US07867013B2
An in-line splice connector comprises a connector body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end and having a generally elongated cavity region formed between the first and second ends to house at least a first insulation displacement connector (IDC) element. The in-line splice connector also includes a first cap and a second cap, each cap including a wire guide to receive and guide a wire to the IDC element. The first cap is pivotally mounted at the first end of the connector body to receive a first wire and the second cap is pivotally mounted at the second end of the connector body to receive a second wire. A closing of the first and second caps actuates a splice of the first and second wires.
US07867008B1
Disclosed is a water-proof connector assembly which comprises a first connecting device, a second connecting device and a fastener. The first connecting device includes a first casing, a male conductive terminal, a water-resisting member and a first screwing member. The first casing, being provided successively a first section, a second section, a third section and a fourth section, has a first inner hole. The second connecting device includes a second casing, a female conductive terminal which allows the male conductive terminal to insert for conducting electricity, a second water-proof sleeve and a second screwing member. The second casing, being provided successively a fifth section, a sixth section and a seventh section, has a second inner hole. The fastener is mounted around and movable on a first outer surface of the first section and the second section of the first casing between a predetermined first position and a predetermined second position.
US07866997B2
An electrical card connector comprises an insulative housing (10), a plurality of contacts (20) received in the housing, a shell (30) covering the housing and an ejector (500. The housing is located at the front of the shell. The ejector comprises a base (51) and an ejecting member (53) assembled on the base, the base is located at the side of the housing, and the ejecting member is moveably in a card inserting direction. The base is secured to the housing to limit a lateral movement of the base.
US07866988B2
A connector in which contact between a circuit board and a card-type electronic device is made less liable to be unstable, even when the connector is subject to a shock. One (37) of a pair of arms (37, 38) of a base (3) is made elastically deformable. A holddown (43) is provided on the arm (37) such that the arm (37) cannot be elastically deformed when the base (3) is mounted on the circuit board.
US07866983B2
Disclosed is a surgical simulator for teaching, practicing, and evaluating surgical techniques. Such a simulator may comprise a cassette of organs, blood vessels, and tissues that may be disposable. The simulator also comprises a hemodynamic simulator and a frame assembly, the frame assembly providing support for the cassette of organs as well as a fluid conduit through which simulated blood flow from the hemodynamic simulator may be connected to the blood vessels of the organs and related tissues. The hemodynamic simulator provides adjustable and variable pressures to the arteries and veins, as well as variable pulse rates, which can be programmed at settings chosen by an instructor or user.
US07866978B2
A method for virtual orthodontic treatment is provided in which a virtual set of orthodontic components is associated, in a virtual space, with a first virtual three-dimensional image of teeth, and then by a set of rules which define the effect of the set of components' teeth, the effect of the virtual treatment can be computed. This virtual treatment can be used to predict the results of a real-life orthodontic treatment as to design such a treatment.
US07866975B2
An operating device (10) for shut-off needles in injection moulding tools with needle valve nozzles has a displaceable element (20) to which at least two shut-off needles (16) can be fastened and which can be moved between two guide rails (30) mounted so as to be longitudinally displaceable in a second direction (D2) that is perpendicular to the first direction (D1). At least two slide elements (50) are arranged between the displaceable element (20) and the guide rails (30) in grooves (40) running obliquely with respect to the first direction (D1) and to the second direction (D2), which convert a movement of the guide rails (30) in the first direction (D1) into a displacement motion of the displaceable element (20) in the second direction (D2). In order to achieve a flexible and easily manageable construction that permits inexpensive subsequent extensions and/or changes, the invention provides that at least one additional displaceable element (120) is arranged at the guide rails, where at least two slide elements (150) are arranged between the additional displaceable element (120) and the additional guide rails (130) in grooves (140) running obliquely with respect to the first direction (D1) and to the second direction (D2).
US07866974B2
Disclosed, amongst other things, is a melt distribution apparatus of a hot runner and a related method for balancing melt flow to a plurality of drops. The melt distribution apparatus includes a plurality of chokes with each choke of the plurality of chokes being associated with a corresponding one of a drop of a plurality of drops. Each choke of the plurality of chokes being configured to contribute, during an injection of a molding material therethrough, a choke melt-pressure loss such that the plurality of chokes contribute an aggregate choke melt-pressure loss that is generally between 10% and 75% of an aggregate hot runner melt-pressure loss.
US07866973B2
The invention relates to a die assembly(1) for forming extrudates of viscoelastic masses, e.g. polymers, dough masses etc, comprising several similar parallel die channels (2), each extending through the die assembly (1) in the axial transport direction (F) of the mass. According to the invention, a respective partition (5), which runs parallel with the axial transport direction (F) and is equipped with a cutting edge (5a) on its upstream end, is provided on the upstream end of the die body (1) between two adjacent inlet openings (3).
US07866970B2
In a hydraulic drive device (1) for an injection molding machine (M) that has a pressure control valve (Vs) incorporating a pressure sensor (2) for detecting a hydraulic pressure and a feedback control circuit (Cs) for controlling the hydraulic pressure by feedback based on a pressure detection value (Spd) obtained from the pressure sensor (2) and a pressure instruction value (Spc) fed from a molding machine controller (3), the molding machine controller (3) includes a second feedback control circuit (Cm) for correcting the pressure instruction value (Spc) that is fed to the pressure control valve (Vs) based on the pressure detection value (Spd) fed from the pressure control valve (Vs) and the pressure instruction value (Spci) obtained from the interior of the molding machine controller (3).
US07866963B2
A variable delivery vane pump, in particular for oil, is provided with a stator (10) eccentrically mounted about a rotor (9), which is adapted to turn about one own longitudinal axis (6), and presents a plurality of grooves (15) radially outwardly opened and slidingly engaged, each, by a respective vane (17) the vanes (17) being arranged essentially in contact with the stator (10) by interposing at least one sliding element (19; 27) extending about the axis (6) according to an angle smaller than 360°.
US07866962B2
A two-stage rotary compressor having a compression mechanism including a single muffler housing member. The single muffler housing member at least partially defines an intermediate pressure discharge cavity and a discharge pressure discharge cavity. In one exemplary embodiment, the compression mechanism includes a cylinder block having a plurality of vanes positioned within slots formed in an inner cylindrical surface of the cylinder block. The slots are in fluid communication with the discharge pressure discharge cavity and receive discharge pressure working fluid to bias the vanes radially inwardly. In another exemplary embodiment, the cylinder block includes a plurality of passages for the delivery of working fluid to and from the cylinder block.
US07866956B2
An oil pump system is provided for a motorcycle, and includes at least one oil pump, a water pump, a drive shaft, a support frame, a drive gear, and an oil collector lid. The oil pump is supported by a crankshaft case and is coupled to the drive shaft. The drive shaft has an end section on which the drive gear is mounted. The drive gear is coupled to a crankshaft of an engine by a chain. The oil collector lid is arranged outside the drive gear. The water pump is coupled to the end of the drive shaft. Mechanical power is transmitted from the crankshaft, through the chain, to drive the drive gear and the drive shaft to also drive the water pump. The support frame is provided to rotatably support the drive shaft at a location spaced from the oil pump so as to form an enhanced support to the drive shaft and improve stability of operation and durability of the drive shaft.
US07866952B2
A fan includes a rotatable center member that is centered relative to an axis of rotation of the fan. The fan includes a number of blades radially extending from the rotatable center member. Each blade may have one or more ribs extending therefrom non-parallel to the axis of rotation of the fan. Each blade may be may be flat in shape, except for the ribs extending therefrom, or it may have a cycloidal curvature that curves away from the direction in which the rotatable center member rotates. In addition to or in lieu of the ribs, each blade may have a side profile that is non-linear. The side profile may be a zigzag or a curvy shape. The side profile may have one or more notches pointed in a direction opposite that in which the rotatable center member rotates, or may have one or more holes extending through the blade.
US07866951B2
A blade for a wind turbine includes a spar having a shear web, and at least one cross web extending from the spar.
US07866944B2
A blower for providing a supply of air at positive pressure in the range of approximately 2 cm H2O to 30 cm H2O includes a motor, at least one impeller, and a stationary component. The stationary component includes an inlet and an outlet. The motor, the impeller, the inlet and outlet are co-axial.
US07866942B2
This invention relates to a Dry Running Flexible Impeller Pump and Method of Manufacture that is specifically designed to provide a flexible impeller pump that is capable of being run dry for extended periods of time without damaging the impeller. The pump's housing and end plates are coated with a low friction industrial coating to limit the heat of friction created by the flexible impeller while in use. Additionally the flexible impeller is cast from a pre-molding silicone substrate that contains no mold release and is cast in a mold that is treated with a low friction industrial coating and is cast without mold release. Once the flexible impeller is removed from the mold it is cleaned with alcohol, baked in a vacuum at a temperature of at least 100° C., and then coated with a Paralene N coating by vacuum deposition.
US07866939B2
A turbofan gas turbine engine (10) comprises a fan rotor (32) carrying a plurality of radially extending fan blades (34). A fan blade containment assembly (38) surrounds the fan blades (34) and the fan blade containment assembly (38) comprises a generally cylindrical, or frustoconical, metal casing (40). The casing (40) comprises an annular member (54) positioned axially upstream of the tip (37) of the fan blade (34). The annular member (54) extends in a radially inwardly and axially downstream direction from the metal casing (40) towards the tip (37) of the fan blade. A set of cassettes (120) carries fan blade track panels (71B, 71C, 71D). The cassettes (120) are secured to the metal casing (40) by axially extending members (124, 128) on the upstream and downstream ends (122, 126) of the cassettes (120) which locate on the annular member (54) and are secured to inserts (136) on the inner face of the casing (40).
US07866937B2
A method of pumping gaseous matter comprises a step of providing a pump rotor, intake port, exhaust port, and gas passageway. The gas passageway operatively connects the intake port to the exhaust port. The exhaust port is radially farther from the rotor's center axis than is the intake port. The method also includes a step of providing a stator and a step of rotationally driving the pump rotor relative to the stator in a manner causing gaseous matter to enter the gas passageway of the pump rotor via the intake port, to gain energy, and to move radially away from the center axis and out of the exhaust port. The gaseous matter has a supersonic velocity relative to the stator upon exiting the exhaust port. The method can be used to evacuate or compress gaseous matter.
US07866931B2
An apparatus for a present depth adapter (10) having a flared body that is narrow at the bottom (68) with a wider top portion (46) and a central recess or throughbore (50) extending therethrough. The present invention (10) comes in a variety of sizes wherein the depth from top to bottom is slightly less than the thickness of common sheetrock (18) used in the industry. The shaft of the screw or nail is inserted through the top of the recess (50) until the head rests thereagainst. The screw or nail is installed and cannot be driven any further once the bottom (68) of the preset depth adapter makes contact with the stud (16) regardless of whether the stud is wood or steel. This results in each screw or nail being countersunk to the proper depth and prevents the hardware from being driven too far into the sheetrock (18) and compromising the fastening integrity thereof. The flared shape of the present invention (10) forms a plug that assures an absolute bond to the sheetrock (18).
US07866929B2
The invention relates to a functional element for attaching to a sheet metal part, such as for example a nut element or a bolt element comprising a body section or head section, which has a requisite cylindrical part on one axial end and runs into a cylindrical rivet section on its other axial end. Said element is characterised in that the body section is provided with an essentially cone-shaped region between the first axial end or a cylindrical section that may be provided there and the rivet section, said region forming a bearing surface for a corresponding cone-shaped region of a sheet metal part and that the cylindrical part, if present, has a diameter at the border with the cone-shaped region that is no greater than the maximum diameter of said cone-shaped region. When the functional element is attached to the sheet metal part, the narrow end of the cone-shaped region of said metal part is clamped in an annular protrusion, formed by the rivet section. The invention also relates to and discloses a composite component and to a method for attaching a functional element.
US07866928B2
A plug and a method for fixing at least two devices, includes a tension element, a pin, a lever element and a compression element. In one example, the tension element includes a tension stamp on a first end and a coupling member on a second end and a lever element includes a first sliding and a coupling element, with the pin coupling the lever element with the tension element. A compression element having an area-shaped contact that is capable of sliding onto the tension element until the area-shaped contact contacts the tension stamp. When the lever element is coupled to the tension element by a pin and is engaged by using a lever movement, a compression element is compressed by shortening a distance between the tension stamp and the lever element.
US07866926B2
A retainer for a vehicle cargo area that is bounded in part by a floor and a door moveable between open and closed positions includes a retaining member spanning at least a portion of the cargo area, a pivot feature operably associated with the retaining member, and a retaining feature that yieldably retains the retaining member in its second position to facilitate retaining cargo within the cargo area. The retaining member pivots about the pivot feature relative to the cargo area between a first position and a second position wherein the retaining member is inclined relative to the floor of the cargo area. When the door is open the retainer is normally in its second position to facilitate retaining cargo within the cargo area.
US07866923B2
The present invention relates to mass confinement cells that may be used in retaining walls and earth retention systems that has a natural earthen appearance or other aesthetic design and is resistant to damage and wear caused by the environment. The mass confinement cells are generally light-weight and include a continuous chamber that at least partially aligns with confinement cells positioned above and below, thereby allowing the intermingling of fill material between adjacent cells. The mass confinement cells are capable of accepting and retaining any type of filling material. The filling material provides weight, stability and security to a retaining wall constructed of such mass confinement cells.
US07866914B2
A flexible marker device comprises a marker body having a bottom end and a top end, and a base for supporting the marker body. The base has an aperture in a center portion thereof and a groove extending about the aperture in an upper surface of the base. The bottom end of the marker body is at least partially disposed within the groove. A cured material, preferably polyurethane, is disposed in the groove to thereby secure the marker body to the base.
US07866913B2
A water-ballasted barrier system incorporates a concave reflective design, wherein outer walls of the barrier segment are configured in a concave manner. The concave section is designed to prevent the tire of a vehicle, impacting the barrier, from climbing up the side of the barrier segment, by pocketing the tire in the curved center portion of the barrier wall. Adjacent barrier segments are attached together using an interlocking knuckle design, having a lug pin connection system. In some embodiments, wire rope cable is internally molded into each barrier segment to strengthen the barrier system.
US07866897B2
The present application is directed to a various embodiments of a system for coupling at least one fiber optic device to a laser and include at least one fiber coupler device having a body defining at least one coupling chamber in communication an inlet and an outlet, the coupling chamber sized to receive at least one fiber optic device therein, at least one light stripping element positioned within the coupling chamber, and a housing assembly configured to couple the laser to the fiber coupler device.
US07866889B2
A fluid dynamic bearing system used particularly for a spindle motor having a shaft that is accommodated in a bearing bush and rotatably supported with respect to the bearing bush, a bearing gap filled with a bearing fluid being located between the shaft and the bearing bush. At least the outside circumference of a section of the shaft extending into the bearing bush is made of a plastic material. As an alternative, a film made of a plastic material whose thickness is less than the width of the bearing gap can be disposed in the bearing gap.
US07866887B2
The invention relates to a linear guiding rail for a linear guiding system, comprising at least one guiding wagon being movable along the linear guiding rail by means of unrolling members, characterized in that at least one coolant groove extending at least along a partial length of the linear guiding rail is formed in the region of the linear guiding rail.
US07866877B2
The invention provides an apparatus and method for improved mixing of yeast-raised and yeast-raised type dough. The device and method keep the dough cool by an improved structure and method for circulating coolant around a jacketed bowl, and by circulating cooled air through the spinning agitator roller bars. Better aeration of the dough and faster mixing time are achieved along with full water and flour absorption, and reduced operating temperatures by controlling placing of the agitator driveshaft in a carefully defined region. Finally, the invention provides a wiper for wiping the lip of the bowl to keep it clean of dough and to insure a proper seal along the bowl lip when a resilient, expandable bowl seal is used, and it provides a pneumatic seal for securely sealing the mix ingredients in the bowl during mixing.
US07866862B2
A vehicular lamp forms a low-beam distribution pattern by combining light radiated from a first unit and a second unit. A brightness decreasing element is provided on a reflective surface of a first main reflector in a sub-unit of the first unit. Thus, for the low-beam distribution pattern formed by the first unit and the second unit, among a peripheral end portion of a cut-off line forming pattern formed by the sub unit, a low luminance portion with a partially reduced brightness is formed at the border of both right and left end sides that upwardly overlap with a portion of a diffusion area forming pattern.
US07866861B2
A mobile vehicle information device that is laminated to the glass surface of or laminated between glass pieces of a windshield or window is provided. The information device has illuminating and radiating properties that are operated by power consoles to permit selected illumination of the information for viewing external to the vehicle.
US07866846B2
An LED lamp assembly includes a fixing member with a plurality of LED lamps secured to it from different aspects. The fixing member has a plurality of supporting parts extending outwards from a bottom end thereof and a plurality of holding parts extending outwards from an upper end thereof. Each holding part defines an opening therein. The LED lamps are respectively mounted on the holding parts of the fixing member and each comprise a plurality of LED modules received in an opening of a corresponding holding part and facing toward the supporting parts.
US07866826B2
An image projector apparatus comprising a cooler (24) having a variable capability to cool a light source (18), commanding means (29) which gives a command to terminate a lightening operation of the light source, selecting means (29) responsive to the command given by the projection light processor for selecting a cooling capability of the cooler, and control means (29) for causing the cooler to cool the light source with the cooling capability selected by the selecting means.
US07866820B2
An advanced rasterstereography-based corneo-scleral topography (RCT) device includes an LED-based grid projection/illumination assembly, a grid image viewing assembly, and an optionally integratable front view camera assembly. The assemblies each include telephoto optical systems that provide a compact structure, an increased depth of field, and an increased field of view that allow sufficient acquisition of data in a single acquired image to provide the desired corneo-scleral topography analysis. The device utilizes a novel image processing algorithm. The device and method provide the capability to map a feature from a raw grid image onto a topography map of the corneo-scleral region, and to simultaneously display the images if selected by the user. The hardware, software, mechanical, electrical, and optical design considerations and integration provide advantages and benefits over prior RCT-type, Placido-based, and other conventional corneal topographers.
US07866816B2
Variable focus spectacles which comprise i) a focus module that includes two variable focus lens sections, said sections each including a first fixed plastic lens and an adjustable focus liquid lens, and ii) a second fixed plastic lens that preferably includes most or all of the optical power needed by the intended wearer to correct his/her distance vision. The second fixed plastic lens is preferably attached to the focus module by magnetic attraction.
US07866815B2
An “accommodating contact lens” or “focusable contact lens” is a contact lens comprised of a single unit lens, primarily of a rigid gas permeable material, that has one optical power ground into the lens and is fitted for the eye for clear vision at distance when the eye is in a relaxed, unaccommodated state. Unlike a standard single vision, rigid gas permeable contact lens, it has a modified anterior surface, which exists as either an excavated, concave region or heaped ridge running the entire circular midperipheral to peripheral region of the contact lens, that allows the eyelids a contact point on the lens to re-shape or move the contact lens either by squeezing or lifting it anteriorly from the eye during an attempt to accommodate or focus at near, in order to provide to the eye additional power and clear vision at intermediate or near distances.
US07866813B2
A pair of eyeglass holders is designed to engage over the lower rims of respective opposite side portions of a hat, visor, or other headwear. Each eyeglass holder has a spring clip for gripping the respective hat side portion and a retainer or gripper secured to an outer leg of the spring clip. The grippers are designed to engage and releasably retain the respective arms of a pair of glasses with the glasses in an inverted orientation. Each gripper is secured to the outer leg of the associated clip to extend upwardly from a location closer to the lower end than the upper end of the clip so as to hold the respective arm of the glasses at a location relatively close to the lower rim of the hat.
US07866811B2
Print media and systems for preparing a fused ink-jet image are disclosed. One exemplary print medium, among others, includes a substrate, a porous ink-receiving layer disposed on the substrate, and a porous surface layer disposed on the porous ink-receiving layer. The porous surface layer includes polymer particles and a non-ionic stabilizing surfactant.
US07866806B2
A novel liquid composition set is provided for forming an image or pattern by functional substances such as a colorant without causing blurring. Each of the liquid compositions of the set includes a functional substance, an amphiphilic block copolyrner or graft copolymer having an organic acid group, and a liquid medium, wherein the organic acid groups of the copolymers are different in pKa, and the amphiphilic polymer contained in the first liquid composition becomes viscous by pH change on contact with the second liquid composition different in pH from the first liquid composition.
US07866801B2
A high-performance liquid-supplying system is provided in which cost reduction can be achieved with a simple system configuration and accuracy in detecting the residual amount of liquid is high. An ink-supplying system 1 supplies liquid reserved in a main tank 14 to a recording head 3 through a subtank 16 mounted on a carriage 6. The main tank 14 has a structure opened to the atmosphere, and the subtank 16 has a sealed structure. The subtank 16 has liquid-detecting means 21 including a vibrating plate 31 as a part of a liquid supply channel 18 or a temporary reservoir 16a and a piezoelectric actuator 32 provided on the vibrating plate 31.
US07866798B2
The following arrangement is added to a head substrate including a plurality of electrothermal transducers, a plurality of switching elements which drive the plurality of electrothermal transducers, and a logic circuit which drives the plurality of switching elements. That is, the head substrate includes a plurality of level converters which correspond to the respective switching elements, and apply a voltage obtained by boosting a logic voltage. Further, the head substrate includes a bias circuit which applies a bias voltage lower than the boosted voltage to the plurality of level converters.
US07866797B2
An inkjet printhead integrated circuit includes a substrate. A drive circuitry layer is positioned on the substrate, the substrate and the drive circuitry layer defining a plurality of ink inlet channels. Nozzle chamber walls and roofs spanning the nozzle chamber walls are positioned on the substrate to define nozzle chambers in fluid communication with respective ink inlet channels, the roofs defining respective ink ejection ports. Ink ejection members are positioned in respective nozzle chambers and are displaceable with respect to the roofs to eject ink from the ink ejection ports. Fulcrum formations are fast with the substrate and each fulcrum formation has an effort formation arranged on one side and a load formation on an opposite side. Each ink ejection member is fast with a respective load formation. Thermal actuators are outside of and associated with respective nozzle chambers and are connected to the drive circuitry layer to move with respect to the substrate on receipt of electrical signals from the drive circuitry layer. Each effort formation is fast with a respective thermal actuator such that reciprocal movement generated by the thermal actuators results in reciprocal movement of the ink ejection members and subsequent ink drop ejection from the ink ejection ports.
US07866796B2
A solenoid valve making use of certain materials which is capable of operation at high frequencies and which can be made as a compact unit. The plunger (1) is made from a material having a saturation flux density greater than 1.4 Tesla preferably more than 1.6 Tesla, a coercivity at less than 0.25 ampere per centimeter and a relative magnetic permeability in excess of 10.000; and the nozzle bore leading from the valve head chamber (14) to the nozzle orifice (12) has a length to diameter ratio of less than 8:1 preferably between 2:1 to 4:1 and the nozzle orifice (12) has a diameter substantially the same as that of the nozzle bore. The invention also relates to method for operating a drop on demand ink jet printer incorporating such a valve.
US07866794B2
Provided is a pen-shaped modular camera assembly having a plurality of modules each with at least one connector to link the modules together. The assembly includes a camera module having an image sensor for capturing an image in an RGB (red, green, blue) color space, as well as a central processing module arranged in communication with the camera module. The central processing module has a central processor that includes a RISC processor core and a memory for storing operating instructions to operate the camera module and image data for manipulation by the processor core. The assembly also includes a serial bus interface for communicating with the camera module, the printer module and the dispenser module.
US07866792B2
An ink jet printer with a transportation device which transports a print medium along a first direction, first and second ink jet heads, and a head moving device. The first ink jet head has a first nozzle line with a plurality of nozzles aligned along a direction intersecting with the first direction. The second ink jet head has a second nozzle line with a plurality of nozzles aligned along a direction intersecting with the first direction. The head moving device moves the first ink jet head with respect to the second ink jet head along a direction intersecting with the first direction, between a first positional relationship, where the first and second nozzle lines overlap each other along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a second positional relationship, where the first nozzle line and the second nozzle line do not overlap each other along the second direction.
US07866790B2
A maintenance device for use in a liquid ejection apparatus including a liquid ejection head with a nozzle forming surface provided with nozzle for ejecting a liquid. The maintenance device maintains the liquid ejection head and includes a wiper and an urging member. The wiper includes a wiper member formed from an elastic material. The wiper is movable in a wiping direction that is parallel to the nozzle forming surface in a state in which the wiper member is in contact with the nozzle forming surface to wipe the nozzle forming surface.
US07866786B2
A liquid ejecting method according to the present invention includes the following: varying dots that are to constitute a dot row that is to be formed with a first nozzle row and a second nozzle row, according to a usage rate of each of the first and second nozzle rows when forming that dot row, the first nozzle row including a plurality of first nozzles lined up in a transport direction, the second nozzle row including a plurality of second nozzles in the transport direction, the first nozzles of the first nozzle row forming dots on a medium by ejecting liquid while moving in a movement direction, the second nozzles of the second nozzle row forming dots on the medium by ejecting liquid while moving in the movement direction, the dot row that has been formed on the medium being composed of a plurality of the dots to be lined up on the medium in the movement direction; and forming a plurality of the dot rows in the transport direction by alternately repeating a transport operation of transporting the medium in the transport direction and a dot forming operation of forming a dot on the medium by ejecting liquid from the first nozzles and the second nozzles while the first and second nozzles moving in the movement direction, at least one of the dot rows that have been formed by the first and second nozzles being composed of the dots that are varied according to the usage rate of each of the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row.
US07866771B2
A drawer slide mechanism includes at least first and second slide members, with the second slide member being telescopically and movably received by the first slide member in an axial direction. First and second elongated bearing members are disposed laterally between, and in non-rolling sliding engagement with, corresponding inner surfaces of the first slide member and outer surfaces of the second slide member. The first and second elongated bearing members are configured to slide independently of each other.
US07866770B2
A cabinet assembly includes a base, a top board, two side panels and a rear board, the two side panels each have connection plates on four corners and the connection plates are inserted into slots defined in the front end and the rear end of the top board and the base. The rear panel includes tow boards which are engaged with each other at their two respective inner sides thereof by engaging a side flange on one board with an engaging groove in the other board. One of the two boards includes an insertion at a lower end thereof and the insertion is inserted into a recess defined in a top of the rear end of the base. The top end, the lower end and the outer side of each of the boards of the rear panel are respectively connected to the top board, the base and the side panels by engagement of flanges and engaging grooves.
US07866766B2
A ground engaging track for a vehicle has a continuous loop or endless belt body portion having an exterior surface to engage the ground and an interior surface including driven members. The driven members are configured to be engaged by a drive sprocket to rotate the body portion to move the vehicle.
US07866762B1
The present invention is directed to a transmission brake disengagement apparatus which eliminates the disadvantages of transmission brake disengagement apparatus having mechanical switches thereby improving the starting consistency of a drag race car. In particular, the present invention provides an improved transmission brake disengagement apparatus which incorporates a mechanical actuation switch for providing an electrical signal to effect the disengagement of an electrically actuated transmission brake of a drag race car, without the need of applying continuous pressure on the switch.
US07866758B2
Provided is a method for manufacturing a multi-colored acrylic cosmetic brush handle comprising supplying two or more differently colored resins to an extrusion/injection machine, providing the machine with an open multi-chamber tool, extruding the two or more resins through the tool by multiple injection nozzles to form a multi-colored rod, cutting the rod to a desired length; and polishing the outer surface of the rod; and the multi-color cosmetic brush handle produced thereby. Also provided is a method of producing a cosmetic brush including the cosmetic brush handle of the present invention, and the multi-color cosmetic brush produced thereby.
US07866751B2
Apparatus and methods to integrally form lever operated cables with vehicle seats are described. An example apparatus includes a channel integrally formed in a portion of a vehicle seat and a seat position control integrally coupled to the vehicle seat. A cable assembly slidably movable within the channel and has a first end operatively coupled to a seat position adjustment mechanism and a second end operatively coupled to the seat position control.
US07866747B2
A theater seat providing a multi-dimensional sense is provided which allows the audience to directly or indirectly sense various special effects to be absorbed in a movie by stimulating the audience's five senses and presenting environmental conditions substantially similar to the movie. The theater seat providing a multi-dimensional sense includes: a seat having a seat section, a backrest, and a headrest; a motion unit allowing the seat to move vertically, horizontally, and anteroposteriorly; a vibration unit applying local vibrations to a user's hips, femoral region, and back and waist; a speaker transmitting sounds to the user; an actuator stimulating the user's back and waist; an ejection device ejecting a predetermined special effect material to the user; and a controller controlling operations of the motion unit, the vibration unit, the speaker, the actuator, and the ejection device.
US07866741B2
The present invention provides a deflector including a blade along a front edge of an opening of a fixed roof, movable upward and downward when the opening is opened and closed; a deflector arm whose one end is coupled to a frame on a vehicle body and whose other end is rotatably coupled to the blade via a first coupling shaft; a link arm whose one end is coupled to the frame on the vehicle body and whose other end is rotatably coupled to the blade via a second coupling shaft; and urging means for permanently urging a force to displace the blade upward. A cam member including first and second cam slots is provided on the frame on the vehicle body, a middle portion of the link arm is slidably engaged via a first pin with the first cam slot and one end of the link arm is slidably engaged via a second pin with the second cam slot, and the blade is housed in a laid down state with its upper portion displaced backward, and gradually stands up as displaced upward from a position where the blade is housed.
US07866739B2
A sunroof system for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The sunroof system includes a draintube for expelling fluid that enters the sunroof system from an exterior of the motor vehicle. A section of the draintube may have a one-piece configuration that includes a first portion and a second portion with different cross-sectional shapes. In some configurations, the second portion may have a lesser thickness than the first portion, and the second portion may be located within a pillar of the motor vehicle. In further configurations, the second portion may be located within a pillar of the motor vehicle and adjacent to an airbag component of the motor vehicle. In manufacturing the draintube, a portion of the tube may be heated and compressed to convert a circular cross-section to a non-circular cross-section.
US07866735B2
A bed has been provided for use with a vehicle in which the bed has a side loading apparatus and an opposite opening side wall through which material can be dumped from the bed.
US07866733B2
This is a one piece molded raised second tier floor with lockable horizontal doors made for a pickup truck cargo bed. In particular, it is a one piece molded insert that increases the storage area of a crowded pickup truck cargo bed camper. It also, gives the user 100% access to the storage area below while increasing the sleeping area above.
US07866730B2
The present invention is a twinsheet door which includes a first door portion and a second door portion connected to the first door portion. The twinsheet door of the present invention is manufactured using a thermoforming process, during which a vacuum shapes the first door portion and the second door portion such that one or more closed sections are created when the first door portion is thermally bonded to the second door portion and simultaneously a vacuum is applied to form the first door portion and said second door portion. The closed section formed between the first door portion and second door portion provides additional strength and rigidity to the twinsheet door. Additionally, the forming of the closed section between the first door portion and the second door portion and the bonding between the first door portion and second door portion is achieved during a single manufacturing process.
US07866728B2
An opening and closing member control apparatus for a vehicle includes a driving device adapted to drive an opening and closing member to open and close an opening portion formed at a vehicle body, a sensor provided at a connecting portion connecting the vehicle body with the opening and closing member, the sensor detecting an opening operation and a closing operation of the opening and closing member, and a drive controlling device controlling the driving device to drive the opening and closing member to open or close the opening portion by determining the opening operation or the closing operation of the opening and closing member based on a detection value of the sensor.
US07866725B1
A roll tarp system with a rear assembly including a pivoting arm and cable to help deploy the roll tarp system. The pivoting arm and flexible cable can articulate to allow a rear door to open. The roll tarp system includes a conventional roll tarp on a roller attached to one side of a container of a truck or trailer and an actuator to operate the tarp. A pivoting arm can be attached to the outside of a rear opening door on the container. A flexible cable has one end attached to the distal end of the pivoting arm and another end attached to the tarp axle of the roller of the roll tarp. Preferably, the flexible cable consists of the only structure between a cable attachment at the pivoting arm and an attachment at the axle of the roller.
US07866711B2
A quick connector coupling assembly comprising a conductive connector body, a tubular male member with an upset, and a primary retainer. The primary retainer releasably secures the male member within the connector body. The primary retainer body includes a pair of spaced legs connected by a cross member. The retainer body includes a conductive insert with contact surfaces exposed at the retainer legs to contact the male member and at the cross member to contact the connector body.
US07866709B2
A crosstalk device for coupling of two exhaust lines of an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine through which exhaust can flow in parallel has a housing having two inlets and two outlets that are connected so they communicate through an interior space of the housing and by which the two exhaust lines can be connected to the crosstalk device. The crosstalk device has an inexpensive design and high stability because its housing is assembled from two half-shells whose parting plane extends across the main direction of flow of the crosstalk device.
US07866707B2
A seal anchor for pipe couplings suited for frictional connection of smooth-ended pipes. The seal anchor has a housing, and at least one sealing element, for example of rubber-elastic material, arranged therein. The anchor may be of generally L-shaped cross-section and has a first limb extending in the axial direction and a second limb extending at an acute angle to the first limb. The anchoring element blank is provided with slots which run across its width in the longitudinal direction relative to the limbs and between the limbs. One or more webs span the slots to join adjacent limbs.
US07866706B2
A threaded joint for a steel pipe comprises a pin and a box with a contact surface having a threaded part and a unthreaded metal contact part, wherein a solid lubricating film containing one or more kinds of lubricating powders selected from graphite, mica, calcium carbonate and kaolin, a copper powder, and a binder is formed on at least one contact surface of the pin and the box. An object of the present invention is to provide a threaded joint for a steel pipe which allows for repeated fastening and loosening of a threaded joint without adversely influencing on a human body and environment, and is excellent in galling resistance, rust preventing property and gas tightness.
US07866701B2
A sliding carriage for a height adjuster of a safety belt system has a carrier plate and an attachment structure for a deflector fitting, the attachment structure being made in one piece with the carrier plate. The carrier plate includes a bending portion in which the carrier plate becomes bent when a predetermined force acting on the deflector fitting is exceeded.
US07866697B2
The invention relates to a releasable holding mechanism which may be used to hold and release a roll bar in a roll over protection system. The roll bar is often made part of the seat structure of vehicle, or a part of the chassis of the vehicle. The releasable holding mechanism will be fastened rigidly or slightly loose to the roll bar frame, seat frame or the chassis of the vehicle. Between the roll bar and the releasable holding mechanism there will be a connection element that is rigidly or slightly loosely fastened to the roll bar. The arrangement of fastening the connection element rigidly or slightly loosely depends on the tolerances for positioning the actuator towards the roll bar. The connection element is locked or released by the releasable holding mechanism. The releasable holding mechanism is locked/-engaged when the roll bar is pushed downwards whereby the connection element is forced into the releasable holding mechanism. The releasable holding mechanism is to release the connecting element when a signal is sent to the release element of the holding mechanism. The releasable holding mechanism can be activated by one short duration pulse, for instance a pulse from an electronic control unit for activation of airbags in a vehicle. The system can be activated with low energy demands.
US07866693B2
An airbag includes a front portion having an upper part for receiving a head of the occupant, a middle part and a lower part. The upper part has an upwardly protruding curved edge without a linear portion, and two laterally protruding upper curved edges. The middle part has two laterally inwardly curved middle side edges extending smoothly from the laterally protruding upper curved edges. The lower part haw two laterally inwardly and downwardly curved lower side edges, and a downwardly protruding curved edge without a linear portion. The lower part has a lateral width greater than that of the upper and middle parts to thereby form laterally projecting portions for receiving occupant's arms. The downwardly extending curved edge at the lower part has a curvature greater than that of the upwardly extending curved edge at the upper part.
US07866687B2
A vehicular airbag device is disclosed as having a mounting bracket supported on a steering member via a fixing portion and extending upward, and an airbag module mounted on the mounting bracket at an upper area thereof. The mounting bracket has connecting portions, provided with front and rear slits, whereby when the airbag module encounters a load directed downward, the connecting portions are subjected to plastic deformation to rotate in a vehicle width direction to absorb energy of the resulting load.
US07866680B2
A land vehicle includes a wheeled axle that is operable to be selectively self-steering. The axle includes a ground wheel that is operable to be selectively locked into a straight-ahead position so that self-steering is restricted. The land vehicle also includes a wheel lockout indicator system that is operable to sense when the ground wheel is locked in the straight-ahead position and can alert an operator by confirming that the ground wheel has been locked in the straight-ahead position.
US07866677B1
A rollator having a variable track width that can be adjusted across a range of widths for use in operation by pivoting a pair of support members, wherein the alignment of the wheels is maintained in the direction of travel during operation across the range of track widths.
US07866676B2
A device for laterally retaining a boot on a snowshoe (1), comprises a retaining plate (3) with a plane of general symmetry (P), on which are mounted front retaining means (4) made up of an assembly of retaining walls (4a, 4b) forming an enclosure in which the front and/or rear end of the boot is to be engaged. The device includes an adjustment structure for adjusting the distance between the two lateral retaining walls (4a, 4b), that is between a left wall (4a) and a right wall (4b).
US07866674B2
An ice skate assembly for attachment to a boot has a skate blade and a blade heating arrangement mounted within a blade support. The blade is heated by resistive heating wire attached along a groove on each side of the blade. The blade is mounted in the support by an over-molded plastic strip which engages into a slot in the support as a wedged fit. A control circuit board is encapsulated on the top edge of the blade and connects to a battery pack is carried in the rear tower of the support. The blade is attached to the support by a screw for pulling the blade longitudinally of the blade and to draw an inclined wedge member formed by the over-molding into its receptacle.
US07866668B2
An electric dartboard includes a base, a dart frame, a plurality of score blocks and a touch sensor. A positioning ball and a resilient member are disposed at a predetermined position of the base. The dart frame, rotatably in 360 degrees, is disposed in the receiving zone, and the dart frame includes an upper frame body and a lower frame base. A plurality of first positioning recesses are formed on an outer periphery of the frame base for receiving the positioning ball therein. Score blocks are disposed between the frame body and the frame base, while the touch sensor is disposed between the receiving zone and the dart frame. The dart frame and the score blocks can rotate in 360 degrees relative to the base.
US07866667B2
A dispenser and storage system for cards allows a user to store, dispense, hold, and play a game of cards even when the dealer must hold the deck in one hand or in a windy environment. The system includes a container adapted to store at least one card, a cutout, a slot adapted to dispense at least one card, and a flap. The container may include a clip for holding cards and carrying the container. A process for storing and dispensing cards is also described.
US07866664B2
A method for sensing a paper skew adapted for a device having a paper feeding mechanism is provided. The device has a feed sensor which is fixed at a start position of paper feeding; and, a position sensor which moves in a direction perpendicular to a direction of paper feeding and passes through a first and a second positions. The first position is the intersection of a moving path of the position sensor and a line. The feed sensor is on the line, and the line is parallel to the direction of paper feeding. The method includes the device having a first distance; moving the position sensor to the second position; feeding a work paper into the device; obtaining a second distance which is a moving distance of the work paper fed; and determining whether the work paper is skewed or not according to the difference between the first and the second distances.
US07866661B2
A page buffer for receiving and holding, in queue, pages prepared by a printer and subsequently processed by mailpiece inserter. The page buffer includes pairs of vertically-aligned rollers defining a plurality of page stations therebetween. Each pair of rollers is spaced-apart and defines a nip for driving printed pages along a feed path. Furthermore, each page station is defined by and between a first pair of rollers disposed downstream of an adjacent second pair of rollers. A drive means is also provided for independently driving the pairs of vertically-aligned rollers. The drive means is controlled such that, in a first operating mode, the pairs cooperate to drive printed pages along the feed path. In a second operating mode, the drive means is controlled such that at least one of the page stations causes its respective first pair of rollers to retain and hold a leading edge portion of a printed page while the adjacent second pair drives and releases a trailing edge portion of the printed page. The printed page is, therefore, held within the page station such that the trailing edge droops below the feed path in a predominantly vertical orientation.
US07866660B2
A sheet storing device capable of storing a plurality of sheets, which feeds a sheet of the stored sheets, includes: a side regulating member which regulates a side portion of the stored sheets that is in parallel with a feeding direction of the sheets; and a side regulating member adjusting unit in which one end side of the side regulating member in the feeding direction serves as a fulcrum, and the other end side of the side regulating member in the feeding direction is capable of being rotated, and an angle of the side regulating member with respect to the feeding direction is capable of being adjusted.
US07866654B2
A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first storing unit in which a sheet bundle is stacked, a second storing unit that is provided near the first storing unit and in which the sheet bundle is stacked, a transfer tray that is provided in the second storing unit and transfers the sheet bundle from the second storing unit to the first storing unit, and a stopper that regulates, when the transfer tray transfers the stacked sheet bundle from the second storing unit to the first storing unit and moves from the first storing unit to the second storing unit, movement of the sheet bundle on the transfer tray.
US07866653B2
The present invention discloses a duplex document feeder for installed in scanning devices such as facsimile machine, printer, scanner or multi function peripheral (MFP). The duplex document feeder can control the motion accuracy of the sheet and avoid the happening of jam. The duplex document feeder includes a pick-up module, a sheet-controlling roller module and a an ejection module. The pick-up module is used for feeding the sheet into a first feed channel; the sheet-controlling roller module provides a first nip force to feed the sheet outside the duplex document feeder and provides a second nip force to feed the sheet into the interior of the duplex document feeder again; the ejection module provides a third nip force to feed/eject the sheet into/from the duplex document feeder.
US07866652B2
A sheet processing apparatus includes an aligning member and a shift conveying unit. The aligning member is movable in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction and presses a sheet stack loaded on a sheet processing tray so as to align the sheet stack in the width direction. The unit is provided on the upstream side of the tray and conveys a sheet, shifting the sheet in the width direction. Being shifted by the unit, sheets are loaded at first and second loading positions on the tray. When sheets are loaded at the first loading position, the aligning member is moved to a first standby position corresponding to the first loading position in advance. When sheets are loaded at the second loading position, the aligning member is moved in advance to a second standby position corresponding to the second loading position.
US07866645B2
A bookbinding apparatus comprises, a stacking unit on which sheets are stacked; a folding portion which folds the sheets stacked on the stacking unit; a humidifying unit which humidifies portions of the sheets to be fold lines of a booklet before folding by the folding portion; and a controller which controls a humidifying condition at the time of the humidifying by the humidifying unit, wherein the humidifying condition is variable according to the sheets composing the booklet.
US07866640B2
A bush includes an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder, a cylindrical elastic member interposed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, a flange formed on one edge of the outer cylinder, and an elastic brim extending from the cylindrical elastic member. The flange engages with one end face of the cylindrical member, and the elastic brim covers an end face of the flange. The flange includes a thick portion that protrudes toward the elastic brim side.
US07866638B2
The invention relates to a gas liquid contactor and effluent cleaning system and method and more particularly to an array of nozzles configured to produce uniformly spaced flat liquid jets shaped to minimize disruption from a gas. An embodiment of the invention is directed towards a gas liquid contactor module including a liquid inlet and outlet and a gas inlet and outlet. An array of nozzles is in communication with the liquid inlet and the gas inlet. The array of nozzles is configured to produce uniformly spaced flat liquid jets shaped to minimize disruption from a gas flow and maximize gas flow and liquid flow interactions while rapidly replenishing the liquid.
US07866634B2
A device for controlling movement of a rope comprises a main part and a bar part. The main part defines a central opening, first and second side portions, first and second end portions, at least one projection portion extending from each end portion, and a friction surface formed at junctures of each end portion and the at least one projection portion adjacent thereto. The bar part is movably attached to the first side portion. The bar part is displaced to allow a portion of the rope to be arranged within the central opening and at least partly around the bar part. The bar part is displaced such that the main part and the bar part define first and second opening portions of the central opening and the portion of the rope extends through the first and second opening portions and at least partly around the bar part.
US07866632B2
An apparatus positions a boat having a clip attached to a bow onto a boat trailer. The apparatus is used with a winch and two guides mounted on the boat trailer. The two guides are positioned a selected distance from the winch toward the rear of the boat trailer and spaced apart from each other. The apparatus includes three line sections windable about a reel of the winch with two of the line sections being windable about the reel in one direction and the third line being wound in an opposite direction. The two lines that are wound on the reel in the same direction extend around the guides while the third line extends between the guides and all of the lines being connected to each other at their distal ends. Forward movement of the boat engages the clip with the lines such that the boat can be winched onto the trailer.
US07866619B2
Disclosed herein is a tiltable monitor for vehicles. The monitor includes a base, a rotating shaft having external threads and connected to a reversible motor, and a moving bar having a screw hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted. The moving bar is reciprocated along the rotating shaft as the rotating shaft rotates. The monitor further includes a display panel and a support arm which connects the display panel to the base. A front end portion of the display panel is pivotably coupled to the base by the medium of the moving bar acting as hinge shaft, and reciprocated together with the moving bar. A first end of the support arm is pivotably connected to a side portion of the display panel and a second end of the support arm is pivotably connected to the base. The tilting structure of the monitor is simple.
US07866617B2
Slide and lock clamps for attaching to supports are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a clamp including a base plate comprising a first cradle. A rod is secured to the base plate. A sliding carriage is movably connected to the rod. The sliding carriage includes a lever, a cam, and a movable lock constructed and arranged for releasably locking the sliding carriage in place on the base plate. A second cradle is movably connected to the rod and positioned next to the sliding carriage for securing a support between the second cradle and the first cradle.
US07866607B2
The invention relates to a piggyback satellite, a device for and a method of attaching piggyback satellites with multiple payloads, including a primary satellite and at least one secondary payload, such as a deployable micro satellite, affixed instrument package or the like, wherein the secondary payload is mounted on the nadir end of the primary satellite, preferably employing a universal adapter between the primary satellite and the at least one secondary payload that releases at least one secondary payload or the like in a certain orbit in space for allowing the secondary payload to continue its journey independently in space for transmitting and receiving data.
US07866601B2
An airship may include a hull substantially shaped as an oblate spheroid, one or more frame members defining a support structure, wherein the support structure forms at least a partial support for the hull, at least one horizontal stabilizing member operably coupled to a lower surface of the airship, and at least one horizontal stabilizing member having a first end and a second end. The at least one horizontal stabilizing member may define an anhedral configuration. The airship may also include a vertical stabilizing member having a first end pivotally coupled to the airship and a second end oriented to remain below an upper surface of the airship. The vertical stabilizing member may be configured to pivot within a vertical plane, and the first end of the vertical stabilizing member and the first end of the at least one horizontal stabilizing member may be operably coupled to one another.
US07866600B2
An engine air particle filter system configured to selectively receive one of at least a first tray which supports a first filter media and a second tray which supports a second filter media different than the first filter media.
US07866596B2
A recording-paper-roll supporting device includes first and second members. The first member includes an insertion portion, a supporting portion at an end of the insertion portion, and a support shaft at an end of the supporting portion. The supporting portion includes an outer peripheral surface, insertion-portion-side cam surfaces at different phases and heights, a collar portion, support-shaft-side cam surfaces at different phases and heights, and a cut section. The second member includes a cylindrical portion, a flange portion, a cam follower, and an engaging claw. When the outer peripheral surface is inserted along the inner peripheral surface and the cam follower and the engaging claw are selectively engaged with the insertion-portion-side cam surfaces and the support-shaft-side cam surfaces, the engaging claw is elastically deformed and generates a reactive force which presses the cam follower so that the second member is positioned on the supporting portion.
US07866591B2
A winding machine for winding thread-shaped winding material has a winding motor, a positioning drive and a control device. The winding motor has a motor housing and a motor shaft, wherein the motor shaft can rotate about a rotation axis. The motor shaft is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to a spool holder, on which at least one reel is arranged. The winding machine has at least one thread-feeding means per reel, by means of which thread-feeding means the thread-shaped winding material can be fed to the respective reel. During the rotation of the motor shaft about its shaft axis, the spool holder can be position axially along the shaft axis relative to the motor housing by means of the positioning drive. The winding motor and the positioning drive can be actuated in a coordinated manner by means of the control device.
US07866587B2
A drag adjusting mechanism for a dual-bearing reel comprises a drag adjusting lever, a cam mechanism, and a rotation restricting portion. The drag adjusting lever rotates about a spool shaft between a drag release position and a maximum drag position. The cam mechanism has a cam surface that converts rotation of the drag adjusting lever into axial movement of the drag mechanism along the axial direction of the spool shaft. The rotation restricting member is provided on the cam surface and regulates rotation of the drag adjusting lever to the drag release position. The rotation restricting member has a protrusion with an apex, a first slanted surface extending from the apex toward a first position corresponding to a drag release position, and a second slanted surface extending from the apex in the direction opposite to the drag release position. The angle of the first slanted surface is smaller than the angle of the second slanted surface.
US07866574B2
A method of manufacturing a fuel injector having high-flow orifices in its tip includes removing a bulb from a fuel injector tip having at least one spray orifice with a first diameter, and friction welding a slug to the fuel injector tip, including forming a fused interface of material of the slug and material of the fuel injector tip. The method further includes modifying the slug subsequent to friction welding the slug to the fuel injector tip, including forming a new bulb from the slug having at least one spray orifice therein with a different diameter than that of the removed bulb. A remanufactured fuel injector, and fuel injector tip, includes an injector tip body having a first tip portion of a first material and a second tip portion of a material compatible for friction welding with the first material. The injector tip body further includes a third tip portion attaching the first tip portion to the second tip portion, the third tip portion including a friction weld formed during remanufacturing of the fuel injector tip.
US07866562B2
In an embodiment of the present invention, a memory card includes a bottom plastic piece having a plurality of lateral sides, one of which includes a notch, and a cavity interposed along the lateral sides. A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, including memory, is positioned in the cavity. A fin-structure is created as part of the manufacturing process of the bottom plastic piece of the card. The memory card is configured to function in a read-write mode when the fin-structure is present, and in a write-protect mode when the fins are snapped off, and the notch is exposed. Alternatively, a plug device can be insertably positioned into the notch, causing the memory card to function in a read-write mode when the plug device is positioned into the notch, and in a write-protect mode when the plug device is removed and the notch is exposed.
US07866561B2
A label producing apparatus includes a pressure bonding roller configured to produce a printed tag label tape by bonding a print-receiving tape paid out from a print-receiving tape roll to a base tape having a plurality of RFID circuit elements and paid out from a cover tape roll, a signal processing circuit configured to create RFID control information to be written to IC circuit parts and a transmitting portion of a radio frequency circuit, an antenna configured to write the thus created RFID control information disposed upstream of the pressure bonding roller in the transport direction of the base tape, and a print head configured to carry out print to the RFID circuit elements disposed upstream of the pressure bonding roller in the transport direction of the print-receiving tape 103. Accordingly, the RFID circuit elements are disposed on the tape at close intervals, and read/write processing can be carried out effectively and continuously.
US07866552B2
An electronic payment system is configured to process both proximity payment card type and magnetic stripe card type transactions. The magnetic stripe card transaction data is communicated between cards, readers, and transactions authorizing or approving parties in common industry ISO 7811 standard data structures or tracks. The proximity payment card transaction data such a dynamic authentication codes are placed in unused space in the same standard formatted data structures. The availability of unused space varies with card issuer or vendor. An issuer-specific bitmap provides an index to the available space in discretionary data fields in magnetic stripe tracks. The bitmap also is stored in the card's discretionary data field.
US07866550B2
A transaction card includes an audio circuit, housing and an account identifier. The audio circuit includes memory configured to store an audio file having audio properties. The audio circuit is configured to transform at least one audio property of the audio file such that upon playback of the audio file, the audio file sounds different than when the audio file was initially stored to the memory. The housing substantially encloses the audio circuit, and the account identifier links the transaction card to an account or record. The account identifier is machine readable. Other cards, products, assemblies and methods of using such cards, products and assemblies are also disclosed.
US07866549B2
The invention is a system component which may be installed in systems used to, in an automated fashion, acquire and process identification data from sources such as drivers licenses. The novel component is typically installed between the reader and the processing unit of such systems. Preferably the novel component replaces the cabling between the reader and processing unit. In this configuration, the component adds an electronic module placed serially in the cable. The electronics module accepts raw data from the reader in a variety of formats, and decodes and re-formats the data in a pre-determined format understood by the processing unit. Thus the novel component allows the system to accept multiple data formats without extensive re-programming of the processing unit.
US07866548B2
The present invention relates to a real time account control method and system that allows only eligible and authorized items to be purchased using the account. The present invention relates particularly to healthcare spending accounts such as flexible spending accounts and health reimbursement arrangements. The method can comprise the steps of: establishing at least one account, each account having an account holder; identifying at least on item eligible for purchase using one of the accounts; identifying at least one item authorized for purchase using one of the accounts; and, upon request to purchase an item using one of the accounts, authorizing the purchase for an amount not to exceed an available balance in that account only if the item is both an item identified as eligible for purchase and an item authorized for purchase.
US07866547B1
A method includes providing an authorized user of a credit card issued by a service provider, the authorized user referring customers to the service provider for credit card services, the customers submitting applications for credit card services to the service provider, the service provider receiving and processing and approving the applications and issuing credit cards to the customers, and in consideration therefore issuing valuable consideration to the authorized user.
US07866546B1
The present invention is a checkout module for use in a retail checkout lane and methods of using the checkout module. The module needs only a power source and a network source. In another embodiment, the checkout module is designed to be used in a self-checkout mode or an assisted checkout mode and is further designed to be easily rotated to convert the checkout lane into a fully attended lane. The present invention may be used to quickly convert a conventional, attended checkout into an automated checkout, which may use one or more employees to assist with bagging the purchased items.
US07866541B2
A receptacle for receiving, counting and temporarily storing game, such as fish, has an opening or passageway into the interior of the receptacle. The opening or passageway is normally covered by a closure member or door which is selectively slidable between a normally closed position and an open position. Each time the door or closure member is substantially open, a counter will be indexed to indicate that a piece of game has been placed in the receptacle.
US07866535B2
A preform for forming a structural assembly that defines a complex contour is provided. The preform and, hence, the structural assembly includes first and second skin members and a cellular core member between the first and second skin members. The skin members and/or the core member can be formed to a shape that corresponds to the desired contour of the structural member before the preform is assembled, e.g., by superplastic forming. That is, the first skin member can be disposed against a contour surface of a die to restrain the preform to the contour defined by the surface. A pressurized fluid is provided against the second skin member to urge the preform against the contour surface. A pressurized fluid is also injected in the first chamber to support the cellular core member. The preform is heated to a bonding temperature before or after being disposed against the contour surface so that the core and skin members are bonded to form the structural assembly.
US07866522B2
Disclosed in a stapling device that is sound, safe, convenient and not easy to get lost and that is applicable to staples of multiple specifications. A casing has a rear end to which an adjustor is set. The adjustor has a fitting portion that is comprised of two or more than two fitting blocks each having an engaging face that is spaced from a central axis of the adjustor by a different distance. A rear end of the casing is provided with a depress-to-fix member corresponding to the adjustor. The depress-to-fix member forms a fitting slot. This arrangement allows selective change engagement between the fitting slot and different fitting blocks thereby changing the set position of a rear guide plate and realizing change of gap size of a staple outlet opening for being applicable to staples of different specifications.
US07866520B2
A staple gun with a safety device and its safety device are disclosed. The staple gun with a safety device comprises a safety device and a staple-floating unit that are installed in a housing of the staple gun. The safety device includes a safety push sheet and a switch. In a middle portion of the safety push sheet is defined an engaging slot along a staple-discharging direction, and the safety push sheet is further provided with a triggering sheet extending from an upper end thereof. The staple-floating unit is movably connected to the safety device and includes a guide sheet, a control knob, and a positioning pin. The positioning pin can be used to drive the safety push sheet and the guide sheet to move downwards to make the safety push sheet and the guide sheet to protrude out of the staple exit synchronously for facilitating exerting the staple-floating function.
US07866517B2
An equipment carrier for mounting onto a rear component of a vehicle structure, such as a vehicle trunk lid or door, comprises a frame having lower engagement elements engageable with a lower area of the vehicle component, a structure connected to the frame for carrying one or more items of equipment, at least one vehicle engaging member, connected to the frame, for engaging the vehicle component at a position above said lower area, a strap member having upper engagement elements for engagement with an upper area of the vehicle component, and at least one support connected to the frame, provided with a strap engaging and tensioning mechanism, which is engaged by the strap member and can be controlled for tensioning the strap member in order to tighten the upper and lower engagement elements onto the upper and lower areas of the vehicle component.
US07866516B2
The invention relates to a roof rack (1) for a vehicle having at least one tubular rail (2) extending essentially at a distance from the roof of the vehicle and at least two supports (5) at the ends of the rail to attach the roof rack (1) to the vehicle roof, where the rail (2) is shaped in its end areas (3) to have a curve (4) and in the area of each curve (4) is held from below by the support (5) which can be attached to the rail (2), the underside (11) of said support—when viewed in cross-section—forming a flat supporting surface (12) for a matching surface (13) on the rail (2).
US07866512B2
The invention relates to a container system comprising a container with an integrated pump mechanism of a submersible pump, particularly a drum pump or a container pump with a pump lance. This pump lance can be inserted into the container via a bunghole, and a rotor shaft, which has a pump rotor mounted thereon in a rotationally fixed manner and which is actively connected to a drive motor, extends through the pump lance. By virtue of the fact that the submersible pump has a pump head and a pump mechanism, which are designed so that they can be separated from one another, and a withdrawal connection is assigned to the pump head that can be removed from the pump mechanism, the invention ensures that the container, which is advantageously provided with a bunghole that is drawn deeper or is otherwise situated lower, forms, together with the pump mechanism integrated in the container, a stackable and transportable unit that can be sealed tightly. The invention is for use in SCR technology or AdBlue® technology.
US07866509B2
A dispensing nozzle assembly for dispensing a number of micro-ingredients into a fluid stream. The dispensing nozzle assembly may include a micro-ingredient mixing chamber, a number of micro-ingredient lines in communication with the micro-ingredient mixing chamber such that the micro-ingredients mix therein, and a mixed micro-ingredient exit such the mixed micro-ingredients are dispensed into the fluid stream.
US07866508B2
A beverage dispensing system and method for dispensing a beverage comprising water from a water source. Some embodiments of the beverage system can include a housing, an inlet adapted to be coupled to the water source, a concentrate source containing concentrate, a dispensing outlet, a fluid line, and a valve. The dispensing outlet can dispense at least one of water and the concentrate. The fluid line can fluidly couple the water source and the dispensing outlet. The valve can be positioned to supply any desired amount of concentrate in a range of concentrate amounts from the concentrate source to the fluid line. The range of concentrate amounts can correspond to a range of water amounts flowing through the fluid line to produce a corresponding range of beverage amounts dispensed from the dispensing outlet.
US07866500B1
A bellows design collapsible polymeric storage tube. The device incorporates separate flexible plastic disks as segregating spacers that are dropped inside the device creating separate spaces for a plurality of items. The spacers lock into the widest part of the bellows securing them in place. The disks are printable/markable for promotional/informative media and labeling. In a first instance of the bellows receptacle, the collapsible bellows tube consists of two threaded ends and two threaded lids. The lids pop open and have their own separate space(s) that also uses a disk to create a separate segregated compartment. When a lid is empty the top of the lid collapses in upon itself thus saving space when the lid is empty and packed away, likewise the body of the tube collapses and expands as it is filled or emptied of the contents inside in order to save space when it is packed away. In a second instance of the present invention, the bellows receptacle uses a pair of segregating discs with each positioned approximate the top and bottom of the bellows receptacle forming closure for said receptacle. Any number of additional discs can be used to create segregated compartments within said bellow receptacle.
US07866498B2
A liquid container (1) comprises a container body (2) with an outlet sleeve (3) having a free end (3a) defining an outlet opening, a drainage device (10) having a flange (11), and electrically conductive means (20) for discharging electrostatic charges from the container (1). The drainage device (10) comprises a tubular member (12) at least partly inserted into the outlet sleeve (3), and the electrically conductive means (20) comprise a first portion (21) interposed between the tubular member (12) of the drainage device (10) and the outlet sleeve (3) of the container body (2) and a second portion (22) connected to the first portion (21), disposed between the flange (11) and the free end (3a) of the outlet sleeve (3). The second portion (22) projects out of the drainage device (10). Particularly, the electrically conductive means are made of an electrically conductive plastic material.
US07866486B2
Composites comprising at least one hollow fiber of oxygen-transporting ceramic material, which is a ceramic material which conducts oxygen anions and electrons or a combination of ceramic material which conducts oxygen anions and a ceramic or nonceramic material which conducts electrons, with the outer surface of the hollow fiber being in contact with the outer surface of the same hollow fiber or another hollow fiber and the contact points being joined by sintering, are described.Further composites comprise at least one hollow fiber of oxygen-transporting ceramic material which is a ceramic material which conducts oxygen anions and electrons or a combination of ceramic material which conducts oxygen anions and ceramic or nonceramic material which conducts electrons and a connection element for the introduction or discharge of fluids at at least one end face, with hollow fibers and connection element being joined.The composites can be used for isolating oxygen from oxygen-containing gas mixtures or for carrying out oxidation reactions.
US07866479B2
A spring type paper cushion having a columnar body, at least four cushioning recesses, at least four projections and a receiving portion. The columnar body has a columnar wall and an axis. The cushioning recesses and the projections are formed on the columnar wall. The projections are respectively located between two of the cushioning recesses. The receiving portion is recessed into the columnar wall and is located at one of the cushioning recesses. The receiving portion has two receiving mountain-fold lines, two slits and a bottom. The slits are cut so that the two receiving mountain-fold lines can be folded allowing the bottom to sink into the body.
US07866476B2
A product package includes a spine, a plurality of blister cards, and a coupler mechanism. Each blister card includes a plurality of individual cells. Each individual cell includes a blister for containing at least one product. The coupler mechanism is attached to the spine and re-attachably couples the plurality of blister cards within the product package.
US07866475B2
A child-resistant multi-step tear-access blister package having at least one product well containing a product. The product is accessed by tearing the blister package from a peripheral edge toward the product well. A step in addition to tearing is required to access the product, thereby elevating the cognitive skill necessary to access the product above those of a typical small child. In the disclosed exemplary embodiment, the additional step involves weakening a tear-resistant channel blocking a tear path from the peripheral edge of the package to the product well. More particularly, initial tearing of the package toward the product well is interfered with by the presence of the tear-resistant channel interrupting the tear path. The tear-resistant channel may be bent or snapped to permit tearing therethrough and to permit continued tearing of the blister package toward the product well to access the product.
US07866459B2
The present disclosure provides a slide gate 201 for use in conveyor systems that include permanent magnets 221 to hold slide gate components in place relative to a conveyor trough 202, while allowing the slide gate 201 to slide between open and closed positions relative to an opening or cutout 219 formed in the conveyor floor. The slide gate 201 is controllably opened and closed by an actuator system and can be magnetically attached to the actuator system 215 such that the slide gate 201 is attached to the conveyor system entirely through magnetic force. Magnetic attachment of the slide gate 201 provides improved performance, ease of cleaning, and safety compared to known slide gate systems.
US07866456B2
A portable screw conveyor includes a conveyor boom assembly carrying a conveyor and supported by a portable base having wheels located at each corner of the base which provides support for the conveyor boom assembly. An actuator system preferably with a linear actuator, is provided between the conveyor boom assembly and the portable base to raise and lower one end of the conveyor boom assembly. A conveyor boom assembly preferably carries a flexible screw conveyor.
US07866455B2
When a drive shaft is in a non-drive state, a second drive rotor is in a non-engaged state with a driven rotor with respect to its own rotating direction. When the drive shaft is in a drive state, a rotating force of a first drive rotor is transmitted to the second drive rotor through an urging member. As a result, a power transmitting member revolves, and a centrifugal force arranges the power transmitting member at a second clamping position. The second drive rotor receives a reaction force from a driven rotor via the power transmitting member. As a result, the second drive rotor is relatively rotated in an opposite direction to a rotating direction of the first drive rotor with respect to the first drive rotor, against an urging force of the urging member. As a result, the first drive rotor is engaged with the driven rotor with respect to its own rotating direction. Accordingly, the clutch is stably operated.
US07866451B2
A damper (1) has silicone-based unvulcanized rubber (4) interposed between a housing (2) and a shaft (3) which are disposed in such a manner as to be relatively rotatable about an axis (A) in (R) directions with respect to each other, and rotational energy between the housing (2) and the shaft (3) is absorbed through the deformation of the silicone-based unvulcanized rubber (4).
US07866445B2
A lift machine comprises a base, a support for supporting a load above the base, a lift actuator operatively connected between the base and the support for raising and lowering the support relative to the base, and a support stabilization mechanism operatively connected between the base and the support for stabilizing the support relative to the base during raising and lowering of the support by the lift actuator. The support stabilization mechanism comprises a pair of opposed linkages, with each of the pair of opposed linkages having a lower torque tube link and an upper torque tube link. The lower torque tube link has a torque tube operatively pivoted to the base. The upper torque tube link has a torque tube operatively pivoted to the support. The pair of opposed linkages are interconnected in such a manner that the pair moves in synchronization during raising and lowering of the support by the lift actuator and maintains the support substantially level even in the event that the center of mass of the load is offset from a vertical axis of the lift actuator.
US07866442B2
A muffler that inhibits reduction in engine performance and reduces exhaust noise volume includes a front chamber and an expansion chamber with a partition therebetween. A conduit passes through the expansion chamber. An upstream end of the conduit passes through the partition and opens in the front chamber. A partition wall is provided in a central section of the conduit. An outflow section upstream from the partition wall has a side surface in which outflow holes are formed that allow exhaust gas to flow out to the expansion chamber. An inflow section downstream from the partition wall has a side surface formed with inflow holes that allow exhaust gas to flow in from the expansion chamber.
US07866435B2
A steering column assembly includes a column jacket extending along a longitudinal axis and a steering shaft rotatably supported by the column jacket. A power assist module includes a housing coupled to the column jacket and a motor. The motor applies a torque to the steering shaft. An isolator connection interconnects the housing and the column jacket to permit rotational flexure of the power assist module relative to the column jacket, i.e., the power assist module may rotate relative to the column jacket, thereby preventing undesirable rotation of a lever mounted to the column jacket in response to the motor applying the torque to the steering shaft.
US07866434B2
A steering apparatus includes an axle housing rotatably supporting a wheel hub on which a steered road wheel is installed, and a lower suspension-system control arm adapted to be oscillatingly supported at one end on a vehicle body and having a turning portion provided at the other end for pivotably supporting the axle housing by the turning portion. An electric motor is installed on the lower arm for turning the axle housing by a driving force produced by the motor. A rotation axis of the motor and a pivot of the axle housing are arranged to be offset from each other.
US07866428B1
The golf cart has a main frame supported by driven rear wheels. A front axle with steered front wheels is pivotally attached to the main frame. A rear seat is pivotally attached to the main frame. The rear seat is pivotable to positions in which a physically challenged golfer can swing a club while supported by the rear seat and hit a ball on the left side, the right side or to the rear of the cart. A front seat is on a front seat post clamped to the frame. A tiller is pivotally attached to the front post. A drive sprocket is fixed to the tiller. A driven sprocket is journaled on the post. A roller chain is trained around the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket. A tie rod control arm is fixed to the driven sprocket and connected to the steered front wheels by tie rods.
US07866427B2
A motor vehicle multi-stage integrated brake assist (MSIBA) system, which can provide at least one brake assist level of a plurality of predetermined levels of brake assist (i.e., deceleration) less than or greater than the required amount of braking (i.e., deceleration) calculated by the MSIBA to avoid a collision with an obstacle at the time the driver initiates braking, but allows the driver to increase or remove the provided predetermined level of brake assist.
US07866425B2
A hybrid prolusion system comprising a first energy storage unit operable to supply power to a traction drive motor. A second energy storage unit is coupled with the first energy storage unit to provide additional power on demand to the traction drive motor. An auxiliary power unit (APU) is used to charge the first battery to maintain a desired voltage across the first energy storage unit.
US07866422B2
A four-wheel electric vehicle includes wheels having electric hub or geared, series wound induction drive motors mounted on one or more wheels. The vehicle requires no outside power transmission devices, such as differential gears or drive axles, to rotate the wheels. The vehicle includes a vehicle body adapted to accommodate seating for at least one adult person. The vehicle body is composed of several modular panels that may be releasably attached to one another to configure the vehicle for multiple applications. In one embodiment, the vehicle is a golf cart. In another embodiment, the vehicle is a multipurpose utility cart.
US07866418B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) exhibiting enhanced diamond-to-diamond bonding. In an embodiment, PCD includes a plurality of diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions. A metal-solvent catalyst occupies at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions. The plurality of diamond grains and the metal-solvent catalyst collectively exhibit a coercivity of about 115 Oersteads (“Oe”) or more and a specific magnetic saturation of about 15 Gauss·cm3/grams (“G·cm3/g”) or less. Other embodiments are directed to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) employing such PCD, methods of forming PCD and PDCs, and various applications for such PCD and PDCs in rotary drill bits, bearing apparatuses, and wire-drawing dies.
US07866417B2
An earth boring drill bit comprising a milled cutter having rows of teeth hardfacing guides on the cutter. Hardfacing is applied between adjacent teeth hardfacing guides to form a cutting element. The hardfacing may include an annular body with ridges that outwardly project from the body.
US07866416B2
A downhole tool string, comprising a tool string bore and a drill bit located at the bottom of the tool string. The drill bit comprises a body intermediate a shank and a working surface. The working surface may comprise a substantially coaxial rotationally isolated jack element with a portion of the jack element extending out of an opening formed in the working surface to engage a subterranean formation. The tool string may comprise a driving mechanism adapted to rotate the jack. The clutch assembly disposed within the tool string bore may comprise a first end in communication with the jack element and second end in communication with the driving mechanism.
US07866411B2
A hand-held power tool, e.g. a high speed file or polisher has a single rotary drive shaft (8) to which there is locked a first eccentric member (1) in which a second eccentric member (2) can be rotated and locked forming a first assembly (10). The second eccentric member has an eccentrically placed crank pin in the form of a hollow needle bearing ring (2a) through which the drive shaft passes. The outer ring (7) of the needle bearing reciprocally drives a connecting rod (1.2) to a tool holder (9). The drive shaft also passes through an identical assembly (10f) of first and second eccentric members (1′, 2′) disposed upside down on the first assembly (10) and reciprocally driving, in the opposite direction and in counterphase, a counterweight, to cancel the reactive oscillating forces from the tool holder during operation, which would otherwise have to be absorbed by the hand and aim of the operator. Relative rotational adjustment of the first (1, 1′) and second (2, 2′) eccentric members simply changes the length of stroke of the tool holder and the counterweight, respectively,
US07866410B2
A precision hoe opener assembly is provided with improved accuracy of seeding as well as improved control over the opener and packer wheel assemblies. The opener assembly includes a hydraulically-driven parallel linkage assembly, a lost motion linkage, a hoe opener, and a packer wheel. The design provides improved seeding accuracy, by adjusting assembly components to and compensating for changes in terrain elevation.
US07866409B2
Apparatuses and methods are provided to facilitate the transport and storage of tilling machines and specifically mini-tillers. A wheel apparatus can attach to a tilling machine, such as by attachment to a drag bar, in a transport position or a storage position. In the transport position, the wheel apparatus can maintain tiller tines of the tilling machine above the ground surface with the weight of the tilling machine supported on the wheel apparatus, thereby allowing the tilling machine to be rolled for transport. In the storage position, the wheel apparatus can be attached to the drag bar, whereby both the tiller tines and the wheel apparatus rest on the ground surface to provide stability to the tilling machine. During operation the wheel apparatus can be removed from the tilling machine.
US07866407B2
A device is provided, the device comprising a downhole tool comprising a wire comprising at least one strand comprising a low thermal expansion material. The low thermal expansion material may have a low electrical resistance material disposed thereon.
US07866404B2
An apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to couple, in a substantially fluid-tight manner, a first tubular member (140′) carrying a first set of tubular member conductors (124′) to a hollow cylinder (104). The hollow cylinder may include two or more sets of insulators having an equal number of insulating elements (120, 12S) located on the outer surface of the hollow cylinder, and two or more sets of conductors (110, 116) having an equal number of conducting elements defining pairs of conducting elements located on the outer surface. Each of the pairs of conducting elements may be insulated from the other pairs of conducting elements by the sets of insulators. The apparatus and system, as well as the method and article, may also operate to couple, in a substantially fluid-tight manner, a second tubular member (140″) carrying a second set of tubular member conductors to the hollow cylinder.
US07866388B2
A method of treating a formation fluid includes providing formation fluid from a subsurface in situ heat treatment process. The formation fluid is separated to produce a liquid stream and a first gas stream. The first gas stream includes carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrocarbons, hydrogen or mixtures thereof. Molecular oxygen is separated from air to form a molecular oxygen stream comprising molecular oxygen. The first gas stream is combined with the molecular oxygen stream to form a combined stream comprising molecular oxygen and the first gas stream. The combined stream is provided to one or more downhole burners.
US07866364B2
A fabrication tool presses a first device surface against a second device surface after the first and the second device surfaces have been plasma activated, to bond the first device surface with the second device surface. The fabrication tool includes a bonding piston to exert force on the first device surface to press the first device surface against the second device surface. The fabrication tool also includes a pressure plate situated between the bonding piston and the first device surface. The fabrication tool further includes a mechanism to ensure that the force exerted by the bonding piston on the first device surface via the pressure plate is initially exerted at one or more first locations on the first device surface and subsequently exerted at one or more second locations on the first device surface.
US07866359B2
Assembly drum of variable diameter D, intended for the manufacture of a tire blank, the drum having a generally cylindrical laying surface (2) provided with circular grooves (3) arranged axially in a zone intended to receive profiled elements of great thickness, said groove (3) containing elastic circumferential bodies (4). When the drum D is moved to a first laying diameter, a mechanical means moves the elastic body (4) radially apart from the bottom of the groove, so as to align the radially outer surface of the elastic body (4) with the laying surface of the drum (2).
US07866357B2
A method for filling a reservoir on board a motor vehicle by a reserve cartridge. The reservoir includes a filler pipe, including a device for sealed attachment of the cartridge to the pipe. The cartridge includes a latching device configured to allow the fluid to flow from the reserve cartridge into the reservoir filler pipe only when the cartridge is attached in a sealed manner to the device on the pipe. The reserve cartridge is attached in a sealed manner to the pipe attachment device and the reserve cartridge latching device is unlatched so that the fluid can flow from the reserve cartridge into the filler pipe.
US07866355B2
A movable conveyor (12) having a plurality of container supports (28), a plurality of nozzles (30) for injecting fluid into the containers, a fluid-feed track (32) for the nozzles (30) and a plurality of pipes (34) to convey the fluid to the nozzles (30), each having an inlet (36) arranged in the feed track (32). Further, a fixed fluid dispenser (14) alongside the conveyor (12), designed to introduce fluid successively into the inlets (36), this dispenser (14) having a distributor (44) positioned facing the feed track (32).The distributor (44) defines a manifold (46) which extends along a length of the conveyor corresponding to the number N of inlets (36) selected, a seal (50) being provided to ensure a sealed contact between the manifold (46) and the feed track (32), and the dispenser (44) has means (52) to push the manifold (46) against the feed track (32) of the conveyor (12).
US07866354B2
A hydrogen tank filling station includes a high-pressure hydrogen storage tank, a hydrogen supply nozzle for filling a hydrogen tank mounted on a vehicle with hydrogen from the high-pressure hydrogen storage tank, a hydrogen supply pipe, a holder stand for holding the hydrogen supply nozzle, a limit switch for detecting whether the hydrogen supply nozzle is held on the holder stand or not, a cooling system for cooling the hydrogen tank, and a valve controller for controlling a cooling operation performed by the cooling system on the hydrogen tank.
US07866350B1
A forming fabric for the forming of a fibrous web thereon, the fabric including a plurality of cross machine direction (CD) yarns and a plurality of machine direction (MD) yarns woven in a repeating pattern. The plurality of CD yarns includes a set of top CD yarns and a set of bottom CD yarns and a set of binder CD yarns. The plurality of MD yarns includes a set of top MD yarns and a set of bottom MD yarns. The top MD yarns being on a paper side of the fabric. The bottom MD yarns being on a wear side of the fabric. The repeating pattern of the CD yarns and the MD yarns include an arrangement of the bottom CD yarns each floating under only six adjacent bottom MD yarns and then between some of said top MD yarns and only two adjacent bottom MD yarns.
US07866333B2
The present invention relates to a fluid transfer system and method for transferring fluid from a reservoir (2) and to (a) delivery device typically being (a) nozzle. The present invention relates in particular to transferring urea in highly accurate metered amounts from a reservoir (2) to a nozzle (5) arranged within an exhaust system (4) of a combustion engine (1) or combustion engines.
US07866331B2
The free-arm canopy comprises a mast (2), on which an extendable and retractable jib (10) is arranged, with a transverse fitting (34) at the end thereof on which a canopy (12) is arranged on a canopy pole (30) by means of a joint (32). The canopy (12) comprises a slider (36), connected in a jointed fashion to top ribs (44) by means of support ribs (40) which are further jointed to a crown (48) connected to the canopy pole (30), wherein the canopy (12) may be opened and closed by means of a tensile line (70) connected to the slider (36) and displacing the canopy pole (30) against the fitting (34) and thus locking the joint (32) on opening. According to the invention, the free-arm canopy may be improved, whereby the crown (48) of the canopy (12) is arranged on the upper end of a pole piece (52) in the form of a sleeve which may be displaced over the fitting (34) such that with an open canopy (12) the crown (48) goes over the joint (32) and is at least almost in contact with the jib (10).
US07866322B2
A system for transfer of a signal, such as an energizing signal, to a transmitting in vivo sensing device. The in vivo device includes at least one signal transmitter and at least one signal receiving unit. The system includes an external phased array antenna. The phased array antenna receives a signal from the sensing device and then transmits a signal to the device phased in the reverse order to that of receipt the signal from the sensing device.
US07866319B2
A respirator exhalation unit (10) comprises a negative pressure valve (120) and a selectively actuable positive pressure valve assembly (130). The position of the positive pressure valve assembly (130) is selectively adjustable to convert the exhalation unit (10) for use in multiple operating modes, such as a negative pressure mode, a powered air mode, and a self-contained breathing apparatus mode (SCBA). Additionally, a closed circuit breathing apparatus (CCBA) adapter assembly (200) can be attached to the exhalation unit for conversion to a CCBA operating mode. Further, the negative pressure valve (120) divides the interior of the exhalation unit into two chambers, one of which functions as a dead space that protects the user from exposure to any harmful contaminants at the end of exhalation.
US07866318B2
A method of operating a CPAP apparatus in which the interface pressure is controlled to rapidly drop at the start of expiration by an expiratory relief pressure (ERP) that is independent of instantaneous respiratory flow, following which the pressure rises to an inspiratory level at or shortly before the end of expiration, or at the onset of an expiratory pause, if any. The ERP is an increasing function of the inspiratory pressure. The expiratory pressure follows a template that is a function of the expected expiration time, the magnitude of the template being equal to the ERP. The current estimated proportion of expiration is determined by comparing the expiration time of the breath in progress to low-pass filtered expiratory durations measured for a number of the preceding breaths.
US07866315B2
An oxygen concentrator comprises a plurality of adsorbent columns, each having an inlet, an outlet and abed of adsorbent material. The oxygen concentrator also includes a vacuum pump for removing separated nitrogen rich gas from the column inlets, a control valve for controlling flow of fluids in and out of the columns, and a breakthrough sensor for signaling the position of a mass transfer zone (MTZ), the breakthrough sensor controlling operation of the control valve as a function of the breakthrough sensor signal. An electric control module (ECM) receives the signal from the breakthrough sensor, and adjusts the control valve based on the signal.
US07866314B2
An oral airway includes a first component having a first guiding surface and a second component having a second guiding surface. The first component and the second component are adapted to be removably coupled together such that the first guiding surface and the second guiding surface collectively define and encompass an interior passage through the oral airway that is dimensioned to direct, for example, a fiber-optic scope or an endotracheal tube extending through the interior passage for tracheal intubation. The first and second components are configured to be decoupled and independently removed from a patient's mouth without disrupting an endotracheal tube that has been extended through the conduit for tracheal intubation. The first and second components may be maintained in coupled disposition by an interlocking mechanical structure. The first and second components also may be maintained in coupled disposition by magnetism.
US07866299B2
An idling state stabilizing device for an engine is disclosed that can decrease the torque that is necessary for rotation of a magneto by decreasing an output current, without setting an engine speed high, even though the engine is in the idling state, can stabilize the engine rotation, and accordingly can improve fuel economy, and further can reduce noises. A current value output from a generator when an engine is in an idling state is set as an output current value in a power generation control device. The power generation control device determines that the engine is in the idling state when the engine speed becomes equal to or less than an idling state rotational speed, detects the maximum engine speed and the minimum engine speed during a predetermined time period when the engine is in the idling state, calculates an engine speed fluctuation amount of the engine by subtracting the minimum engine speed from the maximum engine speed, and controls the current value output from the generator to be a low output current value which is lower than the previous output current value when the engine speed fluctuation amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount.
US07866296B2
An internal combustion engine having at least one working chamber limited by a piston and means for fuel injection, wherein said fuel injection means are arranged in a separate ignition chamber communicating with said working chamber, and means for tuning said ignition chamber and fuel injected by said fuel injection means such that substantially only burnt, expanding combustion gas enters the working chamber.
US07866290B2
In a camshaft adjusting device comprising a locking unit provided for locking an adjustment function component in at least one position relative to a camshaft drive component wherein at least two locking structures are provided which each have at least one locking surface for mutual engagement, each locking structure surface is formed by an at least substantially planar area which is inclined with respect to the direction of movement, the locking unit providing for a play-free engagement between the camshaft drive component and the adjustment function component.
US07866287B2
A pump system for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic valve actuation system for operating engine valves of an internal combustion engine comprises a substantially conventional main pump, driven by the engine, which supplies the necessary volume of pressurized hydraulic fluid when the engine is running. The system comprises a booster pump that supplies in conjunction with the main pump the necessary volume of hydraulic fluid during starting/cranking of the engine. The main pump is preferably designed and constructed for operating efficiency during engine operating conditions while the booster pump is preferably designed and constructed for operating efficiency during cranking/starting of the engine.
US07866283B2
A domestic combined heat and power system comprising a Stirling engine and water heater in the form of a supplementary burner. The exhaust gas from the Stirling engine is used to preheat combustible gas entering the Stirling engine and subsequently used to heat the water. The water heater has a helical water duct towards the periphery of a housing. Separate parts of this duct are heated, in series, by the exhaust gas from the Stirling engine and the supplementary burner firing radially outwardly through the helical duct.
US07866276B2
The present invention is a spiderweb maker gun comprising a body having a handle, a trigger, and a discharge nozzle. A source of pressurized air is supplied to an air inlet which is secured to the handle of the gun and which is controlled by an adjustable air valve. The discharge side of the air valve has an air conduit extending therefrom which has an air discharge end or nozzle positioned below the glue discharge nozzle so that pressurized air is directed into the stream of hot glue falling or dropping from the glue discharge nozzle. The pressurized air blows the hot glue in a stream towards the area where the spiderweb is to be created with the glue drying and cooling as it is being blown from the gun. The gun is selectively moved while the stream of hot glue is being blown therefrom to create the spiderweb pattern.
US07866273B2
A boat mooring device adapted to secure a watercraft to a mooring post with a rope. The device includes a rigid member forming a loop circumscribing a central opening. A passageway for receiving a rope within the rigid member extends between first and second ports. The rigid member prevents direct contact between the mooring post and a rope positioned within the passageway. A locking member moveable between first and second positions is disposed on the rigid member. In the first position, the locking member allows sliding movement of the rope through the passageway in a first direction from the first port toward the second port and inhibits sliding movement of the rope in a second direction from the second port toward the first port. In the second position, the locking member allows sliding movement of the rope in both the first direction and the second direction.
US07866268B2
A multi-configurable furniture assembly including height adjustable legs, a height adjustable pedestal support structure, a variable height foot support for cabinets and shelves and a panel wall assembly where each of the separate assemblies have finished and high quality appearances after a configuration is constructed.
US07866266B2
A magnetic levitation railways has at least one vehicle, a compressed air supply unit provided in the vehicle and at least one consumer connection line, the compressed air supply unit has at least two compressed air lines laid in the vehicle and connected to at least one compressed air source each, and the consumer connection line can be connected to one another of the compressed air lines.
US07866263B2
A glass-metal feed-through transmits an electrical signal from one face to another face that is opposite. The feed-through includes a glass plug, two metal pins passing through the plug, and a metal part surrounding the plug. The feed-through includes an electrically-conductive link between a first of the pins and the part. The link includes a brazing preform secured to the first pin and to the part.
US07866260B1
A rotary pad for pad printing comprises a cylinder (100′) or a belt (1105). The pad can be either flat or crowned in its relaxed condition. An ink applicator (405, etc.) applies an ink image (701) to the pad for subsequent transfer to a receiving object (425, etc.). If not initially flat, the pad can be flattened during application of the ink image, then forced to bulge for transfer to a receiving object. The pad can be flattened or caused to bulge by rollers (400, etc.) or by vacuum or pneumatic pressure. In one embodiment, an ink image is temporarily applied to the outer surface (510) of a flat cylindrical pad, then as the pad rotates, the sides of the pad are squeezed by rollers (520, 525), forcing the pad to bulge during transfer of the ink image to a receiving object (600). In another embodiment, a crowned pad (100′) is flattened while accepting an ink image, then allowed to resume its original crowned shape for transfer to a receiving object (425).
US07866257B2
A cooking utensil for frying a tortilla into a taco shell comprises a shell section having first and second U-shaped shell members and a handle assembly that linearly biases the second shell member into nested relation with the first shell member. A brace member attaches to the first shell member. The first end of an outer tubular shaft attaches a first handle member and its second end slidably attaches to the brace member. An inner shaft having a first end attached to a second handle member and a second end pivotally attached to the second shell member is slidably disposed in the outer shaft. The first handle member has a cavity that receives the second handle member, which is biased outwardly from the cavity by a spring. A user supplied anti-biasing force separates the first and second shell members for insertion of the tortilla and removal of the taco shell.
US07866251B2
A power plant produces power by using high pressure gas to push a piston. The power plant uses a supply device to provide the high pressure gas to a cylinder and controls an admission valve and an exhaust valve to admit and exhaust the high pressure gas for pushing the piston and rotating a crank member to produce power.
US07866249B1
A lightweight and highly effective armor in which engineered ballistic broad goods are encased in exacting alignment within a specialized housing, composed of a polymeric composite, which is simultaneously formed around the dry broad goods by a pultrusion manufacturing process. The product finds use as protective armoring for vehicles, personal armor, siding and roofing for existing structures, and structural panels for construction of ballistic resistant structures.
US07866247B2
An automatic shooting mechanism capable of remote switching and unmanned switching between a safety mode and a shooting mode, and remote shooting and unmanned shooting. Also provided is a sentry robot employing the automatic shooting mechanism and capable of performing wide and narrow monitoring and sentry duties in short and long ranges, and automatically shooting at a target. The automatic shooting mechanism comprises a safety unit including a safety solenoid and an elastic member to move a safety pin of a gun between a safety mode position and a shooting mode position, a return unit for applying force to the safety pin of the gun to move the safety pin to the safety mode position. The automatic shooting mechanism further comprises a shooting unit including a shooting solenoid to move a connecting link back and forth, and a trigger push member having one end contacting a trigger of the gun and the other end contacting the shooting solenoid, and coupled at a middle portion of the shooting unit to be capable of pivoting to pull the trigger as desired.
US07866246B2
The invention generally relates to a method of using a pod to rapidly deploy defensive countermeasures from a wide variety of manned aircraft. The method includes using a configurable pod for dispensing different types of infrared countermeasure (IRCM) devices and different types of radio frequency countermeasure (RFCM) devices at a rapid rate. The primary purpose of this method is to rapidly dispense IRCMs and RFCMs is to protect the host aircraft while ingress and egress maneuvers are performed in a hostile area. A secondary use of the method is for use in defending commercial aircraft from missile threats.
US07866245B2
A fiber cable for helicopter rescue winches includes a plurality of load-bearing synthetic-fiber strands braided with one another, at least one electrically conductive insert, and a wear indicator providing a visual check of a state of the fiber cable, where the load-bearing synthetic-fiber strands are encased in a radial direction by a friction-reducing stable fiber layer, an inner cable jacket, and outer cable jacket.
US07866244B2
It is intended to provide a blasting treatment apparatus which can prevent dispersion of a hazardous substance or the like to the exterior with a simple structure. To achieve this object, a blasting treatment apparatus (1) comprises a pressure container (10) including an outer vessel (31) and an inner vessel (32) and a suction device. The outer vessel (32) has a first sucking part (17) and a second sucking part (18) for interconnecting the interior and the exterior of the outer vessel (31) at an end thereof opposite to a pressure-resistant lid (11) and in an upper wall. The inner vessel (32) has an interconnect hole (16) for interconnecting the interior and the exterior of the inner vessel (32) at a location thereof corresponding to the first sucking part (17). The first sucking part (17) and the second sucking part (18) are located at positions where gas in the inner vessel (32) can be sucked by the suction device and the gas released from the inner vessel (32) through an inner opening (32a) can be sucked from a gap between the upper wall of the outer vessel (31) and the inner vessel (32).
US07866237B2
The invention deals with the field of screwing heads for small trigger-type pumps or triggers and namely for applying, on vessels, triggers equipped with a threaded securing ring nut (2). This screwing head (1) is rotated around a vertical axis through a permanent magnet-type clutch and comprises four rollers (5) which tighten the toothed ring nut (2) when screwing it; said rollers (5) are supported by vertical arms (4) whose axes are arranged at 90° one from the other on a circumference with its center on the rotation axis of the screwing head. The vertical arms (4) and the four rollers (5) are simultaneously carried along a radial direction towards said ring nut through an oscillating movement.
US07866236B2
An automatic screw feeding apparatus includes a base assembly, a slide assembly, a first spring, a screw carrier driving device, and a screw carrier guidance device. The slide assembly is mounted to the base assembly, movable forward and backward between a first position and a second position along a straight path. The first spring is mounted between the base and slide assemblies for keeping the slide assembly at the first position. The screw carrier guidance device includes a connection member connected with the base assembly, a guide member mounted to the connection member and movable forward and backward between a third position and a fourth position, and a second spring mounted between the guide and connection members for keeping the guide member located at the third position. The second spring can greatly lighten the load of the first spring to prevent the fed screws from being jammed.
US07866234B2
A device for manually rotating a core of a gas turbine engine, said device comprising a drive mechanism, an operator control, and a flexible cable rotatably coupling said drive mechanism and said operator control.
US07866233B2
Described herein is technology for, among other things, a tool for assisting the attachment or removal of a first fastener and a second fastener to or from a structure. The tool includes a lower portion adapted to magnetically attach to a surface of the structure. The tool also includes an upper portion configured to be spaced a distance from the surface of the structure when the lower portion is magnetically attached to the surface of the structure. The upper portion also includes a holder extending therefrom and adapted to hold the first fastener. The holder is biased to urge the first fastener in a direction of the surface of the structure.
US07866223B2
The present invention generally relates to a device for obtaining samples of meat during commercial meat production. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide for an automated, hand held device used to rapidly obtain samples of meat that are of essentially uniform size in order to test for the presence of microbiological contaminants in such meat, as well as methods of using the device. The device can be used to comply with laws and regulations concerning the testing of meat for microbial contamination during commercial meat production. The device is also lightweight and ergonomically constructed so that it may be operated by a single individual.
US07866222B2
A mobile vacuum sampling system comprising: an inlet; a first filter; a gas sample vacuum pump; a solenoid valve; a sample tube; a pressure gauge; a first block valve; a second filter; a micro filter; a gasifier; a gas analyzer; and a computational, recording and/or analysis display device; wherein a natural gas stream enters the gas sample vacuum pump via the inlet and is compressed to between 3 and 5 psig; wherein the sample tube collects natural gas to be analyzed; wherein the gas analyzer is portable; wherein the gas analyzer analyzes gas samples from the sample tube; and wherein the entire system is contained within a truck or other mobile unit.
US07866219B2
A measuring instrument to capture a physical/chemical measured value, including a sensor unit, which is linked via a contactless interface to a transmitter unit, for passing on to a central analysis unit, wherein the sensor unit includes an at least partly internal sensor element which vibrates against a sensor housing because of operation, and which is linked, contactlessly and inside the sensor unit, for sensor signal transmission, via a first transmission/reception unit, to a complementary second transmission/reception unit, which is arranged at a fixed location relative to the sensor housing, and which is also linked, contactlessly and outside the sensor unit, to a third transmission/reception unit of the transmitter unit.
US07866210B2
A semiconductor mechanical sensor having a new structure in which a S/N ratio is improved. In the central portion of a silicon substrate 1, a recess portion 2 is formed which includes a beam structure. A weight is formed at the tip of the beam, and in the bottom surface of the weight in the bottom surface of the recess portion 2 facing the same, an electrode 5 is formed. An alternating current electric power is applied between the weight portion 4 and the electrode 5 so that static electricity is created and the weight is excited by the static electricity. In an axial direction which is perpendicular to the direction of the excitation of the weight, an electrode 6 is disposed to face one surface of the weight and a wall surface of the substrate which faces the same. A change in a capacitance between the facing electrodes is electrically detected, and therefore, a change in a physical force acting in the same direction is detected.
US07866209B2
A biological specimen collection and transfer system, including a biological sample container configured for storing a biological fluid sample, a vacuum source, a specimen filter having an interior chamber and an opening in communication with the chamber, and a fluid level regulator configured to determine a fluid level in the biological sample container and to dispense a fluid into the container if the determined fluid level is less than a desired fluid level. The fluid level regulator includes a fluid level monitor, a fluid dispenser, and a controller in communication with the fluid level monitor and the fluid dispenser, wherein the fluid level monitor includes a sound source configured to emit sound towards a surface of the fluid sample, and a sound detector configured to measure sound reflected from the surface of the fluid sample, wherein the controller determines the fluid level based at least in part on a measurement of reflected sound emitted from the sound source.
US07866208B1
A flow measuring device has a flow channel block including a main flow channel whose both ends are open, and an auxiliary flow channel that branches from the main flow channel, a flow amount measurement element provided for the auxiliary flow channel, and a branch entrance and a collection exit that open in a wall surface of the main flow channel, and that communicate to the auxiliary flow channel, so that a part of a gaseous body that flows through the main flow channel is directed to the auxiliary flow channel through the branch entrance, and the gaseous body that has passed through the auxiliary flow channel is directed back to the main flow channel through the collection exit. A holding member containing portion is provided in a depressed manner for an area excluding an area including the branch entrance and an area including the collection exit in a circumference surface of a space of the flow channel block that configures the main flow channel. An orifice is contained within the main flow channel. An orifice holding member fitted into the holding member containing portion holds the orifice by being brought into contact with the orifice. The wall surface of the main flow channel is configured by a wall surface excluding the area for which the holding member containing portion is formed out of the main flow channel and an inner surface of the orifice holding member.
US07866203B2
The invention relates to the analytical determination of poloxamers in a liquid protein sample.
US07866202B2
Disclosed is a method of fabricating a carbon monoxide detector and a carbon monoxide detector fabricated using the same. Particularly disclosed is a method of fabricating a carbon monoxide detector, which can operate at room temperature and process high detecting selection, and the detector fabricated using the same. The method comprises: providing a substrate having an upper surface; forming two electrode sets on the upper surface of the substrate, and the two electrode sets combined to provide an interdigitated array electrode; forming a tin dioxide layer, which covers the portion of the two electrode sets and the portion of the upper surface; and forming an organic polymer layer on the surface of the tin dioxide layer. The carbon monoxide detector comprises: a substrate having an upper surface; two electrode sets, which are located on the upper surface of the substrate; a tin dioxide layer, which covers the portion of the two electrode sets and the portion of the upper surface; and an organic polymer layer, which is located on the surface of the tin dioxide layer.
US07866199B2
a billet made of high Cr-high Ni alloy, which contains, by mass percent, 20 to 30% of Cr, 30 to 50% of Ni, and at least one element selected from Mo and W with a value “Mo+0.5W” of 1.5% or more is heated under conditions satisfying the following formula (1), and then the billet is pierced and rolled using an inclined roll type piercing mill with a roll gouge circumferential speed of 2.28 m/sec or higher. This prevents melted rash on the inner surface and lengthens the plug life. T≦1575−4.45×Vf−104.7×{−ln(th/ro)} (1) wherein T indicates a heating temperature (° C.) of the billet, Vf indicates the roll gouge circumferential speed (m/sec), ro indicates a radius (mm) of a billet at an entry-side, and th indicates a radial thickness (mm) of a pipe after piercing.
US07866197B2
A rolling-circle machine for rolling a workpiece includes at least one first rolling portion, a second rolling portion connected to the first rolling portion, and at least one adjusting screw. The first rolling portion includes one or more first concaved sections for rolling the workpiece and at least a through hole. The second rolling portion includes one or more second concaved sections for rolling the workpiece. The second concaved section forms one or more rolling slots in cooperation with the first concaved section. The adjusting screw includes a threaded post passing through the through hole of the first rolling portion and one end of the threaded post is fixed in the second rolling portion. The adjusting screw is configured for adjusting a distance between the first and the second rolling portion to roll workpieces that have different dimensions.
US07866194B2
An unlocking device includes a casing mounted to a side of a lock having a keyhole. A movable body is rotatably received in the casing about an axis. The movable body has a closed end having a hole. A key receiving seat is received in the movable body and has a key receiving hole. The keyhole is normally blocked by the closed end of the movable body. The movable body can be rotated to align the hole with the keyhole and the key receiving hole. A block is fixed to the movable body and includes a through-hole extending along the axis. A manually rotatable linking rod extends through the through-hole and has an engaging portion for coupling a key received in the key receiving hole. The key can be moved into the keyhole by moving the linking rod along the axis and can be rotated for locking or unlocking operation.
US07866188B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out a PCVD deposition process, wherein one or more doped or undoped layers are coated onto the interior of a glass substrate tube, which apparatus comprises an applicator having an inner and an outer wall and a microwave guide which opens into the applicator, which applicator extends around a cylindrical axis and which is provided with a passage adjacent to the inner wall, through which the microwaves can exit, over which cylindrical axis the substrate tube can be positioned, and wherein at least one choke of annular shape having a length l and a width w is centred around the cylindrical axis within the applicator.
US07866186B2
The gas cushion serves to support a preheated glass sheet and is produced by a chamber, which is connected to a source (21) of compressed gas. The upper wall (10) of the chamber is adapted to the shape of the glass sheet and has a plurality of apertures for the passage of gas in the form of nozzles (14), which comprise an entry bore (22) and, following thereupon, a progressively widening exit hole (16) with a nozzle exit area (15). The upper wall (10) of the chamber has a greater degree of perforation (sum of the nozzle exit areas (15) in relation to the total area of the respective zone) in its edge zone (12, 13) than in its central zone (11). The nozzles ensure that no jet marks can arise. The gas of the gas cushion can also flow out undisturbed at the side, so that no cooling edges are present and the occurrence of cooling shadows is accordingly avoided.
US07866182B2
A refrigerator having a cold air supply device is provided. The refrigerator includes an evaporator and the cold air supply device mounted at a rear surface of a storage compartment to cover the evaporator. The cold air supply device includes a plurality of discharge holes formed in a front surface and both lateral surfaces thereof to discharge cold air, which was heat exchanged by the evaporator, toward front and lateral sides of the cold air supply device.
US07866179B2
Disclosed is a compact heat pump using water as refrigerant, including a casing having a first and second end sections and an intermediate section located therebetween, with an evaporator located at the first end section, configured for containing said water and allowing evaporation of at least a part of the water to produce vapor and remove heat from the remainder of the water. At least one agitator scoop is located within said evaporator, with one or more demisters installed between the evaporator and the compressor. The one or more compressors induce evaporation by maintaining vacuum at least at an intake conduit, and are configured for receiving the vapor through the intake conduit after passing through a heated demister. The condenser is configured for receiving the compressed vapor from the compressor, lowering the vapor temperature and condensing it back into a liquid state.
US07866177B2
A personal cooling element for patients comprises at least one cooling zone (2) that can be pre-tensioned against the body surface (10) of a person wearing the personal cooling element. The cooling zone (2) is three-layered with an internal layer (4) that faces towards the body, an external layer (6) that faces away from the body and an evaporation zone (8) that is located therebetween. The internal layer (4) and the external layer (6) each are made from a material that is waterproof and permeable to water vapor. The evaporation zone (8) is supplied with liquid water.
US07866174B2
A refrigerator having a cold air circulating apparatus includes: a main body, which is provided with a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment for preserving food items, and a temperature controlled compartment for preserving food items, separately from the freezer and the refrigerator compartments; a first cooling unit formed at the rear side of the freezer compartment for supplying cold air into the freezer compartment; a second cooling unit formed at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment for providing cold air into the refrigerator compartment; a cold air circulating device for circulating air inside the temperature controlled compartment by using the first cooling unit or the second cooling unit; and a control unit for controlling operations of the cold air circulating device to thereby regulate temperature inside the temperature controlled compartment, based on a user-set temperature for the temperature controlled compartment.
US07866168B2
A heat pump water heater system including a water storage tank and a heat exchange system. The heat exchange system includes a heat absorber positioned below the water storage tank and a heat rejecter in fluid communication with the heat absorber and positioned within the water storage tank. The heat absorber is configured to transfer heat to fluid in the heat exchange system, and the heat rejecter is configured to transfer heat from fluid in the heat exchange system to the water in the water storage tank.
US07866167B2
An icemaker system provided in a refrigerator is designed to reduce an amount of time required to produce ice. The refrigerator includes a refrigeration system including a number of refrigeration components and a refrigeration loop. The refrigeration loop includes an icemaker section that carries a flow of refrigerant to an ice mold portion of the icemaker system and a bypass section that isolates the icemaker system from the flow of refrigerant. A control system automatically activates the icemaker system regardless of a need for cooling. That is, upon sensing a demand for ice, the control system opens a valve to cause refrigerant to flow through the icemaker section and activates the refrigeration components to speed ice production whether or not additional cooling is required in fresh food and/or freezer compartments.
US07866163B2
A docking station for one or more x-ray detectors is disclosed and designed to secure an x-ray detector when not in use to limit exposure of an x-ray detector to drops, jars, and other potentially damaging incidents. The docking station may be equipped to regulate the temperature of a stored x-ray detector. Thermal regulation can be achieved passively or actively using convection, conduction, radiation, and other thermal transference principles. The docking station may also include an electronic interface that communicates with a stored x-ray detector such that thermal regulation may be achieved dynamically and responsively. The docking station may be free-standing or wall-mounted. The docking station may be remote from or integrated with an x-ray scanner. The docking station may also be equipped to charge/re-charge batteries of a stored x-ray detector.
US07866162B2
An exhaust cone of composite material. The exhaust cone is mounted to extend an adapter ring and it is held by an elastically deformable element that acts axially.
US07866140B2
The exhaust within an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system should be purged to allow for access to the components of the EGR system. A method and system for controlling an EGR purge system is provided. The method and system may control the operation of drawing the exhaust out of the EGR system. The method may also control the operation of diving the exhaust out of the EGR system.
US07866138B2
A spun yarn formed with a core of microdenier synthetic filaments wrapped with a sheath. The sheath generally includes carded staple fibers that are spun around the core.
US07866123B2
A filling machine for containers such as bottles, cans, or similar containers. The filling machine comprises at least one rotor, which is driven in rotation around a vertical machine axis, and filling stations on the rotor. Each filling station is designed to receive a container and for the filling of this container during the rotational movement of the rotor between a container inlet point and a container outlet point. The filling stations are provided in at least two filling planes, which are offset from one another in the direction of the machine axis.
US07866111B2
Floor laying system for joining together floorboards, including grooves made in opposing side edges of the boards, and a separate profiled rail, which is disposed between the side edges of the boards and couples together the boards and which has legs projecting to opposite sides from a central section of the rail, which legs are designed to lockingly engage in the grooves in the respective opposing side edges of the floorboards. The legs of the profiled rail delimit a channel-shaped cavity which can accommodate at least one line element. The profiled rail has legs, which supportively bear against diagonally opposing beveled faces of the grooves in two adjacent boards, in addition to which a slot running substantially parallel with the top and bottom sides of the respective board opens into the groove to form a resilient tongue.
US07866083B2
The present disclosure relates to a flashlight apparatus including a base module having a mount adaptor mountable on a firearm, a reflector module removably attachable to the base module, a power source module removably attached to the base module, and a light source module removably attachable to the base module, the light source module including an illumination light source and a laser light source. In a further aspect, an identification friend or foe system is provided.
US07866073B2
A plastic container with the sidewall thereof including a label panel and a label adhered to the label panel. The label includes micro-optics as at least part of the label to create an image of depth in the micro-optic area.
US07866069B2
The belt is of those which have a flat configuration and is closed by means of staples (6) or similar. Said belt comprises a mesh fabric (1), with warp (12) and weft (11), in which a plurality of holes (2) of size and determined density are defined, said fabric (1) being covered and thermofixed by a coating (3) of nonslip and temperature-resistant material. The weft (11) has some reinforced areas (4) alternating with some clearer areas (5), in which the weft (11) has a lower concentration of threads or fibres and, jointly with the warp (12), it defines the holes (2). The invention includes a method of manufacturing said belt (1).
US07866062B2
Disclosed herein is footwear separable into two pieces in which an insertion body is adapted to be fit into an insertion recess formed at the heel portion of a footwear body, for absorbing the impact applied to a wearer upon walking, thus to achieve better wearing effect, the insertion body is freely assembled with and separated from the footwear body, thus to form a variety of designs thereon, the insertion recess has a drain hole connected from the bottom portion thereof to the corresponding bottom portion of the footwear body, thus to prevent water from gathering into the insertion recess, and if the footwear body is formed of a polyurethane material, the insertion body is formed of an ethyl-vinyl acetate (EVA) material, and vice versa, thus to provide high flexibility to the footwear, which makes the wearer feel comfortable.
US07866059B2
The present disclosure suggests a dryer and method of controlling the same. Disclosed is a dryer, comprising: a heater for heating the air which is to be directed to a dry drum; a motor for rotating the dry drum; a power supply unit for supplying electric current to the heater and the motor; a heater relay for selectively applying electric current to the heater; a motor relay for selectively applying electric current to the motor; a safety relay for selectively applying electric current from the power supply unit to the respective relay; and a control unit for cutting off electric current by turning off the safety relay when an abnormal stop occurs, after the control unit determines whether the abnormal stop occurs during a drying operation.
US07866058B2
A spin head includes a rotatable plate, first chucking pins and second chucking pins for supporting a edge portion of a substrate loaded on the plate, and a driving unit for selectively driving the first and second chucking pins. The driving unit includes a first magnet connected to the first chucking pin and disposed at a first height, a second magnet connected to the second chucking pin and disposed at a second height, and a driving magnet for driving the first and second magnets. The driving magnet is elevated by means of an elevating member to selectively apply a magnetic force to the first or second magnet and moves in the radius outside direction of the first or second chucking pin due to a magnetic force.
US07866050B2
A handheld tool structure includes a tool member, a handle, a cover and a connecting peg. The handle is barrel-shaped and has an opening at an end of the handle. An end of the tool member is slab-shaped and the tool member has at least one penetrating hole and at least one notch. An end of the connecting peg has a slender groove, and the top of the cover has a slender slot. An end of the tool member is passed through the slot of the cover and inserted into the groove of the connecting peg, and the cover and the connecting peg are connected, and another end of the connecting peg is plugged into the handle from an opening at an end of the handle, and the cover is plugged into the handle until the top of the cover is aligned evenly with a distal surface of the handle.
US07866048B2
A rotatable rear hand grip (3) is releasably locked at a desired rotational position by operation of a control lever member (4). The power hand tool includes: a tool body (1) including an engine for generating driving power used for performing work; a front hand grip (2) fixed to the tool body; a rear hand grip including: a control lever member coupled to the engine for controlling an output of the engine; a supporting mechanism for supporting the rear hand grip rotationally about an axis (AX) between the tool body and the rear hand grip; a locking mechanism for locking the rear hand grip at one rotational position about the axis in response to the control lever member; and a controlling mechanism (4d) for allowing the control lever member to control the output of the engine after the locking mechanism locks the rear hand grip.
US07866046B2
A method for manufacturing a hydrodynamic bearing (30) includes the following steps. First, a substrate having a surface with multiple protrusions thereon is formed. The protrusions are adapted for forming grooves in a preform. The preform, when finally processed, becomes a shaft of the hydrodynamic bearing or a bearing of the hydrodynamic bearing. Second, a feedstock of binder and powder is pushed to the surface of the substrate to form the perform on the surface of the substrate. Third, the substrate is removed from the preform. Fourth, the preform is sintered. Fifth, the preform is precision machined to obtain the shaft or the bearing, as the case may be. In the shaft or bearing, the grooves are for generating hydrodynamic pressure.
US07866045B2
A method intended for manufacturing a bicycle spoked wheel is described. By inserting the nipples or barrels for the attachment of the spokes in the spoke attachment seats from the inside of the spoke attachment chamber through a suitably sized opening, instead of from the outside, the rim of the bicycle wheel can be manufactured without additional openings, even when using conventional nipples or barrels.
US07866042B2
A method of manufacturing serpentine fins for assembly between tubes in a heat exchanger core. The method includes providing a flat metal strip and forming in the strip, multiple rows of split louvers. Each row of split louvers has louvers formed in pairs of adjacent, spaced louver banks extending across the width of the strip. Each row includes ribs formed in the strip parallel to the louver openings and extending across the pair of louver banks. The metal strip has unformed portions extending across the strip width between rows of split louvers for forming folds across the width of the strip. After forming the rows of split louvers, pressure is applied to the strip to cause the flat strip to buckle along the unformed portions forming folds in the strip resulting in the serpentine fin. Preferably, the strip has ribs formed both in the center portion and along the edges.
US07866039B2
A method of manufacturing a wiring board comprising preparing a substrate having a groove and an adjacent area; the substrate being of a wiring board also comprising a first wiring having first and second portions provided in first and second areas, respectively, making a contact angle of the second area different from a contact angle of a third area which is another part of the adjacent area, surrounding the second area together with the groove; and applying conductive paste to at least the first and second areas.
US07866032B2
In a method of manufacturing a metal keypad panel with a micropore array, a metal laminate is prepared and etched to form micropores on the metal laminate, and a filling is coated on a surface of the metal laminate and permeated into the micropores. After the metal laminate is punched to form a metal keypad panel in a predetermined shape, the metal keypad panel is put into a mold. After a plastic material is injected into the mold, a pattern layer is formed on a side of the metal keypad panel, and then a backlight module is attached onto another side of the metal keypad panel. The backlight module has patterns, and the shape of the patterns is formed by arranging light guide microstructures. Finally, an electric signal module is attached onto a side of the backlight module to complete manufacturing the metal keypad panel.
US07866028B2
A resonant element is manufactured through a process including a setting step and a forming step. A substrate of the resonant element is made of a dielectric material. A ground electrode is formed on a rear principal surface side of the substrate. Principal-surface electrodes that define resonators together with the ground electrode and the dielectric material are formed on a front principal surface side of the substrate. An electrode protecting layer is formed on substantially entire surfaces on a front principal surface side of the principal-surface electrodes and the substrate. A coupling adjusting electrode with both ends facing a plurality of the principal-surface electrodes is formed on a front principal surface side of the electrode protecting layer. In the setting step, the shape of the coupling adjusting electrode is set in each manufactured lot. In the forming step, the coupling adjusting electrode having the shape set in the setting step in each manufactured lot is formed on the front principal surface side of the substrate and the electrode protecting layer that are sintered in advance, and the coupling adjusting electrode is baked to the electrode protecting layer.
US07866027B2
A motor driving device manufacturing method for manufacturing a motor driving device including a motor case, a rotor, and a stator disposed concentrically with the rotor on the outer periphery of the rotor, includes a measuring step for measuring a position of the stator relative to an axial center of the rotor from an inner side of the stator using a measuring device inserted in the stator; an adjusting step for adjusting the position of the stator from the inner side of the stator based on a measurement result of the measuring step using an adjustment device inserted in the stator, wherein the measuring step and the adjusting step are executed in a rotor not-inserted state, in which the stator is housed in the motor case and the rotor is not inserted in the stator; a stator fixing step for fixing the stator in the motor case; and a rotor shaft-support step for inserting the rotor in the stator and shaft-supporting the rotor on the motor case.
US07866019B1
A method for converting expended plastic water bottles and other plastic beverage bottles into artificial landscape rocks and edging blocks by cutting a flap in an empty plastic bottle, filling the bottle with empty, crushed food cans, or compacted, expended plastic bottles, sealing the flap with wire lath and screws, wrapping the bottle with mason lath or chicken wire, or coating the bottle with a bonding agent, applying a stucco coating to the bottle, brushing the wet stucco, and coloring the stucco with a pigmenting agent.
US07866015B2
Disclosed are embodiments of a method of forming a capacitor with inter-digitated vertical plates such that the effective gap distance between plates is reduced. This gap width reduction significantly increases the capacitance density of the capacitor. Gap width reduction is accomplished during back end of the line processing by masking connecting points with nodes, by etching the dielectric material from between the vertical plates and by etching a sacrificial material from below the vertical plates. Etching of the dielectric material forms air gaps and various techniques can be used to cause the plates to collapse in on these air gaps, once the sacrificial material is removed. Any remaining air gaps can be filled by depositing a second dielectric material (e.g., a high k dielectric), which will further increase the capacitance density and will encapsulate the capacitor in order to make the reduced distance between the vertical plates permanent.
US07866013B2
A new type of urn has an inlet opening for water and an opening for the discharge of the water with powdery mortal remains, the opening being situated lower than the inlet opening. Ashes are introduced in the urn, for instance, in the form of a body comprising powdery mortal remains (ashes) and a binder, where the binder is selected from a water-soluble binder and an agent that disintegrates under the influence of water. The mortal remains are introduced into the earth under the influence of (rain) water. The invention also relates to a method for making such a body.
US07866009B1
A wedge for retaining a tendon in an anchor has first, second, third, and fourth portions. The portions each have a channel. The first portion has a constant thickness from a first end to a second end. The second portion has a first end adjacent to the second end of the first portion and tapers from the first end of the second portion to a second end thereof. The third portion has a first end adjacent to the second end of the second portion and tapers from the first end of the third portion to a second end thereof. The fourth portion has a first end adjacent to the second end of the third portion and tapers from the first end of the fourth portion to a second end thereof. The channels of each of the portions have ribs.
US07865995B2
An apparatus for cleaning a gas tube includes an actuator and a plunger head attached to the actuator. The actuator is configured to reciprocate the plunger head along a longitudinal axis of the gas tube between a retracted position and an extended position and to rotate the plunger head from a first angular position to a second angular position. A method of cleaning a gas tube includes positioning a plunger head including a plurality of longitudinally extending tines in the gas tube, rotating the plunger head relative to a longitudinal axis of the gas tube, and scraping deposits from an interior surface of the gas tube using longitudinally extending edges of the tines.
US07865991B2
A washing machine and steam washing method thereof are disclosed. The method includes performing primary steam washing by supplying steam to laundry, performing a washing cycle by supplying wash water to the laundry, performing a rinsing cycle, performing a spin-dry cycle to remove the wash water from the laundry, and performing secondary steam washing by supplying steam to the laundry. The washing machine has improved sterilizing effects by sterilizing bacteria and fungi with hot steam.
US07865985B2
An operating table is shown, which comprises a table column with a column foot (10) and with a column head and also a bed connectable or connected to the column head, the column foot (10) having a floor-side baseplate (12) and a column-side footplate (14), the footplate (14) being mounted rotatably on the baseplate (12) and being secured, with a vertical play, by means of an abutment (24) against being lifted off from the baseplate (12), and at least one clamping cylinder (42) actuated by pressure medium being provided in order to tension the footplate (14) against the abutment (24).
US07865978B2
An eyemask is formed in such a structure that the protuberance shape of the coupling section (1A) of the first and second eyemask sections (2, 3) connected by the coupling section (1A) is made bigger, and that the light stopping walls (16) are formed on the planar inner face sections (6A) while the nose supporting plates (17) are formed on the annular rim sections (6) thus preventing the eyemask from shifting out of the nose (20) and achieving the light shielding effect.
US07865969B2
A vibration damping device for use in a work glove includes a planar plastic body having palm, thumb and finger areas, and a plurality of resilient, compressible projections extending outwardly from at least one surface of the body. Planar areas or webs in the knuckle and finger joint areas of the body make the device flexible for easy grasping of a tool and bunching of projections in such areas. Bunching of the projections is also avoided or reduced by arranging the projections in parallel, arcuate rows extending from the thumb side rearwardly toward the wrist end of the body.
US07865968B2
Headgear adapted to protect a wearer having a visor and a flexible circumferential band adapted to be supported by a head of the wearer. A mounting attachment attaches the visor to the flexible circumferential band at each of two side attachment locations with the visor generally positioned in front of a face of the wearer. The mounting attachment has a slide channel associated with the flexible circumferential band and a slide associated with the visor. The slide is able to slide forward and aft in the slide channel with respect to the face of the wearer and is selectively securable in a plurality of forward and aft positions. This allows the visor to be adjusted inwardly and outwardly with respect to the face of the wearer.
US07870609B2
Functionality is described for addressing a threat to the security of a user device that utilizes a network-accessible service. The functionality operates by assessing the likelihood that the user device is infected by the undesirable item. When the user device makes a request to access the network-accessible service, the functionality can interact with the user device in a manner that is governed by the assessed likelihood that the user device is infected by the undesirable item.
US07870603B2
A method is disclosed for automatic filter generation and maintenance. From information transmitted on a network, a first device identifier and a second device identifier are detected. Based on the first and second device identifiers, a filter is automatically configured to deny network-transmitted information that attempts to establish an association between the first device identifier and a device identifier other than the second device identifier.
US07870593B2
A list of video programs downloadable via a digital subscriber line, including a presently-unavailable video program and its associated date of download availability, is presented to a user. A user selection of the video program is received. Based on the user selection, an entry is added to a download schedule to schedule downloading the video program on or after its associated date of download availability. The video program is downloaded via the digital subscriber line based on the download schedule.
US07870591B2
A first communication apparatus includes a data transmission unit that sequentially transmits each data forming a data stream to any of a plurality of transmission paths along with additional information indicating transmission sequence of the each data. A second communication apparatus includes a sequence specification unit that specifies the transmission sequence of the each data based on the additional information provided with the each data sequentially received from the first communication unit via the plurality of the transmission paths.
US07870589B2
A method and a computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method, which provides content to supplement a presentation of an experiential data stream. The method includes a step of receiving a request for content configured to be included in said presentation of the experiential data stream. The method also determines content parameters from the request that are used to select the content. It also provides the content and records appropriate transaction information.
US07870586B2
A digital television (DTV) signal for use in a DTV receiver includes an extended text table (ETT) which includes a header and a message body. The header includes a table identification extension field which serves to establish uniqueness of the ETT, and the message includes an extended text message (ETM). If the ETT is an event ETT, the table ID extension field includes an event identification which specifies an identification number of an event associated with the ETT. On the other hand, if the ETT is a channel ETT, the table identification extension field includes a source identification which specifies a programming source of a virtual channel associated with the ETT. A section-filtering unit included in the DTV receiver is able to use table identification extension fields of a plurality of ETTs for section-filtering a pertinent event or channel ETT from the ETTs.
US07870585B2
An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR-like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded.
US07870584B2
A method for providing an interactive program guide (IPG) includes receiving from a user a request for an IPG, and providing the user with an IPG that includes listings that were received by a digital home communication terminal (DHCT) via a subscriber television network, as well as other listings that were not received by the DHCT via the subscriber television network.
US07870571B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a disc guide of a disc carrying device composed of a guide plate made from a metal plate and guide projections made of a synthetic resin, and that can be easily produced at low cost. Multiple positioning holes where a large hole communicates into a small hole and step differences are arranged in the guide plate made from a metal plate, respectively; multiple engagement projections having a stopper with a large diameter at the end are arranged in the right and left guide projections made of a synthetic resin having a taper surface, respectively; after the stopper is inserted into the corresponding large hole while the inner end of each guide projection is overlapped to the step difference, the guide projection is slid and the engagement projection is moved toward the small hole; the inner end of the guide projection is disengaged from the step difference and the slide along the reverse direction is prohibited by the step difference; and the disc guide is mounted to the guide plate.
US07870570B2
Systems and methods are provided for transporting disks. In one implementation, a disk handling system is provided. The disk handling system includes a dispenser operable to dispense individual optical disks and one or more drives. The disk handling system also includes an elevator operable to transport optical disks received from the dispenser to the one or more drives along a first axis.
US07870563B2
Workflows are triggered for time-sensitive, user-specific data queued for delivery to a plurality of users. Responsive to time-sensitive data being queued, time-based triggers are created based at least in part upon content of the time-sensitive data. If the time-sensitive data is still in the queue when the time-based trigger expires, one-or-more rules are executed to change a destination of the time-sensitive data.
US07870561B2
A method includes providing a technical place object to a Customer Resource Management (CRM) system wherein the technical place object includes information from an Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) system about a technical place including information associated with servicing the technical place. A service object may be provided to the ERP system wherein the service object includes information from the CRM system including information based on the technical place object and a service request associated with the servicing of the technical place. The CRM system may be provided an update of the service object wherein the update is based on a response to the service object by the ERP system.
US07870553B2
A multiprocessing system is disclosed. The system includes a multithreading microprocessor having a plurality of thread contexts (TCs), a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) shared by the plurality of TCs, and an instruction scheduler, coupled to the plurality of TCs, configured to dispatch to execution units, in a multithreaded fashion, instructions of threads executing on the plurality of TCs. The system also includes a multiprocessor operating system (OS), configured to schedule execution of the threads on the plurality of TCs, wherein a thread of the threads executing on one of the plurality of TCs is configured to update the shared TLB, and prior to updating the TLB to disable interrupts, to prevent the OS from unscheduling the TLB-updating thread from executing on the plurality of TCs, and disable the instruction scheduler from dispatching instructions from any of the plurality of TCs except from the one of the plurality of TCs on which the TLB-updating thread is executing.
US07870544B2
A “kill” intrinsic that may be used in programs for designating specific data objects as having been “killed” by a preceding action is provided. The concept of a data object being “killed” is that the compiler is informed that no operations (e.g., loads and stores) on that data object, or its aliases, can be moved across the point in the program flow where the data object is designated as having been “killed.” The “kill” intrinsic limits the reordering capability of an optimization scheduler of a compiler with regard to operations performed on “killed” data objects. The “kill” intrinsic may be used with DMA operations. Data objects being DMA'ed from a local store of a processor may be “killed” through use of the “kill” intrinsic prior to submitting the DMA request. Data objects being DMA'ed to the local store of the processor may be “killed” after verifying the transfer completes.
US07870537B2
An object shell console allows maintenance personnel to upgrade or otherwise modify an executing computer application without suspending or terminating the application's execution. The object shell console attaches to the application while it is executing and extracts program data. The program data is displayed to a maintenance person. Based on the program data, the maintenance person upgrades or otherwise modifies the application. Upgrades include corrections to reflect system upgrades and changing the behavior of the application. The application is modified without time-consuming and expensive program builds.
US07870536B2
Computer implemented method, system and computer usable program code for sharing resources among a plurality of containers in a data processing system. A computer implemented method includes creating a shared container for at least one resource to be shared. Then the at least one resource to be shared is moved from an original container of the at least one resource to the shared container, and a link is created between the original container and the at least one resource to be shared in the shared resource container. A link can also be created between a subject resource container and a shared resource in the shared resource container to enable the subject resource container to access and use the shared resource. A shared resource can also be removed from the shared resource container and returned to an original resource container when sharing of the resource is no longer desired.
US07870528B2
A net of an integrated circuit design is analyzed by unfolding paths on the receive side of an asynchronous boundary to facilitate modeling of the propagation of a metastable value from a receive latch to sinks of the net. The paths are unfolded by replicating combinational logic and wiring along the coincident portions to form non-intersecting, separate paths from the receive latch to two or more sinks. Common data or control inputs are provided for the gates in the replicated combinational logic. Driver logic may additionally be inserted along each replicated path, upstream of the combinational logic, to independently drive each of the sinks.
US07870526B2
Logical design of a circuit or a printed board including a number of components is carried out with improved flexibility in determination of the positions and the number of logical terminals of a symbol in order to easily create a logical circuit diagram high invisibility due to absence of deficiency such as interconnections crossing. The design aid apparatus includes a terminal information retaining section for retaining terminal information pieces; a tentative symbol determining section for determining a tentative symbol, for each component, having tentative logical terminals; a tentative symbol arranging section for arranging the determined tentative symbol; and a symbol determining section for determining the tentative symbol to be the symbol representing each component by, for the component, allocating each retained terminal information piece to one of the tentative logical terminals of the arranged tentative symbol.
US07870525B2
A method, system and program product are disclosed for improving an IC design that prioritize failure coefficients of slacks that lead to correction according to their probability of failure. With an identified set of independent parameters, a sensitivity analysis is performed on each parameter by noting the difference in timing, typically on endpoint slacks, when the parameter is varied. This step is repeated for every independent parameter. A failure coefficient is then calculated from the reference slack and the sensitivity of slack for each of the timing endpoints and a determination is made as to whether at least one timing endpoint fails a threshold test. Failing timing endpoints are then prioritized for modification according to their failure coefficients. The total number of runs required is one run that is used as a reference run, plus one additional run for each parameter.
US07870518B2
A method and system for resolving circuit and network parameters. A circuit evaluation system includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of resolution devices. Each node is connected to a resolution device via a bi-directional connection, and at least one node is configured to receive data from an input. Each enabling element is associated with a resolution device. Enabling elements that are associated with resolution devices that are connected to nodes that are configured to receive input data are activated, thereby enabling certain resolution devices. The enabled resolution devices are executed using data in the nodes that are connected to the enabled resolution devices. Iterations of executing resolution devices are performed until stable node values are determined.
US07870516B2
A method of converting a Boolean logic circuit into an asynchronous multi-rail circuit is provided. A Boolean logic circuit is converted into a first multi-rail circuit using at least Shannon's expansion. The first multi-rail circuit is technology mapped into a second multi-rail circuit. Completion detection circuitry is added which receives the primary outputs of the second multi-rail circuit.
US07870509B2
The visibility of a treemap is improved by offsetting the area of a parent node relative to a bounding box containing all of its child nodes while constructing the treemap, so that a part of the bounding box lies outside the area of the parent node, and the area of each child node in the bounding box is located entirely or partially within the area of the parent node. The present invention highlights the parent-child relationships in the treemap with a cascading effect to make the structural information therein more apparent and easier to recognize.
US07870505B2
A graphical user interface for use in phacoemulsification surgical systems that allows a user to select different pulse modes by touching portions of the display screen. The user interface includes first and second display elements. One display element includes a representation of the on-time of the pulses, and the other display element includes a representation of the off-time. The representations show how the on-time and off-time change relative to a position of a controller, such as a foot pedal. The representation show a constant time, or that a time increases or decreases as the foot pedal is pressed. To select a pulse mode, a user can scroll through different pulse representations by touching the screen at the display elements. The selected pulse mode can be continuous, pulse, burst, or a combination or derivation thereof.
US07870504B1
A high level interface between a remote computer and local computer operator permits the remote computer to be controlled via a sequence of interactions. The remote computer may be monitored for display information which is expected, and also controlled in the event the expected information either is or is not obtained. Command language extensions are provided which extend and complement a basic scripting language. Scripts with embedded command language extensions may be executed through a remote interface, permitting remote testing, operation and evaluation. The development of the scripts, including embedded command language extensions, may be prepared through execution of commands at the local computer on a depiction of the GUI received from the remote computer, and subsequently saved as a script.
US07870502B2
An illustrative implementation is described for copying an identified portion of source content along with style information associated with the portion. The implementation allows the identified portion to be pasted into target content. By virtue of the extraction and retention of style information, the identified portion that is pasted into the target content visually resembles the identified portion as it appears in the source content. The implementation can identify relevant style information to be preserved based on a contextual analysis of style information applied to the source content. In one illustrative case, some of the style information may be revealed by parts of the content that are not directly demarcated by the identified portion.
US07870499B2
A method, of composing a software application having a user interface, includes receiving input relating to a plurality of tasks and defining a task model of a process, the plurality of tasks including at least one user task to be performed by a user of the application; automatically identifying a plurality of user interface templates by identifying at least one user interface template associated with at least a subset of the plurality of tasks; and creating a user interface model for an application using the plurality of user interface templates.
US07870496B1
Various embodiments relate to a local computing device that includes a display and a touchscreen interface. The device is operable to establish a remote network computing session with a host computer system, transmit touch event information associated with touch events, receive graphical display information corresponding to a host image associated with the host computer system, translate the graphical display information from host coordinates to local coordinates, update the local image based on the graphical display information, the local image comprising a selected portion of the host image, and, in response to mouse movement events caused by associated touch events, change the selected portion of the host image while keeping a cursor in the center of the display, except when the center of the selected portion is within a predetermined limit of an edge of the host image, thereafter move the cursor relative to the local display.
US07870484B2
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to a page flow framework. In aspects, a page flow engine includes logic to navigate between pages. To make its determination of what page is next, the page flow engine uses an indication of the current page and may also use properties associated with the pages. These properties may be filled in as a user enters values on the pages, for example. The page flow engine does not need any additional information to determine the next page besides the current page and the properties. The page flow engine may also store the pages visited in a travel log. This may be used to return previous pages. The page flow engine allows the page flow logic to be removed from the pages and placed in a centralized component. This simplifies creation and maintenance of page flow.
US07870481B1
Methods and systems for providing display of information over a network or communications medium or at a kiosk or other display site by accessing an original presentation comprising two or more items and using an automatic summary module to automatically create a layout and a view comprising an arrangement items by analyzing a total number and relative number of each type or amount of media items.
US07870479B2
A system, method and apparatus are disclosed for generating a composite message representative of an application experience to be sent to a remote recipient by receiving a user input selecting multimedia information provided by an application, generating a message form from within the application to receive message information, combining the selected multimedia information and the message information into a composite message, and sending the composite message to the intended recipient. A composite message is created by any or all of the following: capturing a current image, linking an associated audio file to the message, removing extraneous user interfaces from the image, scaling the image to a more appropriate display size, adding corporate logo or other identifying information to the message, and receiving text to be transmitted to the remote recipient. The electronic mail address of the sender is automatically retrieved and placed in the message form, the recipient's name and address are received, and the address information, message text, and multimedia information are displayed to the sender to allow the sender to decide whether or not to send the composite message. A predetermined third party can be notified of the identity of the recipient of the composite message to use the information to market the application to the recipient if the recipient is not currently an owner of the application.
US07870461B2
An apparatus and method to generate a dual transport stream. The apparatus includes an eraser encoder to receive a turbo stream and to eraser-encode the turbo stream, a duplicator to provide a parity insertion region for the eraser-encoded turbo stream, and a multiplexer to receive a normal stream and to multiplex the turbo stream processed by the duplicator and the normal stream to generate the dual transport stream. The duplicator provides the parity insertion region using a ½-rate conversion method or ¼-rate conversion method. Only the turbo stream is detected prior to the transmission of the dual transport stream, and the parity is inserted into the parity insertion region, so that the turbo stream can be robustly processed.
US07870457B2
A method of storing memory device data overhead information in data cells in a row of cells, the row being one of a plurality of rows comprising a unit of data, is disclosed. The method includes storing user data attribute information in an overhead portion of a data sector in the row adjacent to a portion of the data sector storing user data. Data attributes for user data in data sectors in other rows is stored in the overhead portion of the data sector, said row having greater user data integrity than others of said rows.
US07870450B2
A process and apparatus provide a JTAG TAP controller (302) to access a JTAG TAP domain (106) of a device using a reduced pin count, high speed DDR interface (202). The access is accomplished by combining the separate TDI and TMS signals from the TAP controller into a single signal and communicating the TDI and TMS signals of the single signal on the rising and falling edges of the TCK driving the DDR interface. The TAP domain may be coupled to the TAP controller in a point to point fashion or in an addressable bus fashion. The access to the TAP domain may be used for JTAG based device testing, debugging, programming, or other type of JTAG based operation.
US07870444B2
A system and method for measuring and correcting data lane skews uses a predefined datum within data streams transmitted on different data lanes to determine the fastest data lane and to compute relative data lane skew values for the data lanes with respect to the fastest data lane. The relative data lane skew values are then used to compensate for the data lane skews.
US07870431B2
A user specifies a threshold trace period and can initiate transaction tracing on one, some or all of the transactions running on a software system. Transactions with an execution time that exceeds the threshold trace period are reported to the user using a graphical user interface that lists transactions exceeding the specified threshold. For each listed transaction, a visualization can be provided that enables the user to immediately understand where time was being spent in the traced transaction.
US07870430B2
A method includes providing an integrated circuit having a plurality of debug resources. The debug resources are usable exclusively for debug operations. The debug operations include operations directed by debug software executed by the integrated circuit and operations directed by external debug hardware which is external to the integrated circuit. The method further includes enabling availability of a first portion of the debug resources for use by the debug software, where a second portion of the debug resources are committed for exclusive use by the external debug hardware. The first portion is exclusive of the second portion. The method includes performing operations directed by the debug software using at least one debug resource of the first portion of the debug resources and operations directed by the external debug hardware using at least one debug resource of the second portion of the debug resources.
US07870429B2
For a control apparatus to be boundary scan testable even when running, including processor cores in an operator to be capable of self-repairing a troubling part, an operator (2) has processor cores (2a, 2b) connected to a boundary scan bus (12), and adapted to mutually diagnose opponent processor cores for troubles, by boundary scan testing each other in a time-dividing manner.
US07870421B2
A system includes a group of devices and a shared memory that is partitioned into blocks that are capable of being allocated to the group of devices using linked lists. The system also includes check logic configured to store a group of bits, where each bit corresponds to one of the blocks, and counter logic configured to count for a predetermined period of time. The system further includes logic configured to clear the group of bits stored in the check logic, cause the counter logic to count for the predetermined period of time, monitor a de-allocation of the blocks in the shared memory, set, for each of the blocks that is de-allocated during the predetermined period of time, the corresponding bit in the check logic, identify, after the predetermined period of time, one or more bits that have not been set, and mark the blocks corresponding to the one or more bits as available for allocation.
US07870418B2
Endpoint crashes in a real time communication system are detected by a home server providing presence and other services to the endpoint upon receipt of an error message from an access server between the endpoint and the home server. The home server uses a cookie inserted into a dialog between itself and the endpoint identifying the endpoint, a session state created by the access server identifying the endpoint, or a transaction state maintained by the home server to look up the endpoint associated with the error message. Race conditions occurring when an endpoint crashes and recovers rapidly can be avoided employing a timestamp or sequence number incremented for each new endpoint registration and comparing a current timestamp or sequence number to the stored one before updating records at the home server. By notifying other subscribers about crashed endpoints, routing fidelity is enhanced.
US07870417B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for adapter card failover. A switch module connects a first processor complex to an adapter card through a first port as an owner processor complex. The owner processor complex manages the adapter card except for a second port and receives error messages from the adapter card. The switch module further connects a second processor complex to the adapter card through the second port as a non-owner processor complex. The non-owner processor complex manages the second port. A detection module detects a failure of the first processor complex. A setup module modifies the switch module to logically connect the second processor complex to the adapter card as the owner processor complex and to logically disconnect the first processor complex from the adapter card in response to detecting the failure.
US07870412B2
Methods, systems, and machine-readable media are disclosed for passing executable instructions via synchronized data objects. According to one embodiment, passing executable instructions from a first device to a second device during a synchronization operation between the first device and the second device can comprise synchronizing one or more data objects between the first device and the second device. At least one of the one or more data objects can include one or more executable instructions from the first device. The one or more executable instructions can be read from the data objects on the second device. Each of the one or more executable instructions may then be executed on the second device.
US07870399B2
A software system that transforms an original application into an STPM enabled application and runs the enabled application. At protect time, an anti-tamper tool accepts the original application, uses anti-tamper techniques to create a guarded application, creates a security wrapper according to a policy file, and wraps the guarded application to create the STPM enabled application. A trusted service provider is inserted at the entry point of the enabled application. A set of core services is made accessible to the enabled application through the trusted service provider. At runtime the trusted service provider creates a TSP thread and passes a security file to an STPM device driver implementing TPM functionality and protected by anti-tamper techniques. The TSP thread actively monitors the enabled application and interacts with the STPM device driver through the set of core services.
US07870395B2
In an array of groups of cryptographic processors, the processors in each group operate together but are securely connected through an external shared memory. The processors in each group include cryptographic engines capable of operating in a pipelined fashion. Instructions in the form of request blocks are supplied to the array in a balanced fashion to assure that the processors are occupied processing instructions.
US07870394B2
A method, system and computer program product for scanning firmware of a processing system for malware. The method (400) comprises obtaining a copy of firmware stored in the processing system (410); and analysing the copy of the firmware to determine if the firmware has been modified or infected by malware (420).
US07870393B2
An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding additional information into a stream of digitized samples in an integral manner. The information is encoded using special keys. The information is contained in the samples, not prepended or appended to the sample stream. The method makes it extremely difficult to find the information in the samples if the proper keys are not possessed by the decoder. The method does not cause a significant degradation to the sample stream. The method is used to establish ownership of copyrighted digital multimedia content and provide a disincentive to piracy of such material.
US07870381B2
Systems, methods, and media for a schema-based portal for assessment and integration of silicon IPs are disclosed. Embodiments may generally include an IP portal system having a portal interface to receive inputs from users and to provide output to users and a database interface to transmit and receive information to and from a silicon IP database and an IP file system. Embodiments of the system may also include a secure access layer (HTTP tunnel, firewall, or proprietary secure access protocol) to securely communicate information and an internal interface protocol and an external interface protocol and the secure access layer. The internal interface protocol may authorize and encrypt communications to an internal user or design system and the external interface protocol may authorize and encrypt communications to an external user or design system. The portal interface may be a Web-based interface and schema-based in some embodiments.
US07870376B2
The computer system initially operates in a fully operational mode in which an operating system in the computer system is operating and the computer system executes one or more user applications installed in the computer system. In response to a predefined time interval lapsing, the computer system automatically switches from the fully operational mode to a limited operational mode in which the one or more user applications are terminated, the operating system is shut down, and a BIOS within the computer system solicits entry of a password by a user. If the user fails to enter a valid password, operation of the operating system and execution of the one or more user applications are prevented. If a user attempts to activate the computer system for which the time interval has already lapsed, a BIOS within the computer system boots up, determines that the computer system is currently set for a limited operational mode, prevents boot up of an operating system of the computer system, and solicits a password from a user. If the user fails to enter a valid password, the BIOS continues to prevent boot up of the operating system. If the user enters a valid password, the operating system boots up and executes one or more user applications within the computer system.
US07870374B2
A mechanism is provided for validating a connection of powered elements within a data processing system. A request for data is issued to a set of powered elements using a set of communication channels. The set of communication channels comprises one or more alternating current power lines. The request is sent as a set of instructions injected onto the communication channels to the set of powered elements. Data received from the set of powered elements using the set of communication channels includes physical connection information for the set of powered elements. A determination is made as to whether each powered element in the set of powered elements is connected in a predetermined configuration. A notification is presented to a user identifying each powered element in the set of powered elements that is not connected in the predetermined configuration.
US07870367B1
Methods and apparatus are provided for implementing complex parallel instructions on a processor having a supported instruction set. Complex parallel instructions provide that an operation code, control logic, and input data is passed to a processor core. The operation code identifies the instruction used to process the input data and the control logic identifies the state of the instruction. An intervening instruction can be executed by a processor core even before execution of a complex parallel instruction is complete.
US07870366B2
The present disclosure provides an architecture that enables massive parallel processing on an IC while alleviating control congestion, memory access congestion and wiring congestion, together with high flexibility where the processing units are soft-arranged to perform different tasks. In an embodiment, the present architecture includes a functional block with a GO component to start the functional block, and a DONE component to identifying the completion status. The GO and DONE components can be linked together, preferably by a linkage component, to chain the functional blocks. The linkage is preferably soft configurable. In another embodiment, the present architecture includes an integrated circuit comprises a plurality of functional blocks chained together for serial processing, parallel processing, or any combination thereof.
US07870359B2
A method for managing computer memory, in accordance with the present invention, includes maintaining multiple sets of free blocks of memory wherein a free block is added to a set based on its size. In response to a request for a block of a request size, a set of blocks is searched for a free block which is at least as large as the request size but smaller than the request size plus a threshold. If such a block is found, the block is allocated in its entirety.
US07870357B2
A method of operating a memory component that includes a memory core includes receiving, from external control lines, a write command that specifies a write operation. The write command is stored for a first time period after receiving the write command. After the first time period, the write operation is initiated in response to the write command. During the write operation, unmasked portions of received data are written to the memory core, where the unmasked portions of the data are bits of the data that are identified by received mask information as not being masked.
US07870353B2
Provided are a method, system, and program for copying storage units and related metadata to storage. A user data storage location includes user data and a metadata storage location includes metadata data for the user data. A first type of copy operation is performed to copy at least one specified storage unit having user data to at least one copy of the at least one specified storage unit. A second type of copy operation is performed to copy metadata for the at least one specified storage unit being copied to a copy of the metadata for the copied at least one file set.
US07870351B2
Systems and methods for controlling memory access operation are disclosed. The system may include one or more requestors performing requests to memory devices. Within a memory controller, a request queue receives requests from a requestor, a bank decoder determines a destination bank, and the request is placed in an appropriate bank queue. An ordering unit determines if the current request can be reordered relative to the received order and generates a new memory cycle order based on the reordering determination. The reordering may be based on whether there are multiple requests to the same memory page, multiple reads, or multiple writes. A memory interface executes each memory request in the memory cycle order. A data buffer holds write data until it is written to the memory and read data until it is returned to the requestor. The data buffer also may hold memory words used in read-modify-write operations.
US07870341B2
Methods and apparatus allowing a choice of Least Frequently Used (LFU) or Most Frequently Used (MFU) cache line replacement are disclosed. The methods and apparatus determine new state information for at least two given cache lines of a number of cache lines in a cache, the new state information based at least in part on prior state information for the at least two given cache lines. Additionally, when an access miss occurs in one of the at least two given lines, the methods and apparatus (1) select either LFU or MFU replacement criteria, and (2) replace one of the at least two given cache lines based on the new state information and the selected replacement criteria. Additionally, a cache for replacing MFU cache lines is disclosed. The cache additionally comprises MFU circuitry (1) adapted to produce new state information for the at least two given cache lines in response to an access to one of the at least two given cache lines, and (2) when a cache miss occurs in one of the at least two given cache lines, adapted to determine, based on the new state information, which of the at least two given cache lines is the most frequently used cache line.
US07870339B2
A facility and cache machine instruction of a computer architecture for specifying a target cache cache-level and a target cache attribute of interest for obtaining a cache attribute of one or more target caches. The requested cache attribute of the target cache(s) is saved in a register.
US07870325B2
The cache memory system 1 comprises: a virtual index obtaining unit 13 operable to obtain, based on a virtual address, virtual indexes of an access-target cache line and a cache line potentially having a cache-aliasing relationship with the access-target cache line; a physical tag obtaining unit 15 operable to obtain a physical tag of a physical page by performing address translation on the virtual address; and a comparing unit 16 operable to compare a physical tag TAG obtained by the physical tag obtaining unit 15 with each tag information piece TAG(i) belonging to cache lines corresponding to the virtual indexes and output from the tag array 11a based on the virtual indexes obtained by the virtual index obtaining unit 13, and determines a cache hit/miss.
US07870314B2
A method and system for implementing store buffer allocation for variable length store data operations are provided. The method includes receiving a store address request and at least one store data request and stepping through data operations for each of the store data requests and an address range for the store data requests to determine alignment and data steering information used to select a storage buffer destination for the data in the store data requests. The method further includes determining availability of the storage buffer by maintaining a reservation list for each storage buffer, maintaining a count of the number of available entries for each storage buffer, updating the reservation list to reflect a reservation acceptance for designated available entries, and clearing entries upon completion of the processing of store data operations. The method also includes reserving the selected storage buffer when the number of available entries meets or exceeds the number of entries required for the data.
US07870307B2
An emulator schedules emulation threads for DMA emulation and other emulation functions in a time-multiplexed manner. Emulation threads are selected for execution according to a load balancing scheme. Non-DMA emulation threads are executed until their execution time period expires or they stall. DMA emulation thread execution is allowed to execute indefinitely until the DMA emulation thread stalls. The DMA emulation thread prefetches additional adjacent data in response to target computer system DMA requests. Upon receiving a target computer system DMA request, the DMA emulation thread first checks to the prefetched data to see if this data matches the request. If so, the request is fulfilled using the prefetched data. If the prefetched data does not match the target computer system DMA request, the DMA emulation thread fetches and stores the requested data and additional adjacent data for potential future use.
US07870303B2
A system and method manages configuration data within a hardware component of a device to support hardware component changes during development or manufacture of the device. A Standardized Virtual Part (SVP) file is formed as a binary file and includes a SVP header that comprises metadata of one of at least schema version, revision numbers, part numbers, creator and description. The SVP file also includes hardware configuration data and a SVP trailer that includes error checking data for data authentication. The SVP file is loaded onto the device during development or manufacture for configuring the hardware component.
US07870299B1
The Advanced Logic System (ALS) is a complete control system architecture, based on a hardware platform rather than a software-based microprocessor system. It is significantly different from other PLC-type control system architectures, by implementing a FPGA in the central control unit. Standard FPGA logic circuits are used rather than a software-based microprocessor which eliminate problems with software based microprocessor systems, such as software common-mode failures. It provides a highly reliable system suitable for safety critical control systems, including nuclear plant protection systems. The system samples process inputs, provides for digital bus communications, applies a control logic function, and provides for controlled outputs. The architecture incorporates advanced features such as diagnostics, testability, and redundancy on multiple levels. It additionally provides significant improvements in failure detection, isolation, and mitigation for the highest level of integrity and reliability.
US07870288B2
A system and method for sharing data between two users on different blades in scalable software blade architecture are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of blades, where each blade includes software components and hardware components, each blade serves a predefined group of users, and each user is associated with one or more user devices. The system further includes a first blade and a second blade, where the first blade connects a first user to a first connected dataset and the second blade connects a second user to a second connected dataset, and the first blade and the second blade operate independent of each other, a blade manager for managing the first and second blades, a pipe device for connecting the first and second blades, and logic for sharing portions of the first connected dataset of the first user with the second user using the pipe device.
US07870284B2
Method and system for imaging and analyzing a biological specimen on a specimen carrier, such as a slide. One or more imagers acquire images of a biological specimen on a slide and generate electronic image data. One or more analysis computers, such as a cluster of analysis computers, are connected to the imagers through a network and process the electronic image data. The number of analysis computers can be different than the number of imagers, and analysis computers can be located remotely from the imagers. The results of processing by the analysis computers are stored to a database, which is accessible by one or more review stations.
US07870270B1
Providing capabilities management and user administration may include assigning a first profile including at least one role to a first user, the first profile having a first privilege comprising a first function and having a corresponding first target role set comprising at least one role. In addition, providing capabilities management and user administration may include assigning a second profile comprising at least one role to a second user. Furthermore, providing capabilities management and user administration may include providing the first user the ability to perform the first privilege on the second user if each role in the second profile has a corresponding matching role in the first target role set.
US07870269B2
A method and system for activating a context in a first network so as to transfer a call via said first network and a second network is provided. The method may include receiving a setup message according to an application protocol using a signaling or default context within a network, determining capability information based on the message according to the application protocol and activating a context using the determined capability information. The application protocol may be setup before activating the context.
US07870268B2
Provided are a method, system, and program for managing data transmission from a source to a destination through a network. The destination imposes a window value on the source which limits the quantity of data packets which can be sent from the source to the destination without receiving an acknowledgment of being received by the destination. In one embodiment, the source imposes a second window value, smaller than the destination window value, which limits even further the quantity of data packets which can be sent from the source to the destination without receiving an acknowledgment of being received by the destination. In another embodiment, a plurality of direct memory access connections are established between the source and a plurality of specified memory locations of a plurality of destinations. The source imposes a plurality of message limits, each message limit imposing a separate limit for each direct memory access connection on the quantity of messages sent from the source to the specified memory location of the direct memory access connection associated with the message limit and lacking a message acknowledgment of being received by the destination of the direct memory access connection associated with the message limit.
US07870263B2
A system processes communication path requests in an autonomous system. The system includes a proxy server that receives a request message from an external system requesting establishment of a communication path through the autonomous system. The request message includes a desired communication path profile including a desired level of redundancy. The system also includes a management server in the autonomous system that receives the request message from the proxy server, generates a response message indicating whether a communication path corresponding to the desired communication path profile is available, and sends the response message to the proxy server. The proxy server receives the response message and transmits the response message to the external system.
US07870260B2
A system for, and method of, generating a plurality of proxy identities to a given originator identity as a means of providing controlled access to the originator identity in electronic communications media such as e-mail and instant messaging.
US07870259B2
In a method for the transmission of data packets (D) from a transmitter (TR) to a receiver (RE) identification of transmitted data packets are stored. Defective data packets (D) are detected by the receiver (RE), status messages (S) which request defective data packets for retransmission are sent from the receiver (RE) to the transmitter (TR) and retransmissions of requested data packets are performed according to the status messages (S). The transmitter (TR) evaluates a first status message (S11) with an identification of at least one first requested data packet and retransmits the first data packet. The transmitter (TR) then initializes a timing unit according to the retransmission of the first data packet, wherein the timing unit or a threshold for the timing unit is attributable to the first data packet. When the transmitter evaluates a further status message (S12) and detects at least one further data packet that is requested for a retransmission, it selects the further data packet if the timing unit has reached the threshold or if the identification of the further data packet is different from the identification of the first data packets. Only the selected data packets are retransmitted. A transmitter and software programs embodying the invention are also described.
US07870256B2
A request for a remote desktop session is received. A remote desktop session performance model is generated based on the applications to be used in the remote desktop session, and resources are assigned to the remote desktop session using the remote desktop session performance model.
US07870252B2
A system, method and computer program product for monitoring availability of end user devices needed for performing tasks. The system comprises a first network including one or more devices associated with an end user, at least one device adapted for communicating with a service provider over a second network, the service provider providing network-based services in the system. The system includes a memory storage device for maintaining information of tasks associated with an end user, the information including recommended end-user devices adapted to perform the tasks, the information being accessible to at least one end-user device. At least one end-user device detects non-availability or performance deficiencies of any end-user device required in performing end-user tasks, and communicates with the service provider for invoking network-based services to facilitate correcting non-availability of any end-user device. Such a system, method and computer program product enables students to receive these reminders and alerts, to order the necessary upgrades from suppliers via web services, and to monitor delivery from a single user interface provided on one of their devices.
US07870250B2
The disclosed system relates to the field of network computing, and in particular to method and system for designing a Web Portal including a hierarchical structure of portal pages and portlets for accessing Web contents accessible via the Portal. The disclosed system operates to improve Web application user navigation. During navigation by a user in the topology of the Web portal, the disclosed system automatically senses information about the navigational behaviour of the user for each page visited during said navigation. The disclosed system derives page hits and page target hits from the sensed information, wherein page hits are defined when pages are clicked on for reaching another page, and page target hits are defined when a user clicks on pages in order to perform a page-specific task or to receive some page-specific information. The disclosed system uses at least one predefined metric based on the sensed information for generating a utility ranking for the Web pages visited during the user navigation, and defines a user-specific navigation topology based on a prioritization of the ranked Web pages, wherein higher ranked Web pages are arranged in relatively higher topology levels. The disclosed system displays the user-specific topology to the user after a subsequent user log-in to the Web portal.
US07870231B2
A wireless data network delivers packets from a network router to a mobile station so that each application running on the mobile station receives an adequate quality of service (QoS). The mobile station sends configuration messages to the network router containing prioritized filters associated with each application. The router filters incoming IP packets into IP flows having the appropriate QoS for the corresponding application. The configuration messages consume valuable air interface resources. Network resources are conserved by assigning precedence values to filters in such a way that fewer configuration messages are needed to reorder the filters when new filters are added. Precedence values for existing filters are spread out in one portion of the precedence space. When the precedence values in that portion are insufficient to accommodate new filters with the correct priority, both new and existing filters are reassigned precedence values in an unassigned portion of the precedence space.
US07870220B1
A system identifies at least one VSAN, and analyzes a configuration of the VSAN by applying a policy to the configuration of the VSAN. The system then outputs a result of the policy applied to the VSAN.
US07870218B2
The present invention is directed to improving utilization in a peer-to-peer network. Each node in a peer-to-peer network is assigned a number of preferably fixed-size storage slots proportional to the node storage, a first portion of which is allocated to storage zones and a second portion of which is allocated as a free slot reserve. In accordance with an embodiment of an aspect of the invention, this split of a storage zone is delayed until the storage zone becomes full, referred to herein as “lazy splitting”. In accordance with an embodiment of another aspect of the invention, it is advantageous to allocate more storage slots at a node than its actual physical capacity referred to herein as “oversubscription”. In accordance with an embodiment of another aspect of the invention, each physical node is allocated at least one storage zone, even as a new node is added to the system.
US07870204B2
An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. Embodiments of the system may include various features, including but not limited to: (1) secure transfer of e-mail messages, without the need for users to replace existing e-mail clients or to change e-mail addresses; (2) tracking of all actions performed in connection with an e-mail transmission; (3) the ability for a recipient to view information about an e-mail message, optionally including information about how other addressees have responded to it, before deciding whether to retrieve the e-mail message; (4) the aggregation of entire e-mail conversations into a single threaded view; (5) the ability to include both private and public messages in a single e-mail communication; (6) sender control over downstream actions performed in connection with an e-mail message; (7) flexible control over cryptographic methods used to encrypt emails messages for storage.
US07870200B2
An approach for monitoring electronic messages received at a server is disclosed. Message information for a plurality of electronic messages received at the server is determined and stored in a queue. Based on the queue, aggregate information is generated for a particular network address of a plurality of network addresses. The aggregate information is generated for each time interval of a plurality of time intervals and displayed for the plurality of time intervals. In some implementations, input from a user is received, and based on the input, a modification is made regarding how future electronic messages from the particular network address are handled by the server. In some implementations, combined aggregate information is generated for two or more network addresses and then displayed. In some implementations, aggregate policy information indicating which policies have been applied to the electronic messages is generated and displayed for the time intervals.
US07870188B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for managing information technology resources. Management capabilities available for a particular IT resource are defined via at least one management interface. The management interface includes port types that specify attributes and operations available in a Web service to manage the IT resource. The port types are mapped to descriptors in a ModelMBeanInfo interface than can be used with an MBean that corresponds to the Web service.
US07870184B2
A business process software program is executed in a processing element comprising a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operative to identify within the software program one or more communications services inserted as generic design elements therein, and for each of the identified communications services, to initiate the execution of one or more corresponding communications tasks. At least one of the communications services may comprise a composite communications service which itself comprises a plurality of communications services.
US07870177B2
The embodiments of the present invention provide a scalable method for implementing FFT/IFFT computations in multiprocessor architectures that provides improved throughput by eliminating the need for inter-processor communication after the computation of the first “log2P” stages for an implementation using “P” processing elements, comprising computing each butterfly of the first “log2P” stages on either a single processor or each of the “P” processors simultaneously and distributing the computation of the butterflies in all the subsequent stages among the “P” processors such that each chain of cascaded butterflies consisting of those butterflies that have inputs and outputs connected together, are processed by the same processor. The embodiments of the invention also provide a system for obtaining scalable implementation of FFT/IFFT computations in multiprocessor architectures that provides improved throughput by eliminating the need for inter-processor communication after the computation of the first “log2P” stages for an implementation using “P” processing elements.
US07870173B2
Systems, methods and media for storing information in a common information store of a global file storage system are disclosed. Embodiments may include a common information store including a communications module to send and receive information to and from one or more servers in the global file storage system and a pattern database to store a plurality of subfiles for the global file storage system, where each subfile may include an indication of a recognizable pattern. The common information store may also include a common information store manager to analyze newly stored files and to reconstruct stored files of the global file storage system. In a further embodiment, the common information store manager may further comprise a pattern analyzer sub-module to analyze a file for recognizable patterns and to compare the recognizable patterns to the subfiles stored in the pattern database.
US07870169B2
A method (which can be computer implemented) for addressing errors during migration of software applications includes the step of obtaining access to a data repository, which includes a listing of migration decisions and a listing of dependencies associated with the migration decisions. The method further includes the steps of obtaining an indication of a migration error, tracing the migration error to at least a first one of the migration decisions in the data repository, and employing the listing of dependencies to identify at least a second one of the migration decisions, depending on the at least first one of the migration decisions identified in the tracing step, which is impacted by the migration error. Techniques for populating the data repository are also provided.
US07870159B2
A computer program product and associated algorithm for sorting S sequences of binary bits. The S sequences may be integers, floating point numbers, or character strings. The algorithm is executed by a processor of a computer system. Each sequence includes contiguous fields of bits. The algorithm executes program code at nodes of a linked execution structure in a sequential order with respect to the nodes. The algorithm executes a masking of the contiguous fields of the S sequences in accordance with a mask whose content is keyed to the field being masked. The sequential order of execution of the nodes is a function of an ordering of masking results of the masking. Each sequence, or a pointer to each sequence, is outputted to an array in the memory device whenever the masking places the sequence in a leaf node of the nodal linked execution structure.
US07870158B2
A remote access medical image exchange system utilizes a decentralized, i.e., self-organizing, distribution system combined with bid queues to establish a market place which allows for continuously negotiated prices with control (over who reads the images, when they are read and what the fee will be for such a reading) being placed in the hands of the patient/gatekeeper and the diagnostic physician.
US07870154B2
An integrated NAS/CAS system is disclosed. The system includes a view management program that is able to provide a NAS view and a CAS view of files to NAS and CAS clients. The system applied NAS or CAS features to stored files according to the view status of the file. Migration of files from NAS to CAS for archiving may be done without transmitting the file, thereby reducing bandwidth requirements and increasing security. CAS features, such as retention policy and metadata can be added to the file when its view is changed from NAS to CAS.
US07870152B2
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture that may be used to attach annotations to a particular view of data described by the annotation are provided. The annotation may be attached in a manner that allows the annotation to be viewed when subsequent views having at least some visible cells in common with the annotated view are displayed. An annotation created for a view of data may be stored with links to each cell visible in the view. When a predetermined set of cells visible in the annotated view are subsequently displayed in another view, the annotation may be retrieved via the cell links and an indication of the annotation may be provided.
US07870148B2
Techniques for producing a cross tabulation are described. The techniques involve issuing a plurality of queries to a database. The queries are for each of at least one sublevel of data for each of at least one dimension of data associated with records in the database. The queries provide sublists of sorted identifiers for each one of the queries. The technique determines occurrences of intersections of levels of one dimension with levels of another dimension of the data associated with records in the database by traversing the sublists to detect intersections of the dimensions.
US07870145B2
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are provided for enhancing abstract queries by utilizing logical fields with conditional constraints. Building abstract queries with logical fields configured with conditional constraints allows for optimized physical queries to be generated from corresponding abstract queries.
US07870137B2
An information processing apparatus for grouping plural contents into clusters, the apparatus includes: an acquisition portion configured to acquire metadata of each of the plurality of contents; and a clustering portion configured to group the plural contents into the clusters based on the metadata, such that each of the clusters has N or less contents, N being a predetermined number. The clustering portion calculates a distance d(n) according to a predetermined distance scale between an nth content and an (n+1)th content with respect to first N+1 contents in a content sequence, and determines a greatest distance d(k), groups first k contents in the content sequence into one cluster, and with a (k+1)th content in the content sequence as a new top content in the content sequence, repeats the determining of the greatest distance d(k) and the grouping of the first k contents in the content sequence into one cluster.
US07870134B2
A continuous, emergent, anytime process clusters input documents according to a similarity function within a node-based, distributed computing environment, for example, within a client/server environment. An agent (DAg) assigned to each document determines whether its document should remain at a node or be moved to another node to increase similarity clustering. An agent (SAg) assigned to each node may be operative to manage storage requirements within its node, and/or manage communications between the nodes of the environment as the DAgs operate. Typically a move request is issued to another node if it is determined that clustering would increase by moving a document to that node. In such an instance, the SAg assigned to that other node would probabilistically consider the move request in view of other such requests in sequence to avoid overloading. To enhance performance, documents may be preprocessed and given values representative of similarity. The similarity between two arbitrary documents may then assessed as the average difference between the values assigned to the same attribute in the two documents.
US07870133B2
A method of storing semantically similar documents on proximally located peers in a structured peer to peer overlay network, where each peer is assigned a unique identifier and each document includes one or more words belonging to at least one hierarchical structured collection of words. A method of searching and retrieving documents, corresponding to a search query, from a structured peer to peer overlay network is also provided.
US07870107B2
Techniques for propagating product information from a central database to one or more remote systems using disparate formats and protocols. In an embodiment, the central database is polled at predetermined intervals to determine whether a change has been made to information pertaining to a product. If a change is identified, a data management server extracts, formats, and transmits the changed data from the central database to an appropriate remote system. An application adapter communicatively coupled with the remote system receives the changed data from the data management server and formats the changed data according to the remote system platform.
US07870104B2
An archive management that allows random access. An archive managing part reads out files stored in an on-line volume at a timing determined by the respective file type, and stores these files in a specified volume among archive volumes. A retention term is designated for each set of file data, and respective retention terms are also set for the respective volumes. The file data is stored in a volume having a retention term that matches the retention term of the file data. The respective volumes are set in a device that allows random access. The areas in which data is written into the respective volumes are managed as write prohibited areas by pointers such that the respective volumes are used as a WORM device.
US07870102B2
An apparatus and method to store data are disclosed. The method provides a data storage system comprising a fossilized data management apparatus interconnected with one or more data storage devices. The method provides to the fossilized data management apparatus information and meta data associated with that information, wherein the meta data comprises a format field, a context field, a retention field, a data management field, and a storage management field. The fossilized data management apparatus instructs the one or more data storage devices to write the information to the one or more data storage devices based upon the meta data format field.
US07870101B2
An abstraction layer associates a party-focused object, a security-focused object, or both, with an abstraction object. The party-focused or security focused object has one or more properties. The properties are presented in the abstraction object defined by the mapping schema. The abstraction layer converts a set of repository objects to at least one abstraction object.
US07870100B2
Techniques for automatically detecting similar subsets (e.g., fragments) in electronic documents such as dynamic content-based data, e.g., web pages. The techniques of the invention may perform a systematic analysis of the web pages with respect to one or more of their information sharing behavior, their personalization characteristics, and their change pattern over time. Thus, the invention may be applied to discover fragments in web pages of web sites that are most beneficial for caching the contents of the web site. The present invention also comprises techniques for publishing electronic documents with automatic fragment detection.
US07870092B2
A method for updating data in a media storage location includes: storing an identity on a portable electronic device, the identity allowing access to the media storage location; storing a file in a device memory of the portable electronic device, the file being captured by a media capturing component of the portable electronic device; and performing a synchronization operation using a media manager, the media manager being in communication with the device memory and the media storage location; the synchronization operation synchronizing data between the device memory and the media storage location.
US07870088B1
The invention comprises music and information delivery systems and methods. One system comprises a portable communication device configured to receive a piece of music from an audio source and transmit the piece of music via a first communication medium to a host computer. The host computer is configured to receive the piece of music from the portable communication device and search a storage medium to identify and access the piece of music from the storage medium. The host computer is configured to transmit the piece of music via a second communication medium to one or more reception units that are configured to receive the piece of music from the host computer via the second communication medium.
US07870087B2
Systems, methods and articles solve queries or database problems through the use of graphs. An association graph may be formed based on a query graph and a database graph. The association graph may be solved for a clique, providing the results to a query or problem and/or an indication of a level of responsiveness of the results. Thus, unlimited relaxation of constraint may be achieved. Analog processors such as quantum processors may be used to solve for the clique.
US07870084B2
The present invention provides a language, method and system to formulate and evaluate relational Bayesian networks in an c-commerce environment. The present invention employs a specific language for constructing synthetic variables used to predict events in the Bayesian networks. The present system and language allow for efficient and accurate representation, inference, and discovery of the synthetic variables used to model web visitor behavior.
US07870079B2
A method of operating an employment system is provided. The method includes enabling a first user associated with an employee seeker to enter a shell for a position and enabling a second user associated with the employee seeker to enter additional information about the position. The second user is distinctly identifiable by the employment system from the first user. The method also includes associating an employment seeker with the position. Alternatively, the method includes categorizing a first set of one or more employment seekers as public and categorizing a second set of one or more employment seekers as participants in a co-operative. The method also includes enabling all employee seekers to access or view information about members of the first set and enabling all employee seekers that are members of the co-operative to access or view information about members of the second set.
US07870078B2
In one embodiment, this invention analyzes demographic data that is associated with a specific street address when presented as an address change on an existing account or an address included on a new account application when that address is different from the reference address (e.g., a credit bureau type header data). The old or reference address and the new address, the new account application address or fulfillment address demographic attributes are gathered, analyzed, compared for divergence and scaled to reflect the relative fraud risk.
US07870070B2
The present invention provides methods and systems for processing bills for a customer. A request for master data of the customer is received from a first processing module by means of a second processing module having access to the master data of the customer and the master data comprising bill format information. The second processing module sends the requested master data to the first processing module and receives a bill in a format specified in the master data of the customer from the first processing module.
US07870055B2
A method and system for providing simultaneous online auctions includes automatically auctioning a first item and a second item during a common time period via an electronic auction system. Bids for both of the first item and the second item are automatically received at the electronic auction system during the common time period.
US07870044B2
This disclosure details the implementation of methods, systems and computer program products for a cloud computing spot market platform (hereinafter, “Platform”). Fluctuations in demand for computing resources may engender idle processing capacity within the framework of a cloud computing system. Embodiments of the Platform provide infrastructure for redistributing idle capacity to grid-style batch computing processes, such as may be based on the same processing resources as those used by the cloud computing system. In this manner, Platform embodiments may increase the utilization of idle resources and reduce revenue losses associated with demand variability for cloud computing system administrators. In one embodiment, market-oriented floating prices for grid-style batch computing utilizing idle resources may be implemented based on monitored and analyzed levels of computing resource supply and demand.
US07870041B2
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method and storage medium for integrating forecasting and replenishment activities for a networked supply chain including an enterprise and at least one supplier. The method comprises receiving a demand forecast for a first manufacturing cycle from the enterprise, performing a hub inventory assessment, performing a capability assessment, and transmitting a commitment response to the enterprise based upon the demand forecast, the results of the hub inventory assessment, and the results of the capability assessment. The demand forecast is utilized to manage hub inventory for use in a second manufacturing cycle. Other embodiments include a storage medium for implementing the invention.
US07870038B1
A system and method to facilitate the management of an electronic supplier catalog within an entity, wherein authorized entity employees purchase products and services relating to the operation of the entity. The system provides a product approval utility for receiving electronic catalog feeds, processing the feeds, identifying feed suppliers, identifying catalog items and comparing the items to an existing database of matching items. Matching items are compared for price, description, payment terms and the like in order to identify variances which are later provided to a commodity manager for review. The commodity manager interacts with the system to approve or reject catalog items based on identified variances.
US07870037B2
A method for graphically presenting auction information. Characteristics of an auction for an item are received, wherein the characteristics comprise a target price for the item and a close time of the auction. The auction is then published to at least one bidder. At least one bid is received at a bid time, wherein the bid comprises a price for the item. A graphical presentation of status of the auction is generated, presenting auction information. The graphical presentation comprises a first axis and a second axis, wherein the bid is plotted as a point within the graphical presentation where the first axis corresponds to the bid time and the second axis corresponds to the price. New bids received are automatically plotted in real-time.
US07870035B1
A method for providing on-line event photographs includes the steps of capturing multiple photographs during an event, and associating identifying data with each photograph taken. A database is accessed to search for the photograph utilizing the identifying data. A photograph is selected for ordering at a reduced price or for free. A field is created in the digital photograph, such as in a corner or a margin thereof, and visual advertisement indicia are associated with the field. An electronic link may also be associated with the field for connecting the user to an advertiser's electronic document or web-site. The photograph, containing the visual field, is electronically transferred to the user's electronic device or otherwise sent to the user.
US07870029B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide for a method, system and article of manufacture for operating vending machines. In general, a plurality of vending machines are nodes of a network. Each node is configured to send, receive and process signals carrying inventory, pricing, reservation and/or refund information. In particular, a first signal is sent to one or more nodes requesting inventory/price information from other nodes. Those nodes carrying the product may reply with a second signal. In this manner, the location of vending machines carrying one or more items specified by a customer may be determined. In another embodiment, vending machine items may be reserved from a remote location. In still another embodiment, vending machines may be configured to provide refunds under controlled conditions. A consumer may request a refund in cases where the consumer was improperly charged for goods are services that were not provided.
US07870028B2
A customer self-checkout system includes one or more checkout stations and multiple supervisor terminals. The supervisor terminals provide support to, and control over, the self-checkout system and checkout stations. A controller is used to coordinate communications among the checkout stations and supervisor terminals over a wired and/or wireless network interfaces. A user may provide input at supervisory terminal using an interface providing context sensitive prompting to enable control using a simple keyboard interface.
US07870021B2
Disclosed are methods and systems for redeeming virtual coupons by associating the coupons with consumers' credit cards for redemption. In disclosed methods, coupon databases are associated with consumers and associated with the consumers' credit cards. Coupon offers are stored in the coupon databases and are redeemed by consumers by the use of the credit cards that are associated with the consumers' coupon databases.
US07870013B1
A goal management system stores at least first and second goals. The goal management system also stores a relationship between the first goal and the second goal. In one aspect, the goal management system detects modification of the first goal and, in response, causes the second goal to be automatically highlighted for alignment verification. In another aspect, the second goal is a parent goal to the first goal, and the relationship is stored as a parent link associating the first goal with the parent goal. The goal management system also stores an owner for the first goal. In response to detecting modification of the parent goal, the goal management system causes the first goal to be automatically highlighted for alignment verification in a display associated with the owner of the first goal, based on the parent link. Additional aspects relate to additional technological solutions which facilitate goal management through, for example, goal alignment.
US07870005B2
A system, method, and computer program product for configuring a medical device. A personal data assistant is used by a practitioner to gather patient information. Patient information is transferred to a server, and three optional medical devices are configured as a “good,” “better,” and “best” alternative. One of the proposed options is selected customized by the practitioner prior to ordering. Order status may be obtained online, and historical patient and order information is maintained. A catalog of medical device components is also provided, the catalog items are either ordered “as is” or are customized through the customizer prior to ordering.
US07869995B1
A system receives a first value and packets of encoded audio speech from a first client. The system receives a second value and packets of encoded audio speech from a second client. Based on the first value, the system services the packets of encoded audio speech from the first client using a first processing level. Based on the second value, the system services the packets of encoded audio speech from the second client using a second processing level, which is different from the first processing level.
US07869990B2
There is provided a pitch lag predictor for use by a speech decoder to generate a predicted pitch lag parameter. The pitch lag predictor comprises a summation calculator configured to generate a first summation based on a plurality of previous pitch lag parameters, and a second summation based on a plurality of previous pitch lag parameters and a position of each of the plurality of previous pitch lag parameters with respect to the predicted pitch lag parameter; a coefficient calculator configured to generate a first coefficient using a first equation based on the first summation and the second summation, and a second coefficient using a second equation based on the first summation and the second summation, wherein the first equation is different than the second equation; and a predictor configured to generate the predicted pitch lag parameter based on the first coefficient and the second coefficient.
US07869987B2
An exemplary method for translating emphasis in text, the method comprising, receiving text in a first language, determining a first emphasis associated with the first language in the text, comparing the first emphasis with emphases associated with a second language to determine a second emphasis associated with the second language corresponding to the first emphasis, converting the text in the first language having the first emphasis into text having the second emphasis associated with the second language, and outputting the converted text to a display.
US07869977B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that characterizes a computer system parameter by analyzing a target electromagnetic signal radiating from the computer system. First, the target electromagnetic signal is monitored using a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein an axis of the second antenna is oriented non-parallel to an axis of the first antenna. Then, the target electromagnetic signal received from the first antenna and the target electromagnetic signal received from the second antenna are separately analyzed to characterize the computer system parameter.
US07869967B2
According to a feature of the present disclosure, a method is provided for the determination of anomalous events in complex systems, such as problems, inefficiencies, and failures, and a tool is provided for the detection of these events. Many complex systems are non-stationary or experience periodic fluctuations or spikes in values that are outside of normal ranges, but constitute normal behavior nevertheless. The method accounts for both non-stationarity, as well as fluctuations and spikes. Additional novel features include both a threshold setting initialization method and a regression method for the determination of the start points and end points of events.
US07869963B2
A system and method of calculating chemical usage during a refilling of a supply tank, which includes the steps of providing a chemical system having a first supply tank of known capacity, wherein the tank is mounted upon an electronic scale. The scale is capable of generating a series of signals related to the weight of the tank when empty and at various levels of fill. A system controller receives a series of signals from the scale relating to the weight of the tank when empty and at various levels of fill. The first supply tank is filled from a source of chemical feed and the fill time for the filling of the first supply tank is obtained. The system controller inputs the series of signals from the scale relating to the weight of the tank when empty and at various levels of fill and calculates a usage during refilling based on a feed rate times the fill time.
US07869958B2
The present invention relates to a method for identifying modulators of B1 G-protein coupled receptors. The present invention also relates to a method for identifying an antagonist or agonist of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2 (CRFR2). The present invention also relates to a method for improving antagonists or agonists of CRFR2. The present invention also relates to the three-dimensional structure of CRFR2 as representative of the B1 GPCR subfamily and its use as a basis for rational drug design of antagonist or agonists of B1 GPCRs.
US07869957B2
The present invention provides a method of refining a biosystem reaction network. The method consists of: (a) providing a mathematical representation of a biosystem; (b) reconciling said mathematical representation of said biosystem; (c) determining differences between observed behavior of a biosystem and in silico behavior of said mathematical representation of said biosystem under similar conditions; (d) modifying a structure of said mathematical representation of said biosystem, and (e) determining differences between said observed behavior of said biosystem and in silico behavior of said modified mathematical representation of said biosystem under similar conditions.
US07869955B2
A method of predicting subsurface properties of a geologic formation includes acquiring seismic data for a subsurface region including the geologic formation of interest, computing seismic attributes of the measured seismic data over at least part of this geologic formation, determining internally consistent rock properties representative of the geologic formation, generating models of the same part of the geologic formation with these rock properties, computing synthetic seismic data from the models, computing the same attributes from these synthetic seismic data, and using Bayesian analysis to predict, from the probability of modeled attributes given the models, the probability of the actual subsurface properties given the measured attributes.
US07869952B1
A method for remote atmospheric sensing. A sensor is provided on a moving platform above earth, the sensor including a plurality of fields of regard along the orbit, each field of regard of the plurality of fields of regard comprising a respective first subscan and a respective second subscan. The sensor is slewed to, and sampling an atmospheric region at, a respective first plurality of lines-of-sight to generate the respective first subscan and slewing the sensor to, and sampling the atmospheric region at, a respective second plurality of lines-of-sight to generate the respective, second subscan, the respective first subscan comprising a plurality of first subscan samples at the respective first plurality of lines-of-sight of the atmospheric region, the respective second subscan comprising a plurality of second subscan samples at the respective second plurality of lines-of-sight of the atmospheric region. An interlaced limb scan is generated for the each field of regard by interleaving at least one of the first subscan samples between at least two of the second subscan samples. Two-dimensional tomographic retrieval is applied to the interlaced limb scan to determine at least one of density, temperature, and chemical composition data of the atmospheric region.
US07869941B2
Techniques are described for providing a meeting notification and automatic modification service. A system may be configured to identify an appointment in a calendar application, identify a geographic location of the appointment, and identify, before the appointment time, a geographic location of a first participant of the appointment. Based on the geographic information, the system may identify a route extending from the geographic location of the first participant to the geographic location of the appointment, and may identify a travel time associated with the route. Based on the travel time and the appointment time, the system may determine whether the first participant is estimated to arrive at the appointment on time and, based on the determination, the system may send a message to participants of the appointment or dynamically reschedule the appointment.
US07869920B2
Device and method for controlling control appliances in an on-board supply system of a motor vehicle
An arrangement and method for controlling control devices in an on-board wiring system of a motor vehicle are provided, in which the on-board wiring system has a bus system divided into sub-networks of buses with groups of control devices for controlling operating sequences, and in which the control devices are controllable by way of at least one access to a data transmission via a test instrument. A multifunctional data transmission device is connected to the input side of the bus system, to which data transmission device the sub-networks are connectable directly in parallel and are controllable in a parallel manner with respect to time by way of several control devices distributed on the connected sub-networks. The sub-networks may be structured via a hierarchically defined criteria priority, which takes into account the communication required in the operation between the individual control devices within the sub-networks and between the sub-networks, as well as the data quantities to be transmitted to the individual control devices.
US07869918B2
In a motor vehicle air conditioning installation comprising a central control unit (12), a computer network (14) connected to the central control unit (12) and a plurality of peripherals (101, 102, 103, . . . , 10n) connected to nodes (N1, N2, N3, . . . , Nn) of the computer network, the peripherals are connected in series via a common conductor (18). The installation comprises means (120) for inputting at the level of each peripheral an electric signature on a common conductor, means (130) for detecting an electric signal depending upon the electric signatures of the peripherals situated upstream on the common conductor (18), means for generating a data item representing the relative position of the peripheral on the basis of the electric signal detected, and means for identifying the node of the network to which it is connected on the basis of the relative position data item generated. The identification of the node of the network permits the assignment of an address or monitoring of the connection of the peripheral from the central control unit.
US07869904B2
A method for managing a utility load by controlling electrical consumption of electrically powered devices. The method includes selecting a target for load control forming a single variable length load control message according to a communication protocol. The load control message includes the target address and a plurality of unique concatenated command messages, each of the plurality of unique concatenated command messages being selected from the set consisting of a command message having a predetermined message type and a fixed length message defined for the predetermined message type and a command message having a predetermined message type and a variable length message corresponding to values in a command message control flag field defined for the predetermined message type. The method also includes causing the single variable length load control message to be transmitted to the target and receiving a reply message formed according to the communication protocol from the target.
US07869898B2
Methods and devices are provided for adjusting the relative position and/or relative movement between a workpiece and a tool of a machine tool in the direction of an axis. An actuating variable for a basic axis comprising one or more drives is generated in the first controller of a basic axis control system, an actuating variable for a higher-dynamic additional axis comprising a drive is generated in a second controller of an additional axis control system, and a third actuating variable, which is fed both to the additional axis control system and to the basic axis control system, is generated in a third controller.
US07869897B2
If the angle α formed between the interpolated cutting surface perpendicular direction vector (It, Jt, Kt) and the interpolated tool direction vector (Ttx, Tty, Ttz) becomes smaller, movement of a tool becomes unstable. In this case, the tool diameter compensation vector (TCx, TCy, TCz) is set to the tool diameter compensation vector calculated in the immediately previous interpolation cycle, thereby preventing unstable movement. Further, in case of a block instruction where a distance between positions in cutting point instructions is large whereas distance of movement of linear axis control point is small, an excessive cutting may occur. To deal with this problem, movement of linear axis control point in a current block is stopped or converted into linear movement so as to prevent a loop-shaped movement of the linear axis control point.
US07869895B2
Illustrative computer-executable methods, systems, and computer software program products compute orientation alignment transfer tool location. Orientation of at least one aerodynamically significant feature of an as-built airplane is automatically determined. Orientation of an orientation monument for the as-built airplane is automatically determined from the determined orientation of the at least one aerodynamically significant feature of the as-built airplane, and motion to align an orientation alignment transfer tool with the determined orientation of the orientation monument is automatically determined.
US07869892B2
An audio file editing system enabling creation and editing of audio content within a single multi-layer audio file. The audio editor and method of the invention enables “layering” of audio content relative to other audio content within a single file to create a multi-layered audio file. This enables audio information to be combined in a way that keeps all content active and editable until the final product. An unlimited number of layers can be assembled within a file, constrained only by practical file size limits and system capabilities.
US07869887B2
A goal or desired output can be stated in terms of a high-level overview in a natural language or other format. The high-level overview can be automatically partitioned into steps to be performed in order to achieve the stated goal, such as by interpreting terms within the overview, analyzing definitions, historical data or other information. Each step can be dynamically assigned to various resources distributed throughout an environment. Such resources can include agents or other machinery that are selected based on a multitude of criteria including location, availability, performance level as well as other factors. If needed, the resources can be dynamically balanced in order to achieve the desired output while mitigating wasted resources.
US07869882B2
According to one aspect, an electrical stimulation system for treating tinnitus is provided. The system includes an electrical stimulation lead adapted for implantation into the person's skull for electrical stimulation of target brain tissue located in the person's temporal lobe. The lead includes one or more electrodes adapted to be positioned near the target brain tissue and to deliver electrical stimulation energy to the target brain tissue. The system also includes a stimulation source operable to generate signals for transmission to the electrodes of the lead to cause the electrodes to deliver electrical stimulation energy to the target brain tissue located in the person's temporal lobe to reduce tinnitus effects.
US07869879B2
Methods and devices for treating hypotension, such as in cases of shock, including septic shock and anaphylactic shock, wherein the treatment includes providing an electrical impulse to a selected region of the vagus nerve of a patient suffering from hypotension to block and/or modulate nerve signals that regulate blood pressure.
US07869876B2
A method for use in an implantable medical device, comprising: sensing a signal corresponding to ventricular wall acceleration; and determining a metric of atrial function using the ventricular wall acceleration signal. The method includes sensing the ventricular wall acceleration signal during at least during a sensing window corresponding to a ventricular filling phase.
US07869871B2
Described herein are methods and systems for delivering pacing therapy to HF patients who do not exhibit a reduced EF. Such patients do not have systolic dysfunction and generally do not benefit from established HF therapies that either augment contractile function or counteract conduction abnormalities. In one embodiment, a HF patient with a normal EF is tested for the adequacy of heart rate response during exercise. If the patient is found to be chronotropically incompetent, a rate-adaptive pacing mode is employed in order to improve functional capacity.
US07869868B2
Capacitor packaging according to the disclosure provides advantages particularly in connection to compact and/or complex-shaped medical devices (e.g., having limited interior volume defined by domed and/or irregular exterior surfaces). In addition, capacitors of the type shown and described herein can be utilized in relatively compact external defibrillators, such as automatic external defibrillators or clinician-grade, automated or manually-operated external defibrillators. In one form a plurality of capacitors having substantially flat exterior surfaces are placed in an abutting relationship between at least a pair of major surfaces and the major surfaces are spaced from an opposing or adjacent surface in a non-parallel configuration. In other forms, one or more exterior surface portions have a common and/or complex radius dimension (i.e., the surfaces are curved).
US07869866B2
A device for the measurement of body impedance includes a current injecting device for injecting a test current through a first set of electrodes to the body of a patient, and a voltage reading device for reading voltage variations between two electrodes belonging to a second set of electrodes using a coherent demodulator.
US07869854B2
A mapping and ablation catheter is described. In one embodiment, the catheter includes a MOSFET sensor array that provides better fidelity of the signal measurements as well as data collection and reduces the error generated by spatial distribution of the isotropic and anisotropic wavefronts. In one embodiment, the system maps the change in potential in the vicinity of an activation wavefront. In one embodiment, the mapping system tracks the spread of excitation in the heart, with properties such as propagation velocity changes. In one embodiment, during measurement, the manifold carrying the sensor array expands from a closed position state to a deployable open state. Spatial variation of the electrical potential is captured by the system's ability to occupy the same three-dimensional coordinate set for repeated measurements of the desired site. In one embodiment, an interpolation algorithm tracks the electrogram data points to produce a map relative to the electrocardiogram data.
US07869852B2
A method of diabetes management, comprising (a) providing a remote communications unit in communication with a portable microprocessor-based unit; (b) transmitting blood glucose level data into the portable microprocessor-based unit or the remote unit, or both; (c) running a program of instructions on the portable microprocessor-based unit or on the remote unit, or both, using data corresponding to the blood glucose level data; and (d) providing a signal including instructions to inject insulin when the blood glucose level data indicates.
US07869843B2
A hand held mobile device capable of executing a software application includes a top body portion; a bottom body portion; a hinge portion connecting the top and bottom body portions and permitting movement of the top and bottom body portions between a closed position and an open position. A first screen is provided on the top body portion and is accessible in the open position, and a second screen is slidable on the bottom body portion to reveal a keyboard when the top and bottom body portions are in the open position and the second screen is in an extended position. Preferably, at least one of the screens functions as a touch screen based on at least one function of the software application and whether the second screen is extended to reveal the keyboard.
US07869841B2
A telephone to be connected to a wireline having reduced sensitivity to RF interference over a predetermined frequency range from an adjacent mobile wireless communications device may include a transmit amplifier, a receive amplifier, an audio input transducer connected to the transmit amplifier, and an audio output transducer connected to the receive amplifier. The telephone may further include an RF shield(s) surrounding the audio input transducer and the audio output transducer for reducing RF interference over the predetermined frequency range from the adjacent mobile wireless communications device. Moreover, the telephone may also include at least one RF audio input filter element connected to the audio input transducer and at least one RF audio output filter element connected to the audio output transducer, both of which are also for reducing RF interference over the predetermined frequency range from the adjacent mobile wireless communications device.
US07869830B2
Generally, an antenna module includes a plurality of monopole antenna elements (e.g., 3 to 4 antenna elements) that can be coupled together by one or more switches to provide for a tunable, wideband antenna module. For example, the switches may change the overall length of the antenna such that the frequency range of the antenna is changed. The frequency response may also be controlled by a low voltage micro sized varicap, or a varactor diode, and instantiated as a tuned, resonant matching filter network residing with the antenna module. Additionally, switches may be used to “switch in” and “switch out” capacitive elements to adjust the bandwidth of the antenna. The resonant matching filter network may then be used for fine tuning the frequency of that bandwidth.
US07869829B2
The present invention increases, even while transmission rights are not being allocated to respective radio communication terminals, a maximum number of simultaneous connections within a communication capacity range of a communication frequency set in advance, reduce a waiting time, and increase speed of communication without causing an increase in cost for addition of radio base stations, replacement with a high-performance model, and the like. A radio base station 2a calculates a guard time based on beacon transmission timing from a difference between reference times in beacon transmission, and transmission and reception time frame information based on beacon transmission timing of a radio base station 2b. In other words, the radio base station 2a calculates a guard time based on beacon transmission timing to prevent overlap of a transmission and reception time frame of transmission and reception to and from a radio communication terminal 3 belonging to the radio base station 2b, and transmission and reception timing of transmission and reception to and from a radio communication terminal 3 belonging to the radio base station 2a.
US07869827B2
Methods and systems are provided for encapsulating upper layers of CDMA signaling messages between a multi-mode device and a signaling gateway. In an exemplary embodiment, a multi-mode device has a CDMA mode and a Wi-Fi mode. In Wi-Fi mode, the device generates an upper-layer portion of a CDMA signaling message. The device then encapsulates the first upper-layer portion in at least one packet-switched-protocol, such as SIP. The device then transmits the encapsulated upper-layer portion of the CDMA signaling message via a Wi-Fi network and a packet-switched network to a signaling gateway, which then translates the upper-layer portion into an SS7 message, and transmits the SS7 message over an SS7 network.
US07869818B2
A positioning method in a SUPL based position information system, and more particularly, a method for performing periodic positioning capable of processing a periodic positioning request by a location server or a periodic positioning request by a mobile communications terminal when the location server and the terminal respectively manage a trigger generating the periodic positioning, are discussed.
US07869816B2
A method of transmitting area specific content to a mobile terminal via a wireless network covering at least two areas, each area having at least one access point is provided. Data indicative of the assignment of the mobile terminal to one of the access points is transmitted to a first network component, one of the areas in which the mobile terminal is located is identified based on a logical mapping of access points to areas, and content specific to one of the areas is pushed to the mobile terminal.
US07869812B2
A method and device for location determination includes receiving at least one signal from a first transmitter and receiving at least one signal from a second signal transmitter. The first transmitter transmits a first type of signal and the second transmitter transmits a second type of signal different from the first type of signal. Location determination further includes assessing a signal quality of the signals received from at least one of the first signal transmitter and second signal transmitter and determining a location of a device using the received first and second type of signals at least from both the first signal transmitter and from the second signal transmitter.
US07869809B2
Apparatus and systems, as well as methods and articles, may operate to conduct radio measurement request and response operations between two stations to determine receive channel power indicator values associated with direct and indirect wireless links, and to select one of the links for use by the stations based on estimated link capacities.
US07869786B1
The invention provides a system and method for providing a temporary wireless service connection to one or more users within a wireless local area network. In-building services and Internet related services are provided to the users over their respective temporary wireless service connections. Each user is charged for their specific usage amounts which may be based on the number of packets transferred, the number of bytes transferred, the number of distinct transactions and/or the time period each user's temporary wireless service connection was active.
US07869785B2
A Method and Apparatus for Enhancing the Speed of Wideband Signal Search Systems provides a system that can perform hyper fast scanning for signals while at the same time provide very good phase noise performance. The method and apparatus provide a way to reduce costs by avoiding the expensive solutions employed by the unmodified prior systems. The method and apparatus have all of the abilities of standard wideband signal collection systems. Secondly the method and apparatus are able to automatically, and extremely quickly, control multiple VCO's in a finely coordinated tuning process. Thirdly, the method and apparatus still have very good phase noise performance, even though it has hyper fast tuning speeds. Fourthly, the preferred method and apparatus pipeline the digitization and tuning phases of the collection process. Finally, the method and apparatus provide real-time control logic to accurately synchronize all events and make them work in the specific procedure at their respective specific microseconds in time.
US07869775B2
A circuit for biasing a gallium arsenide (GaAs) power amplifier includes a reference voltage generator circuit implemented in a gallium arsenide (GaAs) material system, a field effect transistor (FET) bias circuit implemented in the gallium arsenide material system and adapted to receive an output of the reference voltage generator circuit and adapted to provide an output to a radio frequency (RF) amplifier stage.
US07869772B2
A mobile phone use management system which manages use of the mobile phone includes the mobile phone and a signal transmitting device which transmits the signal for controlling the power supply of the mobile phone. The mobile phone having a non-contact IC card function includes a mobile phone including a power unit which executes power supply of the mobile phone, a non-contact IC card unit which can execute wireless communication with an external terminal device, a power supply control unit which executes control of switching the power supply from the power unit between a power supply stopped state and a power suppliable state based on a signal received from the non-contact IC card unit, and a transmitting unit which transmits a signal for controlling the power supply to the power supply control unit when the non-contact IC card unit receives the signal for controlling the power supply from the external terminal device.
US07869756B2
A bookbinding apparatus including an adhesive coating section which coats an adhesive onto a spine of a sheet bundle that a plurality of sheets are bundled, by relatively moving the adhesive coating section and the sheet bundle, adheres a cover sheet onto the spine of the sheet bundle onto which the adhesive has been coated by the adhesive coating section. The adhesive coating section includes: a coating member which coats the adhesive storing in ah adhesive tank onto the spine of the sheet bundle; a scraping member which scrapes the adhesive coated onto the spine of the sheet bundle; and a reservoir which stores the adhesive scraped by the scraping member.
US07869755B2
An automatic document feeder, for transferring a document through a scanning position three times, includes: a first transfer mechanism to reverse a given document via a reversing path, and transfer the same to a scanning position; a second transfer mechanism to transfer the given document from the scanning position to one of a switchback path and a document discharging part; a switchback mechanism to transfer the given document to a lay-by on the switchback path, and then transfer the given document towards the reversing path via a re-entry path; and a control unit to control the mechanisms so that a second original document passes through the scanning position a first time before a first original document passes through the scanning position a third time, and to pause travel of the second original document at the lay-by as the first original document is passed through the scanning position a third time.
US07869754B2
A bubbly fluid producing method configured to produce a bubbly fluid containing a bubble with a desired bubble diameter, includes applying a shear to a bubbly fluid containing a bubble with a bubble diameter larger than a desired bubble diameter so as to produce a bubbly fluid containing a bubble with a desired bubble diameter. A bubbly fluid producing device configured to produce a bubbly fluid containing a bubble with a desired bubble diameter, includes a first member configured to apply a shear to a bubbly fluid containing a bubble with a bubble diameter larger than a desired bubble diameter so as to produce a bubbly fluid containing a bubble with a desired bubble diameter.
US07869747B2
A developer container includes: a container chamber that has a container space for containing a developer; and an conveyance member having a rotation shaft and a spiral member and which rotates inside the container space about the rotation shaft, the spiral member being spirally extended to hold a first angle to an axial direction of the rotation shaft, and the spiral member being provided with a plurality of low-angle portions, wherein at least one of the low-angle portions is provided in each unit segment which is equivalent to one turn of the spiral member about the rotation shaft, and an amount of a developer contained in the container space is enough to constantly bury any of the plurality of low-angle portions in the developer under a condition that the axial direction of the rotation shaft is held to be horizontal inside the container space.
US07869745B2
A developing device includes: a developer carrying body that carries liquid developer containing toner and carrier liquid; a developer supplying member adapted to rotate in a first sense of rotation to supply liquid developer to the developer carrying body; a contact member arranged at a first side relative to a virtual perpendicular plane passing through the axis of the developer supplying member so as to contact the developer supplying member; a supply section that stores liquid developer to be supplied by the developer supplying member to the developer carrying body; and an agitating member adapted to rotate in a second sense of rotation different from the first sense of rotation and arranged at a second side relative to the virtual perpendicular plane passing through the axis of the developer supplying member.
US07869732B2
An image printing system includes a print engine and a sensing system. The print engine is configured to print a marking material image on a image bearing surface. The sensing system includes a plurality of illuminators, a modulator, a sensor, and a demodulator. Each illuminator is configured to simultaneously emit a light beam at the marking material image on the image bearing surface, thereby producing reflectance from the marking material image at least in a first direction. The modulator is configured to modulate an intensity characteristic of each of the light beams emitted by the illuminators such that each light beam has a different modulated waveform characteristic, where the waveform characteristic includes at least frequency. The sensor is configured to detect the reflectance from the plurality of light beams in the first direction and output a reflectance signal. The demodulator is configured to demodulate the reflectance signal to isolate a response of the marking material image to each of the individual illuminators.
US07869721B2
A method (400) and apparatus (100) that detects carrier particles (130) in an electrophotographic device is disclosed. The apparatus may include an image carrying member (110). The image carrying member may have a first side (111) and have a second side (112) opposite from the first side. The image carrying member may be configured to operate in a direction of motion (115). The image carrying member may also be configured to transport an image on the first side. The apparatus may also include a magnet (120) coupled to the second side of the image carrying member. The magnet may have a length (122). The length of the magnet may be at an angle (124) of greater than zero and less than 90 degrees to the direction of motion of the image carrying member. The magnet may be configured to attract toner carrier particles transported on the image carrying member. The apparatus may also include a first sensor (140) coupled in proximity to the first side of the image carrying member and coupled in proximity to the magnet. The first sensor may be configured to sense the toner carrier particles attracted by the magnet. The first sensor may also be configured to output a first signal corresponding to the sensed toner carrier particles.
US07869713B2
A method of extracting a predetermined channel from an OTDM signal includes the steps of combining at the inlet of an SOA the OTDM signal and an impulsive signal with impulses temporally synchronized with the channel to be extracted to produce in the SOA FWM, XGM and XPM effects which shift to a length c the channel chosen for extraction with c outside the length d of the OTDM signal with the other channels outlet from the SOA and filtering the SOA outlet to extract components with c d that represent respectively the desired channel and the cleaned OTDM signal. A multiplexer in accordance with the method includes an inlet (14) of an OTDM signal sent to an SOA (24) together with an appropriate impulsive signal. The SOA outlet is filtered by filters (28, 29) to obtain the signal of the extracted channel (16) and the cleaned OTDM signal (15).
US07869706B2
A camera head acquires a sample image by shooting a scaled up image of a sample obtained by a microscope body. A memory device records the sample image in a record medium. A CPU detects the completion of the sighting on an observed portion of a sample in a microscope body on the basis of a R. G. B data value of each pixel configuring a microscope image detected by the R. G. B data value. Furthermore, the CPU detects the completion of the focusing on the observed portion by the microscope boundary on the basis of the height of the contrast of the microscope image detected by the focusing completion detection unit. When both completion of the sighting and completion of focusing are detected, the CPU controls a memory device to record a sample image acquired by a camera head on a record medium.
US07869696B1
A method and apparatus for providing presentation managing information for the recording medium, are provided. The method includes generating a transport stream, comprising reproducing, from a recording medium, an MPEG transport stream composed of a series of transport packets carrying data; and selectively inserting, into the reproduced MPEG transport stream, program managing information for managing presentation of certain data carried in the reproduced MPEG transport stream.
US07869693B2
The present invention relates to method and apparatus of recording digital data stream on a recording medium such as a high-density digital versatile disk. The present recording method searches received digital data stream containing video signals for each picture section, packetizes a data section including at least one picture section found in the searching process into a PES (Packetized Elementary Stream) packet, slices the PES packet to make the sliced data pieces to a plurality of transport packets, and writes the plurality of transport packets within a stream object unit if the stream object unit has a space enough to store the plurality of transport packets, or from head point of a next stream object unit if not. Therefore, the head of each stream object unit is aligned with start of an arbitrary picture, thereby improving random accessibility of A/V data stream recorded on a recording medium.
US07869691B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for recording a main file comprising a main information signal and auxiliary files comprising auxiliary signals in a track on a record carrier. The apparatus writes in a first location a block of an auxiliary file comprising a part of an auxiliary information signal having a specific presentation time, in a second location a subsequent block of the corresponding auxiliary file and in at least one location between the first and second location at least one block of the main file comprising a part of the main information signal having a presentation time which corresponds to the presentation time of the auxiliary information signal to be written in the first location. In this way the respective files are interleaved written on the record carrier such that the jumping time between subsequent read actions is significantly reduced. This results in an increase of the effective read bit-rate of a playback device.
US07869681B2
An optical connection closure has at least one connector port located within an external wall of the closure for receiving a connectorized optical fiber of a distribution cable on the inside of the closure and a pre-connectorized fiber optic drop cable on the outside of the closure. The closure includes a base, a cover affixed to the base and movable between a closed position and an opened position, and an end wall that defines at least a portion of at least one cable opening for receiving the distribution cable in a butt-type or a through-type closure configuration. The base and the cover define an interior cavity that optionally contains a splice tray for interconnecting the optical fiber of the distribution cable with a pigtail to create the connectorized optical fiber. The connector port may be located within an end wall, a bottom wall or a top wall of the closure.
US07869680B2
An optical communications link is described, comprising first and second fiber lines in substantial scaled translational symmetry by a common scaling factor with respect to a second-order dispersion coefficient profile (oppositely signed) and with respect to at least one of a loss/gain coefficient profile and a nonlinear coefficient-power product profile for facilitating progressive compensation along the second fiber line of at least one nonlinearity introduced along the first fiber line.
US07869678B2
The present disclosure relates to a telecommunications cable having a jacket including a feature for allowing post-extrusion insertion of an optical fiber or other signal-transmitting member. The present disclosure also relates to a method for making a telecommunications cable having a jacket including a feature for allowing post-extrusion insertion of an optical fiber or other signal-transmitting member.
US07869668B2
A method for generating a carrier residual signal and its device, in which a heterodyne optical signal used in a photometric field or an optical fiber radio communication field can be stably generated with a simplified structure. The device includes an optical modulating unit that includes a light source generating a light wave having a specific wavelength, and an SSB optical modulator. A light wave emitted from the light source enters into the optical modulating unit. A light wave emitted from the optical modulating unit includes a carrier component related to a zero-order Bessel function and a specific signal component related to a specific high-order Bessel function while suppressing signal components other than the specific signal component related to the specific high-order Bessel function, and a ratio of optical intensity between the carrier component and the specific signal component is set substantially to 1.
US07869664B2
Systems and methods for aligning objects in object sets are provided. An object set has objects that are in a corresponding image in a plurality of images. For each respective object in a first object set, a corresponding object group is constructed that contains the respective object, thereby constructing a plurality of object groups. Similarity metrics are computed between object groups and objects in objects sets in order to assign the objects to object groups. The object groups are then refined in order to align objects in the object sets.
US07869661B2
An image coding apparatus includes a still frame coding judgement unit for judging whether a target frame to be coded is a still frame or not from a difference value between the target frame and an immediately previous reference frame, and a quantization parameter control unit for performing control of a quantization parameter value to be used for coding, on an initial one frame at which an image starts to come into a standstill, wherein the initial frame is subjected to coding with less coding error as compared with coding for other frames.
US07869657B2
A system and method for comparing images by calculating an edit distance between the images using the results of matching portions of one image to the other. The first image is divided into blocks of pixels. For every block of pixels, a closest match is found in the second image. Substitution is equated to the sum of the errors in the closet matches. Deletion is equated to the percentage of the second image not involved in any of the matching. Insertion is equated to the percentage of the second image simultaneously involved in matching more than one block. The image edit distance may then be calculated as the weighted sum of the insertion, deletion and substitution. Recognition may be done by finding a minimum edit distance between an image of an unknown object and a set of reference images.
US07869648B2
Method and apparatus for segmenting a first region and a second region. A method for defining a boundary separating a first region and a second region of a digital image includes determining using a learning machine, based on one or more of the color arrangements, which pixels of the image satisfy criteria for classification as associated with the first region and which pixels of the image satisfy criteria for classification as associated with the second region. The digital image includes one or more color arrangements characteristic of the first region and one or more color arrangements characteristic of the second region. The method includes identifying pixels of the image that are determined not to satisfy the criteria for classification as being associated either with the first region or the second region. The method includes decontaminating the identified pixels to define a boundary between the first and second regions.
US07869647B2
Representative embodiments are directed to systems and methods for processing training data for a statistical classification application. In one embodiment, confidence values are calculated for training data elements to identify the probabilities of the training data elements belonging to identified classes. An interactive scatter plot is generated using the calculated confidence values. The scatter plot visually indicates the confidence values of points in the scatter plot. Accordingly, the user is able to identify potentially misclassified training data elements. The user may select training data elements from the scatter plot and reclassify training elements as appropriate. Upon reclassification, the confidence values may be recalculated and the scatter plot revised.
US07869639B2
Reconstructing an image from MRI data provided by an MRI machine includes: selecting a system transformation based on the MRI machine; selecting a subspace based on the system transformation; and obtaining a solution vector that solves a minimization problem. The minimization problem is formulated on the subspace, based on the MRI data. The image is reconstructed from the solution vector and displayed.
US07869638B2
An intestine is cut by a cross section of a spherical surface or a combination of a plane and a spherical surface, and voxel values on the cross section are projected onto a projection plane in parallel, whereby a cross-sectional image of the intestine is created. Unlike a CPR image, the image of the spherical portion is projected without being extended. If the radius of the spherical surface is increased, the depth toward a screen can be seen and thus perspective of the inside of the observation object can be understood. On the other hand, if the radius of the spherical surface is lessened, the cut surface of the observation object is displayed as flat MPR and can be observed without distortion. Therefore, the radius of the spherical surface is set appropriately in conjunction with the thickness of the observation object, whereby a precise diagnosis can be conducted.
US07869634B2
An authentication system is provided for authenticating a user's signature as electronically inputted into the system by a mouse or other manual input device providing an output indicative of its location when manipulated by the user. The system serves to extract angle and distance data relating different parts of the user's signature inputted into the system, and to store corresponding angle and distance data relating to a reference signature as previously inputted into the system during a training procedure. The extracted data is then compared by the system to the reference data stored by the system, and, where appropriate an output indicative of an appropriate match between the inputted signature and the reference signature is provided in dependence on the result of the comparison. Such a system provides an on-line dynamic biometric verification system that can be customised to multiple Internet based applications requiring secure authentication. The system requires no specialised equipment at the point of use, allowing access from any Internet capable computer with a mouse and Java compliant browser for example.
US07869632B2
Trimming is automatically performed based on a person or persons in whom a photographer has interest. All of facial images included in a whole image are detected. Then, judgment is made as to whether each of the detected facial images is a facial image of a specific person, face information about whom is stored in a face database. If the detected facial images include a facial image or images of the specific person or persons, trimming is performed based on the facial image or images of the specific person or persons.
US07869628B2
An image acquisition device includes a first speed-optimized filter for producing a first set of candidate red-eye regions for an acquired image; and a second analysis-optimized filter for operating on the first set of candidate red eye regions and the acquired image.
US07869625B2
Systems for remotely verifying the identity of an image include an identity capture device adapted to communicate with a computing device and a database. The identity capture device captures an image, and the computing device searches the database for information to authenticate and verify the image. For remotely connected computing devices, a communications network provides communication between the computing devices and the database. Other systems and methods are also provided.
US07869623B2
The machine comprises at least a first sheet inspection unit with an inspection cylinder for transporting a printed sheet during inspection, an illumination means and a camera connected to an analysing device, an input transfer cylinder to bring the printed sheet to the at least one inspection unit and an output transfer cylinder to take away the printed sheet from the at least one inspection unit. The inspection unit and the transfer cylinders are arranged in such a manner that the output transfer cylinder takes away the inspected printed sheet only once the inspection is completed.
US07869618B2
The invention describes a method for control of a device (1a, 1b, 1c). The method comprises visually presenting a number of user options for the device to be controlled (1a, 1b, 1c), aiming a pointing device (2) comprising a camera (3) at the visual presentation (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e) of the user options to choose a desired option, generating an image (5) of a target area (6) aimed at by the pointing device (2) and comparing the target area image (5) with a pre-defined template of the visual presentation (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e) to determine the chosen option.
US07869608B2
Electronic devices and accessories such as headsets for electronic devices are provided. A microphone may be included in an accessory to capture sound for an associated electronic device. Buttons and other user interfaces may be included in the accessories. An accessory may have an audio plug that connects to a mating audio jack in an electronic device, thereby establishing a wired communications link between the accessory and the electronic device. The electronic device may include power supply circuitry for applying bias voltages to the accessory. The bias voltages may bias a microphone and may adjust settings in the accessory such as settings related to operating modes. User input information may be conveyed between the accessory and the electronic device using ultrasonic tone transmission. The electronic device may also gather input from the accessory using a voltage detector coupled to lines in the communications path.
US07869607B2
An Active Muffler in the form of a duct having two open ends for conveying air from a within a cabinet to outside the cabinet. A fan or blower is incorporated in the duct. An Automatic Noise Control (ANC) unit is associated with the duct, and at least one microphone and at least one speaker are incorporated in to the duct for noise-reduction. An outer portion of the duct may be sound-absorbing material. the ANC unit may cause noise to be shifted to a frequency that can be absorbed by the sound-absorbing material.
US07869604B2
A system is provided to perform a key path diagnostic that aids in isolating an error within the encryption storage system. The system includes at least one drive, a key proxy, a key server, a key manager, and a processor. The processor performs a first communication test on a path between the key proxy and the drive. The first communication test verifies that the path between the drive and the key proxy is operational. The processor performs a second communication test on a path between the key proxy and the key server. The second communication test verifies that the path between the key proxy and the key server is operational. In addition, processor sends a command to the key manager to attempt communication with the key manager. The communication attempt verifies the installation and configuration parameters related to the key manager.
US07869603B2
A method and a computer program product are provided to perform a key path diagnostic that aids in isolating an error within the encryption storage system. A first communication test is performed on a path between the key proxy and the drive. The first communication test verifies that the path between the drive and the key proxy is operational. A second communication test is performed on a path between the key proxy and the key server. The second communication test verifies that the path between the key proxy and the key server is operational. In addition, the drive or the key proxy sends a command to the key manager to attempt communication with the key manager. The communication attempt verifies the installation and configuration parameters related to the key manager.
US07869602B1
A content management system includes a mobile station, a service provider, and a content distribution kiosk. A content encryption key is associated with the mobile station, and a copy of the key is provided to the mobile station. In providing content to the mobile station, the content is first encrypted with the content encryption key, and it is sent to the mobile station in its encrypted form. The mobile station keeps the content in memory in its encrypted form. To make use of the content, the mobile station decrypts the content for use, and deletes the decrypted content once it has been used. The content in its encrypted form remains in memory on the mobile station. Multiple mobile devices may use the same content encryption key, in which case the devices may exchange encrypted content using, for example, a Bluetooth connection. Content may also be retrieved from a content distribution kiosk.
US07869601B2
On ad hoc networks in which connection relationships among communication terminals constantly change, the processing load increases when authentication is performed each time a connection relationship changes. According to this invention, when communication terminals possess the same common key, mutual authentication is conducted with that common key, and when communication terminals do not possess the same common key, mutual authentication is conducted with a public key. Communication terminals that conducted mutual authentication exchange and retain a common key that they selected and common keys received from other communication terminals. When neither communication terminal possesses a common key at authentication, one terminal creates a common key and distributes it to the other terminal, and when one terminal has a common key it creates that common key and distributes it to the other terminal. Further, a common key possessed by a communication terminal corresponding to a relay node is broadcast periodically.
US07869599B2
A quantum cryptography key distributing system includes an optical fiber; a transmission unit and a reception unit. The transmission unit is connected with the optical fiber, generates a transmission optical pulse signal from an optical pulse signal based on a first data in synchronism with an optical clock signal and transmits the transmission optical pulse signal to the reception unit via the optical fiber. Polarization of the transmission optical pulse signal is different from that of the optical pulse signal. The reception unit is connected with the optical fiber, transmits the optical pulse signal to the transmission unit via the optical fiber, phase-modulates a part of the transmission optical pulse signal based on a second data in synchronism with the optical clock signal, and detects a reception data corresponding to the first data based on the transmission optical pulse signal in synchronism with the optical clock signal.
US07869594B2
A digital broadcasting receiving system is provided. The digital broadcasting receiving system includes an information processing device for executing a loader, a main process, and a supervisory process, a digital broadcasting receiving device detachably connected to the information processing device. The information processing device includes storage section on which the loader is developed, and transmits the main process and the supervisory process to the digital broadcasting receiving device. The digital broadcasting receiving device includes receiving section for receiving the broadcast signal to generate content data, decryption key storage section, process decryption section for decrypting the main process and the supervisory process using the decryption key, protective data adding section for adding protective data to the main process decrypted by the process decryption section, and first protective data storage section. The information processing device, in accordance with the loader, receives the decrypted main process and the decrypted supervisory process from the digital broadcasting receiving device.
US07869591B1
A system and method for communicating information between a first party and a second party, comprising the steps of receiving, by an intermediary, an identifier of desired information and accounting information for a transaction involving the information from the first party, transmitting an identifier of the first party to the second party, and negotiating, by the intermediary, a comprehension function for obscuring at least a portion of the information communicated between the first party and the second party. The data transmission may be made secure with respect to the intermediary by providing an asymmetric key or direct key exchange for encryption of the communication between the first and second party. The data transmission may be made secure with respect to the second party by maintaining the information in encrypted format at the second party, with the decryption key held only by the intermediary, and transmitting a secure composite of the decryption key and a new encryption key to the second party for transcoding of the data record, and providing the new decryption key to the first party, so that the information transmitted to the first party can be comprehended by it.
US07869586B2
A method and system for aggregating data associated with a plurality of interactions between at least one customer and at least one agent for generating business process analytics is provided. The method is implemented by a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of code segments and includes selecting a range of the organized plurality of agents and identifying a plurality of interactions associated with an organized plurality of agents within the selected range, receiving voice data associated with each of the identified interactions and analyzing the voice data, agent call activity data, customer call activity data, and customer history data associated with each of the identified interactions, and generating business process analytics for the identified interactions.
US07869580B2
A mobile phone 100 with music reproduction function comprising a reproduction unit 106 that reproduces music data and a ring tone which are recorded in a music data recording medium 105 and a ring tone, a communication unit 108 that detects an incoming call from outside and a control unit 103 that instructs the reproduction unit 106 to perform a fade-out process of reproducing music data and to perform a fade-in process of outputting a ring tone when the communication unit 108 detects an incoming call while the reproduction unit 106 is reproducing music data.
US07869578B2
A printer has voice recognition capabilities to transcribe a recorded voice message into printed text. The printer has a communication interface that is connected to a communication line for receiving a voice message. The printer also has an extended memory that stores the voice message, and a speech bank that stores speech patterns and vocabulary words. After the voice message is stored in the extended memory, a speech recognizer compares the voice message to the speech patterns and vocabulary words in the speech bank and translates the voice message into text data. The text data is stored into a print buffer, where the text data may be accessed by a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU controls a print mechanism that actually prints the text data.
US07869577B2
The invention relates to remote access systems and methods using automatic speech recognition to access a computer system. The invention also relates to an intelligent agent resident on the computer system for facilitating remote access to, and receipt of, information on the computer system through speech recognition or text-to-speech read-back. The remote access systems and methods can be used by a user of the computer system while traveling. The user can dial into a server system which is configured to interact with the user by automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech conversion. The server system establishes a connection to an intelligent agent running on the user's remotely located computer system by packet communication over a public network. The intelligent agent sources information on the user's computer system or a network accessible to the computer system, processes the information and transmits it to the server system over the public network. The server system converts the information into speech signals and transmits the speech signals to a telephone operated by the user.
US07869573B2
A method for fabricating a collimator assembly is provided. The collimator assembly includes a first collimator grid having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the first collimator grid defines a plurality of cells. Each cell of the plurality of cells is aligned in a first direction and extends between the first surface and the second surface. The method includes coupling a reinforcing layer to the first collimator grid such that the reinforcing layer extends substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
US07869571B2
Methods and apparatus for x-ray imaging with focal spot deflection are provided. The apparatus includes an x-ray tube having a cathode configured to emit electrons and an anode having a target with a target surface defining a target angle. The emitted electrons are deflected onto the target surface with the target surface substantially aligned with a z-axis parallel to a gantry rotation axis.
US07869568B2
A radiation imaging apparatus is provided that stabilizes a dark current, image ghosting, and the sensitivity of the imaging apparatus, reduces the power consumption and the heat generation of a light source, and improves the durability of a conversion element. The radiation imaging apparatus includes a flat panel detector including a conversion unit, where the conversion unit includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix and each of the pixels includes a conversion element capable of converting a radiation ray into electric charge, a light source capable of emitting light to the conversion unit, and a control unit configured to control the flat panel detector and the light source. The control unit controls the emission of light performed by the light source on the basis of a signal output from the flat panel detector.
US07869564B2
An X-ray machine for imaging a breast of a female patient includes a patient table for accommodating the patient, an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector. In one embodiment, the X-ray machine may be designed as a spiral CT scanner having a rotatable gantry on which the X-ray tube and detector are mounted. The X-ray detector is inclined with respect to the X-ray tube, so that a central ray of a beam of rays emitted from the X-ray tube is perpendicularly incident on an active face of the detector. In one embodiment, the detector may be designed with a curvature, which reduces image artifacts by reducing path length differences between the central ray and the outer rays of the beam. This configuration provides particularly space saving X-ray machines, which at the same time, are of particularly high resolution.
US07869563B2
A system for multi-mode breast x-ray imaging which comprises a compression arm assembly for compressing and immobilizing a breast for x-ray imaging, an x-ray tube assembly, and an x-ray image receptor is provided. The system is configured for a plurality of imaging protocols and modes.
US07869562B2
A patient positioning system for positioning a patient relative to radiographic equipment. The system includes: a 3D optical imaging system for optically scanning the patient, such 3D optical imaging system having a focal plane and providing, for each position on the object, data representative of the intensity of reflected energy received by the system from such position and data representative of distance from such position on the object to the focal plane; a table apparatus for supporting the patient and for moving the table relative to the radiographic equipment in response to positioning signals; and a processor responsive to data from the radiographic equipment and the data from the a 3D optical imaging system for producing the positioning signals. The system enables a method for displaying temporal changes in a patient positioned with a bore of radiographic equipment.
US07869554B2
A phase/frequency estimator-based phase locked loop (PFE-PLL) may be use to obtain a phase and frequency estimation by using an algebraic summer, a gain block and a (co)sine waveform generator. The apparatus and methods of the present invention may provide the phase estimation of an input signal from which a frequency of the signal is estimated by a derivative function. Unlike conventional phase lock loop systems, which may use a multiplier to perform complex calculations on an input and a feedback signal to develop a demodulated voltage output, the present invention may use a simple algebraic summer to provide an error signal and output a phase and a frequency estimation of the input signal.
US07869539B2
The disclosed methods, systems, and computer-program products for compute a power allocation for a rateless, error-correcting code constructed from a plurality of repeated blocks having a plurality of superimposed layers and having a decoding signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) threshold. A noise threshold for an initial block of the rateless code is determined based on at least the SNR threshold, and a power allocation for each layer of the initial block is then calculated based on the determined noise threshold. The calculated power allocation may ensure that each layer of the initial block experiences the SNR threshold. Power is then allocated to each layer of a block proximate to the initial block such that each layer of the proximate block has an effective SNR equivalent to the SNR threshold. The allocating step for the proximate block is then repeated for each of the plurality of repeated blocks subsequent to the initial block to allocate power to each layer of the plurality of repeated blocks.
US07869529B2
A system for detection and avoidance of victim services in ultra-wideband (UWB) systems is provided. A detect and avoid module may calculate power averages of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing tones. The power of tones may be measured and compared with power averages of corresponding tones. If a measured tone power exceeds an average power of a corresponding tone by a dynamic threshold, the tone may be identified as associated with an interferer. The threshold may be inversely related to the gain level of an automatic gain control module. The UWB subsystem may be configured with known bands of victim services of other radio frequency systems, and a tone identified as associated with an interferer that is within a known victim service band may be identified as a victim service. The UWB subsystem may attenuate or otherwise suppress transmission within the victim service band to avoid interfering with the victim service.
US07869521B2
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included.
US07869517B2
A measure of quality of compressed video signals is obtained without reference to the original uncompressed version, but generated directly from the coded image parameters, thereby avoiding the need to decode the compressed signal. A first measure is generated from the quantizer step size and a second measure is generated as a function of the number of blocks in the picture that have only one transform coefficient. The two measures are combined. Adjustments may be made to the step-size based measure to compensate for spatial or temporal masking effects.
US07869516B2
Motion estimation uses tally (Population Count) and XOR (or other bit-wise comparison) operations to obtain a block-match measure for reference and predicted blocks to identify motion vectors for use in video compression. The XOR operations can be performed on absolute or relative luminance data. For example, a one-bit-per-pixel representation of a block can indicate for each pixel its luminance relative to a local average luminance. The performance improvement offered by the invention (relative to methods using the absolute value of the differences of absolute luminance values) can more than offset a penalty in block-match accuracy due to loss of information in luminance data reduction and/or the ignoring of bit significance due to the bit-wise comparison.
US07869504B2
Techniques for providing a coefficient scaling operational unit to perform the coefficient scaling computation for various image compression schemes are disclosed. To minimize multiple units, each for one image encoding/decoding scheme (e.g., MPEG4 and WMV9), a single coefficient scaling operational unit is designed to accommodate various standards. In one embodiment, the coefficient scaling operational unit comprises an arithmetic logic unit. The arithmetic logic unit operates in accordance with a formula involving multiplication and division. Parameters such as coefficients and quantization parameters are provided to perform the coefficient scaling operation.
US07869502B2
A predictive video coder performs gradient prediction based on previous blocks of image data. For a new block of image data, the prediction determines a horizontal gradient and a vertical gradient from a block diagonally above the new block (vertically above a previous horizontally adjacent block). Based on these gradients, the encoder predicts image information based on image information of either the horizontally adjacent block or a block vertically adjacent to the new block. The encoder determines a residual that is transmitted in an output bitstream. The decoder performs the identical gradient prediction and predicts image information without need for overhead information. The decoder computes the actual information based on the predicted information and the residual from the bitstream.
US07869496B1
An ISI cancellation equalizer is disclosed. The ISI cancellation equalizer comprises a non-linear mapping circuit, a filter, a delay circuit, and a combiner. The non-linear mapping circuit generates a mapped signal by mapping a level of an input signal into a predetermined value when the input signal falls in a predetermined region, and linearly maps the level of the input signal when the level of the input signal is beyond the predetermined region. The filter depresses an inter-symbol interference (ISI) in the mapped signal to generate a filtered signal. The delay circuit filters the high boosted signal to generate a delayed signal. The combiner combines the filtered signal and the delayed signal to obtain an equalized signal.
US07869493B2
A method for detecting a signal received via a communication channel, the communication channel being affected by noise, is described, wherein the received signal is processed according to a filtering step (202), the filtering step comprises multiplication of at least one component of the received signal with a filter coefficient and the filter coefficient comprises a noise variance offset which corresponds to the variance of the noise.
US07869484B2
A spread spectrum cellular network (FIG. 1) mobile unit transmitter (30) that enables communication via protocols having different bandwidth (372) and baseband signal generation (260), the transmitter including a phase locked loop and an amplitude control loop.
US07869473B2
A DBR laser, such as a semiconductor DBR laser is disclosed having improved frequency modulation performance. The laser includes a split gain electrode and a tuning electrode. A modulating current encoding a data signal is injected into a first section of the gain electrode whereas a substantially DC bias voltage is imposed on a second section of the gain electrode positioned between the first gain electrode and the tuning electrode. The first and second gain electrodes are electrically isolated from each other and the tuning electrode by a large isolation resistance. In some embodiments, the isolation resistance is generated by forming the electrodes on a P+ layer and removing portions of the P+ layer between adjacent electrodes. Capacitors may couple to one or both of the second gain electrode and the tuning electrode.
US07869472B2
Techniques and devices for providing optical locking of optical resonators and lasers.
US07869470B2
Devices and methods for providing stimulated Raman lasing are provided. In some embodiments, devices include a photonic crystal that includes a layer of silicon having a lattice of holes and a linear defect that forms a waveguide configured to receive pump light and output Stokes light through Raman scattering, wherein the thickness of the layer of silicon, the spacing of the lattice of holes, and the size of the holes are dimensioned to provide Raman lasing. In some embodiments, methods include forming a layer of silicon, and etching the layer of silicon to form a lattice of holes with a linear defect that forms a waveguide configured to receive pump light and output Stokes light through Raman scattering, wherein the thickness of the layer of silicon, the spacing of the lattice of holes, and the size of the holes are dimensioned to provide Raman lasing.
US07869467B2
A clocking circuit of a receiving unit performs a clocking operation synchronously with a network clock. A packet output circuit of the receiving unit outputs a second packet included in a first packet and outputs a control signal indicating normality/abnormality of output timing of the second packet based on a result of comparing a time of the clocking circuit and a time of first time information included in the first packet. A clock adjusting circuit of a processing unit synchronizes, when the second packet includes second time information indicating a time based on a transmitting side reference clock and when the control signal indicates normality, a receiving side reference clock with the transmitting side reference clock based on a result of comparing a time based on the receiving side reference clock and a time of the second time information.
US07869465B2
A communication system comprises a first communication unit having a plurality of application ports; and a second communication unit having a plurality of application ports and coupled to the first communication unit; wherein the first communication unit is configured to extract timeslots from a first signal having a first interface format and from a second signal having a second interface format, and to insert the extracted timeslots into a frame for transmission to the second communication unit; wherein the second communication unit is configured to pass the first interface format signal to an application port of a similar interface format and to pass the second interface format signal to an application port of a third dissimilar interface format based on the order of the extracted timeslots in the frame transmitted from the first communication unit.
US07869447B2
Information about virtual private networks—VPNs—in each domain of a multi-domain communications system is provided. By comparing a request for a configuration of a VPN with the provided information of other connected domains, a match can be found. VPN configuration can then be performed based on the outcome of the match. The provided domain VPN information is in one embodiment spread to other domains under constrictions put by SLAs between domain operators. The spreading of VPN information can be performed regularly or triggered by an external event. In another embodiment, the VPN configuration request is instead spread to different domains.
US07869445B2
A communication system includes a source node for transmitting data and general nodes that function as relay nodes for relaying the data or destination nodes for receiving the data. Data encoding is performed in each node of the communication system. The source node is linked to the general nodes by one or more independent paths. The number of independent paths from the source node to each of the general nodes is counted. A tap-proof index is calculated based on the maximum number of independent paths and the size of a set of elements formed by the encoded data. The security level against tapping is determined according to the value of the tap-proof index.
US07869443B2
The invention relates to a device and a method, data acquisition device consisting of a wireless network comprising a first assembly of nodes, termed active nodes (100) of the network, and a second assembly of nodes, termed peripheral nodes (110) of the network, network for which one wishes to perform an access from peripheral nodes (110) to the network of active nodes (100), characterized in that it comprises means for organizing in a perfectly controlled manner a routing of the data and/or commands within the network of active nodes (100) according to a first mode of transmission of data and/or of commands, and means for transmitting data between the peripheral nodes (110) and the active nodes (100) according to a second mode of transmission of data, said first mode of transmission of data and/or of commands and said second mode of transmission of data being temporally separated.
US07869436B1
A system allows a device to communicate using a virtual network the method by assigning a network address to the device. The network address is selected from a plurality of network addresses that can be assigned to any of a plurality of virtual networks. The system receives a request to authenticate the device, and then determines a virtual network on which to assign the device. The virtual network is selected from the plurality of virtual networks. The system identifies the device as authenticated based on the assigning of the network address and the virtual network.
US07869428B2
A packet transfer method in a network apparatus that transfers packets is disclosed. In the packet transfer method, a sending side apparatus generates two copies of a send packet, provides a sequence number identifying the same sending sequence to each of the copied packets, provides an identifier corresponding to a send/receive pair to each of the copied packets to send the packets, and a receiving side apparatus receives each of the packets with two receiving units; recognizes the identifiers each corresponding to a send/receive pair; identifies packets having the same information and the sequence based on the sequence number when the identifiers are the same; selects one of the packets of the same sequence so as to send the packet downstream, and discards another packet, wherein, when only one of the packets of the same sequence arrives, the arriving packet is sent downstream.
US07869408B2
A technique for admission control of packet flows is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for output power dithering for improved transmitter performance. The method may comprise transmitting a plurality of packets at a first output power, determining a first error rate associated with the transmission of the plurality of packets at the first output power, transmitting the plurality of packets at at least one second output power different from the first output power, determining at least one second error rate associated with the transmission at the at least one second output power, and identifying a desired output power based at least in part on a comparison between the first error rate and the at least one second error rate.
US07869398B2
The present invention is directed to a method for setting a user equipment identifier as user equipment identification information used when data received through a dedicated logical channel is transmitted through a common transport channel. The method includes transmitting data and a message type indicator as user equipment identification information from a RRC layer to an RLC layer; setting a user equipment identifier indicator according to the received message type indicator in the RLC layer and transmitting it with the data to a MAC layer; and selecting a user equipment identifier type and a user equipment identifier according to the set user equipment indication identifier, adding it to a header of a MAC SDU in the MAC layer and transmitting it to a corresponding MAC layer in a receiving device.
US07869394B1
This document describes tools that forward data packets to trusted ports and prevent data packets from egressing non-trusted ports. To do so, the tools receive a data packet having a destination address specifying that the data packet be forwarded to a set of ports associated with a domain. The tools identify a subset of the set of ports as trusted ports and forward the data packet to the subset. The tools prevent the data packet from egressing non-trusted ports of the set. In one embodiment, the tools may classify a port as trusted. To do so, the tools receive a configuration communication identifying trusted devices. The tools broadcast a request to the trusted devices and receive a reply from a reply device on a reply port. The tools determine that the reply device is one of the trusted devices and mark the reply port as a trusted port.
US07869392B2
A home system includes a server having a first wireless communication port and a first non-wireless communication port. One or more fobs include a second wireless communication port adapted to communicate with the first wireless communication port of the server. One or more sensor nodes or device nodes different than the fobs include a third wireless communication port adapted to send information to or receive information from the first wireless communication port of the server. The server is adapted to determine if at least one of the fobs is out of range of wireless communication with the server and to responsively send information from the first non-wireless communication port of the server or to responsively send information from the first wireless communication port of the server to at least one of the sensor or device nodes.
US07869391B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing at least one user equipment (UE) with a point-to-multipoint multimedia service through two or more common physical channels in a mobile communications system. A radio network transmits a point-to-multipoint multimedia service through a plurality of physical channels using multiple codes. A user equipment (UE) receives multiple channel code information through a control channel from the radio network, configures a plurality of physical channels using the received multiple channel code information and receives the point-to-multipoint multimedia service through the configured physical channels.
US07869371B2
According to embodiments of the present invention an apparatus suitable for testing a connection defined between a customer entity and a network entity, the connection traversing at least a first portion of a packet-enabled network between said apparatus and the network entity is provided. The apparatus comprises a first interface adapted to exchange with the network entity data associated with the connection over a first traffic VLAN and a second interface adapted to exchange with the customer entity data associated with the connection over a second traffic VLAN bridged to the first traffic VLAN by a bridging entity. The apparatus further comprises a third interface adapted to exchange with a management entity data associated with a management connection over a management VLAN. A control module coupled to the first, second and third interfaces, the control module is provided and the control module is operable to respond to an instruction received from the management entity to cause the switching entity to perform selective bridging of the management VLAN to at least one of the first traffic VLAN and the second traffic VLAN.
US07869366B1
A method for controlling data rate at an application layer. The method, in a particular implementation, includes identifying an application-layer message corresponding to a network application, wherein the application-layer message is transmitted in a first direction from a first host to a remote host and is operable to cause the remote host to transmit one or more responsive messages to the first host. A queuing delay is computed for the application-layer message and transmission of the application-layer message across a link to the remote host is delayed according to the queuing delay wherein the computed queuing delay is based at least in part on utilization of the link in a direction opposite the first direction of network traffic corresponding to the network application.
US07869356B2
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for handling a Transaction Layer Packets (TLPs) from devices in a switch is provided, the method comprising: subtracting a first number of credits from a credit pool associated with a first port on which a first device is connected; determining if the amount of credits in the credit pool associated with the first port is less than a first predetermined threshold; and if the amount of credits in the credit pool associated with the first port is less than the first predetermined threshold, assigning a second number of credits from a shared credit pool to the credit pool associated with the first port.
US07869355B2
Disclosed is a system and methods for accelerating network packet processing for devices configured to process network traffic at relatively high data rates. The system incorporates a hardware-accelerated packet processing module that handles in-sequence network packets and a software-based processing module that handles out-of-sequence and exception case network packets.
US07869347B2
A method for detecting and managing a futile neighbor state loop during link state routing is disclosed. The method can include reading a threshold parameter for link state routing, wherein the threshold parameter indicates a number of routing attempts, and performing link state routing to a node via a primary interface. The method can further include detecting a futile neighbor state loop during link state routing to the node via the primary interface by detecting a number of routing attempts that has reached the threshold parameter and detecting an available backup interface to the node. The method can further include suspending the primary interface to the node and switching routing to the backup interface.
US07869345B2
In one embodiment, an edge device communicates with a neighboring routing domain. A failure that prevents communication between the edge device and the neighboring routing is detected. When the edge device thereafter receives a data packet that is directed to the neighboring routing domain, it determines if the received data packet was rerouted to the edge device from another edge device coupled to the neighboring routing domain. If the received data packet was not rerouted to the edge device from another edge device coupled to the neighboring routing domain, the edge device reroutes the received data packet to another edge device for forwarding to the neighboring routing domain. However, if the received data packet was rerouted to the edge device from another edge device coupled to the neighboring routing domain, the edge device prevents the received data packet from being rerouted a second time to prevent loops.
US07869341B2
An apparatus and method for positioning a pilot in a transmitter for an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) mobile communication system. In the apparatus, a consecutive block assignment determiner determines whether it will assign a consecutive block or a single block in a frequency axis or a time axis. A pilot tone pattern generator determines a pilot pattern in the block by applying a predetermined rule according to the determination result. A pilot tone inserter positions pilots in the block based on the determined pilot pattern.
US07869339B2
According to one embodiment, single-sided dual-layer recordable disc 100 may be used. Information recording is performed by forming mark and space portions on data area DA using modulated laser power. Pp denotes the maximum laser power or peak power for forming the mark portion, and Pb denotes the bias power for forming the space portion. Power ratio Pb/Pp is calculated for each of recording layers L0 and L1. Information is recorded on any of the recording layers L0 and L1 based on the result of calculation. Here, the calculated power ratio Pb/Pp changes among the recording layers L0 and L1, thereby optimizing the recording condition for a multi-layer recordable optical disc within relatively short time.
US07869335B2
An apparatus includes a first ferroelectric storage layer and a second ferroelectric storage layer adjacent the first ferroelectric storage layer. A coupling layer may be between the first ferroelectric storage layer and the second ferroelectric storage layer. The ferroelectric storage layers may be configured as a data storage medium for use in a data storage system. A related method is also disclosed.
US07869323B2
The present invention relates to a method for preventing a problem of collision between an optical system and a media by suggesting a method for confirming the kind of the medium prior to its operation in a drive having a compatibility with respect to a method for storing a near field optical information using SIL and a method for storing a remote field optical information below the existing blu-ray disk. The present invention can distinguish from an inserted optical disk if a compatible drive/pickup is in a near-field method, and confirm if the inserted optical disk is operable in a near-field method drive/pickup in advance, also.
US07869322B2
The first layer (DVD layer) is first reproduced using the red layer light. Thereafter, search for the second layer (HDDVD layer) is performed with the blue laser light in accordance with the reproducing operation being temporarily interrupted for menu display (display for chapter or language selection). If the second layer is detected, a display indicating that the second layer can be selected is displayed over the menu display. If instruction to reproduce the second layer is input from the user according to the display, the reproducing operation of the first layer using the red laser light is switched to the reproducing operation of the second layer (HDDVD layer) using the blue laser light.
US07869301B2
In a multi-bank memory system such as a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), a method of writing data to the banks is provided. This method allows for writing to any number of banks. More particularly, this method allows for writing to a selected number of banks between one and all banks. In addition, the method retains the discrete nature of the selected banks by allowing any row in each bank to be accessed regardless of the rows activated in other banks. As a result, rows of different memory banks that are intended to store similar data may be accessed simultaneously for purposes of writing the data in test and non-test modes. This allows for quicker writing to the SDRAM without the errors that may be created by other fast writing modes, such as data compression.
US07869299B2
An internal-voltage generating circuit includes a plurality of generating units connected in cascade, out of the plurality of generating units, a generating unit of relatively lower level is activated by an output of a generating unit of relatively higher level. According to the present invention, because the plural voltage generating units are connected in cascade, the voltage generating unit of lower level is not activated unless the voltage generating unit of higher level is activated. Therefore, at least the voltage generating unit of the second level and the subsequent voltage generating units consume very small power during the standby time. Consequently, total power consumption of the internal-voltage generating circuit can be reduced.
US07869297B2
Various embodiments for implementing refresh mechanisms in dynamic semiconductor memories that allow simultaneous read/write and refresh operations. In one embodiment, the invention provides a synchronous multi-bank dynamic memory circuit that employs a flag to indicate a refresh mode of operation wherein refresh operation can occur in the same bank at the same time as normal access for read/write operation. In a specific embodiment, to resolve conflicts between addresses, an address comparator compares the address for normal access to the address for refresh operation. In case of a match between the two addresses, the invention cancels the refresh operation at that array and allows the normal access to proceed.
US07869295B2
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a sense amplifier that receives a driving voltage through a sense amplifier power supply input terminal and detects and amplifies a difference between signals that are supplied to two input lines, a sense amplifier voltage supply unit that supplies a driving voltage and an overdriving voltage higher than the driving voltage to the sense amplifier through the sense amplifier power supply input terminal using a power supply voltage, and a driving voltage control unit that maintains a driving voltage level of the sense amplifier power supply input terminal in response to the level of the power supply voltage, after a voltage of the sense amplifier power supply input terminal is elevated to a power supply level responding to the overdriving voltage in order to perform the overdriving operation.
US07869288B2
An output enable signal generating circuit for a semiconductor memory apparatus includes an output control unit configured to receive CAS latency information and to generate an output control signal having enable timing according to a DLL on/off mode, and an output enable signal output unit configured to receive the output control signal and to output an output enable signal in response to a read command and a DLL clock signal.
US07869287B2
A receive circuit (320) includes a DLL core (510), a latch (326), and a DLL control circuit (520). The DLL core (510) has a first input for receiving a DLL clock signal, a second input for receiving a delay line select signal, and an output for providing a delayed data strobe signal. The latch (326) has a signal input for receiving an external data signal, a control input coupled to the output of the DLL core (510), and an output for providing an internal data signal. The DLL control circuit (520) provides the DLL clock signal to the first input of the DLL core (510) responsive to a memory data strobe signal while the receive circuit is in a first mode, and provides the DLL clock signal to the first input of the DLL core (510) responsive to a processor clock signal while the receive circuit (320) is in a second mode.
US07869283B2
A method for determining native threshold voltage of nonvolatile memory includes following steps. A memory cell including a control gate, a charge storage layer, a source region, and a drain region is provided. A programming operation is performed on the memory cell by using F-N tunneling effect to obtain a programming curve of time versus threshold voltage. In the programming operation, a positive voltage is applied to the control gate. An erase operation is performed on the memory cell by using F-N tunneling effect to obtain an erasure curve of time versus threshold voltage. In the erase operation, a negative voltage is applied to the control gate. The absolute values of the positive voltage and the negative voltage are the same. The native threshold voltage of memory cell is determined from the cross point of the programming curve and the erasure curve.
US07869280B2
A semiconductor memory device with NAND cell units arranged therein, the NAND cell unit including: a plurality of electrically rewritable and non-volatile memory cells connected in series; first and second select gate transistors disposed at the both ends of the NAND cell unit for coupling it to a bit line and a source line, respectively; and dummy cells disposed adjacent to the first and second select gate transistors in the NAND cell unit, wherein the dummy cells are set at a state with a threshold voltage higher than that of an erase state of the memory cell.
US07869279B1
A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each with access and program PMOS transistors situated in a common N-Well formed in a P-substrate, and an n-erase pocket formed directly in the P-substrate. Each cell includes a program PMOS including gate, and first and second P+ regions formed in an N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to a corresponding bit line. Each cell further comprises an access PMOS including a gate, and first and second P+ regions formed within the same n-doped well as the first and second P+ regions of the program PMOS, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to the second P+ region of the program PMOS, and the gate is electrically connected to a corresponding word line. Each cell further includes an n-doped erase pocket including gate, and first and second N+ regions electrically connected to a corresponding erase line, and the gate is electrically connected to the gate of the program PMOS, forming the floating gate of the cell. The program and access PMOS of cells common to a bit line may be formed in a continuous N-Well. The first and second N+ regions of the n-doped erase pocket can be shorted by a substantially uniformly doped diffusion region.
US07869274B2
A memory includes: first sense amplifiers arranged in a first interval of an arrangement of memory cell arrays, each being connected to first bit lines corresponding to two memory cell arrays provided at both sides of the first sense amplifier; second sense amplifiers arranged in a second interval of the arrangement of the memory cell arrays, each being connected to second bit lines corresponding to two memory cell arrays at both sides of the second sense amplifier; edge arrays provided beside both ends of an arrangement of the memory cell arrays, the edge arrays generating only the reference data; and edge sense amplifiers provided between the arrangement of the memory cell arrays and the edge arrays, wherein the edge sense amplifier detects data from the memory cell array at one end of the memory cell arrays based on the reference data from one of the edge arrays.
US07869269B2
A phase-change memory device includes a plurality of data PCM cells for storing data bits; data decoding circuits for selectively addressing sets of data PCM cells; and data read/program circuits for reading and programming the selected data PCM cells. The device further includes a plurality of parity PCM cells for storing parity bits associated with data bits stored in the data PCM cells; parity decoding circuits for selectively addressing sets of parity PCM cells; and parity read/program circuits for reading and programming the selected parity PCM cells.
US07869265B2
A magnetic random access memory includes a first interconnection extending to a first direction, a second interconnection extending to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a magnetoresistive effect element formed between the first and second interconnections, having one terminal connected to the first interconnection, includes a fixed layer, a recording layer and a nonmagnetic layer, a film thickness of the fixed layer being larger than that of the recording layer, and a width of the fixed layer being larger than that of the recording layer, and configured to reverse a magnetization direction in the recording layer by supplying a first electric current between the fixed layer and the recording layer, and a diode having one terminal connected to the other terminal of the magnetoresistive effect element, and the other terminal connected to the second interconnection, and configured to supply the first electric current in only one direction.
US07869258B2
A storage system includes a substrate, control circuitry on the substrate, a three dimensional memory array (above the substrate) that includes a plurality of reversible resistance-switching elements, and circuits for limiting the SET current for the reversible resistance-switching elements. The memory cell is SET in a reverse biased fashion.
US07869248B2
A bit line decoder for sensing states of memory cells of a memory array includes R first sub-decoders that communicate with R memory sub-arrays of the memory array, respectively, where R is an integer greater than 1. Each of the R first sub-decoders includes D control devices that communicate with S bit lines of the memory array, where D and S are integers greater than 2, and S>D, (S-1) of the D control devices are connected in series with each other forming (S-2) junctions. The (S-2) junctions are directly connected to (S-2) of the S bit lines. R isolation circuits each have first ends that communicate with the R first sub-decoders, respectively, and second ends. The second ends of a first of the R isolation circuits communicate with corresponding second ends of (R-1) of the R isolation circuits. A second sub-decoder communicates with one of the R first sub-decoders via the second ends of the R isolation circuits. A sensing circuit communicates with the second sub-decoder and senses a state of one of the memory cells located within one of the R memory sub-arrays via the second ends.
US07869247B2
A bit line decoder for sensing states of memory cells of a memory array includes a first sub-decoder that (i) is adjacent to the memory array and (ii) includes D control devices arranged in a first of two levels of the bit line decoder. The D control devices selectively communicate with a first set of S of B bit lines of the memory array and are connected to each other in series forming (D−1) junctions. (S−2) of the S bit lines are directly connected to the (D−1) junctions, where log2D>2, S=(D+1), And S
US07869236B2
A matrix converter includes a plurality of switches that electrically connect a multi-phase input voltage source to a multi-phase load; and a controller to output pulse-width modulated (PWM) switching signals to control the switches to produce a multi-phase output voltage from the multi-phase input voltage source. The controller outputs the PWM switching signals by modulating a carrier signal with a time-varying signal having a frequency determined from a desired output frequency for the output voltage.
US07869228B2
According to some embodiments, information about a power delivery stage is determined for a plurality of operating condition values. The determined information may then be stored in a dynamic look-up table of an adaptive tracking controller engine according to some embodiments. Other embodiments are described.
US07869224B1
A housing structure for pluggable transceiver module includes a case being internally provided with a plurality of vertical partitioning plates, and having first protrusions provided on an upper and a lower side of a free edge at an open end of the case, and second protrusions provided on two opposite sides of a free end of each of the partitioning plates at the open end of the case; a plurality of first elastic-leaf members being clamped to the free edge of the case and having retaining holes engaged with the first protrusions; and a plurality of second elastic-leaf members being clamped to the free ends of the partitioning plates and having retaining holes engaged with the second protrusions. Therefore, the first and second elastic-leaf members are easily and securely assembled to the case and the partitioning plates via the first and second protrusions, respectively, without the need of spot welding.
US07869198B1
The present invention provides a multiple seal electronic display module having displacement springs for distributed use as major components of an electronic sign. Displacement springs are provided to displace the electronic display module from the front of an electronic sign mounting panel until latching mechanisms are properly actuated in order to secure the electronic display module to the electronic sign mounting panel and thus provide a visual clue indicating proper or improper securing. A configured front edge seal provides for multiple surface sealing of multiple components consisting of, but not limited to, a louver panel, an LED circuit board, and a housing. A rear seal is also provided to seal the rear of the electronic display module to the electronic sign mounting panel. Input and output signal jack base seals and a power jack base seal provide effective seals between the housing and the signal and power jacks.
US07869195B1
A personal, portable media player capable of receiving and storing audio and video programming is adapted for coupling via a docking system to a portable Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and Compact Disc (CD) player for playing and recording of video and audio programming. The docking system is integrated in the housing of the DVD/CD player and is adapted for receiving the media player and allowing video and audio data received by or stored in the media player to be presented on or stored in the DVD/CD player. When connected via the docking system to the portable DVD/CD player, the media player is disposed in a recessed portion of the DVD/CD player's housing and is further protected by a transparent, removable cover connected to the housing and having an aperture therein to permit the user to provide selection/control inputs to the media player when connected to the DVD/CD player.
US07869193B2
The connection between the terminals of three-phase electric parts used in a matrix converter is simplified to thereby reduce the inductance between conductors. An AC capacitor and an IGBT are disposed such that the linearly arranged terminals of the AC capacitor and the linearly arranged input terminals of the IGBT are parallel to each other, and also that the three terminals of the AC capacitor and the three input terminals of the IGBT are situated close to each other. A bus bar is formed as a laminate bus bar which can be provided by laminating three plate-shaped bus bars on top of each other. In the respective plate-shaped bus bars, there are provided internal terminals for connecting together the mutually adjoining ones of the three-portion terminals of the AC capacitor and the three-portion input terminals of the IGBT, and the mutually adjoining terminals are connected together through the internal terminals.
US07869191B2
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) apparatus is disclosed. The UPS apparatus comprises a UPS main body and a support. The UPS main body includes a power supply unit for receiving AC power from a power source and converting AC power to DC power, a battery unit for receiving DC power from the power supply unit and providing DC power to a load, and a case for housing the power supply unit and the battery unit therein, wherein a bottom surface of the case has a first width. The support is used to support the UPS main body thereon to enable the UPS apparatus to stand on a desk, wherein a bottom surface of the support has a second width larger than the first width. Therefore, the UPS apparatus can be served as a desktop DC UPS.
US07869189B2
A method of fabricating an integrated circuit device includes forming a plurality of lower capacitor electrodes vertically extending from a substrate. The plurality of lower capacitor electrodes respectively include an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall. At least one support pattern is formed vertically extending between ones of the plurality of lower capacitor electrodes from top portions thereof opposite the substrate and along the outer sidewalls thereof towards the substrate to a depth that is greater than a lateral distance between adjacent ones of the plurality of lower capacitor electrodes. A dielectric layer is formed on the support pattern and on outer sidewalls of the plurality of lower capacitor electrodes, and an upper capacitor electrode is formed on the dielectric layer. Related devices are also discussed.
US07869175B2
Embodiments relate to a device for protecting a semiconductor IC device from an electrostatic discharge (ESD). According to embodiments, the device may have a rapid response speed and a stable operation against an ESD and may efficiently protect an internal circuit of a semiconductor IC from an ESD voltage lower than a junction breakdown voltage. According to embodiments, the device for protecting the semiconductor IC may include a pad, an internal circuit electrically connected to the pad, and a protection circuit which forms a discharge path between the pad and the internal circuit and disconnects the pad and the internal circuit, when an overvoltage due to an electrostatic discharge is applied to the pad.
US07869166B2
A thin film magnetic head has: a spin valve having a pinned layer whose having a fixed magnetization direction, a first nonmagnetic intermediate layer disposed on the pinned layer, and a free layer having a variable magnetization direction, the free layer disposed on the first nonmagnetic intermediate layer; and bias magnetic layers for applying a bias magnetic field to the free layer provided on both sides of the spin valve. The pinned layer has a hard magnetic layer, a second nonmagnetic intermediate layer disposed on the hard magnetic layer, and a ferromagnetic layer disposed on the second nonmagnetic intermediate layer. The bias magnetic layer has a bias antiferromagnetic layer, and a bias ferromagnetic layer disposed on the bias antiferromagnetic layer. A height direction dimension of the pinned layer is longer than a track width direction dimension, and longer than a height direction dimension of the free layer.
US07869164B2
A flexible printed circuit board has a flexible dynamic region, and relatively rigid static regions between which the dynamic region extends. Portions of a base layer, a patterned conductive layer extending on the base layer, and a cover layer covering the conductive layer make up the dynamic region. Extensions of the base layer, the conductive layer, and the cover layer, and portions of a metal layer to which the base layer is attached make up each of the static regions. The metal layer enhances the rigidity of the flexible printed circuit board at the static regions. The metal layer also has rounded corners at sides of each of the boundaries between the dynamic region and each of the static regions to minimize stress concentrations at the boundaries. The conductive layer is made up of real traces through which electrical signals are transmitted, and dummy traces. The dummy traces are disposed outwardly of the real traces to prevent the flexible printed circuit board from cracking at the boundaries between the dynamic region and each of the static regions. In an HDD, the flexible printed circuit board electrically connects a head stack assembly (HSA) and a main circuit board.
US07869161B2
A perpendicular recording head for a hard disk drive. The head includes a non-magnetic backside shield that minimizes or eliminates the flow of backside flux through the head. The head can be fabricated by forming a non-magnetic backside shield layer on a main pole. Portions of the backside shield and main pole can be removed to form a tapered pole portion. A non-magnetic write-gap layer and write shield are then formed onto the backside shield and main pole.
US07869156B2
A head position control method controls the position of a head by correcting components synchronizing rotation of a disk based on the head control amount. A correction signal for components synchronizing rotation is generated by using a filter function. The filter function that integrates the sine and cosine terms of DFT and inverse DFT and forms multiply of the complex values a(m) and b(m) and sine and cosine for frequency conversion, is measured in advance. The complex values are the m degree of RRO frequencies having frequency characteristics to be multiplied (1+C(z) P(z)) or −(1+C(z) P(z)/P(z)).
US07869153B1
A system includes N channels and a control module. Each of the N channels includes a latch and a signal generator module, where N is an integer greater than 1. The latch selectively latches a B-bit codeword, where B is an integer greater than 1. The signal generator module generates a signal based on the B bit codeword. The control module transmits the B-bit codeword via a B-bit data bus to the latch of each of the N channels. The control module generates control signals that select the latch in at least one of the N channels.
US07869147B2
A device or the operation of a device for the holding, especially sealing support of an optical element, especially an optical lens with at least one holding element for mounting the optical element and preferably at least one sealing element for sealing contact at at least a part of the optical element and/or the holding element, wherein the sealing element or at least a part thereof is displaceable between a first position, in which the sealing element rests against the optical element and a second position, in which the sealing element is spaced apart from the optical element, or wherein the sealing element is switchable such that it rests against the optical element under different contact pressure or adjustable contact force. The holding element can either take on the holding function alone and independently of the sealing element or work together with the sealing element in this regard. The sealing element can also be provided separately and independently of the holding element, such that the holding element is optimizable to the holding function. Especially, the present invention concerns an immersion objective for microlithography in which at least one actuatable sealing element is provided.
US07869146B2
A lens module includes a first lens, a second lens, a spacer, a seating part, and a protrusion part. The first lens includes a lens surface and a rib. The second lens is laminated on the first lens. The spacer maintains a predetermined interval between the first lens and the second lens. The seating part is disposed between the lens surface of the first lens and the rib and allows the spacer to be seated on the upper part of the first lens. The protrusion part includes a plurality of protrusions protruded from an undersurface of the spacer, which allow a height of the spacer seated on the seating part to change when the spacer is decentered.
US07869144B2
Provided is a lens optical system, which includes (from object to image side) a first lens group having positive refractive power, a stop, and a second lens group having positive refractive power. The first lens group comprises a plurality of lenses among which there are a lens closest to the object side and a lens closest to the stop having negative refractive powers. The second lens group includes a front group and a rear group.
US07869143B2
An imaging optical system, including a first lens group; an aperture stop; a second lens group having a positive power, the first lens group, the aperture stop and the second lens group being arranged from a side of an object sequentially, wherein the second lens group includes a second front lens group having a positive power and a second rear lens group having a positive power, the second front lens group and the second rear lens group being arranged sequentially from the object side, wherein, when focusing from an infinity-distance object to a short-distance object, the first lens group and the aperture stop are fixed, and the second front lens group and the second rear lens group are moved with a mutually different movement amount.
US07869141B2
A compact fisheye objective lens comprising a series of six lens elements arranged on an optical axis to focus an image on an image plane, the compact fisheye objective lens having a first lens element with a convex object surface that faces the object and a concave image surface that faces image plane, and a second lens element spaced to the right of the first lens element concave image surface, the second lens element having a concave object surface and a concave image surface. The compact fisheye objective lens having singlet third and fourth lens elements, the fifth and sixth lens elements being combined to form a doublet having a positive power.
US07869140B2
An endoscope objective lens system design is disclosed, generally comprising a first lens group having overall negative refractive power, a second lens group having overall positive refractive power, and an aperture diaphragm disposed between the first and second lens groups wherein the first lens group includes a plano-concave lens with its concave surface facing the objective end of the endoscope.
US07869138B2
The disclosure concerns a projection objective, which can include an object plane in which an object field is formed, an entry pupil, a mirrored entry pupil (RE) in a mirrored entry pupil plane obtained by mirroring the entry pupil (VE) at the object plane, an image plane, an optical axis, at least a first mirror and a second mirror. The projection objective can have a negative back focus of the entry pupil, and a principal ray originating from a central point of the object field and traversing the objective from the object plane to the image plane can intersect the optical axis in at least one point of intersection, wherein the geometric locations of all points of intersection lie between the image plane and the mirrored entry pupil plane.
