US07776419B2
An optical data storage medium comprises at least one active layer of inorganic material, that is able to undergo local deformations during write operations. The active layer presents a front face which is designed to receive an optical radiation at least during read operations. The support also comprises a thin tin and tellurium based alloy layer forming a semi-reflective layer disposed on the front face of the active layer.
US07776406B2
Nanoscale particles, particle coatings/particle arrays and corresponding consolidated materials are described based on an ability to vary the composition involving a wide range of metal and/or metalloid elements and corresponding compositions. In particular, metalloid oxides and metal-metalloid compositions are described in the form of improved nanoscale particles and coatings formed from the nanoscale particles. Compositions comprising rare earth metals and dopants/additives with rare earth metals are described. Complex compositions with a range of host compositions and dopants/additives can be formed using the approaches described herein. The particle coating can take the form of particle arrays that range from collections of disbursable primary particles to fused networks of primary particles forming channels that reflect the nanoscale of the primary particles. Suitable materials for optical applications are described along with some optical devices of interest.
US07776391B2
A method of manufacturing roofing shingles comprises the steps of: coating a continuously supplied shingle mat with roofing asphalt to make an asphalt-coated sheet, the asphalt-coated sheet having at least one prime portion and at least one headlap portion, varying the thickness of the asphalt-coated sheet such that the at least one prime portion of the asphalt-coated sheet has a first thickness and the headlap portion has a second thickness, the thickness of the asphalt-coated sheet being varied by passing the asphalt-coated sheet through compression rollers, applying granules onto the asphalt-coated sheet to form a granule-covered sheet, and cutting the granule-covered sheet into shingles.
US07776389B2
A method for producing an anti-glare film includes applying a coating composition including at least a resin, a solvent, and fine particles to a substrate; drying the coating composition applied to the substrate so that a Benard cell structure is formed in the surface of the coating layer due to convection caused during volatilization of the solvent; and curing the resin contained in the coating composition having formed therein a Benard cell structure to form an anti-glare layer having fine irregularities with a moderate surface waviness. The anti-glare layer has a degree of white muddiness of 1.7 or less, as measured by quantitatively determining a diffuse reflection component of the diffused light incident upon the surface of the anti-glare layer.
US07776388B2
Patterned media and associated methods of fabrication are provided in which vertical magnetic grains are grown on a patterned seed layer. The patterned seed layer includes a matrix of islands of a first seed material. Each island of first seed material is separated from other islands by a region of second seed material. The first seed material is selected to initiate growth of magnetic material, and the second seed material is selected to initiate growth of non-magnetic material. Subsequently, magnetic material is grown on the first seed material and non-magnetic material is grown on the second seed material. Deposition may be simultaneously. The magnetic and non-magnetic materials form well-defined vertical columns over the first and second seed materials respectively. Thus, each island behaves as an isolated magnetic unit, which switches independently from its neighbor units, which are magnetically separated by the non-magnetic material.
US07776381B1
A stent mandrel fixture for supporting a stent during the application of a coating substance is provided.
US07776372B2
Custom food product methods and apparatus are provided that allow customers to participate in the preparation of food products as a part of the dining experience. A method of preparing a custom food product under the direction of a customer includes placing a customer-selected substrate on a scale of custom food product preparation table, placing customer-selected ingredients on the substrate in customer-selected amounts and customer-selected areas, and calculating and displaying the cost of the custom food product to the customer as the customer-selected ingredients are placed on the substrate. Each ingredient is assigned a cost per unit of weight and, as the ingredients are utilized, the cost of the food product is calculated and displayed via a display associated with the table. A customer may be provided with a record of the ingredients of the custom food product and may include an image and/or name of the custom food product.
US07776368B2
An article includes a flexible impermeable elastomer glove with a dry powdered Aloe and/or dry powdered Nopal (with or without dry additive(s)) applied to a dry wearer-contacting surface of the glove. A method of making the article and a method of applying the dry powdered Aloe and/or dry powdered Nopal (with or without dry additive(s)) to the article are also provided.
US07776346B2
The present invention relates to compositions comprising a structured benefit agent pre-mix or delivery vehicle comprising benefit agent structured with crystalline materials, as defined, which when separately prepared and combined after preparation, provides enhanced delivery of benefit agent to a carrying composition into which the premix is added.
US07776344B2
Methods and compositions are provided for extending the clinical utility of IFN-α in the treatment of a variety of viral and proliferative disorders. Among other aspects, the invention provides methods which increase the efficacy of IFN-α treatment and reduce IFN-α treatment-related side effects. In addition, methods are provided for supporting the survival and for activating natural interferon producing cells (IPCs) in vitro without exogenous IL-3 or GM-CSF. The invention is based on the discovery that certain CpG and non-CpG ISNAs promote survival and stimulation of IPCs.
US07776343B1
The present invention relates generally to an immunogenic complex comprising a charged organic carrier and a charged antigen and, more particularly, a negatively charged organic carrier and a positively charged antigen. The complexes of the present invention are useful, inter alia, as therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents for facilitating the induction of a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response to an antigen.
US07776340B2
A canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCV) that is present in the respiratory tract of dogs with canine infectious respiratory disease and which has a low level of homology to the enteric canine coronavirus, but which has a high level of homology to all bovine coronavirus strains (eg Quebec and LY138) and human coronavirus strain OC43. The CRCV spike, polymerase and hemagglutinin/esterase cDNA and protein partial sequences are listed in FIGS. (1) to (4), (13) and (14). ctcagatgaa tttgaaatat gctattagtg ctaagaatag agcccgcact gttgctggtg 60 tttccatact tagtactatg actggcagaa tgtttcatca aaaatgtttg aaaagtatag 120 cagctacacg tggtgttcct gttgttatag gcaccactaa attttatggc ggctgggatg 180 atatgttacg tcgccttatt aaagatgttg acaatcctgt acttatgggt tgggattatc 240 ctaagtgtga250
US07776339B2
Topical compositions comprising extracts of Rhizomucor miehei that are substantially devoid of acid-protease activity and their use in treating dermatologic conditions, including reducing the appearance of signs of skin aging.
US07776334B2
The invention relates to methods for manipulating hematopoietic progenitor cells and related products. In one aspect the invention relates to the use of agents that activate a PTH/PTHrP receptor to enhance the growth and maintenance of hematopoietic progenitor cells in vivo and in vitro, to enhance mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells, to improve the efficiency of targeting cells to the bone marrow, and/or to modulate hematopoietic progenitor cell function.
US07776331B1
The invention provides a method of treating psoriasis in a subject by administering to a subject an antibody capable of binding to the p40 subunit of IL-12 and/or IL-23.
US07776326B2
Methods of treating or preventing axonal degradation in neuropathic diseases in mammals are disclosed. The methods can comprise administering to the mammal an effective amount of an agent that acts by increasing sirtuin activity in diseased and/or injured neurons. The methods can also comprise administering to the mammal an effective amount of an agent that acts by increasing NAD activity in diseased and/or injured neurons. Also disclosed are methods of screening agents for treating a neuropathies and recombinant vectors for treating or preventing neuropathies.
US07776325B2
The present invention provides an enzyme with lytic activity against cariogenic bacteria and a means for treating and preventing tooth decay using the enzyme. The enzyme provided by the present invention is a lytic enzyme produced by Streptococcus mutans and has a substrate specificity for lysing selectively Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. Therefore, application of the enzyme enables to remove selectively cariogenic bacteria or to decrease the number of cariogenic bacteria inside oral cavity, and may exert preventive effect against tooth caries.
US07776324B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing a composition for use as a vaccine for treatment or prevention of cancer. The method includes the steps of isolating dendritic cells from a blood, bone marrow or other tissue sample of a patient suffering from cancer or from an unrelated donor, culturing the dendritic cells under conditions and pulsing the dendritic cells with tumour cell lysate or an antigen released by the type of tumour cell and a tocotrienol.
US07776318B2
The present disclosure relates to a liquid cleansing composition, comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable aqueous medium: (a) at least one anionic surfactant; (b) at least one electrolyte, (c) at least one copolymer of methacrylic acid and of a C1-C4 alkyl acrylate, present in an amount of less than 0.5% by weight of active material, relative to the total weight of the composition. The present disclosure also relates to the use of the compositions in cosmetics or dermatology, such as products for cleansing human keratin materials, for instance the skin, and to their use for improving the stability of the texture of the composition at low temperature.
US07776315B2
A pharmaceutical composition comprising an anticholinergic and at least one additional active ingredient selected from among corticosteroids, dopamine agonistes, PDE-IV inhibitors, NK1-antagonists, endothelin antagonists, antihistamines, and EGFR-kinase inhibitors, processes for preparing them and their use in the treatment of respiratory diseases.
US07776303B2
The production of ultrafine metal carbide powders from polymeric powder and metallic precursor powder starting materials is disclosed. In certain embodiments, the polymeric powder may comprise polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyester, polybutylene, nylon, polymethylpentene and the like. The metal precursor powder may comprise pure metals, metal alloys, intermetallics and/or metal-containing compounds such as metal oxides and nitrides. In one embodiment, the metal precursor powder comprises a silicon-containing material, and the ultrafine powders comprise SiC. The polymeric and metal precursor powders are fed together or separately to a plasma system where the feed materials react to form metal carbides in the form of ultrafine particles.
US07776300B2
Disclosed is a process for removing sulfur from a fuel gas stream that comprises an organic sulfur compound and a light olefin. The process includes introducing a fuel gas stream into an elongated hydrotreating reactor vessel in which it is contacted with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst under hydrodesulfurization process conditions. A quench gas stream is also introduced into the elongated hydrotreating reactor vessel at a location below the point of introduction of the fuel gas stream. A reactor effluent is yielded that contains hydrogen sulfide and a significantly reduced organic sulfur concentration that is below the organic sulfur concentration of the fuel gas stream.
US07776296B2
A process for the removal of an amine capturable gas from a feed gas stream using an amine solvent, the process comprises (a) contacting the feed gas stream with a lean amine solvent to form a rich amine solvent, wherein heat stable salts are present in the rich amine solvent; (b) stripping amine capturable gas from the rich amine solvent to form the lean amine solvent and an overhead reflux stream; (c) periodically contacting at least a portion of one or both of the lean amine solvent and the rich amine solvent with an anion exchange resin to form a first heat stable salt lean amine solvent; (d) periodically regenerating the anion exchange resin, wherein during the regeneration of the anion exchange resin, at least a portion of the reflux stream is used to wash the amine solvent from the anion exchange resin to produce a second heat stable salt lean amine solvent; and, (e) recycling at least a portion of the first and the second heat stable salt lean amine solvent for use in capturing the amine capturable gas from the feed gas.
US07776285B2
A heat exchange reactor for carrying out endothermic or exothermic reactions comprising: a housing defining an external reactor wall (1), a plurality of heat transfer tubes (2) arranged within said housing for the supply or removal of heat in catalyst beds (3, 3′) disposed at least outside (3) said heat transfer tubes (2), and built-in elements (4) disposed in the outer periphery of said catalyst bed (3).
US07776277B2
A polymerization method comprises, prior to polymerization of a monomer of the cyclic dimer of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid, a first mixture of a polymerization catalyst by bypassing a part of the monomer of the cyclic dimer is prepared. Then, the first mixture is mixed with a dominant amount of the monomer introduced into a polymerization reactor. The monomer of the cyclic dimer in the polymerization reactor is conducted in the presence of a polymerization initiator.
US07776276B1
An air filtering system for a vehicle includes a housing having a fan, a HEPA filter, a carbon-impregnated military cloth and a scent dispersing mechanism received therein. Air intake modules are positioned at desired locations within the vehicle passenger compartment, each of which is in communication with the housing interior. To remove smoke or other pollutants, a passenger activates the fan to deliver ambient air to the housing interior whereby the HEPA filter removes particles while the charcoal cloth removes entrained odors. The housing also includes a fragrance dispenser for dispersing a scented material, if desired.
US07776271B2
A clinical specimen processing apparatus that includes: a preparation device that is configured to conduct operations to perform predetermined processing of clinical specimen; a controller in communication with the preparation device, wherein the controller is configured to detect an operating condition of the preparation device which performs the predetermined processing; a central processing unit that is configured to: 1) compare a detection value detected by the controller to a first threshold value and a second threshold value; and 2) determine whether or not the preparation device is in any one of three condition stages.
US07776270B2
The invention relates to an automatic machine designed to reseal test tubes for clinical analyses with aluminum sealing tape housed in ready-to-use, cassette-type containers. The machine uses a heat-sealing process to apply a piece of aluminum foil, which will form the cap, over the mouth of the test tube, causing it to adhere to the edge of the test tube itself to achieve perfect resealing.
US07776265B2
A system for diagnosing the quality of a reagent solution may comprise a reagent solution source for supplying the reagent solution to an emissions catalyst of an internal combustion engine. Means may be provided for determining a quality value corresponding to the quality of the reagent solution. A first filter may receive the quality value and produce a first filtered quality value, and a first comparator may compare the filtered quality value to a threshold and produce a fault value if the first filtered quality value crosses the threshold. Alternatively or additionally, a second filter may receive the quality value and produce a second filtered quality value. A second comparator may compare a difference between the first and second filtered quality values to another threshold and produce another fault value if the difference crosses that threshold.
US07776259B2
A high strength and creep resistant soft magnetic Fe—Co alloy includes, in weight %, Fe and Co such that the difference between the Fe and Co is at least 2%, at least 35% Co, and 2.5%≦(V+Mo+Nb), wherein 0.4%≦Mo and/or 0.4%≦Nb. This alloy can further include B, C, W, Ni, Ti, Cr, Mn and/or Al. A vanadium-free high strength soft magnetic Fe—Co alloy includes in weight %, Fe and Co such that the difference between the Fe and Co is at least 2%, and at least 15% Co, the alloy further satisfying (0.1%≦Nb and 0.1%≦W) or 0.25%≦Mn. This alloy can further include B, C, Ni, Ti, Cr and/or Al.
US07776258B2
A hydrogen storage alloy includes a composition defined by the following formula (Ca1-XLX)(Li1-Y-ZMYNiZ)m, wherein the L denotes one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Sr, Ba, Sc, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu, the M denotes one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi, and S, and the mole ratios X, Y, Z, and m respectively satisfy the following 0
US07776251B2
Sound insulation core material is made by melt-blowing a polypropylene resin having a hydroxystearamide wax additive to produce a fibrous mass having improved loft. The core material is encased between outer layers of spun-bond polyethylene fibers by longitudinal seams and transverse seams to form a product suitable for use in dishwashers.
US07776245B2
An apparatus for feeding a molten resin is operated for extended periods of time maintaining stability without permitting volatile components of the molten resin to adhere on the surfaces of conveyer means. An extruder in the apparatus for feeding the molten resin to the compression-forming machine has an extrusion unit which discharges a molten resin through an extrusion opening of an extrusion nozzle. An air injection nozzle for injecting the cooling gas is provided along the outer circumference of the extrusion nozzle, and the cooling gas is blown onto the surface of the molten resin extruded from the extrusion opening to cool the surface of the molten resin.
US07776244B2
A process for the preparation of expandable styrene polymers having a molecular weight Mw of greater than 170,000 g/mol, which comprises conveying a blowing agent-containing styrene polymer melt having a temperature of at least 120° C. through a die plate with holes whose diameter at the die exit is at most 1.5 mm, and subsequently granulating the extrudate, and expandable styrene polymers (EPS) having a molecular weight Mw of more than 170,000 g/mol with 0.05 to 1.5% by weight of internal water.
US07776241B2
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing substantially monodisperse micro particles mainly of heat sensible material using a carrier gas and a drying gas. Relatively dense micro particles with diameters in the range 1-120 μm with a very narrow span can be obtained.
US07776221B2
A device is provided to separate magnetic or magnetizable particles from a liquid by using a magnetic field. The device includes two limbs made of a soft-magnetic material. An air gap is provided between be two poles of the limbs. The air gap can receive one or more liquid containers. A head piece is arranged in a fixed or detachable manner on one of the two poles. One or more magnetizable bars are disposed in a fixed or movable manner on the head piece, in the vertical direction. One or more permanent magnets are arranged in a movable manner on at least one point of the device, such that a magnetic field can be produced between the two poles and the magnetic field can be activated or deactivated by moving the magnet(s). The region of the device where the movable magnet(s) are arranged is at least partially surrounded by a material that screens the magnetic field.
US07776215B2
A filter cartridge with a valve actuating protrusion having a sliding surface that is configured to engage with a valve, with the sliding surface being tapered so that a first portion of the sliding surface that engages the valve is wider than a second portion of the sliding surface that engages the valve, and the sliding surface is configured so that the first portion engages the valve before the second portion. The valve, which can be in any fluid passage of a filter housing, includes a plurality of spring arms. Engagement between the spring arms and the sliding surface creates a lifting force which opens the valve.
US07776211B2
A wastewater treatment system and process includes a treatment system for biologically treating wastewater to produce substantially clean water effluent and byproducts. The treatment system includes an array of rotating media wheels for sustained algae growth. The media wheels are supported so that the algae rotates into and out of the wastewater for exposure to sunlight. One byproduct is algae removed from the rotating media wheels, which may be provided to other processing facilities to produce, for instance, bio-diesel fuel. Waste CO2 may also be provided to the facility for enhanced algae growth. Bacteria is provided to form a symbiotic relationship with the algae, fueled by sunlight to effectively remove toxic materials from the wastewater. Rotation of the media wheels can be accomplished by air jets that also operate to dislodge excess algae as a byproduct of the system and process.
US07776209B2
A modular water treatment system includes a plurality of water treatment components including selected from a group of a particulate filter component, a taste and odor filter component, a lead and mercury filter component, a water softener component, and a water disinfection component. A plurality of interfaces are provided for coupling to the selected water treatment components. Plumbing lines provide flow communication between the selected water treatment components, and the plumbing lines include a system water inlet and a system water outlet. A controller is configured to control the flow of water through the system, and a sensor is configured to transmit a signal to the controller.
US07776207B2
A process for producing alkyl aromatic middle distillate fuels is described. The process includes (a) catalytically converting paraffinic naphtha to a composition containing benzene and olefins; (b) processing the olefin/benzene composition in an aromatic alkylation reactor to produce alkyl-benzene components (c) separating the alkyl aromatics from the unconverted naphtha; and (d) optionally recycling the unconverted paraffinic naphtha to the dehydrogenation/amortization reactor of step a.
US07776203B2
The invention relates to a method of producing thin films of compound CIGS by means of electrodeposition. According to the invention, a surface-active compound, such as dodecyl sodium sulphate, is added to an electrolysis bath solution in order to promote the incorporation of gallium in the CIGS films.
US07776199B2
The present invention provides a printed wiring board free from undercuts, which can be formed by an additive method without a dry treatment and a dry treatment apparatus, and a production method thereof. A printed wiring board of the present invention has a conductor circuit free from undercuts which is produced by carrying out additional plating to fill undercuts.
US07776195B2
An integrated desktop analytic device comprises a fluidics station coupled to a confocal microscope detector, and a biochip is moved from the fluidics station to the detector without manual intervention of an operator.
US07776181B2
A novel retention aid is provided, which can realizes not only high retention but also excellent paper formation and is easy to use, in various papermaking processes. A composition for improving retention is provided, which comprises (A) a cationic water-soluble polymer and (B) an amphoteric water-soluble polymer. The component (A) preferably is a copolymer having a cation equivalent of 0.05 to 4.00 meq/g or one having a 0.5% salted viscosity of 30 to 200 mPa·s. The component (B) preferably is either a copolymer comprising a cationic radical-polymerizable monomer unit, an anionic radical-polymerizable monomer unit, and a nonionic radical-polymerizable monomer unit, or an amphoteric water-soluble polymer obtained by polymerizing a cationic radical-polymerizable monomer with an anionic radical-polymerizable monomer in the presence of a polysaccharide. From the standpoint of attaining excellent formation, the component (B) preferably has a molar proportion of the cationic radical-polymerizable monomer unit to the anionic radical-polymerizable monomer unit (hereinafter referred to as Ca/An) satisfying Ca/An<1.2.
US07776175B2
A method of sealing an attachment face of a MST device to a mounting surface on a support member, the attachment face having an aperture connected to a first fluid conduit, the attachment face having a second aperture connected to a second conduit, the method comprising the steps of: applying a thermosetting adhesive to the mounting surface; aligning the first aperture with at least part of the second aperture; pressing the MST device and the mounting surface together; and, curing the thermosetting adhesive; wherein, the thermosetting adhesive has a viscosity of between 100 centiPoise and 10,000,000 centiPoise. Using a thermosetting adhesive instead of a thermoplastic adhesive provides a far more reliable seal. The bond between the thermoplastic adhesive and the MST device surface is prone to thermal fatigue and leakage or outright failure.
US07776170B2
A method of continuously forming a multilayer panel includes making a gypsum slurry, then dividing the gypsum slurry into at least a primary gypsum slurry and a secondary gypsum slurry. An additive slurry having water and an intumescent material is created, then added to the secondary gypsum slurry to make an expandable layer slurry that is spread over at least a portion of a facing material. The primary gypsum slurry is distributed over the secondary gypsum slurry over the facing material and the expanding layer slurry to form a core. Optionally, another layer, an edge coating, is applied to the expanding layer for additional fire protection. The edge coating includes a second intumescent material. During a fire, the expanding layer expands to increase the thickness of the fire exposed gypsum panel and the edge coating expands to seal the gap between adjoining gypsum panels.
US07776169B2
A polyvinyl(tetrazole) is formed by a water-based method. A gas generating composition 12 containing the polyvinyl(tetrazole) is contained within an exemplary gas generator 10. An article or gas generating system 200 incorporates the polyvinyl(tetrazole) therein. A vehicle occupant protection system 180 incorporates the gas generating system 200. An article or substrate 300 containing a coating 302 formed from the product of the water-based method is also described.
US07776156B2
A RF plasma generation and temperature control system for an inductively coupled plasma process chamber. The plasma generation system includes a heater that includes an elongated upper heating element substantially parallel to an elongated lower heating element, where the upper and lower heating elements are joined by one or more posts substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower heating elements. The system also including one or more RF coils featuring a crease at points of overlap with the posts. Also, a RF plasma generation system for an inductively coupled plasma process chamber, where the plasma generation system includes a heater thermally coupled to the chamber, and one or more RF coils coupled to the chamber, where the RF coils include a hollow tube having at least one flat side.
US07776154B2
The invention concerns a monocrystalline coating crack-free coating of gallium nitride or mixed gallium nitride and another metal, on a substrate likely to cause extensive stresses in the coating, said substrate being coated with a buffer layer, wherein: at least a monocrystalline layer of a material having a thickness ranging between 100 and 300 nm, preferably between 200 and 250 nm, and whereof crystal lattice parameter is less than the crystal lattice parameter of the gallium nitride or of the mixed gallium nitride with another metal, is inserted in the coating of gallium nitride or mixed gallium nitride with another metal. The invention also concerns the method for preparing said coating. The invention further concerns electronic and optoelectronic devices comprising said coating.
US07776144B2
To provide inks and ink sets for inkjet recording, which have good fastness and good jet-out stability and which give good images with no bleeding trouble, yellow ink, black ink and magenta ink for inkjet printing contain at least two dyes each having an oxidation potential over 1.0 V (vs SCE).
US07776142B2
Provided is a bubble damper of a slurry supply apparatus, more particularly, a bubble damper of a slurry supply apparatus in which a bubble damper removes bubbles generated by a slurry supply apparatus. The bubble damper system includes a slurry drum in which slurry is stored, a vessel to which the slurry is supplied from the slurry drum, and a bubble damper that is provided between the slurry drum and the vessel. The bubble damper collects bubbles generated from the slurry that is supplied from the slurry drum.
US07776140B2
An apparatus for separating exhaust particulates from an exhaust gas stream, includes a ceramic honeycomb body with ducts through which exhaust gas can flow and which extend in the longitudinal direction of the honeycomb body, with the honeycomb body being provided with electrodes for generating an electric field which are each oriented transversally to the axis of the ducts. The electrodes are each formed by a group of ducts in which an electric conductor is introduced at least partly along their axial extension. It preferably includes a metallic coating.
US07776139B2
A dual stage coalescer includes a separator in a separator chamber separating gas and liquid by inertial impaction, and a coalescer filter element in a coalescer chamber separating gas and liquid by coalescence. A transfer tube extends between the separator chamber and a downstream subchamber in the coalescer chamber at the downstream face of the coalescer filter element, and supplies pre-separated liquid from the separator chamber through the transfer tube to the noted downstream subchamber as driven by pressure differential between the separator chamber and the downstream subchamber, to eliminate a dedicated housing drain outlet from the separator chamber. The coalescer may provide a crankcase ventilation filter for an internal combustion engine having blowby gas containing an air-oil mixture.
US07776128B2
Metallic titanium is continuously produced in an electric-arc furnace under a vacuum by the metallothermic reduction of titanium tetrachloride by a reducing agent such as magnesium. The nanoparticles of titanium obtained from the reduction are simultaneously melted in a bath of molten titanium formed by the heat of an electric arc between a consumable titanium electrode and the molten titanium. A voltage applied across the electrode and the molten titanium is adjusted so that molten titanium is maintained in a cooled crystallizer during the entire process. The molten titanium solidifies on the top of a dummy bar that is drawn down as additional titanium is produced. Upon completion of each iterative reduction reaction, the vaporized reducing agent chloride is pumped out of the electric-arc furnace into a condenser using a vacuum pump. Then, additional reducing agent and titanium tetrachloride are added into the furnace, and the process is repeated.
US07776116B2
A cyclone dust-separating apparatus of a vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The cyclone dust-separating apparatus includes at least one cyclone having a cyclone body, which rotates air to separate dust or dirt therefrom, which has an air inflow part and an air discharging part, and which is installed in such a manner that a longitudinal axis thereof is substantially horizontally arranged, and a dust collecting unit to store the dust or dirt separated by the cyclone unit. The cyclone body is formed in a convex cylinder shape, so that a diameter thereof in the vicinity of an entrance of the air discharging part through which the air is discharged comes maximum.
US07776107B2
A new class of chemical entities chosen from aminoindolizines of formula (I), acid addition salts thereof, and solvates thereof: their use for dyeing keratin fibers, including human keratin fibers such as the hair; dyeing compositions comprising such chemical entities; and to kits containing compositions comprising those chemical entities.
US07776105B2
An air-oxidative type hair dye composition containing a melanin precursor prepared by a process including (A) an oxidation step for converting, into the melanin precursor, a tyrosine or derivative thereof used as a starting substance with an enzyme or cell that is derived from a fungus selected from the group consisting of fungi belonging to the genera Aspergillus, Neurospora, Rhizomucor, Trichoderma, and Penicillium and that exhibits a catechol oxidase activity.
US07776104B2
A ready-to-use oxidizing composition for treating keratin materials, such as human keratin fibers, in particular the hair, comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium: (a) at least one oxidizing agent, (b) at least 30% by weight of at least one water-insoluble oxygenated organic no-dyeing particular compound relative to the total weight of the said composition, and (c) at least 20% by weight of water relative to the total weight of the said composition, and to processes for bleaching, stripping, dyeing, lightening or permanently reshaping human keratin fibers and in particular the hair, and also to the use of the said composition for bleaching, stripping, dyeing, lightening and permanently reshaping human keratin fibers and in particular the hair.
US07776100B2
An implantable device for facilitating the healing of voids in bone, cartilage and soft tissue is disclosed. A preferred embodiment includes a cartilage region comprising a polyelectrolytic complex joined with a subchondral bone region. The cartilage region, of this embodiment, enhances the environment for chondrocytes to grow articular cartilage; while the subchondral bone region enhances the environment for cells which migrate into that region's macrostructure and which differentiate into osteoblasts. A hydrophobic barrier exists between the regions, of this embodiment. In one embodiment, the polyelectrolytic complex transforms to hydrogel, following the implant procedure.
US07776099B2
A bone implant having a core section to which a prosthesis is eventually secured, and rib-like projections or anchoring prongs enhancing the hold of the implant in the bone. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, intended as a dental implant. The socket for the implant is drilled in a bone using a suitable template which is subsequently inserted in an original pre-drilled bore and which serves as a guide for subsequent drilling of bores for the anchoring prongs or rib-like projections. Several different types of the templates are disclosed together with a number of compatible implants. A specific tool is also disclosed which reduces the damage to the bone by reducing the volume of the initial portion of the socket adapted to receive the associated template.
US07776095B2
Embodiments of the invention include devices and methods for implanting a vertebral body spacer. A lateral surgical approach is contemplated with some disclosed procedures. Instruments of some embodiments are insertable into a disc space to achieve distraction, to determine a desired disc space height, and to select a corresponding implant.
US07776091B2
Height-adjustable devices suitable for insertion between posterior spinal processes that allow the surgeon to post-operatively adjust the height of the implant.
US07776086B2
A corneal implant having an aspheric surface for modifying the cornea curvature and altering the corneal refractive power. The corneal implant has a lens body formed of an optically clear bio-compatible material, preferably with an index of refraction substantially similar to that of human corneal tissue (1.376). The aspheric surface is comprised of a continuous aspheric surface from the apex of the implant to beveled surface. The beveled surface, positioned near the outer diameter of the implant, is used to reduce the thickness of the aspheric surface on the periphery of the lens to the outer diameter edge. The body of the implant has a diameter between about 2.0 mm and 7.0 mm and a thickness less than about 0.150 mm.
US07776083B2
A cardiovascular valve system including a permanent base unit that is affixed to the patient using conventional sutures or staples, and a collapsible valve having a collapsible frame that mates with the permanent base unit, and supports valve leaflets. An installed collapsible frame may be re-collapsed and disengaged from the permanent housing. A new collapsible valve is then installed, to resume the function of the prosthesis.
US07776060B2
A combination medical device comprising a circular stapler instrument (4) and one or more portions of preformed buttress material (16) adapted to be stably positioned upon the staple cartridge (12) and/or anvil (14) components of the stapler (4) prior or at the time of use. Positioned buttress material(s) (16) are delivered to a tissue site where the circular stapler (4) is actuated to connect previously severed tissue portions. An embodiment of the invention allows tissue portions to be joined without the use of sutures. The buttress material (16) is made up of two regions, one of which serves primarily to secure the buttress material (16) to the stapler (4) prior to actuation, and one of which serves primarily to form the improved seal. The former region is severed and discarded upon activation of the circular stapler (4) to form anastomoses, while the remaining material secures and seals the newly connected tissue. Methods of use and preparation of the buttress material (16) are also described.
US07776058B2
A surgical ligation clip capable of remote deployment through a catheter.
US07776056B2
A system is provided to align a surgical guide instrument over a burr hole in a patient's body. Adjustments of a surgical instrument can be made in x, y, z, and angular directions using the system. An instrument guide unit can include an instrument guide for guiding a surgical instrument into the body of a patient and a base unit operative to be secured to the body near an area in which surgery is to occur. The base unit is coupled to the instrument guide. An adjustment mechanism, coupled to the base unit and the instrument guide, is operative to adjust the instrument guide in lateral directions with respect the surface of the area.
US07776054B2
The apparatus for deployment of a therapeutic device such as a micro-coil detachably mounts the therapeutic device to a distal portion of a pusher member. In one embodiment, the therapeutic device is detachably mounted to the distal portion of the pusher member by a tubular collar that can be heated by a heater such as an electrical resistance coil to expand the collar and release and deploy the therapeutic device. The apparatus for deployment of a therapeutic device such as a micro-coil may also provide for a pusher member and a connector fiber for securing the therapeutic device to the pusher member. The connector fiber passes through a heater within the distal portion of the pusher member, for heating and breaking the connector fiber to release the therapeutic device when a desired placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature is achieved.
US07776053B2
An implantable valve having a valve element or leaflet and a base that is attachable to a vessel wall using a connector such as a screw, pin or a staple. The valve can be implanted using a catheter to position the valve in a desired location and drive the connector into the vessel wall. The valve can be used as a venous valve to control blood flow within the veins, arteries, heart or the aorta of a patient.
US07776043B2
A surgical procedure for implanting a graft according to which a dilator is inserted in a recipient opening and the graft is inserted in the dilator to cause outward expansion of the dilator into engagement with the portion of a bone surrounding the opening. After the dilator is removed from the opening, the bone surrounding the opening collapses around the graft to secure the graft in the opening.
US07776038B2
An intramedullary locking nail for treating bone fractures and which have spaced apart regions has at least one transverse hole for receiving a bone screw and at least one transverse hole being configured as an elongate hole extending in the longitudinal axial direction of the nail. An end portion of the elongate hole being wider than an adjacent portion of the elongate hole. The adjacent portion of the elongate hole having a constant width over its length. A bone screw is provided having a cross-sectional contour having a flattened segment. The end portion of the elongate hole being formed such that the bone screw is locked in a first rotational position in the end portion, and in a second rotational position, may enter the adjacent portion unhindered from the end portion.
US07776035B2
The present disclosure relates to systems, devices and methods for positioning and placing multiple electrodes in a target surgical site. An introducer is provided for facilitating the insertion of a cluster of electrodes into the body of a patient for performing tissue ablation. The introducer includes a body portion including a plurality of holes formed therein for selectively receiving a respective elongate shaft of the electrodes therethrough, wherein the holes of the introducer orient and space each electrode relative to one another, wherein the introducer includes a centrally disposed hole formed therein for receiving a guide needle therethrough.
US07776034B2
An ablation catheter has a virtual electrode tip including a fluid manifold structure for operably varying the active area of the virtual electrode. An array of apertures in the distal end of the catheter form the virtual electrode structure. A movable plug slides within the fluid manifold and seals against the interior walls of the fluid manifold. Conductive fluid cannot flow past the plug to fill the fluid manifold on the side of the plug opposite a fluid inlet channel into the fluid manifold. An electrode is positioned within the fluid manifold between the plug and the end wall of the fluid manifold adjacent the channel. By moving the plug within fluid manifold, only those portholes between the plug and the inlet channel will emit energized fluid. The effective length of an active ablation section of the virtual electrode is changed by repositioning the plug within the fluid manifold.
US07776031B2
An implantable drug infusion pump for delivering drug therapy to a patient and which also permits a patient to deliver or self-administer an additional bolus, reduces the likelihood of over dosage or under dosage by drug dosage characteristic limitations programmed into a microprocessor memory. The dose limits define the maximum and minimum amount of drug to be delivered per unit time or otherwise, reducing the likelihood that a patient may inadvertently or deliberately interfere with a treatment regimen.
US07776028B2
A reduced pressure treatment appliance is provided for treating a wound on the body of a patient. In some embodiments, the appliance comprises an overlay, which is further comprised of cup members that may be detached or cut away from the overlay so that the overlay can be adjusted in size and shape. Also, in some embodiments, the overlay is further comprised of a pressure venting valve to maintain a predetermined level of reduced pressure at the site of the wound. In other embodiments, the wound treatment appliance also includes a vacuum system to supply reduced pressure to the site of the wound in the volume under the overlay. In yet other embodiments, the treatment appliance also includes wound packing means to prevent overgrowth of the wound or to encourage growth of wound tissue into an absorbable matrix comprising the wound packing means. In still other embodiments, a suction bulb may be used to provide a source of reduced pressure to an overlay that covers the wound. Finally, methods are provided for using various embodiments of the treatment appliance.
US07776019B2
A breast milk absorbent pad which includes first and second sections adapted to cover respective breasts and a third section extending between these first and second sections wherein at least one of upper and lower edges of the third section is concavely curved toward a transverse axis of the breast milk absorbent pad.
US07776007B2
A needle-free injector device comprising a latch having a safe position which disables the triggering of the device, and a ready position which restrains movement of a dispensing member but enables triggering and a triggered position which permits movement of the dispensing member is disclosed. An additional safety mechanism blocks the triggering of the device until removed. A cap is provided to maintain the sterility and stability of the drug formulation and is configured such that the cap removal is required prior to placing the device in a ready to trigger state.
US07776001B2
A first flow path is defined within a first panel that forms a part of an extracorporeal fluid circuit. A second flow path is defined within a second panel that also forms a part of the extracorporeal fluid circuit. The first and second panels are oriented in a fluid processing cartridge for mounting as an integrated unit on a fluid processing machine and for removal as an integrated unit from the fluid processing machine.
US07775998B2
A multi-component dressing (100) for treating wounds of the human or animal body, using a reduced pressure, comprising a wound-covering element (4) for mounting the dressing (100) at the surface of the skin and the mucous membrane having at least one connecting site (5) through which material in the wound space (10) can be evacuated. The multi-component dressing has super-absorbing polymers, the absorbed wound secretions remaining bound to polymers in the wound space until the latter are removed from the wound space and the polymers, due to their binding capacity, supporting reciprocal synergies with the sub-atmospheric pressures. Wound exudate, promoted by the reduced pressure, is also stored and controlled by polymerized granulates.
US07775997B2
A dental hygiene pulsating sprayer has a handle and a pulsating engine having a turbine rotor. The handle is adapted to connect to a water source. The turbine rotor is rotatably received in the pulsating engine and has a curved wall, a top cover and multiple extension blades. The top cover is attached to the curved wall to construct a circle in cooperation with the curved wall. The extension blades are formed on and extend radically from the top cover and the outer periphery of the curved wall. Accordingly, the sprayer can provide a pulsating massage effect and is not driven by electrical power.
US07775996B2
The invention regards a resuscitation system which having a chest compression device to repeatedly compress the chest of a patient and thereafter cause or allow the chest to expand. A signal processor is connected to the chest compression device to control the operation of the chest compression devices. A power supply device provides electrical power to the chest compression device and the signal processor.
US07775994B2
Ultrasound medical systems and related methods are described.
US07775985B2
A method for analysing pressure-signals derivable from pressure measurements on or in a body of a human being or animal, includes the steps of sampling said signals and converting the signals to pressure-related digital data with a time reference, wherein the method comprises the further steps of: identifying from said digital data features related to absolute pressures relative to atmospheric pressure, recording repeatedly at specific time intervals, intermittently, in any reiterated manner, or continuously absolute pressure data to create a pressure trend plot against time, determining from said recording either a) a plurality of different pressure levels and duration thereof, or b) a plurality of different pressure changes of different levels and duration thereof, and presenting a) numbers of different pressure levels of various time durations in format of a matrix, or b) presenting numbers of different pressure change levels of various time durations in format of a matrix.
US07775982B2
A transducer assembly is provided including a transducer array comprising a plurality ‘M’ of transducer elements and a sub-aperture processor comprising a plurality ‘P’ of input channels and an output channel. The plurality ‘P’ of input channels is coupled to the ‘M’ transducer elements and a plurality ‘R’ of switching elements in operative association with the output channel of the sub-aperture processor to switchably couple the output channel to at least one of a plurality of ‘N’ system channels.
US07775977B2
This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an image constructing circuit (31) for creating plural ultrasonic tomographic images resulting from a process in which an ultrasonic endoscope moves within a body cavity, a position detecting portion (13) for detecting position information of the ultrasonic tomographic images, an image processing circuit (33) for constructing tomographic parallel images resulting from arrangement of plural ultrasonic tomographic images along a scanning path of the ultrasonic endoscope based on the position information, and a display circuit (34) causing a monitor (14) to display an ultrasonic tomographic image and tomographic parallel images so as to compare them. In this ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, when an ultrasonic image is displayed on the monitor, a spread and depth of an invasion of an affected part are displayed based on ultrasonic image data within a body cavity.
US07775975B2
Systems and methods of use for continuous analyte measurement of a host's vascular system are provided. In some embodiments, a continuous glucose measurement system includes a vascular access device, a sensor and sensor electronics, the system being configured for insertion into communication with a host's circulatory system.
US07775963B2
A centrifugal separation rotor for an apparatus, which removes contaminants from a pumped liquid, such as engine lubricant, by rotating it about axis at high speed includes a separation and containment vessel that permit liquid to leave the vessel as fast as it can enter, so that a zone is defined adjacent a side wall that holds a volume of liquid less than the whole volume encompassed by the vessel walls and filled in conventional high speed separators. A divider wall surface is interrupted by a set of upstanding vanes, which extend along it and around the axle as a helix of such pitch as to form both collector vanes to guide liquid entering between the rotating vanes towards the transfer passage. Motor vanes receive one or more jets of liquid impinging thereon at a glancing angle to drive the rotor before being guided along the inlet zone.
US07775959B2
A folding device with a folding drum for producing the second longitudinal fold in products of a rotary press has at least two folding blades fixed in folding-blade carriers, a folding-blade shaft is mounted in the folding drum at both ends by means of bearings and between the latter by means of at least one further bearing, the bearing preferably being arranged between the folding-blade carriers.
US07775957B2
A plastic bag including a pair of side gussets 1 is arranged to be free of leakage from one end portion of each of the side gussets. Each of the side gussets has opposite end portions one of which is folded obliquely along a folding line as it is folded into halves so that a triangular flap 13 can be formed by the end portion to be shaped into a triangle having a base formed by the folding line. The triangle has an apex formed by an intersection between one of the opposite end edges and the folded inner edge of each of the side gussets. The panels 2, the side gussets and the triangular flaps are heat sealed respectively along the opposite side edges 3 of panels.
US07775954B2
A cutter shifting mechanism includes a main body having a longitudinal cylinder casing and a shaft is located in the longitudinal cylinder casing. An arm is connected to a lower end of the shaft so as to be connected with cutters. A longitudinal pushing device is connected to a top end of the shaft and a gear is rotatably mounted to the shaft. The gear is movable along a longitudinal axis of the shaft. A threaded rod is engaged with the gear and connected with a latitude pushing device. Each of the longitudinal and latitude pushing devices includes a pneumatic cylinder. The mechanism includes simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost. The pneumatic cylinders accurately operate the parts of the mechanism.
US07775945B2
Aspects of the present invention involve an exercise device with an arm assembly that provides linear, converging, and/or diverging hand grip motions during use and also has an adjustable starting position. The arm assemblies described and depicted herein include arm members that are pivotally coupled with a frame of an exercise device. During exercise, the arm members engage an arcuate surface defining the arm path. The arcuate surfaces which guide the converging and/or diverging hand grip motions as the arms pivot relative to the frame. Some embodiments of the present invention include a releasable locking mechanism that allows a user to pivot the arm members to a desired starting position without altering the relative positions of the hand grips.
US07775943B2
An exercise machine, including an elastic band and a tension fulcrum positioned so that the band extends around the tension fulcrum to provide resistance exercise to the user.
US07775938B1
An exerciser for muscles that protract and depress the mandible. A headpiece is adapted to fit around an upper rearward portion of a human head. A chin strap extends around the chin and is coupled to the headpiece at such an angle that the chinstrap is urged against the chin in opposition to both protraction and depression of the chin. The exerciser finds an application in treating temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD).
US07775936B2
An exercise apparatus comprising a lower body exercise machine, at least one upper body exercise module positioned for engagement by a user of the machine, each module adapted to provide resistance to the user's full natural arm swing. Each module comprises an elongated connector, a user engagement connected to one end of the elongated connector for engaging or being engaged by a body appendage of a user, and a resistance mechanism for resisting a tensile force applied to the end of the elongated connector. The apparatus comprises a mechanism for adjusting the incline of the user platform of the lower body exercise machine and/or a mechanism for adjusting an attached railing between a close position suitable for gripping by the user and a far position sufficiently distant from the close position to prevent interference with the full natural arm swing of the user.
US07775931B2
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes arranged within a transmission housing.
US07775929B2
A vehicle differential assembly may include a differential housing rotatable about an axis, a first output assembly, a pinion gear, and a first coupling assembly. The first output assembly may include a first side gear and a first output member. The first side gear may be disposed within the differential housing and may be rotatable about the axis. The first output member may be coupled to the first side gear for rotation therewith. The first coupling assembly may be engaged with the first output assembly and may include a coupling mechanism and a biasing member. The coupling mechanism may extend through an opening in the first output member and may be displaceable relative to the differential housing in a direction generally parallel to the axis. The biasing member may be engaged with the coupling mechanism and may urge the first output assembly into frictional engagement with the differential housing.
US07775918B2
A projectile for a toy shooting device includes a tubular body, a head molded of soft material, an anchor partially embedded in the head and comprising a fixing stem extending into and adhered to the tubular body.
US07775912B2
A soccer training device for enhancing ball-handling and physical coordination of a soccer player, includes a base member, a rotary member, an elongated arm having a free distal end and a proximal end pivotally attached to a top portion of the base member via the rotary bearing, wherein the elongated arm is adapted for pivotal movement in at least one axis of direction about the point of attachment, an articulated member extending from the distal end of the elongated arm, wherein the articulated member is adapted for movement from a rest position in any axis of direction independent of the elongated arm, a biasing mechanism operatively associated with the articulated member for biasing the articulated member into alignment with the elongated arm, and a ball retaining member operatively associated with the free end of the articulated member for retaining a soccer ball thereon.
US07775901B2
A lightweight golfing kit particularly suited to use on pitch-and-putt courses comprises one or more golfing shafts, two or more clubheads demountably attachable thereto, and a carrier assembly including a holster open at both ends for supporting the shaft or shafts. The carrier may include a case for the clubheads supporting the holster in an upright position, and loops for supporting the assembly from a golfer's shoulders. Optionally a golfing shaft may be adjustable in length. The assembly may also include a detachable belt.
US07775896B2
A water transportation system and method are described, generally related to water amusement attractions and rides. Further, the disclosure generally relates to water-powered rides and to a system and method in which participants may be actively involved in a water attraction. This transportation system comprises at least two water stations and at least one water channel connecting the at least two water stations for the purpose of conveying participants between the at least two water stations. In addition, a floating water park positioned in a body of water is described, as well as, a floating marine park. A floating marine/water park may include one or more floating containers positioned in a body of a first fluid. One or more of the floating containers may function to hold a second fluid, marine life, and/or participants in water amusement activities. A water transportation system may include a floating marine/water park.
US07775894B2
A water transportation system and method are described, generally related to water amusement attractions and rides. Further, the disclosure generally relates to water-powered rides and to a system and method in which participants may be actively involved in a water attraction. This transportation system comprises at least two water stations and at least one water channel connecting the at least two water stations for the purpose of conveying participants between the at least two water stations. In addition, the water transportation system may include conveyor belt systems and water locks configured to convey participants from a first source of water to a second source of water which may or may not be at a different elevation.
US07775890B2
A drivetrain for use with a power unit is disclosed. The drivetrain may have a crankshaft, a flywheel having spline teeth, and a flexible plate connecting the crankshaft to the flywheel. The drivetrain may also have a driven member having spline teeth configured to mate with the spline teeth of the flywheel, and a limiter associated with at least one of the flywheel and the driven member. The limiter may be configured to limit a maximum axial movement and a maximum radial movement between the flywheel and the driven member.
US07775888B2
Various embodiments disclosed herein are directed to gaming machines having movable top boxes. According to one embodiment, the gaming machine includes a main cabinet having a first display for presenting a game and an extendable top box coupled to the top of the main cabinet. In one embodiment, the top box includes a front surface and an opposite back surface. The top box abuts the top of the main cabinet in a first position, and the top box is in a vertical position away from the top of the main cabinet in a second position.
US07775884B1
A game controller having a steering wheel communicating wirelessly with a controller base is provided. The steering wheel includes a wireless transmitter while the controller base includes a wireless receiver. The wireless transmitter is configured to transmit wheel information of the steering wheel to the wireless receiver of the controller base. Steering wheel information can include wheel rotational information. Wheel rotational information can be obtained using an optical sensor, a potentiometer or an accelerometer. The wireless transmitter can be an RF, IR or ultrasonic transmitter. Power for the wireless transmitter can be provided by an onboard battery. A sleep mode can also further extend the life of the wheel battery. It may also be possible to power the steering wheel from the controller base.
US07775881B2
A gaming method for facilitating game play via a gaming apparatus is provided. The gaming apparatus may include a value input device, a first display unit, and a configurable control panel unit. The configurable control panel unit may include a second display unit and a touch screen unit associated with the second display unit. A value input may be received from a player via the value input device, and the first display unit may be caused to display a first game display relating to one of the following games: poker, blackjack, slots, keno or bingo. One of a plurality of player input displays may be selected, and the second display unit may be caused to display the selected one of the plurality of player input displays. Player input data associated with the selected one of the plurality of player input displays may be received via the touch screen unit, and a value payout associated with an outcome of the game may be determined.
US07775872B2
A game button includes an enclosure in which are mounted at least one variable display, a sensor, a memory, and any other components of the game button. The variable display is capable of presenting a plurality of images thereon. The memory is communicatively coupled with the variable display, is adapted to store information for producing the plurality of images presented on the display, and is physically located between the variable display and the sensor.
US07775871B2
An electronic gaming unit for allowing a user to play a video gambling game, may generally include a time generator that may a time signal and the video gambling game may adapt in response to the time signal. The electronic gaming unit may further include a currency-accepting mechanism that is capable of allowing the user to deposit a medium of currency and a controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the input device.
US07775867B2
A game apparatus includes an LCD and a touch panel is provided on the LCD. On the LCD is displayed a game screen on which objects of different types are disposed so as to be aligned in a reticular pattern. By a player touching a desired object, a three-dimensional location of the object is set as a point of gaze of a virtual camera. Then, by the player moving a touch location, the location of the virtual camera (viewpoint) is changed according to the movement. In a virtual space, different layers are provided for the different types of objects. The objects are disposed so as not to overlap with each other between the different layers. When the viewpoint is fixed and a plurality of objects of different types intersecting a line of sight or a line parallel to the line of sight satisfy a predetermined condition, the objects are deleted.
US07775844B2
An electronically assisted reverse gate system for a jet propulsion watercraft is provided. Control electronics are in communication with the operator interface of the watercraft to obtain commands from the operator, such as a selection between a forward, reverse or neutral mode, a braking command or a slow mode. The control electronics evaluates the target setting for these commands. This evaluation is made taking into consideration the operating conditions of the watercraft. Control signals are sent to an appropriate actuating device to adjust the gate orientation accordingly.
US07775839B1
A connector includes a plate-shaped contact; and an insulator including a fixing hole into which the contact is pressed to be fixed. At least a part of the fixing hole has a cross section in a cruciform shape.
US07775809B2
In one embodiment, an electrical power distribution apparatus is disclosed which includes a track made up of a plurality of track sections connected together by/to joints and end sections. The track sections are each provided with a slot with which a power point connector may be engaged at any point by inserting a contact member of the connector through the slot at a chosen point and then rotating the connector by 90 degrees to bring the contact member into engagement with electrical conductors, of the track. The apparatus may comprise a further conduit containing conductors used to distribute communication signals. Also included are a switch operable in response to rotation of the connector and a sound producer to indicate when the switch has reached one of its end positions.
US07775808B2
A support portion of an elastic contactor is located in a fixed region surrounded by a plurality of openings on a contact sheet. The support portion extends over the substantially entire fixed region and along the outer rims of the surrounding openings.
US07775794B2
The invention relates to a mechanical device for use in orthodontics. The inventive device has a base (2) which is cemented onto a tooth (1) and a cap or closure element (3) which is mounted on the base (2).According to the invention, the device has the following functional characteristics: an orthodontic wire insertion groove which is provided on the cap or closure element instead of at the base of the bracket as is usual; the adjustment of the wire by means of a pull mechanism which is provided on the cap or closure element; a self-closing system for the wire; an aesthetic, functional design with minimum friction on soft tissues (lips); customization of the torque and the tip, such that suitable values can be applied according to the requirements of each case and treatment phase; and minimization of the time required to adjust arcs in the mouth.
US07775777B2
In a fuel pump (9) with an adapter (12) there are provided latching means (16, 16′) disposed opposite one another and arranged at opposite ends of rocker elements (18, 18′) having a release mechanism (17, 17′) which can be actuated by hand. The rocker elements (18, 18′) are produced integrally with the adapter (12). By pressing together the release mechanism (17, 17′) the latching mechanism (16, 16′) are released from the fuel pump (9). The adapter (12) has a non-return valve (22) and/or a pressure-limiting valve (23). The fuel pump (9) can therefore be adapted to the particular application by simply exchanging the adapter (12).
US07775774B2
A method for installing an offshore wind turbine system includes driving a cylindrical annular monopile or a substructure into the soil. The monopile includes a flanged portion configured to support a wind turbine tower or a superstructure. The flanged portion extends radially from a peripheral surface of the monopile. The method further includes mounting a wind turbine tower directly on to the monopile, wherein the wind turbine is supported by the flanged portion of the monopile.
US07775770B2
A flexible, resilient seal protects a bearing in a pitch joint of a helicopter blade assembly from contaminants. The seal includes a flexible, resilient body having a first end bonded to a stationary portion of the joint, and a second end biased into sealing engagement with a displaceable portion of the joint. The body includes an intermediate bellows section surrounding the bearing that expands and contracts to accommodate displacement between the stationary and movable portions of the joint. The second end of the seal includes a lip that rubs on a sacrificial wear layer formed on the second portion of the joint.
US07775763B1
A centrifugal pump or compressor with a labyrinth seal that produces an axial thrust balance when the impeller shifts in the axial direction due to fluid pressure forces acting on the impeller, and a process for reducing the axial thrust imbalance by regulating the fluid leakage from a front pressure cavity of the pump. The impeller includes a front face that forms part of a front pressure cavity in which fluid pressure acts that produces a thrust imbalance on the impeller. A labyrinth seal with a plurality of teeth is formed between the housing and the front face of the impeller near the impeller inlet. The teeth form gaps with lands formed on the impeller face, where the lands are slanted and stepped such that axial displacement of the impeller changes the gap space to regulate the fluid pressure acting in the front cavity. A self regulating fluid pressure is developed within the front cavity to produce a balancing force against the impeller.
US07775759B2
A centrifugal compressor for compressing a fluid comprises a compressor wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades, and a compressor housing in which the compressor wheel is mounted. The compressor housing includes an inlet duct through which the fluid enters in an axial direction and is led by the inlet duct into the compressor wheel, and a wheel shroud located radially adjacent the tips of the blades. A bleed port is defined in the wheel shroud at a location intermediate the leading and trailing edges of the blades for bleeding off a bleed portion of the fluid being compressed by the compressor wheel. A converging injection nozzle is defined in the duct wall upstream of the leading edges of the blades for injecting the bleed portion of the fluid back into the main fluid flow stream approaching the compressor wheel.
US07775758B2
An apparatus for adjusting a thrust load on a rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine includes an impeller rear cavity defined between a rear face of an impeller of the rotor assembly and a stationary wall spaced axially apart from the rear surface of the impeller. A pressurized air flow with a tangential velocity is introduced into the impeller rear cavity at a tip of the impeller to pressurize the cavity. Means are provided in the cavity for directly interfering with the tangential velocity of the pressurized air flow to affect an average static pressure of the pressurized air flow within the cavity in order to adjust the thrust load on the rotor assembly caused by the average static pressure in the cavity.
US07775757B2
A device for receiving and for transporting an article having a receiving plate which is slid under the article is provided in which the improvement involves a more effective way for an article to rest on the receiving plates during transportation. A more effective way for an article to rest on a receiving plate that is slid under the article is the addition of a hold down element.
US07775755B2
A limit stop support device for fitting variable-width plasterboards upon appliances for lifting and handling such boards comprises a one-piece receiving support which fulfils various adjustable-position sliding functions along a holder arm of the board holder or panel holder. The support receives a board or panel limit stop which is retractable in opposition to elastic return element(s) located on the receiving support, and a unit which fulfills a dual function of locking the receiving support in position on the arm and limiting the travel of the limit stop in opposition to the elastic return element(s) in an operating phase in order to place boards and panels on a ceiling and/or wall.
US07775751B2
A rotary cutting tool comprises a cutting head which is axially secured to a forward end of a shank by a locking screw. At least one radially extending locking wing of the locking screw is located in at least one radial recess of the cutting head or at least one radially extending passage is formed between the locking screw and the cutting head.
US07775750B2
A tangential cutting insert has an insert body provided with a convex upper surface, a bottom surface provided with a cylindrical insert protrusion, and a peripheral side surface including a pair of opposing major side surfaces and a pair of opposing minor side surfaces. A sloped, major cutting edge in formed at the intersection of each major side surface with the top surface, the rake surface being formed in the major side surface. The bottom surface is provided with an insert protrusion abutment surface for seating the cutting insert. An insert recess is formed in the cylindrical insert protrusion, and this recess communicates with the insert's through bore. The cutting insert is seated in an insert pocket with the insert protrusion abutment surface in abutment with the pocket case. A cylindrical pocket protrusion rising from the pocket base and having a threaded bore formed therein enters the recess and is aligned with the insert's through bore. This allows the threads of a clamping screw to engage complementary threads formed in the threaded bore at a point that is close to the through bore.
US07775749B2
In a method and a bar blade for milling spiral bevel gears and hypoid gears, a shaft of the bar blade has a blade profile that is formed by the cross-section of at least one cutting area, at least two free areas, and at least one top area. The blade profile is provided with a first cutting edge for a first flank, a second cutting edge for a second flank that faces the first flank, and a top cutting edge for the bottom of a tooth space. The first and the second cutting edge are embodied as principal cutting edges for completely cutting the first or second flank. The top cutting edge is configured for completely cutting the bottom of the tooth space such that the tooth space comprising the complete final geometry is created in one milling process by means of one and the same bar blade.
US07775741B2
A method and apparatus for finishing cured concrete floors using a riding trowel to which large diameter pans are rotationally secured, the pans having abraders releasably secured to their undersides. The individual abraders are preferably individually removably secured to the pans by hook-and-loop fasteners, wherein the fasteners are selectively disposed on the flat bottom surfaces of the pans or within shallow depressions in the bottom surfaces of the pans. The riding trowel further comprises a vacuum system in fluid communication with a contained space formed by a shroud having a rigid upper portion and a flexible lower portion where it contacts the finished cured concrete floor surface.
US07775737B2
A hand-held cosmetic powder applicator brush apparatus for applying cosmetic powders such as facial powders and other powders to a user. The brush apparatus comprises a housing having a chamber for holding a powder to be dispensed and a valve mechanism for selectively opening and closing the chamber to a brush mounted on the housing so that powder in the housing may be dispensed to the bristles of the brush. The valve is operable by rotating an upper housing section such as a sleeve on the housing in a first direction to cause such opening. When the brush is not used, the upper housing section is rotated in the opposite direction to cause the valve mechanism to close. There is also a shield which extends around a portion of the brush to engage and protect the bristles when an outer cap is placed over the brush.
US07775732B2
Apparatus supplies a printer used in a POS location or other printer station with paper from two different rolls. A detection device recognizes when the feeding roll is about to run out of paper, whereupon the paper feeding task is automatically switched to the other roll. An operator only needs to service a printer station before both rolls of paper run out in order to prevent a downtime. One embodiment is directed to apparatus for supplying paper to a printer disposed to receive paper from either a first or a second paper roll. The apparatus comprises first and second roller sets corresponding to first and second paper rolls, respectively, each roller set being operable when receiving power to supply paper from its corresponding paper roll to the printer. The apparatus further comprises a single power source, and a power delivery mechanism for adapting the first and second roller sets to receive power from the source during first and second operating modes, respectively, of the mechanism. A device is provided to monitor the amount of paper remaining on the roll feeding the printer, and to direct the mechanism to change modes before the remaining amount runs out.
US07775728B2
A focal plane shutter for cameras includes: a shutter blade assembly; an electromagnet assembly; driving means that includes a mounting member mounted with an iron scrap member that cooperates with an iron core member of the electromagnet assembly; and a setting member that operates the driving means to a set position. The iron scrap member includes a shaft fitted in a mounting hole of the mounting member, an iron scrap portion provided at one end of the shaft and brought into contact with the iron core member, and a removal preventing flange provided at the other end of the shaft, a collar member is fitted to the shaft between the mounting hole and the flange, an edge of the mounting hole is formed to have an arcuate surface protruding toward the collar member, and the collar member is formed to have, on the edge side, an arcuate surface protruding toward the flange and substantially perpendicular to the arcuate surface.
US07775726B2
An optical connector for terminating an optical fiber comprises a housing configured to mate with a receptacle and a collar body disposed in the housing. The collar body includes a ferrule securely disposed in an opening of the collar body, the ferrule including a central bore that defines an axis, and a housing portion disposed in a generally central portion of the collar body. The housing portion includes an opening to receive a gripping device to grip an optical fiber. The ferrule is axially moveable independent of the axial movement of the optical fiber and gripping device. The optical connector can be thermally balanced over a temperature range of at least 100° C.
US07775725B2
A single-channel, expanded beam connector having a front and rear orientation and comprising: (a) a housing; (b) an outer sleeve at least partially contained by the housing; (c) a first inner sleeve disposed at least partially in the outer sleeve; (d) a ferrule disposed at least partially in the first inner sleeve; (e) a lens disposed at least partially in the first inner sleeve in front of the ferrule, wherein the lens and the ferrule have about the same outside first diameter which is just slightly less than that of the inside diameter of the first inner sleeve such that the ferrule and the lens are held in optical alignment in the first inner sleeve, and wherein the distal end of the outer sleeve extends beyond the inner sleeve to receive a second inner sleeve of a mating structure, the first and second inner sleeves having the same diameter which is just slightly less than the inside diameter of the outer sleeve such that the first and inner sleeves are aligned within the outer sleeve.
US07775720B2
A bearing assembly comprises a bearing (200) having a central hole (250) and a shaft (280) received in the central hole. The bearing has at least one sloping inner surface (2522) facing to the shaft and around the central hole. A gap is formed between the sloping inner surface and shaft. A width of the gap is gradually reduced along an axial direction of the central hole. The central hole has two side holes (254, 255) each of which has a diameter smaller than that of a middle hole (252) of the central hole (250), wherein the sloping inner surface is located corresponding to the middle hole.
US07775718B2
A roller guide for adjustable vehicle seats. The roller guide includes at least one guide rail which is at least partially open at the side and at least two rollers which roll in the guide rail and are connected to the vehicle seat via at least one axle. At least one of the rollers is shaped like a cone or a truncated cone. The cone surface can roll as the bearing surface of the roller moves along an inner wall of the guide rail. The inner wall being arranged at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the axle.
US07775714B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium for facilitating the assessment of performance quality of an imaging system having a sensor subsystem. An imaging mode of operation of the imaging system is selected and at least one current set of digital image data of an imaging phantom device is acquired with the imaging system via the sensor subsystem. The currently acquired set of digital phantom image data is automatically compared to at least one previously acquired set of digital phantom image data representing a standard image of quality corresponding to the selected imaging mode of operation and the imaging phantom device to automatically determine if at least one sensor parameter of the sensor subsystem has changed.
US07775701B2
A backlight assembly includes a light source, a light-guide plate and an integrally formed frame. The light-guide plate guides light generated from the light source. The integrally formed frame includes a chassis and a mold frame integrally combined with the chassis as an indivisible unitary element through insert/outsert injection. The integrally formed frame receives the light source and the light-guide plate. A hemming part is formed on a sidewall of the chassis to increase strength of the integrally formed frame. Therefore, the number of elements is decreased, and strength against bending stress, impact resistance and heat dissipation are improved.
US07775700B2
The invention generally relates to an optical turning film for providing light redirection, comprising: (a) an input surface for accepting incident light comprising a plurality of roof prism structures arranged in a two-dimensional array; and, (b) a substantially planar output surface.
US07775696B2
A reflector reflects a light from a light source. A projector lens projects a reflected light from the reflector ahead of a vehicle. A shade is used to switch the reflected light into a plurality of beams in a plurality of light distribution patterns. A spring member and a drive unit switch a position of the shade between an obliquely upward and backward position and an obliquely downward and forward position to obtain the light distribution patterns.
US07775695B1
A multi-functional vehicle lighting assembly includes a controller, an housing, a plurality of light-emitting sources, a mechanism for selectively pivoting the light-emitting sources, and a mechanism for selectively swiveling the light-emitting sources along clockwise and counter clockwise directions when the light-emitting sources are adapted to the vertical position. The swiveling mechanism further includes a ball and socket coupling and a support beam with axially opposed proximal and distal ends directly coupled to the second beveled gear and one of the light-emitting sources respectively.
US07775691B2
A retractable light is provided with a light to extend and retract in a housing. A motor for driving a sprocket is mounted in the housing or light assembly and a gear rack is mounted in the other. The gear rack has a series of apertures so that debris is conveyed into the apertures. Another embodiment provides a housing with a first guide member, connected to a light assembly by a second guide member. A motor and a gear are mounted in one of the housing and light assembly. A gear rack is mounted in the other of the housing and the light assembly. In another embodiment, a rechargeable battery is powered by a solar cell with a first circuit for powering the motor with a first voltage and a second circuit for powering the light source with a second voltage that is less than the first voltage.
US07775689B2
A lamp unit includes a reflector with a lamp mounted therein, a reflector holder holding the reflector, and an ejector member fixed to the reflector holder, for ejecting air to cool the lamp, the ejector member including an insertion member with a tubular stud inserted therein for supplying compressed air, a fluid passage forming member having a fluid passage for being supplied with air from the stud, and a hole defined in a distal end of the ejector member.
US07775688B2
A reflector device for a lighting device, having a reflector element that has a light emission side and a back side facing away from the light emission side. From the back side to the light emission side, at least one mounting opening is provided, through which an electrically conductive connection element is intended to be passed by its second end region and coupled with the reflector element. The connection element, in turn, serves the purpose of coupling to an individual lamp on the one hand and an electrical power source on the other, and in its first end region it has means for securing the reflector device in a retention device. It furthermore has a third region, adjoining the first end region, that has a round diameter in cross section, and this diameter does not increase between the third region and the second end region. The mounting opening and the connection element are structurally adapted to one another in such a way that the connection element cannot be passed all the way through the mounting opening.
US07775685B2
A light emitting die package includes a substrate, a reflector plate, and a lens. The substrate has traces for connecting an external electrical power source to a light emitting diode (LED) at a mounting pad. The reflector plate is coupled to the substrate and substantially surrounds the mounting pad, and includes a reflective surface to direct light from the LED in a desired direction. The lens is free to move relative to the reflector plate and is capable of being raised or lowered by the encapsulant that wets and adheres to it and is placed at an optimal distance from the LED chip(s). Heat generated by the LED during operation is drawn away from the LED by both the substrate (acting as a bottom heat sink) and the reflector plate (acting as a top heat sink).
US07775680B2
An exemplary LED lamp assembly includes a housing (21), a printed circuit board (22), a LED (23), a light reflective member (24) and a lamp cover (25). The housing includes a top cover (211), a base board (213), a plurality of sidewalls (215) connecting with the top cover and the base board, and an opening (218) defined on one of the sidewalls. The printed circuit board is positioned on the base board. The LED is electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The LED includes a light emitting side surface (233) and a top surface (235) adjoining to the light emitting side surface, a portion of the light emitting side surface facing the opening, and the top surface facing the top cover. The light reflective member is located in the housing for reflecting light from the LED and out via the opening. The lamp cover covers the opening.
US07775670B2
The present invention relates to a laser projection system (1) having means for reducing the coherence of a generated laser beam (3) in order to reduce the occurrence of annoying speckle artifacts in images produced by the system. Coherence is reduced by letting the laser beam (3) pass through a transparent cell (6) comprising first (A) and second (B) immiscible fluids having different refractive indices. The fluids are displaced in the cell, preferably using an electrowetting technique. The cell (6) may thus be realized as an electrowetting lens, which is driven with a pseudo random driving signal.
US07775666B2
It is possible to provide a three-dimensional image display apparatus which can reproduce a three-dimensional image having an appearance of solidity with a simple configuration. The three-dimensional image reproduction apparatus includes: a display device 2 for displaying two-dimensional element images having a plurality of horizontal and vertical parallax images 1 containing information on a parallax and an image at the time of reproducing a three-dimensional solid image 7; and a lens 3 for forming the three-dimensional solid image 7 at a predetermined spatial intersection from the element images displayed by the display device 2. Here, the lens 3 diffracts the element images and forms the three-dimensional image by the use of a diffraction effect when the element images are emitted from the display device 2.
US07775659B2
A polarized tinted lens for sunglasses includes a first polarizing tinting member and a second tinting member. The first polarizing tinting member is capable of reducing the transmission of glare through the lens. The second tinting member at least partially overlays the first tinting member so that light passing through the lens in the portion where the first and second tinting members are overlain must pass through both the first and second tinting members. Preferably the sunglasses created thereby are polarized sunglasses with two tints in one lens. The user can adjust the tint though which he sees by tilting his head or adjusting the angle of his eyes.
US07775656B2
An image recording apparatus configured to record images on a front surface and a back surface of a recording sheet, the image recording apparatus including: a recording head which ejects ink onto the recording sheet for recording; and a controller configured to execute controls for operations of the image recording apparatus, wherein the controller includes a sheet-stopping control section configured to execute a control for stopping the recording sheet for a specific time after the image has been recorded on the front surface of the recording sheet and before the image is recorded on the back surface of the recording sheet, and wherein the image recording apparatus further comprises a biasing device configured to bias the recording sheet, so as to retain the recording sheet in a specific shape, in a state in which the recording sheet is stopped by the control of the sheet-stopping control section.
US07775645B2
A method of forming a cartridge includes the steps of positioning a movable member within a chamber, enclosing the chamber, and dispensing a liquid within at least a portion of the chamber. The method also includes the steps of positioning a first portion of the enclosed chamber within a first case member, positioning a second portion of the enclosed chamber within a second case member, and bonding the first case member to the second case member.
US07775644B2
A printhead assembly with a printhead integrated circuit (IC) for ejecting ink, an elongate molding which defines a recess for holding the printhead IC, and an elongate support member which supports the elongate molding. The molding defines a plurality of separate ink passages, each in fluid communication with the printhead IC. The elongate support member defines a plurality of separate ink reservoirs each in fluid communication with a respective ink passage. Each of the ink reservoirs extends axially along the support member. The support member has a core element that defines the ink reservoirs and a shell in which the core element can be received.
US07775643B2
A printing cartridge for an inkjet printer is provided having an ink supply and a printhead assembly which has at least one printhead integrated circuit having ink ejection nozzles and an ink distribution support mounting the printhead integrated circuit(s). The ink distribution support distributes ink from the ink supply to the nozzles. The printing cartridge is mounted to the printer at the ink distribution support which is provided with at least one reference feature. The reference feature(s) serves to provide information on the location of the nozzles upon mounting of the printing cartridge to the printer. The ink distribution support is a molding formed from liquid crystal polymer. The liquid crystal polymer of the ink distribution support having thermal expansion characteristics similar to those of a silicon wafer of which the printhead integrated circuit is formed.
US07775642B2
This invention relates to a cover assembly for a cradle unit of a pagewidth print engine. The cover assembly defines a docking port for a refill unit configured to refill a cartridge unit of the print engine. The cartridge unit is housed in the cradle. The docking port includes a rim portion, engagement means and a push rod. The rim portion is for receiving a base portion of the refill unit so that the refill unit is able to pass through the cover assembly, in use, to dock with the cartridge unit. The engagement means is located within the rim portion, the engagement means being configured to engage the refill unit to retain the refill unit securely in position to facilitate refilling of the cartridge unit. The push rod extends through a hole in the rim portion for operatively actuating the refill unit to incrementally dispense ink.
US07775638B2
A highly reliable, small-sized, and inexpensive ink jet recording head includes an electrical wiring member that is joined with a back surface of a liquid discharge substrate and includes a liquid supply port communicating with a liquid supply port of the liquid discharge substrate and an electrical connection portion connected to the electrode; and a holding member that holds the liquid discharge substrate through the electrical wiring member and includes a liquid supply port for supplying the liquid to the liquid supply port of the liquid discharge substrate. The liquid supply ports of the electrical wiring member, the liquid discharge substrate, and the holding member communicate with one another. A sealing agent for sealing the electrical connection portion is filled up between the liquid discharge substrate and the electrical wiring member, and a side surface of the liquid supply port of the electrical wiring member is covered with the sealing agent.
US07775635B2
A method of producing a thermoelastic actuator assembly having desired operating characteristics includes determining a desired negative pressure pulse characteristic for the actuator, determining a heat dissipation profile corresponding to the desired negative pressure pulse characteristic, and forming the thermoelastic actuator with a heat conduction means arranged to realize the profile.
US07775630B2
A printhead integrated circuit (IC) with a planar array of droplet ejectors, each having data distribution circuitry, a drive transistor, a printing fluid inlet, an actuator, a chamber and a nozzle, the chamber being configured to hold printing fluid adjacent the nozzle so that the drive transistor activates the actuator to eject a droplet of the printing fluid through the nozzle. The array has more than 700 of the droplet ejectors per square millimeter. With a high density of droplet ejectors fabricated on a wafer substrate, the nozzle array has a high nozzle pitch and the printhead has a very high ‘true’ print resolution—i.e. the high number of dots per inch is achieved by a high number of nozzles per inch.
US07775629B2
An image recording apparatus that includes: a conductive cable and an ink supply tube each of which is fixed to a carriage at one end thereof and to an apparatus body at the other end thereof and is routed to form a curved portion; and a turn supporting member including an arm, a carrying portion provided on the arm, and a holding portion provided on the arm. The holding portion slidably holds a predetermined part of the ink tube. The flat cable is slidably supported on the carrying portion. The arm is supported on a turn supporting point on the apparatus body located at an inner part of the curved portion of each of the flat cable and the ink tube and is led from the turn supporting point in a substantially horizontal direction.
US07775628B2
An inkjet printer includes: a print head; a print data storing unit; a print executing unit; a maintaining unit; a maintenance necessity determining unit; and a printing results inquiring unit. The print head is formed with one or more ink ejection opening. The print data storing unit stores inputted print data. The print executing unit executes a printing operation with the print head based on print data stored in the print data storing unit. The maintaining unit restores the ink ejection state of the print head. The maintenance necessity determining unit determines whether or not it is necessary to perform an operation for restoring the ink ejection state with the maintaining unit. The printing results inquiring unit inquires whether to allow the printing results of a printing operation executed by the print executing unit when the maintenance necessity determining unit determines that it is necessary to restore the ink ejection state of the print head. The print data storing unit stores print data at least until a response allowing the printing results is received in response to an inquiry by the printing results inquiring unit, or at least until the maintaining unit has executed an operation to restore the ink ejection state and the print executing unit has repeated the printing operation after the printing results inquiring unit has issued an inquiry.
US07775625B2
A printer is provided having a pagewidth printhead assembly having opposed pagewidth printheads, a pagewidth capping member located adjacent the printheads, and an actuating mechanism arranged to move the printheads and capping member. Each printhead has a plurality of ink ejection nozzles arranged across the pagewidth to deliver ink onto opposite faces of print media as it is transported between the printheads. The actuating mechanism moves the printheads between respective printing positions and a non-printing position, and the capping member between the printheads in the non-printing position to cap the nozzles.
US07775623B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a recording head including a plurality of nozzles which eject ink drops onto a recording medium to form an image; and a vibrator which is disposed to face the plurality of nozzles and vibrates in a non-printing state.
US07775620B2
A substrate for an ink jet recording head, the substrate provided with an electrothermal transducer for generating thermal energy used for discharging ink and a driving circuit for driving the electrothermal transducer, the substrate having a logical circuit for outputting, at a second voltage amplitude level based on an input signal of a first voltage amplitude level, a selection signal for designating the electrothermal transducer to be driven, a driving circuit for driving the electrothermal transducer based on the selection signal from the logical circuit in units of blocks, and a buffer circuit which has current supply capability enabling gates fed with one selection signal to be all driven in the driving circuit and relays the selection signal between the logical circuit and the driving circuit.
US07775613B2
An assembly includes a housing, one or more telescoping brackets movably secured to the housing, and a door portion movably secured to the housing and the one or more telescoping brackets. A method for providing increased access to a storage compartment includes the steps of movably joining one or more telescoping brackets to a housing, movably joining a door portion to the one or more telescoping brackets and the housing, and moving the door portion to cause the one or more telescoping brackets to telescopingly project the door relative housing to provide access to a storage compartment.
US07775603B2
A suspension system for a vehicle seat comprising a support wire having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first and second ends, such that the support wire is folded approximately in half at the middle portion. The suspension system further comprises a coating of overmolded plastic applied to the first and second ends such that the first end second ends are held together by the coating; a bend in the middle portion of the support wire to attach the support wire to a frame of the vehicle seat, wherein the bend is coated with overmolded plastic; a crossbar overmolded on the support wire; an integral attachment clip molded onto the crossbar; and a seat cushion module held adjacent the support wire using the integral attachment clip.
US07775590B2
An improved knockdown chair having opposing substantially C shaped support arms, substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement, sock type seating portion cover, front reinforcing member, and bottom reinforcing member, wherein each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms are of laminate construction and have an upper arcuate arm support, front arcuate portion, and substantially straight bottom, the substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement having a tubular seat back and tubular sitting portion telescopically interconnected one to the other, and wherein each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms is opposingly removably fastened to the substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement, the improvement comprising combination with each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms of a substantially S shaped reinforcing member of laminate construction removably fastened to the upper arcuate arm support and the substantially straight bottom for reinforcing each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms.
US07775584B2
A collision absorption system including a collapsing armrest. The armrest is configured to provide support for vertical loading during use. During a side impact collision, the armrest is configured to deform or collapse in a lateral direction. The collapsing armrest may include multiple layers with at least one layer having grooves and channels, or containing cross-ribs, to allow greater deflection in a lateral direction during a side impact collision.
US07775583B2
Force and deceleration delimiting methods for operating the same in a vehicle generally include an open celled material expandable from a non-expanded to an expanded state, wherein the material is sandwiched between first and second end cap members; an optional support surface cooperatively positioned with the material to cover a surface of the material in the expanded and non-expanded states; an optional shield cooperatively positioned with the material to cover a surface of the material in the expanded and non-expanded states; and an activation mechanism adapted to regulate selective expansion of the material from the non-expanded to the expanded state in response to a triggering event, wherein the support surface and/or shield have a compact shape when the material is in the non-expanded state and an expanded state when the material is in the expanded state.
US07775568B2
The invention is a device that facilitates the collection of urine and other such specimens from animals for the purpose of testing. It features a pod for collecting and holding the waste, a handle for manipulating the pod during testing, a base for resting the pod while testing is being performed, and a light source for illumination of the animal's waste emitting regions as well as the collection pod during the testing.
US07775565B2
A closing mechanism for a movable closing element, preferably for a door, a cover or a flap on a household appliance, such as a dishwasher, a washing machine, or a refrigerator, the mechanism comprises a carriage that can be displaced between a locking position and an unlocking position and is loaded by a spring force in the direction of the locking position. The carriage carries a closing hook that can be engaged with the closing element for the closing action and/or disengaged therefrom for the opening action. A rotary latch co-operates with the closing element during the closing action. As a result of this co-operation, the rotary latch acts on the carriage in such a way that the carriage is displaced into the locking position during the closing of the closing element by the force of the spring.
US07775562B2
A quick connector includes a female pipe having a flange in the outer peripheral part thereof, a male pipe having a retainer mounting part, and a retainer slidably mounted on the retainer mounting part of the male pipe to slide at a right angle to the axial direction of the male pipe, in which the female pipe and the male pipe are connected with each other by the retainer holding the flange of the female pipe, and the retainer is allowed to move from a temporarily fixed position to a completely pushed-in position on the retainer mounting part only when the female pipe and the male pipe are in a completely connected state, so that a worker can easily and reliably check whether the pipes are in an incompletely connected state or in a completely connected state by means of hand feeling only without relying on a visual check.
US07775558B2
A webbing holding device is proposed, which prevents or controls abrupt reduction in take-up speed when taking-up of webbing is completed. In the webbing holding device, when the webbing is released from being fitted over an occupant, the webbing is wound to a retractor by biasing force. Here, immediately before taking-up of the webbing is completed, a guide strap is stretched by movement of a leading end portion of the webbing toward the back side of a vehicle, and thus the guide strap applies biasing force to the leading end portion of the webbing, so that the take-up speed of the webbing is reduced. Therefore, when winding of the webbing is finished, take-up speed of the webbing being abruptly reduced may be prevented or controlled, and therefore extraction of the webbing from the retractor being locked by a lock mechanism of the retractor may be prevented or controlled.
US07775556B2
Production of a working vehicle frame consumes high costs because it requires high rigidity. A simple construction improves the rigidity of the frame and reduces costs required for the production. In a structure of a frame (9) for a working vehicle (1), side sections of the frame (9) are constructed in a boat form, and, in a front view, the width of a lower section of the frame (9) is set smaller than that of the central section in the vertical direction of the frame (9). Further, a mast plate (63) for supporting a front loader (2) and a front axle installation plate section (75) are integrated, and side frames (62) constructing the side section of the frame (9) and the mast plate (63) are jointed in a lateral T shape in a side view.
US07775551B2
An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14). The protection device (14) includes panels (40 and 42) and a plurality of chambers (54) at least partially defined by the panels. An inflation fluid source (24) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating the protection device (14). The protection device (14) further includes a manifold (100) at least partially defined by the overlying panels (40 and 42). The manifold (100) includes a plenum portion (102) for receiving inflation fluid from the inflation fluid source and duct portions (104) that branch from the plenum portion and distribute inflation fluid into the chambers (54).
US07775550B2
The present invention relates to an airbag cover (11) for automotive vehicles comprising means to predetermine its breaking during deployment of the airbag cushion, incorporating an emblem (13) formed by at least two independent parts (21, 23) and which is fixed to the cover (11) by means of the aid of one or more rods arranged on its inner face and comprising at least two areas (31, 35), each of which includes snap-fitting means cooperating with the rods of each of said at least two parts (21, 23) and an intermediate area (33) between them which is configured such that it can work as a bending area of the snap-fitting plate (17) during deployment of the airbag cushion, allowing relative movement between the parts (21,23) of the emblem (13).
US07775546B2
A collapsible tow hook for a motor vehicle includes a housing attached to a vehicle structure, a bracket pivotally mounted on the housing, a tow loop attached to the bracket and adapted to receive a tow cable that pulls on the tow loop in a towing direction. An interlocking structure acts between the bracket and the housing to normally support the bracket against pivotal movement but is yieldable to permit pivotal movement of the bracket relative the housing upon the imposition of a load on the tow loop in a direction opposite to the towing direction so that the tow loop is pivoted to a collapsed position relative to the vehicle structure.
US07775544B2
A pin box assembly comprising a first portion, a second portion, a connective member disposed between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion comprising a torque portion, the torque portion comprising a bar disposed within a tube and at least one resilient member disposed between the bar and the tube, the bar fixedly connected to the first portion, the tube fixedly connected to the second portion, the resilient member compressible between the bar and the tube upon rotation of the bar with respect to the tube, a connective member fixedly connected to the tube and to the second portion, and a hitch member connected to the first portion for engaging a hitch on a towing vehicle.
US07775538B1
A pedal car that is designed to serve as foot-propelled transportation for two or more individuals. The pedal car has a protected enclosure that is designed to be powered by leg power of the two front-seat passengers, with these passengers operating a pedaling system. Each of these two front-seat passengers has a two-pedal system to allow each of them to share the responsibility of providing power to the pedal car. The pedal car also has an overhead roof, with each of the two front seats having 90-degree swivel capabilities, a seat lock, and a seat belt for safety while riding.
US07775531B2
The use of a pivotal coupling on a cart of the wheelbarrow type allows for a downwardly applied pressure to the user ends of the handles to tip the bucket to at least begin the dumping action of the cart. Following the initial downward pressure with the handles still elevationally displaced downward an upward lift applied to the user ends of the handles completes the dumping action of the cart. Use of multiple pivotal axises on the cart provide for an extremely efficient operation. Various enhancements are explained including locking of the orientation of the cart following the initial dump, wheel blocking to prevent rotation of the ground support wheel relative to the bucket during at least a portion of the final dumping action and stabilization enhancement to prevent lateral tipping of the cart during the final dumping action.
US07775527B2
A shaft sealing arrangement for a pump for delivering hot fluids includes a dynamic shaft seal (4), in particular a slide ring seal, in order to seal a rotatable shaft (2) relative to a housing (1), and a cooling ring (5) which is mounted in front of the dynamic shaft seal (4) in the direction of the pump interior and which surrounds the shaft (2) at a small spacing. The shaft sealing arrangement further includes an additional seal (8) which seals the shaft (2) in the region of the cooling ring (5) in order to reduce the feed of hot fluid into the gap between the shaft (2) and the cooling ring (5), with the additional seal (8) being formed as a brush seal.
US07775516B2
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a body comprising a conveyance path into which a sheet is conveyed and a feed tray. The feed tray includes a separation pad, which is provided at a widthwise center of the feed tray; and a holding member, which is provided downstream of the separation pad in a direction of conveyance of the sheet, the holding member comprising a driven roller, which is wider than the separation pad, and at least two guide members, one guide member arranged on each side of the driven roller.
US07775507B2
The invention provides novel ceramic mass transfer packing elements with physical characteristics that maximize efficiency of mass transfer and minimize pressure drop when randomly dumped in a chemical reactor. In some embodiments, the elements may have: a ratio of surface area of the interaction zone to surface area of the flow through zone between 1:0.5 and 1:3; and the interaction zone surface area occupies between 45% and 70% of the open face surface area.
US07775503B2
An oil pressure relief valve for use in the lubrication system of an internal combustion engine is controlled by both pump outlet pressure 3 and pilot pressure 2. The action of the valve reduces the start-up pressure spikes associated with known pilot-operated valves, while also permitting a fuel economy benefit.
US07775501B2
A pinch valve has a hose-like valve member with a flexible peripheral wall adjacent to whose outer periphery two diametrally opposite pinch elements are arranged able to be moved toward and away from one another with a greater or lesser pinching of the peripheral wall while performing an operating movement athwart the valve member longitudinal axis. An annular actuating ring coaxially surrounding the valve member may act on the pinch elements for causing the operating movement. The actuating ring is placed in a working space surrounded radially from the outside by a peripheral valve housing wall and is able to be acted on by drive means separate from the actuating ring with a drive force controlling the actuating movement.
US07775489B2
The present invention refers to a support foot for cabinets, in particular outer casings of home electric appliances.The support foot (1) according to the present invention comprises a bush (3) provided with at least one lug (4) for said bush (3) to be able to be clamped and fastened within an aperture (5) provided in the bottom wall (2) of a cabinet; the foot (1) further comprises a resting member (9) associated to the bush (3), and is characterized in that said at least one lug (4) comprises one or more serrations or teeth (8) adapted to cooperate with at least a protrusion (6) provided on said bottom wall (2) in proximity of said aperture (5).
US07775486B2
A webcam assembly includes a webcam head and a support. The support has an arm, a base, and a tail. The arm and tail are pivotably connected to a rear end of the base. The webcam head is connected to the base and the tail through the arm. The support has a clamp form in which the tail has a pivot position away from the base and the arm has a pivot position adjacent to said base. The support also has a stand form in which the tail has a pivot position adjacent to the base and the arm has a pivot position away from the base.
US07775478B2
A floor beam assembly, system, and method for installing floor beams within a structure are provided. According to one embodiment, a floor beam assembly for installing a floor beam within a structure is provided. The assembly includes at least one floor beam and at least one floor beam bracket attached to a respective floor beam. The assembly also includes at least one pivot arm pivotally attached to the structure. In addition, the assembly includes a pad attached to the at least one pivot arm, wherein the at least one pivot arm is configured to pivot the pad to a position proximate to a respective floor beam bracket to be attached thereto.
US07775475B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a winding drum for a sheet-like member which can change reliably the range of air sucking intake holes by a simple structure, and to provide a winding drum which can prevent the generation of an unwanted contact mark on the sheet-like member. This winding drum having a hollow portion which is in communication with the intake holes of the drum body, a changeover member which is releasably attached in the hollow portion and which is formed so as to extend along the inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion, and an air passage (second communicating holes, first communicating hole, and hole) which is provided on the changeover member and which communicates intake holes of a predetermined range in the axial direction of the drum body with the suction device when the changeover member is attached in the hollow portion. So the range of air sucking intake holes is switched by changing the changeover member to another changeover member with another air passage.
US07775469B2
This invention relates to methods and compositions for modulating movement of eukaryotic cells with migratory capacity. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and compositions for modulating movement of cells of hematopoietic, neural, epithelial, or mesenchymal origin, in a specific site in a subject. The foregoing are useful, inter alia, in the treatment of conditions characterized by a need to modulate migratory-cell movement associated with specific sites in a subject. More specifically, specific sites include sites of inflammation and modulation of migratory-cell movement is movement away from an agent source, or repulsion. Other sites include tumor sites, sites of pathogenic infection, and germ cell bearing sites.
US07775468B2
The invention includes a hammermill for comminuting material. The hammer includes a housing and a cutting plate disposed within the housing. A rotor assembly is rotatably mounted within the housing about an axis of rotation and a plurality of hammers are functionally coupled to the rotor assembly. The housing is rotatable about the axis of rotation.
US07775465B2
A method and apparatus for grinding iron ore or iron ore concentrate is able to grind iron ore or iron ore concentrate economically. In the method and apparatus disclosed, the material is ground in circulation in a material bed roll mill, one fraction of the iron ore or iron ore concentrate ground in the material bed roll mill is recirculated to the material bed roll mill and the other fraction of the iron ore or iron ore concentrate is classified into oversize material and fines, and the oversize material is returned to the material bed roll mill.
US07775451B2
The invention relates to a variable flow mixing valve for use in a Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning module. The module is particularly suited for use in a vehicle. The variable flow mixing valve includes drive means which drive a mixing door and a baffle between various positions in order to allow a relatively warm flow of air, from a first chamber, to mix with a relatively cool flow of air from a second chamber. The baffle and door are linked in such a way as to provide an aperture therebetween through which, in use, the first and/or second flows of air pass. A parking area is also provided for the baffle and is shaped in order to reflect airflow back toward the first and second chambers.
US07775450B2
An adjustable height housing enables a thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) with a dial permitting manual control of bathtub shower water temperature to be vertically mounted in a horizontal bathtub deck. The housing can be installed on a narrow bathtub rim yet also accommodates substantial substrate thickness of bathtub decks where required. Manual adjustment of hot and cold ring stops is performed from the top-side using only a screwdriver to gain access. The housing includes a long threaded outer sleeve which extends from near the top deck surface to the thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) cartridge body housing below, thereby accommodating any deck thickness from a 1/16 inch thick stainless steel tub edge to a compound deck construction up to 2¾ inches thick. The rotatable temperature dial is coupled to a cap rotatable by the adjustment handle which, in turn, rotates an adjustable extension shaft within the housing.
US07775448B2
A system and method to control environmental parameters of pre-defined zones within an environment using an electronic controller are disclosed. The system includes an electronic controller which enables a weighting value to be assigned to each zone within the environment. The electronic controller also detects any zone service calls from sensor devices associated with each of the zones and determines a cumulative weighting value in response to the detected zone service calls. The electronic controller selects a staging combination from at least two possible staging combinations in response to at least the cumulative zone weighting value.
US07775431B2
Method of and an Internet-based network for shipping, tracking and delivering a shipment of packages from a point of shipment pickup to point of destination. At the point of shipment pickup, digital images of the shipping documents are captured and processed to extract the original shipment tracking number and optionally shipping information. This information is automatically encoded into digital image files prior to transmission to an application server, and stored in a shipping information DBMS. While the shipment of packages is in transit, from the point of shipment pickup to the first scanning point in the Internet-based network, early customs clearance of the shipment is initiated and facilitated to speed up delivery of the package shipment to the point of destination.
US07775428B2
Systems and methods for generating, reading and transferring identifiers are disclosed. In one embodiment, a handheld system for associating a selected audio content with an object includes an identifier applied to a surface of the object and having a predetermined graphical format that is configured to encode the selected audio content, and a handheld device operable to encode the identifier and further operable to detect an audio content associated with the identifier.
US07775422B2
A meter for flowing material, e.g., water, has a meter register having an electronic display, e.g., an LED or LCD display, and a mechanical read-out display driven by a stepper motor to record units of water that flowed through the meter. In the event of an electrical power failure, the LED or LCD readout values are lost, however, the mechanical read-out values remain. Further, signals are transmitted to a microprocessor of a meter register to change the rotation of the stepper motor so that the meter register can be used with different types of meters. Still further, a meter generator co-acting with a meter register forwards an electrical pulse signal after a quantity of material or utility passes through a water meter to a microprocessor of a remote reader. The remote reader includes an odometer coupled to a stepper motor.
US07775419B2
A collapsible, non-disassembling intersecting partition assembly for insertion into a container divides the space inside the container into individual cells for holding products. The assembly comprises a plurality of first slotted partitions intersecting with a plurality of second slotted partitions to form a collapsible matrix. Each of the first slotted partitions has opposed slots extending inwardly from opposed edges of the partition to facilitate folding the partition. An outer portion or tab of each folded partition is secured to one of the other partitions to prevent disassembly of the matrix. Each of the partitions has hooks and notches to help hold the assembly together.
US07775415B2
A method and apparatus for evaluating the size and/or quality of a spot weld. The apparatus includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers arranged with a delay line for positioning adjacent a surface of a weld. A layer of gel is placed between the delay line and the weld surface. The array of transducers emit ultrasonic waves that pass into the weld. The reflected waves are received by the transducers and relayed to a central processing unit that analyzes the time delay, amplitude, and amplitude attenuation to calculate the border of the weld nugget, the thickness of the welded material, the thickness of the gel layer, and other factors contributing to weld quality.
US07775409B2
An axially actuated valve for use in a pressurized container is controlled by a user to dispense the amount of product desired. The valve stem is moved in an up and down direction so that when dispensing, the user can control the amount of the valve openings that are in communication with the material to be dispensed. A resilient sealing grommet provides an interference fit around the lower part of the valve stem from the button up to the top of the valve stem openings. This interference fit effectively closes off the uncovered portion of the valve openings thereby permitting user control of the dispensing rate. The stem has openings partially tapered in the form of an inverted truncated pyramid to further facilitate user control of the dispensing of product.
US07775402B2
A dispensing container with a pump includes a neck, a manual pump of a push-down type disposed in the neck, a push-down head fitted to the top of the pump, and a cap having an attaching cylinder fitted around the neck. A rotary cylinder is disposed on the outside of the attaching cylinder coaxially on central axis. A cover cylinder having a cover wall is disposed coaxially between the attaching cylinder and the rotary cylinder in a manner capable of going up and down under the condition that an elevating system has been established with the attaching cylinder and the rotary cylinder by the rotary movement of the rotary attachment. The cover cylinder is disposed so the push-down head is exposed out of the cover cylinder at its lower-limit position and cannot be pushed down at the upper-limit position of the cover cylinder to prevent contents from being erroneously discharged.
US07775401B2
A trigger operated fluid delivery system for dispensing two different fluids. The fluid delivery system includes a first container having a first fluid that dispenses to a fluid discharge orifice via a fluid inlet conduit by a pump and pump chamber. The fluid delivery system includes a second container having a second fluid, with a device for delivering the second fluid into the fluid discharge conduit. The two fluids mix in the fluid discharge conduit prior to dispensation through the discharge orifice.
US07775399B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus (100) for the storing and dispensing of products. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus (100) for the storing and dispensing of inter-reactive compounds wherein the inter-reactive compounds are efficiently mixed on extrusion or expulsion.
US07775398B2
A device for storing and dispensing a substance includes a storage chamber for the substance. The container includes a passageway in fluid communication with the storage chamber. The container includes a pierceable wall located on an opposite side of the passageway relative to the storage chamber. The device includes a one-way valve assembly including a piercing portion. At least one of the piercing portion and the pierceable wall is movable relative to the other between a first position wherein the pierceable portion is not piercing the pierceable wall, and a second position wherein the pierceable portion is piercing the pierceable wall allowing the flow of substance from the storage chamber. A removable member is disposed intermediate the valve and the container that prevents movement of at least one of the piercing portion and pierceable wall to the second position until the removable member is removed.
US07775396B2
An automatic shoe cover dispenser includes a shoe cover feeding arrangement holding a plurality of shoe covers each having a shoe opening, a shoe cover pulling mechanism and a driving mechanism. The shoe cover pulling mechanism is capable of pulling one of the shoe covers from the shoe cover feeding arrangement as a standby shoe cover for being ready for wearing on a shoe of a user. The driving mechanism includes a pedal arranged in up and down movable manner for the shoe of the user to step thereon and a device for driving the pulling mechanism to deliver the standby shoe cover to the pedal and enlarging the shoe opening of the standby shoe cover to be large enough for the shoe of the user to place inside the standby shoe cover by means of up and down movements of the pedal.
US07775394B2
An opening-force-maximizing device of an underpressure-activated valve for a drinking container (2). The device includes a partition wall (6, 106, 206) enclosing an outlet opening (4) and being provided with a wall opening (8, 108, 208) in pressure-sealing contact with an axially movable valve sealing member (22, 122, 222) being in position of rest. It also includes a continuous membrane (12, 112, 212) being arranged to the container (2) and about a valve axis (14) through the wall opening (8, 108, 208). The membrane (12, 112, 212) has an axial extent and consists of an attachment end (12a, 112a, 212a) fixedly connected to the partition wall (6, 106, 206), and a movable maneuvering end (12b, 112b, 212b) placed at an axial distance from the attachment end (12a, 112a, 212a). The maneuvering end (12b, 112b, 212b) is arranged in a tensile-force-transmitting manner to said sealing member (22, 122, 222). By arranging the membrane (12, 112, 212) with a maximum longitudinal extent when at rest in its inactive position, and by being arranged radially flexible and deflectable and also being arranged in a manner inhibiting axial stretching, a maximum valve opening force is achieved when underpressure-activated.
US07775391B2
A double-walled vacuum insulated container for holding a cryogenic fluid comprises a support system for the inner vessel that comprises at least one elongated metallic conduit that penetrates the walls of the outer vessel and the inner vessel. The conduit itself provides support in an axial direction parallel to a horizontal axis and at least two non-metallic members provide support in a radial direction from the horizontal axis. By requiring the conduit to support only axial loads, its wall thickness can be reduced, thereby reducing heat transfer through the conduit. The non-metallic members that provide support in the radial direction can be made from composite materials selected for structural strength as well as low thermal conductivity, resulting in a container with improved overall thermal insulation to reduce heat leak and allow longer holding times.
US07775388B2
A container system and a method for transporting hazardous materials is disclosed. One embodiment of the container system includes a soft-sided outer shell and an inner frame. The outer shell is at least partially collapsible when unsupported. The outer shell may include a plurality of vertical walls integrally formed with a bottom and an open top. A lid may be adapted to be selectively secured to the vertical walls to close the outer shell. A fastener, such as a zipper, may be provided to secure the lid to the vertical walls. The inner frame has rigid walls and is adapted to support the outer shell when the inner frame is inserted inside the outer shell. The inner frame is at least partially collapsible. One embodiment of the method includes providing a soft-sided container that is at least partially collapsible when unsupported. Hazardous material is positioned into the container. The hazardous material supports the container from within and causes the container to assume an at least partially assembled configuration. In another embodiment of the method, a soft-sided outer shell that is at least partially collapsible when unsupported is provided. An inner frame is inserted into the outer shell. Hazardous material for transport, for example, is then positioned into the outer shell in an assembled configuration.
US07775378B2
A height adjustment mechanism for a dish rack of a dishwasher is provided, having an attachment channel for attaching the dish rack to the dishwasher. A wheel assembly slideably engages the attachment channel at first and second spaced apart locations. The wheel assembly includes engagement features corresponding to a plurality of dish rack heights. A rack mounting assembly is attached to the dish rack and slideably attached to the wheel assembly. A lever is pivotably engaged relative to the rack mounting assembly and is configured to selectively engage one of the engagement features. A biasing element is configured to urge the lever into selective engagement with the engagement features, and the rack mounting assembly may be moved from a first to a second dish rack height position by applying a force to the rack mounting assembly generally perpendicular to the attachment channel. An associated method and system are also provided.
US07775375B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, a dual stage filtration apparatus includes a cartridge having a first end and an opposing second end and a first filtration stage including a first bundle of first semi-permeable filtering elements and a second filtration stage including a second bundle of second semi-permeable filtering elements. The cartridge has a fluid inlet port for receiving raw unfiltered fluid into the first filtration stage and a fluid outlet port for discharging purified fluid after it has passed through the first and second filtration stages. The apparatus has an intrastage space that receives fluid that has been filtered in the first filtration stage prior to being filtered again in the second filtration stage, and the fluid inlet port is in fluid communication only with the first filtration stage, while the fluid outlet port is in fluid communication only with the second filtration stage. According to one aspect of the present invention, both ends of the first semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the first end and both ends of the second semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the second end.
US07775371B2
A device for the separation of waste materials in accordance with their densities is provided and includes a vat which is fillable with a fluid for the separation of detritus by means of floatation and decantation. Conveyer belts are provided for the removal of the supernatant and decanted materials. A vibrating sieve is provided for the pre-separation of debris prior to introduction into the vat. The vibrating sieve extracts large materials and small materials which tend to produce silt in the vat. Means are provided for the removal of the decanted sludge.
US07775370B2
Disclosed are embodiments of apparatus and methods for separating particles in a fluid stream by size. In one illustrative embodiment of an apparatus for separating such particles, a housing is provided, which defines a channel for a fluid stream containing particles. A suction channel is provided, which terminates at a suction port. The suction port is positioned adjacent to the fluid stream. A blowing channel terminating at a blowing port is also provided. The blowing port is positioned adjacent to the suction port such that the suction port is positioned in between the fluid stream and the blowing port. The blowing port and the suction port are configured to create a low pressure region and thereby redirect the first fluid stream towards the low pressure region.
US07775366B2
The present invention relates to a refill container that holds and protects an internal tray filled with a cosmetic material. The refill container that holds the internal tray filled with the cosmetic material is made up of a mounting portion and an engaging portion. The mounting portion has a structure to be mounted over the internal tray in such a manner as to cover an exposed surface of the cosmetic material. The mounting portion has a lid portion that faces the exposed surface and protects the exposed surface in a mounted state and a holding portion that holds the internal tray in such a manner that the internal-tray bottom surface of the internal tray is exposed in the mounted state. Further, in the mounted state of the internal tray being mounted in the mounting portion, the engaging portion catches the internal tray in such a manner as to prevent the internal tray from being disengaged from the mounting portion. Thus, it is possible to reduce the size of the refill container and improve the mounting operation of the internal tray.
US07775362B2
A substrate accommodating apparatus (10) is constituted by stacking a plurality of accommodation bodies (20) on an upper surface of a rigid plate (15). Each accommodation body (20) is provided with a buffer (21) having elasticity and some conductivity and a load receptacle (22) having a frame-shaped body, while an upper surface of the buffer (21) is provided with a substrate protect layer (23) made of cellulose. The substrate accommodating apparatus (10) is arranged to enclose a substrate (S) therein by stacking the accommodation bodies (20) where the substrates are placed, and when the accommodation bodies (20) are stacked, each load receptacle (22) places the load of the respective accommodation body (20) on a periphery of the adjacent lower accommodation body (20) so that any load is not placed on the central portion of the lower accommodation body (20) where the substrate (S) is placed.
US07775361B2
A package (1, 11) for abrasive grinding wheels that includes a cover (3) and a base (4) adapted to close, seal and insulate the grinding wheels from atmospheric agents, cover (3) and base (4) being made of insulating material from atmospheric agents, for example plastic material. Between base (4) and cover (3), it is possible to interpose a cylindrical body (7) made of cardboard or plastic or plasticized cardboard; the plasticizing being only internal, only external or on both surfaces. The base (4) can comprise a cylindrical mantle (4b) defining a space where grinding wheels can be inserted.
US07775360B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to reusable tree cover systems and methods that may be used with live trees or artificial trees. The cover systems may be stored in a pouch placed around the lower trunk of the tree from which the cover or tree bag is withdrawn and pulled up to substantially enclose the tree for transport and/or storage. The reusable systems may be designed to facilitate removal of the cover systems from the stored/covered tree while minimizing the undesirable forces on the tree and the cover system. This may be done by providing features that facilitate removing the cover systems in an upward direction relative to the tree along the stored/covered tree. As this removal direction is the same direction used to store/cover the tree in the first place and matches the natural bending/storing direction of the tree, storing and removal are facilitated by these systems.
US07775353B2
A mechanism cooperable with the stand mechanism in a stand golf bag secures the clubs in position when the bag is not on the ground and releases the clubs when the bag is set on the ground.
US07775352B2
A spindle packaging tray for holding a plurality of discs, the tray including: a depression designed to hold the plurality of discs, the depression including an inner wall that is at least partially ridged to provide stability for the plurality of discs to stay snug inside the depression; a spindle formed inside the depression, the spindle designed to help keep the plurality of discs in place; and a plurality of holes designed to allow consumers to easily insert or remove the plurality of discs to and from the depression. Keywords include spindle, ridged inner wall, and tray.
US07775346B1
A food buffet table system for conveying food articles around a tabletop to allow a person to access the food articles without reaching across the tabletop includes a base being positioned on and that extends upwardly from a support surface. A tabletop is coupled to the base and positioned above the support surface. The tabletop has a channel that extends into the tabletop through an upper surface of the tabletop in an approximate oval shape along the tabletop. A plurality of conveyor assemblies is positioned in and extends along the channel to receive and support the food articles. The conveyor assemblies are actuated to convey the food articles in an approximate oval path around the tabletop. A pair of drive assemblies is positioned in the tabletop. A plurality of the conveyor assemblies is coupled to one of the drive assemblies to actuate the conveyor assemblies.
US07775343B2
A manufacturing device for use with a vibratory conveyor having a product transporting bed, and a method for manufacturing a product is described and which includes a flexible substrate having a first upper course, and a second lower course which rests upon a product transporting bed of a vibratory conveyor, and wherein a product which is being manufactured and transported by the vibratory conveyor travels between the upper and lower courses of the flexible substrate as the product moves along the vibratory conveyor.
US07775336B2
Lubricating oil supply holes are drilled into a first member that is fitted to a plurality of first annular plates by a spline. Of splines to which each lubricating oil supply hole corresponds, lubricating oil grooves provided in the plurality of first annular plates do not overlap the splines on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the first annular plates, and therefore lubricating oil flowing out of the lubricating oil supply holes is dispersed in a circumferential direction and flows from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the first annular plates, rather than gathering in each lubricating oil groove and flowing in an outer peripheral direction. As a result, a force generated by an axial lubricating oil flow, which acts in a direction for causing the second annular plates to contact friction materials on the first annular plates, is suppressed, leading to a reduction in drag torque.
US07775334B2
A system for releasably attaching an article of luggage such as a first carry bag, with or without a pair of upright support members, to a second carry bag system or wheeled luggage cart having at least a pair of upright stationary support members is disclosed in which a handle is resiliently attached to the first carry bag, and a device is provided for resiliently attaching the handle to the first carry bag in a manner to permit rotation of the handle between a first storage position between a pair of upright support members of the second carry bag system and a second interference position with the upright support members of the second carry bag system to thereby attach the first carry bag to the upright support members of the second carry bag system. The handle is preferably in the form of a zippered pouch having a planar plate attached thereto for engagement with the upright support members.
US07775332B2
The invention provides a method for manufacturing a friction damped disc brake rotor, including the steps of: (A) positioning at least one insert into a mold, wherein the insert has a body with tabs extending therefrom to hold the insert in a desired position within the mold; and (B) casting a rotor cheek of the disc brake rotor in the mold around the insert such that a portion of each tab is bonded with the rotor cheek and the body is substantially non-bonded with the rotor cheek so that the body provides a proper interfacial boundary with the cheek for damping while the bonding of the tabs with the rotor cheek prevents corrosion-causing exterior elements from reaching the interfacial boundary.
US07775328B2
An operation device for an elevator system includes terminals connectable to a 3-phase AC power source providing a respective AC power supply voltage and a drive device connected to the terminals for driving a motor of the elevator system. A transformer is connected to at least two of the terminals and provides at least one supply voltage to the remainder of the elevator system. In an emergency operation of the elevator system, an auxiliary power supply having an output providing an auxiliary output voltage is connected to the transformer for generating an auxiliary supply voltage provided to the drive device via the transformer.
US07775321B2
A muffler structure in which a subassembly formed by fixing an inner cylinder and a separator is not welded to the outer cylinder in welding an overlapping portion of a sheet metal wrapped around the subassembly. A subassembly is formed by fixing an inner cylinder and a separator. An outer cylinder is formed by first wrapping a sheet metal around the subassembly and next welding an overlapping portion of the sheet metal. The subassembly is formed with a recess opposed to a welded portion of the outer cylinder.
US07775310B2
A system and method is disclosed for operating a hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle including at least an engine having a plurality of combustion cylinders, wherein the engine is mechanically coupled to at least a drive wheel of the vehicle, an energy conversion device mechanically coupled to at least one of the engine and the vehicle drive wheel, and an energy storage device coupled to the energy conversion device, the method comprising adjusting at least one of the engine and the energy conversion device so that an amount of energy stored by the energy storage device varies within a first range when the engine is operating in a first combustion mode and varies within a second range when the engine is operating in a second combustion mode, wherein the first range is different from the second range.
US07775306B1
A motorized wheel barrow includes a storage pan, a handle assembly, an electrical control assembly, and a wheel assembly with an axle transversely spanning across a width of the storage pan and coupled to the handle assembly while remaining spaced from the storage pan. The device further includes a mechanism for automatically generating a torque at the wheel assembly to thereby selectively propel the motorized wheel barrow along first and second opposed directions based upon first and second user inputs respectively.
US07775304B2
Apparatus for driving an open-ended conductor pipe into the ground. The apparatus includes, in combination, an open-ended conductor pipe capable of being driven into the ground, a drill string, a device for pumping fluid through the drill string, an arrangement for supporting the conductor pipe on the drill string, and a reciprocable impact driver supportable by the drill string within the conductor pipe. The apparatus further includes a device for reciprocating the reciprocable impact driver using fluid pumped through the drill string, an anvil capable of transferring the percussive force of the reciprocable impact driver to the conductor pipe, and jets for jetting fluid into the lower portion of the conductor pipe.
US07775280B2
An example of an apparatus for jarring a wellbore tool from an obstruction includes four sub-assemblies in communication with three springs such that the springs may be compressed forcing the subassemblies to become adjacent to one another. When the springs are actuated, the sub-assembly units spring apart from one another force dislodging the lower most sub-assembly component from the obstruction.
US07775278B2
A method for well treatment by forming a temporary plug in a fracture, a perforation, a wellbore, or more than one of these locations, in a well penetrating a subterranean formation is provided, in which the method of well treatment includes: injecting a slurry comprising a degradable material, allowing the degradable material to form a plug in a perforation, a fracture, or a wellbore in a well penetrating a formation; performing a downhole operation; and allowing the degradable material to degrade after a selected time such that the plug disappears.
US07775274B2
A method for the detection of a carbon dioxide leak from a plugged well extending from a surface of the earth to penetrate a subterranean formation which contains carbon dioxide by logging a collection chamber positioned in the plugged well.
US07775272B2
A passive centralizer for stably centering within a well. The centralizer may be of a retracted profile for advancement within the well and deployable for centralization upon reaching an operation site. Deployment may be achieved in an automated manner without the requirement of operator interaction therefor. Furthermore, the centralizer may be truly passive in that energy for deployment may be stored entirely within the passive centralizer prior to its insertion within the well. The passive centralizer may also be compressed following centralization by any number of downhole restrictions. In this manner the passive centralizer may also be readily withdrawn from the well.
US07775269B2
A communication tool (100) includes a housing (102) having recesses (110) and a set of axial locating elements (112) radially extendable through the recesses (110) and engageably positionable within a profile of a tubing retrievable safety valve (50). An anti rotation device (140) is radially outwardly extendable relative to the housing (112). The anti rotation device (140) operably engages the tubing retrievable safety valve (50) to substantially prevent relative rotation between at least a portion of the communication tool (100) and the tubing retrievable safety valve (50). A cutting tool (148) is radially outwardly extendable relative to the housing (102). The cutting tool (148) is operable to create a fluid passageway (150) between a non annular hydraulic chamber (60) and an interior the tubing retrievable safety valve (50).
US07775260B2
An expansion tank comprising a bladder style water storage tank and method of use. The expansion tank includes an alarm module to sense a flooded tank condition. The system also has the ability to sense a bladder over-extended condition. The expansion tank use includes a sonic alarm and/or a visual alarm and is used in combination with a boiler or related hot water system. Method steps using the described design are also included. The hydro-pneumatic expansion tank has important utility in HVAC, boiler and potable water systems.
US07775258B2
A method for removing a casted part, for use in a die casting machine comprises the steps of setting a position in which a chuck performs an operation to grasp a casted part attached to a movable mold as a position from which the casted part is to be removed, and setting a relative positional relationship between a handle portion which is a part of the casted part attached to the movable mold to be grasped by the chuck and a movable die plate. The method further comprises the step of advancing the chuck between the movable mold and the fixed mold and positioning the chuck at the position from which the casted part is to be removed, in parallel with the movement of the movable die plate. Additionally, the method comprises the steps of stopping the movable die plate when the handle portion of the casted part attached to the movable mold reaches the position from which the casted part is to be removed, grasping the handle portion of the casted part by using the chuck, and removing the casted part from the movable mold.
US07775250B2
An end stem for a soft vertical blind includes an arm spaced from an end louver of the blind, and a fabric panel connected to the arm and the end louver forms a column surrounding the end louver.
US07775246B2
Disclosed is a small volume, liquid dispenser having particular application in the analytical fields. The liquid dispensers can be quickly and reliably filled to a predetermined volume without monitoring liquid flows or volumes or filling times. Various versions of the dispenser and systems utilizing one or more of the dispensers are disclosed.
US07775243B2
A forming fabric for a machine for the production of web material, especially paper or cardboard, comprises a first fabric layer on the web material side and a second machine-side fabric layer, whereby the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer are interconnected with each other by binder threads and whereby the second fabric layer is woven in an irregular satin weave.
US07775242B2
An annular elastomer is provided in a housing orifice that does not require a large force for deformation. This makes possible a solenoid-type actuator that provides a large displacement of the elastomer, thus allowing higher and lower rates of gas flow through a gas line.
US07775236B2
A method and apparatus for delivering gases to a semiconductor processing system are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for delivering gases to a semiconductor processing system includes a plurality of gas input and output lines having inlet and outlet ports. Connecting lines couple respective pairs of the gas input and gas output lines. Connecting valves are arranged to control flow through the respective connecting lines. Mass gas flow controllers are arranged to control flow into respective inlet ports. In another embodiment, a method includes providing a manifold having at least a plurality of inlet that may be selectively coupled to at least one of a plurality of outlets, flowing one or more gases through the manifold to a vacuum environment by-passing the processing chamber prior to processing or to a calibration circuit, and flowing the one or more gases into the processing chamber during substrate processing.
US07775225B2
A device for washing and storing machinery is provided. This device includes a storage apparatus and a washing apparatus formed integrally with the storage apparatus. The storage apparatus further includes: a housing defining an internal chamber therein; a base attached to the bottom portion of the housing, wherein the base further includes at least one aperture formed therein; a debris tray attached to the base, wherein a portion of the tray is positionable beneath the aperture formed in the base; and a door for gaining access to the internal chamber, wherein the door further includes a floating upper portion and a lower portion connected to the base. The washing apparatus further includes: a plurality of directional sprayers, wherein the plurality of directional sprayers are located within the housing and the base; and plumbing for connecting the plurality of sprayers to one another and to a source of pressurized fluid.
US07775219B2
A method and apparatus for efficiently exhausting harmful vapors and fumes from a substrate processing chamber is described. The processing chamber includes a lower volume configured as a liquid atmosphere, and an upper volume configured as a gaseous atmosphere to at least partially contain vapors or fumes above the liquid. The apparatus includes a lid member configured to seal the processing chamber and a lid assembly adapted to provide processing liquids while exhausting the vapors or fumes from the processing chamber. Switchable valves and/or a variable source of negative pressure may be coupled to the lid assembly to provide a controlled exhaust. A method of preventing or minimizing the escape of fumes or vapors is also described.
US07775213B2
A draping system for use in medical procedures includes a drape portion adapted to cover a surface, such as medical equipment or a patient, and serves as a barrier to fluid and debris during medical procedures. The draping system may have a fastening portion affixed to the drape portion and adapted to secure the drape portion to medical equipment. The drape portion may form a pocket for collecting debris resulting from a medical procedure. The drape portion may have an opening therein spanned by a non-porous, elastic membrane.
US07775208B2
Device for supplying breathing gas, particularly for a mouthpiece of a diver, including a casing incorporating, between an inlet orifice for the supply gas and an orifice or the outlet of the gas for the purpose of breathing: a pressure-reducing valve system having a member for controlling the force necessary to open the valve, a member for controlling the flow rate of the gas let into the outlet orifice, the supply device also including a manually actuatable control element capable of interacting with the control member in order to adjust the force necessary to open the valve, characterized in that the control element is capable of interacting also with the member for controlling the flow rate of gas in order to ensure both the adjustment of the force for opening the valve and the adjustment of the flow rate of outlet gas.
US07775205B2
There is provided a medicament dispenser for use with a medicament carrier having a plurality of pockets for containing medicament wherein said pockets are spaced along the length of and defined between two peelable sheets secured to each other, said dispenser having an internal mechanism for accessing said medicament contained within said medicament carrier. The internal mechanism comprises a carrier drive means; indexing means and clutch means, in communication therebetween. The clutch means comprises a gearing surface defining plural gear engagement positions; and plural gear teeth for engaging said plural gear engagement positions. The plural gear teeth are arranged such that at any one time only a single gear tooth engages a single gear engagement position.
US07775204B2
A device for warming a shoe is disclosed. An insole has a top cavity. A releasable shoe pad includes a top padding member and a recess between forward and rearward bottom portions. The device includes a thin metal member formed on the pad and including an intermediate conductive member, a forward conductive section extended from the conductive member, and a rearward conductive section extended from the conductive member, and a heater unit fastened in a space defined by the recess. The heater unit includes a fuel chamber, a combustion chamber filled with zirconia fibers, and a channel interconnected the fuel and the combustion chambers, the channel including fibers and a wick having one end immersed in the fuel chamber and the other end connected to the fibers.
US07775203B1
A stand assembly for supporting vertically disposed free-standing objects and comprises a hub section including a hollow inner sleeve portion and a hollow outer sleeve portion effective for removably receiving the inner sleeve portion. Support leg members are fixedly connected to the hub section and radially extend outwardly therefrom for upholding the hub section in a vertical disposition. In a specific embodiment, the stand assembly includes a fuel burner wherein the inner bore of the inner sleeve portion defines a combustion chamber and container support top portions of the leg members for supporting a cooking container over a flame in the hub section. In another embodiment, the inner bore has a size and shape that is effective to receive a lower end section of a vertically disposed object having a vertical support member selected from the group consisting of a tree trunk, a sign post, a flag pole, a display rack and the like.
US07775195B2
A method of controlling fuel vapor purging in a hybrid electric vehicle capable of selectively operating an engine includes initiating purging in response to an amount of liquid fuel residing in a fuel tank of the hybrid electric vehicle and a duration since the previous fuel tank filling event.
US07775191B2
A fuel injection system operates under a predetermined substantially constant pump speed and creates multi-pressure levels by diverting the fuel flow. Fuel pressure can be switched from one steady pressure level to another level on-demand instantly. This superimposes and overlaps typical fuel injection events in the linear operating ranges under different pressure levels, significantly increasing the fuel injection dynamic range. The dynamic range is further increased when another predetermined constant pump speed is assigned. Thus, the system saves fuel and reduces exhaust emission in city driving when gas pedal is released including idle. The same system can instantly deliver additional fuel on-demand for extra power beyond engine rating producing a sport-car-like performance.
US07775187B2
A glow plug includes a glow plug body (2), a pressure sensor arranged inside the glow plug body (2), a threaded portion (6) on the outside of the glow plug body (2) and gripping elements (12), generally of cylindrical form with a hexagonal section, enabling the body (2) to be gripped and screwed into a corresponding tapping, the gripping elements (12) being made from synthetic material.
US07775185B2
In a lift amount adjusting device in a valve-operating mechanism which changes at least a lift amount, a rocker arm is rockably arranged in a driving-force transmitting path for transmitting a driving force of a valve cam to an engine valve, and a jig abuts on the rocker arm to establish a rocking fulcrum in place of a hydraulic tappet which generates an urging force for adjusting a clearance of the driving-force transmission path. Even when an engine is stopped to make the hydraulic tappet inoperative, the jig secures a rocking fulcrum of the rocker arm, thereby enabling adjustment of the lift amount of the intake valve. Also, a load acting on the rocker arm during the adjustment of a lift amount of the intake valve is supported by the jig, and is not transmitted to the hydraulic tappet.
US07775178B2
An apparatus and method for coating abluminal surface of a stent is described. The apparatus includes a stent support, a coating device, and an imaging system. The coating device includes a solution reservoir and transducer assembly. The transducer assembly includes a plurality of transducers and a controller. Each transducer is used to generate focused acoustic waves in the coating substance in the reservoir. A controller is communicated to an image system to enable the transducers to generate droplets on demand and at the predetermined ejection points on the surface of the coating substance to coat the stent. A method for coating a stent includes stent mounting, stent movement, and droplet excitation.
US07775166B2
A process for improving the operation of combustors includes the steps of burning a carbonaceous fuel in a combustor system and determining combustion conditions within the combustor system that can benefit from a targeted treatment additive, wherein the determinations are made by calculation including computational fluid dynamics and observation. The process further includes locating introduction points in the combustor system where introduction of the targeted treatment additive could be accomplished. Based on the previous steps, a treatment regimen for introducing the targeted treatment additive to locations within the combustor system results in one or more benefits selected from the group consisting of reducing the opacity of plume, improving combustion, reducing slag, reducing LOI and/or unburned carbon, reducing corrosion, and improving electrostatic precipitator performance. The targeted treatment additive comprises an alloy represented by the following generic formula (Aa)n(Bb)n(Cc)n(Dd)n(. . .)n, wherein each capital letter and (. . .) is a metal, wherein A is a combustion modifier, B is a deposit modifier; C is a corrosion inhibitor; and D is a combustion co-modifier/electrostatic precipitator enhancer, wherein each subscript letter represents compositional stoichiometry, wherein n is greater than or equal to zero and the sum of n's is greater than zero, and wherein the alloy comprises at least two different metals, with the proviso that if the metal is cerium, then its compositional stoichiometry is less than about 0.7.
US07775165B2
Plug joint system and method of use are described for collapsible furniture. This new type of furniture joinery results in furniture which can quickly and easily be assembled, disassembled, transported, stored and reassembled. The joint comprises a tapered plug, a square hole at the top end of one furniture part for receiving the plug, and another furniture part with an opening through which the first furniture part is inserted. Each corner of the square hole has a vertical relief cut, allowing the four sides to expand outward when the plug is driven into the hole, securely fixing the two furniture parts together. The plug can easily be dislodged from the square hole by applying pressure from the bottom of the hole.
US07775159B2
An offset print unit includes a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder having an end and a blanket gear coaxial with the blanket cylinder, a drive axle or pinion supporting a gear driving the blanket gear and a blanket lift arm for selectively supporting the end to cantilever the blanket cylinder, the blanket lift arm being rotatable about the drive axle or pinion. A method is also provided.
US07775151B2
In a hydraulic lift structure formed by arranging a hydraulic cylinder case internally provided with a hydraulic cylinder for moving up and down a working machine (a rotary power tiller) in an upper portion of a transmission case of a working vehicle, an oil reservoir of a working fluid for the hydraulic cylinder is provided in a boundary portion between the transmission case and the hydraulic cylinder case in such a manner as to be isolated from an inner portion of the transmission case. The hydraulic lift structure which prevents a malfunction of a hydraulic cylinder or the like and improves a supplying and discharging efficiency of a working fluid.
US07775137B2
An adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle includes a steering spindle, a jacket unit bearing the steering spindle, a bracket unit, mountable on the chassis of the motor vehicle, with at least one side jaw, which extends laterally of the jacket unit and bears the jacket unit (3), an openable and closable securement device which includes a clamp bolt penetrating elongated holes in the jacket unit and in the at least one side jaw, as well as at least one bracing part penetrated by the clamp bolt. The at least one bracing part is implemented in the form of a substantially planar plate. A connection with the jacket unit and the side jaw, displaceable into the particular displacement direction of the steering column and nondisplaceable into the particular other displacement direction, is completed through at least one bolt penetrating an elongated hole, wherein the bolt is connected with one of the two parts to be connected nondisplaceably into both displacement directions and the elongated hole is disposed in the other of the two parts to be connected and extends in the particular displacement direction.
US07775130B2
A method, apparatus and system of capacitive sensor based inventory control is disclosed. In one embodiment, an inventory management system includes a first conductive surface and a second conductive surface substantially parallel to the first conductive surface, a sensor to generate a measurement based on a change in a distance between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, a scale formed with a set of plates having inserted between the set of plates the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface and a container placed above the scale such that an item (e.g., a liquid, a solid, a discrete part, a powder and/or a gas, etc.) of the container is weighed through the measurement. The inventory management system may further include a reference capacitor associated with the apparatus to enable the sensor to adjust the measurement based on the environmental condition.
US07775123B2
A weld inspection device is disclosed. The weld inspection device comprises a first annular engagement portion surrounding a central axis and a second annular engagement portion. The first annular engagement portion has a first holed segment extending circumferentially around an outer edge of the first annular engagement portion and having a first hole adapted to receive a threaded member and a standoff segment extending in a first direction along the central axis from the first holed segment, the standoff segment having a concavity. The second annular engagement portion surrounds the central axis and has a second holed segment extending circumferentially around the central axis and having a second hole adapted to receive and threadedly engage a threaded member, and a retaining flange extending radially inward toward the central axis.
US07775114B2
A method of monitoring vibrations in a blade structure of a turbine including generating signals from a sensor located adjacent to a radial outer edge of the blade structure to sense passage of targets located on the blade structure. The sensor is mounted eccentrically and the signals are obtained with the sensor located at different angular positions. In a first aspect of the invention, the signals from the sensor are used to determine a target slope angle of a target on a first turbine blade during operation of the turbine. In a second aspect of the invention, the signals from the sensor are used to position the sensor in response to a sensed variation in the axial position of the target on the first turbine blade.
US07775107B2
A system and method can be utilized to determine an out of balance condition of a rotor having a plurality of blades. The system monitors a clearance between the blades and an associated housing. By looking at a center of that clearance information, a determination can be made of the magnitude of imbalance of the rotor.
US07775106B2
A system and method for using a probe-based guided-wave radar sensor to measure fluid level in a container in a non-contact mode are provided. The system and method of the current invention replaces a wall section of the fluid container, such as a steel slurry tub with a panel of radar-transparent material, such as plastic. The level probe is mounted external to the container, adjacent to the radar-transparent panel. By avoiding contact between the sensor probe and the fluid, whether the fluid be cement slurry or another fluid prone to probe degradation, it is possible to eliminate the possibility of contamination, build-up, caking and/or damage to the probe along with the associated degradation in sensor performance.
US07775085B2
Methods and systems for determining the water, oil, and gas fractions in hydrocarbons from high water cut hydrocarbon wells. A hydrocarbon flow stream discharging from a well is subjected to hydro-separation to produce an oil-enriched fractional stream upon which water content measurements can be more accurately and reproducibly made. Calculations based on the water content of the oil-enriched fractional stream and the flow rate of at least one of the streams through the separator are conducted to determine the water content of the original stream. This provides a simple approach to measuring the water content in high water cut hydrocarbons that is real-time, accurate, and reproducible.
US07775080B2
A rolling method and a rolling apparatus for flat-rolled metal materials that stably produces flat-rolled metal materials having no or extremely little camber. The rolling mill having work rolls with split backup rolls supporting at least one work roll is provided with at least one pair of pinch rolls for clamping the rolled material on the exit side of the rolling mill. The difference between the rolling direction force acting on the work rolls at the right and left sides is calculated. The left-right difference of the roll gap of the work rolls is controlled as a result of the calculated difference.
US07775074B1
A system for obstructing movement of a pin in a pin tumbler lock is disclosed. The system includes a pin movable in a bore in a plug of a pin tumbler lock, and the pin has a channel formed thereon for receiving a portion of a sidebar of the lock. The system further includes a blocking member mounted on the pin and configured to obstruct movement of the portion of the sidebar along the channel of the pin.
US07775072B2
There is disclosed a safety switch for generating an enable signal as a function of the position of a moveable guard door. The safety switch comprises a door part and a frame part. The door part has an activator, which can be displaced between a first and a second position. The frame part has a cutout, in which the activator can engage in the second position. A locking element is arranged on the door part in order to lock the activator in the second position. A sensor is designed to detect at least one of the positions of the activator in order to generate the enable signal as a function thereof.
US07775067B2
A heat exchanger has header tanks each including a header forming plate, a tube connecting plate, and an intermediate plate interposed between the two plates, the plates being arranged in superposed layers and brazed to one another. Each of the plates is made from a metal plate by press work. The header forming plate has an outward bulging portion. The tube connecting plate has tube insertion holes. The intermediate plate has communication holes causing tube insertion holes to communicate with the interior of each outward bulging portion therethrough. Heat exchange tubes have opposite ends placed into the respective insertion holes and brazed to the respective tube connecting plates. The heat exchanger including such header tanks is reduced in the number of components, can be fabricated with a high work efficiency, and exhibits improved heat exchange performance.
US07775062B2
A modular cooling system includes a positive displacement compressor and a microchannel heat exchanger for cooling a heat generating device such as a semiconductor.
US07775058B2
In controlled cooling operation, data on the controlled cooling operation characteristics is read out from a memory and compared with a drop degree of an inside temperature actually measured by an inside temperature sensor 46, and a cooling device is operated so that the inside temperature drops following a temperature curve stored in advance. A state where the inside temperature is higher than the set temperature by 7 K or more lasts for 15 minutes, for example, the cooling capacity by the cooling device is increased than the cooling capacity based on control of a controlled operation controller so that even if a door 17 is frequently opened/closed and the inside temperature tends to gradually rise, it can be detected at an early stage and kept close to the set temperature.
US07775052B2
A system is disclosed for actively controlling combustion in a gas turbine engine, which includes a fuel injector for issuing fuel into a combustion chamber of the gas turbine engine. The fuel injector has a dynamic pressure sensor for measuring acoustic pressure within the combustion chamber and a flame sensor for observing flame characteristics within the combustion chamber. The system further includes a high speed valve assembly for controlling flow of fuel to the injector and an electronic controller associated with the fuel injector for commanding the valve assembly to deliver fuel to the fuel injector at a commanded flow rate, based upon input from the sensors in the fuel injector.
US07775051B2
The combustion chamber includes a chamber endwall perforated by at least one passage hole. An injection system is mounted so that it can slide diametrically with respect to the passage hole. A deflector is mounted on the chamber endwall. The deflector includes a fitting ring which includes first tenons. A sleeve which is coaxial to the fitting ring includes second tenons. The first and the second tenons allow the passage of the first tenons between the second tenons and then the engagement of the first tenons behind the second tenons. The injection system is slidably mounted in the sleeve. Antirotation means are provided to prevent a rotation of the injection system with respect to the sleeve.
US07775048B2
A sprung seal assembly includes a flexible sprung seal having a center section disposed between opposing curved and cantilevered first and second end sections. First and second free edges of the first and second end sections respectively are trapped within a retainer. First and second sliding lugs attached to the first and second free edges respectively are slidably disposed in first and second channels respectively. The first and second free edges are trapped in the retainer by the first and second sliding lugs disposed in the first and second channels between a mounting surface and the retainer attached to the mounting surface. The center section may have a wear strip. The sprung seal assembly may be disposed between a relatively fixed sidewall and a relatively movable flap of a nozzle assembly. The retainer is mounted to the flap and the center section is in sealing engagement with a sealing surface of the sidewall.
US07775042B1
A method of generating motion from a cool region that is proximal to a warm region, the cool region and the warm region defining a temperature range. The method uses an article of phase change material having a warm-to-cold phase transition and a cold-to-warm phase transition, both within the temperature range. This article is exposed to the cool region, thereby causing the phase change material to change size. When the warm-to-cold phase transition is substantially complete, this is detected. In response to this detection the article is exposed to the warm region, thereby causing the phase change material to change size. When this transition is substantially complete, the cycle is restarted with exposure to the cool region.
US07775029B2
A manufacturing method and apparatus for producing digital yarns using hybrid metal for high speed communication, which can be connected to a network to exchange information in real time in the ubiquitous era, and digital yarns made using the method thereof. The manufacturing method and apparatus for producing digital yarns using hybrid metal for high speed communication and digital yarns thereof comprises producing a hybrid metal rod; drawing the hybrid metal rod; producing a micro filament; feeding the micro filament; softening the micro filament; forming a sliver; forming a spun yarn; winding the spun yarn; coating the spun yarn with an electromagnetic shielding resin; drying the spun yarn with the electromagnetic shielding resin; and covering the spun yarn with a textile yarn and the digital yarn made in accordance with this method.
US07775028B2
An annular metal cord includes an annular core portion and an outer layer portion. The annular core portion is formed by connecting together both ends of a first strand material which is made up of six twisted first metal filaments. The outer layer portion is formed by winding spirally a second strand material which is made up of six twisted second metal filaments around the annular core portion. The second strand material is wound at a predetermined winding angle relative to a center axis of the annular core portion, and a winding initiating end portion and a winding terminating end portion are connected together. As a result, the breaking strength of the annular metal cord can be made large, and the production thereof can be facilitated.
US07775026B2
A lawn mower blade assembly for a rotatable driveshaft includes a blade mount to be secured to the rotatable driveshaft and a cutting blade removably coupled to the blade mount and defining therewith a blade base unit having at least one wedge surface thereon. At least one sliding retainer removably couples the cutting blade to the blade mount and is slidably movable between a locked position and a released position. The at least one sliding retainer has at least one wedge surface thereon cooperating with the at least one wedge surface of the blade base unit to securely couple the cutting blade to the blade mount when in the locked position.
US07775013B2
A door is constructed with a separate member joined to the door edge by a tongue-and-groove coupling and screws so as to be readily removable and replaceable. The separate member sustains the impacts imparted to the door by carts or wagons pushed past the door and can be readily replaced when damaged, thus avoiding replacement of the entire door. A flexible cover snaps over the outer surface of the separate member to add impact resistance and aesthetic appeal. Intumescent strips may be inserted inside or outside of the cover to enhance sealing between the door, and as adjacent door or door frame, thereby improving the fire resistance rating of the door. Accent strips or reveals of contrasting or complementary colors may be incorporated to add to the aesthetic appeal of the door. The door construction is of particular utility in schools, health care facilities and other institutions.
US07775012B2
Disclosed herein is a portable panel having numerous favorable characteristics. The panel comprises a core having a length, a width, a first side and a second side. A first fiber layer is attached to the first side while a second fiber layer is attached to the second side. A first polyurethane layer is impregnated in the first fiber layer while a second polyurethane layer is impregnated into the second fiber layer. A first skin is attached to the first polyurethane layer while a second skin is attached to the second polyurethane layer. The panel can be used in the manufacture of tables, flooring, risers, stages, bleachers, and the like.
US07775010B2
In a first aspect, a plurality of slab bolster elements, each including a bolster frame member having a male connector disposed on a first end and a female connector disposed on an opposite end, with the male connector including first and second outer prongs for engaging a complementary female connector and the female connector including first and second opposing side walls with first and second transverse slats extending between the side walls so as to form a socket, the male connector further including a flexible prong extending inwardly between the outer prongs, with the flexible prong including a free inward end and a wedge element configured to resiliently contact and lockingly engage the first transverse slat of another of the plurality of slab bolster elements. In a second aspect, a continuous slab bolster assembly.
US07775009B2
A system for decoratively covering a support surface is provided. The system comprises a plurality of panels. Each panel includes a top, a bottom, and first and second ends. Each panel includes a nailing hem for mounting the panel to the support surface. Each panel also includes first and second rows of decorative portions simulating building materials. A riser interconnects the first and second rows. Each panel further includes a flap extending from the riser at the first end and a catch extending from the riser at the second end. The flap and catch mate with a corresponding catch and flap of horizontally adjacent panels. The flap and catch are both sloped upwardly toward the top at an acute angle to provide a mating fit between corresponding flaps and catches.
US07775008B2
A method and an apparatus for continuously producing elongated siding panels is disclosed. The apparatus includes a conveyor, a plurality of mold plates, and a die for extruding a sheet of material onto the mold plates. The mold plates are formed of a rigid material and positioned adjacent one another and supported by the conveyor for forming the elongated siding panels. Each of the mold plates has an upper edge portion and a lower edge portion with an intermediate portion therebetween. The intermediate portion has an aesthetic pattern for imparting the pattern to the sheet of material with the adjacent mold plates having different aesthetic patterns. The lower edge portion has a lower leg extending substantially perpendicular from the intermediate portion defining a horizontal plane and a projection portion between the lower edge portion and the intermediate portion extends beyond the horizontal plane for imparting a jagged pattern to the intermediate portion.
US07775004B2
A sill flashing and method for installing a window or other portal in a wall opening are provided. The flashing includes a sill portion, at least one jamb portion at an angle relative to the sill portion, and a front face plate. The flashing is configured to be disposed in the opening with the sill portion disposed against a sill of the opening, an outer surface of the jamb portion disposed against one of the jambs of the opening, and a front face plate at an outer surface of the wall. The sill portion defines a plurality of support portions and a rear dam which can support the portal in the opening. The sill portion also includes one or more integral housing, configured to overlap an adjacent support portion when the flashing is cut and disposed multiple parts defining an interface therebetween.
US07775001B2
A storm panel is provided for shielding a structure. The storm panel includes at least one corrugation, and comprises a first wall and a second wall disposed in spaced-apart relation. An angled wall is disposed between and connected to the first wall and the second wall to support the second wall away from the first wall. At least one ridge is disposed proximate the point of connection between the second wall and the angled wall, and may have a shape configured to strengthen the panel proximate the point of connection between the second wall and the angled wall. In addition, a storm panel assembly is provided comprising at least one storm panel and a mounting extrusion for attachment to the storm panel to provide support for the storm panel on a mounting surface, such as the side of a building.
US07774998B2
In one embodiment, a photovoltaic frame assembly comprises a photovoltaic module and a frame having a plurality of air vents. The air vents allow air to flow into the frame and thereby cool the photovoltaic module. The frame may be installed in-line with another such frame to allow air flow between frames. The air vents may be located within a perimeter of the frame to allow for structural integrity while remaining aesthetically pleasing. The frame may include an inner lip, an outer lip, or both to provide different mounting options to accommodate different sites. The frame may comprise a plurality of frame members, such as extrusions including the air vents.
US07774997B2
The invention relates to a system (1) comprising a glazing element (2) and a gas supply device (4), whereby the glazing element (2) has at least two substrates (18, 19), which enclose a space (3), and at least one gas of a defined composition located inside the space (3). A coating whose physical properties, in particular, optical and/or electrical properties, which can be altered according to the composition of the gas, is at least applied to one of the surfaces of a substrate (18, 19), said surfaces facing the space (3). The gas supply device (4) has at least one electrolysis device that has a working electrode (9), a counter electrode (10) and at least one electrolyte (17) for producing gas. The glazing element (2) and the gas supply device (4) are connected to one another whereby enabling the gas inside a closed circuit (6) to be guided between the glazing element (2) and the gas supply device (4). In addition, means for influencing the moisture content of the gas are placed inside the system.
US07774996B2
The invention is a damper and a method for protecting buildings and similar structural systems from dynamic loading such as loading caused by earthquakes, strong winds or machine vibrations. More specifically, the damper is made from structural members being interconnected in frictional or visco-elastically dampened rotational joints. Due to the dampening of the joints, relative movement between the structural elements is dampened. In particular, the damper is useful for base isolation, e.g., in order to allow a building or a machine to move in a dampened movement relative to its foundation or in order to allow a cable stay of a cable stay bridge to move in a dampened movement relative to its fixation point on the bridge.
US07774995B1
An apparatus for bracing a masonry wall that is bowing or has begun to buckle as a result of hydrostatic pressure and/or other forces as may occur with the foundation or basement wall of a building. The wall restraint system includes a vertically disposed beam, which is positioned against a vertical concrete masonry wall and secured in place by a bottom bracket and a top bracket. The beam reinforces the wall and prevents further bowing, buckling, or potentially collapsing of the wall. One end of the beam is secured to the floor by a bottom bracket. The bottom bracket preferably receives the lower end of the beam. The upper end of the beam is secured against the basement wall by a top bracket or offset connector, which in turn is secured to one of the overhead floor joists. The beam may be offset to avoid piping or the like.
US07774991B2
A portable flooring system has one or more hinge members which can be used to quickly connect and secure panels or slats of the flooring system for deployment, while also allowing fast disassembly and stacking for storage or transport. The hinge member(s) can comprise a living hinge element interfacing with a pair of female elements or a female element and a male element of adjoining flooring slats. In one embodiment, the hinge elements are welded or otherwise permanently affixed to the flooring panels.
US07774990B1
A device for roof structures having a ridge or hip defined by the planes of two roof decks, disposed at an angle with respect to each other defining a longitudinal joint. A longitudinally extending cover with at least one coextensive channel defined by a bottom, two spacer walls and two lateral walls are mounted over the ridge or hip. The channel(s) increases the effective contact area to enhance the gripping action of the adhesive compound. From the longitudinal bends of the cover wall extend two perpendicularly extending walls with distal ends that continue with longitudinally coextensive flanges. The longitudinal flanges extend at an angle to be cooperatively and rigidly mounted over the roof decks with mechanical fasteners. An adhesive compound is positioned in the channel and over the cover. The adhesive is pressed so that part of it passes through and is lodged within the connected depressed slots positioned along the bottom, spacer and/or lateral walls that define the channel thereby creating a mechanical anchorage with the device. Tile accessories are placed over the cover and in contact with the adhesive compound to secure them to the device.
US07774987B2
A mobile building module comprises rigid load-bearing surface elements and one or more inflatable flexible surface elements connected therewith. In the transport condition, several of the load-bearing rigid surface elements are disposed to form a parallelepiped container having a floor and surrounding rigid walls for accommodating the inflatable flexible surface elements, with the height of the container being lower than the height of the building. A building, which is assembled of several partial modules, which are constructed according to the above-mentioned principles, is also an object of the invention.
US07774980B2
A hydromulch container medium including a container and a root system disposed in the container. A hydraulically compactable mulch is interspersed between the root system and the container to form a semi-solid container medium around the root system.
US07774978B2
A method of controlling the release rate of an agricultural active ingredient from a seed that has been treated with that active includes providing a seed that has been treated with the active ingredient, applying to the treated seed a film that includes an emulsion of a polymer in a liquid in which both the agricultural active ingredient and the polymer have low levels of solubility, and then curing the film to form a water insoluble polymer coating on the surface of the treated seed. Seeds that have been treated by this method are also provided.
US07774974B1
A fishing lure has a body and a tail. The tail is coupled to one end of the body. The tail has a center portion and an outside edge that is arcuate around the center portion. A gap extends from the outside edge to the center portion. In one embodiment, the outside edge is thicker than the center portion of the tail. When the lure is retrieved, the tail moves back and forth and creates a noise and also causes the body to move back and forth, thus producing a desirable action.
US07774965B2
An illuminated emergency sign comprises a main body, a rotary body, side covers, a circuit board, a LED lamp indicator, an acrylic sign panel, and a canopy. The acrylic sign panel is connected to the lower end of the rotary body. In the rotary body is disposed a LED lamp panel. The LED lamp indicator is disposed on the LED lamp panel. The rotary body is rotatably connected to the lower end of the main body. In the main body is disposed a battery. The side covers are connected to both ends of each of the main body and the rotary body. The canopy is disposed on the top of the main body. The sign panel of such an illuminated emergency sign can be rotated within 180 degrees and fixed at a proper angle under action of the friction.
US07774957B2
A padded shoe, comprising a flexible, resilient sole having a substantially smooth surface; a shoe upper, wherein at least a portion of the shoe upper has padding; an ankle padding structure extending from the shoe upper, adapted to cover the medial malleolus of a wearer; a padded tongue; a means to retain the shoe on the foot of a wearer; an outer protective flap, the outer protective flap being located such that the outer protective flap covers at least a portion of the retaining structure; and an engagement structure for securing the outer protective flap to the shoe upper, the engagement structure being located such that the outer protective flap substantially covers the engagement structure, whereby the wearer can strike a target with the shoe, and the target and the wearer are protected from injury caused by direct impact with the retaining structure, the engagement structure, or the wearer's ankle.
US07774953B1
Disclosed is a system to dry the hands of individuals. The system may include a pedestal, an air pedal and powder pedal hinged to the pedestal, a chamber having a dome connected to a shroud to define a chamber interior. The chamber interior may be divided into a first divided area, a second divided, and an overhead area that connects the first divided area to the second divided area. Each dived area may include a perforated tube to deliver pressurized air and powder into the chamber interior. An air compressor may be connected directly to the perforated tubes and connected to a powder chamber. In addition to pressurized air being delivered to the chamber interior, powder optionally may be delivered to the chamber interior.
US07774950B2
A leveling device comprises a generally horizontal frame configured to hold a number of parallel, closely spaced support legs in a generally vertical configuration. The support legs are slidably mounted in collars formed in the frame such that the legs may slide up and down within the collars. The support legs are configured to move independently of one another and to be locked into place using a locking mechanism configured to frictionally or mechanically engage the support legs once the legs are positioned to match the contour of the ground or other uneven surface. Multiple embodiments of the locking mechanism are disclosed. The leveling device of the present invention not only may be used to level an object on an uneven surface, but also can be used to adjust the height of an object on a even or uneven surface by adjusting the length of the support legs.
US07774949B2
A portable coordinate measurement machine having three articulating arm transfer members can provide accurate measurements. The transfer members can be single tube assemblies. The transfer members can each be rotatably joined by relatively short articulating joint assemblies allowing relative rotation of adjacent transfer members about two degrees of freedom. Encoders can be used to measure the relative rotation about each of the degrees of freedom, and signals from the encoders can be digitized by processor boards positioned within the transfer members. Processor boards can be placed in tandem in the transfer members, and one or more of the processor boards can be mounted on a rotatable assembly. Slip rings can electrically couple all of the processor boards to allow for infinite rotatability of the articulating arm.
US07774945B2
A rotary angle detecting device includes a synthetic-resin wheel member which is provided with a shaft hole, into which a steering shaft having a pair of flat surfaces provided in a front end portion thereof is inserted, and a detecting portion and which rotates together with the steering shaft; a sheet-metal attachment member attached to the wheel member and engaged to the steering shaft; a signal detecting unit operable to detect a position variation of the detecting portion accompanied by the rotation of the wheel member; and a housing provided with a through-hole into which the steering shaft is rotatably inserted and accommodating the wheel member and the signal detecting unit.
US07774934B2
A lead includes a lead body extending from a distal end to a proximal end, and at least one conductor disposed within the lead body and extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the lead body. The lead further includes an outer terminal ring, a terminal pin, and an insulative sleeve disposed between the outer terminal ring and the terminal pin, where the insulative sleeve is coupled with the outer terminal ring with a snap-fit connection. A pin latch is disposed on an outer periphery surface of the insulative sleeve, where the pin latch is rotatable about a hinge point.
US07774932B2
A circuit board process is provided. First, multiple carriers is provided, and a first conductive layer having multiple concave structures is formed on each carrier. A dielectric layer is then provided, and the carriers with the first conductive layers are laminated on a first and a second surface of the dielectric layer respectively, wherein portions of the first conductive layers are embedded in the first and second surfaces. Next, the carriers are removed. Thereafter, the first conductive layer corresponding to at least one concave is removed to expose a portion of the dielectric layer. Next, the exposed dielectric layer is removed to form an opening. A second conductive layer is then formed on the inner wall of the opening, wherein the second conductive layer is electrically connected to the first conductive layers on both sides of the dielectric layer.
US07774929B2
A method of self-assembly of components on a surface of a substrate includes obtaining a first component and a second component. The first component type is assembled onto the substrate by programming the surface. The second component type is assembled by reprogramming the surface. A third component, next to the first and second components, is assembled following the step of assembling the first and second components. The first, second, and third components are all different types of components. docking sites on the substrate can be used that contain alignment pedestals. One component delivery system employ a liquid-liquid interface to deliver and concentrate components with correct pre-orientation.
US07774927B2
A wire positioning device for a termination machine includes a support housing configured to be located proximate to a termination zone of the termination machine. A wire gripping mechanism is coupled to the support housing and defines a wire alignment axis. The wire gripping mechanism is configured to hold a wire along the wire alignment axis. The wire gripping mechanism and wire are movable with respect to the support housing along a linear transfer path that is oriented transverse to the wire alignment axis. An electric actuator is mounted to the support housing and is joined to the wire gripping mechanism. The actuator drives the wire gripping mechanism along the transfer path.
US07774920B2
A method of forming microstructures. An article including a metal atom precursor is disproportionally exposed to electromagnetic radiation in an amount and intensity sufficient to convert some of the precursor to elemental metal. Additional conductive material may then be deposited onto the elemental metal to produce a microstructure.
US07774902B2
A grab bar for projecting from a structure to a projecting side of the grab bar includes a user support member operable to support a user, the user support member being disposed at the projecting side of the grab bar; and an extending member attached to the user support member and dimensioned to extend between the projecting side and an attachment side of the grab bar opposite the projecting side, whereby an upper edge of the grab bar extends from the extending member upwardly and away from the attachment side at a first end of the grab bar and extends upwardly and away from the projecting side at a second end of the grab bar opposite the first end.
US07774895B2
An extraction cleaning machine comprising dispensing and recovery systems, the dispensing system including a system for generating heat with an exothermic reaction upon activation for heating the cleaning solution prior to dispensing of the cleaning solution onto a surface. The cleaning solution dispensing system comprises a cleaning solution reservoir to which the heat of the exothermic reaction can be added and a dispenser. The heat of the exothermic reaction can also be added in line to the cleaning solution between the cleaning solution reservoir and the dispenser. The recovery system includes a suction nozzle, a recovery tank and a vacuum source for drawing recovered liquid from the suction nozzle into the recovery tank. A method of cleaning a surface comprises the steps of heating a cleaning solution by an exothermic chemical reaction, applying the cleaning solution to the surface and recovering the cleaning solution from the surface.
US07774889B2
A connection system for securing a mop head to a mop handle. The system uses a handle connector component secured to the mop handle and a mop head connector component secured to the mop head. Through holes in the handle connector component are aligned with through holes in the mop head connector component. A resilient clip with protruding tabs is positioned in and around the mop head connector component, such that the tabs of the resilient clips extend through the aligned holes in the connector components. The resiliency of the clips compels the tabs into the holes, thus securing the components.
US07774886B2
The invention is directed to a method and a device for cleaning teeth wherein a variety of cleaning tools are coupled to a common handle section for the individual cleaning of teeth. It relates in particular to a handle section of an electric-dental cleaning device, with a coupling section for coupling various cleaning tools thereto, as well as said cleaning tools. According to the invention the handle section detects a coding provided on the respective cleaning tool attached. In dependence upon the respective coding detected, various functions of the dental cleaning device are controlled.
US07774883B2
A specially designed insert for orthopedic insoles and a process for manufacturing said insole, the use of which prevents the foot from bending excessively at the metatarsal joints, thereby protecting the skin in the area of the metatarsal heads of the forefoot on the bottom of the foot and preventing that skin from stretching, cracking or being otherwise damaged.
US07774881B2
The invention relates to a reclining means which has a mattress with a multiplicity of air chambers arranged in lattice form. Also provided is a mattress-profile memory which stores, for each of the air chambers, valve-control data corresponding to a mattress profile. The reclining means also has a data-carrier holder, into which a data carrier can be inserted, and means for writing valve-control data into a data carrier inserted into the data-carrier holder, as well as means for reading valve-control data which are stored on a data carrier inserted into the data-carrier holder.
US07774873B2
A wheelchair and an examination table is provided wherein there is provided a connector or connector assembly for connecting the wheelchair to the examination table. Once connected to the examination table, the wheelchair and patient sitting therein can be elevated, after which side frames of the wheelchair can be removed in order to facilitate examination of the patient. In addition, once elevated and the side frames removed, with the aid of a movable back that forms a part of the examination table, the back of the wheelchair can be reclined or positioned in various positions to facilitate examination and procedures.
US07774864B2
A pocket fastening system for a vest wherein the pocket has a backing plate and a plurality of fasteners positioned on the backing plate for receipt into recesses formed on horizontal webbing strips on the surface of the vest.
US07774862B2
A scarf has hand-receiving pockets at the opposed ends. Adjacent to or on a surface of the pockets are long flaccid strands, fringes, tassels or the like which may be manipulated through hand contact with the scarf body, to be waved about in the manner of cheerleading pom-poms. The flaccid strands are in a preferred method of fabrication cut but not fully severed from sheets of material. The sheets are then stacked together and sewn or otherwise affixed along a single axis. Several rows of sheets may be placed adjacent to each pocket, giving a finished appearance of cheerleading pom-poms. Each sheet may have a color selected from the colors of a team, wherein the pompons will as a collection include all of the team colors.
US07774860B2
A protective glove having an elastic substrate, a first pad segment attached to the elastic substrate, and a second pad segment attached to the elastic substrate independently from the first pad segment. The elastic substrate can be disposed over an area intended to substantially cover a forearm, a wrist, a back of a hand, a finger, and/or a thumb of a user wearing the glove. The elastic substrate can be stretchable in different directions and to different degrees in the areas around each pad segment, thereby enabling independent movement of the individually attached pad segments to accommodate any number of contours and flex points. Other embodiments provide methods for manufacturing a protective glove having independent pads.
US07774858B2
A protective face mask comprising: an eye-protecting shield made essentially from a plastics material, the eye-protecting shield being dimensioned to cover at least the eye portions of a human wearer, the eye-protecting shield having a perimeter defining a first surface facing the wearer's face, and a second surface facing away from the wearer's face; an adhesive forming an adhesive strip attached to the first surface of the eye-protecting shield for providing a substantially watertight and releasable sealing engagement between at least a portion of the perimeter forming an upper edge of the face mask and at least a portion of the skin of the wearer's face, wherein the upper part of the perimeter of the mask is provided with a continuous layer of adhesive along the perimeter, and the lower part of the perimeter of the mask is free of adhesive, the lower part of the perimeter forms a bottom edge of the mask being provided with at least one part forming a projection offset from the centre line of the mask, and wherein the mask extends along the contour of the wearer's face from the forehead to cheekbones and the lower perimeter thereof extends above the mouth provides a comfortable and flexible mask without the need for straps, elastic bands or side bars, avoids pressure on the skin in the contact zone, allows free eye movement and airflow and minimizes the formation of dew.
US07779480B2
A technique for identifying dependencies of an application upon a given security context includes monitoring security checks generated by the application. The security checks requiring elevated rights are identified and the state of execution of the application corresponding to the identified security checks may be logged. The security checks requiring elevated rights may be identified by monitoring access checks, monitoring privilege checks, checking user/group identifiers against a list of known identifiers associated with elevated rights, or the like.
US07779475B2
A method and apparatus for allowing the user of an electronic device to enhance privacy over a display with the use of software, are disclosed. A security window including a translucent graphical effects region may be displayed on the electronic device such that it overlays content the user may choose to protect. The security window allows the protected content to remain discernable for the user of the device yet substantially indiscernible to a person at a further distance and/or greater viewing angle from the screen of the device. One or more security windows, each of which may be of any size, shape, texture, translucency level and any other graphical or behavioral properties may be displayed on the display associated with the electronic device. The user may control the size, shape, texture, translucency level and any other graphical or behavioral properties of the security window and graphical effects region. The user may invoke or terminate a security window with the single click of a button. Security windows may automatically attach to applications in focus, or be attached in response to a user command, and allow uninterrupted usability of those applications.
US07779474B2
A computer system and storage medium that in an embodiment count the number of times that a file or registry entry is added, changed, or deleted at clients in a network. If the count exceeds a threshold, then a warning is sent to the clients. The warning may prompt the clients to delete or rename the file or registry entry, run an anti-virus program, quarantine the file or registry entry, or issue a message. In this way, viruses may be detected at clients.
US07779453B2
A routing method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system data associated with a business. The data includes a first list of authorization roles and a second list including locations. The computing system associates at least one authorization role of the authorization roles with each location of the locations. The computing system receives transaction documents associated with the business. The computing system receives a selection for a location of the locations. The computing system receives a selection for a transaction document of the transaction documents. The transaction document is associated with a specified authorization role of the authorization roles. The computing system determines if the specified authorization role is associated with the location.
US07779445B2
An interactive television system is provided in which an interactive television application is used to support network-based or local personal video recorder capabilities. A user may use this application to view lists of program listings. The user may select a program listing of interest. The interactive television application may allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at the scheduled broadcast time. This application may also allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at a later time at which the program is not scheduled to be broadcast. The user may be provided with a reminder at this later time. In response, the user may direct the network-based or local personal video recorder to play back the program or may defer the reminder again. The interactive television application may collect information on program usage and popularity to determine how long to retain certain programming.
US07779436B1
Apparatus is provided by which a television viewer can view other images e.g. during commercials or main program. For example, during a commercial, a viewer may channel surf or surf the internet. A banner is provided on a viewing screen while the viewer watches these other images. In this way the advertiser providing those commercials can still reach those viewers who are channel or internet surfing. Also, the banner will indicate to the viewer when the commercial is over and the normal programming has resumed. In another embodiment, during the main program user can activate one or more small commercial windows and position them on the screen based on his preference, e.g. using a remote device. Information is communicated to a broadcaster by the viewer's video system indicating the above-mentioned commercial windows are open on the viewer's screen. When each commercial window is positioned on the screen the viewer receives compensation based on the amount of time the commercial windows are displaying commercials to the viewer. All or part of commercial windows automatically close when a main commercial block starts. The commercial windows automatically open when the main commercial block finishes. In one embodiment, the viewer can turn the commercial windows ON/OFF on his discretion.
US07779431B2
A networked spreadsheet template designer allows administrators to easily create and deploy robust reporting and input applications that leverage existing spreadsheet templates and knowledge in an easy to use user interface. Templates are created to operate directly in the particular spreadsheet program environment and can be created using existing templates and modeling workbooks of that spreadsheet program without the need for any code to be written. The template designer uses dynamic link library (DLL) worksheet functions directly on template worksheets to perform specified actions. The DLL functions enable a user to create an interactive, custom application by automating/encapsulating complex tasks. The DLL functions are managed across a computer network through an administrator interface to create the functions and a viewer interface that combines an Explorer® window to select the functions and a spreadsheet window for the actual spreadsheet program that implements the DLL functions.
US07779428B2
Storage resource integration layer interfaces are provided. Storage operations associated with interfaces of a plurality of storage resources are normalized and provided as a common set of modules accessible to a storage application. Moreover, configuration modules are provided to the storage application to acquire configuration settings associated with storage residing on the storage resources. In one embodiment, virtualization modules are provided to the storage application to permit the storage application to create and link virtual storage resources from the storage resources.
US07779409B2
A method and corresponding equipment by which software (11c) on a first device (11) is virally or otherwise distributed to a second device (12), in which the first device (11) and second device (12) and possibly also a server (16) of the software (11c) exchange information sufficient for the first device (11) to determine whether it includes or stores a version of the software (22c) compatible with the second device (12), and if so, then provides a compatible version, but otherwise exchanges information with the second device sufficient for the second device to obtain a copy from the server (16).
US07779407B2
A computer hardware life-extension apparatus and method is disclosed to circumvent hardware-dependent software installation locks, imposed by selected software packages, which may artificially enforce compliance with a minimum set of hardware requirements before allowing installation. Various techniques may be used to circumvent the artificial hardware locks, thereby effectively extending the useful life, and delaying the forced obsolescence, of selected computer hardware. An apparatus and method in accordance with the invention may be used to extend the life of a wide variety of computer hardware, including but not limited to processors, main memory, secondary storage devices, and the like.
US07779405B2
A software application is dynamically partitioned into components. Selected components are delivered to a requesting client device. When a request is received from the client device to launch the software application that includes multiple software components, a profile of the client device is determined. The software application is dynamically partitioned into a first group of components and a second group of components based on the profile of the client device. Selected application components are delivered to the client device based on the profile of the client device. The first group is delivered to the client device based on the profile of the client device. The second group is retained based on the profile of the client device. The application is executed using the delivered first group and the retained second group of application components.
US07779403B2
A method for discovering capabilities of a communication device, including updating the capabilities of the communication device, generating update information corresponding to the communication device after updating the capabilities of the communication device, and transferring the URL of user agent profile and the update information of the communication device to a first server, when the communication device connects to the Internet.
US07779399B2
Methods, software tools and systems for analyzing software applications, e.g., Web applications, are described. A software application to be analyzed is transformed into an abstract representation which preserves its information flow properties. The abstract interpretation is evaluated to identify vulnerabilities using, for example, type qualifiers to associate security levels with variables and/or functions in the application being analyzed and typestate checking. Runtime guards are inserted into the application to secure identified vulnerabilities.
US07779394B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for protecting a computer program from unauthorized analysis and modification. Obfuscation transformations can be applied to the computer program's local structure, control graph, and/or data structure to render the program more difficult to understand and/or modify. Tamper-resistance mechanisms can be incorporated into the computer program to detect attempts to tamper with the program's operation. Once an attempt to tamper with the computer program is detected, the computer program reports it to an external agent, ceases normal operation, and/or reverses any modifications made by the attempted tampering. The computer program can also be watermarked to facilitate identification of its owner. The obfuscation, tamper-resistance, and watermarking transformations can be applied to the computer program's source code, object code, or executable image.
US07779393B1
A system for efficiently verifying compliance with a memory consistency model includes a test module and an analysis module. The test module may coordinate an execution of a multithreaded test program on a test platform. If the test platform provides an indication of the order in which writes from multiple processing elements are performed at shared memory locations, the analysis module may use a first set of rules to verify that the results of the execution correspond to a valid ordering of events according to a memory consistency model. If the test platform does not provide an indication of write ordering, the analysis module may use a second set of rules to verify compliance with the memory consistency model.
US07779388B2
A system and methods are provided that make compile-time declarative modeling available for SOAP-based data transmission(s). The declarative modeling minimizes the amount of coding required of a developer. The underlying details regarding the SOAP protocol, dispatching to the appropriate object and function, marshaling and un-marshaling of XML and generating the SOAP response are hidden from the developer when implementing SOAP-based Web services. The task of creating a SOAP-based web service is thus greatly simplified by reducing the number and complexity of considerations required of the developer when generating SOAP-based Web services. In one embodiment, attributes for Visual C++ are utilized as a framework for a declarative syntax for SOAP-based Web services, which Visual C++ attributes have access to type and marshaling information.
US07779387B2
A source code control architecture. A client user checks out a copy of a source code file to the client using a file checkout process. A client cache maintains a pristine copy of the file, and a client activity list maintains a list of commands executed during the offline mode to effect modifications to the copy. The client cache contains a pristine copy of all source code files that are modified or deleted in a local client workspace. The cache is maintained whether the user is online or offline. When the user is offline, the cache is utilized to facilitate many of the activities that historically would require server connectivity. The command activity list allows a developer to continue changing the source code while offline by automatically recording the executed commands. The offline commands are reconciled to the server, and used to update the server file(s) when the client returns online.
US07779383B2
Modeling a component-based application includes modeling communication capabilities of components of the application, modeling a plan for interlinking components of the application, modeling communications capabilities of a compound component composed of a plurality of constituent components, and determining if interlinked components are compatible to communicate validly in the application.
US07779380B2
There is provided a data processing apparatus (1) including a logic circuit (10) that is reconfigurable in each cycle and a library (2) that stores hardware control information (20). The hardware control information (20) includes a plurality of pieces of cycle-based mapping information (21) for individually mapping a plurality of cycle-based circuits, which each realize a function in each cycle for executing an application, onto the logic circuit (10) and configuration selection information (22) for selecting at least one of the plurality of pieces of cycle-based mapping information according to an execution state of the application. The data processing apparatus (1) includes a control unit (11) that reconfigures at least part of the logic region (10) using at least one of the plurality of pieces of cycle-based mapping information (21) according to a request in each cycle based on the configuration selection information (22).
US07779377B2
A verification aiding apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires implementation description information of a verification target circuit, and a classifying unit that classifies registers in the verification target circuit for each type of processing for each command executable by the verification target circuit. Thus, implementation description classification information can be obtained. A setting unit performs a verification priority setting process and a generating unit performs a sequential command generating process, and a sequential command is output.
US07779372B2
A clock gater circuit comprises a plurality of transistors having source-drain connections forming a stack between a first node and a supply node. A given logical state on the first node causes a corresponding logical state on an output clock of the clock gater circuit. In one embodiment, a first transistor of the plurality of transistors has a gate coupled to receive an enable input signal. A second transistor is connected in parallel with the first transistor, and has a gate controlled responsive to a test input signal to ensure that the output clock is generated even if the enable input signal is not in an enabled state. In another embodiment, the plurality of transistors comprises a first transistor having a gate controlled responsive to a clock input of the clock gater circuit and a second transistor having a gate controlled responsive to an output of a delay circuit. The delay circuit comprises at least one inverter, wherein an input of the delay circuit is the clock input, and wherein a first inverter of the delay circuit is coupled to receive a test input signal and is configured to force a first logical state on an output of the first inverter responsive to an assertion of the test input signal.
US07779368B2
Systems and methods for presenting managed data from one or more applications are invented and disclosed. A data storage management system comprises a data store, a data storage manager, and a graphical user interface. The data storage manager is communicatively coupled to the data store and configured to allocate and use logical and physical storage elements of the data store via an application instance. The graphical user interface exposes data storage in application specific storage units. A method for managing data comprises coupling a data store to one or more applications, allocating storage on the data store in accordance with respective storage requirements expressed as an application instance associated with each of the one or more applications, and using a graphical user interface to expose the data store in application storage units associated with the one or more applications.
US07779352B1
A technique for generating a web site in accordance with received data entry by: determining at least one characteristic of at least one web site dimension of the web site based on the data entry; generating a multi-dimensional description of the web site based on the determined characteristics; retrieving web site data according to the generated multi-dimensional description of the web site; and generating the web site based upon the generated multi-dimensional description of the web site and the retrieved web site data.
US07779347B2
Systems and methods for sharing annotations associated with an electronic document. The annotations are created by one or more annotation authors and are shared with one or more other users. A method includes determining frequently annotated portions of the electronic document and providing indicators within the electronic document of the frequently annotated portions. In one embodiment, frequently used words within the annotations are also indicated within the text of the electronic document. In addition, or in another embodiment, the annotations can be searched based on a user's location within the electronic document.
US07779344B1
There is provided a system and method for creating a value-based stacked bar chart. More specifically, in one embodiment, there is provided a computer readable medium comprising code adapted to sort a plurality of data entries by transaction value, wherein the plurality of data entries correspond to a stack type; code adapted to assign each of the plurality of data entries to one or more cells associated with the stack type, code adapted to assign a color to the one or more cells, and code adapted to shade the color of a subset of the one or more cells based on the transaction value of the data entries assigned to the cells in the subset.
US07779340B2
Methods and apparatuses for using interpolation to associate timestamp values to data received in a data capture and analysis system. An analysis processor receives data representing data transferred in a communications link. The analysis processor also receives timestamp signals. The analysis processor performs an interpolation between at least two timestamp values received and associates results of the interpolation with the data. The analysis processor analyzes the data. A logic device can be coupled to the analysis processor to interleave timestamp signal values with the data and transmit the interleaved data and timestamp signals to the analysis processor.
US07779339B2
An ACS circuit includes: a basic DPM retaining section (11) for retaining basic DPMs (differential path metrics); a basic DPM calculating section (12) for calculating the basic DPMs; a reference DPM calculating section (13) for calculating reference DPMs, which are DPMs other than the basic DPMs; a basic DBM calculating section (14) for calculating basic DBMs (differential branch metrics), which are DBMs necessary for calculating the basic DPMs; and a path selecting section (15) for selecting the most likely paths for Viterbi decoding in accordance with the basic DPMs, the reference DPMs and the basic DBMs. The basic DPM calculating section (12) calculates new basic DPMs in accordance with the basic DPMs, the reference DPMs, the basic DBMs, and the results of the most likely path selection by the path selecting section (15).
US07779336B2
The invention relates to a method for assembling FEC frames for a sequence of groups of coded media packets. In order to reduce a buffer delay at a decoding end (15), it is proposed that the FEC frame is aligned with the groups of media packets. To this end, a number of next subsequent groups are determined, which fit completely into a FEC frame. All coded media packets associated to this determined group or groups, if any, are selected for the FEC frame (step 202,402). Then, the selected coded media packets are encoded to obtain at least one FEC packet for the FEC frame (step 206,406). For fixed FEC frame structures, moreover the introduction of padding packets as additional media packets, if required, is proposed.
US07779335B2
When parity checking in a disk array such as a RAID-6 system determines data and parity information is unsynchronized, additional calculations are performed to determine whether the error may be attributed to faulty data on a disk drive or to a more systemic problem such as a faulty controller. In particular, for each particular error detected, the parity generating information is analyzed to determine if each error involves a common disk index. If so, the data can be corrected on that disk; if not other corrective procedures are implemented.
US07779331B2
Various systems and methods for tri-column code based error reduction are disclosed herein. For example, a digital information system is disclosed that includes channel detector. Such a channel detector receives an encoded data set and provides an output representing the encoded data set. The exemplary system further includes a decoder that receives the first output and is operable to perform three slope parity checks on the received first output. In turn, the decoder provides another output representing the encoded data set.
US07779327B2
Provided are a Vestigial Side Band (VSB) Digital Television (DTV) transmitter and receiver based on the Advanced Television System Committee (ATSC) A/53, and a method thereof. The present invention provides 8-VSB DTV transmitter and receiver that can improve reception performance of the receiver by transmitting and receiving robust data mixed with P-2VSB, E-4VSB, and/or E-8VSB. The DTV transmitter includes an input means for receiving a digital video data stream including normal data and robust data; an encoding means for coding the digital video data stream into data symbols; and a transmitting means for modulating and transmitting an output signal of the encoding means, wherein the encoding means performs trellis coding on the robust data by sequentially applying a plurality of trellis coding methods.
US07779326B2
System and method for designing Slepian-Wolf codes by channel code partitioning. A generator matrix is partitioned to generate a plurality of sub-matrices corresponding respectively to a plurality of correlated data sources. The partitioning is performed in accordance with a rate allocation among the plurality of correlated data sources. A corresponding plurality of parity matrices are generated based respectively on the sub-matrices, where each parity matrix is useable to encode data from a respective one of the correlated data sources.
US07779317B2
A test control circuit according to an embodiment of the invention includes a test mode control unit that outputs a control signal according to a voltage trimming test signal, a decoding portion that receives the control signal and outputs a decoding signal, and a trimming signal adjusting portion that receives the decoding signal and outputs a trimming signal adjusted by a low level test signal.
US07779308B2
An architecture for error log processing is provided. Each error log is given a defined priority and mapped to an error recovery procedure (ERP) to be run if the log is seen. The system has a plurality of software layers to process the errors. Each software layer processes the error independently. Errors are reported to a higher software stack when error recovery fails from the lower stack ERPs and recovery is non-transparent. If the system host identified for error processing fails, the control of the ERP is transferred during the failover process. Non-obvious failed component isolating ERPs are grouped to be run together to assist in isolating the failed component. Prioritization of the error systems may be based on a plurality of criteria. ERPs are assigned to run within a particular software stack.
US07779307B1
An embodiment of the present invention includes a circuit for tracking memory operations with trace-based execution. Each trace includes a sequence of operations that includes zero or more of the memory operations. The memory operations being executed form a set of active memory operations that have a predefined program order among them and corresponding ordering constraints. At least some of the active memory operations access the memory in an execution order that is different from the program order. Checkpoint entries are associated with each trace. There is a one-to-one correspondence between checkpoint entries and memory operation ordering entries. Each checkpoint entry refers to a checkpoint location. Rollback requests cause the circuit to overwrite checkpoint entries associated with the corresponding trace.
US07779302B2
Techniques for programmatically coordinating, and synchronizing execution of, automated testing in event-driven systems. One or more user-provided test system event listeners listen for generated events and update test system status accordingly. A user-provided test suite definition invokes a test framework interface, thereby defining the structure of a test suite. This test suite is executed, referring to the test system status to determine when to move to a next stage (e.g., to a next test case or next test module). Test system status may also be updated directly from a test case or test module (e.g., when the test designer determines that the tested code will not generate events that can be leveraged for test status information).
US07779298B2
A method is provided for the recovery of an instance of a job manager running on one of a plurality of nodes used to execute the processing elements associated with jobs that are executed within a cooperative data stream processing system. The states of the processing elements are checkpointed to a persistence mechanism in communication with the job manager. From the checkpointed processing element states, the state of each distributed job is determined and checkpointed. Processing element states are also checkpointed locally to the nodes one which the processing elements are running. Following a failure of the job manager, the job manager is reinstantiated on one of the nodes. The recovery instance of the job manger obtains state data for processing elements and jobs from the persistence mechanism and constructs an initial state for jobs and processing elements. These initial states are reconciled against the current states of the processing elements and adjustments are made accordingly. Once the job and processing element states are reconciled, the system is returned to normal operation.
US07779279B2
A power supply system for CPU is disclosed. The CPU includes a plurality of dynamic voltage identification (VID) pins, and the power supply standard of the CPU conforms to a first standard. The power supply system includes a VID signal line set and a core voltage controller. The VID signal line set is coupled to the VID pins of the CPU, wherein the VID signal line set includes a least significant bit (LSB) signal line set and a most significant bit (MSB) signal line set. The core voltage controller conforms to a second standard and is coupled to the MSB signal line set to determine the core voltage to be output to the CPU according to the bit state of each MSB signal line in the MSB signal line set, so that the power supply system can conform to the first standard.
US07779276B2
Systems and methods are provided for managing power in a processing system. In one embodiment, a target system having a plurality of electronic devices is operated within a net power limit. A local controller detects power consumption for each device, and communicates the power consumption to a power management module. The power management module dynamically apportions the net power limit among the devices, and communicates the apportioned power limit for each device back to the associated local controller. Each local controller enforces the apportioned power limit to an associated device on behalf of the power management module.
US07779266B2
Method for controlling pluggable port on interface board of communication device and interface board
A method for controlling a pluggable port on an interface board of a communication device, pre-setting; the process of controlling the port includes: the communication device receiving an external inputted password and verifies the received password according to a pre-set password; the communication device enables or disables the pluggable port according to the verification result. Also disclosed is an interface board with a pluggable port, the line(s) connecting with the pluggable module includes one or more switches, after verification by the above-mentioned method, control the pluggable port on the interface board to be enabled or disabled by controlling the switch(es) according to the verification result. The present invention can efficiently avoid the false or illegal use of the pluggable ports of the interface board, thereby guaranteeing the stability and reliability of the communication device and the communication network.
US07779258B2
A method, article, and system for providing an effective implementation of data structures, and application programming interface (API) functions that allow secure execution of functions behind a secure boundary. The controlling mechanism is a flexible, extendable, and non-forgeable block that details how values and parameters behind the secure boundary can be changed. The invention allows for one entity to execute a security function that will normally require extensive authorizations or dual or multiple control. The method and system comprise instructions that are cryptographically protected against alteration or misuse, wherein the instructions further comprise a trusted block that defines security policies that are permitted when an application program employs the trusted block in APIs. The trusted block has a number of fields containing rules that provide an ability to limit how the trusted block is used, thereby reducing the risk of the trusted block being employed in unintended ways.
US07779255B2
Techniques are disclosed for multi-level security (“MLS”) in computing systems. Communication between MLS systems in the prior art requires explicitly tagging each packet with its security classification. The packet tags comprise variable-length bit patterns inserted into packet headers. This results in a number of drawbacks, including increased path length and code complexity, as well as reduced interoperability. An MLS system according to the present invention simulates a cluster or collection of single-level security systems, and thereby avoids packet tagging. For each security classification used by an MLS system, a distinct source address is defined. This source address is used for outbound packets having that security classification, such that the packet's source address implicitly identifies the packet's security classification.
US07779250B2
The invention is directed to a method for applying a certificate suitable for a portable telephone belonging to a user, wherein the portable telephone comprises a telephone number. The method comprises steps of generating a user key pair in the portable telephone, wherein the key pair comprises a user public key information and then transmitting an applying packet from the portable telephone to a certificate authority through a switching center by using a short message service, wherein the applying packet comprises at least the user public key information. The user is verified according to the telephone number received by the certificate authority from the switching center. A certificate packet is generated by the certificate authority, wherein the certificate packet comprises at least a serial number and a certificate authority signature. The certificate packet is transmitted to the portable telephone according to the telephone number by using the short message service.
US07779231B2
A processor and a method for executing VLIW instructions using pipeline execution wherein each VLIW instruction includes a plurality of instructions and wherein the pipeline includes at least the following stages: first and second instruction fetch stages, a pre-decode stage, an instruction dispatch stage, first and second decoding stages, an execution stage and a write-back stage. During the first instruction fetch stage the number of outstanding instructions is determined where these outstanding instructions are from previous VLIW instructions that have not yet been issued for execution. During the second instruction fetch stage a comparison is performed on whether the number of outstanding instructions is less then the number of instructions in a VLIW instruction where if the number of outstanding instructions is less than the number of instructions in an instruction packet then the next VLIW instruction is fetched and the outstanding instructions are shifted and aligned with the fetched VLIW instruction. During the pre-decode stage determining which instructions in each VLIW instruction are to be issued and in the dispatch stage feeding the instructions not issued back to the first instruction fetch stage such that the processor is updated as to the number of outstanding instructions.
US07779228B2
Quantum information processing device includes resonator incorporating material containing physical systems, each of physical systems having at least four energy states, transition between two energy states of at least four energy states, and transition energy between at least two energy states of at least four energy states, at least four energy states being non-degenerate when magnetic field fails to be applied to physical systems, transition resonating in resonator mode that is in common between physical systems, each of at least four energy states representing a quantum bit, transition energy being shifted when magnetic field is applied to physical systems, and magnetic-field application unit configured to apply magnetic field having direction and intensity to material, to eliminate linear transition energy shift between two energy states included in physical systems, each of two energy states included in physical systems being with excluding two energy states resonating in resonator mode.
US07779227B2
A memory management apparatus and a related method thereof for accessing digital versatile disc(DVD) data stored in a memory device are disclosed. The memory management apparatus includes an address mapping module, coupled to a bus, for receiving a logic address from the bus and for generating a physical address according to the logic address, and an access control module, coupled to the address mapping module and the memory device, for accessing the digital versatile disc data according to the physical address.
US07779226B2
There is disclosed a controller included in a flash memory system attachable to a memory interface of a host system. The controller performs a process for minimizing the maximum number of defective blocks to be classified into each zone, by using a plurality of replacement tables or a plurality of functions. Specifically, a dispersion process unit included in the controller associates virtual block addresses VBA with physical block addresses PBA so as to minimize the maximum number of defective blocks to be classified into each zone. The flash memory system may have a plurality of replacement tables describing correspondence between virtual block addresses VBA and physical block addresses PBA. Or, in the flash memory system, plural kinds of functions for setting correspondence between virtual block addresses VBA and physical block addresses PBA may be defined by the controller.
US07779213B2
Embodiments include a device and a method. In an embodiment, a method applies a first resource management strategy to a first resource associated with a first processor and executes an instruction block in a first processor. The method also applies a second resource management strategy to a second resource of a similar type as the first resource and executes the instruction block in a second processor. The method further selects a resource management strategy likely to provide a substantially optimum execution of the instruction group from the first resource management strategy and the second resource management strategy.
US07779211B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving a snoop request, providing the snoop request to a coherency engine along a first path and providing the snoop request to a bypass logic along a bypass path, and generating a speculative invalid snoop response in the bypass logic and forwarding the speculative invalid snoop response to indicate that an address associated with the snoop response is not present in a cache memory. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07779203B2
For each RAID group to be determined for blocking, each disk is classified into three types of totalization unit based on the status of each disk belonging to the RAID group or the presence/absence of an access path to each disk, and the number of disks corresponding to each totalization unit is totalized. The totalization unit is a “used disk”, an “unused disk”, and a “loop-down disk”. The totalization result is compared with the threshold condition set for each RAID level (for example, “unused disk”=0 and “loop-down disk”=‘1 or more’), and the blocking possibility is determined.
US07779194B2
The present invention relates to a microcontroller including a central processing unit, at least one memory, a bus coupling the storage location to the central processing unit, and a data modification module for modifying data in the at least one memory. The data modification module includes a first interface being coupled to the bus for transferring data to the at least one memory over the bus, and a second interface being adapted to be coupled to an external device for receiving the data, wherein the data modification module is adapted to operate as a bus master and to transfer data received from the external device over the bus to the at least one memory.
US07779186B2
A master-slave card system includes a master card and a plurality of slave cards connected in serial. The master card sends a command with a station-number information to the slave cards. A selected slave card designated by the station-number information sends back a response message, where the response message includes an initial packet, a plurality of data packets and a CRC check packet. The master card sends a next command to a next slave cards after the master cards identifies a correct initial packet. When the initial packet is not correct, the master card halts sending the next command until the received signal is already stopped for a predetermined silence time. The master card drops all the data packets if the CRC check packet associated with the data packet is not correct.
US07779185B2
An interface and protocol allow a media player to communicate with external accessories over a transport link. The protocol includes a core protocol functionality and a number of accessory lingoes. Examples of accessory lingoes include a microphone lingo, a simple remote lingo, a display remote lingo, an RF transmitter lingo, and an extended interface lingo.
US07779178B2
A data buffer that is a target for data received over a communication channel is examined, and a device associated with the communication channel is polled, to find, process, and return data transmitted over the channel. Other methods and apparatus to reduce network latency are described and claimed.
US07779176B2
A system and method for control management of shared peripheral circuits by a plurality of controllers is provided. Control of the peripherals is mediated through a shared signal controller which uses mask registers to ensure that only one controller may control a peripheral at any one time, and that the type of peripheral is matched to the type of controller.
US07779173B2
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for DMA transfer completion notification that include: inserting, by an origin DMA engine on an origin compute node in an injection FIFO buffer, a data descriptor for an application message to be transferred to a target compute node on behalf of an application on the origin compute node; inserting, by the origin DMA engine, a completion notification descriptor in the injection FIFO buffer after the data descriptor for the message, the completion notification descriptor specifying an address of a completion notification field in application storage for the application; transferring, by the origin DMA engine to the target compute node, the message in dependence upon the data descriptor; and notifying, by the origin DMA engine, the application that the transfer of the message is complete, including performing a local direct put operation to store predesignated notification data at the address of the completion notification field.
US07779168B2
An information processing apparatus installs a first control program corresponding to a first peripheral device and a second control program for controlling a second peripheral device, the first and second control programs including a common module. The information processing apparatus has deciding means for deciding identification information of the common module so that the identification information of the common module which operates as a part of the first control program and the identification information of the common module which operates as a part of the second control program are made different.
US07779167B2
A vehicle audio system 30 reconfigures with a PDAD 32 device by sending a series of queries through a supported channel, preferably a UART channel to the PDAD with the PDAD sending back requested control information 42 and meta-data housing information 46.
US07779165B2
Producers and consumer processes may synchronize and transfer data using a shared data structure. After locating a potential transfer location that indicates an EMPTY status, a producer may store data to be transferred in the transfer location. A producer may use a compare-and-swap (CAS) operation to store the transfer data to the transfer location. A consumer may subsequently read the transfer data from the transfer location and store, such as by using a CAS operation, a DONE status indicator in the transfer location. The producer may notice the DONE indication and may then set the status location back to EMPTY to indicate that the location is available for future transfers, by the same or a different producer. The producer may also monitor the transfer location and time out if no consumer has picked up the transfer data.
US07779153B2
A system and method for automatically collecting at a data repository operational data from remotely distributed medical apparatus via a network, is disclosed, the method comprising: automatically capturing operational data at said medical apparatus; automatically selecting a route through the network for transferring said captured operational data to said data repository; and automatically transmitting said captured operational data to said central medical location via said selected network route.
US07779146B2
Elements of the present invention relate to systems and methods for controlling the transmission rate of streaming processes.
US07779143B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for detecting traffic patterns in a data network. A sequential hashing scheme can be utilized that has D hash arrays. Each hash array i, wherein 1≦i≦D, includes Mi independent hash tables each having K buckets, with each of the buckets having an associated traffic total. Each of the keys corresponds with a single bucket of each of the Mi independent hash tables of each hash array i. The keys of the data network are partitioned into D words. As traffic is received for a key, a traffic total of each bucket that corresponds with a key is updated. The hash arrays can then be utilized to identify high traffic buckets of the independent hash tables having a traffic total greater than a threshold value. The high traffic buckets can be used to detect significant traffic patterns of the data network.
US07779132B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for communicating data using a socket interface with multiple transport layer implementations. During operation the system creates a socket which can be used with a set of transport layer implementations. Next, the system binds the socket to a local port without specifying a particular transport layer implementation. The system then receives a request to connect to a target port that is associated with a target address. Next, the system selects a protocol implementation from the set of transport layer implementations using the target port and the target address. The system then sends a connection request to the target port using the selected protocol implementation. Note that the present invention does not require changing a networking application because the transport layer implementation is selected automatically by the system, instead of requiring the application to possess the knowledge to select the appropriate transport layer implementation.
US07779131B2
An IP version storage section included in the server stores an IP version implemented in the destination terminal under the control of the server. A message receiving section receives a message from the source terminal. An IP version acquisition section acquires the IP version implemented in the destination terminal corresponding to the message from the IP version storage section. An IP version comparison section compares an IP version which is implemented in the source terminal and which is included in the message with the IP version which is implemented in the destination terminal and which is acquired by the IP version acquisition section. A comparison result sending section sends a result of the comparison by the IP version comparison section to an address converter which makes an address conversion so that IP versions of data frames exchanged between the source terminal and the destination terminal will match.
US07779128B2
The invention relates to computer networks and to a digital data protection thereon, in particular to a method for the distributed backup of a digital data block (B) in an computer network comprising a DHT distributed hash table and at least one node NO, wherein said NO nodes are connected to said network. The inventive method consists in dividing said block B into digital data r fragments F, in storing the fragment F in the NOF resource memories, in recording couples (block B, node NOF) and (node NOF, fragment F) in the DHT parts contained in at least two nodes and in a centralised server when no operation on the DHT or storage operation is carried out during said process.
US07779126B1
A method and system for propagating filters to an upstream device. The method includes generating a filter at a first network device and sending information on the filter to a second network device located upstream from the first network device. The first network device then requests the second network device to install the filter.
US07779122B2
A method and system for automatically identifying an optimal set of attributes of entities included in a networked system. Entity types are ranked based on information gain. A first classification accuracy relative to a first entity type is determined. The first entity type is the top-ranked entity type or a first aggregate entity type. A second entity type is selected base on the ranking. A database join of a first set of attributes associated with the first entity type and a second set of attributes associated with the second entity type is performed. A second classification accuracy relative to a second aggregate entity type generated by the join is determined. In response to determining that the second classification accuracy is not greater than the first classification accuracy, an optimal set of attributes contributing to a problem in the networked system is identified as the first set of attributes.
US07779121B2
Detecting click fraud at a user device involves detecting a event targeted to a network service that is rated based on the number of individuals who access the network service. The event is of a type associated with user interface selections. It is determined whether the user device is in a low-power state contemporaneously with the detection of the event. The event is caused to be disregarded for the purposes of rating the network service based on a determination that the user device was in the low power state contemporaneously with the detection of the event.
US07779115B2
In an instant message communication system, if a provider logs in to an instant message communication service, the provider supplies, via a server, main presence information to a consumer specified as a friend of the provider, wherein the main presence information is a basic part of presence information. The provider then acquires main presence information of the consumer. At the provider, consumers are registered in relation to respective capabilities of the provider. The provider supplies provider sub-presence information to each consumer to inform of the details of the capability related to the consumer. Furthermore, the provider acquires consumer sub-presence information indicating the details of a capability that the consumer has, and the provider manages the acquired information. Thus, information associated with the status of capabilities available in communication can be provided without imposing a high load on the transmission process.
US07779113B1
Audit records generated from applications running on multiple machines in a computer network are managed on an audit management system. Audit records are sent by the applications over a network to the audit management system. One or more operations are performed on the audit records within the audit management system. After the one or more operations are performed, data representing the audit records from the different applications is written by the audit management system to a repository.
US07779110B2
An apparatus and system are provided for communicating control messages between a first device and a second device. The apparatus and system include a communication module that directs control messages between a first device and a second device through an intermediate device. The intermediate device is coupled to the first device by a control path and to the second device by a data path. The apparatus and system also include a translation module and a transmission module that cooperate to translate control messages received over the control path at the intermediate device to transport data messages and transport data messages received over the data path at the second device to control messages. Transport data messages are sent over the data path to the second device and control messages from the second device are sent over the control path to the first device.
US07779096B2
Methods and systems for managing admission of requests to hosting services that share resources are provided. In certain embodiments, a method comprises allowing each of a plurality of hosting services access to any of a set of shared resources for serving their respective streaming files to clients. The method further comprises managing admission of client requests for streaming files to each of the plurality of hosting services to ensure that a desired amount of usage of the shared resources is available to each hosting service.
US07779094B2
A network device may include logic configured to detect that an event has occurred in the network device, determine an XML document structure based on the detected event, and generate an XML document with the determined structure including information relating to the detected event.
US07779090B2
A method and system for distributing images for display by client systems. A distribution system includes an image server system that is connected to image client systems via a communications link, such as the Internet. The image server system is responsible for providing image packages to the image client systems and for collecting information from the image client systems. Each image client system periodically sends a heartbeat communication to the image server system. Upon receiving a heartbeat communication, the image server system determines the state of the image client system that sent the heartbeat communication and responds appropriately. The response may include instructions for the image client system to retrieve new images, to retrieve software updates, to send usage data, and so on.
US07779089B2
A remote configuration utility architecture is disclosed for a manufacturing/process control system data access server. Server agents, located on remote nodes, notify a configuration console of existing data access servers on the system. The configuration utility includes a control console from which a user selects one of the identified data access servers. Thereafter, the configuration console, via remote interfaces, obtains configuration parameters and associated rules associated with the selected data access server. The configuration utility thereafter displays the retrieved configuration information within a user interface faceplate defined for a type of configuration node selected for display/editing from the selected DAS. Using various faceplates for selected node types, the user creates, clears, examines and/or manipulates hierarchically arranged nodes for a configuration associated with the selected data access server.
US07779086B1
Methods and apparatus for performing automatic service selection in a client are disclosed, where the client supports a protocol for calling a subroutine on a remote server. A request is sent to a name server for connection information for a specified service. A first handle for the specified service is then obtained using connection information received from the name server, the first handle including the connection information for the specified service, thereby enabling the specified service to be called via the first handle. A notice indicating that the first handle is not functional is then received. A subsequent request is automatically sent to the name server for connection information for the specified service when the notice is received. A second handle including updated connection information for the specified service is then obtained, thereby enabling the specified service to be called via the second handle.
US07779084B2
Process migration method includes copying first process context indicative of first processing, transmitting process context to second computer, causing first computer to start generation of first execution record, causing second computer to receive process context, determining, from first execution record, whether first processing should be migrated, if it is determined that first processing should postpone being migrated, finishing generation of first execution record, starting generation of second execution record, transmitting first execution record to second computer, reproducing process context, and determining, from second execution record, whether first processing should be migrated, after reproducing of process context is finished in the second computer.
US07779080B2
A system for policying an unsolicited e-mail communication. The system has a plurality of clients, each coupled together using a wide area network of computers, such as the Internet or an internet. Each of the clients is adapted to send an indication of an unsolicited e-mail message through an e-mail device for a display. The system also has a policying server coupled to each of the plurality of clients through the wide area network of computers. The policying server is adapted to receive the indication from at least one of the clients. The e-mail device comprises an SPAM icon on the display. The SPAM icon is adapted to send the indication from the client to the policying server.
US07779073B2
In a network of computers, e.g. the internet, each computer records the information sources it accesses, and these records are used to identify computers whose users share common interests, as indicated by the sources they access. A virtual network is created linking computers whose users have been identified as sharing similar interests data on what sources have been accessed by each user are shared with neighbouring computers, a defined by the virtual network. Computers can also pass on information on sources accessed received from one neighbour to other neighbours.
US07779065B2
To determine a network route corresponding to user needs, costs are dynamically defined for each link of a network. Specifically, based on link characteristics, routing factors are defined and for each factor, allowable values are defined. When determining a route, one or more routing factors and one or more allowable values for each factor are selected. Based on user prioritization of these factors and prioritization of the allowable values for each factor, weights are assigned to the factors and costs are assigned to the values. Link costs are determined by comparing a given link to each selected factor and determining for each factor which allowable value matches the link's characteristics. The cost of each matching value is then weighted by its corresponding factor. The weighted costs are summed to determine a link cost. The link costs are subsequently used to determine a route through the network.
US07779061B2
A repetitive controller scheme with positive feedback and feedforward introduces infinitely many poles on the imaginary axis located at the resonant peaks. The feedforward introduces zeros, which produce notches located in between two consecutive resonant peaks. The latter has the advantage of making the controller more selective, in the sense that; the original overlapping (appearing at the valleys in a simple positive feedback repetitive controller) or interaction between consecutive resonant peaks is removed by the notches. This would allow, in principle, peaks of higher gains and slightly wider bandwidth, avoiding, at the same time, the excitation of harmonics located in between two consecutive peaks. The repetitive controller includes a simple Low Pass Filter (LPF). This modification restricts the bandwidth of the controller and at the same time reinforces stability when the controller is inserted in the closed-loop system.
US07779055B2
In performing memory management, an upgrade client of a host device identifies and reserves memory blocks large enough to accommodate new software components by performing sequential searches of first and second memory areas. The new software components are updated versions of components of original software files. When the new component size exceeds that of available blocks of the first and second memory areas, the upgrade client rewrites the first memory area to eliminate unused memory blocks, reapportions the first and second memory areas, writes the new component to the second memory area, and updates a vector table. To access host device software components, the upgrade client receives a function call from the main program of the host device including identification information of corresponding software files, reads a start address of the corresponding software files from the vector table, and generates a call for the corresponding software files.
US07779052B2
A system includes a relational database and processing logic. The relational database is configured to define a relationship between a group of logical activities and groups of physical commands that perform the logical activities. The processing logic is configured to receive a request to perform one logical activity of the group of logical activities, translate the one logical activity into one group of physical commands using the relational database, and cause the one logical activity to be performed on a remote device using the one group of physical commands.
US07779050B2
A method and system to process a domain. A domain is modeled with one or more domain models. Support models are generated from domain models. An ontological system utilizes the support models to interact with and manipulate the domain models. Further, the support models are used to describe domain model states.
US07779040B2
A method of detecting associations between items can include identifying a plurality of items represented in a data repository from which to select items to recommend to a target user, each item including one or more attributes. A degree of fit between an item's attributes and other items is calculated. The degree of fit can indicate the relevance of the attributes of one item to the other item. A degree of association between the two items is calculated based at least in part on the calculated degree of fit. The degree of association between the two items can indicate the relatedness of the two items. Based on this degree of association, an association between the items can be stored in a data repository.
US07779039B2
Systems and methods for hosting variable schema data such as dynamic tables and columns in a fixed physical database schema. Standard objects, such as tables are provided for use by multiple tenants or organizations in a multi-tenant database system. Each organization may add or define custom fields for inclusion in a standard object. Custom fields for multiple tenants are stored in a single field within the object data structure, and this single field may contain different data types for each tenant. Indexing columns are also provided, wherein a tenant may designate a field for indexing. Data values for designated fields are copied to an index column, and each index column may include multiple data types. Each organization may also define custom objects including custom fields and indexing columns. Custom objects for multiple tenants are stored in a single custom object data structure. The primary key values for the single custom object table are globally unique, but also include an object-specific identifier which may be re-used among different entities.
US07779038B2
The number of index entries in a grid index for indexing geometric shapes is reduced by establishing a pool storage area for geometric shapes, selecting a threshold number of grid cells which a geometric shape may overlap, storing the shape in the grid index if a geometric shape overlaps a number of grid cells not exceeding the threshold number, and storing the shape in the pool storage area if the geometric shape overlaps a number of grid cells which exceeds the threshold number.
US07779024B2
An apparatus and method use ontological relationships in a query language and a computer database to improve database performance and utility. A set of ontological relationships are stored in the database and new query clauses are used to query the data in advantageous ways. Ontological relationships are preferably stored in a tree structure. This tree structure then can be used to reflect the ontological relationships of data stored in the columns of a database.
US07779023B2
An internet website which presents a hierarchical menu structure to users includes a personalization engine 14 to automatically modify the menu structure for each user at least according to that user's previous browsing history at the site. In one embodiment the engine 14 provides, as menu options for a selected menu page of the hierarchical menu, a plurality of the most probable links which the user may wish to reach from the selected menu page. In another embodiment there are provided, as additional menu options for a particular menu page, a plurality of links which are similar, as determined by meeting a predetermined similarity metric, to menu options present on the particular menu page other than through meeting the similarity metric.
US07779022B2
The method, system and computer program product for efficient retrieval of knowledge referral are disclosed. In one approach, the method, system and computer program product modify a query for retrieving an entry from a directory information system, that is stored in a relational database, to retrieve the entry and a knowledge referral.
US07779020B2
A method system, and program product for managing a relational database in a pervasive computing environment. The system receives queries in a query language, and represents the queries in accordance with a declarative language paradigm, this may be explicit or implicit. The queries represented in a declarative language paradigm are converted (e.g., represented, translated, or cross-compiled) to an imperative language (including a data structure that is interpreted by an imperative language); and the imperative language queries are executed on the database. The queries may be explicitly converted to an intermediate declarative representative, and thereafter converted to an imperative language representation of the original queries for execution. Alternatively, the queries may be directly converted to an imperative language representation of the declarative language and the imperative language queries executed on the database.
US07779006B2
A peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing system is provided with an enhanced search method for a client node therein. A search from the client contains a primary search of metadata words and a secondary search of content file keys taken from the primary search results. The results of the secondary search are then used to rerank the results of the primary search before the client displays the results of the search to the user. Metadata distribution schemes can also be used to further enhance the utility of the system. Enhanced P2P file searching accuracy is thus provided. Applications for selective peer-to-peer communication may further be employed.
US07779005B2
Information on a referenced class or a referenced property is extracted from at least one referenced dictionary having a referencing relation with a referencing dictionary having the hierarchical structure, in which lower classes inherit the properties of upper classes; the extracted information is added to the referencing dictionary and organized; the extracted detailed information is outputted organized referencing dictionary. Thus, the detailed information on an imported property may be acquired simply at the side of the referencing dictionary. In addition, since only the information on the referenced class or property in the referenced dictionary is separately extracted, traffic of the dictionary data may be reduced, and the efficient inter-dictionary data exchange can be realized.
US07778996B2
A database system has the ability to perform sampled statistics collection, in which collection of statistics of a table is based on a sample (less than all rows of the table). The sample size is adjusted as the table is scanned in response to detecting a predetermined characteristic of the table (e.g., skewed data values are detected).
US07778994B2
A computer-implemented method and system for realizing an interactive, virtual bookshelf representing physical books and digitally stored books of the user. Using a search query, the Web is searched using search metadata to identify a desired book. Library metadata corresponding to the physical books and digitally stored books of the user is then searched using the search metadata to determine whether the desired book is present in the virtual on-line bookshelf. Results indicative of whether the desired book is present on the virtual on-line bookshelf can be displayed.
US07778993B2
A process is disclosed for retrieving information in large heterogeneous data bases, wherein information retrieval through visual querying/browsing is supported by dynamic taxonomies; the process comprises the steps of: initially showing (F1) a complete taxonomy for the retrieval; refining (F2) the retrieval through a selection of subsets of interest, where the refining is performed by selecting concepts in the taxonomy and combining them through boolean operations; showing (F3) a reduced taxonomy for the selected set; and further refining (F4) the retrieval through an iterative execution of the refining and showing steps.
US07778992B2
A selection method and system. The method includes enabling, by a computing system for a requester, access to the computing system. The computing system comprises a memory system. The memory system comprises group based access control data and computing resource data organized based on an XML schema that comprises a recursive format used to support a plurality of branch levels in a resource tree. The computing system associates first group data of the group based access control data with the requester. The computing system receives from the requester, a first request for accessing the computing resource data. The computing system associates the first group data with a first group of computing resources of the computing resource data. The computing system generates a first list comprising attribute values for the first group of computing resources. The computing system stores the first list.
US07778991B2
In a service providing system which provides, through a network, service which is provided by a program executed on a computer to other computer, a unit is provided for providing service which can not be provided by the computer to other computer than the computer in question.
US07778990B2
A data presentation device with a memory storage area being used without any futility is disclosed. The data presentation device has a function of preparing on a memory and displaying on a display the first through Nth records of presentation target data group in designated sort data that is obtained when sorting all the presentation target data within a database under designated sort conditions in a form that does not store in the memory the presentation target data assured of being the (N+1)th through the last records of data, and a function of preparing on the memory and displaying on the display the ((K+1)·(N+1))th through the ((K+2)·N)th records of presentation sort data group in the designated sort data in a form that limits the processing target presentation sort data within the database by use of a value of a sort key within the ((K+1)·N)th record of presentation sort data displayed on the display when instructed to display the next presentation sort data group and in a form that does not store in the memory the presentation sort data assured of being unrequired.
US07778982B2
The illustrative embodiments provide a system and method for processing a document. A data storage unit is provided to store data corresponding to the document, several documents processed at a previous time, and a set of rules. A rule in the set of rules may include a rule identifier, a directive to proceed to a second rule based on a condition, a specification of a data component, the specification configured to include a data component identifier, a data component attribute, and a directive to proceed to a second specification of a second data component based on a second condition. A rules-based engine is provided that may communicate with the data storage unit and may execute a rule in the set of rules. The set of rules may include rules for parsing, validating, identifying, relating, selecting, extracting, transforming, generating, analyzing, error correcting, reporting, and sending.
US07778978B2
An H-ARQ system wherein the transmission of two consecutive, or sequential, blocks of information bits are considered jointly; i.e., one of the blocks of information being embedded within the other one of the blocks of information. If a retransmission for the first block is necessary, the system processes both blocks jointly. The system is provided with cross-packet coding which extends current H-ARQ schemes for point-to-point communications wherein the transmission of two consecutive block of information bits is considered jointly. If a retransmission for the first block is necessary, the system processes both blocks jointly. This allows both blocks to be decoded without errors at the receiver after the retransmission.
US07778976B2
Multi-dimensional surrogation systems and methods are provided that generate at least one data surrogate using information of data and numerous data changes received from at least one data source. The multi-dimensional surrogation transforms data of each data surrogate from a format of the data source to at least one alternative format. Original metadata is extracted from each data surrogate. New metadata is generated by combining portions of the original metadata and components of each data surrogate. The multi-dimensional surrogation generates an extended data surrogate comprising the data surrogate and the new metadata.
US07778968B2
Methods and systems for synchronizing applications deployed on a test server are provided. The methods and systems may comprise a software application comprising a plurality of files deployed on a test server. After the software application is deployed on a test server, one of the plurality of files comprising the software application may be modified in a development environment. The methods and systems may comprise a synchronization manager operative to, after modification of the one of the plurality of files, synchronize only the modified file with the software application deployed on the test server.
US07778965B2
Systems and methods are provided for handling instances of providers in a plurality of frameworks. An instance of a first provider is created and registered to store a first change to a buffer. An instance of a second provider is created and registered to store a second change to the buffer. The buffer is checked to determine whether data consistency is guaranteed to result from the first and second changes. If data consistency is guaranteed, the first and second changes are committed to a database.
US07778962B2
The subject invention pertains to systems and methods of data item synchronization. More specifically, the invention concerns synchronization of data entities utilizing an intermediary or shared storage system and associated data store. Each client sync device can include or be associated with an interface that facilitates communication between client synchronization devices and the intermediary storage system. The interface can send change information to the shared store utilizing change data packets including a data change attribute, a prerequisite knowledge attribute and a learned knowledge attribute. The data change attribute can specify changes to be made to certain data, while the attribute can include a complete copy or reference to a complete copy or single instance of data.
US07778961B2
Methods, systems, and products for delayed deletion of extended attributes associated with a file in a file system are provided. Embodiments include identifying a file to delete, moving an extended attribute directory associated with the file to a background deletion directory, deleting the file, and deleting in the background the extended attribute directory. Some embodiments also include deleting an ACL associated with the file.
US07778957B2
A method of facilitating the entry of text into a new message generated by a messaging application of a handheld electronic device is provided that includes receiving a command to reply to or forward a received message that is included within a message thread, scanning the message thread, identifying a plurality of words in the message thread, generating one or more word lists that include the identified words, and displaying the one or more word lists. The method further includes receiving a selection of a selected one of the words from the one or more word lists, and entering the selected one of the words into the new message. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device that implements the described method.
US07778956B2
In a pay-per-use computer environment, particularly when network access is limited, self-monitoring tools on a pay-per-use computer may require special support from a host/server. The host/server must be able to respond to requests quickly and efficiently and yet maintain full information required to service requests and updates. A key management table and a device management table provide critical information required to service requests. Use of SQL notifications allows local database caches to remain current but quickly accessible.
US07778950B2
Described is a signal processing system. The system comprises a signal processing module having signal processing parameters and being configured to receive a plurality of signals. The signal processing module uses the signal processing parameters to output a processed signal, as either a fused signal or a plurality of separate signals. A classification module is included to recognize information encoded in the processed signal to classify the information encoded in the process signal, with the classification having a confidence level. An optimization module is configured, in a feedback loop, to utilize the information encoded in the processed signal to adjust the signal processing parameters to optimize the confidence level of the classification, thereby optimizing an output of the signal processing module.
US07778945B2
A random walk is performed over a graph, such as an augmented bipartite graph, relating to ownership data with respect to a plurality of users and items owned; the graph can provide social links between the users as well. Items can be recommended to users who do not own the items by randomly walking the graph starting at the user node to which the recommendation will be given. The random walk can step from user to user or from user to item; when an item is reached, the node can be absorbing such that the random walk terminates. The arrived item is recommended to the user. Parameters can also be provided to affect decisions made during the walk about which users to walk to and/or whether to walk to a user or an item.
US07778941B2
A position recognition device for deciding a zone where a moving object takes a position. The device comprises: a travel distance decider for deciding whether or not the moving object has traveled a predetermined distance corresponding to the detection error of the position of the moving object; and a zone decider for deciding the zone where the moving object takes a position, if the travel distance decider decides that the moving object has traveled the predetermined distance.According to the invention, therefore, “the decision of the zone where the moving object exists” is not made, in case the position of the moving object cannot be precisely detected. Therefore, the precision in the decision of the zone where the moving object exists is improved, and it is unnecessary to set a buffer zone that “the decision of the zone where the moving object exists is not made if the moving object takes a position in the neighborhood” as the reference for deciding the existing zone of the moving object. Without the necessity for setting the buffer zone, therefore, it is possible to reduce the quantities of data and operations and to suppress the rise in the cost for manufacturing the position recognition device. Within the travel distance for a possible error in the detection of the position of the moving object, moreover, it is unnecessary to detect the position of the moving object. Therefore, it is sufficient to acquire discrete pieces of positional information so as to be the position recognition device. It is, therefore, possible to promote the reduction in the size of the position recognition device and to suppress the rise in the cost for manufacturing the position recognition device.
US07778936B2
The present method and system relates to processor-based valuations of an entity, such as a business, comprising a best value mode for iteratively generating optimized input elements and calculating an output data set from the optimized input elements that meet the conditions of the parties interested in the valuation, an interactive mode enabling a user to modify the input elements to determine how the modified elements affect the financial output of the valuation, and a module enabling the user to switch between the best value and interactive modes.
US07778928B2
A licence ticket 6 obtained by a user 12, such as by purchase from a retail outlet 4, bears a licence key 12 behind a scratch off panel 10. This licence key when entered into a webpage dialog with a download server 16 is validated by that download server 16 as legitimate and used to trigger download and installation of a computer program product onto the user's computer 14.
US07778923B2
A method for increasing the demand deposit asset base of a bank for fractional-reserve banking within the Federal Reserve System, with first and second demand deposit accounts captive at that bank, comprising: (a) receiving physical fractional currency at the bank and increasing the first account balance in an amount corresponding to the value of currency received; (b) encrypting in a “cre-bit” device the balance of the first account including the numeric value of currency received; (c) reflecting in a node device currency amounts concomitantly linked to the second account; (d) performing a commercial transaction without the use of physical functional currency for a specific amount such that the first account is simultaneously debited and the second account is credited the specific amount; (e) repeating step (a) then step (b) and/or repeating step (c); and (f) displaying the first account balance and “cre-bit” data on the “cre-bit” device.
US07778897B1
A risk management system and method of determining risk characteristics of portfolios by generating risk factor scenarios based on stable Paretian distributions is provided. The system includes a database for storing any needed input, output, and intermediate results data. At least one module from each of the predefined types can be employed to produce a corresponding result—either intermediate or final. The risk management system and method provide possibilities to use flexible multivariate distribution exhibiting heavy-tails, skewness and different dependence structure, and characterizing the whole distribution of a given financial variable, allows users to perform flexible stress tests on all calculation levels, supplies fast analysis due to the possibility to use intermediate results in many subsequent calculations and to employ several calculation modules in parallel, allows for an efficient enterprise-wide risk management because of the possibility intermediate results to be used by many users.
US07778895B1
A system, method, and a user interface that allows a user of a tax preparation application to view a tax augmented accounting report in which tax related data from a financial accounting application is associated with an accounting line item and a tax line assignment for the accounting line item.
US07778890B1
One embodiment of the present invention distributes data via a network to remotely located users. Historical purchase information for a first user is stored in a database. Authorization is received over a network from the first user allowing a second user to view at least a portion of the historical purchase information. In addition, the first user selectively specifies which historical purchase information may be viewed by the second customer. An electronic notification is transmitted to the second user, wherein the notification informs the second user of the first user's authorization.
US07778887B2
A musical contents system comprises a contents providing server comprising a connecting unit that connects to a communication network, and a contents storage unit that stores musical contents in a storage area corresponding to a user of an electronic musical device; and an electronic musical device comprising a connecting unit that connects to the contents providing server via the communication network, an accessing unit that accesses to the contents storage unit via the communication network, and a contents operating unit that performs an operation to the musical contents stored in the contents storage area corresponding to the user. The musical contents purchased or created by the user can be stored in a data center; therefore, convenience of using the musical contents is improved and the cost is decreased or cut off.
US07778875B2
A method for using a workflow server to provide targeted advertisements recommended by users of workflow software includes: receiving, at a server from a user completing a workflow, information corresponding to a step in the workflow and an advertiser, the advertiser recommended by the user in connection with the step in the workflow; identifying, by the server, an advertisement corresponding to the recommended advertiser; and transmitting, from the server to a second client, a markup language page corresponding to the step in the workflow, the markup language page including the identified advertisement. Corresponding systems are also described.
US07778869B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates employing an online auction in which a coupon is fairly administered. An online auction environment that can employ an auction to identify a fair market value of at least one of a good or a portion of a service, wherein the auction can receive at least one bid from a bidder with a coupon and a bidder without a coupon. A randomizer component that can select one of a collection of bidders having coupons or a collection of bidders not having coupons based on a randomizing technique, wherein the online auction environment can identify an auction winner as a highest bidder within the selected collection, the highest bidder provides a highest bid from both the collection of bidders having coupons and the collection of bidders not having coupons.
US07778864B2
A system and method for identifying sourcing event metrics for analyzing a supplier are disclosed. A consumer solicits bids from a supplier desiring to provide goods, services, etc., by creating an event that poses queries to the supplier. The consumer can create the event and queries associated therewith by selecting from predefined events, having predefined queries. Further, predefined criteria and parameters associated with the queries may also be associated with predefined events. The criteria and parameters are designed to measure the supplier's responses to the queries and the consumer can rate the supplier based on the supplier's responses according to the predefined criteria and parameters established by the consumer.
US07778860B2
The invention disclosed here is a method for achieving simultaneous consideration of multiple customer demand dates within an advanced planning system. The invention provides a method of production planning that considers multiple due dates. The invention solves a production planning model based upon the second (commit) date to produce a first solution, sorts the demand records in order of importance, and then re-solves the production planning model based upon the first (request) date to produce a second solution. The re-solving process is performed on each demand item in the sorted order of importance. The invention optimizes between the first solution and the second solution. Before re-solving the production planning model, the invention changes the lower bound constraints on backorder variables. The re-solving process changes the required date for a single demand item, and this re-solving process is repeated for all demand items that have a first (request) date that is before a corresponding required date. The invention reports the optimal solution produced during the optimizing process. The system and method integrate the consideration of multiple demand dates with an advanced planning system for optimizing established planning objectives (e.g. customer service, short lead times, low inventory, and prioritized allocation of supply and capacity) to compute a feasible production plan for the division.
US07778844B2
An improved system for managing the exchange of information between healthcare systems. The system automatedly processes a healthcare data inquiry to produce a response readable by a requestor. This response may include content data, such as claims attachment data requested in a healthcare claims attachment inquiry. The content data may reside on data stores which the system must access in order to retrieve the necessary content data. The system may use criteria for automatedly interpreting the healthcare data inquiry.
US07778832B2
One-to-many comparisons of callers' voice prints with known voice prints to identify any matches between them. When a customer communicates with a particular entity, such as a customer service center, the system makes a recording of the real-time call including both the customer's and agent's voices. The system segments the recording to extract at least a portion of the customer's voice to create a customer voice print, and it formats the segmented voice print for network transmission to a server. The server compares the customer's voice print with multiple known voice prints to determine any matches, meaning that the customer's voice print and one of the known voice prints are likely from the same person. The identification of any matches can be used for a variety of purposes, such as determining whether to authorize a transaction requested by the customer.
US07778831B2
Voice recognition methods and systems are disclosed. A voice signal is obtained for an utterance of a speaker. A runtime pitch is determined from the voice signal for the utterance. The speaker is categorized based on the runtime pitch and one or more acoustic model parameters are adjusted based on a categorization of the speaker. The parameter adjustment may be performed at any instance of time during the recognition. A voice recognition analysis of the utterance is then performed based on the acoustic model.
US07778823B2
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of processing audio data while creating a media presentation. The media presentation includes several audio streams. The method processes a section of a first audio stream and stores the processed section of the first audio stream. The method also processes a section of a second audio stream that overlaps with the processes section of the first audio stream. The method then processes the section of the second audio stream independently of the first audio stream. In some embodiments, the method processes the first audio stream section by applying an effect to the first audio stream section. Also, in some embodiments, the processing of the first audio stream section also entails performing a sample rate conversion on the first audio stream section.
US07778822B2
Resources may be dynamically allocated in a distributed processing portable electronic communication device. The dynamic allocation may include receiving an instruction to process an audio processing task related to audio data; determining whether resources for processing the processing task are available at a first processing unit; performing the audio processing task by the first processing unit when the resources are determined to be available, the audio processing task obtaining processed audio data; and providing the processed audio data synchronously with a global synchronization pulse so that the phase of the audio data is controlled.
US07778818B2
A system associated with a text entry application, such as email or instant messaging, comprises an optional onscreen representation of a circular keyboard, a list of potential linguistic object matches, and a message area where the selected words are entered. The circular keyboard is manipulated via a hardware joystick or game-pad with analog joystick or omni-directional rocker switch built therein. The user points the joystick in the general direction of the desired letter, and then continues pointing roughly to each letter in the desired word. Once all letters have been roughly selected, buttons are used to select a specific word from the list of potential matches and send the selected word to the message area.
US07778817B1
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method classifying a number of noun phrases in a first text passage and a second text passage into a number of classifications. The method also includes determining a similarity between a noun phrase from the first text passage and a noun phase from the second text passage for each of the noun phrases of a same classification. Additionally, a similarity between a sentence from the first text passage and a sentence from the second text passage is determined for each of the sentences in the first and second text passages based on similarities between the noun phrases. The method also includes determining a similarity between the first text passage and the second text passage based on a similarities between sentences.
US07778800B2
A method of calculating utilization and bottleneck performance parameters of a processing unit within a graphical processing unit (GPU). The utilization is a measure of a percentage that the processing unit is utilized over a draw call execution time. The bottleneck is the sum of the time period that the processing unit is active, the time period that the processing unit is full and does not accept data from an upstream processing unit, minus the time period that the processing unit is paused because the downstream processing unit is busy and cannot accept data, all over the execution time of the draw call. Performance parameters may be determined by sampling the processing unit and incrementing a counter when a condition is true. The method is repeated for the same draw call, for each processing unit of the GPU, and for a plurality of draw calls comprising a frame.
US07778799B2
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses for automated self test for a thermal processing system. A signal to execute the automated self test is received. The automated self test is executed. The execution includes executing one or more self test instructions for the one or more subsystems of the system. Data can be received from sensors associated with the subsystems. The data can be analyzed to determine the results of the automated self test for the thermal processing system.
US07778798B2
A system and method for measuring tool performance of a multi-path cluster semiconductor fabrication tool. The system comprises a status data unit for receiving up or down status data for each element of the tool for respective operational time periods; a performance value assignment unit for assigning a performance value to the tool for each time period based on the status data of the elements during said each time period; and an operational uptime unit for determining an operational uptime for a period covering the time periods of the tool based on multiplying the respective time periods with the corresponding assigned performance values.
US07778796B2
A digital miter saw for cutting a workpiece includes a base, a member supported on the base and moveable relative to the base, and a cutting member moveable with the member. A detector is provided for detecting at least one of a miter angle and a bevel angle between the cutting member and the workpiece, and for outputting a signal indicative of the at least one detected angle, and a digital controller is provided which has an interface operable to receive the signal.
US07778788B2
A method for measuring dimensions between selected points on a side of interest in objects selected for measurement by an optical measuring system comprising a flatbed scanner and a connected computer system through acquiring a reference image to provide corresponding image distance errors; and also acquiring a measurement object image. Deviation curves are provided as the basis for determining deviation errors in the measurement object image. Corrected measurement object image distances are formed through combining the deviation errors in the measurement object image distances with the corresponding measurement object image. These corrected measurement object image distances are used to determine distances between chosen pairs of those selected locations.
US07778786B2
A method for estimating surface moisture content of wood chips for use in a pulp and paper production process comprises measuring chip surface moisture using an infrared surface moisture sensor, and adjusting a calibration of the surface moisture measured with a model using values of a set of optical parameters representing light reflection characteristics of the wood chips, to estimate their surface moisture content.
US07778785B2
There is provided a measuring apparatus for measuring a signal-to-noise ratio of a discrete waveform which is output from an AD converter in response to an input signal, where the signal-to-noise ratio indicates a ratio of a signal component of the input signal to noise generated by the AD converter. The measuring apparatus includes a spectrum compensating section that receives a spectrum of the discrete waveform output from the AD converter, and compensates the received spectrum in accordance with a non-symmetric sideband between an upper sideband and a lower sideband of the received spectrum, where the upper and lower sidebands are defined with respect to a fundamental frequency of the input signal, and a phase noise waveform calculating section that calculates a phase noise waveform of the discrete waveform based on the spectrum which has been compensated by the spectrum compensating section.
US07778780B2
One aspect of the invention relates to a method (10) for characterizing a well (700) using distributed temperature sensor (DTS) data to optimise a well model (12). The method comprises providing a well model of flow and thermal properties (12a, 12b) of the well (700), where the well model (12) has a plurality of adjustable physical parameters, providing a data set made up of a plurality of DTS temperature profiles of the well (700) taken at different times during operation of the well (700), and running the well model (12) with different combinations of the plurality of adjustable physical parameters to match to the plurality of DTS temperature profiles. The DTS temperature profiles may also be pre-processed to make them consistent with one another.
US07778776B2
An obstacle avoidance method for mobile apparatus includes the steps of acquiring, by a mobile apparatus, information as to relative movement of an obstacle with respect to the mobile apparatus, calculating a travel path and a travel direction of the obstacle based on the information during its relative movement, setting a non-intrusion area having a configuration which is longer in the travel direction of the obstacle than in a direction perpendicular to the travel direction, and performing such travel control on the mobile apparatus as to avoid the non-intrusion area, by which obstacle avoidance operation is fulfilled. Thus, an obstacle avoidance method as well as an obstacle-avoidable mobile apparatus are provided which are capable of not only reducing collisions against obstacles and repetitions of avoidance operation, but also preventing impartment of uneasiness and oppression to persons in the obstacle avoidance operation for mobile apparatuses such as robots.
US07778775B2
CPU instructs RF controlling section to switch RF section from an inoperative mode to an operation mode and from the operation mode to the inoperative mode. When all of five pieces of sub-frame data have not been acquired, RF section is switched intermittently from the inoperative mode to the operation mode in synchronization with transmission of lacking sub-frame data, thereby acquiring such lacking sub-frame data. When all the five pieces of sub-frame data have been acquired, the current position is calculated using positional information contained in the sub-frame data. A part of five pieces of sub-frame data including the first to fifth sub-frame data transmitted from a satellite in a time series manner is acquired from GPS signal received in the operation mode, and the remaining part of the five pieces of sub-frame data is acquired in operation mode set at other timing, and then the positional information is judged based on the five pieces of sub-frame data acquired in the above manner.
US07778774B2
An automobile navigation system with portable telematics device is disclosed, which comprises: a first telematics device, being arranged fixedly inside an automobile; a detachable second telematics device, capable of being coupled to the first telematics device by a specific control data bus; wherein, the resources of software/hardware of the second telematics device are accessible to the first telematics device while the second telematics device is connected to the first telematics device; and the second telematics device is capable of working independently and thus being used by a user as a personal data assistant while the second telematics device is detached from the first telematics device.
US07778772B2
A travel control system for controlling a first travel vehicle which travels on a first travel course toward a junction between the first travel course and a second travel course and a second travel vehicle which travels on the second travel course toward the junction in a travel course network comprising the junction, includes a counter for counting a number of the first travel vehicle which exists in a predetermined junction area comprising the junction, and a travel regulator for stopping the second travel vehicle before the junction area when the counted number of the first travel vehicle is one or more. The travel regulator advances the second travel vehicle into the junction area when the counted number of the first travel vehicle is zero.
US07778770B2
A communication system between vehicles of the present invention is equipped in each of the vehicles with an image taking device for taking an image around the vehicle; a moving body detection unit for detecting a moving body from the image taken by the image taking device; a display unit for displaying the image; an image data generation unit for generating image data output to the display unit of the each vehicle; and a transmitting/receiving device for any of transmitting/receiving data, wherein the image data generation unit generates image data for displaying an existence of a moving body, of which an image is taken by said image taking device of one of the vehicles, and outputs the image data to the display unit of other vehicle.
US07778765B2
A fuel injection control apparatus includes a computing unit that calculates a pulse width for a pulse signal which drives the valve of a fuel injector, based on the operational state of the internal combustion engine and fuel pressure detected by a fuel pressure sensor. After a valve-opening command has turned on and a high valve-opening current has been supplied to open the fuel injector valve, a fuel injector driving signal waveform command unit discharges the current and supplies a small hold current Ih2 to maintain the injector's valve-open state. After the elapse of a predetermined rapid-discharge starting time from the turn-on of the valve-opening command, the fuel injector driving signal waveform command unit rapidly discharges the current until the hold current Ih2 has been reached.
US07778756B2
A system and process for controlling propulsion and steering of a track trencher excavation machine powered by an engine includes a multiple mode propulsion and steering control system that performs a plurality of functions depending on a selection of one of a plurality of operational modes. A controller generates a vehicle propulsion hydrostatic drive signal using an engine speed to determine a load multiplier. The load multiplier being defined as a function of the engine speed and an operator adjustable load control setting.
US07778752B1
An embodiment provides a system for connecting a telematics device to a host vehicle. The system may comprise a short-range wireless transmitter and a short-range wireless receiver. The short-range wireless transmitter may be connected to an in-vehicle diagnostic system. The short-range wireless receiver may be connected to the telematics device installed in the host vehicle. The short-range wireless transmitter may be configured to wirelessly transmit diagnostic data to the short-range wireless receiver.
US07778749B2
An apparatus and method are provided that allow a scan tool to communicate with a data link connector in a vehicle. A cable that can automatically multiplex its connections in order to make the appropriate connections between the scan tool and a data link connector based on a communication protocol of the vehicle under test. This allows the scan tool to communicate with the data link connector regardless of the pins being used by the communication protocol of the vehicle. The cable is also capable of switching between a signal ground and a chassis ground in order to provide the scan tool with a reference signal.
US07778745B2
Systems and methods for producing an advisory if barometric altitude transition setting needs adjusting in an aircraft. In one embodiment, the method determines transition altitude, receives an uncorrected altitude, compares the uncorrected altitude to the transition altitude and to corrected altitude, and outputs a barometric altitude transition setting advisory based on the comparison between the uncorrected altitude and the transition altitude. The comparison determines if the uncorrected altitude is greater than the determined transition altitude and the advisory is output if the uncorrected altitude is determined to be greater than the transition altitude and the uncorrected altitude differs from the corrected altitude by a threshold amount. A delay is provided between the comparison of the uncorrected altitude to the transition altitude and the comparison between the uncorrected altitude and the corrected altitude.
US07778742B2
An intention estimation and operation assistance system for estimating an operator's intention and providing assistance to operation of a machine. Reference data, such as the operation of a plurality of hypothetical operators, is provided for comparison with the operation of a real operator, to determine an estimated intention of the operator. The estimated operator is utilized to alter the operation of the machine, to provide a safer and/or smoother operation experience in operating the machine.
US07778735B2
Methods, environmental control systems, and computer program products are provided for controlling an internal environment of a pressurized compartment of a vehicle. In one aspect, the pressurized compartment includes first and second exit valves for selectively allowing gas to exit the pressurized compartment. The first and second exit valves are located, respectively, in spaced apart portions of the pressurized compartment. The pressurized compartment also includes first and second systems that are located, respectively, in the spaced apart portions of the pressurized compartment. Flow rates of gases in the first and second systems are determined and at least one of the first and second exit valves is controlled in response to the flow rate determinations.
US07778733B2
Surgical robots and other telepresence systems have enhanced grip actuation for manipulating tissues and objects with small sizes. A master/slave system is used in which an error signal or gain is artificially altered when grip members are near a closed configuration.
US07778732B2
A working robot arm and an object recognizing unit used for recognizing a moving body such as a person and an animal are prepared, and while an object recognized by the object recognizing unit is blocked by a shielding operation by the use of the robot arm or a trunk portion of a robot mechanism unit, a job is carried out by the working robot arm so that it becomes possible to actively ensure a working space of the robot mechanism unit, and consequently to continue the job safely.
US07778730B2
A robot for generating multiple emotions is provided. The robot includes a sensor unit sensing external environment information, a database unit storing a predetermined list including information on types of behavior the robot is allowed, a user's reaction corresponding to each behavior of the robot, and favorite objects of the robot, a primary emotion generation unit generating an emotion corresponding to characteristics of the sensed information when the sensed information exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and a secondary emotion generation unit generating an emotion corresponding to characteristics of the sensed information based on the information sensed by the sensor unit, the list stored in the database unit, the amount of internal power of the robot, internal information on the robot indicating the existence of an operational error and an elapse of time.
US07778721B2
In a first aspect, a small lot size lithography bay is provided. The small lot size lithography bay includes (1) a plurality of lithography tools; and (2) a small lot size transport system adapted to transport small lot size substrate carriers to the lithography tools. Each small lot size substrate carrier is adapted to hold fewer than 13 substrates. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US07778717B2
The invention provides improved methods and apparatus for workflow editing. Such methods and apparatus permit, for example, user-defined and/or other tasks to be combined in any combination or combinations to specify a workflow. The tasks can be linked for direct, serial processing and/or for conditional processing that includes branching and/or looping. The invention also improved methods and apparatus of workflow definition and processing with extensible actions. The invention provides, further, improved methods and apparatus for workflow definition and processing which utilize workflow variables for communication of data and control information among tasks within a workflow. The invention provides, still further, improved methods and apparatus of workflow definition and processing with enhanced messaging. The invention provides, still yet further, improved methods and apparatus for workflow definition and processing which permit definition of hierarchically enumerated data types and for definition of “plans” to collect, e.g., for storage, data such as the aforementioned hierarchical data types.
US07778715B2
In at least some embodiments, a method comprises obtaining a state description associated with a system having a component. The method further comprises automatically obtaining a substantially optimal parameterization for the component based on one or more operant characteristics of the component predicted by a behavior prediction model using combinations of the system's state description and a set of possible parameterizations for the component.
US07778714B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates programming in an industrial environment. An online controller can execute with a real-time operating system such that the online controller can include two or more controller engine instances executing as processes on the online controller, wherein at least one controller engine instance can employ a portion of code to utilize a device within the industrial environment. An edit component can dynamically implement a portion of disparate code with at least one controller engine instance.
US07778713B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates optimizing a controller within an industrial automation environment. A controller can be associated with an industrial automation environment. Two or more controller engine instances can execute on the controller to enable dynamic control related to at least one of a device or a portion of a process within the industrial automation environment.
US07778710B2
A method and apparatus are provided for controlling interrogation of an implantable device such as a pacemaker, an implantable cardioverter, or a defibrillator utilizing an external device in a home environment. The method controls how frequently a patient can retrieve status information from the implantable device based on a time period elapsed since a last interrogation and a power level of a battery.
US07778708B1
Diagnosing a patient's cardiac health through histogram analysis of thoracic impedance is described. Data values indicative of thoracic impedance are measured from a patient over a sample period that includes multiple respiratory cycles. The values are distributed across multiple bins of a histogram. A diagnostic value for use in diagnosing a patient's cardiac health is derived from values in one or more of the bins. As one example, a diagnostic value representing minimum thoracic impedance during the sample period can be derived from values in the lowest-valued bins. Diagnostic values can be computed for multiple sample periods in the same fashion. A trend analysis is performed on the diagnostic values to determine whether the patient's cardiac condition is improving or worsening. The trend may be presented in a graphical form to provide a visual tool for assessing the patient's condition over time.
US07778706B1
An exemplary implantable device includes control logic to determine a base state atrio-ventricular delay (e.g., PV base or AV base) based on width of an atrial event (e.g., ΔP or ΔA) as measured during a patient base state and based on a value of a parameter δ that depends on the atrial event and control logic to determine an active state atrio-ventricular delay (e.g., PV active or AV active) based at least in part on a base state interval (e.g., DD base or AD base) measured during a patient base state and an active state interval (e.g., DD active or AD active) measured during a patient active state where such intervals extend from the end of a respective atrial event to the beginning of a respective ventricular QRS complex or a point within a respective ventricular QRS complex. Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
US07778693B2
A time series of optical tomography data is obtained for a target tissue site in a human (or animal), using an optical wavelength, such as near infrared, at which hemoglobin is absorptive, to observe properties of the vasculature of the human. The data may be compared to baseline data of a corresponding tissue site, e.g., from a healthy human, or from another, corresponding tissue site of the human. For example, a suspected cancerous breast of a human may be compared to a known healthy breast to detect differences in the vasculature. Measures may be made of flow, oxygen supply/demand imbalance, and evidence of altered regulation of the peripheral effector mechanism. The function of the target tissue site may be analyzed, along with the coordinated interaction between multiple sites of the target system. A provocation may be administered to identify surrogate markers of an underlying state or process.
US07778691B2
Radiation treatment of the lung or surrounding tissue during continuous breathing is made possible by preparing a treatment plan linked to motion phase and then synchronizing the plan to motion phase as the patient follows a regular breathing schedule.
US07778690B2
The invention relates to a method for locating a medical instrument during an intervention performed on the human body using an X-ray image recording system and an electromagnetic locating system whose systems of coordinates have been or will be mutually registered, with a first item of positional information about the instrument being obtained continuously by means of the locating system and in each case two two-dimensional X-ray images positioned at an angle to each other being intermittently recorded by means of the X-ray image recording system, from which images a second item of positional information about the instrument is determined and compared with the first item of positional information, after which the first item of positional information will be corrected depending on the comparison result taking account of the second item of positional information obtained from the X-ray images.
US07778682B2
Herein is disclosed a magnetic resonance imaging antenna, including an inner conductor, an outer shield slideably displaceable with respect to the inner conductor, and an insulator electrically insulating the inner conductor from the outer shield. Herein is disclosed a biopsy needle antenna, including a magnetic resonance imaging antenna, having an outer shield, and an inner conductor electrically insulated from the outer shield by a dielectric; and a biopsy needle electrically connected to the inner conductor and electrically insulated from the outer shield by the dielectric. Herein is disclosed a method of obtaining a sample with magnetic resonance imaging guidance, including providing a sampling needle magnetic resonance imaging antenna, advancing the antenna to a structure from which the sample is to be taken, detecting magnetic resonance data by the antenna, and coupling the sample to the antenna.
US07778677B2
In a mobile terminal capable of preventing its breakage or damage by absorbing a shock of a contact between a folder and a main body in unfolding or folding of the folder by installing a buffer member to contact portions of the folder and the main body, a mobile terminal includes a main body housing a circuit substrate inside and having an operational button on the front surface, a folder rotatively connected to the main body and having a liquid screen, a hinge connecting unit for rotatively connecting the main body and the folder, and a buffer means for absorbing a shock of a contact between the main body and the folder when the folder is unfolded.
US07778675B1
Aspects provide a computer-readable medium for accessing computer applications and application data on a computer operating in a low-power state utilizing a wireless device and providing the requested information in a usable format over a short-range communications link. According to one aspect, a computer-readable medium causes a computer to receive a request for data over a short-range wireless link. If the computer is in a standby state, a low-power state is initiated, a software component is executed to receive the request, retrieve the data, format the data for display on the wireless device, and send the data to the wireless device. If the computer is in a hibernation mode, a pre-boot application is executed to retrieve, format, and send the stored data to the wireless device or to initiate a low-power or power-on state and forward the request to a software component for retrieving the requested data.
US07778670B2
The present invention is related to a mobile telecommunication handset for recognizing at least one card capable of facilitating a telecommunication service with a network. The mobile telecommunication handset includes a socket for inserting the at least one card, wherein one card can be inserted into the socket at a time, a memory for storing information related to the at least one card inserted into the socket, and a controlling unit operationally coupled with the socket and the memory for operating the mobile telecommunication handset, wherein the controlling unit is capable of utilizing information related to any one of a preceding card and a subsequent card after the preceding card is inserted into and removed from the socket and the subsequent card is inserted into the socket to facilitate an event associated with the any one of the preceding and subsequent cards.
US07778659B2
The invention describes a method for transmitting a packet in a wireless network of nodes. At a beginning of a scheduled time slot a metric in the node is set, in which the metric indicates a need to transmit a packet to a receiver in the wireless network. The metric is mapped to a received power level and the packet is transmitted at a transmit power level so that the received power level is achieved at the receiver.
US07778657B2
Techniques are provided that allow power control and/or hand off operations to be performed in a wireless network in a manner that can enhance overall network throughput. In at least one embodiment, signal to noise ratio (SNR) and a signal to interference ratio (SIR) are obtained for a first mobile device within a wireless network. The SNR and SIR are then used to perform power control in the network (e.g., for the first mobile device). The SNR and SIR may also be used to facilitate hand off operations. In one approach, it may be determined whether the SNR and the SIR are each high or low, based on comparison with predetermined threshold values, in order to make a power control decision.
US07778648B2
A method for handling a Deferred Location Request, including: a Location Service (LCS) Client initiating a Deferred Location Request for a target UE to a Requesting-Gateway Mobile Location Center (R-GMLC), the R-GMLC forwarding the Deferred Location Request to a Home-GMLC (H-GMLC), the H-GMLC assigning a Reference Number for the Deferred Location Request, and sending the Deferred Location Request to a Core Network (CN) via a Visited-GMLC (V-GMLC); when a deferred event occurs, the CN submitting a target UE location report and the Reference Number to the H-GMLC via the V-GMLC, the H-GMLC returning the target UE location report to the LCS Client via the R-GMLC. Since the H-GMLC is the home GMLC of the target UE, the Reference Number assigned by the H-GMLC may ensure that different Deferred Location Requests initiated for a same target UE may be exclusively differentiated, such that Deferred Location Requests for the same target UE initiated by the LCS Client through different R-GMLCs may be normally processed, which effectively solves the conflict in the handling process of an LCS and satisfies the demands of service operations.
US07778646B2
The present invention relates to a method of providing a location specific service in a digital cellular communication network using unstructured supplementary service data. In the method, the service data is sent to a network node of said network by at least one mobile station, and the service is dependent of location information of said at least one mobile station. Said method comprises a step of including location information in said service data by said network node. The invention is further related to a network node for use with a method as described here.
US07778637B2
The present invention discloses a method for a user terminal in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) quickly accessing its home network. Pre-store in each user terminal, respectively, the identifications of all the WLANs with direct connections to the home network of the corresponding user terminal. For a user terminal that is in an area covered by more than one WLAN, compare the identification of each of the detected WLANs with the WLAN identifications stored in the current user terminal. A successful matching between the identification of a detected WLAN and a pre-stored WLAN identification then means that the home network of the current user terminal is connected with the corresponding WLAN access network and can be accessed via this WLAN. If a plurality of detected WLAN identifications match the stored identifications, select in accordance with a pre-defined selecting rule one of the corresponding WLANs and get accessed via the selected WLAN. This method enables a user terminal covered by more than one WLAN to find quickly a WLAN access network directly connected with its home network and to access the home network via this WLAN.
US07778627B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium for providing secure access between devices comprises generating a new and unique access code by a cell phone, providing the new and unique access code by the cell phone to at least one of: a user of a further device, and the further device, contacting the cell phone by the further device, sending the new and unique access code by the further device to the cell phone, and permitting a connection between the further device and the cell phone, by the cell phone.
US07778626B2
The details of an apparatus and method of handling simultaneous universal terrestrial radio access network radio resource control procedures which change the security configuration in a universal mobile telecommunications system user equipment are disclosed herein. According to one aspect of the present application, there is provided a user equipment apparatus having a message handler, a sequential processor, a command store, and a security configuration change detector, wherein said message handler is coupled to said command store, is coupled to said sequential processor, and is coupled to said security configuration change detector to save, process, and detect configuration changes in commands respectively, and to determine if there is an existing command at the user equipment, such that the user equipment appears to the UTRAN as though it were processing commands simultaneously. According to another aspect, there is provided a method of processing simultaneous commands at a user equipment having a security configuration, including the steps of: determining if there is an existing command at the user equipment; upon reception of a received command: suspending the existing command processing; determining if commands contain a security configuration change; and either rejecting the received command; or saving the received command prior to resuming the existing command; such that the user equipment appears to the UTRAN to be processing commands simultaneously.
US07778624B2
An outdoor umbrella includes a supporting frame, an awning frame and an audio system. The awning frame includes a functional umbrella hub suspendedly supported by the supporting frame, a plurality of awning frames radially and outwardly extended from the functional umbrella hub, and an awning supported by the awning arms to define a shading area under the awning, wherein the functional umbrella hub has a speaker compartment and an audio outlet. The audio system, as a built-in sound system includes a control panel supported at the supporting frame for inputting an audio signal, and a speaker unit. The speaker unit is supported within the speaker compartment of the functional umbrella hub to align with the audio outlet, wherein when the audio signal is input at the control panel, the audio signal is transmitted to the speaker unit for generating an audio sound as an additional function for the outdoor umbrella.
US07778608B2
A method is described that enables a system to estimate the individual times of arrival of multi-path signals components in a received signal while blind to the particular angular response characteristics of an antenna array. Additionally, a system is described that estimates the impulse response of the modulation channel. The impulse response is used to generate impulse response estimates for all multi-path signal components without reference to the actual angle of arrival of the signal. The impulse responses for the multi-path constituents are directly associated with the time delays on each path, providing delay estimates for each path.
US07778601B2
The present invention provides a modular wireless headset to support voice communications when registered to a base unit. This modular wireless headset includes both a wireless microphone and wireless earpiece. The wireless earpiece may further include a wireless interface, a processing circuit, a speaker, a user interface, a pairing circuit, and a registration circuit. The wireless interface allows the wireless earpiece to wirelessly communicate with the base unit that couples the modular wireless headset to a servicing network. This coupling to the service network and base unit only occurs when the headset is successfully registered to the base unit. The pairing circuit and registration circuit allow the exchange of pairing or registration information between various wireless components. The pairing circuit allows the wireless earpiece and microphone to exchange pairing information which is then compared to determine whether or not a successful pairing can be achieved. Successfully paired wireless earpieces and wireless microphones wirelessly communicate. The registration circuit registers the modular wireless headset to the base unit when the registration information associated with the modular wireless headset and base unit compare favorably. Components of the modular wireless headset that do not pair successfully are uncoupled from the headset. Similarly, wireless headsets that fail to register are communicatively uncoupled from the base unit.
US07778599B2
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for providing aggregated feedback from a subscriber station to a base station are generally described herein. Some embodiments may include a channel response predictor to predict channel responses for future feedback periods and a feedback information generator to aggregate feedback information, generated based on the predicted channel responses, into an aggregated information block that is to be transmitted to a base station. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US07778594B2
A paging and mobile communications system and method is disclosed whereby entertainment, news, and other timely information may be delivered to a service recipient through a pager while the service recipient is waiting for service. A master unit delivers information to base units associated with each service provider subscribing to the system, and a plurality of pager units are associated with each base unit. The pager units may allow two-way communication with the base unit, whereby games and other interactive content may be delivered to the service recipient using the paging unit. Advertising may be delivered to service recipients through the system, thereby providing an additional revenue flow to the subscriber.
US07778593B2
Method and apparatus for detection and selection of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) service. A cellular network may provide an advertisement for a WLAN, such as in an overhead signaling message. The advertisement may identify the Access Point(s) by an Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID). The remote station may then scan for the WLAN service automatically or manually.
US07778591B1
An interactive radio system includes a broadcast radio station and an interactive radio device wherein the interactive radio device sends feedback data to the broadcaster. In various embodiments, the broadcast radio station can broadcast an enhanced radio signal that includes control data to instruct the interactive radio device on how to collect feedback data. The feedback data can be collected directly by posing input requests to a listener or indirectly by transparently monitoring the listener's activities. Feedback is provided back to the broadcaster over a backchannel by which data can be sent from a listener back to the broadcast station or another data gathering source. Backchannel routes can be provided by any of a host of communications technologies such as the Internet and/or wireless networks such as cellular networks, Bluetooth, 802.11 networks, and the like.
US07778586B2
A waste toner solidification apparatus for a printing device includes a nozzle configured to receive waste toner from a hopper. A heater is configured to heat the waste toner in a manner sufficient to liquefy the waste toner within the nozzle. Substantially when exiting the nozzle, the liquefied waste toner solidifies and forms a plurality of solid waste toner pellets.
US07778583B2
The present invention related to an endless belt conveying apparatus and toner image heating apparatus having spring members (thermally responsive members) composed of a shape memory alloy are disposed to both the edges of a pressure fixing belt (pressure belt) in the belt width direction thereof. When the pressure fixing belt offsets to one side in the belt width direction while it travels, one of the spring members, which is heated by the edge of the pressure belt approaching it, is deformed in response to the heat. A roller swing support frame on the belt edge side, which approaches the above spring member, is lifted upward in a gravity direction using a swing pin as a fulcrum in a gravity direction by the operation force generated by the deformation of the one spring member. The swing operation is alternately repeated between the one spring member and the other spring member to thereby correct the inclination of the pressure belt.
US07778579B2
A tandem type color image forming apparatus which executes color misregistration correction, including: a detecting section which detects a width of a transfer sheet; an image forming section having an image carrier, on which arranged side by side are an image area where formed is an image for transfer and a non-image area where formed is an imprint image; and a control section which selects a complex or a single correction mode based on the transfer sheet width, to execute correction processing; where the complex correction mode is an operation mode of forming in parallel the image for transfer in the image area and the imprint image in the non-image area, and the single correction mode is an operation mode of suspending to form the image for transfer in the image area, and executing only to form the imprint image in the non-image area or in the image area.
US07778575B2
An imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes plural image carriers on which different-colored toner images are formed, the image carriers being driven and rotated to transfer the different-colored toner images onto one of an endless transfer member that is driven to rotate in contact with the image carriers or a transfer material that is carried by the endless transfer member. The imaging apparatus includes a phase calculating unit that extracts a periodic rotational variation component of each of the image carriers from a combination of periodic rotational variation components generated within said imaging apparatus and calculates a rotational phase of each of the image carriers based on the extracted periodic rotational variation component, and a rotational phase adjusting unit that adjusts a rotation stop phase of each of the image carriers based on the calculated rotational phase.
US07778574B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for carrying a toner image; a toner image forming device for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; a detector for optically detecting a mark bonded on the image bearing member; an adjusting for adjusting the toner image forming device on the basis of an output of the detector; a protection sheet removably adhered to the mark, the protection sheet being capable of passing detecting light, wherein an adhesion of the protection sheet to the mark is smaller than an adhesion of the mark to an image bearing member.
US07778570B2
An image forming apparatus has a tray, which is able to be drawn out of the apparatus and on which a plurality of cartridges of different sizes can be mounted. A cartridge, being the largest in size among a plurality of process cartridges, is detachably arranged at a location at which it is first exposed to outside when a cartridge tray is drawn out. A developer storage portion of the largest cartridge has the largest capacity and stores a developer of a black color.
US07778559B2
A method of compensating for mechanical and magnification errors affecting toner density control in an image forming device is described herein. The method includes directing light towards a toner test surface, sensing the resulting reflections, and buffering the density data corresponding to the sensed reflections during a predetermined test window. The method may compensate for mechanical and magnification errors associated with the toner test pattern by processing the buffered density data to adjust the location of the data collection windows corresponding to the toner test patterns. For example, the buffered density data may be processed to detect first and second boundary patterns disposed on the toner test surface within the test window, determine a time differential between the first and second boundary patterns, and adjust the location of the data collection windows based on the determined time differential and a nominal expected time differential.
US07778558B2
The image forming apparatus, includes a conveyor belt for bearing a recording material, capable of suppressing an image blur caused by a separating discharge at the separation of the recording material from the conveyor belt. To fix record materials on a transportation belt, the recording material is charged by a adhering member to electrically adhere the recording material to the conveyor belt. When the recording material is separated from the conveyor belt, a separating discharge occurs between the recording material and the conveyor belt, as the recording material is charged. In order to reduce the faulty of the toner image on the recording material caused by the separating discharge, the voltage applied to the adhering member is controlled for example according to a current which the recording material receives at the transfer position to mutually cancel the charge received at the transfer position by the adhering member.
US07778554B2
An optical signal return path system includes a transmitter and a receiver. The receiver receives an optical data signal from the transmitter and recovers therefrom a digital data stream and an associated first clock having an associated first clock rate. The data stream is stored in a memory device at the first clock rate. A clock generator generates a second clock having an associated second clock rate that is adjusted in accordance with a clock control signal. A control circuit reads data from the memory device at a rate corresponding to the second clock rate and generates a fullness signal that indicates whether the memory device is fuller more full than a predefined threshold fullness level. A clock speed adjusting circuit generates the clock control signal in accordance with the fullness signal.
