US07816324B2
The present invention includes peptidomimetic compound compositions and methods of making and using peptidomimetic compounds to modulate the activity of a peptide receptor for the treatment of one or more of hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, obesity, hyperlipidemia, hyperlipoproteinemia or other symptoms that relate to the function of the targeted receptor. The peptidomimetic includes an oligo-benzamide compound having at least three optionally substituted benzamides.
US07816323B2
Provided herein is a method for treating cancer in a human by administering a high dose of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF).
US07816321B2
The present invention relates to thymosin β4 (Tβ4) derivatives, Gly-Tβ4 and Ala-Tβ4. The present invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the said Tβ4 derivatives. The present invention also relates to the use of said Tβ4 derivatives in manufacture of a medicament for treatment of skin lesion, heart injury, corneal lesion and/or coronary heart disease. The present invention further relates to a method of treatment for skin lesion, heart injury, corneal lesion and/or coronary heart disease by using the said Tβ4 derivatives.
US07816314B2
The present invention relates to automatic dishwashing detergent compositions and methods of using compositions comprising halogenated salts, phosphate and/or silicate in conjunction with electrolyzed water in automatic dishwashing appliances comprising an electrochemical cell and/or electrolytic device for treating tableware to improve cleaning, sanitizing and stain removal by controlling hardness, corrosion and dispersancy.
US07816312B2
The present invention provides a composition for photoresist stripping solution which shows a superior stripping property of photoresists and damaged photoresist layers remained after dry etching in the fabrication process of semiconductor circuit devices, without attacking new wiring materials and interlayer insulating film materials, as well as a process of stripping of photoresists and damaged photoresist layers. The composition for photoresist stripping solution which contains at least one of acetylene alcohol compounds and organic sulfonic acid compounds, and at least one of polyvalent alcohols and their derivatives is used.
US07816311B2
A cleansing bar includes a surfactant-containing body, which includes a top surface, a bottom surface that is substantially opposite to the top surface, first and second ends, and first and second sides extending horizontally and meeting at the first and second ends to together define a perimeter around the cleansing bar between the top and bottom surfaces. A first horizontally-extending groove is formed in at least the first side surface. According to one embodiment, the first horizontally-extending groove extends only partially between the first and second ends. A second horizontally-extending groove is formed in the second side surface, and also extends only partially between the first and second ends. According to another embodiment, the first horizontally-extending groove is further formed around the first and second ends and in the second side surface to encircle the cleansing bar.
US07816309B2
An oil-soluble lubricating oil additive composition prepared by the process which comprises reacting a copolymer, with at least one ether compound and with at least one aliphatic compound capable of reacting with at least one monocarboxylic acid or ester thereof, or dicarboxylic acid, anhydride or ester thereof.
US07816305B2
Certain reversible surfactants, treatment fluids, and methods of use employing such reversible surfactants in subterranean applications are provided. In one embodiment, the methods comprise: providing a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a reversible surfactant that comprises a hydrophobic portion and a nitrogen-containing functional group that is capable of reacting with carbon dioxide to form a salt; and introducing the treatment fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation.
US07816298B2
A catalyst precursor composition and methods for making such catalyst precursor is disclosed. The catalyst precursor comprises at least one of a Group IIB metal compound, a Group IVA metal compound, a Group IIA metal compound, and combinations thereof, at least one Group VIB metal, at least one organic, oxygen-containing ligand, and optionally a cellulose-containing material. Catalysts prepared from the sulfidation of such catalyst precursors are used in the hydroprocessing of hydrocarbon feeds. In one embodiment, the catalyst precursor is of the formula Av[(MP) (OH)x(L)ny]z(MVIBO4), wherein A comprises an alkali metal cation, an ammonium, an organic ammonium or a phosphonium cation, MP is selected from Group IIB, Group IVA and combinations thereof, having an oxidation state of either +2 or +4; L is at least one organic, oxygen-containing ligand, MVIB is at least one a Group VIB metal having an oxidation state of +6, MP:MVIB has an atomic ratio of 100:1 to 1:100; v−2+P*z−x*z+n*y*z=0; and 0≦y≦−P/n; 0≦x≦P; 0≦v≦2; 0≦z.
US07816288B2
A fabric for bedding which includes a woven fabric having warp yarns and filling yarns woven to provide a smooth fabric surface. One of the warp or filling yarns being at least 40% by weight of the fabric of continuous filament nylon, and the other of the warp or filling yarns being from about 0% to 60% by weight of the fabric of continuous filament polyester or nylon having non-round filament cross sections. An antimicrobial substance is topically applied or inherently available in the fabric.
US07816286B1
Disclosed is a thermoplastic composition that includes at least about 40% by weight a polyester and at least about 10% by weight a thermoplastic polymer that is different from the aforesaid polyester. The polyester includes at least one of an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester, a polylactic acid polyester, and a compound of an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester and a polylactic acid polyester. The thermoplastic polymer has a melt index of at least about 40 g/10 min, The thermoplastic composition has a melt index of at least about 10 g/10 min. Also disclosed are articles (e.g., wallpaper) that include a substrate and the thermoplastic composition disposed on the substrate.
US07816284B2
There is provided a method of forming a pattern on a group III nitride semiconductor substrate. A method of forming a pattern on a group III nitride semiconductor substrate according to an aspect of the invention may include: irradiating a laser beam onto at least one first region for preventing etching in a group III nitride semiconductor substrate; and etching at least one second region exclusive of the first region using the first region irradiated with the laser beam as a mask.
US07816283B2
A method of depositing a high permittivity dielectric film on a doped silicon or silicon compound layer of a wafer. The method includes a first step of nitriding a specific element (A) such as hafnium Hf to form a nitride film (AxNy) on the silicon layer, wherein the specific element (A) and nitrogen (N) in the nitride film (AxNy) have a predetermined fraction relationship between x and y; a second step of oxidizing the nitride film in a oxygen atmosphere to form the dielectric film (AON).
US07816282B2
A method is used for forming an SrTiO3 film on a substrate placed and heated inside a process chamber while supplying a gaseous Ti source material, a gaseous Sr source material, and a gaseous oxidizing agent into the process chamber. Sr(C5(CH3)5)2 is used as the Sr source material. The method performs a plurality of cycles to form the SrTiO3 film. Each cycle sequentially includes supplying the gaseous Ti source material into the process chamber and thereby adsorbing it onto the substrate; supplying the gaseous oxidizing agent into the process chamber and thereby decomposing the Ti source material thus adsorbed and forming a Ti-containing oxide film; supplying the gaseous Sr source material into the process chamber and thereby adsorbing it onto the Ti-containing oxide film; and supplying the gaseous oxidizing agent into the process chamber and thereby decomposing the Sr source material thus adsorbed and forming an Sr-containing oxide film.
US07816275B1
Methodologies and gate etching processes are presented to enable the fabrication of gate conductors of semiconductor devices, such as NFETs and/or PFETs, which are equipped with nano-channels. In one embodiment, a sacrificial spacer of equivalent thickness to the diameter of the gate nano-channel is employed and is deposited after patterning the gate conductor down to the gate dielectric. The residue gate material that is beneath the nano-channel is removed utilizing a medium to high density, bias-free, fluorine-containing or fluorine- and chlorine-containing isotropic etch process without compromising the integrity of the gate. In another embodiment, an encapsulation/passivation layer is utilized. In yet further embodiment, no sacrificial spacer or encapsulation/passivation layer is used and gate etching is performed in an oxygen and nitrogen-free ambient.
US07816267B2
After a groove is formed in an insulating layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, a barrier metal layer is formed on the insulating layer by an ALD process so as to cover the side walls and bottom of the groove, and an impurity layer is formed in or on the surface of the barrier metal layer by an ion implantation process or by an ALD process. Thereafter, the barrier metal layer and the impurity layer are alloyed, and then an inlaid interconnect layer, which is composed of a Cu seed layer and a Cu plating layer, is formed in the groove. Then, an impurity element in the alloyed barrier metal layer is thermally diffused into the inlaid interconnect layer.
US07816265B2
A method for forming vias in a substrate, including the following steps: (a) providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; (b) forming a groove on the substrate; (c) filling the groove with a conductive metal; (d) removing part of the substrate which surrounds the conductive metal, wherein the conductive metal is maintained so as to form an accommodating space between the conductive metal and the substrate; (e) forming an insulating material in the accommodating space; and (f) removing part of the second surface of the substrate to expose the conductive metal and the insulating material. In this way, thicker insulating material can be formed in the accommodating space, and the thickness of the insulating material in the accommodating space is even.
US07816253B2
When an interconnect structure is built on porous ultra low k (ULK) material, the bottom of the trench and/or via is usually damaged by a following metallization process which may be suitable for dense higher dielectric materials. Embodiment of the present invention may provide a method of forming an interconnect structure on an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) material. The method includes steps of treating an exposed area of said ILD material to create a densified area, and metallizing said densified area.
US07816250B2
A method includes providing a mixture of molten indium and molten aluminum, and agitating the mixture while reducing its temperature until the aluminum changes from liquid phase to solid phase, forming particles distributed within the molten indium. Agitation of the mixture sufficiently to maintain the aluminum substantially suspended in the molten aluminum continues while further reducing the temperature of the mixture until the indium changes from a liquid phase to a solid phase. A metallic composition is formed, including indium and particles of aluminum suspended within the indium, the aluminum particles being substantially free from oxidation.The metallic (solder) composition can be used to form an assembly, including an integrated circuit (IC) device, at least a first thermal component disposed adjacent to the IC device, and a solder TIM interposed between and thermally coupled with each of the IC device and the first thermal component.
US07816247B2
A method and apparatus for improved contact pad arrays and land patterns for integrated circuit packages are presented. A plurality of conductive pads are arranged in an array of rows and columns. At least one edge of a perimeter of the array is not fully populated with conductive pads. Spaces created in the edge by missing conductive pads create additional routing channels for signals from conductive pads within the array to be routed external to the array through the edge. A land pattern may have routing channels on one or more layers of a printed circuit board. In such a multi-layer land pattern, spaces can be created in edges on any number of the layers. Furthermore, corner pad arrangements having known routing channel characteristics can be used in any number of corners of a land pattern that incorporates spaces in an edge.
US07816239B2
Techniques for manufacturing solar cells are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may comprise disposing a mask upstream of the solar cell, the mask comprising a plurality of filaments spaced apart from one another to define at least one aperture; directing a ribbon ion beam of desired species toward the solar cell to ion implant a portion of the solar cell defined by the at least one aperture of the mask; and orienting the ribbon ion beam such that longer cross-section dimension of the ribbon beam is perpendicular to the aperture in one plane.
US07816235B2
A semiconductor package includes a rewiring substrate and a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip includes: a first face with an active surface including integrated circuit devices and chip contact pads, a second face lying in a plane essentially parallel to the first face and side faces. Each side face of the semiconductor chip lies in a plane essentially perpendicular to the first and second faces. At least one edge between two mutually essentially perpendicular faces of the semiconductor chip includes a surface.
US07816226B2
A method for forming a self-align insulation of a passing gate is disclosed. First, a substrate is provided. A deep trench filled with silicon material and a shallow trench isolation adjacent to the deep trench are formed in the substrate. A patterned pad oxide and a patterned hard mask are sequentially formed on the substrate. The patterned pad oxide and the patterned hard mask together define the opening of the deep trench. Then, an oxidation step is carried out to form a first oxide layer serving as the insulation of a passing gate on the top surface of the silicon material of the deep trench. Later, a first Si layer is formed to cover the first oxide layer. Afterwards, the hard mask is removed.
US07816221B2
High frequency performance of (e.g., silicon) bipolar devices (40, 100, 100″) is improved by reducing the capacitive coupling (Cbc) between the extrinsic base contact (46) and the collector (44, 44′, 44″). A dielectric ledge (453, 453′) is created during fabrication to separate the extrinsic base contract (46) from the collector (44, 44′, 44″) periphery (441). The dielectric ledge (453, 453′) underlies the transition region (461) where the extrinsic base contact (46) is coupled to the intrinsic base. (472) During device fabrication, a multi layer dielectric stack (45) is formed adjacent the intrinsic base (472) that allows the simultaneous creation of an undercut region (457, 457′) in which the intrinsic base (472) to extrinsic base contact (46) transition region (461) can be formed. The transition region (461) formed in the cavity (457, 457′) overlies the dielectric ledge (453, 453′) which separates it from the collector (44, 44′, 44″) periphery (441), thereby reducing the base-collector junction capacitance (Cbc). fMAX of the device is significantly increased.
US07816220B2
In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of processing a substrate, e.g., a semiconductor substrate, by irradiating a surface of the substrate (or at least a portion of the surface) with a first set of polarized short laser pulses while exposing the surface to a fluid to generate a plurality of structures on the surface, e.g., within a top layer of the surface. Subsequently, the structured surface can be irradiated with another set of polarized short laser pulses having a different polarization than that of the initial set while exposing the structured surface to a fluid, e.g., the same fluid initially utilized to form the structured surface or a different fluid. In many embodiments, the second set of polarized laser pulses cause the surface structures formed by the first set to break up into smaller-sized structures, e.g., nano-sized features such as nano-sized rods.
US07816219B2
A semiconductor structure and method for forming the same. First, a semiconductor structure is provided, including (a) a semiconductor layer including (i) a channel region and (ii) first and second source/drain (S/D) extension regions, and (iii) first and second S/D regions, (b) a gate dielectric region in direction physical contact with the channel region via a first interfacing surface that defines a reference direction essentially perpendicular to the first interfacing surface, and (c) a gate region in direct physical contact with the gate dielectric region, wherein the gate dielectric region is sandwiched between and electrically insulates the gate region and the channel region. Then, (i) a first shallow contact region is formed in direct physical contact with the first S/D extension region, and (ii) a first deep contact region is formed in direct physical contact with the first S/D region and the first shallow contact region.
US07816214B2
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a first well region of a first conductivity type overlying the substrate, a second well region of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type overlying the substrate, a cushion region between and adjoining the first and the second well regions, an insulation region in a portion of the first well region and extending from a top surface of the first well region into the first well region, a gate dielectric extending from over the first well region to over the second well region, wherein the gate dielectric has a portion over the insulation region, and a gate electrode on the gate dielectric.
US07816213B2
A semiconductor device with integrated MIS field-effect transistors includes a first transistor containing a first gate electrode having a composition represented by MAx and a second transistor containing a second gate electrode having a composition represented by MAy, wherein M is at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Ni, Pt, Ta, Pd, Co and Ti; A is silicon and/or germanium; 0
US07816212B2
A high voltage operating field effect transistor has a substrate and a semiconductor channel formation region disposed in a surface of the substrate. A source region and a drain region are spaced apart from each other with the semiconductor channel formation region disposed between the source region and the drain region. A gate insulating film region is disposed on the semiconductor channel formation region. A resistive gate region is disposed on the gate insulating film region. A source side electrode is disposed on a source region side of the resistive gate region and is operative to receive a signal electric potential. A drain side electrode is disposed on a drain region side of the resistive gate region and is operative to receive a bias electric potential an absolute value of which is equal to or larger than that of a specified electric potential and which changes according to an increase or decrease in a drain electric potential.
US07816211B2
A semiconductor device is made on a semiconductor substrate. A first insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate for use as a gate dielectric for a high voltage transistor in a first region of the semiconductor substrate. After the first insulating layer is formed, a second insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate for use as a gate dielectric for a non-volatile memory transistor in a second region of the substrate. After the second insulating layer is formed, a third insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate for use as a gate dielectric for a logic transistor in a third region of the substrate.
US07816209B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an insulation layer over a substrate including a pattern for forming a multi-plane channel, forming a columnar polysilicon layer over the insulation layer and filling in the pattern, and performing a thermal treatment process.
US07816182B2
A multichip integrated circuit apparatus includes first and second integrated circuit die mounted on opposite sides of a leadframe die paddle, with at least one of the integrated circuit die extending further toward the leads than does the die paddle. With this arrangement, the active circuit areas of both integrated circuit die can face in the same direction, and can be wire bonded to the same surfaces of the leads. This avoids wire bonding complications that are often encountered in multichip integrated circuit package designs.
US07816179B2
Provided are a laser flip-chip bonding method having high productivity and excellent bonding reliability and a flip-chip bonder employing the same. The flip-chip bonder includes: a bonding stage on which a substrate rests; a bonding head picking up a semiconductor chip and attaching the semiconductor chip to the substrate; and a semiconductor chip heating unit heating the semiconductor chip to a bonding temperature. The semiconductor chip heating unit includes: a laser light source; and a lens assembly refracting a laser beam emitted by the laser light source to a top surface of the semiconductor chip so that a central position of the laser beam varies across the top surface of the semiconductor chip.
US07816169B2
Disclosed is an ordered microelectronic fabrication sequence in which color filters are formed by conformal deposition directly onto a photodetector array of a CCD, CID, or CMOS imaging device to create a concave-up pixel surface, and, overlayed with a high transmittance planarizing film of specified index of refraction and physical properties which optimize light collection to the photodiode without additional conventional microlenses. The optically flat top surface serves to encapsulate and protect the imager from chemical and thermal cleaning treatment damage, minimizes topographical underlayer variations which would aberrate or cause reflection losses of images formed on non-planar surfaces, and, obviates residual particle inclusions induced during dicing and packaging. A CCD imager is formed by photolithographically patterning a planar-array of photodiodes on a semiconductor substrate. The photodiode array is provided with metal photoshields, passivated, and, color filters are formed thereon. A transparent encapsulant is deposited to planarize the color filter layer and completes the solid-state color image-forming device without conventional convex microlenses.
US07816166B1
A method to form a MEMS structure is described. In an embodiment, a structure having a first release layer between a substrate and a member is provided. A second release layer is adjacent to a sidewall of the member. At least a portion of each of the first and the second release layers is then removed. In one embodiment, the member is formed by a damascene process. In another embodiment, the member is formed by a subtractive process. In a specific embodiment, the second release layer formed adjacent to a sidewall of the member has sub-lithographic dimensions.
US07816165B2
A method of forming a MEMS device provides a wafer having a base with a conductive portion. The wafer also has an intermediate conductive layer. After it provides the wafer, the method adds a diaphragm layer to the wafer. The method removes at least a portion of the intermediate conductive layer to form a cavity between the diaphragm layer and the base. At least a portion of the diaphragm layer is movable relative to the base. After it forms the cavity, the method seals the cavity.
US07816157B2
The invention discloses a method of producing on a substrate a semiconductor optical device having a laser diode and an EA optical modulator. An etched side face of a first semiconductor portion is formed. Then, for example, a first optical confinement layer and an active layer both for the EA optical modulator are grown by the metal organic vapor phase epitaxy method. The first optical confinement layer is grown by supplying hydrogen chloride in addition to a material gas. When the first optical confinement layer is grown, the formation of a thick semiconductor layer along the etched side face, which is an abnormally grown semiconductor layer, is decreased. Subsequently, the active layer for the EA optical modulator is grown. This method can suppress the active layer for the EA optical modulator from bending caused by the abnormally grown semiconductor layer.
US07816153B2
A dislocation-free sheet may be formed from a melt. A sheet of material with a first width is formed on a melt of the material using a cooling plate. This sheet has dislocations. The sheet is transported with respect to the cooling plate and the dislocations migrate to an edge of the sheet. The first width of the sheet is increased to a second width by the cooling plate. The sheet does not have dislocations at the second width. The cooling plate may have a shape with two different widths in one instance. The cooling plate may have segments that operate at different temperatures to increase the width of the sheet in another instance. The sheet may be pulled or flowed with respect to the cooling plate.
US07816136B2
A method for growing stem cells comprising the steps of a providing stem cells with supporters said supporters being genetically modified in order to provide externally regulatable interactions between the supporters and the stem cells; supporters and stem cells are interchangeable upon genetic modification and interaction; applying an external signal for starting or stopping the interactions.
US07816132B2
The present invention is directed to a novel plexin family like DNA, a gene containing the DNA, novel polypeptide encoded by the DNA, a recombinant protein containing the polypeptide or heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides, methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention. Conditions that can be diagnosed, screened, prevented, or treated by the compositions herein include prophylactic, angiogenesis and conservation of functions in various organs, angiogenesis at the time of tumor and regeneration of various organs, proliferation, differentiation and preservation of function of the cells in various organs, aging, and dysfunction of the present invention.
US07816128B2
An automatic cell cultivation apparatus is provided which is capable of conveying the culture container, exchanging the culture medium, and operating other jobs promptly by a robot. The automatic cell cultivation apparatus has a cultivation apparatus main body for cultivating cells in a culture container, and the cultivation apparatus main body is equipped with one or more incubator accommodating the culture container, a chemical suction machine for sucking chemicals in the culture container, and a multijoint robot for conveying the culture container, the multijoint robot having functions of conveying the culture container, detaching and attaching the lid of the culture container, and inclining the container when sucking chemicals in the culture container, so that cell cultivation operations can be promptly carried out by only one robot.
US07816108B2
The invention relates to uses of polypeptides having amylase activity, nucleic acids encoding them, and methods for making and using them. For example, in one aspect, the invention provides methods for making alcohol using polypeptides of the invention. In one aspect, the polypeptides having amylase activity have increased activity and stability at acidic, neutral and alkaline pH and increased temperature. In one aspect, the invention provides methods for producing an alcohol, for producing a high-maltose or a high-glucose syrup or a mixed syrup, for liquifying a starch-comprising composition, for hydrolyzing a starch, comprising use of polypeptides of the invention, or polypeptides encoded by the nucleic acids of this invention.
US07816107B2
A process for preparing optically active 2-methylalkan-1-ol of the general formula (III) comprising the following steps: (i) carbonyl-selective reduction of 2-methylalk-2-en-1-al of the general formula (I) to 2-methylalk-2-en-1-ol of the general formula (II), (ii) enantioselective hydrogenation of 2-methylalk-2-en-1-ol to the general formula (iii), (iii) increasing the optical yield of the optically active 2-methylalkan-1-ol (III) obtained in step (ii) by a lipase-catalyzed acylation reaction, where the radical R means C1-C10-alkyl.
US07816106B2
A method of producing an amide from the corresponding nitrile comprising the following steps, i) providing a microorganism capable of producing a nitrile hydratase biocatalyst, ii) culturing the microorganism in a growth medium, iii) storing the microorganism, iv) contacting the nitrile by the microorganism in an aqueous medium and thereby converting the nitrile to the amide, wherein the microorganism is stored as none actively growing free cells in a storage medium that comprises water. The stored microorganism may be as whole microbial cells, this may be in the form of a cell paste recovered from a fermentation medium; an aqueous suspension of the microbial cells, prepared using a suitable suspending medium such as water, physiological saline solution, or a suitable buffer solution, such as phosphate or comprises the fermentation broth that contains components of the fermentation culture medium and products of microbial culture. The microorganism exhibits no significant loss of activity, for example if stored even for at least 2 days, especially 3 to 28 days.
US07816103B2
A protein having amino acid sequence in SEQ ID No.:1 of the Sequence Listing derived from human MP52, and a dimer protein thereof. A homodimer protein described above can be obtained by constructing a plasmid containing DNA coding amino acid sequence in SEQ ID No.:1 of the Sequence Listing with a methionine at the N-terminus, introducing the plasmid into E. coli for transformation, solubilizing inclusion bodies obtained by culturing the transformant, purifying the monomer protein from the solubilized solution, refolding the monomer protein into a dimer protein and purifying the same. The homodimer protein described above is useful as a pharmaceutical composition for treating cartilage and bone diseases.
US07816093B2
The present invention relates to the discovery of a specific human taste receptor in the T2R taste receptor family, hT2R54 that responds to particular bitter compounds The present invention further relates to the use of this receptor in assays for identifying ligands that modulate the activation of this taste receptor. These compounds may be used as additives and/or removed from foods, beverages and medicinals in order to modify (block) T2R-associated bitter taste. A preferred embodiment is the use of the identified compounds as additives in foods, beverages and medicinals for blocking bitter taste.
US07816083B2
The present invention is based on the discovery of genetic polymorphisms that are associated with neurodegenerative disease, particularly Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. In particular, the present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules containing the polymorphisms, variant proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules, reagents for detecting the polymorphic nucleic acid molecules and proteins, and methods of using the nucleic acid and proteins as well as methods of using reagents for their detection.
US07816080B2
The present invention provides novel methods for characterizing organisms by identifying the presence, absence, size or sequence polymorphism of intronic regions. The method involves selecting intronic regions from nuclear or organellar gene sequences that are useful for differentiating between and among taxonomic groupings of organisms. Such intronic regions can be analyzed directly or after amplification in a primer extension reaction. The amplification product is then analyzed by, for example, size fractionation, nucleotide sequencing or (RFLP). Intronic regions that contain an open reading frame encoding all or a portion of a protein can be used to generate antibodies to detect the presence or absence of the protein, which indicates the presence or absence of the intronic region. Methods of detecting an organism in a sample by detecting the presence or absence of one or more intronic regions also are provided using nucleic acid based or immunological based approaches. Kits are provided for practicing the methods of the invention.
US07816078B2
The present invention provides a method for identifying species and subspecies in a biological sample through the selective amplification of segments of nucleic acid that code a target region of the cytoplasmatic beta-actin protein, which is present in all the organisms concerned. The method comprises DNA extraction from the sample; amplification of divergent segments of the cytoplasmatic beta-actin gene by PCR or an equivalent technique, using primers of regions with high evolutionary conservation between species and subspecies; and identification of the amplified segment by comparison of its size in base pairs with a pre-established standard of sizes and/or identification of the amplified segment by DNA sequencing and comparison of the resulting sequence with the specific sequence of each species or subspecies present on a computer database.
US07816065B2
A novel coating for lithographic printing plates can be imagewise exposed to radiation and then directly processed with only water to remove the non-exposed regions of the coating. The coating comprises a polymer, a monomer and/or oligomer, polymerization or cross link initiator, stabilizer, and dye or pigment, such that after imaging, the non-imaged resin areas are removable from the planar surface by penetration of water through the non-imaged coating without dissolution of the resin components of the coating, to form a lithographic printing plate with clearly defined image and non-image areas. The stabilizer is a solvent soluble, partially water soluble, non-polymerizable organic component that enables the coating to be removable by water in the non-cross linked areas.
US07816064B2
An image-forming method, containing the steps of: superposing a heat-sensitive transfer sheet on a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet so that the following receptor layer can be contacted with the following thermal transfer layer; and providing thermal energy in accordance with image signals, thereby to form a thermal transfer image;in which the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet comprises, on a support, a receptor layer containing a polymer latex, and a heat insulation layer containing hollow polymer particles, and the heat-sensitive transfer sheet comprises, on a support, a thermal transfer layer containing any one of compounds represented by formulas (1) to (7): in which, one of Z1 and Z2 represents ═N— and the other represents ═C(R95)—; Z3 and Z4 each independently represents ═N— or ═C(R96)—; R51 to R114 each independently represent a substituent, or a hydrogen atom or a substituent; n8 to n18 each independently represent an integer of 0 to 5, 0 to 4 or 0 to 2.
US07816061B2
In one embodiment, a mask for use in semiconductor processing comprises a first region formed from a first material that is primarily opaque, a second region formed from a second material that is primarily transmissive, and a third region in which at least a portion of the second material is removed to generate a phase shift in radiation applied to the mask.
US07816060B2
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device including a pattern forming method, a reticle correcting method, and a reticle pattern data correcting method are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising forming a pattern composed of photosensitive resin film including forming periodically arranged first contact hole patterns of a first photosensitive resin film on a processing film formed above a semiconductor substrate, and forming a selective opening pattern of a second photosensitive resin film including various opening pattern types on the first photosensitive resin film, whereby selectively forming second contact hole patterns at positions of the first contact hole patterns selected by the selective opening patterns, wherein the first contact hole patterns have corrected dimensions such that dimensions of the second contact hole patterns become equivalent each other independent of the opening pattern types.
US07816055B2
A novel electrochemical cell which may be a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is disclosed where the cathodes (144, 140) may be exposed to the air and open to the ambient atmosphere without further housing. Current collector (145) extends through a first cathode on one side of a unit and over the unit through the cathode on the other side of the unit and is in electrical contact via lead (146) with housing unit (122 and 124). Electrical insulator (170) prevents electrical contact between two units. Fuel inlet manifold (134) allows fuel to communicate with internal space (138) between the anodes (154 and 156). Electrically insulating members (164 and 166) prevent the current collector from being in electrical contact with the anode.
US07816054B2
In order to provide small electronic equipment which can be used for a long time, electronic equipment includes a casing, a hold portion provided as part of the casing, for holding the equipment, and a fuel cell, in which a recessed portion provided in the hold portion has a vent hole formed therein for supplying air to the fuel cell. A fuel cell mounting chamber for containing the fuel cell is provided inside the hold portion. At least a part of the fuel cell mounting chamber and the vent hole provided in the recessed portion adjoin each other such that air is supplied from the vent hole to the fuel cell.
US07816053B2
A membrane-electrode assembly having superior hot water resistance has a membrane containing an aromatic polymer having a repeating unit expressed by general formula (1): in which A represents independently either —CO— or —SO2—; B represents independently an oxygen atom or sulfur atom; R1 to R8, which may be identical or different from each other, represent a hydrogen atom, fluorine atom, alkyl group, phenyl group or nitrile group; R9 to R24, which may be identical or different from each other, represent a hydrogen atom, alkyl group or phenyl group; and ‘a’ represents an integer of 0 to 4.
US07816052B2
A proton conductive electrolyte including a polymerized polyurethane, polyethylene(metha)acrylic acid (PEAA), and a cross-linking agent mixture; a method of preparing the same; an electrode including a support and a catalyst layer, the catalyst layer including a supported catalyst and a polymerized mixture of a polyurethane based compound and a polyethylene(metha)acrylic acid; a method of preparing the electrode; and a fuel cell including the proton conductive electrolyte and/or the electrode. The proton conductive electrolyte can be prepared at lower costs than conventionally used polybenzimidazole and NAFION and can be easily formed into a membrane with a controlled thickness by casting. The polymer electrolyte membrane has high mechanical strength, flexibility, and excellent ionic conductivity. The electrode remains stable under high temperature operation, a strong binding force is maintained between the support and the catalyst layer, and the electrode has excellent ionic conductivity. The fuel cell produced using the proton conductive electrolyte and/or the electrode can operate at 100° C. or higher under non-humidified conditions and exhibits an improved performance.
US07816051B2
A plate type fuel cell system includes: an electric generator including a membrane-electrode assembly having a plurality of anode electrodes and a plurality of cathode electrodes arranged on opposite surfaces of a proton-exchange membrane and spaced apart from each other; an anode separator facing the plurality of anode electrodes and having a fluid channel adapted to receive a hydrogen containing fuel; a cathode separator facing the plurality of cathode electrodes and having an air ventilating hole; a fuel distributor having an accommodating part defined by a rib to accommodate the anode separator and adapted to distribute the hydrogen containing fuel to each of the plurality of anode electrodes, the rib being partially cut out to define a rib cutting part; and a sealing member contained within the rib cutting part. With this configuration, reaction fluid, such as a hydrogen containing fuel, is effectively prevented from leaking through the rib cutting part or a frame cutting part, thereby enhancing the stability of a stack and the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell system.
US07816043B2
Water disposal systems, apparatuses and methods that employ same, and methods for disposing water produced during power generation are provided. A separator of a fuel cell has an air supply groove formed therein for supplying air as an oxidizer gas to a cathode. The separator is also provided with water-absorbing cloths on the midway portion of the air supply groove. More specifically, the water-absorbing cloth is provided on the separator (110), as a water absorbing member for absorbing the water, so as to cover at least a part of the surface on which the air supply grooves is formed and the water-absorbing clothes is provided along the sidewall of the air supply grooves. Water generated during power generation by the power generator of the present invention is disposed in efficient and reliable manners, under a simple configuration.
US07816042B2
This invention provides an actively controlled battery with a programmed-timing actuation capability. The battery comprises a first electrochemical assembly, at least a second electrochemical cell assembly electronically connected in parallel with the first assembly, and control means in control relation to the first assembly and the second assembly, wherein at least one of the assemblies comprises a metal-air cell comprising a cathode being isolated from outside air through a controllable air vent and at least one of the assemblies comprising an electrochemical cell comprising an anode active material being initially isolated from an electrolyte fluid through a control valve, with both the air vent and control valve being regulated by the control means in a programmed-timing fashion. The battery has an exceptionally long operating life and is particularly useful for powering microelectronic or communication devices such as mobile phones, laptop computers, and palm computers.
US07816031B2
A variety of methods and apparatus are implemented in connection with a battery. According to one such arrangement, an apparatus is provided for use in a battery in which ions are moved. The apparatus comprises a substrate and a plurality of growth-rooted nanowires. The growth-rooted nanowires extend from the substrate to interact with the ions.
US07816028B2
An accumulator battery container is constituted by a box-like structure that comprises internally at least one containment cell for at least one plate and adaptable guides provided for inserting and fixing in position the at least one plate, the cell being formed between opposite walls or between opposite walls and partitions of the container, and the guides being arranged at opposite ends of the cell and being formed so that they can undergo elastic deformation gradually when the at least one plate is inserted between them by pushing.
US07816026B2
A fluid consuming battery and method are provided for reducing electrode doming and providing an adequate sealed closure to the battery housing. The battery includes a cell housing having first and second housing components and at least one fluid entry port through a side of the cell housing for the passage of a fluid. The battery also has a gasket disposed between the first and second housing components. A first electrode is disposed within the cell housing in electrical contact with the first housing component and a second air electrode is provided in an electrode assembly disposed within the cell housing in electrical contact with the second housing component. The electrode assembly includes a first peripheral portion that is pre-compressed relative to a middle portion. The gasket has first and second extensions that bias against interior surfaces, and the second extension is radially inwards of an angled outward recess in the can.
US07816016B1
Provided are complexes of the formula: where R1 is H, R4, OR4, N(R4)2 or CHAr2; R2 is H, CnF2n+1, CnF2n+1 SO2, COOR4, or CN; R3 is H, CnF2n+1, CnF2n+1SO2, COOR4, or CN; R4 is the same or different at each occurrence and is H, alkyl, or aryl, or adjacent R4 groups can join together to form a 5- or 6-membered ring, or adjacent R4 groups can join together to form a 5- or 6-membered ring; or adjacent R4 groups can join together to form a multicyclic moiety; each Ar is independently an aryl group; L′ is a polydentate ligand that is not a phenylpyridine, phenylpyrimidine, or phenylquinoline; L″ is a monodentate ligand, and is not a phenylpyridine, and phenylpyrimidine, or phenylquinoline; m is 1, 2 or 3; n is an integer from 1 through 20; y is 0, 1 or 2; and z is 0 or an integer from 1 through 4; with the proviso that the compound is charge neutral and the iridium is hexacoordinate.
US07816015B2
A composite copper foil having three layers of a supporting metal layer, an exfoliating layer and a thin copper layer, wherein one surface of the exfoliating layer comprises, as a main component, an alloy of tungsten or an alloy of molybdenum and the other surface thereof comprises, as a main component, a metal oxide containing tungsten or a metal oxide containing molybdenum. The composite copper foil is free from undesired swelling, separation or falling of the supporting metal layer during heating and working at a high temperature, and the supporting metal layer can be exfoliated from the thin copper layer with case, after the heating and the working.
US07816013B2
A wafer has a rare earth fluoride coating disposed, typically sprayed on a substrate as an outermost layer, the rare earth fluoride being selected from lanthanoid fluorides, yttrium fluoride, and scandium fluoride. It is useful as a dummy wafer in a plasma etching or deposition system.
US07816012B2
There is provided a sheet paper material, at least one face of which is provided with a coating; the coating is a substantially even layer of a composition containing a mixture of polyurethane-base polymer material and kaolin; the coating has the look and feel of plastic, and permits high-quality printing; and the paper material is particularly suitable for packing prestige products.
US07815993B2
This invention relates to an improved flame retardant honeycomb comprising high modulus fiber and a flame retardant thermoplastic binder having a melt point of from 120° C. to 350° C. and a limiting oxygen index of 26 or greater, methods for making the honeycomb, and articles comprising the honeycomb. In a preferred embodiment the paper in the honeycomb has a flame classification of UL-94 V-0.
US07815988B2
A joining element and a method for attaching the joining element on a surface of a component are disclosed. The joining element comprises a sleeve-shaped accommodation part for the accommodation of an element to be attached in the interior of the accommodation part. A flange-type extension having an indentation is provided wherein said indentation can be filled with suitable means of attachment for mounting the joining element onto surface.
US07815983B2
A gas-barrier film comprising a gas-barrier laminate on a substrate film, wherein the gas-barrier laminate comprises at least one three-layer unit consisting of a silicon oxinitride layer, an organic interlayer and a silicon oxinitride layer disposed in this order being adjacent with each other. The film has excellent transparency, gas-barrier performance and bending resistance.
US07815976B2
A method and apparatus for manufacturing a resin coated metal sheet. The method includes extruding a molten organic resin by heating from a T-die onto a metal sheet; dropping molten resin onto pre-rolls arranged between the T-die and lamination rolls, and bringing the molten resin in contact with the pre-rolls; and pressing the molten resin and the metal sheet by the lamination rolls to manufacture the resin-coated metal sheet. Electrically conductive bodies are arranged parallel to the widthwise direction of the pre-rolls, and the molten resin is dropped onto the pre-rolls in a state that an electric current is supplied to the conductive bodies, bringing the molten resin into contact with the pre-rolls by electrostatic pinning whereby an oligomer adhered to the pre-rolls is transferred to the surface of the molten resin and removed.
US07815971B2
Methods of forming nanostructures with chromonic materials are disclosed. A method includes coating a substrate surface with a chromonic solution to form a chromonic layer, removing at least a portion of the water to form a dried chromonic layer, and exposing the dried chromonic layer to an organic solvent to form a pattern of channels within the dried chromonic layer. The chromonic solution includes a chromonic material and water. Materials can be deposited within the channels to form a pattern of nanostructures.
US07815965B2
A microdeposition system microdeposits droplets of fluid material to define a feature pattern on a substrate. The feature pattern for the substrate is defined. A mask is created for the feature pattern that reduces a density of defects that occur due to a malfunctioning nozzle of the microdeposition head. The droplets of fluid material are microdeposited onto the substrate based on the mask to define sub-features of the feature pattern. One of the nozzles of the microdeposition head is assigned to each of the sub-features in the feature pattern. The nozzles may be assigned randomly or using other functions. The assigned nozzles in the mask are assigned to one of a plurality of passes of the microdeposition head.
US07815964B2
A method for applying a burnable poison onto the cladding of a nuclear fuel rod (2) which comprises, providing a nuclear fuel rod (2) and at least one application device (8), rotating the nuclear fuel rod, optionally removing one or more oxides and/or surface deposits on the outer surface of the nuclear fuel rod (2) by spraying an abrasive material onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device (8) while adjusting the position of the application device in relation to the nuclear fuel rod (2), and applying burnable poison particles (33) onto the outer surface (6) of the nuclear fuel rod (2) by spraying the burnable poison onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device while adjusting the position of the application device (8) in relation to the nuclear fuel rod, where the burnable poison particles are applied at a velocity sufficient to cause adhesion to the outer surface (6) of the cladding.
US07815959B2
A coffee cherry is harvested, preferably in a sub-ripe state, and quick-dried to provide a basis for numerous nutritional products. Such coffee cherries and portions thereof may be particularly characterized by their extremely low concentration of mycotoxins, including various aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxins, and/or vomitoxin (DON, deoxynivalenol).
US07815958B2
The present invention provides a carotenoids color preparation which itself has a high emulsion stability, so that there are no problems such as precipitation of an insoluble matter or neck ring formation even when this preparation is used in water-based products. The preparation is obtained by emulsifying a carotenoids color of natural origin, which has an acid value of 10 or less and an acetone-insoluble content of 5 wt % or less when adjusted so that the color value E10%1cm is 2550.
US07815955B2
Processes for controlling strength of an extracted beverage including providing a pseudo packed bed of an extractable beverage material and contacting at least one liquid extraction stream with the pseudo packed bed of beverage material at a selected depth to obtain at least one zone of minimum extraction and at least one zone of maximum extraction. As the depth at which the liquid extraction stream is introduced into the pseudo packed bed increases, the zone of minimum extraction increases and the zone of maximum extraction decreases.
US07815953B2
A capsule for extracting a beverage from a substance in powder form, preferably ground coffee, by means of pressurized water, comprising a box-like body which contains the substance in powder form and has a base provided with an output port for the outflow of the extracted beverage, the output port being closed by an elastic crema forming septum which can open under the pressure of the water, the capsule further comprising a safety lid which is mounted on the box-like body at the base so as to increase the axial size of the box-like body, the lid comprising a shoulder which is engaged on the septum and is adapted to retain the septum within the capsule.
US07815944B2
The invention provides hops (Humulis lupulus) extracts or derivatives thereof for use in treating a patient prophylactically and/or therapeutically for ulcerogenic-type disorders of the stomach and/or intestines. The ulcerogenic disorders can be of the type chemically induced, environmentally-induced, infection-induced, and/or stress-induced. The invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising an active amount of hops extracts or derivatives thereof, in combination with an analgesic compound and/or an anti-inflammatory compound. The invention further provides for use of hops extracts or derivatives thereof, significantly reducing and/or therapeutically treating ulcerogenic-type disorders of the stomach and/or intestines.
US07815939B2
Regarding an object of sufficient suppression of unpleasant taste in the oral cavity and quick dissolution in the gastrointestinal tract, which is generated when a drug having a strong unpleasant taste such as bitterness, astringency and the like is applied to a quickly disintegrating preparations in the oral cavity, this invention has achieved the aforementioned object for the first time by employing a constitution of coating a coat of a water-soluble polymer and a specified ratio of a pH-independent water-insoluble polymer and hydroxypropylcellulose.
US07815934B2
A sequestering subunit comprising an aversive agent and a blocking agent, wherein the blocking agent substantially prevents release of the aversive agent from the sequestering subunit in the gastrointestinal tract for a time period that is greater than 24 hours; a composition comprising a sequestering subunit and a therapeutic agent in releasable form, wherein, optionally, the mechanical fragility of the sequestering subunit is the same as the mechanical fragility of the therapeutic agent in releasable form; a capsule or tablet comprising a sequestering subunit and a therapeutic agent; and a method of preventing abuse of a therapeutic agent.
US07815933B2
The present invention claims and discloses a pharmaceutical composition suitable for oral administration, in form of an emulsion pre-concentrate, comprising (i) one or more NO-releasing NSAID(s); (ii) one or more surfactants, of which at least one is phospholipid; said composition forming an in-situ oil-in-water emulsion upon contact with gastrointestinal fluids. The composition may optionally also comprise an additional oil or semi-solid fat. Further, one or more short-chain alcohols can optionally be included in the composition. Also within the scope of the invention is a combination with a proton pump inhibitor. The pharmaceutical composition is useful in the treatment of pain and inflammation. Further within the scope of the invention is kit comprising a pharmaceutical composition according to the invention in a unit dosage form, in combination with a proton pump inhibitor, and said proton pump inhibitor is enteric coated.
US07815932B2
To provide a patch containing fentanyl for mucous membrane of the oral cavity (oral transmucosal fentanyl), which rapidly increases the serum concentration of the drug, is easy in handling and is superior in safety. The patch can be prepared by laminating on one side of a drug layer which contains fentanyl or its salt as an active ingredient, methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer as an adhesive, and at least one substance selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and hydroxyethylcellulose as a thickener, a support layer hardly soluble or insoluble in water, and a backing in this order.
US07815928B2
A method for implanting or inserting a solid or semisolid formulation containing at least one active principle uses a device comprising one part set inside the body of the patient and which conditions the solid or semisolid form, brings these conditioning action to the deposit site, injects or inserts in this deposit site, and withdraws after injection or insertion, with one part remaining outside and activating the functions of the device. The invention also concerns a sustained-release solid formulation for parenteral administration comprising a homogeneous mixture of an active principle in non-dispersed state and of a biologically compatible and biodegradable excipient, in which the amount of active principle is at least 50% by weight.
US07815924B2
A sprayable cosmetic composition is disclosed. In one aspect, the composition comprises a sunscreen agent or mixture of sunscreen agents; an emulsifier or mixture of emulsifiers; optionally an emollient or mixture of emollients; a rheology control agent; and water. The rheology control agent is microcrystalline cellulose. When sprayed on the skin or hair, the cosmetic compositions of the invention produce a fine mist that deposits evenly with no dripping and no aggregate or blobs.
US07815920B2
An antigen-containing formulation is provided, comprising: (a) an antigen; (b) a TH1-inducing adjuvant; and (c) a sparingly soluble amino acid or a derivative thereof. The adjuvant may be, for example, monophosphoryl lipid A, 3′-de-O-acetylated monophosphoryl lipid A, derivatives thereof, or any other adjuvant that enhances an individual's TH1 response to the antigen. Suitable amino acids include tyrosine, tryptophan, derivatives thereof, and the like. Methods for using the formulation are also provided; in a particularly preferred embodiment, the formulation is used as a vaccine.
US07815915B2
The present invention relates to a vaccine composition comprising VLPs containing L1 proteins or functional L1 protein derivatives from HPV 16, HPV 18, HPV 31 and HPV 45 genotypes.
US07815908B2
The present invention provides compositions and methods for treating and preventing disease associated with αvβ5 integrin by blocking binding to αvβ5 integrin.
US07815902B2
The invention comprises a novel virus that can kill mammalian cancer cells efficiently. The virus produces a novel protein that converts two non-toxic prodrugs into potent chemotherapeutic agents. These chemotherapeutic agents are produced locally and help the virus kill the cancer cells as well as sensitize them to radiation. In preclinical studies, the virus has proven effective at killing a variety of mammalian cancer cells either alone or when combined with prodrug therapy and/or radiation therapy. The invention may provide a safe and effective treatment for human cancer.
US07815895B2
A method for activating an efferent sympathetic nerve innervating an adipose tissue and improving obesity-associated symptoms is provided, comprising stimulating an afferent vagal nerve from the liver without directly enhancing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ2 function in the liver.
US07815893B2
The present invention relates to a method of producing a hydroxyalkyl starch derivative comprising reacting hydroxyalkyl starch of formula (I) at its reducing end which is not oxidized prior to said reaction, with a compound of formula (II) R′NH—R″ (II) wherein R1-R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen or a linear or branched hydroxyalkyl group, and wherein either R′ or R″ or R′ and R″ comprise at least one functional group X capable of being reacted with at least one other compound prior to or after the reaction of (I) and (II), as well as to the hydroxyalkyl starch derivative as such, obtainable by said method, and to a pharmaceutical composition comprising said hydroxyalkyl starch derivative.
US07815890B2
A diffusion based process for tritium removal from water by tritium transfer from water to an elemental hydrogen stream, followed by a membrane diffusion cascade for tritium stripping and enrichment, and final tritium enrichment by one or more thermal diffusion columns. The combination of process steps takes advantage of membrane diffusion's large throughput capability at low tritium concentration with the simplicity of thermal diffusion for small throughput final tritium enrichment. The membrane diffusion stages use supported or unsupported microporous or hydrogen permeable metal membranes (such as Pd/Ag alloy). The diffusion process is compatible with any front-end process to transfer tritium from tritiated water to elemental hydrogen. The process may be designed and operated at low pressure, with small gas inventory, and no inherent overpressure hazard.
US07815888B2
Disclosed is a process for producing a secondary battery cathode material by calcining raw materials. The process is characterized by calcining the raw materials together with one or more substances, which are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, water and water vapor, and conductive carbon and/or a substance, which can form conductive carbon by pyrolysis, added thereto. As crystals of the secondary battery cathode material obtained by this process have been controlled fine sizes, the secondary battery cathode material promotes movements of ions of an alkali metal led by lithium between the interiors of grains of the cathode material and an electrolyte to suppress polarization in an electrode reaction, and further, increases an area of contact between the positive material and a conductivity-imparting material to provide improved conductivity so that improvements are assured in voltage efficiency and specific battery capacity.
US07815870B2
An ebullated bed hydroprocessing system, and also a method for upgrading a pre-existing ebullated bed hydroprocessing system, involves introducing a colloidal or molecular catalyst, or a precursor composition capable of forming the colloidal or molecular catalyst, into an ebullated bed reactor. The colloidal or molecular catalyst is formed by intimately mixing a catalyst precursor composition into a heavy oil feedstock and raising the temperature of the feedstock to above the decomposition temperature of the precursor composition to form the colloidal or molecular catalyst in situ. The improved ebullated bed hydroprocessing system includes at least one ebullated bed reactor that employs both a porous supported catalyst and the colloidal or molecular catalyst to catalyze hydroprocessing reactions involving the feedstock and hydrogen. The colloidal or molecular catalyst provides catalyst in what would otherwise constitute catalyst free zones within the ebullated bed hydroprocessing system. Asphaltene or other hydrocarbon molecules too large to diffuse into the pores of the supported catalyst can be upgraded by the colloidal or molecular catalyst. A slurry phase reactor may be positioned upstream from one or more ebullated bed reactors or converted from a pre-existing ebullated bed reactor.
US07815867B2
An addition apparatus, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) system having an addition apparatus, and a method for adding material to an FCC unit are provided. In one embodiment, an addition system having the capability of interfacing with a material container is provided that allows the addition system to obtain information relating material held in the container. In one embodiment, at least some of the information is contained on a tag affixed to the container. Other information may be retrieved and/or sent to the addition system controller from a remote data source, such as a catalyst supplier.
US07815865B2
A liquid dispensing device. The liquid dispensing device has a tray for holding a liquid at a relatively constant level. A syringe is used for drawing fluid from the tray. A liquid container containing a liquid is positioned upside-down in the tray. Atmospheric pressure on the liquid in the tray and a vacuum inside the liquid container prevents liquid from draining from the container except when the liquid level in the tray drops to a level sufficient to allow air into the liquid container and to allow fluid to flow from the liquid container into the tray. The fluid flows from the liquid container into the tray until the level of liquid in the tray returns to the relatively constant level. The positioning of the syringe for drawing fluid is simplified in that the level of fluid in the tray is maintained at an approximately constant level despite withdrawal of quantities of fluid from the tray.
US07815861B2
The present invention relates to a technique for analyzing the concentration of a specific component in a sample liquid, such as a method for analyzing a sample. The analyzing method includes a first detection step for irradiating light from a light source (50) onto a reaction system to detect a response from the reaction system (56) as a first detection result. The reaction system contains a sample liquid and a reagent. The method also includes a second detection step for irradiating light onto a reference board (54) to detect a response from the reference board as a second detection result. The response from the reference board under light irradiation is dependent on wavelength. The method further includes a calculation step for calculating the concentration of the specific component in the sample liquid based on the first and second detection results.
US07815854B2
An optical detection system that utilizes an electroluminescent (EL) illumination source is provided. Unlike illumination sources used with some conventional optical detection systems, an EL device is relatively homogeneous and diffuse, and thus may provide uniform illumination to the test sample. In addition, the emitted light intensity of the EL device may be easily controlled by simply varying the voltage or the frequency of the applied current. The relatively flexibility of EL devices may also allow them to be readily incorporated into a chromatographic-based assay device for detecting the presence or absence of an analyte within a test sample.
US07815853B2
Disclosed is a lateral flow quantitative assay method which can measure one or more analyte species at the same time, with high sensitivity. Also, the present invention relates to a strip which can measure one or more analyte species at the same time, with high sensitivity and a package in which the strip is integrated with a laser-induced surface fluorescence detector. The present invention can quantify multiple analytes with a minimum detection limit of pg/ml. Therefore, the present invention provides an advantage capable of quantifying a plurality of analytes at the same time using a simple lateral flow assay strip.
US07815850B2
Biphasic alloys, formed through a spinodal decomposition process, are disclosed. The alloys have improved strength and hardness, over single phase alloys, due to coherency strain between the phases. They are prepared from readily available transition metals, and they can be used to make large, high-strength parts, for example, of types that cannot be made by extrusion, forging or cold working techniques.
US07815840B2
A modular mold system includes a hot half and a cold half. The hot half has a heated distributor assembly to receive molding material from an injection molding machine. The distributor assembly has a forward side that is opposite a side of the distributor assembly that faces the injection molding machine. A plurality of heated multi-nozzle units may also be provided. Each multi-nozzle unit has a manifold and a plurality of forward-extending nozzles. Each multi-nozzle unit is individually forwardly removably fastened to the forward side of the distributor assembly and removable from the distributor assembly while the distributor assembly is fastened to the first platen. The cold half includes a mounting plate and a plurality of cold-side units associated with the multi-nozzle units. Each cold-side unit is removably fastened to the mounting plate and engagable with one of the multi-nozzle units to define the one or more mold cavities.
US07815838B2
In a method of operating an injection molding machine of a type having an injection plunger for pushing melt from an injection space anteriorly of an injection plunger into an injection mold, a plasticizing screw of an extruder is continuously operated to continuously feed melt through a melt channel into the injection space. A passage through the melt channel is closed to allow backup of melt backwards into the extruder, and the injection plunger is moved forward to inject a shot amount from the injection space into the injection mold.
US07815832B2
In the manufacture of cellulose ester fibers, a dope is extruded into filaments. Extrusion occurs in an elongated cabinet having an outlet for the filaments. The filaments are taken up after exiting the outlet. The filaments are lubricated at the outlet of the cabinet.
US07815830B2
The invention relates to a method for extruding curved extruded profiles. The extruded profile is formed in a matrix mounted upstream in a counter beam of an extruder system and is subsequently curved or bent due to the effect of external forces and separated, supported and arranged into partial lengths in the extrusion flow by means of a separating robot connected to a higher control mechanism and is discharged to a storage area with the aid of a handling robot. The handling robot is coupled to the separating robot by means of the control mechanism and, like the separating robot, is moved into a starting position in front of the extrusion press.
US07815827B2
The invention relates to a process for manufacturing artificial stone boards with polymerizable resins with a “veined effect” by means of the vibro-compaction under vacuum system comprising a first grinding phase of the different materials forming the filler, a second phase containing a resin with the catalyst and optionally a third phase consisting of the mixing of the two previous phases until the homogenization of the materials with the resin, a fourth phase of moulding and compaction of the obtained paste by vibro-compression under vacuum, a fifth hardening phase by polymerization of the resin by means of heating and a last cooling, cutting and polishing phase.
US07815825B2
The present invention provides a microporous polyolefin membrane of high permeability and novel structure, and also provides a method of producing the same, wherein its average pore size is gradually decreases from at least one membrane surface towards its center. The method of producing the microporous polyolefin membrane comprises the steps of extruding the solution, composed of 10 to 50 weight % of (A) a polyolefin having a weight-average molecular weight of 5×105 or more or (B) a composition containing this polyolefin and 50 to 90 weight % of a solvent, into a gel-like formed article and removing the solvent therefrom, wherein a treatment step with a hot solvent is incorporated.
US07815818B2
Compositions comprising at least one conductive polymer and an organic cation are provided, and methods for making the same.
US07815817B2
A green phosphor that exhibits a green luminance higher than those of conventional rare-earth-activated sialon phosphors, having durability higher than those of conventional oxide phosphors, and that emits light by ultraviolet or visible light. There is provide a phosphor comprising a crystal of oxynitride or nitride with β-type Si3N4 crystal structure and, solid dissolved therein, Eu, which phosphor emits a fluorescence having a peak at a wavelength falling within the wavelength region of 500 to 600 nm upon excitation source irradiation. The luminous intensity within the wavelength region of 500 to 600 nm is high, so that the phosphor is excellent as a green phosphor.
US07815811B1
A powered trash rake system for clearing debris from intake racks used for screening debris from water intakes and other similar structures. The trash rake system includes a telescoping boom mounted to a movable carriage support structure. Electric motors are provided to move the carriage support structure to desired positions along the intake rack to be cleaned and to operate the telescoping boom to move a trash rake structure under power vertically along the trash rack to remove debris therefrom.
US07815810B2
The invention disclosed provides an apparatus and method for disinfection of ship's ballast water, such as sea water, based on hydrodynamic cavitation. The apparatus comprises a cavitating chamber of cross section such as circular or non circular shape housing a single or multiple cavitating element(s) in the form of plates of metallic, ceramic, plastic materials of varying thicknesses placed perpendicular to the direction of flow of liquid and positioned at uniform or non-uniform spacing. The cavitating elements are provided with single or multiple orifices of different cross sections, circular or non-circular, with or without sharp edges and with a fraction of cross-sectional open area of the passage. The disinfected water may be re-circulated through the system for additional disinfection or released from the tank into the surrounding waterways. The disinfection of seawater/ship's ballast water is achieved by hydrodynamic cavitation and the method does not involve use of any chemicals or any chemical reaction. The invented apparatus and method is simple, eco-friendly and can be fitted on to existing intake and discharge systems of any ship with minor modifications. It poses no risk to the health of the ship's crew unlike chemical methods and requires no special skill or additional manpower for its operation. The apparatus and method is capable of effectively sterilizing hazardous organisms contained in ballast water stored in a ballast tank.
US07815808B2
A pressure-filter is disclosed along with its peripheral equipment that permit the automatic controlled operation of the filter for extracting liquids from a fluid liquid/solid slurry and for the formation of a substantially dry filter cake. The efficiency of the filter apparatus is increased by the use of hot gas as a material for treating the cake within the filter for extracting the liquids as filtrate. The hot gas may be hot air, hot inert gas, steam, or combinations thereof in controlled sequences. The filter is adapted to be able to operate under vacuum or elevated pressure and at elevated temperatures.
US07815807B2
The disclosure is directed to methods of making and using a water treatment composition for improved water infiltration during irrigation of agriculture. These methods include combining additives with an aqueous fluid to create a treated irrigation water, wherein the additives comprise a preselected amount of a surfactant and a preselected amount of a displacement ion. The improved infiltration is obtained through a constant, or substantially constant, application of the treated irrigation water to the soil during the irrigation.
US07815806B2
Disclosed herein is a nanostructured material comprising defective carbon nanotubes chosen from impregnated, functionalized, doped, charged, coated, and irradiated nanotubes, and combinations thereof. The defective carbon nanotubes contain a defect which is a lattice distortion in at least one carbon ring. Also disclosed is a method of purifying fluids, such as liquids, including water, as well as gases, including the air using, this nanostructured material.
US07815799B2
A continuous countercurrent chromatography system has several rotating chambers arranged around a rotational axis. The chambers are provided for receiving a liquid or liquid mixture to be examined, and the individual chambers are interconnected via liquid carrying connections in such a way as to relay two liquids in countercurrent, wherein one liquid first passes through several chambers and is then returned to the chambers first traversed.
US07815794B2
Remote delivery of water softener pellets into a water softener by a vacuum. By using a vacuum the delivery system allows salt to be delivered to great distances to point of use (existing brine tank). This invention will allow people to drive into their garage close to the inventive salt loading hopper and either dump a bag of salt pellets or scoop out of it into the loading hopper, which is located a convenient minimized height off the floor. The current state prior to this invention was to carry the heavy bag of salt to the location of the water softener brine tank, which in most cases is located down the stairs in a basement.
US07815791B2
A process and apparatus are provided for steam cracking heavy feeds, including steam cracked tars. The invention heats a steam cracked tar feed to provide a depolymerized steam cracked tar containing lower boiling molecules than the steam cracked tar feed, hydrogenates the depolymerized steam cracked tar using a hydrogenating catalyst, e.g., a downward flow fixed bed hydrotreater, to provide a hydrogenated steam cracked tar. At least a portion of the hydrogenated steam cracked tar is steam cracked in a steam cracking furnace comprising a convection zone and a radiant zone.
US07815787B2
A method and apparatus for retaining electrolyte on a rotating platen using directional air flow is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for processing a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a platen assembly having a surface for supporting a processing pad and disposed on a stationary base so that the platen assembly may rotate relative to the base; and an air knife coupled to the base and extended over a portion of the surface, the air knife operable to deliver a stream of air toward the pad to divert at least a portion of a fluid disposed on the pad toward a center of the pad.
US07815781B2
The invention relates to the production of multilayer electrodes on valve metal substrates, through a method comprising the application in alternate cycles of a solution containing precursors of noble metals, and of a second solution containing transition metals capable of forming protective coatings. The resulting electrodes are useful in several applications, among which copper and other metal plating and the treatment of waste or tap water.
US07815773B2
A method of manufacturing a fibrous web in a papermaking machine including the steps of forming, carrying and transferring the fibrous web. The forming step includes forming the fibrous web in a forming device. A first carrying step includes carrying the fibrous web from the forming device through an extended nip press apparatus. A second carrying step includes carrying the fibrous web from the extended nip press apparatus to a transfer point. The transferring step includes transferring the fibrous web at the transfer point to a drying cylinder.
US07815772B2
A process for manufacturing fiberboard by preparing a fiber slurry mixture including containing cellulose fibers and water then atomizing a liquid bituminous material, such as asphalt. The liquid bituminous material is atomized by mixing it with a pressurized gas, such as compressed air, forming a mist comprising droplets of bituminous material having a diameter between 20 microns and 50 microns. A water spray solidifies the bituminous material droplets thereby forming bituminous particles which fall into the fiber slurry within the spray chamber. From there the slurry is sheared, dewatered, and dried, forming a finished fiberboard.
US07815764B2
Apparatus for continually joining paper webs, comprising a device able to compress the webs (5,6) onto an impression cylinder or roller (4) while the webs advance toward an outlet section of the apparatus. The compressive device includes a roller or cylinder (2) which exhibits a hard outer surface (20) supported by an underlying elastic surface (23).
US07815752B2
Disclosed is a novel process for producing an NaZn13 magnetic alloy which enables to obtain a magnetic alloy having higher characteristics than ever before. Specifically disclosed is a magnetic alloy represented by the following composition formula: (La1−xRx)a(A1−yTMy)bHcNd (wherein R represents at least one or more elements selected from rare earth elements including Y; A represents Si, or Si and at least one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Ge and Sn; TM represents Fe, or Fe and at least one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn; and x, y, a, b, c and d respectively satisfy, in atomic percent, the following relations: 0≦x≦0.2, 0.75≦y≦0.92, 5.5 ≦a≦7.5, 73≦b≦85, 1.7≦c≦14 and 0.07≦d<5.0; with unavoidable impurities being included).
US07815746B2
Provided are a dishwasher and a method of supplying water in the dishwasher. The dishwasher includes a tub enclosing a washing chamber, a sump holding washing water to be supplied to the tub, and an air brake assembly having a steam generating unit that heats the washing water to be supplied to the tub.
US07815738B2
The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a process for cleaning a deposition chamber (100). The process includes a step (100) of forming a reactive plasma cleaning zone by dissociating a gaseous fluorocompound introduced into a deposition chamber having an interior surface and in a presence of a plasma. The process (100) further includes a step (120) of ramping a flow rate of said gaseous fluorocompound to move the reactive plasma cleaning zone throughout the deposition chamber, thereby preventing a build-up of localized metal compound deposits on the interior surface. Other embodiments advantageously incorporate the process (100) into a system (200) for cleaning a deposition chamber (205) and a method of manufacturing semiconductor devices (300).
US07815737B2
The present invention disclosed the deposition source installed in a chamber, heated by applied electric power to transfer heat to a vapor deposition material received therein and applying a vaporized deposition material generated therein to a substrate to form deposition organic electroluminescent layers onto the substrate, and comprising a vessel consisted of a top plate on which a vapor efflux aperture is formed, a side wall, and a bottom wall; a heating means for supplying heat to the deposition material received in the vessel, the heating means being capable of moving vertically; and a means for moving the heating means (or the bottom wall), the moving means (or the bottom wall) being operated in response to the signal of a sensing means on varied distances between the heating means and the surface of said deposition material. Thus, the heating means is moved downward (or the bottom wall) is moved upward by the moving means to maintain the distance between the heating means (or the substrate to be coated) and the surface of the deposition material at an initially-set value when the thickness of the deposition material is decreased.
US07815725B2
The present invention provides a functionally dry warm mix asphalt binder composition modified with lubricating agents or additives that can be mixed with aggregate and compacted at temperatures substantially below asphalt binder compositions that do not contain the disclosed lubricating additives.
US07815723B2
A no-mess water-based ink including a composition including water, an organic solvent, a coloring agent dissolved in the organic solvent, an emulsifier and a thickening agent for use in conjunction with a specially treated substrate containing a color developer.
US07815722B2
This invention provides a pre-concentrator device including an electrostatically operated valve and an electrically heated desorber, the electrostatically operated valve comprising a movable flap or membrane carrying a chemically adsorbing coating, suspended by an elastic element above an orifice in an insulated substrate. The device is constructed by planer processing. The flap or membrane can be deflected towards the substrate to block the flow of gas through the orifice by applying a voltage between the substrate and the membrane. The coating provides an adsorbing surface for a volatile organic compound. The coating may be heated electrically, by applying an alternating voltage between the substrate and the flap, thermally desorbing any adsorbed chemical species. When combined with other similar valves in a stacked assembly, the device may be used in a chemical pre-concentrator with very low dead volume.
US07815719B2
A system and method for ionization detection in electrically enhanced air filtration systems is described. One embodiment includes a system for electrically enhanced air filtration, the system including an electrically enhanced filter having a filter and an ionizing electrode disposed on an upstream side of the filter; a control device connected to the electrically enhanced filter, wherein the control device can control the electrically enhanced filter; and an ionization detector, wherein the ionization detector is adjacent to the electrically enhanced filter and wherein the ionization detector is connected to the control device.
US07815716B2
The invention relates to a porous metal-organic framework material for taking up at least one substance, the framework material comprising at least one at least bidentate organic compound bound by coordination to at least one metal ion, and the framework material having at least in part pores which comprise a polymer which is suitable to adsorb the at least one substance. In addition, the invention relates to a method for producing the framework material, a method for taking up at least one substance by the framework material and also to the use of the framework material, in particular for the storage, separation, controlled release or chemical reaction of a substance taken up.
US07815715B2
An enclosure system for a device includes an enclosure having an outer surface and an inner surface. The system includes an aperture that extends between the outer surface and the inner surface of the enclosure. The aperture has a larger cross-section adjacent the outer surface than adjacent the inner surface. A filter is positioned within the aperture.
US07815713B2
The present disclosure provides a method for separating and purifying a landfill gas stream. In one embodiment, the method includes a step of collecting a crude landfill gas stream which includes at least methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen gases. The method also includes a step of separating the crude landfill gas stream into at least an intermediate landfill gas stream and a first waste gas stream using a membrane separation unit, wherein the intermediate landfill gas stream is enriched in methane and depleted in carbon dioxide relative to the crude landfill gas stream. The method further includes a step of separating the intermediate landfill gas stream into at least a final landfill gas stream and a second waste gas stream using a pressure swing adsorption separation unit, wherein the final landfill gas stream is enriched in methane and depleted in carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen relative to the intermediate landfill gas stream. In some embodiments. VOCs in the waste gas streams are destroyed using a thermal oxidizer.
US07815701B2
A portable apparatus for cleaning an elongated air filter includes housing, a generally closed chamber which is formed within the housing and which has an irregular inner wall surface capable of providing resistance to a fluid flow discharged into the chamber and a hollow shaft mounted for rotation within the housing and extending through the chamber. One end of the shaft is connected to a source of fluid under pressure. A plurality of nozzles are secured to the elongated shaft and positioned within the chamber and a plurality of orifices are radially formed through a wall of the hollow shaft. Fluid which is supplied under pressure to the shaft exits through the plurality of jets forming the fluid flow that causes rotation of the shaft and exits the plurality of orifices toward an inner surface of a filtering medium of such air filter causing contaminants to exit such air filtering medium.
US07815698B2
The invention provides fuel oils comprising a major proportion of a mixture of A) a middle distillate fuel oil and B) a biofuel oil, and also a minor proportion C) of an oil-soluble, crosslinked block copolymer composed of C2- to C4-alkylene oxides.
US07815695B2
New fuels and fuel components comprising starch are provided, as well as novel methods for operating a combustor such as a boiler or an internal combustion engine by feeding a starch fuel to the combustor.
US07815694B2
The present invention is directed to methods and systems for processing triglyceride-containing, biologically-derived oils, wherein such processing comprises conversion of triglycerides to free fatty acids and the separation of these fatty acids by saturation type. Such separation by type enables the efficient preparation of both lubricants and transportation fuels from a common source using a single integrated method and/or system.
US07815688B2
Apparatus and methods for a prosthetic foot for attachment to a socket worn by an amputee. In an embodiment, the prosthetic foot comprises a body including a forefoot portion and a heel portion. In addition, the prosthetic foot comprises at least one attachment member extending from the body and conformable to the socket.
US07815684B2
A knee prosthesis comprises a femoral component, a tibial component and a bearing component between the femoral and tibial components. The femoral component defines medial and lateral condyles and an intercondylar box, and the bearing component has respective surfaces matching the condylar surfaces and engaging therewith when the knee is extended over a first range of flexion. The femoral component defines at the area of the intercondylar box a cam and a follower is defined by the bearing component, the cam and following engaging over a second range of flexion.
US07815683B2
The present application is directed to implants with inner and outer members positioned in a telescoping arrangement. The members may include helical supports to selectively adjust the height of the implant. The helical supports offer a large contact surface to prevent inadvertent reduction of the length due to application of a compressive force. In some embodiments, the helical support members may be shaped to facilitate movement of the members to increase the height. The shape may further prevent movement that would decrease the height. Some embodiments may also prevent relative rotation of the members. In use, the inner and outer members are moved apart to adjust the height of the implant to space apart the vertebral members. The members may further be constructed to prevent the members from moving together after insertion between the vertebral members.
US07815669B2
A stent delivery device includes a distal-side tube having a guide wire lumen; a proximal-side tube whose distal portion is fixed to a proximal portion of the distal-side tube; a cylindrical member which encloses a distal side of the distal-side tube and is slidable toward a proximal end of the distal-side tube; a stent accommodated in the cylindrical member; and a pulling member 6 for moving the cylindrical member toward a proximal side of the stent delivery device. The distal-side tube has a proximal-side opening which is open at the proximal side of the distal-side tube; and a stent-locking portion for preventing the stent from moving to the proximal side of the stent delivery device. The outer diameter of the proximal-side tube is set smaller than that of a portion, having a maximum diameter, which is disposed in a region of the stent delivery device which is distal from the proximal-side tube.
US07815662B2
A suture anchor is provided which includes a hollow member having an outer surface defining an enclosure, the member having a longitudinal axis and a slot through a portion of the outer surface in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the slot providing an opening into the enclosure. The suture anchor further includes a one-way valve positioned within the enclosure at the slot to allow entry of a suture through the slot into the enclosure and to prevent the exit of the suture from the enclosure. A device is provided for deploying the suture anchor. The deployment device includes an elongate hollow member having a suture anchor release zone positioned at the distal end, a launch bar having at least a portion positioned in the release zone. The launch bar is movable within the release zone between a resting position and a launching position and is operatively connected to an actuation member positioned proximally to the elongate member. The hollow elongate member defines a housing for receiving a plurality of suture anchors in tandem.
US07815659B2
A medical instrument is provided including a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end that define an axis, wherein the distal end is penetratable into tissue. The instrument also includes a tissue stop disposed on the shaft near the distal end and changeable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the distal end is penetratable into the tissue approximately to a predetermined depth when the tissue stop is in the expanded configuration.
US07815652B2
A surgical fastener including a filament formed into a generally helical shape around a fastener axis and having a plurality of coils. The proximal end of the filament has an engagement member and the distal end of the filament has a penetrating tip. The engagement member may be driven to rotate the penetrating tip about the fastener axis such that the coils screw into tissue held in the path of the penetrating tip.
US07815650B2
A surgical instrument extendable through a cannula for moving a first bone portion relative to a second bone portion includes a first portion having a longitudinal axis engageable with a first member connected with to the first bone portion. A second portion is engageable with a second member connected with the second bone portion. The second portion is movable relative to the first portion from a first position toward a second position to move the first and second bone portions away from each other. An actuator connected with the second portion moves the second portion relative to the first portion in a direction extending transverse to the longitudinal axis.
US07815649B2
This invention relates to devices for inserting expandable structures, such as medical balloons, into interior regions of a human or animal body, as well as methods for their use. The insertion devices described herein are capable of directionally guiding and/or inhibiting expansion of an expandable structure within an interior region of an animal or human body to create optimally placed cavities for repair, augmentation and/or treatment of fractured and/or diseased bone.
US07815648B2
A measurement tool is designed to measure the relative displacements between two bony landmarks of a spine, such as pedicles and facet surfaces. The measurement tool may have a registration interface designed to be registered to a first bony landmark, and a contact feature shaped to contact a second bony landmark. The registration interface may be registered to a frame rigidly coupled relative to the first bony landmark. The measurement tool also has a displacement structure that permits motion of the contact feature relative to the registration interface along multiple dimensions. The displacement structure may have two or three sliding joints that enable relative translation along orthogonal axes. Each sliding joint may have a rod with a plurality of markings that can easily be read to acquire measurement from the displacement structure.
US07815646B2
The invention relates to a drill guide and method for providing a drill guide, where the drill guide is for placing a fixation device hole proximate to a bone tunnel in a bone. The drill guide includes a foot for placement in the bone tunnel in the bone and a leg extending from the foot and having a recess. A locator is placed within the recess and, in a retracted position, the locator is inside the leg. The locator is also hingedly connected to the leg such that, in an unretracted position, the locator rotates and extends outwardly from the recess for locating a fixation device hole.
US07815645B2
Methods and apparatus for performing arthoplasty utilizes a plurality of apertures created in a bone, each aperture having a cross section defined perpendicular to an axis of the aperture that intersects a plane of a resected surface to be created in the bone and also intersects a peripheral rim border that externally delineates the resected surface. A pin feature is inserted into each of the plurality of apertures and the resected surface is created by guiding a cutting tool along at least a line of contact of the pin features. An implant can then be attached to the resected surface.
US07815643B2
A surgical instrument and method is provided for creating and preparing a cavity in a bony intervertebral body. Asymmetrical cutting structures selectively open a cavity which has a relatively large surface area in the vertical direction. One method pertains to the treatment of a vertebral compression fracture.
US07815634B2
The invention provides a system for treating tissue that includes a power measurement device, a flow rate controller coupled to the power measurement device, and an electrosurgical device configured and arranged to provide radio frequency power and conductive fluid to the tissue, wherein the flow rate controller is configured and arranged to modify a flow rate of the conductive fluid to the tissue, based on signals from the power measurement device. The invention also provides methods and devices for modifying flow rate of conductive fluid to tissue based on measurement of radio frequency power delivered to the tissue.
US07815630B2
An apparatus having an excitation source that includes at least one laser diode and also having a handpiece with a disposable, bendable tip cannula is disclosed.
US07815626B1
A catheter section comprising an elongate tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a passageway defining a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends. The elongate tubular member includes a knit tubular member and an inner tubular liner in coaxial relationship with the knit tubular member. The catheter section is for use as a distal section in a catheter having a relatively stiff proximal section.
US07815619B2
A multi-piece fluid transfer receptacle is used in a male incontinence device. The receptacle includes an outer shell having a first open end adapted for receiving the penis of a user and a second end defining a fluid discharge port. The second end extends beyond the first end a distance sufficient to cover a head of the penis, whereby urine is transferred forwardly from the penis and outwardly from the receptacle through the discharge port. A detachable fluid-management insert is received within the first open end and includes an elongated tongue spaced apart from an interior surface of the outer shell. The tongue forms a backflow barrier between the penis and the outer shell to shield the penis from urine flowing backward towards the user and away from the discharge port.
US07815616B2
A medical device is provided that encloses a wound and promotes wound drainage by suction. The device includes an enclosure to be placed over a wound, adhesively connected to the skin around the wound by a flange. Gauze type packing cylinders can be placed in the wound, and suction is provided either by a bulb type pump, or by a pair of regulators. When regulators are used, one alternates the suction that it provides, and the other is continuous, such that the level of suction is periodically varied. The suction facilitates the transfer of liquid from the wound to the packing cylinders and from the packing out of the enclosure. A leak detector is optionally provided.
US07815615B2
A cochlear implant system is described. An implantable housing includes an electronics module containing circuitry for developing an electrical stimulation signal for the inner ear, and a fluid channel port for receiving therapeutic fluid for the inner ear. An electrode array includes multiple electrode contacts in electrical communication with the electronics module for stimulating neural tissue of the inner ear with the electrical stimulation signal, and a fluid delivery channel for delivering the therapeutic fluid from the fluid channel port to the inner ear.
US07815613B2
A clamp (110) for releasably clamping a catheter body having a first portion (112), a second portion (122), and a hinge (132) connecting the first portion and the second portion, such that the first portion is disposed to face the second portion. The first portion (112) includes a tab (134) extending distal from the hinge (132) and wherein the second portion (122) includes a locking means (146) for releasably locking the tab (134) to the second portion (122). A method of releasably clamping a plurality of catheter lumens (100,102) during catheter insertion and a method of locating a catheter insertion distance based on the location of the clamp are also disclosed.
US07815611B2
A safety shield system for a needle cannula of a pen needle injector or similar device, wherein the safety shield may be retracted from a first position enclosing the needle to a second position exposing the needle for injection. The safety shield system permits retraction of the safety shield during use, but extends the shield enclosing the needle in a locked position following use. The shield system is utilized with a pen needle injector having a double ended needle cannula mounted in a hub received on the open end of the pen needle injector. The assembly is disposed of by removing the assembly and needle cannula hub and storing the assembly in the cup-shaped cap enclosing the exposed end of the needle cannula within the cap. The cap includes internal radial ribs preventing retraction of the shield prior to removing the cap preventing inadvertently piercing the cap during assembly.
US07815588B2
A device and method for selectively controlling the direction of blood flow to and from the patient during hemodialysis is provided. Specifically, the device and method reverse flow between four fluid lines without changing connections between a patient and a hemodialysis machine. Advantageously, the blood is subjected to minimal stresses as it passes through the switching device.
US07815580B2
The invented guidewire relates to improvements in a magnetically navigable medical guidewire to enable passage through an occluded or partially occluded vessel. The guidewire comprises an elongate wire having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end further comprises a magnetically responsive element and a helical thread formed on the tip. The distal end of the guidewire may be preferably aligned substantially in the direction of an applied magnetic field, after which the proximal end of the guidewire may be torqued to rotate the threaded tip while remaining aligned with the applied magnetic field and cause the tip to screw through the blockage in the occluded vessel.
US07815579B2
An integrated lancing test strip includes a test strip and a lancet packet coupled to the test strip. The lancet packet includes a sterility sheet enclosing a lancet to maintain the sterility of the lancet and prevent cross-contamination between the test strip and the lancet. The sterility sheet allows the lancet to be sterilized separately from the test strip. The sterility sheet gives the integrated strip a low profile, which is attractive for packaging multiple integrated strips in cassettes, drums, magazines or the like. In one form, the integrated strip is loaded in a meter that includes an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position of the test strip relative to the skin being sampled. This allows the user to adjust the position of the test strip so as to not apply excessive pressure against skin, which could hamper bleeding from the incision in the skin.
US07815564B2
Embodiments of the invention include a medical device for accessing a patient's body portion and used for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. Embodiments of the invention may include a particular endoscopic positioning mechanism for placing an endoscope and an additional treatment device within desired body portions in order to assist in diagnosis and treatment of anatomical diseases and disorders. In particular, a medical device according to an embodiment of the invention includes a positioning mechanism configured for movement through at least two degrees of freedom.
US07815558B2
Disclosed is a method for replacing a process instrument in a processing apparatus, in which a target object is loaded by a transfer mechanism into a processing unit and is subjected to a process by use of the process instrument. The method includes confirming that a process on the target object is finished in a processing unit designated as a process instrument replacement target, and providing information that a process instrument replacing operation is permitted to start. The method further includes, when a shutter of the processing unit designated as the process instrument replacement target is closed to perform a process instrument replacing operation and an operation prohibition state is thereby applied to the transfer mechanism, canceling the operation prohibition state to allow the transfer mechanism to perform a load/unload operation relative to a processing unit not designated as a process instrument replacement target.
US07815554B2
A weight system includes a selector which is movable along weights and may be inserted into a void between adjacent weights.
US07815553B2
Provided is a multi-functional health machine which can improve a fixing power of a weight unit in the health machine which can temper various kinds of muscles such as muscles of the upper body and muscles of the waist and the legs, which prevents a connection portion of a support rod which can be selected according to user's physique from seceding due to rotation of a handle portion, and which can reduce a load which is applied to the wrist by making the handle portion rotate according to rotation of the hands to thus make a weight portion placed in a straight line according to the gravitational force of the weight portion. The multi-functional health machine includes: a handle portion (10) on the outer sides of which a pair of grasping rods (11) which a user can hold are respectively formed; a fixing portion (20) to both sides of which the handle portion (10) is fixed; a support rod portion (30) on the upper end of a support rod (31) of which the center of the fixing portion (20) is fixed perpendicularly with the handle portion (10) fixed to the fixing portion (20); and a weight portion (40) in which a plumbing plate (41) of a weight plumb is formed at the lower end of the support rod (31) of the support rod portion (30).
US07815552B2
Aspects of the present invention involve an exercise device configurable to allow a user to perform various exercises. The exercise devices include an adjustable bench assembly connected with a frame supporting adjustable arm and cable-pulley assemblies providing a user interface with a resistance system. In some embodiments of the invention, the adjustable bench assembly includes a bench seat and a pivotal back support supported on an adjustable bench frame. The exercise devices also utilize various configurations of adjustable arm assemblies that are selectively positionable for numerous exercises and to suit a user's particular body size and shape. Other embodiments of the exercise devices include a resistance system with a transmission supporting a plurality of resistance packs. The transmission allows a user to conveniently engage any number of resistance packs to change the resistance level for a particular exercise.
US07815548B2
A training coordinator device is in communication with a training transducer integrated in an exercise article. The training coordinator device receives training schedule data, for example, via an internet link, and uses this schedule to prompt and encourage a user in performing training activities in a real time and persistent manner defined in the training schedule by means of a user interface which may take the form of an LED array. The training coordinator device monitors training activities by signals from a suitably adapted training transducer, which may be integrated in an exercise article such as a bicycle etc. Information concerning the user's training activities may be published via an internet link for access by both the user and medical professionals, who may also be the source of the training schedule.
US07815528B2
A golf ball including a core and a cover layer, wherein the golf ball has a weight of about 1.39 oz to about 1.62 oz, and at a Reynolds number of about 230,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.085, the golf ball has a lift-to-weight ratio of greater than about 1.9 and a drag-to-weight ratio of greater than about 3.0.
US07815527B2
A golf ball including a core and a cover layer, wherein the golf ball has a weight of about 1.39 oz to about 1.62 oz, and at a Reynolds number of about 161,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.122, the golf ball has a lift-to-weight ratio of greater than about 1.2 and a drag-to-weight ratio of greater than about 1.5.
US07815526B2
A golf ball comprising a thermoplastic inner core layer that has a geometric center hardness greater than its surface hardness to define a “negative” hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a substantially homogenous thermoset composition, typically rubber, and has an inner surface hardness substantially less than its outer surface hardness to define a “positive” hardness gradient. An inner cover layer is disposed about the outer core layer and an outer cover layer is disposed about the inner cover layer. The “negative” hardness gradient of the inner core is typically −1 to −5 Shore C and the “positive” hardness gradient of the core layer is typically at least 25 Shore C. The difference between the inner core surface hardness and the outer core inner surface hardness, Δh, should be at least 25 Shore C.
US07815523B2
A golf club head having portions of varying density is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a body with a recess in the back between the heel and toe and extending toward the sole. An insert that is configured to matingly correspond to the recess is positioned within the recess. The insert has a lower specific gravity than the club head body, biasing the club head mass toward the club head perimeter. The insert can form a muscle of the club head. The club head is forged, and the recess is formed by machining. After the insert is positioned within the recess, the club head-insert combination is subjected to additional forging and finishing steps. The present invention increases the club head moment of inertia and/or enlarges the club head sweet spot while retaining the golfer's ability to work the golf ball and shape the golf shot. The present invention can be used with forged, blade, and muscle back clubs, which have not heretofore been enhanced in these manners.
US07815521B2
The present invention provides a golf club head comprising, a face, a plurality of score line grooves formed in the face, traces formed in the face by milling; and a pair of side surfaces of the score line groove including a first surface that is contiguous with the face and a second surface that is contiguous with the first surface in the depth direction of the score line groove. A first angle that is formed by each first surface of the pair of side surfaces is larger than a second angle that is formed by each second surface of the pair of surfaces. The face in which the traces are formed has the arithmetic mean deviation of the profile (Ra) of not less than 4.00 μm.
US07815518B2
In the basic embodiment, the golf training device is a support rod, a first end of which is secured to a hinged mechanism, the hinged mechanism being secured to a support, the opposing end of the support rod having secured thereto a head piece or helmet which is engageable with the upper portion of the head or skull of an individual, the support rod extending a sufficient distance from its support and hinge mechanism to allow an individual to execute a golf swing while the head piece is positioned on the golfer's head.
US07815509B2
A game apparatus and associated method comprises means for controlling development of a game based on a game program, a number of displays for displaying game images, a seat for game players to sit on, a number of audio outputs, a rotating table upon which the seat and audio outputs are mounted on, means for calculating rotation angle of the rotating table as the game develops and rotating the rotating table based on this rotation angle, and means for changing conditions of audio output outputted from the audio output sections and controlling assigned position of a sound field of stereophonic sound based on rotating table rotation angle information.
US07815504B2
When a start condition of a special game is established during a base game, payout amount of credits for occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to a specific symbol during a predetermined number of times of a special game is varied in accordance with the number of rearranged specific player-selected symbols at the start of the special game. Alternatively, payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate is varied in accordance with the number of times of occurrence of the award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol.
US07815501B1
A method for conducting a card game includes defining a card template containing a plurality of card positions in the form of a geometric shape having at least two dimensions wherein the card positions in the card template are each assigned to at least one of two or more game hands. The player places a wager. Cards are randomly selected and arranged in the card positions of the card template. A player may opt to relocate the playing cards in the card template, such as by shifting the cards around the perimeter of the geometric shape. A final hand is formed for each game hand of the card template and the finals hands are rewarded according to a pay table. The present invention also includes a device for conducting such a method.
US07815499B2
A harvester (1) comprises an engine and machinery housing (2), a discharge chute (6) which is movably mounted on the engine and machinery mounting (2) and which carries a first outfeed point (7) and a second outfeed point (12) for harvested crop, and at least one deflector for switching a flow of harvested crop from one of the outfeed points (7, 12) to the other.
US07815490B2
A flash vaporizing liquid jet cutting tool and method for piercing with minimal damage to the cut material. The liquid is preferably superheated water, typically with abrasive particles added after the jet is expressed through a nozzle (abrasive water jet, AWJ) or with abrasive particles added before the jet is expressed through a nozzle (abrasive slurry jet, ASJ). In piercing, only a portion of water that has not changed phase enters into the cavity or must leave the cavity and the piercing pressure, which can damage the material, is therefore reduced.
US07815488B2
A brassiere cup, and brassiere formed therefrom, is provided, having an outer layer, an inner layer, a moldable foam layer positioned between the outer layer and the inner layer, and a concealing layer positioned between the inner layer and the moldable foam layer. The outer layer, inner layer, moldable foam layer, and concealing layer are molded to form a cup having an apex, with the concealing layer disposed over the apex. When molded, a raised embossed area is formed on the inner surface of the inner layer over the concealing layer.
US07815486B2
The present invention relates to a spring-powered toy vehicle with a front body portion, a separable rear body portion, rotating wheels and a spring propulsion system. When the rear body portion is pulled away from the front body portion and released, the spring will pull the rear body portion back into the front body portion, thereby causing the vehicle to move forward. Parallel vehicle guides prevent the rear movable body portion from pulling away in a non-axial direction, thus guiding the propelled toy vehicle in a straight line. Other aspects provide interchangeable and replaceable springs, and body portions. Additionally, vehicle choices include autos, trucks, motorcycles, planes, and construction equipment. A launcher is included that provides a stable platform for launching the vehicles and additionally imparts, through a peg and notch assembly and a spring-loaded plunger, additional kinetic energy for propulsion.
US07815485B2
Pose and play dolls that will stand on a platform by magnetic attraction and dance with lifelike animation, but which may be removed from the stand for ordinary play. The dolls include animation powered from the platform through the legs of the doll. A motor in the doll animates the doll body, arms and head, with proportional feedback allowing control by a controller in coordination with music being played. The doll head may rotate or gyrate, and the arms swing as a unit or with the lower arms bending as the arms swing. In one form of platform simply rotates through controlled angles, again in coordination with the music being played. In another form of doll, the hips are configured to swing back and forth, and another form of platform controls the hip movement, again in coordination with the music being played. Various other features and capabilities are disclosed.
US07815484B2
An electrostatic toy has a levitating object; and an electrostatic wand which causes levitation of the object and is provided with an electrostatic generator that charges the wand and is operatable by one hand of a user.
US07815483B2
A method of creating a soft sculpture by assembling a plurality of compositional units, wherein each compositional unit comprises a core made of a first material covered by a covering of a second material which covering is held in proximity to the core, either neatly or sloppily, and wherein at least two of the plurality of compositional units are connected to each other.
US07815479B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) is capable of improving light efficiency per pixel unit by forming a cathode electrode to cover an anode electrode, thereby focusing light emitted from a luminescent layer per pixel unit. The OLED comprises: a second insulating film formed on a substrate including a TFT with source/drain electrodes formed on a first insulating film; a lower electrode formed on the second insulating film and connected to one of the source/drain electrodes; a third insulating film having an opening for exposing a portion of the lower electrode; a luminescent layer formed on the lower electrode inside the opening; a groove formed to surround the luminescent layer; and an upper electrode formed on the substrate including the groove so that the upper electrode surrounds the luminescent layer. The upper electrode functions as a reflection layer for reflecting total light while light emitted from the luminescent layer is being pulled out through the substrate.
US07815478B2
A lamp including a lens support (1) and a glass lens (2) designed to be placed in front of a light source (5), said lens being assembled to the lens support which is secured to the light source, said support being made of a plastics material, said lens having a rear face (22) designed to face towards the light source, an optical front face (21), and a peripheral rim (23) which interconnects the rear face and the front face, the lens support coming into engagement with the lens at said rim, said lamp being characterized in that the support (1) is fixed to the lens (2) by overmolding, the plastics material of which the support is made surrounding the rim (23) of the lens at least in part.
US07815476B1
An amphibious utility trailer to haul a load over land and/or to ferry a motorized vehicle over water. The trailer is adapted to receive marine propulsive power and/steering control from wheel torque and/or steering mechanism of a vehicle, such as an ATV. A propulsor such as a paddle wheel, propeller, or water jet propels the trailer through water when engaged with ATV wheel torque. A friction coupling such as a treadmill or set of rollers in the trailer bed removably interconnects the propulsor with ATV tires. The trailer may also include a rudder operable through a removable coupling with the ATV handlebars to steer the trailer in water. The arrangement enables the trailer to be “driven” over water utilizing the ATV and yet still provide a plain and simple utility trailer for hauling traditional items over land.
US07815469B1
An extended universal serial bus (USB) storage device is described herein. According to one embodiment, an extended USB storage device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a flash memory device and a flash controller mounted thereon, and an extended USB connector plug coupled to the PCBA for providing a USB compatible interface between an external device and the flash memory device and the flash controller, wherein the extended USB connector plug includes a first end used to couple to the external device and a second end coupled to the flash memory device and the flash controller.In one embodiment, a front piece (1701) includes a metal case (1706) for shielding and a tongue (1709) with contact pins (1781, 1782) and a rear piece (1702) includes a tip portion (1713) with contacts (1783). When the rear tip portion (1713) is inserted into the front piece the contact pins (1783) engage the contact pins (1781, 1782). The rear piece may also include locking pieces (1715) that are to enter slots (1714) in the front piece.
US07815465B2
The present invention discloses an electric connector assembly including an insulator body, a fixed part, multiple terminals, a flexible flat cable (FFC) and a metal case. The insulator body has a rectangular base, multiple accommodating tanks are located one side of the base, and an inserting part passing through the inner place of the base is located at the edge of the other side of the base. The fixed part is assembled at the inserting part of the insulating body and can accommodating multiple terminals. Each terminal has an upper contact arm and a lower contact arm, which can simultaneously contact with the FFC and maintain the steadiness of the FFC. At least one side surface of the FFC has multiple contact points, which are clipped between the terminals for electrically connection. The metal case covering one side of the insulator body seizes the FFC to achieve the grounding function.
US07815462B2
An electric plug having a first connection region, a second connection region, and a contact carrier. The first connection region, having at least one vertical contact, is provided for connecting at least one electrical conductor, while the second connection region includes at least one horizontal contact for contacting a counter connector which is to be connected to the electric plug. The contact carrier includes an upper surface on which the vertical and horizontal contacts are provided, with the contact carrier being configured to electrically interconnect the first and second connection regions. Furthermore, the contact carrier is arranged in a housing, forming a datum plane on the lower side of the housing in the plug-in direction, with the upper surface of the contact carrier is arranged in an inclined position with respect to the datum plane.
US07815459B2
A cable connector assembly (100) comprises: an insulative housing (1) defining a base portion (10) and mating portion (11); a plurality of contacts (2) received in the insulative housing and arranged in a line transversely; a cable (5) connected to the contacts electrically; a cover (6) made by an insulating material and mating with insulative housing; wherein the cover is attached to base portion of the insulative housing, the cover and the mating portion is located at the opposite sides of the base portion, a receiving space is defined by the insulative housing and the cover, one end of the cable and the contacts are received and connected electrically in the receiving space.
US07815457B2
An IC socket comprises a base, a cover moveably mounted to the base, and an actuating mechanism driving the cover to move between a first position and a second position. The base includes a plurality of passageways and at least a rib extending upwardly from a top surface. The cover defines a hole corresponding to the rib and has a plurality of apertures corresponding to the passageways.
US07815454B2
An electrical connector for electrically connecting a chip module to a printed circuit board includes an insulative housing with a number of contacts, a metal stiffener surrounding the insulative housing, a metal clip pivotally assembled to one end of the metal stiffener; and a lever pivotally assembled to the other end of the metal stiffener. The metal clip has a main portion, an engaging tab extending angularly from the main portion, and a pair of hooks mounting to the metal stiffener. The metal stiffener includes a block portion engaging with the main portion to avoid the tab disengaging from the lever.
US07815446B2
A flash memory device (100) includes a movable housing (1) defining a receiving cavity (15), a control board (2) having a circuit board (21) and a plug (22) connecting with the circuit board (21), an outer shield defining an opening (64), and a sleeve (3) movably ringed on one side of the movable housing (1) and enclosing the plug (22). The circuit board (21) is retained in the receiving cavity (15). The plug (22) extends out of the receiving cavity (15). The movable housing (1) is movably mounted in the outer shield. The movable housing (1) has an elastic section (141) with a button (18) coupled thereon. The button (18) pushes the plug (22) moving in or out of the sleeve (3) and the outer shield.
US07815444B2
A right-angle electrical connector is disclosed. The right-angle electrical connector may include an electrically conductive contact and a connector housing that contains the electrically conductive contact. The electrically conductive contact may define a mounting end and a mating end. The connector housing may include a mating portion and a guide portion. The mating portion may receive the mating end of the electrically conductive contact. The mating portion may define a mating plane. The guide portion may be connected to the mating portion and may define a guide plane orthogonal to the mating plane. The guide portion may extend beyond the mating portion. The mating portion may also define a mounting plane. The mounting plane may be orthogonal to the mating plane. The guide portion may define a void between the guide plane and the mounting plane, suitable for receiving a header wall of a complementary connector.
US07815421B2
A pressure exchanger transferring pressure energy from a liquid in a first liquid system to a liquid in a second liquid system, having a housing with inlet and outlet connection openings for each liquid and a rotor arranged in the housing for rotation about a longitudinal axis. Through rotor channels are arranged around the rotor longitudinal axis with openings on each axial end face of the rotor. The rotor channels are arranged for connection through opposing flow openings facing the housing to the connection openings of the housing. During rotor rotation high pressure liquid and low pressure liquid are alternately introduced into the respective systems. Liquid flowing to the rotor through the openings generates a circumferential force (cu) for driving the rotor, and starting at or following the openings a flow guiding configuration formed as a rotor channel flow diverting contour is arranged in the rotor channels.
US07815412B2
A glass substrate distribution system includes a cassette, a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism. The first transmission mechanism transmits the glass substrate to several standby positions outside the cassette. The second transmission mechanism transmits the glass substrate between the standby positions and the glass substrate.
US07815408B2
A fastener assembly including a retention and alignment element used in combination with a first component having a cylindrical wall defining a bore and a second component having an elongated shaft for insertion into the bore of the first component. The retention and alignment element comprises a plurality of elongated polymeric protuberances, each having (i) a base fixed to the cylindrical wall of the first component, (ii) a height sufficient so that together the free ends of the protuberances define a passageway that creates an interference fit with the shaft of the second component, and (iii) a length sufficient to maintain the shaft of the second component generally collinear with the axis of the bore of the first component.
US07815405B2
A vehicle article carrier system employing a pair of support rails adapted to be secured to the sidewalls of a bed of a pick-up truck. Attached to the sidewalls are a pair of tie-down assemblies that can be fixedly secured at various points along each of the support rails. A load bar assembly is also included that can be quickly and easily attached to and detached from the tie-down assemblies. When the load bar is not in use, the tie-down assemblies can be used in connection with external bungee cords, nylon straps or other fastening implements to help restrain articles within the bed of the vehicle.
US07815399B2
A method of mechanized construction has developed for installing an earth wire under-bracing by using an auger crane and adjustable excavating unit with an auger crane. The extendable excavating unit is mounted to the lower end of an auger shaft of the auger crane and excavation teeth extendable and retractable are mounted to the excavating unit, thereby allowing excavation of a burial hole suitable to the size of the earth wire under-bracing. Whether it is needed to bury the earth wire under-bracing having a larger diameter than the diameter of excavation existing on the auger crane, or bury small-sized earth wire under-bracing, a method for mechanized construction of the earth wire under-bracing is enabled without difficulty by using an auger crane and adjustable excavating unit.
US07815397B1
Disclosed is an expansion-sealed flood control gate, comprising a water board, a frame structure, two symmetrical constraint tracks, at least one encased expandable sealing tube, and a plurality of adapters. A U-shaped slot is formed between the two symmetrical constraint tracks for plugging in the water board. Each constraint track has a U-shaped expanding compression chamber connecting from one end to the other end to accommodate the tube inside. The adapters are connected with the open ends of the tube and fixed on the constraint tracks at the connected ends. Accordingly, there can be effectively repelled floods that the tube with the characteristics of active filling and uniform packing stress have the higher geometric tolerance, even if the slits between the water board, the constraint tracks and ground emerge the unexpected geometrical change, the encased expandable sealing tubes are ballooned to mend the slits.
US07815389B2
A rail system includes a cap rail defining a slot. Within the slot may be positioned expansion brackets that permit the cap rail to be mounted to a wall or a post. The expansion bracket is configured to engage an end of a fixture to position and secure the fixture within the slot. The expansion bracket defines a cable way for wires extending to or from the fixture. Other expansion brackets may be mounted within the slot to position and secure ends of fixtures when the mounting expansion brackets are not correctly positioned with respect to the end of the fixture. A rail system includes a pair of rails extending between a pair of posts. An in-fill panel is positioned within slots of each rail and extends between the rails. Expansion brackets within the slots engage the panel.
US07815376B2
Localized strain is effectively eliminated in a shape sensing optical fiber where the fiber exits a link in a kinematic chain. In one aspect, the fiber is positioned in a channel within a fiber fixture portion of the link, and a surface of a lip of the channel is curved. The curved surface of the lip begins tangent to a wall of the channel and has a maximum radius of curvature that is less than the minimum bend radius that the fiber will experience during shape sensing. In another aspect the fiber is positioned within a shape memory alloy tube that extends from the link.
US07815374B2
A system for cooling a bearing of a shaft of a motor comprises an oil sump adapted to collect oil that contacts a bearing enclosed within the sump; and a heat exchanger physically separated from the sump and the bearing, the heat exchanger adapted to be in fluid communication with the sump and the bearing.
US07815372B2
Pop-up disposable bag is formed of light-weight disposable bag assembly capable of self erecting and self-standing. It does not require any stakes, poles, ropes or additional supports or frame to support it. The entire bag assembly is flexible and can be folded to a compact form for packaging and sale and can easily be opened into a self-standing position by removing the retainer.
US07815369B2
A method of measuring temperature of a TMR element includes a step of obtaining in advance a temperature coefficient of element resistance of a discrete TMR element that is not mounted on an apparatus, by measuring temperature versus element resistance value characteristic of the discrete TMR element in a state that a breakdown voltage is intentionally applied to the discrete TMR element and a tunnel barrier layer of the discrete TMR element is brought into a stable conductive state, a step of bringing a tunnel barrier layer of a TMR element actually mounted on the apparatus into a stable conductive state by intentionally applying the breakdown voltage to the mounted TMR element having the same structure as that of the discrete TMR element whose temperature coefficient has been measured, a step of measuring an element resistance value of the mounted TMR element with the tunnel barrier layer that has been brought into a stable conductive state, and a step of obtaining a temperature corresponding to the measured element resistance value from the previously measured temperature coefficient of element resistance.
US07815364B2
The mechanism avoids the rate variations due to the effect of gravitation on a regulating organ of a timepiece whose regulating organ includes a sprung balance and an escape wheel mounted onto a platform. The platform includes an unbalance and is mounted so as to freely rotate about at least a first axis relative to a plate of the movement so that this platform will rotate about the first axis under the effect of terrestrial gravitation. This mechanism includes a wheelwork with a driving kinematical chain linking the escape wheel to a barrel system of the timepiece, and a corrective kinematical chain compensating the movements and speed of the platform relative to the plate, so that these movements of the platform will not perturb the chronometry of the timepiece, this wheelwork including one or several epicycloidal gear trains, each of which contains wheels with straight toothing exclusively.
US07815363B2
A timepiece movement having at least two regulating members with their escapement and elements for alternately stopping and releasing the operation of the regulating members, such that a single regulating member is thus driven at any one time by means of the energy source of the timepiece.
US07815359B2
A transparent resin plate includes a plurality of slits formed intermittently and located along the border line between a housing frame portion and a light conductor plate portion, the slits includes either or both of respective first optical path converting portions and a second optical path converting portion, and flap portions of a reflector are inserted at least in the first optical path converting portions. Also, the second optical path converting portion of the plurality of slits is arranged to meet at least part of optical paths of hypothetical optical paths which are emitted forward from a light source in the forward direction, reach directly the housing frame portion and which do not cross the first optical path converting portion.
US07815358B2
A backlight for a display device, such as a liquid crystal display device, includes a light guiding plate having a front and a rear surface. The front and rear surfaces may be parallel to one another, or may instead be non-parallel. To the extent that such surfaces are non-parallel, one surface may be inclined at a single, or multiple angles with respect to the other surface. The backlight further includes a light source that is coupled to an edge of the light guiding plate by means of an energy conserving coupling section, and which provides light that is conditioned and transmitted through the light guiding plate. Light extractors are disposed on at least one side of the light guiding plate to assist in the transmission and conditioning of the light that is provided to the light guiding plate by the light source.
US07815353B2
A headlight device that has a visual appearance of having a lamp body using a plurality of light sources, while only a single light source is used. A shielding wall shields light radiated from a headlight bulb, or light reflected by a reflector portion. The shielding wall is arranged between a front lens and the reflector portion.
US07815351B2
The present invention is a light guide array constructed and arranged to be deployed with a two dimensional LED array such that the LED array establishes new focal points for the light emitted from each of a plurality of LEDs, which focal points are displaced from an original focal point of each LED. The light guide array is further configurable in fabrication to selectively control properties of the light emitted from the vehicle lamp having the light guide array including, direction, angle, luminance intensity and luminance pattern. In one embodiment, the light guide array directs light in a primary direction that is non-parallel with the primary direction of the light generated by the two dimensional LED array alone.
US07815343B2
The present invention provides a light emitting device which has high reliability and long service life by suppressing the sealing resin from peeling off the inner edge of the opening of the recess of the housing.The light emitting device of the present invention comprises a light emitting element having a pair of electrodes, a housing having a recess for accommodating the light emitting element, a first lead electrode and a second lead electrode which are exposed on the bottom of the recess, electrically conductive members for electrically connecting the pair of electrodes of the light emitting element to the first lead electrode and to the second lead electrode respectively, a transparent sealing material which fills in the recess and granular additives contained in the sealing material, wherein the inner wall surface of the recess has a light blocking section that blocks light emitted by the light emitting device toward the inner edge of the opening of the recess, the quantity of the granular additives contained in the sealing material is controlled to such a level that enhances scattering of light in a first region located below the light blocking section and to such a level that suppresses scattering of light in a second region located above the light blocking section.
US07815339B2
A light module includes one or more LEDs that are encapsulated in a thermoplastic polymer material. Metal conductors and electrical components providing a power supply circuit for the LED are also encapsulated in the thermoplastic polymer material. The conductive material may include a pair of relatively rigid portions that project outwardly from the thermoplastic polymer material to provide for electrical connection of the light module. The body may include connecting surface portions that permit the light module to be connected to a conventional electrical receptacle or the like, such that the light module can be mechanically and electrically connected to a socket or other connector previously utilized for incandescent bulbs.
US07815336B2
A portable lighting device, such as a flashlight, having a rotatable band disposed around the exterior of the flashlight is disclosed. Rotational movement of the band is converted to lateral movement of the light emitting element within the flashlight. The structural integrity of the flashlight is not compromised when the rotatable band is rotated around the flashlight to adjust the width of the projected pattern of light.
US07815332B1
The present invention comprises a novel lighting panel and outlet strip suitable for mounting underneath cabinetry or similar locations of low clearances or limited natural illumination. The panel has an illuminating assembly housed within a transparent or translucent cover as well as an outlet strip for electrical appliances, most preferably consisting of a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) electrical outlet.
US07815317B2
A projector includes an image acquiring unit that acquires an image including the projection image captured by the image-capturing device during image projection, an image region separating unit that separates a projection image region and a background image region from the acquired image, a background image time-lapse change storage unit that stores a time-lapse change of the background image acquired by a background time-lapse change acquiring unit, a projection image time-lapse change storage unit that stores a time-lapse change of the projection image acquired by a projection image time-lapse change acquiring unit, an tendency-of-use judging unit that judges a tendency of use of the projector on the basis of the stored time-lapse change of the background image and the stored time-lapse change of the projection image, and a light quantity adjusting unit that adjusts a light quantity of the light source on the basis of the judgment result.
US07815316B2
A projector includes a digital micromirror device, a heat sink attached on the digital micromirror device and a thermoelectric cooling chip sandwiched between the digital micromirror device and the heat sink. The thermoelectric cooling chip includes a cold side contacting with the digital micromirror device and a hot side contacting with the heat sink.
US07815313B2
A control unit presents a visual stimulus onto a film adhered on an inner surface of a windscreen glass of a vehicle, and controls the visual stimulus so as to allow a driver to perceive the visual stimulus approaching the driver or receding therefrom in response to detection results of a driving environment detection unit, a vehicle status detection unit and a driver status detection unit. In such a way, visually induced vection can be produced for the driver by the visual stimulus. Accordingly, a drive sense of the driver can be adjusted in response to a vehicle state quantity, a driving environment and a driver state.
US07815310B2
An adaptive sequential wavefront sensor comprises a sub-wavefront focusing lens, a sequential wavefront scanning device, a variable aperture, a position sensing device, and means for coordinating the operation of the wavefront scanning device, the variable aperture and the position sensing device. An adaptive sequential wavefront sensing method comprises the steps of sequentially projecting portions of a wavefront as image spots on a position sensing device, determining the deflection of each received image spot from a reference point on the position sensitive device, and coordinating the operation of a variable aperture with the operation the sequential projection and image position sensing. The adaptive sequential wavefront sensor has high speed, large dynamic range and variable spatial resolution, and hence can be used for real time measurement of the dynamics of eye accommodation. In addition, other functions or measurements can be combined with the adaptive sequential wavefront sensor to provide additional advantages. These additional function or measurement modules include a micro display based internal fixation and visual acuity projection module, a corneal topography module, and an optical coherence tomography module. When one or more of these modules is (are) combined with the adaptive sequential wavefront sensor, the combination system or apparatus can provide more accurate objective and subjective auto-refraction prescription, LASIK corneal ablation prescription, and contact lens or intra ocular lens prescriptions.
US07815306B2
A locker of a spectacle frame, adapted for connecting a first member and a second member of the spectacle frame, includes a receiving portion, an inserting portion and a locking mechanism. The receiving portion is adapted for providing at an end of the first member of the spectacle frame. The inserting portion, which is adapted for providing at an end of the second member of the spectacle frame, is arranged to be freely slide into the receiving portion. The locking mechanism includes a locking member movably disposed between the receiving portion and the inserting portion as a locking position to lock up the inserting portion from being detached from the receiving portion. The locking member is able to be driven from the locking position to an unlocking position that the inserting portion is able to be slid out of the receiving portion for separating the first and second members. The locker can be used in spectacle frame for exchanging and adjusting temples, end-pieces, hinges as well as the bridge.
US07815298B2
An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording device, includes: a container having an ink supply port; at least two ink chambers partitioned in the container, one being located substantially in an upper section and the other being located substantially in a lower section; an ink suction passage connecting a bottom region of the lower section ink chamber to a bottom region of the upper section ink chamber; and a negative pressure generating mechanism provided to a flow passage connecting the upper section ink chamber to the ink supply port.
US07815297B2
An ink jet recording head for ejecting, through an ink ejection outlet, ink introduced through an ink supply port includes a first ink flow path in fluid communication with the ink supply port; a second ink flow path which is branched from the first ink flow path at a branch portion and which is in fluid communication with the ink ejection outlet; and a third ink flow path for fluid communication between the branch portion and an outside.
US07815292B2
The liquid ejection head includes: a piezoelectric body which generates pressure for ejecting liquid; a spacer member which forms a space allowing the piezoelectric body to be displaced; and an electrical connection member which connects the piezoelectric body with a substrate having a wire, the electrical connection member being provided inside the space, wherein the following formula is satisfied: σmin×L/δLmin≦E≦σmax×L/δLmax, where a range from σmin through σmax represents a range of a pressing force when the piezoelectric body and the substrate is connected via the electrical connection member, L represents a thickness of the spacer member, a range from δLmin through δLmax represents a range of an amount of compressive deformation of the spacer member when the pressing force is applied within the range of the pressing force, and E represents a Young's modulus of the spacer member.
US07815285B2
Printheads configured to operate in accordance with a plurality of print modes. For example, one of the plurality of print modes can be selected in accordance with a bit of address data received by the printhead. In an exemplary embodiment, the selection of print mode can be accomplished by switching one or more actuator (e.g., heater) circuit addresses on the printhead.
US07815280B2
A liquid-discharge-failure detecting apparatus detects a liquid discharge failure. A light-emitting element emits a beam onto a droplet of liquid discharged from a liquid-droplet-discharge surface with an optical axis of the beam making a right angle with a direction in which the droplet is discharged. A light-receiving element receives a scattered light generated by scattering of the beam by the droplet. A failure detecting unit detects the liquid discharge failure from data of the scattered light received by the light-receiving element. A distance changing unit changes a distance between the liquid-droplet-discharge surface and the optical axis of the beam based on, for example, a diameter of the droplet.
US07815279B2
A method for adjusting a first and a second array relative to each other in a printing device has a carrying structure for mounting the first and second arrays. The first array has nozzles arranged in a first row substantially parallel to a first direction for forming first marks on a recording substrate. The second array has nozzles arranged in a second row substantially parallel to the first direction for forming second marks on the recording substrate. In an attainable relative position, the first and second arrays at least partially flank each other. The method includes forming a test pattern and detecting the locations of first and second test marks; determining a plurality of deviation factors for a plurality of attainable relative positions; and selecting an attainable relative position among the plurality of attainable relative positions that satisfies a selection criterion applied to the plurality of deviation factors.
US07815264B2
A stackable modular personal computer structure comprises a lowermost frameworks, a plurality of intermediate frameworks, an uppermost framework and an upper cover; the frameworks and the upper cover stacked with each other in a sequence; all the frameworks have the first internal engaging structure inside the tops thereof respectively, the intermediate frameworks, the uppermost framework and the upper cover each have the second internal engaging structure inside the bottoms thereof respectively; the bottoms of each of the intermediate and the uppermost frameworks has a hole especially for electric wires to pass through to enable the modular personal computer so that a consistent outlook for the computer structure can be obtained.
US07815260B2
In order to apply mascara and comb they eyelashes, the invention proposes carrying out a selective, clean and adaptable cutting of the bristles twisted along a core by selecting some of the bristles located, along the wire, in angular sectors of adjustable amplitude and by continuously cutting the bristles thus selected at a predetermined height. The implementing guiding module has a guiding inlet head (69a) and a cylindrical tube body (69c), the head being for bristles remain curved. The cutting (70) and guiding (45) groove formed by an end piece with a conical outline extended by a hollow tube having a central channel (31) of the same diameter, cutting (70) and guiding (45) grooves being formed in the channel. The cutting grooves (70) are distributed longitudinally in order to select the brush bristles to be left untouched, alternating with the grooves (45) for guiding brush bristles to be protected from being cut, the cutting grooves (70) forming, in the tube body, cutting slots (57) and guiding grooves (45) having a depth such that the selected grooves from indentations (45a, 74a) on the end of the end piece. The present invention is mainly applicable to the cosmetic industry.
US07815257B2
Adjustment device for chairs, comprising a back support capable of rotating around a shaft fastened to a support base, said support for the backrest being provided with a blocking plate having a plurality of openings, an insert capable of limited movement in a defined track in the support base to engage and disengage said openings, and an actuator connected to said insert, in which the actuator is operated by a rod connected to a handle that can be operated by the user, said actuator being movable between a release position and a lock position, in which said insert is selectively engaged in one of said openings.
US07815252B2
A vehicle comprising a vehicle frame having a moon roof channel, a structural panel and a pillar. The vehicle also includes a side curtain air bag canister holding a side curtain air bag, a bracket engaged with the canister and connecting the side curtain air bag canister to the vehicle frame, a drain tube being connected to the moon roof channel, with the drain tube being configured to route drain fluid from the moon roof channel down the pillar, and a clip for connecting the drain tube to the side curtain air bag canister. The clip has a first section for engaging the canister and a second section for engaging the drain tube, with the clip having a wing abutting the bracket for preventing the clip from rotating on the canister.
US07815248B2
A rearward-side body structure of a vehicle, particularly a passenger car, has two side members mutually connected by a cross member. On each vehicle side, one console is provided, which in each case covers a junction node in a flat and form-integrated manner from below, in which junction node the cross member is to be fastened to the respective side member. The console has a bearing plate, on which a subframe of the vehicle can be supported. The bearing plate has at least one passage opening through which the subframe can be screwed to the vehicle body structure.
US07815245B2
A front part structure of a vehicle body is provided. A suspension frame disposed posterior to a front-side component in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. An apron side member extends in the longitudinal direction. An apron lower member extends in the longitudinal direction, connects the front-side component and the suspension frame and is disposed below the apron side member. A first shock absorbing portion is provided in a front end portion of the apron side member. A second shock absorbing portion is provided in a front end portion of the apron lower member such that the second shock absorbing portion is disposed below the first shock absorbing portion.
US07815244B2
An air guiding device for a motor vehicle, in particular a rear spoiler, can be moved between a retracted non-use position and at least one deployed use position and contains an air guiding body on which are disposed two lateral air guiding body sections which can be moved in the vehicle transverse direction. Here, it is important that, in the non-use position of the air guiding device, the lateral air guiding body sections form a common joint which runs in the vehicle longitudinal direction, with at least one of the two air guiding body sections having, on its side which forms an edge of the common joint, a depression at least in regions.
US07815241B2
A gooseneck hinge assembly for a closure of a vehicle includes a body side strap adapted to be connected to a vehicle body of the vehicle and a closure side strap having a gooseneck shape adapted to be connected to a closure for closing an opening in the vehicle body. The gooseneck hinge assembly also includes a pivot pin pivotally connecting the closure side strap and the body side strap to allow rotational movement therebetween. The gooseneck hinge assembly further includes a wedge bumper interconnecting the body side strap and the closure side strap to allow the decklid to free rise to a fully open position and to dampen an impact of the closure side strap.
US07815239B1
Elongated side rails for attachment to a sidewall of a truck cargo box as a portion of a tonneau cover assembly. Each assembly includes a flexible cover that can be operatively secured to side rails. One side rail includes a securing portion that can be operatively connected to the sidewall; an inclined portion extending from the securing portion, the inclined portion having first and second sides; a connecting member extending downwardly away from the inclined portion from a position located between the first and second sides; and a longitudinal portion extending from the connecting member opposite the inclined portion. To secure the cover to the side rails, hook fastener is preferably attached to loop fastener on the cover. One preferred side rail has a ridge to prevent premature engagement of the fasteners. Another preferred side rail has directional hook fastener to prevent premature engagement of the fasteners.
US07815238B2
A closed two-wheel motorcycle including a closed cab with a door arranged around the motorcycle structure and having retractable floors for the driver's feet, separated from each the other, which can be depressed toward the ground and are resettable by spring members is presented. Each retractable floor is connected with an external rocker arm hinged at a rear section of the motorcycle and a sliding member guided by a sleeve at a front section of the cab. The spring members operate between an upper portion of the sliding members and the front section of the cab, while locking brakes cooperate, at rest, with the sliding members for holding depressed the floor portions against the action of the spring members.
US07815233B2
Door closure assist assemblies that assist in providing a final closing motion generally includes an extender portion comprised of an active material adapted to linearly expand in response to an activation signal and a releasable fastener having one component in movable communication with the extender portion and a second component attached to the other selected one of the door and doorframe. During operation, the door closure assist assembly provides the final closing action.
US07815231B2
This invention provides an automotive door lock device capable of securely preventing a dropout of an operation connecting portion of an operation device from an operating lever connecting portion of an operating lever member. The automotive door lock device includes a housing having a housing body including an opening portion and a cover portion formed integrally with the housing body for opening and closing the opening portion. An operating lever member is placed in the housing and has an operating lever connecting portion. The operation device has an operation connecting portion to be connected to the operating lever connecting portion. The cover portion of the housing has a projecting portion for preventing a dropout of the operation connecting portion of the operation device.
US07815218B2
A vehicle-occupant restraint system 20 is provided in that gas of an inflator is introduced into a lap belt inflatable part from an end of the lap belt, and the installation of the end of the lap belt and the inflator to a vehicle side member is simplified. The vehicle-occupant restraint system 20 includes webbing 21 routed along the front of an occupant sitting on a seat 10, an inflatable lap bag 22 constituting the front end portion of a lap belt portion of the webbing 21, an inflator 23 for inflating the lap bag 22, an anchor 24 for attaching the front end of the lap bag 22 to the vehicle side member, and a retractor 25 for retracting the rear end of the webbing 21. The front end of the lap bag 22 is attached to a B pillar 30 serving as the vehicle side member via the anchor 24, so that the installation of the lap belt onto the vehicle side member is simplified, reducing cost.
US07815216B2
A curtain airbag having an attaching piece at an edge portion is attached to a vehicle body through a bracket. The bracket includes a plate portion, and a plurality of airbag-attaching portions attached to the plate portion for attaching the attaching piece. The attaching piece of the curtain airbag is selectively attached to one of the plurality of airbag-attaching portions.
US07815213B2
An assembly for binding a boot to a ski, including a front retaining element that is releasable when the forces to which the front retaining element is subjected are greater than the prestress value of a first spring, a rear retaining element that is releasable when the forces to which the rear retaining element is subjected are greater than the prestress value of a second spring, the rear retaining element being mounted on a slide, and an electronically controllable additional release device. The additional release device includes a rotatable actuation mechanism, in the form of an electric motor. The additional release device includes a bar fixed to the rear retaining element or to the front retaining element, and is capable of moving longitudinally between an open position and a closed position, in reaction to the actuation of the additional release device.
US07815204B2
A rack-and-pinion type steering apparatus 1 includes a housing 3 having a cylindrical holding hole 2 in its interior; a pinion 6 which is disposed in the housing 3 rotatably in a direction R about an axis O by means of bearings 4 and 5; a rack bar 8 which has rack teeth 7 meshing with the pinion 6 and is movable in a direction A; a rack guide 9 which is disposed in the holding hole 2 within the housing 3 movably in a direction C, and which guides and supports the rack bar 8 movably in the direction A; and a coil spring 10 for resiliently pressing the rack teeth 7 of the rack bar 8 against the pinion 6 by means of the rack guide 9.
US07815195B2
The invention relates to a sealing ring for sealing two components moving relative to each other, particularly a rotary shaft seal or piston ring, with a radially internal or external sealing surface that can be brought into contact with one of the components to form a seal against a fluid medium. On one side of the sealing surface the sealing ring displays a pressurizing surface to be pressurized by the fluid medium and, on the opposite side, a supporting surface to the side of the sealing surface for positioning against a groove flank of a component accommodating the sealing ring. The pressurizing surface and/or the supporting surface are inclined relative to the sealing surface and enclose an angle of less than 90° towards it, where the ring is capable of radial compression towards a radially internal sealing surface, or of expansion towards a radially external sealing surface.
US07815187B2
A roulette board includes: a roulette wheel on which a plurality of symbols are arranged in a circumferential direction of the roulette wheel; a plurality of ball reception portions that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the symbols, the ball reception portions being configured to receive a ball that rolls on the roulette wheel; a banked passage that is endlessly provided along an outer circumference of the roulette wheel, and allows the ball to roll in a circumferential orbit; and a ball discharging mechanism that is provided with a ball discharging member and discharges the ball received in one of the ball reception portions toward the banked passage by bringing the ball discharging member into contact with the ball.
US07815180B2
A device for manufacturing thread-stitched book blocks which comprise folded printed sheets has a conveying apparatus which transports the printed sheets astride a stitching saddle into a stitching position and to which the printed sheets are fed. A stitching apparatus is arranged at a lateral spacing from the stitching saddle which can be driven in an oscillating manner and can be supplied with printed sheets by the stitching saddle. The conveying apparatus is controlled in order to change the conveying speed and/or the stitching position of the printed sheets on the stitching saddle, in that the conveying apparatus is drive-connected to a controlled-rotation electric motor which is controlled by a computer-connected controller.
US07815178B1
A device allowing essentially simultaneous clamping of at least two clamps, that may have different clamping strengths and/or clearance capacities.
US07815172B2
A wastewater treatment system, comprising a tank and an elongate draft tube. The tank comprises a bottom and at least one partition wall extending short of a tank curved turning wall to form at least a pair of channels for movement of a volume of a liquid. The elongate draft tube is at least partially submerged beneath the liquid and is rotated about its longitudinal axis for orbitally moving the liquid through the at least a pair of channels of the tank in a fixed direction. A process for treating wastewater is also provided.
US07815171B2
Method in which a gas and a liquid are mixed and distributed in a chamber that comprises a distribution means that consists of a compartment that is filled with liquid through which a gas stream passes. Said method is characterized in that liquid is injected either in gas countercurrent or in gas co-current into the gas passage section or sections through at least two orifices that are present in said compartment, whereby said two orifices are arranged approximately facing one another, and in that the diameter and the number of orifices and/or the speed V of the liquid at the outlet of each of the orifices and/or the distance d between two injection points placed facing one another are selected such that the Froude number Fr, defined by the equation: Fr = V g × d in which g is the gravitational constant, is greater than 0.5.
US07815161B2
A compact valve using a shape memory alloy comprises: a moving valve body that contacts an inner periphery of a guide pipe having an built-in orifice, is freely movable and has a sealing portion to seal the orifice; a biasing coil provided between the orifice and the moving valve body; and a wire formed of a shape memory alloy and held between a stationary electrode of the guide pipe and a moving electrode of the moving valve body. The orifice is sealed by moving the moving valve body due to transformation of the shape memory alloy by heating the wire. The moving valve body is enabled to be elastically deformable by providing a coil spring to reduce a stress, so that an overload to the moving valve body due to contraction of the wire is absorbed by elastic deformation of the moving valve body. Thereby, the overload to the shape memory alloy is reduced to prevent deterioration of repeatability of memorized shape, to increase durability and reliability of the valve.
US07815155B2
A suction device includes a sucking disc disposed under an upright sleeve, a connecting seat disposed in the sleeve and connected to the sucking disc, and an elongate operating block mounted slidably on the sleeve. The operating block is formed with a cam surface biased to contact a follower portion of the connecting seat. When the operating block is moved relative to the sleeve from a non-sucking position, where the follower portion engages a second positioning portion of the operating block, to a sucking position, where the follower portion engages a first positioning portion of the operating block, the cam surface pushes the connecting seat to move away from a supporting surface, thereby forming a vacant space between the sucking disc and the supporting surface.
US07815153B2
A device for funneling leaves into a bag, preferably used in conjunction with a leaf blower. The device includes a plurality of panels that define a passageway and two forwardly extending arms that define an intake area adjacent an entrance to the passageway. A bag is removably affixed adjacent to the exit of the passageway for receiving leaves and other objects blown therethrough. A ramp in the passageway induces circulating airflow in the bag. Additionally, the arms induce a corkscrew airflow and facilitate improved performance in directing objects through the passageway. The plurality of panels that make up the leaf catcher are preferably collapsible into a substantially flat configuration for ease of transport and storage. Further, the construction of the leaf catcher enables easy set up and take down when manipulating the panels from a folded to a operational configuration and vice versa.
US07815142B2
Apparatus and systems provide for the securing of a tape roll on a cable wrapping machine. According to various embodiments, a taping head locking device for securing a tape roll to a taping head of the cable wrapping machine includes a locking device body with at least one aperture. The locking device body includes a surface implement on an inner surface for engaging a surface implement on an outer surface of the taping head. The aperture guides and secures a taping pad penetrating device through the locking device body and into an adjacent tape pad of the tape roll. The locking device body may include two segments pivotally connected at one end of each segment, with a locking mechanism at opposing ends of the segments, allowing for an open configuration to facilitate installation and a closed configuration to secure the taping head locking device on the taping head.
US07815130B2
A paint reservoir has a fluid outlet 115 connectable to a spray gun 101 and a fluid inlet 131 provided with a removable screw cap 132 whereby the fluid inlet 131 is directly accessible for introducing paint to the reservoir while attached to the spray gun 101. The fluid outlet 115 and fluid inlet 131 may both be provided in an end wall of the reservoir with outlet 115 located on the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or offset to allow the size of the fluid inlet 131 to be increased for easier filling of the reservoir. The outlet 115 can be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or it can be inclined relative to the longitudinal axis to provide greater clearance for access to the fluid inlet 131 when the reservoir is attached to the spray gun 101. In an alternative arrangement, the fluid outlet is provided in an end wall of the reservoir and the fluid inlet is provided in a sidewall of the reservoir.
US07815120B2
A method and imaging apparatus is provided for scanning and decoding a target object. The imaging apparatus (10) comprises a scanning arrangement (12) comprising a sensor assembly (22) for capturing an image from a target object. The sensor assembly (22) includes a sensor array (27) located within the sensor assembly. A programmable microprocessor (13) is located within and coupled to the scanning arrangement (12) that operates an electronic shutter (29) for controlling the exposure time of pixels (33) located in the sensor array (27). The electronic shutter (29) includes first and second modes of exposure. An image test control system (31) associated with the scanning arrangement (12) for evaluating lighting conditions surrounding the imaging apparatus (10) and selecting an optimum mode for imaging based on the evaluation between the first mode of exposure and the second mode of exposure.
US07815119B2
Contamination in a feedback signal is eliminated in a laser scanning arrangement having a drive coil driven by a drive signal formed as a periodic train of drive pulses to oscillate a scan mirror and a light beam reflected from the scan mirror. A feedback coil generates a feedback signal during oscillation of the scan mirror, the feedback coil being in proximity with the drive coil and being subject to corruption by cross-coupling between the coils. The drive coil is not driven with at least one drive pulse during a quiet time period. Cross-coupling is eliminated by generating the feedback signal only during the quiet time period, and by monitoring a position of the scan mirror by processing the feedback signal which was generated only during the quiet time period.
US07815109B2
A system is provided having a sensing device and a processor for determining a counterfeit security document. The security document has disposed thereon or therein coded data including a number of coded data portions. Each coded data portion is indicative of an identity of the security document and a part of a digital signature of at least a part of the identity which has a plurality of signature parts. The sensing device is configured to sense one of the coded data portions and generate, using the sensed coded data portion, indicating data indicative of the identity, the part of the signature and a signature part identifier. The processor is configured to determine a determined signature using the identity, a determined signature part using the determined signature and the signature part identifier, and whether the security document is counterfeit by comparing the determined signature part and the part of the signature.
US07815105B1
An automated banking machine which dispenses cash and includes a mechanism for accepting deposited items. Deposited items may be provided to the machine in envelopes which are first passed to a user from an envelope storage area (132) in the machine through a transport (124) and which are presented to the user through an opening (244). A user may thereafter include deposit items in the dispensed envelope. The deposited items are passed through the opening (244) and are deposited in a deposit-holding container (128). The deposited items may be marked by an inkjet printer with indicia corresponding to the transaction or properties of the deposited item. The operation of the printer is caused by a controller (56) which controls the operation responsive to one or more environmental parameters.
US07815098B2
A resealable carton, having a product-containing bag liner, is constructed such that the liner bag is positively held in the folded, sealed condition by the incorporation of a fold support ledge which extends inwardly from an end wall of the carton. The bag is held against the support ledge by one of the closure flaps, which creates a tightly constructed U-shaped fold in which the bag is folded around the end of the closure flap. The liner is secured in that position in part by being captured between the top of the inner closure flap and an outer closure flap along a top run of the fold. A bottom fold is held between the support ledge and the inner closure flap. The support ledge may be formed in various ways including folding the end wall, embossing the end wall or forming the ledge by adding a bead of self-adhesive material to the end wall.
US07815095B2
A wire loop comprises a wire connecting a first bonding point and a second bonding point therethrough, wherein the wire includes a ball bonded to the first bonding point, a neck portion adjacent to the ball and a major portion extending from the neck portion to the second bonding point. The neck portion includes a riser part which extends, from the bonded ball, obliquely upward in a direction toward the second bonding point, and the riser part is formed by a top portion of the ball which has entered an opening of a capillary and been shaped at the time of ball bonding. The riser part is formed by inclining the top portion of the ball, which enters the opening of the capillary at the time of ball bonding, which inclining is done by moving the capillary obliquely upward toward the second bonding point.
US07815090B2
A surgical stapling instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, an articulating tool assembly and an articulation mechanism is disclosed. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The articulation mechanism includes an articulation link for articulating the tool assembly, an articulation knob operatively coupled to the articulation link, wherein rotational motion of the articulation knob is translated into axial motion of the articulation link thereby articulating the articulating tool assembly.
US07815088B2
A hand-held drive-in tool for driving fastening elements in a workpiece and including a guide (12), a drive-in ram (13) displaceable in the guide (12) for driving a fastening element in, a drive-in unit (30) for driving the drive-in ram (13) and including at least one first drive spring (31) and at least one second drive spring (32) having respectively, opposite first and a second expansion directions (37, 38), and a tensioning device for preloading the drive-in ram (13) and the first drive spring (31).
US07815066B2
A cabinet for gas utility meter comprises a cover and a backing. The backing positioned behind a meter and the backing being fixedly attached to a wall. The backing has a bar bracket, a support bracket, and a meter riser bracket. A latching means to secure the cover over the backing. The backing and the cover have reinforced moulded ribs. A shut-off gas valve opening allows for access to a gas valve. There are also gas vent openings such as a bottom vent opening.
US07815064B2
A plastic container comprises an upper portion including a finish, a lower portion including a base, a sidewall extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, the sidewall defining a central longitudinal axis of the container, and at least two vacuum panels located in the sidewall and separated by a substantially longitudinal rib having a wavy longitudinal profile. Each vacuum panel comprises a first portion having a first cross-section in a plane substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis, and a second portion having a second cross-section in a plane substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis, the second cross-section being arced to a greater extent than the first cross-section.
US07815063B2
A child-resistant closure includes a one-piece plastic shell having a base wall with a peripheral edge, an annular skirt, and a bistable snap-action toggle connection between the peripheral edge of the base wall and the skirt such that the skirt is adapted to be moved between two stable positions with respect to the base wall. At least one lug is disposed on the skirt or the base wall for engagement with cooperating structure in a child-resistant mode of operation in a first position of the skirt with respect to the base wall. The skirt is movable with respect to the base wall between the first position and a second positions for selecting between the child-resistant and the non-child-resistant modes of operation of the closure. The bistable snap-action connection preferably includes a continuous annular wall connecting the peripheral edge of the base wall to the skirt, with the annular wall being outwardly conical in one position of the skirt and inwardly conical in the other position of the skirt with respect to the base wall.
US07815053B2
A woven wire screening for use in classifying material flowing therethrough and a method of forming the same. The woven wire screening includes a plurality of warp wires and a plurality of weft wires. The plurality of warp wires and the plurality of weft wires are interwoven to form an integral wire cloth having a plurality of openings for permitting material to be classified to flow through the openings. The plurality of warp wires are crimped to form upper and lower knuckles. The plurality of weft wires are crimped to form upper and lower knuckles. Preferably, the plurality of weft wires are crimped deeper than the plurality of warp wires such that the upper knuckles of the weft wires are higher than the upper knuckles of the warp wires creating a knuckle height differential between the upper knuckles of the weft wires and the upper knuckles of the warp wires. The woven wire cloth is formed such that a ratio of the knuckle height differential and size of at least one of the plurality of openings ranges from 5% to 35%. Preferably, the plurality of weft wires have a cross-sectional height at least four wires sizes greater than its cross-sectional width. Similarly, it is preferred that the plurality of warp wires have a cross-sectional height at least four wires sizes greater than its cross-sectional width. The warp and weft wires may each be provided with a pair of substantially flat sidewalls.
US07815052B2
A paper clip removing device capable of removing a paper clip made of a shape memory alloy, that has such a shape that a plurality of documents are bound at a normal temperature and a document bundle is released in a heated state, when the paper clip is on any positions on an end side of a document is provided. When a paper clip made of a shape memory alloy, that has such a shape that a plurality of documents are bound at a normal temperature and a document bundle is released in a heated state, is removed, the paper clip removing device detects a position of the paper clip to heat the paper clip and deforms the paper clip into a shape of releasing a document bundle to attract and remove the paper clip, resulting that the paper clip is collected in the collecting box.
US07815043B2
In improved reinforced conveyor belt structure is disclosed having a segmented reinforcing structure for enabling enhanced in-plane expansion of the belt under conditions of extreme in-plane experienced during operation. The belt comprises at least one elastomer layer and at least one reinforcing layer. The reinforcing layer may comprise a continuous strip disposed along the longitudinal center line of the conveyor belt. A series of laterally-extending reinforcing strips are disposed on either side of the center strip, radiating outward toward respective edges of the belt. These laterally-extending strips are spaced apart from one another to form a series of flexibility enhancing gaps therebetween, thus enabling the belt to elongate at its edges without undue restraint from the reinforcing layer. The laterally-extending strips may be oriented perpendicular to the center strip, or they may be oriented at oblique angles with respect to the center strip. The reinforcing layer may comprise one or more plies. Additional light-weight layers of reinforcing material may be provided between the reinforcing layer and the elastomer layer in order to enhance the structural integrity of the belt. In one embodiment, these light-weight reinforcing layers are continuous sheets of non-segmented reinforcing material which extend across substantially the entire width of the belt. Additional layers of elastomer material may be disposed between the reinforcing layer and the light-weight layers.
US07815040B2
Impact bed assemblies are provided, both static and dynamic, for absorbing impact forces taken by conveyor belts. The static and dynamic bed assemblies generally are constructed to optimize their impact absorption capacities while minimizing their space requirements under the belt.
US07815038B2
A conveying device (1) for vertically transporting piece goods (3) with inner and outer conveying means (4, 5) and several platforms (11) that are coupled to the conveying means. The piece goods are fed to the platforms horizontally in a receiving region (14), the platforms lie horizontally while lifted in a lift region (12), and the platforms deliver the piece goods horizontally at a delivery region to a delivery conveyor (17). The conveying means are driven with a varying transport speed (F), such that the platforms pass through the deflecting region (6.2, 7.2) between the lift and discharge regions with a slower transport speed (Fn) while the platforms move with a faster transport speed (Fh) before and after they pass through the deflecting region. The varying transport speed (F) preferably has a period (P) which corresponds to the same mutual distance (T) between the platforms.
US07815025B2
A cable organizing device is adapted for use on an electronic device including a body, a plug, and a cable connected to the body and the plug to establish an electrical connection therebetween. The cable organizing device includes a coupling unit and a receptacle unit. The coupling unit is adapted to be secured to the body of the electronic device. The receptacle unit includes a first component connected to one side of the coupling unit that is distal from the body of the electronic device, and a second component connected to the first component at an angle and spaced apart from the coupling unit. The first and second components cooperatively define a stowage region adapted to stow the cable. The second component is provided to prevent undesired removal of the stowed cable from the stowage region.
US07815007B2
The present invention provides a hood impact absorbing apparatus capable of further mitigating an impact that a collision body receives from a hood than ever, wherein a push-up rod pushes up the rear end of a hood at the time of a collision of a vehicle, and when a collision body is battered against the top surface of the hood in this state, the rear end of the hood descends and the distal end of the push-up rod slidingly contacts and moves a rear-side flat portion and an arm intermediate curved portion in the rear end of the hood, and herein, a slide contact angle (θ) in the arm intermediate curved portion is larger than a slide contact angle (θ) in the rear end of the rear-side flat portion, thereby, during a process in which the rear end of the hood descends, peaks at which an absorbing amount of impact energy becomes large can be provided at least twice, and as a result, the impact can be mitigated further than ever.
US07815004B1
This invention pertains to an attachment to an electric wheelchair. The attachment enables an electric wheelchair to be used in areas that would not otherwise be possible. An electric wheelchair, though very useful and necessary, has several mobility drawbacks. Off road areas such as beaches, mud, and even tall grass pose a problem to the electric wheelchair. This invention provides an attachment to an existing electric wheelchair and powered off of that wheelchair's motor that allows the user to explore terrain that would not be possible in conventional wheelchair designs. By designing a drive system that works off of the electric wheelchair's power, the attachment can remain purely mechanical. With no motors or electric parts on the attachment, the design is simple and user friendly.
US07814998B2
A cutting element for use in drilling subterranean formations. The cutting element includes a superabrasive table mounted to a supporting substrate. The superabrasive table includes a two-dimensional cutting face having a cutting edge along at least a portion of its periphery, and a surface comprising a chamfer extending forwardly and inwardly from proximate a peripheral cutting edge at a first acute angle of orientation of greater than about 45° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, and to no greater than a selected depth. The chamfer may be arcuate or planar, and of a dimension sufficient to ensure that a wear flat generated during use of the cutting element remains outside the inner boundary of the chamfer within the chamfer envelope, and small enough to maintain aggressive cutting characteristics for the cutter. Drill bits and drilling tools bearing the cutting elements are also disclosed.
US07814996B2
A spiral ribbed aluminum drillpipe has an intermediate portion with a plurality of ribs spiraling along its length. These ribs have active faces that are exposed by recessed areas. The active faces define incut angles relative to the pipe's outer surface for actively engaging slime/sediment material along a borehole wall. Bearings rotatably disposed on the pipe have a greater diameter than the ribbed intermediate portion or any tool joints on the drillpipe so that the bearings engage the borehole wall. The pipe's body is preferably composed of a lightweight alloy, such as aluminum alloy, whereas the bearings are preferably composed of steel and have wear resistant coating or bands.
US07814993B2
A generator (10) is provided for positioning downhole in a drill string (12) to generate power powering one or more downhole tools (16). The generator includes a progressive cavity housing (28) and a progressive cavity rotor (30) which rotates in response to fluid passing through the progressive cavity housing. A restriction (36) in the annulus downstream from the ports controls the fluid flow in the annulus and past the restriction, and thereby the fluid flow through the progressive cavity housing. The generator may provide either hydraulic or electrical power, or both, powering the one or more tools.
US07814992B2
An apparatus for storing tubulars on a floating semi-submersible drilling or production vessel. The apparatus comprises a storage device for storing tubulars in a submerged position, essentially below a splash zone. The storage device is generally open to the surroundings so that the tubulars are externally exposed to surrounding water. It is also described an apparatus for transporting tubulars between a storage and a derrick on an offshore drilling and/or production platform having a platform deck. The apparatus is situated below the platform deck and is adapted for movement under the platform deck. A method for disassembling a pipe string is also described.
US07814977B2
Installation for enhanced oil recovery comprising in succession: a polymer storage hopper, a grinding device and a pressurized injection pump. The grinding device has a chamber for grinding and draining the dispersed polymer comprising a rotor and a stator, and on all or part of the periphery of the chamber, a ring fed by a secondary water circuit. The ring communicates with the chamber for spraying of pressurised water on the blades of the stator. A method implementing the installation is also provided.
US07814962B2
A horizontal continuous casting apparatus for continuously manufacturing a magnesium alloy plate and a method of manufacturing a magnesium alloy plate using the same. The horizontal continuous casting apparatus is structured such that the cross-sectional area of the plate is equal to or smaller than that of a melt inlet, and includes a cooling unit for indirectly cooling the melt using a cooling jacket provided to the outer wall of the mold and/or for directly cooling the melt through spraying of cooling water, and a drawing unit having a multi-step drawing cycle. Thereby, magnesium alloy plates having various sizes can be safely and continuously cast.
US07814959B2
A process of making a cast metal product and a product made utilizing this process. A pattern used for casting the metal panel is prepared utilizing computer-aided manufacturing software to which a digital representation of an image is inputted. The software then determines a tool path height for each digital element of the digital representation. A pattern blank is placed on a computer-controlled routing table which routs the blank utilizing the tool path determined by the software program to form a three-dimensional representation of the desired image on the pattern.
US07814950B2
A removable golf club grip protection device protects golf club grips against weather and other outdoor golf course elements that can damage golf club grips during play. The golf club grip protection device comprises an elongated tubular body having a first end and a second end, where the first end is open and the second end is closed. The first end includes an opening configured to slidingly receive one or more golf club grips within an interior portion of the tubular body, where the one or more grips are covered from exposure to outside elements. The tubular body can comprise a flexible material having at least a water-resistant outer surface. The tubular body can also be configured as lengthwise collapsible.
US07814946B1
An hydraulically powered implement attachment for a powered machine is disclosed. The implement attachment comprises a frame member adapted for attachment to at least one movable arm of the powered machine. A reversible drive hydraulic motor member is mounted to the frame member. The hydraulic motor member includes a drive shaft extending therefrom and a pair of hydraulic power lines adapted for attachment to the powered machine. A power shaft is rotatably mounted to the frame member and operatively connected at a first end to the drive shaft of the hydraulic motor member. A rotationally operative implement member is connected to a second end of the power shaft. An operator of the powered machine actuates the rotationally operative implement member through rotation of the power shaft by the reversible drive hydraulic motor. Preferably the implement attachment member is a conical wood splitter member and the powered machine is a skid steer.
US07814944B2
A shoe ventilation system for footwear that includes a shoe and a shoe ventilation device. The shoe includes a fitting for connecting to a pressurized air or gas source, such as refrigerated air from a refrigeration source, and the shoe ventilation device includes a fitting to connect to the shoe and a user-actuated valve for controlling the flow of air or gas.
US07814939B2
Method of operating a beverage bottling plant with a beverage filling machine for filling beverage bottles, and a method and apparatus for monitoring beverage bottle or container handling machines in the beverage bottling plant.
US07814923B2
A configurable control valve for use with air brake systems is provided. This control valve includes: a first or top body portion, a second or bottom body portion, and a connector for attaching the first body portion to the second body portion. The first body portion may include an actuator or handle having either a linear translation a rotational translation, and the second body portion may include either horizontal or vertical port configurations. The connector cooperates with the first body portion and the second body portion to provide complete 360° lateral rotation of the body portions relative to one another.
US07814922B2
A method of operating apparatus for controlling the pressure in a process chamber (10), the apparatus comprising a first pump unit (14) having an inlet in fluid connection with an outlet of said process chamber, and a second pump unit (16) having an inlet in fluid connection with an outlet of the first pump unit via a flow control unit (18) comprising a variable flow control device (20; 28) having variable conductance for controlling outlet fluid pressure at the outlet of the first pump unit, the method comprises controlling speed of the first pump unit to increase the range of chamber pressures over which control of the outlet fluid pressure produces changes in said chamber pressure without exceeding the thermal limit and/or motor stall limit of the first pump unit.
US07814914B2
The present invention relates to a device for avoiding leakage from the mouth when nasally supplying a respiratory gas on a pressure level lying above ambient pressure. The device comprises a base body made from an elastomeric material and comprises an inner edge portion and an outer ring edge portion, wherein the two ring edge portions are coupled with each other via a web portion, and wherein furthermore the base body, in combination with the two ring edge portions and the web portion, is configured in such a manner that in the application position of the base body the latter defines a lip receiving area for receiving the lips of the user.
US07814911B2
Apparatus for providing positive pressure for treatment of snoring and sleep apnea are disclosed. The apparatus includes a nares seal configured to engage the nares of a patient and to direct pressurized air into the airways of the patient. The nares seal can include first and second laterally spaced delivery tubes defining a generally triangular open space between them. The delivery tubes can extend downward below the nose of a patient and curve inward and upward under the nose of the patient. A first and a second nostril tube are connected to the delivery tubes for insertion into the nares of the patient. A wire support may be provided in each of the laterally spaced delivery tubes. The nares seal may be connected to a mask support of headgear configured to be secured to the head of the patient.
US07814907B2
The present invention provides improvements in the feedback and control systems employed in the field of ventilation therapy. In particular, a system for delivering a supply of gases to a patient is described which incorporates a detachable cartridge or open tubular section (22) used to house a mechanism (11) which senses the humidity, temperature, flow and other attributes of the flowing gas. Information obtained from the sensor may be used to provide feedback to a controller (9) which controls the humidification mechanism in order to provide optimally humidified gases to a patient (1). It will be appreciated that the feedback and control system as described in the preferred embodiment of the present invention can be used in respiratory care generally or with a ventilator.
US07814897B2
A cooking appliance includes first and second French-style doors connected through a door linkage system. The door linkage system includes first and second control arms, each including a first end linked to a corresponding one of the first and second doors and a second end. The second ends of the first and second control arms are interconnected and mounted so as to travel in an arcuate path when one of the doors is operated. Shifting one of the first and second doors in an open or closed direction results in a corresponding movement in the other door. The first and second control arms are actually interconnected to a linkage control arm that establishes a particular timing of the doors. The door linkage system also employs a camming surface, cam follower and spring element that provides a biasing force to the doors.
US07814896B2
A kitchen range that includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side panels. Each of the panels is connected to the front panel at a respective front corner. The range also includes a conduit configured to transport an airflow within the range. The opposed side panels can also include a front flange defining a channel. A channel wall is attached to each front flange. The channel wall is configured to enclose the sides of the channel to form a conduit. The conduit is configured to transport an airflow through the conduit.
US07814891B2
A fuel pump set includes a cam shaft with a cam; a bridge contacting the cam shaft; a head cover attaching the bridge to the cam shaft; and a fuel pump, disposed in the bridge and operable by the cam. The bridge may include two supports, each contacting the cam shaft. One support may have a supporting face, with a shape corresponding to the shape of the cam shaft, with the cam shaft disposed therein. The two supports together may define a shape that widens downward. One support may narrow downward. The set may also include a rod extending from the fuel pump to the cam, reciprocated by the cam. The bridge may include a sealing face supported by the head cover, a groove for preventing rotation of the fuel pump, and/or a breather. The head cover may include an opening in which the fuel pump is disposed.
US07814866B1
A rapid release, size adjustable, hands-free, back-supporting resilient band animal walking device is taught. The device provides a way to securely attach and position the leash so that the animal is constrained to walk within the filed of the walker's vision, reducing, if not eliminating, the ability of the animal to pull the walker backwards or sideways. The device provides for movements made by the person walking the animal to be transmitted to the animal minimizing the animal's urge to make sudden pulls and/or lunges, thus making animal walking a more comfortable, safe, and healthy experience. The belt part of the device is wide enough to prevent the belt from “digging into” the users back when a strong dog pulls against the leash. Moreover, the device is designed to prevent the belt/leash connecting parts from coming into contact with the groin area, which is especially appreciated by male users.
US07814859B2
According to an exemplary embodiment, a pointer includes an indicator portion including an arm of transparent material and a margin that projects laterally from the arm, the indicator portion also including a rear face that defines thereon a central zone corresponding to the arm and a peripheral zone corresponding to the margin. The rear face includes a first coating of a first color to cover the central zone only and a second coating of a second color to cover at least the peripheral zone.
US07814858B1
A condition indicator is provided to visually indicate a rotation of a nut relative to a bolt used to attach a transom bracket to a transom of a marine vessel. An indicator is configured to rotate with the nut and a pointer of the indicator can visually be identified as representing a rotation of the nut relative to the bolt. A retainer is provided to prevent the head of the bolt from rotating about its central axis.
US07814857B2
A cable control apparatus comprises a carrier disposed on a loop of cable; one or more trigger points disposed on the loop of cable; a control mechanism to control movement of the loop of cable, the control mechanism comprising a plurality of sensors to sense the one or more trigger points, and a motor to impart movement to the loop of cable. The sensors are functionally connected to the motor, and the motor has at least two wheels about which the loop of cable is wrapped a plurality of times. A first sensor of the plurality of sensors stops the motor and reverses the direction of the cable to bring the carrier to a base location; a second sensor of the plurality of sensors stops the motor when the carrier reaches the base location; and a third sensor of the plurality of sensors restarts the motor. In one embodiment, the carrier takes the form of a predator for frightening animals.
US07814856B1
A deep water operations system includes a submersible vessel including a propulsion system for operating the vessel on and beneath the surface of a body of water. The vessel will operate on the water surface to travel to a designated site and then submerge beneath the surface to a depth sufficient to avoid surface wave and weather conditions. A surface power buoy is deployable from the vessel at the water surface and connected to the vessel by an umbilical cord and includes a propulsion system, RF vessel communication and a GPS receiver. An ROV launch cage is supported by the vessel by a second umbilical cord and stores and deploys an ROV remotely controlled from the vessel for deep water work and repair activities via the second umbilical cord.
US07814850B2
A tufting machine capable of producing individual articles of athletic turf bearing precise graphic patterns is disclosed. The machine includes a support frame to which a backing material is statically held, a tufting frame that spans above and below the backing and is computer-controlled to travel along the support frame, a yarn-inserting needle carriage disposed above the backing along the tufting frame and a yarn-catching looper carriage disposed below the backing along the tufting frame. The carriages are computer-controlled to asynchronously shift relative to each other as may be necessary for their individual yarn-inserting components and yarn-catching components to cooperate.
US07814843B2
A folding work surface for mounting on a wall. The work surface includes a platform hinged to the wall. A pair of upper supports are pivotally connected to the platform and pivotally connected to a lower support. The lower support is then pivotally connected to the wall. A locking ring is positioned on each of the upper supports. A stop bracket is also included and has a base secured to the lower support and has a pair of locking tabs separately extending outwardly which extend along a portion of the upper supports. When the platform is in an opened position, the upper supports and the lower supports aligned to permit the locking rings to slide over the locking tabs securing the locking tabs against the upper supports and thereby locking the platform in the opened position.
US07814838B2
A gas generating system (10) including a baffle system (42) for modifying the temperature and pressure of a gas generated by the system, and to remove particulates from the gas. The gas generating system includes a first combustion chamber (34a), a second combustion chamber (36a), and the baffle system (42) adjacent both the first and second combustion chambers so as to enable fluid communication with the combustion chambers upon activation of the gas generating system. In another aspect of the present invention, a baffle system (42) is provided including a first end plate (44) having an opening (44b) formed therein for enabling fluid communication with a first fluid source (34a), a second end plate (46) having an opening (46b) formed therein for enabling fluid communication with a second fluid source (36a), and a sequence of baffle elements (48) extending between the first and second end plates. A first baffle element (48a) of the sequence of baffle elements defines a chamber (60) for receiving therein a fluid through the openings in the first and second end plates. Each additional baffle element in the sequence of baffle elements is spaced outwardly apart from a preceding baffle element in the sequence of baffle elements. In another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for producing, in a gas generating system, a gas having a pressure within a predetermined pressure range and a temperature within a predetermined temperature range. In another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle occupant protection system is provided.
US07814827B2
A locking bolt for mounting a tool in a hydraulic press, it being possible for the locking bolt to move in a bolt receptacle between a locking position and a release position, with a securing element, which is located in the bolt receptacle and secures the locking position by positive engagement in the locking bolt, the locking bolt also having a securing portion, and the locking bolt being secured against movement into the release position when the securing element is located in the securing portion. The locking bolt has a longitudinal groove, in that the securing portion is formed with a securing depth in any event corresponding to a groove depth of the longitudinal groove and in that the securing portion is formed such that it is adjacent to the longitudinal groove in the circumferential direction, with a direct transition from a groove base into the securing position.
US07814822B2
A breaching apparatus includes an impactor element and a self-contained energy source. The self-contained energy source enables the impactor element to impact a first surface of a structure. The impactor element is configured to transmit a localized shock wave through the structure upon impact. The self-contained energy source is capable of accelerating the impactor element to a velocity sufficient to induce spalling at a second surface of the structure. Multiple breaching apparatuses can be supported by a frame to facilitate simultaneous or successive breaching of the structure. The breaching apparatus can be used in a method to breach a concrete structure.
US07814820B2
A wad-less shotshell ammunition cartridge may, if desired, have the hull inserted into a cup shaped metal head bottom portion. The hull is pressed into the cup shaped metal bottom portion. The primer is inserted into the center of cup. A measured amount of appropriate propellant is poured into the open end of hull. The measured amount of propellant. An amount of granulated obturating medium is poured into the open end of hull over the propellant. A selectively measured amount of spherically shaped projectiles are poured into the hull. A solid projectile is substituted for the spherically shaped projectiles. A packing tool presses the air out of the mixture of granulated obturating medium, spherically shaped projectiles and propellant. The air is pressed out of the mixture then the projectile is packed into the hull. The packing tool is removed and the open end of hull is reverse rolled and sealed.
US07814808B2
Worm gear mechanism includes a driving worm, a torque delivering worm wheel meshing with the worm, and an auxiliary worm wheel superimposed on the torque delivering worm wheel. The auxiliary worm wheel has a pitch diameter greater than that of the torque delivering worm wheel. The auxiliary worm wheel is biased against the driving worm wheel via a biasing member in the form of a leaf spring.
US07814804B2
Systems, methods and machine readable media related to determining a condition of an exercise machine belt are disclosed. An example system includes a sensor to detect an event related to the exercise machine belt. The example system also includes a counter to selectively change a count based on the event as well as an output device to output a notification associated with the condition of the exercise machine belt based on the count.
US07814794B2
The present invention provides a micromachined sensor. The micromachined sensor includes a proof mass movable with respect to a substrate. The proof mass includes a first portion, a second portion separated from the first portion and a third portion connecting the first portion to the second portion. A frame is positioned on the substrate and encloses the proof mass. A plurality of springs connects the proof mass to the frame. A plurality of first and second electrodes extends from the frame. A plurality of third electrodes extends from the first portion of the proof mass and is interleaved with the first electrodes. A plurality of fourth electrodes extends from the second portion of the proof mass and is interleaved with the second electrodes. A first support beam extends from the frame to the area between the first and second portions of the proof mass. A plurality of seventh and eighth electrodes extends from the first support beam. A plurality of fifth electrodes extends from the first portion of the proof mass and is interleaved with the seventh electrodes. A plurality of sixth electrodes extends from the second portion of the proof mass and is interleaved with the eighth electrodes.
US07814793B2
A mobile navigation system gyro module comprises: first and second gyro sensors outputting angular velocities ω1, ω2 around first and second axes intersecting at an acute angle θ12; a sign determination circuit determining a sign of ω1; a correction circuit correcting the first and second gyro sensor outputs; and a computation circuit computing ω′=√(ω1′2+SA2) and SA=(ω2′−ω1′ cos θ12)/sin θ12 using angular velocities ω1′, ω2′ from the correction circuit, and outputting angular velocity ω by multiplying ω′ by the sign of ω1, wherein the correction circuit includes: first and second offset adjustment circuits outputting ω1″ and ω2″ by respectively subtracting from ω1 and ω2, corrections B1 and B2 corresponding to the first and second gyro sensor outputs when the mobile unit stops; and the angular velocity ω is around an axis coplanar with and between the first and second axes.
US07814792B2
A gyro-module includes: a first gyro element component having a first detection axis and a second detection axis, and outputting at least a signal that is based on angular velocity around the first detection axis and the second detection axis; a second gyro element component having a first detection axis and a second detection axis, and outputting at least a signal that is based on angular velocity around the first detection axis and the second detection axis; a third gyro element component having a first detection axis; a first operation circuit conducting an operation of an output signal from the first gyro element component and an output signal from the third gyro element component; and a second operation circuit conducting an operation of an output signal from the second gyro element component and an output signal from the third gyro element component.The first gyro element component, the second gyro element component and the third gyro element component are arranged in such a way that the first detection axis of the first gyro element component, the first detection axis of the second gyro element component and the first detection axis of the third gyro element component extend in a same direction and a direction in which the second detection axis of the first gyro element component is extended crosses with a direction in which the second detection axis of the second gyro element component is extended.
US07814783B2
A monstatic sodar system using long chirps and send-while-listening techniques employs transmitter-receiver pairs (Tw, Rw; Tv, Rv; Te, Re) that have coincident main lobes (Twm, Rwm; Tvm, Rvm; Tem, Rem). The system uses digital time domain matched filters and frequency modulated or digitally modulated (eg, BPSK) chirps. Digital frequency domain matched filtering may also be used. The matched filters generate sample streams indicative of the phase and amplitude of echo signals returned from the atmosphere after the transmission of a chirp into the atmosphere.
US07814781B2
An active and adaptive tire system is disclosed. The active and adaptive tire system comprises a tire and an active material configured to alter at least one characteristic of the tire in response to at least one condition. Also disclosed are an intelligent tire system and a method of monitoring a condition.
US07814779B2
A surface texture measuring instrument includes a force sensor (1), an actuator (11) and a detector (12). The surface texture measuring instrument further includes: a scanning controller (54) that collects a detection signal from the force sensor (1) and drives the actuator such that the detecting signal coincides with a target measurement value; a touch signal generator (51) that generates a touch signal when the detection signal from the force sensor (1) coincides with the target measurement value; and a measurement value collecting unit (55) that collects a measurement value from a counter (26) at a predetermined time interval in a state where a fluctuation range of the detection signal from the force sensor (1) is within a preset range when a scanning controller is in operation, the latch counter (52) collecting a measurement value from a latch counter (52) each time the touch signal is generated in a state where the detection signal from the force sensor (1) oscillates and an amplitude exceeds the preset range.
US07814765B2
The thin flat glass substrate, especially for display engineering, has a thickness of less than 1.5 mm, a length of at least 1800 mm, a width of at least 1800 mm and a difference between a smallest thickness and largest thickness of less than 50 μm. The float glass process for making the improved flat glass substrate provides flags (9) in the molten metal bath in the hot-spread region on both sides of the forming glass sheet, to minimize the variation in thickness of the thin flat glass substrate formed by the process.
US07814763B2
A refrigeration appliance includes at least one water reservoir and a piping system connecting the water reservoir to a water dispenser and device for maintaining the water reservoir at a predetermined temperature. The piping system is designed for allowing a recirculation of water from and to the water reservoir in order to assure that the water delivered by the dispenser is at the correct temperature.
US07814761B2
An air conditioner according to the present invention prevents freezing of an outdoor heat exchanger in heating operation. A refrigeration cycle is formed by sequentially connecting a compressor 1, a four-way valve 2, an indoor heat exchanger 3, a pressure reducing device 4, and an outdoor heat exchanger 5. In the refrigeration cycle, a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor 1 flows through a receiver tank 6 before supplied for indoor heating. The receiver tank 6 is placed in the outdoor heat exchanger 5, and thus heat from the receiver tank 6 through which the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant flows can be used to prevent freezing of a fin or a tube 10 in the outdoor heat exchanger 5, thereby ensuring heating performance.
US07814756B2
An air-conditioning system capable of reducing traffic of signals and effectively performing control and management operations without causing heavy traffic is obtained. In an air-conditioning system including one or more indoor units 200, one or more outdoor units 100, and a centralized control apparatus 300 and performing signal communication, a transmission relay 400 is provided between a first transmission line 500 to which the one or more outdoor units 100 and the centralized control apparatus 300 are connected and a second transmission line 510 to which one or more indoor units 200 constituting a group are connected, the transmission relay 400 relays a signal between the first transmission line 500 and the connected second transmission line 510. The transmission relay 400 further includes arithmetic processing means 430 for processing data included in the signal transmitted via the connected second transmission line 510, and data storage means 440 for storing data regarding the processing by the arithmetic processing means 430.
US07814755B2
A temperature monitoring process for a refrigerator interior and a device for such monitoring. A monitoring unit is formed by a temperature sensitive element and a thermal buffer liquid in a transparent container. The monitoring unit container is placed in the refrigerator in any location to be monitored. The temperature is visually detected by observing a temperature related variable characteristic of the temperature sensitive element, such as the color of one or more areas of the temperature sensitive element.
US07814752B2
A fluid control system for an engine is disclosed. The fluid control system may have a first fluid control component, a second fluid control component, and a controller in communication with the first and second fluid control components. The controller may be configured to determine an operational change associated with the first fluid control component to achieve desired operation of the engine. The controller may also be configured to determine an effect the operational change will have on performance of the second fluid control component, and adjust operation of the second fluid control component to accommodate the effect substantially simultaneously with implementation of the operational change.
US07814750B2
A device for supplying pressure from an energy storage device to a piston gear shifting actuator by way of a valve device is provided. A pressure regulating and/or control device is used to regulate and/or control the pressure applied to the piston actuator. The pressure regulating and/or control device regulates and/or controls the pressure according to at least one following quantity: temperature, in particular a transmission operating temperature, the load state of the motor vehicle provided with the transmission, and the slope of a surface along which the motor vehicle provided with the transmission runs.
US07814741B2
A glass fiber for reinforcing rubber products, which is obtained by subjecting to plying at least two twisted yarns each obtained by subjecting to twisting a coated glass fiber strand having a coating layer formed by impregnation and solidification of a RFL treating agent, the coated glass fiber strand having the coating layer formed by impregnating the RFL treating agent to an individual glass fiber strand having from 200 to 2,000 bundled glass filaments, and solidifying the impregnated agent.
US07814737B2
Methods and systems for harvesting crop rows employ a plurality of pairs of residue guides to guide harvest residue into rows that are left behind the harvesting machine in the place of the harvested crop rows.
US07814726B2
Method for securing a foundation form disposed on a moisture barrier membrane. The method can include penetrating the moisture barrier membrane with one end of a stake, sealing a breach in the moisture barrier membrane around a periphery of the stake caused by the penetrating step, and removing a portion of the stake extending above the moisture barrier membrane. A sealing member can be disposed on the stake at a location along an axial length of the stake.
US07814715B2
A roof ridge vent comprises a one-piece, elongate body rollable into a spiral roll. The vent body has an elongate upper wall with a pair of longitudinally-extending side edges, an underside, and a plurality of bracing walls depending therefrom. The vent body further includes a pair of grillwork walls with ventilation openings extending downwardly and outwardly from the side edges of the upper wall. Still further, the vent body includes a pair of longitudinally-extending sidewalls that project from the outer edges of each of the grillwork walls and that are disposed upright with respect to the upper wall. Each of the sidewalls has a continuous, longitudinally-extending top strip and a spaced apart pair of longitudinally-extending walls depending from the top strip. The pair of walls includes a series of drainage openings which provide drainage paths through the sidewalls and which permit the sidewalls to be rolled into the spiral roll.
US07814710B2
The instant invention relates to an infinitely adjustable anchoring system for attaching structural members to a support member. The system comprises a continuous, elongated, removable retaining track secured to the outer surface of a support member and configured to receive at least one adjustable connector plate therein. The adjustable connector plates are capable of attaching to structural members having various dimensions and pitches relative to the track. The invention includes a reusable centering bracket assembly used to install a retaining track assembly along an upper portion of a support member.
US07814707B1
A crawl space access door assembly having a frame that can be installed while a foundation of a home or other structure and a door is under construction or retrofitted to an existing structure. The crawl space access door frame assembly is sized so as to accept a removable crawl space access door. Sidewall ribs are formed so as to extend from the outer sides of the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the frame and operate in mating relationship with a groove formed in the blocks used to create the frame of the structure to aid in securing the crawl space access door frame assembly to the structure.
US07814704B2
A method for controlling a power slide door having an operable window for a vehicle for preventing an entrapment between the power slide door and a vehicle body by limiting a slidable range of the power slide door by portion of a stopper, which the stopper functions in a condition where the window is opened more than or equal to a certain range, the method comprising steps of judging if the entrapment is generated within a predetermined range in which the power slide door can be stopped by portion of the stopper in a condition where the entrapment with a foreign object is generated during an opening operation of the power slide door, performing a reverse operation of the power slide door in a closing direction by a certain distance in a condition where the entrapment is generated within the predetermined range, and stopping the power slide door.
US07814698B2
A connecting piece couplable to a rail of a weapon is described. An example connecting pieces includes a first retaining element including a first receiving region configured to engage a corresponding first counterface of the rail. The example connecting piece also includes a second retaining element including a second receiving region configured to engage a corresponding second counterface of the rail. In addition, the example connecting piece includes a guide slot running diagonally to a longitudinal direction of the rail via which the first retaining element and the second retaining elements are coupled. When one of the two retaining elements is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the rail, at least one of the first retaining element or the second retaining element moves obliquely relative to the other of the first retaining element or the second retaining element following the orientation of the guide slot to move the connecting piece between a working position in which the first receiving region is engaged with the corresponding first counterface and the second receiving region is engaged with the second counterface to a release position in which both the first receiving region and the second receiving region are no engaged with the corresponding first counterface and the second counterface, respectively.
US07814692B2
A signage system includes a support, a housing attached to the support, and a first sign. The support includes a substantially horizontal member having a first end and a second end; a bracket for mounting the support to an upright, the bracket being attached to the first end of the substantially horizontal member; and a shell extending from the second end of the substantially horizontal member. The housing is attached within the shell of the support and includes a first ring, a second ring connected to the first ring, a first plate, and a second plate positioned adjacent to the first plate. The first plate and the second plate are positioned between the first ring and the second ring. The first sign is releasably retained between the first ring and the first plate by frictional engagement of edges of the first sign with the first ring and the first plate. The signage system is adapted to be supported by the bracket in a cantilevered configuration.
US07814690B2
The invention is an organizational shopping aid that provides categories listing common items that are procured in a supermarket with an embedded magnifying lens to assist in the reading of the small font text found on labels. The objective of this device is to provide an organizational tool that can be incorporated into daily routine and stored easily in a variety of manners that the appeal is not limited to one segment of society.
US07814689B2
A quick coupler includes mounting structure for mounting the coupler to a machine, and for mounting the coupler to an implement. The mounting structure on the coupler includes wedge coupling surfaces and a tube. The mounting structure on the implement includes hooks for engaging the tube, and complementary wedge coupling surfaces. The wedge coupling surfaces wedge together during coupling to produce and tight fit and solid hold between the coupler and implement. The mounting structure is robust, and can accommodate future possible wear. The kinematic impact on the performance of the implement due to the use of the quick coupler is minimized.
US07814686B2
An article of footwear with an outer member including slots that increase flexibility is disclosed. The outer member also includes an inner plate including a set of protective strips. The inner plate is disposed along an inner surface of the outer member so that the protective strips are aligned with and cover the slots in the outer member.
US07814685B1
A shoe heel cover is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the shoe heel cover includes a resilient cover body having a generally convex back portion, a pair of spaced-apart side portions extending from the back portion and a cover interior defined by the back portion and the side portions. A cushion is provided on the cover body in the cover interior. A method of protecting a heel of a shoe having a shoe body is also disclosed.
US07814680B2
An overshoe unit for indoor use made up of soft, flexible yet durable material consisting of a sole component, walling circumferentially affixed thereto, an overarching roofing component affixed to lateral portions of the walling and flexible anchoring flange components with upwardly inclined extension components extending from the topsides thereof, with all anchoring flange components and upwardly inclined extension components being affixable to the inner aspect of the roofing component with each flexible anchoring flange component being featured by the presence of upwardly inclined slits in each, thereby serving to create flexible fingerlike extensions in each, all functioning to dependably, hold the overshoe unit about footwear inserted therein and with a tail component posteriorly affixed thereto.
US07814678B2
An application for a hearing aid drying/disinfecting system includes a closable container with an internally mounted ultra-violet lamp for disinfecting the hearing aid. A heating element creates an internal temperature that is higher than ambient temperature and a fan circulates air through shielded vents from the outside of the container through the container and back out, thereby drying the hearing aid contained within the drying/disinfecting system.
US07814676B2
A method for alignment comprises calculating the proper alignment position for a plurality of planar items based on at least one datum per planar item of the plurality of planar items, instructing a tooling system to form a tooling aid for providing the proper alignment position in a planar substrate lamination apparatus, and inserting the tooling aid into the planar substrate lamination apparatus for the proper alignment of the plurality of planar items in the planar substrate lamination apparatus.
US07814675B2
An apparatus for aiding in hanging an object on a wall comprises an elongate horizontal bar having a longitudinal axis and a top surface and at least two holders slideable on the bar along the longitudinal axis. Each of the holders includes at least one projection for holding an object hanger at the desired mounting location while a fastener is used to mount the object hanger on the wall. The assembly may optionally include at least one level mechanism for indicating when the apparatus is level. Positioning at least two of the at least two holders spaced apart from each other on the bar allows for properly positioning and mounting the object hangers held by the projections at the desired locations on the wall.
US07814673B2
A vest sizing device including a shell member having associated therewith a plurality of rule scales and rule index members that cooperate with one another to provide a plurality of girth dimensions for a four-legged animal by longitudinal position. The shell member when configured for use defines a plurality of openings including a neck opening, an abdominal or rear opening, at least one leg opening, and an access opening.
US07814671B2
A mobile bearing calculator having a geomagnetic sensor for detecting earth-magnetism and a control unit for calculating a geographical bearing based on detection values of the geomagnetic sensor. The control unit monitors for an event such as a change of operation of electronic parts mounted on the mobile bearing calculator and corrects the geographical bearing in accordance with the occurrence of the event.
US07814659B2
In a method of manufacturing a dynamic bearing assembly having a shaft and a sleeve whose inner circumferential surface faces an outer circumferential surface of the shaft, the shaft is inserted into a bearing hole from an upper end opening toward a bottom end opening of the bearing hole. Upon inserting the shaft into the bearing hole, fluid is fed from the bottom end opening toward the upper end opening of the bearing hole with a fluid feed apparatus.
US07814658B2
A method for production of sandwich panels having a zigzag corrugated core made from sheet material to be used in aircraft construction, shipbuilding, and other branches of industry. The method improves the quality and ease of sheet blank folding into a 3-D relief structure. Folds are made in the sheet blank at locations of crimp zigzag lines protrusions and recesses. Holes are punched in the sheet with a diameter of the holes being greater than or equal to a sheet blank bending radius.
US07814650B2
The present invention is directed toward methods of fabricating components for microelectronic devices, microelectronic devices including memory cells or other components, and computers including memory devices. One embodiment is directed toward a method of fabricating a memory cell on a workpiece having a substrate, a plurality of active areas in the substrate, and a dielectric layer over the active areas. The method includes constructing bit line contact openings in the dielectric layer over first portions of the active areas and cell plug openings over second portions of the active areas. The method also includes depositing a first conductive material into the bit line contact openings to form bit line contacts and, into the cell plug openings to form cell plugs. Then, a trench is formed through an upper portion of a plurality of the bit line contacts and portions of the dielectric layer between bit line contacts.
US07814648B2
The present invention includes: a pre-step of preparing a substrate having on its surface a hydrophilic region that is surrounded by a water-repellent region and provided with a hydrophilic electrode; a first step of applying an electroless plating solution in which a metal compound is dispersed in water to the substrate to dispose an electroless plating solution in the hydrophilic region; a second step of applying an electronic device-dispersed liquid in which an electronic device having a device electrode is dispersed in a first liquid to the substrate to move the electronic device from the first liquid to the electroless plating solution so as to bring the device electrode into contact with the hydrophilic electrode; a third step of coating a surface of the substrate with a second liquid before the water contained in the electroless plating solution volatilizes completely to cause a plating reaction between the hydrophilic electrode and the device electrode and to connect electrically the hydrophilic electrode and the device electrode; and a fourth step of removing the second liquid from the substrate.
US07814643B2
A method of redefining nodal points of rotation comprises providing an actuator assembly with a comb, a pivot having an axis of rotation, comb legs on one side of the pivot, a voice coil motor, an arm, and a head gimbal assembly mounted to the arm with a head opposite the arm; defining a first nodal point of rotation for the actuator at a position that is on the arm between the pivot and the head; defining a second nodal point of rotation for the actuator at a position adjacent to the pivot and the coil; moving the first nodal point in a radial direction away from the axis toward the head; and moving the second nodal point in a radial direction away from the pivot to a geometric center of active legs of the coil.
US07814641B2
A method of forming a power tool includes forming and balancing an armature by securing a lamination stack having slots therein on an armature shaft securing a commutator on one end of the armature shaft, winding magnet wires in the slots in the lamination stack and securing ends of the magnet wires to the commutator, and molding plastic to at least partially encase the magnet wires in plastic and forming a balancing feature. Plastic is removed from the balancing feature during dynamic balancing of the armature. The armature is then disposed in a stator to form an electric motor and the electric motor is disposed in a power tool.
US07814630B2
A method and apparatus for making armed sutures has a pair of opposed die assemblies that may be driven by actuating surfaces of a swaging machine to hold and swage a needle on a suture. The dies grip and confine the needle in the area of the suture receptacle. A pair of opposed swaging elements with offset stakes insert through passageways in the dies and impinge on the captured needle making a plurality of indentations in the needle barrel and gripping the suture in the suture receptacle. The indentations are offset and aligned generally in alternating peak-to-valley relationship, causing the suture receptacle and the contained suture to assume a serpentine configuration. The stakes and the resulting indentations can be dimensioned to result in a converging suture receptacle, which exhibits increasing shear force being exerted on the suture with increasing depth into the suture receptacle. The apparatus and method permit reliable suture-needle attachment over a larger range of tolerances, such that a single die setup can be used on a plurality of needle and suture materials. The resulting product exhibits a serpentine suture/needle attachment interface with reliable attachment and smooth outer dimensions.
US07814625B2
The invention provides a non-woven fabric comprising at least two separate but interconnected layers, each of the layers being provided with discrete interconnections so as to provide discrete voids between the two layers of fabric.
US07814623B2
A filling material is produced by separating fibers of polyester, processing the separated polyester fiber, obtaining silver nylon material, separating the silver nylon, processing the separated silver nylon, and blending the processed polyester fiber and the processed silver nylon to produce a blend of polyester and silver nylon. The blend is further processed, and is subsequently combined a number of times with processed polyester fiber to produce a blend of polyester and silver nylon having preferably between 5% and 10% by weight silver nylon. Pillows, blankets, comforters, sleeping bags, upholstered pieces of furniture and other items may be manufactured with the filling material.
US07814620B2
A hinge includes a hinge assembly and a damper assembly. The damper assembly includes a stationary housing defining a cavity. A damper body rotatablely installed in the cavity has a head protruding to form a cylindrical guiding portion and a pushing portion defining two side ends apart from each other. At least one of the side ends has a step-shaped profile to make the width of the pushing portion between the side ends nonuniform, and rotatable sheets and stationary sheets are received in the cavity and alternately disposed on the guiding portion and the pushing portion. The stationary sheets are fixed to the stationary housing. Each of the rotatable sheets protrudes inwardly to form a retaining portion. The side ends of the pushing portion alternately contact the retaining portions and contact the retaining portions at intervals when the elastic force of the hinge assembly is released to drive the damper body rotating. Damper resin is filled between the adjacent stationary sheets and rotatable sheets.
US07814617B2
A hinge (10) has a first arm (14) pivotally mounted to a first mounting element (11) and a second arm (15) pivotally mounted to a second mounting element (12). The first and second arms (14, 15) intersect and are pivotally joined by a pivot (13). A first link (24) is pivotally connected to the first mounting element (11) and pivotally coupled to the second arm (15). A second link 21 is pivotally connected to the second mounting element (12) and pivotally coupled to the first arm (14). At least one of said first and second links (21, 24) is adjustable such as to adjust the position of the arm, to which the link is connected, with respect to a pivotal coupling of the mounting element to the arm. The first arm (14) is formed in two parts (31 and 32) which are pivotally coupled together whereby the angular position of one part (31) relative to the other part (32) can be altered and retained in an adjusted angular position by adjusting screws (44).
US07814612B2
A wet extraction floor cleaning device having a base assembly adapted for movement on a surface being cleaned, an operating handle pivotally attached to the base assembly, a supply tank having a supply tank outlet, and a recovery tank having a recovery tank inlet and a recovery tank outlet. The base assembly has an inlet nozzle that extends from an inlet slit proximal the surface being cleaned to a nozzle outlet. The device further includes a fluid deposition assembly that can be selectively placed in fluid communication with the supply tank outlet, a vacuum source, and first and second external pockets. The supply and recovery tanks are adapted to be selectively placed in the first and second external pockets, thereby placing the supply tank outlet in fluid communication with the fluid deposition system, the recovery tank inlet in fluid communication with the nozzle outlet, and the recovery tank outlet in fluid communication with the vacuum source inlet.
US07814611B2
This invention relates to a wiper blade (20) having a connecting part (32) which is mounted on a carrying element (24) of the wiper blade (20) and has a pivot pin (42, 96, 106, 138, 146, 164, 178) of a joint (30) whose free end is connected to a wiper rod (28, 70, 80, 90, 118, 136, 150). It is proposed that the joint (30) includes a cap (54, 114, 128, 160, 190) which covers the connecting part (32) and is attached to it, and during operation the wiper blade (20) and the wiper rod (28, 70, 80, 90, 118, 136, 150) are secured in the installed position.
US07814608B1
A scraping system for facilitating changing of a blade and cleaning after scraping a surface includes a base member. An upper extension is attached to the base member and extends upwardly at an angle with respect to the base member. A lower extension is attached to the base member and extends downwardly at an angle with respect to the base member. A lower arm is coupled to the lower extension. An upper arm is pivotally coupled to the upper extension of the base member. The upper arm is pivotal towards the lower arm to abut the lower arm. A blade is positioned on the lower arm. The upper arm is biased against the lower arm and the blade to press the blade between the upper and lower arms and inhibit sliding of the blade when the blade is scraped across a surface.
US07814605B1
A floor washing system includes a foot covering that with a sole, a heal end and a toe end. A panel has a bottom side, a top side and a peripheral edge. The panel includes a peripheral lip that is coextensive with the peripheral edge. The panel has a front edge, a back edge and a pair of lateral edges. The panel has a break therein extending through the lateral edges to define a first portion and a second portion of the panel. A coupler extends between and secures together the first and second portions at a selected length from each other. A plurality of cleaning assemblies is removably attached to the bottom side of the panel. The foot covering is positioned on a foot, the sole placed on the top side of the panel and the cleaning assemblies used to clean a floor.
US07814604B2
A contact device with resilient contact elements is disclosed. The resilient contact elements have primary structures and secondary structures. The primary structures and secondary structures have contact surfaces for engaging a working surface. The primary structures are preferably molded structures with hardness value between 10 to 90 Shores A. The secondary structures are nodules, squeegees, arrays of nodules or squeegees and matrices but are preferably bristle structures formed from plastic resins, wherein the device is configured clean dentition.
US07814601B2
A vibrating hair brush provides enhanced detangling of user's hair. The brush has a bristle pad comprising a plurality of bristles disposed in a brush head. The bristle pad is supported within the brush head by a vibrating motor and isolator assembly disposed for directing a vibratory movement of the motor to a bristle pad movement in a plane generally parallel to a user's scalp. The motor and isolator assembly effectively translate a circular vibratory movement of the offset weight into an elliptical movement of the bristle pad while insulating the vibration caused by the movement of the weight from a handle of the brush.
US07814578B2
A helmet is provided herein for protection of the head of a user. A shell, chin bar, breath deflector, and head light are provided. The chin bar is fixed between the right and left sides of the shell. A face shield system is pivotally secured to the shell to pivot up and away from the face of the user leaving only a chin bar running below the mouth of the user in front of the face of the user. The breath deflector moves with the face shield. The light is secured to a center portion of the chin bar and includes a switch integrated with the light.
US07814568B2
A flexible panel including a plurality of individual laminates, the laminates being built of at least two monolayers of unidirectionally arranged polymeric tapes bonded together, the direction of the polymeric tapes being the same in every monolayer and the polymeric tapes of each monolayer are offset to the tapes of the adjoining monolayer, wherein the laminates are stacked on top of each other and secured to each other by separated bonding points or bonding lines.
US07814567B2
A protective garment, such as a body armor vest, equipped with a quick-release system comprising a front portion, a rear portion, and a plurality of connectors for releasably attaching the front portion to the rear portion. Each connector includes a ring and a releasable hook, wherein the ring can be releasably clasped by the releasable hook. The protective garment further includes a pull cord, which can be attached to and capable of disengaging, at least two of the plurality of connectors to allow detachment of the front portion from the rear portion.
US07818806B1
Diagnostic software often requires pattern matching scanning to be performed to detect problems such as computer viruses or unwanted intruders. A computing system offloads pattern matching scanning from a central processing unit to a graphics processing unit.
US07818802B2
A blocking-scanning manager (101) detects (200) attempted malicious behavior of running code (120). In response to detection, the blocking-scanning manager (101) blocks (206) the attempted malicious behavior. The blocking-scanning manager (101) generates (208) a signature to identify the code that attempted the malicious behavior. The blocking-scanning manager (101) detects (506) code identified by the signature. Responsive to detection, the blocking-scanning manager (101) blocks (508) execution of the identified code (122).
US07818799B2
A tamper response mechanism introduces a delayed failure into a program in response to detected tampering with the program. The mechanism determines a manner of responding to the detected tampering. The manner of responding may include corrupting a global pointer or using other techniques. The mechanism also determines when to respond to the tampering and implements the response at the determined time.
US07818792B2
A method and system (100) for providing third party authentication when requesting content and/or services from an application server (106). The method is applicable to key management protocols that utilize the concept of tickets. The method and system include a client (102) being coupled with a third party application server (107), wherein the client submits a request for content from the third party application server and the third party application server returns requested information and corresponding authentication. The client further couples with a first application server (106), wherein the client submits a key request (KEY_REQ) including the third party server information and corresponding authentication to the first application server. The first application server authenticates the third party server information and verifies client authorization based on third party information. The first application server returns a key reply (KEY_REP) if the third party server information is authenticated and client authorization is verified.
US07818784B2
A communication control apparatus selects an optimum terminal for an authentication device among a plurality of terminals that have completed authentication of the authentication device via wireless communication. The communication control apparatus has an information acquiring unit and a selecting unit. The information acquiring unit acquires address information and capability information of each of the plurality of terminals and identification information of the authentication device from each of the plurality of terminals. The selecting unit selects the optimum terminal having a capability of handling data addressed to the authentication device among the plurality of terminals on the basis of the capability information of the plurality of terminals and the identification information of the authentication device acquired by the information acquiring unit, when the address information and capability information of the plurality of terminals are acquired by the information acquiring unit.
US07818782B2
The invention relates to an authentication medium capable of eliminating problems with the formation of an authentication portion with and embossed hologram, for instance, difficulty with which fabrication time is cut down, and difficulty with which an authentication pattern is changed due to an increased step counts at the time of embossing mold fabrication. A thin-film layer (2) made up of a material that changes in transmittance of reflectance upon heating, an orientation film (4) that is provided if necessary, and a color change layer (3) such a light selective reflecting layer comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal layer are stacked on a substrate (12). By means of a thermal head or the like, recording is applied to the thin-film layer (2), and changes in the hue of the light selective reflecting layer (3) at a recorded site or the presence or absence of reflection or hues upon observation by way of a circular polarization sheet are observed, thereby solving the above problems.
US07818778B1
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming.
US07818775B2
Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to record broadcast programming for at least one television channel for a period of time, wherein the recording is performed upstream from subscribers in a television distribution system, and further including after the period of time, keeping recorded programming by request from at least one subscriber. And further wherein the request is for at least one television program contained in the recorded programming or for a time window for a particular channel. According to another embodiment a subscriber requests that broadcast programming be saved for the subscriber upstream from the subscriber in a television distribution system, and wherein the subscriber may request the programming be saved for later viewing by the subscriber between the time the programming was broadcast and a later point in time.
US07818771B2
Apparatus, methods, and a computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to enable a presentation device to automatically accommodate conversations in a social space. This system monitors a first playback position in a time dimension of an experiential data stream on a local device for at least one local audience member, and monitors one or more utterances received by the local device. Then, the system enables the presentation of the experiential data stream in response to the step of monitoring.
US07818766B2
Improved last channel button functionality is described. A remote control device for interacting with a media system includes a mechanism (e.g., a button) by which a user can direct the media system to automatically access a previously tuned (but not immediately previously tuned) channel; or a list of previously tuned channels. A previously tuned channel to be selected may be determined based on an amount of time that the media system was previously tuned to the channel and/or based on receipt of user command indicating user interest in the channel.
US07818762B2
A method of interactive broadcasting may include broadcasting audiovisual content for receipt by mobile electronic devices that are present within a communication range of a wireless access point. An information submission mechanism may be made available to the mobile electronic devices over the wireless access point. Users of the mobile electronic devices may submit information using the information submission mechanism to a server. The submitted information may be responsive to a request for user input related to the audiovisual content.
US07818761B1
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming.
US07818745B2
A method and system is provided to dynamically adjust system administration criteria based upon current conditions of a transaction processing system. Granular autonomic administrative action relative to varying conditions results in more flexible response to particular system or transactional conditions. As certain criteria are met, at a system level, a transactional level, or a combination, appropriate action may be taken suitable to the particular condition encountered. A response more suited to a particular granular condition, provides for more focused event handling on a case by case basis rather than on a system-wide or undesired transient conditions. As a result, more efficient use of system resources occurs along with more reliable management of transactional processing.
US07818734B2
A method of distributing a software upgrade to user computer systems having a software application installed thereon is disclosed. A determination is made as whether the software upgrade is to be a forced upgrade or a recommended upgrade for a first user based on a parameter related to the first user or the software upgrade. A determination is made as to whether a software upgrade file is to be downloaded to a user computer using a trickle mode or a burst mode.
US07818732B2
The system and method for defining messages of communication networks in a formal notation called Transfer Syntax Notation One (“TSN.1”) and compiling TSN.1 message definitions into a software message parser using a TSN.1 compiler are provided. The parser is designed to speed up the development of wireless communication software. It translates messages between the implementation specific, programming language and platform dependent representations and the standard defined, programming language and platform independent representations. The messages described using the TSN.1 notation can be communicated to wireless device protocol stacks over a variety of networks, which utilize a number of protocols and implement OSI 7 Layers Protocol Model, including such layers as Transport, Network, and Data Link. The message parser generated by the TSN.1 Compiler can be easily incorporated into a user application, and can run on many popular software development platforms, such as Microsoft Windows, Linux, SUN Solaris, and other Unix systems.
US07818719B2
Syntax for creating object instances utilizing expressions instead of statements. A syntax component facilitates extension of conventional object-creation-expression syntax. An initializer component provides for initialization of a newly-created entity via object and collection initializers. The initializer component provides initialization of the newly-created entity utilizing an object initializer where the object initializer specifies values for one or more fields or properties of the newly-created entity which is an object, and consists of a sequence of member initializers enclosed by tokens and separated by commas. The initializer component can also provides initialization of the newly-created entity utilizing a collection initializer when the underlying object implements a certain interface or implements a certain pattern. An overloading constructor can be called as part of the initialization process. In another aspect, code inferencing is disclosed whereby given a type, the corresponding code can be inferred by the compiler and inserted for compiling by a compiler.
US07818716B2
A system and method for automatically generating a data flow diagram in response to a first diagram. The first diagram may specify one or more states and one or more state transitions, wherein each state transition specifies a transition from a first state to a second state. A data flow diagram may be automatically generated from the first diagram. A hardware description may be generated from the data flow diagram. The hardware description may be usable to configure a programmable hardware element such as, for example, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The configured programmable hardware element may implement a hardware implementation of the data flow diagram.
US07818706B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit device operated in stability by high-speed clock signals and which is high in a cell using rate and in interconnection efficiency. In a mid part of a chip, there are provided an I/O 11b, supplied with a clock signal from outside, and a PLL 12, connected to the I/O 11b, and adapted for routing an internal clock signal, generated on the basis of the clock signal, to DRAM macros 14. The PLL 12 generates the internal clock signal by multiplying the frequency of the clock signal. The internal clock signal generated is distributed via buffer 13 to each macro cell in need of the internal clock signal. Part of the DRAM macros may be replaced by logic macro cells.
US07818703B2
A system for layout of a module in an integrated circuit layout pattern has a cell library and a cell placement system. The cell library includes a plurality of cells. The cell placement system is adapted to select one or more cells from the cell library and to locally place each selected cell within the module layout so that each cell pin of the selected cells and each port of the module layout occupies a unique vertical routing track within the module layout.
US07818701B1
Disclosed is a method of partitioning a memory, comprising dividing the memory into a first plurality of sub-zones, allocating a plurality of spare blocks in each of the first plurality of sub-zones, resizing the first plurality of sub-zones to a second plurality of sub-zones different from the first plurality, and reallocating the plurality of spare blocks among the second plurality of sub-zones. A circuit for an improved memory controller is described also.
US07818683B2
A method of a navigational path includes enabling a user to successively display a plurality of web pages; maintaining a full breadcrumb path that includes a link to each of the previously displayed pages; displaying a shortened breadcrumb path on a current page, the shortened breadcrumb path including fewer links than the full breadcrumb path, and displaying the full breadcrumb path only upon request. A method of representing a current location within a hierarchical structure of a web site or web application includes maintaining a hierarchical map of the web site or web application; generating a web page that has a predetermined level within the hierarchical map; displaying a hierarchical structure selector on the web page, and when the displayed hierarchical structure selector is selected by a user, displaying an indication of the predetermined level and a link to each hierarchically higher level of the generated web page.
US07818680B2
A method is provided which utilizes a threading service to offer enhanced features for a document management system including an email system. Various enhanced email features may be provided through one or more of the following components: a delete module, a reply module, a profile module, and a search module. The delete module enables a user to delete a selected message, a set of related messages, or the whole set except for the selected message. The reply module enables a user to send a reply message to all addresses associated and involved with an entire set of related messages. The profile module enables a dynamic interest profile to contain all relevant information from an outgoing message and a set of messages related to the outgoing message. The search module enables search results to include documents which match the user's query as well as documents related to the documents which match the user's query.
US07818679B2
A method, system, and apparatus are provided for collaborating on an electronic document. According to the method, a data structure may be maintained at each of the computer systems participating in the collaborative session that represents the contents of a shared document. When user input is received at one of the computer systems modifying the document, the data structure is updated to reflect the modification. In response to the modification, the changes to the data structure are periodically identified and collected as a revision that identifies only the changes made to the data structure as a result of the edits made since the previous revision was taken. The revision is packaged and transmitted to each of the participants in the sharing session. The revisions are merged into the copy of the data structure stored at the participating computer systems.
US07818669B2
The invention relates to a scrolling facility for moving information (I) shown in a display area (3), with recognition means for identifying higher-ranking elements (1) from the displayed information (T) and fixing means for fixing the position (Fix) of at least one higher-ranking element within the display area, with the fixing means being embodied such that the at least one higher-ranking element remains fixed while at least one of the subordinate elements (2) assigned to the higher ranking element (1) is visible in the display area (3).
US07818668B2
Fields for presentable files can be determined by an application (i) based on a field type and at least one parameter of the fields and (ii) responsive to raw data and a separate transformation engine, even when the application is unaware of the mechanics of the separate transformation engine. In a described implementation for a given field, the field type indicates that the given field is to be evaluated based on raw data that is referenced by the at least one parameter of the given field. The transformation engine is applied to the referenced raw data to produce a result for the given field that is suitable for presentation. In an example implementation, the transformation engine includes multiples sets of presentation rules that may be selectively established for application to the fields. In an example embodiment, respective presentation rule subsets target respective types of raw data.
US07818664B2
The present invention is a computer software product and method including an XML parsing module, a translation module communicatively coupled to the XML parsing module and an output module communicatively coupled to the translation module, the output module configurable by the end user to execute a predefined event responsive to the processing of an associated XML tag. The predefined event may be selected from a group consisting of audio output modification, visual output modification, and tactile output modification. These output modifications may include, but are not limited to, voice inflection, voice gender, voice volume, voice pitch, voice speed, visual display modification, visual display cues, tactile device output modification and the like.
US07818661B2
For applications of web-based analytics and business intelligence reporting, methods and systems are provided for exporting a data table as a spreadsheet pivot table by automatic creation of formatted spreadsheet pivot tables with application specific initial views. The views are specified by templates allowing a user to view multiple pivot tables in a single spreadsheet book. Pivot tables are created by a remote server that performs the exporting of the data table so that a user can save the pre created pivot table in his/her local machine. In one embodiment of the invention, the data table on which a pivot table is subject to have a limited number of rows of a spreadsheet data sheet. In another embodiment, the data table on which a pivot table is subject to can exceed the limit of the number of rows of a spreadsheet data sheet.
US07818657B1
An electronic document includes header, view, data, and signature sections. The data section provides data typically processed in transactions involving the electronic document. The view section includes presentation formatting for displays corresponding to the data. Linking elements identify corresponding main data values and view data values respectively used to populate the data section and display presentation formatting, and are accessible for determining whether the data in the display and data section, providing assurances that processed data matches that found in documents used by parties to a transaction. A digital signature section allows a digital signature to be provided, and used to wrap that data and view sections, to ensure authenticity. The header section provides document type, state and other information that is readily accessed without otherwise scanning the electronic document.
US07818650B2
A channel encoding apparatus and method are provided in which part of the parity bits are set to erroneous bits, and full parity bits are created by correcting the erroneous bits using a channel decoding apparatus of a receiver in a communication system. In the channel encoding apparatus, in order to generate a coded bit stream by adding a parity bit stream to a message bit stream, a partial parity generator generates a partial parity bit stream as a part of the parity bit stream using the message bit stream, an erasure generator generates a bit stream having an erroneous value as the remaining part of the parity bit stream, and a decoder calculates the value of the parity bit stream by correcting the bit stream having the erroneous value using a parity-check matrix that determines the parity bit stream, the message bit stream, and the partial parity bit stream.
US07818641B2
The disclosure describes a process and apparatus for accessing devices on a substrate. The substrate may include only full pin JTAG devices (504), only reduced pin JTAG devices (506), or a mixture of both full pin and reduced pin JTAG devices. The access is accomplished using a single interface (502) between the substrate (408) and a JTAG controller (404). The access interface may be a wired interface or a wireless interface and may be used for JTAG based device testing, debugging, programming, or other type of JTAG based operation.
US07818622B2
A method for recovering from software and/or hardware failures occurred in a data processing system is disclosed. A current version of boot code and an updated version of boot code are stored in a first memory region and a second memory region, respectively, of a non-volatile memory of the data processing system. The updated version of boot code is periodically replaced by a latest version of boot code downloaded from a support center. After an occurrence of a system crash, a determination is made if the system crash was caused by a known problem that can be remedied by the updated version of boot code. If so, the data processing system is rebooted using the updated version of boot code. Otherwise, data related to the system crash is collected, and the data processing system is rebooted using the current version of boot code.
US07818620B2
A CPU forced stop signal is used as means for stopping execution of a program executed on a ROM by a CPU of a target system. A time required for stopping the CPU from the issuance of the CPU forced stop signal between an ICE device and the CPU is considered and set, and a CPU forced stop signal issuance position which is prior to a stop target position is determined. Based on a real-time tracing function of the CPU, at an issuance position and timing of the CPU forced stop signal on the execution of the program, the CPU forced stop signal is issued, the CPU is stopped, and the event is acquired. By this means, an arbitrary number of events of the program can be acquired regardless of the number of breakpoint registers.
US07818617B2
The disclosed systems and methods provide for the protection of protected memory, for example, a hard disk, in a computer system. The systems and methods are configured to re-direct read and write access commands from locations in the protected memory to alternative storage locations. The systems and methods provide the ability for the user to accept or reject any BIOS changes that are to be made to the computing system. In addition, the systems and methods protect against operating system crash due to missing or corrupted files. The systems and methods are additionally operable to recover mistakenly deleted or damaged application data from a hard disk level, as well as to protect the operating system and data of the computing system against virus penetration. In other embodiments, the systems and methods are operable to provide for a security lock to the computing system and its associated data.
US07818614B2
According to one embodiment, a method comprises, responsive to detection of loss of lockstep (LOL) for a processor module in a system, setting status information stored to the system for the processor module to indicate that the processor module has an error. The method further comprises reestablishing lockstep for the processor module without shutting down the system's operating system, and updating the status information for the processor module to indicate that the processor module no longer has the error. The method further comprises causing the system's operating system to recognize that the processor module having its lockstep reestablished is available for processing.
US07818607B2
Distributed data, having been stored in a distributed storage system as a collection of distributed data elements, is recovered based on connection of multiple user nodes, each user node having stored selected distributed data elements as a corresponding portion of the distributed data during replication of the distributed data elements throughout the distributed storage system. Each distributed data element is identifiable by a corresponding unique object identifier (OID). Each user node includes a discovery resource for discovering reachable user nodes, a local cache configured for identifying at least the corresponding portion of the distributed data based on the respective OIDs, and an identification service module configured for resolving a data object to a corresponding OID, via the corresponding local cache, or based on sending a query to the reachable user nodes. Hence, user nodes can recover distributed data based on exchanging resolution information and OID information.
US07818606B1
Methods and apparatus for generating switch-initiated trespass commands. In an exemplary embodiment, a method includes recognizing that a first switch has a first path to a first target, which is coupled to a logical unit, and a second path to a second target, recognizing that a second switch has a first path to the first target and a second path to the second target, the second target being coupled to the logical unit, and determining whether the first switch should issue a trespass command.
US07818595B2
A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and system, the method including, in some embodiments, determining an impedance of a power distribution network of a load for a range of frequencies, and adjusting a functionality of the load based on a relationship between the impedance of the power distribution network for the range of frequencies and the functionality of the load.
US07818594B2
A data center may be operated to achieve reduced power consumption by matching workloads to specific platforms. Attributes of the platforms may be compiled and those attributes may be used to allocate workloads to specific platforms. The attributes may include performance attributes, as well as power consumption attributes.
US07818592B2
A token-based power control mechanism for an apparatus including a power controller and a plurality of processing devices. The power controller may detect a power budget allotted for the apparatus. The power controller may convert the allotted power budget into a plurality of power tokens, each power token being a portion of the allotted power budget. The power controller may then assign one or more of the plurality of power tokens to each of the processing devices. The assigned power tokens may determine the power allotted for each of the processing devices. The power controller may receive one or more requests from the plurality of processing devices for one or more additional power tokens. In response to receiving the requests, the power controller may determine whether to change the distribution of power tokens among the processing devices.
US07818591B2
A method and apparatus are provided for determining resistive power loss through a channel between Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) and a Powered Device (PD). The method includes (1) receiving indication that a PSE signal measurement is available from the PSE or a PD signal measurement is available from the PD, (2) selecting, as an input parameter to a processing operation, at least one of the PSE signal measurement or the PD signal measurement, (3) performing the processing operation to calculate a resistance value indicative of the resistive power loss through the channel between the PSE and PD based on the input parameter, and (4) outputting the resistive power loss value as a result of carrying out the processing operation.
US07818590B2
An apparatus and method for controlling a supply voltage using hierarchical performance monitors includes a signal generator generating an operating frequency and a target operating frequency, a supply voltage generator generating the supply voltage, a plurality of local performance monitors, and a global performance monitor. Each of the plurality of local performance monitors implemented in each different domain is modelled on a relationship between a level of the supplied voltage supplied to each different domain of a predetermined system and an operating speed or the operating frequency of a predetermined circuit implemented in the interior of the domain. The plurality of local performance monitors, respectively, monitors continuously whether the level of the supply voltage supplied to the domain is suitable for the target operating frequency, and outputs a local feedback signal. The global performance monitor generates the global feedback signal based on the local feedback signals of the plurality of local performance monitors, the supply voltage generator adjusts the level of the supply voltage based on the global feedback signal, and the signal generator changes the operating frequency to the target operating frequency when the level of the supply voltage corresponds to the target operating frequency.
US07818589B2
A data transfer apparatus has a plurality of data transfer interfaces, and one of the plurality of data transfer interfaces has a PHY, the PHY being made in a reset state when the data transfer interface is not used.
US07818574B2
A mechanism is provided in which access to the functionality present on an integrated circuit chip is controllable via an encrypted certificate of authority which includes time information indicating allowable periods of operation or allowable duration of operation. The chip includes at least one cryptographic engine and at least one processor. The chip also contains hard coded cryptographic keys including a chip private key, a chip public key and a third party's public key. The chip is also provided with a battery backed up volatile memory which contains information which is used to verify authority for operation. The certificate of authority is also used to control not only the temporal aspects of operation but is also usable to control access to certain functionality that may be present on the chip, such as access to some or all of the cryptographic features provided in conjunction with the presence of the cryptographic engine, such as key size.
US07818572B2
A first embodiment provides a process and system for simple, secure exchange of random numbers between two devices by combining a random number and a secret code (e.g., password) to generate a first challenge code, extracting the random number using the password at the second device, combining the first random number with a second random number, and returning the combination to the first device, which extracts the second random number from the second challenge code using its first random number. A CRC can be added to authenticate the sender. Another embodiment provides a system and method for generating a seedless pseudo-random number. The Yet another embodiment provides a system and method for generating data encryption coding with variable clocking.
US07818567B2
A method for protecting Security Accounts Manager (SAM) files within a Windows® operating system is disclosed. A SAM file encryption key is generated by encrypting a SAM file via a syskey utility provided within the Windows® operating system. The SAM file encryption key is then stored in a virtual floppy disk by selecting an option to store SAM file encryption key to a floppy disk under the syskey utility. A blob is generated by performing a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Seal command against the SAM file encryption key along with a value stored in a Performance Control Register and a TPM Storage Root Key. The blob is stored in a non-volatile storage area of a computer.
US07818554B2
A motherboard assembly of a computer includes a motherboard (80) and an expansion device. The expansion device is connected to the motherboard. The expansion device includes a BIOS chip (10), a first connector (20) and at least one second connector (30). The first connector is connected to a socket (40) mounted on the motherboard. The second connector is capable of connecting to a burning device (90) for restoring the BIOS chip. The BIOS chip is connected to the first connector, the second connector, and to a signal choice terminal of the motherboard which acts to access the BIOS chip through the first connector and the socket such that the BIOS chip of the expansion device can replace a BIOS chip mounted on the motherboard to be accessed when the computer is powered up to be tested, thereby protecting the BIOS chip mounted on the motherboard being damaged in test.
US07818553B2
A method for preventing unauthorized modifications to a rental computer system is disclosed. During boot up of the rental computer system, a determination is made whether or not a time-day card is bound to the rental computer system. If the time-day card is bound to the rental computer system, another determination is made whether or not a time/date value on the time-day card is less than a secure time/date value stored in a secure storage location during the most recent power down. If the time/date value on the time-day card is not less than the secure time/date value, yet another determination is made whether or not the secure time/date value is less than an end time/date rental value. If the secure time/date value is less than the end time/date rental value, the rental computer system continues to boot.
US07818551B2
Systems and methods are provided to detect instances where dynamic predication of indirect jumps (DIP) is considered to be ineffective utilizing data collected on the recent effectiveness of dynamic predication on recently executed indirect jump instructions. Illustratively, a computing environment comprises a DIP monitoring engine cooperating with a DIP monitoring table that aggregates and processes data representative of the effectiveness of DIP on recently executed jump instructions. Illustratively, the exemplary DIP monitoring engine collects and processes historical data on DIP instances, where, illustratively, a monitored instance can be categorized according to one or more selected classifications. A comparison can be performed for currently monitored indirect jump instructions using the collected historical data (and classifications) to determine whether DIP should be invoked by the computing environment or whether to invoke other indirect jump prediction paradigms.
US07818550B2
One embodiment of a processor includes a fetch stage, decoder stage, execution stage and completion stage. The execution stage includes a primary execution stage for handling low latency instructions and a secondary execution stage for handling higher latency instructions. A detector determines if an instruction is a high latency instruction or a low latency instruction. If the detector also finds that a particular low latency instruction is dependent on, and destructive of, a corresponding high latency instruction, then the secondary execution stage dynamically fuses the execution of the low latency instruction together with the execution of the high latency instruction. Otherwise, the primary execution stage handles the execution of the low latency instruction.
US07818541B2
A data processing architecture comprising: an input device for receiving an incoming stream of data packets; and a plurality of processing elements which are operable to process data received thereby; wherein the input device is operable to distribute data packets in whole or in part to the processing elements in dependence upon the data processing bandwidth of the processing elements.
US07818536B1
Some embodiments are directed to a technique for storing and/or locating content units stored on an object addressable storage (OAS) system, wherein each content unit is identified by an object identifier. The OAS system may comprise a plurality of zones, each of which stores content units. A mapping process may be defined that maps object identifiers for content units to zones on the OAS system. Thus, the storage location for a content unit on the OAS system may be the zone on the OAS system to which the object identifier for the content unit maps.
US07818535B1
When a client requests creation of a production file system or logical unit number (LUN) of storage, a sparse metavolume and a container file system built on the sparse metavolume are implicitly created for containing the production file system or LUN. By implicitly creating one container file system for each production file system or LUN, it is possible to hide the management of the container file system from the client or end user. The creation of snapshot copies in the container file system can also be hidden from the client or end user. Customer service level expectations and thin provisioning can be met automatically by storage policies implemented upon the container file system and the underlying sparse metavolume.
US07818527B2
A wrapper circuit effectively converts a muxed-type memory (having time-multiplexed address and data lines) into a non-muxed type memory as seen by the controller (a non-muxed type memory controller). Wrapper circuit includes a select circuit (e.g., multiplexer) and an input/output buffer. The select circuit receives write data and an address from a non-muxed type memory controller and selects either the write data or the address according to a first control signal. The input/output buffer receives the selection among the write data and the address and passes the write data or the address to a muxed type memory. The input/output buffer also passes read data received from the memory to the memory controller.
US07818520B2
The present invention is to provide a method of specifying access sequence of a storage device, wherein queues with different priority are created in the storage device for recording access requests from at least one server at the front-end of the storage device to manage the access operation, and are recorded corresponding to the front-end servers and the priority thereof respectively via a priority table. When the front-end server makes an access request, the request will be added to the corresponding queue according to the source front-end server, and each queue will be processed according to the priority thereof. The maximum workload of the access request processed every single time of each queue is set respectively. Thus, the access requests of the queues with higher priority will be processed within a shorter time.
US07818519B2
A method for arbitrating between a plurality of access requests issued in relation to a resource by a plurality of requestors, wherein each request can be one of at least two types, a first of the types having a higher latency associated with its performance than at least some of the other types, the method including the steps of: (a) receiving a plurality of the access requests; (the requests are not placed anywhere, they are simply received); (b) maintaining a current pointer that points to a current timeslot in a timeslot list, and at least one lookahead pointer that points to a future timeslot in the timeslot list; and (c) in the event an access request as arbitrated via the lookahead pointer is of the first type, initiating performance of the access request earlier than the position in the list suggests it would be performed should it be started when the current pointer reached the timeslot.
US07818518B2
A digital data file storage system is disclosed in which original data files to be stored are dispersed using some form of information dispersal algorithm into a number of file “slices” or subsets in such a manner that the data in each file share is less usable or less recognizable or completely unusable or completely unrecognizable by itself except when combined with some or all of the other file shares. These file shares are stored on separate digital data storage devices as a way of increasing privacy and security. As dispersed file shares are being transferred to or stored on a grid of distributed storage locations, various grid resources may become non-operational or may operate below at a less than optimal level. When dispersed file shares are being written to a dispersed storage grid which not available, the grid clients designates the dispersed data shares that could not be written at that time on a Rebuild List. In addition when grid resources already storing dispersed data become non-available, a process within the dispersed storage grid designates the dispersed data shares that need to be recreated on the Rebuild List. At other points in time a separate process reads the set of Rebuild Lists used to create the corresponding dispersed data and stores that data on available grid resources.
US07818516B2
A memory controller connected to memory includes: an address reception unit for receiving an address code externally input together with a command; and a command conversion unit for outputting to the memory an MRS command to change the internal settings of the memory based on the address code when the address code input together with a first command specifies an address space for which the memory is not implemented.
US07818515B1
A system includes one or more storage devices and virtualization software configured to aggregate storage in the one or more storage devices into a virtual storage device accessible to a storage consumer. The virtualization software may include a group validation layer comprising a device-independent interface configured to validate a proposed group configuration operation on the one or more storage devices. The device-independent interface may be used to verify that the proposed configuration operation would, if completed, result in a configuration capable of supporting a desired virtualization functionality. The device-independent interface may allow an application to manage the one or more devices as a unit known as a virtual device group.
US07818514B2
A low latency memory system access is provided in association with a weakly-ordered multiprocessor system. Bach processor in the multiprocessor shares resources, and each shared resource has an associated lock within a locking device that provides support for synchronization between the multiple processors in the multiprocessor and the orderly sharing of the resources. A processor only has permission to access a resource when it owns the lock associated with that resource, and an attempt by a processor to own a lock requires only a single load operation, rather than a traditional atomic load followed by store, such that the processor only performs a read operation and the hardware locking device performs a subsequent write operation rather than the processor. A simple prefetching for non-contiguous data structures is also disclosed. A memory line is redefined so that in addition to the normal physical memory data, every line includes a pointer that is large enough to point to any other line in the memory, wherein the pointers to determine which memory line to prefetch rather than some other predictive algorithm. This enables hardware to effectively prefetch memory access patterns that are non-contiguous, but repetitive.
US07818512B2
A high-capacity memory subsystem architecture utilizes multiple memory modules arranged in a hierarchical tree configuration, in which at least some communications from an external source traverse successive levels of the tree to reach memory modules at the lowest level. Preferably, the memory system employs buffered memory chips having dual-mode operation, one of which supports a tree configuration in which data is interleaved and the communications buses operate at reduced bus width and/or reduced bus frequency to match the level of interleaving.
US07818507B2
Methods and apparatus provide for sending a data command from a first of a plurality of devices to a first address concentrator within a first of a plurality of processing systems; selecting one of the other processing systems, the selected processing system having data addressed by the data command stored therein; sending the data command to a first address concentrator of the selected processing system; and broadcasting the data command from the first address concentrator of the selected processing system to a second address concentrator in each of the processing systems.
US07818504B2
A storage system may include storage, a main pipeline to carry data for the storage, and a store pipeline to carry data for the storage. The storage system may also include a controller to prioritize data storage requests for the storage based upon available interleaves and which pipeline is associated with the data storage requests.
US07818502B2
A CPU incorporating a cache memory is provided, in which a high processing speed and low power consumption are realized at the same time. A CPU incorporating an associative cache memory including a plurality of sets is provided, which includes a means for observing a cache memory area which does not contribute to improving processing performance of the CPU in accordance with an operating condition, and changing such a cache memory area to a resting state dynamically. By employing such a structure, a high-performance and low-power consumption CPU can be provided.
US07818492B2
A flash memory system includes flash memory organized into a plurality of blocks of pages for storage of information, a page including data and spare, the blocks being identifiable, within the flash memory, by a physical address. The system further has a flash controller for communicating with a host and the flash memory and includes volatile memory for storing a source-shadow table of logical addresses identifying blocks addressable by the physical addresses. The source-shadow table has an address mapping table and a property value table. The property value table is used to store property values, each of which is associated with a block of a predetermined group of blocks and is indicative of the number of times a block has been written since the last erase operation performed thereon. The property values correspond to the logical addresses of the address mapping table, wherein a block having been written no more than two times is re-written to different areas of the flash memory without requiring an erase operation.
US07818490B2
Data in less than all of the pages of a non-volatile memory block are updated by programming the new data in unused pages of either the same or another block. In order to prevent having to copy unchanged pages of data into the new block, or to program flags into superceded pages of data, the pages of new data are identified by the same logical address as the pages of data which they superceded and a time stamp is added to note when each page was written. When reading the data, the most recent pages of data are used and the older superceded pages of data are ignored. This technique is also applied to metablocks that include one block from each of several different units of a memory array, by directing all page updates to a single unused block in one of the units.
US07818481B2
The present invention relates to a computer system and a monitor with peripheral interfaces. The computer system includes a monitor, a host, and a transmission cable. The monitor includes a plurality of peripheral interfaces and an integrated interface. The peripheral interfaces are utilized to connect corresponding peripheral devices, and the peripheral interfaces are connected with the integrated interface. The transmission cable is configured for connecting the integrated interface and the host, and transmitting peripheral signals from the peripheral devices to the host.
US07818449B2
An apparatus for providing reserved connections between end stations, in a network, such as the Internet, capable of providing prioritized communications, comprises a switch in packet communications with end stations. The switch detects and forwards packets that contain prioritized data for priority processing, and packets that include requests for reserved connections according to a given reservation protocol. Output queues associated with egress ports of the switch correspond to different priorities associated with received priority packets. An additional output queue is associated with reserved connection data packets. In response to a reserved connection request, the switch determines if sufficient bandwidth exists in the switch to establish a reserved path within the network, and if so, allocates the and width for the reserved connection. In response to each received packet, the switch determines whether the packet is associated with the reserved connection and forwards those packets to the additional output queue on the egress port associated with the reserved connection path for transport to the intended destination.
US07818446B2
An information processing apparatus configured to transmit a data reproduction process request to a node and execute a data reproduction process based on return data, including a data transmission rate setting unit configured to select one or more data transmission modes as a return data transmission mode and determine a data transmission rate of each selected data transmission mode, a packet generating unit configured to perform a setting process for reproduction object data and an address setting process in accordance with the data transmission rate determined by the data transmission rate setting unit, and generate a data reproduction process request packet storing designation data for the set reproduction object data as a request statement, a network interface unit configured to transmit the packet, and a rule judgment condition setting unit configured to set judgment data for judging whether the node executes a process satisfying the a process request.
US07818441B2
Using a distributed storage to its maximum bandwidth including the following steps: for each group of at least one assembling device, selecting a subgroup of fractional-storage CDN servers according to at least one criterion, whereby a plurality of server subgroups are selected for a plurality of assembling device groups. And retrieving, using a pull protocol, by the assembling devices from the subgroups of servers, erasure-coded fragments associated with multiple segments of contents, until the aggregated bandwidth used for retrieving the fragments approaches the aggregated bandwidth of the servers included in the subgroups, and as long as the aggregated bandwidth used for delivering each segment does not exceed the aggregated bandwidth of the servers storing the fragments generated from the segment.
US07818433B2
A system, method, and program product is provided that requests, by a first computer system, a new network session with a second computer system. The new network session request occurs after a previous network session between the two systems and the new network session request includes a new sequence number that is different from a previous sequence number that was used during the previous network session. The first computer system receives an acknowledgement from the second computer system that references the previous sequence number instead of the new sequence number. In response to receiving the acknowledgement at the first computer system that references the previous sequence number, the first computer system modifies the new sequence number by setting it to a value that is higher than the previous sequence number, and the first computer system re-requests the new network session using the modified new sequence number.
US07818423B1
A method of accessing personal account information of a credit card (3400) over a global communication packet-switched network (306). At a user location disposed on the network (306), a machine-resolvable code (MRC) (3402) of the credit card (3400) of a user is read with a reading device (3410). Coded information is extracted from the MRC (3402). Routing information associated with the coded information is obtained, which routing information corresponds to the personal account information of the user stored on a credit card company server (3300) disposed on the network (306). The user location connects to the credit card company server (3300) across the network in accordance with the routing information. The personal account information is returned from the credit card company server (3300) to the user location. The personal account information is then presented to the user at the user location.
US07818419B1
An activity monitoring strategy monitors a user's consumption of content at a user device. To perform this operation, the activity monitoring strategy collects layout data that reflects the layout of the content as presented by the user device. The activity monitoring strategy then collects event data that reflects the user's consumption of the content. The activity monitoring strategy can use client-side executable functionality to implement the collecting of layout data and event data. The activity monitoring strategy asynchronously sends the collected data to a data analysis module where it is analyzed to determine features in the content that the user is presumed to have consumed. The activity monitoring strategy can apply the results of its analysis to modify the content, set the price charged for display of the features, etc.
US07818417B2
A method comprises estimating a performance of a processing system using queuing theory wherein the processing system comprises a network that accepts at least one input message stream from a plurality of publishing clients, transforms the at least one input message stream into at least one output message stream utilizing the plurality of transforms distributed in a first assignment among the plurality of brokers, and delivers the at least one output message stream to at least one of the plurality of subscribing clients, performing optimization upon the assignment of the plurality of transforms using the estimated performance to produce a second assignment, and reassigning the plurality of transforms in accordance with the second assignment.
US07818415B2
The invention relates, in one embodiment to a computer-implemented method implemented via the Internet for coordinating an activity between a user of a mobile Internet device and other users communicating through the Internet. The method includes receiving activity information pertaining to the event from the user via the mobile Internet device. The activity pertains to an activity occurring during a time period that overlaps the time the activity information is received. The method further includes transmitting the activity information to a backend database coupled to the Internet, the backend database being remote from the mobile Internet device. The method further includes rendering the activity information accessible to at least one recipient via the Internet. The recipient represents a subset of the users coupled to the Internet and having access privilege to information pertaining to the event involving the user.
US07818410B1
A method of managing migration in enterprise-computing systems is provided. The method includes inventorying information about each of a plurality of legacy servers and each of a plurality of applications, wherein the inventory information identifies the one or more applications installed on each of the legacy servers. The method includes defining a maximum number K of applications to migrate during a wave from the legacy servers to a plurality of preferred servers. The method also includes selecting a number Q of applications to migrate during the wave from the legacy servers to the preferred servers, where Q is less than or equal to K. The method further includes installing the Q applications on the preferred servers, and retiring the legacy servers whose applications have been migrated to the preferred server.
US07818403B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for transmitting data between a client device and a vehicle. A server hosted at an in-vehicle communications gateway module sends a software component comprising a non-standard transfer protocol module to a browser application hosted at the client device in response to a request from the client device. Standard ports at the in-vehicle communications gateway module and the client device are closed, and data is exchanged between the server and the browser application according to the non-standard transfer protocol. Optionally, the received data can then be transmitted from the in-vehicle communications gateway module to a computer module in the vehicle.
US07818402B1
One embodiment provides a method and a system for expediting content delivery in a peer-to-peer overlay network. A local cache and directory server caches a multiplicity of segments for multi-media content, and maintains a mapping between cacheable content and one or more local partner nodes that transiently stage segments for the cacheable content. The local cache and directory server receives a request identifying requested content, which may or may not be cached or mapped. The cache and directory server determines a match to the requested content in the mapping and sends a list of local partner nodes that transiently stage segments for the requested content based on the match.
US07818393B1
Disclosed are systems and methods for outage avoidance in connecting to a remote system. The systems and methods dynamically adjust the number of requests allowed to attempt to access the remote system, resulting in a more efficient use of resources and an improved user experience.
US07818392B1
A hierarchal posting method includes determining a first plurality of social network relationship factors associated with a first plurality of users with respect to a first user, determining a second plurality of users from the first plurality of users that have associated social network relationship factors that satisfy a filtering criteria, wherein a third plurality of users from the first plurality of users have associated social network relationship factors that do not satisfy the filtering criteria, determining a first plurality of hierarchal posts associated with the second plurality of users, wherein a second plurality of hierarchal posts are associated with the third plurality of users, and automatically providing the first plurality of hierarchal posts to the first user, but not the second plurality of hierarchal posts to the first user.
US07818386B2
Techniques for propagating messages in a distributed system are provided. A set of messages enqueued in a source queue are sent to one or more destination queues. An acknowledgement is received from each of the one or more destination queues, where the acknowledgement indicates which messages of the set of messages have been consumed at the particular destination queue. Based on the acknowledgements, one or more messages of the set messages are ceased to be maintained in the source queue.
US07818385B2
The illustrative embodiments of the present invention described herein provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for forwarding a reply email message. The process dynamically inserts email addresses associated with a plurality of recipients of an original email message and with an email address associated with the sender of the original email message into a recipient field of the reply email message. The email address associated with the sender of the original email message is identified to form an identified email address, wherein a copy of the reply email message is unsent to the identified email address. However, the identified email address remains part of the recipient field. In response to receiving a send command, the reply email message is sent to the email addresses associated with the recipient field excluding the identified email address.
US07818376B2
A method and implementing instant messaging processing system are provided in which a user's presence and on-line status in a chat session are not broadcast to the chat or instant messaging participants until the user chooses to allow or enable such broadcast. Additionally, the user is enabled to selectively exclude other specified users from seeing the user's on-line status. A “preferences” screen is presented to a user to enable the user to input his or her privacy preferences during a subsequent chat session before the user actually logs-into the chat session. The instant messaging system includes means by which a local instant messaging user is enabled to view all remote users within the chat application who are monitoring the user's on-line status as a result of having the user included in the remote users' buddy lists, as well as the ability to view the on-line state of those remote users. Further, an “off the record” mode may be selectively enabled by the user to preclude remote users from recording the communications being transmitted during a chat session.
US07818373B2
A mechanism for notifying co-recipients of a communication that other recipients are currently composing a reply to the received communication is provided. The notification may be provided regardless of which type of communication application is being used to reply to the communication. With this mechanism, attribute information for a communication currently being composed on a client communication device using one of a plurality of different communication types is obtained. The attribute information may include an identifier of a communication type currently being used to compose the communication. A previously distributed communication related to the communication currently being composed is identified and one or more recipients of the previously distributed communication are identified. A notification message is sent to one or more communication devices associated with the one or more recipients of the previously distributed communication. The notification message may identify a communication type currently being used to compose the communication.
US07818367B2
A computerized switching system for coupling a workstation to a remotely located computer. A signal conditioning unit receives keyboard and mouse signals generated by a workstation and generates a data packet which is transmitted to a central crosspoint switch. The packet is routed through a crosspoint switch to another signal conditioning unit located at a remotely located computer. The second signal conditioning unit applies the keyboard and mouse commands to the keyboard and mouse connectors of the computer as if the keyboard and mouse were directly coupled to the remote computer. Video signals produced by the remote computer are transmitted through the crosspoint switch to the workstation. Horizontal and vertical sync signals are encoded on to the video signals to reduce the number of cables that extend between the workstation and the remote computer. The signal conditioning units connected to the workstations include an onscreen programming circuit that produces menus for the user on a video display of the workstation.
US07818360B2
A processor for performing a Fast Fourier Transform and/or an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform of a complex input signal comprises a first stage for passing the input signal to a second stage when a Fast Fourier Transform procedure is to be performed and for swapping the real and imaginary components of the complex input signal before passing the signal to the second stage if an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform procedure is to be performed. The second stage has first and second radix-4 butterfly elements. A third stage is arranged to switch between first and second operating modes, the second operating mode being for processing a complex conjugate symmetrical input signal. A fourth stage has a plurality of processing units, one or more of the processing units comprising a radix-2 pipelined Fast Fourier Transform processor. The first and second radix-4 butterfly elements are arranged to perform a butterfly operation on the complex input signal to generate and deliver one or more components of a processed signal to the fourth stage. The fourth stage is arranged to process the processed signal received from the first stage according to a Fast Fourier Transform processing procedure to produce an output signal. There is also disclosed a method for performing a Fast Fourier Transform and/or Inverse Fast Fourier Transform of a complex input signal.
US07818352B2
RDF store database designs and efficient techniques for converting SPARQL queries to SQL queries are described that provide faster triplet access, and which can reduce the computational overhead and cost associated with storing large volumes of RDF metadata. In various embodiments RDF data can be stored in de-normalized tables tailored to provide efficient query and storage performance. The provided query conversion techniques provide reliable and efficient query performance.
US07818348B2
Embodiments of the invention relate data retrieved from the logical fields of an abstract database using a timeline. The logical fields specified by a database abstraction model are extended to include attributes that specify where data corresponding to a logical field occurs on a timeline. Query results may be displayed by ordering query results as points (for an event) or segments (for a duration) on the timeline. Further, query processing techniques disclosed by the present invention allow users to include temporal operators such as “before”, “after”, “during”, and “within” in an abstract query. Temporal operators provide users with the ability to include temporal relationships in an abstract query, without having to construct a complex conditional expression from more primitive logical operators (e.g., “ands” and “ors”).
US07818345B2
A method for forming a storage device containing data, concerning blocks defining the composition of one or several pages of a document and associated with the storage device receiving all of the data and the content of the blocks identified by an identifier. The invention includes: collecting, at the storing device, block after block, and for each block, data concerning each block and associating the identifier and the data, with a site in the storage device; collecting the content of each block corresponding to a text and creating a text file wherein the content of the text block is transferred; and associating the identifier of each text block and each text file with a site in the storage device.
US07818343B1
A method for providing reputation information concerning a domain is disclosed. The domain may include one or more devices on a network. The method may include retrieving a first reputation pertaining to a first function of the domain. The method may also include generating a message containing information pertaining to the first reputation and at least a second reputation, wherein the second reputation pertains to a second function of the domain.
US07818341B2
Methods for using scenario solution-related information to generate customized user experiences are provided. Upon receiving a user query, a plurality of results is returned, each result being representative of a scenario solution which may be utilized to address a particular issue relevant to the received query. At the time of authoring, each scenario solution is organized based upon one or more keywords and/or one or more categories (i.e., namespaces). Data associated with a namespace/keyword corresponding to a returned search result may be mined to determine information beyond basic scenario solution search results that may be of interest to the user. As the namespace(s)/keyword(s) in association with which to organize a particular executable scenario solution is determined by the author of the scenario solution, other information associated with the same namespace/keyword (and/or a namespace/keyword having a relationship thereto) is likely to be more relevant than information organized based upon keywords alone.
US07818332B2
Candidate suggestions for correcting misspelled query terms input into a search application are automatically generated. A score for each candidate suggestion can be generated using a first decoding pass and paths through the suggestions can be ranked in a second decoding pass. Candidate suggestions can be generated based on typographical errors, phonetic mistakes and/or compounding mistakes. Furthermore, a ranking model can be developed to rank candidate suggestions to be presented to a user.
US07818329B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed that receives an input narrative in a particular media format, and produces therefrom a multimedia enriched version of the input narrative. In one embodiment, a method is provided for enriching an input narrative with multimedia content, wherein the method includes the step of selectively segmenting the input narrative to form queries pertaining to different portions or elements of the input narrative. The method further comprises retrieving multimedia artifacts from one or more multimedia repositories, wherein each retrieved multimedia artifact is associated with one of the queries, and selecting a subset of the retrieved multimedia artifacts, wherein the subset includes artifacts comprising different types of multimedia content. The input narrative is then combined with respective multimedia artifacts of the subset, in order to provide an enriched and enhanced narrative.
US07818328B2
Various techniques for providing an application program interface (API) that facilitates the retrieval of information stored in a configuration repository directly from the configuration repository are provided. The API provides a direct channel of communication into the configuration repository through which a user can obtain an unambiguous representation of the objects in the configuration repository. When requested, the API retrieves an object or objects from the configuration repository, translates the retrieved result into an intermediate, well-defined representation that unambiguously represents the requested object or objects, and provides the requestor the unambiguous representation of the object or objects.
US07818326B2
Searching of objects captured by a capture system can be improved by eliminating irrelevant objects from a query. In one embodiment, the present invention includes receiving such a query for objects captured by a capture system, the query including at least one search term. This search term is then hashed to a term bit position using a hash function. Then objects can be eliminated if, in a word index associated with the object, the term bit position is not set.
US07818322B2
Methods and computer storage media for clustering nodes are provided. An input file is received that is comprised of primary nodes, secondary nodes and metrics that relate to the association between the primary nodes and the secondary nodes. Upon receiving the input file, the input file is abridged to reduce the number of nodes contained in the input file. The unique initial primary nodes are then clustered with their associated secondary node. The clusters containing the unique initial primary nodes are replaced if a subsequent related cluster satisfies a pre-defined condition. In some embodiments, multiple clusters are then merged until the cluster size reaches a pre-defined size. In some embodiments, the input file is cleaned and sorted prior to being abridged.
US07818313B1
A method, in a continuous computation system, for processing a set of registered queries over a cluster of servers includes creating an execution plan for processing a set of queries over a cluster of servers, where the continuous computation system creates the execution plan by analyzing the semantics and requirements of the queries to determine how to distribute processing across the cluster. Analysis of a query can include determining whether input messages for the query can be processed independent of each other, whether input messages for the query can be partitioned into groups that can be processed independent of each other, whether the query includes an aggregator function, and whether the query includes a subquery.
US07818309B2
A method and system are provided for managing requests to access data in a computer environment. In one aspect of the present invention, a request manager receives a request associated with meta data corresponding to data that is maintained separately from the meta data. In another aspect, the request manager informs a data object manager of an anticipated request that will be received by the data object manager to enable it to prepare for the anticipated request. The data object manager commences preparing for the anticipated request in response to being informed of the anticipated request to facilitate a reduction in data access time. In one example of a computing environment utilizing one or more aspects of the invention, a storage subsystem comprising a data object manager prepares for the anticipated request by pre-fetching data blocks from storage media into a cache.
US07818306B2
Read-copy-update (RCU) is performed within real-time and other types of systems, such that memory barrier usage within RCU is reduced. A computerized system includes processors, memory, updaters, and readers. The updaters update contents of a section of the memory by using first and second sets of per-processor counters, first and second sets of per-processor need-memory-barrier bits, and a global flip-counter bit. The global flip-counter bit specifies which of the first or second set of the per-processor counters and the per-processor need-memory-barrier bits is a current set, and which is a last set. The readers read the contents of the section of the memory by using the first and second sets of per-processor counters, the first and second sets of per-processor need-memory-barrier bits, and the global flip-counter bit, in a way that eliminates the need for memory barriers during such read operations.
US07818305B2
The present invention introduces the concept of a super-trigger to allow for multi-level hierarchical triggers in a database application. The super-trigger may be created by identifying one or more triggers as sub-triggers, and defining a condition in the super-trigger, the result of the condition depending from a result of one or more of the sub-triggers. Upon execution, information may be retrieved regarding a result for each of the sub-triggers. The condition may then be evaluated using these results, and an action may be performed if the condition is met.
US07818290B2
This invention includes a system for the association of a user of an electronic system with a demographic, wherein a data characteristic of the user is accessed and compared to a wide population probability distribution reference indicative of a demographic associated with the data characteristic, and making a determination of a probability that the user is up to the demographic based on the comparing. Systems may include a method for selecting a more probable data characteristic upon which to associate a user with a demographic, and a data processing apparatus configured with one or more wide population probability distribution references for use on any one of a number of electronic systems.
US07818278B2
A two-phase process quickly and accurately identifies representations of the same items within a collection of item representations. In the first phase, referred to as a “blocking phase,” frequency information indicating the frequency with which terms appear within the collection of item representations is used to quickly identify “candidate pairs” (i.e., pairs of item representations that have a relatively high probability of matching). The blocking phase results in a reduced subset of the data for further analysis during the second phase. In the second phase, referred to as a “matching phase,” the candidate pairs are analyzed using fuzzy matching functions to accurately identify “matching pairs” (i.e., representations of the same items).
US07818276B2
There is described a method and system for detecting an anomaly in data originating from a component used in an industrial process. The anomaly detection steps comprise: providing predictive models in which at least one of the predictive models corresponds to at least one operating mode from a plurality of operating modes of the component; obtaining operating data from the component, the operating data being indicative of a given operating mode from the operating modes; selecting at least one of the predictive models based on the given operating mode; generating estimated data using the selected at least one predictive model; comparing the operating data with the estimated data; and generating an alarm trigger when the comparison meets a given anomaly criteria thereby constituting the detection of the anomaly.
US07818273B2
A cortical simulator optimizing the simulation scale and time through computationally efficient simulation of neurons in a clock-driven and synapses in an event-driven fashion, memory efficient representation of simulation state, and communication efficient message exchanges.
US07818270B2
An energy tracking and reporting system can receive data inputs from multiple sources regarding one or more properties. A central database receives the information and correlates the information for numerous outputs. Information received by the central database can include, for example, property location, property size, property type and property use. Also, occupancy information, energy sources, utilities servicing the property, weather, ISO, environmental guidelines, and the traded or other standard price for the utilities can be stored. The system can calculate a number of factors from the data and return values to the central database. The system can track data trends and store additional information for budgeting, user reporting and certification compliance reporting. Modules can analyze the market rates, calculate efficiency benchmarks, analyze the data stored on the central database and provide the user with multiple tables and charts analyzing all of the factors that tie into energy usage.
US07818259B2
A prepaid licensing method permits the prepaid licensing of software on a machine in a secure manner. The method includes storing information for licensing at least one prepaid use of software on a machine. The information, which can be in the form of a software option, includes unique and unchangeable information identifying the machine, and information for measuring a number of uses of the software on the machine. The method includes locally granting a license for the number of prepaid uses of the software on the machine, based upon the stored information.
US07818257B2
Unique encoding of each of a substantial number of distribution video copies of a program such as a motion picture is produced by altering the images slightly at several pre-selected locations in the program in a uniquely coded pattern. Suspected counterfeits can be compared with an unaltered master video to determine the encoded number for the copy which was counterfeited to enable tracking the source of the counterfeit. Preferably, each frame of several whole scenes is altered at each location by shifting an image so as to make the alterations largely undetectable by counterfeiters but easily detected by comparison with an unaltered master video. Artifacts are inserted in patterns representing a unique number for the program. These supplement the encoding by alteration of images and gives added means to aid in tracing counterfeit copies.
US07818244B1
A system for implementing a tree on paths method for generating a recombining interest rate tree from previously generated paths. The inventive method is a tree on paths method whereby a tree is created from previously generated paths. The tree on paths method uses Monte Carlo simulations to generate paths and uses a recombining algorithm to obtain a computationally efficient tree from the generated paths.
US07818242B1
A system for modeling a basket of securities containing a plurality of securities is provided and includes a default/recovery model database for storing default/recovery data regarding the plurality of securities. Also included is a default simulation engine for calculating a default time for at least one of the plurality of securities based on the default/recovery data. Finally, a cash flow engine is included for generating cash flows for the basket of securities based on the default times.
US07818241B2
This invention relates to hedge fund indexing in general and methods and systems for constructing and maintaining investable hedge fund indices in particular.
US07818236B2
An execution concentrator is interposed in a communications network for handling information concerning securities transactions or the like, that concentrator acting to transmit transaction information to the trader or the like at such times and in such details as may be most convenient or efficient to the recipient, independently of the timing and details of the actual transaction.
US07818235B2
An apparatus, method and system for determining an estimate of at least one numerical attribute of at least one entity of a population when the population is changing and there are a limited number of observations on the attribute for the entities, in which a conditional index is determined to track how a value of the attribute changes from one time to another for an entity that is a member of the population at both times, and an unconditional index is determined representing an average level of the attribute for the entities of the population.
US07818232B1
A system and method provides investors with meaningful information extracted from large volumes of available data for a particular stock, mutual fund, bond, or other investment. The system includes one or more computers that receive and process multiple data feeds to extract information relating to each type of investment. The processed data is compared to “alert rules” each corresponding to a predefined condition, and a truth table is established that identifies alerts that are true for each particular investment. An investor logs onto a web site and enters a stock ticker symbol or similar investment identifier. Computer software displays a web page including “alerts” that are presently true for that particular investment. The alerts can be predefined by financial experts to make them useful to novice investors. When an investor selects a particular investment, a display is generated showing all of the alerts that are true for that investment and allowing the user to get more information concerning the significance of the alerts. The alerts can be grouped into different categories according to their content or time sensitivity.
US07818227B2
Disclosed is a system for assigning, tracking and storing equivalent emission values associated with a transaction. When a transaction takes place the system identifies the purchaser, the vendor, and at least the cost of the transaction. The system contains a database comprising a pre-selected parameter related to an emission value. The system uses this parameter to calculate the emission value of the transaction. The emission value is stored in at least one data-file contained in the system.
US07818224B2
A signal processing system and method for breaking a time series into piece-wise discrete trends and determining whether new data represents the continuation of a trend. The method identifies and utilizes at least one set of trend determination parameters, which have favorable trend fit characteristics relative to other possible sets of parameters. In a semi-automated embodiment, the error and trend length characteristics are cross-plotted for multiple sets of possible parameters, and one or more of the parameter sets is selected from the graph. In an automated embodiment, an objective function is formulated from the characteristics, and an optimization technique is applied to identify one or more good parameter sets.
US07818202B1
Customer acquisition by a marketer includes determining one or more attributes of a target audience, identifying one or more subscriptions comprising a predetermined number of individuals having the attributes, requesting from each of the individuals permission to send one or more offers, receiving one or more acceptances from at least one of the individuals responsive to the requesting, and sending the one or more offers to individuals from whom acceptances were received.
US07818201B2
A system for processing lead referrals is capable of assigning leads by product line, language and/or availability of the representative. The system is also capable of high lead referral throughput using steps such as filtering repeat visitors to a company from new leads, non-corporate leads from corporate leads, and avoiding requests for information to external databases during black-out times, such as set by registrars.
US07818199B2
Polling method that encourages freely opinionated replies and makes for extensive collection of diverse replies. Free reply processing module 9 assigns an option ID to a free reply contained in reply data and associates this free reply with a survey ID and question ID and stores the same in a survey form database 41. A survey form creation module 6 creates a survey form page based on data in the survey form database 41 using HTML or the like and stores this on a Web server 3. The Web server 3 sends the stored survey form page to a respondent terminal 2.
US07818197B2
A context estimation rule is applied to spare time on a user's schedule, and contexts are estimated. On the basis of a task template, an input task is divided into plural subtasks. A task recommendation rule for recommending tasks to do from the relation between contexts and metadata of tasks is applied to the spare time of the user, and tasks to do in the spare time are recommended on the basis of the contexts of the spare time and the metadata of the subtasks. The recommended tasks are managed as schedules.
US07818190B1
A camping reservation system receives camping reservations from a camping facility agent or a user of a camping facility. The agent or the user enters information relating to the user, the user's camping vehicle, camping accommodations requested by the user, and reservation information. The reservation information is transferred to a transaction processor via a communications link, where the processor automatically generates transaction documents related to the user, the camping facility agent, and the camping reservation. A confirmation document is sent to the camping facility for which a camping pad has been reserved.
US07818189B2
A system and method are disclosed for one-stop shopping for health-care services and related needs. The one-stop shopping system and method provide objective information for the system enrollee to assess and decide on health-care insurance and services. The system and method provide this objective information in a way that is easily accessible by system enrollees in an economical and rapid manner.
US07818187B2
Computer-implemented methods and systems for estimating liability for a vehicle accident are provided. In one embodiment, an actual speed of a vehicle involved in an accident may be estimated. At least one specified speed of a vehicle involved in the accident may be provided to a computer system. In an embodiment, the specified speed may be a speed limit. In other embodiments, the specified speed may be a safe speed of the vehicle involved in an accident. The actual speed may be compared to at least one specified speed. In some embodiments, an effect on liability may be estimated based on the comparison.
US07818186B2
A system is described for evaluating the decision-making confidence of a process and system for at least a partial underwriting of insurance policies where placement of an insurance application to an underwriting category is based on its similarity to previous insurance applications. The confidence factor computed is a measure of the correctness of the decision for a given application for insurance.
US07818184B2
A system extrapolates and interpolates patient fluid intake or output parameter values and associated cumulative values over variable time intervals from a reduced set of stored fluid parameter values affecting fluid cumulative volume computation or rate of fluid intake or output computation. The extrapolation and interpolation function accomodates drip (continuing) fluid volumes as well as supplemental (non-continuing e.g., bolus) fluid volumes. A patient medical parameter data processing system provides patient medical parameter data for trend indicative display covering a time period comprising user selectable patient parameter acquisition time intervals. The system includes an acquisition processor for receiving data identifying, for a continuing infusion, rate of volume of fluid infusion into a patient, a fluid type identifier and a start time and start date of said continuing infusion. The received data also identifies for a non-continuing infusion, a total volume of fluid infusion, a fluid type identifier and a time and date of the non-continuing infusion. A data processor determines, from the received data, a cumulative total volume infusion of a particular fluid into a particular patient for a particular user selectable patient parameter acquisition time interval.
US07818177B1
A system and method of exchanging medical information between a user and a computer device is disclosed. The computer device can receive user input in one of a plurality of types of user input comprising speech, pen, gesture and a combination of speech, pen and gesture. The method comprises receiving information from the user associated with a medical condition and a bodily location of the medical condition on a patient in one of a plurality of types of user input, presenting in one of a plurality of types of system output an indication of the received medical condition and the bodily location of the medical condition, and presenting to the user an indication that the computer device is ready to receive further information. The invention enables a more flexible multi-modal interactive environment for entering medical information into a computer device. The medical device also generates multi-modal output for presenting a patient's medical condition in an efficient manner.
US07818174B1
An apparatus for determining at least one recognition parameter, associated with a grammar, for use in attempting to recognize utterances using the grammar includes an input configured to receive indicia of the grammar, an output configured to provide the at least one recognition parameter, and a processor coupled to the input and to the output and configured to analyze words of the grammar to determine a feature of the grammar and to provide indicia of the at least one recognition parameter to the output based on the determined feature.
US07818173B2
An information retrieval system, includes speech recognition means for making speech recognition for a spoken question to generate first text information, generation means for modifying the first text information to generate second text information as a interrogative to make a search for an answer to the question, and search means for searching the answer from a document database by using the second text information.
US07818169B2
A formant frequency estimation method which is important information in speech recognition by accelerating a spectrum using a pitch frequency, and an apparatus using the method is provided. That is, the formant frequency estimation method includes preprocessing an input speech signal and generating a spectrum by a fast Fourier transforming the preprocessed input speech signal; smoothing the generated spectrum; accelerating the smoothed spectrum; and determining a formant frequency on the basis of the accelerated spectrum.
US07818165B2
A method and system for language identification are provided. The system includes a feature set of a plurality of character strings of varying length with associated information. The associated information includes one or more significance scores for a character string for one or more of a plurality of languages. Means are provided for detecting character strings from the feature set within a token from an input text. The system uses a finite-state device and the associated information is provided as glosses at the final nodes of the finite-state device for each character string. The associated information can also include significance scores based on linguistic rules.
US07818163B2
A system-on-chip arrangement having, in possible combination with a processor, a plurality of reconfigurable gate array devices, and a configurable Network-on-Chip connecting the gate array devices to render the arrangement scalable. The arrangement lends itself to be operated by mapping in one device of the gate array a set of processing modules, and configuring another device of the plurality of gate array devices as a microcontroller having stored therein software code portions for controlling inter-operation of the processing modules stored in the one device of the plurality. The arrangement is thus adapted, e.g., to handle different computational granularity levels.
US07818162B2
An information processing device is provided for realizing the interpreter method emulation by using a processor having a performance requested for the compile method emulation. In one embodiment, an information processing device includes a host processor 1 for executing predetermined processing and a coprocessor 2 for executing emulation in accordance with a direction from the host processor 1. The coprocessor 2 determines whether the processing to be executed in accordance with emulation is executable by the coprocessor 2 when execution of emulation is directed from the host processor 1. The coprocessor 2 executes the processing when the processing is executable by the coprocessor 2 but leaves execution of the processing to the host processor 1 when the processing is not executable by the coprocessor 2.
US07818157B2
A method for analyzing an electrical characteristic of wire segments configured as one or more power meshes in an integrated circuit (IC) core comprising the steps of (A) specifying design information corresponding to the power meshes, (B) specifying at least one type of analysis to be performed, where the analysis comprises (i) generating a file corresponding to the IC core in a format compatible with an electronic circuit simulator and (ii) calculating the electrical characteristic of the wire segments via the circuit simulator, and (C) displaying the calculated electrical characteristic.
US07818155B2
A system and method for automatically analyzing impedance and pH data from an esophageal probe includes a data collection system that collects and stores the output from the sensors for a certain period of time to locate reflux episodes in the waveforms. The data analysis system uses wavelet analysis to assist in locating bolus entry and exit points in the waveforms and to smooth waveforms for additional analysis. It also distinguishes between candidate acid reflux episodes and candidate non-acid reflux episodes for determining actual acid reflux episodes and non-acid reflux episodes, and it distinguishes between, and provides different signal processing for, signals from patients that have healthy esophageal tissue and those that have diseased esophageal tissue.
US07818154B2
The subject matter described herein includes a method for modeling fluorescence in turbid media and methods and systems for using the model to determine intrinsic fluorescence of turbid media. According to one aspect, a method for modeling fluorescence of a turbid medium and for using the model to determine intrinsic fluorescence in the turbid medium is provided. The method includes illuminating a turbid medium of interest with an electromagnetic radiation source using a probe of a particular geometry and detecting measured fluorescence for the turbid medium using the probe. At least one set of Monte Carlo simulations is run to determine an escape energy probability map and an absorbed energy density map for the turbid medium. An indication of the intrinsic fluorescence of the turbid medium is determined using the escape probability density map and the absorbed energy density map in a manner that accounts for the geometry of the probe.
US07818150B2
A method is disclosed that preparing a discrete event simulation model of a production network is provided including a client and a plurality of servers connected by a network comprising the steps of initiating a single business function trace test on the production network; gathering network flow trace data from the network; deriving a transaction summary from the network flow trace data; initiating a single business function load test on the production network; gathering resource data from the plurality of servers; normalizing the resource data; gathering web log data from at least one server from the plurality of servers; calculating a number of business functions running on the production network; calculating a consumption of resources used by the plurality of servers; calculating a business function cost associated with the consumption of resources; creating a business function profile from the transaction summary and the business function cost; and building a discrete event simulation model from the business function profile.
US07818148B2
A method, apparatus, and computer program are provided for custom designing primarily decorative stonework. The system permits design of different aesthetic architectural features, which can be of many types and shapes. The dimensions can also be varied to fit the needs of a client, architect or other user of the system due to the use of a parametric calculation unit. These system features assist users in custom designing primarily decorative stonework, improving speed and quality while reducing costs.
US07818139B2
A data signal indicative of a gap between a sensor and at least one of a surface of a rotor and a surface of a stator rotating relative to the sensor is sent to a computer processor. The computer implements defining a plurality of lowest values of the data signal over a revolution of relative rotation between the rotor and the stator, and displaying the plurality of lowest values for assessment of the distance between the sensor and a surface of at least one of the rotor and the stator in order to determine a position of the rotor relative to the stator.
US07818136B2
One or more sensors in a portable electronic device have individual status parameter in response to different using configurations. When the portable electronic device operates in a first using configuration, an electronic compass in the portable electronic device loads a corresponding first default setting, according to the status parameter of the sensors operated in the first using configuration, and detects the geomagnetic field for outputting azimuth data. When the portable electronic device changes its configuration from the first using configuration to a second using configuration, the electronic compass stops detecting the geomagnetic field and loads a corresponding second default setting, according to the status parameter of the sensors operated in the second using configuration, and detects the geomagnetic field for outputting azimuth data. The electronic compass is capable of properly detecting the geomagnetic field by loading different default settings when facing interference of different magnetic fields.
US07818135B2
An apparatus and method for timing calibration of write and read-back data exchanges between respective dies of an external memory/external device has a master arbiter or, alternatively, a test bus between a system bus master interface and an external memory controller for driving the external memory/external device, a calibration circuit under control of the master arbiter via a test bus master interface to provide stepped-through time delays for test data exchanges between the dies, and the calibration circuit obtains pass/fail data indicating pass or fail of the varied time delays for the test data exchanges. A processor system at the system bus master interface selects calibration values corresponding to pass data, and applies the calibration values to the respective dies for timing of write and read-back data exchanges between the dies.
US07818133B2
In a calibration mode, an equilibrium period after pressurized gas is sealed in a device under inspection and a reference tank is divided into two periods; pressure-difference changes ΔP1 and ΔP2 are measured when a first-half equilibrium period of duration T1 elapses and when a second-half equilibrium period of duration T1 elapses, respectively; and a pressure-difference change ΔP3 generated in an inspection period of duration T2 is measured. A pressure-difference change CT2 generated for duration T2 from when a period of time in which the influence of an adiabatic change seems to become sufficiently stable elapses is measured. A drift correction coefficient K is calculated from these measured values using K=(ΔP3−CT2)/(ΔP1−ΔP2), is stored in a storage section, and is used in an inspection mode.
US07818126B2
A communication method is applied to a first peripheral communication device and a communication device. The communication device has a data exchanging module, a GPS module electrically connected to the data exchanging module, and a Bluetooth communication module electrically connected to the data exchanging module. The communication method includes the following steps. First, the first peripheral communication device outputs a first Bluetooth signal carrying first GPS data. Next, the data exchanging module receives the first GPS data from the Bluetooth communication module and transmits the first GPS data to the GPS module. Then, the GPS module calculates a first GPS position of the communication device through a position algorithmic process according to the first GPS data.
US07818118B2
A method for planning the velocity of a craft along a predetermined route, where said method comprises the step of transforming demands and limitations of said route and said craft into a time-distance domain. Said planning subsequently takes place in said domain. The method saves computational time.
US07818102B2
A system which operates a digitally controlled model railroad transmitting a first command from a first client program to a resident external controlling interface through a first communications transport. A second command is transmitted from a second client program to the resident external controlling interface through a second communications transport. The first command and the second command are received by the resident external controlling interface which queues the first and second commands. The resident external controlling interface sends third and fourth commands representative of the first and second commands, respectively, to a digital command station for execution on the digitally controlled model railroad.
US07818094B2
A control system monitors salt level in a brine tank having a water inlet. The control system comprises a memory device storing an amount representing actual salt level in the brine tank. A sensor determines water level in the brine tank. A control valve is operatively connected between a water supply and the water inlet for controllably supplying water to the brine tank. A logic circuit is operatively connected to the memory device, the sensor and the control valve for determining salt level in the brine tank. The logic circuit periodically operates the control valve responsive to sensed water levels to fill the brine tank with water, updates the stored actual salt level in the memory device responsive to water supplied to the brine tank, and provides an indication when actual salt level in the brine tank falls below a select salt level.
US07818092B2
A system and method for accurately measuring supply gas consumed by a particular process control component within a process control system is disclosed. Enhanced measurement accuracy is derived from measuring the consumption of the process control component in a normal operating mode of the process control system. The amount of fluid expended by one process control component is separated by a fluid control system from the amount of supply gas expended in actuating other process control components. The amount of fluid expended by each component may be determined by measuring a decrease in a fluid within a vessel having a known quantity that independently supplies supply gas to each component during its operation.
US07818088B2
An RFID enabled paper roll includes a tubular core, a paper stock wound around the core, and a radio frequency integrated circuit electrically coupled to an antenna and positioned on the core. A system for reading a radio frequency integrated circuit positioned on an item of inventory in a warehouse comprises a material handling device and an RFID reader coupled to the material handling device. The material handling device has at least member for use in transporting an item of inventory. The reader is configured to read the radio frequency integrated circuit associated with the item of inventory when the item is in proximity to the material handling device.
