitted. The VSB reception system detects the required multiplexing information from the field synchronization signal or the supplemental data and decodes the multiplexed data by using the null sequence and the detected multiplexing information, as well as demultiplexes the multiplexed data into the MPEG data and the supplemental data.
US07712119B1
The invention relates to a multimedia communication terminal that enables error resilience control according to a situation of a communication channel and the preference of a user based upon a multimedia communication terminal using a communication channel where a transmission error occurs, means for directly receiving a request of a user in relation to error resilience is provided to a receiving terminal, the information is transmitted to a transmitting terminal and the level of error resilience of a coded bit stream is changed.
US07712116B2
A program-display control apparatus can display information on each of a plurality of programs in a state that can be recognized by the user with ease without regard to the display configuration of the display data of the program. A display-configuration modification unit changes the display configurations of the program table of a BS digital broadcast, the program table of a ground wave broadcast, and a WEB program table into a new display configuration which increases the amount of information on the programs without regard to the display configuration of each of the programs. Furthermore, a program-table creation unit creates display data according to the new display configuration and outputs the display data.
US07712115B2
When a digital data transmission such as a digital television transmission is received by a receiver (100), the receiver attempts to locate parental rating data for a program in the transmission for a home country or jurisdiction (105, 220) in which the receiver is located. If the home jurisdiction rating data is available, it is used to control blocking of the program (270). If the home jurisdiction rating data is not available, rating data is obtained from the transmission for a foreign jurisdiction to control blocking of the program (270). If ratings for multiple foreign jurisdictions are available, the highest, most strict rating (240), may be used to control blocking of the program.
US07712113B2
Disclosed is a user history based multimedia service system, wherein user history data include a multimedia consumption type and/or consumption behavior of the user. The consumption type data includes a start time or end time of the multimedia content consumption (i.e., simple view data), content recording time and format, content backup time and format, and content transfer time and format. The consumption behavior data includes a content access/play data such as a normal finish, skimmed, skipped, slowed, or replay, and a stopped data of the content access/play. The consumption type or consumption behavior data include information on program identification and information on access to the consumption type/consumption behavior data. The respective data is provided for each user and program.
US07712106B2
A method comprising generating a source chain for use in a development project, generating an identifier which is uniquely assigned to the source chain, and caching the source chain when it is not currently required in the development project. As execution of the development project continues, or during a subsequent project, if the source processing chain is required, it is retrieved from cache.
US07712104B2
A computer system of a multi-operation-system (multi-OS) has a main memory having a memory area for a first OS and a memory area for a second OS, both the areas being independent from each other, and a plurality of I/O devices divisionally allocated to the first OS and the second OS. The first OS is loaded in the first OS memory area, and thereafter when the first OS is operated, the second OS is loaded in the second OS memory area and initialized. When the first OS is operated, the first OS hardware resources and the second OS hardware resources are registered by the first OS. Thereafter when the first OS is operated, the first OS inhibits the registration of an interrupt number already allocated to the second OS I/O device. In response to an interrupt request from a second OS I/O device, the second OS starts operating.
US07712100B2
A method, system, and program for determining a capacity of a grid environment to handle a required workload for a virtual grid job request are provided. A bid controller receives a virtual job request for processing a job within a grid environment from a client system. The bid controller determines the total required workload for the virtual job request. Then, the bid controller calculates a capacity of the grid environment to handle the total required workload, such that a bid for performing the job is enabled to be automatically generated responsive to the virtual job request based on the capacity of the grid environment to handle the total required workload.
US07712096B2
A histogram, or resource status history table, for multiple resources is created and maintained. A transaction or resource manager arranges and/or reorders various resources into a sequence based on the histogram such that read-only resources are prepared first and a sole non-read-only resource need not be prepared, but only committed. The transaction manager heuristically determines the order that resources are driven to achieve last-agent optimization. The histogram is kept related to context, based on runtime and applications context to ensure that usage patterns by context are optimized without the need for the installation to know any usage patterns.
US07712091B2
A method and system for optimizing the execution of a software loop is provided. The method involves the determination of an edge in a critical recurrence cycle in the software loop. The edge is a dependency link between two instructions and contains a dependee and a dependent. The dependee is an instruction that produces a result, and the dependent is an instruction that uses the result. The method further involves performing predicate promotion of at least one of the dependee and the dependent if one or more pre-determined conditions are met.
US07712078B1
Techniques are presented for data store population. Source code of an application is parsed for instructions related to data associated with a data store. Modified instructions are suggested for the original instructions and injected into the source code of the application. When the application executes with the modified instructions, the data being dynamically produced by the application is piped to a data store interface for dynamic and real-time update to a data store.
US07712077B2
A method and system for instantiating COM components in custom contexts are proposed. The solution of the invention is based on an auxiliary component, acting as a factory (215). Whenever a client (205) needs to instantiate a new target component in a desired custom context, it calls a dedicated method exposed by the factory, passing the identifier of the target component together with information about the custom context. The factory starts execution of an additional module, operating as an impersonator (225), in a new process (230) conforming to the custom context. The impersonator then instantiates the target component in its own process. The impersonator passes a pointer for the target component to the factory (calling a further method that is exposed by the factory); the factory in turn returns that pointer to the client.
US07712076B2
Complex floating point instructions are executed under millicode control when it is not cost effective to implement its function in hardware. One of the disadvantages to executing complex instructions using millicode routines is that determining and accessing the instructions operands are costly for millicode performance. To determine what the source and target location are, the instruction text is parsed. Furthermore the millicode instruction stream must be modified to access the operand data from and write the result to the program registers specified by the complex floating point instruction. The invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing millicode with register indirect access to the program floating point registers.
US07712073B1
A system and method for engineering data into interface control documents is provided. The method includes creating and loading an interface control document by selecting features of an interface control document to create, providing a standards document having interface control document standards, and providing a case tool for maintaining interface control documents. The method provides for generating the interface control document using the standards document and based upon the selected features, and storing the interface control document in the case tool. The method includes designating a document having data attributes for the interface control document, reading at least some of the data attributes from the document, loading at least some of the data attributes read from the document into the interface control document, and storing the interface control document having at least some of the data attributed in the case tool.
US07712072B2
In one embodiment, optimizing inventory includes accessing service level band sets. Each service level band set is associated with a policy group, and includes service level bands. Each service level band of a service level band set has a service level priority with respect to any other service level bands of the same service level band set. An inventory band set is determined for each service level band set. Each inventory band set includes inventory bands, where each inventory band satisfies a corresponding service level band assuming an unconstrained network. Each inventory band of an inventory band set has an inventory priority with respect to any other inventory bands of the same inventory band set. A feasible supply chain plan that satisfies the inventory band sets is generated in order of the inventory priorities until a constrained network is depleted.
US07712070B2
A semiconductor device fabrication method is disclosed. The method includes obtaining an inverse layout of an original circuit layout, reducing the inverse layout in size, thereby obtaining a reduced layout, obtaining a dummy pattern layout having an outline identical to an outline of the reduced layout and a given line width such that the dummy pattern layout is self-assembled to the circuit layout, and transferring the self-aligned or self-assembled dummy pattern layout and circuit layout to a semiconductor substrate.
US07712052B2
Applications that extend the basic concept of determining spatial relationships between images and generating a model allowing users to experience the images in a 3D environment are provided. One application is directed to the creation of documents that may be readily shared, viewed, and edited, wherein the documents include references to underlying content comprising a 3D environment and images positioned therein and captures connections between images. Another application relates to ranking images based on user viewing information, such as the number of users who have viewed an image and how long an image was viewed. Yet another application is directed to analyzing the spatial density of images within a 3D environment to determine points of user interest. A further application relates to using spatially indexed images to navigate between webpages and 3D environments.
US07712048B2
Methods and systems present commands to a user within a software application program by determining the user's context within the application program and automatically presenting in a user interface commands that pertain to the user's current context. When the user's context changes, the context-sensitive commands are automatically removed from the user interface. In one implementation context blocks and context panes are employed to present the commands.
US07712043B2
A system, method, program product and service for navigating and displaying hierarchically structured data. A system is provided that includes: a graphical data display system for displaying a structured diagram having a plurality of nodes; a navigation system for allowing a user to launch a viewport at a selected node within the structured diagram to view subnodes of the selected node; and a context maintenance system that maintains a visual context between each of the plurality of nodes and subnodes within the structured diagram.
US07712036B2
The present invention is directed to a system and method for scannable executable design. In a first aspect of the present invention, a system and method for developing an executable includes scanning an image and identifying a representation of a user interface element included in the scanned image. An executable is then formatted to include a user interface element corresponding to the identified representation of the user interface element. In a second aspect of the present invention, a representation of a user interface element suitable for scanning includes an object capable of being positioned on a medium, the object representing the user interface element. The object is capable of being identified as corresponding to the user interface element so that when the object is scanned, an executable is formatted to include the user interface corresponding to the identified representation of the user interface element.
US07712034B2
A previewing system that permits selection from a plurality of interactive previewers for use in a system shell browser is disclosed. The previews may be extensible, such that different application developers may write custom previews for different file types, and the shell browser may follow established criteria to select an appropriate preview. The user may enter criteria to control which previewers are used for different situations, such as when certain file types are selected for previewing. Size of an available display area for the preview may be a criterion, such that resizing the preview area may cause a different preview to be displayed. The preview may be executed as a separate process from the browser so that crashes and hangs in the previewer process do not fatally affect the browser process. Previews may be incorporated within common file dialogs offered by an underlying operating system, such that different applications may share the common previewer.
US07712018B2
Selecting and formatting warped text is disclosed. Text effects such as an underline effect and/or a strikethrough effect may be transformed along with rectangular text to form a warped text element. In such a situation, the text effects are warped with the characters of the text. Also, warped text may be accurately selected or “hit.” The coordinates of a selection of warped text are inversely transformed to map the selection to the rectangular text. The inverse transform provides an accurate manner to determine the scope and location of the selection. When the scope and location are determined, the graphical representation of the selection may be transformed to provide a user with an accurate representation of a warped selection.
US07712016B2
A method and apparatus are provided for utilizing a document object model to manage content regions for use in an electronic document. A content region is a predefined area which may be inserted in an electronic document and which serves as a placeholder for receiving and displaying specific types of content such as text, graphics data, calendar data, or tabular data. The document object model enables a user to create, modify, and delete content regions from an electronic document using an application programming interface from within a computer application program.
US07712007B2
When memory cells enter an operation mode which performs only data holding, a control circuit controls the memory cells and an ECC circuit as follows. A plurality of data are read out to generate and store a check bit for error detection and correction. Refreshing is performed in a period within the error occurrence allowable range of an error correcting operation performed by the ECC circuit by using the check bit. Before a normal operation mode is restored from the operation mode which performs only data holding, an error bit of the data is corrected by using the check bit. In an entry/exit period, read/write and an ECC operation are sequentially performed for all the memory cells by a page mode operation. Memory cells connected to a word line which is not accessed by the page mode operation are sequentially activated and refreshed.
US07712005B2
An encoding and error correction system and method employs an adaptive multi-rate (AMR) codec by stripping header data from a plurality of legacy system frames having header and traffic channel (TCH) data blocks. Speech data is then encoded using the AMR to create bits for a data block substantially the same as contained in the plurality of frames. The stripped header data is encoded as a long frame header using a fixed convolution coder. The speech data is then convolutionally encoded and the long frame header and encoded speech data are combined as a long frame. The long frame is then deconstructed into a plurality of equal segments and the segments are transmitted as TCH data in the legacy system frame format.
US07712001B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit having an internal circuit which is tested based on a scanning method is provided. The internal circuit has: memory elements including a first memory element and a second memory element; combinational circuits including a first combinational circuit receiving an external input data, a second combinational circuit outputting an external output data and a third combinational circuit; a first selection circuit; and a second selection circuit. The first selection circuit receives the external input data and a stored data held by the first memory element, and outputs any of them to the first combinational circuit. The second selection circuit receives the external output data output from the second combinational circuit and an operation result data output from the third combinational circuit, and outputs any of them to the second memory element.
US07711999B2
A method and system for performing diagnostic tests on a real-time system controlled by a state machine. A sequence of states recorded as the state machine operates is used to determine error conditions. The sequence of states is compared to expected sequences of states to determine what, if any, errors have occurred. If the real-time system, such as a transceiver in a communication system, has adaptive components, the status of the adaptive components is used to estimate the condition of any external systems coupled to the real-time system.
US07711984B2
An end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface provides a user friendly tool for consumers to self-provision and manage network services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. The EUC system dynamically generates graphical user interface (GUI) renderings that assist users in the completion of tasks related to provisioning, and managing network services. The EUC system allows telecommunication service providers to effectively hide the complexity of operational support systems (OSS) and the network elements that deliver the network services. The EUC system solves the technical problems of reducing the cycle-time to self-provision network services, assisting users to complete the tasks required to activate, and manage network services, and actually activating and managing the network services.
US07711983B2
A proposed fail over method for taking over task that is preformed on an active server to a backup server, even when the active server and the backup server have different hardware configuration. The method for making a backup server take over task when a fault occurs on a active server, comprises steps of acquiring configuration information on the hardware in the active server and the backup server, acquiring information relating the hardware in the backup server with the hardware in the active server, selecting a backup server to take over the task that is executed on the active server where the fault occurred, creating logical partitions on the selected backup server, and taking over the task executed on the active server logical partitions, in the logical partitions created on the selected backup server.
US07711982B2
A system of recording or reading data are discussed. According to an embodiment, the system includes: a host device transmitting a write or read command and data to be written or receiving data based on the read command; and a recording/reproducing device, operatively coupled to the host device via interface, controlling a write or read operation in response to the write or read command the from the host device. The recording/reproducing device includes, a pickup for writing or reading data to or from medium, and a controller for determining whether the data requires a real time recording or producing, controlling a recording or reading operation such that a defective block is replaced with a spare block of the spare area, based upon the determination.
US07711978B1
Network fabric events may be utilized to proactively handle network path outages. A storage network virtualization manager may receive a network fabric event indicating a failure along a network path to a storage device and in response may initiate a proactive error handling mechanism. A storage network virtualization manager may proactively handle a network path failure before I/O requests via that network path fail. The proactive error handling mechanism may be initiated and completed prior to or without a host receiving an indication that an access request to a storage device on the network path has failed. Proactive error handling in response to network fabric events may reduce the number of I/O failures and retries and may also reduce the length of time access requests to storage devices affected by a network fabric path failure must be quiesced.
US07711974B1
An apparatus and a method for clock mode determination utilizing SCLK auto-detection and generation circuitry at a serial port which has a reduced number of pin-count by eliminating the need for inputting a master input clock signal MCLK and/or a serial input clock signal SCLK. The SCLK auto-detection and generation circuitry includes a SCLK detector circuit, a serial mode detector circuit, an internal SCLK generator circuit, a multiplexer, and an edge detector circuit. The SCLK detector circuit is used to detect whether an external serial clock signal is present and to generate a selection signal. The serial mode detector is used to detect whether an incoming data signal is in a non-TDM mode or a TDM mode and to generate a mode signal.
US07711973B2
A circuit synchronizes parallel data of different timing for transfer. The synchronous data transfer circuit includes a plurality of first flip-flop circuits in which the parallel data are set by a data strobe signal, a plurality of delay circuits, and a plurality of second flip-flop circuits. By configuring the second flip-flop circuits to share generation of a delay amount, the second flip-flop circuits are utilized for data synchronization by the synchronous data transfer circuit. Thus, it becomes possible to configure the delay circuits with a remarkably reduced amount of delay elements.
US07711971B1
A system for monitoring multiple power supply signals with respect to a threshold has multiple inputs for receiving input power supply signals. A processing circuit of the system produces an output signal at a first level when the power supply signals have a prescribed relationship to a threshold value, and produces the output signal at a second level when at least one of the input power supply signals does not have the prescribed relationship to the threshold value. The processing circuit is configured for selecting the first level corresponding to a level of an input power supply signal at a pre-selected one of the inputs.
US07711970B2
A peripheral device has a bus-controlled switching arrangement for operating a power supply. A device comprises a bus interface adapted for communicating with a remote device via a bus. A switch circuit is connected between the bus interface and a power supply. The switch circuit is operative, when the power supply is in an inactive state, for sensing bus activity and for generating a signal for activating the power supply in response to the sensed bus activity, wherein the switch circuit has no power dissipation when no activity is sensed on the bus.
US07711969B2
An apparatus for controlling an active cycle of semiconductor memory that supports a synchronous mode and an asynchronous mode is provided. The apparatus includes an operational mode control unit that determines the operational mode of the semiconductor memory on the basis of a clock signal for a predetermined time and outputs an operational mode determination signal, and an active control unit that controls the output of an active signal for executing an active cycle of the corresponding operational mode on the basis of the operational mode determination signal.
US07711967B2
An apparatus and method for multi-point detection in a power source equipment (PSE) device is provided. During multi-point detection, a series of at least four currents is sequentially applied to a link port of the PSE device. Each current is applied during a different measurement interval. A voltage measurement sample is obtained for each of the measurement intervals. A difference in voltage between alternating voltage samples is determined and used by a detection module to determine whether a valid power device is coupled to the link port of the PSE.
US07711959B2
The present invention relates to a method for handling or transmitting encrypted user data objects. According to such method, a data preparation component (D) of a data preparation system provides user data objects. The data preparation component first encrypts a user data object that has been prepared. It then determines a checksum of the encrypted user data object and creates a container data object (DCF), in which the encrypted user data object and the determined checksum are provided. The container data object is subsequently transmitted to a first telecommunications device (A). Preferably, in order to use the encrypted user data object, the data preparation component (D) transmits descriptive information (BI1) containing a description of the possible usage rights for the encrypted user data object to the telecommunications device (A). After the selection of a specific rights object (RO), the data preparation device first transmits a confirmation object (DCFV) to the telecommunication device in order to verify the compatibility of the desired rights object and the encrypted user data object provided in the telecommunication device and if said verification is successful, subsequently transmits the rights object (RO) to the telecommunications device (A).
US07711957B2
Disclosed is a memory card comprising a program code processor for granting access to a computer-based object, at least one public and private key that is allocated to the memory card as well as a public key of a trustworthy entity being stored on said memory card. Furthermore, a piece of license information comprising at least one license code which is encoded by means of the public key allocated to the memory card is provided on an arithmetic unit that controls access to the computer-based object.
US07711955B1
An apparatus and method for cryptographic key expansion. According to a first embodiment, a cryptographic unit may include key storage configured to store an expanded set of cipher keys for a cipher algorithm, and a key expansion pipeline comprising a plurality of pipeline stages. During a key expansion mode of operation, each pipeline stage may be configured to perform a corresponding step of generating a member of the expanded set of cipher keys according to a key expansion algorithm. During a cipher mode of operation, a portion of the key expansion pipeline may be configured to perform a step of the cipher algorithm.
US07711954B2
Methods and apparatuses for securely configuring the identifier information of products. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing a product, includes: establishing a connection between a data processing system and the product while the product is being manufactured; verifying that an initial set of identifier information stored within the product is valid, where a set of identifier information is capable of being used to control distribution of media which is received by the product; providing, in response to validly verifying the initial set of identifier information, a new set of identifier information for storage in the product, where the providing is secured through the verifying of the initial set of identifier information.
US07711953B2
In at least some embodiments, a system comprises a hardware unit and a plurality of software agents that couple to and utilize at least one function of the hardware unit. The system further comprises a consensus module coupled to the hardware unit and the software agents. The consensus module is configured to detect an event that changes a state of the hardware unit, notify the software agents of the event before the state changes and selectively permit the state to change based on responses from the software agents.
US07711951B2
A mechanism is provided for securing cryptographic functionality within a host system such that it may only be used when a system administrator physically allows it via a hardware security token. In addition, a hardware security unit is integrated into a data processing system, and the hardware security unit acts as a hardware certificate authority. The hardware security unit may be viewed as supporting a trust hierarchy or trust framework within a distributed data processing system. The hardware security unit can sign software that is installed on the machine that contains the hardware security unit. Server processes that use the signed software that is run on the machine can establish mutual trust relationships with the hardware security unit and amongst the other server processes based on their common trust of the hardware security unit.
US07711947B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for automatically configuring, managing, and maintaining a network device or VPN using a public network such as the Internet. Initial configuration of a network device or VPN occurs upon a user entering minimal information via a simple HTML page. After receipt of this minimal information, the present invention automatically configures the network device or VPN without user intervention. Thereafter, a user may modify the network device or VPN configuration via an easy-to-use and easy-to-understand graphical user interface. Parameters are presented such that a user simply checks and unchecks boxes, or clicks on radio buttons, to configure network device parameters. Upon completion of the selection, the user clicks on save, and the configuration is automatically modified. In addition, upon a significant change to any network device, the changed network device automatically initiates reconfiguration of the network device or VPN with zero input from a user.
US07711945B2
A universal computer product hardware configuration initialization handling method and system is proposed, which is designed for use to be integrated to computer products of various different models having different hardware configurations for the purpose of providing these different models of computer products with a universal hardware configuration initialization capability. The proposed method and system is characterized by the embedding of a unique identification code that is specific to each particular model of computer product in the SMBIOS (System Management BIOS) and the embedding of the associated control programs and configuration data of all replaceable system components in the BMC (Baseboard Management Controller). This allows the initialization process of each model of computer product to first read SMBIOS for the identification code and then retrieve the corresponding set of control programs and configuration data from the SMC for system initialization.
US07711937B1
A trap-based mechanism is provided for gaining greater visibility into the memory usage of a process. To detect and record the memory accesses of a process, a virtual address range (or a plurality of address ranges) of the process is set to a protected status. This address range represents the range of virtual addresses that are to be monitored for access. By setting the address range to a protected status, whenever a memory access (in one implementation, whenever a memory write) is made to a virtual address within that address range, a trap arises. When the trap arises, a trap handler is invoked. When invoked, the trap handler records the virtual address that was accessed. In this manner, the access of the virtual address is detected and recorded without having to add extensive instrumentation code to the process.
US07711931B2
A shared resource access control system having a gating storage responsive to a plurality of controls with each of the controls derived from an instruction context identifying the shared resource, the gating storage including a plurality of sets of access method functions with each set of access method functions including a first access method function and a second access method function with the gating storage producing a particular one access method function from a particular one set responsive to the controls; and a controller, coupled to the gating storage, for controlling access to the shared resource using the particular one access method function.
US07711930B2
A method and apparatus for executing instructions in a pipeline processor. The method decreases the latency between an instruction cache and a pipeline processor when bubbles occur in the processing stream due to an execution of a branch correction, or when an interrupt changes the sequence of an instruction stream. The latency is reduced when a decode stage for detecting branch prediction and a related instruction queue location have invalid data representing a bubble in the processing stream. Instructions for execution are inserted in parallel into the decode stage and instruction queue, thereby reducing by one cycle time the length of the pipeline stage.
US07711921B2
A method and apparatus for managing memory allocation using memory pages. One or more arenas are designated within a memory page. Each of the arenas are divided into one or more memory blocks of the same size. Metadata is generated for the memory blocks at a location other than between the memory blocks, which is used when allocating memory to satisfy an allocation request of the size of the memory blocks.
US07711920B2
Method and system for managing a heap. A map is employed to indicate which areas of the heap are inaccessible to a program. Such areas constitute garbage which is potentially returnable to a data structure which identifies free storage available for reallocation to the program. By choosing map entries corresponding to portions of storage whose size is of the same order of magnitude as a predetermined minimum unit size for the data structure, a small map can be used. Such a map can be scanned more quickly than a larger map of higher granularity to identify only relatively larger areas of garbage for reallocation.
US07711913B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for backing up data through recordation and issuance of extended copy and media commands. One embodiment of the present invention can include a method for backing up data comprising, receiving one or more extended copy commands for a requested operation, receiving one or more media commands for the operation, recording the one or more media commands, recording the one or more extended copy commands and retrieving and issuing the recorded one or more extended copy commands and the recorded one or more media commands for the operation to perform the requested operation.
US07711910B1
A system processes data corresponding to multiple data streams. The system includes multiple queues that store the data, stream-to-queue logic, dequeue logic, and queue-to-stream logic. Each of the queues is assigned to one of the streams based on a predefined queue-to-stream assignment. The stream-to-queue logic identifies which of the queues has data to be processed. The dequeue logic processes data in the identified queues. The queue-to-stream logic identifies which of the streams correspond to the identified queues.
US07711906B2
Systems and methods that cache are provided. In one example, a system may include a spatial cache system coupled to a processing unit and to a memory. The spatial cache system may be adapted to reduce the memory latency of the processing unit. The spatial cache system may be adapted to store prefetched blocks, each stored prefetched block including a plurality of cache lines. If a cache line requested by the processing unit resides in one of the stored prefetched blocks and does not reside in the processing unit, then the spatial cache system may be adapted to provide the processing unit with the requested cache line.
US07711899B2
An information processing device of a multiprocessor configuration that can increase significantly the processing capability of read requests. The information processing device comprises a plurality of processing units, a plurality of cache memories for storing temporarily the data read by the plurality of processing units from respective main memories in combination with tag information indicating the state of the data that will be stored, and a system controller for controlling the access of the plurality of processing units to the main memories. The system controller comprises a tag copy unit for holding a copy of the tag information that will be stored in the cache memory, a plurality of write cues for storing write requests, and a store buffer for storing the arbitration results relating to a plurality of write requests that will be stored in the plurality of write cues.
US07711890B2
A flash memory device includes a storage area having a main memory portion and a cache memory portion storing at least one bit per cell less than the main memory portion; and a controller that manages data transfer between the cache memory portion and the main memory portion according to at least one caching command received from a host. The management of data transfer, by the controller, includes transferring new data from the host to the cache memory portion, copying the data from the cache memory portion to the main memory portion and controlling (enabling/disabling) the scheduling of cache cleaning operations.
US07711883B2
An apparatus for performing a plug and play function, a digital image processing system using the same, and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes: a device searching module for searching a connected device; a connection state analyzing module for determining whether the searched device is previously connected by comparing the type of device and a previous connection state; a storing unit for storing information about the type and the previous connection state; an information managing module for searching detail information of data stored in the connected device; a reproducing function verifying module for determining whether the data stored in the connected external device is processable; and a plug and play module for displaying the determination result and a selection menu for controlling the connected device to perform a target function according to a user's input.
US07711877B2
An image sensing device includes an image sensing unit, an interface unit, a control endpoint, an isochronous endpoint, a bulk endpoint, an interrupt endpoint, and an interface unit controller. The image sensing unit senses a moving image and a still image. The interface unit is connected to an external device. The control endpoint receives from the external device a command requesting transfer of the still image. The isochronous endpoint transfers the moving image sensed by the image sensing unit to the external device. The bulk endpoint transfers the still image sensed by the image sensing unit to the external device. The interrupt endpoint transfers error information. The error information includes information indicating that an error has occurred during sensing of the still image. The interface unit controller transfers the error information to the external device through the interrupt endpoint in response to the occurrence of the error.
US07711876B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for dynamically compressing categories in a data storage library. In one embodiment, the method includes retrieving an identification of a first category in the data storage library, the first category being a last-compressed category. Next, an identification number of a first order of the first category is retrieved, the first order being a last compressed order. Compression is resumed of orders in the first category with an order next following the first order and continued with additional orders in the first category. If a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the identification of the first category and the identification number of the order of the first category being compressed are stored. If, however, the predetermined amount of time has not elapsed and compression of the first category is complete, compression of a second category is begun.
US07711873B1
A first processor that executes at least one application or process includes a first interface module that interfaces the first processor to a second processor and that includes N interfaces. N is an integer greater than 1. The first processor also includes a first communication control module (CCM) that selects M of the N interfaces based on bandwidth requested by the at least one application to transmit data generated by the at least one application to the second processor.
US07711871B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide an interface device and method for command processing for commands requiring data flow in both directions on a Fiber Channel or other data transport protocol exchange. The commands can include proprietary commands, SCSI linked commands or other commands known in the art. According to one embodiment, an interface device can assign a command a data flow direction indicator. When a reply to the command is received, the interface device can determine if the reply is expected or unexpected based on the data flow direction specified by the data flow direction indicator. If the reply is unexpected, the interface device can determine whether to process the reply. According to one embodiment, the data flow direction indicator can be the exchange identification.
US07711865B2
A movable storage device combined with a smart card can include a plurality of signal pins that are connected to at least one of a plurality of memory card hosts that use different communications protocols from each other or a smart card host, and at least one signal pin that is used as a mode distinguishing pin. A mode deciding unit can decide on an operation mode, which can be a smart card mode and/or a memory card mode based on a level of a first initial input signal received from the mode distinguishing pin. A smart card module can communicate with a smart card host in a smart card mode and a memory card module can be interfaced with memory card hosts, and communicates with a memory card host connected in a memory card mode and stores data.
US07711860B2
A method and apparatus to establish a class of a universal interface device, and more particularly, a method and apparatus to receive classes supported by the universal interface device and to establish a class among the received classes supported by the universal interface device as the class of the universal interface device in a system in which a universal interface host and the universal interface device are connected via a universal interface. The method of establishing the class of the universal interface device includes receiving the classes supported by the universal interface device, establishing a class selected among the received classes of the universal interface device as the class of the universal interface device, and recognizing the established class as the class of the universal interface device.
US07711859B2
Initialization and configuration modules are added to a POST-(power-on setup test) routine. If the initialization module detects new PCI devices in a system, this module determines whether this new device includes an Optional ROM (OP ROM) adhering to the PCI 3.0 specification, and whether the OP ROM provides a configuration utility. If so, this module identifies the device and its configuration utility, and locates the OP ROM. The initialization module then initializes the new device, but does not configure it. The initialization module similarly initializes any additional new devices, and builds a combination configuration utility menu listing these new devices. In turn, the configuration module enables a user to select from the menu whether to configure new devices using their provided configuration utilities, or using BIOS setup routines. The menu may also include an EXIT entry that exits the menu.
US07711852B1
A router is configured for dynamically applying an address prefix value, during execution of a router command, based on retrieving the address prefix value for an address prefix identifier specified in the router command. For example, the router may generate au IP address, for use in executing a router command, based on detecting an address prefix identifier specified in the router command, retrieving a prefix value for the address prefix identifier, and adding the prefix value to an address suffix specified in the router command. Hence, the address prefix identifier in the router command enables global reconfiguration and renumbering of all commands specifying the address prefix identifier, merely by changing the prefix value associated with the address prefix identifier.
US07711849B2
A communications platform contains a message processing platform along with an XML message format which provides for the reception, organization, summarization, filing, storage, synthesis, routing, formatting, and intelligent processing of XML-based electronic messages and SMTP electronic mail. The platform allows a user to define an endpoint table which correlates message attributes with different user endpoints such as home phone, cell phone, email etc. Received messages are sent to a first endpoint in accordance with the message attributes and the endpoint, if no receipt is received from the first endpoint, a second endpoint is selected from the endtable and the message is re-routed.
US07711848B2
System using session initiation protocol for seamless network switching in a media streaming session
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed for switching a media streaming session between a plurality of networks. In one embodiment, a method of switching networks in a media streaming session can comprise detecting a plurality of networks available for communication of streaming data. The plurality of networks can include a first network providing a first streaming session and a second network. A determination can be made as to whether to switch the first streaming session from the first network. Determining to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network can be based on detecting a loss of the first network, detecting a lower cost alternative to the first network, etc. In response to determining to switch the first streaming session from the first network, the first streaming session can be switched from the first network to the second network.
US07711847B2
A multi-user online application network computing configuration maintains application level information at a portal or lobby server, rather than at each individual application server or host machine. Users can therefore learn about and select a desired application, such as an online game, through communication with the lobby server. After appropriate authorization processing, users can contact the associated application server, such as a game host, to begin their participation. The lobby server can therefore reduce the bandwidth requirements and other operating demands on the application server. In addition, cross-application communications in real-time are facilitated through the lobby server concept. The multi-user application environment also provides a common data model for maintaining user information, such as for establishing a ladder ranking system in the online gaming context in which user achievements are recorded and shared among users and among the different game applications.
US07711844B2
A method for obtaining data while facilitating keeping a minimum amount of state is provided. The method includes receiving at a first device an Internet Protocol (IP) frame sent from a second device to a third device wherein the first device is in a flow path between the second and third devices, the first device including at least one of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and a Field Programmable Gate Array FPGA. The method also includes removing an embedded stream-oriented protocol frame including a header and a data packet from the received IP frame with at least one of the ASIC and the FPGA, and determining a validity of a checksum of the removed steam-oriented protocol header. The method also includes dropping the IP frame when the checksum is invalid, supplying a client application with data from the removed protocol frame when the checksum is valid, and sending an IP frame including the removed stream-oriented protocol frame to the third device from the first device when the checksum is valid.
US07711843B2
A first aspect addresses a method and device for making a media file accessible via a web page. First, a web design tool receives a media file to be made accessible via a web page. Then, said media file is sent to a streaming service provider. Subsequently, a key generated by said streaming service provider allowing to unambiguously identifying said sent media file is received and an identifier derived from said key is placed into the web page through which the media file should be accessed. A second aspect addresses a method and device installed at the streaming service provider's side for serving a user's request for hosting a media file to be streamed to a visitor's computer on its request.
US07711842B2
A method for data transfer between a client system and a server comprises receiving one or more user-defined file transfer specifications and establishing a communication channel between a client system and a server system based on the file transfer specifications. The method also includes initializing transfer of operation data between the client system and the server system via the communication channel. The method further includes providing an exception notification to one or more user-designated recipients if the transfer of the operation data between the client system and the server system is inconsistent with the file transfer specifications.
US07711840B2
A method and protocol to create and control compositions on a remote device is disclosed. The protocol allows servers and other devices to take advantage of processing capabilities of remote devices to render compositions on the remote devices, thereby increasing server scalability and leveraging the remote device processing capabilities. The protocol provides high-level command packets to communicate resource command packets and control packets to the remote device with the payload having the information needed to process the commands.
US07711834B2
A method and apparatus for transporting portions of document images across a network in response to one or more requests are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a plurality of requests for portions of a JPM file and transmitting a JPM file in parts in response to the plurality of requests.
US07711832B1
Enabling existing desktop applications to access web services through the use of a web service proxy
The present invention enables desktop applications to access web services through Plug-ins and a Web Service Proxy Server. An administrator registers a web service by providing the URL of the WSDL file of the web service. The target desktop applications and the operations are identified using the WSDL file. Operations that are not compatible with the desktop applications are removed from a published list of operations. The administrator appends additional formatting information, communication standards and security policies to the WSDL file. A user accessing the web services is first authenticated and authorized. Thereafter, the user accesses the web services through Web Service Proxy Server. The communication with the web services complies with the standards and security policies specified in the WSDL files. The output data obtained from the web services are presented using template documents. These template documents are generated based on the formatting information provided in the WSDL files.
US07711830B2
An apparatus and method for sharing a resource (such as a modem or virtual private network) allow virtualizing the shared resource in a simple and efficient manner that allows both accepting and initiating virtual or physical connections through the shared resource across logical partitions or systems. An L2TP tunnel is established between the server that owns the shared resource and the client that desires to use the shared resource. Messages are defined that allow the client to initiate an outgoing connection through the shared resource, and that allow the client to accept an incoming connection received from the shared resource. Once the connection is made, the client and ultimate destination communicate through the shared resource via point-to-point communications.
US07711822B1
The present invention is directed to a method, a computer readable medium and a and a system of managing consumption of computing environment resources by multiple applications that features limiting resource consumption based upon examination of the total real-time resources of a computing environment being consumed rather than by the total resources available. The method includes observing communication between computing resources and multiple applications to obtain a real usage profile (RUP), for one of the multiple applications. A request to consume resources of the computing environment is received for one of the multiple applications. It is determined whether the whether granting access in response to the request violates a desired usage profile (DUP) based upon real usage profile. The computer-readable medium includes computer instructions to facilitate carrying-out of the functions of the claimed method by a general computing system. The system includes features capable of carrying-out the functions of the method.
US07711818B2
Technology is disclosed for supporting multiple data stores. The set of data stores can be of a uniform type, or the various data stores can be different types (e.g. Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), Structured Query Language (SQL), etc.). One implementation of the disclosed technology is with an Identity System. Another implementation is with an integrated Identity System and Access System. Various embodiments of the present invention utilize different means to separate the business logic of a system from the data access logic so that different types of data stores can be used without changing the business logic.
US07711815B2
Communication information is sent to a device that a user is using rather than a device the user is not using. For example, a backlight of a device can be monitored and if the backlight becomes inactive (turns off) for longer than a predetermined interval, it can be inferred that the user is no longer using the device and communications are no longer sent to the device. If the backlight becomes active (turns on) for longer than a predefined interval it is inferred that the user is active on the device and communications are sent to the device. If intrinsic evidence is of a high confidence level that the user is using the device, such as answering a phone call or sending a communication, the device is declared active without waiting for expiration of the confirmation timer.
US07711813B1
A resource manager application performs a search for managed resources (e.g., hosts, adapters, databases, host devices, etc.) associated with a storage area network. Results of the search are displayed in a first display region of a display screen. Based on selection of a particular managed resource by a user from the first display region, the resource manager populates a second display region of the display screen with corresponding additional managed resource information. The user further selects one of multiple view mode options to view different types of corresponding additional managed resource information in the second display region.
US07711805B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method of command tracking that eliminates, or at least substantially reduces, the shortcomings of prior art systems and methods for command tracking. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method in which a command is assigned a unique identification. State information for the command (e.g., has the command been completed, has all the data associated with the command been received and other state information) can be associated with the unique identification and recorded. According to one embodiment, the state information can be stored in various tables that correspond to particular data transport protocols and/or devices. Because the state information for the command is associated with the unique identification in the tables, state information for the same command can be identified, even if the command changes data transport protocols.
US07711799B2
A method and apparatus for caching client node requested data stored on a network server is disclosed. The method and apparatus comprise caching server responses at the pre-packetized level thereby decreasing response time by minimizing packet processing overhead, reducing disk file reading and reducing copying of memory from disk buffers to network interfaces.
US07711795B2
A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for use in playing back content. Some embodiments provide a method for use in content playback by accessing an embedded object embedded within object oriented programming stored on a portable storage media where the embedded object controls playback of content, communicating a navigation command from the embedded object within the object oriented programming to the content, altering a register in response to the navigation command communicated, and controlling the playback of the content in response to the altering of the register.
US07711788B2
A method for enabling access to a data resource, which is held on a file server (25) on a first local area network (LAN) (21a), by a client (28) on a second LAN (21b). A proxy receiver (48) on the second LAN (21b) intercepts a request for the data resource submitted by the client (28) and transmits a message via a wide area network (WAN) (29) to a proxy transmitter (52) on the first LAN (21a), requesting the data resource. The proxy transmitter (52) retrieves a replica of the data resource from the file server (25) and conveys the replica of the data resource over the WAN (29) to the proxy receiver (48), which serves the replica of the data resource from the proxy receiver (48) to the client (28) over the second LAN (21b).
US07711784B2
Internally within an organization, e-mails are often sent to multiple recipients to request information or ask that a task be performed by one or more, but less than all, of those recipients. The Systems and method help minimize overall time burden to those recipients in responding to or trying to track such e-mails, and help the sender and recipients alike more easily view, manage and control such e-mails and their ultimate disposition, including the sender's e-mail and the plurality of responses sent by recipients. Separate viewable areas for each string or chain of related autonomic e-mails within each user's e-mail in-box and other e-mail storage areas are provided. The e-mail's sender and at least certain recipients can help decide whether to terminate a particular thread of autonomic e-mail communications by designating it as completed or canceled. Those emails which have not yet been read by recipients can be moved to a “completed” folder or deleted altogether. This in turn saves the review time of those recipients who have been away or too busy to check the e-mails within their respective in-boxes.
US07711768B1
A send client can send a message or multiple segments of a message to a receive client via a computer network. A data exchange server can receive the message and store the message in a storage device. If the send client sent the message in multiple segments, the data exchange server can store the message segments in the storage device once it receives all the message segments. The data exchange server can send the message in multiple segments to a receive client. The data exchange server can send a send receipt to the send client upon sending the message to a next destination. The data exchange server can send a receive receipt to the send client upon receiving the message. The data exchange server can send messages of an ordered set in the order in which they are received from a send client.
US07711767B2
Systems and methods for designing storage area network fabric. Preferably included are an arrangement for collecting user requirements on data flows to be supported by the fabric, an arrangement for grouping the data flows into flow groups according to at least one physical location parameter, an arrangement for designing components of fabric for the flow groups, the components being associated with at least one geographical region, and an arrangement for obtaining fabric by joining the fabric components via interconnection fabric, whereby flow groups over a plurality of geographical regions are supported.
US07711763B2
Polynomial arithmetic instructions are provided in an instruction set architecture (ISA). A multiply-add-polynomial (MADDP) instruction and a multiply-polynomial (MULTP) instruction are provided.
US07711755B2
In general, in one aspect, a method for dynamic markup language schema enumeration includes receiving a request for schema file data, the schema file data for validating markup language data, using a database query to retrieve from a database values in a database table that are valid values for the markup language data, and dynamically generating schema file data comprising markup language data structures generated in response to the retrieved database table values, the markup language data structures comprising the results of the database query.
US07711754B2
A method and system are provided in which static lists facilitate arbitrary grouping of items of data independent of their locations and in ways that are meaningful to the user. A static list is a set of items defined by a root item, a direction, and the entry relationships with that root item in that direction. The static list also defines the properties that each entry relationship in the list is required to have. Verbs are provided to manage a static list. A verb is an action that may be performed on the items in the static list, and includes, among others, move, copy, add, remove, and delete. A view is provided to specify characteristics for displaying data from a static list, including visibility, order, and formatting, among other characteristics.
US07711753B2
A metadata validation process that allows for deferring object model validation until after the objects are created. The process also allows for multi-threaded processing of the validation rules, thus increasing overall performance. Validation is performed by enforcing a series of validation rules on an appropriate subject. Rules are specified according to the subject that they are validating (i.e., attribute level, association level, object level or collection level). The metadata driven validation process implements several validation types on different validation units. Correctness validation rule types ensure that a validation unit satisfies all semantic rules defined for it. Completeness validation rule types ensure that a validation unit contains all the necessary data and is ready for further use. At design time, only correctness type validation is performed. Thus, the present invention advantageously allows for incomplete objects to be created at design time. The developer, however, in this case may opt to perform completeness validation at any time. In general, a developer may opt to perform completeness and/or correctness validation at any time independent of deployment processing. In another aspect, full validation (e.g., completeness and correctness) is automatically performed on the objects during the process of creating a configuration prior to deployment.
US07711749B2
Method and system of providing an association between a system's meta-tagged data objects and a list of terms, the association indicating which objects are and are not covered by a given policy, in one aspect, may comprise obtaining a list of terms and a policy that includes one or more of the terms; identifying a plurality of meta-tags used in a system; developing one or more mappings between the terms and the meta-tags; identifying system data objects in the system having one or more meta-tags; creating for each meta-tag of each system data object identified, an association between the system data object and the one or more terms to which the meta-tag is mapped, the association indicating whether the system data object is or is not covered by the policy.
US07711741B2
Systems, methods, media, and other embodiments associated with desensitizing data in cloning are described. One example method embodiment includes identifying a column to be desensitized and preparing a set of executable instructions to desensitize the column. The example method may also include organizing the set of executable instructions based on table-oriented relationships between instructions and then further organizing the set of executable instructions based on determinations concerning execution efficiency. The example method may be performed contemporaneously with the cloning of a database to produce a desensitized clone.
US07711735B2
Described is a behavioral targeting technology for online advertising, by which an original attribute is uniformly expanded. Users that meet an original attribute are aggregated into a mid-result used to determine similarity relative to candidate attribute types. The most similar candidate attributes are selected for the expanded attribute. A URL/URL pattern suggestion technology is provided, with similarity computed from users/URLs visited by the users. URLs are separated into URL tree nodes, for calculating the number of users who have visited each URL and the number of users who have visited the URL on a sub-tree whose root is the node. URL/URL patterns are output based on similarity. Domains are also suggested based on user-visits. Similarities between pairs of domains may be computed (e.g., offline), with an output for a given domain provided in based on its similarity with each other domain.
US07711732B2
Techniques for automatically focusing searches conducted by a search engine are provided. According to one aspect, revised query terms are automatically generated based on text in links that are in incoming (and/or outgoing) link lists associated with documents that are referenced in initial search results generated based on initial query terms. For example, some of the phrases that appear in incoming (and/or outgoing) links associated with a result document may be selected. The selected phrases may be added to the initial query terms to generate revised query terms. These revised query terms may be submitted automatically to the search engine in order to produce a more focused list of revised search results. This process may be performed repeatedly, each iteration revising query terms generated by the previous iteration, until specified criteria are satisfied, at which point the final revised search results may be presented to a user.
US07711726B2
A method for creating an index for searching a structured document having a document data-structure stored, in a computer. The method to be performed in the computer for creating an index includes the steps of: analyzing a structured document to extract a document data-structure in the structured document; normalizing the extracted document data-structure to create a logical structure index composed of a plurality of elements having a hierarchical structure; extracting an appearance number of each element in the created logical structure index; and extracting elements for creating the index, based on the logical structure index, by comparing the extracted element appearance number and a first predetermined threshold.
US07711725B2
A method, computer program product and computing device for offering complementary products/services includes monitoring one or more actions taken by a user while browsing a website. One or more search terms are assigned to at least one of the one or more actions taken by the user. One or more complementary terms are assigned that define one or more products/services that complement the one or more actions taken by the user. A query is executed on a datastore based on at least a portion of the one or more search terms and at least a portion of the one or more complementary terms to generate a result set.
US07711712B2
In accordance with new technique, a computerized data recovery system includes a storage subsystem and a backup server operatively coupled to backup storage medium, the storage subsystem including a continuous data protection system. The backup server executes a recovery manager which: collects consistency points from at least two database applications executing on at least one host; collects journal terms of the continuous data protection system for each of the at least two database applications; collects log terms associated with each of the at least two database applications; displays to a user a timeline for a protected term and consistency points for the at least two database applications; receives recovery time selection from a user; receives recovery database application selection from the user; receives baseline database application selection from the user; performs crash recovery for each database application; and performs recovery of data based on transactions associated with the at least two database applications.
US07711707B2
Multiple computer devices are networked, and one device is designated as a bookmark server. The bookmark server stores and maintains a master bookmark database that is available to all the networked devices. Each bookmark in the bookmark database includes a bookmark time stamp. If a bookmark is added, deleted or changed at any device, then a transaction request is sent to the bookmark server. The transaction request includes a transaction time stamp indicating the time that the transaction request was created. The bookmark server analyzes the transaction requests according to the time stamps. If multiple transaction requests are received for a single bookmark, then only the most recent transaction request is honored and other transaction requests related to the bookmark are ignored. Also, a transaction request is ignored if the transaction time stamp is older than the corresponding bookmark time stamp.
US07711705B1
In a storage area network, agents provide transactions of data sets containing updates to manageable entities in a SAN. A SAN server avoids intermittent dissemination of events pertaining to a single transaction by storing events in a cache until completion of all subtransactions in the transaction, and then disseminating all events pertaining to the transaction. Transactions are broken down into update sections, each containing one or more subtransactions collectively defining the entire transaction. Update sections corresponding to the transaction are tagged with a section ID. Events indicating completion of processing of the update section are identified by the section ID, and suppressed temporarily by storing them in the event cache pending completion of the transaction. Other events not matching a tagged section ID are allowed to disseminate. Upon completion of the transaction, events for all section IDs corresponding to the transaction are disseminated from the cache.
US07711696B2
A file system for nonvolatile memory media is disclosed, based on the assumptions that the file system structure is flat (i.e., does not contain directories), and that a relatively small amount of memory space is available. The nonvolatile memory medium is divided into logical blocks of predetermined size, depending on the typical file size expected for each particular implementation. Each of these logical blocks includes a header describing the contents of the block. For example, the block header may comprise a magic number indicating whether the block is a valid file system block or a free block, the name of the file to which the current block belongs, a flag indicating whether the current block is the first or last block of the file, the block number of the next block of the current file, if any, and the length of valid data in the present block.
US07711695B2
A computer automatically identifies multiple occurrences of an abstract data type that is embedded within an object of metadata of another abstract data type (hereinafter “top-level” abstract data type), e.g. by recursively visiting each element of the top-level abstract data type. Then the computer automatically generates, for the top-level abstract data type, a tap-level description that contains a description of each embedded abstract data type. At several locations in the top-level description that correspond to occurrences of a given embedded abstract data type in the top-level abstract data type, the computer automatically inserts offsets that identify a common position where the single description of that given embedded abstract data type is present in the tap-level description. Use of multiple offsets that identify a common position of an embedded description reduces space. The space was otherwise occupied by multiple embedded descriptions in prior art's top-level descriptions.
US07711690B1
A method and apparatus for electronically processing bill payment requests where respective sets of payment requests are received electronically from a plurality of independent sources, each set of payment requests corresponding to an associated set of payers requesting payments to a plurality of payees. The payment requests are processed at a single remittance processing system having a database including payee information for each of the plurality of payees to generate payment directions for paying the plurality of payees in accordance with the processed payment requests.
US07711689B2
The present invention provides electronic methods and apparatus for storing and organizing access to restricted multimedia objects. This is accomplished using semantic networks by interactively defining a semantic network, identifying a relationship between nodes by associating a label with each semantic link, attaching multimedia objects to nodes and restricting user access to multimedia objects and/or the semantic network. The method allows users to access and edit the semantic network in a Java- or AJAX-based platform-independent software environment. The present invention further provides a method for rating semantic networks by allowing viewers to provide feedback regarding a semantic network's value or usefulness and then calculating a rating in accordance with the received feedback. The present invention further provides a method for linking semantic networks to build a knowledge base.
US07711688B2
The present invention facilitates customization of a process in a software system without modifying the process source code. The process can be customized by customizing a metadata description of the process, by handing the process agent a customized service identifier or by handling an event propagated by the process agent or its service factory.
US07711683B1
A method and system manages ownership information about disks in a storage network without the need for an emulated, partner mode system. The method and system provides for ownership information, including a current owner and a home owner for resources, such as disks, to be stored on each disk in a storage system, as well as to be stored in memory on each storage system node in the network. A further aspect of the invention is a disk homeness application program interface (API), which provides commands that can be utilized by an administrator at a host computer to set, modify and display ownership information about each disk in the cluster. Upon a takeover, any node in the network can takeover one or more disks by reading the ownership information stored on the disks or in the tables.
US07711677B1
A method, computer program product and system that enables dynamic determination of device attributes and dynamic configuration of device drivers for storage devices in a heterogeneous storage environment. Attributes of a device are dynamically determined by an application program, and those attributes are used by the application program to configure the device driver. The application program and the storage device being configured remain operational during the reconfiguration process.
US07711675B2
The present invention is a method for comparing object data in an object domain with database data in a database domain. The method includes applying a first transfer function to the object data so as to generate a first transformed data. The method also includes applying a second transfer function to the database data so as to generate a second transformed data. Finally, the method includes comparing the first transformed data with the second transformed data.
US07711674B2
Embodiments of the present invention introduce a novel recursive assembly process to automatically create a library of components. It starts with simple components used as building blocks and proceeds by repeatedly combining these randomly into more complex ones. The utility and quality of these random combinations of components are measured against a set of functional goals. Useful combinations then become new components in the library that can be used as building blocks for further random combination. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.
US07711669B1
In one embodiment, a content filtering system scans an incoming data for malicious content against a portion or the entirety of its knowledge base. If the incoming data is not detected to contain malicious content, the incoming data is forwarded to a content filtering agent that may perform further scanning of the incoming data against portions of its knowledge base that were not employed by the content filtering system. This advantageously allows a complete knowledge base to be segmented, with different computers scanning an incoming data using different segments of the knowledge base. The content filtering system and content filtering agent may be antivirus programs, while the knowledge bases may be virus/pattern files, for example.
US07711663B2
An in-place learning algorithm is provided for a multi-layer developmental network. The algorithm includes: defining a sample space as a plurality of cells fully connected to a common input; dividing the sample space into mutually non-overlapping regions, where each region is a represented by a neuron having a single feature vector; and estimating a feature vector of a given neuron by an amnesic average of an input vector weighted by a response of the given neuron, where amnesic is a recursive computation of the input vector weighted by the response such that the direction of the feature vector and the variance of signal in the region projected onto the feature vector are both recursively estimated with plasticity scheduling.
US07711659B2
A system may include construction of observation vectors based on a plurality of power samples indicating past power consumption of a device and a plurality of temperature samples indicating past temperatures of the device, determination of an estimated temperature of the device based on fuzzy reasoning models comprising the observation vectors and a fan control parameter vector; measurement of a temperature of the device, determination of an error based on the estimated temperature and the measured temperature, and adaptation of the fan control parameter vector using a recursive least squares algorithm based on the error. The fans may be controlled based on the fan control parameter vector.
US07711653B1
A system, method and computer-readable medium for facilitating customer service feedback utilizing embedded feedback links are provided. A consumer generates an inquiry to a service provider. The service provider generates a responsive communication that includes at least one feedback link embedded within the response communication. The consumer can manipulate the feedback link to instantiate a variety of actions, including the escalation of the consumer inquiry.
US07711648B2
A link resolver menu generated by a link resolver server includes a link to a “rights advisor website” containing a program that determines available rights for a resource. When activated, the program uses the resource information in the link to obtain a standard resource identifier and then uses user and context information to access and extract all agreements stored therein that are applicable to the organization to which the user belongs. The resource identifier is then used to determine agreements that are applicable to that resource. An applicable right is selected from each agreement, if available. The rights are then ordered in a tree from the most permissive to the most restrictive. The tree is then traversed from its lowest level upward and the resulting rights are presented to the user.
US07711641B1
Systems and methods for conducting transactions across financial institutions are presented. More specifically, in one embodiment a financial transaction center may be provided such that transactions may be coordinated and controlled utilizing the financial transaction center. The financial transaction center may determine a financial institution associated received requests and issue requests to financial institutions. By coordinating the fulfillment of transactions between financial institutions through the financial transaction center a level of abstraction may be introduced whereby transactions may be conducted across financial intuitions without knowledge of host systems at the financial institutions or overly compromising the privacy or security of these host systems.
US07711638B2
A system and method for facilitating money transfer from a primary account holder to one or more partner accounts. The primary account holder uses a self-service terminal, which displays information on each of several related partner accounts. The displayed partner account information permits the selection of the partner account into which money is to be transferred.
US07711623B2
A system includes instructions configured for enabling the one or more data processing device to facilitate preparing client-specific template information and determining client-specific consulting information dependent upon the client-specific template information. The client specific template information includes performance criteria, weightings, defined investment dataset information, filters configured for refining investment dataset information and/or process instructions. Examples of client specific consulting information include investment index performance scores, performance scores of investments in an investment portfolio, objectively quantified investment choices, asset class corresponding to allocated investment within an investment portfolio, comparative performance analyses between allocated investments and non-allocated investments represented within an asset class, and other information utilized by an investor for making investment decisions.
US07711622B2
A system and method is provided for processing, indexing, packaging, and delivering financial statements and the corresponding transaction document images to customers on a periodic basis. A cooperating system is provided for the customer to efficiently search and access those images from the customer's workstation.
US07711618B2
A graphical user interface of a product configurator is accessible by user computers over a network. In one embodiment, the product configurator presents a plurality of product-based customization options from which a user may select. In response to such options, a user may provide product-based customization information to the product configurator. This information is usable to generate a product-based customized image that may be imprinted across the face of a financial instrument.
US07711613B2
A receiving section receives a supply request for product from a terminal set up at a shop or a terminal used by a client. A first determination processing section determines whether a product in stock can be reserved for an order. A first reserve processing section reserves the product in stock for the order when the first determination processing section determines that the product can be reserved. A second determination processing section determines whether a semifinished product necessary for manufacturing a final product can be reserved when the first determination processing section determines that the product reserve is impossible. A second reserve processing section reserves the semifinished product for the order when the second determination processing section determines that the semifinished product can be reserved.
US07711609B1
A system and method for placing products or services within interactive television or radio programming or other programming, and for facilitating viewers' purchases thereof. The present invention allows viewers to mark and store placed products or services for later consideration or purchase; provides a virtual catalog entry showing such options as different colors, styles, or sizes, as may be appropriate given the nature of the product or service; identifies local or regional sources or providers of selected products or services; indicates availability and estimated delivery times for selected products or services; and allows for a greater variety of products and services to be placed.
US07711606B2
A system and method for assisting a customer in choosing among commodities based on a business profile of the customer that includes asking the customer for a definition of its business; searching a decision rules database and applying decision rules to the business definition; creating a set of business requirement questions based upon the applied decision rules database; answering the set of business requirement questions by the customer; implementing a business rule filter to the answers of the set of business requirement questions; recommending to the customer commodity types based upon the business rule implementation; and optimizing the recommended commodity types to find the best value commodity, which can be a product or service.
US07711603B2
A method for transferring information between multiple buyers and multiple vendors is provided. Information is received from a plurality of sources. This information corresponds to a plurality of products. This information is stored in a first database. A request is received. The request concerns a portion of the information stored in the first database. The request is then retrieved from the first database and posted to a second database. Access is provided to subsets of the second database to a plurality of subscribers.
US07711601B2
A central monitoring station is linked to a plurality of remote terminals, such as payment terminals at a plurality of parking facilities. The central monitoring station and each remote terminal includes a two-way communication system in the form of a video camera and display, and audio speaker and microphone. The station and remote terminals are preferably linked through an Ethernet or Internet connection, although a hard-wired connection is also contemplated. The two-way communication system can be used by a customer at the remote terminal to achieve direct human interaction with an attendant at the remote central station to address problems occurring at the terminal. The communication system can also allow the attendant to manipulate the processor of each remote terminal to collect data, troubleshoot or override the function of the terminal.
US07711599B1
A method and apparatus are provided for automatically preparing a client communication pertaining to a financial product for a client, wherein the client communication is for combined use with a corresponding host vehicle. The method comprises providing a format for the client communication wherein the communication format includes a variable portion; inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information other than a client identification; inputting into the storage medium decision information; and using the decision information to select a subset of the variable information for inclusion in a variable portion of the client communication corresponding to the variable portion of the client communication format. The apparatus comprises an inputting device for inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information comprising other than a client identification and decision information; a processor operatively coupled to the storage medium for using the decision information to automatically select a subset of the variable information for each of the clients; and an output preparing component in operative communication with the processor for preparing the client communications and for automatically inserting into the client communication the subset of variable information for the corresponding and respective client.
US07711598B2
A Web-based consumer product marketing communication network for managing and delivering consumer product marketing communications to consumers along E-Commerce (EC) enabled Web sites on the World Wide Web (WWW). The network employs one or more Web-based Multi-Mode Virtual Kiosks (MMVKs), each having a plurality of independently programmable display modes, for displaying one or more advertising spots, one or more promotional spots, and a set of consumer product information (CPI) resources through its Web-based graphical user interface (GUI). The network also includes a database server for storing and managing a CPI link structure for each MMVK deployed on the network. Each CPI link structure includes a consumer product identifier assigned to the corresponding consumer product, and a set of URLs specifying the location of a plurality of CPI resources located on the WWW. Members of product management team use the set of URLs to program the programmable display modes of each MMVK. By virtue of the MMVK-driven communication network of the present invention, consumer product management teams can now consistently deliver to product information and brand messaging to consumers along electronic streams of commerce.
US07711579B2
A computerized system and method for determining a discharge workload score for a patient and a discharge planner is provided. A first discharge data element for a patient is received and assigned a first value. A second discharge data element for the patient is received and assigned a second value to the second discharge data element. The first and second values are utilized to determine a discharge workload score for the patient. The one or more patients for a care planner are determined. The workload score for each of the one or more patients is accessed and the workload scores are utilized to determine an overall workload score for the care planner.
US07711578B2
Methods and systems are provided for promoting and managing communications among a social support network. According to one embodiment, a communication system includes a closed communication service platform and a hardcopy-based communication appliance. The communication service platform provides a caregroup virtual private network (VPN) through which only registered members of the caregroup, authorized personnel of the communication service platform, processes associated with the communication service platform, and a target of the caregroup are permitted to exchange communications. The hardcopy-based communication appliance is associated with the caregroup VPN and used by the target and is operable to be communicatively coupled to the communication service platform to print inbound communications received from registered members of the caregroup, and to upload to the communication service platform outbound digital representations of annotated pages defining communications to be delivered to one or more members of the caregroup.
US07711576B1
A computer-implemented method for managing problem tickets is provided. The method includes placing a first ticket for a first problem for which a root cause cannot be determined in an indeterminate category, placing a second ticket for a second problem for which a solution cannot be found in an unsolvable category, and placing a third ticket for a third problem for which a solution can be found but will not be implemented in the unsolvable category and closing the tickets. The method further includes reexamining based on the occurrence of a reexamining condition one of the tickets and determining whether a reopening condition has occurred. Additionally, the method includes reopening one of the tickets when the reopening condition is determined to have occurred and implementing one of an identified potential solution for the reopened ticket and a trend analysis for a group of tickets that include the reopened ticket.
US07711574B1
Systems and methods are provided for providing, based on a model, an indication that an appraisal value for a property is likely to be faulty. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving information representative of at least one of a borrower, a property, or one or more demographics, such that the received information corresponds to a date. The method determines a score based on the received information and the model, such that the score provides the indication of the likelihood that the appraisal value was faulty on the date.
US07711565B1
An information and control system for personnel transport devices. In one embodiment, the information and control system is coupled to the elevator system of a building, and includes a touch panel input device, a flat panel display having a touch sensitive screen, and speech recognition and synthesis systems serving each elevator car. The speech recognition and synthesis systems and input device(s) are operatively coupled to a processor and storage devices having a plurality of different types of data stored thereon. Each elevator car is also a client connected to a LAN, WAN, intranet, or Internet, and capable of exchanging data with and retrieving data therefrom. Functions performed by the information and control system include a voice-actuated building directory, download of selected data to personal electronic devices (PEDs), monitoring of areas adjacent to the elevator car on destination floors, and control of lighting and security monitoring in selectable areas of destination floors. The system is also optionally fitted with an RFID interrogator/reader capable of recognizing RFID tags carried by passengers on the elevator, thereby granting access to various controlled locations automatically after password authentication. The RFID system also allows the authenticated passenger(s) to control utilities such as lighting and HVAC within specific zones on their destination floors. The information and control system is also optionally equipped with an occupancy estimating sub-system which allows elevator cars to bypass calling floors when their capacity is reached or exceeded.
US07711550B1
Methods and systems are provided for recognizing names entered into a computer-generated document in the context of a plurality of spoken languages and for providing helpful actions to users upon the recognition of the entered names.
US07711549B2
A multi-language jump bar system and methods for use in connection with a multi-language contact management computer software program. The jump bar system includes a plurality of user-selectable buttons which may be associated with alphanumeric characters from different languages through use of a character set in which each alphanumeric character is identified by a single, unique, numeric character code. The buttons enable rapid updating of displayed contact information from a contacts information database simultaneously storing contact information in multiple languages so that a user of the contact management computer software may more quickly locate contact information for a particular contact. A jump bar method enables assignment of character codes to buttons according to weights associated with each character code. Such weights may be based at least partially on the usage frequency of the alphanumeric characters associated with the character codes in their respective languages.
US07711543B2
A method, a system and a machine-readable medium are provided for an on demand translation service. A translation module including at least one language pair module for translating a source language to a target language may be made available for use by a subscriber. The subscriber may be charged a fee for use of the requested on demand translation service or may be provided use of the on demand translation service for free in exchange for displaying commercial messages to the subscriber. A video signal may be received including information in the source language, which may be obtained as text from the video signal and may be translated from the source language to the target language by use of the translation module. Translated information, based on the translated text, may be added into the received video signal. The video signal including the translated information in the target language may be sent to a display device.
US07711538B2
A method and apparatus for simulating the operation of a rechargeable battery. A value is obtained for at least one parameter that describes an internal state of the battery. The obtained value is used for calculating a prediction value for a characteristic of the battery that is observable outside the battery. These steps are repeated a multitude of times in order to simulate the operation of the battery over a certain period of time. A difference is detected between a calculated prediction value and a known value of a corresponding characteristic in a corresponding situation. The obtained value of the at least one parameter is corrected before a further prediction value is calculated by an amount that is proportional to the detected difference.
US07711525B2
A method for bounded model checking of arbitrary Linear Time Logic temporal properties. The method comprises translating properties associated with temporal operators F(p), G(p), U(p, q) and X(p) into property checking schemas comprising Boolean satisfiability checks, wherein F represents an eventuality operator, G represents a globally operator, U represents an until operator and X represents a next-time operator. The overall property is checked in a customized manner by repeated invocations of the property checking schemas for F(p), G(p), U(p, q), X(p) operators and standard handling of atomic propositions and Boolean operators.
US07711523B2
The invention relates to a web-based instrument and data management system and method including software executing on an instrument controller computer system that receives a web file from a web browsing software executing on a remote computer. The web-based interface also extracts a user identifier and a requested action, determines with the user is authorized for the requested action and performs the action is the user is authorized. If not the web-based interface generates and transmits a web file indicating that the user is not authorized for the requested action.
US07711521B1
Various methods and systems for detection of selected defects particularly in relatively noisy inspection data are provided. One method includes applying a spatial filter algorithm to raw inspection data acquired across an area on a substrate to determine a first portion of the raw inspection data that has a higher probability of being a selected type of defect than a second portion of the raw inspection data. The selected type of defect includes a non-point defect. The method also includes generating a raw two-dimensional map illustrating the first portion of the raw inspection data. In addition, the method includes searching the raw two-dimensional map for an event that has spatial characteristics that approximately match spatial characteristics of the selected type of defect. The method further includes determining if the event corresponds to a defect having the selected type.
US07711520B2
Disclosed is an autonomic abnormality detection device having a plurality of agents, a server with a one or more processors, a data storage device and a corrective actions engine. The device is adapted to detect and diagnose abnormalities in system components. Particularly, the device uses agents to track performance/workload measurements of system components and dynamically compiles a history of those performance/workload measurements for each component. In order to detect abnormalities a processor compares current performance/workload measurements for a component to the compiled histories for that component and for other components. The processor can further be adapted to determine possible causes of a detected abnormality and to report the abnormality, including the possible causes, to a corrective actions engine.
US07711519B2
An apparatus for analyzing the condition of a machine having a rotating shaft, comprising: at least one input for receiving measurement data from a sensor for surveying a measuring point of the machine, the measurement data being dependent on rotation of the shaft; a data processor for processing condition data dependent on the measurement data; the data processor performing a plurality of condition monitoring functions (F1, F2 Fn). At least one of the plurality of condition monitoring functions (F1, F2 Fn) is a restricted function having a disabled state and an enabled state; the disabled state prohibiting complete execution of the condition monitoring function, and the enabled sate allowing execution. The apparatus allows a limited amount of use of the at least one restricted condition monitoring function; and at least one of the plurality of condition monitoring functions (F1, F2, Fn) is an unrestricted function.
US07711515B2
In accordance with the present invention, a method for automated parameter measurement includes strategically positioning an identifier tag at a location proximate a first object. The identifier tag stores location-specific information associated with the first object. A sensor in communications with the identifier tag receives the location-specific information from the identifier tag. Additionally, the sensor is used to collect quantitative data associated with a first parameter from the first object. The location-specific information received from the first identifier tag is used to process the quantitative data.
US07711504B2
Method and system for performing optical proximity correction with process variations considerations
A method for performing optical proximity correction with process variations considerations is disclosed. The maximum aerial gradient direction for a control point associated with an edge is initially determined. Then, a variational edge placement error E along the maximum aerial image intensity gradient direction of the control point is calculated. A determination is made whether or not |CE·n| is equal to or greater than a manufacturing grid, where n is the direction perpendicular to a segment pointing outward, and C is a constant. If |CE·n| is equal to or greater than a manufacturing grid, the edge is moved by −CE·n.
US07711502B2
A power switching control apparatus for acquiring pieces of making operation time information of individual phase switches more precisely according to loads and making instants. Making operation time information detecting means outputs the making operation time information of at least one of individual phase switches on the basis of the motion of the movable contact of the phase switch, and outputs the making operation time information of at least another of the individual phase switches on the basis of the phase current of the phase switch. Moreover, the making operation time information detecting means outputs the making operation time information ITA, ITB and ITC of an A-phase switch, a B-phase switch and a C-phase switch individually on the basis of either the detected output of a contact operation sensor and the detected output of a phase current sensor.
US07711482B2
The invention pertains to the monitoring of the integrity of position and speed information arising from a hybridization between an inertial reference system and a satellite-based positioning receiver. The invention relates more precisely to a navigation apparatus known in the art by the name INS/GNSS system (for “Inertial Navigation System” and “Global Navigation Satellite System”) hybridized in closed loop.
US07711476B2
The need for geo-registered features is avoided by a system for estimating a motion of a first sensor during a time interval. The system has a second sensor where the first sensor and the second sensor sense the same geo-location during the time interval. The first sensor computes a first target location error from sensing the geo-location. The second sensor also computes a second target location error from sensing the geo-location. A data link interconnects the first sensor and the second sensor, the data link transmitting the second target location error computed by the second sensor to the first sensor during the time interval. A processor at the first sensor combines the first target location error and the second target location error in a first sensor observation model, where the sensor observation model is descriptive of the motion of the first sensor. The observation model is used with a Kalman filter to update the position of the first sensor. This combination of the first sensor observation model and the second sensor observation model generates a more accurate target location error at the first sensor. The principle is extended to a plurality of platforms.
US07711468B1
A system, a method and device for controlling speed of a moving vehicle, using portable and repositionable global positioning devices, speed limit processors, and a database of legal vehicle speed limits is in communication with the speed limit processor. Computer instructions instruct the speed limit processor to match the current location of the moving vehicle with a legal vehicle speed limit for a defined location using the database. The speed limit processor communicates the legal vehicle speed limit to the vehicle processor to control the speed of the moving vehicle.
US07711465B2
An operation torque estimating portion estimates an operation torque Th of a driver based on an input angle θh and an input torque T output from a torque sensor. A non-holding state detecting portion determines whether the driver is holding a steering wheel by comparing an absolute value of the operation torque Th and a predetermined value ε1. An equilibrium detecting portion determines whether an equilibrium point is reached by comparing the absolute value of the input torque T with a predetermined value ε2. When it is determined that the driver is not holding the steering wheel and the equilibrium point is reached, a switching portion switches to such a position that causes a target steering adjusting portion to multiply a target output angle θpm by a predetermined gain G according to the input torque T so that the target steering angle is made smaller.
US07711464B2
A system for steering a vehicle including: an actuator disposed in a vehicle to apply torque to a steerable wheel; a driver input device receptive to driver commands for directing the vehicle; and a sensor for determining an intent of a driver and generating a signal indicative thereof. The system also includes: a lane keeping system for detecting a location of the vehicle relative to a lane marker and generating a lane position signal indicative thereof; a controller in operable communication with the actuator, the driver input device, the first sensor, and the lane keeping system. The controller provides a command to the actuator responsive to the intent of the driver, the lane position, and a desired lane position. The controller executes a lane keeping algorithm consisting of a single control loop based on at least one of the lane position and the lane position deviation.
US07711463B2
An electric power steering system includes: a band-stop filter 15a having a transfer function G1(s) for suppressing resonance, and a phase compensator 15b having a transfer function G2(s). The above function G1(s) is represented by an expression G1(s)=(s2+2ζ11ω1+ω12)/(s2+2ζ12ω1+ω12), where s is a Laplace operator, ζ11 is a damping coefficient, ζ12 is a damping coefficient, and ω1 is an angular frequency. On the other hand, the above function G2(s) is represented by an expression G2(s)=(s2+2ζ21ω2+ω22)/(s2+2ζ22ω2+ω22),where s is a Laplace operator, ζ21 is a damping coefficient, ζ22 is a damping coefficient, and ω1 is an angular frequency. Furthermore, the above damping coefficients ζ21, ζ22 satisfy an expression ζ2124 ζ22≧1.Thus, a filter such as a phase compensator may attain a design freedom while preventing the increase of arithmetic load, whereby both the suppression of resonance and a good assist response in a normal steering speed region, for example, may be achieved.
US07711452B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that efficiently conducts vibrational characterizations for a computer system having variable component configurations. During operation, the system receives a given component configuration associated with the computer system. Next, the system looks up the given component configuration in a resonant spectra library, which contains structural resonant frequencies for a number of possible component configurations for the computer system. If the given component configuration is found in the resonant spectra library, the system retrieves a set of structural resonant frequencies associated with the given component configuration. The system subsequently controls one or more vibration sources within the computer system to avoid the set of structural resonant frequencies.
US07711451B2
The invention relates to a control unit for a refrigeration or air conditioning device, comprising a main processor that is situated in a housing and that controls the temperature, fan and/or the defrosting process of a refrigeration or air conditioning device. Contact points for a co-processor, which is separate from the main processor and is suitable for controlling an electronic expansion valve, are located in said housing.
US07711448B2
A control command communicated between a print control section and a finisher control section are relayed by an inserter control section. The print control section and the finisher control section generate the control command without taking into account processing at an inserter, and the inserter control section judges the content of the control command upon receiving the control command sent from the print control section or the finisher control section, and converts the control command or adjusts output timing of the control command if the control command needs to take into account the processing at the inserter.
US07711446B2
The transport apparatus is provided with a path that extends past a plurality of article transferring locations, a plurality of article transporting vehicles that run on the path, a travel driving means provided on each of the article transporting vehicles for controlling movement of the article transporting vehicle, and a ground-side controller for managing operation of the plurality of article transporting vehicles by managing the travel driving means, wherein the ground-side controller is capable of transmitting run command information and stop command information, relating to each of the article transporting vehicles, to their corresponding travel driving means, and wherein the travel driving means drives and stops the article transporting vehicles based on the run command information and the stop command information from the ground-side controller.
US07711439B2
A method of controlling a motor speed for a fan assembly includes receiving a duty cycle value at a microcontroller. The microcontroller receives a measured fan speed from a speed sensor. An expected fan speed is determined, where the expected fan speed corresponds to the duty cycle value. The measured fan speed is compared with the expected fan speed. A duty cycle of a motor driving signal is reduced if the measured fan speed is less than a predetermined fraction of the expected fan speed.
US07711436B2
An electrical lead including a conductor assembly, an electrode, and a thermally sensitive material. The conductor assembly has one or more conductors. The electrode is in electrical communication with one of the conductors and has an outer contact adapted for contacting adjacent body tissue of a patient. The thermally sensitive material is electrically connected between the one conductor and the electrode outer contact, and is configured to exhibit high impedance in the presence of currents considered unsafe to the patient, thereby preventing the unsafe currents from flowing through the thermally sensitive material and through the electrode outer contact potentially causing the adjacent body tissue to increase in temperature to an unsafe level. The unsafe currents cause the thermally sensitive material to increase in temperature, thereby causing the material to transition to a high impedance state.
US07711434B2
A medical device, such as a cardiac pacing device for an animal, includes an intravascular antenna that has a first coil for engaging a wall of a first blood vessel to receive a radio frequency signal. The first coil includes a first winding wound helically in a rotational direction along a longitudinal axis from a first end of the coil to a second end. A second winding that is connected to the a first winding at the second end, is wound helically in the same rotational direction along the longitudinal axis from the second end to the first end. An electronic circuit is implanted in the animal and is connected to the antenna to receive an electrical signal therefrom.
US07711433B2
A system, method and implantable medical for providing switched power while providing transcutaneous telemetry communication with an implanted medical device having an internal power source. An electronics module is adapted to supply the therapeutic output to the patient. A telemetry module is configured for transcutaneous telemetry communication. The telemetry module obtains power from the telemetry signal during transcutaneous telemetry communication.
US07711432B2
According to one aspect, a stimulation system is provided for electrically stimulating a predetermined site to treat a neurological condition. The system includes an electrical stimulation lead adapted for implantation into a subcutaneous area in communication with a predetermined site, wherein the site is neuronal tissue that is associated with C2/C3 dermatome area, or stimulating cervical nerve roots and/or stimulating cranial nerves and/or stimulating any area associated with the occipital area. The stimulation lead includes one or more stimulation electrodes adapted to be positioned in the predetermined site. The system also includes a stimulation source that generates the stimulation pulses for transmission to the one or more stimulation electrodes of the stimulation lead to deliver the stimulation pulses to the predetermined site to treat a neurological disorder or condition.
US07711420B2
Cardioprotective pre-excitation pacing may be applied to stress or de-stress a particular myocardial region delivering of pacing pulses in a manner that causes a dyssynchronous contraction. Such dyssynchronous contractions are responsible for the desired cardioprotective effects of pre-excitation pacing but may also be hazardous. Described herein is a method and system that uses measures of ventricular dyssynchrony or a patient's physiological response to ventricular dyssynchrony to control the delivery of cardioprotective pre-excitation pacing in closed-loop fashion.
US07711416B1
Optical methods, devices, and systems for non-invasively detecting transient surface displacements in a neuron are disclosed. Methods, devices, and systems provided may employ a phase-sensitive optical low coherence reflectometer. In addition, surface displacements due to action potential propagation in neural tissues may be detected in some embodiments using back-reflected light. According to some embodiments, exogenous chemicals or reflection coatings are not required. Transient neural surface displacement of less than 1 nm in amplitude and 1 ms in duration may be detected and may be generally coincident with action potential arrival to the optical measurement site. The systems and methods may be used for noninvasive detection of various neuropathies such as retinal neuropathies. They may also be useful in detecting the effects of various pharmacological agents.
US07711414B2
A circuit and method for compensating for an electrode motion artifact in which the electrode motion artifact is generated because impedance between a subject and a measuring electrode changes during measurement of the subject's biosignal, and the electrode motion artifact can be differentially measured and an electrocardiogram signal can be compensated by introducing a predetermined voltage or an electric current to the subject. A circuit and method for compensating electrode motion artifact, which can differentially measure the difference information between impedance components by introducing a predetermined voltage or electric current to a subject, in association with the electrode motion artifact. In this instance, the impedance component is a component of electrode motion artifact and the electrode motion artifact is generated when measuring a biosignal.
US07711412B2
An illuminating system scatters light into the mucosal lining of the stomach adjacent to an ulcerated area, an area containing a lesion, or ather area of interest. A light detector positioned on the opposite side of the area of interest uses detected light patterns to identify the location of circulatory structures beneath the mucosal lining adjacent to the area of interest.
US07711401B2
A mobile handset having a static preventing device comprises a handset body having components such as a PCB, a detachable battery, a locking member for securing the battery to or for releasing the battery from the handset body, a conductive contact plate located by the locking member, a ground provided at the battery for discharging static electricity, and a switching path from the conductive contact plate to the ground, wherein the switching path is operative when the battery is secured to or released from the handset body.
US07711395B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit for use in a receiver can reduce fluctuations in characteristics caused by fluctuations in current to thereby reduce dissipation power. A bias current detection circuit and a current control circuit are provided to decrease a current of a high-frequency circuit if a bias current is large and, if the bias current is small, increase the current of the high-frequency circuit, so as to prevent characteristics of the high-frequency circuit from deteriorating and to reduce the current, thereby enabling reducing dissipation power.
US07711387B2
A system and method of re-distributing power output by a portable mobile communications device while operating in dual transfer mode (DTM) is disclosed. The device determines if more than one uplink slot is active and if DTM is active. If so, power can be separately regulated for packet switched and carrier switched uplink slots. The device determines whether the circuit switched slot is being used for a voice call that is not in a handsfree or speakerphone mode and evaluates factors associated with the current operating conditions. New power settings are calculated based on the mode for the active circuit switched slot and the factors associated with the current operating conditions of the device. The new power settings are then applied to the active uplink slots such that power is re-distributed on a per slot basis that is not necessarily divided equally among all active slots.
US07711386B2
Disclosed is a method for controlling downlink power transmitted from a base station to subscriber stations in a mobile communication system employing an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme, in which data is carried from the base station to the subscriber stations by subchannels to each of which a plurality of subcarriers are assigned. The method includes the steps of receiving from the subscriber stations channel condition information of each of the subchannels together with information related to a subcarrier having a channel condition below a threshold from among at least one subcarrier included in each of the subchannels; calculating transmission power for each of the subchannels based on the received information; and transmitting each of the subchannels with the calculated transmission power, excluding the subcarrier having a channel condition below the threshold.
US07711381B2
Disclosed is a method and a system for a Push-To-Talk (PTT) over Cellular (PoC) session open between PoC clients supporting various types of media. Although a PoC client providing an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) PoC multimedia communication service supports a plurality of uncommon types of media, it is possible to open a session according to media types in an independent and easier manner. Also, when a new media type is supported by a new participant during a session, it is possible to add the new media type when granting the next floor. In addition, it is possible to selectively transmit media according to media types based on the PoC user's choice.
US07711379B2
A method of updating channel information by a mobile station (MS) that is in power saving mode is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes the MS which receives status information of a first channel descriptor and transmission frame information which includes when the first channel descriptor is to be transmitted. Furthermore, the MS compares status information of the first channel descriptor with status information of a second channel descriptor. Here, the second channel descriptor is stored in the MS. Lastly, if the compared status information are different, the MS receives the first channel descriptor according to the transmission frame information.
US07711364B2
A wireless communication system includes a base station that receives information regarding neighboring wireless systems and updates and stores this information for use in handover of user equipments (UEs).
US07711361B2
A method and system for distributed roaming in a wireless mesh network are disclosed. Cells are able to track and predict a users movement throughout the network. The user's roaming profile is forwarded to predicted future cells before the user actually enters those cells. When the user enters a new cell, roaming is completed without communication to any other cells. Thus, handoff time is reduced and users may more seamlessly move throughout the network coverage area.
US07711357B2
A method for sending (700) information enabling a contacting of a user of a mobile device (MS) to at least one location service client (CL1,CL2) is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of selection (200) of a type of location service clients on the mobile device (MS), transmission (300) of a type identifier from the mobile device (MS) to a server (NS) in a telecommunication system, the type identifier identifying the selected type of location service clients, analysis (400) of the type identifier for a determination (500) of one or more location service clients (CL1,CL2) associated (100) with the selected type of location service clients, determination (600) of at least one address of the one or more determined location service clients (CL1,CL2) according to a result of the analysis (400), and sending (700) information enabling the contacting of the user to the one or more location service clients (CL1,CL2) whose addresses are determined.
US07711354B1
A communication assistance system has a first database having a plurality of listings therein, each having at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number. A device is configured to receive a directory assistance communication from a device of a user requesting at least one listing. A past requested listing table for at least one of said users is configured to store prior requested listings obtained from the database, as previously requested by the user. The past requested listing table is generated by the system and transmitted for storage on the device of the user so that when the user contacts the system, with the at least one listing stored on the past requested listing table being masked, the system may allow a communication connection between the device and the listing on the past requested listing table.
US07711353B1
A method and system is disclosed for reactively managing dropped calls in a wireless communication system. A mobile station determines that it has experienced a dropped call. In response, the mobile station allows a user to continue communicating, such as by recording the user's speech, for instance. The mobile station may then play out the recorded speech to the user or to another call participant, such as upon reestablishment of the call.
US07711352B2
A method for processing authentication of a mobile station in a mobile communication system comprises determining whether an authentication state is inactivated, and requesting registration. The method also comprises receiving a result message from a network, and activating the authentication state according to the result message. The authentication state may be checked using a success flag or a fail flag. The success flag may be activated when the result message is a success message. The fail flag may be activated when the result message is a fail message. The activating the authentication state may comprise activating an authentication success state in response to activation of the success flag, and activating an authentication fail state in response to activation of the fail flag. The method may further comprise entering a lock state when the authentication state is activated as an authentication fail state.
US07711351B2
Advice of charge information is provided utilizing the session initiation protocol (SIP) in an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem without utilizing an application server. The advice of charge message is provided to a user via the serving call/session control function and the home subscription server. When a request for a service is received by the serving call/session control function, the state of a binary, Boolean flag associated with the originator of the request is analyzed. Depending upon the state of the flag, either the request is routed to its intended destination, or an advice of charge message is routed to originating user, advising the user of the charge for the requested service. If the user accepts the charge, the serving call/session control function transmits the request for routing to the intended destination, and the flag is toggled. If the user declines the charge, the call is ended.
US07711342B2
An apparatus includes a filter module, an amplification module, and an adjustment signal source. The filter module generates a filtered signal based on a received signal. This filtered signal has a level shift corresponding to a difference between a direct current (DC) level of the filtered signal and a DC level of the received signal. From the filtered signal and an adjustment signal, the amplification module generates an amplified signal. The adjustment signal, which is provided by the adjustment signal source, may control (e.g., diminish) an effect of the level shift on a DC level of the amplified signal.
US07711341B2
Various embodiments of the present invention adjust an operating mode of a configurable receiver based at least in part on a selected communication service to be provided and an available signal quality. A control unit receives data related to one or more selected communication services to be provided. The control unit also receives information about the environmental operating conditions in which the configurable receiver is operating, via one or more signal quality metrics. The control unit adjusts the operating mode of the configurable receiver by modifying the gain of a received signal, the channel bandwidth, or controlling the synthesizers or equalizers.
US07711339B2
Methods and apparatus for providing a local oscillator (LO) signal are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a circuit for providing the LO signal. The circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) that is configured to operate at a first supply voltage. The VCO is also configured to produce a VCO signal. The circuit also includes an LO generator that is coupled with the VCO so as to receive the VCO signal. In the example apparatus, the LO generator is configured to operate at a second supply voltage, where the second supply voltage is greater than the first supply voltage. Further, the LO generator includes one or more resistively loaded circuits for producing the LO signal from the VCO signal.
US07711330B2
Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for transmitting/receiving signals in an multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication system. The method and apparatus including beam forming of a reference signal while predetermined codes are mapped on a one-to-one basis to each of a plurality of beams available for the transmitter and thereafter transmitting the beam-formed reference signal to a receiver. Also, if information representing an optimum beam, which maximizes reception performance, is received from the receiver, beam forming of data signals is performed by means of a beam corresponding to the information on the optimum beam and the beam-formed data signals are transmitted to the receiver. Therefore, it is possible to apply a beam forming scheme having minimum operation complexity and maximizing reception performance.
US07711326B2
A method of adjusting transmission power for base stations transmitting in macro-diversity in a mobile radiocommunications system, wherein a reference transmission power for said adjustment is signaled to each of said base stations together with an adjustment period, and wherein each of said base stations periodically adjusts its transmission power to said reference transmission power, at said adjustment period.
US07711317B2
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to configuring the minimum number of relay radios in a live-virtual communications system for a tactical training event. The system includes live radios, virtual radios cooperating with a wide area network, and radio bridge circuits cooperating between the live radios and the wide area network. A number of relay radios is determined by determining the mean transmission length for the tactical training event. The duration of peak performance and the expected number of transmissions for the tactical training event are determined. The number of radios for the traffic capacity is calculated, which incorporates a QoS and a spare capacity.
US07711306B2
A center distance between heating rollers for suspending an external heating belt is fixed, and a peripheral length of the external heating belt is set so that a tension is not exerted to the external heating belt when the external heating belt is not pressed against the fixing roller and the tension is exerted to the external heating belt when the external heating belt is pressed against the fixing roller. As a result, it is possible to provide an external belt heating type fixing apparatus, having a simple arrangement, which is excellent in a thermal efficiency and can suppress snaking of the belt.
US07711296B2
A system for reducing lead edge (LE) smearing in an electrostatographic machine is provided. The system comprises a pretransfer corotron positioned between a developing station and a transfer station in an electrostatographic imaging device. The pretransfer corotron is configured to apply a predetermined charge to at least a portion of a developed toner image on a photoreceptive surface. The predetermined charge is greater than a charge applied to the rest of the developed toner image. The system further includes a controller operably associated with the pretransfer corotron. The controller is configured to activate the pretransfer corotron to apply said predetermined charge to the developed toner image at a lead edge region of the developed toner image when leading edge smearing is detected during imaging operations.
US07711289B2
A rotation member driving apparatus for driving a printing member includes a printing member shaft attached to the printing member, a driving motor that drives the printing member, and a driving motor shaft attached to the driving motor. A first gear is attached to the driving motor shaft. A drive transmission gear is provided to transmit driving force of the driving motor to the printing member shaft from the first gear. An inertia member is arranged on the same axis as the driving motor.
US07711288B2
A developer storing container includes: a first storing member including a first storing portion for storing a supplied developer; a second storing member including a second storing portion for storing a collected developer; and a partition member that connects the first storing portion and the second storing member so as to sandwich the partition member therebetween, and that separates the first and second storing portions from each other.
US07711287B2
A cartridge that can be accurately positioned and stably held with respect to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus without causing a deterioration in operability for mounting and detaching the cartridge from the apparatus main body even if a reduction in cost and a reduction in size of the apparatus main body are realized and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including such cartridge. The cartridge is a drum cartridge that has an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and is detachably mountable to the apparatus main body. The drum cartridge has lock portions that lock on both side plates of the apparatus main body at both ends in a longitudinal direction of the drum cartridge such that the apparatus main body follows the drum cartridge mounted on the apparatus main body.
US07711284B2
A cleaning device is disclosed which includes a cleaning member to clean the surface of a charging roll that charges an image carrier. The cleaning member is fixed at one end thereof and contacts at a free end side surface with the surface of the charging roll. The free end of the cleaning member is inserted in between the image carrier and the charging roll. Also disclosed is an image forming apparatus including the cleaning device.
US07711283B2
An image forming method and apparatus is disclosed. The method may include charging a rotating latent image bearing member with a rotating charger selected from at least one of contact chargers and short range chargers; irradiating the rotating latent image bearing member with imagewise light to form an electrostatic latent image on the latent image bearing member; developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer including a toner having a charge to form a toner image on the latent image bearing member; transferring the toner image onto a receiving material; and forming an electric field between the charger and the latent image bearing member after the toner image transferring such that charged materials present on the surface of the charger fly toward the latent image bearing member.
US07711275B2
A printer in which, while achieving a stabilization of image quality by process control processing, the generation of unnecessary wait time to the user, shortening of lifespan of the apparatus and needless consumption of toner caused by unnecessary execution of the process control processing can be better suppressed than in the prior art. An NVRAM serving as non-volatile information storage device in which stored information is retained even if the supply of power from an engine unit power source circuit is cutoff is provided in an engine unit, and timing signal information output from a timing circuit when the process control processing is executed is stored in the NVRAM, the engine unit being configured so as to judge, when power supply from the engine unit power source circuit starts, whether or not process control processing is to be executed in accordance with the timing signal information stored in the NVRAM and the timing signal output from the timing circuit.
US07711272B2
A method comprises: receiving a RF signal; providing a RF signal level; varying a laser power DC set point linearly with the RF signal level over a selected range; and modulating with the RF signal laser output power about the DC set point. The RF signal level can be RF signal amplitude or RF signal power. An apparatus comprises: a laser; a RF detector adapted to receive the RF signal and to provide the RF signal level; a laser power control circuit coupled to the RF detector and to the laser and adapted to vary the laser power DC set point substantially linearly with respect to the RF signal level over a selected range; and a laser modulator coupled to the laser and adapted to receive the RF signal and to modulate therewith laser output power about the DC set point.
US07711261B2
An imaging device includes an image sensor and an estimating circuit. The image sensor includes a plurality of pixel units disposed in a two-dimensional array, each equipped with a plurality of imaging pixels with varying spectral sensitivity characteristics set regularly, and focus detection pixels with sensitivity over a range encompassing the spectral sensitivity of the pixel units. The estimating circuit determines an image output structure corresponding to the position of each focus detection pixel based upon outputs from the imaging pixels present around the focus detection pixel and estimates the image output at the focus detection pixel based upon the image output structure and the output from the focus detection pixel.
US07711253B2
A blur correction camera system includes a blur correction lens driven based upon the vibration detection signal detected by an angular velocity sensor, that corrects an image blur, a point-image function computing unit that computes a point spread function, and an image restoration computing unit that corrects an image blur by executing image restoration through image processing on a captured image by using the point spread function. The image blur that cannot be completely corrected by the blur correction lens is further corrected through image restoration so as to obtain a high quality image.
US07711240B2
A reproducing apparatus enabling reproduction of a moving image file using index information larger than a memory size without re-reading the index information into the memory. The apparatus includes a table size obtaining unit (S40) obtaining, from a recording medium, size information of a table which holds index information for the moving image file, a memory storing index information, a memory size obtaining unit (S42) obtaining size information of the memory, and a calculating unit (S41) calculating the thinning-out ratio of the index information so that the size of the table becomes equal to or smaller than the size of the memory. The apparatus also includes a thinning-out unit (S44) thinning out the index information based on the thinning-out ratio, and a writing unit (S45) writing the thinned-out index information into the memory.
US07711239B2
A microelectromechanical device (MEMS) utilizing nanoparticles for reducing stiction is disclosed. In one embodiment, a microelectromechanical device is an interferometric modulator that includes a transparent electrode assembly having a first surface; and a movable reflective electrode assembly with a second surface facing the first surface. The movable reflective electrode assembly is movable between a relaxed and actuated (collapsed) position. Particles are deposited over the transparent electrode assembly or over a sacrificial layer separating the two electrodes. The particles lead to dimples in the reflective surface of the moving electrode. The particles can be removed with the sacrificial layer or remain in final devices.
US07711237B2
An optical transmission line holding member includes a main body that mechanically positions and holds an optical transmission line, and an electrical interconnection used to mount an optical element. The main body includes a holding hole which opens in one surface of the main body and is used to mechanically position and hold the optical transmission line, an guide hole which opens in another surface of the main body, has a diameter larger than that of the holding hole and is coaxially aligned with the holding hole, and a resin storage groove provided in the guide hole. The electrical interconnection is formed on the surface in which the holding hole opens.
US07711236B2
A fiber optic cable clamp is provided. The fiber optic cable clamp includes a sheath grip member and a strength member clamp maintained at a constant axial location with respect to the sheath grip member. The fiber optic cable clamp also includes a cable fiber separator connected to the sheath grip member, the cable fiber separator including a plurality of cable fiber openings and attached to the strength member clamp. The fiber optic cable clamp, when mounted to a fiber optic cable, maintains the relative axial locations of a cable sheath and cable strength member along a fiber optic cable.
US07711226B2
Self-aligning optical connectors, systems, and methods for connecting optically-transmissive elements are described. In one embodiment, a connector includes a first component, a second component connected to the first component, and an optomechanical element. The optomechanical element is positioned adjacent and between said first and second components such that a portion of the optomechanical element is exposed to a leakage light when the first and second components are misaligned. The exposed portion includes a photosensitive material configured to at least attempt to change a dimension when exposed to the leakage light. In operation, the optomechanical element exerts an alignment force on at least one of the first and second components tending to align the first and second components when the exposed portion of the optomechanical element is exposed to the leakage light.
US07711222B2
A colorless tunable optical dispersion compensator (TODC) comprising a silica arrayed-waveguide grating (AWG) directly coupled to a polymer thermo-optic lens. As a result of its inventive construction, the device exhibits low loss, large tuning range, low electrical consumption and is readily manufactured using standard processes. Additionally, the TODC is fully solid-state and scales to a large figure-of-merit (dispersion range times bandwidth squared).
US07711219B2
Thermally tunable optical dispersion compensation (ODC) devices are disclosed. In one aspect, an ODC device may include multiple Gires-Tournois (G-T) etalons. The etalons may be optically coupled together. The etalons may compensate for optical dispersion by collectively delaying light. At least one of the G-T etalons may have a temperature dependent partial reflector. The ODC device may also include at least one thermal device to change the temperature of the G-T etalon having the temperature dependent partial reflector. Methods of making and using the ODC devices are also disclosed, as well as various systems including the ODC devices.
US07711217B2
An active sensor 10 is positioned on an outside of a pipe 60 so as to detect a thickness of the pipe. The active sensor comprises: an oscillator 15 capable of inputting oscillatory waves into the pipe and sweeping a frequency of the oscillatory waves within a desired range; and an optical fiber sensor mounted on the pipe, the optical fiber sensor detecting the oscillatory waves generated in the pipe.
US07711213B2
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to nanowire-based modulators that can be used to encode information in a carrier channel of electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment of the present invention, the modulator includes a waveguide configured to transmit one or more channels of electromagnetic radiation. The modulator includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal and the second terminal are positioned on opposite sides of the waveguide. The modulator also includes a number of nanowires, wherein each nanowire interconnects the first terminal to the second terminal and a portion of each nanowire is operatively coupled to the waveguide. The nanowires modulate the one or more channels when an electrical signal of appreciable magnitude is applied to the first terminal and the second terminal.
US07711211B2
A method for recommending a collection of digital images from a set of images includes specifying at least one image selection criterion. For each of a plurality of images in the set of images, an image quality value for the image is determined. Images are recommended for the collection by taking into consideration the image quality value for the images and the degree to which the collection satisfies the at least one image selection criterion.
US07711210B2
Scores are calculated for each of a plurality of preselected evaluation items for each image, and the plurality of scores are weighted and combined to produce combined scores. Then a plurality of candidate images are selected and displayed from a group of images based on these combined scores. A user selects one or more images to be processed from these candidate images, and the degrees of correlation between user selected images and evaluation items are found based on the scores for a plurality of evaluation items in the images selected for processing. Then the weightings of evaluation items having high degrees of correlation are increased.
US07711208B2
The invention relates to a method for changing the dimensions of an electronically stored image which is composed of individual objects that are arranged below or next to one another or that fully or partially overlap one another, in which the image is changed in at least one horizontal or vertical image dimension and at least some of the individual objects are changed in at least one horizontal or vertical object dimension and the change in the object dimension is sometimes not necessarily proportional to the change in the image dimension. This method is currently carried out manually.Automatic implementation is achieved by the invention in that in order to automatically arrange and change the size of the individual objects in the event of a change in the horizontal and/or vertical image dimension, object properties are assigned to each individual object via a data processing program that runs on a data processing system, these object properties are stored in a memory and a change in the size and/or position of the individual objects is carried out via the data processing program, wherein the object properties define a changeability of the individual objects.
US07711200B2
Systems and techniques for processing sequences of video images involve receiving, on a computer, data corresponding to a sequence of video images detected by an image sensor. The received data is processed using a graphics processor to adjust one or more visual characteristics of the video images corresponding to the received data. The received data can include video data defining pixel values and ancillary data relating to settings on the image sensor. The video data can be processed in accordance with ancillary data to adjust the visual characteristics, which can include filtering the images, blending images, and/or other processing operations.
US07711199B2
An estimation system provides quality measure of a given image for image/video applications to determine if the image needs to be enhanced or not. The system systemically measures the image quality by estimating quantization parameter of the compressed digital image. This allows estimating the image quantization parameter effectively in the pixel domain. Because block artifact are caused by image compression transforms, especially in flat image region, the estimation system first detects the suspicious regions of the image for the block artifacts by calculating a variance for each location in the image. Next, noise power is computed by using the detected regions. Then, the estimated noise power is compared with the statistical model to calculate the quantization parameter that is used in the encoder side when the input image is compressed. Finally, a quantization parameter is used as a quality measure of the input image.
US07711181B2
There is provided a method of estimating disparity for 3D object recognition. The method includes obtaining a plurality of images having different resolutions for the stereo image, estimating a disparity map for a lowest-resolution level image, estimating a coarse disparity map for an upper resolution level image by using the disparity, obtaining a fine disparity map for the upper resolution level image by using the coarse disparity, and outputting the fine disparity map as a final disparity map for the stereo image if the upper resolution level image has a resolution of a highest level.
US07711173B2
The application relates to a signal processing method in a dental radiology apparatus comprising an intraoral sensor that delivers at least one analog image output signal in response to an exposure of said sensor to x-rays, characterized in that it includes the following steps: conversion of said at least one analog image output signal into one digital image output signal, processing of the digital image output signal to obtain a report indicating the x-ray exposure level that has been used to deliver said analog output signal, the report indicating the exposure level corresponding to an exposure level classified as under-exposure, correct exposure or over-exposure, supply of the report indicating the exposure level used.
US07711172B2
A method for automatically estimating a measure of a nodule includes providing sliced image volume data comprising at least one marked position of the nodule, extracting a sub-volume from the sliced image volume data that includes the marked position, performing a figure-ground separation to determine a solid foreground of the sub-volume and a non-solid foreground of the sub-volume, determining a seed point corresponding to the nodule from each of the solid foreground and the non-solid foreground, selecting one of the seed point of the solid foreground or the seed point of the non-solid foreground, determining whether the selected seed point is solitary or non-solitary and performing region growing for non-solitary selected seed point, determining a segmentation of the selected seed point, estimating the measure of the nodule corresponding to the segmentation, and outputting the segmentation and an estimate of the measure of the nodule.
US07711170B2
Methods and systems for filtering scan data are provided. The method includes generating scan data from a plurality of signals. The method further includes adjusting an initial filtering threshold, independent of an amplitude of the signals, to generate an adjusted threshold. Furthermore, the method includes filtering the scan data, based on the adjusted threshold.
US07711164B2
A method for segmenting digitized images includes providing a digitized image, selecting a point with a median enhancement greater than a predefined threshold, wherein a contrast enhancing agent was applied to the subject matter of said digitized image prior to acquisition of said image, defining a shape matrix for the selected point in said image from moments of the intensities in a window of points about said selected point, calculating eigenvalues of said shape matrix, determining an eccentricity of a structure underlying said point from said eigenvalues, and segmenting said image based on said eccentricity values, wherein the steps of defining a shape matrix, calculating eigenvalues of said shape matrix, and determining the eccentricity of the underlying structure are repeated for all points in said image.
US07711159B1
A mobile system having a portable fingerprint collecting system for generating a digitized image of a fingerprint collected from a subject, a database system configured to store a database containing a plurality of fingerprint templates cross-referenced with identification information, the database system configured to compare the digitized fingerprint images generated by the portable fingerprint collecting device with the fingerprint templates stored in the database to provide identification information for the fingerprint, and a communication system providing real time communication of the digitized fingerprint image and identification information between the portable fingerprint collecting system and the database system.
US07711158B2
A method and apparatus for classifying fingerprint image quality and a fingerprint image recognition system are provided. The method includes dividing a fingerprint image into a plurality of blocks, calculating and vectorizing quality classification parameters with respect to the respective blocks, obtaining quality classification values for the respective blocks by inputting the vectorized quality classification parameters into a trained quality classifier, and selecting a representative value of the quality classification values and determining the representative value as the quality of the fingerprint image. Since the quality of the fingerprint image can be accurately judged, reliability of the fingerprint image recognition system is increased.
US07711148B2
A method of tracking a guidewire in video imagery includes: obtaining a first video image including pixels associated with features of a guidewire; selecting a set of parameters to define an open curve on the first video image; determining a feature map of the first video image using phase congruency; and updating the parameters of the open curve using the feature map to align the open curve to the pixels associated with the features of the guidewire.
US07711144B2
Methods and systems for watermarking of signals employ time frequency analysis. An encoding method divides the signal into segments, transforms each segment into a time-frequency representation, and computes a time-frequency domain watermark signal based on the time frequency representation. It then combines the time-frequency domain watermark signal with the media signal to produce a watermarked media signal. To embed a message using this method, one may use peak modulation, pseudorandom noise modulation, statistical feature modulation, etc. Watermarking that uses a time-frequency representation enables the encoder to adapt and or derive the modifications made to embed data based on the time frequency representation.
US07711141B2
Streaming image data comprising multiple images is received at an imaging device. Image boundaries are identified within the streaming image data. The streaming image data is transformed to an image-ready format that may be directly processed by a marking engine. Imaging (such as printing) of transformed image data for received images is initiated without waiting for all the streaming data to be received at the imaging device.
US07711137B2
A transducer generates acoustic energy. The transducer is suitable for incorporation into any device that needs sound reproduction capability, including devices with generally rectangular geometries such as cell phones, PDAs, and portable gaming devices. The transducer includes a displaceable membrane with a deformable corner. The deformable corner may extend the frequency range over which the transducer generates acoustic energy without distortion. The deformable corner may be part of a membrane periphery around the displaceable membrane. The membrane periphery may be square, triangular, or may take any other polygonal shape.
US07711134B2
This invention provides a speaker port with a flare having an inner wall that minimizes or reduces boundary layer separation. Fluids, such as air and sound waves, flow through the port at a higher velocity when boundary layer separation is minimized or reduced. The inner wall of the port is contoured so that the pressure gradient or change in pressure along the longitudinal axis of the port from its inlet duct to outlet duct is substantially constant.
US07711130B2
A hearing aid is provided. The hearing aid includes at least one optical microphone. The at least one optical microphone comprises an acoustic-optical transformer for transforming an acoustic input signal into an optical signal, the optical signal is processed in the hearing aid using an optical signal processing unit, and the processed optical signal is transformed into an acoustic output signal using an opto-electrical transformer.
US07711123B2
In one aspect, the invention divides an audio signal into auditory events, each of which tends to be perceived as separate and distinct, by calculating the spectral content of successive time blocks of the audio signal (5-1), calculating the difference in spectral content between successive time blocks of the audio signal (5-2), and identifying an auditory event boundary as the boundary between successive time blocks when the difference in the spectral content between such successive time blocks exceeds a threshold (5-3). In another aspect, the invention generates a reduced-information representation of an audio signal by dividing an audio signal into auditory events, each of which tends to be perceived as separate and distinct, and formatting and storing information relating to the auditory events (5-4). Optionally, the invention may also assign a characteristic to one or more of the auditory events (5-5).
US07711120B2
A cryptographic coalition administrator for managing information access across multiple organizations includes a communications interface configured to communicate electronically transmit and receive information, a memory configured to store pairs of public and private cryptographic keys associated with different levels of access, and a key manager configured and connected to communicate with the interface and the memory and configured to: distribute cryptographic key sets, of public cryptographic keys and private cryptographic keys, to first and second organizations of members; determine a first group of members in the first organization to have authorization to exchange information with a second group of members in the second organization, the first and second groups sharing cryptographic parameters, and public and private cryptographic keys; and distribute a first cryptographic key set, from the cryptographic key sets, to the first group, the first group having a first sensitivity level at least as high as a second sensitivity level associated with the first cryptographic key set.
US07711107B1
A method of masking a residual echo signal by an echo canceller is provided. The method comprises receiving a far-end signal, adjusting filter coefficients of an adaptive filter in response to the far-end signal, generating an echo model signal based on the far-end signal using the adaptive filter, receiving a near-end signal, subtracting the echo model signal from the near-end signal to generate an output signal, defining a spectral mask based on the near-end signal, wherein the spectral mask is indicative of near-end spectral peaks and near-end spectral valleys, de-emphasizing the output signal in spectral regions of the near-end spectral peaks, and emphasizing the output signal in spectral regions of the near-end spectral valleys, wherein the de-emphasizing occurs during filter coefficients determination for the adaptive filter. A weighted filter may perform the de-emphasizing and the emphasizing operations, where the weighted filter uses medium term spectral characteristics of the near-end signal.
US07711105B2
Techniques for improving the efficiency of foreign accent/language communications processing are disclosed. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a technique for processing a call received by a call center, includes the following steps/operations. A call is obtained. Then, at least one of an accent and a language spoken by a caller making the call is identified. The call is then directed to an appropriate operator at a first level of the call center based on at least one of the automatically identified accent and the automatically identified language. The techniques may also include multiple-purpose editing, automated translation, and restating methodologies.
US07711102B2
A Service Control Point (SCP) has a call list associated with the main telephone number of a called party. When a calling party attempts to contact the called party by calling the main number, but cannot reach the main number, a Service Switching Point (SSP) fires a trigger. One trigger is a T_No_Answer trigger, which is fired in response to a call to the main number that is not answered within a predefined number of rings. Another trigger is a T_Busy trigger that is fired in response to a call to the main number that is made when the main number is busy. Each trigger causes the SCP to access the call list and to cause the SSP to ring an alternative telephone number associated with the main telephone number. If this attempt to reach the called party also fails, then the SSP again fires the trigger and an attempt is made to connect the calling party to the next number on the call list. If the call list is exhausted before the calling party is connected to a number on the called party's call list, then a message can be played to the calling party. Alternatively, the calling party may be connected to a voice mailbox associated with the called party or may receive a busy tone.
US07711080B2
When a repeatedly periodically moving site of a to-be-examined subject in a gantry is subjected to computed tomography and is reconstructed, the gantry is rotated in synchronization with the movement of the periodically moving site, and a dynamic image showing a transient phenomenon is obtained in which the periodic movement of the moving site has been stopped. As a result, the flow of a contrast agent or the like can be observed in a state of stopping the movement of an internal organ that moves repeatedly periodically.
US07711078B2
Systems and methods related to digital frequency locked looping to synchronize frequencies between the local signal from a local oscillator and a reference clock signal from a remote oscillator. A reference counter increments its count for every pulse in the reference clock signal. The value in the reference counter is compared to a configurable reference value. Whenever a match between the reference counter value and the reference value occurs, a hit signal is generated and the reference counter value is reinitialized. Concurrent with the above, a feedback counter increments for every pulse from the local signal. When the hit signal is generated, the value in the feedback counter is compared to a configurable feedback value (by subtraction) to generate a difference value. The difference value is then converted to a frequency adjust signal for use in either increasing or decreasing the frequency of the local oscillator. The hit signal also reinitializes the feedback counter.
US07711076B2
A receiver for a digital broadcast terminal includes first and second receiving units, each for receiving a digital broadcast signal. Each of the first and second receiving units typically includes an antenna, a tuner, and an analog/digital (A/D) converter. The receiver further includes a control unit configured to determine reception environment based upon the digital broadcast signal, and to selectively operate the first and the second receiving units based upon the reception environment. A method for controlling a digital broadcast receiving terminal includes receiving a digital broadcast signal at first and second receiving units, determining reception environment based upon the digital broadcast signal, and selectively operating the first and second receiving units based upon the reception environment.
US07711063B2
A transmitter with data stream transformation circuitry is described. The transmitter has a first driver and a second driver. Each driver has an output for a respective analog signal. A summation circuit combines respective analog signals from the first driver and the second driver. A data selection circuit processes at least two data streams. Each data stream corresponds to a time sequence of digital data symbols. The data selection circuit selectively couples at least one of the data streams to at least one of the drivers during each time interval of a sequence of time intervals, thereby applying a linear transformation to the data streams. A finite state machine controls the data selection circuit during each time interval of the sequence of time intervals.
US07711055B2
A method and system are provided for aligning signals in a communication system. The method and system include alignment logic or functionality configured to compensate for signal propagation discrepancies when communicating signals between one or more other devices. The alignment logic may operate to adjust one or more communicated signals, so that signals that may have different propagation times arrive at one or more devices at a desired time. The system and method may be used when initializing a communication system and before communicating data. The system and method operate to adjust one or more signals, such as a data strobe signal in a memory system for example, so that the one or more signals arrive at one or more devices spaced apart in time within a defined tolerance at a desired time. The alignment logic is used to compensate for signal propagation delays which can be associated with a signal propagation path.
US07711054B2
In the method, a pixel in a block of an image is filtered according to a filtering methodology, where the filtering methodology includes determining a filtering strength. A filter strength of two is determined if the block has non-zero transform coefficients.
US07711053B2
In the method, a determination is made as to whether a first block including the pixel and an adjacent second block have non-zero transform coefficients. A filtering strength is selected based on results of the determination.
US07711045B2
A digital broadcast transmitter/receiver, and a signal processing method thereof, includes a randomizer randomizing a dual transport stream which includes a normal data packet and a robust data packet and into which stuff bytes are inserted, a stuff-byte exchanger replacing the stuff bytes of the randomized data with known data, a first RS encoder performing RS-encoding of data output from the stuff-byte exchanger, a packet formatter performing an interleaving of the robust packet of the data output from the first RS encoder and reformatting the packet, an interleaver interleaving data output from the packet formatter, a trellis encoder performing a trellis encoding of interleaved data, a second RS encoder changing a parity by performing an RS encoding of the robust data of the trellis-encoded data, and a modulator modulating data output from the trellis encoder and RF up-converting the modulated data.
US07711035B2
A frequency domain representation of a whitening filter is made to depend on essentially one unknown, namely, a scaling factor that is based on an estimated ratio of total base station power to the power spectral density (PSD) of inter-cell interference plus noise. In turn, that scaling factor can be computed based on the modeling terms used in a parametric model of the impairment correlations for a received communication signal. Preferably, the model comprises an interference impairment term scaled by a first model fitting parameter, and a noise impairment term scaled by a second model fitting parameter. Further, the scaling factor can be computed by directly estimating total base station transmit power and the PSD of inter-cell interference plus noise. In any case, the whitening filter can be used in whitening a received communication signal in conjunction with channel equalization processing or RAKE receiver processing, for example.
US07711027B2
A wireless communication control method of the present invention for wireless communication devices employing Adaptive Frequency Hopping that switches among a plurality of channels except a channel subject to interference by interference waves in a predetermined frequency band for communication includes steps of creating, setting, processing reception, and assessing channels. In the creating step, a hopping pattern is created by using available channels. In the setting step, channels used for the communication are set based on the hopping pattern. In the processing reception step, received signals on the channels are processed. In the assessing channels step, reception conditions of channels are assessed by both the first assessment step that abnormal conditions in communication caused by interference waves are detected, and the second assessment step that the abnormal condition in communication caused by mutual interference with constant or intermittent interference waves is detected out of those abnormal conditions.
US07711025B2
In a solid-state laser amplifier including at least two laser-active media in a common laser radiation field, the laser-active media do not form a hard aperture for the laser radiation field. Each of the laser-active media define a plane that is penetrated by the laser radiation field. The laser amplifier includes at least one focusing optical element disposed in the laser radiation field between two adjacent laser-active media. A focal length and a distance of the focusing optical element from the planes of the two adjacent laser-active media are selected such that the planes of the laser-active media are approximately mapped onto each other by a near-field far-field transformation.
US07711024B2
There is disclosed a monolithic semiconductor laser which is provided with an AlGaAs based semiconductor laser element (10a) and an InGaAlP based semiconductor laser element (10b) formed on a semiconductor substrate (1). The AlGaAs based semiconductor laser element (10a) is composed of an infrared light emitting layer forming portion (9a), which has an n-type cladding layer (2a), an active layer (3a) and a p-type cladding layer (4a) formed so as to have a ridge portion, and a current constriction layer (5a) provided on sides of the ridge portion, while the InGaP based semiconductor laser element (10b) is composed of a red light emitting layer forming portion (9a), which has an n-type cladding layer (2b), an active layer (3b) and a p-type cladding layer (4b) formed so as to have a ridge portion, and a current constriction layer (5b) provided on sides of the ridge portion. The current constriction layers of the both elements are made of the same material having a larger band gap than that of the active layer (3b) of the red light emitting layer forming portion. Consequently, there can be obtained a monolithic semiconductor laser capable of high temperature and high output operation without increasing the number of processes of the growth.
US07711020B2
An exemplary optical pick-up apparatus of the invention comprises: an optical base; a collimator lens provided on the optical base; a laser source disposed adjacent the collimator lens on the optical base and emitting light that produces heat; and temperature gradient control means, provided between the collimator lens and the laser source on the optical base, for flattening temperature gradient between the collimator lens and its surroundings.
US07711017B2
An apparatus is provided that includes a laser that produces light at a first wavelength, an optical element that converts the light at the first wavelength received at an input end thereof into light at a second wavelength, and an optical interface proximate the input end of the optical element that directs light at the second wavelength through the optical element toward an output end of the optical element.
US07711007B2
The invention includes a method and apparatus for synchronously switching at least one plesiochronous signal within a network element. Specifically, a method according to one embodiment of the invention includes receiving the at least one plesiochronous signal, and mapping the at least one plesiochronous signal into at least one synchronous signal. The at least one synchronous signal includes at least one virtually-concatenated signal, where each of the at least one virtually-concatenated signal includes a plurality of sub-signals, and each of the sub-signals is adapted for being synchronously switched within the network element.
US07711004B2
An access point of a wireless network broadcasts directory information including a schedule on a first broadcast channel about media programs being broadcast on other channels by the access point. The broadcast on the first channel provides for sleep-mode clients to receive the broadcast. A client receives the schedule, and in order to receive a particular media program at a scheduled time switches to a particular one of the other channels and to wakeup state to receive a particular program.
US07711003B2
The invention discloses a method for reducing service loss in interworking between SS7 signaling network and M3UA. In the method, when state of an M3UA ASP-related signaling point changes, the SS7 signaling network may be notified by using messages defined in existing protocols or other messages. Thus, when performing service interworking with M3UA, the SS7 signaling network determines whether service interaction may be performed with M3UA in accordance with the state of current ASP-related signaling point. If the current ASP-related signaling point is unavailable, the SS7 signaling network will not perform service interaction. As a result, the service loss in interworking between SS7 signaling network and M3UA may be reduced without any affect on the normal service interworking between SS7 signaling network and M3UA. In addition, the method may conform to existing protocol standards, and implemented in a simple and easy way.
US07710998B1
A media and speed independent system for transmitting Ethernet data comprises a media access controller (MAC) and a first rate adaptation layer (RAL) module that communicates with the MAC. A first physical extension module communicates with the first RAL module. A second physical extension module communicates with the first physical extension module using a physical extension interface. A second RAL module communicates with the second physical extension module. A physical layer device (PHY) communicates with the second RAL module.
US07710997B2
A security output device including: an output data receiving unit that receives output data on the basis of communication setting related to setting of a communication path; an output unit that performs output on the basis of the output data received by the output data receiving unit; an output start notification receiving unit that receives an output start notification indicating start of output of the output data; a communication setting content deciding unit that decides a content of the communication setting in accordance with the output start notification received by the output start notification receiving unit; and a communication setting execution unit that executes the communication setting on the basis of the content decided by the communication setting content deciding unit.
US07710991B1
Methods of routing and switching a packet from an incoming link to an outgoing link of a router. In one example, the method includes assigning a destination queue to the packet, determining if the router is implemented in a scaled-down configuration, remapping the destination queue to one or more remapped destination queues, and storing the packet in the one or more remapped destination queues. In one embodiment, the method may also include requesting a packet from the destination queue, translating the request to the remapped destination queue, and transmitting the packet from the remapped destination queue.
US07710989B2
Various embodiments are directed to scalable and configurable queue management for network packet traffic Quality of Service (QoS). In one or more embodiments, the queue management may be implemented by a network processor comprising a queue manager to assert interrupts indicating that one or more queues require service, and a core processor to apply an interrupt mask to a status register value identifying the one or more queues that require service and to provide service during a particular service cycle to only those queues that are not masked out. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07710984B2
A front end of an IPv6 communication network includes a network entry point device and a plurality of tunnel servers which facilitate the communication of user information between a host computer of an IPv4 communication network and an IPv6 wireless communication device. The network entry point device is configured to direct a tunnel request from the host computer to a selected tunnel server, which establishes a tunnel connection with the host computer. The tunnel server facilitates the communication of user information between the host and the wireless device through the tunnel connection. The tunnel server also performs a dynamic routing protocol (DRP). In accordance with the DRP, the tunnel server updates a local routing table to reflect the newly established tunnel connection and broadcasts updated routing table information to the other tunnel servers. In another related technical aspect, a back end of the IPv6 communication network facilitates communication with the IPv6 wireless device when it operates in an IPv4 wireless communication network.
US07710978B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for transporting multiport protocol traffic using a single-port protocol. Multiport protocol traffic from a first endpoint is converted into a single-port protocol for transport across a network. The traffic is sent over a commonly-open port and received at a second endpoint before being dispersed to the appropriate ports of the second endpoint. By converting the traffic to a single-port protocol and choosing which commonly open port to communicate the traffic through, firewalls between each endpoint may be traversed without changing any of their settings.
US07710973B2
A method and apparatus for error masking for data transmission using received data. An embodiment of a method includes receiving a first data packet, where the first data packet contains multiple data elements, the first data packet being a data packet in a data stream. The method further includes determining that one or more data packets are missing from the data stream, and generating one or more data packets to replace the one or more missing data packets based at least in part on the one or more data elements of the first data packet.
US07710969B2
High speed networking systems such as PCI-Express and Serial Rapid I/O are based on the exchange of packets across switched networks of high speed serial links. Information in the headers of these packets indicate the kind of transaction they represent. Queuing all received packets in a single queue will cause interactions between transaction types. Indirection can be used create the effect of multiple independent queues from a shared memory. This provides efficient centralized packet storage, while allowing independent processing of different transactions types.
US07710965B2
A decoder includes a transport engine configured to receive programs and extract timing information and timestamps embedded in the programs. An adder is configured to add a set of timing offsets to the sets of timing information to adjust the timing information from a first time basis to a second time basis. Sums of the timing offsets and the timing information are referred to the mapped-timing information. A correction engine is configured to update the timing offsets as timing information is encountered in the programs, and an offset register is configured to: receive the timing offsets, store the timing offsets, and transfer the timing offsets to the adder. The adder is also configured to add the timing offsets to the timestamps to adjust the time basis of the timestamps from the first time basis to the second time basis. A program is decoder configured to receive the adjusted timestamps to decode the programs.
US07710963B1
A network device may include an input device and a packet forwarding engine. The input device receives a data packet. The packet forwarding engine includes logic configured to determine that the data packet is to be multicast. The logic is also configured to identify one of multiple forwarding schemes, where each of the forwarding schemes is configured such that the packet forwarding engine generates and forwards no more than two copies of the data packet.
US07710957B2
Several different spanning trees are calculated for a network. The network has several different ingress points via which packets can enter the network. Each of the spanning trees is associated with (at least) one of the ingress points, such that different spanning trees are associated with different ingress points. Packets that enter the network via a particular ingress point are forwarded through the network according to the spanning tree associated with that particular ingress point.
US07710956B2
A network management server includes an address manager and an address assignment direction transmitter. The address manager manages a first address, a second address and a third address of the destination mobile terminals in accordance with address assignment information received from a mobile node. The address assignment direction transmitter transmits an address assignment directions for directing a source access node to manage the first address and the second address of the destination mobile terminal, and to transmit an address assignment direction for directing a destination access node to manage the second address and the third address of the destination mobile terminal.
US07710948B2
A transmitting terminal creates a data PCM stream in which data is recognized as a PCM stream by placing a prefixed idle code string before data to transmit and a postfixed idle code string after the data to transmit. By switching between a voice PCM stream and a data PCM stream, PCM steam is transmitted to a receiving terminal. The receiving terminal, when detecting the prefixed idle code string from a received PCM stream, receive the data from the transmitting terminal until detecting the postfixed idle code string.
US07710946B2
A telephone capable of placing or receiving calls over the PSTN or a packet network. The telephone can store multiple telephone numbers for each potential called party along with preferences that govern the order of selecting telephone numbers to service any given outgoing call. Some or all of the telephone numbers can be associated with a presence service. Presence indicators stored in the telephone are dynamically updated via the packet network connection and are used as part of the telephone number selection algorithm. The preferred embodiment is a wireless system having a base station and a remote device.
US07710945B2
Users, who have simultaneous access to a plurality of terminal devices, can enter into a multimedia, multiterminal user session. In a negotiation phase users agree on which media to use in a multimedia session and select the most appropriate types of terminal devices that support the selected media. Each terminal device is connected to one of a plurality of interworking communications networks. A network node (130) that is reached through any of the plurality of interworking networks manages creation and supervision of sub-sessions involving the selected terminal devices such that each type of terminal device carry at least one selected media. A versatile and media rich communication is obtained in which terminal devices currently available at a local environment are efficiently used.
US07710936B2
We describe a universal Ethernet telecommunications service (UETS) that combines the features of the telephone network, local area networks and the Internet in order to offer integrated broadband services by re-using the infrastructure of the telephone and electrical networks. User-network communication extends the Ethernet local network services to the infrastructure of the operator in the “Ethernet domain”, which is distinguished from the Internet “IP domain”. The access device offers packet telephone service, with power supply over the telephone pairs, which guarantees the emergency call through the exchange being provided with a battery and power control for energy saving. Terminals are also defined with a simple supervisor to support the applications used in the Internet, which communicate via the Ethernet domain with the LLC/MAC or TCP/IP protocols and via the IP domain with the TCP/IP protocols.
US07710925B2
Stations in an N×N multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network always puncture the weakest spatial channel. A receiving station determines channel state information for N spatial channels and feeds back to the transmitting station channel state information for only N−1 spatial channels. The channel state information may include a beamforming matrix to cause the transmitting station to utilize N−1 spatial channels.
US07710920B2
A wireless, ad-hoc or private communications network comprising nodes, forming with other elements of the network a switching and management infrastructure (SwMI), and subscribers, wherein each of said nodes has a Visitor Location Register (VLR), and at least a part of said nodes are provided with Home Location Registers (HLRs) and at least a part of said nodes with said HLRs are provided with gateways, wherein in said network every node with an HLR is assigned to a node having a gateway and said SwMI directs calls to and from a subscriber of said network to an external network.
US07710917B2
A mobile communication system uses efficiently a radio band of a previously-connected base station, when a mobile terminal that executes multicast communication moves among radio base stations. The mobile communication system includes a layer-2 switch. Upon switching from one radio base station over to the other radio base station, the mobile terminal transmits a path formation request related to a multicast group via the connected radio base station. The path formation request reaches the wired port of the one radio base station through the layer-2 switch. Here, “leave” of the mobile terminal from the control of the one radio base station is detected, and the delivery of multicast is halted. The other radio base station, on the other hand, starts delivering the multicast.
US07710911B2
A method and apparatus for dynamically allocating hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) processes in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for supporting enhanced uplink (EU) transmissions. The H-ARQ processes in the WTRU are reserved for specific transport channels (TrCHs), dedicated channel medium access control (MAC-d) flows or logical channels associated with different data transmission priority classes. The WTRU allocates H-ARQ processes from those reserved H-ARQ processes that are available. Optionally, a higher priority channel may be allowed to allocate an H-ARQ process reserved for lower priority channels. Lower priority H-ARQ processes may be preempted. The preemption may be restricted by urgency of data transmission, or by radio network controller (RNC) configuration of H-ARQ processes. Alternatively, a common pool of H-ARQ processes may be configured and an H-ARQ process may be allocated from the common pool in accordance with a priority of each channel, and lower priority H-ARQ may be preempted.
US07710907B2
A communication network having at least one access point supports wireless communication among a plurality of wireless roaming devices via a first and a second wireless channel. The access point comprises a first and a second transceiver. The first and second transceivers operate on the first and second wireless channels, respectively. Each of the plurality of wireless roaming devices are capable of communicating on the first and second wireless channel. In one embodiment, the first wireless channel is used to exchange data, while the second channel is used to manage such exchanges as well as access to the first channel. In an alternate embodiment, both channels are used to support communication flow, however the first channel supports a protocol that is more deterministic than that of the second channel. Allocation of ones of the plurality of wireless roaming devices from one channel to the next may occur per direction from the access point. It may also result from decisions made by each of the wireless roaming devices made independent of the access point. For example, a decision may be made based on the data type being transferred or based on the current channel load. Such factors may also be used by the access point for allocation determinations. In addition, allocation may be based on the type of roaming device involved, such as allocating peripherals to a slower channel.
US07710897B2
A method and system for automated discovery of logical network elements in a communications network speeds up and reduces the cost of discovering network elements and mapping network topology of network inter-connections. The method comprises the steps of building a cache of protection mechanisms in the communications network, building a network graph based on physical links of the communications network, traversing the network graph, comprising the step of, at each vertex of the network graph, determining whether there is a deterministic path that leads to a next vertex of the network graph, performing a depth first search on the network graph to determine connected components of the network graph, and creating the logical network elements based on the connected components of the network graph.
US07710890B2
A method for detecting a signal propagation time between a mobile radio terminal and a base station in a mobile radio network in a mobile radio terminal, particularly for the purpose of localizing the mobile radio terminal which inserts a propagation time detection information item into a channel request message in order to signal to the base station that no channel reservation is necessary, and that only the propagation time detection needs to be carried out, so as to achieve significantly reduced loading of network resources.
US07710880B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a security protection method and apparatus for performing security protection during service interruption occurring in a switch network. In an embodiment of the present invention, a transmitting-end device selects each sub-route from a plurality of sub-routes one by one to transmit a call to an opposite-end device; when a trunk device receives the call, it analyzes a route condition from the current selected sub-route to an opposite-end device; the trunk device determines whether to transmit the call to the opposite-end device or report a blocking message to the transmitting-end device according to the route condition; if the transmitting-end device receives the blocking message, then the transmitting-end device excludes the current selected sub-route, judges whether all the sub-routes are excluded, and determines whether to continue selecting a next sub-route or end selecting the sub-routes according to the judgment result.
US07710874B2
A process control method and system including partitioning transmit decisions and certain measurements into one logical entity (Data Plane) and partitioning algorithm computation to update transmit probabilities into a second logical entity (Control Plane), the two entities periodically communicating fresh measurements from Data Plane to Control Plane and adjusted transmit probabilities from Control Plane to Data Plane. The transmit probability may be used in transmit/discard decisions of packets or instructions exercised at every arrival of a packet or instruction. In an alternative embodiment, the transmit probability may be used in transmit/delay decisions of awaiting instructions or packets exercised at every service event.
US07710870B2
Provided is a method and apparatus for controlling congestion of a node in an ad-hoc network comprising: classifying a channel state into a busy channel state and an idle channel state and then monitoring the channel state; performing contention for acquiring a channel with neighboring nodes when data to be transmitted is present during the monitoring of the channel state; calculating an available bandwidth on the basis of the channel state when wins the contention; and determining the amount of data to be transmitted on the basis of the available bandwidth. The nodes in the ah-hoc network monitor their own wireless channel state so as to obtain channel contention information, calculate an available bandwidth from the channel contention information, and control a transmission amount on the basis of the available bandwidth. Accordingly, the nodes can avoid excessive traffic which exceeds channel capacity. Channel contention, which is the most immediate and important cause of a decrease in network performance, can be loosened.
US07710869B1
In a communications system, a network provides multiple physical paths for communicating packets between participants of communication sessions. During a communication session, elements of the network route packets such that the packets are separated for communication to a destination using multiple physical paths.
US07710866B2
A method and apparatus for optimizing redundant link usage allows a portion of the wasted bandwidth in a redundant link system to be utilized for additional data traffic without compromising the ability of the system to respond to and correct for a failure of a link. In one embodiment, one of two independent, individually addressable links is selected as a nominal communication path, and the other as a standby communication path. The path independent traffic is sent via the nominal communication path, while the path dependent data is sent via the nominal communication path or the standby path, in accordance with the dependence of the traffic. In another embodiment, critical time sensitive traffic is sent via a nominal and standby time sensitive paths, while normal traffic is sent via nominal normal path, and non-critical traffic is sent via a standby normal path.
US07710864B2
Methods and apparatus for processing a failure and a subsequent recovery in a ten Gigabit Ethernet (GE) optical transport network (OTN) wave division multiplexing (WDM) ring are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a device includes a plurality of ports, a sensing arrangement, and a processing arrangement. The ports include a first port that is initially configured to be in a forwarding state, and the sensing arrangement identifies whether the first port is facing or interfaced with a failure associated with the network ring. The processing arrangement being generates at least a first G.709 frame, and inserts at least one bit into the first G.709 frame that indicates that the failure associated with the network ring has been identified if the first port is facing a failure. The processing arrangement forwards the first G.709 frame through the second port.
US07710843B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for finalizing a dual layer disc medium. The present invention checks whether particular areas on each recording layer of a dual layer recording medium separated from each other, e.g., the innermost circumference of data zone and around an area of radius 4 cm, are unrecorded and records null data in a particular area found to be unrecorded and carries out finalization. The present invention has an advantage in that time needed for finalization is considerably reduced compared with a traditional procedure of recording null data throughout the entire unrecorded data section.
US07710839B2
An information processing apparatus and method for controlling the information processing apparatus where the information processing apparatus stores a plurality of start programs in a first or second storage area, and if a selected start program is not already stored in the first storage area, the start program is transferred from the second storage area to the first storage area.
US07710836B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for controlling data access rate of an optical disc player. The method includes steps of (1) utilizing a micro-controller to decide whether an action of an instruction of a predetermined data processing is an extraction operation or a play operation; (2) driving the spindle motor and a pick-up head to retrieve data from an optical disc at a first data access rate by the micro-controller while the action of the instruction of the predetermined data processing is an extraction operation; and (3) driving the spindle speed and the pick-up head to retrieve data from the optical disc at a second data access rate which is less than the first data access rate by the micro-controller while the action of the instruction of the predetermined data processing is a play operation.
US07710834B1
A watch that advantageously allows an athlete, such as a runner, to conveniently and instantly calculate a pace at which a distance was traveled. The watch includes a chronographic process and a pace calculation process. In order to determine a pace, the athlete enters the travel distance into the pace calculation process. The athlete then initiates a count by the chronographic process when he or she starts traveling the designated distance. When the athlete finishes traveling the designated distance, he or she stops the count, so that the chronographic process measures the total elapsed time required to travel the designated distance. The pace calculation process then obtains the total elapsed time from the chronographic process, and divides the designated travel distance by the total elapsed time to calculate the pace at which the distance was traveled.
US07710830B2
Provided, among other things, is an outing record device comprising, in a compact, wall-mountable device: controller with associated memory; display(s) for displaying a outing time and an outing duration time; a receiver suitable for hanging an Object; and a trigger responsive to the removal from and placement on the receiver of an object, wherein the controller records the times of removal and placement, calculates a last outing time and duration, and makes available for display on the display(s) the outing time and duration. Methods of use, for example, are also provided.
US07710825B2
A system for use with a boat to provide underwater sonar images includes a left side scan sonar transducer for transmitting left side scan sonar pulses and for receiving left side scan sonar return signals and a right side scan sonar transducer for transmitting right side scan sonar pulses and for receiving right side scan sonar return signals. The system further includes signal processing circuitry for processing the left and right side scan sonar return signals to produce side scan image data and a digital processor for providing signals to a display based upon the side scan image data to produce a display image on the display showing boat location, a water column between the boat and bottom, and an underwater image comprising at least one of a left side underwater image and a right side underwater image.
US07710823B2
Measurements of acoustic velocities are made through a case borehole in the absence and presence of an applied magnetic field. A formation resistivity parameter may be estimated from differences in the acoustic velocities.
US07710822B2
A while-drilling Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) data acquisition system utilizing the same seismic shots for three purposes is disclosed. First, the seismic shots provide a means for synchronizing a downhole clock in the VSP receiver to a master clock at the surface, thereby enabling correct determination of seismic travel times. Second, the same seismic shots are also used to communicate commands and other information to the downhole VSP receiver, such commands controlling the actions of the VSP receiver or associated devices. Third, the same seismic shots are utilized for purposes of the VSP survey itself, i.e. determination of seismic travel times, forming of seismic images, and determination of geologic and formation fluid properties using the VSP methods.
US07710803B1
A circuit and method for testing address uniqueness of a memory array are disclosed. The circuit includes a plurality of current sinks associated with rows and columns of the memory array. A plurality of word lines of the memory array are coupled to the plurality of current sinks. A current mirror circuit is coupled to the plurality of current sinks and a circuit output node is coupled to the current mirror circuit. The circuit output node is configured to compare a total current from tested word lines of the memory array with a predetermined reference current, and to output a test pass or test fail indication in response to the comparison.
US07710800B2
An approach that manages redundant memory in a voltage island is described. In one embodiment there is a design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process of a semiconductor device. In this embodiment, the design structure includes one or more voltage islands representing a power cycled region. One or more non-power cycled regions are located about the one or more voltage islands. Each of the one or more non-power cycled regions comprises at least one memory using redundancy and a repair register associated with each memory using redundancy. A redundancy initialization component is coupled to the one or more voltage islands and the one or more non-power cycled regions.
US07710798B2
A state storage device for use in an RFID tag includes, in at least one embodiment, a capacitor coupled to a high impedance node. The storage device can be configured to indicate a high or low bit condition. The high impedance node can be designed to dissipate the stored electrical charge at a user-controlled, predefined, or known rate. The state storage device can be configured to store the bit condition for no more than four seconds. In some embodiments, the high impedance node can be formed from an electrically trimmed transistor.
US07710796B2
A circuit and method includes first circuits powered by a first supply voltage and second circuits powered by a second supply voltage. A level shifter is coupled between the first circuits and the second circuits. The level shifter is configured to select a supply voltage output for a circuit including one of the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage in accordance an input signal, where the input signal depends on at least one of an operation to be performed and component performing the operation.
US07710789B2
A synchronous memory system configurable in a multiplexed or non-multiplexed mode. In the multiplexed mode, address and data are provided on a shared bus, and accesses to the memory system are qualified by memory access control signals, including an address strobe signal, a counter enable signal and a counter repeat signal. A read/write control signal is maintained for one cycle after the last valid access command to avoid bus turn-around problems. In the multiplexed mode, chip enable and output enable signals may be constantly activated, thereby simplifying associated printed circuit board design. Different ports of the synchronous memory system can be independently configured to operate in either the multiplexed or non-multiplexed mode.
US07710775B2
A cell array of a flash memory device includes a memory cell transistor connected to a word line, a first selection transistor for controlling a first connection between the memory cell transistor and a bit line in response to a selection signal, and a second selection transistor for controlling a second connection between the memory cell transistor and a common source line in response to the selection signal.
US07710769B2
A serial magnetic mass storage device and associated data storage method is provided based on magnetic nanowires that support single magnetic domains separated by domain walls. Each data-storing nanowire has a plurality of crossing nanowires along its length, forming cross junctions that constitute domain wall pinning sites. Data is fed through each data-storing nanowire by moving the magnetic domains under the action of a field that alternates between alignment and anti-alignment with the crossing nanowires. The data is encoded in the chirality of the domain walls, with up and down chirality transverse domain walls being used to encode 0's and 1's. Data is clocked into each nanowire with suitable nucleation generators capable of nucleating domains with domain walls of pre-defined chirality. Data is clocked out of each nanowire with suitable magnetic field sensors that sense the chirality.
US07710767B2
A method of biasing a memory cell array during a data writing operation and a semiconductor memory device, in which the semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells in which a first terminal of a memory cell is connected to a corresponding first line among a plurality of first lines and a second terminal of a memory cell is connected to a corresponding second line among a plurality of second lines; and a bias circuit for biasing a selected second line to a first voltage and non-selected second lines to a second voltage.
US07710762B2
A device for protecting data stored in a static random access memory (SRAM) is provided. More particularly, a device for protecting SRAM data including an SRAM data erasing circuit, which erases memory stored in an SRAM at once when illegal separation from a system is detected. The device for protecting SRAM data includes: a power switching circuit for outputting electrical power supplied from an external power supply or a back-up battery power supply depending on whether the external power supply is supplying the electrical power or not; and an SRAM data erasing circuit for supplying the electrical power output from the power switching circuit to a power input terminal of a SRAM or grounding the power input terminal of the SRAM, in response to a connecter connection signal. The device can prevent illegal leakage of SRAM data by erasing the data stored in the SRAM when the SRAM is illegally separated from a system according to the switch setting of the SRAM data erasing circuit.
US07710747B2
An inverter apparatus that can lengthen a lift span provides only a noise absorption film capacitor in a DC intermediate circuit between rectifying and inverter circuits, instead of a conventional electrolytic capacitor. In a voltage command generating unit, when a frequency set by a frequency setting unit is within a predetermined range including the frequency of an AC input power supply, PLL control is performed to make the frequency set by an output voltage command signal equal to the frequency of the AC input power supply voltage, and to substantially synchronize the peak value of the inverter circuit output voltage with the peak value of a voltage formed between both ends of the film capacitor. Accordingly, output voltage amplitude is generated when the frequency set by the output voltage command signal equals the frequency of the voltage of the AC input power supply.
US07710745B2
The present invention is directed to a remotely controlled power supply system that can change output polarity at a high slew rate without using switching devices. The system comprises a control circuit and two individual high voltage DC-DC converter power supply sections, one positive and one negative, connected in series. By nature of the control circuitry, either a positive or negative controllable current is produced depending upon a programmed voltage input. The two individual power supply sections are each self-oscillating single transistor circuits. The self-oscillating circuits contain an RC network tuned to provide attenuation at the second harmonic of the natural oscillating frequency of the circuit. This reduces and/or eliminates the tendency of this circuit to begin oscillation at the wrong harmonic of the natural frequency. A power-on delay circuit is used to suppress the outputs of the two power supply sections no matter the command of the input control programming signal. An enable signal input allows for suppression of the power supply system output at any other time.
US07710736B2
An enclosed re-programmable non-volatile memory card includes a cover that is hinged to the card to normally cover a set of external contacts to which the memory is connected but which can be rotated out of the way by hand to expose that set of contacts for connection with a mating receptacle of a host device. A second set of electrical contacts having a different pattern than the covered set may also be provided on the card. The covered set of contacts may be in accordance with the universal serial bus (USB) plug standards. A latching mechanism built into the hinged cover holds it firmly in a closed position but allows its manual release to expose the covered set of contacts. One exemplary release mechanism utilizes a resiliently held element that is moveable by hand against the resilience, and another employs a hand slideable latch.
US07710733B2
A connecting module includes a housing, electric contacts for connecting wires and/or cables, and at least one fastening element that allows the connecting module to be fixed to an assembly frame. The fastening element is embodied at least in two parts, encompassing a first fastening piece and a second fastening piece. The connecting module can be put on the assembly frame by means of the first fastening piece and can be locked on the assembly frame with the aid of the second fastening piece.
US07710723B2
An inverter assembly for a vehicle includes a housing, a first inverter, and a second inverter. The housing comprises a plurality of walls. The plurality of walls form an inlet for cooling fluid to enter the housing, an outlet for the cooling fluid to exit the housing, and a channel, and a channel for the cooling fluid to flow therebetween. The first inverter is disposed within the housing proximate the channel, and is configured to be cooled by the cooling fluid flowing through the channel. The second inverter is also disposed within the housing proximate the channel, and is also configured to be cooled by the cooling fluid flowing through the channel.
US07710721B2
Water paths for feeding a coolant water through a power converter mounted on an automobile are arranged in parallel, openings are formed on the water paths respectively, heat radiating fins project from the openings, and the openings are closed by a base plate of the power module. Further, the base plate of the power module includes a metal in addition to copper to increase a hardness of the base plate, so that a deterioration of the flatness during fixing the fins with brazing is restrained.
US07710720B2
An electronic device having an exhaust opening configured to exhaust air outside, the electronic device includes a door part configured to close the exhaust opening when the electronic device has a predetermined temperature, wherein the door part is rotated based on the own weight of the door part and a wind pressure of the air taken in the electronic device and exhausted outside the electronic device, so that the exhaust opening is closed.
US07710719B2
A hard disk box includes a tray, a cover, and a enclosure. The tray includes a bezel and a bottom plate. The bottom plate includes a locking portion forming a catch. The cover includes a rear wall, and an insert wall extending from a side of the rear wall. A hook extends from the rear wall for engaging the catch of the tray. The enclosure accommodates the bottom plate of the tray and the insert wall of the cover, and is retained between the bezel of the tray and the rear wall of the cover. The enclosure defines an opening in a bottom wall thereof, corresponding to the locking portion of the tray.
US07710715B2
Securing and supporting electronic components in a computer node disposed on a computer rack. The method comprises the steps of first disposing a tray having one or more wedge block assemblies in the rear of said rack such that each wedge block assembly can be moved under and engaged with each node. The wedge block mechanism is retained from side to side using guide brackets. The mechanism and the tray are then torqued into place by using incorporated hard stop feature on said tray. The nodes can then be engaged and disengaged through the engaging and disengaging of the wedge block assembly. This is done by using a rod that is connected to a fastener one end and to a pivot at another end and is integrated into the wedge block mechanism. Once the fastener is moved the pivot is also moved causing the mating and unmating of the node.
US07710714B2
A housing for a scale or load cell controller suitable for use in harsh environments. The housing includes a moisture-resistant front display unit coupled to a rear interface and mounting unit. The front display unit includes a front housing, a back housing, and a frame overlying a boundary or seal region between the front and back housings to provide a double moisture-resistant seal between the front and back housings. The front display unit defines an interior region including a display and a plurality of user input keys and controller circuitry. The front display unit is removably attachable to the rear interface unit. A moisture-resistant seal is also provided between the front display unit and the rear interface and mounting unit. The rear interface and mounting unit defines a recessed area supporting a battery pack, a power supply and an interface circuit board. Circuitry in the front display unit is electrically coupled to circuitry in the rear interface and mounting unit via an edge connector circuit card that extends through an opening in the front display unit and mates with an edge connector socket supported in the rear interface and mounting unit.
US07710694B2
An earth leakage breaker includes a main body housing having, in a single structure, a casing and a case cover, and an auxiliary cover for covering the case cover. The case cover has a recess for mounting an internal accessory device. Components including a main circuit contact, a contact switching mechanism, an operation handle, an overcurrent tripping device, an earth leakage detection circuit combined with a zero-phase current transformer, and an earth leakage tripping device, are retained in the main body housing. An earth leakage operation output switch is detachably mounted in the recess formed in the case cover of the main body housing. The earth leakage operation output switch is an internal accessory device that indicates earth leakage trip operation electrically and linking mechanically with the earth leakage trip device to operate the earth leakage operation output switch in the earth leakage trip operation.
US07710692B2
The present invention is directed to a superconductor component 1 suitable as fault current limiter comprising a superconductor body 2 provided with a shunt coil 3 and an electrical contact 4 on at least one end of the superconductor body 2 wherein the superconductor component 2 is provided with means for reducing currents 6 induced within the electrical contacts 4.
US07710690B2
A magneto-resistance effect element can obtain a high output and makes it possible to stabilize magnetization in a magnetization free layer therein even if a sense current is caused to flow. The magneto-resistance effect element is provided with a magnetization free layer whose magnetization direction is variable, a magnetization pinned layer whose magnetization direction is pinned, and an intermediate layer provided between the magnetization free layer and the magnetization pinned layer, where when no external magnetic field is present and no current flows, the magnetization direction in the magnetization free layer is anti-parallel to the magnetization direction pinned in the magnetization pinned layer, an easy axis of magnetization in the magnetization free layer is parallel to the magnetization direction pinned in the magnetization pinned layer, and a sense current flows from the magnetization free layer to the magnetization pinned layer.
US07710686B2
A heat-assisted magnetic recording head (HAMR) head includes a magnetic recording head including a recording pole for applying a magnetic recording field on a magnetic recording medium and a return pole magnetically connected to the recording pole to form a magnetic path, a light source for emitting light, and an optical transmission module including an photonic crystal waveguide disposed at a side of the magnetic recording head to guide light incident from the light source and a nano aperture for enhancing an optical field by varying an intensity distribution of the light guided through the photonic crystal waveguide.
US07710666B2
An imaging lens module includes a fixed aperture stop and an optical module, and the optical module includes a first, a second, a third and a fourth lenses. The first lens has a meniscus lens with positive refractive power and a concave surface disposed towards the image. The second lens has a meniscus lens with negative refractive power and a concave surface disposed towards the image. The third lens has a meniscus lens with positive refractive power and a convex surface disposed towards the image. The fourth lens has a concave surface disposed towards the object.
US07710662B2
In an image pickup lens 1 composed three glass lenses, the glass lenses are composed of a first lens L1 having a convex surface facing a subject side and positive refracting power, an aperture S, a second lens L2 having a convex surface facing an image side and negative refracting power, and a third lens L3 having a concave surface facing the image side and positive refracting power which are disposed sequentially from the subject side as well as all the lens surfaces are composed of aspheric surfaces and the following conditional formulas (A0) and (A1) are satisfied. f/f2<−0.9 (A0) 2<|R21+R22|/|R21−R22|<5 (A1) With this arrangement, there is provided a compact and less expensive image pickup lens having a good optical performance and used to a solid image pickup device and an image pickup device using the image pickup lens.
US07710659B2
A projection zoom lens includes a first lens group having a negative reflecting power and a second to fifth lens groups each having a positive reflecting power are provided in the order from the magnification side. Nine lenses are distributed in a manner that the first lens group has one lens, the second lens group has one lens, the third lens group has two lenses, the fourth lens group has four lenses and the fifth lens group has one lens. Since the second lens group, the third lens group and the fourth lens group are moved at the time of the power-varying operation, various kinds of aberrations may be made despite of simple configuration. The first lens group is an aspherical lens which concave surface is directed to the reduction side.
US07710658B2
Zoom lens systems and methods for imaging incoming rays over a range of ray angles are disclosed. The incoming rays are characterized by at least phase. The zoom lens system includes an optical axis and is characterized by a plurality of modulation transfer functions (MTFs) corresponding at least to the range of ray angles. The zoom lens system includes an optical group disposed along the optical axis, including at least one variable optical element that has a variable focal length selectable between at least two distinct focal length values. The optical group also includes a wavefront coding element. The wavefront coding element alters at least the phase of the incoming rays, such that the plurality of MTFs corresponding to the range of ray angles, for each one of the two distinct focal length values, are less sensitive to misfocus-like aberrations than a corresponding system without the wavefront coding element.
US07710657B2
A distributed refractive index lens and method of producing the lens are disclosed. The lens has a plurality of areas having refractive index distributions, and includes a plate-like member containing polysilane. The refractive index distribution of these areas is a distribution that includes a change in a refractive index in a direction parallel to a plane of the plate-like member, and includes a substantial uniform refractive index in a direction perpendicular to the plane.
US07710651B2
The diffractive optical element includes two diffraction gratings made of different materials and being in contact with each other at their grating surfaces. The materials satisfy the following conditions, and the second material is obtained by mixing a resin material with a particulate material satisfying the following conditions: nd1≧1.48, νd1≧40, (−1.665E−07×νd13+5.213E−05×νd12−5.656E−03×νd1+0.675)≦θg,F1≦(−1.665E−07×νd13+5.213E−05×νd12−5.656E−03×νd1+0.825), (−1.687E−07×νd13+5.702E−05×νd12−6.603E−03×νd1+1.400)≦θg,d1≦(−1.687E−07×νd13+5.702E−05×νd12−6.603E−03×νd1+1.580), nd2≦1.6, νd2≦30, θg,F2≦(−1.665E−07×νd23+5.213E−05×νd22−5.656E−03×νd2+0.675), θg,d2≦(−1.687E−07×νd23+5.702E−05×νd22−6.603E−03×νd2+1.400), nd1−nd2>0, ndb2≧1.70, νdb2≦20.The element achieves a high diffraction efficiency in a specific diffraction order over a wide wavelength range.
US07710642B2
An illumination system for a fluorescence microscope is provided. The illumination system includes a carriage removably receivable within the microscope and a plurality of filter cubes movably arranged on the carriage, wherein each filter cube is moveable between an active position and an inactive position. Each filter cube includes a housing having first and second openings and a solid state light source secured to the housing. The solid state light source emits light when the filter cube is moved into the active position. Each filter cube further comprises at least one optical filter disposed within the housing, wherein the optical filter corresponds to the solid state light source.
US07710637B2
A method and an apparatus for generating a terahertz wave, wherein one end face 12a of a non-linear optical crystal 12 is positioned approximately orthogonally to a direction of generation of a terahertz wave 4, pump light 2 and idler light 3 are totally reflected at an approximately same point 13 on the end face, and the generated terahertz wave 4 is emitted roughly vertically to the end face.
US07710634B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for creating a pattern on a workpiece sensitive to radiation, such as a photomask a display panel or a microoptical device. The apparatus may include a source for emitting light flashes, a spatial modulator having modulating elements (pixels), adapted to being illuminated by the radiation, and a projection system creating an image of the modulator on the workpiece. It may further include an electronic data processing and delivery system receiving a digital description of the pattern to be written, converting the pattern to modulator signals, and feeding the signals to the modulator. An electronic control system may be provided to control a trigger signal to compensate for flash-to-flash time jitter in the light source.
US07710627B2
A microactuator including a base frame; and a moving plate having both ends supported by a plurality of elastic support portions inside the base frame, the moving plate having a first side on which a reflective mirror for changing a light path is disposed. At least one first rib is disposed along an edge of a second side of the moving plate, which is the reverse side of the first side of the moving plate, and a second rib is disposed in the center of the second side of the moving plate and correspondingly encloses a permanent magnet. Also, a portion of the second side of the moving plate, except for the first and second ribs, is removed to a predetermined depth to reduce the weight of the entire moving plate and to define the first and second ribs.
US07710625B2
A light scanning apparatus makes a light beam scan along a main scanning direction on an effective scanning region which has a predetermined width. The apparatus comprises: a light source which emits the light beam; a deflector which includes an oscillation mirror which oscillates about an oscillatory axis which is orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction, deflects the light beam emitted from the light source using the oscillation mirror, and makes the light beam scan a second scanning range which contains but extends beyond a first scanning range which corresponds to the effective scanning region; a detector which detects the scanning light beam which moves through a position which is outside the first scanning range but is within the second scanning range, and outputs a signal; and a controller which controls a mirror drive signal fed to the oscillation mirror based on the output signal from the detector and accordingly adjusts the amplitude of the oscillation mirror. In the apparatus above, the controller stops driving the oscillation mirror when confirming based on the output signal that the oscillation mirror is under abnormal control.
US07710624B2
Holographic systems which shape coherent light beams are disclosed. These holographic systems may beam-shaping devices positioned in the path of coherent light beams to shape a coherent light beam into an essentially diffraction noise free coherent light beam of predetermined dimensions that has a continuous light beam profile of distinct intensity zones.
US07710623B2
A security hologram is disclosed that is invisible to a human eye or to various optical detectors until the hologram is optically coupled to a suitable modifier (e.g., a prism). Also disclosed is a method of recording the security hologram and a method of using the hologram in security applications to establish authenticity of article(s).
US07710622B2
The invention relates to a color hologram display an image of a three-dimensional object and a hologram image of a pattern of plane characters, images or the like are recorded in the same volume type hologram photosensitive material in a superposed or multiplexed fashion. A color hologram display 27′ comprising a combined reflection and volume type of single layer, wherein a color pattern 29g of plane characters, images or the like and a color three-dimensional subject image O″ are reconstructably recorded while spatially superposed one upon another.
US07710621B2
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a communication section connected to an information management apparatus to manage a data with a correspondence of the data to the management information and an input apparatus to accept a manuscript information, to communicate with each other; an image forming section to form an image on a recording paper; and a controlling section to transmit the management information to the information management apparatus through the communication section, to receive the data corresponding to the transmitted management information from the information management apparatus, to convert the received data into a barcode information, to form a composite information by combining the barcode information and the manuscript information received from the input apparatus, and to allow the image forming section to form an image of the composite information.
US07710611B2
A stencil printer apparatus for depositing a solder paste onto the surface of the electronic substrate, comprising a frame, a stencil coupled to the frame, the stencil having a plurality of apertures, a dispenser coupled to the frame, the stencil and the dispenser being configured to deposit the solder paste onto the electronic substrate, an imaging system constructed and arranged to capture an image of the electronic substrate, and a controller coupled to the imaging system and configured to control movement of the imaging system to capture the image. The imaging system comprises a camera element configured to capture the image of at least the portion of the surface of the electronic substrate, and a first illumination element comprising a long-wavelength light source configured to illuminate at least the portion of the surface of the electronic substrate by generating long-wavelength light. Other embodiments and methods are disclosed.
US07710609B2
Method and system embodiments herein add at least one trap area between abutting objects on an image to be printed by a printing engine. This trap area includes a central region between two outer regions. The method/system establishes a target toner concentration for pixels within the trap area based on toner concentrations of the abutting objects and corrects the target toner concentration to account for irregularities of the outer regions of the trap area to produce a corrected toner concentration for pixels in the trap area. The method/system performs this correction by first empirically testing the printing engine to establish a lookup table of correction values of the outer regions prior to a printing operation. Then, during the printing operation, the method determines a size relationship (weighting) between the central region and the outer regions for the trap area and calculates the corrected toner concentration.
US07710608B2
A printing apparatus for printing an image on a medium by a print head having a nozzle capable of creating dots includes: a module acquiring image data having an M-ary pixel data value (M≧3); a module creating N-ary image data (M>N≧2) from an M-ary pixel value (M≧3) expressed by each pixel data item; a module splitting the N-ary image data into a plurality of image data areas of a predetermined number of pixel data items; a module rearranging a position of a pixel corresponding to each pixel data item included in the image data areas in the N-ary image data at a predetermined position in each image data area; a module creating printing data defining dot forming information of each nozzle corresponding to the N-ary image data after rearrangement; and a module printing the image on the medium.
US07710605B2
A print system includes a computer and a printer. Image data having pseudo gradation with a dither pattern are printed by the printer. The computer divides the image data into predetermined areas, determines whether or not a dot arrangement pattern of image data in each of the areas matches a dither pattern that was used for generating the pseudo gradation, determines a representative value concerning a density of image data within the area if they match one another, and sends data related to the determined representative value to the printer. The printer obtains a representative value of each area from compressed data received from the computer and compares the obtained representative value with the dither pattern so as to reproduce a dot pattern.
US07710603B2
Image forming apparatus 1 capable of forming dots of types in quantity of α (integer satisfying α≧2) wherein there are provided, target pixel selection means 2 that selects a target pixel, recording rate acquisition means 3 that acquires a recording rate total value of dots in two types among dots of types in quantity of α and acquires a recording rate of a dot on one side among dots in two types, first quantization means 4 that conducts quantization based on the recording rate total value and determines recording of dots in quantity of i (integer satisfying 0≦i≦2) on the target pixel and second quantization means 5 that determines types of dots to be recorded on the target pixel based on i representing the number of dots to be recorded on the target pixel determined by the first quantization means and on the recording rate of the dot on one side.
US07710597B2
A technique for profiling a color printing device employs a modified Neugebauer color mixing model. The modeling technique makes use of a variable dot gain value and “n factor.” The variable dot gain adjustment value may vary according to the particular tristimulus channel under evaluation. In addition, the variable dot gain value may vary according to the particular Neugebauer primary over which a halftone dot is printed. Accordingly, the technique may rely on an array of different dot gain values and n factors that correspond to different combinations of color channels and overprint conditions. As a further feature, the techniques may rely on a dot gain formula that relates halftone dot variation, i.e., fringe thickness, to the size of the halftone dot. This relationship tends to produce a dot gain model that more closely resembles the actual dot gain behavior on a printing press.
US07710575B2
The field of the invention is that of solid-state laser gyros used in inertial control units. However, there are certain technical difficulties in producing laser gyros of this type that are due partly to the fact that the counterpropagating waves interfere with each other in the amplifying medium. A laser gyro according to the invention comprises at least one solid-state amplifying medium and an optical ring cavity comprising first optical means for imposing a first linear polarization state common to the two counterpropagating optical waves at the entrance and exit of the zone containing the amplifying medium and second optical means for imposing, within the amplifying medium, a second linear polarization state on the first optical wave and a third linear polarization state on the second optical wave, these polarization states being perpendicular. Thus, all the drawbacks associated with interference are eliminated.
