US07775633B2
Provided is a pagewidth printhead assembly having a plurality of printhead modules. Each of these modules includes a printhead integrated circuit (IC) having a plurality of ink ejection nozzles, and an ink distribution assembly formed from a stack of ink distribution layers. Each layer defines apertures therein at predetermined locations, with the layers laminated together so that the apertures complementarily define ink distribution channels to the printhead IC. Each module also includes a tape automated bonding (TAB) film connected to the printhead IC for arranging said IC in signal communication with a controller of the printhead assembly.
US07775624B2
The ejection restoration apparatus for a liquid ejection head having a plurality of nozzles which are disposed in a planar nozzle surface and from which liquid is ejected, includes: a first suction cap which covers a partial region of the planar nozzle surface and which has a contact portion being constituted by an elastic body and making contact with the planar nozzle surface, the partial region being smaller than area of the planar nozzle surface in which the nozzles are disposed and being larger than cross-sectional area of one of the nozzles; a suction cap movement device which moves the first suction cap in parallel with the planar nozzle surface while causing the contact portion of the first suction cap to make contact with the planar nozzle surface; a nozzle abnormality detection device which detects an abnormal nozzle suffering an abnormality, in the nozzles; and a suction control device which causes the first suction cap to suction the liquid in the abnormal nozzle detected by the nozzle abnormality detection device, wherein the first suction cap is moved on the planar nozzle surface in a state where a space defined by the first suction cap and the planar nozzle surface is set to a pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure, so that the first suction cap fulfills both a wiping function and a suctioning function.
US07775611B1
A mop holding device comprising a base; a plurality of ventilation holes disposed in the first side wall of the base; a mop opening for receiving the mop disposed at the top edge of the front wall of the base; a support bar for helping to support the mop head attached to the first and second side wall of the base near the front wall; and a removable tray for collecting water from the mop slidably received in an aperture disposed in the first side wall near the bottom wall of the base; wherein the mop is draped over the mop opening such that the head of the mop is inserted into the inner cavity of the base and over the support bar.
US07775607B2
An anti-skid brake control system for a multi-wheeled vehicle includes both a paired function and an individual function. The paired function controls the wheels of the vehicle in unison. The individual function controls the wheels of the vehicle individually. A paired/individual logic circuit alternatively activates and deactivates the paired function and the individual function. A method for controlling the skid of a vehicle utilizing a paired function and a individual function is also provided.
US07775605B2
A wheel assembly for a vehicle includes a wheel having a first rim half and a second rim half secured together to form an annular outer rim for receiving a tire. The rim halves have aligned central openings and aligned apertures for receiving fasteners for mounting a wheel hub on the wheel. In one embodiment, at least the central opening of one of the rim halves includes a plurality of spaced recesses around its periphery. A rock guard built into the wheel includes a plurality of rock guard formations each forming a shield which fills at least a major portion of any space between a respective recess and the wheel hub to block at least some debris from passing through the wheel while allowing airflow through the wheel.
US07775597B2
A folding seat has a support structure, a backrest and a seat base. The seat base is pivotally mounted on the support structure for pivoting between a seating position with the seat base extending generally horizontally and the backrest generally vertically, a stored position with the base and backrest both extending generally vertically, and a table position with base and backrest both extending generally horizontally. A first over-centre spring biases the seat base towards its generally horizontal position or its generally vertical position depending on the location of the base. Also, a second over-centre spring biases the backrest towards its generally vertical position or its generally horizontal position depending on the location of the backrest.
US07775596B2
An electronic trigger assembly for triggering an actuator, the electronic trigger assembly having a trigger member capable of connection to the actuator. The trigger member may be configured for rotation between a first position and a second position and the trigger member may be able to trigger the actuator as the trigger member rotates between the first position and the second position. The trigger member may also include a guide. A shape memory alloy member may be connected to the trigger member and may be received by the guide such that a substantial portion of the shape memory alloy member is disposed in a curvilinear arrangement. The shape memory alloy member may contract when electrified. The shape memory alloy member may be confined by the guide to contract along a path such that the shape memory alloy member exerts torque on the trigger member and causes the trigger member to rotate from the first position to the second position.
US07775594B2
A power seat assembly with motor actuated release and rewind of a seatback sector. First and second support plates sandwich a forwardly biased seatback sector and a cam engaged with the seatback sector in an upright position. A first pin extends from said cam offset its pivotal connection and passes through a slot defined in the second support plate to define a range of pivotal motion of the cam. A toothed gear sector rotatably mounted to an exterior of the second support plates and exhibits a polygonal shaped portion as well as an end shoulder offset and inwardly recessed from exteriorly defined teeth and the polygonal shaped portion. An electric motor includes an output gear in toothed engagement with the gear sector and for rotating the gear sector in a first direction so that the polygonal shaped portion contacts and deflects the pin and cam out of contact with the seatback, causing it to rotate to a forward dump position. A second pin extends from the seatback sector and contacts the end shoulder at the dump position, the motor rotating the gear sector in a second direction and forcibly rewinding the seatback sector, against its bias, to the upright design position coinciding with the cam re-engaging the seatback sector.
US07775589B1
An upholstery mounting system for an article of furniture with a furniture member, such as a chair back, and an upholstery backing member for being removably coupled to the furniture member. A plurality of mounting clips are fixed to one of the upholstery backing member and the furniture member, and a corresponding a plurality of mounting brackets are fixed to the other of the furniture member and the upholstery backing member. The mounting clips can have raised central portions that define apertures, and the mourning clips have elongate engaging members for being matingly received through the apertures in the mounting brackets for coupling the furniture member and the upholstery backing member. One mounting clip can have a longer elongate engaging member to facilitate alignment during coupling. A protuberance on each elongate engaging member can enable a mechanical engagement between the mounting brackets and the mounting clips.
US07775573B2
A trim assembly is disclosed. The trim assembly includes a vehicular trim panel and a portion mounted to the vehicular trim panel that is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position relative the vehicular trim panel. The portion is defined to include a shape-changing polymer. The assembly also includes an energy transfer device that provides energy to the shape-changing polymer to cause movement of the portion between the stowed position and the deployed position. A method is also disclosed.
US07775567B2
A magnetic latch for a display of a laptop computer uses magnetic attraction to maintain the display closed and uses magnetic repelling forces to pop-up the display when opened. The latch includes one or more magnetic elements in the body of the laptop and at least one magnetic element in the display. When the display is closed, the magnet element in the display is positioned adjacent the magnet element in the body having an opposite polarity so that the magnet elements are attracted to one another. To pop-up the display, the user moves the magnetic element in the display so that it meets the magnetic pole in the body having the same polarity. When these meet, the repelling force between them causes the display to open slightly so that a user can then readily open the display.
US07775564B2
An animal-resistant latching system for inhibiting animals from accessing food and food containing refuse within containers. The device is composed of an access panel containing an opening to which is secured at least one latching members, a cam assembly, a cover, and a bracket. The latching members are positioned so as to inhibit access to the container when the member is in the latched position and allow access to the container when the member is in the unlatched position. The cam assembly communicates with the latching members so as to move the members between the latched and unlatched positions. The cover and bracket are dimensioned and positioned on the access panel in a predetermined manner so as allow human hands access to the cam assembly and unlatch the container while simultaneously inhibiting such access by animals.
US07775560B2
Described herein is a pressure-pulsation-damping fluid supply conduit comprising: a flexible covering pipe, which has end portions opposite to one another; tubular elements having respective first axes and being connected to the end portions; respective couplings, connected to the tubular elements in such a way that they are free to rotate; respective flexible pipes, which have respective fixed portions connected to the respective couplings and respective free portions located radially facing one another.
US07775559B2
A compression generator uses a plurality of jackbolts threadedly engaged at a spaced apart relation about a bolt circle in a main core element. The main core element is releasable interlocked by threads, bayonet connection or other form of fasting system with the mounting element forming a fixed part of the mechanical connection. The jackbolts torqued to generate a pushing force in an axial direction for compressing a moveable part of the mechanical connection against a compression seat for forming a mechanical connection between juxtaposition fixed and moveable parts.
US07775553B2
A vehicle occupant protection apparatus for use in a vehicle includes an occupant-protecting expansion part caused to expand in the form of a curtain in the vehicle cabin along windows. The expansion part is attached to the vehicle body at two attachment points positioned forward and rearward of the windows. A tension line that joins the two attachment points is in a position where the expansion part is extended between the two points, and is positioned below the lower edges of the windows.
US07775547B2
A stroller has a frame structure with two laterally spaced apart sides. A seat is supported between the sides of the frame structure. A frame extension is provided on each side of the frame structure. Each frame extension projects rearward of the seat. The frame structure is at least collapsible laterally from a side-to-side in-use spacing between the frame extensions to a side-to-side compact spacing less than the in-use spacing between the frame extensions. A cross-brace extends between and interconnects the frame extensions. The cross-brace is selectively reconfigurable from a stiff condition to a loose condition with the frame extensions in the in-use spacing. In the stiff condition the brace maintains the in-use spacing between the frame extensions and in the loose condition the brace permits the frame extensions to collapse to the compact spacing. A cup holder can be carried on the cross-brace to be collapsible with the frame structure. A release mechanism can also be carried on the cross-brace and be actuable to release the cross-brace from the stiff condition to a loose condition, such that the plurality of parts are freely pivotable relative to one another in the loose condition.
US07775537B2
A truck cab has a side door (14) via which a person enters and exits the cab by ascending and descending steps (22, 24, 26; 40, 42, 44) on a side of the truck. At least one of the steps is selectively positionable to a deployed position for use by a person ascending or descending the steps and to a non-deployed position when the truck is to be driven. The deployed position is relatively more outboard on the side of the truck than the non-deployed position.
US07775525B2
A manual game is provided which simulates American football. The game has a playing surface with multiple openings having indicia associated with football activities, and players toss game pieces at the surface in order to achieve football action determined by the indicia of the opening into which a game piece drops. The game includes a goal the structure with a pair of uprights, and players attempt to score field goals and points after touchdown by tossing a game piece between the uprights. A plurality of template plates are provided to effect different games, and each template plate has a subset of the openings and covers at least one of them. As a result, different games are available with different patterns of openings. A blank, planar form is provided which can be folded and assembled into a game chassis which includes the playing surface. The form is made of an inexpensive sheet material which can be manufactured easily, and it is of such a configuration that it can be assembled easily by individuals of ordinary skill.
US07775513B2
A mobile feeder system is provided including a feeder having a center of gravity, and an intermediate feeder base supporting the feeder for horizontal movement between a cantilevered position in which the center of gravity lies outside the intermediate base and a non-cantilevered position in which the center of gravity lies over the intermediate base. A gathering device is also provided.
US07775511B2
According to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a stitching device comprises a stitcher and a conveyor for moving unbound printed products past the stitcher for stitching. According to a feature of the present invention, the conveyor includes a timing belt having a plurality of pushing elements for engaging and moving the unbound printed products past the stitcher.
US07775506B2
A lift assembly system and method can include a substantially rectangular tube, a motor operably connected to first and second traction drives and a rotatable drum and structurally connected to one end of the tube, a head block fixed to the opposite end of the tube, and a plurality of loft blocks positionable at an infinite number of locations within the tube. An elongate member attached on one end to the drum can be routed through a generally horizontal path from the drum to the first and second traction drives, the head block, and the loft blocks, and then through a generally vertical path from the loft block to an attached article. The elongate member can be wound about the drum to raise the article, and unwound from the drum to lower the article. The system can further include a load-side braking mechanism. The tube can include a compressible material adapted to absorb at least a portion of a horizontal load placed on the lift system.
US07775487B2
A foldable supporting stand with a positioning mechanism includes a base, a support, a sliding body, a positioning mechanism, and a swinging piece. The support is roatably pivoted to the base. The sliding body is slidably provided on the support and is further connected to a screen. The swinging piece is swingably connected to the positioning mechanism. The positioning mechanism is fixed in the support. When the support is folded in the base, the swinging piece swings toward the sliding body due to its own weight, and is then locked with the sliding body. The locked sliding body is restricted from sliding on the support, so that the screen is thus kept stationary. By that arrangement, the supporting stand has a reduced volume for efficient packaging and storage. Furthermore, the screen is held stationary when being transported.
US07775485B2
A display support arm includes a first swing arm having a first end portion positioned vertically on top of a housing and further having a second end portion, the first swing arm causing the second end portion to rotate in a horizontal plane with the first end portion as a rotational center, a second swing arm having a third end portion joined vertically to the second end portion and further having a fourth end portion, the second swing arm causing the fourth end portion to rotate in a horizontal plane with the third end potion as a rotational center, a display joined vertically to the fourth end portion, a first lock device for locking a rotational motion of the first swing arm automatically when the housing and the first swing arm reach a predetermined relative position, a second lock device for locking a relative rotational motion of the first and second swing arms automatically when the first and second swing arms vertically reach a position where the two overlap each other, and a lock setting device for switching the first and second lock devices in one behavior to a lockable state able to effect locking automatically in the predetermined relative position and the overlapping position or an unlockable state failing to perform the locking in the predetermined relative position and the overlapping position.
US07775483B2
A launch and recovery system for a tethered airborne element is provided that launches and retrieves the tethered airborne element in a completely unattended manner. The system is comprised of a protective shroud for storing a tethered airborne element, a winch module for releasing the airborne element to fly into the air or retrieving the element from the air, and a bearing for enabling the control of launch and recovery. Optionally, the system is also comprised of a slip ring assembly for providing external power and/or control signals to the winch module. The system can also be equipped with instrumentation modules on the tether line to provide a radio link and high altitude weather information. These modules may also contain other sensors and actuators which will help stabilize the airborne element.
US07775482B2
An apparatus for detecting the presence of ice includes a sensory circuit including a sensor operable to be coupled to a surface exposed to moisture. The sensory circuit is operable to create an electromagnetic standing wave. A heating element is coupled to the surface and a first transmission line. A first source is coupled to the first transmission line and is operable to inject a driving signal into the first transmission line, the driving signal being operable to drive the heating element. A mixing element is coupled to the sensory circuit and first transmission line and is operable to produce a mixed signal from the driving signal and a measure of the standing wave. A comparator is operable to compare at least one characteristic of the mixed signal with reference data for determining the presence of ice contacting the sensor.
US07775477B2
A floor panel assembly, system, and method for assembling a floor panel assembly and one or more floor beams are provided. A floor panel assembly may include a floor panel comprising a pair of opposed surfaces, wherein the floor panel includes at least one key hole slot defined in one of the opposed surfaces. The assembly also includes at least one seat track positioned between the opposed surfaces, wherein the seat track comprises at least one key hole slot defined therein that is substantially aligned with a respective key hole slot defined in the floor panel. In addition, the assembly includes at least one fastener assembly comprising a fastener configured to be positioned through a respective key hole slot defined in the floor panel and the seat track.
US07775476B2
In a rewinding machine for winding web material onto a core to form rolls which has an unusual capability for accurate regulation of the winding, the web material is supplied to a winding drum and is transferred to the core to form the roll. The core is supported, rotated in controlled manner, and transported along a path in which the roll of web material wound on the core is enlarged whilst bearing continuously on the winding drum.
US07775464B2
In an electromagnetic fuel injection valve, a valve housing is formed by sequentially connecting a valve seat member, a magnetic cylinder, a nonmagnetic collar, and a stationary core. A coil housing is fittingly fixed to an outer periphery of the magnetic cylinder, and houses a coil assembly provided in an outer periphery of the stationary core. The coil housing includes a shell part surrounding the coil housing, an annular bent part bent radially inward from a front end of the shell part, and a cylindrical boss part projecting forward from a front end of the annular bent part. An inner peripheral surface of the annular bent part and an inner peripheral surface of at least a rear half part of the boss part are shrinkage-fitted to an outer peripheral surface of the magnetic cylinder. Thus, it is possible to eliminate distortion propagating to the magnetic cylinder, and eliminate a gap from fitted portions between the magnetic cylinder and the coil housing to improve magnetic efficiency, thereby exerting stabile fuel injection characteristics.
US07775463B2
In an injector used for an internal combustion engine, a favorable magnetic attraction force is obtained to reduce a controllable minimum injection amount of a fuel injection amount. In a fuel injection valve in which a fixed core and a moving element is contained inside a pipe-shaped member, and a coil and a yoke are provided on an outer side thereof, a space for placing the coil is placed so that an inner circumference length in a vertical section of the space becomes smaller than an outside diameter of the yoke, or a height of the space in an axial direction of the fixed core becomes smaller than a diameter of the fixed core.
US07775461B2
This invention relates to pump-action nozzle devices methods of making the same. The nozzle devices of the invention comprises a body which defines an internal chamber having an inlet through which fluid may be drawn into said chamber and an outlet through which fluid present in the chamber may be expelled from the nozzle. The inlet comprises an inlet valve and the outlet comprises an outlet valve. Fluid is dispensed from the dispenser nozzles by applying pressure to an actuator member that engages and resiliently deforms or displaces a portion of the body of the device that defines the chamber, thereby compressing the chamber and actuating the dispensing of fluid. In preferred embodiments, the actuator provides a rigid actuator surface that an operator can apply a pressure to.
US07775459B2
A liquid atomizing device for dispensing liquid droplets includes a container for holding a liquid, the container having a porous wick positioned to communicate the liquid from the container, and an orifice plate with apertures, the orifice plate being vibrated by a piezoelectric element to cause liquid communicated from the container to be atomized and dispensed as liquid droplets through the apertures. The device employs a unique placement and design of heaters or fans to promote evaporation and dispersion of the atomized liquid while the liquid is airborne.
US07775458B2
The invention relates to an automated sprayer for spraying the walls of a bath and shower enclosure with a cleanser. The sprayer has a housing that can be mounted inside the shower enclosure and that defines a tray in which an inverted bottle of cleanser is stored. The bottom of the tray has a tube extending downwardly along a longitudinal axis through which the cleanser can pass. A motorized head disposed beneath the tube can be rotated about the axis for metering cleanser from the bottle and spraying cleanser outward. The sprayer includes timer circuitry that delays commencement of a spray for a set time and automatically stops spraying after a predetermined period. The sprayer also includes a system for signaling the beginning of a spray cycle including audio and visual alarms. The invention focuses on methods of using such equipment, as well as a container for supplying such equipment.
US07775447B2
With a method for controlling the temperature of feed air which is injected into the cabin zone of a passenger aircraft, the cabin of which is sub-divided into several cabin zones supplied respectively with specially temperature-controlled feed air, the temperature of the injected feed air is controlled for each cabin zone, dependent upon the deviation of an injection temperature actual value for the feed air injected into the cabin zone in question, measured by sensors, in relation to an injection temperature optimum value. If there is no, or at least no usable reading of the ambient temperature of this cabin zone for a cabin zone, an optimum value for the injection temperature of this cabin zone can be established in accordance with a variation, whereby it is determined upon the basis of the injection temperature optimum values and/or the injection temperature actual values of other cabin zones, whereby the measurement by sensors of the cabin temperature works reliably. In accordance with another variation, the injection temperature optimum value of a cabin zone can be established without measuring ambient temperature by sensors or without reliably measuring ambient temperature from the temperature measured for the external surrounds of the aircraft.
US07775444B2
A wireless implantable device for communicating with a remote unit, wherein the wireless device is capable of self-initializing, namely initial booting without requiring an external general booting program to force the booting process. The implantable device can download program instructions from the remote unit for the operation of the implantable device. Moreover, the implantable device provides for checking the validity and integrity of any program instructions received from the remote unit for the operation of the implantable device. The implantable device has power-saving capability in order to extend the operation of the implantable device between battery charges.
US07775441B2
To provide a card issuing device which can be manufactured smaller and at lower cost. The card issuing device includes the card storage in which a plurality of cards are stacked up, the card processing section to which the card is extracted from the card storage and at which information recorded on the card is read or information is recorded on the card, and the card extracting mechanism which extracts the card stored in the card storage toward the card processing section. At the card processing section, a card exposing section is formed so that a portion of the card extracted by the card extracting mechanism is exposed.
US07775440B2
A method of displaying an advertisement to a user via user interaction with a printed substrate, said substrate comprising user information and coded data enabling the user interaction, said method comprising: (a) a user performing the user interaction with the substrate using a sensing device, said sensing device reading at least some of the coded data when operatively positioned or moved relative to the substrate and generating interaction data using the read coded data, said interaction data being indicative of the user interaction; and (b) said user interaction causing a first resource to be displayed on a display device, said first resource being a blended resource comprising at least one advertisement and content corresponding to said user interaction wherein said at least one advertisement is selected, at least partially, using a first context of said user interaction.
US07775427B2
Systems and methods for binding a smartcard and a smartcard reader are provided. A smartcard is provision to store a first set of credentials for use in traditional transactions such as at a brick and mortar retail store and a second set of credentials for use when performing a transaction using a smartcard reader associated with a user such as an on-line transaction. The user smartcard reader registers with a smartcard issuer server by cryptographically authenticating a secure processor associated with the smartcard reader. As a result of the registration, the secure processor obtains a set of private keys associated with the second set of credentials. When a request for a authorizing a transaction via the user's smartcard reader is received, the smartcard reader cryptographically authenticates itself to the smartcard using a private key associated with a credential to be used to authorize the transaction.
US07775426B2
A method and system for executing electronic funds transactions using a merchant-issued payment (MIP) card in a merchant-centric system having benefits which include reduced fees to acquiring merchants and optionally remitting a portion of the collected fees, or other incentive, to issuing merchants. The system also preferably provides information sharing on consumer transactions with merchants to facilitate consumer based incentive programs and the like. The system operates over conventional card processing infrastructure and utilizes the ACH network, or equivalent, to settle the transaction from a consumer checking account, or a merchant account in the case of a prepaid MIP card. Using the system, merchants may elect to qualify customers based on their own criterion. Embodiments are described for prepaid, fixed value, programmable, and refillable, forms of merchant-issued payment cards.
US07775424B1
A kiosk that allows a user to navigate through a Medicaid process via a touch screen monitor facilitated by an onscreen navigator employing ladder logic. The kiosk has a housing to which a bracket that holds the monitor and a keyboard is attached, the bracket capable of sliding up and down and tilting back and forth. A user initially identifies herself to the system via a card reader and confirms identity via a biometric reader. Once within the system, the user navigates via the monitor through the assistance of an onscreen navigator that is set up using ladder logic. At any point during the process, a counselor may be called via a telephone attached to the housing. Once all data is collected for a user, the internal processor transmits the data to a central server.
US07775418B2
A reinforced handle is provided in an end wall closure of a substantially tubular carton by forming a handle opening in a top end flap, and by aligning the handle opening with corresponding cutouts formed in respective side end flaps. Each cutout is provided with reinforcing flaps that align with at least the weight bearing edge of the handle opening. Each reinforcing flap is formed from the respective side end flap and folded out of the plane of the respective side end flap to be in face contacting relationship with that side end flap. Each reinforcing flap aligns its edge with the weight bearing edge of the handle opening. In this manner, the material at the weight bearing edge of the handle opening is at least three plies thick.
US07775417B2
A method of producing a conductive circuit board including imparting tackiness through the use of a tackiness-imparting compound to the surface of the conductive circuit on a printed wiring board, attaching a solder powder to the tacky area and then heating the printed wiring board to melt the solder to form a solder circuit. The characteristic feature of this method is that the tackiness-imparted printed wiring board is kept in a liquid, etc at not more than 10° C. before attaching the solder powder.
US07775414B2
A consumable insert (10) formed of material particles (14) contained within a sheath (12). The particles may be a melting point depressant that has a concentration that is greater in a center region (16) of the insert than in the surface region (18) of the insert, thereby facilitating complete melting of the insert during a transient liquid phase bonding process. Alternatively, the particles may be a low-ductility material, such as a superalloy or an MCrAlY alloy, contained within a high ductility sheath material formed into a ribbon shape, thereby allowing the low-ductility material to be delivered in ribbon form during a coating process.
US07775413B2
A system and method for adjusting the gap between a horn and an anvil in an ultrasonic welding system includes the act of positioning a horn proximal to an anvil, so that a gap is established between the horn and the anvil. A force is applied to the horn, so as to urge the horn toward the anvil. A deformable stop is positioned at a location, such that application of the urging force causes a member operatively connected to the horn to abut the deformable stop, and to deform the stop. The urging force is iteratively adjusted during operation of the horn, so as to adjust the extent of the deformation of the deformable stop, and to maintain the gap between the horn and the anvil substantially constant.
US07775412B2
A nail is held within a cylindrical nail receiver by a magnetized tip of a cylindrical driver rod. As the driver sleeve is moved toward a surface, the driver rod drives the nail into the surface leaving a predetermine space between the head of the nail and the surface. A coil spring, attached to the nail receiver and allows for the nail receiver to be adjusted for several nail lengths thus allowing for an accurate placement of the nail against the wall. The nail receiver is interchangeable to allow use of the device with nails and anchors of differing diameters.
US07775404B2
A pump for dispensing fluid products includes a pump body, a pump chamber, at least one piston sliding inside the pump chamber for dispensing a fluid product, a dispensing orifice, and a shutter which interacts with the dispensing orifice and is embodied in such a way that it is movable and/or deformable between the closed position of the dispensing orifice and the open position thereof, the shutter being elastically driven to a closed position. The pump includes only one elastic element in the form of a spring for bringing at least one piston to a rest position after actuation and for driving the shutter to a closed position and the at least one piston is embodied in one piece with the shutter.
US07775387B2
An apparatus for collecting selection devices or eyewear is provided. The apparatus comprises a collection bin component and at least one receptacle panel component or receptacle lid component positioned adjacent to said collection bin component. The at least one receptacle panel covers at least a portion of the collection bin component. The apparatus further includes receptacle panel openings formed in at least one receptacle panel component. Openings are arranged in proportions configured to receive the selection devices and enable the collection bin component to collect said selection devices. Signage may be provided in association with the apparatus.
US07775383B2
A hoisting device can be small-sized and energy can be saved. A hoisting device 10 according to the present invention has a hoist 30 and a control unit 32. The hoist 30 rotates a drum 12 having a wire 14 wound thereon by an oil pressure motor 42 rotatable in normal and reverse directions. To the oil pressure motor 42, operating oil is supplied from an oil pressure pump 44. The oil pressure pump 44 is a two-way discharge fixed capacity type, and rotated by a servomotor 46. An acceleration/displacement transducer 34 in the control unit 32 finds a moving direction and a moving speed of a wire hanging point in the vertical direction from an output signal of an acceleration sensor 24. The control unit 32 outputs a drive control signal of the servomotor 46 according to a paying-out speed or a rolling-up speed of the wire 14 offsetting the vertical motion of the wire hanging point caused by the heaving of a hull based on a speed instruction Vi of the paying-out or rolling-up speed of the wire, a detected signal of the acceleration sensor 24 and a detected signal of a wire speed sensor 26.
US07775382B2
An umbrella-like laundry dryer includes a central upright tube and a clothes-line-carrying framework, which can be unfolded by an actuating device and has supporting arms connected movably to an upper end section of the upright tube and clothes-line carrying arms connected for articulation to lower ends of the supporting arms and linked to a lower sleeve to be displaced along the upright tube. The actuating device has a hoisting line anchored to the upper end section of the upright tube, running downward parallel to the upright tube and deflected away at the lower sleeve from the upright tube. The hoisting line is coupled to an opening lever linked to a clothes-line carrying arm above the lower sleeve for pivoting from a downwardly pointing, lower position into an upwardly pointing, upper position, to unfold the carrying framework.
US07775372B2
A material separator for separating at least two different materials of differing densities and/or sizes of particles. The material separator generally includes a tank containing a flocculent, a circulation system for circulating flocculent within the tank and a pair of conveyors for moving two different materials out of the tank. The tank may include an upper chamber and a lower chamber. At least a portion of each of the conveyors is located in the upper chamber to catch materials fed into the flocculent. Each of the conveyors may include a mesh belt that permits the flocculent to flow through the conveyor. The tank may include a clean out valve that permits fines and other debris accumulated within the upper chamber to pass into the lower chamber. The flocculent circulation assembly may include a nozzle that can be constructed in various configurations to create flows of flocculent of various velocities and trajectories. In one embodiment, the lower chamber includes a drag line assembly that removes fines and other accumulated debris from the lower chamber.
US07775363B2
A semiconductor reticle transportation container includes a box and a base, the box having an opening and the base including a reticle support. The reticle is placed on the support and the box is placed on the base so that the reticle passes through the opening while being lifted off of the support by plungers contacting the lower edge of the reticle. After the box is closed, the reticle is compliantly constrained horizontally and vertically and is held away from the support.
US07775358B1
The present invention provides a tool box with tilting and sliding cover, including a box body, which contains a back surface, two lateral surfaces and an accommodation space. There is a track, set onto a lateral surface of the box body, and a tilting and sliding cover, used to cover the accommodation space of the box body. A mating portion is arranged onto one side of the tilting and sliding cover. A moveable connector is arranged between the track and the mating portion of the tilting and sliding cover. The moveable connector contains a rotary sliding seat and a cover coupling portion. The rotary sliding seat is fixed securely into the track in a rotary and slidable state, while the cover coupling portion is coupled with the mating portion set for the tilting and sliding cover.
US07775347B2
An assembly for hingedly coupling parts of a conveyor comprising a first conveyor part (2) provided with a row of hinge eyes positioned in alignment, and an end hinge eye (7b) with an enlarged hinge hole (8b) which is positioned somewhat out of alignment and with a locking surface adjacent to the hinge hole and positioned in alignment The assembly further comprises a second part (3) such that the conveyor parts can cooperate in a coupled condition by receiving hinge eyes in corresponding interspaces, and a hinge pin provided with a central body part (3) such that the conveyor parts can cooperate in a coupled condition by receiving hinge eyes in corresponding interspaces and a hinge pin provided with a central body part (15) with a thickened head (16) which is able to pass the end hinge hole (8b), but not the next hinge hole (12) in coupled condition. In coupled condition the thickened head (16) is located between the end hinge eye and the next hinge eye (14) such that the hinge pin is axially locked between the e locking surface of the end hinge eye on the one side and the next hinge eye on the other side The thickened head (16) bears a projection which reaches into the hinge hole of end hinge eye in coupled condition.
US07775342B2
The invention relates to scrapers for link chains of in particular double center scraper chain conveyors, comprising a one-part scraper body with a head web connecting two lateral scraper wings and at least one insertion pocket for insertion of a horizontal chain link of the link chain and securing scraper by means of a detachable scraper-securing element. In order to improve the entrainment of scrapers connected to the horizontal chain links and to be able to use the scrapers even with novel link chains, grooves extend in insides of scraper wings and outsides of an intermediate web over the height of limb beds up to head web and form receivers for entrainment projections on the outer surfaces of limbs of horizontal chain links. The invention also relates to scraper-securing element.
US07775335B2
The invention relates to a torque transmitting device having a hub arranged in the drive train of a motor vehicle for transmitting torque between a drive unit and a transmission, in particular a turbine wheel hub of a turbine wheel of a torque converter which is coupled to a damper hub with a rotational vibration damper connected in between via a driving plate, in particular of a converter bridge coupling. The invention is operatively arranged such that the rotational vibration damper is equipped with a mechanical stop mechanism that is in effect as soon as a maximum design load on the rotational vibration damper has been exceeded.
US07775330B2
An electronic unintended movement governor is disclosed, which includes an input for car position data, a device for determining the speed of the elevator car, a plurality of limit values for permitted movement of the elevator car, such as the limit value of the maximum permitted speed of the elevator car, and which unintended movement governor also provides overspeed monitoring for controlling at least one stopping appliance of the elevator car when the speed of the elevator car exceeds the limit value of the maximum permitted speed. The unintended movement governor includes at least two separate controls for controlling a stopping appliance of the elevator car. Additionally, a method for controlling the aforementioned electronic unintended movement governor is disclosed.
US07775327B2
The invention relates to methods for stopping elevators especially when using at least one three-phase motor operated by a static frequency converter. According to the invention, a brake relay controls the brake of the motor such that releasing of the brake relay causes the motor to be decelerated while the brake relay is coupled to a protective circuit in such a way that the control pulses required for generating the driving motor field are safely blocked when the brake relay is released.
US07775319B2
A diaphragm for use in a speaker is manufactured using a plurality of thin wooden boards having flat rectangular shapes. The thin wooden boards are impregnated with a resin; then, a plurality of cutouts, which are elongated along wooden fiber directions or which are elongated in directions crossing wooden fiber directions, are formed in the thin wooden boards. Instead of the cutouts, it is possible to form a plurality of folded portions elongated in directions crossing wooden fiber directions. The thin wooden boards are integrally laminated together in such a way that the wooden fiber directions thereof mutually cross with a prescribed angle therebetween. The thin wooden boards integrally laminated together are subjected to thermal pressing so as to form a wooden vibrator serving as the diaphragm. Thus, it is possible to easily produce the diaphragm having a high strength and superior acoustic characteristics without causing defects.
US07775317B1
A control assembly for an industrial vehicle is herein disclosed as including a first control arm oriented in a substantially upright position, and a second control arm extending from the first control arm in a reclined position. The first control arm is operable to control a speed of the vehicle from a first operator position, and the second control arm operable to control the speed of the vehicle from a second operator position oriented opposite the first operator position.
US07775316B2
A colliding object determination device for a vehicle having a bumper reinforcement member (12) includes a sensor (20) and a determination circuit (40). The sensor (20) is located in a front portion of a vehicle for measuring a collision state quantity correlating with a collision load generated in a collision of a colliding body with the vehicle. The determination circuit (40) determines whether the colliding body is a pedestrian based on the measured collision state quantity. The sensor (20) is located on an upper half region of a front end face of the bumper reinforcement member (12). Thus, accuracy of discriminating the pedestrian from other objects can be improved.
US07775311B1
A housing (10) is for containing an energy source (2), such as a fuel tank, battery or fuel cell, and other power system components of a vehicle having a seat (4). The housing includes a body (12), preferably a generally rectangular box, connectable with the vehicle and configured to support the seat. The body has an interior space sized to receive the energy source and the other power system components, such that the energy source and other components are supported by the body, including when the body is unconnected with the vehicle.
US07775298B2
Drilling assemblies and methods of drilling are disclosed. In one implementation, a drilling assembly includes a rotary drive apparatus configured to rotate a string of drill pipe having a cutting head at a drilling end thereof. A longitudinally elongated torque transfer tube apparatus is mounted to and extends downwardly from the rotary drive apparatus and is configured to longitudinally receive the string of drill pipe rotatably there-through. The torque transfer tube apparatus is isolated from rotation relative to the rotary drive apparatus and the string of drill pipe during drilling with the drilling assembly. A torque receiving structure is provided, and through which the torque transfer tube apparatus is upwardly and downwardly slidably received. The torque transfer tube apparatus and the torque receiving structure are isolated from rotation relative one another and the string of drill pipe during drilling with the drilling assembly.
US07775293B2
A furrow closer apparatus has a bracket extending down from an upper forward portion of an implement shank. Right and left spring arms with soil moving elements at lower ends thereof are attached at top ends thereof to right and left coil springs connected by a cross member. A spring tube extends through the coil springs and through the bracket aperture to attach the spring arms such that a spring arm extends rearward and downward on each side of a shank location. Clips are attached to the spring tube on each side of the bracket aperture and define clip apertures. The cross member extends through the clip apertures, and the clip apertures are larger than the cross member such that the cross member is movable in the clip apertures. Rotatable discs with a twine wrap inhibiting ring can provide the soil moving elements.
US07775289B2
A technique facilitates joining of coiled tubing sections. A framework has one or more movable stands with features designed to grip and manipulate an end of a coiled tubing section. The ability to hold and selectively move an end of a coiled tubing section or the ends of both coiled tubing sections enables an operator to easily prepare the coiled tubing ends and to couple the coiled tubing ends with a coiled tubing connector.
US07775287B2
Earth-boring rotary drill bits including a bit body attached to a shank. In some embodiments, the bit body and the shank may have abutting surfaces concentric to an interface axis offset relative to a longitudinal axis of the drill bit. In additional embodiments, the bit body and the shank may have generally frustoconical abutting surfaces. Methods for attaching a shank and a bit body of an earth-boring rotary drill bit include abutting a surface of a shank against a surface of a bit body, and causing the abutting surfaces to be concentric to an axis that is offset or shifted relative to a longitudinal axis of the drill bit.
US07775286B2
A convertible downhole device comprises at least one sacrificial material to provide two or more configurations so that two or more different operations or functions are performable by the downhole device, one in which the sacrificial material is fully intact and another in which the sacrificial material is at least partially removed or disappeared. The sacrificial material may be removable through any suitable method or device, such as by contacting with a fluid, by temperature, by pressure, or by combustion, ignition, or activation of a fusible or energetic material, or crushing or breaking up of a frangible material. Upon removal of the sacrificial material, the downhole device has at least one additional configuration so that at least a second operation can be performed by the downhole device.
US07775284B2
A flow control apparatus (800) includes a tubular member (818) having a plurality of openings (820, 822, 824, 826) that allow fluid flow between an exterior and an interior flow path (828) of the tubular member (818) and a multi-stage flow restricting section (804) operably positioned in a fluid flow path between a fluid source disposed exteriorly of the tubular member (818) and the interior flow path (828). The flow restricting section (804) including a plurality of flow restricting devices (838, 844, 850) each operable to create a pressure drop. Actuatable devices (830, 832, 834, 836) operably associated with the openings (820, 822, 824, 826) are sequentially actuatable to allow fluid flow through the associated openings (820, 822, 824, 826), thereby sequentially reducing the pressure drop experienced by fluids flowing from the fluid source to the interior flow path (828).
US07775282B2
Methods for treating a formation penetrated by a wellbore which improves fluid loss control during treatment. In some aspects, the treatments include preparing an aqueous fluid including one or more water inert polymers and an optional viscosifier, injecting the aqueous fluid into the wellbore at a pressure equal to or greater than the formation's fracture initiation pressure, and thereafter injecting into the wellbore a proppant laden fluid at a pressure equal to or greater than the formation's fracture initiation pressure. The water inert polymer may be a polymer such as an emulsion polymer or a latex polymer. Some methods of the invention use a fluid which may have a normalized leak off coefficient (Cw/sqrt(K)) equal to or less than about 0.0022, 0.0014, or 0.0010. A conventional fluid loss additive may or may not be used in conjunction with the treatment fluid and/or the proppant laden fluid. The water inert polymer may or may not substantially enter formation pores. In another aspect, methods for reducing matrix damage to a formation during a treatment operation include preparing an aqueous treatment fluid formed of at least one water inert polymer, and injecting the fluid at a pressure equal or greater than the formation's fracture initiation pressure.
US07775271B2
An injection fluid distribution configuration including a tubular having a plurality of openings therein and a plurality of beaded matrixes disposed within the openings. At least one of the beaded matrixes having an injection fluid permeability different than an injection fluid permeability of at least one other of the plurality of beaded matrixes. A method for distributing an injection fluid in a wellbore. A method for making an injection fluid distribution apparatus for distributing an injection fluid in a wellbore.
US07775265B2
A cooling system for a reciprocating engine includes a main cooling device and a side tank. The main cooling device includes at least one heat dissipation tube that contains an internal fluid for transporting excess heat developed by a reciprocating engine. The side tank is attached to the main cooling device and includes a plurality of exterior fins for dissipating heat to cool airflow. The exterior fins form an adjustable mounting location.
US07775261B2
A heat transfer device is disclosed for transferring heat to or from a fluid that is undergoing a phase change. The heat transfer device includes a liquid-vapor manifold in fluid communication with a capillary structure thermally connected to a heat transfer interface, all of which are disposed in a housing to contain the vapor. The liquid-vapor manifold transports liquid in a first direction and conducts vapor in a second, opposite direction. The manifold provides a distributed supply of fluid (vapor or liquid) over the surface of the capillary structure. In one embodiment, the manifold has a fractal structure including one or more layers, each layer having one or more conduits for transporting liquid and one or more openings for conducting vapor. Adjacent layers have an increasing number of openings with decreasing area, and an increasing number of conduits with decreasing cross-sectional area, moving in a direction toward the capillary structure.
US07775259B2
A method of controlling in a twin roll strip caster the thickness of as-cast strip by determining and operating at a target depth of the casting pool and a target speed of the casting rolls. The as-cast strip may be cast to a customer-specified thickness or may be subsequently rolled to a customer-specified thickness.
US07775256B2
A curved brace edge connection fitting and a curved brace window sash edge connection fitting and a window structure are provided. A coupling intensity of existing modular edge connection fittings can be heightened to simultaneously enhance air-tightness and heat insulation and to further provide effects of curved design and easy cleaning. The curved brace window frame edge connection fitting and the curved brace window sash edge connection fitting are used in a push-to-open window called a slider and a rotate-to-open window called a casement.
US07775255B2
A darkening device (1) which has a shade fabric (10) which is mounted to be able to move for displacement between a receiving position in which it is taken up spaced apart from the region to be darkened, and a drawn position in which it extends underneath the region to be darkened, and supporting arrangement (30) which are able to support the shade fabric (10) in the transverse direction in the region to be darkened. The supporting arrangement (30) holds the side edges (11, 12) of the shade fabric (10), on the one hand, and on the other, tension the shade fabric (10) between the side edges (11, 12) in the transverse direction.
US07775254B2
A cord lock for window coverings has one or more cams adjacent a locking surface over which a one or more lift cords travel. The cams may be spring biased to a locked position in which they press the lift cords against the surface. A release member through which the lift cords pass is provided. Transverse movement of any cord passing through an opening in the release member moves the release member from a first position, in which the cam or cams are in the locked position, to a second position at which a cam engaging portion of the release member engages the cam and the cam is in the unlocked position. Movement of the release member from the first position to the second position maintains the cam in the unlocked position.
US07775245B2
Systems and methods for distributing a product releasably incorporated within a carrier, and for removing the product and returning the carrier for rehabilitation. In one embodiment, the system includes a first supply loop comprising a manufacturing facility for releasably incorporating a product into a first carrier to form fresh. The first loop further includes transportation means for conveying fresh to a first user, the first user including a fresh storage vessel for receiving and storage of fresh. The first user further comprises means for removing product from the carrier to form spent, and a spent storage vessel for receiving, storing, and dispensing of spent. The loop further includes means for returning the spent to a rehabilitation facility of the spent to form fresh wherein a product is contained in a carrier. The carrier may be in any physical state such as for example, solid, liquid, vapor, plasma, or any combination thereof. In addition, the carrier may involve any known mechanism to capture, retain, or release product, for example, chemical reaction, adsorption, dilution, among others. Optionally, the invention comprises a second supply loop that received product liberated from the first supply loop, without exchanging carrier, fresh, or spent with the first supply loop. The invention thus provides for product transfer efficiently and economically with minimal possible losses of the carrier quantity and quality. Contamination of a carrier and/or unintended mixing of different carriers is avoided, or at least localized to limited quantities.
US07775240B2
Two stage spool valves having, in a single assembly, a first stage spool and a second stage spool. The first stage spool may have a solenoid actuator with a return spring, with the second stage spool having either a hydraulic return or a spring return, or both. The solenoid actuator may be comprised of a stationary structure defining a magnetic flux path, including a stationary structure pole face, that together with a moveable structure, including a moveable structure pole face, define a substantially zero air gap magnetic circuit when the solenoid actuator is actuated, the pole faces of the stationary structure and the moveable structure each being defined in part by soft magnetic iron and in part by hardened steel, the hardened steel of the moveable structure contacting the hardened steel of the stationary structure and the soft magnetic iron of the moveable structure being face to face with the soft magnetic iron of the stationary structure when the solenoid actuator is actuated.
US07775231B2
The present invention relates to methods and devices for retrofitting fire hydrants with additional structure for reducing the potential that those with ill intent can foul municipal water supplies by introducing toxins or other materials into fire hydrants. Various embodiments include a replacement hydrant body having an enlarged diameter portion that can be installed to replace an existing hydrant body. The replacement hydrant body can include a secondary valve comprising a seat, biasing structure, and a restriction member to close off portions of the hydrant otherwise available for receipt of toxic or other materials when the fire hydrant nozzle cap is unscrewed and open.
US07775229B2
The technology of the present application provides a collapsible canopy shelter having one or more side awnings that are pivotally coupled to the canopy frame. The canopy shelter for this has reinforced eaves for additional structural integrity, as well as at least one collapsible ventilation flap in the canopy cover that is capable of moving between a closed position and an open position to ventilate air from beneath the canopy cover as desired. Further, the collapsible canopy shelter comprises a canopy frame with a robust, spring-loaded pull latch, allowing the user to quickly and easily assemble and, collapse the shelter without risking injury.
US07775228B2
A personal easy lifting device has mounting units with adjustable legs forward of handle members and supports to facilitate positioning forward aspects of the supports in close proximity to a firm edge of an article of furniture with which the device is to be used to assist a person in rising, such as from a sitting position, from an article of furniture to a standing position.
US07775222B2
Provided are a single substrate cleaning apparatus, and a method for cleaning the backside of a substrate, where a substrate reversing device for cleaning the backside of a substrate is installed inside a processing chamber.
US07775220B2
A parts washer having a cleaning chamber and a receptacle into which parts to be cleaned are placed. The receptacle is rotatably mounted within the cleaning chamber and is rotated by a drive device. One or more spray manifolds are provided, each having a plurality of spray jets arranged to spray cleaning fluid onto the parts in the receptacle. The spray manifolds are moveably mounted within the cleaning chamber and are coupled to the drive device such that the drive device causes reciprocating motion of the spray manifolds.
US07775217B2
Cigarettes are manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an off-line manner to a continuous paper sheet web that is later used for cigarette manufacture. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an on-line manner to continuous paper web moving through an operating cigarette making machine. The coating formulation is applied to the paper web using roll applicator techniques, ink jet printing techniques or electrostatic precipitation techniques. Liquid coating formulation are curable, and are virtually absent of solvent or liquid carrier. Radiation, such as ultraviolet or electron beam radiation, is used to solidify and fix polymerizable liquid components of the coating formulation that have been applied to the paper web. Heating and subsequent cooling of the coating formulation used to fix solid components of the coating formulation that have been applied to the paper web. Registration techniques are used to ensure proper positioning of the additive material on the smokable rods so manufactured, and to ensure proper quality of those cigarettes.
US07775207B2
An apparatus and method for affording a re-breathing capability to a breathing circuit. The apparatus includes a valve that permits air flow through or re-breathing in the breathing circuit. A CO2 sensor and an air flow sensor detects CO2 a rate of air flow in the breathing circuit, respectively. A processor computes a parameter based on the CO2 waveform feature and a volumetric CO2 waveform feature based on signals from the air flow sensor and/or the CO2 sensor. An alarm is triggered when the parameter deviates from a selected magnitude. In a further embodiment, at least one parameter associated with an energy source for actuating the valve is monitored. Deviation of the value from at least one selected value of the at least one parameter is corrected.
US07775200B2
A barrel system for a paintball marker including a breach removably connected to the paintball marker and a composite front detachably connected to the breach. The composite front of the barrel system includes a hollow bore through which a paintball is propelled, a non-metallic inner layer surrounding the bore, and a non-metallic outer layer surrounding the inner layer. The non-metallic inner layer is preferably manufactured from a plurality of unidirectional graphite fibers embedded within an epoxy resin. The non-metallic outer layer is preferably manufactured from a plurality of graphite fibers that are woven together and embedded with an epoxy resin for surrounding and reinforcing the inner layer. The non-metallic inner layer of the composite front is smoothly and continuously tapered to cause the hollow bore to be tapered from a relatively narrow diameter to a relatively wide diameter in the direction of travel of the paintball.
US07775196B2
A fuel supply apparatus that supplies fuel to an internal combustion engine by injecting liquid fuel from a fuel injection valve into a suction port is configured by a microbubble generator that generates microbubbles and an ultrasonic wave generator that generates an ultrasonic wave depending on a gas in the microbubbles generated by the microbubble generator. In the fuel supply apparatus, the generated microbubbles are mixed into the liquid fuel that is supplied to the fuel injection valve, and the liquid fuel in which the microbubbles are mixed is irradiated with the ultrasonic wave depending on the driving state of the internal combustion engine. When the liquid fuel in which the microbubbles are mixed is irradiated with the ultrasonic wave, a temperature of the liquid fuel is raised instantaneously due to contraction of the microbubbles.
US07775181B2
The device includes a brush with a body and a gripping end. There are first bristles and second bristles. The bristles have first and second operating temperatures. The device further includes a rechargeable battery, a recharging base station, and a temperature maintaining mechanism. A bridge circuit includes a heat supplying resistor, a temperature determining resistor, and unchanging resistors. Differential amplifiers are coupled to the heat supplying resister and the temperature determining resistor while a transistor is coupled to the heat supplying resistor. A power interrupting mechanism includes pressure sensors with a pressure comparison circuit coupled thereto. A switch is electrically coupled to the first temperature maintaining mechanism. The timer comparison circuit includes a processor, a memory electrically coupled to the processor, and a logic gate electrically coupled to the processor. Such a memory includes software instructions, and a logic gate operates a toggle switch.
US07775179B2
An apparatus and method for fabricating a color filter by printing pixels on a substrate using an ink jet head, optically analyzing pixel quality and controlling printing in accordance with the pixel quality. Optically analyzing may include analyzing a number of ink droplets or a transmittance of a printed pixel.
US07775177B2
A circuit pattern forming device includes a liquid ejection device that ejects an insulating pattern forming solution and a conductive pattern forming solution onto a substrate to form insulating dots of the insulating solution and conductive dots of the conductive solution on the substrate. A control device controls an ejection operation that the liquid ejection device performs for each of the solutions. A moving device moves the liquid ejection device and the substrate relative to each other to form a circuit pattern composed of a plurality of the conductive dots and the insulating dots. The liquid ejection device includes a first nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting the insulating solution are arranged along a crossing direction crossing a main scan direction, and a second nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting the conductive solution are arranged along the crossing direction. The first nozzle array is disposed in front of the second nozzle array with respect to the main scan direction and the second nozzle array is arranged between a plurality of the first nozzle arrays. When the insulating dots and the conductive dots are formed close to each other on the substrate, the insulating dots, which are positioned in a direction in which the liquid ejection device moves relative to the substrate, are formed on the substrate prior to the conductive dots in a same main scan performed by the liquid ejection device.
US07775175B2
System for anchoring of a vessel, preferably at deep waters, comprising a number of anchoring lines, each anchoring line extending from a fastening means on the vessel to an anchor at the seabed, and the anchoring lines are preferably arranged tightly, obliquely down into the sea around the vessel in the form of spread anchoring, such that the vessel is maintained in a fixed, intended position, distinguished in that each anchoring line is fastened to an anchor and extends out in one length, without joinings, to an upper end where a coupling part is fastened, and the fastening means comprises a crib for each anchoring line, where each coupling part can be laid down in an intended, fastened position.Method for anchoring of a vessel, with use of the system according to the invention.
US07775171B2
A flexible fluid containment vessel (FFCV) including at least one segment made up of a fabric. Two ends of the fabric are beaded and are joined together so as to form a generally cylindrical section. The interface along which the ends of the fabric are joined form a keel that serves to stabilize the completed FFCV when the FFCV is placed in water.
US07775170B2
A process makes stitchbonded fabric having a regionally segmented discontinuous base layer of webs of substrate material extending in the machine direction which webs are laterally separated by a region devoid of substrate material. The region devoid of substrate is formed prior to stitching by either (a) slitting the substrate and folding the material adjacent the slits outwardly in contact with substrate material outboard of the slit, or (b) slitting the substrate while applying tension in the machine direction that moves adjacent lips of the slit material away from each other. Once the discontinuous base layer is formed, threads are stitched through the laterally separated webs of substrate material and the intermediate region devoid of substrate material.
US07775168B2
The invention pertains to apparatus and methods for injecting viscous fertilizer, such as dewatered biosolids, below the surface of the soil. The invention also pertains to apparatus and methods for creating a continuous flow of viscous material and for dividing a flow of viscous material.
US07775162B1
A roller for a trolley assembly, which includes at least one track and at least one pin adapted to carry a hanger, includes, in one embodiment thereof, a bearing substantially split to define at least two independent parts of the split bearing. A housing rollingly engages along the at least one track and houses the bearing. A bushing is housed within the housing, carries the pin, supports the bearing about the bushing, and defines at least one shoulder adapted to substantially positively abuttingly engage the at least two parts of the bearing to substantially prevent rotation of the bearing about the bushing during rolling of the housing along the at least one track.
US07775161B2
The present invention relates to a ski lift chair specifically designed for use by snowboarders. The chair comprises a plurality of seats facing in a perpendicular to the line of travel direction and can be either in-line back to back, in-line front-to-back or a combination of the two. The chair can be mixed on a ski lift with chairs designed for skiers or used alone with only snowboarder chairs.
US07775158B2
An electrostatic printing apparatus according to the present invention rubs powdery ink into a screen having a predetermined printed pattern formed therein, and applies a voltage between the screen and an object so as to attach the powdery ink to the object. A plurality of screens (34a-34d) are provided so that the plurality of screens are movable to a position located above the object (1). The plurality of screens (34a-34d) are provided so as to be rotatable about a shaft (46). The screens (34a-34d) are rotated about the shaft (46) to move the screens (34a-34d) to the position located above the object (1).
US07775155B2
A rotary cooker and/or sterilizer is provided with a novel rail design to facilitate processing of chamfered, stackable cans and which prevents damage to the protective coating of chamfered, stackable cans which occurs in prior art rotary cookers. A split rail is provided having an inclined track for carrying and guiding one end of chamfered, stackable cans and a flat track for carrying and guiding the other ends of the cans so that the side wall of each can does not contact the rail and is not subjected to the abrasion of the side wall of the can otherwise caused by prior art flat rails used to carry and guide both ends of the cans. The rail design includes flanges for limiting side-to-side motion of the cans as well as rail segments which are placed in the rotary cooker wherein each rail segment supports and guides the top ends of cans in one row of cans and the bottom ends of cans moving in an adjacent row of cans.
US07775154B2
A pivot assembly for use in an electric fryer that rotates heating elements out of a frypot, and a pivot housing that prevents the passage of outside contaminants from entering the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly comprises a tube that has mounting position for heating elements, and the elements can be lowered and raised into the frypot. The pivot housing comprises a hood that fits over the pivot assembly and forms a seal around the assembly, preventing the passage of oil therethrough. The tube of the pivot assembly can comprise one or more heating elements, and the heating elements can be lowered or raised independently of one another.
US07775152B2
A portafilter system for use with a rigid pod. The portafilter may include a handle and a cup connected to the handle. The cup may include an aperture for positioning the rigid pod therein.
US07775150B2
An indirect gas operating system for an M4 type automatic or semi-automatic firearm. The indirect gas operating system has a gas block having a cylinder. The gas block is fitted to a barrel assembly having a bore with the cylinder in communication with the bore. A piston having a piston end and a striking end has the piston end fitted to the cylinder. A bolt assembly having a striking surface is provided. When a cartridge is fired, gas displaces the piston end and causes the striking end to strike the striking surface displacing the bolt assembly. The cylinder and the piston are together removable as an assembly from the firearm without removal of the gas block.
US07775148B1
Launching payloads at high velocity uses high-pressure gas or combustion products for propulsion, with injection of high pressure gas at intervals along the path behind the payload projectile as it accelerates along the barrel of the launcher. An inner barrel has an interior diameter equal to the projectile diameter or sabot containing the projectile. An outer casing surrounds the inner barrel. Structures at intervals attach the outer casing and the inner barrel. An axial gas containment chamber (AGC) stores high pressure gas between the inner barrel wall, the outer casing wall, and enclosure bulkheads. Pressure-activated valves along the barrel sequentially release the high pressure gas contained in the AGC in to the barrel to create a continuously refreshed high energy pressure heads behind the projectile as it moves down the barrel. A frangible cover at the exit end of the barrel allows the barrel to be evacuated prior to launch. The launcher is rapidly recyclable. The valves close automatically after the projectile has exited the barrel, allowing a new projectile to be introduced into the breech and the AGC to be recharged with high-pressure gas.
US07775146B1
Disclosed is a system and method for neutralizing explosives and electronics utilizing a high voltage electrical discharge.
US07775143B2
A work table includes a table plate having a slot for attaching a tool device, and a coupler for coupling to a vacuum device, a shield engaged onto the tool device for shielding the tool device and for gathering the dust, a hose coupling device coupled between the shield and the coupler, and a supporting device for adjustably supporting the hose coupling device to the work table at any required position. The hose coupling device may include two flexible hose members coupled to the shield and the coupler, and a rigid hose member coupled between the flexible hose members, and a rod extended from the rigid hose member for adjustably securing to the table with one or more brackets.
US07775142B2
The present invention concerns a method and a device for processing calcinated carbon bodies such as anodes or cathodes for use in connection with electrolytic production of aluminum. The carbon bodies are processed using a rotating processing tool that includes a mainly circular disc with cutting edges mounted at its periphery. The cutting edges may be made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) or an equivalent material. Thus, it is possible to create slots in calcinated carbon bodies in an efficient manner with low tool wear.
US07775135B2
A steering mechanism is provided, including a rack, a rotatable support member, and an automatically-adjustable support member. The rack includes a rack gear portion and the pinion includes a pinion gear portion coupled with the rack gear portion. The rotatable support member is positioned with respect to the rack or the pinion such that rotation of the rotatable support member adjusts an overlap distance between the rack gear portion and the pinion gear portion. The automatically-adjustable support member automatically urges together the rack and the pinion along an urging direction. The urging direction remains substantially constant throughout the rotation of the rotatable support member within a desired angular range.
US07775134B2
The invention relates to four wheel drive switching device of a tractor which use the hydraulic pressure to move a sliding gear of the devices, and the four wheel drive switching device is controlled by means of one-touch button operation of a user. The four wheel drive switching device has a rear wheel drive shaft, a second drive gear, a third drive gear, a sliding gear, a hydraulic flow path, a cylinder room, a return spring and a front wheel drive gear. The hydraulic pressure force is acted on the sliding gear through the flow path, and the sliding gear is moved to one side, and the hydraulic pressure force holds the third drive gear to remain power transmission state.
US07775132B2
A transaxle for a vehicle comprises a transaxle casing; an input shaft housed in the transaxle casing and configured to receive as an input a driving power from an engine of the vehicle; an intermediate shaft housed in the transaxle casing; an axle housed in the transaxle casing and configured to drive a rear wheel of the vehicle; a rearward travel gear mechanism which is mounted between the input shaft and the intermediate shaft and is configured to transmit the driving power for moving the vehicle rearward from the input shaft to the intermediate shaft; a forward travel chain mechanism configured to transmit the driving power for moving the vehicle forward from the input shaft to the intermediate shaft; and a transmission gear mechanism which is mounted between the intermediate shaft and the axle and is configured to transmit the driving power from the intermediate shaft to the axle.
US07775131B2
An actuator for a motor vehicle, more specifically for a motor vehicle seat. The actuator comprises an electric motor having an output shaft, a gear that is connected to the output shaft and including a gear housing having two partially cylindrical exterior surfaces, and a spindle that communicates with the gear, the spindle defining a threading and runs transversely with respect to the output shaft. Further, the actuator comprises a gear retainer that (a) forms a surrounding grip around the gear housing, in which (b) the gear housing is held pivotal about a pivot axis that runs parallel to the output shaft, that (c) has two partially cylindrical interior surfaces, each mating the exterior surfaces against which they fit, and that (d) includes a recess or two recesses for the passage of the spindle. The gear retainer has fastening holes running parallel to the pivot axis.
US07775129B2
A rotation angle sensor is provided with a shaft portion having a torsion bar, a rotation angle sensing portion for detecting rotation angle of the shaft portion, and a torque sensing portion for detecting angle of torsion of the torsion bar. The rotation angle sensing portion and the torque sensing portion improve their own detecting accuracies by using each other's detecting result, whereby the rotation angle sensor can detect rotation angle and angle of torsion of a multi-turn rotatable body with high accuracy and high resolution.
US07775127B2
A fluid delivery system and method for measuring flow at a patient utilizing a differential force sensor in order to precisely control the flow of fluid at very low flow rates. The system includes a fluid line through which a fluid is conveyed to the patient, and a flow controller that selectively varies a rate of flow of the fluid through the fluid line. The differential force sensor can be mounted very close to a point of entry of the fluid into the patient's body. An onboard communications device is controllably coupled to the flow controller and to the force sensor, responds to an output signal, and provides a feedback to the flow controller in a closed-loop process. The system can pump the fluid at a higher frequency until the flow rate is actually reached at the patient and then adjust to the flow rate needed to ensure patient health.
US07775122B1
Tape overlays for use in laser bond inspection are provided, as well as laser bond inspection systems and methods utilizing tape overlays.
US07775121B2
Tension monitoring is described using a sensor which may exhibit an offset for which compensation may be provided to produce a zero voltage amplified output or to increase dynamic range. An arrangement determines whether a power reset is responsive to a battery bounce such that an initially-measured system start-up parameter can be retained. The start-up parameter is automatically saved at start-up if the power reset is responsive to a start-up from a shut-down condition. The start-up parameter may be a zero tension amplified output responsive to the sensor offset at zero tension. Protection of a tension data set is provided such that no opportunity for altering the data set is presented prior to transfer of the data set. A housing configuration forms part of an electrical power circuit for providing electrical power to an electronics package from a battery.
US07775116B2
This invention relates to a pressure measuring instrument, as well as a dedicated liner, especially for subsea use and adapted for coupling to a pressurized medium in a container or pipe through at leas tone opening therein and thus measure the pressure in the medium at this location, wherein the pressure measuring instrument is provided with at least one insertion part for positioning in said opening, the insertion part comprising a outward protruding liner, said liner being rotatably coupled to the insertion part and having an inner cylindrical or conical surface and an outer cylindrical or conical surface, said inner and outer surfaces having non-coinciding parallel or essentially parallel centre axis.
US07775113B2
An apparatus and a method that achieve physical separation of sound sources by pointing directly a beam of coherent electromagnetic waves (i.e. laser). Analyzing the physical properties of a beam reflected from the vibrations generating sound source enable the reconstruction of the sound signal generated by the sound source, eliminating the noise component added to the original sound signal. In addition, the use of multiple electromagnetic waves beams or a beam that rapidly skips from one sound source to another allows the physical separation of these sound sources. Aiming each beam to a different sound source ensures the independence of the sound signals sources and therefore provides full sources separation.
US07775109B2
A sensor device includes a time determining part that determines time point information, and adds the time point information to the output supplied from a part subjected to failure diagnosis and related to generation of a failure detection signal, and to the output related to generation of a sense signal. With this structure, the failure detection signal is correlated with the sense signal by the time point information. Alternatively, the sensor device includes an output circuit that correlates the failure detection signal with the sense signal supplied at the same time point as the failure detection signal, and outputs both signals using a time division method.
US07775089B2
A crankshaft of an engine is connected to a carrier shaft of a planetary gear via a damper. The damper includes a torsion member generating elastic force for suppressing relative rotation, when the crankshaft and the carrier shaft are relatively rotated. A control unit estimates engine torque with using rotation angular acceleration of the crankshaft calculated from a detected value of an engine speed sensor, and corrects the estimated engine torque with a correction term of the elastic force of the damper calculated based on a damper torsional angle. Then, the control unit diagnoses an abnormality of the engine based on the estimated engine torque after correction.
US07775086B2
Methods and apparatus are described for scanning probe microscopy. A method includes generating a band excitation (BE) signal having finite and predefined amplitude and phase spectrum in at least a first predefined frequency band; exciting a probe using the band excitation signal; obtaining data by measuring a response of the probe in at least a second predefined frequency band; and extracting at least one relevant dynamic parameter of the response of the probe in a predefined range including analyzing the obtained data. The BE signal can be synthesized prior to imaging (static band excitation), or adjusted at each pixel or spectroscopy step to accommodate changes in sample properties (adaptive band excitation). An apparatus includes a band excitation signal generator; a probe coupled to the band excitation signal generator; a detector coupled to the probe; and a relevant dynamic parameter extractor component coupled to the detector, the relevant dynamic parameter extractor including a processor that performs a mathematical transform selected from the group consisting of an integral transform and a discrete transform.
US07775084B2
A device for detecting a property of a fluid includes a body region and a flexible element having a first end and a second end. The first end is fixedly located on the body region. The flexible element is arranged to move from at least a first configuration to a second configuration via bending of the flexible element. The flexible element includes an actuating portion arranged to move the flexible element between the first configuration and the second configuration. The device also includes a movement detector for detecting movement of the flexible element.
US07775077B2
In a closing machine (1), an inner diameter chuck (8) that grips an inner peripheral surface of a work piece (9), a work piece (9) introducing device that moves the inner diameter chuck (8) in a Y axis direction of the work piece (9), and an introduction stopper (12) that projects onto an introduction path of the work piece (9) are used in such a manner that the inner diameter chuck (8) grips the inner peripheral surface of the work piece (9) while the work piece (9) abuts against the introduction stopper (12), the introduction stopper (12) is removed from the introduction path of the work piece (9), and the work piece (9) is introduced into an outer diameter chuck (7) by moving the inner diameter chuck (8) in the Y axis direction of the work piece (9).
US07775071B2
A lock assembly including a first lock portion having an open end which receives a key. The assembly further includes a second lock portion operatively connected to the first lock portion and a spring operatively attached to the first and second lock portions. Wherein one of the first and second lock portions is capable of biased rotational movement independent of the other of the first and second lock portions.
US07775070B2
Door lock switch of washing apparatus, and method for controlling the same, the door lock switch for locking or unlocking a door, and cutting off a current applied to electric driving units under operation when the door is opened forcibly, thereby controlling electric driving units under operation effectively for improving operation efficiency and safety of the washing apparatus when the door is opened forcibly.
US07775069B1
A therapeutic compression stocking is knitted in an integrated knit format to have an oversized heel pocket from which an ankle arch portion extends that is knitted in a rib stitch format that is free of wrinkles when donned. The foot portion has a constant compression force while the leg portion has a graduated compression force. The leg portion compression force being less than the foot portion compression force.
US07775065B2
A method for operating a refrigerator including a fresh food compartment and a door includes providing a fresh food evaporator to produce cool airflow for the fresh food compartment, providing a chiller compartment within the fresh food compartment, providing a duct member in flow communication with the fresh food evaporator and the chiller compartment, and channeling cool airflow to the chiller compartment via the duct member.
US07775060B2
A drive unit for an electric vehicle is comprised of a motor, an inverter which supplies alternating current electric power to the motor, a speed reducer which is connected to the motor, and a cooling system which cools the motor, the inverter and the speed reducer. The speed reducer reduces a revolution speed of a mechanical output of the motor. The cooling system comprises a heat exchanger at which first refrigerant for receiving heat of at least one of the motor and the inverter receives heat of second refrigerant for receiving heat of at least one of the motor and the speed reducer.
US07775057B2
A refrigerant system comprising a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator is controlled in a normal operating mode to meet moderate cooling loads; however, when the load approaches that which is sufficient to induce liquid refrigerant carryover from the evaporator to the compressor, the system is controlled in a capped operating mode to limit a certain thermodynamic variable rather than controlled to meet the high load. In the normal mode, the compressor and/or the expansion valve might be controlled in response to the amount of superheat of the refrigerant leaving the evaporator or the level of liquid refrigerant in the evaporator. In the capped operating mode, the compressor and/or the expansion valve might be controlled to limit a variable such as the compressor's capacity, the saturated pressure or dynamic pressure of the refrigerant entering the compressor, or the refrigerant's mass flow rate.
US07775056B2
Intelligent refrigerator system for storing pharmaceutical product containers, such as vials, ampules, syringes, bottles, medication tubes, blister packs and cartons, at the point of dispensing. Embodiments of the invention use product identification technology, such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags and readers, to uniquely identify containers as they are added to or removed from the cold storage compartment of the refrigerator, and automatically retrieve from a local or remote database a variety of details associated with the containers and their contents, such as manufacturing data, expiration dates, time out of refrigeration, inventory levels, safety information, usage statistics, known contraindications and warnings, etc. If the details indicate that there is a problem with a particular pharmaceutical (e.g., that it is counterfeit, expired, suspect, spoiled, recalled or almost depleted), then a message or warning is automatically delivered to a human operator via an attached output device, such as a display screen, speaker or printer. Embodiments of the invention may also be configured to monitor and report temperature faults, power failures and other anomalies associated with the refrigerator or cold storage compartment.
US07775047B2
A heat shield for a fuel member of a gas turbine engine having at least one heat shield segment having a connection edge with at least one joint receiving portion defined therealong for receiving a welded joint attaching the heat shield segment to a fuel member, each joint receiving portion including a stress relieving feature defined along at least one end thereof.
US07775046B2
A system and a method of augmenting the heat up of a unit using a compressed, heated gas that contains moisture such as steam or vaporized water such that the specific heat of the gas is increased. In a preferred embodiment, steam in compressed inert gas such as nitrogen is capable of augmenting the heat up cycle for units such as process reactor vessels, furnaces, process steam and power production boilers, turbines, and other production vessels.
US07775040B2
A hydraulic transformer is disclosed. The hydraulic transformer may have a housing, and a first pumping mechanism disposed within the housing and rotated in a first direction by fluid pressure. The hydraulic transformer may also have a second pumping mechanism disposed within the housing and rotated by the first pumping mechanism in the first direction to increase the fluid pressure. The hydraulic transformer may further have a common shaft connecting the first and second reversible pumping mechanisms. One of the first and second pumping mechanisms may also be rotated in a second direction opposite the first by fluid pressure. The other of the first and second pumping mechanisms may also be rotated by the one of the first and second pumping mechanisms in the second direction to increase the fluid pressure.
US07775038B2
A second air flow control apparatus disposed between an air inlet port of an engine and an exhaust port includes a body, a base, a moving member, and a gas thread. The body has a cavity, an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet and the air outlet being connected through the cavity. The base is fixed in the cavity, having at least an opening for controlling the air flow through the air flowing path. The moving member is pivotably disposed in the cavity or the base by a spring force and having at least a gate and a cover configured for controlling the area of the opening. The gas thread is connected to the moving member and configured for pulling the moving member to generate a processional rotation and a resetting rotation. The rotations are configured for controlling the gate and the cover part to adjust the opening area of the opening so as to precisely control the second air flow.
US07775035B2
A procedure to operate a metering device of an exhaust gas emission control system of an internal combustion engine and a device to implement the procedure are proposed. At least one component in an exhaust gas emission control configuration of the exhaust gas emission control system requires at least in certain operating conditions a reagent substance, which the metering device provides, in which a connecting line is disposed. After the emergence of a metering demand signal a reagent substance rate-set point is established. The reagent substance rate-set point is either established immediately when the metering demand signal occurs and subsequently no longer changed until the connecting line is filled with the reagent substance; or the reagent substance rate-set point is only then established if the connecting line is filled with the reagent substance. An overdose of the reagent substance is avoided with the procedural approach according to the invention.
US07775033B2
The invention concerns a system for evaluation regeneration of pollution management means (1) integrated in an exhaust line (2) of a motor vehicle engine, characterized in that it comprises means (4) for determining the thermal power input by the exhaust gas upstream of the pollution management means during the regeneration phase thereof and means (4) for comparing said power to threshold values (Sb, Sh) to determine a partial or total failure of regenerating said means.
US07775027B2
The present disclosed invention relates to a quick switching mechanism for the side discharge unit and the chopper unit of a lawn mower: a side discharge unit and a chopper unit are mounted at the grass outlet on a cutting platform; wherein, the side discharge unit comprises a grass discharging gear shaft, a grass discharging hood mounted on the grass discharging gear shaft; the grass chopper unit comprises a grass chopping gear shaft, a grass chopping closing plate mounted on the grass chopping gear shaft; the small gear on the grass discharging gear shaft is engaged to the big gear on the grass chopping gear shaft; a guy wire is mounted on the cutting platform, and is connected to a rotary arm mounted on one end of the grass chopping gear shaft. In the invention, the current grass discharging hood is kept, and therefore the safety of grass discharging is not compromised; during the mowing process, when the mower runs into a place (e.g., a kerb, shrub, etc.) where the grass discharging process is difficult, the mower can be switched from grass discharging mode to grass chopping mode immediately; after the mower passes the place, it can be switched back to grass discharging mode quickly; if the mower runs into a narrow place (e.g., the space between two trees), the mower can be switching from wide discharging mode to narrow discharging mode immediately; the mower can be switched back quickly after it passes through the place.
US07775025B1
A height adjuster for a grass grooming reel used on a mower includes a rod secured to the bellcrank support(s) which carry the grooming reel. A driver used for a fine adjustment has a screw thread connection to the top of the rod. The driver sits atop a rotary knob having a cam connection to the frame of the mower. The knob effects a quick up/quick down adjustment of the grooming reel between a raised transport position and a lowered grooming position. The knob includes a pointer or finger that points upwardly away from the ground when the grooming reel is in its raised transport position and points downwardly towards the ground when the grooming reel is in its lowered grooming position.
US07775022B2
The method is used for handing a gas turbine engine during packaging. The method comprises receiving the engine at a handling apparatus pivotally secured to the floor, removably connecting the engine to the handling apparatus, pivoting the engine while supported on the handling apparatus, lowering the engine into a container, and then removably connecting the engine to the container.
US07775014B2
The present invention relates to a method for attaching a first stud (20) against a transverse second stud (30). The respective stud(s) include(s) at least two opposite flanges (5). A connector piece (40) is brought to extend at said first stud (20) into a longitudinal groove which is arranged at a flange inner side (6), whereby an outer locking end (42) arranged at said connector piece is brought into a locking engagement with a corresponding groove (12) in the other stud (30). The present invention also relates to a stud (20, 30) which includes opposite flanges (5) and a first longitudinal groove between said flanges. An additional longitudinal groove (12) extends in into the respective flange (5) and defines a retaining edge (14) for a connector piece (40) which extends in the groove. The present invention further relates to a connector piece (40) for connecting studs (20, 30). The connector piece (40) includes side portions (43, 44, 45) which in an engaging manner are enclosed by a groove (12) in the respective stud (20, 30).
US07775007B2
The invention relates to a system for laying and mechanically joining building panels, especially thin, hard, floating floors. Adjacent joint edges (3, 4) of two panels (1, 2) engage each other to provide a first mechanical connection locking the joint edges (3, 4) in a first direction (D1) perpendicular to the principal plane of the panels. In each joint, there is further provided a strip (6) which is integrated with one joint edge (3) and which projects behind the other joint edge (4). The strip (6) has an upwardly protruding locking element (8) engaging in a locking groove (14) in the rear side (16) of the other joint edge (4) to form a second mechanical connection locking the panels (1, 2) in a second direction (D2) parallel to the principal plane of the panels and at right angles to the joint. Both the first and the second mechanical connection allow mutual displacement of joined panels (1, 2) in the direction of the joint.
US07775005B2
A vent pipe covering system for efficiently forming a seal between a vent pipe structure and a supporting structure. The vent pipe covering system generally includes a base, a body extending from the base and a coupler extending from the body opposite the base. The base includes a first opening and the body includes a passageway, wherein the passageway longitudinally extends through the body and interconnects with the first opening. The coupler includes a retaining cavity to extend over an outermost end of a pipe extending through the passageway and the first opening, wherein the body and passageway may expand and retract to accommodate various length pipes via an expandable portion of the body.
US07774989B2
A snow guard and a method of attaching a snow guard to a seam of a metal roof wherein the snow guard includes a base having a first side wall, a second side wall, and a top wall that define a seam receiving channel. The first side wall is provided with at least one opening. The second side wall has at least one fixed projection extending from the second side wall into the seam receiving channel and toward the opening. At least one moveable fastener extends through the opening into the seam receiving channel and toward the projection, and a blade is attached to a base receiving end of the base.
US07774982B2
A turn-tilt window includes a blind frame and a leaf, which can be tilted in relation to the blind frame about a first axis (X axis) and turned about a second axis (Y axis), fittings, located between the leaf and the blind frame, for moving the leaf in relation to the blind frame, the fittings including at least one turn-tilt bearing, a rocker bearing, and a turn hinge. An electromechanical or electromagnetic functional element is associated with at least one of the rocker bearing and the turn hinge in order to control movement the leaf in relation to the blind frame. The functional element is controlled by a handle which is connected thereto via a wireless manner or by electric lines and is not connected to the functional element, the rocker bearing, or the turn hinge by any mechanical linkages.
US07774977B2
A trellis system of the invention comprises a trellis and tool in combination. The trellis includes multiple legs and one or more horizontal supports. The tool includes a tray and a coning tool. The tray is adapted to slidably engage the legs by way of engagement means. The coning tool is adapted to engage the ends of the legs to facilitate shaping the trellis into a conical or pyramidal frame if desired. The trellis system can be used as a plant growth support and/or to hold potted plants. It can be installed into the ground or an existing potted plant. The trellis can be inverted position, the trellis can be used as a frame to build ornamental Christmas trees.
US07774975B2
An apparatus for attracting fish including at least one iridescent member forming an iridescent tail extending from the shank of a fish hook. The iridescent tail includes one or more layers of a translucent film. The layers have an elongated shape with a longitudinal fold. The forward end of the layers is folded over the shank of the hook and secured to the hook. In various embodiments, the iridescent tail includes one or more colored translucent layers, trailing ribbons, and/or a worm-shaped member. The outboard end of the iridescent tail is configured to be pointed or have a V-shape. In another embodiment, the layers have one or more slits parallel to the longitudinal fold.
US07774968B2
A transportable electronic sign display system having modular cabinets which support electronic display modules and electronics having male and female latching assemblies connecting adjacent electronic display modules. Robust male and female latching assemblies at the top and bottom of electronic display modules provide for forcible positive action latching between vertically situated electronic display modules to provide a minimally visible horizontally oriented seam therebetween. Side latches between horizontally situated electronic display modules assemblies provide for latching to provide a minimally visible vertically oriented seam therebetween.
US07774963B2
A display device having a plurality of rotatable sleeve elements, with each sleeve element having a plurality of indicia on its outer surfaces and a through opening. The through opening has a uniform cross-sectional shape that is generally circular, with at least one notch extending beyond the perimeter of the circle. The opposing surface of each sleeve element has at least one protrusion (or indentation) that corresponds in shape and size to at least one corresponding indentation (or protrusion) on the mating surface. When a plurality of sleeve elements are slidably and axially placed over the body abutting each other, the unique shape of the through opening of and the protrusion-indentation combination on each sleeve element allow the frictional rotation of the sleeve element with ease, but locks it at a predetermined position to provide a message from the combined indicia on the sleeve elements.
US07774956B2
Flat knitting allows production of textile structures (e.g., for use in footwear uppers) of a final desired shape such that textile cutting steps can be avoided. Flat knitted elements also can be formed directly in desired three dimensional shapes, which can help avoid the need to use additional support structures (e.g., in footwear construction). By selectively placing multiple different yarns and/or stitch patterns at multiple different locations in the overall structure during the knitting process, flat knitted products may have multiple different physical properties (e.g., different stretchability, different moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple different locations or zones within a single, unitary construction (e.g., different properties at different zones or locations within a single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting can be used to produce pockets, tunnels, or other layered structures in the final product.
US07774951B2
A sensing device includes an elongated whisker element having a flexible cantilever region and a base region where a change in moment or curvature is generated by bending of the cantilever region when it contacts an object. One or more sensor elements cooperatively associated with the whisker element provide one or more output signals that is/are representative of two orthogonal components of change in moment or curvature at the whisker base region to permit determination of object distance, fluid velocity profile, or object contour (shape) with accounting for lateral slip of the whisker element and frictional characteristics of the object. Multiple sensing devices can be arranged in arrays in a manner to sense object contour without or with adjustment for lateral slip.
US07774948B1
A universal design straightedge comprising a body having a top surface and a perimeter bounded by at least one edge, the top surface comprising evenly spaced apart linear rulings perpendicularly disposed to and extending from the edge, some of the linear rulings corresponding to a unit of measure, and some of said linear rulings corresponding to a fraction of the unit of measure, and numerical indicia associated with substantially all of the rulings, substantially all of the numerical indicia substantially centered about a centerline of respective linear rulings, the numerical indicia oriented in standard upright reading position with respect to the edge where the straightedge is arranged with the edge in an underlying relation with respect to the numerical indicia. The numerical indicia associated with the linear rulings corresponding to a fraction of the unit of measure may include a composite of full and fractional numerical indicia. The straightedge may also include a handle projecting generally perpendicularly from the top surface, the handle having a height substantially greater than a thickness of the body.
US07774944B1
An adaptor for attaching new, worn or broken blades to reciprocating saws. The adaptor has a slot wide enough to accommodate the working portion of the blade and includes a clamping member to clamp the blade in the slot. Since the blades are slightly flexible, the slot has a height slightly greater than the thickness of the blade, and the clamping member, such as a threaded member with a rounded end, will clamp and hold the blade by forcing it downwardly into a recess while forcing the edges of the blade upwardly into the upper shoulders of the slot. The adapter is provided with a tongue that allows the adapter to fit most, if not all, presently available saws.
US07774942B2
A utility knife includes a handle, a blade assembly secured to the handle, a blade cover mechanically coupled to the handle facilitating manipulability of the blade cover to an extended position over the blade assembly, and a slider that is repositionable along the handle to release the blade cover from the extended position, the slider being pivotally coupled to the blade assembly.
US07774937B2
A heat exchanger has a shell and tube stack disposed within a shell inner chamber. A coolant chamber extends from a shell end, accommodates a portion of the tube stack, and has a sidewall that extends outwardly from the tube stack. A divider is disposed within the coolant chamber between the sidewall and tube stack, and extends axially along the chamber to the end of the shell splitting the coolant chamber into inlet and outlet coolant passages. For example, a pair of dividers are disposed within the coolant chamber and are attached to a respective sidewall surfaces. A coolant inlet and outlet is in fluid flow communication with respective inlet and outlet coolant passages. A cooling medium within the heat exchanger flows longitudinally within the inlet coolant passage along the tube stack in a direction opposite from the coolant flow path within the outlet coolant passage.
US07774912B2
Metal matrix composites having open or closed channels extending longitudinal through the length of the composite as well as methods and apparatus for forming the same are described. The shaped metal matrix composites are made of continuous fiber reinforced metal matrix composite materials. They have an integrally formed, non-cast, metal matrix composite body portion where the walls have a substantially uniform distribution of continuous fibers in a matrix metal throughout the volume of the walls and have at least one channel extending through the body of the shaped metal matrix composite.
US07774905B2
A low profile locking tie head having a reduced wall thickness is provided for use in conjunction with a flexible strap. The low profile head comprises a wall, which circumferentially defines an opening, a reinforcement rib attached to the wall, and a pawl mechanism disposed at least partially inside the opening. A pair of clamping rails preferably provides a complete clamping surface, lowers the required tie head height, and assists in the transfer of force to the reinforcement rib. Further, a tie head retainer is provided to allow secure connection to a predetermined support structure.
US07774874B2
A crib bumper for use in a baby crib is presented. The crib bumper includes at least one bumper section of dense non-absorbent material. The crib bumper may include a plurality of bumper segments abutting each other lengthwise to extend the length or width of a crib. The crib bumper may include a cover having an aperture through which a crib bumper section or crib bumper segments may be placed inside the cover. The cover may be formed of a washable material and may include a mechanism for closing the aperture to prevent the crib bumper from slipping out of the cover. In addition, the cover may include one or more connectors for connecting the cover to the crib.
US07774872B2
A loft bed includes a framework including head and foot portions, each having front and back upstanding posts and connector members therebetween. Each portion includes a connector member defining a roller guide channel, each channel extending substantially between respective upstanding posts of the head and foot portions. Each front upstanding post defines a pin guide channel extending vertically therealong between upper and lower guide channel ends. An upper bed frame includes opposed end rails with opposed side rails extending therebetween. A pair of rollers is attached to the end rails of the upper bed frame and receivable in the roller guide channels. A pair of pins is attached to respective ends of the bed frame for receipt in the pin guide channels. Movement of the roller and pins in the channels enables movement of the bed frame between a sleep configuration and selectable folded out configurations.
US07774867B2
An airbag jacket, to be fitted in a rider jacket, includes an airbag body configured to fill with gas from an inflator operatively connected with the airbag body. The airbag body includes a flat front piece, a flat back piece substantially identical to the flat front piece; the flat front and back pieces having an opening formed therein for permitting an user of the airbag jacket to pass his or her head therethrough. The flat front and back pieces are joined together along a peripheral boundary thereof and along a peripheral boundary of the opening by sewing or bonding so as provide a plurality of continuously formed body covering portions including at least a back covering portion, a shoulder covering portion and a front covering portion.
US07774861B1
A non-fabric head or body band is made from compressed cellulose pop-up sponge material for cooling the wearer. The band comprises a reversible strip of pop-up sponge material in which one or more holes or passageways are formed, the ends of which are connected by an elastic band. The band is wetted causing the pop-up sponge material to expand, such that the inner and outer surfaces are approximately ⅝th of an inch apart, between which is held a supply of water/liquid. The inner surface is substantially in contact with the wearer, while the outer surface is exposed to the elements. During the cooling process, the strip draws heat and/or sweat away from the user, into the cellulose material, and toward the outer surface of the strip, allowing relatively rapid evaporation of sweat and dissipation of heat from the cellulose material as it is cooled from exposure to the elements. The band can repeatedly be reversed to provide a further cooling effect by placing the cooler side of the strip against the user and in turn exposing the warmer/sweat side to the elements, thereby recycling the cooling process.
US07779482B1
Delivery of licenses in a closed distribution system including a playback device and secure processor. The secure processor allows only use of authorized content, and the playback device is authorized to execute content. A user requests a license to selected content using a communication link, without the playback device, outside the closed content system to a license server. The user requests licenses using SMS, sending small amounts of information, possibly including proofs of purchase. The server responds using SMS, providing the user with a code representing information interpretable as a license, such as an encrypted content key or a shared secret known to the user. The user, using a keypad or other device, inputs that code to the playback device, which determines if it authorizes use of the content. The playback device authenticates the license, determining whether that license authorizes the user for the content, and enforces the licensed rights.
US07779477B1
The present invention provides a system and method of facilitating compliance to one or more information sharing regulations. The present invention provides a computer system equipped with a processing unit capable of receiving input information and extracting one or more data sharing guidelines. The present invention utilizes the relationship between the parties and the data at issue to construct a data sharing arrangement. Each data sharing arrangement may be cross-referenced to one or more data sharing guidelines designed to assist the user to determine what privacy regulations apply and how to comply with same.
US07779476B2
A wireless network security system including a system data store capable of storing network default and configuration data, a wireless transmitter and a system processor. The system processor performs a network security method. An active defense request signal is received, typically from an intrusion detection system. The received request signal includes an indicator of an access point within the wireless computer network that is potentially compromised. In response to the received an active defense of the wireless network is triggered. The triggered active defense may be on or more of transmitting a jamming signal, transmitting a signal to introduce CRC errors, transmitting a signal to increase the difficulty associated with breaking the network encryption (typically by including in the signal packet appearing legitimate but containing randomized payloads, or transmitting a channel change request to the potentially compromised access point.
US07779472B1
An executable file is loaded into a virtual machine arranged to emulate the instructions of said executable file. The virtual machine keeps track of application programming interfaces (APIs) used by the executable file during emulation. The executable file is scanned to determine names of (APIs) used. Behavior flags are set if certain conditions occur within the executable file. The APIs determined during emulation and during scanning are compared with a set of known behaviors. A match of the APIs and the known behaviors indicates a high risk of malware. A determination of malware being present is based upon any matches and any behavior flags that are set.
US07779470B2
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for responding to a denial of service attack. The method comprising from a remote data processing system detects an occurrence of the denial of service attack in which invalid credentials are presented to the data processing system. Connections from the remote data processing system to the data processing system are blocked in response to detecting the occurrence of the denial of service attack. A command is selectively sent to a server data processing system to block connections from the remote data processing system, in response to detecting the occurrence the denial of service attack.
US07779469B2
Systems and techniques are provided for controlling requests for resources from remote computers. A remote computer's ability to access a resource is determined based upon the computer's operating environment. The computer or computers responsible for controlling access to a resource will interrogate the remote computer to ascertain its operating environment. The computer or computers responsible for controlling access to a resource may, for example, download one or more interrogator agents onto the remote computer to determine its operating environment. Based upon the interrogation results, the computer or computers responsible for controlling access to a resource will control the remote computer's access to the requested resource.
US07779462B2
A computer is adapted for changing one or more of the application, security, or user contexts based on the orientation of a component, such as a monitor. Changing the context responsive to the reorientation allows two or more users to use the same hardware to complete a transaction requiring at least two perspectives, for example, buyer and seller. In the background, transaction end points may be changed as well as establishment of a secure channel for supporting confidentiality of a user and their personal information. The computer so equipped may be applicable to many situations involving two parties, such as hospitals, personnel/human relations, banking, government benefits, and retail.
US07779460B2
An evidence-based policy manager generates a permission grant set for a code assembly received from a resource location. The policy manager executes in a computer system (e.g., a Web client or server) in combination with the verification module and class loader of the run-time environment. The permission grant set generated for a code assembly is applied in the run-time call stack to help the system determine whether a given system operation by the code assembly is authorized. The policy manager may determine a subset of the permission grant set based on a subset of the received code assembly's evidence, in order to expedite processing of the code assembly. When the evidence subset does not yield the desired permission subset, the policy manager may then perform an evaluation of all evidence received.
US07779456B2
A method of protecting use of an entity's identity is provided. The method comprises setting a status of the identity to a first state, the first state defining a scope of permitted use of the identity, changing, in advance of an intended use of the identity, the status to a second state defining a scope of permitted use of the identity that is different from the first state, requesting use of the identity after the changing; and returning, after the requesting, the state back to the first state.
US07779450B2
The present invention is intended to surely provide optimum information to users. A PK (Personal Key) stores PMDs (Personal Meta Data) that provide the information about each user. Of these PMDs, only those permitted for provision to a service system are transmitted to the service system by means of the quasi electrostatic field communication that is controlled by the range between the body of each user and an antenna. The service system receives the PMDs transmitted from the PK through the quasi electrostatic field communication. Further, on the basis of the received PMDs, the service system gets, from a content database, the content to be provided to each user and displays the obtained content onto an output device, thereby providing the content to each user. The present invention is applicable to a situated information presentation system, for example.
US07779443B2
Wireless communication system and wireless communication method using a wireless channel. A transmitting device changes one of a data bitrate of a video signal and an actual transmission rate of the video signal based on a determination of a maximum transmission throughput of the wireless channel and transmits the video signal over the wireless channel according to the change in the data bitrate or the change in the actual transmission rate. A receiving device receives, temporarily stores, and decodes the video signal transmitted over the wireless channel. Thus, the wireless communication system is capable of maintaining a continuous video display when a discontinuous video signal is transmitted over the wireless channel.
US07779437B2
A method for enhancing digital video recorder television advertising viewership provides a method wherein the first or last number of seconds of a commercial break are carefully authored to provide a “teaser” to entice the viewer to watch multiple commercials during the commercial break instead of skipping the commercial break using the fast forward or jump functions of the DVR. A bookending function displays an advertisement before and/or after a program that has been recorded on the DVR's storage device is played to the viewer. The viewer selects a recorded program from the DVR's storage device to playback. Before the program is played back, an advertisement is retrieved from the storage device and is displayed before the program is run. Another advertisement is retrieved and then played after the program is over.
US07779430B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein a client component including at least one client interface is provided. Also provided is a target component including at least one service interface, wherein the at least one client interface is capable of matching the at least one service interface. A service interface implementation corresponding to the at least one service interface is provided, wherein the service interface implementation is a dynamic service interface implementation. The dynamic service interface implementation is executed to allow access to the client component to a service provided by the target component.
US07779429B2
In a method for building distributed software, a single computer program may be written which includes distinct sets of routines defining operation at distinct computing devices (or types of computing devices) in a distributed system. Direct calls may be made between routines, even if the routines define operation of distinct computing devices. Through examination and processing of the computer program, multiple computer programs which collectively constitute distributed software for the distributed system are created. Each program defines the operation of a computing device within the system. Direct calls are emulated using instructions for inter-process communication which effect remote routine invocation transparently from the perspective of the developer. In the result, the run-time operation of each output computer program at its respective target computing device is consistent with the operation defined for that computing device within the input computer program. Advantageously, the developer may be shielded from numerous implementation details.
US07779424B2
According to at least one embodiment, a method comprises observing communication from a virtual machine (VM) to an isolated driver domain. The method further comprises determining, based on the observed communication, CPU utilization of the isolated driver domain that is attributable to the VM. According to at least one embodiment, a system comprises a Central Processing Unit (CPU), Virtual Machines (VMs), and a first isolated driver domain in which a first device driver for a first shared resource resides, wherein the first isolated driver domain is operable to receive requests from the VMs for access to the first shared resource. The system further comprises a CPU utilization monitor operable to determine an amount of CPU utilization of the first isolated driver domain in processing the received requests that is attributable to a VM requesting access to the first shared resource.
US07779422B1
A system, method and computer program product for permitting use of multiple hooking applications to hook an interface. Included are a first hooking application and a second hooking application. Further provided is computer code including a vector and a stub dynamic link library (DLL) for permitting the first hooking application and the second hooking application to both hook an interface.
US07779421B2
Techniques for business event processing are presented. Producer services produce events that are managed and distributed by a transport service. Consumer services acquire events from the transport service and perform actions in response to the events. The production, distribution, and processing of the events and actions may be asynchronously and concurrently performed.
US07779408B1
A mobile information device may download and execute Java MIDlet and non-MIDlet applications. The mobile information device may use generic content descriptors to download and manage non-Java applications.
US07779400B2
Firmware of an optical storage medium device includes an executable program code and at least one reference data set. A method for modifying the firmware without requiring a compiling process includes inputting an attribute data set for setting a user interface; modifying the firmware by modifying the reference data set according to the attribute data set, wherein the executable program code is not modified when the firmware is being modified; determining if the modified firmware is capable of performing a target operation before the modified firmware is written into the optical storage medium device, wherein the user interface can be displayed according to the attribute data set; displaying the user interface according to the attribute data set; and writing the modified firmware into the optical storage medium device after the modified firmware is capable of performing the target operation.
US07779398B2
Methods and systems for manipulating information represented by computer code are described. Macroinstructions that are used to analyze an input are accessed. The macroinstructions are written according to a first computer system language. The macroinstructions are rewritten as strings according to a second computer system language. The strings are included in an exportable representation.
US07779396B2
The subject disclosure pertains to computer programming languages and translation or conversion thereof. Rather than a complicated semantics preserving translation or conversion from a first source language to a second target language, the conversion can be one of syntax. The conversion can be accomplished, for example, via employment of a map that defines the relation between the syntax of the first language and the second language. The semantics of at least a part of the first language can be defined by the second target language. Thus, the first language can be open-ended and/or semantically extensible based on the second language.
US07779392B2
Object information is read that denotes a load state of the object from storage and selects an object having a load that is lower than a predetermined value. Then, a reference to an object allocation control part is returned that allocates the selected object to a destination as a response through communicating means. In allocating an object, the object information is read from the storage to select an object having a load that is lower than a predetermined value. Then, a reference to a dispatcher is returned that executes the selected object to the destination as a response through the communicating means. In executing the object, the object information is read from the storage and executes the object if the object has a load that is lower than a predetermined threshold value.
US07779391B2
A method, article, and system for providing an effective implementation of assembler language instructions to convert Unicode and Unicode-tranformation-format (UTF) characters implemented on 21, 31, and 64-bit architectures, while maintaining backward compatibility with existing systems. The enhanced Extended-Translation Facility 3 (ETF3) instruction set introduces a new operand in an unused field (M3) that facilitates a change in the original instruction format and its intended function. With the ETF3-Enhancement Facility installed, a value of zeros in the M3 field indicates that instruction operation is to continue as originally defined. When a nonzero value is coded in the M3 field a new function is carried out. The assembler accommodates the changes by making the new M3 field optional when coding the instructions. If the M3 field is not coded, the assembler defaults to providing zeros in the M3 field (as found in the original instruction format), and backward compatible operation is provided.
US07779384B2
A method, system and apparatus for managing visual renderings of typing classes in a model driven development environment. The method can include toggling a visual rendering of a typing class for a specified typed member in a visually rendered owner class in response to a selection of an activatable toggle disposed in proximity to the visually rendered owner class in the model driven development environment. The toggling step further can include toggling a visual rendering of a linkage between the typing class and the visually rendered owner class responsive to the selection. Additionally, the toggling step further can include the step of toggling an appearance of the activatable toggle responsive to the selection.
US07779375B2
A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process includes an apparatus for testing logic devices configured across asynchronous clock domains, including a deactivation mechanism for deactivating, during at-speed fault testing, a local clock signal for each of a first plurality of latches having at least one data input thereto originating from a source located within an asynchronous clock domain with respect thereto; wherein the deactivation mechanism is configured to permit data capture within the first plurality of latches, and wherein the deactivation mechanism is further configured to permit at-speed data launch from the first plurality of latches to downstream latches with respect thereto during at-speed testing.
US07779373B2
Using layout position information as input, in a position-dependent variation amount calculation step, position-dependent variation amount information which is a variation amount of a characteristic parameter or a shape parameter variable depending on an arrangement position of each element constituting a design target semiconductor integrated circuit is calculated. Thereafter, a simulation is performed using circuit information. In the simulation, a value for the circuit information is corrected according to a position-dependent variation amount of the position-dependent variation amount information, and a result of the simulation is calculated. Accordingly, a simulation for a circuit characteristic using a variation amount depending on an arrangement position of a device and the like can be performed with layout position information for a semiconductor integrated circuit.
US07779371B2
Methods, systems and user interface for evaluating product designs in light of promulgated standards
Interactive, computer implemented systems and methods for analyzing issues raised by promulgated industry standards for complex electrical product and system design. Data and information related to the electrical system and to the promulgated standards of interest are archived in the system databases, and with an intuitive menu driven user interface and graphic displays, interested users may rather quickly evaluate complex product designs for certification with desired promulgated standards applicable to the product and system design.
US07779370B2
A computer-implemented method of displaying information on a mobile device is discussed. The method includes displaying on the mobile device a first view having a first search result element in an expanded format and a plurality of additional search result elements in a collapsed format, receiving a user input that identifies a selected search result element from the plurality of additional search result elements, and in response to the user input, displaying on the mobile device a second view having one of the plurality of additional search result elements in an expanded format, and the remainder of the plurality of additional search result elements in a collapsed format.
US07779367B2
A toolbar displays dynamically configured controls based on a size of a window in which an application is running and on the media type presented. A large set of available controls may be available for the toolbar; however, the size of the application window in which the application is running may not be able to display all of the available controls in the window in such as way as to be comfortably used by a user. Accordingly, the controls may be scaled, filtered, and interchanged according to the “real estate” available in the application window, as well as other contextual aspects of the application, to provide a more user-friendly experience.
US07779366B2
A system and method are provided for drawing graphics, such as to display a user interface on a display of a mobile device. A graphics stack is used to store pre-computed coordinate values to improve performance for drawing graphics, such as to display a user interface on a display of a mobile device.
US07779355B1
Techniques for creating a composite image are provided. The techniques include receiving an electronic representation of a paper document. Features in the electronic representation are then extracted and compared to recorded information to determine matching information. For example, the matching information may be presentations and/or pages in the recorded information. Information is then determined based on the matching information and the received electronic representation. The composite electronic representation is then created using the determined information.
US07779354B2
A method, computer program product, and a data processing system for recognizing and correcting dyslexia-related spelling errors is provided. A word is received for evaluation of a dyslexia-related misspelling. The received word is compared with a plurality of dyslexia variants, and a match between the received word and a dyslexia variant is identified. An error rate at which dyslexia-related misspelled words are received is compared with a threshold, and the read word is evaluated as one of a correctly spelled word and a dyslexia-related misspelling of a word.
US07779351B2
A generated document is colored by replacing the original colors of a paragraph of a source document with colors used to identify the paragraph and with colors to mark original color boundaries. The colors used to identify the paragraph and the colors used to mark color boundaries include a pair of colors including a first replacement color and a second replacement color. Values identifying the original colors of the paragraph are stored, including by storing a list of colors corresponding to the original colors of the paragraph. A first character of the paragraph is colored with the first replacement color. A second character of the paragraph is colored with the second replacement color if the original color of the second character is the same as the original color of the first character. The second character of the paragraph is colored with the first replacement color if the original color of the second character is different from the original color of the first character. The colors of the source document are restored to the generated document, including by using the first replacement color as an index into the stored list of colors and coloring a first character of a paragraph of the generated document the indicated color from the stored list of colors.
US07779350B2
The system, method and program of the invention enables a new DTD to be dynamically created during runtime from a preexisting DTD. A next document is processed and validated according to the new DTD. An interface is provided that enables plug-in providers to provide fragments of DTD information for at least one new element to be added and the name of the element that is to be added to an existing parameter entity. All of the fragments from each plug-in provider are concatenated together and combined with the static header information of the preexisting DTD to form the new DTD.
US07779334B2
An error correction code system for a memory having parity columns of a memory array located within the memory array is provided. The parity columns are grouped together or distributed throughout the memory array. An embodiment includes a multiplexor circuit for selectively coupling only parity bits stored in the parity memory array to I/O circuitry, bypassing ECC logic circuitry and allowing the parity columns to be directly accessible, in a direct access mode or for selectively coupling the parity bits to ECC logic circuitry in an ECC mode.
US07779321B2
A method comprises performing at least one zero-bit scan across an interface link. The at least one zero-bit scan defines a command window. The method further comprises an interface adapter counting a number of inert scans in the command window, and the number of inert scans defines a particular command or data. An inert scan results in no data being moved into or out of the interface adapter.
US07779319B1
Integrated circuits may include at least an instruction processor and input-output subsystems. Each input-output subsystem includes a wrapper circuit a wrapper circuit controlled by the instruction processor. The wrapper circuit includes two or more scan registers, where a data value stored in each scan register can be shifted out for analysis. The wrapper circuit also includes two or more update registers to transfer stored data values between itself and an associated scan register. The wrapper circuit also includes a set of combinatorial logic coupled to the scan registers, the update registers and the instruction test processor, wherein at least two I/Os of the plurality of I/Os but less than all of the plurality of I/Os couple to an external tester.
US07779318B2
A self test structure for interconnect and logic element testing in programmable devices including a plurality of logic elements; an interconnect structure for connecting the logic elements; SRAM based configuration latches for configuring the interconnect structure; test configuration circuitry for configuring any desired set of logic elements, interconnect structure and configuration latches during reset state that links the logic elements and interconnect structure to form a complete path between the interface points of the programmable logic device to enable testing of the desired elements in the complete path.
US07779315B2
A semiconductor memory device has a single input terminal to select a buffer and includes input-output terminals, input-output buffers, a memory core, and a buffer selecting unit. The input-output terminals include address input terminals, data input-output terminals and an input terminal to select a buffer. The input-output buffers are coupled to the data input-output terminals respectively. The memory core is coupled to the input-output buffers through input-output lines. The buffer selecting unit generates a parallel buffer select signal based on an expected signal having a pulse stream, wherein the expected signal is provided via the input terminal to select a buffer in a test mode, and applies the parallel buffer select signal to the plurality of input-output buffers to select a corresponding input-output buffer. Hence, the semiconductor memory device may increase efficiency of a pin in a test device.
US07779310B2
A system for detecting a work status of a computer system is provided. The system includes a super input/output (Super I/O) chipset, a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a South Bridge chipset and a device driver. The device driver is configured for driving the Super I/O chipset to generate and send a start signal to the CPLD, and is further configured for driving the Super I/O chipset to periodically generate and send a test signal to the CPLD. The CPLD is configured for receiving the start signal and triggering a clock to start timing from an initial time, monitoring whether a predetermined amount of test signals have been received in a predetermined time, and is further configured for sending a reboot signal to the South Bridge chipset when the predetermined amount of test signals have not been received in the predetermined time. The South Bridge chipset is configured for rebooting the computer system when receiving the reboot signal. A related method is also provided.
US07779305B2
A method and system for supporting recovery of a computing device includes determining and storing a sub-set of firmware instructions used to establish a pre-boot environment and executing the sub-set of firmware instructions in response to an error.
US07779292B2
A cache coherent data processing system includes a plurality of processing units each having at least an associated cache, a system memory, and a memory controller that is coupled to and controls access to the system memory. The system memory includes a plurality of storage locations for storing a memory block of data, where each of the plurality of storage locations is sized to store a sub-block of data. The system memory further includes metadata storage for storing metadata, such as a domain indicator, describing the memory block. In response to a failure of a storage location for a particular sub-block among the plurality of sub-blocks, the memory controller overwrites at least a portion of the metadata in the metadata storage with the particular sub-block of data.
US07779288B2
A timer circuit includes a storage unit to store a series of first data content relating to a time into a specified address area, a target value generation unit to read the first data content from a read address of the storage unit and to generate, as a target value, third data content in which second data content is added to the first data content, a counter to perform counting and to output a count-up signal when the counting is performed up to the target value, and a control unit to sequentially designate a next read address of the storage unit at each count-up and to cause the series of operations of the target value generation unit and the counter to be executed.
US07779282B2
A sub-system may maintain the network connectivity of the device, while the device is operating in low power. The sub-system may determine whether a pre-specified pattern is present in the incoming packet. The sub-system may send network messages such as keep-alive or time-out messages on behalf of the device if a first pattern is detected in the incoming packet. A first action associated with the first pattern may indicate that a network message is to be sent to another device. The sub-system may send a wake-up signal to the device if a second pattern is detected in the incoming packet. A second action associated with the second pattern may indicate that a wake-up signal is to be sent to the device.
US07779278B2
A method and circuit for reducing power consumption during idle mode to ultra-low levels, such as about 1/10th to 1/1000th or less of active power is disclosed. An ultra-low idle power supply comprises a primary circuit, a secondary circuit and a control circuit. The control circuit monitors behavior of the primary circuit and determines whether an idle state or no load condition exists, and if so the primary circuit is disengaged. By disengaging the primary circuit, the power consumption of the ultra-low idle power supply is reduced to ultra-low levels.
US07779274B2
Systems and methods for implementing a hardware ID with time- and weight-based flexibility use a hardware ID (HWID) including identifying information about hardware components. When software is run, a current HWID is generated. When the current HWID is compared to a stored HWID to determine if the two HWIDs match, a time vector and a weight vector are used in the comparison. A running matching score is kept of matches. For each hardware component, the weight vector indicates the weight given to a correct match of the hashed value for the hardware component. For example, if the weight value for the hardware component is three and there is a match, then the running total is increased by three. For each hardware component, the time vector may indicate an expiration period after which a change in the component may be allowed. For example, if the expiration period for the component is one year, and one year has passed since activation, the running total may be increased even though the component's information in the verification HWID does not match the current component information.
US07779270B2
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.
US07779269B2
A technique for preventing illegal invocation of software programs is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for preventing illegal invocation of software programs in a computer system having a first program that invokes a second program. The method may comprise generating a first digital signature for the first program. The method may also comprise making one or more permitted digital signatures available to the second program. The method may further comprise generating a first parameter for the first program, wherein the first parameter is cryptographically computed based on the first digital signature, a memory address for storing the first parameter, and a first system code that is unique to the computer system. The method may additionally comprise making the first parameter available to the second program.
US07779267B2
There are many times when a secret needs to be used in a distributed computing system—these are often held in security tokens, such as smart cards. It may be desirable for another device, such as a computer platform, to act in place of the security token as the repository of a secret, particularly for operations within a distributed computing system. Within the distributed computing system there is located a trusted entity, physically and logically resistant to unauthorized modification—this may be a trusted device located within a specific computing platform. This contains validation information which can be communicated to the security token. The security token then carries out a validation process on this validation information—if successful, the security token then provides a secret to the trusted device for use within the distributed computing system. The trusted device may be required to use this secret only for a specified period of time, or for a specific purpose or task.
US07779261B2
A method for applying a digital watermark to a content signal is disclosed. In accordance with such a method, a watermarking key is identified. The watermarking key includes a binary sequence and information describing application of that binary sequence to the content signal. The digital watermark is then encoded within the content signal at one or more locations determined by the watermarking key.
US07779260B2
In order to limit use of content, when a source receives a request for transmitting content from a sink, the source performs an authentication process. When the authentication is successful, the source transmits to the sink key information necessary for decrypting the encryption applied to the content. The sink can receive the content by receiving the key information and by decrypting the encryption applied to the content by using the key information.
US07779256B2
A data reproducing method for a plurality of devices, for sending and receiving data by authenticating the plurality of devices with each other, said data reproducing method including: selecting, from a plurality of descrambling methods, a scrambling method corresponding to a type of said data, executing authentication by an authenticating method corresponding to the selected descrambling method, where the authenticating method is selected from a plurality of authenticating methods, and reproducing said data.
US07779254B1
The present invention is a system and a method for extending multiple independent levels of security to a plurality of input/output buses and components connected to the buses. In an exemplary embodiment, the system may include a processing unit suitable for operation in a plurality of security level. A bus controller including security control logic may be coupled to the processing unit for restricting access and flow of information between the physical memory and the plurality of buses. The bus controller may employ base address registers to allocate and map the physical memory to control which partitions of the physical memory are accessible to each of the plurality of buses and thus, a device connected to at least one of the plurality of buses.
US07779253B2
Cryptographic protocols and methods of employing the same are described. The described protocols advantageously enable two or more identical encryptable objects that are coded for encryption with different keys to be identified as identical without access to either the unencrypted objects or the keys that are used in the encryption process. Additionally, the protocols enable two or more identical encryptable objects to be processed with different encryption keys, yet be stored in a manner so that the total required storage space is proportional to the space that is required to store a single encryptable object, plus a constant amount for each distinct encryption key. In various embodiments, the encryptable objects comprise files and the cryptographic protocols enable encrypted files to be used in connection with single instance store (SIS) systems.
US07779252B2
Mobile PDA computer system (300) includes a secure user processor (302), a non-secure user processor (306), a cryptographic engine (304), and a shared human/machine interface (HMI) (308). The secure user processor (302) can be comprised of a first trusted microprocessor and a first trusted operating system executing on the first trusted microprocessor. The non-secure user processor (306) can be comprised of a second non-trusted microprocessor and a second non-trusted operating system executing on the second non-trusted microprocessor. A cryptographic engine (304) can be comprised of a third trusted cryptographic processor and a third trusted operating system executing on the third trusted cryptographic processor. The cryptographic engine can be configured for encrypting and decrypting data. A first data communication link (303) communicates data between the secure user processor and the cryptographic engine. A second data communication link (305) communicates data between the cryptographic engine and the non-secure user processor. In this way, the cryptographic engine forms a bridge between the secure user processor and the non-secure user processor. An HMI (308) comprised of trusted hardware for user input and output is time-multiplex-shared among the secure user processor (302), the non-secure user processor (304), and the cryptographic engine (306) in a secure fashion.
US07779246B2
A method and device is provided for making available security functions during the transmission of data from and to a subscriber terminal of a mobile communications network. A real-time analysis of the data flow from and to the subscriber terminal is carried out in a device of a network node of the mobile communications network during which data with contents defined beforehand by the subscriber or by a network operator/provider are identified and processed. This results in protecting the terminal and subscriber's devices connected thereto from external attacks.
US07779243B2
A computer system, method, article of manufacture, and system is provided comprising a processor, a first storage device with a primary operating system stored within and a second storage device with a secondary operating system stored within. The computer system contains BIOS capable of booting either the primary operating system or the secondary operating system responsive to user selection. The secondary operating system has fewer functions than the primary operating system and is capable of running the computer system independent of the primary operating system.
US07779225B2
A memory access method includes: obtaining a, b, and c from a program code for accessing a memory with a triple loop in a program, a being a number of values which an inner-most loop variable of the triple loop may have, b being a number of values which a middle loop variable of the triple loop may have, and c being a number of values which an outer-most loop variable of the triple loop may have; obtaining a starting address of the memory accessed by the triple loop; and obtaining an a×b×c number of addresses of the memory accessed by the triple loop using the starting address and a function.
US07779220B1
The present invention, in particular embodiments, is directed to methods, apparatuses and systems directed to the authentication of cartridge-based storage media. In a particular embodiment, the present invention provides authentication passwords that are stored on authorized cartridge-based hard disc drives. The authentication password, in one embodiment, is a hash of an interleaved combination of a cartridge-based hard disc drive's serial number and model number strings. Upon insertion of a locked cartridge-based hard disc drive into a carrier, carrier logic obtains the serial number and model number strings of the hard disc drive and generates a password additionally using a base string. The carrier logic then attempts to unlock/authenticate the cartridge-based hard disc drive with the newly-generated password. Authentication occurs with an authorized cartridge as the password contained in the associated hard disc drive will match the password sent by the carrier logic. Unauthorized cartridge passwords are typically generated without knowledge of the base string or algorithm. Due to that, compatibility with associated carriers is prevented.
US07779216B2
A memory system that disperses memory addresses of strings of data throughout a memory is provided. The memory system includes a memory, a central processing unit (CPU) and an address randomizer. The memory is configured to store strings of data. The CPU is configured to direct the storing and retrieving of the strings of data from the memory at select memory addresses. The address randomizer is coupled between the CPU and the memory. Moreover, the address randomizer is configured to disburse the strings of data throughout locations of the memory by changing the select memory addresses directed by the CPU.
US07779210B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving a request for data in a home agent of a system from a first agent, prefetching the data from a memory and accessing a directory entry to determine whether a copy of the data is cached in any system agent, and forwarding the data to the first agent without waiting for snoop responses from other system agents if the directory entry indicates that the data is not cached. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07779209B2
In a multiprocessor system, a system controller includes snoop tags which are copy information on cache tags retained by respective CPUs. If the same address is registered in S (Shared state) in the cache tag of each of the CPUs connected to the same CPU bus, the address is registered in S (Shared state) in only any one of the snoop tags corresponding to the CPUs in which the same address is registered.
US07779208B2
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a prefetch unit coupled to a data cache. The prefetch unit is configured to concurrently maintain a plurality of separate, active prefetch streams. Each prefetch stream is either software initiated via execution by the processor of a dedicated prefetch instruction or hardware initiated via detection of a data cache miss by one or more load/store memory operations. The prefetch unit is further configured to generate prefetch requests responsive to the plurality of prefetch streams to prefetch data in to the data cache.
US07779206B2
An information carrier medium containing software that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to receive information from circuit logic that is adapted to collect the information from caches on different cache levels, at least some of the information from caches on different cache levels associated with a common address. The software also causes the processor to selectively bypass a portion of the information specified by a user of the software and to provide non-bypassed information to the user and not said bypassed portion.
US07779205B2
A multi processor system 1 comprises a plurality of processors 21 to 25, a system bus 30 and a main system memory 40. Each processor 21 to 25 is connected to a respective cache memory 41 to 45, with each cache memory 41 to 45 in turn being connected to the system bus 30. The cache memories 41 to 45 store copies of data or instructions that are used frequently by the respective processors 21 to 25, thereby eliminating the need for the processors 21 to 25 to access the main system memory 40 during each read or write operation. Processor 25 is connected to a local memory 50 having a plurality of data blocks (not shown). According to the invention, the local memory 50 has a first port 51 for connection to its respective processor 25. In addition, the local memory 50 has a second port 52 connected to the system bus 30, thereby allowing one or more of the other processors 21 to 24 to access the local memory 50. The invention enables the coherent caching of local memory data, using local memory devices that are less expensive, faster, and having more predicable timing than cache memories.
US07779202B2
According to one embodiment, a read/write control unit controls read/write access to at least two disk drives that provide a disk array. Error counters are provided for the respective disk drives for counting respective numbers of errors if the errors occur when the disk drives are accessed. A failure estimation unit detects, as a disk drive which is very likely to fail, a disk drive included in the disk array and having a high error occurrence degree, based on the numbers of errors counted by the error counters. A mode-setting unit sets the detected disk drive in a particular mode in which the detected disk drive is maintained as a member of the disk array and is made more inaccessible than the remaining disk drive of the disk array.
US07779197B1
A device and method are disclosed for performing a limit address check validation in a switching device. The device includes a data selector circuit that is enabled to select the content of an address register in an array of address registers, and a comparator electrically coupled to the data selector circuit and enabled to take a first input from the data selector circuit and target address as a second input from a communication packet. The method includes receiving the target address, seeking and locating a matching address in an array of base address registers, directing the packet to the port associated with the matching address, determining the target address to be a valid address by comparing the target address with a limit address associated with the matching base address, and nullifying the match if the target address is greater than the limit address.
US07779196B2
First and second networks, for example Controller Area Networks (CANs), of different physical layers are interfaced by applying signals of the busses of the two networks to respective transceivers. A dominant state of one of the busses is sensed and data is transferred between the two transceivers in a direction from the dominant bus. The two busses are interfaced by a logic circuit interposed between the transceivers. A control circuit is coupled to the first and second logic units for mutually exclusively activating and deactivating the first and second logic units to control the direction of data transfer between the busses.
US07779190B2
An arbitration device arbitrates among master devices such that each master device is allowed to access a shared memory at a predetermined bandwidth, and the arbitration device permits an access request in a first period that a designer has set as desired if the access request has been made by a specific master device beyond a bandwidth that has been allocated in advance. The arbitration device masks an access request from the specific master device in a second period that follows the first period.
US07779189B2
A method for pipeline arbitration including receiving a first request for a shared chip interface from a first pipeline, determining whether a response bus of the shared chip interface is needed by the first request, and if it is determined that the response bus is not needed by the first request, concluding that the first request needs just an address bus of the shared chip interface, arbitrating the first request with a second request for the shared chip interface received from a second pipeline for access to the address bus, sending the first request to the address bus if the first request wins the arbitration over the second request, and rejecting the first request if the second request wins the arbitration over the first request. A corresponding system and computer program product.
US07779188B2
A system and method for signaling a deferred response to a data request in a bus connected system is described. In one embodiment, a responding agent on the bus issues a deferred response message when it cannot supply the requested data in a short period of time. When the responding agent knows that the requested data will shortly arrive in its buffers, it may first send an identification signal to the requesting agent, indicating to the requesting agent that it should prepare to receive the data shortly. After one or more bus clock cycles, the responding agent may then subsequently send the corresponding data message to the requesting agent.
US07779182B2
A computer program product and distributed data processing system that allows a single physical I/O adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter, to validate that a direct memory access address referenced by an incoming I/O transaction that was initiated through a memory mapped I/O operation are associated with a virtual adapter or virtual resource that is referenced by the incoming memory mapped I/O operation is provided. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mechanism for sharing conventional PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) I/O adapters, PCI-X I/O Adapters, PCI-Express I/O Adapters, and, in general, any I/O adapter that uses a memory mapped I/O interface for communications. A single physical I/O adapter validates that one or more direct memory access addresses referenced by an incoming I/O transaction initiated through a memory mapped I/O operation are associated with a virtual adapter or virtual resource that is referenced by the incoming memory mapped I/O operation.
US07779180B2
A data processing module includes: a data converter having a TranslateData interface for receiving input data and sending output data, a Property interface for sending and receiving parameter data composed of a character string parameter for Property control, and Open/Close interface for initializing the environment and the state, a query interface for obtaining entries of the internal interfaces of the Open/Close interface, the TranslateData interface, and the Property interface, an API interface for dynamically obtaining by the query interface the four kinds of interfaces of the Open, Close, Property, and TranslateData, and a callback interface designated by the Property interface.
US07779161B2
A novel method of virtual application enabling of a web site at least includes: a) via a end-user device, connecting to a website targeted for application enabling; b) generating end-user device compliant code for rendering of a web page on the end-user device; c) rendering a web page on the end-user device; d) providing locations on a rendered web page designated for virtual website application enabling; e) automatically mapping locations selected in element d) into corresponding locations in the end-user or website source code; f) providing application enabling code to be inserted at the locations identified in element e) or other general website code locations; g) generating and managing a virtual application enabling setup package adapted to store application enabling information generated in elements d), e), and f); and h) virtually (i.e., just in time) generating the application enabled end-user code in accordance with the information and directions contained in the application enabling setup package.
US07779157B2
A system and method for servicing user accounts are disclosed. The system includes one or more blades for servicing the user accounts, where each blade includes software components and hardware components, and each blade serves a group of user accounts, a blade manager for managing states of the one or more blades, logic for detecting a failed blade among the one or more blades, and logic for recovering the failed blade using the states of the one or more blades managed by the blade manager.
US07779152B2
A method for establishing a secure communications tunnel between a first node and a second node in a communication system includes a plurality of networks each having a respective tunnel control entity for controlling establishment of secure communications tunnels in the respective network. The first node operates in a first one of the networks and the second node operates in a second one of the networks. The method includes determining a route for the communications tunnel from the first network to the second network by way of one or more of the other networks. A request message digitally signed by the first node is formed and the identities of the tunnel control entity of the first network and the tunnel control entities of the other networks are included. The request message from the first node to the tunnel control entity of the second network is transmitted. In response to that message, the secure communication tunnel is established between the first node and the second node by way of the tunnel control entities identified in that message.
US07779151B2
A scheme for replicating data items from a computer system to a mobile data communication device. In one embodiment, a method comprises one or more of the following: automatically detecting arrival of the data items at the computer system; characterizing the data items based on a characterization scheme; and redirecting the characterized data items from the computer system to the mobile data communication device, wherein the characterization scheme is adapted to correspond with a user-selectable notification scheme operable at the mobile data communication device.
US07779145B2
To reduce the total amount of reply messages in broadcasting and to make effective use of the bandwidth of a communication route without assuming an error rate in advance.Data is broadcasted to a plurality of receivers (step 11), then a maximum message length of reply messages from the receivers is calculated (step 13), and a backoff time of the reply messages is calculated (step 14). The maximum message length and the backoff time is sent to the receivers (step 15), then the reply messages having lengths of up to the specified maximum message length are generated by the receivers (step 17), and the reply messages are sent from the receivers at any time within the specified backoff time (step 19).
US07779144B2
A system and method for dynamically controlling aggregate and individual packet flow characteristics within a compressed logical data tunnel. A logical data tunnel is formed and includes one or more packet flows. Each packet flow includes individual packets having a shared destination address. Bandwidth allocated to control an aggregated flow of packets routed through the logical data tunnel. A transfer rate is assigned to control each packet flow transiting within the logical data tunnel.
US07779141B2
The invention provides a communication apparatus used inside a house, a communication system connected thereto, a communication process, and computer program used therefore. The communication apparatus of the present invention connected via a network to one or more terminal appliances in the house, communicates with the outside via two or more different communication configurations including a first communication configuration with a high speed digital transmission technique and a second communication configuration providing service for telephone subscribers. The communication apparatus is characterized in recognizing a situation thereby to disconnect the first communication configuration and to use only the second communication configuration for communication with the outside.
US07779136B2
A method, a proxy and a host are provided for securing neighbor discovery (ND) signaling between hosts when the hosts are connected through the proxy. A first host sends an original ND message comprising a first signature based on an address of the first host. The proxy removes the address of the first host and substitutes its own address in a modified ND message. The proxy then places a copy of the address of the first host in a new field and builds a proxy signature based on the own address of the proxy and on the new field. The new field and the proxy signature are added to the modified ND message. A second host receives the modified ND message from the proxy and verifies the proxy signature. The second host reconstructs the original ND message content and then verifies the first signature.
US07779123B2
A system and associated method for building a network model of a network for a network management application. The network management application discovering a router discovers peering routers using network reachability information in a routing protocol. Undiscoverable peering routers are created within the network model by the network management application from network reachability information. Also a local subnet for the router, a remote subnet for a peer, a remote interface between the router and the peer also may be created to model the network in a network management application from information from the routing protocol.
US07779120B2
A network system includes printers as terminals interconnected via a network. Each of the printers can obtain information on the others, and transmit the obtained information together with information on itself to a browser computer as a controller. Therefore, by obtaining the information only from one of the printers, the computer can obtain together with it the information on the others. In this system, it is possible to obtain the information on the printers efficiently without using a server computer.
US07779116B2
In an embodiment, a request is received that is directed to a page. A determination is made whether a session associated with the request already exists by determining whether the request is dependent on a previous request. If the session does not already exist, then a decision is made whether the request will result in creating a session. If the request will result in creation of a session, then a server is selected based on a load-balancing metric instance associated with the page, and the request is sent to the selected server. The load-balancing metric instance has an algorithm and an input parameter to the algorithm. The server is selected by executing the algorithm and selecting the server identified by an output parameter from the algorithm.
US07779111B2
To explicitly identify network devices without providing a database server using an IPv6 address. An IPv6 address for address management on a network is set in a network device connected to an IPv6 network and the network device keeps and maintains the address. An interface ID 12 of the IPv6 address is composed of a maker ID 13, a management ID 14, a device ID 15, and a function ID 16. Maker information kept and maintained by a maker of the network device is assigned to the maker ID 13 and a number indicating management by a device type is assigned as a number indicating a management system type to a device the management ID 14. The device ID 15 has numbers indicating a device type 17, a product type 18, and a product serial number 19. A number indicating a function of the network device is assigned to the function ID 16.
US07779109B2
A timing network is provided that includes a plurality of servers. The servers of the network obtain information used to maintain the servers in time synchronization, thus ensuring the integrity of the servers.
US07779108B2
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a device management system, which comprises a first device connected to a network, an information processing device connected to the network, a second device connected to the information processing device, and a management device connected to the network. The management device comprises: a request judgment unit configured to accept a request regarding management and to judge whether a target device of the request is the first device or the second device based on a database; a first management unit configured to transmit the first management command to the first device in accordance with a first protocol; and a second management unit configured to transmit the second management command to the information processing device in accordance with a second protocol. The information processing device comprises a command relaying unit configured to send the second management command to the second device.
US07779085B2
A remote wireless device registers with a server. Responsively, the server determines the identity of a server-side application associated with a user of the remote wireless device. The server may then generate an application definition file specific to the server-side application and to the remote wireless device. The application definition file may contain definitions for: a user interface format; a format for network messages; and a format for storing data. Using these definitions, the wireless device may receive data generated by the server-side application and formatted in accordance with the definitions. The wireless device may then present a user interface for the server-side application. The application definition file may be an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file. Advantageously, configuration of devices is more efficiently accomplished.
US07779069B2
A network mobility server, which includes a target device inventory module, a data collection module, a data management module and a distribution module. The data management module, includes at least one data storage module, in which at least a portion of the data stored therein are identical data items stored in different selected formats suitable for use on mobile computing and telecommunication devices. The network also includes network agents, resident on numbers of the network members.
US07779063B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for determining whether there is a benefit to implementing a dynamic cluster system rather than a static cluster system. In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method. The method may include accessing, at a static cluster system, information representative of the static cluster system and accessing information representative of a dynamic cluster system. Based on the accessed information, a value may be determined, such that the value represents a benefit (e.g., an indication of usefulness or worth as well as a lack of usefulness or worth) of implementing the dynamic cluster system rather than the static cluster system. The determined value may be provided to a user interface, so that a user may decide whether to implement the dynamic cluster system rather than a static cluster system. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
US07779057B2
Method and system for retrieving and sorting data entries in a directory is provided. A unique predetermined identifier is stored in a directory. The unique predetermined identifier is assigned as a relative distinguished name (RDN) for at least two entries, where the unique predetermined identifier is monotonically increased for each entry.
US07779056B2
In a nonvolatile memory with block management system, data are written to blocks and are erasable block by block. At any time a pool of blocks are open for storing data concurrently. The number of blocks in the pool is limited. A replacement system allows new blocks to be introduced into the pool without exceeding the limit. In particular, different classes of blocks in the pool each has its own replacement rule, such as closing a least active block before being replaced. In this way, possible inefficiency and premature closure of blocks in the pool can be avoided.
US07779053B2
The invention relates to a method, a computer program product and an engineering system for creating a diagnostic model of an automation system made up of various automation components. The diagnostic model is generated automatically during the project planning phase of the automation system. Within the diagnostic model the automation components are represented by model nodes. Functional and/or physical relationships between the automation components are mapped by links between the corresponding model nodes within the diagnostic model. Each model node contains status information in which the status of the associated automation component is stored. By evaluating the status information, the status of the automation system can be investigated and monitored with the aid of the diagnostic model.
US07779047B2
Provided are techniques for storing data. Invocation of a data access service is received, wherein the invocation identifies a data structure storing one or more data elements having a data format. An update handler to be plugged into a data access framework is identified, wherein the update handler processes data elements having the data format. Under control of the update handler, data elements are accessed in the data structure; one or more statements for storing the data elements into the data store are determined; and the one or more statements are forwarded to the data access framework.
US07779032B1
Computer-based systems and methods enable analysts to manage and explore the information that hard drives and other storage devices or sources of data may contain, and for extracting forensic features and performing cross drive analysis.
US07779018B2
A computer-implemented method for presenting data is disclosed. The method includes determining items in a question that are contained in a predefined list of items and are defined to be measures or dimensions, determining an association based on the determined items and, based on the determined association, retrieving presentation properties related to a stored association, applying the determined association query the database, and retrieving data which is presented using the presentation properties. The method also includes registering a count that representing a frequency of use of the presentation properties.
US07779014B2
A computer-implemented system and method are disclosed that are capable of refining the order and/or content of a list of items. In one embodiment, user activity associated with each item displayed to users in a given context is monitored, and is used together with item exposure data to generate context-specific item weights. The weights for the same item in different contexts may be different. The selection of items included in a list presented to users, and/or the order in which the items in the list are displayed, may be adjusted over time based upon the relative weights associated with the items.
US07779013B2
A system and method for determining a quantitative measure of search efficiency of related Web pages. An information goal is specified. A target Web page is identified within a plurality of Web pages. The information goal is searched via a search function in the Web pages to identify potential Web pages that include at least one hyperlink referencing and proximal cues relating to distal content included in another potential Web page. An activation network is formed. A directed graph is built, including nodes corresponding to the potential Web pages and arcs corresponding to the hyperlinks. A weight is assigned to each arc to represent a probability of traversal of the corresponding hyperlink based on a relatedness of keywords in the information goal to the proximal cues. A traversal through the activation network to the node corresponding to the target Web page is evaluated as a quantitative measure of search efficiency.
US07779010B2
A data set typically does not stagnate and remain the same size over time. The capabilities of hardware (e.g., servers and storage devices) also do not stagnate and remain the same. A date set is often repartitioned to accommodate changes in size of the data set and/or changes in hardware capability. Hundreds or thousands of writes may be performed on the data set (e.g., database, directory, etc.) every second. So, even a few seconds of downtime are unacceptable. Instead of taking the data set offline, the data set can be repartitioned while still allowing access to the data set (“repartitioning live data”). Live data can be repartitioned by establishing update or replication queues for the new partitions while servicing write requests and read requests with the old partitions. After the data has been migrated, the update queues are drained to ensure data integrity.
US07779001B2
The described systems, methods and data structures are directed to ranking Web pages with hierarchical considerations. The hierarchical structures and the linking relationships of the World Wide Web are used to provide a page importance ranking for Web searches. The linking relationships are aggregated to a high level node at each of the hierarchical structures. A link graph analysis is performed on the aggregated linking relationships to determine the importance of each node. The importance of each node may be propagated to pages associated with that node. For each page, the importance of that page and the importance of the node associated with the page are used to calculate the page importance ranking.
US07778995B2
One implementation provides a method to provide information associated with a previously designed component having a geometry that is similar to a geometry of a source component. In this implementation, the method includes obtaining a first set of coefficients for a non-invertible representation of the geometry of the source component, and comparing the first set of coefficients to a second set of coefficients for a non-invertible representation of the geometry of the previously designed component. If the first set of coefficients matches the second set of coefficients according to a threshold of similarity, the method further includes providing a search result associated with the previously designed component.
US07778986B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture that maintain a plurality of nodes coupled over a network, wherein a first node of the plurality of nodes initially owns a plurality of storage objects accessible via the network. A serialization lock is maintained in association with the plurality of storage objects, wherein the first node becomes unavailable. A second node of the plurality of nodes determines that the second node is to preemptively assume ownership of a selected storage object of the plurality of storage objects initially owned by the first node that has become unavailable. The second node acquires the serialization lock. The second node secures ownership of the selected storage object, subsequent to acquiring the serialization lock.
US07778984B2
An improved system and method for flexible object placement and soft-state indexing of objects in a distributed object store is provided. A distributed object store may be provided by a large number of system nodes operably coupled to a network. A system node provided may include an access module for communicating with a client, an index module for building an index of a replicated data object, a data module for storing a data object on a computer readable medium, and a membership and routing module for detecting the configuration of operable nodes in the distributed system. Upon failure of an index node, the failure may be detected at other nodes, including those nodes that store the replicas of the object. These nodes may then send new index rebuilding requests to a different node that may rebuild the index for servicing any access request to the object.
US07778977B2
A composite image apparatus and a copy method thereof. The composite image apparatus includes an optical recording unit in which first and second storage media are each able to store a plurality of video files and a plurality of audio files, the apparatus being adapted to copy the files stored in one of the first and second storage media to the other. The method includes determining, if a copy direction and one or more target files to be copied among the files stored in the one storage medium are selected by a user in a copy operation, whether one or more additional folders must be created in the other storage medium together with a copy folder of a folder of the one storage medium containing the selected target files, and creating, if the additional folders are determined to have to be created together with the copy folder, the copy folder and additional folders in the other storage medium, and storing the selected target files separately in the created copy folder and additional folders.
US07778975B2
A data storage device stores therein files as mirror source or mirror destination, and has ownership rights to files stored as mirror source. Having received a number of read/write requests to a file stored as mirror destination from a data processing device, the data storage device obtains an ownership right to the file, and updates ownership status of the file from mirror destination to mirror source. Thus, response time to the read/write requests to the file can be improved. After that, if the data processing device frequently requests another data storage device for access to the file, an ownership right to the file is transferred to the other data storage device, and accordingly, the ownership status of the file is updated.
US07778974B2
A method to archive log entries created by a data storage system comprising a first memory and a library log encoded in that first memory, wherein the first memory comprises a storage capacity, and wherein the method writes a plurality of log entries to the library log, wherein each log entry comprises a log entry time. At a time T0, the method copies to a log archive the plurality of log entries written to the library log, and sets a subsequent retrieval time based upon a time T1 when an earliest log entry was written to the library log, and a time T2 when a latest log entry was written to the library log.
US07778973B2
A system for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site is presented. The system includes a data storage space associated with the hosting. The space includes albums created by the one or more users for storage of related files. The albums include at least one level of sharing associated with each of the users, the level of sharing being in part assigned by users creating the albums. One or more accounts are associated with each user. The accounts allow the each of the users to access albums they created and albums that they are allowed access. An album creator creates the album. An album viewer views contents of the album. A file viewer views contents of the files. An album manager allows the one or more users to associate levels of sharing of the album and to modify the contents of the album.
US07778969B2
A document processing apparatus is provided to facilitate document management concerning update and registration of documents. The document processing apparatus includes a destination-obtaining unit for analyzing a document and obtaining destination information from the analyzed document and a notification unit for notifying a destination based on the obtained destination information. The destination is notified about a registration or an update of the document stored in a storage device.
US07778960B1
A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are described for the background movement of data between nodes in a storage cluster. According to one method, exception tables are generated that include data identifying the areas on each node that need to be migrated to another node and the areas on each node that are to be migrated from another node. The exception tables may be generated in response to the failure of a node in the storage cluster or in other circumstances. A background resynchronization thread utilizes the contents of the exception tables to migrate data between the nodes of the cluster, thereby synchronizing the data stored on the nodes. Input/output operations directed to an area that is to be migrated from another node are redirected to the other node. The methods, systems, apparatus, and computer-readable medium may be utilized with operations including the rebuilding, expansion, contraction, and compaction of a storage cluster.
US07778959B2
A file server and a data protection manager server can work in tandem to efficiently backup protected volumes, and also provide efficient access to replicas of the protected volumes. In one implementation, a file server institutes a mock replication process, in which the file server observes data associated with write operations in one or more protected volumes. Appropriate volume allocation information can then be determined, which can be used to allocate log file, spill log file, replica volume, and shadow copy volume sizes, both at the file server and at the data protection manager server. In one implementation, the file server or data protection manager server automatically determines volume allocation information and automatically provides this information to the data protection manager server. The data protection manager server can then compare the volume allocation information with identified characteristics of its storage mediums, and implements an appropriate, efficient backup policy.
US07778958B2
Data on a primary data volume is restored by generating an image of the primary data volume at a specified point-time based on data stored on a backup data volume, where the data stored on the backup data volume includes data written to the primary data volume and stamps to indicate when the data was written to the primary data volume. The primary data volume is restored based on the generated image of the primary data volume. Additionally, while the primary data volume is being restored, read/write requests to the primary data volume are satisfied using the generated image of the primary data volume.
US07778954B2
A system and method for automatically determining a plurality of pieces of different information about a textual document from the text of the textual document are provided in which one or more particular characteristics of the text of the textual document are identified to generate a file containing the text of the textual document with the particular characteristics marked up within the text. In addition, any negative treatment of other textual documents from the text of the textual document is determined to generate negative treatment information, a data record is produced indicating a depth of treatment for each other textual documents cited in the text of the textual document, the source of a quotation in the text of the textual document is verified to generate verified quotation information, any subject matter text that is applicable to the text of the textual document is determined to generate subject matter headings associated with the text of the textual document, and a data record is generated containing the identified characteristics of the textual document, the negative treatment of other textual documents cited in the textual document, the depth of treatment of other textual documents cited in the textual document, the verified quotation information, and the subject matter text associated with the textual document so that all of the information is accessible.
US07778948B2
A character programming and control system and method for programming and controlling a virtual character during a social simulation, a character programming method for programming the actions of a virtual character, and a system and method for developing social skills of a user.
US07778942B2
A transmissive display unit that displays thereon product information on a product displayed in a showcase unit. A control unit controls a display of the product information on the transmissive display unit and a sales processing of the product, with an interactive function. A memory unit stores therein the product information. An operating unit inputs instruction information to the control unit.
US07778938B2
A method and system for objectively evaluating job applicants utilizing a computer system is disclosed. This includes allowing the job applicant to answer a series of predetermined job related profile questions, providing a numeral score associated with each response, and tabulating the total score for all responses so that each job applicant can be objectively compared to other job applicants. The questions selected and numerical weight of each response can be custom tailored for each position. There is also a method and system for creating interview questions for job applicants utilizing a computer system is disclosed. Moreover, there is a method and system for managing the recruiting process for job applicants. This includes flexible shifting of job applicant responsibility among numerous personnel on a global basis and sharing information including objective test scores and interview questions.
US07778934B2
A buyer (110) wishes to use a payment instrument as part of an online commerce transaction with a seller (120) and it is desired to authenticate that the buyer (110) has authority to use the payment instrument. A separate authentication service (130) determines whether the buyer (110) has access to certain secret information without revealing the secret information to the seller (120). Access to the secret information would verify that the buyer (110) has authority to use the payment instrument. The authentication service (130) informs the seller (120) whether the buyer (110) is authorized to use the payment instrument.
US07778927B2
A content reproduction apparatus includes a group ID storage section L for storing a group ID produced uniquely in a unit of a user; a radio transmitter section 524 for transmitting a content stored in a storage medium by radio communication; a radio receiver section 522 for receiving a content transmitted from a different apparatus by radio communication; a reproduction permission/inhibition decision section 242 for deciding whether or not the content can be reproduced; a reproduction execution section 244 for reproducing the content received by the radio receiver section; an ID recording section 539 for recording a content ID and the group ID into a first list; and a data communication section 220 for transmitting the content ID and the group ID recorded in the first list to a content distribution server.
US07778921B2
A system and method for facilitating the negotiation of credits. The bank issuing the credit and a nominated bank agree to program conditions pursuant to which the nominated bank, based upon its own examination of documents presented under the credit and before said documents are forwarded to, received, and accepted by the issuing bank, will pay, accept, or negotiate the credit with no or limited recourse to the issuing bank for discrepancies in the documents.
US07778915B2
A method of processing financial articles of trade is provided. The method includes collecting real time data from a plurality of liquidity destinations in trading at least one of securities, commodities, options, futures and derivatives, the real time data including information on submitted transactions of financial articles of trade. The real time data collected from the plurality of liquidity destinations is aggregated. The real time data is streamed in a standardized form. User criteria are established to identify relevant portions of the streamed real time data. The streamed real time data is analyzed according to the user criteria. The analyzed real time data is consolidated into a computer data base.
US07778912B2
A method and system of appraising a financial product includes receiving a request for a financial product and information about a party requesting the financial product; preparing a bid solicitation for the financial product based on the request and information and transmitting the bid solicitation to a plurality of product carriers; a plurality of product carriers submitting initial proposals for providing the financial product; generating ratings for the initial proposals, respectively; and generating appraisals for the initial proposals; and informing the product carriers of the decision.
US07778903B2
According to the invention, a method for transferring funds from a payor to one or more payees using a wide area network when the transfer information is incomplete at some point is disclosed. In one step, initial transfer information for a transfer of funds from the payor to the payee is received. In another step, supplemental transfer information for the transfer of funds from the payor to the payee is received. The transfer of funds from the payor to the payee is completed using both the initial transfer information for the transfer of funds from the payor to the payee and the supplemental transfer information for the transfer of funds from the payor to the payee.
US07778901B2
To electronically present bills and request payment of presented bills, billing information representing a bill of a biller for a payee, and an associated selectable payment indicator having a first linking function, are received from a first network site associated with a bill presentment entity via a first communications link over a communications network. The received billing information and payment indicator are displayed. An input representing a selection of the displayed payment indicator is received. Based on the receipt of this input, the first linking function is activated to establish a second communications link over the communications network to a second network site, different that the first network site, associated with a bill payment entity, and to transmit a request to pay the represented bill on behalf of the payee to the second network site via the second communications link.
US07778899B2
Methods and systems for managing and analyzing multi-dimensional data are provided. Example embodiments provide a Meta-Object Data Management System “MODMS,” which enables users to arrange and to rearrange the hierarchical relationships of the data on an ad-hoc basis and allows the data to be analyzed using any set of attributes (dimensions) while the system is running. The MODMS represents heterogeneous data in a normalized (standardized) fashion using an object type management system that allows the coercion of one type of object into another different type of object and automatically resolves attribute dependencies. The MODMS supports object transitions for transforming an object from one type to another based upon meeting a defined set of criteria and subject to approval by designated entities. In one embodiment, the MODMS is used to implement an enterprise portfolio management system.
US07778898B2
A method and system is provided to uniformly evaluate product characteristics and identifying risk factors associated with the products so that a comprehensive scoring system provides an attractiveness score by age brackets and also provides for a consistent quantification process so that an overall characterization may be viewed by a color coded scoring scheme. The scoring system is based on predetermined scores created for age brackets and pre-identified product attributes. Through user feedback a new product may be evaluated using a series of questions that are associated with the predetermined scores producing an overall attractiveness score. Through another set of questions and predetermined mitigation scores, a mitigations score may be developed for the product so that by combining the attractiveness score with the mitigation score and comprehensive product score may be produced indicative of risk. The invention also provides for exploring various categories of characteristics that may lead to particular behavioral responses to the product by age group.
US07778896B2
An electronic DR conversion system includes a DR authority that interfaces with investors through the investor's order management system. When an investor has purchased or sold ordinary shares in a local market and wishes to convert them to, or cancel DRs, the investor can so instruct the DR authority. The DR authority will automatically obtain a foreign exchange rate for the transaction and compute a pass through cost, which is displayed to the investor via their order management system. If the investor accepts the pass through cost, then the DR authority can be configured to automatically issue a plurality of directions to the computer systems of various entities that will be involved in the issuance or cancellation process.
US07778894B2
Method and apparatus provide for electronically processing vehicle location data wherein the vehicle location data specifies a sequence of vehicle locations, and wherein the processing determines if the sequence of vehicle locations form a sequence of the vehicle's travel that is acceptable for the purposes of filing tax reports relating to the vehicle. Processing further provides for determining the acceptability of the sequence according to one or more criteria, and provides a user tools that enable the user to accept or revise the vehicle location data for the unacceptable part of the sequence.
US07778888B2
The inventive offering creation and validation (OCAV) component identifies all available resource types contained in a resource catalog, invokes a “get timetable” resource management action for each of those resource types, and finally receives a timetable containing all resource types with their assigned resources and their assigned free, reserved, and used time slots. By using that timetable, the OCAV component generates a new timetable including all resource types with their assigned resources having a common free time slots. Then, the OCAV component invokes a “get cost” resource management action for each resource type in that new timetable and assigns the calculated costs to the respective resource types, resulting in a final timetable. In further step, the OCAV component maps the free resource included in that final timetable to predefined service environments described in the resource catalog, and if the mapping has been successful, creates a list including all predefined service environments including their free time slots and costs. Finally, the OCAV component generates an offering for each of those SEs, assigns a price to each offering which is preferably calculated by certain business rules, and publishes it, preferably in a registry.
US07778874B1
An advertising system automatically generates suggested ad campaign parameters for a business based on information obtained automatically from one or more sources, such as a corresponding business directory listing, a web site of the business, and/or a user account record associated with the business. The suggested ad campaign parameters, which may include suggested keyword strings for ad targeting, are presented to a user associated with the business via a partially or wholly pre-populated electronic form that can be submitted to create an active ad campaign for the business. In one embodiment, the pre-populated form is presented in response to the user selecting an ad solicitation object displayed on a web page. The ad solicitation object may be displayed in the format of an actual ad, and may include suggested ad text for use in the ad campaign.
US07778872B2
An ordering of advertisements requested by an ad consumer is based on scores generated for the ads. In each case, a score may be a function of at least one performance parameter associated with the ad and/or a price parameter associated with the ad. The ad consumer may generate presentation information (e.g., a Web page) including advertisements and non-advertisement content (e.g., search results) by (i) accepting the non-advertisement content and advertisements, each of the advertisements including a score, and (ii) combining the non-advertisement content and the advertisements such that relative placements of the advertisements are based on their associated scores.
US07778870B1
System and method for managing, monitoring and reporting on a plurality of online incentive programs
A system and method for centralizing the creation, approval, monitoring and managing of a plurality of incentive reward or spiff programs. The system preferably includes a host system that allows program managers, an administrator and participants to access the system in connection with spiff programs. The system also may monitor and report on the effectiveness of the spiff programs to permit the program manager to increase its return on investment. Once a spiff program is approved, registered participants are automatically enrolled in the program. Upon the entering or receipt of sales information, the system automatically begins the claims process for all eligible products. Centralizing the available spiff programs allows the participants to combine rewards and simplifies tax issues. The users may also view various reports on the spiff programs and directly communicate with one another.
US07778867B2
A method and apparatus are provided for automatically preparing a client communication pertaining to a financial product for a client, wherein the client communication is for combined use with a corresponding host vehicle. The method comprises providing a format for the client communication wherein the communication format includes a variable portion; inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information other than a client identification; inputting into the storage medium decision information; and using the decision information to select a subset of the variable information for inclusion in a variable portion of the client communication corresponding to the variable portion of the client communication format. The apparatus comprises an inputting device for inputting into a computer-accessible storage medium variable information comprising other than a client identification and decision information; a processor operatively coupled to the storage medium for using the decision information to automatically select a subset of the variable information for each of the clients; and an output preparing component in operative communication with the processor for preparing the client communications and for automatically inserting into the client communication the subset of variable information for the corresponding and respective client.
US07778863B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided with a behavior prediction apparatus including: an area attribute database which stores area attributes of each of a plurality of areas in an activity area of customers; an inter-area attribute database which stores inter-area attributes between two areas; a behavior history database which stores behavior history of the customers in the activity area; a movement frequency database generator which generates a movement frequency database representing a movement frequency between the two areas on the basis of the individual behavior history database; and a movement frequency model estimator which estimates a value of a parameter in a movement frequency model having area attributes and inter-area attributes as its input and a movement frequency as its output.
US07778862B2
A customer satisfaction system, includes a query module for automatically sending queries to customers as to problems with goods or services provided by a provider according to a predetermined schedule and for receiving responses from customers to the queries; an analysis module for analyzing responses from customers and for sending responses indicating a problem to a problem solver for resolution; and at least one problem solver for responding to customer problems, for generating solutions to customer problems and for transmitting solutions to customers; wherein, upon transmission of a solution to a customer problem to a customer, the query module sends a query to the customer requesting verification that the problem has been solved.
US07778855B2
A queue management system for e.g. supermarket checkouts uses counting devices located at checkouts and optimally entrances/exits in conjunction with P.O.S. information to produce a schedule of how many checkouts are needed to avoid queue length exceeding preset limits. The system includes a dynamic learning system which can optimise calculated schedules on the basis of historical data.
US07778851B2
A medical information system receives patient data and information from various sources and displays such information in a variety of formats for use by member of a medical team in a hospital, clinic, or office. The system receives patient information from doctors, pharmacists, patient monitoring equipment, testing laboratories, and/or computer databases. Access to selected subsets of patient information is provided by user selection of specific data sets identified by job function selection icons. Multiple types of patient data are selectively displayed simultaneously, and to multiple remote users. The system can access stored data according to user-specified formulae to compute a score or metric which reflects a relationship between various factors, each factor being weighted appropriately according to its significance as defined in the formula.
US07778849B1
An integrated medical database system for the emergency medical transportation business. The system includes a dispatch module, clinical module, administration module and billing module. Each module may communicate data with one or more of the other modules to form a system incorporating data sharing, thus achieving an end-to-end automation of emergency medical care accounting. Internal consistency checks using specific libraries of modifiable data rules are performed by the system to ensure that proper treatments are performed according to a chosen diagnosis. The system includes a demographic data accuracy filter operating on patient data prior to the billing module.
US07778834B2
The present disclosure presents a useful metric for assessing the relative difficulty which non-native speakers face in pronouncing a given utterance and a method and systems for using such a metric in the evaluation and assessment of the utterances of non-native speakers. In an embodiment, the metric may be based on both known sources of difficulty for language learners and a corpus-based measure of cross-language sound differences. The method may be applied to speakers who primarily speak a first language speaking utterances in any non-native second language.
US07778830B2
The present invention can include a method for tuning grammar option weights of a phrase-based, automatic speech recognition (ASR) grammar, where the grammar option weights affect which entries within the grammar are matched to spoken utterances. The tuning can occur in an unsupervised fashion, meaning no special training session or manual transcription of data from an ASR session is needed. The method can include the step of selecting a phrase-based grammar to use in a communication session with a user wherein different phrase-based grammars can be selected for different users. Feedback of ASR phrase processing operations can be recorded during the communication session. Each ASR phrase processing operation can match a spoken utterance against at least one entry within the selected phrase-based grammar. At least one of the grammar option weights can be automatically adjusted based upon the feedback to improve accuracy of the phrase-based grammar.
US07778828B2
A method and system for automatic gain control of a speech signal in a communication system are disclosed. The gain of the speech signal can be controlled, based on a calculated gain value. This gain value is calculated on the basis of energy calculation and speech activity identification in the speech signal which is done by means of the encoder. Encoding the gain controlled speech signal for transmission follows the step of gain control.
US07778825B2
An apparatus and method for extracting precise voiced/unvoiced classification information from a voice signal is provided. The apparatus extracts voiced/unvoiced classification information by analyzing a ratio of a harmonic component to a non-harmonic (or residual) component. The apparatus uses a harmonic to residual ratio (HRR), a harmonic to noise component ratio (HNR), and a sub-band harmonic to noise component ratio (SB-HNR), which are feature extracting schemes obtained based on a harmonic component analysis, thereby precisely classifying voiced/unvoiced sounds. Therefore, the apparatus and method can be used for voice coding, recognition, composition, reinforcement, etc. in all voice signal processing systems.
US07778819B2
A method and apparatus is provided for generating speech that sounds more natural. Determining whether information in a current sentence is new or previously given is performed based on a semantic relationship between the current sentence and a number of preceding sentences. A word prominence for the synthetic speech to a word in the current sentence is assigned in accordance with the information determination. A speech representative of the current sentence can be generated. In one embodiment, word prominence and latent semantic analysis are used to generate more natural sounding speech. A method for generating speech that sounds more natural may comprise generating synthesized speech having certain word prominence characteristics and applying a semantically-driven word prominence assignment model to specify word prominence consistent with the way humans assign word prominence.
US07778805B2
An optimized optical proximity correction modeling method comprises receiving a selection of a regression method, displaying regression parameters, receiving values for the displayed regression parameters, receiving a selection of an optimization method, displaying optimization parameters, receiving values for the displayed optimization parameters, and generating an optimized optical proximity correction output.
US07778801B2
For use in a communication system having at least one enterprise server for facilitating communications and delivery of services to users of handheld mobile communication devices and an administrative program for managing the enterprise server, the improvement comprising an automated script for testing operation of the administration software by automatically executing operations and verifying results of these operations.
US07778794B2
A system and method are provided in which an element of a structure may be reliably identified. For example, a system may include a part selection element configured to interact with at least one positional marker having a predefined location. The part selection element is also configured to select at least a portion of a structure, with the structure being positioned at a predetermined location and orientation. The part selection element may also be configured to identify a depth within the structure. The system also includes a computing device configured to identify an element of the structure based upon the position and orientation of the part selection element and the portion of the structure selected by the part selection element. In instances in which a depth is identified, the computing device may also be configured to identify the element of the structure at the depth identified within the structure.
US07778792B2
Systems and methods for location, motion, and contact detection and tracking in a portable networked device are disclosed. A portable device may include a motion detection unit including an accelerometer for detecting accelerations in one or more axes. Signals associated with the detected motion are processed to generate estimates of device acceleration, velocity, and relative and absolute locations. Additional processing may be performed to detect user gestures or other user input relevant to portable device control. Particular motion or vibrational characteristics may be also be detected and used by other processes in the portable device.
US07778784B2
An electric current controller for field-device electronics controls and/or modulates the supply current. The supply current is driven by a supply voltage provided by an external energy supply. The field-device electronics has an internal operating and evaluating circuit for controlling the field device, as well as an internal supply circuit, the internal input voltage being derived from the supply voltage for feeding the internal operating and evaluating circuit. In the supply circuit is a voltage controller flowed-through, at least at times, by a first component of the supply current. The voltage controller provides in the field-device electronics a first internal, useful voltage controlled to be essentially constant at a predetermined, first voltage level. Moreover, the supply circuit has a second voltage controller flowed through, at least at times, by a second current component of the supply current. The second voltage controller provides in the field-device electronics a second internal. Useful voltage, which is variable over a predetermined voltage range.
US07778783B2
A substance analyzer utilizing Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis for identifying characteristics of a substance and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The analyzer is small enough to be portable and to allow its use in many applications where current analyzers cannot be utilized. The analyzer uses a neutron radiation source and a gamma-ray detector to activate the sample material and detect the prompt gamma rays emitted by the sample material. A novel housing for such an analyzer and method for making the housing are also described. Novel methods of operating such an analyzer including via a communications network are also disclosed. Also disclosed are data analysis methods that improve the accuracy and sensitivity of the results of such material analysis.
US07778779B2
A method of identifying, screening, characterising or designing a chemical entity, which mimics or binds to FIH, is described. The method comprises comparing a structural model of FIH with a structural model for said chemical entity, wherein said structural model of FIH is derived from structural factors or structural coordinates determined by subjecting to X-ray diffraction measurements a crystal comprising FIH. Such chemical entities may be used in the treatment of a condition associated with increased or decreased HIF levels or activity.
US07778766B1
An engine system includes a nitrogen oxide (NOx) estimation module and a diagnostic module. The NOx estimation module estimates an amount of NOx in an exhaust gas produced by an engine based on a predetermined function of a position of at least one of a camshaft phaser and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve. The diagnostic module determines a state of at least one of the camshaft phaser and the EGR valve based on a predetermined threshold and a difference between the estimated amount of NOx and an actual amount of NOx in the exhaust gas measured by a NOx sensor.
US07778761B2
Presented is a device for controlling an internal combustion engine operable with at least on of liquid and gaseous fuel. The device includes a rotational speed controller that outputs a control signal, which is dependent on the actual rotational speed of the engine and which influences the power output of the engine. The control signal includes a dimension for the total power to be output by the engine. The device further includes a dividing device configured for receiving the dimension, dividing the dimension for the total power according to a predetermined ratio into a contribution of the liquid fuel and a contribution of the gaseous fuel, and generating and outputting a second and a third control signal. The second control signal influences the liquid fuel quantity injected into the engine per unit time and the third control signal influences the gas fuel quantity injected into the engine per unit time.
US07778760B2
A driving amount controller is provided for a vehicle. An ECU on the vehicle reduces a damping output Udamp when the deviation e between the target opening DTHR of the throttle valve and the actual opening DTH is near zero or when a switching function value σ is near zero. This makes it possible to reduce the damping output Udamp immediately after the start of, or immediately before the end of, the control of the opening of the throttle valve when the deviation e or the switching function value σ is near zero, and to realize a high response performance as to the control of the actual opening DTH of the throttle valve.
US07778744B2
A modular avionics system for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has a control module that executes flight control and vertical and lateral guidance algorithms to generate control commands. A data link module communicates with a remote control station and receives control commands from the remote control station. A data acquisition module communicates with the control module and the data link module. The data acquisition module is configured to receive and process data from one or more onboard sensors and to actuate a plurality of servo motors in response to control commands. A switching module selectively couples the data acquisition module to the control module or to the data link module responsive to an input from the remote control station to respectively switch between a fully autonomous mode of UAV operation and a manual mode of UAV operation. Power may be provided by a power module.
US07778734B2
A household energy management system uses measurements of the household electricity supply to identify and to determine the energy consumption of individual household appliances. From these measurements, models can be built of the behaviour of the occupants of the house, the thermal properties of the house and the efficiency of the appliances. Using the models, the household appliances—in particular heating and cooling appliances—can be controlled to optimize energy efficiency; and maintenance programmes for the appliances and for the house itself can be recommended to the householder or arranged with a service company.
US07778729B2
A robot system capable of checking the status of all robot controllers connected to the same network by using at least one robot controller, among the robot controllers, having a function for checking the status. The robot system includes a plurality of robots and a plurality of robot controllers for controlling the robots. The robot controllers are connected to each other via a control network and also connected to an information network. The at least one robot controller, having the function of checking the status, transmits and receives data to and from the other robot controllers and, further, indicates information, concerning the statuses of the networks and the robots, on a display of a teaching operation panel of the at least one robot controller.
US07778726B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel controller and a control method which, in a nonlinear system in which a controller 1 and a controlled object 2 cannot be clearly separated, can converge the relationship between the controller 1 and controlled object 2 to a target relationship.The controller 1 of the present invention comprises a first module 3 having dynamic behavior as a nonlinear system and a second module 4 as a feedback system. The first module 3 creates a synchronous state with the controlled object 2 through an entrainment effect in an interaction therewith. When a synchronous state is created between the first module 3 and the controlled object 2, the second module 4 provides feedback to adjust a parameter of the first module 3 based on the difference between a relation value 5 relating to the synchronization and a target relation value. The controlled object 2 is controlled by the convergence of the relation value 5 relating to the synchronization to the target value.
US07778725B2
After a thermal displacement correcting program has started, a temperature is measured with a temperature sensor in S1, then when a rotational speed of a spindle is changed during the measurement (S2), a counter starts (S3). Then in S4, from a preset relationship between the rotational speed of the spindle and a setting-equivalent heat value, a correction factor that is a difference in setting-equivalent heat value between before and after the change in rotational speed of the spindle is calculated. Subsequently, in S5, a temperature-equivalent heat value is calculated, and then in S6, a compensation amount is calculated from the correction factor and a time elapsed after the change in rotational speed of the spindle. In S7, an equivalent heat value for compensating a dead time is obtained based on the sum of them S8, an estimated calculation for thermal displacement conversion is performed, and a correction process by an NC unit is performed in S9.
US07778723B2
High-volume mass-production and customization of complex three-dimensional polymer and polymer-derived-ceramic microstructures are manufactured in a single step directly from three-dimensional computer models. A projection based non-degenerate two-photon induced photopolymerization method overcomes the drawbacks of conventional one and two-photon fabrication methods. The structure includes dual, synchronized, high-peak power, pulsed femtosecond and picosecond lasers combined with spatial light modulation. Applications include high-resolution rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing with an emphasis on fabrication of various Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices, especially in the area of MEMS packaging.
US07778711B2
Apparatus is provided that includes an electrode device, adapted to be coupled to a vagus nerve of a subject, and a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode device to apply to the vagus nerve a current that reduces heart rate variability of the subject. Also provided is a method comprising applying to a vagus nerve of a subject a current that reduces heart rate variability of the subject.
US07778707B2
Methods and devices are described for delivering electrical stimulation to the heart in a manner that advantageously redistributes myocardial stress during systole for therapeutic purposes in the treatment of, for example, post-MI and HF patients. Pre-excitation pacing may be applied to deliberately de-stress a particular myocardial region that may be expected to undergo deleterious remodeling, such as the area around a myocardial infarct or a hypertrophying region or to deliberately stress a region remote from the pre-excitation pacing site in order to exert a cardioprotective conditioning effect, similar to the beneficial effects of exercise. Pre-excitation pacing may be advantageously combined with inotropic electrical stimulation applied to the stressed region.
US07778704B2
The present invention provides a method of affecting physiological disorders by stimulating a specific location along the sympathetic nerve chain. Preferably, the present invention provides a method of affecting a variety of physiological disorders or pathological conditions by placing an electrode adjacent to or in communication with at least one ganglion along the sympathetic nerve chain and stimulating the at least one ganglion until the physiological disorder or pathological condition has been affected.
US07778702B2
A method is provided for treating a subject, including applying a current to a site of the subject selected from the list consisting of: a vagus nerve of the subject, an epicardial fat pad of the subject, a pulmonary vein of the subject, a carotid artery of the subject, a carotid sinus of the subject, a vena cava vein of the subject, and an internal jugular vein of the subject. The method also includes configuring the current so as to treat a condition of the subject selected from the list consisting of: an autoimmune disease, an autoimmune inflammatory disease, multiple sclerosis, encephalitis, myelitis, immune-mediated neuropathy, myositis, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, inclusion body myositis, inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, Guillain Barre syndrome, myasthenia gravis, inflammation of the nervous system, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus), rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, polyarteritis nodosa, Sjogren syndrome, mixed connective tissue disease, glomerulonephritis, thyroid autoimmune disease, sepsis, meningitis, a bacterial infection, a viral infection, a fungal infection, sarcoidosis, hepatitis, and portal vein hypertension.
US07778701B2
Catheter devices and methods are provided for enhancing fluid flow through a vascular site occupied by a calcified lesion. The catheter devices of the subject invention at least include, at their distal end, a proton generating means, and in many embodiments also include a flushing means. In using the subject devices, the distal end of the catheter is placed proximal to the vascular occlusion and protons are generated, e.g., via proton generation from water, in a manner sufficient to reduce the pH of the vascular site in the region proximal to the occlusion. The subphysiologic pH is maintained for a period of time sufficient for fluid flow through the vascular site to be enhanced. Also provided are kits comprising the subject catheter devices for use in the subject methods.
US07778692B2
Methods and systems for evaluating external beam radiation therapy delivered to a subject include: (a) placing at least one wireless implantable sensor in a first subject at a target location; (b) administering a first dose of radiation therapy into the first subject; (c) obtaining radiation data from the at least one wireless implantable sensor; and (d) calculating a radiation dose amount received by the first subject at the target location based on the radiation data obtained from the at least one wireless sensor during and/or after exposure to the first administered dose of radiation to determine and/or verify a dose amount of radiation delivered to the target location.
US07778689B2
A method for localizing a medical instrument introduced into the body of a patient, comprising: arranging at least four electrodes on the body of the patient, recording three-dimensional image data of a region of the patient, determining a conductivity model of the patient via the image data, determining electric field distribution when a voltage or current is applied for at least three electrode pairs formed from the four electrodes via the conductivity model and spatial positions of the electrodes, not all the electrodes lying in one plane, applying a voltage or a current at each electrode pair and determining three voltage values at an electrode of the medical instrument for the three electrode pairs, and determining the spatial position of the medical instrument as the intersection of equipotential surfaces assigned to the three voltage values at the electrode of the medical instrument.
US07778686B2
A system and method for a medical intervention procedure within a cardiac chamber having an imaging system to obtain image data of the cardiac chamber and to create a 3D model from that image data, an interventional system to register the 3D model with a real-time image of the cardiac chamber and to display the 3D model, and an interventional tool positioned in the cardiac chamber to be displayed upon the interventional system and to be navigated in real-time over the registered 3D model. Preferably, the method and system also includes a storage medium to store the 3D model and wherein the interventional system receives the stored 3D model to register with the real-time image of the cardiac chamber.
US07778684B2
A stent is adapted to be implanted into the lumen of a vessel. The stent includes struts and a resonating circuit tuned to the resonating frequency of a magnetic resonance imaging system. The resonant circuit is constructed of at least one inductor and at least one capacitor. The inductor is wound about at least one of the struts.
US07778680B2
Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. During initial calibration, the analyte sensor data is evaluated over a period of time to determine stability of the sensor. The sensor may be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. The calibration may be updated after evaluating the calibration set for best calibration based on inclusion criteria with newly received reference analyte data. Fail-safe mechanisms are provided based on clinical acceptability of reference and analyte data and quality of sensor calibration. Algorithms provide for optimized prospective and retrospective analysis of estimated blood analyte data from an analyte sensor.
US07778674B2
A communication apparatus including a radio frequency (RF) circuit coupled to a digital processing circuit and an interface circuit coupled to an authentication device. The RF circuit may be configured to operate on a radio frequency signal. A portion of the digital processing circuit may be disabled during an active mode of operation of the RF circuit. The interface circuit may be configured to buffer data communicated between the digital processing circuit and an authentication device during the active mode of operation of the RF circuit. In one embodiment, the interface circuit includes a memory and memory control logic to buffer data available for transmission to and/or received from the authentication device. In some embodiments, the digital processing circuit includes a processing unit configured to process authentication data received from the authentication device. In these and other embodiments, the authentication device may be a subscriber identity module (SIM).
US07778673B2
Taught is a mobile phone with a bidirectional swiveling display, comprising a display, a main portion and a rotating portion having a body and a second axis. The body comprises a hole horizontally disposed therein and a first axis perpendicular to the hole. The first axis is rotatably inserted in the hollow supporter. One end of the second axis is fixed at the back of the display. The other end of the second axis is rotatably inserted in the hole of the body, so that the display is capable of rotating around the second axis. The display is also capable of rotating around the first axis.
US07778667B2
A communication interface device includes a wireless Internet packet (IP) transceiver and a PCMCIA card electrically connected to the transceiver. Also, a universal serial bus (USB) connector is plugged into a hub that holds the PCMCIA card, with a cord extending from the USB connector and terminating in another USB connector. Accordingly, the device can be engaged with the PCMCIA bay of a user terminal or, if a user terminal has no PCMCIA bay, with a USB receptacle of the user terminal, to establish wireless communication. To simplify set-up, a CD containing all operating system versions of PCMCIA and USB drivers is engaged with the user terminal. The terminal's operating system is then automatically determined, and only the drivers associated with that operating system are loaded onto the terminal.
US07778661B2
A cellular phone includes a first case and a second case, which are connected in a foldable manner through a hinge. When the cellular phone is in a folded state, a second display unit displays an image with the side (upper side) closer to the hinge as the upper side. Accordingly, the user can hold the second case of the cellular phone in his/her hand regardless of whether the cellular phone is in a folded state or in an open state. The user can easily switch between a folded state and an open state with respect to the first case and the second case.
US07778652B2
A system (100) includes a mobile station (125) to initiate an outgoing communication anywhere in a coverage area (115). A base station (110) and a radio access network (105) provide wireless service to the mobile station (125). The mobile station is paged in the sectors overlapping with only the clean zone. The mobile station (125) is paged in the sectors overlapping with the hot zone if the mobile station has predetermined trusted characteristics, or the mobile station is located within a clean zone of sectors overlapping with the hot zone, and an incoming communication for the mobile station originates from a predetermined trusted source. Existing calls to the mobile station are terminated in response to the existing call exceeding a predetermined threshold time limit, or a detected amount of voice activity in the existing call being below a predetermined threshold level.
US07778650B2
A mechanism is provided for detecting when a wireless device is entering a quiet zone. An out-of-range condition is created in an entryway to a quiet zone. When a wireless device is in a transition zone, the device transmits a re-scan message with a unit identification in an attempt to reestablish communication with the communication tower. A re-scan receiver is provided in the entryway to receive re-scan messages and notify a mobile telephone switching office that the device is entering a quiet zone. The switching office then sends a ring type modifier property to the device when the device leaves the transition zone and reestablishes communications with the communication tower.
US07778649B2
Described is a system and method for tracking an asset. The system may include a plurality of wireless access points and a computing arrangement communicating with the access points. The arrangement determines a location area of the device as a function of first data and a location of each of at least three access points of the plurality of the access points. The first data includes at least one of first signal strength data and second signal strength data. The first signal strength data is indicative of a strength of a first signal transmitted by the device and received by the at least three access points. The second signal strength data is indicative of a strength of a second signal transmitted by the at least three access points and received by the device. The location area is an area within a predetermined reception range of the at least three local access points. The arrangement determines the location of the device within the location area as a function of second data and a further location of each of the at least three further access points of the plurality of access points. The second data is indicative of a travel time of a third signal from the device to each of the at least three further access points.
US07778647B2
A method for providing a location based service (LBS) in a point-to-multipoint broadcasting system comprises, in a mobile station, receiving a transmitter identifier (ID) from a point-to-multipoint transmitter, and obtaining location information based on the transmitter ID. The method also comprises determining a service area for the LBS based on obtained location information, in the mobile station. The method may further comprise updating stored location information in the mobile station based on the obtained location information. The method may further comprise receiving an LBS selection from a user, and transmitting the LBS selection to the point-to-multipoint transmitter. The method may further comprise receiving the LBS from the point-to-multipoint transmitter based on transmitted LBS selection. The point-to-multipoint broadcasting system may comprise a digital multimedia broadcast (DMB) system. The DMB system may comprise at least one of a satellite DMB system and a terrestrial DMB system.
US07778641B1
A data mechanism is described for assisting third generational mobile radio systems to handoff mobile radio connection to neighboring cells when the neighboring cells are of a foreign generational type. The data mechanism includes a container in the data map which is a generic structure, not particular to any generational system. The generic structure can be content-specific to any of many different generational communications protocols.
US07778619B2
The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for automatic frequency correction of a local oscillator. The apparatus receives a carrier signal. The carrier signal includes a code sequence known to the apparatus. The apparatus downconverts the carrier signal to a baseband signal using the local oscillator. The apparatus performs a block correlation of the samples of the baseband signal with the known code sequence to generate a frequency error signal. The frequency error signal is fed back to the local oscillator to correct the frequency error.
US07778618B2
Systems for suppressing image noise are provided. In this regard, one embodiment includes a system for suppressing image noise comprising a low noise amplifier (LNA) configured to amplify a received RF signal, an RF variable gain attenuator with an image rejection filter with programmable bandwidth configured to suppress image noise and image interference, and an RF mixer configured to perform frequency translation.
US07778604B2
A garage door opener (GDO) communications gateway module includes a receiver for receiving garage door signals and a transmitter for transmitting control signals to a GDO operable for opening and closing a garage door of a garage of a house. The transmitter transmits a control signal to the GDO to control the garage door upon receipt of a garage door signal by the receiver. The module includes a Bluetooth enabled first transceiver for communicating with a Bluetooth enabled appliance of a vehicle over a wireless communications path when the vehicle is located within the vicinity of the garage. The module includes a second transceiver for communicating with a device of the house over another communications path. The vehicle appliance and the house device communicate with one another over the communications paths via the transceivers. The receiver, the transmitter, and the transceivers are contained within a housing mountable to the garage.
US07778596B2
A wireless repeater configured for implementation in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The repeater can be configured to receive and rebroadcast communications using various types of airlinks in a wireless communication system. The wireless repeater can include a receiver configured to sense the type of airlink being supported by the repeater. The repeater can then selectively apply a repeater identifying watermark to a signal based on the type of airlink. The repeater may be configured to periodically scan an operating bandwidth for supported airlinks and can configure the watermarking applied to signals within the channels based on the detected airlinks.
US07778595B2
An audio system and method are disclosed. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an electronic device having a display, a wireless receiver, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the wireless receiver is secured. The system may also include a device interface system that has a sound system connector and a mounting region. The sound system connector may communicatively coupled the device interface system to an existing sound system, and the mounting region may be capable of releasably engaging the electronic device such that a contact portion of the device interface system contacts a conductive element of the electronic device to form at least a portion of a communication path interconnecting the sound system and the electronic device.
US07778588B2
A sheet feeding apparatus, having: a first sheet feeding member to press a top surface of a sheet for sending out a sheet stored in a sheet storing section; a second sheet feeding member arranged on a downstream side of the first sheet feeding member with respect to a sheet feeding direction to further convey the sheet from the first sheet feeding member downstream; and a first cleaning member rotatably supported in contact with a circumference surface of the first feeding member and a circumference surface of the second feeding member to cleaning a circumference surface of the first feeding member and a circumference surface of the second feeding member by rotation.
US07778581B2
A fixing unit includes: a shaft; a heatable rotating member, mounted for rotation on the shaft, for fixing an image on a recording medium, the heatable rotating member having a heat generating layer heatable via a magnetic flux; a magnetic flux generator configured to generate the magnetic flux, the magnetic flux generator being provided proximal to the heatable rotating member; and a supporting frame having a shaft supporter configured to support an end of the shaft on which the heatable rotating member is mounted, the shaft supporter being positioned outside of an end portion of the magnetic flux generator.
US07778580B2
Liquid delivery systems, fuser assemblies, printing apparatuses and methods of delivering release agents to fusing imaging surfaces are disclosed. An embodiment of the liquid supply systems for delivering a liquid to a fusing imaging surface of a fusing member includes a first roll having a first outer surface adapted to contact a liquid contained in a sump; a first shim adapted to contact the first outer surface and the liquid in the sump; a second roll having a second outer surface adapted to contact the liquid in the sump, the first and second rolls contacting each other at an interface; and a second shim adapted to contact the second outer surface and the liquid in the sump. At least one of the first outer surface and the second outer surface is comprised of a compressible material which is compressed along the interface. The first and second shims define a liquid passage through which the liquid is metered from the sump to the interface, and the first and second rolls are rotatable to meter the liquid through the interface to the fusing imaging surface of the fusing member.
US07778573B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner image forming unit configured to form a toner image having a predetermined polarity on the image carrier, an intermediate transfer body facing the image carrier, a primary transfer member configured to transfer the toner image on the image carrier onto the intermediate transfer body, a secondary transfer member configured to transfer the toner image on the intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium, and a contacting member in contact with the image carrier and configured to remove residual toner remaining on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred by the primary transfer member onto the intermediate transfer body and to pass the removed residual toner to the intermediate transfer body. A bias voltage with the same polarity as the predetermined polarity of the toner image is applied to the contacting member.
US07778566B2
A belt cleaning device includes a cleaning roller, a backup roller, and a roller-pressing-state setting mechanism. The cleaning roller is disposed in confrontation with a surface of a belt. The backup roller is disposed in confrontation with the cleaning roller with the belt interposed between the cleaning roller and the backup roller. The roller-pressing-state setting mechanism selectively sets a state of the backup roller to a first state in which the backup roller is pressed against the cleaning roller via the belt, allowing a first pressure to be applied between the cleaning roller and the surface of the belt, and a second state in which a second pressure is applied between the cleaning roller and the surface of the belt. The second pressure is less than the first pressure.
US07778550B2
A system and method using for wavelength monitoring and control in a WDM optical communication system. An aggregate channel monitor detects crosstalk between channels in the aggregate signal. Channel spacing may be modified by an element management system in response to the output of the aggregate channel monitor.
US07778544B2
A method for monitoring an optical transmission line in which digital optical signals are transmitted bidirectionally between a first and a second end point of the transmission line. At the first end point of the transmission line the digital optical signal to be transmitted to the second end point is amplitude-modulated with a preset frequency, with the modulation amplitude being small relative to the amplitude of the digital signal. At the second end point of the transmission line a small fraction of the power of the received digital signal is overcoupled passively on the optical transmission line in the direction towards the first end point and is transmitted to the first end point together with the digital signal to be transmitted from the second end point to the first end point of the optical transmission line. At the first end point the amplitude-modulated component of the received digital signal is detected. An interruption in the optical transmission line is determined when the power of the amplitude-modulated component or an associated optical or electrical characteristic parameter is smaller than a preset limit value.
US07778543B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium for passive optical network rogue optical network unit diagnostics, comprises, detecting an alarm of a network, correlating the detected alarm to a bandwidth map, and selectively disabling an optical network unit upstream to the detected alarm on the bandwidth map for a pre-determined interval.
US07778539B2
An optical apparatus which achieves fast focusing operation and allows accurate focusing is disclosed. The optical apparatus includes a first focus detector which detects a focus state on a subject, a second focus detector which detects a focus state on the subject in a detection method different from a detection method of the first focus detector, and a controller which has a function of detecting whether or not the subject is a moving body and a function of performing focus control of an image-taking optical system in a first sequence in which at least one of the first and second focus detectors is used and a second sequence in which at least the other of the focus detectors is used. The controller preferentially uses one of the first and second sequences depending on the result of the detection with the moving body detecting function.
US07778538B2
The present invention provides a lens barrel having an optical system capable of change of a focal length, comprising: a diaphragm device which controls a light amount of light incident to the optical system and passing to an image forming surface; and an open F value varying device which is provided separately from the diaphragm device, controls a light amount of the light incident to the optical system and passing to the image forming surface and varies an open F value by limiting the light amount so that the open F value becomes a value according to a focal length of the optical system when the light amount which is controllable by the diaphragm device is at the maximum.
US07778535B2
A shake reduction apparatus comprising a movable-side unit having a movable-side frame provided with a camera unit including a lens and an image sensor, and a movable-side shaft having a spherical surface as an extremity surface thereof; a stationary-side unit having a stationary-side frame provided with a stationary-side shaft having an extremity formed as a spherical surface coming into contact with the extremity of the movable-side shaft, to which the movable-side unit is attached; linear actuators disposed between the movable-side frame and the stationary-side frame to drive the movable-side unit to rotate about two orthogonal axes; a movement detection unit for detecting a movement of a camera about the two orthogonal axes; and a controller for controlling the linear actuators to cause the movable-side unit to move so as to cancel the movement of the camera when the movement detection unit detects the movement of the camera.
US07778531B2
A disposable air freshener configured to be connected to a USB port of a computer or computer peripheral device. In one embodiment, the disposable air freshener comprises a casing fabricated from a plurality of sections that have generally the same shape. At least one of these sections is configured as scented cardboard. The disposable air freshener has a printed circuit board and a heating element electrically connected to the printed circuit board. A portion of the printed circuit board extends from the casing and is configured to be inserted into a USB port so that electrical power can be applied to the printed circuit board. The heating element generates heat when it receives electrical power from the printed circuit board. Thus, when electrical power is applied to the printed circuit board, the heating element generates heat which causes the scented cardboard to emit a pleasant scent or aroma. The casing of the air freshener can be configured to have almost any geometric shape, e.g. pine tree, hamburger, chocolate bar, etc.
US07778530B2
A system for delivering vapor phase fluid at an elevated pressure from a transport vessel containing liquefied or two-phase fluid is provided. The system includes: (a) a transport vessel positioned in a substantially horizontal position; (b) one or more energy delivery elements disposed on the lower portion of the transport vessel wherein the energy delivery devices include a heating means and a first insulation means, wherein the energy delivery devices are configured to the contour of the transport vessel; (c) one or more substantially rigid support devices disposed on the outer periphery of the energy delivery devices, wherein the support devices hold the energy delivery devices in thermal contact with a lower portion of the transport vessel; and (d) one or more attaching devices secure the rigid support devices onto the transport vessel and hold the energy delivery devices between the substantially rigid support device and a wall of the transport vessel.
US07778524B2
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.
US07778523B2
A method for reproducing data recorded on an interactive recording medium in conjunction with associated auxiliary data is disclosed. An interactive recording medium reproducing apparatus reproduces A/V data recorded on an interactive recording medium such as an interactive DVD in conjunction with contents data provided by a contents providing server using navigation information for the contents data also provided by the contents providing server, thereby allowing synchronized reproduction of data from different sources.
US07778522B2
In the data structure for managing reproduction of text subtitle data, a recording area stores graphic control information indicating whether to still a display of main data when a display of graphic information is activated.
US07778517B2
An information recording apparatus is provided whereby in the reproduction of broadcasting information, the broadcasting information can be recorded so that the combination and so on of contents included in the broadcasting information can be recognized without the need for reproducing the broadcasting information itself.An information recording apparatus for recording broadcasting information constituted of a packet which has a predetermined amount of information and includes different types of contents, each type including one or more contents, the apparatus including a controller 8. The controller 8 generates contents group information based on correlation information which is included in the received broadcasting information and indicates a correlation between the contents, the contents group information including identification information for identifying the relationship between the packet and the content and type information indicating the type of the content, the contents group information indicating a contents group to include the one or more contents, and the controller 8 records the generated contents group information on a hard disk 1 with the broadcasting information.
US07778513B2
A cable management system for routing cable with respect to electronic equipment. This system has a variety of improvements providing greater flexibility in routing cable to and from the equipment.
US07778510B2
An electrical connector that is integrated within an active cable at one end of the active cable, wherein the active cable is configured to communicate over much of its length using one or more optical fibers. The cable may be an electrical to optical cable, and electrical to electrical cable, or one of many other potential configurations.
US07778497B2
An optical modulator having an optical modulation part and a connection part for an optical fiber propagating light. The optical modulation part has a modulation substrate of an electro-optic material, a modulation optical waveguide formed on the modulation substrate, a high frequency interaction part for applying a voltage to the modulation optical waveguide to modulate the propagation of light, a first supporting substrate and a first adhesion layer for adhering the modulation substrate to the first supporting substrate. The connection part has a connection substrate of an electro-optic material, a connection optical waveguide formed on the connection substrate, a second supporting substrate, and a second adhesion layer for adhering the connection substrate to the second supporting substrate. The modulation substrate is adhered to the connection substrate. The first supporting substrate is adhered to the second supporting substrate. The modulation optical waveguide is connected to the connection optical waveguide.
US07778481B2
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus comprising: a principal object extraction device which extracts a shape of a principal object from an overall screen of an image entered, a weighted area determining device which determines a plurality of areas including the area of the principal object that matches the shape of the extracted principal object as a weighted area, a weighting factor determining device which determines a weighting factor for each of the determined weighted areas, a measuring device which divides the overall screen into a plurality of areas and calculates measured values of divided photometry and/or divided colorimetry for each divided area, and a correction device which performs exposure correction and/or white balance correction based on a measured value calculated for each divided area and a weighting factor determined for each of the weighted areas to which the divided area of each measured value belongs.
US07778465B2
An image forming apparatus with a plurality of functions includes an image information member at a position in a scan area of a scanner and outside an original document placement area. Image information which can be read by the scanner and specifies a permitted function or a prohibited function in the plurality of functions is formed in the image information member. Besides, a processing unit is provided which reads the information to specify the permitted function or the prohibited function from the image information read by the scanner and performs a permission or prohibition processing on the function.
US07778464B2
An apparatus and method for searching a handwritten memo, which is input by a user using a digital pen interface, for a word corresponding to the user's query. The apparatus includes a preprocessing unit which removes unnecessary portions from digital ink data of an input query phrase and an input memo to reduce an information amount, a feature extraction unit which extracts a feature vector from the digital ink data having the reduced information amount, and a query searching unit which searches the memo for a portion matched with the query phrase in units of segments. Therefore, an accurate result can be obtained quickly when an existing memo or document is searched for desired content by inputting a query phrase using a digital pen.
US07778457B2
The present invention relates to automated document processing and more particularly, to methods and systems for document image capture and processing using mobile devices. In accordance with various embodiments, methods and systems for document image capture on a mobile communication device are provided such that the image is optimized and enhanced for data extraction from the document as depicted. These methods and systems may comprise capturing an image of a document using a mobile communication device; transmitting the image to a server; and processing the image to create a bi-tonal image of the document for data extraction. Additionally, these methods and systems may comprise capturing a first image of a document using the mobile communication device; automatically detecting the document within the image; geometrically correcting the image; binarizing the image; correcting the orientation of the image; correcting the size of the image; and outputting the resulting image of the document.
US07778450B2
The invention is generally directed to imaging systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for pattern recognition. In one embodiment, a medical imaging system includes an imaging device and a computer-usable medium, electrically coupled to the imaging device, having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes said processor to execute a process including generating an image from signals received by the imaging device, deconvolving the image, and then extracting a desired pattern from the deconvolved image.
US07778442B2
Variable message coding protocols enable greater flexibility in encoding auxiliary data in media signals. One such protocol employs a version identifier that indicates the type of coding used to process an auxiliary data message before it is embedded in a host media signal. This version identifier specifies the type of error robustness coding applied to a variable message. The error robustness coding may be varied to alter the message payload capacity for different versions of auxiliary data embedding and reading systems. Another protocol uses control symbols to specify the format and variable length of the variable message.
US07778437B2
Stationery, or other printable media, is encoded with a digital watermark. The watermark is not conspicuous to a human observer of the media, yet conveys plural bits of auxiliary information when optically scanned and digitally processed. The watermark can be formed by ink-jet printing, or otherwise. The encoded information can be used for various purposes, including authenticating the document as an original, linking to associated on-line resources, and distinguishing seemingly-identical versions of the same document (document serialization).
US07778435B2
An earpiece that substantially lacks a lower lobe is disclosed. The earpiece has a generally arcuate rib having upper and lower ends. A generally vertical rib extends substantially between the upper and lower ends of the generally arcuate rib. A lobe is formed at the upper end of the arcuate rib. No lobe is similarly formed at the lower end of the arcuate rib. Eliminating the lower lobe mitigates discomfort during use and also reduces the likelihood of tissue damage and infection.
US07778434B2
A hearing aid body is provided that contains electronic hearing aid components and that is attachable to the user's body outside the ear canal. A conduit connects the hearing aid body to the flexible plug. The conduit enables sound emitted by the hearing aid to travel via the conduit to the flexible plug so that the user's able to hear a sound that is amplified by the hearing aid and received by the plug via the conduit. The conduit can be a flexible hollow tube or an electronic conduit that transmit electrical signals between the hearing aid and the plug. A stent embedded in the plug is provided, the stent having a first smaller diameter at a temperature below body temperature and being expandable to a second greater diameter when subjected to the user's body temperature, such as the temperature in the ear canal of a user.
US07778422B2
Generating symmetric keys among distributed appliances, includes generating public and private values on at least one appliance, importing a public value from another appliance via an out-of-band entity, and generating a secret value as a function of the private value corresponding to the local appliance and the public value received from the other appliance.
US07778420B2
In an exemplary embodiment, digital content is mastered as a combination of encrypted data and data processing operations that enable use in approved playback environments. Player devices having a processing environment compatible with the content's data processing operations are able to decrypt and play the content. Players can also provide content with basic functions, such as loading data from media, performing network communications, determining playback environment configuration, controlling decryption/playback, and/or performing cryptographic operations using the player's keys. These functions allow the content to implement and enforce its own security policies. If pirates compromise individual players or content titles, new content can be mastered with new security features that block the old attacks. A selective decryption capability can also be provided, enabling on-the-fly watermark insertion so that attacks can be traced back to a particular player. Features to enable migration from legacy formats are also provided.
US07778418B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide for the copy protection of distributed material after conditional access is applied, regardless of where the material is distributed. The solutions described provide the advantage of being sufficiently simple in implementation to qualify as “curb high” solutions. “Curb high” solutions provide a range of security from minimal security to a high level of security while requiring relatively fewer system resources to implement than prior approaches.
US07778417B2
The present invention provides a means for managing title keys by establishing logical partitions of title keys encrypted with the same binding information. The invention supports delayed and background processing of title keys when binding information changes. This invention supports proper accounting for devices required to recover rebinding processing when devices fail or go offline unexpectedly during processing. The invention uses binding context which represents a set of data that can be used to determine if the binding information used to encrypt a set of title keys is outdated and allow for rebinding to the current cluster binding information level.
US07778414B2
The present invention relates to an asymmetrical encryption method. The public key is made up of a large composite number n; the private key is made up of the factors of the composite number. The encryption is made up of a number of iterations of individual encryption steps that are successively reversed during the decryption. In this context, the reversal of an individual encryption step requires the solving of a quadratic equation modulo m [sic]. The private key is preferably made up of the large prime numbers p and q. The public key is the product n of these two prime numbers, as well as a comparatively small integer L which is greater than one. The message m is made up of two integral values m1 and m2, thus m=(m1, m2), both values being in the set Zn={0, 1, 2, . . . , n−1}. The encryption is accomplished via the equation c=fL(m).
US07778412B2
A method of performing a cryptographic operation on a point in an elliptic curve cryptosystem using an elliptic curve. The method comprises the steps of obtaining information that uniquely identifies the elliptic curve and performing computations on the point to obtain the result of the cryptographic operation. The computations use the information. The computations produce an incorrect result if the point is not on the elliptic curve.
US07778408B2
Hands-free phones with echo cancellation using dual filters, one fast adapting filter and one slow adapting filter; the choice of filters includes switching with hysteresis from recent performance, and the fast adapting filter has step size control to limit relative filter update energy and the slow adapting filter limits filter divergence.
US07778405B2
A method and apparatus are provided for controlling a plurality of contacts with respective clients on a terminal of an agent of an organization. The method includes the steps of setting up the plurality of contacts with the respective clients under an Internet protocol and simultaneously displaying a respective line softkey of each contact of the plurality of contacts on a terminal of the agent where the respective line softkey depicts a status of the contact.
US07778403B2
A communications service for communications addressed to or from a communications address is implemented by receiving, from a requester though a packet switching network, a request to access current communications service data for an account for the communications address. The current communications service data for the account is forwarded to the requester through the packet switching network. An instruction to change an on/off state of the communications service is received from the requester through the packet switching network. The instruction to a communications service manager is forwarded through a data network. The on/off state of the communications service is changed in accordance with the instruction.
US07778393B2
A method for tracing communications includes receiving trace criteria from a first remote element and determining whether a call signaling message matches the trace criteria. The method includes attaching a trace tag to the call signaling message, if the call signaling message matches the trace criteria. The method further includes transmitting the call signaling message to a second remote element.
US07778385B2
The present invention is directed to a method and system of controlling rotation of a gantry to rotate at a rotational speed such that a desired relationship between center projection angles of neighboring partial scans is maintained.
US07778382B2
An x-ray source (32) for performing energy discrimination within an imaging system (10) includes a cathode-emitting device (82) for emitting electrons and an anode (81) that has a target (80) whereupon the electrons impinge to generate an x-ray beam (93) with multiple x-ray quantity energy peaks (116 and 120). A method of performing energy discrimination in the imaging system (10) includes emitting the electrons. The x-ray beam (93) with the x-ray quantity energy peaks (116 and 120) is generated. The x-ray beam (93) is directed through an object (44) and is thereafter received. An x-ray image having multiple energy differentiable characteristics is generated in response to the x-ray beam (93) as received.
US07778376B2
A phase detector includes a first clock driver comprising a first LC tank. The first clock driver provides a strobe to a plurality of flip-flops associated with sampled data being received by the phase detector. The second clock driver includes a second LC tank. The second clock driver provides a strobe to a plurality of flip-flops associated with sampling the phase error of the phase detector. The first and second LC tanks have different adjustable center frequencies and experience a programmable delay between the outputs of the first and second clock drivers so as to determine the data sampling phase of the phase detector.
US07778375B2
A clock generator and a data recovery circuit. The clock generator includes a voltage control oscillator (VCO) for generating a sampling clock and multi-phase clocks, a multiplexer for receiving the multi-phase clocks and selecting one of the multi-phase clocks to generate a selected clock according to a selection signal, a phase-frequency detector for receiving the selected clock and a reference clock and generating a phase-frequency error signal, a charge pump and loop filter for receiving the phase-frequency error signal and generating a control voltage, a phase detector for receiving the sampling clock and an input signal and generating a phase error signal, and a digital low-pass filter for receiving the phase error signal and generating the selection signal. The digital low-pass filter clears an accumulated phase error when it generates the selection signal to force the multiplexer to change the phase.
US07778373B2
Methods and apparatuses for compensating for differences in communication system transmit and receive clock signal frequencies include buffer timing modification and sample addition. In buffer timing modification, a buffer clock signal is interrupted as needed to slow the rate of data through the buffer. In sample addition, pseudo samples are inserted into a data stream to compensate for timing differences.
US07778371B2
A system and method are provided for controlling the duty cycle and frequency of a digitally generated clock. The method accepts a first clock signal having a fixed first frequency. A frequency control word with a first pattern is loaded into a first plurality of serially-connected registers. A duty cycle control word with a second pattern is loaded into a second plurality of serially-connected registers. A register clock signal is generated in response to the first clock and the first pattern. Then, a digital clock signal is generated having a frequency and duty cycle responsive to the register clock signal and the second pattern.
US07778370B2
Frame synchronization methods and systems suited for packet communications systems, and particularly time frequency hopping packet communication systems, are disclosed. Frame synchronization is performed by performing a first correlation on information of received symbols and performing a second correlation on results of the first correlation. In systems with repeating synchronization information modulated by a cover sequence, the results of the second correlation may be used to determine symbol numbering of symbols in a packet.
US07778369B2
There is provided a multi-carrier transmission device capable of improving a packet error ratio in a system where transmission data is repeatedly multi-carrier-transmitted. In this device, the transmission data is subjected to error correction encoding in an error correction encoding unit (102), modulation in a modulation unit (104), and repetition in a repetition unit (106). A signal after the repetition (repetition bit) is two-dimensionally mapped in the frequency domain and the time domain according to a predetermined pattern in a mapping unit (108). The repetition bit transmission power is controlled so that the total value of the transmission power of repetition bit constituting one bit is identical to all the bits and the repetition bit of preferable reception quality has a large transmission power while the repetition bit of bad reception quality has a small transmission power.
US07778368B2
An apparatus (1) comprising a receiver (20) for receiving signals via channels defined by a channel transfer matrix H and a transmitter (10) is provided with a channel estimator (30) for generating first and second channel estimation information and a correlator estimator (31) for correlating the first and second channel estimation information with each other and for, in response to a correlation, generating a correlation factor and a transmitting feedback unit (32) for, in dependence of the correlation factor, estimating eigenparameters of a covariance matrix HHH and for, in response to an estimation, generating feedback information and a receiving feedback unit (33) for receiving the feedback information for adjusting the transmitter (10), to avoid complex matrix processes and to get the feedback information in a simple way. A power estimator (34) estimates a first and second power value for the first and second channel estimation information for normalizing the correlation factor. The estimated eigenparameters comprise estimated eigenvalues and/or estimated eigenvectors.
US07778356B2
A modulator including a direct modulation synthesizer circuit, a reference frequency oscillator for providing an input reference signal to the direct modulation synthesizer circuit for locking a carrier frequency to a stable frequency and a pre-emphasis unit for data bits and for producing a modulating signal for direct modulation of the direct modulation synthesizer circuit, the modulating signal having data bit dependent voltage levels.
US07778355B2
A linear transformation of parallel space-time transmit diversity encoded streams; also, asymmetrical symbol mapping of parallel streams. Separately or together, these improve error rate performance as well as system throughput. Preferred embodiments include CDMA wireless systems with multiple antennas.
US07778353B2
A controller for an RF amplifier, in particular for an RF amplifier of an MR tomograph, contains an RF control element that finely adjusts an RF signal requiring to be fed to the RF amplifier in magnitude and phase using LF control parameters of a control element regulator, a power meter that measures the input power of the RF signal fed to the RF amplifier and a pre-emphasizer that applies correction values dependent on the input power to the LF control parameters to compensate a power-dependent characteristic curve of the RF amplifier.
US07778352B2
A polar transmitter includes a digital processor coupled to receive a complex modulated digital signal and a feedback signal produced from the complex modulated digital signal and that is operable to compare the complex modulated digital signal to the feedback signal to determine an error signal indicative of a difference between the complex modulated digital signal and the feedback signal. The digital processor is further operable to produce a correction signal from the error signal and to add the correction signal to the complex modulated digital signal to produce a corrected complex modulated digital signal.
US07778347B2
A wireless transmitter is configured to map N first samples of a first discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of a group of coded symbols to M sub-carriers according to a first sub-carrier mapping rule. In this case, M is greater than N. The wireless transmitter is also configure to perform a first inverse DFT (IDFT) on the M sub-carriers to provide M second samples and clip the M second samples according to a clipping rule to provide M third samples. The wireless transmitter is further configured to perform a second DFT on the M third samples, de-map the M third samples to N fourth samples, and map the N fourth samples to O subcarriers according to a predetermined second subcarrier mapping rule. In this case, O is greater than or equal to M.
US07778343B2
A generalized form of cyclic shift diversity is described for use in an OFDM system with multiple transmit antennas. Multiple cyclic shifts are performed for each transmit antenna and the shifted signals are scaled and summed to form a time-domain data stream for each transmit antenna. A cyclic extension is added to each data stream prior to transmission.
US07778341B2
A method of encoding a stream of data elements is provided which involves splitting the stream of data elements into a first stream and a second stream; encoding the first stream to produce a first encoded stream; performing a constellation mapping using a combination of the first encoded stream and a third stream which is based an the second stream. This may involve defining a signal constellation; defining a plurality of co-sets within the constellation such that a minimum distance between constellation points within each co-set is larger than a minimum distance between any constellation points within the signal constellation; performing said constellation mapping by using the first encoded stream to identify a sequence of co-sets of said plurality of co-sets, and by using the third stream to identify a sequence of constellation points within respective co-sets of the sequence of co-sets identified by said first encoded stream.
US07778340B2
A method for performing link adaptation in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system comprises: receiving a signal at a receiving unit of the MIMO system, calculating channel state information (CSI) from the received signal, and calculating a plurality of values of a parameter from the CSI, the parameter mapping to an error rate of the system, the mapping being substantially one-to-one within a range of interest of the error rate, each one of the calculated values corresponding to one of a plurality of Modulation Coding Schemes (MCSs).
US07778338B2
The present invention relates to a method and device for estimating a timing error and a frequency offset in the MIMO mobile communication system. In a system including a plurality of transmit antennas and a plurality of receive antennas, a predetermined preamble symbol is inserted into a frame to be transmitted by a transmitting device, and pseudo noise is multiplied to the preamble symbol, and result signal is transmitted through each transmit antenna. A receiving device receives the signal through each receive antenna, extracts a preamble symbol from the OFDM symbol, and multiplies local pseudo noise that corresponds to the pseudo noise used by the transmitting device and is shifted by the extracted preamble symbol. A timing error is estimated and compensated according to the correlation of the pseudo noise of the transmitting device and the local pseudo noise of the receiving device. A frequency offset is estimated and compensated according to the phase difference between the preamble symbols. Therefore, the system is realized in a simpler manner and timing error and frequency offset estimation and compensation performance is further improved.
US07778337B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for inserting data symbols and pilot symbols in an OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) transmission resource utilizing frequency hopping patterns for the data symbols and/or the pilot symbols. Data symbols and pilot symbols are allocated for down link (base station to mobile station) and up link (mobile station to bases station) transmission resources in a two-dimensional time-frequency pattern. For each antenna of a MIMO-OFDM (multiple input multiple output OFDM) communication system, pilot symbols are inserted in a scattered pattern in time-frequency and data symbols are inserted in an identical frequency-hopping pattern in time-frequency as that of other antennas.
US07778336B1
An Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) synchronization module includes a window generator module, a symbol timing estimator module, and a reliability metric calculator. The window generator module generates a sampling window that bounds a plurality of samples of OFDM symbols. The symbol timing estimator module generates an estimated symbol timing from the plurality of samples before a fast Fourier transform operation is performed on the plurality of samples. The reliability metric calculator calculates a reliability metric for the estimated symbol timing based on the estimated symbol timing. The window generator module changes at least one parameter of the sampling window based on the reliability metric.
US07778332B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for crosstalk test in multi-subscriber communication line. The core of embodiments includes: first, transmitting a test signal in a selected line; then, receiving the signal in the line to be tested, and calculating the received signal according to the transmitted test signal; thus, determining whether there is crosstalk between the line to be tested and the selected line according to the calculation result, as well as the value of the crosstalk if the crosstalk exists.
US07778325B2
An optical drive control chip capable of sending command messages in advance and the transmission method of the optical drive control chip are described. The method includes at least the following steps. First, a MPEG module sends a command message to a decoder module. After receiving the command message, the decoder module reads an amount of data and stores it in a memory, so that the data is accessible to the MPEG module. After the data is stored in the memory, the decoder module sends an acknowledgement message to the MPEG module. Without receiving the acknowledgement message, the MPEG module directly sends the next command message to the decoder module. The MPEG module reads the data stored in the memory.
US07778323B1
A system and a method are disclosed for providing a parameterized analog feedback loop for continuous time adaptive equalization that incorporates low frequency attenuation gain compensation. N adaptive equalizer stages are coupled in series and a slicer circuit is coupled to the last (Nth) adaptive equalizer stage. A single equalizer adaptation control loop controls the frequency response of the adaptive equalizer stages to compensate for the attenuation of a lossy channel. The single equalizer adaptation control loop also compensates for the direct current (DC) loss in the lossy channel by modulating a bias current in the slicer circuit to scale the low frequency feedback with adaptation coefficients that correlate with channel length.
US07778322B2
An equalizer, which may reduce signal distortions using overlapped filter banks and methods for the same are provided. The equalizer may include a filter circuit, and a filter control circuit. The equalizer and methods for the same may reduce distortions in filtered signals.
US07778302B2
A method/apparatus may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output which may comprise: a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator which may comprise: a ring power amplification stage; a coherence busting mechanism intermediate the seed laser oscillator and the ring power amplification stage which may comprise a beam splitter separating the seed laser output into a main beam and a beam entering an optical delay path which may have a delay length longer than the coherence length of a pulse in the seed laser output and may have a beam angular offset mechanism offsetting a delayed beam and the main beam.
US07778301B2
Disclosed is a lasing complex comprising a room temperature solution containing cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots. Optical gain has been observed in CdS nanocrystal quantum dots in strong confinement regime in toluene solution at room temperature using femtosecond transient absorption techniques. The optical gain lifetime is measured to be 20 picoseconds under pump fluence of 0.77 mJ/cm2. The relative lower gain threshold compared to that of CdSe quantum dots is attributed to the long lifetime of fluorescence and biexcitons and the relatively sharp photoluminescence linewidth. The CdS nanocrystals are excellent gain media for semiconductor quantum dot based blue lasers.
US07778299B2
A semiconductor laser having a double channel ridge structure includes: a ridge; channel portions located on opposite sides of the ridge, sandwiching the ridge, and having an equivalent refractive index lower than the equivalent refractive index of the ridge; and layers defining outside surfaces of the channel portions and, having an equivalent refractive index higher than the equivalent refractive index of the channel portions. The ridge has a flare ridge structure with a width that is widened toward a light outgoing end surface, and the width of the channel portions where the width of the ridge is the narrowest is wider than the channel portions at the light outgoing end surface.
US07778296B1
Optical microcavity arrangements and approaches facilitate a variety of applications. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an optical microcavity arrangement includes a microcrystal structure having a plurality of optical cavities therein to facilitate the control of light. Emitters such as colloidal quantum dots are optically coupled to the optical cavities by attaching or otherwise arranging a material, which includes the emitters, to the optical microcavity arrangement. In many applications, the emitters couple photons of a wavelength in a range of wavelengths selectively passed by the optical cavities, and are amenable to operation at relatively high temperatures (e.g., at about room temperature or higher), which is useful for a variety of applications.
US07778293B2
A technique for determining the modulation index of a frequency-modulated laser source from the absorption spectrum that is produced when light from the laser passes through an alkali metal vapor cell. The absorption spectrum contains a primary minimum and a number of satellite minima and the modulation index is determined using ratios of the minima. The technique is used to calibrate the laser source of a CPT frequency standard so that it operates at a desired modulation index. Ways are disclosed of using the technique to calibrate the CPT frequency standard either manually or automatically. The calibration may be done when the CPT frequency standard is built, when the frequency standard is initialized, or during normal operation of the CPT frequency standard.
US07778286B2
Digital signal processing based methods and systems for receiving data signals include parallel receivers, multi-channel receivers, timing recovery schemes, and, without limitation, equalization schemes. The present invention is implemented as a multi-path parallel receiver in which an analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) and/or a digital signal processor (“DSP”) are implemented with parallel paths that operate at lower rates than the received data signal. In an embodiment, a parallel DSP-based receiver in accordance with the invention includes a separate timing recovery loop for each ADC path. In an embodiment, a parallel DSP-based receiver includes a separate automatic gain control (AGC) loop for each ADC path. In an embodiment, a parallel DSP-based receiver includes a separate offset compensation loop for each ADC path. In an embodiment, the present invention is implemented as a multi-channel receiver that receives a plurality of data signals.
US07778271B2
A method for communicating instructions and data between a processor and external devices are provided. The method makes use of a channel interface as the primary mechanism for communicating between the processor and a memory flow controller. The channel interface provides channels for communicating with processor facilities, memory flow control facilities, machine state registers, and external processor interrupt facilities, for example. These channels may be designated as blocking or non-blocking. With blocking channels, when no data is available to be read from the corresponding registers, or there is no space available to write to the corresponding registers, the processor is placed in a low power “stall” state. The processor is automatically awakened, via communication across the blocking channel, when data becomes available or space is freed. Thus, the channels of the present invention permit the processor to stay in a low power state.
US07778248B2
A method is disclosed for prioritized processing of routing information in a network element. A priority is assigned to routing information received at the network element. The priority and the routing information are stored in a Routing Information Base (RIB) of the network element. The routing information is transferred from the RIB to a Forwarding Information Base (FIB) of the network element according to the priority assigned to the network element.
US07778243B2
A method for DTMF transmission between different address systems in a communication system containing a first network (NW) 20A including an SIP terminal 41A connected to an SIP server 30A, a second network (NW) 20B including an SIP terminal 41B connected to an SIP server 30B, and an SIP converter 10 connecting the first and the second NWs. When the SIP converter 10 detects coded DTMF information from one of the NWs while a session is established between the SIP terminal 41A and the SIP terminal 41B, the SIP converter 10 determines whether the other of the NWs supports the coded DTMF information. If the other of the NWs does not support the coded DTMF information, the SIP converter 10 stores voice-data DTMF corresponding to the coded DTMF information into a payload of RTP and transfers the information to the SIP terminal of the other network.
US07778238B2
A source IP telephone apparatus obtains, from an ENUM server, NAPTR records of a call destination based on a telephone number of the call destination, the telephone number being input by dialing. The source IP telephone apparatus then selects, from the obtained NAPTR records, a NAPTR record to be used for transmitting a call, based on a priority order, and transmits a call to the call destination based on an access method and a destination number included in the selected NAPTR record. When a destination IP telephone apparatus is busy, the second priority NAPTR record is selected and another call is made by automatically switching the access method.
US07778236B2
A method for implementing transport layer service of NGN, wherein the NGN includes a service layer and a transport layer, the method including: establishing an independent transport-layer control device in the control plane of the transport layer in the NGN network; establishing a transport connection in the user plane of the transport layer under the control of the transport-layer control device; bearing the NGN service through the transport connection. The present invention also discloses a system for implementing transport layer service of NGN. According to the present invention, the network design of NGN may be simplified, the cost of the transport layer network may be reduced, and a strict QoS guarantee for NGN services may be provided.
US07778232B2
A multiuser detector method and receiver that detects and decodes synchronous or asynchronous CDMA subchannels having different spreading factors with reduced computational complexity. The multiuser receiver is compatible with ZF-BLE, MMSE, decorrelating detectors and the like using Cholesky decomposition to minimize numeric operations. The receiver and method arranges the columns of system transmission response matrices representing the response characteristics of individual users into a total system transmission response matrix which represents a plurality of matched-filter responses for a given block of received data. The invention when used in conjunction with Cholesky decomposition reduces the number of required mathematic operations prior to parallel matched filtering.
US07778225B2
A method and apparatus for saving network resources in a CDMA2000 network, the method comprising the steps of receiving a data packet for a wireless data device at a base station controller in the CDMA2000 network; determining a frame transport capability of a forward common channel; checking whether the data packet falls within the frame transport capability; and if the data packet falls within the frame transport capability, encapsulating the data packet as a data burst message; and sending the data burst message over the forward common channel, wherein the sending step over the forward common channel precludes a dedicated data traffic channel being established for the data packet thereby saving network resources on the CDMA2000 network.
US07778221B2
A method and apparatus for requesting bandwidth allocation and allocating a bandwidth in response to the request in a communication system are provided, in which an mobile station detects a second CID requiring bandwidth allocation, the second CID being different from a first CID included in a MAC header, generates a grant management subheader including an order field and a bandwidth field, the order field being for writing a rank of the second CID in a CID list listing CIDs of the mobile station according to a predetermined criterion and the bandwidth field being for writing a bandwidth required for the second CID, concatenates the grant management subheader to the MAC header, and transmits the concatenated MAC header and grant management subheader to a base station to request bandwidth allocation for the second CID.
US07778209B2
The present invention refers to a passive echo cancellation device for use in a full-duplex communication system and its signal transceiving method. The full-duplex communication system comprises a transmitting end for sending a transmit signal to a wiring interface, and a receiving end for accepting a receive signal from the wiring interface. The passive echo cancellation device comprises an offset-signal-generating circuit and a passive echo cancellation circuit composed of a plurality of passive components. The offset-signal-generating circuit generates an offset signal according to the transmit signal. The passive echo cancellation circuit is serially connected between the wiring interface and the receiving end, and is connected with the offset-signal-generating circuit. The passive echo cancellation circuit receives the offset signal in such a manner that an echo signal contained in the receive signal coming from the wiring interface is cancelled by mean of the offset signal, so as to generate an output signal containing merely the signal characteristics of the receive signal.
US07778202B2
A method to provision routes in a network having a plurality of nodes includes receiving a designation of a primary source node, determining possible destination nodes from the designated source node and outputting information indicating the possible destination nodes. The method further includes receiving a designation of a destination node from among the possible destination nodes and updating information regarding optical characteristics based on a route from the source node to the designated destination node and outputting information related to the updated optical characteristics.
US07778200B2
A remote management apparatus and a method of setting an IP address thereof. The remote management apparatus includes a determination unit to determine whether an IP address of a server connected through a network coincides with an IP address intended to be used for communications with the server, and a control unit to perform an IP address mapping for the server and automatically allocating the mapped IP address to the server if the IP address of the server and the IP address intended to be used for the communications with the server do not coincide with each other. When an IP-based device is added to a network in which the remote management apparatus takes part, the IP address of the added device is automatically set for the convenience of the user.
US07778199B2
Techniques for configuring a particular network interface on a particular node at an edge of a provider network to support a particular virtual private network include receiving customer input data. The provider network is a packet-switched network and the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network. The customer input data indicates a topology for customer equipment devices outside the provider network on the particular virtual private network, and may include properties for corresponding interfaces that connect the customer equipment devices to the edge nodes. Based on the customer input data, configuration data is determined for configuring the particular interface at the particular node. The particular node is caused to configure the particular interface based on the configuration data without human intervention. Among other effects, these techniques support zero-touch provisioning of virtual private networks.
US07778198B2
Provided are a system and article of manufacture for data communications. A transmitter transmits a plurality of packets, wherein each packet is transmitted after a time interval. A receiver receives at least one part of the plurality of packets. The receiver determines whether all parts of a packet are received before expiration of the time interval, wherein the received packet is valid if all parts are received before the expiration of the time interval.
US07778197B2
A mobile communications terminal for supporting a space-time Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) schemes and a method thereof, are discussed. According to an embodiment, the mobile communications terminal includes an encoder for encoding data inputted based upon at least one preset puncturing table, and a mapper/modulator for mapping the encoded data to a physical channel and modulating the mapped data.
US07778185B2
In a method for transmitting data between a master control unit and a slave control unit, the master control unit (4) outputs a pulse width-modulated signal (7) at an output terminal (HI_LO_BUS) in order to transmit the same to the slave control unit (5) via a bus (6). The method includes the steps: —the slave control unit (5) generates an acknowledgement signal at periodic acknowledgement intervals (TQuitt); —the slave control unit (5) influences the pulse width-modulated signal (7) transmitted on the bus (6) during the acknowledgement interval (TQuitt); —the master control unit (4) detects the influenced pulse width-modulated signal (7), the pulse width-modulated signal (7) output at the output signal terminal (HI_LO_BUS) being read back at an input signal terminal (Read_Back_Bus) of the master control unit (4).
US07778183B2
A method is provided for selecting a replication node from eligible nodes in a network. A multidimensional model is constructed that defines a multidimensional space and includes the eligible nodes, with each of the dimensions of the multidimensional model being a system characteristic. A data availability value is determined for each of the eligible nodes, and a cost of deploying is determined for each of at least two availability strategies to the eligible nodes. At least one of the eligible nodes is selected for replication of data that is stored on a source node in the network. The selecting step includes selecting the eligible node whose: data availability value is determined to be highest among the eligible nodes whose cost of deploying does not exceed a specified maximum, or cost of deploying is determined to be lowest among the eligible nodes whose data availability value does not exceed a specified minimum.
US07778170B2
Each node or link of an ad hoc network assists in the distributed allocation of a data channel to increase fairness, even in a multi-hop network, by tracking a measure of link weight for itself and sharing this information over a control channel with neighboring nodes. The metric can be provided over a dedicated control channel, added as a header to data communication on a data channel, or inferred by monitoring data traffic from the neighboring node. The link weight can be adjusted by a link quality factor based on provided or inferred metrics such as transmission rates, ratio of transmission errors, idle time, etc. For multiple flow queues at a subject node, one with a higher transmission rate can be selected for increased fairness. When a packet is received, medium access includes allocating bandwidth, including bonding multiple frequencies that are determined to be available to both nodes.
US07778166B2
A method and system are disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes a first device sending a stream of packets in a sequence across a network to a second device. In the sequence of packets there are a number of data packets and one or more synchronization packets. The synchronization packets are interspersed throughout the data packets. The method also includes the second device being capable of dropping any of the received data packets in the sequence arriving more than a first delta of time threshold value after the arrival of the most recent synchronization packet.
US07778154B2
A technique of operating a communication device includes identifying a signal null associated with a signal to be transmitted on a first communication channel. A channel gain of the first communication channel is adjusted at a time that substantially coincides with the signal null to reduce transient noise spectrum coupled from the first communication channel to one or more second communication channels.
US07778146B2
A digital modulation system provides enhanced multipath performance by using modified orthogonal codes with reduced autocorrelation sidelobes while maintaining the cross-correlation properties of the modified codes. For example, the modified orthogonal codes can reduce the autocorrelation level so as not to exceed one-half the length of the modified orthogonal code. In certain embodiments, an M-ary orthogonal keying (MOK) system is used which modifies orthogonal Walsh codes using a complementary code to improve the auto-correlation properties of the Walsh codes, thereby enhancing the multipath performance of the MOK system while maintaining the orthogonality and low cross-correlation characteristics of the Walsh codes.
US07778142B2
There is provided an optical pickup apparatus which is small in size and excellent in releasing action of heat generated inside the apparatus. An optical pickup apparatus includes semiconductor lasers as light sources for emitting light, a laser driver for controlling light emitting operations of the semiconductor lasers, a first housing in which the laser driver is housed, and a second housing in which the semiconductor lasers are housed. The first housing 31 and the second housing are separately formed and connected to each other so as to have a void portion therebetween, which penetrates the first housing and the second housing in thickness directions thereof. The laser driver and the semiconductor lasers are disposed so as to be adjacent to each other via the void portion, and housed in the housing.
US07778133B2
An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus is adapted to record and/or reproduce multilevel information on/or from an optical information recording medium. The multilevel information is recorded in the form of pits in cells virtually formed at regular intervals on a track. The respective levels are represented by varying the length or the area of information pits such that a reproduced signal has a different amplitude level depending on the length or the area of information pits. A reproduced signal correction circuit corrects a reproduced signal obtained by performing sampling at the center of each cell. An error power calculation circuit calculates error power on the basis of the difference between the corrected reproduced signal and an ideal value of each level of the cell. A decoder performs decoding on the basis of the calculated error power values.
US07778119B2
An objective lens holding device includes a first objective lens, a second objective lens, and a lens holder, wherein an axis-to-axis distance between a central axis of the first objective lens and a central axis of the second objective lens is set to a distance, depending on a first length and a second length, which distance prevents a second edge portion from butting against a turntable when the first objective lens focuses light from a first laser on an innermost circumference of the information recording layer of an optical disc.
US07778112B2
An apparatus for providing information about a three-dimensional environment to a user includes; a handle, at least one sensor operatively coupled to the handle, a tactile pad disposed on the handle, a plurality of tactile buttons arrayed on the tactile pad, a plurality of actuators, wherein each actuator is operatively coupled to one of the plurality of tactile buttons to control a height thereof in relation to the tactile pad, and a processor which receives signals from the at least one sensor and controls positioning of the plurality of actuators to represent a physical environment sensed by the at least one sensor.
US07778108B2
A method of acquiring or processing multi-component seismic data obtained from seismic signals propagating in a medium, the method comprising the steps of: selecting a first portion of the seismic data in which the first arrival contains only upwardly propagating seismic energy above the seafloor; and determining a first calibration filter from the first portion of the seismic data, the first calibration filter being to calibrate a first component of the seismic data relative to a second component of the seismic data.
US07778107B2
Circuits and methods are provided for controlling multi-page erase operations in flash memory. The page address of each address of a multi-page erase operation is latched in wordline decoders. A page select reset generator circuit processes the block addresses of each address of the multi-page erase operation. In the event the addresses relate to pages in different blocks, then previously latched page addresses are reset. This avoids the incorrect circuit operation that will result should a multi-page erase operation include multiple pages in different blocks.
US07778097B2
An integrated circuit device may include an amplifier having an amplifier input configured to receive an input signal with the amplifier being configured to provide an amplifier output signal at an amplifier output responsive to the input signal received at the amplifier input. A capacitor may be coupled to the amplifier output, and a buffer may be coupled to the capacitor so that the capacitor is coupled in series between the amplifier output and an input of the buffer with an output of the buffer being coupled to a buffered signal terminal. A variable resistive feedback circuit may be coupled between the input and output of the buffer with the variable resistive feed back circuit providing a variable resistance between the input and output of the buffer. A feedback resistance controller may be coupled to the variable resistive feedback circuit with the feedback resistance controller being configured to select a first resistance for the variable resistive feedback circuit for a first frequency of the input signal and to select a second resistance for the variable resistive feedback circuit for a second frequency of the input signal different than the first frequency with the first and second resistances being different.
US07778096B2
A bad block address of a flash memory device is stored through a fuse circuit and then compared with an input address in order to disable bad blocks. The flash memory device includes a bad block information unit for storing an address of a bad block, a comparator for comparing an input address including a memory block address and the address of the bad block stored in the bad block information unit, and for outputting a first control signal according to the comparison result, and an address counter for outputting a second control signal to enable or disable a memory block corresponding to the memory block address in response to the first control signal.
US07778094B2
A latency signal generating method and a corresponding semiconductor memory device, among other things, are disclosed. Such a method includes: receiving a clock signal for the semiconductor memory device; receiving a mode characterization signal; providing the DQS; and adapting the duration of a preamble state of the DQS according to the mode characterization signal to promote conformance of a strobe state of the DQS with the clock signal.
US07778089B2
A write driver control circuit controls operations of a write driver, which amplifies and transmits data of a pair of global input/output lines to a pair of local input/output lines in a write operation. A single type latch section compares states of first and second data of the pair of global input/output lines differentially inputted in a first status and then outputs a first output signal to a first output node; compares states of the first and second data differentially inputted in a second status and then outputs a second output signal to a second output node; and continuously latches states of the first and second output nodes before a precharge operation starts. A precharge controller equalizes and precharges the first and second output nodes in the precharge operation. An output section outputs first and second driver signals and first and second latch signals to control the write driver.
US07778080B2
A memory system includes memory cells arranged in sectors. A decoder corresponding to a sector disables memory cells having a defective top gate. The decoder may include a low voltage or high voltage latch for the disabling. A top gate handling algorithm is included. The memory system may include dynamic top gate coupling. A programming algorithm and waveforms with top gate handling is included.
US07778071B2
A phase change memory device includes a plurality of intersecting bit lines and word lines. A cell array including a plurality of unit phase change resistance cells is formed at intersections of the plurality of bit lines and the plurality of word lines. A plurality of sub word line driving units are configured to drive the word lines in response to a plurality of sub word line signals. A plurality of main word line driving units are configured to drive the sub word line driving units in response to a main word line signal. A precharge unit is configured to precharge the word lines. In the phase change memory device, the driving units are decentralized.
US07778065B2
An apparatus for sensing the data state of a multiple level, programmable resistive memory device includes an active clamping device connected to a data leg that is selectively coupled a programmable resistive memory element, the clamping device configured to clamp a fixed voltage, at a first node of the data leg, across the memory element, thereby establishing a fixed current sinking capability thereof; and a plurality of differential amplifiers, each of the differential amplifiers configured to compare a first voltage input, taken at a second node of the data leg, with a second voltage input; wherein the second voltage input for each differential amplifier comprises different reference voltages with respect to one another so as to enable each differential amplifier to detect a different resistance threshold, thereby determining a specific resistance state of the programmable resistive memory element.
US07778055B2
An apparatus includes a voltage converter for supplying voltage to an electrical load. The voltage converter is electrically connected at an output to a terminal of a series circuit. The voltage converter includes mechanisms for connecting the electrical load and a current sink. The voltage supplied by the voltage converter is dependent on an input voltage and on a present multiplication factor. The apparatus also includes a first comparator, a second comparator, and selection logic.
US07778051B2
A control circuit controls the output current of the power converter at the primary side of the transformer. The control circuit includes a current-detection circuit for generating a primary-current signal in response to the switching current of the transformer. A voltage-detection circuit is coupled to the transformer to generate a period signal and a discharge-time signal in response to the reflected voltage of the transformer. A signal-process circuit is utilized to generate a current signal in response to the primary-current signal, the period signal and the discharge-time signal. The period signal is correlated to the switching period of the switching signal of the power converter. The discharge-time signal is correlated to the duty cycle of switching current at the secondary-side of the transformer. The current signal is correlated to the output current of the power converter.
US07778048B2
In a switching power supply apparatus, an inductor, a transformer, a first switching circuit, a second switching circuit, and a capacitor are connected to each other so that a first switching element and a second switching element can be alternately turned on and off, an output can be obtained from a secondary winding of the transformer, and an output voltage can be controlled by controlling the ON period of the first switching element. The secondary winding of the transformer is connected to a first rectifying and smoothing circuit. A first control circuit is configured to operate using a DC voltage supplied from a second rectifying and smoothing circuit. After the second switching element has been turned on, the second switching element is forcefully turned off at a predetermined time set by a turn-off circuit included in a second control circuit that operates using an AC voltage.
US07778044B2
The present invention is applied to a tuner module comprising a circuit as a constituent component for tuning at the time of radio signal reception and a metal case made of aluminum and receiving the circuit. The circuit includes at least one IC component. In the metal case, a heat conductive sheet is attached between the at least one IC component and the metal case so as to be in contact with them. Furthermore, a heat radiating sheet is attached to an outer surface of the metal case.
US07778040B2
A printed circuit board assembly includes: a substrate; a main signal line formed on the substrate to transmit a signal; an SMD mounted on the substrate; a pad interposed between the SMD and the substrate; and a sub signal line provided on the substrate to electrically connect the main signal line with the pad, and having a width different from that of the main signal line. Thus, the printed circuit board assembly transmits a signal at a high speed and enhancing reliability and an economical efficiency of a product using the printed circuit board assembly.
US07778039B2
Substrates having power and ground planes, such as, for example, printed circuit boards, include at least one noise suppression structure configured to suppress electrical waves propagating through at least one of a power plane and a ground plane. The noise suppression structure may include a power plane extension that extends from the power plane generally toward the ground plane, and a ground plane extension that extends from the ground plane generally toward the power plane. The ground plane extension may be separated from the power plane extension by a distance that is less than the distance separating the power and ground planes. Electronic device assemblies and systems include such substrates. Methods for suppressing noise in at least one of a power plane and a ground plane include providing such noise suppression structures between power and ground planes.
US07778038B2
The present invention relates to a power core comprising: at least one embedded surface mount technology (SMT) discrete chip capacitor layer comprising at least one embedded SMT discrete chip capacitor; and at least one planar capacitor laminate; wherein at least one planar capacitor laminate serves as a low inductance path to supply a charge to at least one embedded SMT discrete chip capacitor; and wherein said embedded SMT discrete chip capacitor is connected in parallel to said planar capacitor laminate.
US07778033B2
A method of producing a thermally conductive cover for an electric circuit assembly having a plurality of heat dissipating components is disclosed. The thermally conductive cover including a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one rib extending downwardly from the bottom surface. The method includes selecting a plurality of dimensions for the thermally conductive cover such that the bottom surface will be spaced above and extend over top sides of the plurality of heat dissipating components when the thermally conductive cover is installed over the electronic circuit assembly. The at least one rib will extend over and be spaced from the plurality of heat dissipating components when the thermally conductive cover is installed over the electronic circuit assembly. The method further includes producing the thermally conductive cover with the selected dimensions. Thermally conductive covers are also disclosed.
US07778025B1
A portable folding heat-sink assembly for notebook computers implements two or more housings connected at adjacent sides thereof with one or more pivot shafts. Furthermore, heat-sink fans, a circuit board, a switch, and an indication lamp may be optionally settled in some of the housings. Anti-slip pads and supports may be provided at the bottoms of the housings while adjustable pedestals may be provided on the housings. Thus, by the pivot shafts, the heat sink assembly can be expanded for use and can be folded into a reduced volume for portage. Besides, the heat sink assembly can be uprighted on a table to function as an electric cooling fan.
US07778018B2
According to one embodiment, a support device includes: an electronic equipment guide section that guides an electronic equipment to be attached; a connector connectable to the electronic equipment guided by the electronic equipment guide section; a board on which the connector is mounted; a horizontal support section that supports the board movably in an in-plane direction of a side of the board, the side of the board on which the connector is mounted; a horizontal movement regulation section that regulates a movement of the board in the in-plane direction, being provided in a peripheral area of the board distant from the connector; and a vertical support section that supports the board movably in a direction perpendicular to the in-plane direction.
US07778014B2
Electronic equipment according to the present invention includes a cursor key 8 disposed to be exposed partially from a casing, wherein the cursor key 8 includes: an operating portion 8a including a plurality of pressing portions that are disposed to be exposed on the surface of the casing and that receive a pressing operation by a user; and a pair of frames 8m and 8n that are supported by the casing at portions 8c and 8f and connected to the operating portion 8a at the other portion respectively, wherein the other portions are provided between the respective adjacent pressing portions. With this configuration, it is possible to realize electronic equipment including a switch that requires a less number of components and can be assembled easily.
US07778013B2
A venting system is described for use with electrical enclosures in which hot gasses may be generated by certain types of fault. The venting assembly may be mounted to a surface of the enclosure, such as adjacent to an aperture formed in the enclosure door. The vent assembly includes a series of louvers that divert all gasses flowing from the enclosure and provide no direct path for gas. The vent assembly thus provides unimpeded flow of hot gasses during a fault event to divert and cool the gasses before exiting the enclosure. The vent assembly may be configured as a cartridge-type insert mounted either inside or outside the enclosure.
US07778002B2
An ignition apparatus includes a transformer having a central core, a primary winding disposed thereabout, a secondary winding disposed outwardly of the primary winding, and an outer core or shield disposed outwardly of the secondary winding. The central and outer cores and the primary and secondary windings define a magnetic circuit through which magnetic flux flows during various phases of operation. An end-of-spark natural ringing of the secondary voltage is suppressed and limited by a control winding disposed in relation in the magnetic circuit. The control winding has a pair of terminals across which is connected a diode. The diode is oriented so that during a spark event, it is reverse biased but after the spark event it becomes forward-biased when the secondary voltage is positive so as to selectively facilitate dissipation of any residual electrical charge. Ringing is further suppressed by a resistor connected across the primary winding, or selectively connected across the primary winding using a controlled switch.
US07777987B2
Prior art designs of single pole writers have been limited by premature saturation at the tip. This limits the head field that can be achieved without simultaneously widening the write profile. This problem has bee solved by means of a vertical main pole whose thickness has its conventional value a short distance from the tip but that tapers down to a significantly reduced value as it approaches the tip. A process for manufacturing this tapered tip design is also presented.
US07777984B2
A disclosed cartridge holder apparatus includes: a cartridge supporting member having a lateral plate portion and side plate portions on both sides thereof; a cartridge upper surface supporting member disposed between the side plate portions on both sides of the cartridge supporting member; a support mechanism of a cartridge upper surface supporting member for supporting the cartridge upper surface supporting member so as to form a cartridge housing space in accordance with an inserted cartridge; and a cartridge gripping mechanism supported by the cartridge upper surface supporting member and the support mechanism of a cartridge upper surface supporting member. The cartridge gripping mechanism changes positions in the vertical direction, while a locking portion for locking a lock-receiving portion of an inserted cartridge maintains a position in a cartridge insertion direction.
US07777981B2
A system includes a first current generator and a second current generator. The first current generator generates a first current to bias an actuator arm against a spring when a control signal is received. The first current generator discontinues the first current to release the spring and accelerate the actuator arm when servo signals are generated. The second current generator generates a second current that biases the actuator arm away from the spring when the first current is discontinued.
US07777974B2
Providing a compact lens system having high optical performance over the entire focusing range from infinity to a close distance, an optical apparatus equipped therewith, a method for focusing the lens system, and a method for vibration reduction of the lens system. The lens system includes, in order from an object, a first lens group G1, a second lens group G2, and a third lens group G3. Combined refractive power of the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 is positive. The first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 are movable to an object side for varying focusing from the object locating at infinity to the object locating at a close distance. Each lens group includes at least one positive lens and at least one negative lens. Given conditional expressions are satisfied.
US07777970B2
An exemplary super-wide-angle lens includes a lens barrel, a set of imaging lenses, and a prism. The set of imaging lenses is received in the lens barrel. The prism has three light incident surfaces, each of which is coated with a unique color filter for exclusively transmitting a predetermined color light, and a light emissive surface. The prism is positioned such that each of the light incident surfaces is configured for receiving light from a unique field of view of the super-wide-angle lens and the light emissive surface faces the set of imaging lenses, and is structured so that light transmitting in the prism is directed from the light incident surfaces to the light emissive surface.
US07777961B2
A method and system for creating and co-aligning a first array of optical beams with a second array of optical beams. In a preferred application the invention is used in a cross connect optical switch. A first set of alignment beams are created and added to and aligned co-axially with each of the first set of parallel collimated cross-connect communication beams. A second set of alignment beams are created and added to and aligned co-axially with each of the second set of parallel collimated cross-connect communication beams. A preferred embodiment includes an injection unit with a “point” infrared light source such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) operating in the near infrared at 850 nm and having a divergence of about 30 degrees. The beam from this source is collimated with collimator optics to produce a collimated beam with a cross sectional dimension of about 16 millimeter×16 millimeters. This collimated beam is separated into 128 separate beams with a mask having 128 0.6 mm diameter apertures that are positioned to align the 128 separate parallel beams with the communication beams from a fiber bundle.
US07777957B2
A light from an optical fiber is incident on a dispersive element via an optical circulator and an optical fiber. The dispersive element disperses the incident light toward directions different depending on wavelength to apply the dispersed lights to a lens. The lens focuses the lights at positions different for each wavelength of the light. The patterning plate has desired reflection characteristics. The lights reflected on the patterning plate are multiplexed by the dispersive element through the identical path to be emitted from an optical fiber via the optical circulator. Desired characteristics can be obtained by arbitrarily changing a pattern with reflection characteristics of the patterning plate. In addition, a characteristic of the optical filter can be changed by moving the patterning plate.
US07777955B2
Various embodiments described herein comprise mixers comprising a light pipe having input and output ends and a central region therebetween. An optical path extends in a longitudinal direction from the input end through the central region to the output end. The central region of the light pipe comprises one or more rippled reflective sidewalls having a plurality of elongate ridges and valleys and sloping surfaces therebetween. Light from the input end propagating along the optical path reflects from the sloping surfaces and is redirected at a different azimuthal direction toward the output end thereby mixing the light at the output end. Illuminance and/or color mixing can therefore be provided.
US07777949B2
A rear projection display device is provided. In an embodiment, the display device includes a laminate screen including a microstructure lamina having a non-planar input surface, a substantially planar output surface and a first index of refraction. The laminate screen further may include a diffusion screen lamina having a substantially planar input surface, an output surface and a second index of refraction. The diffusion screen lamina may be in optical communication with the microstructure lamina. Moreover, the planar output surface of the microstructure lamina and the planar input surface of the diffusion screen lamina may be in facing relationship.
US07777943B2
In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an optical device comprises a telescope, a coronagraph device coupled to the telescope and having a focal plane occulting mask to provide a coronagraphic image, and a reticulate grid element arranged in a light path propagated through the telescope, at a location relative to the coronagraphic image, to create controlled fiducial spots in the coronagraphic image.
US07777942B2
Disclosed is a device for modifying the distance between a microscope table and a microscope objective. The vertical adjusting mechanism of the microscope table encompasses a eccentric member which is rotatable about a shaft. At least one actuating button is mounted on the shaft. The eccentric member is embodied such that the microscope table can be subjected to a fine or rough vertical adjustment using of the eccentric member and a monolithic actuating button.
US07777941B2
A stereomicroscope of the Greenough type includes a first monocular microscope and a second monocular microscope, which define a first beam path and a second beam path, respectively, wherein the first and second microscopes are arranged at a convergence angle to one another and comprise magnification systems for producing equal magnifications which can be varied synchronously with one another. At least one optical element in the first microscope has a different optically effective diameter compared to at least one corresponding optical element in the second microscope.
US07777939B2
A method of an electrophoretic display (EPD) having an organic thin film transistor thin film (OTFT) control circuit. The method includes: providing an EPD module including a plurality of EPD units on a common substrate, wherein each of the EPD units includes a cell having optical characteristic (or performance) that can be capacitively switched; coating a plurality of pixel electrodes on a side of the EPD module; and preparing the OTFT control circuit by directly coating a plurality of OTFT layers on the side of the EPD module supporting the pixel electrodes.
US07777936B2
The present invention relates to a display device including a substrate having a display area, a first electrode disposed on the substrate to receive a first voltage, a second electrode disposed on the substrate to receive a second voltage having an opposite polarity to that of the first voltage, an insulating layer disposed on the first electrode and the second electrode, and an isolated member disposed on the insulating layer and electrically isolated, wherein an induction charge is generated in the isolated member by application of the first voltage and the second voltage, and wherein light transmittance is controlled according to the application of the first and second voltages.
US07777934B2
A color pixel structure of a color display system based on electrochromism. The color pixel structure includes two one-cell two-color type unit cells laminated. Each of the unit cells includes an upper panel, a lower panel and electrochromic materials of different colors applied to both the upper and lower panels. The color pixel structure exhibits improved color characteristics and have a simple structure. The color pixel structure can be applied to a variety of electrochromic displays due to their excellent visibility and simple structure.
US07777933B2
Electrochemical system comprising at least one substrate of organic nature, at least one electronically conductive layer and at least one active species, characterized in that it includes at least one organic layer lying between the electronically conductive layer and the substrate.
US07777929B2
An electronic device and method are presented for creating at least one predetermined stimulus at the device output. The device comprises an electrically non-conductive holey structure carrying at least two active electrically conductive cores electrically insulated from one another along their lengths, for supplying a potential difference between them, and at least one stimulus creator configured to be affected by said potential difference to provide a predetermined output of the device.
US07777924B2
A color conversion device includes: a color conversion table that stores the color-component values; an area selecting unit that selects a cube; an area coordinate determination unit that determines positions of an input values in the cube; a weighting factor obtaining unit that obtains a weighting factor on one lattice point included in the cube; a value storing unit that reads out the color-component values corresponding to lattice points; a multiplication unit that multiplies the color-component values with the weighting factor; an addition unit that cumulative adds the multiplication results; and an output unit that outputs the color-component values by each color, wherein: the value storing unit stores the color-component values of at least two colors by each color at mutually different areas of the arithmetic memory; and the multiplication unit multiplies the weighting factor respectively by the color-component values in a one multiplication processing.
US07777921B2
Signals from a color (multi-row) full width array sensor are used to detect and correct for motion quality issues in a constant velocity transport or platen document scanner. This capitalizes on the geometry of the full width array sensor, in which three or four rows of photo sites are arranged in the slow scan direction. For example, the arrival time of an image edge of the red sensor row may be compared to the slightly later arrival time at the blue sensor row, and the difference yields the velocity. The velocity can then be fed back to control the transport.
US07777917B2
Methods, apparatus, software, and systems of the present invention allow for optimization of color and shades of gray documents prior to their conversion to a monochrome format. If color/gray elements are identified in the document, the distance between them and their intensity is determined. If there are elements with the same or similar intensity in close proximity to each other, colors of some of the elements may be replaced with solid monochrome colors, and/or dithered surfaces, and/or monochrome patterns. Further, the elements may be outlined. These improvements make elements in the document more distinguishable after its conversion to a monochrome format. The described color optimization and outlining may have wide applicability in the Internet Fax technology.
US07777914B2
An image-processing device adapted to the increased types of color printers without excessive manpower includes a common color correction unit, which carries out a conversion (color correction or customization) common to the models of color printers. Therefore, the method for conversion does not need to be changed depending on the type of color printer. As a result, color correction mode-adapted LUTs, stored color correction LUTs, and light source correction LUTs needed for the common color correction unit do not increase even if the models of color printers increase, and common LUTs can be used. Consequently, the manpower needed to fabricate the color correction mode-adapted LUTs, stored color correction LUTs, and light source correction LUTs does not increase even if the models of printers increase, so that the image-processing device can be adapted to an increase of the models of color printers without excessive manpower.
US07777910B2
An image processing method of reproducing already stored moving image data while storing moving image data currently input. Input moving image data is stored in a moving image storage unit, and scene feature information of each of a plurality of scenes constituting the moving image data stored in the moving image data storage unit is extracted. In accordance with the extracted scene feature information, digest data for reproducing a digest of the moving image data is formed. In accordance with the formed digest data, a digest of the moving image data stored in the moving image data storage unit is reproduced.
US07777908B2
A system and method of scheduling photograph print jobs is provided. In particular, photograph print jobs at a photograph printing facility are scheduled by a scheduling application program which takes into account various parameters of each print order as the orders are received, including the time that the order is to be filled and the type of photographic paper to be used to print the photographs.
US07777906B2
To obtain the same print result from MFPs with different specifications. When it is instructed to store image data read by a scanner of an MFP of a plurality of MFPs which forms the grid computing system, resources of an MFP converts a format of image data into a common format according to device profile information of the MFP and the image data whose format is converted is stored in a storage area shared in the system.
US07777904B2
A method and system for printing documents are provided. New print jobs are automatically analysed with respect to the device-specific properties of the individual pages and each page is designated, on the basis of the analysis, either for processing on a printer of the first type or the second type. Then, the jobs are made locally available for printing on each of the printers. A user may locally start a job on any of the printers and that printer then automatically selects and prints only the pages of the job that are designated for processing on its own type of printer. Then, the user may locally start that same job on any of the printers of the other type and that printer then also automatically selects and prints only the pages of the job designated for processing on its own type of printer.
US07777899B1
In emitting and extinguishing periods, emitting and extinguishing projected electromagnetic radiation is alternated, the emitted projected electromagnetic radiation defining a radiation region adjacent to a housing. Sensed electromagnetic radiation within respective fields of view of first and second sensors is detected, the sensed electromagnetic radiation including ambient electromagnetic radiation detected during the emitting and the extinguishing periods, and projected electromagnetic radiation reflected off an object in the radiation region during the emitting period. Indicia of a position of the object with respect to the housing is output.
US07777898B2
A laser machining apparatus is capable of improving workpiece machining precision. The laser machining apparatus has a movable table for supporting a workpiece to be machined, and a camera for detecting the position of the workpiece by reflection light from an alignment mark formed through the workpiece. The apparatus also includes a jig plate provided between the table and the workpiece, and has light-receiving holes that overlap with the alignment mark (through-hole) and that are larger than the alignment mark (through hole).
US07777891B2
Brillouin scattered light is used to measure the distribution of elasticity and viscosity in a measurement object without contact and in a noninvasive and simpler manner. Measuring light emitted from a light source is directed from a light probe onto a measurement object, and scattered light is received by the light probe. A control computer analyzes the light spectrum of scattered light received by the light probe, calculates at least one parameter selected from the center frequency and the linewidth of the elastic wave scattered components as viscoelastic information, matches the viscoelastic information with the position of a target area in the measurement object, and outputs image information. The position information of the target area in the measurement object is acquired by photographing light spots of guide light with a camera provided to the light probe.
US07777883B2
A system for reducing reflections of a beam of electromagnetic radiation from the opposite, back, surface of an anisotropic sample, including methodology for investigating the incident, front, surface thereof with electromagnetic radiation, and analyzing the data as if the sample is isotropic.
US07777882B2
This invention concerns the in-situ and real-time determination of thickness, optical properties and quality of transparent inorganic thin films (oxides, nitrides) and organic materials during their growth and during modification of transparent polymeric materials, with the use of Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, with measurements in the spectral region of Vis-FUV from 1.5-6.5 eV, and IR from 0.1-0.49 eV (900-4000 cm−1). This method can be used in-line for the monitoring and/or control of the processes in air and in vacuum, that concern substrates on which the thin films will be grown, and of the growth processes of transparent oxides, nitrides and other inorganic and organic films with final result the production of integrated systems with desirable properties.
US07777878B2
Application of digital light processor (DLP) systems in monochromator, spectrophotometer or the like systems to mediate selection of individual wavelengths, and/or to image elected regions of a sample in an imaging ellipsometer, imaging polarimeter, imaging reflectometer, imaging spectrophotometer, and/or to provide chopped beams.
US07777870B2
A system and method for distinguishing a first light source from other light sources utilizes an image receiver that can selectively engage and disengage a filter. The filter can be configured to block bands of light corresponding to the light being emitted by either the first source or the other sources. By alternately engaging and disengaging the filter from the image receiver, the first light source may be distinguished from other light sources.
US07777866B1
A method and apparatus for laser Doppler velocity measurements with a fixed difference, dual beam receiver and using a non-laser, stable frequency reference.
US07777862B2
A system and method form illumination that efficiently illuminates target areas of an object. For example, target areas can be transmission areas of a diaphragm and/or active areas of a patterning device. A plurality of beams formed by a field defining element are directed onto respective entrance faces of a plurality of rods using a relay of first and second lens arrays. The rods process the beams to form illumination that impinges substantially only within a boundary of the target areas, e.g., the transmission areas and/or the active areas. The rods are arranged in number, configuration, and cross-sectional shape corresponding to a number, configuration, and a cross-sectional shape of the target areas, e.g., the transmission areas and/or the active areas. Thus, substantially all the illumination falls within the boundary of the target areas, increasing illumination efficiency.
US07777853B2
A simplified method for forming a pad electrode without using an additional light-irradiation device is disclosed. The method includes forming a gate pad on a substrate, forming a gate insulating layer on a substrate surface, forming a data pad on the gate insulating layer, forming a passivation layer on the substrate surface, forming a first contact hole in the gate insulating layer and the passivation layer, forming a second contact hole in the passivation layer, coating a conductive photoresist on the substrate surface, and forming a gate pad electrode in the first contact hole and a data pad electrode in the second contact hole by ashing the conductive photoresist. The pad electrode is formed in a simple method of ashing the conductive photoresist, thereby decreasing costs.
US07777850B2
Methods for treating aligning substrates produces uniform alignment of liquid crystals in at least two modes. The method is based on the treatment of liquid crystal aligning substrates with a collimated or partially collimated plasma beam. In one embodiment, the method comprises a step of bombarding an aligning substrate with at least one plasma beam from a plasma beam source at a designated incident angle to align the atomic/molecular structure or the surface profile of the aligning substrate in at least one aligned direction.
US07777849B2
A liquid crystal display panel includes an upper alignment film and a lower alignment film positioned with liquid crystals therebetween to allow the liquid crystals to be aligned in a designated direction, and at least one of the upper and lower alignment film includes a first alignment film, and a second alignment film disposed on the first alignment film with holes for partially exposing the first alignment film. Liquid crystals in an area corresponding to the holes are aligned in a first direction by the first alignment film, and remaining liquid crystals are aligned in a second direction by the second alignment film.
US07777842B2
To improve the reflectivity or the transmissivity significantly, there is provided a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display panel having a pair of substrates and liquid crystal sandwiched between the pair of substrates. The liquid crystal display panel includes a plurality of subpixels each having an active element, a pixel electrode, and a counter electrode, in which an electric field is generated by the pixel electrode and the counter electrode to drive the liquid crystal. The liquid crystal display device includes a light-shielding film and a color filter formed on a first substrate of the pair of substrates, a scanning line for supplying the active element with a scanning voltage, the scanning line being formed on a second substrate of the pair of substrates. The boundary region between the subpixels adjacent along the scanning line has no light-shielding film and no color filter.
US07777838B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) comprises: a first substrate and a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer between the first and the second substrates; and a fluorescent color filter responding to light over the first substrate, thereby the fluorescent color filter supplies the light to the liquid crystal layer. A method for fabricating a LCD includes: preparing first and second substrates; depositing fluorescent material over the first substrate to form a color filter, the fluorescent material emitting the visible light in responding to the ULTRAVIOLET rays; and forming a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
US07777836B2
There is provided a liquid crystal display apparatus having a high contrast ratio in an oblique direction and small color change depending upon a viewing angle.A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizer placed on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a second polarizer placed on the other side of the liquid crystal cell; a first O-plate placed between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; a second O-plate placed between the liquid crystal cell and the second polarizer; a first biaxial retardation layer placed between the liquid crystal cell and the first O-plate; and a second biaxial retardation layer placed between the liquid crystal cell and the second O-plate. The first and the second O-plates are solidified layers or cured layers of a bar-shaped liquid crystal compound arranged in a hybrid alignment; and a tilt angle (θP) of the bar-shaped liquid crystal compound on the polarizer side is larger than a tilt angle (θB) thereof on the biaxial retardation layer side.
US07777833B2
A double-side illumination apparatus includes a light source, an isotropic light guide plate including an incident plane on which light emitted from the light source is incident, an opposite plane facing the incident plane, and upper and lower surfaces through which the light is out-coupled. Isotropic micro-structures are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the isotropic light guide plate, respectively, and first and second anisotropic layers are respectively formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the isotropic light guide plate so as to completely cover the isotropic micro-structures. Herein, the first and second anisotropic layers have different refractive indices with respect to light having first and second polarization components that are perpendicular to each other.
US07777827B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a bottom frame, a main frame over the bottom frame and having a substantially rectangular shape, a backlight unit over the main frame, the backlight unit including a reflecting plate, a light guide plate over the reflecting plate, a lamp at one side of the light guide plate, a lamp guide covering the lamp, and optical sheets over the light guide plate, a liquid crystal panel over the backlight unit, a top frame covering edges of the liquid crystal panel and combined with the main frame and the bottom frame, wherein the top frame includes a plurality of separable portions.
US07777822B2
An array substrate in a liquid crystal display device includes a gate electrode, a gate line and a gate pad on a substrate, wherein the gate electrode, the gate line and the gate pad have a double-layered structure consisting of a first metal layer and a first barrier metal layer in series from the substrate, and wherein the first metal is one of aluminum and aluminum alloy; a gate insulation layer; an active layer and an ohmic contact layer; a data line, source and drain electrodes, and a data pad each having a double-layered structure consisting of a second barrier metal layer and a second metal layer of copper; a passivation layer; and a pixel electrode, a gate pad terminal and a data pad terminal on the passivation layer formed of a transparent conductive material.
US07777816B2
An apparatus for image adjustment and an associated method are disclosed. The apparatus can determine an adjusted value of a pixel in an image frame by comparing the pixel and a correspondingly located pixel in a previous image frame. When there is much image variation, an adjustment is made for each pixel in an original image frame for display, thereby providing better visual effects.
US07777814B2
The present invention includes a method and device that allows efficient mixing of multiple video images with a graphics screen while utilizing only one video buffer. The present invention partitions the sole video buffer, pre-scales the plurality of video images and inserts them into the partitioned video buffer in a predetermined range of buffer addresses. The present invention mixes the partitioned video including the pre-scaled video images with the graphics screen to produce a video display including both a video screen and a graphics screen.
US07777807B2
An on-board object detector and on-board object detection method for detecting an object present in a pickup image at a high level of precision. A controller controls a projector to irradiate a line of light while shifting the irradiation angle, and images in the coverage area of the line of light are captured for multiple frames using a camera. Then, shifts in the moving speed of the line of light in the images across the frames are computed based on the images captured, and shifting points in the moving speed of the line of light are detected based on the computed shifts in the moving speed of the line of light in the images across the frames. The position and size of an object that is present in the images are specified based on said detected shifting points in the moving speed of the line of light.
US07777806B2
A digital still camera according to the present invention can obtain an image with appropriate brightness easily without an increase in memory capacity. The digital still camera of the present invention includes: an image-capturing unit which captures a field of object to generate an image; a photometry unit which measures a luminance of a predetermined area of the field of object; a calculating unit which calculates a ratio between a luminance value of a portion of the image captured according to the luminance measured by the photometry unit, and a target luminance value of the predetermined area, the portion corresponding to the predetermined area; and a correcting unit which corrects the image generated by the image-capturing unit according to the ratio.
US07777800B2
A digital still camera includes an image-capturing unit capturing a subject image via an image-capturing lens to create an image, a focus detecting unit detecting focus in accordance with the image created by the image-capturing unit, an image-capturing lens driving unit driving the image-capturing lens in accordance with a result of the focus detection provided by the focus detecting unit, and a receiving unit receiving an instruction to initiate image capture by the image-capturing unit. When the receiving unit receives the instruction to initiate image capture, the image-capturing unit captures the subject image successively to create a plurality of images, while the image-capturing lens driving unit drives the image-capturing lens successively. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an image in a high in-focus state while shortening the time required until an image is actually captured after an instruction is provided to initiate the capture of the image.
US07777799B2
An image sensor includes at least first and second photo-sensitive regions; a color filter array having at least two different colors that selectively absorb specific bands of wavelengths, and the two colors respectively span portions of predetermined photo-sensitive regions; and wherein the two photo sensitive regions are doped so that electrons that are released at two different depths in the substrate are collected in two separate regions of the photo sensitive regions so that, when wavelengths of light pass through the color filter array, light is absorbed by the photo sensitive regions which photo sensitive regions consequently releases electrons at two different depths of the photo sensitive regions and are stored in first and second separate regions; at least two charge-coupled devices adjacent the first photo sensitive regions; and a first transfer gate associated with the first photo sensitive region that selectively passes charge at first and second levels which, when at the first level, causes the charge stored in the first region to be passed to one of its associated charge-coupled devices, and when the transfer gate is at the second level, charge stored in the second region is passed to one of the associated charge-coupled devices.
