US07744595B2
The present invention relates to the field of electrosurgery, and more particularly to systems and methods for ablating, cauterizing and/or coagulating body tissue using radio frequency energy. More in particular, the systems utilize voltage threshold means for controlling the voltage applied to tissue in a cycle-to-cycle manner.
US07744587B2
Medical devices, medical device components, and methods of making the same. For example, one embodiment provides a method of making a reinforcing member adapted and configured for use in a medical device. The method includes providing one or more structural elements adapted and configured for creating the reinforcing member, the one or more structural elements including a surface having a portion with an initial surface area, and treating at least the portion of the surface of the one or more structural elements to provide a final surface area that is greater than the initial surface area. The one or more structural elements are used in creating the reinforcing member. The reinforcing member can then be incorporated into the structure of the medical device.
US07744586B2
A tubular transition member having an annular wall with at least one cut extending through the annular wall is disclosed for controlling a transition in stiffness of a catheter from a stiffer more pushable proximal section to a more flexible and trackable distal section and increasing kink resistance. The transition member may extend across the junction formed between the stiffer proximal section and the more flexible distal section. The transition member may be used in conjunction with any type of catheter including single-operator-exchange type catheters, over-the wire type catheters, and/or fixed-wire type catheters.
US07744585B2
A catheter includes an elongated catheter body having a proximal portion and a distal portion. A first longitudinally accessible lumen and a second lumen extend side by side within and along the proximal portion, and the first lumen and the second lumen form a single common lumen within the distal portion which extends to a distal end of the distal portion. The first lumen and second lumen are co-axial within the distal portion prior to forming a single common lumen.
US07744581B2
A device and method for mixing medical fluids is disclosed. The device has an inlet port, an injection port, an outlet port, a first duct between the injection port and the inlet port, and a second duct between the inlet port and the outlet port. The injection port is sealed by a fluid-proof membrane which can be penetrated by an injection needle. The device further includes at least a first portion made of a first material and a second portion made of a second, substantially more resilient material, wherein the inlet port and the injection port are included in the first portion and the outlet port is included in the second portion, and the first and second portions are attached to each other by means of a combined friction coupling and snap connection.
US07744578B2
An absorbent article having leakage preventing walls that longitudinally exert an elastic contractive force to bend a main body. Each leakage preventing wall is provided, between front and rear ends, with a constraint portion so as to locally constrain an allowable rising height of the leakage preventing wall. Thus, the leakage preventing wall takes a shape that can easily conform to a curved surface of the wearer's body.
US07744572B2
A catheter anchoring system is provided to securely anchor to a patient's skin a catheter and fluid supply tube interconnection. The anchoring system comprises a retainer configured to receive a catheter adaptor in a variety of positions. The adaptor interconnects the catheter and the fluid supply tube. In one embodiment the adaptor has a radial recess that circumscribes the adaptor. The anchoring system additionally includes a flexible, adhesive anchor pad which can supports a tube clip, as well as the retainer. The retainer includes a channel that is configured to receive the adaptor in a snap-fit manner. The retainer also includes a plurality of laterally arranged projections that extend from a channel wall and into a channel. Each radial recess is sized to receive and to capture at least a portion of the projection of the retainer so as to inhibit the adaptor from moving within the channel.
US07744570B2
An infusion set comprises a base member (60), an introducer cap (64), and an infusion cap (54). The base member (60) preferably comprises a soft cannula (52) extending from a lower side (118) of the base member (60), and a port (62) on an upper side (92) thereof. The port (62) is configured to be in fluid communication with the cannula (52). The port (62) also comprises a septum (130) adapted to seal the port (62) against unwanted fluid flow. The introducer cap (64) is adapted to be mounted to the base member (60) and has a needle (66) adapted to extend through the septum (130) and said soft cannula (52) in an assembled position. The infusion cap (54) comprises a lumen (160) adapted to receive an elongate flexible tube (162). The infusion cap (54) also comprises a hard cannula (170) adapted to be inserted through the septum (130) and to place said soft cannula (52) in fluid communication with said lumen (160).
US07744567B2
An extravascular system for accessing the vasculature of a patient may include a catheter adapter, a needle, and/or a needle tip shield assembly. The needle tip shield assembly may have a needle cap, and the needle cap may have a needle shield and at least one low friction surface. The needle may be disposed within the catheter assembly and the needle tip shield assembly. The low friction surface may reside between the needle shield and the needle. The at least one low friction surface may reside on the needle, on the V-clip, and/or on a structure located between the needle and the V-clip.
US07744562B2
Apparatus and methods for injecting biological agents into tissue. Devices are provided having elongate shafts and distal injection heads for transversely driving needles into tissue and injecting medical agents into the tissue through the needles. A longitudinal force directed along the shaft can be translated to a needle driving force transverse to the shaft. Some devices provide controllably variable needle penetration depth. Devices include mechanical needle drivers utilizing four link pantographs, rack and pinions, and drive yokes for driving a first needle bearing body toward a second tissue contacting body. Other devices include inflatable members for driving and retracting needles. Still other devices include magnets for biasing the needles in extended and/or retracted positions. The invention includes minimally invasive methods for epicardially injecting cardiocyte precursor cells into infarct myocardial tissue.
US07744561B2
A needleless injection device comprising a cylinder for medicine having an injection nozzle at a forward end thereof and an opening at its rearward end; a piston sliding in the cylinder through said open end, in use, to drive the medicine through the nozzle; a ram to drive the piston into the cylinder and having a longitudinal axis; and a mechanical energy accumulator to drive the ram when discharged and disposed between the ram and a discharge assembly, a rear end of the ram extending into said discharge assembly; wherein the discharge assembly comprises a retention member fixed in the assembly, said retention member having a plurality of retention elements spaced around and adapted to locate on the ram when in a charged position of the ram, and a release ring surrounding said retention elements to prevent radial outward displacement thereof and discharge of the ram; and wherein axial displacement of said release ring releases said retention elements and causes discharge of the ram by said accumulator; characterized in that said retention elements are integral with said retention member and each has an enlarged head which can move into and out of engagement with a groove or recess on the ram by deformation of the material of said retention member.
US07744560B2
The invention is directed to techniques for monitoring the condition of a patient, such as a patient having congestive heart failure, and appropriately modifying the patient's drug therapy as a function of a pressure in the patient's heart, such as the estimated pulmonary artery diastolic pressure. The drugs may be administered by an implanted drug delivery device. The drug selection, the drug dosage or both may be controlled as a function of the pressure and/or the activity level of the patient.
US07744557B2
A method and apparatus for treating gas for delivery into a body cavity, body space or body surface of an animal. The apparatus comprises a housing defining a chamber having an entry port and an exit port. One or more agents are released into the gas stream that flows through the chamber so that the gas stream carries the agent to the animal. Also shown, for use with, or without, the chamber, is an agent chamber adapted to be coupled to at least one structure defining at least one fluid flow path extending at least a portion of the distance between an insufflation device and the body cavity, body space or body surface.
US07744551B2
The systems and methods described herein include systems and methods for applying temperature regulated compression and support to certain injured portions of the human body. In particular, the systems and methods relate to a brace to be fitted around a joint of a human for applying therapeutic temperature regulated compression to the joint and having rigid supports disposed therein to provide support for the limb while a patient recuperates from surgery or other injury.
US07744549B2
A massage device includes a base cover having a fix bore defined in its backside; a guiding device disposed in the base cover; and a moving base received in the base cover and movably mounted on the guiding device. The moving base has a securing hole defined therein. The massage device further includes a bolt with a locking portion, and the locking portion is inserted in both the fix bore and the securing hole.
US07744538B2
Minimum arc interpolation is performed on velocity information distributed in three dimensions. By using complex representations of the velocity information, the interpolation may more accurately represent the angle or velocity for spatial conversion. Tri-linearly interpolating velocity information converts the information representing a three-dimensional volume to a reconstruction grid. The interpolation is performed with a graphics processing unit. Complex representations of the velocity are loaded as texture data. The graphics processing unit interpolates the data as texture fields. Look-up tables are used to determine an angle from the interpolated complex representation and/or a color value for displaying velocities associated with different spatial locations.
US07744537B2
In a method for identifying a living tissue in an ultrasonic diagnosis, the elasticity of a living tissue to be diagnosed is measured for each local small area by using ultrasound. Elasticity data for each kind of known living tissue is composed of an elasticity modulus frequency histogram in each local small area for each kind of living tissue and is managed in a data library. Regarding the elasticity data serving as the measurement results, the kind of living tissue to be diagnosed is identified by using the elastic data for each kind of known living tissue.
US07744534B2
A hand-held 3D ultrasound instrument is disclosed which is used to non-invasively and automatically measure amniotic fluid volume in the uterus requiring a minimum of operator intervention. Using a 2D image-processing algorithm, the instrument gives automatic feedback to the user about where to acquire the 3D image set. The user acquires one or more 3D data sets covering all of the amniotic fluid in the uterus and this data is then processed using an optimized 3D algorithm to output the total amniotic fluid volume corrected for any fetal head brain volume contributions.
US07744533B2
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a unit for generating image data, an image reconstructing unit and an image synthesizing unit. The unit for generating image data generates image data for displaying a tomogram of a subject by luminance according to signal intensities of echo signals obtained through ultrasonic waves transmitted to the subject. The image reconstructing unit generates reconstructed images by alternating at least one of a luminance and a color of an area of a predetermined luminance so that the area of the predetermined luminance is emphasized in the image data while the predetermined luminance is altered in turn. The image synthesizing unit supplies the reconstructed images to a display unit so that the reconstructed images are displayed on the display unit in turn.
US07744526B2
The invention relates to bioreactors having an enclosed chamber, a sheet growth module, a rollable mandrel, and a clamp for holding the sheet to the mandrel for rolling for the manufacture of a tissue engineered blood vessel (TEBV). The TEBV is made from a cultured fibroblast sheet rolled into a multilayer vessel which has sufficient burst strength to withstand physiological blood pressure without the inclusion of smooth muscle cells or synthetic scaffolding.
US07744523B2
The inventive technique includes devices and methods for generating a magnetic field. One such device may include an inductor for generating a magnetic field and a power source for providing power. Such a device may also include a semiconductor switching device that operatively couples the inductor and power source, wherein the semiconductor switching device directs power from the power source to the inductor to generate the magnetic field.
US07744516B2
A machine for the production of bags made of alveolar or foamed plastic material starting from at least one continuous web with superimposed flaps fed continuously to a heat-sealing assembly. The heat-sealing assembly is actuated according to a pendular motion in synchronism with continuous advance of the web, and is pre-arranged for carrying out, at the same time as heat-sealing, half-cuts on the web, which is then folded in concertina fashion by means of a lapper assembly at output from the machine.
US07744514B2
A machining station and a method produce vehicle bodies of different types. A clamping station has interchangeable clamping frames, at least one clamping frame magazine, into which the interchangeable clamping frames are deposited when not in use and from which the interchangeable clamping frames are removed when in use, and at least one robot for transporting the interchangeable clamping frames. The interchangeable clamping frames, in particular the clamping frames for the vehicle body side parts, are divided into a plurality of separable segmental clamping frames, with, to convert to a different type of vehicle body, one segmental clamping frame in each case being transported by a robot from the clamping station to the clamping frame magazine, being deposited there, a segmental clamping frame of a different type being removed from the clamping frame magazine and this segmental clamping frame being transported to the clamping station.
US07744512B2
An exercise device comprises an elastic member with foot straps its ends for attachment to a user's feet, which is secured to a vest which encircles upper chest region, and passes through an inverted “U” enclosed pathway affixed to the vest. Additional elastic members are provided that attach to the first elastic member, and to grasping elements that attach to a user's hands. The additional elastic members preferably connect to the first elastic member, and pass through guide means located at or near the openings of the pathway. Clips or rings are provided on the elastic members that can be used to shorten the length of the elastic members and/or add additional elastic members to the device, and thus modify the tension encountered. In use, the elastic member is put into tension, so that movement of the legs or arms is against the elastic resistance of the elastic member.
US07744511B2
The invention relates to medicine and is used for forcedly modifying a human posture and producing an increased load on a locomotion apparatus. The inventive device comprises shoulder, pelvic, knee and foot supports which are connected to each other by loading elements each of which is embodied in the form of an inextansible strip and an avoid of residual deformation elastic rod fixed thereto. Said device also comprises a support arranged on the thoracic surface of the body which is connected to the shoulder supports with the aid of self-fixing buckles, thereby forming a vest which tightly embraces a patient body. The pelvic support is embodied in the form of shorts. Said thoracic and pelvic supports are provided with load strips which are sewed therein and provided with buckles for fixing said thoracic and pelvic supports to each other. The knee supports are embodied in the form of a binder in such a way that it tightly embraces a knee-joint area, the upper quarter of a leg and the lower quarter of a hip.
US07744505B2
A hydraulic pressure control device is provided that that controls hydraulic pressure of a clutch supplying torque to a continuously variable transmission while the vehicle is stopped and in a running range. The hydraulic pressure control device has an control section that estimates a clutch engagement hydraulic pressure for changing the clutch from an engaged state to a disengaged state based the hydraulic fluid pressure acting on the clutch during the stopping of the rotational movement of a primary pulley of the continuously variable transmission, and then controls regulation of the hydraulic pressure to the clutch from an engaged state to a disengaged state, when the vehicle is stopped and in the running range, so that the torque from the engine does not rotate a secondary pulley of the continuously variable transmission.
US07744502B2
A method for driving a parallel hybrid drive train of a motor vehicle with at least one internal combustion engine, one electric motor and an output. The electric motor is arranged in the drive train between the output and the internal combustion engine. A shifting element is arranged between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. A hydrodynamic torque converter is arranged between the electric motor and the output. A target output torque applied at the output is subject to the slip hydrodynamic torque converter, is produced by at least the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, and is determined with reference to at least the required target output torque, an actual turbine speed of the hydrodynamic torque converter, or a an equivalent speed of the parallel hybrid drive train, and the actual speed of the electric motor.
US07744499B2
A hydro-mechanical transmission system. The system includes an engine having a drive shaft that extends into and supplies power to a gear box having a first and second planetary gear set, wherein the first and second planetary gear set includes a sun with a first ring gear fixed and a carrier coupled to the drive shaft through a double clutch, a hydraulic pump driven by the engine and hydraulically coupled to a hydraulic motor, a low pressure accumulator coupled to the motor and the pump, a high pressure accumulator coupled to the motor and the pump, wherein the hydraulic motor couples to the suns of both planetary gear sets, wherein the engine drives the carrier of the second planetary gear set with the ring of the second planetary gear set coupled to the drive shaft through a double clutch.
US07744488B2
The present invention is directed to golf balls comprising a fluid-filled center surrounded by an outer core, wherein the outer core comprises a layer formed from a relatively soft HNP composition and a layer formed from a relatively hard HNP composition. The present invention is not limited by which outer core layer is formed from the relatively soft HNP composition and which layer is formed from the relatively hard HNP composition, so long as both layers are present in the outer core of the golf ball. Relatively soft HNP compositions of the present invention have a Shore D hardness of 55 or less and comprise a highly neutralized acid copolymer. Relatively hard HNP compositions of the present invention have a Shore D hardness of 45 or greater and comprise a highly neutralized acid copolymer. The material hardness of the relatively soft HNP composition is less than the material hardness of the relatively hard HNP composition.
US07744485B2
Embodiments of golf clubs, golf club heads and removable golf club weights are generally described herein. According to certain embodiments, an example golf club head comprises a face for striking a golf ball, a backside portion, a sole portion, and one or more removable weights. According to such embodiments, the example golf club head may further comprise a vibration damping composition disposed between the removable weights and the golf club head.
US07744484B1
Embodiments of movable weights, such as weight plugs and other types of movable weights, for a golf club head are disclosed herein. One embodiment for a weight plug, for example, includes a mass element with a first end that has a threaded portion and a second end. The weight plug also has a weight cap with a seal retention portion that is configured to engage a seal. The cap is also configured to engage the threaded portion of the mass element. A seal is positioned between the first end of the mass element and the seal retention portion of the cap.
US07744483B2
A golf club is provided with a transponder that will transmit a coded signal when polled. The transmitter is small enough to fit into the golf club and does not need an external power supply. A data base associated with the coded signal is a depository of information related to the golf club.
US07744472B2
A shark deterrent device is disclosed. The device comprises at least two hollow cylindrical shafts, a tip, a twist-release mechanism, and at least one self-lock mechanism. The tip may be replaceable. The shark deterrent device is a retractable unit that is easy for a diver to carry and stow, and yet can be extended in order to deter a shark. The device is unlocked from its retracted position by twisting a collar, thereby unlocking the concentric shafts and allowing the unit to be fully extendable by hand. Once the unit is fully extended, a self-lock mechanism lock the unit to prevent it from retracting during use. The unit has a handle formed at one end of the outermost cylindrical shaft and a tip at the opposing end of the innermost cylindrical shaft. The tip may be replaceable and removed, and other useful tips may be attached.
US07744471B2
A non-threatening combination baton and spray dispenser that can be readily employed was a baton or as a dispenser without requiring complex re-orientation or concentrated aiming, including an expandable baton having a mounted connector coupling that facilitates connection to an end of an irritant spray dispenser disposed in axial alignment with the baton. The connector coupling supports a switch mechanism readily operable by the user's thumb while grasping the connector coupling to selectively dispense spray axially from the dispenser with the baton in either its retracted or expanded positions. The dispenser preferably utilizes the barrel and lens support end of a flashlight to facilitate use as a flashlight or for conversion to receive a pressurized chemical irritant cartridge, and enables selective interchangeability of nozzle plates of different color exposed surfaces to simulate a flashlight lens, provide a dark, non-reflective color during night maneuvers, or use a bright color so that a subject is readily aware that an irritant spray dispenser is pointed at him. The switch mechanism includes a safety button selectively operable to prevent unintended actuation of the dispenser.
US07744465B2
A game machine is provided with two display units, that is, a first LCD and a second LCD. On the second LCD, feature information unique to each object located in a virtual game space is displayed. When a player selects, based on information displayed on the second LCD, one of the objects provided in the virtual game space, a focus point of a virtual camera provided in the virtual game space is set so that the virtual camera is oriented to a direction of the selected object, and the state of the virtual game space captured by the virtual camera is displayed on the first LCD. With this, the virtual game space can be displayed without impairing its worldview. Also, the player can be allowed to easily specify a desired focus target in the virtual game space.
US07744459B2
A game system has a plurality of slot machines, each slot machine having a controller for executing a basic game, and transmitting a signal for making a transition to the roulette game when a prescribed symbol combination is stopped on a payline; a second game device for executing the roulette game, which is provided as a physically separate device from the slot machines; a display for displaying images according to a game status of the second game device; and a center controller capable of communicating with these devices by being connected with them through a network. If the roulette game is already executed when a signal for requesting a transition to the roulette game is received from a slot machine, the center controller keeps a transition to the roulette game waiting, and controls that slot machine and the second game device to start the roulette game at a timing where a transition to the roulette game becomes possible.
US07744453B2
A gaming system comprises a history display and a controller. The history display tracks a plurality of past outcomes of a wagering game. The controller awards a bonus if a current outcome of the wagering game has a predetermined association with at least one of the displayed plurality of past outcomes.
US07744448B2
A method and a filling machine for the temperature control of a mass flow in a filling machine, wherein the mass flow passes through several sections. In order to also process temperature-sensitive types of filling material reliably with the minimum outlay, the temperature of the filling material is measured in several sections of the filling machine and the temperature of the filling material is controlled by a heating/cooling device to a certain temperature in dependence of the measured temperatures.
US07744447B2
An abrasive disc comprises a disc substrate having a peripheral portion, plural abrasive chips each having an abrasive layer on a metal piece and being arranged in the peripheral portion of the disc substrate with a predetermined space, a suspension plate placed between the disc substrate and abrasive chips, and an elastic sheet placed between the disc substrate and the suspension plate so as to isolate the disc substrate from the suspension plate in order to absorb mechanical shock generated in operation of the abrasive disc. The abrasive chips are fastened to the suspension plate. Each of the abrasive chips has abrasive surfaces including a top abrasive surface and peripheral surfaces and the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion are declined to the top surface.
US07744442B2
Toy dolls include a head having a face having an alterable appearance and a mechanism for altering the appearance of the face. The mechanism may include a first element configured to pivot about a first axis between a first position and a second position, a second element operatively coupled to the first element and configured to pivot about a second axis between a third position and a fourth position in response to the first element pivoting from the first position to the second position, and a third element operatively coupled to the first element and configured to pivot about a third axis between a fifth position and a sixth position in response to the first element pivoting from the first position to the second position. Pivoting the second element may alter a first aspect of the appearance of the face, and pivoting the third element may alter a second aspect of the appearance of the face.
US07744435B2
An outboard engine system includes: a casing coupled to a swivel case via a swivel shaft; an engine mounted in an upper part of the casing such that a crankshaft of the engine is vertically arranged and a cylinder block of the engine faces in a direction opposite to the swivel shaft; a torque converter; a vertically arranged output shaft connected to the crankshaft through the torque converter; a horizontally arranged propeller shaft provided below the output shaft; and a forward-reverse shifting gear mechanism for providing a connection between the output shaft and the propeller shaft; the torque converter, the output shaft, the propeller shaft and the forward-reverse shifting gear mechanism being disposed in the casing. The crankshaft and the torque converter which is coaxially connected to a lower end of the crankshaft are disposed above the swivel shaft; and the torque converter and the output shaft which is disposed behind the swivel shaft are connected to each other via a transmission device. Thus, it is possible to minimize a bending moment which the swivel shaft receives due to the weight of the engine and the torque converter, in the case where the torque converter is used in the outboard engine system, thereby providing an excellent steering performance.
US07744423B2
The present invention is directed to a connector converting device adapted for connecting a host unit having a plug to an external unit through a cable. The connector converting device is connected to the host unit having a first plug serving as data input/output interface to and from an external unit. The connector converting device comprises a first jack to which the first plug is connected, and a second jack to which a second plug of the cable of the external unit is connected, wherein the first jack and the second jack are electrically connected.
US07744421B2
A card connector is disclosed that includes a first housing configured to have a first card inserted thereinto to be attached thereto; a second housing configured to have a second card inserted thereinto to be attached thereto, the second housing being provided on the first housing; and multiple contact members for the second card combined with the first housing by insert molding, the contact members each having, at a first end, a contact arm part to come into contact with a terminal of the second card, and at a second end, a lead terminal part to be soldered to a pad on a board, wherein the contact arm parts are placed inside the second housing with the intermediate portions thereof fixed to part of the second housing.
US07744416B2
A high speed electrical connector assembly (1) comprises a female connector (2) and a male connector (3) assembled together to be electrical connection to a printed circuit board (9). A plurality of differential pairs of signal contact (51) and a plurality pairs of ground contact (53) with the pairs of signal contacts (51) arranged therebetween are secured in the connector assembly (1). Each of the differential pairs of signal contact (51) has a first contact engaging portion (511) which is accessible from the female connector (2), and includes a second contact engaging portion (513), extending away from the first engaging portion (511) and accessible from the male connector (3). A shielding bus (10) is electrically interconnecting to at least one of the ground contact (53), and includes a shroud portion substantially enclosing the median portion of the pair of signal contacts (51).
US07744409B2
An extension cord comprising of at least two electrical conductors; a female electrical socket; and an anchor operably connected to the electrical conductors, the anchor including first and second members defining first and second voids, respectively, the first and second members having a first position wherein the first and second voids are substantially adjacent and a second position wherein the first and second voids are coplanar.
US07744401B2
The invention concerns a device for connecting a mechanical, hydraulic and electric connector (1) equipping a heat engine fuel injector to the electromagnet driving the injector, said connector (1) being fixed to a body (2) enclosing the electromagnet and comprising two electric terminals (4) connected to the solenoid (S) of the electromagnet. Said electric terminals (4) are provided each with a pin (15) designed so that when the connector (1) is assembled to the body (2), each pin (15) co-operates with guide means (11, 14) contacting an end portion of the wire (12) of the solenoid (6), the assembling operation resulting in pulling off the insulation in at least one location of said end portion to set up an electrical connection between each terminal (4) and the solenoid (6).
US07744396B2
An IC socket for receiving an IC package having a plurality of electrical contacts on a bottom face thereof is disclosed. The IC socket has an insulating housing that receives the IC package and a plurality of elastic contacts, one end each being secured to the insulating housing, and a remaining end of each contacting at least one of the electrical contacts on the bottom face of the IC package. The IC socket also has a spring member carried by the insulating housing that determines an accepting position for the IC package being accepted into the insulating housing, and that restrains an amount of horizontal movement of the IC package caused by bending of the elastic contacts as the IC package is pressed down.
US07744394B1
A golden finger protecting device includes a first, a second, and a third sidewall is connected between corresponding sides of the first and second walls. The first, the second, and third sidewalls are formed by folding a substrate along two parallel fold lines, to wrap the connection terminal of the expansion card. A width of the third sidewall is equal to thickness of the connection terminal. Widths of the first and second sidewalls are respectively greater than or equal to width of the connection terminal. A handle extends from the first sidewall or the second sidewall, away from the third sidewall. A first hole is defined symmetrically extending through the first and second sidewalls and extending through the third sidewall. At least one second hole is defined between a side opposite to the third sidewall of the first or second sidewall and a corresponding end of the first hole.
US07744392B2
A coaxial switching jack with a pair of coaxial assemblies mounted within a housing having a pair of front cable connection locations is disclosed. The coaxial assemblies each include a center conductor and an outer shield conductor. The center conductors are connected by a first spring and the shell conductors are connected by a second spring. Insertion of a coaxial cable connector within one of the front cable connection locations deflects the springs from the corresponding coaxial assembly and disconnects the center and shell conductors of the two assemblies. The jack may also be configured to provide an electrical connection between the center and shell conductors of the second coaxial assembly if a coaxial cable connector is inserted within the first coaxial assembly. The connection between the center and shell conductors of the second coaxial assembly may be through a resistor assembly allowing for selection of a desired electrical impedance.
US07744390B2
An electrical connector including a housing; a slide slidably mounted to the housing, wherein the slide comprises a rack section with teeth; a cam member and a connector position assurance (CPA) member. The cam member is rotatably mounted to the housing. The cam member comprises a caming surface adapted to contact a cam portion of a mating electrical connector. The cam member comprises a gear section with teeth engaging the teeth of the slide. The CPA member is movably connected to the housing. The CPA member is adapted to directly engage the cam member for preventing the cam member for rotating relative to the housing.
US07744388B2
An electrical connector including a housing having a socket shaped to at least partially receive a mating plug; a plurality of electrically conductive contact elements at least partially extending into said socket for effecting electrical connection with corresponding electrically conductive contacts of the plug; and a door element coupled to the housing, wherein the door element is mounted for slidable movement along a nonlinear path between an open position whereby the socket is laid open for engagement by the mating plug and a closed position whereby access to the socket is inhibited.
US07744385B2
An electrical connector assembly comprises a header and a plurality of electrical cable terminations. Each of the cable terminations includes an electrically conductive housing, at least one signal contact positioned within an interior of the housing and electrically insulated from the housing, and at least two ground contacts extending from an exterior of the housing. The cable terminations are configured to mate with the header such that, for each cable termination, the signal contacts engage corresponding ones of the plurality of signal pins, and the ground contacts engage corresponding ones of the plurality of ground pins when the header and cable terminations are in a mated configuration.
US07744364B2
A tip cleaning assembly for use with an extrusion head of an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the tip cleaning assembly comprising a support component, a purge ledge assembly mounted on the support component, at least one set block mounted on the support component adjacent the purge ledge assembly, and at least one contact head removably mounted on the first set block, where the at least one contact head is configured to engage at least one extrusion tip of the extrusion head.
US07744359B2
A tire vulcanizing apparatus 1 has a carrying-in position P1 into which a green tire TA is carried in from an original position P0, a vulcanizing position P2 at which the green tire TA is vulcanized, and a pressure cooling position P3 at which the vulcanized tire TA is pressure-cooled. The apparatus includes a traveling carriage 6 capable of reciprocating backward and forward, a vulcanization mold 4 having an upper mold 2 capable of moving up and down at the vulcanizing position P2 and a lower mold 3 disposed on the traveling carriage 6 and moving between the vulcanizing position P2 and the carrying-in position P1, a pressure cooling device 7 for pressure-cooling a vulcanized tire TB at the pressure cooling position P3, a tire receiving and mounting device 8 which is attached to the traveling carriage 6 and which receives at the vulcanizing position P2 the vulcanized tire TB from the upper mold 2 and mounts it on the pressure cooling device 7 at the pressure cooling position P3, and a green tire transfer device 9 for gripping and transferring the green tire TA to the lower mold 3 at the carrying-in position P1.
US07744351B2
The invention relates to a material composition that is used for producing a coating for a component, especially a turbine component, which is made of a metallic basic material, i.e. a metal or a metal alloy. Said material composition comprises a matrix material for forming a basic coating matrix and at least one filler for adjusting desired coating proportions or coating characteristics. The matrix material can be provided especially with basic glass ceramic properties. The inventive material composition is characterized in that the matrix material and/or the filler contains nanoparticles.
US07744341B2
An electronic assembly (1) includes a top cover (21), a bottom cover (22) and a thermal module (10). The thermal module includes a centrifugal blower (14) and a fin assembly (12). The blower includes a top lid (142) defining a first air inlet (146) therein, a bottom plate (147) defining a second air inlet (150) therein, and a sidewall (148). An air outlet (149) is defined in the blower in front of the sidewall. A first distance (H1) formed between the top cover and the top lid is greater than a second distance (H2) formed between the bottom cover and the bottom plate. A left edge (154) of the second air inlet adjacent to the air outlet offsets a distance from a corresponding left edge (155) of the first air inlet inwardly toward a rotation axis (A) of an impeller (143) of the blower.
US07744333B2
Disclosed is a vehicle that is employed in retrieving, transporting and delivering portable storage units (“PSUs”). The vehicle can achieve retrieval and/or delivery within tight spaces via telescopic frame and hoist assemblies. A rearward support assembly is included for stabilizing the entire apparatus during both retrieval and delivery. The vehicle can take the form of either a trailer or an integrated vehicle. The various components of the present invention, and the associated method will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
US07744331B2
A transport vehicle includes a self-balancing vehicle base. A platform is supported on the base and is displaceable relative thereto between a first position and a second position. A support device engages the platform and supports at least a portion thereof during displacement between the first position and the second position. A method is also included.
US07744320B2
A wedge-type anchor assembly, capable of meeting cracked concrete testing standards, comprises an anchor bolt component and a substantially C-shaped expansion sleeve component annularly disposed about the anchor bolt component. A plurality of annular grooves, threads, or teeth are disposed only about the forward end portion of the expansion sleeve component, as opposed to throughout the entire axial length thereof, so that when the anchor bolt component is moved axially through the expansion sleeve component, the maximum interference area (M.I.A.) and maximum interference volume (M.I.V.) can be generated between the anchor bolt component and the expansion sleeve component in a controlled and predictable manner, as well as between the expansion sleeve component and the internal peripheral side wall portions of a concrete substrate or substructure can be generated so as to enhance pull-out resistance and reliability of the anchor assembly within the concrete substructure or substrate. The expansion sleeve component may be plated with a tin-zinc (Sn—Zn) composition, and the rear end portion of the expansion sleeve component may have a larger diametrical extent than the forward end portion of the expansion sleeve component so as to enhance pull-out resistance.
US07744310B2
A self-adjusting barrier incorporates a series of float units restrained between a primary wall, such as a bulkhead, and a secondary wall, such as sheetpile. The secondary wall may be braced to the primary wall. The float units slidably interconnect along adjacent edges to self-adjust along a perimeter, such as a marina or waterfront lot, based on the height of water within the chamber (stilling basin) provided between the two walls. Mechanisms for deterring vandalism and providing increased environmental integrity are also provided for select embodiments. Methods of employing the barrier are also disclosed.
US07744309B2
A hydraulic power generating system is disclosed. The hydraulic power generating system includes a looped rail, a plurality of pulleys moving along the looped rail, a plurality of water receiving plates, each being installed to each of the pulleys, side plates which are hingedly coupled to left and right side portions of each of the water receiving plates by hinge shafts, and spread adjusting devices which make the side plates spread against a direction of water flow. Accordingly, since the spread direction of the side plates hingedly coupled to both side portions of the water receiving plate can be changed forward and backward according to the direction of water flow so as to receive a larger amount of water, efficiency in generating power using water energy increases.
US07744304B2
A manhole or hatch cover assembly includes a frame defining an opening and a cover having a top surface, a bottom surface and a perimeter sized and dimensioned for receipt in the frame opening. The cover is coupled to the frame through a hinge connection and moveable between a closed positioned resting across the opening in the frame and an open position. A latch is pivotally coupled to the cover adjacent the hinge. The latch is selectively rotated onto the frame to retain the cover in the open position.
US07744303B2
A collapsible concrete system for slowing a vehicle is provided. The system including: a predetermined thickness of collapsible concrete disposed over a base; and a covering disposed over a top surface of the collapsible concrete over which the vehicle travels. The covering can be a layer of non-extensible and flexible material or a plurality of interconnected panels.
US07744297B2
In a sticky note printer, a sticky note is peeled off and fed one by one from a bundle of notes set in position. In empty-feed motion, the sticky note is fed in a normal direction from a peel-off position through a sticky note ejecting slot to a pull-out position in which the sticky note protrudes outside the sticky note printer. In feed-back motion, the sticky note is fed in a reverse direction from the pull-out position to a retracted position in which printing can be performed. In feed-again motion, the sticky note is fed in the normal direction from the retracted position to the pull-out position. The empty-feed motion is made when the sticky note has been pulled away from the pull-out position. The feed-back motion or the feed-again motion is made, when an instruction for printing is given, in a manner synchronized with the printing operation.
US07744296B2
A camera module (200) includes a lens module and a base (210) with a sensor installed thereon. The base is provided with at least two supporting protrusions (222) extending therefrom. Each protrusion is oriented the lens module, and the lens module is fixedly to and contacts with the at least two supporting protrusions. A colloid layer surrounding the sensor is sandwiched between the second end of the holder and the base. Electronic components are disposed on the circuit board and covered by the colloid layer.
US07744288B2
A fiber optic connector is disclosed for use with both a hardened fiber optic adapter and a non-hardened fiber optic adapter. The connector includes a connector housing having an end defining a plug portion. The plug portion includes first and second sets of retaining features for retaining the connector. The first and second retaining feature sets retain the connector within the hardened and unhardened adapters respectively. A threaded member can be included on the connector to threadingly engage and connect the connector to the hardened adapter. A sliding lock can be included on the connector to lock the connector to the non-hardened adapter when slid into a locking position. The sliding lock can be mounted to the threaded member. The sliding lock can include protrusions that engage and lock the non-hardened adapter when in the locking position thereby locking the non-hardened adapter to the connector.
US07744286B2
A fiber optic connection system includes a ruggedized fiber optic adapter and a ruggedized fiber optic connector and can further include a standard fiber optic connector (e.g., an SC connector), a pre-existing ruggedized fiber optic adapter, a first converter for converting the standard fiber optic connector to be compatible with the ruggedized fiber optic adapter, a second converter for converting the ruggedized fiber optic connector to be compatible with the pre-existing ruggedized fiber optic adapter, and a standard fiber optic adapter (e.g., an SC adapter). The ruggedized fiber optic connector is compatible with the ruggedized fiber optic adapter and with the standard fiber optic adapter. To retain the various connectors within the various adapters, various retention members and features (e.g. threaded retention members and latches) can be included in the fiber optic connection system. The first converter includes a converter housing that is sized to fit over a connector body of the standard fiber optic connector and retention shoulders of the connector body engage the converter housing.
US07744285B2
An M28876/NGCON/D38999 to MTP adaptor is disclosed as a low cost substitute for high density fiber systems. The MTP adaptor has a mechanical footprint that is substantially similar to a standard M28876/NGCON/D38999 connector. A kit is also provided that comprises an MTP cable, a pair of ST to MTP fan out cables, and a plurality of M28876/NGCON/D38999 to MTP adaptors.
US07744284B2
A bearing according to the present invention includes a cylindrical member formed on and around an outer member of a usual bearing. To firmly connect the cylindrical member to the outer member, grooves having an inclination relative to the axial direction of the bearing are formed so that the grooves do not cross one another on the outer surface of the outer member. The cylindrical member is made of a resin material by molding, and the resin, which is melted by heat in the molding process, enters into and adheres to the grooves. In this manner, the cylindrical member is firmly connected to the outer member so that movement in both of the rotational and axial directions of the bearing is prevented. The grooves formed on the outer surface of the outer member may be grouped, and their inclination relative to the axial direction may be alternately reversed group by group.
US07744279B2
A radiation imaging system includes a radiation head with a radiation source and an adjustable angular orientation. A radiation image detection device has a photostimulable medium that records an image according to radiation emitted from the radiation source. A measurement sensor apparatus, preferably inertial, is coupled sequentially to the photostimulable medium to provide three-dimensional data for determining the angular orientation of the photostimulable medium and to the radiation source for determining its angular orientation. There is at least one indicator responsive to the orientation data from the measurement sensor apparatus for indicating an orientation adjustment of the radiation source is needed in at least one direction.
US07744273B2
A thermal analysis apparatus possesses a temperature sensor measuring a temperature of a heating furnace inside, a temperature program setter which can set a temperature program and outputs a temperature program signal, a temperature control section adjusting a supply electric power to a heater in compliance with a difference between the temperature program signal and a detection signal of the temperature sensor, a processor section calculating an air flow rate corresponding to a program temperature, and a mass flow controller which adjusts an air flow rate supplied to the heating furnace inside in compliance with a signal of the air flow rate calculated by the processor section. In the processor section, operation expressions calculating the air flow rate are set so as to differ respectively in a higher temperature side and a lower temperature side than a predetermined boundary temperature.
US07744271B2
The invention relates to a tourbillon mechanism comprising at least one platform, a balance arranged on the face of the platform(s), an escapement mechanism being arranged on the other face.
US07744270B2
An apparatus and method for mixing two components and delivering the mixture to a patient. The apparatus contains a mixing chamber for mixing a liquid component and a powder component. The liquid component and powder component are mixed within the mixing chamber by rotation of a collapsible mixing element. A plunger is then advanced through the mixing chamber to force the mixture out of the mixing chamber and deliver the mixture to the patient.
US07744255B2
A panel assembly includes a panel (13), a light-reflecting member (30) and a light-shielding board (50). The panel includes a light-pervious area. The light-reflecting member is coupled to the light-pervious area of the panel. The light-reflecting member forms a light-guiding wall (363) with a plurality of spaced slots (361) therein. The light-shielding board is positioned between the light-guiding wall and the light-pervious area. The light-shielding board defines a plurality of spaced slots (513) corresponding to the slots of the light-guiding wall, light-shielding bars (517) are formed between adjacent slots respectively. The light-shielding board is slidable to cause the slots of the light-shielding board to be removed from the corresponding slots of the light-reflecting member and the light-shielding bars of the light-shielding board to cover the corresponding slots of the light-reflecting member, to thereby shield the light reflected from the light-reflecting member from passing through the light-pervious area.
US07744253B2
The invention relates to a built-in lamp comprising a holder for fastening in an installation surface, in particular in a room ceiling, a bulb and a reflector, with a reflector opening disposed in the direction of illumination defining a direct light discharge region and with the direct light discharge region being surrounded by a diffuse light discharge region.
US07744247B2
An LED lamp includes a heat sink having a base and a plurality of fins extending from the base. A plurality of LED modules is thermally attached to the base of the heat sink. A lamp frame surrounds the LED modules on the heat sink and is hermetically mounted to the heat sink. A lens is hermetically attached to the lamp frame and covers the LED modules. The fins includes a plurality of first fins extending from a first face of the base of the heat sink, and second fins extending from a second face of the base. The LED modules are located between the second fins. A pole has a top end engages with the lamp frame. The pole is used for mounting the LED lamp at a desired position, for example, a sidewalk of a street.
US07744233B2
In order to control light emission of light emitting diodes, current dividing circuits are used to supply currents of a substantially fixed level to all lines. Light emitting diodes are arranged in groups of a predetermined number of LEDs in series, and sets of the light emitting diodes connected to the first line and sets of the light emitting diodes connected to the second line are laid out on the same straight line so as to form a single row. Substrates with these formed thereon are arranged adjacent to each other in the direction of the rows, so that sets of the light emitting diodes connected to the first line and sets of the light emitting diodes connected to the second line are arranged alternately. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a backlight device with a plurality of LED arrays arranged thereon, which can uniformly illuminate the entire screen with light from the LED arrays.
US07744232B2
Decorative luminary for providing an aesthetically pleasing ambiance. The decorative luminary may include a shade. The shade may be disposable. The decorative luminary may also include a base. A light source may also be included as well. The present invention also relates to a method for making a decorative luminary of the present invention.
US07744230B2
The present invention relates to illumination of an instrument for displaying information suitable for use in a vehicle. The invention provides an illumination device for an instrument of a vehicle comprising: a substantially Y shaped light guide having a first leg portion a second leg portion and a third leg portion coupled at a junction; an LED coupled to one end of the first portion of the light guide; and in which the second portion and the third portion have an internal peripheral portion and an external peripheral portion, and the second leg portion and the third leg portion are arranged in operation to illuminate a segment of an instrument and each of the second leg portion and third leg portion have first grooves formed along the internal peripheral portion, and second grooves formed along the second peripheral portion. An instrument comprising such an illumination device is also provided.
US07744220B2
A deformable mirror device includes a substrate; a plurality of electrodes provided on the substrate; a spacer disposed on the substrate; a support member disposed above the spacer and having an opening passing through from a first face of the support member facing to the substrate to a second face of the support member opposite from the first face; a deformable electrode film formed below the first face of the support member so as to be opposed to the electrodes with a distance and so as to cover the opening; an insulation film provided between the deformable electrode film and the support member; and a reflection film provided on a face of the deformable electrode film opposite from the electrodes so as to overlap the opening. The electrodes are electrically insulated each other by a plurality of grooves radially extending from a region which includes a position corresponding to a center of the opening.
US07744212B2
Spectacles consist of an optical or sunshade front optionally supported by a frame and comprising two interchangeable temples. Each temple is connected to the front or to the frame by a male part and an associated joint. In the spectacles, the joint of each temple consists of at least one pin arranged transversely in a corresponding longitudinal slot formed at one end of a free temple. The pin can be snapped into an elastically deformable recess formed in a plate projecting from the male part, the shape and dimensions of which are approximately the same as those of the slot of the temple, or vice versa.
US07744198B2
There is provided an inkjet head printing device, which includes an inkjet head that has an ink flow channel unit including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink and a plurality of pressure chambers respectively provided for the plurality of nozzles, and has a piezoelectric actuator unit including a plurality of electrodes. The inkjet head further includes a pulse controller that generates a plurality of types of ejection pulse patterns having different phases and drives the plurality of electrodes corresponding to the plurality of nozzles which are to eject the ink using the plurality of types of ejection pulse patterns.
US07744190B2
The invention relates to a printer assembly for a pagewidth printer. The printer includes a casing that defines a print media path. Two pagewidth printheads are mounted on opposite sides of a print media path defined by a gap in said casing. Capping members are located adjacent respective printheads. Each capping member is inclined at a predetermined angle to a direction of travel of print media through said path. An actuating mechanism is configured to turn the printheads in an arcuate manner relative to the media path to the predetermined angle, and to move each capping member rectilinearly towards the respective printhead to cap nozzle arrangements located on a printing zone of such a printhead.
US07744179B2
A recording apparatus has an intermediate transfer member; a feeding unit that feeds, to the intermediate transfer member, ink receptive particles containing at least an organic resin whose monomers include at least one polar monomer having at least one polar group, a ratio of the at least one polar monomer to all the monomers of the organic resin being about 10 mol % to about 90 mol %; a liquid application unit that applies a liquid that neutralizes the at least one polar group of the at least one polar monomer onto the ink receptive particles fed onto the intermediate transfer member; an ink application unit that applies an ink to the ink receptive particles fed onto the intermediate transfer member; a transfer unit that transfers the ink receptive particles onto a recording medium; and a fixing unit that fixes the ink receptive particles on the recording medium.
US07744172B2
A computer enclosure includes a rear plate defining a through opening therein, a mounting bracket secured on the rear plate to cover the through opening of the rear plate, and an interchangeable I/O plate. The mounting bracket includes a top wall perpendicular to the rear plate and, a front wall parallel to the rear plate. The top wall forms an engaging tab thereon. The front wall defines a through opening therein corresponding to the through opening of the rear plate. The I/O plate is configured for covering the through opening of the front wall of the mounting bracket, and defines a securing hole therein for receiving the engaging tab of the mounting bracket. A locking piece is formed on the I/O plate and together with the I/O plate sandwiches an edge of the through opening of the mounting bracket therebetween.
US07744170B1
A weather resistant permit display apparatus includes a base, a cover hingedly connected to the base and a permit display panel connected to the base inside of the cover when the cover is in a closed position. A transparent portion of the cover allows a permit mounted on the display panel to be viewed through the closed cover. The display panel may be hingedly connected to the base to provide access to a document bin positioned behind the display panel.
US07744154B2
A child restraint includes a juvenile vehicle seat and an energy-absorption apparatus coupled to the juvenile vehicle seat. The energy-absorption apparatus is configured to absorb external energy associated with an external impact force applied to the energy-absorption apparatus.
US07744151B2
A sunshade assembly includes a flexible sunscreen, a rotatable winding shaft for winding and unwinding the sunscreen and two opposed guides for cooperation with two opposed longitudinal edges of the sunscreen. Each guide extends longitudinally in a curved manner in a plane which substantially is perpendicular to the sunscreen and in parallel to the respective longitudinal edge of the sunscreen. Longitudinal edge sections of the sunscreen are less stretchable than the remainder of the sunscreen and are tensioned in the longitudinal direction of the sunscreen.
US07744145B2
A retractable roof assembly (53) is provided for a motor vehicle (10) having a rear seat (24) and spaced apart roof side frame members (30) defining a roof opening (31). The retractable roof assembly (53) includes a split rail assembly (33) having a fixed rail (34) adapted to be fixedly secured to each of the roof side frame members (30) and extending along a portion thereof, and a movable rail (40) extending rearward of the fixed rail (34) along a remaining portion of each of the roof side frame members (30). A plurality of roof panels (58, 60, 62) extends between the roof side frame members (30) and slidably engages the split rail assembly (33) for selective movement into a stacked configuration above the movable rail (40). A linkage assembly (254) is operably connected to the movable rail (40) for pivoting and articulating the movable rail (40) relative to the fixed rail (34) when the plurality of roof panels (58, 60, 62) is in the stacked configuration in order to stow the plurality of roof panels (58, 60, 62) behind the rear seat (24) of the motor vehicle (10) such that the entire roof opening (31) is exposed.
US07744137B2
A page turning device positionable on a finger tip of a wearer includes a finger sleeve of elastomeric material configured to be fitted onto the finger. A pad is affixed to the sleeve or incorporated into the sleeve, and includes a tacky outer surface configured to capture and lift a paper for movement thereof.
US07744131B2
A one-piece adhesive label is provided incorporating an integral tear strip. The tear strip is formed as the user grasps one activation tab that resides on either opposite end of the label. Preferably, one tab is formed at each opposite end. Slits formed on the opposite ends of the label adjacent the tabs enable the label to be torn in a uniform manner, taking advantage of the particular material characteristics of the label sheet that has unidirectional fibers.
US07744130B2
A tag with features to enable its authenticity to be determined includes a hidden code intermixed with a visible pattern such that the hidden code is not readily detectable under ambient light condition, without the use of a specially designed reader. In one embodiment the tag is formed with a first layer containing a hidden code, formed of reflective elements, which overlies a second layer which is designed to absorb light having a predetermined wavelength (e.g., IR light). The hidden code can be detected by projecting a light source having the predetermined wavelength (e.g., an IR source) at a predetermined angle on the tag and using a sensor to sense the reflection from the tag.
US07744119B2
An airbag device and an airbag for a saddle-ride type vehicle is provided to efficiently utilize space in the vehicle body when installed therein, by using customized ways of shaping a housing case of the airbag and of folding the airbag so as to correspond to the shape of the housing case. The airbag device includes a housing case. The housing case includes a concave shape surface. The concave shape surface faces a steering stem. The housing case is disposed behind the steering stem so as to cover a rear of the steering stem with the concave shape surface. The airbag device includes an airbag housed in the housing case. The housed airbag corresponds to a shape of an inner peripheral surface of the housing case having the concave shape surface.
US07744113B2
A device for retaining and longitudinally adjusting a binding (4, 6) on a ski (2) is attached in a removable and adjustable fashion on the upper surface of said ski in a determined longitudinal position. The binding includes a base plate (9) longitudinally slidably mounted on the support piece (8) interdependent with the ski. The base plate carries a lock which is vertically movable for permitting displacement towards the top and towards the bottom, and inversely. A biasing system urges the lock from its unlocked position (upper position), towards its unlocked position (lower position) such that it cooperates with the support piece. A structure maintains a transverse position of the removable unlocking tool (15), which is configured to retain the lock in the upper, unlocked position.
US07744112B2
A low profile saddle mount for use in the transportation of vehicles including a saddle body configuration capable of withstanding increased load capacity over conventional saddle mounts is disclosed. The saddle mount generally includes a pair of laterally spaced support plates and a substantially tubular cross member extending therebetween. Each of the support plates is at least partially disposed inside the cross member at opposing ends thereof and secured therein using at least one dampening or filler plate. The configuration of the support plates in combination with one or more filler plate provides limited yield/deflection of the saddle body during operation and provides a load dissipation function, thereby permitting the support plates to withstand an increased load capacity.
US07744111B2
A one wheeled trailer is disclosed for use with and for pulling behind a two wheeled vehicle such as a motorcycle or motorbike. The trailer is configured to track behind the motorcycle or motorbike and to lean with the cycle as a unit so as to respond in the same manner as the motorcycle or motorbike. The trailer is supported on a single tire aligned to track behind the motorcycle tires thereby eliminating the sideways torque when the trailer hits a pothole or a curb. The trailer is designed to perform on the road and in turns the same as the motorcycle and does not limit the motorcycle from performing the way it was intended.
US07744110B1
An apparatus that guides a trailer tongue onto a trailer hitching ball with minimal assistance is herein disclosed. The apparatus forms a general “V”-shape with the open part of the “V” facing outward from the rear of the tow vehicle, and the closed part of the “V” being adjacent to the hitch ball itself. The apparatus allows the driver to reverse the tow vehicle up the trailer and the self-guiding nature of the device will guide the trailer hitch toward the hitch ball where it stops once centered over the ball. At this point the user can exit the tow vehicle and lower the trailer onto the hitch in a conventional manner. Also, the “V”-shaped portion of the apparatus is detachable and can be detached by pulling the restraining pin and removing. In such a manner, the user is unencumbered by the “V”-shaped guide during regular driving activities.
US07744109B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for assisting a driver of a towing vehicle to reverse the vehicle into alignment and proximity with a trailer, so that the towing vehicle and the trailer can be easily hitched together. The invention includes a detachable alignment system with a signal device to show a stop point via side mirrors to the driver while he is reversing the vehicle toward the trailer. The invention includes two complementary units respectively releasably attached to the vehicle and trailer, each unit having equal-length transverse support beams that respectively extend beyond the sides of the vehicle and trailer and that have visible markers depending from their distal ends, whereby the markers are visible to the driver via the side view mirrors. Being of equal length, the distal ends of support beams on either side of the vehicle and trailer permit the end markers to visually line up or come together as viewed by the driver through the side view mirrors when a tow ball on the vehicle and a trailer hitch on the trailer are accurately lined up for a positive connection. The markers permit the driver to align the vehicle unit to the trailer unit while reversing the vehicle, and therefore align the tow ball to the trailer hitch as those units are mounted to these parts specifically and respectively. A trigger switch on the trailer unit may be deployed to activate a signal device, for example a light, when in contact with the tow ball.
US07744104B2
A suspension arm and cushion support structure for a vehicle. A knuckle support part of a rear suspension arm is formed of a plate member extended to the vehicle body inner side relative to a rim of a wheel element so as to cover the lower side of a boot covering a connected part between a drive shaft and a universal joint. The knuckle is supported by the rear suspension arm, and rotatably supports a wheel of the vehicle. A cushion is provided for absorbing shocks transmitted to the wheel, the lower end of the cushion being coaxially supported on the knuckle support part of a lower part of the rear suspension arm.
US07744100B2
A method of propelling a wheeled platform, which includes creating a source of energy upon a first change in orientation of the platform relative to an axle housing of the wheeled platform by rotating the platform around an axis approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the platform. The source of energy is stored and released to propel the wheeled platform.
US07744098B2
A stabilizer system for a vehicle including: a stabilizer apparatus which includes: a stabilizer bar connected at opposite ends thereof to respective wheel holding members which respectively hold left and right wheels of the vehicle; and an actuator which changes rigidity of the stabilizer bar in accordance with an operational amount of the actuator from a neutral position; and a control device which determines a target operational amount of the actuator based on a roll-moment-index amount indicative of roll moment that acts on a body of the vehicle, wherein the control device determines the target operational amount such that the target operational amount is made different for different directions of the roll moment that acts on the body of the vehicle and controls an operation of the actuator based on the determined target operational amount.
US07744096B2
Primary objective of the present invention is to effect a seal against a variable clearance formed between assembly components which admit flows of high temperature fluids or are subjected to vibrations. Another objective is to reduce manufacture cost thereof. The seal device is comprised of seal strip, seal strip assemblage and a joint section, wherein the seal strip retains a first seal end section at one distal end of a thin seal base strip and a second seal end section at the other distal end of said seal base strip, wherein the seal strip assemblage arranges a plurality of said seal strips and retains a first outer circumferential seal face and a second outer circumferential seal face, the first outer circumferential seal face being disposed at the outer circumference of the first seal end section, the second outer circumferential seal face being disposed at the outer circumference of the second seal end section, wherein the joint section connects the seal strip assemblage so as to form an integral structure.
US07744090B1
A three dimensional, animal-shaped archery target molded of polyurethane foam in two members consisting of a body member and a head member. The body member having a cavity therein for containing a replaceable target insert retained in place by a replaceable, sliding foam panel conforming externally to the shape of the animal located on one or both sides of the target insert thereby fully concealing the insert. A repairable clay core insert or various replaceable target inserts may be used including foam or packed cotton.
US07744089B2
The present invention relates to a ball practice device, which comprises a frame, a net, a base bracket and a supporting assembly. The supporting assembly is interposed between the frame and the base bracket, and is configured for supporting the frame together with the base bracket. The net is attached to the frame and is connected to the frame by a connecting member which the net can be disassembled from.
US07744086B2
During the transport of flat products, in particular folded products which are transferred at the end of a transport path to an assembly which forwards them, a great degree of freedom from faults can be attained by the fact that, in the case of lower transport speeds, the products are accelerated during the transfer by air which passes along them at a higher speed in the transport direction than the transport speed. In the case of higher transport speeds, the products are expediently braked during the transfer by reducing the pressure in the gap between one of their surfaces and an adjacent guide surface.
US07744077B2
An open jam-door sensor having a peripheral device such as a printer including a substantially C-shaped feed path, the C-shaped feed path defining an inner guide and an outer guide, the outer guide being connected to the peripheral device. A media sensor for detecting type of media in the device is disposed on one of said guide opposite a reflective portion disposed on the other of said guides. The media sensor also being used to detect when the outer guide is in an open position and causing a processor to inhibit device operations, such as printing.
US07744070B2
An external gas humidifier for fuel cell transfers recycled high-temperature waste heat produced by the fuel cell to a reactant gas, such as hydrogen or air, which is guided into the external gas humidifier. The heated reactant gas is treated in the external gas humidifier to effectively increase the moisture content of the reactant gas within a shortened time. When the humidified reactant gas enters into the fuel cell, it enables a polymeric membrane in the fuel cell to be well humidified to thereby enhance the power generation efficiency and service life of the fuel cell.
US07744061B2
A butterfly valve comprises a valve shaft placed across a flow passage and a plate-like valve element provided on the valve shaft so as to be rotatable about the valve shaft to regulate a flow rate of fluid in the flow passage. The valve element has a section that gradually decreases in thickness from the valve shaft toward an outer edge in a direction nearly perpendicular to the valve shaft. The valve element further includes a plurality of inclined surfaces on each side so that the corresponding inclined surfaces on both sides of the valve element are identical in section in a direction parallel to the valve shaft. The valve element is provided on each side with a plurality of flow straightening ribs each extending in a direction perpendicular to the valve shaft and inclining along each inclined surface.
US07744056B2
There is provided a hard-material-coated member which is suitable as a long-life mold for plastic working of metals and which has a metal as base material and coating layers formed at least on its working plane by physical vapor deposition. At least three layers, i.e., a layer a) as the outermost layer, a layer c) just above the base material and a layer b) between layer a) and the layer c) are formed as coating layers. The hardness values of these layers in terms of hardness symbol HV 0.025 are as follows: 2500>(the hardness of the layer a)>1000, 3500>(the hardness of the layer b)>2300, 2500>(the hardness of the layer c)>1000, (500+the hardness of the layer a)<(the hardness of the layer b), and (500+the hardness of the layer c)<(the hardness of the layer b); the thickness of the layer b) is smaller than that of the layer c); and the total thickness of the coating layers is 5 to 15 μm.
US07744055B2
An electronic device comprises a back cover and a support. The back cover defines a first contact area. The support is pivoted to the back cover by a pivot shaft, defines a second contact area contacting the first contact area. A plurality of positioning holes are defined in and disposed on the second contact area around the pivot shaft. The electronic device further comprises at least one retractable spring balls projected from the first contact area of the back cover. The spring balls are configured for cooperating with the positioning holes of the support. The support can stay at a variety of positions.
US07744050B2
A self-leveling foot for an appliance of the type that includes a base to be seated on a floor; a rod affixed to the base and projecting upwardly therefrom; an elastic element having a lower end seated on the base and a tubular sleeve, slidably mounted and guided around the rod, and having a lower portion seated on the upper end of the elastic element and an upper portion to be mounted under a lower frame portion of the appliance, so as to apply on the base, through the elastic element, a respective portion of the appliance weight. The foot of the present invention may further comprise a dampening means mounted between the parts of rod and tubular sleeve, so as to exert a braking force against the relative axial movement between said parts.
US07744044B2
A device that assists with the collection of leaves or debris by holding a garbage bag completely open so a user does not need to awkwardly bend down and hold open a bag while raking leaves into it. Thus, the user has both hands free to hold and use a rake or broom to sweep leaves or debris into the open bag. The bag is affixed to a frame with spring biased clips mounted in top and bottom structure of a bag receptive frame, the clips being received in cavities in the top and bottom structure so that the clips in a closed position thereof are flush with top and bottom structure surfaces adjacent thereto providing uniform surface for each of the top and bottom structure.
US07744041B2
A pipe support assembly which comprises a main body having a U-shaped recess therein, and a cover member for the body, the cover member having an arcuate configuration and being sized to fit between the first and second side walls, each of the cover members and body having a channel or a recess designed to receive a tie wrap to secure a pipe in position. The main body portion also has a clamping portion which comprises first and second resilient members.
US07744038B2
Systems and methods for providing variable geometry winglets to an aircraft are disclosed. In one embodiment, a winglet includes a base portion configured to attach to a wing. The winglet further includes a body portion. In turn, the body portion includes at least one of a deflectable control surface, a shape memory alloy (SMA) bending plate, and a SMA torque tube. The base portion is configured to attach to the wing such that the body portion projects at an upward angle from the wing.
US07744020B2
A fuel injector includes a seat, a movable member cooperating with the seat, and an orifice plate. The orifice plate includes a member and an orifice penetrating the member. The member includes first and second generally parallel surfaces. The first surface generally confronts the valve seat, and the second surface faces opposite the first surface. The orifice is defined by a wall that couples the first and second surfaces. The wall includes a first portion that extends from the first surface and a second portion extending between the first portion and the second surface. The first portion of the wall extends at a first oblique angle with respect to the first surface, and the first oblique angle varies so as to define an asymmetrical chamfer. The second portion of the wall defines a cylinder extending along an axis at a second oblique angle with respect to the second surface.
US07744016B2
A rod horn of an ultrasonic transmitting medium includes an expanded portion in one end and an inclined plane as a face irradiating ultrasonic waves, an ultrasonic vibrator or vibrators is attached to the expanded portion, the inclined plane of the rod horn is provided by holding a slight gap opposite to a washing body, washing liquid is flowed into the gap in the side of the inclined plane and the washing body is washed by the ultrasonic wave and the washing liquid.
US07744005B2
An induction card with a printed antenna comprises: an upper cover film; an upper middle layer installed below the upper cover film; one or two surfaces of the upper middle layer being coated or printed with an upper patter layer; a pad thick layer installed below the upper middle layer; a hole being formed in the pad thick layer; an antenna coil layer installed below the pad thick layer; a printed antenna coil being formed on the antenna coil layer; a lower middle layer installed below the lower plastic layer; one or two surfaces of the lower middle layer being coated or printed with a lower patter layer; and a lower cover layer installed below the lower middle layer; the lower cover layer being installed with magnetic tape; and the lower cover layer is used as a protecting layer.
US07743998B2
A stage device has guide members (2, 3) for guiding each of two moving bodies (4, 5) in one axis direction on a level block (1) and has a beam (6) laid across the two moving bodies (4, 5) so as to be perpendicular to the guide members (2, 3) and moving together with the moving bodies (4, 5). The two moving bodies (4, 5) are individually moved to rotate the beam (6) relative to a yaw rotation axis perpendicular to the one axis direction.
US07743986B2
A slot machine issues a ticket with a ticket ID; a server manages a remaining amount in to the ticket; a ticket liquidating machine liquidates the ticket by exchanging the ticket for cash. A pouch pay terminal is held by a pouch payer and a cashier terminal is set at a cashier counter. Both the pouch pay terminal and the cashier terminal communicate with the server and can acquire remaining amount in a ticket and perform liquidation of tickets obtained form a player. The persons operating the pouch pay terminal and the cashier terminal take the liquidated tickets to the ticket liquidating machine to get cash they have already paid to the players.
US07743980B2
A system for facilitating transactions. In an example embodiment, the system includes a charging terminal capable of charging an account based on an account number. A scanner obtains biometric information. A first mechanism employs the biometric information to automatically provide an account number to the charging terminal. In a specific embodiment, the first mechanism includes a credit card or Automated Teller Machine terminal (ATM), and the account number includes a credit number or ATM number. The first mechanism automatically selects from among plural accounts based on the biometric information. A second mechanism enables a user to control which account number is selected via the biometric information. A third mechanism enables the user to prioritize plural accounts. The highest priority account is selected for automatic charging via the system. In an illustrative embodiment, a seventh mechanism automatically provides transaction information to the charging terminal. The seventh mechanism wirelessly interrogates product tags associated with products to be purchased and computes a total in response thereto and forwards the total to the charging terminal.
US07743977B2
Methods and systems for random data access for security applications are disclosed and may comprise generating on a chip, a random process index. A data process may be randomly selected on the chip utilizing the generated random process index. A time interval may be randomly allocated on the chip. After the time interval, the randomly selected data process may initiate processing of data. The processing of the data may comprise accessing the data and/or acquiring the data. The data may be verified by the selected data process prior to the processing of the data. The data may be verified utilizing a digital signature verification algorithm, for example.
US07743968B2
A blank and carton having a reinforced handle are provided.
US07743953B2
A brassiere holder is presented that includes two cup receiving portions, a connecting portion and a hook portion. When the cup receiving portions are pressed from the side, the connecting portion is elastically deformed to allow the two cup receiving portions to be folded back on each other such that a part of a flange portion of the two cup receiving portions is brought into contact with the other part of the flange portion and a gap gradually increasing toward the upper side is formed between the two cup receiving portions. In this manner, since the cup portions of the brassiere are formed in a shape similar to a shape obtained in a state in which a three-dimensional shape of a breast of a human being is folded into two, the cup portions are positioned as they are under their current state and are put in a soft net bag.
US07743946B2
A switch over device provides a product dispenser with the capability to switch from a first diluent flow circuit to a second diluent flow circuit. The switch over device attaches to the dispenser, and includes a manifold having a first diluent inlet and a second diluent inlet in communication with a diluent outlet. The switch over device further includes a first and a second stem assembly, wherein the first and second stem assemblies are biased to a first position that interrupts flow from the first and second diluent inlets to the diluent outlet. In a second position, the stem assemblies permit fluid flow to the diluent outlet. The switch over device further includes actuators that enable an operator to easily switch from the one flow circuit to the other. The product dispenser may switch from virtually any type of diluent, and/or diluent temperatures, including ambient, chilled, and carbonated diluents.
US07743944B2
A carton can be placed in a dispensing configuration by separating the carton into carton sections. The carton sections may be connected by a hinge that allows the carton sections to stand side-by-side.
US07743937B2
A lid for industrial or commercial large size solid waste containers has a ribbed single layer central portion and a peripheral edge having a hollow double wall boxed configuration. The lids have substantial symmetry so that the lids may be stacked and nested with alternate lids oriented in opposite front-to-back directions.
US07743934B2
A container assembly includes at least one container and a base. The container includes a hollow body and a lid. The body comprises a sidewall and a bottom, wherein the sidewall circumscribes the bottom. The body sidewall includes a shoulder circumscribing the body. At least a portion of the lid includes a transparent material. The lid is removably coupled to the body such that a cavity is defined by the body and the lid. The lid includes a base portion and a sidewall circumscribing the base portion and extending therefrom. The shoulder is for positioning the lid with respect to the body. At least one of the body and the lid is fabricated from a paper-based material. The container bottom is magnetically coupled to the base.
US07743930B2
A motor driven storage unit is configured to bring individual shelves to a standard handicapped accessible height for viewing and selection of product on shelves. The shelves are controllable and move in a continuous path that has both a front vertical path and a rear vertical path. Stationary guide tracks and complimentary tracking elements connected to the shelves are used to keep shelves stable. A connecting lever is used to attach the shelves to the chain or other transport means and along with the tracking system ensures that fill storage utilization of the shelves and the space between them can occur.
US07743888B2
In a driveline for a motor vehicle that includes an automatic transmission having an output shaft that drives a transfer case, an oil sump located in the transfer case, a pump supplied with fluid from the first sump, delivers fluid to a lubrication circuit in the transmission, a second sump supplies fluid to the inlet of a second pump, whose output supplies a second lubrication circuit located in the transfer case. Both of the hydraulic pumps are continually driveably connected to a set of the vehicle's drive wheels.
US07743877B2
A speaker system that includes a speaker unit, a cabinet, a plurality of protruding materials, and a gas adsorbing material. The cabinet forms a chamber at a backside of the speaker unit. The plurality of protruding materials are formed inside the chamber and connected to the cabinet. The gas adsorbing material is supported, in a space, by the plurality of protruding materials. Accordingly, it is possible to easily increase a contact area between the gas adsorbing material and the space theresurrounding.
US07743866B2
A speed control system is provided for a motor vehicle, including units for calculating a drive torque or a brake torque as a function of a pre-definable target speed, the target speed being pre-defined by the single actuation of an operable control element. A sustained actuation of the control element is used to pre-define a target acceleration, instead of a target speed. The drive torque or brake torque are calculated from the target acceleration.
US07743864B2
One embodiment of the invention is a multi-purpose vehicle having a frame, a suspension secured to the frame, four wheels tires secured to the suspension, and handlebars for steering the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a straddle mount seat secured to the frame with seating positions for a driver and a passenger of the vehicle. The seating position for the passenger is located rearward on the vehicle relative to the seating position of the driver. The vehicle also has foot and hand positions for the passenger. Optionally, the vehicle includes a backrest and armrests for the passenger.
US07743863B2
A carrying structure for a vehicle battery includes a vehicle floor panel having a step portion that rises upward toward a rear of the vehicle. A battery is arranged at the step portion for feeding electric power to a driving motor that drives driving wheels of the vehicle. A seat is arranged above the battery, and a tip-up mechanism enables the seat to tip up toward a front of the vehicle with a front part of the seat serving as a rotational pivot.
US07743859B2
A trailer includes a pair of wheels rotatably coupled to a trailer frame. A motor is operable to provide drive torque to at least one of the wheels. The energy storage device is mounted to the frame and operable to selectively provide energy to the motor. A load sensor is operable to output a signal indicative of the magnitude of a load being transferred between the trailer and a tow vehicle. A controller is operable to generate control signals in response to the sensor signal. The control signals control operation of the motor.
US07743848B2
A boring tool moves having a pitch orientation, a yaw orientation and a roll orientation and is steerable underground using the roll orientation. A maximum drill string curvature is established for steering. The boring tool is advanced over a path segment. An averaged roll characteristic is determined for movement of the boring tool along the path segment. A path segment pitch orientation is established based on at least one measured pitch orientation along the path segment. Using the maximum drill string curvature in combination with the averaged roll characteristic and the path segment pitch orientation, the yaw orientation is determined. The averaged roll characteristic is determined based on a series of incremental roll measurements that are spaced across the path segment. A set of coupled ordinary differential equations is used to characterize movement of the boring tool.
US07743842B1
A marker assembly for use with an agricultural implement includes a float linkage that allows limited vertical displacement of the marker assembly when the marker assembly is in a fully deployed position. This limited vertical displacement accommodates changes in surface terrain (contour) as well as in-field obstructions. The marker assembly is comprised of a series of interconnected linkages. The linkages are extended by an actuator, e.g., hydraulic cylinder and ram. The float linkage allows for vertical displacement of the extended linkages even when the actuator is in an extended position.
US07743839B1
An edger having a main frame that can be advanced controllably relative to subjacent terrain, a cutting assembly on the main frame, and a drive for rotating the cutting assembly around a first axis. The cutting assembly has a plurality of cutting teeth that dig into underlying terrain as the cutting assembly is operated to thereby cooperatively produce a trench in the underlying terrain. The plurality of cutting teeth includes a first cutting tooth that has an elongate configuration with a leading end and a length extending along a first line. The first cutting tooth is oriented on the cutting assembly so that the length of the first cutting tooth traces a path with a circumference that has a radial extent with respect to the first axis that is substantially less than the length of the first cutting tooth. The length of the first cutting tooth is aligned generally in a circumferential direction.
US07743829B2
An apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid into a borehole through a conduit has a decelerating means adapted to be positioned within the conduit. The fluid could typically comprise drilling mud and/or cement, and in some embodiments, some of the cement can exit through apertures in a shroud of the apparatus to cement the decelerating means inside the conduit.
US07743818B2
A heat exchange module (1) includes a fan duct, an evaporator (22), a condenser (26) and an electric fan (50). The fan duct includes a lower portion (10) and an upper portion (30). The lower portion cooperates with the upper portion to define therebetween an air passage (90). The evaporator contains therein a working fluid. The condenser is in fluid communication with the evaporator. The evaporator and the condenser are received in the air passage defined by the fan duct. The working fluid turns into vapor in the evaporator upon receiving heat from a heat-generating component (70) and the vapor turns into condensate upon releasing the heat to the condenser. The electric fan is attached to the fan duct. The electric fan produces an airflow flowing through the air passage for removing the heat away from the condenser.
US07743815B2
The invention relates to roller blind slats having a profile which is shaped by flat sheet metal in a rolling step. A single-pieced roller blind body is associated with the roller blind slats. The roller blind body is formed with a slot on the underside thereof and a hooked strip is provided on the top edge thereof. The slot part is approximately 20% on the total surface of the roller blind slats.
US07743812B2
An apparatus for fitting or removing tyre to or from a rim 1 of a vehicle wheel comprising a hooked tool 2 which is controlledly moved in a pivotal connection location 4 along a sliding guide 11 and in a second pivotal connection location connected to a link lever, on a tool holder 5, wherein the control movement of a rod-shaped control portion 10 is transmitted to the tool 2 by way of the gear transmission 9.
US07743811B2
The present invention relates to a closing sheet for aseptic containers, aseptic container comprising said sheet, equipment and method for obtaining said container. The closing sheet comprises a first sheet (7) configured to be traversed by ethylene oxide and a second sheet (8) of impermeable material. The first sheet (7) is obtained from a first reel (7′) of film of material that is permeable to ethylene oxide and the second sheet (8) is obtained from a second reel (8′) of film of impermeable material. The first sheet (7) is longitudinally sealed to the second sheet (8) through a sealing line (18), thus forming a single closing sheet (10).
US07743809B2
A hot-air fabric welder for waterproofing tape is invented for selectively welding straight portions and arc portions. The hot-air fabric welder for waterproof tape is comprised of: a lower roller unit including a flat roller portion and a tapered roller portion mounted to the upper end of a support. The lower roller unit is divided into a flat roller body and a tapered roller body for selectively positioning into contact with the upper roller, so that the surface of the lower roller unit contacts the upper roller. A driving means is provided for rotating the lower roller unit. A pivoting means is provided for rotating the support on which the lower roller unit is mounted for selective use of the flat roller portion or the tapered roller portion. A hot-air generating unit is linked to the lower roller unit, driving unit and pivoting unit, and an upper roller is arranged above the lower roller unit.
US07743803B2
A stump grinding wheel includes a wheel disc, which includes multiple recesses formed about its periphery. A peripheral cutter assembly is disposed in each one of the recesses and is mounted on the wheel disc. Multiple side cutter assemblies are mounted on the wheel disc, and each one includes a first pocket and a second pocket. The first pocket is disposed on one side of the wheel disc and the second pocket is disposed on the other side of the wheel disc, and a wear pad is formed adjacent a selected end of each pocket. A cutting tooth is received in aligned openings formed in the first pocket, the wheel disc, and the second pocket. A nut threadably engages the cutting tooth of the side cutter assembly to secure the tooth to the first and second pockets, and to secure the pockets to the wheel disc.
US07743794B2
The invention relates to a method for weaving a webbing, comprising at least one first (right-hand) weft thread and at least one second (left-hand) weft thread, characterized in that the two weft threads are introduced into the same shed from both sides of the webbing, are wound around weft thread retainers in weft change loops, are substantially retained by the weft thread retainers until shed change and are then stripped off from the left thread retainers by the reed and after shed change and are bound against the stop.
US07743789B2
A valve for the hydraulic braking of work machines comprises an outer casing provided with a longitudinal seat and with at least one-to-third connection port, a slider slideable along the seat and provided with a contoured portion to control passage of the fluid through the connecting ports, and a reaction surface which is connected to the third connecting port, and an actuation for actuating sliding of the slider in the seat, which comprises first elastic element, interposed between the casing and the slider to contrast pressurized fluid thrust against the reaction surface, second elastic element interposed between a first abutment element of the slider and a second abutment element arranged inside the casing, which are adapted to contrast thrust of the first elastic element, and a manual actuation for actuating loading/unloading of the second elastic element.
US07743785B2
A compressed gas storage system with an incorporated pressure relief device is disclosed. The compressed gas storage system comprises a tank for storing a compressed gas, a battery in the direct surroundings of the tank, and a relief valve in communication with the tank. The relief valve is configured to be responsive to electrical current generated by the battery. The battery is configured to define an electrically active state when it reaches a temperature above a maximum safe operating temperature of the compressed gas storage system. The electrically active state of the battery is characterized by the generation of sufficient electrical current to open the relief valve which permits gas to escape from the tank. In another embodiment, a thermocouple in combination with a conducting metal may be substituted for the battery.
US07743783B2
A method and apparatus for recycling a process fluid from a drain of a semiconductor process tool. The process fluid may be an acidic cobalt solution or an electroless cobalt solution used in a semiconductor process step to prevent electromigration in copper interconnects. The used process fluid is collected from the tool drain and recycled back to the tool inlet if a condition of the fluid is within a predetermined range. Otherwise, the used process fluid is drained from the system. The system may also operate in a bleed and feed mode where a portion of the used process fluid is periodically drained from the system.
US07743782B2
A wave control circuit disclosed herein may be used to control the operation of various plumbing devices and appliances. The wave control circuit uses a sensor to sense presence of objects in the vicinity of the plumbing device and appliance using the wave control circuit and a control circuit to control the operation of the plumbing device or appliance.
US07743779B2
A mobility aid (FIG. 1) design for providing stabilized mobility support by the practical use of a two sided vertically supported rigid frame comprising front and rear bilaterally double support members (12), (12a), (13), (13a), (15), and (15a), and not limited to but preferably of aluminum construction to include a plurality of upper and lower substantially identical bilaterally horizontal and vertical tubular main frame members (17), (18), (19), (20), (22), (27), (28), and (29), supported on a plurality of sufficiently sized wheels (26), and (30), attached to the underside of the main frame (26), and (30), with predetermined spacing. Base members (22), (28), and (29), are sufficiently elevated-providing for unhindered foot movement during mobilization. A guide wheel assembly (23), (25), (25b), (26), and (26a), is vertically attached at a contiguously anterior junction surface of the two sided main frame assembly (20), and (23), thereby providing selective directional steering. Hand brake controls (16), secure by clamps to riser connectors (15), activate brakes (31).
US07743773B2
An over-wrap for connecting a tobacco rod and a cigarette filter. The over-wrap includes a tipping wrapper and a plurality of raised ribs extending from the tipping wrapper and forming a plurality of channels between the tipping wrapper and the plug wrap. The plurality of channels allow air to flow from a tobacco rod end of the filter to a plurality of ventilation holes within a plug wrap of the filter when the over-wrap is wrapped around the filter and tobacco rod.
US07743765B2
Actuator for an inhaler for delivering medicament by inhalation, having a main body with a tubular member for receiving a canister containing medicament and having a valve stem extending therefrom; and an outlet assembly, as a part formed separately of the main body, including a mouthpiece for guiding medicament to the mouth of a user and a nozzle block for receiving the valve stem of the canister and delivering medicament from the canister into the mouthpiece. The actuator belongs to a range of inhaler actuators where the outlet assembly is a common part for the range of actuators, and the members of the range of actuators differ by the physical appearance of the main body. The outlet assembly is formed such that it has all parts of the actuator that come into contact with the medicament during normal use, and the main body and the outlet assembly are configured so as to snap-fit together and are provided with complementary snap catch members.
US07743750B2
A combined liquid and vapor sensor assembly includes a body and a mounting portion for coupling the body to a fuel pump module flange that defines an interface between an interior and an exterior of a fuel tank. A liquid pressure sensor is housed in a recess in the body for sensing a liquid pressure of a fuel in the fuel tank, and a vapor pressure sensor is housed in the recess in the body for sensing a vapor pressure of a fuel vapor in the fuel tank. An electrical connector is coupled with the body for providing power to the liquid pressure sensor and the vapor pressure sensor.
US07743745B2
Disclosed is a multipart, cooled piston for a combustion engine, comprising, in a radially outward direction, an annular cooling duct located on the bottom side that faces away from the piston head. The cooling duct is closed by a cooling duct cover which is embodied as a ring. The cooling duct cover is provided with a tongue in the radially inner zone. The tongue engages into a recess that is molded into the bottom piston part, thus preventing the cooling duct cover from rotating relative to the piston during assembly as well as during operation.
US07743734B2
In order to generate waves in a volume of water (12) of an aquarium, it is proposed that a storage container (22) which extends beyond the surface of the volume of water (12) should be provided in the aquarium (10). Using a pump (32), water is periodically pumped from the water container (10) into the storage container (22) and returned from the storage container (23) into the aquarium (10). The energy delivered to the water during this leads to fluctuations in the position of the free surface (14) of the volume of water (12) and in-phase operation of the pump (32) provides stronger surface displacements in the aquarium (10), which are comparable with a wave in open water and which expose the plants and living beings in the aquarium to an alternating mechanical load.
US07743715B2
An air flow conduit (98) and a related plenum (80) for distributing conditioned air from a refrigeration and heating unit (64) on an end (44) of a railroad freight car (20) into a cargo space (53) within the car (20). A deflector directs a flow of air upward into an inlet end of the plenum (80) and allows the flow to expand gradually within the plenum, smoothing the flow of air within the plenum so that it continues effectively at sufficient rates over the length of the car (20).
US07743713B2
A bag defining an interior space and an opening. The bag includes a closing member which is connected to the body. The closing member is movable between a first position, which allows access to the interior space of the body through the opening, and a second position which prevents access to the interior space of the body through the opening. The bag includes a handle and a lockable member connected to the body. The handle includes at least one removable end. The lockable member is adapted to secure and lock the closing member and the removable end of the handle to the body when the closing member is moved to the second position to protect the bag and the items contained in the bag from being taken.
US07743708B1
A non-lethal spread projectile has a center pin (1) as a guide on which a weight plunger (5) is caused by impact stop of gun-fired flight momentum to slide from an aft end (3) to a front end (2) of a spread projectile (4) for spreading fill material (9) in a fill bag (10) ahead of the weight plunger over a broad surface of an impacted target (25) for preventing damaging penetration of the spread projectile into the impacted target and to mark the impacted object predeterminedly.
US07743701B2
Disclosed is a squeeze for a screen printer. The present invention provides a squeeze for a screen printer, which coats a printed circuit board with an adhesive paste while moving parallel over a metal mask on the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board being open through an opening of the metal mask, the squeeze including a solvent storage unit for storing solvents; and solvent discharging holes for discharging the solvents, stored in the solvent storage unit, to an adhesive paste. Accordingly, the squeeze for a screen printer of the present invention may be useful to prevent a dog ear phenomenon, namely that an adhesive paste layer is asymmetrically formed in an indented manner, by controlling a viscosity of an adhesive paste by discharging a solvent onto an adhesive paste layer that comes in contact with the squeeze when the adhesive paste layer is formed in the printed circuit board.
US07743698B2
A fountain for heating and/or cooling a beverage comprises one or more heating and/or cooling elements that are configured to adjust a temperature of a beverage that circulates through the fountain. In one embodiment, the beverage fountain includes one or more heating elements located proximate to a basin, a cylinder, and/or a top reservoir of the fountain. In another embodiment, the beverage fountain includes one or more cooling elements located proximate to a basin, a cylinder, and/or a reservoir of the fountain. Alternatively, the beverage fountain may include both heating and cooling elements located proximate to a basin, a cylinder, a reservoir, and/or other locations of the fountain, wherein a selection device, such as an electrical switch or control module, may be adjusted by a user in order to select heating or cooling of the beverage.
US07743693B1
A mount designed to be integrated into a noise suppressor. The proposed apparatus encompasses an acme thread and two springs which serve as secondary latches. Offsetting the secondary spring latches in such a manner as to ensure one always fully seats into the indexing points of a flash hider mount limits the rotational movement of an installed noise suppressor which incorporates my proposed mount. Further, this method is more cost efficient than timing each flash hider with each noise suppressor mount.
US07743690B2
An apparatus facilitating a cutting operation includes a knife; and a hand-mountable cutting board utensil. The utensil includes: a cutting board for disposition between the thumb and an index finger of the hand, the cutting board having an exposed cutting surface for orienting toward the index finger and a second surface for orienting toward the thumb; and a retainer having two lateral sides and being configured to receive and releasably retain the thumb along a longitudinal length of the retainer. The cutting board includes portions that extend transversely to a direction defined by the longitudinal length respectively beyond the two lateral sides of the retainer, each portion having exposed, oppositely facing front and back surfaces.
US07743686B2
A pliers has specifically configured elongate jaws of about rectilinear construction with multiple position adjustability to variously operatively engage a plurality of slack adjustment services of diverse commercial air brakes to check the slack.
US07743684B2
A tool for removing and applying a fastening device from and to a threaded stud is provided. The tool includes an elongated chamber and a retainer having a pair of spaced apart portions configured to hold fastening devices within the chamber. The tool further includes a positioning mechanism for positioning stored fastening devices for later installation onto the stud. In one embodiment, the retainer includes a worm gear. Opposing portions of the catch of the worm gear hold the fastening device. The positioning mechanism includes a cam assembly configured to rotate the shaft wherein the rotary movement of the shaft is translated into an axial movement of the fastening device within the chamber. In a second preferred embodiment, the retainer includes a pair of keepers configured to hold a fastening device. The positioning mechanism is operable to feed a fastening device into the keeper.
US07743668B2
A method for testing poles (1) including the steps of applying a first load to a pole (1), measuring the movement of the pole (1), at least partially de-loading the pole (1) to a second load, measuring the movement of the pole (1), and using the change in the movement measurements under the respective loads to calculate the pole (1) stiffness.
US07743657B2
An angular velocity sensor device includes a structure having an angular velocity detecting element and a vibration body formed thereon. The structure is mounted on the case and the angular velocity detecting element is isolated from external vibrations without the need for rubber and gel vibration dampening materials. Permanent magnets of the same polarity are mounted opposite one another on the structure and the case. The magnetic repulsion is generated between the structure and the case to cause the structure to be housed within the case in a levitated state.
US07743656B1
An apparatus, method and system for measuring an individual's flexibility are disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a first flexible fabric strap portion, a flexible e-textile fabric portion, a monitoring device and a second flexible fabric strap portion connected to a second end of the monitoring device. The system further includes a communication device for receiving a signal from the apparatus and a computing device for processing the signal from the apparatus.
US07743654B2
Measurement of petrophysical and geophysical data of formations in a wellbore using a long gauge bit having at least one sensor therewith. The at least one sensor may be installed in at least one flute of the long gauge bit and/or in the long gauge portion thereof. Data for creating images of the formations are obtained at or near the bottom of the borehole and proximate to the long gauge bit used for drilling the borehole. Orientation of the long gauge bit is also available on a real time basis. Magnetic and/or gravitational sensors may be used in determining bit orientation. The flutes of the long gauge bit and the long gauge portion thereof may have standard inserts to accommodate various types of different sensors and electronic packages therefor.
US07743649B1
A method is provided for determining a cranking capability of a starting system for an internal combustion engine. An average power output of a battery is determined for the starting system during a start engine cranking interval. A temperature of the starting system is determined at an initiation of the start engine cranking interval. A predetermined average power output capability for a battery having a full state of charge at the determined temperature is looked up. A predetermined minimum average power output required of the battery for starting the respective engine at the determined temperature is looked up. A state of function based on the determined average power outputs is determined. The cranking capability of the starting system is identified in response to the determined state of function.
US07743648B1
The invention relates to scanning magnetic microscope which has a photoluminescent nanoprobe implanted in the tip apex of an atomic force microscope (AFM), a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) or a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) and exhibits optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) in the vicinity of unpaired electron spins or nuclear magnetic moments in the sample material. The described spin microscope has demonstrated nanoscale lateral resolution and single spin sensitivity for the AFM and STM embodiments.
US07743633B2
A washing machine is provided that has at least one balancer that increases durability by reinforcing the strength of the balancer and is installed on a rotating tub in a rapid and convenient way. The balancer includes first and second housings that have an annular shape and are fused to form a closed internal space, and the first housing including at least one support for reinforcing the strength of the balancer. A spin tub includes an annular recess corresponding to the balancer so as to be coupled with the balancer. The support protrudes from the first housing and comes into contact with a wall of the recess and guides the balancer to be maintained in the recess in place. The supports are continuously formed along and perpendicular to the opposite walls of the first housing, or are disposed parallel to the opposite walls of the first housing at regular intervals.
US07743629B2
Provided is a process and apparatus for applying a liquid binder to fibers. The process involves introducing heat curable liquid binder onto moving fibers by atomizing the liquid binder and applying the atomized binder from a point within the moving column of fibers. Better binder efficiency and a more efficient overall process is realized.
US07743626B2
A gel-pack for chilling bottled beverages comprising a flexible plastic envelope, sealed around its perimeter, provided with a spaced array of holes therethrough whereby the gel-pack can be draped over a plurality of beverage bottles, with the necks of the bottles protruding through the holes in the gel-pack.
US07743625B2
A method for use with a cold fog generator and/or smoke/fog distribution system comprising the steps of: (a) injecting expanding smoke into an inlet orifice utilizing a venturi effect to foster the full expansion of smoke once inside chamber, thereby (b) introducing smoke into an expansion chamber that will complete its expansion process, (c) building air pressure within expansion chamber and thereby harnessing natural energy from expanding gases to then (d) force said smoke through an ice mass thereby (e) cooling the smoke and creating fog, then (f) forcing fog/smoke out of cfgnsfds via an exhaust duct.In another preferred method the steps are as follows: (a) injecting expanding smoke into an inlet orifice utilizing a venturi effect to foster the full expansion of smoke once inside chamber, thereby (b) introducing smoke into an expansion chamber that will complete its expansion process, (c) building air pressure within expansion chamber and thereby harnessing natural energy from expanding gases to then (d) force fog/smoke out of cfgnsfds via an exhaust duct.
US07743624B2
A beverage dispense font incorporating a portable cooling device is provided wherein the portable cooling device cools an outer housing of the dispense font in order to encourage ice formation on the dispense font. Unique visual effects can be obtained with ice formation on the outer housing of the dispense font, and the portable cooling device therefore enables independent cooling of the outer housing without redesign or modification of the existing glycol cooling system used to cool the dispensed beverage.The portable cooling device can be inherently small in size due to relatively minimal cooling capacity requirements for cooling just the outer housing of the dispense font. The dispense font and portable cooling device may be moved from location to location thereby greatly enhancing the capability to provide a frozen-appearing dispense font to many locations.
US07743613B2
A gas turbine engine includes a compressor, combustor, and high pressure turbine operatively joined together. The turbine includes a row of nozzle vanes followed by a row of rotor blades. The vanes and blades have corresponding forward and aft internal cooling channels. First, second, third, and fourth bleed circuits are joined in flow communication with different stages of the compressor for bleeding pressurized air therefrom at different pressures to provide coolant to the forward and aft channels of the turbine vanes and blades.
US07743607B2
The invention concerns a system for assisting regeneration of pollution management means (1) associated with oxidation catalyst forming means (2) implementing an oxygen storage capacity (OSC) function, and integrated in an exhaust line of a motor vehicle diesel engine (4), wherein the engine is associated with common ramp means (7) supplying fuel to the cylinders thereof. The invention is characterized in that it comprises means (8) for determining the frequency of the pollution management means regeneration and for comparing same to predetermined threshold values (10), to control the engine (4) in a first lean mixture regeneration operating mode (11) for frequencies less than the threshold values or in a second regeneration operating mode implementing engine operating sequences alternating rich mixture and lean mixture operating phases (12) for frequencies more than the threshold values.
US07743594B1
A mechanism for guiding a windrower while making an initial swath pass in a multi-pass windrow merging operation in a manner to establish the lateral spacing between an end of the header and the adjacent edge of the uncut crop so that the header encounters an optimal width of standing crop in a subsequent swath pass. The mechanism is selectively positionable between deployed (working) and stowed positions to maintain machine maneuverability when not in use. The mechanism further incorporates provisions to prevent damage to the mechanism resulting from inadvertent encounters with obstacles.
US07743589B2
A riding saddle provided with a semirigid tree (1) is remarkable in that it includes a semirigid trapezium (2) facing the back (50) of the horse and on which the saddle is placed, which trapezium cooperates with the tree (1).
US07743588B2
A waste storage device includes a container (21) in which a cassette (1) is mounted. Tubing (2) is pulled through the center of the cassette (1) to store packages (35) separated by twists. The cassette (1) is rotated relative to the container (21) to provide the twists between packages (35) by virtue of a rotatable disk (100) and user grip portion (102). The package is gripped against rotation by a gripper diaphragm (120) and is guided towards a wall of the container by a guide diaphragm (122) to prevent untwisting between packages.
US07743579B2
Connection plates for constructing buildings are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a connection plate includes a generally planar insert member and a support member. Insert member has a first side configured for receipt in a slot defined by a structural member and a second side configured for receipt in a slot defined by another structural member. First and second sides collectively define inner and outer edges. Support member is coupled to first and second sides is generally perpendicular to insert member in two directions. Either (1) a portion of inner edge corresponding to first side is angled relative to a portion of inner edge corresponding to second side and support member is coupled to inner edge; or (2) a portion of outer edge corresponding to first side is angled relative to a portion of outer edge corresponding to second side and support member is coupled to outer edge.
US07743575B2
A joint member capable of forming a joint portion that can be easily constructed and has an excellent design and a high waterproof capacity even if it is manufactured at a low cost. A joint member 1 is composed of a hat joiner 10 and a joint cover 20, and the hat joiner 10 is composed of a base plate 11 to be fastened to the body side of building frame and a convex portion 12 protruding from the base plate 11 to the surface side. The joint cover 20 is provided with a joint groove portion 21 that covers a top surface 12c of the convex portion 12 in the course of construction, and a lower edge portion 23 extending from the lower end of the joint groove portion 21 and brought into contact with the surface of an external wall panel 30B in the course of construction. An elastic water proof material 26 is attached to the rear surface of the lower edge portion 23.
US07743569B1
A support panel for thin brick, comprising a metal sheet, an array of groove retaining tabs having first tab edges, said first tab edges protruding from said sheet having at an upward angle of less than about 45 degrees, for a distance of less than about one quarter inch, and an array of mortar lock tabs having second tab edges, said second tab edges protruding from said sheet at a downward angle of greater than about 45 degrees, said array of mortar lock tabs being offset vertically from said array of groove retaining tabs, wherein, said array of groove retaining tabs are adapted to engage shallow dovetail grooves formed in the rear of thin bricks, and said mortar lock tabs are adapted, when embedded within a cured mortar matrix, to exert, in response to a tensile force away from said metal sheet, a force along a vertical axis, on the brick, in an opposite direction to a force applied to the brick along a vertical axis by said groove retaining tab, to thereby retain the brick against the panel.
US07743566B2
A structural assembly has a first set of first elongate structural members alternately spaced apart from a second set of second elongate structural members by locking blocks, the first set defining a first plane and the second set defining a second plane forming an intersection at an angle with the first plane, the structural members and locking blocks defining an assembly of adjoined blocks and structural members at the intersection, and a compressive mechanism spanning the assembly of adjoined blocks and structural members at the intersection. Compressing the adjoined blocks and structural members by the spanning compression mechanism locks the blocks and structural members together in a manner to resist applied forces.
US07743565B2
A first load bearing component is adapted to provide load bearing strength when the modular building block is used in a building panel. A second load bearing component is coupled to the first load bearing component via a first coupling arrangement and is adapted to provide load bearing strength when the modular building block is used in the building panel. A building services component is positioned between the first load bearing component and the second load bearing component for providing a conduit for at least one building service. The first and second load bearing components and the building services component are adapted to be configurable in a plurality of positions relative to the other.
US07743564B2
An exterior trim assembly for use with a window or door surround in a building structure comprises at least one mantle for affixing above the window or door, and first and second pilaster assemblies for affixing on the sides of the window or door. The mantle comprises a mantle base and a corresponding mantle cover to affix to and cover the mantle base. Each pilaster assembly comprises a base and a cover element affixed to the base wherein each of the bases has a plurality of regularly repeating reinforced structural sections. At least two pilaster cover plates are provided, each pilaster cover plate is affixed to and covering one of the first and second pilaster bases.
US07743563B2
A seismic energy damping system with plural redundancy for a building or structure subject to seismic perturbation (i.e., deflection of the building structure) includes a distributed plurality of seismic energy dampers, and a plurality of rigid shear panels cooperating with the building structure via the seismic energy dampers. The plural shear panels and plural seismic energy dampers distribute seismic energy absorption and dissipation throughout the building structure to avoid stress concentrations, and to dissipate significant seismic energy, thus limiting the amplitude of deflections of the building structure during a seismic event.
US07743562B2
A lightweight plastic foam construction element (1), for use in making shower stalls, bathroom partitions and the like, consists of a plastic foam core (4) with at least one external mortar layer (8) reinforced with fibers. The construction element has wall areas that are reinforced with at least one adhered wall component of more rigid material for the attachment of installation components that extend over the outer surface on an operational, working side of the construction element. The wall components (11) are inserted into a groove (10) cut into the working side, and the groove is sealed on the working side using a foam filler element (12).
US07743558B2
A double sliding door arrangement cooperating with a double-wide door opening formed in an upright wall. A top header beam extends across and defines the upper extremity of the door opening. A pre-tensioning arrangement mounted on and extending lengthwise of the top header beam causes the header beam to be deflected upwardly into a shallow bowed shape. A support track is fixed to and extends lengthwise of the header beam and horizontally for predetermined distances along and rigidly fixed to the wall adjacent right and left sides of the door opening. Right and left slab doors are supported on and vertically suspended downwardly from said track in sidewardly co-planar relationship, and are movable along said track between closed and open positions. The doors in the closed position vertically load and downwardly deflect the header beam, whereby the initial upwardly bowed shape minimizes outward swinging between opposed inner edges of the doors when in the closed position.
US07743554B2
For use inside a plant pot having a base section with at least one vertically disposed drain aperture, a drain cover/soil retainer includes a substantially planar main body fixedly attached with glue to at least three leg members of preselected material and of substantially equal height positioned substantially beneath the area covered by the main body. The total volume occupied by the leg members combined is between about 30 and 80 percent of the volume defined by the area under the main body and the leg member height.
US07743547B2
A laser sight is embedded in a mounting rail otherwise used for attaching accessories to small arms discharge devices such as pistols or rifles. The mounting rail has a transverse profile that extends along an axis of the mounting rail for engaging mating features of the accessories. The laser sight is located at least partly within the transverse profile of the mounting rail and has a sighting axis that extends substantially parallel to the axis of the mounting rail.
US07743542B1
An assembly for facilitating the insertion of a fresh magazine into a magazine receiver opening of a pistol having a handle frame member to which a pair of opposing hand grips are removably attachable. The magazine insertion guide is secured in position on the butt portion of the frame member by engagement of a plurality projecting securing members that are concealed by, and cooperatively engage interior elements of specially configured hand grips when the grips are attached to the frame member, the exterior surfaces of which mimic the original equipment grips.
US07743541B2
An elongated sign holding extrusion for supporting a sign from an overhead member, comprising an elongated unitarily extruded frame assembly having an upper edge and a lower edge, with a first side portion and a second side portion extending therebetween. An elongated upper receiving-channel is arranged at the upper edge of the frame assembly. An hollow elongated, upper channel is arranged in a spaced-apart, adjacent and parallel manner to the elongated upper receiving channel in said frame assembly. An elongated middle channel contains a pair of elongated biasing members therein for pinchably supporting a poster therebetween. An elongated central channel is spaced adjacent the lower edge of the frame assembly for capture of slidable sign supporting hangers.
US07743538B2
Covers for U-channel or C-channel sign posts comprise an extruded hollow plastic form having a length, the form in cross-section including a generally flat front wall and opposing generally flat side walls. Each side wall converges toward the other at an angle from the front wall to a back section having a width less than the front wall, thereby forming a generally trapezoidal interior. Each side wall is bent toward the other to form overlapping portions that make up the back section. In the preferred embodiments, the front wall further includes a co-extruded reflective, fluorescent, phosphorescent or colored lengthwise strip of material to enhance visibility, and the back section further includes an engagement mechanism between the overlapping portions including one or more sets of engaging barbs. The back section may further include a rearward wall extending from one of the overlapping portions and folded over the overlapping portions forming a rearward wall to assist in maintaining the engagement of the barbs.
US07743535B2
A lifting device adapted to be fitted to a tracked vehicle which is configured to operate in snow-covered terrain. The lifting device has an interface member which in one form allows for an interface portion of the mast region to fit to a plurality of commercially available tracked snow vehicles. Further, in one form, the lifting device interfaces with the existing hydraulics of conventional tracked snow vehicles.
US07743530B2
A method of making a shoe, said shoe having an interior sole (10) and an outsole (8) being integrally moulded onto an upper (1) with an insole (4), comprising the following steps: providing of a last (30) having a wedge-shaped recess (32) is its heel area, said recess being defined by a projecting rib (33), providing an upper (1) with an insole (4) on the last (30), said insole (4) being provided with a hole (7) in the heel area, arranging the lower part of the last provided with the upper (1) and the insole (4) in a mould (34), injecting a plastic material into a closed mould cavity formed by the last and the mould, allowing the injected material to harden, whereby the rib (32) of the last (30) forms a corresponding groove (12) between the interior sole (10) and the inner face of the upper (1), removing the upper (1) with the moulded-on soles (8, 10) from the last (30), providing a separately formed insert (13) of a shape substantially corresponding to the shape of the groove (12) and placing the insert in the groove (12).
US07743529B2
A protective foot covering article comprises two adjacent layers of water impermeable sheet material. A water impermeable seam is provided between the layers of water impermeable sheet material. A shape of the water impermeable seam provides for an interior space between the layers of water impermeable sheet material. The interior space includes a closed end portion and an open end portion. A portion of the water impermeable seam defining the closed end portion of the interior space is contoured inwardly with respect to the interior space thereby providing a contoured foot arch portion. A plurality of water drainage apertures each extending through at least one of the layers. Means for cinching the open end portion of the interior space is engaged with at least one of the layers of water impermeable sheet material.
US07743520B1
A device and method for quickly and accurately leveling a surface in either the horizontal or vertical plane while not in proximity to the surface being leveled. The device comprises a rigid base designed to be places on any surface to be leveled, inclinometer circuitry used to determine the position of the rigid base relative to level or plumb, wireless circuitry used to transmit the results of the inclinometer to a remotely transportable unit containing a digital display used to read the results of the inclinometer reading.
US07743518B2
A programmable bow sight having an adjustable sight pin and a display means adapted to display a value indicating a distance associated with the position of the sight pin is disclosed, wherein adjustment of the sight pin to a position where a value indicating a desired distance is displayed allows a user to accurately aim for a shot at the desired distance using the sight pin for elevation. The sight is programmable to alter the respective sight pin position(s) associated with one or more distance(s) to account for specific performance characteristics of a user's bow and/or arrow.
US07743514B2
It is an object of the invention to provide a useful technique for reducing vibration of a handgrip and improving the cutting efficiency while achieving weight reduction of a reciprocating power tool. According to the invention, a representative reciprocating power tool is provided to comprise a body, a tool bit, an actuating mechanism, a handgrip. The handgrip and the body can rotate with respect to each other via a pivot in a direction crossing the direction of reciprocating linear motion of the tool bit. An elastic element is disposed between the handgrip and the body and serves to absorb vibration transmitted from the body to the handgrip by elastically receiving the relative rotation of the handgrip and the body. According to the invention, vibration in the handgrip can be reduced and the cutting efficiency can be improved without complicating the construction.
US07743513B1
A chainsaw has a cam lever and cam assembly that can be used to adjust the tension of a guide bar in the chainsaw. Once the tension of the guide bar has been lessened, the guide bar can be moved back and forth by using a chain-tightening knob and tightening mechanism. The movement of the guide bar causes the chain to tighten or loosen on the guide bar.
US07743511B2
A trimmer line, hook disk system forming a line trimmer head (e.g., FIGS. 10 & 10A, 19 & 20) for attaching to a powered, rotational device (FIGS. 11-16) to provide a line filament grasscutting/weed-removal action. The trimmer head preferably includes a circular, protective, bottom base (D2/60/160), a main trimmer head top (D3/D30/130), the two forming a disk shape, and a series of peripherally spaced, line holders; with these three basic elements fastened together for ultimate attachment to the powered 31 device. Ten exemplary line holder are shown (FIGS. 1-9B), with most allowing oscillating (O) motion in their attachment to the trimmer device (D1), allowing the lines to move backwardly when contacting a relatively hard item, and/or some fixed (F). A “broom” embodiment is disclosed (FIG. 17). When used, flexible line, e.g. of nylon, is inserted in (1) and held (2) by the line holders preferably using hook or hook-like line attachments.
US07743507B2
A rotary type electric shaver with an outer cutter frame provided on a shaver main body. An outer cutter installed in this outer cutter frame and having its shaving surface on the upper surface of a ring-shaped thin layer portion. An inner cutter 16 having a cutter body that rotates and makes sliding contact from below with the lower surface of the outer cutter 14, wherein a thin layer portion 28 is formed in a substantially arc shape that is convex upward in a radial and vertical cross section that includes a center axis line which is the rotational center of the inner cutter. The thickness of the thin layer portion near the apex of the upward convex is smallest at the apex and gradually becomes thicker as distance increases away from the apex.
US07743504B1
A duct structure (50), includes lengths of square/rectangular duct (52) manufactured by pre-forming the duct in round cross-section (51) and then transforming the round cross-section into square and rectangular cross-sections utilizing expandable die structures (58). The duct (52) may be connected together end to end by flanged connectors (54) formed from strip stock (71), that is notched at locations that correspond to the corners of the formed flange connector. The cross-sectional profile of the flanged connector is then formed by roll forming and/or bending and/or other techniques. Thereafter, the strip stock is bent at its notched locations to define the corners (80) of the flange connector (54) and then the free ends of the strip stock are fixed together.
US07743503B2
A method for manufacturing an inkjet head includes providing a piezoelectric substrate having a porous structure, a diaphragm on the porous structure, and a piezoelectric substance layer on the diaphragm, and forming a cavity by etching out the porous structure from the piezoelectric substrate.
US07743502B2
The present invention provides an apparatus including a magnesium alloy vessel that is substantially free of aluminum and zinc, but including magnesium in combination with a gettering metal and a method for making such apparatus. The magnesium alloy vessel has a hollow interior cavity containing a working fluid, with a stable, protective layer formed on the inside wall of the vessel so as to establish non-corrosive compatibility with the working fluid.
US07743494B2
A process for fabricating a circuit board includes: providing a substrate including a first electrically conductive core having a first insulating coating on a first side and a second insulating coating on a second side, forming an opening in the first and second insulating coatings and the first electrically conductive core, exposing an edge of the conductive core within the opening, and electrodepositing a third insulating material on the exposed edge of the first electrically conductive core. A circuit board fabricated using the process is also provided.
US07743488B2
In the case where a variable resistive element, which is made of a variable resistor provided between a first and second electrodes, and of which the electrical resistance varies by applying a voltage pulse between the two electrodes, is applied to a resistance nonvolatile memory, there is a range of the resistance value of the variable resistive element in a low resistance state where the nonvolatile memory can operate normally. In the conventional manufacturing method the resistance value of the variable resistive element is too low, therefore, it can not be controlled within a desired range of the resistance value. A step of carrying out of a reduction process is provided at any point after the step of forming a variable resistor material as a film, it has thereby become possible to increase the resistance value of the variable resistive element, which is too low in the conventional method.
US07743481B2
Methods of crimping polymeric stents that simultaneously apply a radial force to the stent to reduce the diameter of the stent and a longitudinal force to elongate of the stent. According to one such method, a stent is inserted into an elastic tube having an inner surface that defines a passage. The tube is pulled to cause stretching of the tube. When the tube is stretched, the inner surface of the tube engages an outer surface of the stent and applies simultaneous longitudinal and radial forces to the outer surface of the stent. The simultaneously applied longitudinal and radial forces simultaneously reduce a radial extent of the stent and increase a longitudinal extent of the stent.
US07743476B2
Methods are described for forming unitary fabric elements for use in engineered thermal fabric articles, including thermal fabric garments, thermal fabric home textiles, and thermal fabric upholstery covers, and for forming these articles, having predetermined discrete regions of contrasting insulative capacity positioned about the thermal fabric article in correlation to insulative requirements of a user's body. In one implementation, loop yarn in first regions is formed to a first pile height, and loop yarn in other regions is formed to another, different, relatively greater pile height. In another implementation, loop yarn having a first shrinkage performance is formed in first regions to a predetermined loop height, and loop yarn having another, different shrinkage performance is formed in other regions; the loops are cut and finished to a common pile height and the web is exposed to heat to cause loop yarn to shrink to one or more different pile heights.
US07743475B2
A purse ring for coupling a purse seine and a purse line to each other. The purse ring includes a frame, which is coupled at a first end thereof to the purse seine and passes the purse line through a second end thereof, and at least three rollers, which are rotatably provided in the frame at positions at which the purse line are brought into contact with the frame. The purse seine having the multiple rollers has a structure such that friction between the purse line and the purse ring is reduced, thus increasing the lifetime of the purse ring, thereby reducing costs of replacement of the purse ring.
US07743467B2
An exemplary hinge positioning structure (20) includes a base (22), a pivot shaft (24) engaged in the base, a pivot shaft gripper (264), and a resilient member (266). The pivot shaft is rotatably engaged in the base. The pivot shaft gripper is sleeved on the pivot shaft. An end of the pivot shaft gripper is engaged with the base so that part of the pivot shaft gripper is fixed to the base. Two ends of the resilient member are connected to the base and another end of the pivot shaft gripper, respectively. The resilient member applies a force on the pivot shaft gripper so that the pivot shaft gripper tightly grips on the pivot shaft, and the pivot shaft gripper is relaxed by an external force for allowing the pivot shaft to rotate relative to the base. The present invention further provides a hinge positioning unit (26).
US07743463B2
An air-powered vacuum cleaning nozzle has an agitator brush rotated by an air turbine powered by a source of suction air. A plurality of air inlet openings are formed adjacent the agitator brush. A generally flat friction drive belt extends from a bearing shaft of the air turbine to the midpoint of the agitator brush for rotating the brush. The bearing shaft is mounted in a pair of spaced rubber bushings to absorb vibration and reduce noise. The nozzle includes a housing formed by one-piece top and bottom housing members removably joined together securing the air turbine therebetween. A cover plate removably secured to the outside surface of the bottom housing member forms a protective passage for the drive belt and a suction passage between an air inlet adjacent the agitator brush and the air turbine chamber.
US07743460B2
A dust suction device (2), particularly in the form of an industrial vacuum cleaner, has a blower device (6) for generating an intake flow (S), a filter surface (16) for separating dust and dirt particles from the intake flow (S), a collecting chamber (18) for collecting the dust and the dirt particles which is located upstream of the filter surface (16) with respect to the intake flow (S), a clean air chamber (20) which is arranged downstream of the filter surface (16) and is separated from the collecting chamber (18) by the filter surface (16), with the filter surface (16) being acted upon in some areas by a cleaning flow of the blower device (6) which flows through the filter surface (16) in the direction opposite the direction of the intake flow (S), and an adjustable dividing wall (30) provided in the clean air chamber (20) and separating a vacuum area (40) that can be generated by the blower device (6) from an overpressure area (38) that can likewise be generated by the blower device (6).
US07743453B2
The invention relates to a wiping device for wiping surfaces to be cleaned, especially floor surfaces, comprising a plate-type or frame-type wiping element holder (1), preferably in an essentially long, rectangular form, and a wiping element (4) consisting of textile material or the like, which is adapted and fixed to the wiping element holder (1). Said wiping element (4) respectively comprises, on the upper side facing the wiping element holder (1), close to the two opposing sides, and close to the narrow sides in the long, rectangular form, a narrow fixing strip (5), which is applied with its ends to the wiping element (5) [sic]. Said fixing strip extends approximately transversally on the wiping element holder (1) when the wiping element (4) is fixed to the same (1). Position fixing arrangements are provided on the wiping element holder (1), where the fixing strips (5) should extend when the wiping element is fixed (4). The fixing strips (5) especially consist of textile material or the like and are sewn at the ends thereof to the wiping element (4). The position fixing arrangements (7) are especially embodied as edge recesses starting from the ends, in which the fixing strips (5) are placed in the correct position.
US07743449B2
A system and a method for cleaning and rinsing a wafer includes at least three rollers that are capable of supporting a wafer by an edge of the wafer. At least one of the rollers is driven and thereby capable of rotating the wafer. At least one of the rollers is a movable roller mounted on an actuator. The system and method also includes a first movable scrubbing roller capable of being moved away from and alternatively to the first side of the wafer. A second movable scrubbing roller capable of being moved away from and alternatively to a second side of the wafer is also included. The second side of the wafer opposes the first side of the wafer. The system and method also includes at least one first side nozzle directed toward the first side of the wafer and at least one second side nozzle directed toward the second side of the wafer.
US07743441B2
A variable width bed is provided. In one embodiment the bed has a frame, a deck supported on the frame, and a mattress on the deck. A portion of the mattress on one of head and seat deck sections expands to have an increased width. In an alternate embodiment, deck extender assemblies are provided at the sides of the bed. Each of the deck extender assemblies have supplemental mattresses connected thereto.
US07748051B2
Method and system for embedding a unique and different digital watermark in digital contents for each access without increasing the overhear or load at the contents server. The contents server has a digital watermark-embedded contents storage unit for storing a plurality of digital contents where a different digital watermark is embedded, and a fingerprint performing unit for, adding to the digital contents the information specified using a bit row that is formed by a digital watermark being embedded for each part of the digital contents.
US07748047B2
A method and system for authenticating requests for accessing network resources are described. Network address information may be associated with a network resource user. An authenticator may maintain the associated network address information. The authenticator may receive, from a requesting party, a request to authenticate the network resource user, where the request may include a network address identifier. The network resource user may be authenticated based on the network address information and the network address identifier. The authentication determination may be forwarded to the requesting party for purposes of controlling access to a network resource of a network resource provider in response to an access request made by the network resource user.
US07748044B2
A system for processing DRM-enabled files includes a playback device and a software module. The software module includes a license-downloading module, a license-transforming module, a decryption module and an encryption module. The license-downloading module is configured to download a first license from a license server to a computer. The license-transforming module is configured to convert the first license to a second license. The decryption module is configured to decrypt a first DRM-enabled file of the computer into a raw file with a first decryption key. The encryption module is configured to encrypt the raw file into a second DRM-enabled file with a second encryption key. The playback device is configured to decrypt the second DRM-enabled file with the second license. The method of the system is also provided.
US07748043B2
A method for authenticating a software package, which is provided by a software supplier and which contains a software component that can be loaded into a terminal. The software component is provided with a first authentication suffix, which is verified in order to carry out an authenticity test in the terminal. A higher-level authenticating site is provided, performing authenticating measures on the software package to increase security, wherein the measures performed by the higher-level authenticating site include providing the software package with at least one second authentication suffix instead of the first authentication suffix after successful checking of the software package provided by the software provider and including the first authentication suffix in addition to the software component of the software package.
US07748041B2
A design/evaluation support tool 100 is constructed from a table link use unit 110 identifying linkages between a threat-to-component correspondence table 125, a risk-value table 126, a component contribution rate table 127, and a risk-to-assurance level correspondence table 128, based on their respective duplicate items; and a component assurance level deriving unit 111 deriving an assurance level of each of components that conforms to a risk value of a threat that a security function of each of the components counters by weighting the risk value of the threat by a component rate of contribution based on linkages of the tables.
US07748039B2
A method for detecting malicious code on an information handling system includes executing malicious code detection code (MCDC) on the information handling system. The malicious code detection code includes detection routines. The detection routines are applied to executable code under investigation running on the information handling system during the execution of the MCDC. The detection routines associate weights to respective executable code under investigation in response to detections of a valid program or malicious code as a function of respective detection routines. Lastly, executable code under investigation is determined a valid program or malicious code as a function of the weights associated by the detection routines. Computer-readable media and an information handling system are also disclosed.
US07748038B2
Early detection of computer viruses is provided by collecting information about suspicious messages and generating virus outbreak information. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving the virus outbreak information that has been determined by receiving message information for messages that have characteristics associated with computer viruses, wherein the messages were determined by a virus-check component as not comprising a virus, and mapping the message information received in a specified time period to the virus outbreak information; and when the virus outbreak information indicates initiation of a virus attack, performing a message flow control action for additional messages that have the same characteristics associated with computer viruses as the first messages. As a result, a messaging gateway can suspend delivery of messages early in a virus outbreak, providing sufficient time for updating an anti-virus checker that can strip virus code from the messages.
US07748032B2
A method and apparatus for associating session ticket includes a ticketing authority server. The ticketing authority server receives a ticket generation request and information about a client node. It identifies a master session ticket associated in a storage element with the client node. The ticketing authority server then generates a derivative session ticket for the client node and associates the derivative session ticket with the master session ticket. Finally, the ticketing authority server stores information about the client node and the derivative session ticket in the storage element.
US07748031B2
A portable mass storage device for use in two factor authentication systems and methods. A secure portable mass storage device protects content from being freely copied with security mechanisms and firmware. The security functionality also protects confidential user credentials and passwords, as well as algorithms and seeds needed for two factor authentication or asymmetric authentication methods. A client application residing in the mass storage device acts as both a password manager and an authentication manager that seamlessly performs the authentication procedures in the background while signing a user into various institutions of his choosing. A very high level of security is integrated into a mass storage device the user has for purposes other than two factor authentication, and the convenience of highly secure password management also comes in a convenient pocket sized package easy for the user to transport. This facilitates the acceptance of two factor authentication, and increases security for a wide variety of online transactions.
US07748028B2
A terminal device in the present invention includes a first authentication information transmitter configured to transmit first authentication information including a user ID to a relay device, a temporary ID storage configured to store a temporary ID issued by an authentication server receiving the first authentication information via the relay device, and a second authentication information transmitter configured to transmit second authentication information including the temporary ID and an authentication server ID for identifying the authentication server to the relay device.
US07748016B2
A system for displaying an electronic program guide (EPG) to a viewer. The system includes displaying one or more data slices representative of broadcast programming to a viewer. In response to input from the viewer, the displayed number of data slices is increased, for example, from one slice to two slices. In browser mode the viewer can scroll through multiple EPG data slices without selecting to view full mode EPG, while in full mode the EPG can expand from a single column of data slices to multiple columns of data slices based upon viewer selections. The EPGs of the present invention can display programming that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than other programming. A data slice representing the predicted programming can be inserted into the EPG so that the viewer can identify programming that is likely to be of interest.
US07748010B1
A method and computer program product for providing Global Attribute Uniqueness (GAU) using an Ordered Message Service (OMS) is presented. A database operation is received from a client. A determination is made regarding whether the operation changes a value to a current value and when the operation would change a value to a current value then operation is ended. When the operation would not change a value to a current value the operation is decomposed into ADD messages and DELETE messages. The ADD messages are sent to a GAU manager and GAU state is checked and updated. The updates are committed to GAU state and the Directory Server (DS) is updated. Operation is then returned to the client. DELETE messages are sent to the GAU manager and GAU state is updated. The updates are then committed.
US07748006B2
Loading software on a plurality of processors is presented. A processing unit (PU) retrieves a file from system memory and loads it into its internal memory. The PU extracts a processor type from the file's header which identifies whether the file should execute on the PU or a synergistic processing unit (SPU). If an SPU should execute the file, the PU DMA's the file to the SPU for execution. In one embodiment, the file is a combined file which includes both PU and SPU code. In this embodiment, the PU identifies one or more section headers included in the file which indicates embedded SPU code within the combined file. In this embodiment, the PU extracts the SPU code from the combined file and DMA's the extracted code to an SPU for execution.
US07748003B2
A general purposed operating system is modified to support hard real-time processing of hard real-time tasks. At least one processing unit in the operating system is designated as a hard real-time processing unit to process hard real-time tasks, and at least one processing unit in the operating system is designated as a non-hard real-time processing unit to process non-hard real-time tasks and designated non-deterministic processing steps. Hard real-time tasks assigned to the non-hard real-time processing unit may be transferred to the hard real-time processing unit, and tasks assigned to the hard real-time processing unit that are about to execute a non-deterministic processing step may be transferred to the non-hard real-time processing unit.
US07747999B1
A multi-chassis router allows an administrator to install software from a single user interface. The multi-chassis router automatically forwards the software to each chassis within the multi-chassis router when given a single command to install the software from an administrator. The multi-chassis router also automatically validates the software on each chassis. This allows each chassis within the multi-chassis router to have the same software during all stages of a software installation and ensures software on each chassis is compatible with software on every other chassis. In effect, an administrator does not need to account for the multiple chassis configuration, and an administrator familiar with software installation on a standalone router can use that knowledge to install software on the multi-chassis router.
US07747998B2
Allowing a non-privileged user to apply a patch to a software product. A patch is received from a non-privileged user. It is determined if the received patch may be elevated by the non-privileged user for applying to a target software product. The received patch is applied to the target software product if it is determined that the received patch may be elevated by the non-privileged user for applying to the target software product.
US07747991B2
Noting that there is a case where a type of a pointer “this” in a member function can be specified, the present invention provides a program converting method in which a virtual function call can be converted into a direct function call, and by which improvement of execution performance as well as reduction of a code size of a program can be achieved. The program converting method is a method for converting a program described in an object-oriented language, including: analyzing, in the program, a type of an instance by which a method is called; extracting, from a definition of the method, a virtual method call which is called by the instance; and converting, based on the type of the instance analyzed by the analyzing, the virtual method call extracted by the extracting, into a direct method call.
US07747989B1
A system includes an abstract machine instruction stream, an execution trace buffer storing information to facilitate dynamic compilation, a virtual machine coprocessor configured to receive an instruction from the abstract machine instruction stream and to generate one or more native machine instructions in response to the received instruction, and a processor coupled to the virtual machine coprocessor and operable to execute the native machine instructions generated by the virtual machine coprocessor. The virtual machine coprocessor updates the execution trace buffer as instructions from the abstract machine instruction stream are processed. In addition, a method for facilitating dynamic compilation includes receiving an instruction to be processed, determining that the instruction marks entry into a basic block, and updating an execution trace buffer.
US07747976B2
A semiconductor cell and a semiconductor circuit utilizing semiconductor cells. The semiconductor cell includes a rectangular boundary and a power layout, where the power layout does not contact any pair of opposite sides of the rectangular boundary. Additionally, the semiconductor circuit includes a plurality of semiconductor cells. Each semiconductor cell includes a rectangular boundary and a power layout, where the power layout does not contact any pair of opposite sides of the rectangular boundary. Because conventional power strips are avoided, the present invention can reduce height of each semiconductor cell, and therefore increase integration of the semiconductor circuit (i.e., the integrated circuit).
US07747974B1
A method and apparatus for optimizing body bias connections to NFETs and PFETs using a deep n-well grid structure. A deep n-well is formed below the surface of a CMOS substrate supporting a plurality of NFETs and PFETs having a nominal gate length of less than 0.2 microns. The deep n-well is a grid structure with a regular array of apertures providing electrical continuity between the bottom of the substrate and the NFETs. The PFETs reside in surface n-wells that are continuous with the buried n-well grid structure. The grid and n-well layout is performed on the basis of the functionality of the PFETs contained in the n-wells.
US07747972B2
Methods and apparatuses for timing analysis are provided using stages having an input and at least one output. A circuit portion connected to the output is taken into account when analyzing the stage.
US07747958B2
A method of enabling assisted visual development of workflow for an application task. A workflow wizard provides a tasking page from which a user selects a desired one of a plurality of candidate tasks. The workflow wizard then provides a data selection page from which the user selects a desired set of data components from a plurality of candidate data components. A target selection page is then provided, from which the user can select a desired one of a plurality of candidate objects. Finally, an assignment page is provided, to enable the user to specify a detailed assignment relationship between the selected set of data components and fields of the selected target. The workflow wizard then auto-generates code that, when executed, will implement the selected task using the selected set of data components, the selected target and the specified assignment.
US07747954B2
A method for testing connectivity of virtual private networks, the virtual private networks including customer edge routers and provider edge routers, the provider edge routers belonging to a network managed by a service provider, the method comprising: displaying a list of the virtual private networks on a display screen of a network management system for the network; receiving a signal from a user to select a virtual private network from the list of the virtual private networks, the virtual private network having a topology, an import route target, and an export route target associated therewith; generating a list of operations to test connectivity of the virtual private network from the topology, the import route target, and the export route target; displaying the list of operations to the user on the display screen; receiving a signal from the user to select an operation from the list of operations, the operation having a source provider edge router and a destination provider edge network associated therewith; and, transmitting a message from the network management system to the source provider edge router to perform the operation.
US07747946B2
Adornments are applied to shapes in a diagram that graphically displays data about those shapes. Once the adornments are applied to a shape, the information displayed is automatically updated as the underlying shape data changes. The appearance of the diagram is updated automatically when the user updates the data for their shapes. The set of adornments that may be applied to shapes is extensible. A mechanism and interface is defined for creating additional adornments that have customized looks or behaviors.
US07747942B2
Process for reverse engineering a program application written in a legacy programming language (e.g., COBOL), where the program application was specifically designed using a markup language template so as to process documents in the markup language. The process involves extracting from the program application, line by line, content fragments of the original markup language template and reassembling them to obtain the original template.
US07747941B2
The creation and maintenance of a website is made easier through automation. The user selects the data (or documents) to put on the web. Information associated with the documents is extracted from the documents and analyzed to determine the contents of the documents. A template is then automatically selected from a library of templates, and this template is used to generate the website. Both the structure and the layout of the data may be determined from the data itself, from user actions, from corporate identity templates, and from authorities that can help improve the website design.
US07747932B2
Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for reducing the uncorrectable error rate in a lockstepped dual-modular redundancy system are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes two processor cores, a micro-checker, a global checker, and fault logic. The micro-checker is to detect whether a value from a structure in one core matches a value from the corresponding structure in the other core. The global checker is to detect lockstep failures between the two cores. The fault logic is to cause the two cores to be resynchronized if there is a lockstep error but the micro-checker has detected a mismatch.
US07747931B2
A decoding apparatus in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) mobile communication system is provided. In the apparatus comprises, a first combiner performs first combining on an input burst a first number of times. A deinterleaver deinterleaves an output of the first combiner and outputs a burst having a repeated structure. A second combiner performs second combining on the burst having the repeated structure a second number of times. A decoder decodes the combined burst. A signal detector stores a second internal memory state value of the decoder for an instance where a first decoded bit is extracted from the decoded data, stores a second internal memory state value of the decoder for an instance where a last decoded bit is extracted from the decoded data, compares the first and second stored internal memory state values of the decoder, and sets a burst quality indicator (BQI) according to the comparison result.
US07747922B2
A method and an apparatus of constructing hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) systems using specific properties of the BCJR error correcting algorithm. Since the convergence to an actual codeword is not always guaranteed with the BCJR, the method and apparatus implements a system, in which two different types of Negative AcKnowledgement messages (NAKs) are employed. The first type is the conventional one-bit NAK and the second type specifies retransmission pattern in such a way that the additional parity bits are concentrated on the parts of the code trellis that did not converge to a valid sequence.
US07747920B2
A method and apparatus for testing or diagnosing faults in a scan-based integrated circuit using a unified self-test and scan-test technique. The method and apparatus comprises using a unified test controller to ease prototype debug and production test. The unified test controller further comprises using a capture clock generator and a plurality of domain clock generators each embedded in a clock domain to perform self-test or scan-test. The capture clocks generated by the capture clock generator are used to guide at-speed or reduced-speed self-test (or scan-test) within each clock domain. The frequency of these capture clocks can be totally unrelated to those of system clocks controlling the clock domains. This unified approach allows designers to test or diagnose stuck-type and non-stuck-type faults with a low-cost DFT (design-for-test) tester or a low-cost DFT debugger. A computer-aided design (CAD) method is further developed to realize the method and synthesize the apparatus.
US07747919B2
A Scan-BIST architecture is adapted into a low power Scan-BIST architecture. A generator 102, compactor 106, and controller 110 remain the same as in the known art. The changes between the known art Scan-BIST architecture and the low power Scan-BIST architecture involve modification of the known scan path into scan path 502, to insert scan paths A 506, B 508 and C 510, and the insertion of an adaptor circuit 504 in the control path 114 between controller 110 and scan path 502.
US07747918B2
The present disclosure describes using the JTAG Tap's TMS and/or TCK terminals as general purpose serial Input/Output (I/O) Manchester coded communication terminals. The Tap's TMS and/or TCK terminal can be used as a serial I/O communication channel between; (1) an IC and an external controller, (2) between a first and second IC, or (3) between a first and second core circuit within an IC. The use of the TMS and/or TCK terminal as serial I/O channels, as described, does not effect the standardized operation of the JTAG Tap, since the TMS and/or TCK I/O operations occur while the Tap is placed in a non-active steady state.
US07747914B2
According to an example embodiment, a memory diagnosis test circuit may include a memory core block, a word line selector, a bit line selector, and/or an analog mode control unit. The memory core block may include a plurality of memory cells. The word line selector may be configured to select one of a plurality of word lines of the memory core block using a first shift register. The bit line selector may be configured to select one of a plurality of bit line pairs of the memory core block using a second shift register. The analog mode control unit may be configured to monitor data corresponding to the selected word line and bit line pair.
US07747912B2
A semiconductor memory device and related test method are disclosed. Test data is defined from a group of M test bits selected from either input data or corresponding output data. A parallel bit test is then conducted on the test data. The M test bits include N test bits, where N is less than M, selected on a bit by bit basis from the output data, and L test bits, where N+L=M, selected from the input data. The selection of input data may be made in accordance with a don't care case for selected test data.
US07747900B2
Thresholding system power loss notifications in a data processing system based on vital product data
Mechanisms for thresholding system power loss notifications in a data processing system are provided. Power loss detection modules are provided in a data processing system having one or more data processing devices, such as blades in an IBM BladeCenter® chassis. The power loss detection modules detect the type of infrastructure of the data processing system, a position of a corresponding data processing device within the data processing system, and a capability of the data processing system to provide power during a power loss scenario. The detection module detects various inputs identifying these types of data processing system and power system characteristics and provides logic for defining a set of behaviors during a power loss scenario, e.g., behaviors for sending system notifications of imminent power loss. The detection of the various inputs and the defining of a set of behaviors may be performed statically and/or dynamically.
US07747893B2
A method for managing a system's computer resources, includes: detecting an error condition in a computer resource; labeling the computer resource as not usable based on the error condition detected; reconfiguring the remaining computer resources to compensate for the detected error condition based on a failure mode policy; and wherein the failure mode policy manages the computer resources by one of: maximizing the amount of the remaining computer resources (mode 1), and maximizing the speed of the remaining computer resources (mode 2).
US07747890B2
A signal sampler and method for high-speed input sampling of a signal are disclosed. A first sampler samples a data signal at a rising edge of a clock signal and generates a first sampled signal. A second sampler samples the data signal at a falling edge of an inverted clock signal and generates a second sampled signal. The first and second sampled signals may be combined to determine the next signal sampler output. An evaluation may include asserting the output signal if the first and second sampled signals are asserted, negating the output signal if the first and second sampled signals are negated, and toggling the output signal if the first and second sampled signals are in opposite logic states. The signal sampler and method of signal sampling may be incorporated in a semiconductor device, which may be fabricated on a semiconductor wafer and included in an electronic system.
US07747881B2
A system and method for managing performance states of a processor. An enclosure comprises a first processing board with a processor and a second processing board with a processor. A service processor may also be coupled to the enclosure via an interconnect. The second processing board is configured to store a value indicative of a maximum processor performance state for a processor on the second board. In response to a detected request for a transition to a first processor performance state, the processor on the second board is configured to transition to the first processor performance state, if the first processor state is less than or equal to the maximum processor performance state; and transition to the maximum processor performance state, if the first processor state is greater than the maximum processor state. The second processor board may store the value in response to a an operating environment condition detected elsewhere within the enclosure.
US07747878B2
Audible noise related to power state transitions of an information handling system processing component, such as the central processing unit, is reduced by randomizing the time between power state transitions. Random power state transitions are managed by an operating system module that tracks the transitions and selects random times for subsequent transitions within a predetermined time range. Alternatively, an arbitrating circuit intercepts power state transition commands and arbitrates their communication at random times. Random power state transitions reduces audible noise by spreading the frequency of the noise-causing power transition events over a wider band.
US07747876B2
Systems and methods are described which utilize a recursive security protocol for the protection of digital data. These may include encrypting a bit stream with a first encryption algorithm and associating a first decryption algorithm with the encrypted bit stream. The resulting bit stream may then be encrypted with a second encryption algorithm to yield a second bit stream. This second bit stream is then associated with a second decryption algorithm. This second bit stream can then be decrypted by an intended recipient using associated keys.
US07747875B2
An apparatus for processing data and content includes at least one drive and a player (that may be implemented by software). At least some of the content is protected using a content scrambling scheme such as audio or video watermarking. The drive and player cooperate to operate in a lockable mode wherein if protected content is provided to the drive, the drive and player are interlocked so that the content is presented by the player only in accordance with consistent with protection scheme being used, and cannot be presented by any other player. Moreover, in the locked mode, protected content may not be accepted from any other drive. The drive and player are switched to an unlockded mode by presenting to the drive unprotected content.
US07747874B2
A storage device has a storage medium and a processor. The processor is disposed within the storage device and is adapted to receive multiple commands as a command block over an interface. The processor is adapted to extract each of the multiple commands from the single block for execution on the storage device.
US07747870B2
An encrypted-data decrypting apparatus that provides enhanced security protection for programs and data while they are in the processes of decryption to execution after having been encrypted. When a decrypted partial program needs to be loaded into the shared memory M, the controlling unit 11 loads it into an area indicated by the memory location information. According to the memory location information, a plurality of partial programs are sequentially loaded into an area so that one partial program gets overwritten by another; therefore, none of the partial programs exists in the memory for a long time, and thus there is less possibility of having the partial programs referred to illegitimately. In addition, since every time some data is decrypted, the decryption support program authenticating unit 13 confirms authenticity of the decryption support program P, it is possible to prevent having illegitimate references in which the decryption support program is abused.
US07747862B2
Methods and apparatus to authenticate base and subscriber stations and secure sessions for broadband wireless networks, such as IEEE P802.16-based networks. The apparatus employs a trusted platform module (TPM) to generate security keys, including attestation identity keys (AIKs). A subscriber station (SS) generates an AIK key pair for a specific authentication server (AS) operated by a broadband wireless network, and sends the public AIK key to the AS during a one-time service signup process. In response to an access request, the SS sends authentication information including a manifest signed with the SS's private AIK key. The SS may then be authenticated by the AS via use of the SS's public AIK key. The AS may be authenticated by the SS using a similar process, thus supporting mutual authentication via AIK keys. The TPM may also be used to verify a current configuration of a subscriber station platform is an authorized configuration. Integrity measurements are made via the TPM, and corresponding configuration identifiers are sealed to the TPM and sent to the authentication server during the signup process. During a subsequent access request, an attempt is made to unseal a configuration identifier, which can only proceed if a corresponding configuration has not changed.
US07747856B2
A method of propagating a user's authentication/session information between different requests to Web services in a network includes a web server receiving a request for access to a first web service. The request is intercepted with an agent and authentication credentials are collected. A determination is made whether the web service customer is authenticated and authorized. If the web service customer is authenticated and authorized, a session and session ticket are created. An ID and the session ticket are returned to the web server. The session ticket ID and a public key are encrypted into an assertion. The assertion is sent to the first web service. The assertion is then returned to the web service customer for use with future requests. The assertion can be in the form of a SAML assertion.
US07747854B2
A header object for a data file is comprised of sub-objects which specify properties of the data stream and contains information needed to properly verify and interpret the information within the data object. In order to allow the protection of any set of sub-objects without requiring that the sub-objects follow any specific ordering, a new sub-object is introduced which includes region specifiers identifying regions within sub-objects and verification information for those regions. This new sub-object in the header object allows the modification of non-protected regions and reorganization of sub-objects in a header without invalidating verification information.
US07747852B2
A technique for automatically obtaining a second certificate for a user using a first certificate includes accessing a server platform using a user's server and the first certificate of the user to create a connection that authenticates both the user's server identity via a server certificate of the user server and the user's identity via the user's first certificate. A secure data channel is then created between the server platform and the user platform. A request for the second certificate is forwarded by the user from the user server to the server platform and the sever platform then generates the second certificate. The first certificate may be a signature certificate and the second certificate may be an encryption certificate.
US07747851B1
A system for licensing a computational component in a distributed processing network is provided. The system includes a licensing provider 100 that is spatially remote from the computational component 154 and is operable to: (a) assign a private and public key pair to the computational component 154; (b) create a digital certificate 308 for the computational component 154, the digital certificate 308 being signed with a private key of the licensing provider 100, the licensing provider's private key being different from the computational component's private key 312; (c) create a license file 176 to be installed on the computational component; and (d) transmit the license file 176 and the computational component's signed digital certificate 308 and private key 312 to the computational component 154.
US07747843B2
A computer system with a processor architecture having more than one execution channel is described. The processor architecture contains at least one load/store unit for loading and storing data objects, and at least one data cache memory associated to the processor holding data objects accessed by the processor. The processor's load/store unit includes a load/store memory directly interfacing the load/store unit to the data cache.
US07747831B2
A high efficiency portable archive implements a storage system running on a virtualization layer to archive point-in-time versions of a raw data set and the storage system itself as a virtual system on archive media. The high efficiency portable archive can be implemented in a variety of computer architectures. The virtualization layer presents to the storage system a normalized representation of a set of hardware based on components of the computer architecture, shielding the storage system from the actual hardware components of the computer architecture. The storage system and point-in-time versions of the raw data set can be restored to any hardware subsystem that supports the virtual system.
US07747813B2
An apparatus, method, and computer program product are provided for identifying at least one aspect associated with a lifetime of each of a plurality of memory devices. Further, data is moved between the plurality of memory devices, based on the at least one aspect.
US07747812B2
A method includes configuring a flash memory device including a first memory sector having a primary memory sector correspondence, a second memory sector having an alternate memory sector correspondence, and a third memory sector having a free memory sector correspondence, copying a portion of the primary memory sector to the free memory sector, erasing the primary memory sector, and changing a correspondence of each of the first memory sector, the second memory sector, and the third memory sector.
US07747811B2
A disk formatter includes an address module for creating disk block address data corresponding to a disk sector of a disk drive. A sector write module initiates a physical mode write operation to the disk sector that incorporates the corresponding disk block address data.
US07747810B2
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention enable a disk drive of an address system to write data normally, wherein track groups of different track widths are discretely disposed on the storage medium in a same disk drive and the dimensional relationship among physical block addresses of a sector is valid for the dimensional relationship among logical block addresses. Track groups are managed corresponding to their respective track width in a disk drive and for disposing successively in a logical block address space the respective track groups located discretely on the physical block address space.
US07747806B2
In a bus arbitration device that utilizes a resource use management device, upon detecting that a processor is permitted to access a memory, a detection unit decreases a counter by 1 and starts a timer, in a delay circuit, that is not in operation to count time. When the timer counts to a predetermined cycle time period, the delay circuit increases the counter by 1. A control unit permits the processor to access the memory, if the counter is larger than 0.
US07747800B2
A storage system constituted such that power saving to an administrator-desired storage device can be performed from a management device. That is, the storage system comprises a power-saving indication receiving section for receiving from a management console a power-saving indication specifying at least one storage device of a plurality of RAID groups, a plurality of logical units, and a plurality of physical storage devices; and a power-saving controller for saving on power to one or more physical storage devices corresponding to the storage device specified in this power-saving indication.
US07747790B2
An integrated driver circuit is provided for a LIN bus comprises a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal, which is to be connected to a bus line of the LIN bus and at which an output data signal, dependent on an input data signal, is output, whereby the output data signal is output according to a first or according to at least one second LIN bus specification depending on whether the input data signal is applied at the first input terminal or the at least second input terminal.
US07747786B2
An indicating circuit for indicating network status includes a signal generating unit configured for being set in a kernel board, and an indicator circuit configured for being set in a device board. The signal-generating unit includes a logic circuit with two input terminals and an output terminal, a network IC with two output pins connected to the two input terminals of the logic circuit respectively for sending status signals to the logic circuit, and a micro control unit (MCU) for transmitting a network transmitting speed signal from the network IC. The indicator circuit has two input terminals, one is connected to the MCU of the signal-generating unit to receive the network transmitting speed signal and the other is connected to the output terminal of the logic circuit to receive a status signal for indicating the network status.
US07747784B2
Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for syncing data between a client device and a server. Synchronizing data includes initiating a sync session by negotiating a sync mode between a client device and a server for each of one or more dataclasses. A status code is generated based on a result of the negotiating. Based on the generated status code, the client device and the server exchanges one or more data items to be updated for the one or more dataclasses using the negotiated sync mode for each dataclass. The exchanged one or more data items are updated at the client device or the server The updated one or more data items are committed at the client or the server.
US07747778B1
A method of assigning names to components of a networked computer system is provided. The networked computer system includes at least one modular computer system having at least one service processor module and a plurality of information processing modules removably received in a modular computer system housing. The method comprises: receiving at the service processor module a naming command message including a naming format from a management entity of the networked computer system. The method also comprises assigning at the service processor module a name to the service processor module and to the information processing modules received in the housing in accordance with the naming format; and transmitting a message from the service processor module to a domain name server of the networked computer system, the message including an IP address of each module and the name assigned to each respective module.
US07747777B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises logic for optimizing network resources usage. The logic is operable to store IGP information, where the IGP information includes a set of attribute values associated with each of a set of content servers. When the logic receives a request for content from a remote peer, the logic determines one or more content servers that can provide the requested content. The logic then retrieves, from the IGP information, a plurality of attribute values associated with a non-looping path from each of the one or more content servers. For each of the one or more content servers, the retrieved attribute values include: one or more capacity values indicating capacities of one or more communication links on the non-looping path from that content server; and one or more utilization values indicating utilizations of the one or more communication links on the non-looping path from that content server. The logic then selects a content server based on the retrieved attribute values, and causes the request for the content to be sent to the selected content server.
US07747770B1
A technique for replicating information among host computing devices based on versions associated with variables of a state on each host computing device is provided. To replicate information among host computing devices, a host computing device determines a maximum variable version of a state among variables. After comparing maximum versions of a state with that of a corresponding state of a connected host, variable values of the state are updated on the host computing device from variable values of the corresponding state on the connected host if it is determined that the maximum variable version on the connected host computing device is greater. The updated variable values correspond to versions on the connected host computing device having a greater version than the maximum variable version on the host computing device.
US07747759B1
Methods, systems, and data structure provide persistent preferences for services over a network. An entity's preference is recorded in an external location from the entity. The preference is automatically installed in a local environment of the entity when the entity attempts to access a service. The service detects the preference in the local environment and automatically processes the preference.
US07747751B2
A DHCP server allocates IP addresses to DHCP clients and the IP address validation process is moved from the client to the DHCP server. The DHCP server is required to periodically select a predefined number of validated IP addresses from its unused IP addresses. When a client applies for an IP address, the DHCP server allocates an IP address from its selected validated IP addresses to the client, and the client then directly uses the IP address allocated by the DHCP server. This method may be used for providing VoIP in mobile phones, wherein the voice session interruption is shortened sufficiently before the mobile terminal acquires a new IP address through the fast IP address re-allocation to a mobile terminal, thereby ensuring mobile VoIP communication quality.
US07747750B1
A method, system, and program product for reserving resources in a networked environment, e.g. a storage area network. A resource is some object that a user must use or change to complete a task. When a user plans a task, the user selects some high-level resources and properties to reserve and a Reservation Service embodiment creates reservations for them. Accordingly, the method system and program product embodiments overcome inefficiencies in reserving resources in a data storage environment while still allowing such reservations to occur. The method includes selectively reserving properties for resources from more than one available choice.
US07747743B2
A data visualisation system including a data value memory in which is maintained a finite set of data values, each data value associated with at least one time value, a display arranged to display a representation of each data value centered on respective data points, and a contour generator arranged to generate and display a contoured representation around each data point such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum. The present invention encompasses a data visualisation method and a data visualisation computer program.
US07747740B2
A troubleshooting system. In particular implementations, a method includes receiving a request for troubleshooting, where the request comprises identifying information for a wireless client having a connection problem. The method further includes identifying network nodes that are sources of log data associated with connection activity of the wireless client, and invoking troubleshoot logging on one or more central controllers for the wireless client. The method further includes polling the identified network nodes for the log data, and identifying one or more potential causes of the connection problem based on correlating the data logs.
US07747738B2
A system configured to manage IT assets associated with an entity (e.g., a company, an institution, etc.), in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. The IT assets may include hardware assets, software assets, telecommunications assets, and/or other IT assets. The system enables substantially all of the information relevant to the individual IT assets to be organized within a single repository throughout the life cycle of the IT assets (e.g., from order to disposal). By organizing the relevant information within a single repository, automation and dynamic system interaction may be leveraged during the life cycle of a given IT asset to track and/or monitor the given IT asset with an enhanced efficiency. In some embodiments, the system may include a common database, and an asset implementation manager, an asset ownership manager, an asset process manager, a service manager in operative communication with the common database.
US07747733B2
A power meter or other electrical device is provided having two independent and communicatively isolated Ethernet ports. The first Ethernet port is addressable by a first unique identifier and is configured for enabling full access to the power meter via an internal LAN. This enables a LAN operator to remotely access the power meter via the internal LAN for performing metering functions, such as full telemetry, control and programming. The second Ethernet port is addressable by a second unique identifier and is configured for being connected to the Internet. Since the second Ethernet port is communicatively isolated from the first Ethernet port, a user can access the power meter via the Internet, but cannot access the internal LAN by connecting to the power meter via the Internet.
US07747731B2
The present invention concerns a method and a system for minimizing message processing latency in a communication network. A message from a first node is received at a second node which message requires an acknowledgement message, preferably of Boolean type. Functionalities required for processing the message are partitioned into at least a first part and a second part. The first part comprises a minimum set of functionalities required to generate the acknowledgement message. The functionalities of the first part are executed. The acknowledgement message is generated and transmitted to the first node after to finishing the functionalities of the first part. The present invention makes it possible to effectively minimize the perceived message processing latency. It is also possible to dynamically optimize the latency according to available resources.
US07747729B2
A network latency estimation apparatus for estimating latency in a network communication between a server and a client. The apparatus includes an event observer to observe occurrences of pre-selected events occurring at the server. A logging device associated with the event observer logs into a data store the occurrence of the events together with corresponding time information. A latency estimator associated with the logging device uses the logged occurrences with the corresponding time information to arrive at an estimation of the latency for the communication.
US07747713B1
A method and system for classifying information available on a computer network such as Web sites accessible on the Internet. The system receives a list of network resource locators and submits each locator to a voting process. The invention includes using single-level or multiple-level voting to increase the classification accuracy. One or more Web coders receive a resource locator and determine a classification for that locator. When the necessary votes have been made, the system classifies the locator according to the voting rules.
US07747712B2
A device associated with a network receives a fetch request from a managed node connected to the network, and provides, to the managed node, trigger information specifying one or more conditions under which the managed node is to be enabled and is to receive traffic from the network. The device also receives an operational state associated with the managed node based on the trigger information.
US07747708B2
A method and system to provide a media file appropriate for playback. The system identifies an ability of a computer system to playback media content locally by querying a computer system over a network to assess a local playback capability of the computer system. Next, the system creates the media file in response to the identification of the ability and based on the ability. Finally, the system provides the computer system with the media file based on the ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally.
US07747706B2
A content consumption session completion system and method useful in conjunction therewith, the system comprising an apparatus for detecting uncompleted content consumption sessions by monitoring consumption of data services by a user and logging information regarding at least one uncompleted content consumption session between at least one user and at least one data service. The system further includes an apparatus for diagnosing a reason why at least one individual content consumption session was uncompleted, and also includes an apparatus for responding to at least one uncompleted content consumption session as a function of the reason.
US07747697B2
A semantic information-oriented network provides delivering network of an event comprising semantic information and data. For delivering event information, the semantic information-oriented network comprises an apparatus that provides an event place that is a place for comparing an event from an event sender with a filter being information related to an event receiver, and that is the smallest unit required to guarantee a common ontology system, and is an event delivery range.
US07747693B2
Message delivery approaches are disclosed in which senders can define filters with associated actions for evaluation in relation to specified messages. After creating and storing filters with specified actions, senders dispatch messages to a processing system, which evaluates the filters against the messages. If a match occurs, the processing system performs the specified actions on the messages. In one embodiment, the processing system can send the same message multiple times to different receiving systems, and can modify the source IP address and outbound interface of the message for each receiving system. Further, the source IP address or interface may be modified by a filter in response to external events, such as a receiving system blocking another copy of the message. In this way, a single message processing system can appear as a large number of virtual message sending units, thereby increasing the chance that a particular message will arrive at its destination without blocking by message blocking or filtering technologies at the receiver. For bulk mailers, different filters can be associated with different communication campaigns.
US07747688B2
A services broker provides session suspend and resume capabilities to a computer-supported multi-user session made up of associations between a plurality of participants and the services broker. The services broker includes: a memory; an input/output subsystem for transmission of session data and for communicating with the plurality of participants; a processor, operatively connected to the memory, for carrying out instructions. The instructions cause the processor to: receive a trigger event from at least one of the plurality of participants, the trigger event for resuming a suspending session; verify that the suspending session can be resumed; transmit a resume request to the plurality of participants; and re-establish associations among the plurality of participants. Additionally, the services broker will transmit a stored session state and stored session data to at least one environmental device for resuming the suspended session at the point where the suspended session ended. The services broker also carries out instructions for suspending a joint session.
US07747680B2
Community-based rating information is generated about a Web site, Web page or other network-accessible content for use in Web filtering operations. The rating information may relate to the appropriateness of the content for a particular audience or audiences, such as for children or for children of different age groups. The rating information is based on feedback provided by users who have accessed the content in question. Where the group of users providing feedback is sufficiently large, the rating assigned to the content will tend to accurately reflect community standards. Also, because the rating information is based on user feedback, the rating information can change over time to reflect changing community attitudes towards content.
US07747679B2
In response to a first user becoming active on a communication device, a first availability status can be automatically established as a current availability of the first user. A first time period can be automatically identified. During the first time period, the first availability status can be maintained as the current availability of the first user to at least a second user. In response to the first time period elapsing, a second availability status can be automatically established as the current availability of the first user to the second user.
US07747674B2
In a computer network including a plurality of network elements, a network management architecture including a plurality of agents, each of the agents corresponding to a different one of the network elements, and a plurality of device components, each of the device components modeling at least one aspect of one of the network elements, the aspect being either of a physical and a functional characteristic of the network element, where each of the agents includes a plurality of the device components, and where at least of the two device components within at least one of the agents are logically interconnected, each logical interconnection corresponding to either of a physical and a functional interconnection found within or between any of the network elements.
US07747673B1
A number of items of data from a data source (12) can be processed and then deposited in at least one data destination (16, 17). The data may be image data, text data, numeric data or some other type of data, or a combination of these types of data. The processing of data is controlled by a project definition (14, 71, 101), which includes a plurality of modules selected from a variety of available modules (Tables 1-4). The modules have input and output ports which are interrelated by binding information. One of the modules, when executed, transmits a predetermined message, for example in the form of an electronic mail message.
US07747671B2
A data transmission system for linking multiple exercise facilities includes at least one exercise facility which has a measurement device mounted thereon for capturing data or detecting, and a transmission circuit which has one end connecting to the exercise facility and other end connecting to a microprocessor. The transmission circuit connects the exercise facility and the microprocessor to form a transmission system.
US07747666B2
A block polyphase filter is constructed of a set of filter blocks having different filter functions, and being arranged for parallel processing of portions of an input sequence of signals. Signals of the input sequence are divided among the blocks by a demultiplexer for processing at a clock frequency lower than a clock frequency of the input signal sequence. The filter blocks are arranged in groups, wherein output signals of the blocks in any one group are summed to produce an output signal of the filtered group. Output signals of all of the filter groups are multiplexed to provide an output signal sequence wherein the repetition frequency of the signals may be higher, lower, or equal to the repetition frequency of the input signal sequence depending upon the ratio of the number of filter groups to the number of filter blocks in the set of filter blocks.
US07747660B1
A method and system of providing access to a virtual storage device is disclosed. According to one embodiment, access is provided to a virtual storage device comprising a file system storage object to store data to be written to the virtual storage device and a storage device. According to another embodiment, the virtual storage device further comprises a file system storage object to represent the virtual storage device.
US07747658B2
Processing arrangements and methods are provided for the automated decoding or translation of information in healthcare data records, which are coded in a non-standardized or varying formats. A data record which contains information, a portion which is recognized and another portion of which is new, is decoded or translated using a statistical mapping rule. The mapping rule assigns a most likely translation value to the information based on the recognized portion of the information. The statistical mapping rules are established by analysis of a set of previously decoded data records.
US07747650B2
Plural versions of an authoring/editing tool for fluid text include both a WYSIWYG editor and a content-driven treetable editor for producing narratives and their behavioral control in a fluid text viewing system environment. The tool includes content-driven treetable visualization and a layout mechanisms for authoring and/or editing hypertext narratives, electronic mail threads and other tree-oriented applications. Edit operations are disclosed that permit interactive development and modification of treetables.
US07747649B2
A system and process are disclosed for encoding selected data structures in browser cookies. The data structures may contain a variety of different types of data elements, including N-bit integers and other non-character elements. A version tracking scheme provides forward and backward compatibility between client and server software. The process is implemented without the need for any browser extensions, and without the need for users to download any special code to their computers.
US07747647B2
A permission information system and method are provided. The system facilitates management of permissions across a wide variety of systems and applications in a network environment. The system includes a data store which is a central repository that maintains permissions (e.g., in a user readable format). The permissions can, optionally, be translated into a format that is useable by endpoint system(s).The system further includes a metadirectory component which notices change(s) that are created in the data store and sends the security information to the endpoint system(s). The new security policy can then installed and enforced on the endpoint systems. The system can thus employ the capabilities of a metadirectory to distribute security policy(ies) to these end-point systems. The system can, optionally, include one or more translator(s) which transform the user readable format into a format that is consumable by the endpoint system(s).
US07747643B2
An installed base data hub for centrally managing information about the installed customer base of an enterprise is disclosed. According to one embodiment, an installed base data hub comprises a data repository configured to store installed base data, the installed base data including first information representative of at least one customer of the enterprise and second information representative of one or more products purchased by the customer. The hub further includes a data librarian configured to cleanse the installed base data, a security module configured to manage access to the data repository, a subscription interface configured to enable one or more of a plurality of spoke systems to read data from the repository, and a publication interface configured to enable one or more of the plurality of spoke systems to write data into the repository. In various embodiments, at least one of the spoke systems is external to the enterprise.
US07747640B2
Methods for updating query results are provided. In one embodiment, a stored query is modified to retrieve a selected subset of rows from stored query results without retrieving a remaining portion of the stored results. The modified query is executed, updated results are obtained from the modified query, and the updated results are displayed.
US07747639B2
Providing an alternative search query to a predicted search query is disclosed herein. A search query is received from a client node. Prior to receiving an indication from the client node that the search query is completely formed, the following steps are performed: 1) a predicted search query is determined by predicting what the search query will be when completed; and 2) an alternative search query that differs from the predicted search query is determined based on the predicted search query. The alternative search query is provided to the client node. The alternative search query may be something that the user search query is unlikely to complete to. For example, in response to the user entering a search query of “brittany sp”, an alternative search query with a spelling suggestion of “britney spears” is determined and provided to the user.
US07747634B2
When rich data is tunneled, its associated link identified by a primary data reference is changed by swapping primary references of original data with changed data. Thus, without duplicating the rich data, it is now associated with the changed data, preserving it in constant time. The primary references can include, but are not limited to, names and/or other item identifications. This technique allows preservation of rich data to occur without burdening processing and/or time constraints based on the size and/or number of rich data elements. The technique also allows disparate applications and/or systems to maintain data integrity even when rich data is not expected for a given application and/or system. Since the rich data follows a primary reference, awareness of the rich data is not required for it to be properly handled, ensuring its integrity.
US07747629B2
A method of generating a positional representation of a document, including identifying each unique term in a document and positions in the document at which the unique term appears, and for the each unique term, storing positional information derived from the positions into a positional representation.
US07747621B2
The invention provides a system that associates data files with one another effectively to visually represent a relation among the data files and allows a user to easily understand relationship of contents of the data files. The system determines whether there is a parent data file for a selected retrieval object data file with reference to a contract association table and, if the parent data file is present, changes the retrieval object to the parent data file and repeats the processing. If the parent data file is not present, the system stores a present retrieval object data file as display data, that is, store a top data file as display data. Then, the system retrieves all data files associated with the top data file, stores the data files as display data, generates a relation diagram of the data files, and transmits the relation diagram to a user terminal.
US07747612B2
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for generating and displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set. According to the present invention, a method for displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set for a query comprises generating a primary result set and a secondary result set, the primary result set and secondary result set generated according to one or more respective disparate search algorithms. A difference result set is determined according to a difference between items in the primary result set and second result set, which is displayed to a user.
US07747600B2
A computer-implementable method and system for performing a multi-level search. The method includes performing a primary search that involves executing a query submitted by a user, and returning primary search results (a list of documents, for example). The method further includes automatically performing a secondary search. The secondary search involves identifying at least one third-party source of information based on the query, and automatically assessing a semantic interpretation of the query. The secondary search utilizes the identified at least one third-party source of information and the semantic interpretation of the query to derive secondary search results, which are displayed along with the primary search results.
US07747578B2
Reducing database fragmentation is disclosed. One embodiment includes determining whether the building of an index of data that is to be stored in a database has been initiated and determining whether the size of a sub-range of the index exceeds a predetermined size. A block of data storage space is pre-allocated contiguous to a block of data storage space allocated for the sub-range to accommodate subsequent inserts of data into the sub-range, if it is determined that the sub-range exceeds the predetermined size.
US07747575B2
There is provided herein an application-oriented backup and restore system, which leads the user through a plurality of different selectable steps to repair specific application errors/problems. The preferred embodiment minimizes the loss of user productivity and because of its easy and accessible layout and presentation it may eliminate the need for tech-support to repair the problem. The average user can initiate the steps, wherein the restore steps are explicitly directed to secure the safe storage of user created documents and files.
US07747570B2
A method for transmission of data for two or three dimensional geometrical entities uses a computer system, for modeling and/or manipulation of geometrical entities. The computer system comprises at least one program for modeling and/or manipulation and at least one display program, the at least one modeling and/or manipulation program transmits the data associated with the geometrical entities for display to the at least one display program, by calling up display functions located within the at least one display program. An exporting program for data associated with geometrical entities is substituted in at least one of the at least one display programs, the exporting program having the same display functions as the at least one display program.
US07747563B2
A method of data migration and integration with a data load mechanism. The first primary step is to extract the data from a named source by remote queries. The follow-up logic is used for any miscellaneous or supplemental transformations to inbound data for data renaming, null scrubbing, and data polishing. The filtration step allows for any extraneous data to be filtered out. The compression step consolidates any fragmented balances residual in the remote queries, localize remote data, data map, or follow-up logic. As a part of the compression process, the result set table signature is explicitly cast to that of the destination fact table. The result of this is an exact replica of the destination fact table format, data types and column order. The kickout handling provides referential integrity of the inbound data flow against the named BPM Destination System. Finally, the deployment step limits the dynamic reload or sync determination to certain fields.
US07747562B2
Techniques are described for specifying virtual datasets within an enterprise software system. A computer-implemented system, for example, includes an enterprise planning system and a computing device coupled to the enterprise planning system via a network connection. The computing device includes an object store that stores a dataset, an application programming interface (API) that defines an operation for specifying the virtual dataset from the dataset, and an object model that stores a virtual dataset to the object store in response to receiving the operation defined by the API. The computing device further includes a plurality of applications that utilize the virtual dataset for a further operation defined by the API without resolving the virtual dataset. Because virtual dataset may be utilized without first resolving them, the virtual datasets may require less storage space within a memory, may automatically remain synchronous with the underlying dataset, and may quickly layer to more readily perform complicated operations.
US07747560B2
A digital history service presents a user's collected data in an historical format such as a timeline that includes various interactions with objects and people over the course of time wherein the digital history data was retrieved and correlated from the various data stores. An example of such a retrieval is to select a sequence of items from the data store based on an algorithm that determines the next item based on its relationship to the current item. The relationship could be a complex combination of the date, time of year, historical events in the past, the person(s) or objects involved in a given event, the location of an event, past or upcoming national holidays, calendar items, etc.
US07747549B2
A STM network 11 for temporarily storing input pattern vectors is formed in Phases 1 and 2, and then layered LTM networks 2 to L are formed successively by assigning output vectors provided by the STM network 11 as input vectors. In phase 4, a LTM network 1 for intuitive outputs to which input pattern vectors are applied directly is formed by taking the parameters of comparatively highly activated centroids among centroids in the LTM networks 2 to L. In phase 5, the parameters of the comparatively highly activated centroids among the centroids in the LTM networks 2 to L are fed back as the parameters of the centroids in the STM network. In phase 3, the LTM networks 2 to L are reconstructed at a particular time or in a fixed period by giving the centroid vectors of the LTM networks 2 to L again as input pattern vectors to the STM network 11.
US07747548B2
Disclosed herein is a method of and system for evaluating tactile sensations of car seat covers using an artificial neural network, in which mechanical and thermal/physiological characteristics of the seat covers is measured with a measuring system, the physical quantity of the measured characteristics is acquired, and then the acquired physical quantity is converted into the amount of tactile qualities which a person feels using a statistical recursive model, thereby quantitatively evaluating tactile sensations of sticky, soft, elastic, coolness to the touch, and thermal and humid in case of car seat covers made of leather, and tactile sensations of soft, elastic, voluminous, smooth, coolness to the touch, and thermal and humid in case of car seat covers made of cloth, as well as quantitatively evaluating tactile sensations of sporty and high-class of the leather and cloths using an artificial neural network model.
US07747547B1
Apparatus, systems and methods for determining, for each respective phenotypic characterization in a set of {T1, . . . , Tk} characterizations, that a test specimen has the respective characterization are provided. A pairwise probability function gpq(X, Wpq), for a phenotypic pair (Tp, Tq) in {T1, . . . , Tk} is learned using a training population. Wpq is a set of parameters derived from Y for (Tp, Tq) by substituting each Y1 in Y into gpq(X, Wpq), as X, where Yi is the set of cellular constituent abundance values from sample i in the training population exhibiting Tp or Tq. The learning step is repeated for each (Tp, Tq) in {T1 . . . , Tk}, thereby deriving pairwise probability functions G={g1,2(X, W1,2), . . . , gk-1, k(X, Wk-1, k)}. Pairwise probability values P={p1,2, . . . , pk-1, k} are computed, where each ppq is equal to gpq(Z, Wpq) in G, the probability that the test specimen has Tp and not Tq, where Z is cellular constituent abundance values of the test specimen.
US07747545B2
A lead response system is provided comprising a customizable lead delivery rules engine and a customizable escalation rules engine for delivering leads to appropriate responders and re-routing undeveloped leads to different responders. Each delivery rule includes two or more criteria which may be met in order for the lead to be delivered to the responder specified in the particular rule. A lead that is not accepted by the responder to whom it was delivered within a user-defined time frame is re-routed for delivery to a new responder according to a set of escalation rules. The escalation rules may include delivery instructions specifying the new responder or may re-route the lead to the delivery rules engine for delivery to a new responder according to a re-application of the delivery rules.
US07747537B2
A system and method for providing an intellectual property marketplace (IM) using a secured information vault so that individual owners of intellectual property (IP) may control and manage the access and dissemination of the IP. Producers of the IP may also receive compensation for transactions in the marketplace. Multiple services for adding IP such as books, movies, video, papers, research, music, inventions, or the like, to the IM include controlling authorized access to the IP and generation of advertising based on types of IP in order to solicit potential consumers. Transactions may be securely transacted using public keying infrastructure (PKI). Consumers subscribing to the IM may also be automatically notified when IP is added to the IM based on predetermined preferences established by the consumer.
US07747529B2
A method and system of check presentation. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising accepting a first paper check and a second paper check in exchange for a good or service (the second paper check postdated), converting the first paper check and the second paper check into a first electronic request and a second electronic request respectively, presenting the first electronic request for payment through a funds transfer network, electronically storing the second electronic request, and then presenting the second electronic request for payment through the funds transfer network on the postdated date.
US07747527B1
Apparatus and method for providing transaction services, in particular a computer-based transaction machine, such as an ATM, and a method for providing transaction services using said transaction machine. One or more software applications interact with middleware software through functional interfaces that are hardware independent but provide functionality which is implemented in a manner adapted to the capabilities of the particular hardware implementation. Objects provided for standard transaction functions are independent of the interface between the user and the transaction machine, said interface being customizable. The resulting transaction machines are typically combined into networks and these networks may readily be combined to form an Extranet.
US07747519B2
A system for verifying loan data for a loan being delivered by a seller to a purchaser includes underwriting logic that generates a set of underwriting data for a loan and delivery logic that receives a set of delivery data for the loan from the seller and processes the delivery data. The delivery logic includes comparison logic that compares the underwriting data for the loan and the delivery data for the loan to determine any differences. If there are differences between the underwriting data and the delivery data for the loan, yield adjustments and fees may be determined for the loan based on the differences.
US07747515B1
An electronic trading marketplace (ETM) communicates with interfacing modules interfacing directly with order management systems (OMS's) at trading institutions. The interfacing modules automatically transmit orders from the OMS databases to the ETM and update the OMS databases in response to orders executed at the ETM. Traders can communicate with the ETM to anonymously negotiate trades of securities.
US07747486B1
A user interface provides a financial analysis system for real time monitoring of market conditions for a portfolio of stocks or other financial instruments. The interface presents three unique panels, which, upon selection by the user, provide different representations of data with respect to the portfolio or a selected portion of the portfolio. The user can rapidly cycle among these panels by activating icons. Further, the user can quickly retrieve additional data for a given stock from any of a variety of user-selectable sources by activating additional icons.
US07747482B2
A revenue balancing method and computer program that more quickly, accurately, and easily reconciles or balances revenue contained in cash drawers at the end of cashiers' shifts or breaks while at the same time building or constructing new cash drawers for new shifts. The method permits cash drawers to be constructed and/or replenished with coins from a perpetual inventory of loose coins rather than requiring the use of rolls of coins.
US07747478B2
Methods, systems and apparatus for providing a variety of end product build plans based on multiple business scenarios for exhausting excess inventory. Raw financial data and variable scaling-factors are input into a scenario engine component along with a business objective that contains logic. The scaling factor may be embedded within the logic of the business objective, or it may be selected by a user to indicate the user's preferences. The scenario engine then applies the financial data and variable scaling factor inputs to the business objective logic to generate modified financial data. The logic of the business objective may also be manipulated to provide modified logic. The modified financial data, and optionally the modified logic, are then input into an optimizer component for determining multiple portfolios for end products that, if built, would consume excess inventory.
US07747477B1
A pharmacy supply container tracking system that automatically detects and tracks a pharmacy supply container within a pharmacy is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment the system also detects and tracks prescription orders of customers, and automatically verifies that the correct pharmacy supply is used to fill a particular prescription order. One disclosed system includes using tags, such as Radio-Frequency Identification (“RFID”) tags, and their related readers to locate objects through electromagnetic interrogation of a spatial region to determine the presence of an object within that special region.
US07747468B2
An Internet broadcasting contents consignment sale system and method. An Internet broadcasting station makes a consignment sale contract with companies or individuals who have copyrights of authored pieces, such as computer and video game makers, filmmakers, music producers, television broadcasting stations, and publishers; generates the consigned authored pieces into specific contents data; allows users to use the contents data only through a specific execution program provided by the Internet broadcasting station; permits Internet users to download the contents via wire and wireless Internet free of charge and keep them; and allows the users to use desired contents data by receiving restoration information on the Internet.
US07747459B2
Techniques are disclosed for performing free-time searches that exploit information of the type used with electronic calendars. By leveraging advanced calendaring system information and using location, other context information such as corporate policy, legal constraints, and technology constraints, and user-specific preferences to provide a complete picture of a person's availability, the functionality (and therefore the value) of scheduling systems in increased, resulting in an ability to schedule meetings with more accuracy and less rework. Various allowable participation types for meeting invitees may be specified, and each invitee's availability is determined accordingly. Location-sensitive travel times (including optional user-specific travel time adjustments) are used in preferred embodiments when in-person participation is required.
US07747448B2
A parametric model is used for error concealment. The model filter allows for recovering signal components of original audio channel signals that now are lost or erroneous from signal components of at least one other audio channel. During error-free reception of valid frames, the parameters of that model will be derived and stored. In case of frame loss or frame error affecting the multi-channel information, a conjecture of the missing information is recovered by applying the model, using the stored parameters. In case of several subsequent lost or erroneous frames, it is possible either to use the parameters derived during the last valid frame or to use parameters derived from the recovered multi-channel information of the respective previous invalid frame. Furthermore, if there are long sequences of lost frames, it can be beneficial to apply some gradual muting of the model parameters, which essentially results in a gradual attenuation of the recovered multi-channel information.
US07747444B2
A method, system and article of manufacture of recognizing a voice command. One embodiment of the invention comprises: receiving a voice input; using the number of sound fragments, determining a number of sound fragments to be processed in a first set of sound fragments; determining whether the first set of sound fragments of the voice input matches with the first set of sound fragments of a voice command; and if the first set of sound fragments matches with the first set of sound fragments of the voice command, then determining whether one or more remaining sound fragments matches with one or more remaining sound fragments of the voice command.
US07747441B2
A high quality speech is reproduced with a small data amount in speech coding and decoding for performing compression coding and decoding of a speech signal to a digital signal. In speech coding method according to a code-excited linear prediction (CELP) speech coding, a noise level of a speech in a concerning coding period is evaluated by using a code or coding result of at least one of spectrum information, power information, and pitch information, and various excitation codebooks are used based on an evaluation result.
US07747438B2
Systems and methods for constructing a series of interactions with a user to collect multiple pieces of related information for the purpose of accomplishing a specific goal or topic (a multi-slot dialog) using a component-based approach are disclosed. The method generally includes outputting a primary header prompt to elicit values for slots in a segment from the user, receiving a primary user response containing a value for each slot in at least a subset of the slots in the segment, processing the primary user response to determine at least one possible recognition value for each slot contained in the primary user response, filling each slot contained in the primary user response with a matched value selected from the corresponding possible recognition values, and repeating the outputting, receiving, processing and filling for any unfilled slots in the segment until all slots in the segment of slots are filled.
US07747437B2
A method of speech recognition processing is described based on an N-best list of recognition hypotheses corresponding to a spoken input. Each hypothesis on the N-best list is rescored based on its rank in the rescored N-best list. The rescoring may be based on a Statistical Language Model (SLM) or Dynamic Semantic Model (DSM). One or more rescoring categories may be associated with each recognition hypotheses to affect or bias the rescoring.
US07747422B1
Systems and methods automatically design a system's architecture by modeling the architectural complexity of large-scale distributed systems to drive a partitioning and allocation algorithm. The result is a configuration based on the structure of the software tasks and data access, and the capacities of the hardware. Coupling and cohesion are relative, dependent on the ratio of load to capacity, and not independent software characteristics. The partitioning and allocation algorithm includes tradeoffs between processor utilization, memory utilization, inter-processor communication, and peripheral contention. The systems and methods take into account both precedence constraints and the directional flow of data. Further aspects include interleaving the decisions of database segmentation and software distribution. This approach is demonstrated with a simplified example of a real distributed system.
US07747418B2
The invention relates to a computer-aided process of dental bar design for the purpose of fabricating removable implant-based dental restorations. The aim of the invention is to improve and automate the present dental restoration design process, which is very labor intensive and requires a lot of artistic work on the part of a dentist. The invention includes the developments of several algorithms and their integration into a computer-aided system to process the gingival and related data scanned from a patient's mouth and output a CAD model for fabricating the actual dental bar. Software has been developed to implement the inventive process.
US07747412B1
Managing and monitoring multiple complex data feeds is a major challenge for data mining tasks in large corporations and scientific endeavors alike. The invention describes an effective method for flagging abnormalities in data feeds using an ensemble of statistical tests that may be used on complex data feeds. The tests in the ensemble are chosen such that the speed and ability to deliver real time decisions are not compromised.
US07747404B2
A method for the analysis, control, automation, and information management of life-cycle processes of technical products includes an engineering process, an analysis process, a test process, and accesses an information system. The engineering process, the analysis process and the test process, which includes a plurality of test modules, have connections for information exchange exclusively to the control process and information system. For every test of the test modules, the scope and form of the input and output values are determined by data stored in the information system. The data that are input into the engineering process and determined, and the specified values, are processed by the process control, which determines all of the tests to be carried out. The results are passed on to the process control. The analysis process determines if data and specified values input in the engineering process have been reached by a numerical or numerical/statistical calculation.
US07747402B2
Electrochemical analysis is performed by applying one or more time-sequenced voltage waveforms in a solution and measuring the resulting current in the solution. Raw data representative of the measured current parameters may be integrated based on one or more integration time intervals, and the raw data may be displayed in one or more three dimensional plots. The integrated data and the raw data may also be displayed in one or more two-dimensional plots. The raw data is stored for three dimensional displays and the integrated data is stored for two dimensional displays. Baseline correction is performed on the raw data and the baseline corrected data is displayed in one or more three dimensional plots and in one or more two dimensional plots. The raw data is stored at a rate between 100 Hz and 10 KHz.
US07747400B2
An arrangement includes an A/D converter and a processing circuit. The A/D converter is configured to generate digital samples of voltage and current waveforms in a polyphase electrical system. The processing circuit is operably coupled to receive the digital samples from the A/D converter. The processing circuit is further configured to combine a value substantially equal to two times the magnitude of the phase A current sample with the phase C current sample to generate a first value, and generate a VA calculation using the first value and at least one other value. The processing circuit is further configured to provide information representative of the VA calculation to one of a group consisting of a display, a communication circuit, and a billing calculation unit.
US07747394B2
A highly safe system for processing information, which can provide useful semantic information for an individual and/or information associated with the semantic information via effective utilization of differences in nucleotide sequence information among individuals is constructed. This method comprises the steps of: (a) receiving requested information for an object and/or service; (b) obtaining positional information in accordance with the requested information from a memory having positional information representing a position in a nucleotide sequence memorized therein and transmitting the obtained positional information; (c) receiving, from among nucleotide sequence-related information associated with positional information, nucleotide sequence-related information corresponding to the positional information transmitted in step (b) and then obtaining semantic information implied by the received nucleotide sequence-related information and/or information associated with the semantic information; and (d) transmitting the semantic information and/or information associated with the semantic information obtained in step (c) in association with the positional information corresponding thereto to the party to which the positional information had been transmitted in step (b).
US07747391B2
The present invention generally relates to methods of rapidly and efficiently searching biologically-related data space. More specifically, the invention includes methods of identifying bio-molecules with desired properties, or which are most suitable for acquiring such properties, from complex bio-molecule libraries or sets of such libraries. The invention also provides methods of modeling sequence-activity relationships. As many of the methods are computer-implemented, the invention additionally provides digital systems and software for performing these methods.
US07747384B1
A method for substituting at least one high quality position measurement of an object taken before an interrupting event with a set of upgraded low quality position measurements of the object provided by the same source of measurements after the interrupting event. The method comprises the following steps: (A) obtaining at least one high quality position measurement of the object provided by a source of measurements before the interrupting event; (B) saving at least one high quality position measurement of the object; (C) if at least one position measurement of the object provided by source of measurements after the interrupting event is of substantially high quality, using at least one position measurement of substantially high quality of the object for navigation purposes of the object; and (D) if each position measurement of the object provided by the source of measurements after the interrupting event is of low quality, and if there is not at least one restoration event; then upgrading at least one position measurement of the object by using an upgrade algorithm.
US07747380B2
The invention relates to a method having application to combustion control of an internal-combustion engine for real-time estimation of engine combustion parameters from vibratory signals. A vibratory signal representative of the engine vibrations is continuously acquired as a function of the crank angle, from a vibration detector. Real-time filtering of this vibratory signal and real-time estimation of the Fourier decomposition coefficients for the acquired vibratory signal is carried out by inverting the dynamics of the filter which is used. Finally, real-time estimation of combustion parameters allowing the combustion to be qualified is carried out from these coefficients.
US07747373B2
An ECU (Electronic Control Unit) executes a program including a step of detecting a driver's preference potential Hdr, a step of calculating a target engine output Ptgt using Hdr when a deceleration request is detected, a step of calculating a target slippage tsl using Hdr, a step of calculating a target engine speed tne, a step of calculating a target ISC (Idle Speed Control) opening tidle from Ptgt and tne, a step of assigning a guard value to tidle when tidle is smaller than the guard value, a step of calculating a current engine output Pnow and a step of calculating a motor output (regeneration quantity) Phv from (Ptgt-Pnow).
US07747371B2
A motor-driven vehicle includes at least an engine, control devices arranged to control a transmission driven by the engine, a first sensor that is arranged to communicate with the control devices, and a second sensor that is arranged to communicate with the control devices, with the control devices being arranged to receive a first signal sent from the first sensor that includes information about the gradient of the surface on which the vehicle is being driven, and with the control devices being arranged to receive a second signal sent from the second sensor that includes information about torque. The control devices are arranged to correct the first signal in response to the second signal, and to control the transmission in response to the corrected first signal, and thereby compensate for the effect of the torque on the first sensor.
US07747370B2
A GPS-based vehicle guidance system and a method for automatically guiding a vehicle through and end of a row turn. The present invention provides a method and system that automatically guides the vehicle through an end of row turn without manual control. An algorithm using the minimum turning radius of the vehicle and the rate of change of the vehicle creates a set of interpolated data points resulting in an end of row turn.
US07747364B2
The invention provides, in some aspects, improved methods, apparatus and systems for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation that utilize multiple data links between a UAV and a control station in order to transmit control and actionable intelligence data. Such methods, apparatus and systems can be used, for example, to monitor a selected environment (e.g., an oil field or other terrain/environment of interest). In a related aspect, such data links comprise satellite communication channels.
US07747361B2
In a method for injecting a plurality of spacecraft into different circum-earth or interplanetary orbits individually in a single launch, a plurality of spacecraft coupled to an assist module are injected into an interplanetary orbit having a periodicity synchronous with the earth's revolution period. Then, in a maneuver allowing the assist module to re-counter with and pass near to the earth (Earth swing-by), the assist module appropriately performs an orbital change maneuver and a separation maneuver for each of the spacecraft in a sequential order. Through these maneuvers, a closest-approach point to the earth is changed for each of the spacecraft so as to drastically change a subsequent orbital element for each of the spacecraft. The assist module takes a sufficient time to determine a target orbit for each of the spacecraft with a high degree of accuracy until a half month to several days before a closest-approach time in the Earth swing-by. Based on the determined orbit, the assist module makes an orbit correction of about several m/sec in a sequential order, and then separates the spacecraft therefrom in a sequential order. In this process, an inertia navigation is performed based on an accelerometer mounted in the assist module and information about attitude.
US07747355B2
A method of coupling a mechanical power source through an electrical power generator to an electrical load is disclosed. A characteristic of an electrical output is measured from the electrical power generator produced during a power generation cycle during which there is a coupling of the mechanical power source through the electrical power generator to the electrical load. The coupling of the mechanical power source is adjusted through the electrical power generator to the electrical load during a subsequent power generation cycle based at least in part on the measured characteristic of the electrical output.
US07747337B2
An audio playback apparatus that reproduces audio data stored in the form of an electronic file includes a hard disc drive for storing audio data and management data for managing the audio data; an external interface section for outputting the management data read from the hard disc drive, to an external editing apparatus and for receiving the management data edited by the external editing apparatus; and a control section for rewriting the management data stored in the hard disc drive to the management data edited by the external editing apparatus. By using the external editing apparatus to edit additional information for managing the audio data stored in the hard disc drive of large capacity, the labor in editing additional information can be saved.
US07747314B2
Alternative designs, materials and manufacturing methods for guidewires. Some embodiments pertain to a composite guidewire having proximal and distal section, and a connector adapted and configured for permanently joining the proximal section to the distal section. In some embodiments, at least one of the sections is made of a linear-elastic nickel-titanium alloy. Several alternative guidewire tip designs including coiled safety/shaping structures are also disclosed.
US07747307B2
A method and system for locating a source of a signal. The source may be a wireless marker that is implanted in an object, such as a human body. The signal generated by the marker is a magnetic field. The location system uses an array of sensors to measure the magnetic field of the marker at various sensor locations. The location system compares the set of actual measurements to sets of reference measurements for various known locations within a bounding volume. Based on the comparisons, the location system identifies the set of reference measurements that most closely matches the set of actual measurements. The location system then uses sets of reference measurements for known locations near the closest known location to more accurately determine the marker location when it is not actually at one of the known locations.
US07747301B2
Apparatus and method for non-invasive and minimally-invasive sensing of parameters relating to blood
Medical diagnostic system, apparatus and methods are disclosed. Optical transmitters generate radiation-containing photons having a specific interaction with at least one target chromophore in a target structure, preferably a blood vessel such as the interior jugular vein. The optical transmitters transmit the radiation into at least a first area including a substantial portion of the target structure and into a second area not including a substantial portion of the target structure. Optical receivers detect a portion radiation scattered from at least the first area and the second area. A processor estimates oxygenation, pH or cardiac output based on the scattered radiation detected from the first area, and the scattered radiation from the second area.
US07747297B2
A personal digital assistant 1 composed of a main body 2 formed with an operation section 212; a cover body 3 which is freely attached and slides parallel to the operating section 212 from a position overlapped on the operation section side of the main body 2; and an energization spring 45 formed in the cover body 3 which applies force along a direction which maintains an opened state in an opened position where the cover body 3 has been made to slide from the main body 2. Accordingly, a sliding type personal digital assistant can be stabilized in a closed position and/or an opened position and prevent opening or closing in a midway through position.
US07747294B2
A mobile station comprises a substrate having circuitry adapted to perform communication functions. The mobile station also comprises a keypad adapted to receive input from a user to control the mobile station, wherein at least one key of the keypad is operably coupled to the substrate. The mobile station also comprises an antenna at least partially housed in the at least one key to receive wireless communications. The wireless communications may comprise satellite communications, such as digital multimedia communications. The keypad may comprise input keys adapted to receive input of numbers and characters, and the a multi-key having a plurality of radially arranged buttons. The keypad may also comprise function keys arranged around the multi-key, and a padbase adapted to fix the input keys, the multi-key, and the function keys on the surface of the keypad. The antenna may be positioned in a lower portion of the multi-key.
US07747293B2
A cellular phone comprises a transceiver that wirelessly transmits and receives wireless cellular signals, a display, an input device, a microphone that generates audio signals and a light sensing module that senses ambient light. A control module communicates with the transceiver, the display, the input device, the microphone and the light sensing module, and comprises a comparing module that generates a first signal when the ambient light signal is less than a threshold, a timing module that determines a duration of the first signal and a selecting module that communicates with the timing module and that selectively deactivates the display and the input device when the duration is greater than a first period.
US07747268B2
A method for processing a talk burst of a PTT server when a PTT terminal requests permission to send a talk burst, but the talk burst has already been allocated to another PTT terminal. The PTT server sends to every PTT terminal having a session established therefor, a talk burst deny message including an ID of the PTT terminal having sent the talk burst request message. Then, each PTT terminal having received the talk burst deny message compares its own ID with the ID included in the talk burst deny message and outputs the comparison result, such that the request for permission to send the talk burst can be processed and every user can check the status information of all PTT terminals having a session established thereof.
US07747264B2
Techniques for delivering advertisements and similar promotional messages to mobile users using USSD technology are disclosed. USSD provides session-based communication in which transactions occur only during a session. Advertisements may be delivered through USSD in several ways: by inserting a short text into a message in a mobile-initiated USSD session, by temporarily diverting a mobile-initiated USSD session toward an advertisement sub-session, by triggering a network-initiated USSD session the main purpose of which is the delivery of an advertisement, and by causing a mobile user to initiate a USSD session the main purpose of which is the delivery of an advertisement. Also disclosed is a process for inserting advertisements into USSD messages, a process for inserting advertisement sub-sessions into USSD sessions, and a process for delivering advertisements with network-initiated USSD sessions.
US07747252B2
A method and system for processing a handover request in a wireless network. The method includes sending a first message by a first base station to a mobile station. The first message includes a first handover request. Additionally, the method includes receiving a second message by the first base station from the mobile station. The second message includes a second handover request, and the second handover request includes an indicator indicating whether the second message has been sent from the mobile station in response to a third handover request. Moreover, the method includes processing information associated with the second message by the first base station, and determining whether the second message has been sent from the mobile station in response to the third handover request based on at least information associated with the second message.
US07747251B1
Methods and systems are provided for dynamic selection by a mobile station of its home agent using its preferred roaming list (PRL). A mobile station maintains a PRL comprising an association between (i) a first set of data identifying a first wireless wide area network (WWAN) and (ii) a first identifier of a first home agent. The mobile station detects a broadcast of the first set of data by the first WWAN. Responsive to detecting the broadcast of the first set of data by the first WWAN, the mobile station connects to the first WWAN. Responsive to connecting to the first WWAN, the mobile station uses the first identifier to register with the first home agent.
US07747250B2
The present invention relates to a method and arrangement to enhance the communication performance in wireless communication systems. The method of the invention provides a method of calibrating at least one first radio node in a wireless communication network. The communication network comprises at least a first radio node and a second radio node, which can be arranged to be in radio communication with each other. The calibration method is based on that at least one representation of radio channel characteristics, which has been exchanged from one radio node to the other. Whereby inaccuracies and differences in transmit receive chains are compensated and channel reciprocity can be used.
US07747249B2
A GSM/UMTS emulator is disclosed for emulating a real network so that certain device functionalities can be easily tested. The architecture of such a GSM/UMTS emulator may include a terminal PC and a server. The terminal PC runs the device (including a radio interface layer and a multiplexer). The server acts as the application server to emulate UMTS network performance. Such an emulator may enable testing of both control information and data applications.
US07747232B2
A method and apparatus for operating a radio reception system, which comprises a plurality of receivers assigned to a common output device, in which one of the receivers is designated as audio receiver and is tuned to a frequency of a radio transmitter, and outputs a signal received from the transmitter to the output device. At least one second receiver is designated as search receiver, and continuously searches its own reception frequency band for a frequency of the same transmitter. The system changes to a frequency of this transmitter, which was found by the search receiver, if the quality of the signal received by the audio receiver falls below a certain limit.
US07747229B2
Communications device may include a plurality of antenna elements, an ancillary control receiver, and a primary receiver. The plurality of antenna elements may provide respective fixed beams. The ancillary control receiver may be coupled to each of the antenna elements, and the ancillary control receiver may be configured to measure a signal strength from each of the antenna elements and to select one of the antenna elements responsive to the measured signal strengths. The primary receiver may be configured to receive communications using the selected antenna element. Related methods are also discussed.
US07747222B2
A system includes a sampling module, a counter module, and a frequency characteristic module. The sampling module samples radio frequency (RF) signals on a first channel for a first predetermined period and a second predetermined period that is subsequent to the first predetermined period. The counter module increments first and second counts when the samples collected during the first and second predetermined periods reverse polarity, respectively. The frequency characteristic module determines a frequency of the RF signal based on at least one of the first and the second counts and determines frequency variation of the RF signal based on the first and second counts.
US07747220B2
An IDT produces a SAW when excited by a single electrical pulse and can be fabricated to embody a code, which code provides for a passive autocorrelation of a SAW input to the IDT and thereby lends itself to further application as a signal generator in a communication device. However, internal dimensions of IDTs are inversely proportional to operating frequency, such that high frequency IDTs present significant manufacturing difficulties. Fabrication of IDTs for high frequency applications is simplified by exploiting a harmonic frequency SAW generated by IDTs. An IDT may therefore be designed according to fundamental frequency internal dimension criteria but can operate at a multiple of the fundamental frequency, thereby providing much higher frequency operation than conventional SAW systems. Operation of a second harmonic SAW system at 2.4 GHz based on a fundamental frequency of 1.2 GHz is contemplated.
US07747217B1
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming.
US07747205B2
An image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing toner image on a recording material, the fixing device includes: a heating member which heats a recording material; a pressing member which comes into contact with the heating member with pressure; and an air separator which separates the recording material from the heating member by compressed air blown between a leading edge of the recording material and the heating member, the air separator includes a plurality of nozzles disposed in a width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording material and an air emitting amount distribution setting section which unifies an emitting amount distribution in the width direction of the compressed air which is emitted from the nozzles.
US07747202B2
The toner bottle exchangeably used in an image forming apparatus. The toner bottle includes a bottle body having a substantially cylindrical shape and configured to contain toner, a gear configured to rotate a part of the toner bottle, a cap attached to the bottle body and including an opening arranged in a circumferential surface of the cap and configured to output toner to a development apparatus of the image forming apparatus, a toner conveyance mechanism arranged in the bottle body and configured to convey the toner to the opening.
US07747198B2
A toner cartridge and a process cartridge, individually, have a shutter which makes sliding movement by opening and closing their toner inlet and toner outlet. When those cartridges are attached to a color printer and fixed together by a fixing lever, the shutters of both cartridges and the fixing lever can move together as one. When they make sliding movement together, both of the shutters are opened and toner supply becomes available. There are thus realized a toner cartridge, a process cartridge, an imaging cartridge, and an image forming apparatus to which those cartridges are attachable, all of which can prevent toner leakage from both a toner housing portion and a process portion and enables even an unaccustomed user to attach each cartridge without making surroundings dirty.
US07747194B2
A toner supply device is equipped with a coupling that has a toner supply opening on the side wall, a partition wall provided in this coupling integrally with a specific space provided on the inner wall and a hole larger than a toner supply opening on the side wall. A toner bottle containing toner is provided in the coupling with its cap portion inserted airtight into the partition wall detachably and an opening provided on its cap portion opposing to the hole on the partition wall for replenishing toner to a developing device from this opening through the hole and a toner supply opening.
US07747193B2
A developing device includes a cabinet, a developer carrier, a transport member rotating around a transport member shaft, and a developer cartridge attachable to and detachable from the cabinet. The developer cartridge includes a cartridge side first opening and a cartridge side second opening. The cabinet includes a cabinet side first opening located in a position opposed to the cartridge side first opening and a cabinet side second opening located in a position opposed to the cartridge side second opening. The cartridge side first opening, the cartridge side second opening, the cabinet side first opening and the cabinet side second opening extend in a vertical direction. The transport member transports a developer from the cabinet side first opening to the cabinet side second opening. A lower end of the cabinet side second opening is located upper than a center of the transport member shaft in the vertical direction.
US07747183B2
An image forming apparatus capable of appropriately cleaning an image carrier is provided. An image forming apparatus 1 including toner cartridges 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K, a developing section which forms toner images, an image carrier 4 which carries the toner images formed by the developing section, a transfer member 5 which transfers toner images from the image carrier 4 to a recording sheet S, and a cleaner 14 which is operable for press and release operation to/from the image carrier 4 and which is pressed to the image carrier 4 to scrape off the toner remaining on the image carrier 4 is provided with a control means 23 which decreases the number of press and release operations of the cleaner 14 when the cumulated value of the number of images formed since the first use of the brand-new toner cartridges 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K is large.
US07747169B2
A method for operating an optical receiver includes at each of a sequence of sampling times, producing a first 2D complex digital signal vector whose first component is indicative of a phase and amplitude of one polarization component of a modulated optical carrier and whose second component is indicative of a phase and amplitude of another polarization component of the carrier. For each one of the sampling times, the method includes constructing a second 2D complex digital signal vector that is a rotation of the first 2D complex digital vector for the one of sampling times. The rotation compensates a polarization rotation produced by transmission of the modulated optical carrier between an optical transmitter and the optical receiver.
US07747160B2
A device measures one or more of a distance from an eye of a subject, a blink of the eye, and lighting adjacent to the subject, calculates automated red eye removal settings based on one or more of the measured distance, blink, and lighting, automatically removes red eye from an image of the subject based on the calculated automated red eye removal settings, captures the image of the subject, and stores the captured image.
US07747148B2
A shake detecting apparatus includes a shake detecting sensor for outputting signals resulting from shake given to the shake detecting apparatus. In the case of application, for example, to an image pickup apparatus, the shake detecting sensor detects camera shake given to the image pickup apparatus. The shake detecting apparatus further includes an first integrating section for integrating the signals outputted from the shake detecting sensor, a second integrating section for integrating outputs of the first integrating section, and a correcting section for correcting the outputs of the first integrating section using outputs of the second integrating section after the lapse of a specified period following a specified timing.
US07747147B2
For the purpose of providing a heating unit being small in size, high in efficiency, long in service life, and high in versatility so as to be easily adaptable to various applications, and providing a heating apparatus that uses the heating unit, the heating unit is configured so that a first glass tube is protected against contaminants and the like using a second glass tube, caps and spacers, a reflective sheet may be disposed in a clearance between the first glass tube and the second glass tube, and the clearance in which the reflective sheet is disposed is sealed using the caps. The heating apparatus uses the heating unit described above as a heat source.
US07747141B2
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened.
US07747139B2
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened.
US07747133B2
The recording medium includes a navigation area having navigation information recording therein. The navigation information indicates a portion of a clip file, which includes video data, to display as a still image and a duration to display the still image.
US07747127B2
A plurality of optical members (lenses) for use in ultraviolet region are mutually stuck. A fluorine-based organic compound (for example, fluorine-based oil) is provided between them. The periphery of the optical members is sealed with a sealant. As the sealant, an adhesive fluorine resin, for example, a soluble fluorine resin is used.
US07747126B2
An optical fiber feedthrough assembly includes a glass plug disposed in a recess of a feedthrough housing. The glass plug may define a large-diameter, cane-based, waveguide sealed within the recess in the housing and providing optical communication through the housing. Sealing occurs with respect to the housing at or around the glass plug of an optical waveguide element passing through the housing by braze sealing to the glass plug and/or embedding the glass plug in a polymer bonded with the plug to form a molded body that is sealed in the housing by, for example, compression mounting of the molded body or providing a sealing element around the molded body.
US07747107B2
A method for content-aware image retargeting generates an energy image from a source image according to an energy function. From the energy image, one or more seams are determined according to a minimizing function such that each seam has a minimal energy. Each seam is applied to the source image to obtain a target image that preserves content and a rectangular shape of the source image.
US07747105B2
Method for producing a rotation-compensated image sequence allowing simplified reconstruction of the translation of a camera by real time rotation compensation of images recorded sequentially by an electronic camera randomly displaced in a scene and provided with a rotation sensor resulting from an association of color and/or brightness values of the pixels of a camera pixel field indicated by rectangular coordinates.
US07747102B2
An optical correlator includes an image production device and an image capture device disposed in a common plane. An optical device such as a lens or mirror provides a Fourier transform of image information from the image production device onto the image capture device. An advantage of embodiments of the invention is its small size.
US07747100B2
A method for adaptive false contour reduction includes: detecting contour location information by removing a flat region having certain brightness values from a first input image based on a bright value difference between the first input image and a second input image with a bit depth of the first input image reduced; detecting false-contour direction and location information by measuring directional contrast of the flat region-removed first image, and distinguishing the false contour area and an edge area out of the false contour location information based on the measured contrast; and smoothing the false contour area by using the false contour direction and location information, and removing the false contour from the first input image. Thus, a flat region can be automatically removed by using a brightness value difference between a bit depth-reduced image and an original input image and detect a false contour, thereby enhancing a precision degree of false contour detection. Further, signal components can be prevented from being degraded by performing smoothing over only a false contour.
US07747099B2
Systems and methods of automatically adjusting brightness of a digital image are provided. A particular method includes accessing data including a first digital image and identifying text and background in the first digital image. The method also includes calculating an average pixel value exclusive of the text and the background for the first digital image. The method further includes adjusting a brightness setting associated with the first digital image based on the calculated average pixel value.
US07747097B2
A size limiter module used to limit a file size of an encoded file is disclosed. The size limiter module includes a size limiter set-up calculator and a size limiter processing engine. The size limiter calculator is configured to identify a maximum bit size for a set of data to be encoded based on a maximum value for the file size of the encoded file. The size limiter processing engine is configured to be in communication with the size limiter set-up calculator to process the set of data to be encoded and to monitor a cumulative bit size for the set of data according to an order. When the cumulative bit size is greater than a maximum bit size, the size limiter processing engine inserts end of block data into the set of data. The end of block data signals the substitution of a null value for all data units subsequent to the end of block data.
US07747094B2
An input image signal 101 is divided into MC block units and, when coding processing is performed in these divided units, a motion compensation section 107 generates a motion-compensated prediction image 106a by detecting movement amounts in predetermined MC block units, a smoothing filter section 124 performs, with respect to the prediction image 106a, smoothing of pixels located at the boundaries of adjoining MC blocks on the basis of predetermined evaluation criteria, and a prediction residual signal 108, which is obtained from the difference between the prediction image 106b obtained by the smoothing, and the input image (input image signal 101), is encoded. Accordingly, it is possible to use relatively straightforward computation to perform processing, with respect to a prediction frame image generated by block-unit motion-compensated interframe prediction (MC), to adaptively smooth a discontinuous waveform generated between MC blocks of the prediction frame image, whereby the efficiency of low bit rate coding that employs interframe MC is improved.
US07747091B2
Systems and methods for section-by-section processing of the digital image file are disclosed. More specifically, the disclosed systems and methods operate in stages to select portions, but not the entirety, of the relevant image data file that is to be processed. With respect to each specified section, practice of one embodiment of these systems and methods involves processing or transforming the selected portion and then storing each processed portion to produce a transformed image data file.
US07747090B2
A re-order buffer memory in a real-time application such as e.g., an imager. Initially, input data is written into the re-order buffer using a first addressing mode, which causes the data to be stored in a line-by-line manner. Prior to receiving the last line of input data, the stored data is read-out in blocks of data that spans multiples lines in the buffer. This frees up space in the re-order buffer. Subsequently received input data is written into the re-order buffer using a second addressing mode, which stores the newly received data in vertical segments of the re-order buffer whose stored data has already been read-out. Writing/reading of the re-order buffer alternates between the first and second addressing modes. Using this technique, a single buffer may be used to input new data while existing data is being read-out.
US07747086B1
A display encoding system is disclosed. The display encoding system includes at least one processor, an encoding circuit, the encoding circuit having a structure separate from the structure of the processor(s), a communication connection to a computer network, a drawing memory, a traffic manager, and a memory access circuit. The processor(s) are configured to execute drawing commands, access the drawing memory via the memory access circuit to store image representation(s) in the drawing memory. The encoding circuit is configured to access the drawing memory to encode at least a portion of the image representation(s) stored in the drawing memory based on the executed drawing commands. The traffic manager is configured to transmit the encoded image over the communication connection to at least one display device.
US07747084B2
Methods and systems for discriminating targets using information derived from a sensor are presented. In one embodiment, a method features receiving a plurality of observations corresponding to a target; retrieving probabilities of the observations associated with each of a plurality of states, where the states are based a statistical model associated with at least one target type; consolidating the probabilities of observations for each of the plurality of states using a weighted combination; computing the probability of each state associated with the plurality of observations; selecting a state of the target based upon the computed probability of each state; and discriminating the target based upon the selected state.
US07747082B2
An image is classified respective to JPEG compression history. An image signature is derived from the image. The image signature is indicative of spatial frequencies content of chrominance components of the image including spatial frequencies content associated with JPEG compression. The image is classified respective to whether the image has undergone JPEG compression based on analysis of the image signature.
US07747073B2
A system and method for generating an adjusted profile for a device in response to a specified aim, where the aim may include parameters established in response to a user's specifications, for device emulation, etc.
US07747072B2
Focusing on pixels that constitute a color image sequentially, color differences Cx and Cy in X and Y directions are found using image data in a mask centering around the focal pixel. For the pixel in which the sum of the color differences is not less than a predetermined value, a color difference is found in each of directions E1 and E2 that pass through the pixel and correspond to the first quadrant and the second quadrant in the X-Y coordinate system, and it is determined that the color change is generated in the direction having the larger color difference. Then, based on the determination result and the values of the color differences Cx and Cy, an angle (edge code) showing the direction of the color change is calculated.
US07747070B2
A convolutional neural network is implemented on a graphics processing unit. The network is then trained through a series of forward and backward passes, with convolutional kernels and bias matrices modified on each backward pass according to a gradient of an error function. The implementation takes advantage of parallel processing capabilities of pixel shader units on a GPU, and utilizes a set of start-to-finish formulas to program the computations on the pixel shaders. Input and output to the program is done through textures, and a multi-pass summation process is used when sums are needed across pixel shader unit registers.
US07747061B2
An Any Which Way Check Acceptance method and apparatus is provided, which allow a set of checks to be deposited in a stack, where each check can be oriented in any of sixteen different ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the ATM check reader has an MICR and OCR scanner/reader. When a set of checks is deposited, each check is subjected to a MICR scan and an OCR scan. If the check is aligned correctly and right side up, then the check is processed based on the MICR scan information. If the check is not aligned correctly or is upside down, then the MICR read fails because the magnetic stripe on the check is not where it is expected to be. Rather than rejecting the check at this point, the invention uses the OCR scan information from both the front and back of the check to process the check.
US07747057B2
A method for performing BIS correction includes scanning an object with a computed tomography (CT) system to obtain data, reconstructing an image using the obtained data, and using the image to perform BIS correction.
US07747039B2
A device automatically detects boundary lines on the road from an image captured by a camera mounted on the vehicle. The device includes a controller that performs image processing on the image to compute the velocity information for each pixel in the image, and, on the basis of the computed velocity information for each pixel in the image, extracts the pixels that contain velocity information, detects the oblique lines formed by the extracted pixels, and detects the boundary lines on the road on the basis of the detected oblique lines.
US07747035B1
A loudspeaker having a diaphragm with a fixed edge and a free edge, and a multiplicity of conductors running parallel to its length and adjacent to the free edge.
US07747034B2
A speaker device includes a voice coil bobbin around which a voice coil is wound, and a connecting member mounted on an outer peripheral wall of the voice coil bobbin. Plural ventilation holes are provided on a side wall of the voice coil bobbin with constant spaces, and plural ventilation holes are provided at a cylindrical part of the connecting member with constant spaces. Particularly, in this speaker device, each position of the ventilation holes of the connecting member coincides with each position of the ventilation holes of the voice coil bobbin in such a state that the connecting member is mounted on the outer peripheral wall of the voice coil bobbin.
US07747028B2
In an apparatus for improving voice clarity by controlling a gain of a voice based on a sound pressure level of the voice and a sound pressure level of noise, it is determined whether a sound pressure level of a gain-controlled voice exceeds a maximum allowable level. If the sound pressure level exceeding the maximum allowable level is caused by audio sound, a sound pressure level of the audio sound is reduced. The sound pressure level of the audio sound is minimally reduced so that the sound pressure level of the voice becomes equal to or lower than the maximum allowable level.
US07747024B2
A system, method, and program product is provided that uses environments to control access to encryption keys. A request for an encryption key and an environment identifier is received. If the encryption key is not associated with the environment identifier, the request is denied. If they are associated, the system receives user-supplied environment authentication data items from a user. Examples of environment authentication data include passwords, user identifiers, user biometric data (e.g., fingerprint scan, etc.), smart cards, and the like. The system retrieves stored environment authentication data items from a secure (e.g., encrypted) storage location. The retrieved stored environment authentication data items correspond to the environment identifier that was received. The received environment authentication data items are authenticated using the retrieved stored environment authentication data items. If the authentication is successful, the user is allowed use of the requested encryption key, otherwise, the request is denied.
US07747018B2
A security system and method of operation includes a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver in wireless communication with the wireless transmitter, and a control panel. The transmitter transmits a wireless message, including a unique transmitter identification number, a status portion with a plurality of status bits, and a sequence count which it increments only when any one of the status bits changes. The receiver receives the wireless message, converts the wireless message to a digital message which is sent to the control panel. The control panel processes the digital message by extracting the sequence count and transmitter identification number. A previous sequence count associated with the transmitter identification number is retrieved from memory, and the sequence count from the message is compared with the previous sequence count. If the sequence count is not less than the previous sequence count, then the control panel processes the message.
US07747017B2
A communication system provides a clear channel link for transport of encrypted payload across a network of the communication system. When a source access network receives, via an air interface, a frame that is formatted pursuant to an air interface protocol and that comprises encrypted payload, the source access network demultiplexes the frame to separate the encrypted payload and assembles an Intersystem Link Protocol (ISLP) frame that comprises the encrypted payload. The source access network adds a link layer header to the ISLP frame that identifies one or more of frame type information and a sequence value associated with the frame and conveys the ISLP frame and added header across the network, for example, to a destination access network. Based on the added header, the source and destination access networks are able to perform clear channel synchronization.
US07747016B2
A data transmitting and receiving method for improving transmission and reception efficiency can be obtained by improving the security through update of a control key and reduction of the frequency of the authentication and key exchange process. An STB 1 transmits encrypted digital data Kw (D) obtained by encrypting digital data D using a work key Kw, and an encrypted work key Kc (Kw) obtained by encrypting the Kw using a control key Kc. The Kc is periodically or non-periodically updated, and an identifier L identifying the Kc is assigned to each Kc. A VTR device 2 decrypts the received Kc (Kw) using the Kc obtained by performing the authentication and key exchange process with the STB 1, decrypts the Kw (D) received using the Kw to obtain the D. It is determined whether or not the Kc has been updated while the reception process is suspended by referring to the transmitted L when the reception process is suspended and then resumed. If it is determined that the Kc has been updated, then the authentication and key exchange process is performed again to obtain the updated Kc.
US07747014B2
A receiver sends a first random number to a transmitter. The transmitter generates a sync signal in response to the first random number sent from the receiver. The transmitter embeds the sync signal and key information in a second random number to generate a composite signal. In the composite signal, the sync signal is a position indicator for the key information. The transmitter sends the composite signal to the receiver. The transmitter generates an encryption key from the key information. The receiver detects the sync signal in the composite signal sent from the transmitter. The receiver extracts the key information from the composite signal in response to the detected sync signal. The receiver generates an encryption key from the extracted key information. The encryption key generated by the receiver is equal to that generated by the transmitter. Thus, the transmitter and the receiver hold the same encryption key in common.
US07747010B1
A telephony software client application for handling the insertion and removal of logical audio devices.
US07747009B2
The invention relates to a retaining device for the purpose of mechanically and electrically connecting a mobile user device, in particular a mobile radio telephone or a PDA, to a vehicle.
US07747002B1
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is directed toward a method and system for cancelling line echo in the presence of a known secondary audio signal. Filter adaption is enabled in the presence of a known secondary audio source such as the sound of a computer game, a music signal or other secondary audio sources that would otherwise prevent echo cancellation due to an apparent double talk condition. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
US07747001B2
A speech signal processing system combines acoustic noise reduction and echo cancellation to enhance acoustic performance. The speech signal processing system may be used in vehicles or other environments where noise-suppressed communication is desirable. The system includes an adaptive beamforming signal processing unit, an adaptive echo compensating unit to reduce acoustic echoes, and an adaptation unit to combine noise reduction and adaptive echo compensating.
US07746994B1
Method for managing data with a telephone, and a telephone that manages data. A personal secret access code is entered into the telephone by a user of the telephone. The user may then create a private list that contains telephone numbers associated with the personal secret access code entered by the user. The user can also create a public list that can be accessed by any user of the telephone. However, the telephone numbers contained in the private list may only be accessed by the user that entered the associated personal secret access code.
US07746993B2
A phone line selector module used in telecommunications related equipment for automatically sensing and switching back and forth between first and second input ports. The selector module includes a two-piece inter-fitting housing which receives a miniature printed circuit board therein. The miniature printed circuit board is used to mount phone line selector circuitry thereon. The phone line selector circuitry includes a first ring sensing circuit, a second ring sensing circuit, and a latching relay.
US07746991B2
An apparatus and method of providing a call service using a prepaid card in a portable terminal is provided. The prepaid card is photographed according to a predetermined prepaid card capturing mode operation, and a unique prepaid card number is recognized from the photographed image and stored. A phone number is received and the prepaid card number and the phone number are dialed.
US07746977B2
A digital radiation image radiographing system includes an X-ray tube to irradiate a radiographic subject with X-rays and a digital detector to detect X-rays having passed through the radiographic subject, and performs a phase contrast radiography. The system satisfies a formula (D≧(2S−E)/(M−1)), in which D (μm) represents the focal size of the X-ray tube, S (μm) represents the minimum control unit of the digital detector, R1 (m) represents a distance from the focus point of the X-ray tube to the radiographic subject, R2 (m) represents a distance from the radiographic subject to the digital detector, M represents an enlargement ratio (M=(R1+R2)/R1), and E represents an edge enhancement width according to X-ray refraction.
US07746976B2
A method and system for determining the bone mineral density of a body extremity. An image of a body extremity is acquired using a mammography x-ray system whereby a bone mineral density can be performed on the image. The system for determining the bone mineral density of a body extremity includes: a support for supporting the body extremity; a detector for capturing an image of the body extremity; and an x-ray source adapted to project an x-ray beam through the body extremity toward the detector, the x-ray source having a voltage of no more than about 45 kVp and having a target/filter combination of rhodium/rhodium, molybdenum/molybdenum, molybdenum/rhodium, or tungsten/rhodium. An attenuation filter separate from the target/filter combination may be provided between the source and the body extremity, between the body extremity and the detector, or both.
US07746974B2
A system includes emission of first electrons toward a first focal spot using an X-ray tube located at a first position, emission of first radiation from the first focal spot toward an object, acquisition of a first projection of the object based on the emitted first radiation using a computed tomography radiation detector, emission of second electrons toward a second focal spot using the X-ray tube located at the first position, emission of second radiation from the second focal spot toward the object, acquisition of a second projection of the object based on the emitted second radiation using the computed tomography radiation detector, and generation of an image of the object based on the first projection and the second projection.
US07746966B2
The present invention relates to a method for automatic gain control (AGC) before an initial synchronization of a mobile station modem in OFDM system, and an apparatus thereof. The AGC apparatus includes: an initial synchronization inspector that verifies whether an initial synchronization for an input block sample (k) signal has been performed; a frame divider that divides a frame into predetermined intervals B(k) for the input block sample(k) signal in the case that the initial synchronization has not been performed; a reference value inspector that compares a difference value Pref−Pcalc, between a predetermined reference value Pref and sample data average energy Pcalc, with a predetermined value; a count controller that increases or decreases the count when the difference value Pref−Pcalc compared by the reference value inspector is greater or less than the predetermined value; a count inspector that inspects whether the count is greater or less than 0 when the input block sample (k) reaches a maximum value MAX; and a gain controller which increases or decreases the gain, level by level, according to the count inspection result of the count inspector.
US07746964B2
A signal processing apparatus includes a plurality of equalizer each used for a corresponding frequency band, controller for setting a gain value in each of the plurality of equalizer, and signal processor for processing an input signal by means of the plurality of equalizer. The controller determines a target gain value for each of the plurality of frequency bands, obtains a value of gain leakage from the first frequency band to a second frequency band adjacent to the first frequency band, updates a gain value set for the second frequency band, updates a gain value set for the first frequency band, repeats an update process for updating the gain value for each of the first frequency band and the second frequency band in an alternate manner until the gain value satisfies a predetermined condition, and sets the updated gain value for each of the frequency bands in the corresponding equalizer.
US07746962B2
The present invention provides a packet detector for use with a packet-based wireless receiver employing a receive antenna for P concurrently transmitted streams, where P is at least two. In one embodiment, the packet detector includes a correlation unit coupled to the single receive antenna and configured to provide a correlation function based on P acquisition fields corresponding to the P concurrently transmitted streams. Additionally, the packet detector also includes a pseudo-magnitude calculator coupled to the correlation unit and configured to calculate a packet detection metric based on the correlation function.
US07746949B2
A communications apparatus is capable of being disposed in-line in a communications link that supports a main communications channel. The communications link connects a first host to a second host. The communications apparatus comprises an application logic that supports a sub-channel within the main channel. When the main channel is potentially faulty, the application logic is arranged to monitor the main channel to determine an error condition and send a message by replacing data reserved for control purposes in order to communicate the error condition as sub-channel data.
US07746948B2
Disclosed is a wireless communication apparatus which synthesize signals received from a plurality of antennas to separate the signals into synthesis signals of a plurality of logical channels. The apparatus has a first phase corrector correcting a phase of a reception signal by estimating an amount of phase correction by a frequency offset of each reception signal from the plurality of antennas; a synthesizer synthesizing reception signals after phase correction by the first phase corrector to separate the reception signals into synthesis signals of a plurality of logical channels; and a second phase corrector correcting a phase of a synthesis signal by estimating an amount of phase correction by a residual frequency offset after phase correction by the first phase corrector based on the synthesis signal synthesized by the synthesizer.
US07746946B2
Modifying a signal according to a diversity parameter adjustment includes accessing scan parameter values, where a scan parameter describes a scan process. The scan parameter values include diversity parameter vectors, where a diversity parameter vector has a diversity parameter value for each of one or more diversity parameters. The scan process is performed by repeating the following for each diversity parameter vector: modifying a signal according to the diversity parameter values of the diversity parameter vector, where the signal is transmitted from a modifying communication device to a feedback communication device; and receiving a feedback signal reflecting feedback information describing the signal as received by the feedback communication device.
US07746938B2
In an OFDM transmitting apparatus, where m (where m is an integer of one or greater) adjacent subcarriers are adopted as a set, an orthogonal code generator generates orthogonal codes of each set in such a manner that the orthogonal codes will be orthogonal in the time direction in regard to m subcarriers of each set and orthogonal in the subcarrier direction in regard to m pilot symbols. An orthogonal code multiplier uses orthogonal codes of each set to multiply subcarrier components of the corresponding set, and an IFFT unit applies IFFT processing to the results of multiplication in each subcarrier.
US07746926B2
A pulse width modulation (PWM) Regulator System with automatically switching pulse skipping mode (PSM) is disclosed. The PWM regulator system comprises a PWM regulator, a PSM switching module and a pulse generator. The PWM regulator converts the input voltage by PWM. The PSM switching module determines to enter or exit the PSM. The pulse generator adaptively produces pulse signal for the switching regulator to operate in PSM.
US07746916B2
A method of generating a code sequence in a wireless communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes recognizing a desired length of the code sequence, generating a code sequence having a length different from the desired length, and modifying the length of the generated code sequence to equal the desired length. Here, the step of modifying includes discarding at least one element of the generated code sequence or inserting at least one null element to the generated code sequence.
US07746914B2
A waveguide retroreflector consists of an end cap with curved output surface attached to a waveguide such as optical fiber. The radius of curvature of the output surface of the end cap matches the length of the end cap so as to retro-reflect a substantial portion of radiation exiting the waveguide, back into the waveguide. A method of fabricating the waveguide retroreflector includes steps of splicing an end cap to a waveguide, heating the free flat surface of the end cap, so that surface tension changes the shape of the end cap to a convex shape due to surface tension, monitoring amount of light reflected off the surface being heated, and stopping applying the heat when the amount of the reflected light approaches a maximum value.
US07746907B2
An overhead processor processes overhead bytes in a stream of Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) frames in multiple levels. In one embodiment, the overhead processor includes three stages. A first stage provides access for external processing of a first set of overhead bytes in the stream of SONET frames. A second stage is programmable to process a second set of overhead bytes in the stream of SONET frames. A third stage processes a third set of overhead bytes in each frame in the stream of SONET frames.
US07746904B2
A home theater includes a main unit section and at least one speaker section. The main unit section includes a communication section which receives an AV stream from an AV stream transmission device and via a communication network, a demux section which separates the AV stream into a video stream and an audio stream, a video processing means which processes the video stream so as to generate a video signal, an audio processing section which processes the audio stream so as to generate an audio signal, and an audio acquisition section which acquires an audio stream which includes at least a part of the audio of the AV stream. The communication section transmits the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition section to the speaker section, via the communication network.
US07746899B2
A method of calculating a bandwidth for a mobile terminal including requesting, by the mobile terminal, a description of a streaming content from a network and receiving a response from the network, requesting, by the mobile terminal, a Quality of Service (QoS) value corresponding to a required amount of bandwidth resources of the network for receiving a streaming service of the contents from information about the content included in the received response, and receiving, by the mobile terminal, allocated bandwidth resources of the network according to the QoS value.
US07746893B2
A controller of a communications network enables endpoints or multiple networks to intercommunicate using multiple types of bearer format (IP, TDM, ATM, Frame Relay, etc.), and enables a bearer format conversion when necessary to carry bearer channel information across an interface of the network. The network may be packet-based or circuit-based and may include gateways and associated controllers which work in tandem to transfer format conversion parameters between endpoints or networks. The format control parameters are exchanged between various controllers, i.e., call control elements, to determine the appropriate format to forward the bearer channel information across the interface and to instruct the associated gateway of the required format conversion. The determination of the necessary format conversions may occur on a call-by-call basis, or by periodically detecting and storing format conversions associated with the various endpoints and intercommunicating networks. A corresponding method is also disclosed.
US07746892B2
Frames of customer traffic may be encapsulated by adding Mac-in-Mac (MiM) encapsulation fields for transportation of the frames over a portion of provider network. The MiM encapsulated traffic may be further encapsulated using VPLS by adding VPLS encapsulation fields for transportation of the frames over another portion of the provider network. The MiM encapsulations use provider network_MAC addresses which enables VPLS MAC learning to occur using provider network MAC address space. MiM tunnels are mapped to VPLS service instances which are assigned pseudowire tags for transportation over the VPLS portion of provider network. The MiM header is retained when the MiM encapsulated frames are transported over the VPLS portion of the provider network. As VPLS frames exit the core network, the VPLS encapsulation fields are removed to extract the original MiM encapsulated frames for further transportation over the MiM portion of the provider network.
US07746886B2
A method for asymmetrical MIMO wireless communication begins by determining a number of transmission antennas for the asymmetrical MIMO wireless communication. The method continues by determining a number of reception antennas for the asymmetrical MIMO wireless communication. The method continues by, when the number of transmission antennas exceeds the number of reception antennas, using spatial time block coding for the asymmetrical MIMO wireless communication. The method continues by, when the number of transmission antennas does not exceed the number of reception antennas, using spatial multiplexing for the asymmetrical MIMO wireless communication.
US07746884B2
A communications gateway can be used to provide communications services from a communications service provide to electronic devices within a structure. Signals can be transmitted from the communications gateways to the electronic devices over a plurality of different types of wireline media. The communications gateway can allow communication services using a wireline medium (e.g., a set of twisted pair wires) to be transmitted within the structure by taking advantage of existing wireline media (e.g., CAT3 cable, coaxial cable, power lines, etc.).
US07746882B2
In a RTP stream having a plurality of FEC frames containing source blocks of media packets, random access points are inserted in front of the source blocks so as to allow a media decoder to decode the media packets as soon as FEC decoding is finished. In particular, the media packets contain forward error correction (FEC) source blocks for a multimedia broadcast/multicast-based streaming service content. As the multimedia broadcast/multicast streaming service includes dynamic interactive multimedia scene content where the source RTP packets of different media along with the FEC RTP packets are transmitted as separate RTP streams, the inclusion of the random access point facilitates immediate rendering of the dynamic interactive multimedia scene content after FEC decoding, thus reducing the tune-in latency.
US07746871B2
A method and interface are provided for using a memory that distinguishes transmission data from reception data and performs a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) operation on the transmission and reception data in a communication system. In the method, a controller receives from a register a last transmission address provided for dividing one memory module having L addresses into a transmission area having M addresses according to application, where M is less than or equal to L, and a reception area having (L-M) addresses. A codec interface allocates a first address up to the last transmission address of the memory module for the transmission area. The codec interface allocates an address increased by 1 from the last transmission address up to the last address of the memory module for the reception area.
US07746870B2
A system and corresponding methods efficiently transport Program Clock Reference (PCR) for audio services delivered on an MPEG-2 Transport Stream (TS) to an audio subsystem. The system processes an original Transport Stream (TS) to remove video packets other than those carrying the Program Clock Reference (PCR) and delivers the packets carrying the Program Clock Reference (PCR) along with audio to a receiving device. The total bandwidth needed to deliver the audio plus the necessary system clock and presentation timing information is therefore reduced.
US07746866B2
Methods and apparatus for delivering ordered and duplicate-free wireless data frames are generally described and claimed herein. Other embodiments may also be described herein. In an embodiment, a source address, a destination address, and a message sequence number are acquired from a wireless data frame. The message sequence number is compared against a last-received message sequence number and a last-delivered message sequence number. The destination address is also compared to a current address. In response to the compares, a decision is made to forward the wireless data frame to the destination address, discard the wireless frame as a duplicate wireless data frame, queue the wireless data frame, or release the wireless data frame to a next protocol layer.
US07746856B2
An apparatus and system provide an optimizing content processing throughput for systems on chips (“SoCs”). A Packet Processing Memory Controller Cache (“PPMCC”) on an SoC according to an embodiment of the present invention may enable the SoC to store content packets within the SoC, thus eliminating the need to write to and read from external memory. Additionally, by utilizing Quality of Service (“QoS”) tags for the content packets received by the SoC, PPMCC may enforce a unique caching policy which optimizing content processing. Finally, an Address Translation Lookup Table (“ATLT”) on the SoC enables packet processing controllers on the SoC to route packets directly amongst themselves by identifying the source and destination of each content packet.
US07746846B2
Methods and systems for processing Ethernet data are disclosed and may comprise receiving Ethernet data via a single gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip. A secure application key may be received from a secure server by an OSM integrated within the gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip for processing the received Ethernet data. The received Ethernet data may be processed by the gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip based on the received secure application key. A unique security identifier internal to the single gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip may be communicated off-chip to the secure server. The unique security identifier may identify the single gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip. The secure server may authenticate the gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip based on the unique security identifier internal to the single gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip, prior to the receiving of the secure application key.
US07746845B2
The invention relates to a method for the transmission of call control parameters for switching over between a voice transfer mode and a data transfer mode between two media gateway controllers (6, 7), which are used by way of an IP network between two telecommunication terminal devices separated from any medium or bearer connection, whereby the call control parameters are transferred with conversion into the SIP or SIP_T protocol or from this into a standard signaling protocol.
US07746844B1
A method, apparatus and computer product for modeling and analyzing performance of a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) configuration, composed of a plurality of components, is disclosed. The method comprises the step of representing selected ones of the plurality of components and relationships among the selected components, wherein said component representations are selected from the group of configuration non-specific representations consisting of: VoIP-DHCP Service, VoIP-CallOperation Service, VoIP_Signaling Service, VoIP_MediaGateway Service and VoIP_SIP Service, and wherein the representations of relationships are selected from the group of configuration non-specification representations consisting of: Hostedby/HostsServices and Integrates/IntegratedIn, providing a mapping between a plurality of first events and a plurality of second events occurring in the selected components, the mapping representing the relationships along which the first events propagate among the selected components, and determining at least one first event based on at least one of the plurality of second events by determining a measure between each of a plurality of relationship values associated with the plurality of first events and the plurality of second events.
US07746840B2
In a system for transmitting a plurality of data flows from a mobile station to a base station, combinations of capacities which are given from a radio network controller are optionally or quickly modified in the mobile station to be sent to the base station. The combinations of capacities are divided into a plurality of groups each of which is individually pointed by a sub pointer.
US07746837B2
We propose overhear-based transmitting control system in WLANs to improve performance of 802.11 wireless LANs. The main idea of this scheme is that when the transmission of a node fails, one of neighboring nodes with better channel quality retransmits the lost frame in substitution. To do so, every node should maintain overhear table to buffer the transmitted packets that is not yet acknowledged. We also present algorithms to retransmit lost packets, to maintain the overhear table and to compensate for the retransmission of packets of other nodes. The performance of this scheme is evaluated via simulations in terms of MPDU size and average path loss. It shows that in environments where the packet is likely to be lost more, the throughput gain of our proposed scheme performs better.
US07746833B2
A wireless transmit receive unit and methods for code division multiple access telecommunications are disclosed that process data in a physical layer and a medium access control (MAC) layer. The physical and MAC layers communicate data between each other via transport channels. The transport channels are associated with logical channels. Logical-channel data for the transport channels is provided in data units having a bit size evenly divisible by an integer N. The respective logical channels associated with a transport channel utilize MAC headers that have a selected modulo N bit size such that there is bit alignment of the MAC headers of all the logical channels associated with a particular transport channel. Preferably, the MAC headers and data units are combined into transport blocks (TBs) to transport data over the transport channels with bit padding such that the TBs have a bit size evenly divisible by N.
US07746832B2
Techniques to support adaptive multi-rate (AMR) coded data in a cdma2000 communication system. A number of AMR modes are defined for speech information (of various rates), silence descriptor (SID) (of various types), and blank frame. The speech and SID data are provided in frames conforming to frame formats defined by the cdma2000 system. A CRC is used for each AMR frame (e.g., 12-bit CRC for speech and 8-bit CRC for SID). The AMR data and CRC bits are further coded with a convolutional encoder. Blind rate detection is used to detect the frame rate of the transmitted AMR frames. To support blind rate detection, the number of bits provided to the CRC generator is different for each blind rate to be detected. If two or more blind rates have the same number of bits (such as for SID), then format bits are provided to distinguish between these rates.
US07746826B2
The invention discloses a method for wireless terminal dynamically switching window in a wireless LAN environment. The wireless LAN comprises several access points and stations which establish wireless communication connections with the access points. The stations can switch the current access window by scanning. The method characterizes in that including following steps: giving the switching window an initial value through the stations; the stations judge if there is another access point of which the signal quality is greater than that of the current access window through scanning wireless channels; if so, further judge if the stations are in a frequently handoff status, if so, the handoff judging result is not allowed to switch window; if not, the handoff judging result is allowed to switch window. The present invention can adaptively adjust the stations' switch windows according to the stations' handoff status and frequently handoff status. On one hand, the invention avoids the occurring of frequently handoff by changing the handoff conditions of the stations, increasing the access efficiency of the stations which is in the handoff status and in a wireless LAN environment, while maintaining the sensitivity of the stations which is in the handoff status, ensuring the quality of the wireless links between the stations and the access points.
US07746823B2
System and method for reducing acquisition time of packets in a FDD system, such as a spread-spectrum or OFDM system. A remote unit transmits a multi-tone packet. The multi-tone packet has a plurality of tones with each tone having a different power level, and at a different frequency, from other tones in the plurality of tones. The base station receives the multi-tone packet. The base station compares the plurality of tones from the received multi-tone packet to a threshold or other selection criteria. A tone is selected from the plurality of tones meeting desired selection criteria. Based on the selected tone, the base station transmits a BS packet with the BS packet having power information from the power level of the selected tone.
US07746822B2
Methods, apparatuses and systems for communicating in a wireless network are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method for communication in a wireless network that comprises determining a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for channels between a base station, one or more relay stations, and a user and selecting a relay station based on the determined SNRs. Embodiments may also include determining a time sharing parameter and a total transmitting time, transmitting by the base station to the selected relay station for a first duration, and transmitting simultaneously by the base station and relay station using multi-access code for a second duration. The simultaneous transmission may be adapted to be decoded utilizing joint decoding with interference cancellation. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US07746821B2
A broadband wireless access system including: a base station that allocates an uplink bandwidth to each connected subscriber station according to at least one algorithm; and at least one subscriber station that when there is no voice information to be sent through the uplink bandwidth allocated from the base station according to an unsolicited grant service (UGS) algorithm, detects another packet based on another algorithm, encapsulates the detected packet, and sends the encapsulated packet in a payload field of a UGS packet to the base station through the uplink bandwidth. Thus, the broadband wireless access system maximizes utilization of the bandwidth allocated according to the UGS algorithm.
US07746818B2
The present invention provides a single circuit and a method which can identify the WLAN standard of a packet or the modulation type of a packet. The single circuit includes a shift register, N determinators and decision logic. The shift register is configured to receive several periods of the preamble of the packet. Each of the N determinators is configured to determine whether the WLAN standard, or the modulation type, of the packet matches one of the N WLAN standards, or the N modulation types. Decision logic is configured to decide the WLAN standard, or the modulation type, of the packet.
US07746815B2
A hybrid forwarding apparatus and method for cooperative relaying in an OFDM network are provided. In a hybrid forwarding apparatus in a relay terminal, a forwarding scheme selector selects a forwarding scheme for transmission. An amplify and forward (AF) block amplifies data received from the forwarding scheme selector, if an AF scheme is selected. A decode and forward (DF) block decodes and encodes data received from the forwarding scheme selector, if a DF scheme is selected. A multiplexer provides the output data of the AF block and the DF block to an OFDM modulator.
US07746811B2
A time shared bi-directional serial signaling system providing a differential signal with apparent duplex signal operation for higher and lower bandwidth data signals in a forward direction and another lower bandwidth data signal in a return direction.
US07746810B2
Wake on wireless network techniques are described. An apparatus may include a wireless transceiver, a processor coupled to said transceiver, and a connection management module for execution by the processor. The connection management module may establish a connection with a client device, receive a sleep preparation message with at least one sleep parameter value from the client device, and set a timeout value for the connection based on the sleep parameter value. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07746807B2
A receiver estimates a channel quality. A transmitter amplifies a signal by a gain proportional to a difference between a required signal-to-noise power ratio and channel quality information, which is an estimation result of the channel quality, and transmits the signal so that the receiver can obtain the signal-to-noise power ratio. In this case, the receiver or the transmitter determines a roll-off rate of an adaptive filter based on the channel quality information. The transmitter uses the adaptive filter of the determined roll-off rate to filter and transmit the signal.
US07746800B2
A method for transmitting a packet of N input bits includes encoding all of the N bits as a single entity, such as with an interleaver of length N within a turbo coder, outputting M encoded bits, channel interleaving the M bits, splitting the M encoded bits into a parallel first and second portion, and transmitting them over separate channels to achieve spatial diversity. The size of the first and second portion is determined based on a closed feedback loop that provides some knowledge of the channel, preferably a measure of channel capacity. The feedback loop may also provide channel knowledge to a subpacket selector associated with each transmit antenna, which determines an appropriate rate for that channel and selects subpackets to fill a transmission packet for that channel. The subpacket selectors choose a subpacket of systematic bits and fill the remaining transmission packet size with subpackets of parity bits. Eigenvectors may be employed to transmit each transmission packet over more than one channel with a power disparity between the channels. A transmitter according to the present invention is also described.
US07746796B2
In one embodiment, a first node may send an out-of-band message to a second node to request that the second node initiate an in-band echo request for a specified tunnel, e.g., toward one or more third nodes. Upon receiving the in-band echo request, one or more responding nodes (e.g., generally the third nodes) may send a response to the first node. This “directed echo request” technique may also be used in conjunction with a “reverse traceroute” technique.
US07746789B2
This invention is to enable appropriate routing based on transition prediction of network traffic. This routing control method includes: reading out predicted utilization transition data (e.g. utilization rate, or utilized bandwidth) associated with a received connection set-up request from a predicted utilization transition data storage storing said predicted utilization transition data for each resource (e.g. links between routers, or server) in a network in future; and selecting a resource satisfying a predetermined condition based on the read predicted utilization transition data. Thus, by using said predicted utilization transition data, an appropriate resource is identified in accordance with future time transition of the resource utilization rate, for example, and thereby, appropriate routing is possible. For example, when a link that a traffic volume will increase after a predetermined time exists, it is possible to judge that such a link is not used even when there are a lot of available bandwidths now.
US07746785B2
An apparatus and method are provided to perform a time multiplexing logic in a module, are provided including identifying a driving flop and a receiving flop in the module, receiving a modified input signal, and identifying a worst case timing path for the modified input signal to transmit from the driving flop to the receiving flop. The time multiplexing logic of the apparatus and method further identifies a predetermined point of the worst case timing path, and inserts a logic unit at the predetermined point allowing the time multiplexing logic circuit to process and output the modified input signal at a maximum frequency.
US07746782B2
A method and system based in part on a current network traffic determination and a predetermined acceptable Quality of Service parameter, the system sets a current state of available system services. In order to set the available system services, the apparatus refers to a database containing a listing of services for a given network. The database includes a hierarchy of the services correlated to the amount of bandwidth necessary to provide a given service. The determination is made by the apparatus, as to whether the amount bandwidth necessary to provide a particular type of service would degrade the QoS below an acceptable level if the service was provided on the network at the time of the determination. If degradation would occur, the service is made unavailable until the traffic level subsides to a point at which providing the service would not have an adverse affect on the QoS the network.
US07746780B2
A method for adaptively estimating a transmission rate of multimedia data by monitoring an RTCP network state is provided. The method comprises receiving a real-time transport protocol (RTCP) receiver report packet from a multimedia data reception unit; detecting packet loss rate from the RTCP receiver report packet; and adaptively estimating an available transmission rate according to a range within which the packet loss rate belongs.
US07746777B2
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for granting guaranteed bandwidth between one or more data transmission priority requesting sources and one or more resources upon request. Data sources that do not request an assigned bandwidth are served on a “best efforts” basis. The system allows additional bandwidth to priority requesting sources when it is determined that the resource and/or the communication path to the resource is under-utilized. The system further allows the granted bandwidth to be shared by more than one source in a multiprocessor system.
US07746776B1
A system selectively drops data from queues. The system includes a drop table that stores drop probabilities. The system selects one of the queues to examine and generates an index into the drop table to identify one of the drop probabilities for the examined queue. The system then determines whether to drop data from the examined queue based on the identified drop probability.
US07746775B2
An instant service method and apparatus for deficit-round-robin (DRR) data packet scheduling are provided. The method includes servicing a current flow according to packet scheduling; activating a new flow according to an input of a new data packet; servicing the new flow immediately when the current flow service is completed; and servicing a next flow when the new flow service is completed. The apparatus includes a packet memory; a flow information storage; an active list processor; a main controller; and an output part.
US07746774B2
One illustrative method of controlling wireless network resources for data sessions involves the steps of identifying IP address usage for mobile stations operating in a wireless communication network and causing a data inactivity timer of a data session for a mobile station to be set to an initial value that depends on the IP address usage. The data inactivity timer is set to a relatively large value when the IP address usage is low, but to a relatively small value when the IP address usage is high in order to expeditiously release underutilized network resources. The data session may be Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) session for which an IP address is dynamically-assigned to the mobile station.
US07746770B2
The invention provides a method of controlling a jitter buffer, which sets a packet delete area, a packet add area, and a clock control area inside a FIFO forming the jitter buffer. The method controls to delete packets when the stored packet quantity is within the packet delete area, controls to add packets when the stored packet quantity is within the packet add area, and controls to raise or lower the clock frequency for reading the packets when the stored packet quantity is within the clock control area, in which the clock control area is set between the packet add area and the packet delete area.
US07746769B2
A system and method of managing redundant and multi-segment pseudo-wire, including calculating two aggregated endpoints with two or more local endpoints, at least one local endpoint being a backup endpoint, mapping the aggregated endpoints and a plurality of nodes interconnected with one another and the local endpoints, determining an overall status of the system and setting an overall status indicator, determining an operational status of individual components in the system and setting associated status indicators.
US07746760B2
Frequency error estimation and frame synchronization are performed at a receiver in an OFDM system based on a metric that is indicative of detected pilot power. The metric may be defined based on cross-correlation between two received symbols obtained in two OFDM symbol periods. For frequency error estimation, a metric value is computed for each of multiple hypothesized frequency errors. The hypothesized frequency error for the metric value with the largest magnitude is provided as the estimated frequency error. For frame synchronization, a correlation value is obtained for each OFDM symbol period by correlating metric values obtained for NC (e.g., most recent) OFDM symbol periods with NC expected values. The expected values are computed in a manner consistent with the manner in which the metric values are computed. Peak detection is performed on the correlation values obtained for different OFDM symbol periods to determine frame synchronization.
US07746759B2
A transmitting device for transmitting data symbols and pilot symbols in an OFDM transmission system; the device comprising symbol generating means for generating said data symbols and said pilot symbols, means for transmitting said data symbols and pilot symbols respectively by using a plurality of subcarriers of said OFDM transmission system, wherein said symbol generating means is designed to selectively generate a first type pilot symbol and a second type pilot symbol being orthogonal to said first type pilot symbol so that a pilot symbol pattern in the frequency dimension comprises at least said first type pilot symbol to be transmitted by using a predefined subcarrier and second type pilot symbol to be transmitted by using other predefined subcarrier, and wherein said pilot symbol pattern has a different pattern from a succeeding pilot symbol pattern in time dimension.
US07746756B2
An optical pickup is disposed which irradiates a laser beam onto an optical disc where a guide groove having characteristics of thermal interference (heat discoloration) is spirally formed. The optical pickup irradiates the laser beam along the guide groove to conduct one of data recording in which pits indicating a data length are formed, and visible-image formation in which a part of the optical disc is discolored. The laser beam irradiation position is controlled so that the data recording is conducted with starting from the inner peripheral side of the optical disc, and the visible-image formation is conducted with starting from the outer peripheral side of the optical disc.
US07746752B2
A servo controlling method for controlling an information processing apparatus using a hologram. The method includes a step of irradiating a holographic recording medium with light having a first wavelength and irradiating the holographic recording medium with light having a second wavelength, different from the first wavelength, a step of directing first return light by the light of the first wavelength and second return light by the light of the second wavelength to be incident on the same light receiving element, and a step of performing servo control by separating the first return light from the second return light at the light receiving element.
US07746750B2
A method of recording information on and/or reproducing information from an information storage medium that includes a user data area in which user data is recorded and which has first sync patterns and an additional data area located in at least one of areas before and after the user data area includes forming second sync patterns used in the additional data area which are different from the first sync patterns used in the user data area.
US07746746B2
An optical medium has auxiliary information and control data encoded in wobble. The control data specifies action that a drive is permitted or required to take with the auxiliary information. For example, the control data may be used to specify whether a drive reading the medium is permitted to output a region of the auxiliary information. Alternatively, the control data may be used to specify whether a writing drive is permitted to copy a portion of the auxiliary information to a writeable area on the medium.
US07746744B2
An optical recording system and a control method thereof. The method includes detecting a target signal level. If the change level of the target signal exceeds a tolerant range, it represents that a shock has occurred. The shock frequency is recorded according to the shock, and the tolerant range is adjusted according to the recorded shock frequency. If the change level of the target signal exceeds the tolerant range, a pick-up head stops writing data into the optical storage medium. If the change level of the target signal is less than or equal to the tolerant range, the pick-up head writes data into the optical storage medium.
US07746741B2
An information recording device (1) is provided with a recording element (501) for recording information in an information recording medium (100) wherein pre-information (LPP) is previously recorded for controlling recording of recording information, by irradiating laser beams (LB) of a prescribed power, and a control element (504) for controlling the recording element to record the recording information with a power which permits a first reproduction quality (AR characteristic), which is a pre-information reproduction quality, to satisfy a prescribed first standard.
US07746739B2
A recording power determining method comprises writing data consecutively into a plurality of test blocks of an optical disc while changing recording power in such a manner that the arrangement of recording power values is distributed over the arrangement of the test blocks, reproducing the information recorded in the test blocks written into consecutively, determining an asymmetry value for each of the recording power values on the basis of the information in each of the test blocks reproduced, determining an approximation characteristic of the asymmetry value for a recording power on the basis of the asymmetry value for each of the recording power values, and determining a recording power for realizing a specific target value of the asymmetry value from the obtained approximation characteristic.
US07746738B2
In a process for manufacturing an information recording medium, a configuration is provided in which strict information management and an information recording medium manufacturing process are realized. In a configuration in which master data as original data of recording data for an information recording medium is generated and recording data for the information recording medium is generated on the basis of the master data, master data containing a dummy data area in a partial area of the master data is generated, and the dummy data area is identified and a process for setting significant information is performed on the basis of the stored information of an auxiliary file. Therefore, it is not necessary to obtain data of significant information when the master data is to be generated, and it becomes possible to generate the master data without obtaining specific information, such as an encrypted key block.
US07746735B2
In a focus controlling method of a laser beam for an optical disk, achieving a stable focus drawing-in, lowering ill influences due to stray lights, detecting an electric signal, which is obtainable upon basis of a reflection light from the optical disk loaded, in advance, while executing a focus sweep operation of gradually approaching the laser to a recoding surface of the optical disk, at an unnecessary light detection gain being higher than a gain of normal operation, thereby counting a number of signals generated due to unnecessary lights; and thereafter, detecting the electric signal, which is obtainable upon basis of the reflection light from the optical disk loaded, and thereby conducting a focus drawing-in, by considering an electric signal, which is generated just after a number detected thereof reaches to the counted number of signals generated due to the unnecessary lights, to be a signal reflected from the recording surface of the optical disk loaded.
US07746734B2
A tracking offset is reduced. The effect of an SPP signal fluctuation is reduced by using a variable mixing ratio DPP method, and a residual tracking offset is minimized.
US07746732B2
A gong for a striking mechanism in a horological movement comprises a first end mounted to a heel and a second end that is free. The first end and the second end define a longitudinal axis along the length of the gong, wherein the gong has a cross-section size that is variable along all or part of its longitudinal axis including an end section of the gong that comprises the free end.
US07746731B2
An electronic device such as a watch comprises a solar cell (14) and window portions (2, 6) which is located on the solar cell (14) and through which light is applied to the solar cell (14). The solar cell (14) is divided into a plurality of divided cells such that irradiated portions (14A to 14F) of the divided cells are equal in area, in consideration of the shapes, areas, and number of the window portions (2, 6) and the number of divisions of the solar cell (14).
US07746729B2
A method of switching working modes, the method includes: supplying a storage unit, therein the storage unit stores at least two working modes, alarm information, and alarm time, the alarm information includes indicating information and determining information; detecting whether a system time matches the alarm time; outputting the indicating information when the system time matches the alarm time; receiving input; determining whether the input matches the determining information; controlling the electronic device to switch from one working mode to another working mode when the input matches the determining information. An electronic device with working modes switching function is also provided.
US07746725B2
Method for identifying one or more fracture clusters in a formation surrounding a reservoir. In one implementation, the method may include generating a P to S image, comparing the P to S image to one or more images from a borehole, and identifying one or more fracture clusters using the P to S image and the borehole images.
US07746723B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: a variable delay for delaying a delay locked loop (DLL) clock by a predetermined delay time to output a delayed DLL clock; an output driver for outputting data and data strobe signal in response to the delayed DLL clock; and a calibration controller for controlling the predetermined delay time of the variable delay in response to output AC parameters.
US07746722B2
A self-timed memory array is disclosed, in which segmentability and metal-programmability are supported while minimizing layout space. Self-timing row decoder circuits are placed at the top and bottom of the array adjacent to respective I/O blocks. A self-timing signal is routed from the top (resp. bottom) of the array to a point halfway down (resp. up) the memory array and then back to a self-timing row decoder at the top (resp. bottom) of the array. The same approach may also be used to account for the bitline wire delay from the bottom (resp. top) of the array to the sense amplifiers in the I/O block. Further flexibility in wire routing is provided by eliminating metal routing layers from unneeded memory cells, and a programmable gate array may be used to allow an arbitrary word size to be chosen for the memory.
US07746716B2
A memory having at least one memory array block, the at least one memory array block comprising N wordlines, wherein N is greater than one, is provided. The memory comprises a plurality of sense amplifiers coupled to the at least one memory array block. The memory further comprises at least one dummy bitline, wherein the at least one dummy bitline comprises M dummy bitcells, wherein M is equal to N. The memory further comprises a timing circuit coupled to the at least one dummy bitline, wherein the timing circuit comprises at least one stack of pull-down transistors coupled to a sense circuit for generating a latch control output signal used for timing control of memory accesses. Timing control may include generating a sense trigger signal to enable the plurality of sense amplifiers for read operations and/or generating a local reset signal for terminating memory accesses, such as disabling the plurality of write drivers for write operations.
US07746714B2
A semiconductor memory device including a bit-line sense amplifier is not affected by variation in manufacturing process and has a stable driving scheme. The semiconductor memory device includes: a unit memory cell for storing a data; a sense amplification unit including a bit-line sense amplifier (BLSA) for sensing and amplifying a voltage difference of a bit-line pair receiving the data of the unit memory cell; a variation detection unit for detecting a variation of a manufacturing process to output a detecting signal; and a sense amplifier controlling unit for controlling the BLSA to be activated after a predetermined time from an activation of unit memory cell in response to the detecting signal.
US07746711B2
High-speed operation is achieved without increase in a circuit current and unstable operation of data strobe signal level due to collision between data strobe signals. Each of RAMs 11a and 11b outputs a data signal DQ and a data strobe signal DQS indicative of an output timing of the data signal. RAM 11a includes a strobe signal control unit 15a that determines whether RAM 11b connected in parallel with the RAM 11a is in a read state or not, and delays an output start timing of data strobe signal DQS when the RAM 11b is in the read state. Strobe signal control unit 15a of the RAM 11a controls output start timing so that a latter half portion of a preamble period of the data strobe signal DQS to be output coincides with a postamble period of the data strobe signal DQS output by the RAM 11b.
US07746707B2
A NAND cell unit includes memory cells which are connected in series. An erase operation is effected on all memory cells. Then, a soft-program voltage, which is opposite in polarity to the erase voltage applied in an erase operation, is applied to all memory cells, thereby setting all memory cells out of an over-erased state. Thereafter, a program voltage of 20V is applied to the control gate of a selected memory cell, 0V is applied to the control gates of the two memory cells provided adjacent to the selected memory cell, and 11V is applied to the control gates of the remaining memory cells. Data is thereby programmed into the selected memory cell. The time for which the program voltage is applied to the selected memory cell is adjusted in accordance with the data to be programmed into the selected memory cell. Hence, data “0” can be correctly programmed into the selected memory cell, multi-value data can be read from any selected memory cell at high speed.
US07746704B1
A system includes an input that receives a control signal and a program module that initializes a nonvolatile multilevel memory cell based on the control signal. The program module initializes the nonvolatile multilevel memory cell by programming the nonvolatile multilevel memory cell to one of S states of the nonvolatile multilevel memory cell, where S is an integer greater than 1. The one of the S states is different than a lowest one of the S states.
US07746701B2
A semiconductor memory device is described that can, in certain embodiments, reduce a delay in access time and/or an area of a memory cell array. In one or more embodiments, a flash memory device that includes a memory cell array, a data register, a state machine, input/output pads, a row decoder, and a column decoder. The memory cell array includes a pre-charge unit that is placed between a plurality of memory cell arrays. The pre-charge unit pre-charges a bit line in a read operation. A data register is separated from the pre-charge unit and is located away from the arrays. Write data are coupled from a data register to the arrays, and read data are coupled from the arrays to the data register.
US07746691B2
Methods and memory devices configured to utilize predicted coupling effects of neighboring memory cells in the programming of target memory cells can be utilized to tighten the distribution of threshold voltages for a given bit pattern by compensating for anticipated threshold voltage shift due to capacitive coupling, which can facilitate more discernable Vt ranges, and thus a higher number of bits of data per memory cell. Tightening the distribution of threshold voltages can further facilitate wider margins between Vt ranges, and thus an increased reliability in reading the correct data value of a memory cell.
