US07888347B2
The present invention relates to novel pyrazole derivatives of formula I having pharmacological activity as H3 antagonists processes for their preparation, to compositions containing them and to their use in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
US07888345B2
Benzazepinone compounds represented by Formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Pharmaceutical compositions comprise an effective amount of the instant compounds, either alone, or in combination with one or more other therapeutically active compounds, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Methods of treating conditions associated with, or caused by, sodium channel activity, including, for example, acute pain, chronic pain, visceral pain, inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain, epilepsy, irritable bowel syndrome, urinary incontinence, pruritis, itchiness, allergic dermatitis, depression, anxiety, multiple sclerosis, and bipolar disorder, comprise administering an effective amount of the present compounds, either alone, or in combination with one or more other therapeutically active compounds. A method of administering local anesthesia comprises administering an effective amount of a compound of the instant invention, either alone, or in combination with one or more other therapeutically active compounds, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US07888344B2
A series of 5,6-dihydro-1,3-benzothiazol-7(4H)-one derivatives, and analogues thereof, which are substituted in the 2-position by an optionally substituted morpholin-4-yl moiety, being selective inhibitors of PD kinase enzymes, are accordingly of benefit in medicine, for example in the treatment of inflammatory, autoimmune, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, metabolic, oncological, nociceptive or ophthalmic conditions.
US07888343B2
The present invention involves substituted bicyclic 8-pyrrolidinoxanthines and their derivatives of formula I: wherein the various R groups are defined herein. The present invention also comprises pharmaceutical compositions comprising them as well as processes for the preparation of these compounds and methods for the treatment of metabolic disorders such as type-2 diabetes, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, arteriosclerosis diseases and the like through the administration of said compositions.
US07888341B2
The present invention pertains to a combination for simultaneous, separate or sequential use which comprises (a) a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor and (b) 4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-ylmethyl)-N-[4-methyl-3-(4-pyridin-3-yl)pyrimidin-2-ylamino)phenyl]-benzamide and to its use for the treatment of cancer, especially of Bcr/Abl+ leukemia resistant to compound of formula I.
US07888333B2
The present invention provides improved diutan polysaccharides produced by mutant Sphingomonas strains containing at least one genetic modification that favors slime-forming diutan production that exhibits increased viscosity. Methods of making the mutant Sphingomonas strains and the culture broth containing such mutant Sphingomonas strains are also provided.
US07888330B2
The present invention provides phosphoramidate derivatives of a furanosyluracil analog, FAU, that can effectively deliver FAU monophosphate, or a derivative thereof, intracellularly. FAU-Phosphoramidate diesters can bypass the first step of phosphorylation and be activated intracellularly so as to be converted to nucleoside monophosphates. This results in improved formation of nucleoside triphosphates, and higher incorporation into DNA. The compounds of the invention can be used to treat cancer.
US07888325B2
Introduction of double stranded RNA into cells, cell culture, organs and tissues, and whole organisms, particularly vertebrates, specifically attenuates gene expression.
US07888323B2
Compounds comprising peptides and peptidomimetics capable of binding C3 protein and inhibiting complement activation are disclosed. These compounds display greatly improved complement activation-inhibitory activity as compared with currently available compounds.
US07888322B2
The present invention relates to neurological and physiological dysfunction associated with neuron disorders. In particular, the invention relates to the involvement of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and homologues in the aetiology of motor neuron disorders. The invention further concerns a novel, mutant transgenic mouse (VEGFm/m) with a homozygous deletion in the hypoxia responsive element (HRE) of the VEGF promoter which alters the hypoxic upregulation of VEGF. These mice suffer severe adult onset muscle weakness due to progressive spinal motor neuron degeneration which is reminiscent of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—a fatal disorder with unknown aetiology. Furthermore, the neuropathy of these mice is not caused by vascular defects, but is due to defective VEGF-mediated survival signals to motor neurons. The present invention relates in particular to the isoform VEGF165 which stimulates survival of motor neurons via binding to neuropilin-1, a receptor known to bind semaphorin-3A which is implicated in axon retraction and neuronal death, and the VEGF Receptor-2. The present invention thus relates to the usage of VEGF, in particular VEGF165, for the treatment of neuron disorders and relates, in addition, to the usage of polymorphisms in the VEGF promotor for diagnosing the latter disorders.
US07888321B2
A non-human transgenic mammalian animal, as described above, contains an exogenous double stranded DNA sequence stably integrated into the genome of the animal, which comprises cis-acting regulatory units operably linked to a DNA sequence encoding human FIX protein without the benefit of the presence of a complete milk gene sequence for gene rescue, and a signal sequence is active in directing newly expressed Factor IX into the milk of the animal at levels in an unactivated form that is suitable for subsequent processing for therapeutic applications in treating Hemophilia B. The transgenic mammals are preferably pigs, cows, sheep, goats and rabbits. The applications include milk derivatives for oral delivery and oral tolerization in the treatment of Hemophilia B.
US07888314B2
The present invention relates to methods of treating intermittent claudication comprising administering glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) molecules to subjects suffering therefrom.
US07888312B2
The invention provides a composition for treatment of a localized bacterial infection and bacterial related disease comprising at least one CSF or fragment or derivative thereof. Also provided is the use of at least one colony stimulating factor (CSF) or fragment or derivative thereof having essentially the biological functionality and activity of the CSF for preparing a medicament for the treatment of a localized bacterial infection and bacterial related disease. The CSF is selected from granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and multi-colony stimulating factor. A method of treatment of a mammal suffering from a localized bacterial infection and bacterial related disease is provided. The localized bacterial infection and bacterial related disease may be a periodontal disease or sinusitis.
US07888306B2
A cleansing or a surface-conditioning composition comprising a mixture of (i) and (ii) in water: i) a surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic, non-ionic, zwitterionic, cationic, and mixtures thereof; and ii) a hydrophobic benefit agent in a particulate form having a mean particle size in the range of 1-1,000 micron, and a specific gravity of ≧1, not encapsulated within a film or a capsule-like enclosure, the particulate hydrophobic benefit agent comprising: a) a physically-modified form of the hydrophobic benefit agent; and b) a deposition-aid material bonded to the surface of the physically-modified benefit agent material, wherein the bonding between the two said materials is achieved prior to addition to i), wherein said deposition-aid material is not a surfactant having a weight average molecular weight of less than 5,000 Dalton.
US07888305B2
The invention relates to the field of solvents. The invention relates more particularly to a composition based on 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane (HFC-365 mfc). The present invention also relates to a process for dissolving oil.
US07888304B2
The present disclosure is directed to methods and compositions for clearing and cleaning enteral feeding tubes. More particularly, the composition is an ingestible gel composition that comprises enzymes for degrading buildup in enteral feeding tubes, carrageenan, and divalent metal ions or a source thereof. The carrageenan present in the composition stabilizes the enzymes at room temperatures, allowing for long-term storage of the composition. Upon injecting the gelled composition into the feeding tube, body heat from the patient melts the gel, and the enzymes are released to act on debris present in the feeding tube.
US07888294B2
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for producing a fracturing gel using a preheated hydration fluid. The hydration fluid can be preheated using heat energy recycled from a different part of the operation. Recycling the heat energy can, in certain instances, reduce gel production costs and gel hydration times while improving gel yield.
US07888281B2
A catalyst, its method of preparation and its use for producing at least one of methacrolein and methacrylic acid, for example, by subjecting isobutane or isobutylene or a mixture thereof to a vapor phase catalytic oxidation in the presence of air or oxygen. In the case where isobutane alone is subjected to a vapor phase catalytic oxidation in the presence of air or oxygen, the product is at least one of isobutylene, methacrolein and methacrylic acid. The catalyst comprises a compound having the formula AaBbXxYyZzOo wherein A is one or more elements selected from the group of Mo, W and Zr, B is one or more elements selected from the group of Bi, Sb, Se, and Te, X is one or more elements selected from the group of Al, Bi, Ca, Ce, Co, Fe, Ga, Mg, Ni, Nb, Sn, W and Zn, Y is one or more elements selected from the group of Ag, Au, B, Cr, Cs, Cu, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Re, Ru, Sn, Te, Ti, V and Zr, and Z is one or more element from the X or Y groups or from the following: As, Ba, Pd, Pt, Sr, or mixtures thereof, and wherein a=1, 0.05
US07888280B2
A catalyst is produced by bonding a homogeneous catalyst to the surface of a catalyst support. A catalyst may include a catalyst support, a spacer molecule bonded to the catalyst support, and a homogeneous catalyst bonded to the spacer molecule. A catalyzed reaction can be carried out by providing reactants in a first phase and providing a catalyst as described herein in the first phase.
US07888278B2
The present invention relates to stabilized supports stable at temperatures above 800° C., and method of preparing such supports, which includes adding a rare earth metal to an aluminum-containing precursor prior to calcining. The present invention can be more specifically seen as a support, process and catalyst wherein the stabilized alumina catalyst support comprises a rare earth aluminate with a molar ratio of aluminum to rare earth metal greater than 5:1 and, optionally, an aluminum oxide. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of catalysts comprising rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, or combinations thereof, loaded onto said stabilized supports for the synthesis gas production via partial oxidation of light hydrocarbons, and further relates to gas-to-liquids conversion processes.
US07888276B2
A glass having a SiO2—Al2O3—B2O3—RO (RO is at least one of MgO, CaO, BaO, SrO and ZnO) based composition, a temperature corresponding to 102.5 poise being 1570° C. or higher and an alkali content of 0.01 to 0.2% and a ZrO2 content of 0.01 to 0.3%, as expressed in % by mass. And, a glass having a SiO2—Al2O3—B2O3—RO (RO is at least one of MgO, CaO, BaO, SrO and ZnO) based composition, a density of 2.5 g/cm3 or less, an average thermal expansion coefficient of 25 to 36×10−7/° C. in a temperature range of 30 to 380° C., a strain point of 640° C. or higher and an alkali content of 0.01 to 0.2% and a ZrO2 content of not less than 0.01% and less than 0.4%, as expressed in % by mass.
US07888275B2
An integrally formed multi-component structure is disclosed, the multi-component structure comprising a plurality of components, at least one of which is a three-dimensional bonded fiber fluid transmissive component comprised of a plurality of polymeric fibers bonded to each other at spaced apart contact points, the fibers collectively defining tortuous fluid flow paths, and wherein each component has an interface with at least one other component.
US07888273B1
Multi-cycle methods result in dense, seamless and void-free dielectric gap fill are provided. The methods involve forming liquid or flowable films that partially fill a gap, followed by a solidification and/or anneal process that uniformly densifies the just-formed film. The thickness of the layer formed is such that the subsequent anneal process creates a film that does not have a density gradient. The process is then repeated as necessary to wholly or partially fill or line the gap as desired. The methods of this invention may be used to line or fill high aspect ratio gaps, including gaps having aspect ratios greater than about 6:1 with widths less than about 0.13 μm.
US07888270B2
The invention discloses etching method for the nitride semiconductor. Firstly dielectric layer is formed on gallium nitride. The line pattern or dot pattern is formed on the dielectric layer by using the exposure, development, and etching processes. The dielectric layer is used as the mask for the epitaxial lateral overgrowth of follow-up gallium nitride layer. The thick gallium nitride film is grown on the dielectric layer. Then the wet etching process is used to remove the dielectric layer, and the thick gallium nitride film on the dielectric layer is etched to form the specific shape as required.
US07888267B2
A method of dry developing a multi-layer mask having a silicon-containing anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer on a substrate is described. The method comprises forming the multi-layer mask on the substrate, wherein the multi-layer mask comprises a lithographic layer overlying the silicon-containing ARC layer. A feature pattern is then formed in the lithographic layer using a lithographic process. Thereafter, the feature pattern is transferred from the lithographic layer to the silicon-containing ARC layer using a dry plasma etching process, wherein the offset in the critical dimension (CD) bias is reduced between nested structures and isolated structures.
US07888264B2
A metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) structure that includes multiple and distinct self-aligned silicide contacts and methods of fabricating the same are provided. The MOSFET structure includes at least one metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor having a gate conductor including a gate edge located on a surface of a Si-containing substrate; a first inner silicide having an edge that is substantially aligned to the gate edge of the at least one metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor; and a second outer silicide located adjacent to the first inner silicide. In accordance with the present invention, the second outer silicide has second thickness is greater than the first thickness of the first inner silicide. Moreover, the second outer silicide has a resistivity that is lower than the resistivity of the first inner silicide.
US07888257B2
It has been found that integrated packages having dies with at least 10 bonding pads separated by a pitch of 65 μm or less are susceptible to corrosion upon wire bonding to these pads and subsequent encapsulation in a passivating material. In particular, crevices are potentially formed between the bonding wire and bonding pad that are not passivated and that promote corrosion. Avoidance of crevice formation through, for example, appropriately choosing the bonding pad and wire configuration substantially avoids such corrosion.
US07888256B2
An embodiment of a process for forming an interface between a silicon carbide (SiC) layer and a silicon oxide (SiO2) layer of a structure designed to conduct current is disclosed. A first epitaxial layer having a first doping level is homo-epitaxially grown on a substrate. The homo-epitaxial growth is preceded by growing, on the first epitaxial layer, a second epitaxial layer having a second doping level higher than the first doping level. Finally, the second epitaxial layer is oxidized so as to be totally removed. Thereby, a silicon oxide layer of high quality is formed, and the interface between the second epitaxial layer and silicon oxide has a low trap density.
US07888245B2
A plasma doping method includes providing a doping source over a substrate. The doping source includes dopants that are to be injected into the substrate. At least two different bias voltages are applied to inject the dopants from the doping source to the substrate.
US07888242B2
A method for forming a single crystal semiconductor layer in which a first porous layer and a second porous layer are formed over a single crystal semiconductor ingot, a groove is formed in a part of the second porous layer and a single crystal semiconductor layer is formed over the second porous layer, the single crystal semiconductor ingot is attached onto a large insulating substrate, water jet is directed to the interface between the first porous layer and the second porous layer, and the single crystal semiconductor layer is attached to the large insulating substrate, or a method for forming a crystalline semiconductor layer in which a crystalline semiconductor ingot is irradiated with hydrogen ions to form a hydrogen ion irradiation region in the crystalline semiconductor ingot, the crystalline semiconductor ingot is rolled over the large insulating substrate while being heated, the crystalline semiconductor layer is separated from the hydrogen ion irradiation region, and the crystalline semiconductor layer is attached to the large insulating substrate.
US07888231B2
A capacitor and a method of fabricating the capacitor are provided herein. The capacitor can be formed by forming two or more dielectric layers and a lower electrode, wherein at least one of the two or more dielectric layers is formed before the lower electrode is formed.
US07888222B2
A method of monolithically fabricating an LDMOS transistor with a fabrication process that is compatible with a sub-micron CMOS fabrication process. The specification further describes an LDMOS transistor. The LDMOS transistor is implemented in a first impurity region on a substrate. The LDMOS transistor has a source that includes a second impurity region. The second impurity region is implanted into the surface of the substrate within the first impurity region. Additionally, the LDMOS transistor has a drain that includes a third impurity region. The third impurity region is implanted into the surface of the substrate within the first impurity region. The third impurity region is spaced a predetermined distance away from a gate of the LDMOS transistor. The drain of the LDMOS transistor further includes a fourth impurity region within the third impurity region. The fourth impurity region provides an ohmic contact for the drain.
US07888220B2
A semiconductor device comprising a substrate having a transistor that includes a metal gate structure; a first oxide layer formed over the substrate; a silane layer formed on the first oxide layer; and a non-conductive metal oxide layer grown on the metal gate structure, wherein the silane layer inhibits nucleation and growth of the non-conductive metal oxide layer.
US07888218B2
The present invention pertains to a system method of forming at least a portion of a dual bit memory core array upon a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising forming adjacent first memory cell process assemblies; comprising a charge trapping dielectric, a first polysilicon layer and defining a first bitline opening there between, forming first polysilicon layer features over the charge trapping dielectric layer, depositing a layer of second spacer material over the charge trapping dielectric and the first polysilicon layer features, forming a sidewall spacer adjacent to the charge trapping dielectric and the first polysilicon layer features to define a second bitline opening between the adjacent memory cells, performing a bitline implant, or pocket implants, or both into the bitline opening to establish buried bitlines within the substrate having respective bitline widths that are narrower than the respective widths of the first bitline openings, removing the sidewall spacers, and performing back end processing.
US07888208B2
A method of fabricating a non-volatile memory device, A tunnel insulating layer, a floating gate, and a pad nitride layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A isolation region of the semiconductor substrate is formed by etching to a predetermined depth, and a liner insulating layer is formed on an entire surface of the resulting trench for device isolation. A filling insulation layer is formed on the liner insulating layer to fill the trench and a first etching process is performed on the filling insulation layer and the liner insulating layer. The surface of semiconductor is recessed by performing a second etching process on the filling insulation layer. A capping layer is formed on an entire surface of the result formed by the second etching process. The device isolation layer of a concave shape is formed by performing an etching process on the capping layer.
US07888206B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a recess with a device separating film and a first hard mask layer so that a pad nitride film for defining a recess gate region may remain with a conventional mask. The method additionally the recess gate region to facilitate a subsequent process for etching a gate electrode without a step difference between the device separating film.
US07888205B2
Shrinking the dimensions of PMOS or NMOS thin film transistors is limited by dopant diffusion. In these devices an undoped or lightly doped channel region is interposed between heavily doped source and drain regions. When the device is built with very short gate length, source and drain dopants will diffuse into the channel, potentially shorting it and ruining the device. A suite of innovations is described which may be used in various combinations to minimize dopant diffusion during fabrication of a PMOS or NMOS polycrystalline thin film transistor, resulting in a highly scalable thin film transistor. This transistor is particularly suitable for use in a monolithic three dimensional array of stacked device levels.
US07888203B2
Nonvolatile memory devices and methods of making the same are described. A nonvolatile memory device includes a string selection transistor, a plurality of memory cell transistors, and a ground selection transistor electrically connected in series to the string selection transistor and to the pluralities of memory cell transistors. Each of the transistors includes a channel region and source/drain regions. First impurity layers are formed at boundaries of the channels and the source/drain regions of the memory cell transistors. The first impurity layers are doped with opposite conductivity type impurities relative to the source/drain regions of the memory cell transistors. Second impurity layers are formed at boundaries between a channel and a drain region of the string selection transistor and between a channel and a source region of the ground selection transistor. The second impurity layers are doped with the same conductivity type impurities as the first impurity layers and have a higher impurity concentration than the first impurity layers.
US07888202B1
A method and apparatus for reducing parasitic capacitance. A P-well blocked layer is formed directly beneath a parasitic device. The P-well blocked layer significantly increases the resistance underneath the parasitic device. The resistance of the P-well blocked layer, in effect, partially disconnects the parasitic device from the ground terminal to minimize the effective capacitive impedance that is added to the total termination impedance.
US07888193B2
A semiconductor device has: a semiconductor substrate having a pair of current input/output regions via which current flows; an insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate and having a gate electrode opening; and a mushroom gate electrode structure formed on the semiconductor substrate via the gate electrode opening, the mushroom gate electrode structure having a stem and a head formed on the stem, the stem having a limited size on the semiconductor substrate along a current direction and having a forward taper shape upwardly and monotonically increasing the size along the current direction, the head having a size expanded stepwise along the current direction, and the stem contacting the semiconductor substrate in the gate electrode opening and riding the insulating film near at a position of at least one of opposite ends of the stem along the current direction.
US07888191B2
A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises providing a semiconductor structure comprising a semiconductor substrate and a dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the dielectric layer has an opening through which the semiconductor substrate is exposed; forming a semiconductor strip on the dielectric layer and adjacent the opening, wherein the semiconductor strip is electrically isolated from the semiconductor substrate; forming a gate dielectric over a portion of the semiconductor strip that is over the dielectric layer; forming a gate electrode over the gate dielectric; and forming a source/drain region in the semiconductor strip.
US07888186B2
A method for assembling a stackable semiconductor package includes providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first surface includes bond pads and one or more die pads. Conductive bumps are formed on the bond pads and one or more semiconductor dies are attached to the one or more die pads. The first surface of the substrate, the semiconductor dies and the conductive bumps are placed in a side-gate molding cast and a mold material is supplied to the first surface of the substrate to form a stackable semiconductor package. Similarly formed semiconductor packages may be stacked, one on another to form a stacked semiconductor package.
US07888185B2
Semiconductor device assemblies and systems that include at least one semiconductor device assembly include two or more semiconductor devices stacked one over another. Conductive pathways that extend around at least one side of at least one of the semiconductor devices provide electrical communication between conductive elements of the semiconductor devices, and optionally, a substrate. The conductive pathways may include self-supporting conductive leads or conductive traces carried by a substrate. Methods for forming semiconductor device assemblies having more than one semiconductor device include bending or wrapping at least one conductive pathway around a side of at least one semiconductor device and providing electrical communication between semiconductor devices of the assembly through the conductive pathways.
US07888182B2
An electronic component having an element body having at least one plane, and a terminal electrode to be electrically connected through an electroconductive particle to a circuit substrate. The terminal electrode is formed on the plane of the element body. When the plane of the element body is defined as a reference plane, a ratio of a projected area onto the reference plane of an external surface of the terminal electrode opposed to the circuit substrate in a region where a height of the terminal electrode from the reference plane is not less than a value resulting from subtraction of a diameter of the electroconductive particle from a maximum of the height, to a projected area onto the reference plane of the external surface of the terminal electrode opposed to the circuit substrate is set to be not less than 10%.
US07888177B2
The present invention is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, by forming a wiring on or above a wafer so that the wiring is electrically connected to a first electrode disposed on a first surface of the wafer, forming a first resin layer on or above the wafer such that the wiring is disposed between the wafer and the first resin layer, forming an opening in the first resin layer such that the opening overlaps the wiring, forming a conductive member in the opening such that the conductive member being electrically connected to the wiring, forming a second electrode on the conductive member such that the second electrode is electrically connected to the wiring via the conductive member, and separating the wafer into individual elements after the forming of the first resin layer.
US07888163B2
An object is to increase resistance against an electrostatic breakdown and to increase resistance to an external stress. Another object is to reduce cost by simplifying the manufacturing process. In a step in which an element formation layer is provided between a first organic resin layer provided with a first conductive film on its surface and a second organic resin layer provided with a second conductive film on its surface to electrically connect the first conductive film and the second conductive film with a contact conductor formed in each of the organic resin layers, the contact conductor provided in each of the first organic resin layer and the second organic resin layer is manufactured by making paste penetrate before an organic resin is cured and then curing the organic resin layer.
US07888136B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and nucleic acid reporter molecules for the detection of nucleic acid in a sample. The nucleic acid reporter molecule comprises two unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moieties, which may be the same or different, that are covalently attached by a linker comprising at least one aromatic, heteroaromatic, cyclic or heterocyclic moiety comprising 3-20 non-hydrogen atoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, S, P and C. The linker may be rigid, relatively flexible or some degree thereof. The unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moieties comprise a substituted or unsubstituted benzazolium moiety and a substituted or unsubstituted pyridinium or quinolinium moiety that is connected by a methine bridge that is monomethine, trimethine or pentamethine. The linkers form the cyanine dimer compounds by attaching to the pyridinium or quinolinium moiety of the monomer moieties. The present nucleic acid reporter molecules find utility in forming a nucleic acid-reporter molecule complex and detecting the nucleic acid. In particular, present nucleic acid reporter molecules with a rigid linker and monomer moieties with a monomethine bridge find utility in detecting RNA in the presence of DNA.
US07888135B2
A sensitive, multicomponent diagnostic test for infection with T. cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, including methods of making and methods of use. Also provided is a method for screening T. cruzi polypeptides to identify antigenic polypeptides for inclusion as components of the diagnostic test, as well as compositions containing antigenic T. cruzi polypeptides.
US07888131B2
A procedure for analyzing a fluid residual product, consisting of a rinsing solution and product loss, from a process for cleaning objects that are part of a manufacturing process. The procedure is characterized in that it includes the steps of measuring the flow of residual product at repeated occasions at a physical location in the cleaning process, measuring a magnitude corresponding to the contents of product loss in the cleaning system at the same repeated occasions at the same location in the cleaning process, determining based on this information the amount of product loss that flows past during a time period (T0−t1), and reporting this information related to the final product or raw materials of the manufacturing process. The invention also concerns a system for the execution of the process.
US07888128B2
The present method provides a single-phase technique in which an ionic strength adjuster and a water insoluble dye are added to a sample of an aqueous solution containing an unknown quantity of a known surfactant. Even at surfactant concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the aqueous sample, the addition of an ionic strength adjuster induces the surfactant to form micelles. These micelles absorb the water insoluble dye, thereby imparting a known color to the aqueous sample being tested. The color intensity of the treated aqueous sample is directly related to the concentration of the surfactant in the sample and, through the use of calibration curves prepared from samples of know concentration, can be used to determine the surfactant concentration.
US07888123B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a transformation system for Labyrinthulomycota that allows the elucidation of biosynthetic mechanisms of lipids such as PUFA and carotenoids as well as for the construction of a high production system and the design and development of novel functional lipid molecules by the control of the mechanisms. The present invention provides a method for introducing a transgene into a cell of Labyrinthulomycota, which comprises introducing into a cell of Labyrinthulomycota a recombinant vector comprising a transgene and a nucleotide sequence which is homologous to a part of chromosomal DNA of Labyrinthulomycota and is capable of homologous recombination with the chromosomal DNA, and then inducing homologous recombination in this homologous nucleotide sequence.
US07888119B2
A biocompatible composite includes a solid biocompatible material and a plurality of living human progenitor or living stem cells attached thereto. The biocomposite provides a stable interface with endogenous tissue and the implanted composition resulting in accelerated repair to damaged bones and tissues.
US07888114B2
The present invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding a Herpesviridae thymidine kinase enzyme comprising one or more mutations, at least one of the mutations encoding an amino acid substitution located toward the N-terminus from a DRH nucleoside binding site which increases a biological activity of the thymidine kinase, as compared to unmutated thymidine kinase. Such mutations include amino acid substitutions within a Q substrate binding domain which increases a biological activity of the thymidine kinase, as compared to unmutated thymidine kinase. Within a further aspect, fusion proteins are provided which have both guanylate kinase and thymidine kinase biological properties. Also provided are vectors suitable for expressing such DNA molecules, as well as methods for utilizing such vectors.
US07888110B2
The present invention broadly comprises a holding device for studying cells comprising at least one cavity adapted to receive cells in a medium consisting essentially of water, the cavity having a substrate and a generally inert wall, wherein the substrate includes a surface for receiving the medium, and wherein the surface includes a multiplicity of pico liter wells and is characterized in that the substrate is substantially translucent and has a refractive index equal to the refractive index of the medium The invention further comprises a method of making the holding device comprising providing a carrier plate, applying an adhesive layer to the carrier plate, depositing a curable substrate on the adhesive layer, applying a second layer of adhesive to the substrate, attaching a wall structure to the second layer of adhesive, forming a multiplicity of pico liter wells in the substrate, curing the substrate, and removing the template.
US07888093B2
The present invention relates to novel subtilase variants exhibiting alterations relative to the parent subtilase in one or more properties including: Wash performance, thermal stability, storage stability or catalytic activity. The variants of the invention are suitable for use in e.g. cleaning or detergent compositions, such as laundry detergent compositions and dish wash compositions, including automatic dish wash compositions.
US07888087B2
The invention provides a calcium-binding photoprotein which has a high ability to bind to IgG and is capable of more sensitively detecting IgG. A fusion protein of the present invention composed of a ZZ domain having the ability to bind to the Fc region of IgG and the calcium-binding photoprotein apoaequorin is used for the detection and assay of calcium ions and the detection of IgG.
US07888083B2
A process is provided for the preparation of a compound of formula (1) wherein R and R′ represent optionally substituted hydrocarbyl groups and X represents a hydrocarbyl linking group. The process comprises either the stereoselective reduction of the keto group in a dihydroxy keto precursor followed by selective esterification of a primary hydroxy, or selective esterification of a primary hydroxy of a dihydroxy keto precursor followed by stereoselective reduction of the keto group.
US07888081B2
Methods and systems for increasing the production of equilibrium reactions are described. In some embodiments, a method comprises removing enzymes from a reaction mixture once equilibrium is achieved, selectively re-adding enzymes and reactants for driving the product-forming reaction to product, and optionally recycling stabilized intermediates, by-products and/or co-products back into the reaction mixture. In some embodiments, a method comprises purifying the desired product from a reaction mixture and selectively recycling one or more components of the reaction mixture, such as original reactants, intermediates, co-products or by-products back into the reaction mixture as desired to improve titer. Systems for implementing the methods are also provided. In some embodiments the methods and systems are implemented for increasing the production of monatin and monatin derivatives, produced in multi-step equilibrium pathways.
US07888075B2
Disclosed are methods of identifying a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) in a sample. The present invention provides a diagnostic method comprising modification of sequences of S. aureus by converting non-methylated cytosine residues ultimately into thymidine residues in the target nucleic acid. The invention further provides for the detection of modified sequences derived from the spa gene, the mecA gene, and the integrated SCCmec cassette of S. aureus.
US07888073B2
The sequence of a target polynucleotide can be determined by: (i) contacting the target polynucleotide with a polymerase enzyme and one of the nucleotides A, T(U), G and C under conditions suitable for the polymerase reaction to proceed; (ii) measuring the time taken for the polymerase to bind to and subsequently dissociate from the target polynucleotide, to thereby determine whether the polymerase has incorporated the nucleotide onto the target polynucleotide; (iii) optionally repeating steps (i) and (ii) with additional nucleotides, to thereby identify the sequence of the target polynucleotide.
US07888071B2
The invention provides cytokine fusion proteins with an increased therapeutic index, and methods to increase the therapeutic index of such fusion proteins. The fusion proteins of the invention are able to bind to more than one type of cytokine receptor expressed on cells and also bind to more than one cell type. In addition, the fusion proteins of the invention exhibit a longer circulating half-life in a patient's body than the corresponding naturally occurring cytokine.
US07888070B2
The invention provides a nucleic acid molecule encoding a growth hormone (GH) in which the RSP sorting signal has been mutated, such that the GH can be constitutively secreted by the nonregulated secretory pathway (NRSP) in a mammalian cell. The invention also provides a nucleic acid molecule encoding a GH in which the three-dimensional conformation of the RSP sorting signal has been altered such that the GH can be constitutively secreted by the NRSP in a mammalian cell.
US07888049B2
The present invention relates to an assay which can be used on nasal secretions. The assay is used to determine the cause of nasal secretions, for example whether the secretions are due to an allergic reaction or a non-allergic reaction.
US07888044B2
The present invention relates to the use of TROY, also called tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 19 (TNFRSF 19) also called toxicity and JNK inducer (TAJ), in diagnosis and therapy of non-epithelial cancers, such as melanoma. Accordingly, the invention provides in vitro and in vivo diagnostic and/or prognostic methods for cancers, other than epithelial cancers, preferably melanoma, comprising analyzing TROY expression in a biological sample from an individual or in an individual, wherein expression of TROY in non-epithelial cells, such as in melanocytes, in indicative the biological sample or the individual containing malignant cells, such as malignant melanoma cells. The invention also provides therapeutic use of TROY targeting molecules, such as TROY antibodies or TROY targeting RNA interfering agents for treatment of cancer wherein the cancer cells express TROY.
US07888041B2
The present invention relates to a method for the in vitro diagnosis of an Aspergillus infection by determining in the serum or plasma sample of a subject the quantity of antibodies directed against a combination of at least two of the ribonuclease (RNU), catalase (CA) and dipeptidylpeptidase V (DPPV) Aspergillus antigens. The invention also relates to a diagnostic kit comprising said combination.
US07888037B2
A diagnostic kit for detecting pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis comprising a test card “TB Screen” coated with a hydrophobic material, antigen suspension, positive and negative control.
US07888033B2
The invention relates to a method of determining whether a human subject is suffering from or at risk for developing pancreatic cancer by determining the methylation level of an ID4 gene promoter or the expression level of an ID4 gene in a biological sample from a human subject. Also disclosed are a method of analyzing the methylation level of an ID4 gene promoter or the expression level of an ID4 gene in a pancreatic cancer cell, and a method of inhibiting the methylation of an ID4 gene promoter or enhancing the expression of an ID4 gene by contacting a pancreatic cancer cell with a compound that decreases the methylation level of an ID4 gene promoter or increases the expression level of an ID4 gene in the cell.
US07888020B2
The present invention relates to a method of identifying an increase in risk for type II Diabetes mellitus, venous thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism in a subject, wherein the presence of an amino acid exchange at position 286 from valine (Val) to alanine (Ala) in the EDG5 protein in a biological sample taken from the subject.
US07888017B2
The present methods are exemplified by a process in which maternal blood containing fetal DNA is diluted to a nominal value of approximately 0.5 genome equivalent of DNA per reaction sample. Digital PCR is then be used to detect aneuploidy, such as the trisomy that causes Down Syndrome. Since aneuploidies do not present a mutational change in sequence, and are merely a change in the number of chromosomes, it has not been possible to detect them in a fetus without resorting to invasive techniques such as amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling. Digital amplification allows the detection of aneuploidy using massively parallel amplification and detection methods, examining, e.g., 10,000 genome equivalents.
US07888015B2
Use of a pH sensor comprising an ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) to perform real time detection/quantification of nucleic acid amplification, e.g. polymerase chain reaction (PCR) nucleic acid amplification, based on detection of protons released during the primer extension phase.
US07888013B2
Since conventional DNA sequence analyzing technologies are based on the fundamental principle of fluorescent detection, expensive, complex optical systems and laser sources have been necessary.A field-effect device for gene detection of the present invention analyzes a base sequence by immobilizing a single-strand nucleic acid probe at a gate portion, inducing hybridization at the gate portion to form a double-stranded DNA, inducing elongation reaction by adding a DNA polymerase and one of the substrates, and measuring the electrical characteristic of the field-effect device caused by elongation reaction.Since the elongation reaction of one base induced at the gate portion can be directly converted to an electrical signal, expensive lasers or complex optical systems are not needed. Thus, a small gene polymorphism detection system that can conduct measurement at high precision can be provided.
US07888008B2
A method for the early diagnosis, prognosis or clinical monitoring of cancer disease based on the quantitation of DNA in a plasma sample from a cancer patient, a subject with cancer susceptibility or an individual at risk of developing cancer.
US07888001B2
The present invention is a system and methods of establishing a Melanocyte Protection Factor (MPF), which indicates the level of protection against DNA damage to a target cell, such as the level of protection a particular sunscreen offers against UVA rays when compared to the unprotected case, i.e., no sunscreen. The present invention determines and records levels of stable melanin radicals (SMR) in a target cell. Light is applied to the target cell forming light-induced melanin radicals (LIR). The levels of SMR and intensity of LIR are measured to determine the amount of incident light reaching the target cell. Since LIR is proportional to the square root of light intensity reaching the target cell, the ratio of light reaching the target cell is defined as the MPF: MPF = UV reaching melanocyte without sunscreen UV reaching melanocyte with sunscreen = [ SMR + screen LIR + UV + screen ] 2 [ SMR control LIR + UV control ] 2 .
US07888000B2
Salt sensitivity is measured as a function of the urinary 25-OHD binding activity, which may be evaluated by measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D binding activity using radiolabeled 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. High binding activity is indicative of salt sensitivity and is an important predictor for development of salt-sensitivity related hypertension.
US07887996B2
Pattern transfer is achieved by forming a first patterned hard mask layer with a circuit pattern and a plurality of dummy patterns on a substrate, forming a second pattern mask layer on the substrate, exposing the circuit pattern of the first pattern mask layer, and removing a portion of the substrate exposed by the first patterned mask layer, so as to transfer the circuit pattern to the substrate.
US07887987B2
A transfer substrate includes a transfer material layer on a support substrate via a light absorbing layer. Antireflection patterns for preventing light reflection on an interface of the support substrate and the light absorbing layer are provided between the support substrate and the light absorbing layer. Thickness of this antireflection patterns is set to a value with which an absorptance of light having a predetermined wavelength absorbed in the light absorbing layer is maximized.
US07887982B2
A series of resins were synthesized using a range of bio-based materials to control the molecular architecture, and therefore the properties, of the inventive resins. The resins were formulated into toner formulations such as those useful in printers and copiers.
US07887979B2
Provided is a method for fabricating a rim type photomask. The method includes forming a light blocking pattern and a phase shift pattern on a substrate, forming a groove in the substrate by etching an exposed portion of the substrate using the light blocking pattern and the phase shift pattern as an etch mask, forming a mask layer filling the groove formed in the substrate, forming a mask pattern selectively exposing the groove formed in the substrate by patterning the mask layer, reducing a critical dimension (CD) of the mask pattern by irradiating ultraviolet (UV) rays onto the substrate, etching the light blocking pattern using the mask pattern having the reduced CD as an etch mask; forming a height difference by etching the phase shift pattern by a predetermined thickness from a top surface of the phase shift pattern that is exposed by the etching of the light blocking pattern; and forming a photomask including a rim region defined by the phase shift pattern having the height difference by removing the mask pattern.
US07887969B2
A membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells exhibits higher proton conductivity and superior thermal resistance, in which the solid polymer electrolyte membrane has a nitrogen atom and a sulfonic acid group, and a principal chain of a constitutional unit is a phenylene bond, is provided. In particular, the membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells preferably contains the sulfonated polyarylene expressed by the formula (1).
US07887961B2
A unit consisting of a fuel cell, provided with a first ion-exchange membrane, and an electrolysis cell, equipped with a second ion-exchange membrane, capable of operating as an electrochemical hydrogen pump in which the electrolysis cell sucks in the discharge gas of the fuel cell anodic compartment which contains hydrogen as the main component, ionizes the hydrogen on a suitable anodic catalyst, sends the so formed protons across the second ion-exchange membrane to a suitable cathodic catalyst where the protons are reconverted to hydrogen which is mixed to the fuel cell hydrogen feed.
US07887942B2
A battery pack for locking with a power tool with at least one movable locking bar has at least a front recess and a rear recess located after the front recess in the direction of a relative motion between the battery pack and the power tool, the recesses are configured as detent grooves, and the recesses are differently shaped and are offset transversely to the direction of motion; and a power tool locks with the battery pack.
US07887935B2
A cutting tool insert has a multilayer ceramic coating. The multilayer ceramic coating is a stratified structure of alternating sub layers of an oxide material and interfacial layers of a second material having good adhesion with the oxide material. The ceramic coating is deposited by chemical vapor deposition; each subsequently deposited interfacial layer serving to terminate a previously deposited oxide material sub layer and to serve as a surface for deposition of a subsequent oxide material sub layer. The second material is a solid solution of at least one element of the oxide material in a hard material.
US07887922B2
A plain bearing having a sliding layer of a bearing material thereon is described, the bearing material comprising a polymer-based matrix selected from the group comprising modified epoxy resin and polyamide/amide resin, the matrix having contained therein at least one addition selected from the group comprising: metal powder in the range from 15 to 30 vol %; a fluoropolymer in the range from 1 to 15 vol %; ceramic powder in the range from 0.5 to 20 vol %; and, silica in the range from 2 to 15 vol %.
US07887920B2
A borate for a near-infrared ray absorption material, having an anion represented by the formula (1): [BR1mR24-m]− (wherein R1 represents an aryl group having an electron withdrawing group; R2 represents an organic group, a halogen group or a hydroxyl group; and m is an integer in the range of 1 to 4) is provided. The borate of the present invention enables to improve durability, in particular, heat resistance and moisture resistance of a near-infrared ray absorbing dye.
US07887906B2
The invention relates to an antistatic agent, which comprises a water-soluble electroconductive polymer and a biosurfactant having a hydrophilic site of a molecular weight of 200 to 10,000, excellent in property of preventing film-thinning in chemically amplified resist, and an antistatic film and a coated product obtained by using the antistatic agent.
US07887900B2
The present invention provides a waterproofing membrane for use on inclined surfaces. The membrane is fabricated from one or more layers of flexible sheet material preferably consisting of woven or nonwoven synthetic polymers of polypropylene. The membrane has a top surface and a bottom surface, where the bottom surface is intended to face the inclined surface. A skid resistant pattern of polymer elements is applied to the top surface of the membrane. The polymer has a Tensile Modulus <15 MPa (ASTM D638, 23C, 50 mm/min), a Tensile Yield Elongation >50% (ASTM D638, 23C, 50 mm/min, and a Shore A Hardness (ASTM D2240, 23C, 0 sec)<90. In a preferred embodiment the polymer elements are made from polyvinyl chloride polymer with a Tensile Modulus <7 MPa (ASTM D638, 23C, 50 mm/min), a Tensile Yield Elongation >50% (ASTM D638, 23C, 50 mm/min, and a Shore A Hardness (ASTM D2240, 23C, 0 sec)<75. The pattern of polymer elements may be applied directly on the top surface of the membrane or produced on one side of a carrier sheet which is attached to the top surface of the membrane. Where a carrier sheet is utilized, the carrier sheet is comprised of woven or nonwoven materials selected from the group consisting of synthetic polymers of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), nylon, or copolymers and blends thereof, as well as glass or cotton, or blends thereof. In a preferred embodiment the carrier sheet is comprised of woven or nonwoven polypropylene (PP) or polyethyleneterephthalate (PET).
US07887899B2
The invention offers an anisotropic electroconductive sheet suitable for connecting with pin electrodes of a through-hole-mounting type. The sheet has electrical conductivity in the direction of thickness. The sheet comprises a base film formed using a porous film (1) that is made of synthetic resin and that has electrically insulating property. The porous film (1) is provided with a plurality of holes (3) that are formed in the direction of thickness so that pin electrodes (2) can be through-hole-mounted. The inner walls of the holes (3) are coated with metals (4). The inserted pin electrodes (2) become electrically continuous, through the metals (4), with the surface opposite to the surface from which the pin electrodes (2) are inserted. It is desirable that a porous film have, at the side from which the electrodes are through-hole-mounted, a nonporous film that is made of synthetic resin and that has electrically insulating property and the nonporous film be provided with a plurality of holes that are formed in the direction of thickness so that the pin electrodes can be through-hole-mounted.
US07887891B2
A machine (1) for depositing a thin layer of a barrier-effect material inside a container (2) by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, said machine (1) comprising: a processing unit (4) receiving the container (2) and equipped with an electromagnetic wave generator (11); a precursor gas outlet (17); an injector (13) for injecting said precursor gas into the container (2), said injector (13) having a bottom end (14) that opens out into the container (2) and an opposite top end (15); a precursor gas feed duct (20) that puts the precursor gas outlet (17) into fluid flow connection with the top end (15) of the injector (13); and a solenoid valve (25) interposed in the feed duct (20) between the precursor gas outlet (17) and the injector (13), immediately upstream from the top end (15) of the injector (13).
US07887883B2
This invention relates to silicon precursor compositions for forming silicon-containing films by low temperature (e.g., <300° C.) chemical vapor deposition processes for fabrication of ULSI devices and device structures. Such silicon precursor compositions comprise at least one disilane derivative compound that is fully substituted with alkylamino and/or dialkylamino functional groups.
US07887881B2
The present invention relates to curable coating compositions which when cured are substantially transparent and exhibit resistance to markings such as graffiti and scuffing and particulate buildup. In particular, the compositions of the present invention when cured provide protective coatings to surfaces to prevent absorption and/or wetting of ink compositions. The invention composition may also be used as mold release agents.
US07887874B2
A method of dispensing a flowable conductive paste onto a greensheet from a dispensing apparatus comprising an orifice member having first and second surfaces and a bore therethrough between the surfaces, a pressurized chamber adjacent the orifice member first surface containing the paste, and a punch having a face movable through the orifice member bore. The method comprises positioning the punch outside the orifice member bore such that the punch face is spaced from the orifice member first surface, flowing a desired amount of paste onto the punch face, moving the paste on the punch face through the orifice member bore until the punch face extends beyond the orifice member second surface, and contacting the workpiece with the paste while still on the punch face to deposit the paste on the greensheet. The method then provides for retracting the punch until the punch face is substantially coplanar with the orifice member second surface, and then cleaning the punch face and coplanar orifice member second surface to remove any residual paste thereon.
US07887872B2
Method and arrangement for separating impurities from the machine circulation of a processing agent of a processing station used in processing paper or board, in which method the processing agent is led from a reservoir (1) to the processing station (2), where it is spread on the surface of the web being processed, and the excess processing agent led to the processing station (2) agent is led back to the reservoir (1). The flow of processing agent coming from the processing station (2) is led to at least one pressure sieve (6), which is located below the level of the processing station (2), in such a way that the feed pressure of the processing agent is created on the basis of the difference in height between the station (2) and the pressure sieve (6).
US07887865B2
The present example provides an automated or mechanized, way of making a pepper boat from a de-stemmed pepper. In making the pepper boat, de-stemmed peppers may be split by a splitting assembly. As the pepper is split, or subsequently, a whisk assembly tends to clean a portion of the veins and seeds from the split pepper pod to form two substantially equal halves of a pepper boat, suitable for further food processing.
US07887858B2
A cosmetic composition includes as active agents, a first active agent consisting of an amber extract, and at least one other cosmetically active agent selected from the group consisting of extracts of Bertholletia excelsa, extracts of Potentilla erecta, magnesium aspartate, peptides acting on muscle contraction, particularly acetyl hexapeptide 3, peptides and their derivatives grafted with a fatty acid, particularly a C16 fatty acid, promoting collagen synthesis, particularly palmitoyl oligopeptide pentapeptide 3 or palmitoyl tetrapeptide 7, soy flour hydrolyzates and plant glycolipids, particularly cereal glycosphingolipids and more particularly wheat glycosphingolipids. An amber extract also may be used as a cosmetic agent acting on the dermal supporting proteins and/or the enzymatic systems that degrade the dermal proteins and/or the glycan-type essential components of the extracellular matrix, particularly proteoglycans, for improving the essential biomechanical properties of the skin, namely firmness and elasticity, in the preparation of a cosmetic composition.
US07887857B1
A cosmetic composition is provided. The cosmetic composition may include pomace olive oil and a first moisturizing oil. The first moisturizing oil may be safflower oil, mango butter, or hemp seed oil. A second oil can also be included and may be coconut oil or grape seed oil. A bacterial control oil can also be present and may be sweet orange oil or lemongrass oil.
US07887852B2
The present invention is directed to soft gel compositions, methods of delivery and packaged nutraceuticals of the soft gel compositions that include at least one polymethoxylated flavone and, optionally, at least one tocotrienol. Optional active ingredients include a phytosterol, DHA, EPA, coenzyme Q-10 or an analog thereof and mixtures thereof.
US07887847B2
A nutritional supplement composition that promotes visual health and reduces or reverses visual acuity loss by a reduced Vitamin E content from standard supplements with the addition of taurine, omega-3 fatty acids, and non proform Vitamin A carotenoids including lutein and zeaxanthin. The essential ingredients of the nutritional or dietary supplements are Vitamin C, no more than 300 IUs of Vitamin E, Vitamin A at least a portion of which is provided in the form of a proform Vitamin A carotenoid, omega-3 fatty acids, and non proform Vitamin A carotenoids including lutein and/or zeaxanthin. The essential ingredients are provided in a form suitable of oral ingestion or other forms of administration in one or more doses per day.
US07887838B2
A film-forming composition comprising a hydrocolloid, a plasticizer, and water is described. A process and apparatus for producing a non-gelatin film comprising a hydrocolloid, a plasticizer, and water is also disclosed. The process includes combining at least one non-gelatin hydrocolloid, water, and at least one plasticizer into a substantially homogeneous film-forming composition comprising at least about 40 percent water by weight. A substantial portion of the water is then extracted from the film-forming composition to form a dried portion having a water content of less than or equal to about 25 percent by weight. The dried portion of the film-forming composition is formed into a film. A film produced according to the process preferably has a tensile strength at rupture of at least about 0.4 N/mn2, and a percent elongation of at least about 50 percent at rupture at room temperature. An apparatus for performing the process is also described, as well oral dosage forms encapsulated or enrobed in the produced film.
US07887836B2
This invention provides methods for treating neoplasias in a mammal. In particular, the invention provides methods for treating various types of lymphomas, including relapsed forms of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. These methods involve the administration of liposome-encapsulated vinca alkaloids, e.g., vincristine, to a mammal with a lymphoma.
US07887822B2
Provided in the present invention are recombinant peptides and a method for using the peptides in stimulating an immune response against human high molecular weight-melanoma associated antigen (HMW-MAA). The peptides were designed from the identification of regions of structural and amino acid sequence homology between HMW-MAA and the mouse anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody MK2-23. The method comprises the step of administering to an individual a peptide of the invention in an amount effective to elicit an immune response against HMW-MAA.
US07887821B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing an allergen extract from a biological allergen source material comprising the steps of a) contacting the source material with a liquid extraction agent to produce a allergen extract mixture containing allergens dissolved in a liquid phase and a solid phase consisting of source material residues, b) subjecting the allergen extract mixture to a first separation step to remove the solid phase to produce a crude allergen extract, c) subjecting the crude allergen extract to a low molecular fraction removal step to remove molecules having a molecular size of less than 10 kDa, and d) carrying out step c) until the allergen extract has conductivity of below 2000 μS/cm at 25° C. to obtain a purified allergen extract.
US07887811B2
The present invention concerns a novel method for preparing a stable immunogenic product comprising antigenic heterocomplexes of TNFα and a carrier protein, the method steps of which are disclosed in the specification.
US07887807B2
Isolated anti-IL-12 antibodies, nucleic acids encoding antibodies or antibody portions, vectors, host cells, and methods of making are useful for production of antibody or portions for treating and/or diagnosing IL-12 related conditions, diseases, and disorders.
US07887804B2
The present invention relates to novel human extracellular matrix polypeptides, designated RG1, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, methods for producing the polypeptides, expression vectors and genetically engineered host cells for expression of the polypeptides. The invention further relates to antibodies directed against the polypeptides and to methods for using the polynucleotides, and polypeptides, and antibodies in research, diagnosis, and therapeutic applications.
US07887803B2
The invention provides a method for treating a medical condition, disease, or disorder mediated by a misfolded form of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in a subject in need of treatment. The method optionally comprises administering to the subject a composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and an agent selected from (1) an exogenous antibody or fragment thereof that binds selectively to the misfolded form of SOD, and/or (2) an immunogen that elicits production of an endogenous antibody that binds selectively to the misfolded form of SOD, and/or (3) a nucleic acid sequence encoding (1) or (2). In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods of treating diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and macular degeneration, glaucoma, ischemia, cerebral infarction, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or necrotizing enterocolitis using disease-specific epitopes, and compositions including these epitopes. The invention also provides antibodies that bind to monomeric or misfolded SOD1, and not on the molecular surface of native homodimeric SOD1. In addition, the invention includes methods of diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a subject. Also, the invention provides methods of identifying substances for the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and kits using the binding proteins of the invention.
US07887801B2
Object matter of the invention is an optimized DNA sequence encoding the scFv(FRP5) antibody fragment. This novel sequence prevents the generation of the undesired by-product in the context of an scFv(FRP5)-ETA fusion protein, and possibly also other bacterially expressed scFv(FRP5)-containing fusion proteins. The DNA sequence of the scFv(FRP5) domain of scFv(FRP5)-ETA was modified by exchanging a distinct codon, thereby preventing an otherwise possible internal start of protein translation.
US07887797B2
The present invention relates to novel pharmaceutical compositions comprising fractions of human immunoglobulin preparations, novel applications of these compositions and a method for manufacturing the compositions.
US07887785B2
A personal care composition comprising a silicone resin of the generic formula: MQ, wherein the ratio of M to Q is about from 0.01/1 to about 3.96/1; MxDyTz, wherein x is about 0.01 to about 3,900,000, y is about 0.035 to about 10,000,000, z is about 0.35 to about 8,000,000; TD, wherein the ratio of T to D is about 0.001/1 to about 73/1; or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing resins, wherein the resin or resin combination is present in an amount effective to increase the SPF of the formulation at least about 10% over the same formulation without the resin or resin combination. The silicone resins are easily formulated, provide a unique non-tacky sensory experience and exhibit advantageous spreadability while permitting the introduction of additional functional benefits such as homogeneity, better organic compatibility, reduced skin irritation and improved skin feel or shine.
US07887781B2
In one aspect, the invention provides a method of storing hydrogen that comprises reacting two precursors to form a hydrogen storage composition comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, a Group 13 element, and an element selected from Group 1, Group 2 or mixtures thereof. In other aspects, the present invention provides a method of storing hydrogen by ball-milling two precursors at a temperature in a range sufficient to prevent pre-mature release of hydrogen, while the temperature is still sufficient to induce reaction between the precursors. The precursors preferably have X—H, Y—H and A-H bonds where X represents a Group 13 element, Y represents a Group 15 element, and A represents an element from Group 1, Group 2, or mixtures thereof. Other variations of the methods of storing hydrogen are further provided.
US07887774B2
The present invention is directed toward methods of selectively functionalizing carbon nanotubes of a specific type or range of types, based on their electronic properties, using diazonium chemistry. The present invention is also directed toward methods of separating carbon nanotubes into populations of specific types or range(s) of types via selective functionalization and electrophoresis, and also to the novel compositions generated by such separations.
US07887771B2
Methods for manufacturing carbon nanostructures include 1) forming intermediate carbon nanostructures by polymerizing a carbon precursor in the presence of templating nanoparticles, 2) carbonizing the intermediate carbon nanostructures to form an intermediate composite nanostructure, and 3) removing the templating nanoparticles from the intermediate composite nanostructure to form carbon nanorings. The carbon nanorings manufactured using the foregoing steps have one or more carbon layers forming a wall that defines a generally annular nanostructure having a hole. The length of the nanoring is less than or about equal to the outer diameter thereof. The carbon nanostructures are well-suited for use as a fuel cell catalyst support. The carbon nanostructures exhibit high surface area, high porosity, high graphitization, and facilitate mass transfer and electron transfer in fuel cell reactions. Carbon nanorings manufactured according to the present invention can be used as a substitute for more expensive and likely more fragile carbon nanotubes.
US07887760B2
A blower type chemical diffusing apparatus is small in thickness, simple in structure and reduced in cost structurally. This apparatus allows the chemical and battery to be exchanged readily and to facilitate electrically connecting battery to the motor in the blower. The apparatus casing comprises a first and a second side casing counterpart hinged together to allow its opening and closure. The apparatus also includes a blower with a motor and fan mounted in the first casing body. A chemical cartridge is disposed between the blower and the second casing body. The cartridge contains a chemical impregnated body that comprises a carrier in the form of a sheet impregnated with chemical. Also provided in the first casing body is a battery accommodating recess in which dry cells may removably be accepted to drive the motor and thereby to rotate the fan. Air is thus forced to flow through the chemical cartridge.
US07887759B2
Multiple delivery vapor dispensing mechanisms provide continuous fragrance release and supplemental on-demand fragrance releases with a portion of the on-demand fragrance releases being deposited to provide for a prolonged elevated fragrance intensity.
US07887755B2
A packaging system (20), has a container (22) which delimits a container volume which can hold at least one unit-measure or unit-quantity of a selected commodity or article (24). The container includes at least one access portion (26) that can provide a selective closed arrangement and a selective open arrangement. An electronic data mechanism (28) can be operatively connected to the container (22), and can be operatively configured to electronically transpond or otherwise transmit data to a reader mechanism (30). A deactivation mechanism (32) can be operatively connected to the container (22) and to the electronic data mechanism (28), and can be operatively configured to selectively disable the electronic data mechanism.
US07887751B2
A reagent cassette used in an automatic analyzer for a clinical examination room, which provides an analysis environment enabling an operator to select reagent bottles with proper capacities depending on the number of tests to be performed in each different type of facility and to properly set reagents with ease. In the automatic analyzer comprising a sample pipetting section, a reagent pipetting section, a reaction cuvette, etc., one component in a sample is analyzed by using the reagent cassette in which one or a plurality of reagent bottles containing two or more types of reagents are combined together. The reagent cassette is provided with a reagent identifier including information regarding the presence or absence of a reagent opening of the reagent bottle for each of a plurality of positions of the openings.
US07887747B2
The present invention provides a WC—Co system (the WC—Co system in the present invention means that it comprises not only hard grains composed mainly of WC and iron group metal powder containing Co, but also at least one kind selected from carbide, nitride, carbonitride and boride of elements in Groups IVa, Va and VIa of the Periodic Table, excluding WC, as hard grains) cemented carbide having high strength and high toughness which is excellent in wear resistance, toughness, chipping resistance and thermal crack resistance. A WC—Co system compact containing an M12C to M3C type double carbide (M represents one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and W, and one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co and Ni) as a main component of the surface layer portion is subjected to a carburization treatment, and then subjected to liquid phase sintering so as to adjust the mean grain size of the surface layer WC depending on a liquid crystal sintering temperature as an indicator.
US07887746B2
An apparatus for thermally treating and coloring a plurality of curved suture needles. The apparatus includes a conveyer for transferring the plurality of curved suture needles from a source of curved suture needles to a receiver, a housing positioned adjacent the conveyer, the housing having a first end, a second end, and an opening running from the first end to the second end, the opening aligned with the conveyer to enable the plurality of curved suture needles to pass therethrough, a heat source located within the housing for heating the plurality of curved suture needles as the plurality of curved suture needles are transferred by the conveyer from the first end of the housing to the second end of the housing and a system for providing a gas mixture containing a fractional concentration of oxygen to oxidize and colorize the surfaces of the plurality of curved suture needles as the plurality of suture needles pass through the housing. A process for thermally treating and coloring a plurality of curved suture needles to colorize and enhance the stiffness and yield moment of the curved suture needles is also provided.
US07887745B2
A method of manufacturing a retro-reflective shell having a curved or irregular surface for reflecting light in all directions from a laminated product, comprising a substantially flat sheet of a plastic material and a reflective layer on at least one side of said flat sheet plastic material. The reflective layer comprises a transparent adhesive substance and transparent glass or plastic pearls with a diameter between 0.01 and 0.05 mm. The substance adheres to the flat sheet plastic material, to form the laminated product. The product is heated to a thermo-vacuum-forming temperature, whereupon the product is vacuum-formed on a mould having the desired curved or irregular surface shape, in order to form a shell.
US07887732B2
A current interrupter assembly includes an insulating structure, a current interrupter embedded in the structure, a conductor element embedded in the structure, a current interchange embedded in the structure and connected to create a current path between the current interrupter and the conductor element, and a semiconductive layer covering at least a portion of the conductor element so as to reduce voltage discharge between the conductor element and the structure.
US07887726B1
The invention is directed to a “Self-Reinforced Composite” (SRC) made of recycled thermoplastic polymers, methods and an apparatus for their manufacture. In one embodiment of the invention, the SRC is a self-reinforced composite comprising (a) a fiber comprising a first recycled thermoplastic polymer and having a Young's modulus at least about 500 MPa and (b) a matrix comprising a second recycled thermoplastic polymer. In one aspect of the invention, the source mixture is recycled immiscible thermoplastic polymers, obtained from the waste stream in the carpet and automotive industries. In another embodiment of the invention, the method for making the self-reinforced composites, comprising the steps of (a) melt-blending recycled immiscible polymers, (b) phase-migration fiber spinning the recycled immiscible polymers to form a fiber having a first recycled thermoplastic polymer substantially surrounded by a second recycled thermoplastic polymer, and (c) drawing the fiber to form a high modulus fiber.
US07887721B2
A process for preparing lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt composite oxide used as a positive electrode material for the lithium ion battery, comprising subjecting a mixture containing a lithium compound and nickel-manganese-cobalt hydroxide to a first-stage sintering and a second-stage sintering. The process includes adding a binder and/or binder solution after the first-stage sintering, and the mixture of the binder and/or binder solution and the product of first-stage sintering is sintered in the second-stage sintering. The tap density and volume specific capacity of the positive electrode material lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt composite oxide prepared by the process, come up to 2.4 g/cm3 and 416.4 mAh/cm3, respectively. Besides, the positive electrode material lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt composite oxide prepared by the process possesses the advantages of high specific capacity and good cycle stability.
US07887720B2
Disclosed are compositions including semiconducting polymers and quantum dot nanocrystals. Also disclosed are optoelectronic devices prepared from semiconducting polymers and quantum dot nanocrystals. Also are disclosed methods of increasing the quantum efficiency in optoelectronic devices and methods of generating a photocurrent.
US07887715B1
Disclosed herein are a chemical mechanical polishing slurry composition for chemical mechanical planarization of metal layers, which comprises a non-ionized, heat-activated nano-catalyst, and a polishing method using the same. The polishing slurry composition comprises: a non-ionized, heat-activated nano-catalyst which releases electrons and holes by energy generated in a chemical mechanical polishing process; an abrasive; and an oxidizing agent. The non-ionized heat-activated nano-catalyst and the abrasive are different from each other, and the non-ionized, heat-activated nano-catalyst is preferably a semiconductor material which releases electrons and holes at a temperature of 10 to 100° C. in an aqueous solution state, more preferably a transition metal silicide selected from the group consisting of CrSi, MnSi, CoSi, ferrosilicon (FeSi), mixtures thereof, and most preferably, a semiconductor material such as nano ferrosilicon. The content of the content of the non-ionized, heat-activated nano-catalyst is 0.00001 to 0.1 wt % based on the total weight of the slurry composition.
US07887714B2
There is provided an abrasive used for polishing a substrate which comprises silica as a main component, for example a rock crystal, a quartz glass for photomask, for CMP of an organic film, Inter Layer Dielectric (ILD) and shallow trench isolation of a semiconductor device, or for polishing a hard disk made of glass.A sol which particles are dispersed in a medium, wherein the particles have a particle size of 0.005 to 1 μm and comprise as a main component crystalline cerium oxide of the cubic system and as an additional component a lanthanum compound, a neodymium compound or a combination thereof, wherein the additional component is contained in X/(Ce+X) molar ratio of 0.001 to 0.5 in which X is lanthanum atoms, neodymium atoms or a combination thereof.The sol is prepared by reacting an aqueous solution which a cerium (III) salt is mixed with a lanthanum (III) salt and/or a neodymium (III) salt, with an alkaline substance to give a suspension in which cerium (III) hydroxide is homogeneously mixed with lanthanum (III) hydroxide and/or neodymium (III) hydroxide, and blowing oxygen or a gas containing oxygen into the suspension.
US07887709B2
A method for the treatment of a contaminated medium including the steps of introducing hydrogen into the contaminated medium, adding micron-sized metal catalyst particles to the contaminated medium, reacting the contaminated medium with the micron-sized metal catalyst and substantially retaining the catalyst particles in the contaminated medium. In another aspect, a system for the ex situ treatment of contaminated fluid including a vessel configured to receive the contaminated fluid, micron-sized metal catalyst particles located in the vessel, a hydrogen source positioned for delivering hydrogen to the contaminated fluid, and a membrane filter positioned to prevent the metal catalyst from eluting from the vessel.
US07887697B2
An aromatic drain device comprising a perforate retaining device defining a volume for retaining an aromatic media therein, the retaining device releasably secured to a removable drain cover and positioned to extend below the drain cover into the cavity defined by the floor drain wall.
US07887694B2
Methods of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) are provided. Aspects of the methods include precipitating a storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product from an alkaline-earth-metal-containing water and then disposing of the product, e.g., by placing the product in a disposal location or using the product as a component of a manufactured composition. Also provided are systems for practicing methods of the invention.
US07887689B2
A method for attaching nanostructure-containing material onto a sharp tip of an object includes forming a suspension of pre-formed nanostructure-containing material in a liquid medium. An electrode is immersed in the suspension. The sharp tip of the object is arranged to be in contact with the suspension. A voltage is applied to the immersed electrode and to the sharp tip. The nanostructure-containing material attaches to the sharp tip of the object.
US07887682B2
In vitro analyte sensors and methods of analyte determination are provided. Embodiments include sensors that include a pair of electrodes to monitor filling of the sample chamber with sample.
US07887668B2
An amine organoborane polymerizable composition and uses for the composition are disclosed. Also disclosed are assemblies and methods of forming those assemblies using the polymerizable composition as an adhesive.
US07887665B2
An adhesive sheet (S) is expanded by expanding means (20) with a plate-like article (W) being mounted to a frame (F) after dicing of the plate-like article (W) to increase spacings between individual chips (T), an expanded state of the adhesive sheet (S) is maintained by expansion maintaining means (10), so that the plate-like article (W) is able to be conveyed together with the frame (F) with the spacings between the chips (T) being maintained, thereby preventing adjacent chips (T) from interfering with each other during the conveyance. This allows the plate-like article (W) after the dicing to be conveyed together with the frame (F) without edges of the adjacent chips (T) coming into contact with each other by vibration during the conveyance to cause chipping or microcracks in the edges.
US07887659B2
A reuse method for utilising reject rolls being produced in paper and cardboard factories, wherein from the reject rolls (1) there are made straight roll cores (8) having the same size in their inner and external diameter and varying in length, the straight roll cores being defined by the width of each reject roll (2); the straight roll cores are joined end-to-end to form a long, continuous core tube (12), and the core tube is cut to size to form roll cores (14) of paper and cardboard industry.
US07887657B2
An apparatus for arranging a spacer includes a substrate, a roller, and an adhesion unit. The substrate includes a recessed portion. A spacer, which maintains a cell gap of a display panel and has an adhesive member formed thereon, is received in the recessed portion. The roller corresponds to the spacer. The roller makes contact with an exposed portion of the adhesive member. The adhesion unit provides for an adhesive strength between the exposed portion of the adhesive member and the roller that exceeds an adhesive strength between the received portion of the adhesive member and the recessed portion of the substrate so that the spacer may be printed on the roller. Therefore, a cell gap uniformity of a display device may be improved.
US07887652B2
The manufacturing method of an absorbent article according to the present invention includes: a step A of bonding, by using an ultrasonic bonding device, a continuum of a front waistband region and a continuum of a rear waistband region in predetermined regions each corresponding to a bonded region of the front waistband region and the rear waistband region after overlapping the continuum of the front waistband region and the continuum of the rear waistband region under conveyance; a step B of outputting a first predetermined signal indicating a failure state when it is determined that an output signal from the ultrasonic bonding device does not satisfy a first specified condition; and a step C of outputting a second predetermined signal indicating a failure state when it is determined that a bonded area in any of the predetermined regions does not satisfy a second specified condition.
US07887644B2
The invention relates to a composite (1), comprising a Cu—Sn bronze matrix (2) and filaments (3) surrounded by the bronze matrix (2), wherein the filaments (3) contain niobium (═Nb) or a Nb alloy, characterized in that the filaments (3) contain between 0.3% and 20% of volume of copper (═Cu) substructures (4), which are distributed within the Nb or the Nb alloy. The composite can be used to produce a superconducting element with the bronze route which has an improved critical current density.
US07887625B2
A composition for sealing exposed wood before finishing the wood, which composition includes polymer solids and an acid neutralizing agent. The acid neutralizing agent may be a weak base and/or a buffering agent. The polymer solids may include acrylate monomers, urethane monomers, and the like. Also disclosed is a method of sealing and neutralizing a wood surface before finishing the wood surface by applying the composition to the exposed wood surface.
US07887615B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for producing nitrogen fertilizer from organic waste products in the liquid phase (suspension, emulsion, solution) and for hygienizing the wastes or reducing the emissions by thermal treatment using mineral or organic additions.According to the invention, this is achieved by a method, wherein the waste product is heated at underpressure to temperatures between 40 and 90° C., the escaping gas containing carbon dioxide and ammonia is cooled down and introduced into an aqueous absorption agent, the nitrogen fertilizer formed thereby is discharged and the excess gas not having been absorbed and containing carbon dioxide is pumped back into the discharge container, wherein the underpressure generated at the beginning of the process by a vacuum pump is autogenously maintained by the progress of the process.Suitably, the return of the excess gas into the cycle is performed by either conducting it immediately above the waste product to be treated, or through a gas cooling system above the waste product to be treated, or dividing it and conducting a partial flow through the waste product and another partial flow above the waste product.Preferably, a gypsum suspension is used as an aqueous absorption agent.
US07887611B2
In an extraction device comprising a suction apparatus (16) with an electric motor (32) and an centrifugal separator (14) exhibiting an inlet cylinder (22), a vertically arranged dip pipe (30) and a lateral suction nozzle (24) through which a laden gas stream enters the inlet cylinder (22), it is provided with a view to creating a low-cost and easy-to-handle extraction device of a compact design, having a centrifugal separator, that the electric motor (32) is arranged inside the dip pipe (30).
US07887610B2
This invention relates in general to a guard(s)/cap(s) and/or screen(s) apparatus (single and/or multiple formation) for the nacelle/air inlet for numerous jets, turbojet, turboprop and turboshaft engines—(Helicopters and other VTOL/VSTOL aircraft) such as power plants or the like. This apparatus contains the rotational system(s) as well as the engine shaft attached apparatus and/or pole that allows the mechanism to function by auto induced movement, without limiting engine thrust. Additional security measures have been introduced to the guard(s)/cap(s) and/or screen(s) apparatus, which includes a centrifuge chamber/manifold for particle collector without limiting engine thrust.
US07887609B2
A polishing slurry for polishing an aluminum film used for LSI or the like and a method for polishing an aluminum film using the same are provided. A polishing slurry for polishing an aluminum film comprising a polyvalent carboxylic acid having a first stage acid dissociation exponent at 25° C. of 3 or lower, colloidal silica, and water, and having a pH from 2 to 4, and a polishing method for polishing an aluminum film using the polishing slurry.
US07887604B1
A micro-emulsion forming (nanotechnology) fuel additive composition is disclosed which improves the fuel economy and reduces the exhaust emissions of internal combustion machines when used at a cost effective dose level of about 20 to 500 ppm in the fuel.
US07887590B2
The invention relates to an intervertebral disc prosthesis having an upper plate, a lower plate having an essentially-flat support surface, and an intermediate element having a base which is equipped with a rim and which is topped with a spherical cap. The upper plate and the cap define a ball and socket joint therebetween. The base of the intermediate element comes into contact with a support surface of the lower plate. The lower plate is equipped with a guide having two edges which maintain the intermediate element therebetween. The rim of the base comes into contact with the edges, the rim being circular in shape and adapted to enable the intermediate element to roll along the length of the edges.
US07887586B2
A ligament incorporated into a prosthetic joint exhibiting a plasticized, elongated and deformable material. A fibrous material is internally disposed within the deformable material, the fibrous material terminating in first and second enlarged bead portions arranged in proximity to enlarged pocket defined ends associated with the deformable materials. First and second bones define a joint region therebetween, the deformable end pockets and bead portions being inserted through associated holes defined in joint proximate locations associated with the bones, so that actuation of a projection location of the fibrous material causes the bead portions to outwardly deflect the end pockets, resulting in the ligaments being anchored in place between the bones.
US07887581B2
The present relates to artificial vascular grafts and for methods for performing hemodialysis with the same. The grafts comprise an inner surface on which cells genetically altered to express or over-express one or more cell adhesion factors, such as fibulin-5, or one or more cell adhesion factors and one or more cell proliferation growth factors, such as VEGF, are seeded and cultured.
US07887580B2
An endoluminal prosthesis including a radially expandable frame and an anchoring member. The anchoring member includes a first arm attached to a first strut of the frame and a second arm attached to a second adjacent strut of the frame. The first arm is joined to the second arm to form a vessel engaging end that, together with at least a portion of the first arm and second arm, is directed toward a central axis of the frame in the frame's collapsed configuration.
US07887577B2
The present invention provides a stent comprising a tubular flexible body having a wall with a web structure that is expandable from a contracted delivery configuration to deployed configuration. The web structure comprises a plurality of neighboring web patterns, where each web patterns is composed of adjoining webs, and the web patterns are interconnected by connection elements. Each adjoining web comprises a central section interposed between two lateral sections to form concave or convex configurations.
US07887574B2
A self-expanding stent delivery assembly includes an elongate member with a proximal region and a distal region. The distal region has an outer tubular member. A self-expanding stent is disposed within the outer tubular member. Circumferential movement of at least a portion of the proximal region causes relative axial movement between the self-expanding stent and the outer tubular member, deploying the stent. Methods of deploying a self-expanding stent are also described.
US07887569B2
An osteosynthesis implant includes at least one coupling in the form of a swivel joint. Each swivel joint includes at least one planar or annular swivel element and two connecting arms that define a pivot axis. The coupling permits rotation about each pivot axis. The implant and coupling may be formed of unitary construction, or a separate coupling may be connectable to the implant. The coupling may receive a bone fastener such as a bone screw, or may be used in applications that require the coupling to directly support portions of the body such as spinal features.
US07887568B2
An intervertebral support system, comprising: a center portion having top and bottom recesses; a top portion having a bottom recess, the bottom recess in the top portion interlocking with the top recess in the center portion when the top position is positioned on top of the center portion; and a bottom portion having a top recess, the top recess in the bottom position interlocking with the bottom recess in the center portion when the bottom portion is positioned under the center portion.
US07887567B2
A framed device in the form of a bridge for fixing a number of vertebrae together into positions which are uniquely defined relative to the bridge, but which can move with the spine relative to the external environment. The fixation generated by such a bridge is especially useful in Computer Assisted Surgery procedures, either using manual navigation and a tracking system to follow the position of the surgeon's tools relative to the operated vertebrae, or by using a pre-programmed robot mounted on the bridge itself to perform the surgery. Alternative embodiments of the bridge may be used either for performing surgery in one procedure on a number of vertebrae of the spine, or as a reference frame for performing surgery at different locations along the spine, while providing an alignment reference along major lengths or along all of the spine.
US07887558B2
A vessel harvesting system that is suitable for harvesting target vessels such as the saphenous vein or radial artery for cardiac artery bypass graft surgery. The system includes a vessel harvesting tool with an elongated cannula and a plurality of surgical instruments therein for separating the target vessels from the surrounding tissue and side branches. The harvesting tool includes a modular handle unit with a base attached to the elongated cannula and a sled that can adapt the base to various types of vessel severing/securing tools, such as tissue welders, bipolar scissors, and bipolar bisectors. The handle unit may be relatively rigid and integrated with the various tool movement controls to facilitate one-handed operation by a user. A severing/securing tool rotation mechanism may be incorporated within the handle and operated by a thumbwheel or other such mechanism. The vessel harvesting system may also provide distal CO2 insufflation for enhanced maintenance of the operating cavity.
US07887551B2
A surgical assembly includes a fastener, a retainer, and a flexible member. The fastener is configured to be secured within bone tissue. The flexible member connects the fastener to the retainer and is movably attached to the retainer such that pulling on a free end of the flexible member shortens a length of the flexible member between the fastener and the retainer. A method includes positioning a fastener within bone tissue, positioning a retainer against soft tissue to be attached to the bone tissue, and pulling a free end of a flexible member. The fastener and the retainer are connected by the flexible member, the flexible member is movably attached to the retainer, and pulling on the free end of the flexible member shortens a length of the flexible member between the fastener and the retainer.
US07887543B2
A device is introduced into the vertebral body through a percutaneous access path. The device is manipulated to modify the cancellous bone volume for introduction of bone filling material. Bone filling material is introduced into the cancellous bone volume modified by the device along the percutaneous path. Discharge of the bone filling material is directed into the cancellous bone volume through an opening that is oriented at an angle relative to the axis of the access path.
US07887540B2
An instrument for use on a body site is provided comprising a bushing having portions, a coolant source, and a bore, wherein the instrument may be used to introduce an implant, instrument, or tool to a body site. After the implant, instrument, or tool is introduced to a body site, at least one portion of the bushing may be removed. A method of use for the instrument is also provided. A kit including the instrument is further provided.
US07887535B2
A forceps for clamping, grasping, manipulating, coagulating/desiccating and cutting tissue includes a shaft portion having a proximal end, a distal end and first and second jaw members pivotally attached to the distal end of the shaft by a pivot assembly. Each of the jaw members including an opposing inner facing surface having a plurality of wave forms disposed thereon for engaging tissue therebetween. The wave forms disposed on the inner facing surface of the second jaw member being complimentary to the wave forms on the inner facing surface of first jaw member. A handle portion having an actuating assembly is attached to the proximal end of the shaft for imparting movement of the first and second jaw members from a first open position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second clamping position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. One embodiment of the forceps includes a pair of electrodes clamped on the inner facing surface of each jaw member for imparting electrosurgical energy to the tissue grasped therebetween.
US07887534B2
An electrosurgical system comprising, among other things, a control console to which detachably connects one or more electrosurgical probes capable of coagulating and ablating tissue. The control console generates a selectively variable power signal having a duty cycle that is dynamically modulated so as to maintain an average power level of a probe that is lower than a predefined maximum power level. The system can also incorporate both an impedance monitoring system and a current monitoring system as means to detect potentially dangerous situations, as well as a monitoring system for detecting impedance at relatively low power levels upon first activation of the probe. The probe can also incorporate non-volatile memory for storing probe-specific operating parameter data, probe usage data, data restricting probe use, error codes, and control console updates.
US07887531B2
There are described an excimer laser unit and a method of controlling the unit to perform cornea ablation to reduce presbyopia, wherein the excimer laser unit is controlled to form on the cornea a photoablative pattern inducing a fourth-order ocular aberration, in particular a positive spherical aberration. More specifically, an aberrometric map of the eye is first acquired indicating the visual defects of the eye, which include second-order visual defects such as hypermetropia, astigmatism, and myopia, and higher-order visual defects such as spherical aberration; if the detected spherical aberration is negative, it is reduced by numerically increasing its absolute value to obtain an overcorrect photoablative inducing positive spherical aberration; conversely, if the detected spherical aberration is positive, its sign is changed and its absolute value increased numerically to obtain an overcorrect photoablative pattern inducing positive spherical aberration; and the photoablative pattern so generated is supplied to the excimer laser unit for implementation on the cornea.
US07887529B2
A hybrid microguide catheter and method for making and using the same. The catheter may include a first tubular member and a second tubular member. The tubular members may be arranged so that the second tubular member extends distally beyond the first tubular member. Alternatively, the catheter may include a tubular body having a first opening and a second opening. The first opening may be positioned along the tubular body a distance from the second opening.
US07887524B2
A disposable absorbent article adapted to be worn about a lower torso of a human body and having a chassis, a non-removable absorbent core component disposed in a crotch region of the chassis, and a replaceable absorbent core component disposed in capillary liquid communication with the non-removable absorbent core component. The replaceable absorbent core component may be removed and a like component may be substituted in place of the removed component without the removal of the absorbent article from the wearer. The replaceable absorbent core component may be disposed inside an openable chassis pocket, with access for its removal and replacement provided by an aperture in a backsheet, an openable end of an external pocket, or an openable end of an internal pocket formed at an area of a waist end edge where the backsheet and a topsheet may be separated. Additional replaceable absorbent core components may also be incorporated.
US07887523B2
A disposable diaper enabling the male sex organ to be drawn out easily at the time of urination, which includes: a chassis having at least a front body and a rear body when wearing; a liquid permeable top sheet arranged in at least part of the chassis; a liquid impermeable back sheet on one side in the thickness direction of the top sheet; and a liquid retentive absorber between the top sheet and the back sheet. The chassis has a first chassis and a second chassis. The front body of the chassis has an overlapping section formed by overlapping in at least part of the first and second chassis. The overlapping section has connecting sections for connecting the first and second chassis separated across a substantially center line, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the diaper and divides the width direction into two parts, and a non-connecting section between the connecting sections.
US07887518B2
A syringe assembly having passive disabling structure includes a barrel and a plunger rod assembly. The plunger rod assembly includes a plunger rod and a stopper connected by an indexing locking element. The number of strokes of the syringe plunger before the stopper is locked into the barrel rendering the syringe assembly unusable is determined by the number of detents on the plunger rod and stopper which engage the locking mechanism. Upon completion of the final delivery stroke, any attempt to withdraw the plunger rod from the barrel will cause the locking element to engage the barrel and trap the stopper in the barrel preventing further use of the syringe.
US07887515B2
A catheter anchoring system is provided to securely anchor to a patient's skin a catheter and fluid supply tube interconnection. The anchoring system comprises a retainer configured to receive a catheter adaptor in a variety of positions. The adaptor interconnects the catheter and the fluid supply tube. In one embodiment the adaptor has a radial recess that circumscribes the adaptor. The anchoring system additionally includes a flexible, adhesive anchor pad which can supports a tube clip, as well as the retainer. The retainer includes a channel that is configured to receive the adaptor in a snap-fit manner. The retainer also includes a plurality of laterally arranged projections that extend from a channel wall and into a channel. Each radial recess is sized to receive and to capture at least a portion of the projection of the retainer so as to inhibit the adaptor from moving within the channel.
US07887514B2
Pneumoperitoneum needles for providing and/or insufflating a corporal and/or abdominal cavity are provided. The pneumoperitoneum needle can include a housing, an elongate tubular body extending from a distal surface of the housing, and an elongate hollow tubular rod slidably received within the tubular body. The tubular body preferably includes a passage formed therethrough for connection to a gas administration system. The tubular rod preferably includes a blunt distal end defining an opening, and a proximal end portion defining an opening formed therethrough.
US07887507B2
The present invention provides a device and method for measuring the amount of milk supplied to a feeding infant. The device (10) comprises a cap (13) having a nipple-shaped region (10) with an inner surface (14) and an outer surface (16) and a duct (18) extending therebetween. The duct has an inlet (20) at the inner surface and an outlet (22) at the outer surface. The cap is adapted to be mounted on the nipple region of a woman's breast with the inner surface facing the woman's breast and to allow breast-milk to pass through the duct. The device further comprises a sensor (24) associated with the duct for measuring at least milk volume passing through the duct and providing data indicative of the volume. The sensor is embedded between the inner and outer surface of the cap
US07887504B2
An apparatus includes an elongate body including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and configured to be at least partially inserted into a body cavity. The elongate body defines a first passageway and a second passageway. The first passageway is configured to communicate fluid from the distal end portion in a first direction, and the second passageway is configured to communicate material from outside of the elongate body into the distal end portion in a second direction opposite the first direction and includes at least one port. An actuator is coupled to the elongate body and is configured to guide the distal end of the elongate body to an area of interest identifiable by a virtual colonoscopy.
US07887503B2
A method and apparatus for removing harmful organic anions and proteins from a mammalian's ventricular cerebrospinal fluid in the treatment of brain disorders. One embodiment comprises using an implanted pump and filter system in conjunction with a drug or enzyme to clean and filter a patient's cerebrospinal fluid.
US07887502B2
Disclosed herein are methods, systems and devices to monitor vascular volume status during renal replacement therapy utilizing at least one oximetry/photoplethysmography sensor. The methods, systems and devices provide an alternative to conventional vascular volume monitoring methods during renal replacement therapy while enabling reliable, non-invasive, and automatic monitoring of vascular volume to avert patient hypotension. The methods, systems and devices may be employed in the context of both inpatient and outpatient dialysis facilities and may also be incorporated into conventional hemodialysis and hemofiltration techniques and equipment.
US07887501B2
A compressive dressing and method allow quick, simple and effective treatment of head trauma by cinching and, optionally, an elastomeric layer.
US07887497B2
A unitary flexible body having an anchor portion wrapping about the wrist to secure the body there, the anchor portion freely offset from the thumb, palm and dorsum of the hand, the body having a support extension extending distally from the anchor portion in supporting relation with the Thenar Emminence of the palm, and extending part way about the thumb via the web space between the thumb and forefinger, and having terminal attachment to said anchor portion.
US07887493B2
Methods and systems for evaluating a pathological condition include acquiring movement information, such as electromyogram (EMG) information, and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) information, and detecting the presence of a pathological condition using both movement and SDB information. Methods may involve sensing physiological signals including at least muscle movement signals. Sleep-related disorders are detected using the sensed physiological signals, the sleep-related disorders including at least an involuntary muscle movement disorder and sleep-disordered breathing. Methods and systems also provide for detecting and treating a sleep-related disorder using movement and SDB information. Cardiac, respiratory, nerve stimulation, drug, or a combination of such therapies may be delivered to treat a detected or diagnosed pathological condition.
US07887486B2
Adaptive grating lobe suppression is provided. Received ultrasound data is measured, compared or otherwise processed to determine the presence of grating lobe energy. A further process is then altered as a function of the level of grating lobe energy. In one embodiment, the adaptive grating lobe suppression is implemented in the receive beamformer. Data representing a virtual element is formed as a normalized sum of data from adjacent sparse elements. The data from the adjacent elements is correlated to determine the presence of grating lobe energy as a function of the amount of shift associated with the peak correlation. A phase shift is applied to the data representing the virtual element where sufficient grating lobe energy is determined. In another embodiment, an amount of grating lobe energy is measured by comparing data from prior to a filter with filtered data. The filter is selected to isolate main lobe energy from grating lobe energy. A gain is modulated as a function of any detected grating lobe energy or filtered or unfiltered data is selected for further processing.
US07887482B2
A minimal incision maximal access system allows for maximum desirable exposure along with maximum access to the operative field utilizing a minimum incision as small as the METRx and Endius systems. Instead of multiple insertions of dilating tubes the design is a streamlined single entry device to avoid repetitive skin surface entry. The system offers the capability to expand to optimum exposure size for the surgery utilizing hinged bi-hemispherical or oval working tubes applied over an introducer obturator which is controllably dilated to slowly separate muscle tissue. Deeper end working and visualization areas with maximum proximal access and work dimensions are provided to makes the operative procedure safer in application and shorten the surgeons's learning curve because it most closely approximates the ability to use open microdiskectomy techniques. A dual frame system enables full or partial spreading of a working tube set, while an open frame facilitates a four point retraction system.
US07887474B2
A device for processing sheets, rolls or the like, preferably sheets or rolls of corrugated paper, into useful articles. More specifically, the invention relates to a paper wrapping device that can convert a sheet or strip of paper into a useful article comprising a plurality of wrapped paper layers, suitable for use as a support member or a pallet stringer. Also the invention provides a device that contains a conveying unit which transfers a material, such as paper, to a forming unit which produces a core layer and further wraps additional layers in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around said core in one or more layers to form a support member having a solid wrap of continuous layers.
US07887471B2
Neuromuscular training apparatus configured to maintain a body unit in a suitable geometry for performing neuromuscular training therapy or athletic training. The neuromuscular training apparatus comprises a center support member and a pair of transverse support members coupled to opposing ends of the center support member in a parallel spaced relationship. A plurality of arcuate members span the spaced relationship between the transverse support members. The arcuate members are axially repositionable about a common vertical axis which parallels the center support member. Each arcuate member is configured to maintain a radial element in a suitable geometry with the body unit for performing the neuromuscular training by providing a bias force, movement restriction or inhibition to a range of movement of the body unit.
US07887457B2
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes.
US07887452B2
Two input-shaft-side fixed sheaves of respective first and second pulley-type continuously variable transmission mechanisms are integrally connected and secured to each other while their back sides abut against each other. One of output-shaft-side movable sheaves and the other of output-shaft-side fixed sheaves are provided between one of the output-shaft-side fixed sheaves and the other of the output-shaft-side movable sheaves while their back sides abut against each other, so as to be rotatable relative to each other and so as to be movable together on a sun-gear input shaft. The one of the output-shaft-side movable sheaves is formed consecutively with an input shaft of a planetary carrier of a planetary gear mechanism. The other of the output-shaft-side fixed pulleys is formed consecutively with an input shaft of a sun gear of the planetary gear mechanism.
US07887445B2
A tensioner for tensioning a belt includes a support housing that defines, at least in part, a spring cavity and an arm pivotably attached to the support housing. A spring is disposed in the spring cavity and is operatively connected to the arm and support housing to bias the arm to pivot relative to the support housing. The spring is a round wire coil spring having an unloaded axial height and wherein the spring cavity has a height greater than the unloaded axial height of the spring.
US07887440B2
A method is disclosed for matching a test golfer with a particular golf club selected from a group of golf clubs having a plurality of styles. The method utilizes data set derived in an initial procedure in which the club style preferences for each of a large number of pre-test golfers is recorded and correlated with a set of performance parameters for the golf swings of such pre-test golfers. This data enables the pre-test golfers to be classified into subgroups, in which golfers within the same subgroup generally prefer the same club style and golfers in different subgroups generally prefer different club styles. After this data set has been established, the test golfer takes a golf swing with a golf club, while performance parameters for the swing are measured. Based on the measured performance parameters and the previously established data set, the test golfer is classified according to swing type, and the optimum golf-club is then selected from the plurality of styles of golf clubs.
US07887438B2
Golf balls consisting of a dual core and a dual cover are disclosed. The dual core consists of an inner core layer formed from a rubber composition and an outer core layer formed from a highly neutralized polymer composition. The Shore C hardness of the outer core layer's outer surface is greater than the material hardness of the inner cover layer, and is preferably 75 Shore C or greater.
US07887435B2
A golf club head is a hollow head made of metal, preferably titanium or a titanium alloy. The golf club head has a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, a side portion, and a hosel portion. A thin and small plate made of metal is fixedly attached to the internal surface of the sole portion on the toe side so as to be in tight contact with the internal surface. The thin and small plate made of metal preferably has a thickness of 0.2 mm-1.2 mm, particularly 0.4 mm-1.1 mm, more particularly 0.5 mm-1.0 mm, and a weight of 0.5 g-1.5 g, particularly 0.6 g-1.0 g.
US07887433B2
Described herein are embodiments of a golf club head having at least one rib with an external portion. For example, according to one embodiment, a wood-type golf club head includes a body that has at least one wall defining an interior cavity. The golf club head further includes at least one rib projecting from the at least one wall. The at least one rib can include an internal portion located within the interior cavity and an external portion located without the interior cavity.
US07887427B1
Apparatus and a method for computing and outputting a putting backstroke instruction for a planned putt of a golf ball during recreational play. A computing means includes means for initializing or customizing according to a specific golfer putting on a specific golf green, the golfer putting at least one initializing putt a pre-selected distance on a level area of a green. During recreational play thereafter, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the golfer, for each segment of a planned putt enters the applicable grade and length. The computing means outputs to the golfer an instruction for the length of the backstroke recommended, i.e., required for the planned putt. Another embodiment of the invention requires the inputting of the length of the planned putt but excludes the inputting of the grade of the green.
US07887426B2
A waterslide bowl has a fixed rider path from entrance to exit. The bowl comprises a trough which is made of a plurality of sets of trough sections, attached together, in which the trough sections of a given set are the same, permitting the rider surface of the bowl to be made from trough sections having a small number of different shapes. This reduces the number of molds that would otherwise be required to make the trough sections. The waterslide bowl may also have two or more separate troughs, nested together.
US07887416B2
In an online game server, an updater updates at least one of a game program and game data for server stored in a storage section in accordance with an update operation for data to be utilized when to execute a sub game other than a main game in an online game. Updated portion data are a shared library format that can be utilized in the client terminal. A transmitter transmits updated data including at least the updated portion data to the client terminal. In a client terminal, a rewriter rewrites at least one of a game program and game data for client stored in a memory. In the case where there is a specification operational input by a player, a controller controls progress of the online game using the game program or the game data for client without carrying out communication with the online game server.
US07887411B2
A entrance-exchange structure and method of execution thereof, comprising a house and an activity of uncertain outcome (e.g., game of chance, game of skill, etc.) that is entered by a participant (e.g., a participant such as a player). The house pays the participant a takehome in relevant scrip, or cash and relevant scrip, for an activity entered into by the participant, based on betting by the participant. An existing outside vendor may exchange the participant's scrip at a scrip-to-items exchange rate for at least one item provided by the outside vendor. The outside vendor may exchange the relevant scrip with the house for cash at an outside-vendor scrip-to-cash exchange rate. The house may also function as a vendor with whom the participant may exchange relevant scrip for cash at a house-vendor scrip-to-cash exchange rate. The relevant scrip is a virtual currency that may be generated by the entrance-exchange structure.
US07887401B2
A ventilation valve (2) for heaters (1) or heating installations is provided, with the valve including a holding body (4) and a valve body (5) which can be axially displaced in the holding body (4) and closes a ventilation channel in the initial position and opens the channel after being axially displaced, the course of the ventilation channel (6) deviates from an axial direction and the ventilation channel includes an inlet (7) located inside the heater. The ventilation channel (6) is located in the valve body (5) itself, and the valve body (5) can be axially displaced against a restoring force in relation to the holding body (4), with the inlet (7) being displaced out of the closed position inside the holding body (4) into the heater, after an axial displacement, and the valve body (5) and the holding body (4) can be adjusted in relation to each other in a rotational direction.
US07887396B2
A method and apparatus for ‘through-the-pad’ delivery of slurry polishing agents directly to the land areas of a polishing pad is disclosed. The present invention further provides for improved control of the chemical composition of the slurry to address loss of chemical reactivity of the slurry during the polishing cycle. Additionally, various groove modifications to the polishing surface of the pad are also disclosed for improved slurry retention over substantially the entire surface of the polishing pad and reduction of the slow band effect. The present invention thus provides for a higher degree of planarization and uniformity of material removed from the surface of a processed workpiece in order to eliminate, or otherwise reduce, small-scale roughness and large-scale topographic differentials as well as to reduce the Cost-of-Ownership associated with slurry costs.
US07887390B2
And improved bra is provided having a each cup having a first fabric on a first side and a varying fabric on a reverse side. Each strap incorporates a pair of decorative pivoting claps and an attachment band incorporates a decorative magnetic reversible latch.
US07887382B1
An apparatus that provides for rescue of victims trapped in a body of water is disclosed. The invention utilizes a conventional fire hose as the main component of the invention. One end of the hose is capped with a retrieval end comprising a solid cap with a swivel based tether. The end is also provided with a pair of removable rudders which aid in the guiding have said apparatus in a controlled manner through the water. The opposite end of the fire hose is capped with a pressurizing mechanism that allows for the inflation and deflation of the fire hose. When inflated, the preferred embodiment floats upon the water surface thus providing for simplified water rescues. The invention is also envisioned as providing simplified ice rescues as well. The use of the present invention provides a greatly simplified method of water rescue which not only provides for quicker rescues for victims, but increased safety for rescue personnel as well.
US07887379B2
A connection system has two connectors connected to each other by a plurality of differential signal pairs. The differential signal pairs alternate between a “straight connection” and a “reverse connection” between the connectors. The “straight connection” is formed by having a first signal trace connected from a positive launch in the first connector to a positive launch in the second connector, or P-P. And, the second signal trace has an N-N connection. The “reverse connection” has a first signal trace connected from a positive launch in the first connector to a negative launch in the second connector, or P-N. And, the second signal trace has a N-P connection. By inverting the pin connections of every other differential signal pair on the backplane, the forward crosstalk from the first connector is cancelled by the crosstalk generated by the second connector.
US07887375B1
An audio jack adapted for receiving a mating audio plug includes an insulating housing and a contact. The insulating housing has an insertion hole for receiving the mating audio plug. A recess is formed at a front of a bottom surface of the insulating housing and communicated with the insertion hole. The contact is received in the recess and includes a base portion, a soldered portion and a resistance piece. The soldered portion bends and extends outward from a bottom edge of the base portion. The resistance piece includes an elastic arm extending forward from a front edge of the base portion, and an arc-shaped portion extending downwards from a distal end of the elastic arm and arched according to an outer periphery of the mating audio plug. A distal end of the arc-shaped portion defined as a contact portion.
US07887374B1
An electrical connector includes a terminal fastening element and a plurality of terminals. Each of the terminals has a bending section covering the top side, the front end and the bottom side of a tongue portion of the terminal fastening element and is spaced apart from the bottom side of the tongue portion at h an elastic space. Therefore, even if the deviation of the mating terminal is greater, the electrical connection between the terminal and the mating terminal is still fine.
US07887365B1
An electrical connector includes a housing and an outer electrical contact held by the housing. The outer electrical contact includes an interior cavity, a mounting end held by the housing, and a mating interface. The outer electrical contact is configured to mate with an electrical jack at the mating interface. A channel is defined between the housing and the outer electrical contact. A locking member is held within the channel between the housing and the outer electrical contact. The locking member is configured to engage the electrical jack. The electrical connector also includes an inner electrical contact having a mating end held within the interior cavity of the outer electrical contact. The outer electrical contact extends around the mating end of the inner electrical contact. The mating end of the inner electrical contact includes a receptacle configured to receive an inner mating contact of the electrical jack.
US07887359B2
A connector includes a housing, which extends along a longitudinal axis lying in the plug-in direction and which is divided into an electric connector part and a locking device located next to the electric connector part for the releasable locking of the connector with a corresponding counterpart. The locking device includes a detent bracket that is held in a receiving chamber of the housing, that extends in the plug-in direction, and can be elastically deflected perpendicularly to the plug-in direction. The detent bracket is elastically deflected perpendicularly to the plug-in direction by an actuating element mounted on the housing in order to be disengaged. A compact construction is achieved because the actuating element lies adjacent to the detent bracket perpendicularly to the plug-in direction and the length of the actuating element in the plug-in direction is less than or approximately equal to the length of the detent bracket.
US07887352B2
A connector-equipped electric-wire bundle including a plurality of types of electric wires different in conductor cross-sectional area and elongation. The connector-equipped electric-wire bundle comprises a first electric wire having a first conductor, and a second electric wire having a second conductor with a greater cross-sectional area and a greater breaking elongation than those of the first conductor. A second connector terminal having, as a second crimp portion, only a conductor barrel and a water-proofing-plug barrel is attached to an end of the second electric wire, and a first connector terminal having, as a first crimp potion, a conductor barrel, a water-proofing-plug barrel and an intermediate barrel is attached to an end of the first electric wire. The intermediate barrel is crimped onto an insulating cover in an intermediate region between the end of the conductor of the first electric wire and a water-proofing plug.
US07887332B2
A power connects at an information handling system housing through a rotational connector that allows the power cable to align with plural axes relative to the housing. For example, force applied to the cable causes the rotational connector to rotate from a rear surface of the housing to a side surface or bottom surface of the housing. Excessive force results in a breakaway mechanism releasing the rotational connector from the housing so that the connector and internal power subsystem components avoid damage.
US07887328B2
Tooth whitening compound includes a whitener and a carrier selected for adhering the carrier and whitening composition to a user's teeth. The whitening compound may be applied by the method including painting, washing, sponging, coating, daubing, spraying, wiping, rubbing, and by any movement relative to a horizontal or vertical axis of the user's tooth. The whitening compound may be sufficiently viscous to adhere to a user's teeth, in use, without a mechanical retaining device. The whitening compound may be a semi-solid or a solid compound at ambient temperatures.
US07887322B2
Disclosed is a mixing hole arrangement for improving homogeneity of an air and fuel mixture in a combustor, the mixing hole arrangement comprising a plurality of mixing holes defined by a liner, wherein at least one of the plurality of mixing holes is a mixing hole that is at least one of sized and positioned to impede penetration of a fluid flow into a primary mixing zone located in a head end of the combustor.
US07887320B2
An auxiliary device and a method for finishing and calibrating preforms that are removed from a multiple tool in an unstable shape, the calibration process being performed with compressed air immediately after removing and withdrawing the preforms from the multiple tool. Nipples that can be inserted into the preforms are provided with expandable press rings or sealing rings in order to seal the interior of the blow-molded part of the preforms. The compressed air is introduced via the nipples, the sealing process being performed by radially expanding the press rings or sealing rings in analogy to the closing process of thermoses, thus protecting the preforms from adverse forces. The sealing point can be randomly selected in the transition zone from the threaded part to the blow-molded part of the preforms. The interior of the blow-molded part is optimally sealed without affecting the form stability and dimensional stability of the preforms.
US07887312B2
A tire building core assembly is provided including a segmented toroidal core formed by a plurality of core segments configured in a closely adjacent array defining an outer tire-building toroidal surface. The tire building surface is configured having tire tread and sidewall build locations. Adjacent core segments provide adjacent and opposed annularly directed peripheral edge surfaces, opposed edge surfaces having interlocking elements that selectively engage to operatively deter relative radial movement between the adjacent core segments. The interlocking elements selectively disengage to operatively facilitate a disassembly of the segmented toroidal core.
US07887311B2
A spinneret format, an electric-field reversal format and a process for post-treatment of membranes formed from electro-spinning or electro-blowing are provided, including a cleaning method and apparatus for electro-blowing or blowing-assisted electro-spinning technology.
US07887297B2
An airfoil array includes a laterally extending endwall 56 with a series of airfoils such as 28, or 38 projecting from the endwall. The airfoils cooperate with the endwall to define a series of fluid flow passages 74. The endwall has a hump 84 toward a pressure side of the passage and a less elevated profile toward a suction side of the passage for reducing secondary flow losses.
US07887295B2
In one embodiment, a turbine bucket includes: a tip shroud with a front edge and a following edge, the front edge and the following edge including a Z-Notch profile according to the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I; wherein the coordinate values are dimensional values representing a distance from an origin of an internal coordinate system for the bucket; and wherein when the X and Y values are connected by smooth continuing arcs, the Z-Notch profile is defined. A turbine is provided.
US07887294B1
A turbine airfoil with a plurality of film cooling holes having a diffuser having both stream-wise and spanwise expansion of the cooling air flow. The diffuser is formed from a series of ellipses with a gradual increase in the cross sectional areas in the flow direction. The diffuser has a stream-wise surface of continuous curvature of about 7 degrees, and both the spanwise outward surface and the spanwise inward surface has a continuous curvature of about 7 degrees. The upstream side surface of the diffuser is formed substantially along a straight line. The ellipse shaped diffuser has spanwise and stream-wise curved surfaces such that at the hole opening onto the airfoil wall, the hole has an elliptical cross sectional shape with the major axis in the spanwise direction of the airfoil.
US07887290B2
A blower includes a housing and an impeller. The housing has a main inlet and at least one secondary inlet. The impeller is disposed in the housing and has a hub, a plurality of blades and at least one annular plate. Those blades are disposed around the hub. The annular plate is connected to those blades and partially blocked the secondary inlet.
US07887283B1
A wind turbine apparatus reactive to fluid flow comprises a turbine assembly (64) rotatably supported for generating energy and a fluid flow control assembly (104, 106, 108, 110, 112) to control fluid flow acting upon the turbine assembly (64). The turbine assembly (64) includes turbine blades (84) that extend from first ends (86) with chords (C) coincident to first end radials (R1) to second ends (88) disposed on second end radials (R2) with the chords (C) coincident to the turbine axis (B). The turbine blades (84) present faces (98) at varying angles of attack between the first end radials (R1) and the turbine axis (B) to always position or present a portion of the turbine blades (84) perpendicularly to fluid flow at various transverse angles to the turbine axis (B). The fluid flow control assembly (104, 106, 108, 110, 112) includes a shield (104) to regulate the fluid flow in a positive flow section (90) and a cover (112) to prevent fluid flow from acting upon the turbine blades (84) in a negative flow section (92).
US07887282B2
Media transportation mechanism and media processing device having the media transportation mechanism
A media transportation mechanism and a media processing device enabling carrying media without transportation errors or picking errors by accurately detecting if media is present. A media transportation mechanism 31 has a gripping mechanism 130 for holding media and a media detection mechanism 200 for detecting media gripped by the gripping mechanism 130 positioned on a transportation arm 36 that can move up and down. The media detection mechanism 200 has a detection lever 201 that is pivotably supported on the arm base 125a of the transportation arm 36 and is displaced from a media-not-detected position in contact with the arm base 125a to a media-detected position separated from the arm base 125a when the detection lever 201 contacts the media, a detector 202 that detects displacement of the detection lever 201 to the media-detected position, and an attraction unit including a magnet 203 and steel plate 204 that pull the arm base 125a and detection lever 201 together using magnetic force.
US07887280B2
There is provided a processing apparatus capable of modifying an existing processing apparatus having a single loading port to one having dual loading ports by providing an additional loading port without increasing a foot print thereof and also capable of realizing a complete automation of a wafer transfer by utilizing an existing automatic transfer line. The processing apparatus includes a loader chamber having: a first and a second loading ports positioned to be spaced apart from each other at the side of a prober chamber, each of the loading ports mounting thereon waters; a sub-chuck, disposed under the second loading port, for positioning the wafers; and a wafer transfer unit having a transfer arm for transferring the wafers between the sub-chuck and the prober chamber, the transfer arm being rotatable and movable vertically.
US07887278B2
An article is conveyed from a load port 26a for a processing device 16 to a load port 26b for a processing device 20. An overhead buffer 28 is provided for each load port 26. An overhead travelling carriage 14 can freely deliver the article to the load port 26 or to the overhead buffer 28. The article can be conveyed directly between processing devices for different processes via inter-bay routes 6, 7. Only a short time is required for conveyance. It is unnecessary to provide stockers between the intra-bay routes 6, 7 and the inter-bay route 8.
US07887277B2
A combination of a FOUP (front opening unified pod) system and a reticle system utilized for the transport of wafers and a reticle system, the latter of which are used for transporting reticles from a first fabrication site to a further site at another location, and which provides for a unified system enabling the automated and trackable delivery of the reticles between these sites. Provided is a modified FOUP base structure, which is adapted to retain a reticle and to be able to employ existing equipment in a fabrication site which only necessitates a minimal modification of the equipment in order to render the latter universally adaptable to the combination of the systems.
US07887266B2
A cutting tool has a cutting insert retained in an insert pocket by a retaining screw. The rear surface of the cutting insert has an insert engaging element that comprises first insert rear abutment surfaces that are spaced apart and make an insert engaging angle with each other. The rear surface of the insert pocket has a pocket engaging element that comprises first pocket rear abutment surfaces that make a pocket engaging angle with each other. In a retained position, the first insert rear abutment surfaces abut the first pocket rear abutment surfaces, second insert rear abutment surfaces abut second pocket rear abutment surfaces and insert lower abutment surfaces abut pocket lower abutment surfaces.
US07887254B2
A module for a wave attenuation system formed by connecting a plurality of panels in a structure positioned in a body of water, causes the dissipation of wave energy. Different configurations of panel, having different flow characteristics, used in the structure, and different types of connector used to connect panels, create different patterns of water flow within the structure, and contribute to wave energy dissipation. Units deployed in harbors, rivers, marinas and the like, help to prevent beach erosion and can facilitate beach nourishment. Embodiments can be utilized as a security barrier, preventing intrusion by trespassers, divers or various sized boats. A variety of sensors can be mounted to the structures, enabling detection of movement, chemical and biological agents, explosives or radiation. A submersible gate, comprising panels and a buoyancy control mechanism, allows for passage of boats and can be controlled remotely.
US07887249B2
A structural element comprises a groove formed in a sheet of foldable material. The groove substantially defines a fold line along which the sheet of material is foldable. At least one tab and at least one recess may be formed in the groove. The tab may be positioned on a side of the groove opposite the recess. The tab and recess may be oriented such that the tab is receivable within the recess positioned on an opposite side of the groove. The tab and recess may form an internal finger joint when the material is folded along the fold line.
US07887248B2
A swivel attachment and/or branch line restraint device with angular versatility and mobility for facilitating connection of installation components to support a pipe or other load relative to a support surface is provided. Advantageously, embodiments of the device provide a plurality of rotational or swivel degrees of freedom, which are substantially independently controllable, for its mating portions, which respectively engage corresponding mating portions of other installation components. The device embodiments can desirably be configured in male-female, male-male or female-female arrangements to enhance device utility and/or versatility, thereby advantageously allowing for use in a myriad of applications and installations, such as construction, utilities and the like, among others, to reliably support loads.
US07887234B2
Methods for maximum scene surface temperature estimation for blades with reflective surface properties in advanced stationary gas turbines are disclosed. The approach utilizes high speed infrared imagery provided by an online monitor system using a focal plan array (FPA) for near-infrared monitoring during engine runtime up to base load. The one waveband method for temperature estimation is assumed as starting point. A lower surface emissivity and higher surface reflectance of thermal barrier coating (TBC) in near-infrared can cause systematic estimation errors. Methods using the one wave band method, with the purpose to reduce estimation errors for maximum temperatures are also disclosed. Theoretical results, data from numerical simulations, and real data from engine test are provided. A system for performing temperature estimation methods is also disclosed.
US07887229B2
A waterproof ring unit is located in the opening of a socket. A ring ditch is made around the inner surface of the waterproof ring unit. When a flanged light emitting diode (LED) lamp is inserted into the socket, the ring ditch structurally couples to the flange. The waterproof ring embraces the lamp body to form a waterproof module for the LED lamp.
US07887224B2
An automotive lamp includes a translucent bulb containing a light source and a cap that surrounds a portion of the bulb such that it engages the bulb by a click connection. The lamp includes a connection member for connecting the lamp to a lamp holder. The connection member is non-detachably connected to the cap, for example, by an ultrasonic welding operation, and locks the click connection.
US07887219B2
A theatre lighting apparatus comprising a base, a communications port, a processor, a memory, and a lamp housing is disclosed. The lamp housing may include a lamp, a reflector, an output lens, a motor, and a homogenizing lens. The homogenizing lens may be comprised of a plurality of radially arranged lenticular lenses. The processor may be programmed to enable a motor to vary a position of the homogenizing lens in relation to a position of the output lens. The homogenizing lens may be comprised of a first half and a second half, each of which may have a plurality of radially arranged lenticular lenses.
US07887218B2
A LED illuminating device includes an illuminating unit and a shell having a top side and chamber. The illuminating unit includes a PCB supported by the shell and one or more LED modules electrically and spacedly mounted on the PCB disposed in the chamber. Each of the LED modules includes a red LED, a blue LED and a green LED which are symmetrically arranged in a triangular manner side by side. The wires are emerged from two ends of the shell in a horizontal plane parallel to an adhesive layer so as to adapt for electrically linking two neighboring LED modules with each other in a flat plane manner. Finally, it reduces unnecessary length of the wire and minimizes the size of the device by decreasing the overall volume.
US07887216B2
A lighting system comprises a row of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) receiving electricity and producing light and heat. The row of LEDs can be located in a channel or a groove of a piece of material, such as an aluminum extrusion or a bent piece of metal. The channel can have an optically reflective lining, for example, providing either diffuse or specular reflection. Accordingly, the channel can reflect light emitted by the LEDs. The piece of material can also include a heat sink for transferring heat from the LEDs to air via convection or air flow. The heat sink can comprise fins or protrusions that facilitate convection.
US07887214B2
The present invention provides a solar LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamp, comprising a control circuit; a solar panel electrically connected to the control circuit; a rechargeable battery electrically connected to the control circuit; at least one light emitting diode (LED) electrically connected to the control circuit; and a transparent body which is one-piece molded with all of the above electronic elements encased therein. The solar LED lamp according to the present invention can allow the electronic elements therein to be totally segregated from external environment by encasing all of the electronic elements in a one-piece molded transparent body; thereby, the solar LED lamp can be used durably.
US07887207B2
The display space of a multiple door display merchandiser is illuminated by one or more vertically extending lamps (80) disposed intermediate the vertical sides of an access opening to the display space. A multiple door assembly (44) covers the access opening. To enhance the illumination of the display space, a pair of vertically extending side reflectors (92) are provided, one extending along one side of the access opening and the other extending along the other side of the access opening. An additional reflector may be mounted to an interior facing surface of the door along an upper front region of the door and/or a lower front region.
US07887204B2
An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween. A principal planar reflector portion has a principal mirror reflector disposed at the rear substrate and an auxiliary wide angle curved portion has an auxiliary mirror reflector coated at a curved recess established at a region of a second surface of the front substrate or a third surface of the rear substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating. The curved recess has a cross-dimension size that is in the range from about 30 millimeters to about 80 millimeters, and has a radius of curvature that is in the range from about 200 millimeters to about 1,000 millimeters, and has a maximum recess depth that is in the range from about 0.11 millimeters to about 4.04 millimeters.
US07887192B2
A method and a prism for improving illumination efficiency in an optical projection system are disclosed. Two dichroic mirrors for both red-reflecting and blue-reflecting lights are utilised for dividing illumination light in the optical projection system. Furthermore, an X-cube is also adopted as a light combining prism in the optical projection system. Without modifying any colour light's transmission path and shape of the X-cube, the method adopts multilayered thin-film optical coatings for blue-reflecting and red-reflecting lights inside the X-cube. The coatings make the same wavelength drift of spectrum for both P and S polarised lights between the dichroic mirrors and the X-cube. This achieves high transparency ratio and improves illumination efficiency with lower cost.
US07887187B2
Wavefront measurements of eyes are normally taken when the pupil is relatively large, and the results are often represented by a set of Zernike coefficients. Different sets of Zernike coefficients can be calculated to represent aberrations at smaller pupil sizes. While recently described techniques allow scaling of the expansion coefficients with Zernike polynomials, a more intuitive approach would be desirable. Such an approach may optionally derive an equivalent result as known techniques, but may employ a much simpler and nonrecursive formula between the new and the original sets of Zernike polynomial expansion coefficients of a wavefront when the aperture size is scaled.
US07887184B2
Systems and methods for measuring a distance from a reference plane of an optical measurement instrument to a reference plane of an optical device under test are disclose. In one embodiment a system for measuring this distance includes an illumination system, an optical system, and optical sensor and a processor. The illumination system is configured or adapted to illuminate the object under test. The optical system is configured or adapted to receive light from the object under test and to produce an aberrated image. The optical sensor is configured or adapted to receive and sense the aberrated image. The processor determines the distance from the reference plane of the optical measurement instrument to the reference plane of the optical device based on an aspect of the aberrated image sensed by the optical sensor.
US07887176B2
Methods and devices for forming, such as by printing, high quality, high throughput, ultraviolet curable gel ink images on flexible substrates for packaging applications are disclosed. The methods and devices have excellent image quality and do not require pinning of the ink during color printing or nitrogen inerting during curing.
US07887175B2
An actinic radiation curable ink comprising: a photopolymerizable compound; and a urethane polymer, wherein a content of isocyanate groups remaining in the urethane polymer is 0.1% or less based on the total number of the isocyanate groups required to prepare urethane polymer in the actinic radiation curable ink.
US07887160B2
An inkjet printhead includes a “first part” wafer assembly. The wafer assembly defines an elongate ink supply channel and an ink inlet extending from the ink supply channel. A “second part” chamber roof layer is supported by the wafer assembly. The chamber roof layer defines an elongate ink conduit in fluid communication with the ink supply channel and nozzle chambers in fluid communication with the ink conduit. In addition, the chamber roof layer includes a row of nozzle apertures, aligned with the ink conduit and through which ink from nozzle chambers can be ejected. Heater elements contained within the two parts are suspended within nozzle chambers which, upon actuation, eject ink from the chambers out through the nozzle apertures.
US07887153B2
A liquid discharging apparatus includes: a liquid discharging head that is provided on a carriage being moved with respect to a recording medium, a recording liquid, which is supplied from a recording liquid supply source, being supplied to the liquid discharging head through a recording liquid flow channel on the carriage; a heat emitting element that emits heat with an discharging operation of the liquid discharging head; a cooling liquid flow channel that is provided on the carriage and passes around the heat emitting element; and a heat sink that is provided between the heat emitting element and the cooling liquid flow channel, at least a part of the heat sink being exposed to the cooling liquid flow channel so as to serve as a part of an inner surface of a wall partitioning the cooling liquid flow channel.
US07887148B2
A method of depriming a printhead. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing a printhead having a plurality of nozzles for ejection of ink, an ink inlet and an ink outlet; (ii) providing an ink chamber having an outlet port connected to the ink inlet via an upstream ink line, the ink chamber having an inlet port controlled by a valve; (iii) depriming the printhead by pumping ink from a downstream ink line connected to the ink outlet, through the printhead and into the ink chamber; and (iv) closing the valve when a level of ink in the chamber reaches a predetermined first level, thereby isolating the ink chamber from an ink reservoir in fluid communication with the inlet port.
US07887146B1
A storage system for a pharmacy that has a frame containing a rack-like structure with a plurality of storage carriers detachably suspended therefrom. The carriers are sized to receive filled prescription orders and the like and include individual identifiers that facilitate locating the carriers at a specific location on the rack-like structure. Preferably, the storage system includes a tracking system that detects, monitors, and displays to a worker the location of the storage carrier containing a particular customer's prescription order, thereby providing easy retrieval of the customer's prescription order.
US07887138B2
An integrally formed base arrangement of an office chair, and more particularly, a base arrangement integrally made by plastic material, comprising: a) a middle axle seat; b) a first U-shaped pivotal seat perpendicular to the middle axle seat; c) a claw member having a plurality of arched supporting arms extending in the shape of claws from the external rim of the middle axle seat upward; d) a base frame disposed at the top of the supporting arms of the claw member, an annular groove being positioned at the surface of the base frame; e) two second U-shaped pivotal seats symmetrically formed at both sides of the bottom of the base frame; and f) two hand rest supports extended from both sides of the base frame and the claw member outward, thereby creating a connection surface directed upward at the external end thereof. In this way, a convenient and rapid assembly of components of the office chair is ensured. Moreover, a stable structure is achieved.
US07887132B2
A chair, in particular an office chair, has: a chair column, a seat holder secured to said chair column, and a backrest, wherein an adjusting mechanism is provided with which the backrest can be inclined relative to the vertical, wherein the adjusting mechanism includes an upward-arching curved guide, which is rigidly joined to the seat holder and on which a holder element that supports the backrest is movable along an upward-arching curved path for adjusting an inclination of the backrest, wherein the seat holder is inclined to a horizontal via an adjusting device secured to the chair column, and wherein the adjusting device includes a supporting arm, secured to the chair column, on which arm the seat holder is mounted pivotably via a joint with a horizontal pivot axis.
US07887129B2
A child restraint system for use in vehicles comprises a seat portion and a base. The base secures the child restraint system to a vehicle seat with a vehicle restraint such as a seat belt or a LATCH system. The base both engages the vehicle restraint and includes a force-multiplying mechanism for tensioning the vehicle restraint. Tensioning the vehicle restraint secures the base by forcing the base against the vehicle seat. An embodiment of the base includes a platform configured to rest on the vehicle seat, an upright member joined to the platform, and a tensioning device, including a force-multiplying mechanism, for tensioning the vehicle restraint.
US07887125B2
A front structure for a vehicle has a grid member configured to allow outside air to be introduced from a forward direction of the vehicle into a compartment of the vehicle, and a part within the compartment disposed on a rear side of the grid member. The grid member has a first bridge and a second bridge intersecting with the first bridge. One of the first bridge and the second bridge has a bridge upper portion having a fragile portion on one of a front side thereof and a rear side thereof in a fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a bridge lower portion having a fragile portion on one of a front side thereof and a rear side thereof in the fore-and-aft direction. The fragile portion of the bridge upper portion and the fragile portion of the bridge bottom portion are on opposite sides in the fore-and-aft direction.
US07887119B2
A plasma-induced drag reduction device is mounted on an underside of a vehicle front fascia. The drag reduction device has a dielectric substrate formed of a dielectric material, a first electrode mounted on a bottom, exposed surface of the dielectric substrate, and a second electrode mounted a top surface of the dielectric substrate and insulated by the dielectric substrate, and a power source connected to the first and second electrodes. The second electrode is disposed in a rearward direction relative to the first electrode. When activated, the device generates a plasma region that attracts an air flow passing underneath the vehicle, reducing the separation of the flow field and thereby reducing the impingement of the air flow on the ground and reducing the drag on the vehicle.
US07887117B2
Device for opening and closing control of tarpaulins for covering the bodies of industrial, agricultural and/or similar vehicles, in which the operating device 11 comprises drive pulleys 28 and diverter pulleys 26 which run along the cable 17. The operating device 11 is fixed on the first strut 21a and via its movement, controlled by the gear motor 13, closes or opens the tarpaulin on the body.
US07887104B1
A quick connect and disconnect coupler (QCDC) having a coupler plug and a coupler socket. The coupler plug has an input that is connected to a fluid source and an output. The coupler socket has an input that is connected to the coupler plug's output, and an output that is connected to a hose from where the fluid is applied to a fire. The coupler socket features a front and rear gripping flange that together allow a person to safely, quickly, and easily attach the coupler socket to the coupler plug. The QCDC also features a safety lock that is normally in a locked position, which prevents the socket from being attached or detached to and from the plug. The safety lock is released from its locked position only after a determination has been made that it is safe to attach or detach the coupler socket from the coupler plug.
US07887103B2
A tubular configured to mate with a second tubular so that sealing integrity is maintained between the tubulars before, during, and after expansion of the tubulars is disclosed. In one embodiment, a connector for connecting tubulars is provided. The connector includes a pin portion; a box portion, wherein the pin and the box portions are configured to mate; a sealing surface formed in an inner surface of the box portion; a seal disposed in a groove formed in an outer surface of the pin portion, wherein the seal is configured to engage with a sealing surface of the box portion upon mating of the pin and the box portions; and a bump formed on an inner surface of the pin portion, wherein the bump is substantially radially aligned with the groove and the bump is configured so that the seal remains engaged with the box portion during and after expansion of the pin and the box portions.
US07887099B2
A compound tube is disclosed that includes an outer tube and an inner tube disposed in the outer tube. A passage is defined between the outer tube and the inner tube. Various methods of joining the outer tube to the inner tube are disclosed.
US07887080B2
Cross-country or telemark binding (10) which is mounted on the top face of a ski, especially on a mounting plate (12) mounted thereon, so as to be longitudinally displaceable (arrow 13) and which is lockable in a plurality of sliding positions by means of a locking device (14). The locking device is subdivided into a first locking unit (23), which is active only in the forward direction, and a second locking unit (24), which is active only in the rearward direction, so that on unlocking of that locking unit (23) which is active only in the forward direction the binding is displaceable only in the forward direction (arrow 25) and on unlocking of that locking unit (24) which is active only in the rearward direction the binding is displaceable only in the rearward direction (arrow 26).
US07887071B2
An active, divided stabilizer for a motor vehicle having an incorporated pivot motor is provided. The pivot motor is used for pivot regulation and includes at least one displacement drive having a motor and transmission, and a housing. At least one housing part is connected to an associated stabilizer part for torque transmission. The housing part has an axially oriented, central indentation, into which the stabilizer part extends. The connection for torque transmission between the housing part and the stabilizer part is located therein. A sensor for detecting the torsion angle of the stabilizer part is attached to the housing part, with a corresponding encoder is fixed on the stabilizer part, or vice versa.
US07887067B2
A safety device in connection with a child seat in a shopping cart. The safety device prevents a child, placed on the seat from being able to pull its legs out of the openings formed through the end wall of the shopping cart. The child seat is pivotally suspended from the end wall, which can preferably be swung inwards/upwards in the shopping cart about a horizontal axis, when shopping carts are being stack horizontally. The child seat is placed adjacent to the through opening for the child's legs. Adjacent the openings for the child's legs through the end wall there is arranged an adjustable safety element that can restrict the openings when activated, after the child's legs have been put through the openings.
US07887058B2
Methods of playing drawings games incorporating novel steps and electronic game systems configured for use with a video display and adapted to interactively provide novel methods of playing drawing games. Novel steps of the methods include: providing an award based at least in part on the number of continuous lines used by a player in the drawing of clues; erasing a player's drawing after a predetermined time in sequence to how the drawing was sketched; providing an initial image to a player who sketches clues incorporating the initial image to create a drawing; limiting a player's sketch to a combination of a predetermined set of shapes; limiting a player's sketch to clues not depicting the physical manifestation of the word provided; manipulating a hand, wrist, or arm of a player to sketch clues to a word; requiring the player sketching clues to continuously produce verbal sound; requiring the player sketching clues to continuously keep his/her feet off the floor; and requiring the player sketching the clues to sketch upside-down.
US07887054B2
A sheet transport direction switching device includes: a rotary guide member having a single guide passage for passing a sheet to be transported, and a support shaft extending in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the sheet; and a posture changing mechanism for changing the posture of the rotary guide member. The rotary guide member is operable to change the posture thereof by pivotal movement about an axis of the support shaft so that an exit of the guide passage faces one of at least two discharge destinations. The posture changing mechanism has a stepping motor for pivotally moving the rotary guide member about the axis of the support shaft.
US07887048B2
A paper feeding apparatus includes a cassette main body that stacks a paper therein, a sidewall that moves in a width direction of the cassette main body, an end wall that moves in a longitudinal direction of the cassette main body, a first movable member that is connected at one end to the sidewall and rotates around a shaft axially fixed to the cassette main body in connection with the sidewall, a second movable member that is connected at one end to the end wall and rotates around a shaft axially fixed to the cassette main body in connection with the end wall, a first detection unit that has a plurality of detection members and detects the size of the paper in the width direction, and a second detection unit that has a plurality of detection members and detects the size of the paper in the longitudinal direction.
US07887046B2
A low-profile document feeding machine includes a feeder, a hopper, at least one processing device, and an output pocket. The feeder feeds documents one at a time from a document stack in the hopper for processing by the at least one processing device and reception by the output pocket. The hopper has a hopper floor including a hopper floor extension that extends beyond a footprint of the low-profile document feeding machine so as to better support longer documents. The hopper floor extension extend a to a sufficient extent such that a total length of the hopper floor is at least about 5.5 inches.
US07887045B2
A method for dynamically lifting an elevator includes picking a sheet from a stack to feed to a media process where the stack is on a platform that can be lifted by an elevator, performing the media process, sensing a top of the stack to detect presence or absence of the stack at a media home position, sensing the top of the stack to detect presence or absence of the stack on the platform, sensing the platform to detect its presence or absence at a maximum elevator level, and indexing the stack at least once by lifting the platform through a given distance, during the media process and not during picking a sheet, unless presence of the top of the stack at the media home position is sensed or absence of media sheets on the elevator platform is sensed or presence of the elevator platform at the maximum elevator level is sensed.
US07887044B2
A sheet conveying device includes a feed tray including a bottom plate configured to hold a sheet, a feed roller configured to feed the sheet in a first direction from the feed tray to a first conveying path, and a pressing member configured to press the sheet in the feed tray against the bottom plate of the feed tray. The pressing member includes a contact portion configured to contact the sheet in the feed tray, and a first guide positioned at a downstream end of the pressing member in the first direction. The first guide extends between the downstream end and the contact portion obliquely with respect to the bottom plate, such that a distance between the bottom plate and the first guide increases along the first direction. The first guide is positioned upstream of the feed roller in the first direction.
US07887041B2
A feed roller assembly includes a shaft, a plurality of rollers, and a plurality of covers. The rollers are fixed to the shaft at intervals along it. The covers are positioned at both ends of the rollers and surround the shaft, without being fixed to it. Paper dust falls from the outer cylindrical surfaces of the rollers and accumulates on the covers, without coming into direct contact with the cylindrical surface of the shaft. Because the covers are not fixed to the cylindrical surface of the shaft, they rotate at a lower speed than the shaft.
US07887035B2
A fan delivery for a folding apparatus is provided, having at least one fan wheel including a number of fan-wheel elements and having a signature guide member that is movable relative to the fan wheel, in which the signature guide member has at least one arm that is introducible into a space defined by two fan-wheel elements. A folding apparatus is also provided.
US07887034B2
A method and clamp system for use on an ion implanter system for aligning a cathode and filament relative to one another in-situ are disclosed. The invention includes a clamp system having a clamp including a first clamp member separably coupled to a second clamp member, and an opening to a mount portion of one of the cathode and the filament in at least one of the clamp members. Each clamp member includes a surface to engage a mount portion of one of the cathode and the filament. The opening is adapted to receive a positioning tool to position the cathode and the filament relative to one another by moving the mount portion when the clamp is released. The mount portion may include a tool receiving member to facilitate accurate positioning.
US07887020B2
An apparatus for adjusting the position of a seat comprises a rack and a clock nut that grips the rack. The rack comprises a threaded rod, while the clock nut comprises a short cylindrical body that is drilled and threaded along its diameter with internal threads corresponding to the thread diameter and pitch of the rack. Circumferential reliefs are then formed in the threaded bore to enable the clock nut to be “clocked” from a position in which the threads of the clock nut engage the threads of the rack to a second position in which the threads of the clock nut disengage the threads of the rack. A pair of linkages are provided to rotate the clock nut between the engaged and disengaged positions and to transmit loads from the clock nut. Because the clock nut engages multiple teeth of the rack simultaneously, the seat track locking mechanism of the present invention is capable of extremely fine position adjustment without sacrificing ruggedness and because of the design of the linkages, the seat track locking mechanism locks bi-directionally and with little or no backlash.
US07887011B1
An airborne cargo-carrying apparatus includes support and lower structural frames; a retaining mechanism securing a cargo carrier to the support frame; collapsible nose and tail cones coupled to the frames; flexible side panels coupled to the cones and frames; and a cargo door mounted on the lower structural frame. The support frame includes a top panel. The cones and panels are arranged—with the cones collapsed, side panels folded, and cargo door open—to enable the support frame and the cargo carrier to be secured together with the retaining mechanism engaged. The cones, panels, and cargo door are arranged—with the cones expanded, side panels unfolded, and cargo door closed—to substantially envelop the cargo carrier secured to the support frame within an aerodynamic enclosure.
US07887006B2
A winding reel for a band-shaped material that makes it possible to remove the wound band-shaped material by a simple operation, without adjusting the winding speed of the band-shaped material. A winding reel for a band-shaped material is configured by attaching an outer circumferential member to a member with a reducing outer diameter of an inner circumferential member. The outer diameter of the member with a reducing outer diameter and the inner diameter of mating members that constitute the outer circumferential member decrease from the base end side toward the distal end side. In the outer circumferential member attached to the member with a reducing outer diameter, the inner surfaces of the mating members are brought into contact with the outer surface of the member with a reducing outer diameter and supported by the outer surface of the member with a reducing outer diameter. An engagement portion is provided at a distal end portion of a rotary shaft to which the member with a reducing outer diameter is attached. An engagement piece located inside a fixing tube of a fixing cap engages with the engagement portion. The engagement piece located inside the fixing tube and the engagement portion are configured so that the engagement thereof can be released.
US07887002B2
A cable storage apparatus includes a standalone keyboard chassis having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a plurality of keys on the first side; a recessed area defined by the second side; and a cable support mounted in the recessed area and separated from the keys by the second side of the keyboard member, whereby a keyboard cable is stored in the chassis, the cable support having a first portion for wrapping a cable and a second portion for retaining the cable on the first portion, the second portion being removable from the first portion.
US07886996B2
A raw material is fed through a raw material supply channel into a raw material introduction part between a fixed grinding disc and a moving grinding disc. The moving grinding disc is provided on a drive shaft and the gap between the same and the fixed grinding disc is adjusted by means of a gap adjusting mechanism. Heat transfer from the drive unit is prevented while power is transmitted to the drive shaft to rotate the moving grinding disc. The raw material while being transferred through the coarse grinding distributing channel is coarsely ground and any raw material of low grindability is crushed by the crushing part, distributed to the microgrinding part and microground to thereby attain the production of ground matter.
US07886985B2
This invention relates to domestic heat and power systems that allow efficient methods of operating a domestic combined heat and power (dchp) unit and to energy-efficient methods of scheduling domestic appliance operation within a household having a dchp unit. Dchp units provide heating and hot water for the home and also generate electricity for use in the home. A domestic heat and power system is provided that comprises a dchp unit, a dchp unit controller, a programmer module and an energy scheduler linked to allow communication therebetween, wherein the programmer module receives data input and generates a heating and/or hot water schedule therefrom, the dchp unit controller determines operating times of the dchp unit in accordance with the schedule and provides the operating times to the energy scheduler that then operates the domestic appliance during operating times.
US07886972B2
A digital image capture and processing module for use with an Internet-based shipping, tracking and delivery network. The module includes a housing having a light transmission aperture with an optically transparent imaging window mounted thereover. A digital camera board supports an area-type color image sensing array, sensing array control electronics, and image capture and buffering electronics. An imaging lens assembly supported within said housing and having image forming optics with a field of view (FOV) on the area-type color image sensing array. A plurality of broad-band LEDs are supported within said housing for producing a field of broad-band illumination. A light focusing reflector is operably mounted for focusing the field of broad-band illumination. A digital image-processing subsystem supports image capture, processing and display functions, as well as digital image file transmission functions within the module. A system control subsystem controls and/or orchestrates the operation of components within the module; and a plurality of mode selection buttons are provided on the housing so that, upon depression, control signals are generated and are to the system control subsystem.
US07886963B1
Method and system are disclosed for automatically filling in external account information on a new account application. The method and system capture account-identifying information for an external account from electronic transactions involving the external account. The captured external account information may be used to automatically pre-fill new account information fields that require information about the external account. Account-identifying information for internal accounts may also be used to automatically pre-fill the new account application. Such an arrangement greatly simplifies the process of filling out new account applications.
US07886960B2
Redistributing parts includes defining locations. An actual inventory of parts is established among the locations, and a desired allocation of the parts is established among the locations. A demand for the parts at each location is determined using the actual inventory and the desired allocation. Paths are determined, where a path transfers an excess part from one location to another location. A transfer function describing a cost of transferring the excess part along the paths is generated. The transfer function is optimized to achieve the desired allocation of the excess parts at a minimum cost.
US07886956B2
A bonding apparatus includes: a reference plane; a bonding arm configured to be rotated about a rotation center that is arranged separately from the reference plane and to move a capillary attached at a tip end thereof obliquely toward and away from the reference plane; and an imaging device for optically detecting bonding positions on a semiconductor chip and/or a lead frame, in which an angle between an optical axis being heading for the imaging device from the reference plane and the reference plane is approximately equal to an angle between a motion trajectory of a tip end of the capillary and the reference plane, and thereby the bonding apparatus can have a wide bonding area with a simple mechanism as well as perform high-speed and high-accuracy bonding.
US07886949B2
A carrying bag includes a bag body including first and second panels cooperating to substantially form a first compartment therebetween; an expandable compartment configured for housing an object, the expandable compartment including first and second areas cooperating with each other; the first area being connected to the bag body, the first area having two end portions, each end portion comprising a protrusion, and the first area having a fold line approximately along its center, the second area comprising three regions configured to cooperate with each other; and a cord capable of cooperating with the second area for facilitating the cooperation of the three regions. The shape of the protrusions of the end portions prevents the visibility of the first area to a user when the compartment is in an unexpanded configuration. When the compartment is in the unexpanded configuration, approximately half of the first area abuts the second area and approximately half of the material of the first area abuts the first panel.
US07886947B2
A bottle-cage supporting unit for a bicycle includes a cage support for the bottle, associated to which are a container for an electronic control unit for a motor-driven gear-shifting system with which the bicycle is equipped and a container for the electric power-supply battery for the electronic control unit.
US07886945B2
A garment hanger comprises a header card and a clamp, the header card being preferably “free-floating” relative to the clamp to give a prospective purchaser a sense that the clamp is attached more to the garment than to the header card and that the card is thus disposable after purchase. In one embodiment, a hanger for displaying and holding an article such as a pair of gloves comprises a clothespin-like clamp comprising a pair of jaws resiliently biased about a pivot region to a closed, article-holding position, and a header defining an opening for receiving the pivot region of the clamp. Preferably, the opening in the header is larger than the pivot region of the clamp so as to provide for relative movement between the clamp and the header.
US07886942B2
A valve for a liquid dispensing system includes a casing having an interior sidewall. A hollow dispensing pin is positioned within the casing. The dispensing pin has a first end, a second end, an exterior surface, and an interior flow passage. At least one radial dispensing passage extends from the interior flow passage through to the exterior surface at the first end of the dispensing pin. A first plunger is disposed between the interior sidewall of the casing and the exterior surface of the dispensing pin. The first plunger engages both the interior surface of the casing and the exterior surface of the dispensing pin. The first plunger is movable between a closed position blocking any flow through the at least one radial dispensing passage and an open position toward the second end of the dispensing pin spaced from the at least one radial dispensing passage.
US07886938B2
A powder and granular material feeder constantly feeding powder and granular material with poor fluidity that is discharged to an annular passage between inner and outer tubes through a clearance between a lower end of the inner tube and a bottom plate from a fall opening, outside of the feeder, by scraping plates immediately below the fall opening. The fall opening has an arcuate configuration starting on an outer side of the outer tube to the inner tube or to an inner side of the inner tube. The scraping plates are located on a small cylinder around the center of curvature. The scraping plates and spokes rotate in opposite directions from each other at a portion of the fall opening, and the powder and granular material transferred by the spokes and inward claws into the fall opening is discharged in a direction opposite to the feeding direction and leveled by an lower edge of the outer tube.
US07886937B2
A dispenser has a housing, and a variable-volume storage chamber formed within the housing and defining a substantially fluid-tight seal between the chamber and exterior of the housing for storing a substance to be dispensed. A piston is mounted within the housing, and a one-way valve is mounted within the housing and coupled in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber. A compression chamber is coupled in fluid communication between the piston and one-way valve, and at least one of the piston and valve is manually depressible relative to the other between (i) a first position in which the piston is located at least partially outside of the compression chamber for permitting substance to flow from the variable-volume storage chamber into the compression chamber, and (ii) a second position in which the piston is located at least partially within the compression chamber for pressurizing substance within the compression chamber above a valve opening pressure and, in turn, dispensing substance through the one-way valve and out of the dispenser.
US07886931B2
The invention relates to a method and system that utilizes one or more containers that hold medicaments for dispensing. In one embodiment, a medicament container includes a housing having an outlet port through which a medicament unit can be dispensed; a door configured to seal the outlet port in a closed position and to move to an open position to permit the medicament unit to be dispensed from the outlet port; and a lock configured to maintain the door in the closed position to prevent unauthorized dispensing of the medicament unit.
US07886930B2
This invention is a vending machine and components parts that include a product retrieval and delivery system deployed within a uniquely designed, insulated cabinet that includes an adjustable ventilation system, and a conveniently located compact, easily removable modular climate control unit. A unique product delivery port and chute are provided as part of the cabinet. Related methods are also disclosed.
US07886928B2
A container for a product which off-gases has a container body with a base wall, sidewall and a large mouth at its upper end bounded by a lip and having an outwardly extending shoulder adjacent the upper end of the sidewall, and a foil seal which extends over the mouth and is adhered to the lip. The foil seal having a valve therein permitting gases in the container body to exit there through. A cap having a top wall and a depending skirt with an internal peripheral snap bead abuts the shoulder on the sidewall of the container body. The top wall of the cap has a depending flexible ring seal bearing on the lip and the inside surface of the cap has channels extending downwardly along the inside surface of the skirt. Gas pressure in the container body will cause the valve in the foil seal to release gas from the interior of the container body into the space in the cap and the pressure of the gas in the ring seal is deflected from the lip to allow the gas to flow thereby and outwardly in the channels in the cap.
US07886920B2
An apparatus for use in carrying a load particularly in theatrical performances comprising a supported guide rail, with a first and second carriage movably mounted on the guide rail, the first carriage being adapted to carry a movable lift line for carrying the load, and a compensator system linking the first and second carriage and being arranged such that on movement of the first carriage or the second carriage, the other carriage moves in the same direction and the second carriage moves a shorter distance than the first carriage. Lifting and lowering of the load may be achieved independently of travel along the rail and a load may be transported at a constant height.
US07886919B2
A improved product display adaptable to standard gondola systems. The display increases the retail sales space available by providing for the recovery of unused space traditionally existing below the original base deck of the display. This display comprises a new free-standing base deck to replace the original base deck. The free-standing base deck positionally registers in the space where the original base deck was located. The free-standing base deck rests directly on the floor surface beneath the product display thus reclaiming the unused space beneath the original base deck. The display includes an additional member for maintaining the product display's base brackets parallel to assist in retaining and positionally registering the free-standing base deck, and an additional member for maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the product display's base brackets by covering the exposed portions that were once hidden by the original base deck.
US07886915B2
A stream of shredded scrap metal is divided into increments. A bulk material analyzer is employed to determine the bulk chemical composition of each increment. The increments are then sorted on the basis of the bulk chemical composition of each increment.
US07886912B2
The invention provides an agitator (1) is disposed to agitate slurry within a flotation tank (2). The agitator includes a rotor (6) mounted on one end of a centrally disposed drive shaft (7) extending axially downwardly into the tank and driven by a motor (8) and associated gearbox (not shown). The other end of the drive shaft includes a mounting flange (9) adapted for connection to the motor. A stator (10) is also provided around the rotor. A froth deflection cone (11) extends around the drive shaft adjacent the top of the tank. The deflection cone is oriented such that its smallest diameter is located at its lower-most end nearest the rotor (6). An auxiliary agitator (12) is connected to the drive shaft at a position substantially midway between the underside of the deflection cone (11) and the top of the rotor (6), as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The auxiliary agitator (12) includes agitation blades (13) extending radially outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of the shaft (7). Each blade (13) intersects the shaft at an angle of incidence of around 45 degrees to the shaft axis (14).
US07886905B2
Even when a storage container is placed upside down by mistake or in an inclined state, stored items are prevented from falling down or being disordered from an arranged state. A container body having a body recess for storing a lower side of the stored item and a lid member having a lid recess for storing an upper side of the stored item and being superimposed with the container body are provided, and the container body is provided with locking portions for locking the stored item at a plurality of points for applying separation resistance from the body recess to the stored item on the inner peripheral surface of the body recess of the container body.
US07886895B2
A training idler for a conveyor system is disclosed. The idler includes a roller positioned about a shaft and a bearing assembly positioned between the roller and the shaft such that the roller is rotatable about the shaft. A pivot assembly couples the bearing assembly to the shaft such that the bearing assembly and the roller can pivot relative to the shaft.
US07886894B2
A machine arrangement that operates on a plurality of articles, such as bottles, includes a plurality of machines arranged in a machine arrangement. At least one of the machines includes an apparatus configured to modify the articles by at least one of moving, holding, manipulating and shaping the articles as they pass from an article infeed to an article discharge of the machine arrangement. A recirculation mechanism moves articles from a downstream machine after a first pass (or run) and recirculate the articles back to an upstream machine in a second (recirculation) pass (or run) so that the articles, which are recirculated through the second pass are again subjected to a different machine modifying operation in at least one machine that the articles have previously passed in the first pass. The articles move continuously through the first and second passes while being subjected to at least one machine modifying operation.
US07886893B2
A method of operating a transfer station in a container filling plant. The transfer station comprises a plurality of spaced apart webs between which containers are to be conveyed. A plurality of vertical directing elements are disposed upstream of and adjacent to the webs. The directing elements contact and deflect containers into the receiving spaces in between the webs to minimize backing up or jams of the containers, to thus minimize interruptions in the container handling process.
US07886892B2
A conveyor belt including a plurality of rollers that serve as tensile members for the conveyor belt. In some embodiments, the rollers include roller members that rotate about longitudinal shafts, wherein the roller shafts receive and transmit tensile forces along a longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt. In some embodiments, nothing exists between adjacent roller members across a width of the conveyor belt.
US07886888B1
A bill acceptor and bill box assembly includes a bill acceptor for sensing the presence of a bill and verifying the authenticity of the bill, and a bill box having a bill entrance for receiving bills from the bill acceptor, a bill-receiving bearing board supported on a spring member, a bill-pressing board movable by a bill transfer mechanism to push each entered bill out of the bill entrance onto the bill-receiving bearing board, and an anti-skid device, which comprises two baffles arranged in parallel at two opposite lateral sides between the bill-pressing board and the bill-receiving bearing board and an anti-skid pad covered on the back wall of each baffle for stopping each received bill on the bill-receiving bearing board to keep each received bill in a fully extended smooth condition without wrinkles.
US07886883B2
A telescopic fork (1) for two-wheelers, in particular bicycles, is provided and includes a plunger tube (2) and a fixed tube (3) having a spring element (4), which is impinged by a piston (5) connected to the plunger tube (2), with the piston (5) having a piston rod (6) connected to the plunger tube (2). For adjusting the spring travel, the piston rod (6) is adjustable in height and connected to the plunger tube (2), with an adjustment cylinder (8) being provided for this purpose connected to the plunger tube (2), in which an adjustment piston (9) is guided connected to the piston rod (6) and the cylinder chambers (13, 14) located at both sides of the adjustment piston (9) are filled with fluid and are at least provided with one connecting channel that can be opened and closed for the fluid to flow.
US07886882B2
Disclosed is a gas spring/damper unit (1) having at least one movably mounted displacement piston (2) and two displacement chambers (3, 4) whose volume increases or diminishes according to the direction of travel of the displacement piston (2) and which are interconnected via overflow ducts (6, 7) in which throttle valves (16, 16′, 16″, 17, 17′, 17″, 17″′) are disposed. Several throttle valves (16, 16′, 16″, 17, 17′, 17″, 17″′) having different valve characteristics are positioned so as to be effective in one direction of flow. One throttle valve (17) is designed for damping eigenfrequencies ranging from 1 to 1.5 Hz while another throttle valve (17′) is designed for damping eigenfrequencies ranging from 10 to 40 Hz.
US07886879B2
A method for creating a temporary safety space within an elevator hoistway by preventing upward or downward movement of a car or counterweight along guide rails. The method includes the steps of providing engagement members on the guide rails and extending support struts from the car or counterweight to either side of a guide blade of the guide rail, whereby upward or downward movement of the car or counterweight along the guide rail is prevented when the extended support struts bear against the engagement members.
US07886877B2
A car door is displaced with respect to a landing door between an engagement position at which the car door is engaged with the landing door and an open-away position located on a door-closing side with respect to the engagement position. While remaining engaged with the car door, the landing door is moved to open/close a landing doorway. When the landing doorway is fully closed by the landing door, a locking device performs an operation corresponding to the position of the car door with respect to the landing door to lock/unlock the landing door. A door control device has an engagement completion time calculating portion, a speed pattern generating portion, and a speed control portion. The engagement completion time calculating portion predicts an engagement completion time to a moment when the car door reaches the engagement position during a door-opening operation, based on information from an unlock detecting device for detecting whether or not the landing door has been unlocked. The speed pattern generating portion generates a speed pattern of the car door during the door-opening operation, based on information from the engagement completion time calculating portion. The speed control portion controls the speed of the car door according to the speed pattern.
US07886870B2
An exhaust apparatus for a small boat for reducing exhaust noise. A water muffler is provided at a midsection of the exhaust pipes extending from an engine which is provided in a boat body. An interior of the water muffler is partitioned into an expansion chamber and a resonator chamber with a front exhaust pipe connected to the engine and a rear exhaust pipe opening out of the boat being interlinked with the expansion chamber. The resonator chamber is directly connected to the midsection of the rear exhaust pipe via a connecting pipe. The water muffler is arranged in a longitudinal direction that is oriented in the fore-and-aft direction so as to extend along the side of a pump chamber in which a jet pump driven by the engine is arranged. A second resonator chamber is arranged along the water muffler on the outer side of the water muffler.
US07886863B2
A driveshaft assembly that includes a first shaft member, a second shaft member, a bearing assembly and a sensor. The first shaft member has a magnetically encoded zone with a magnetic field that varies as a function of the torque that is transmitted through the first shaft member. The second shaft member is coupled for rotation with the first shaft member. The bearing assembly comprises a bearing support, which is configured to be coupled to a vehicle structure, and a bearing that is housed in the bearing support. The bearing journally supports the first shaft member for rotation about a first axis. The sensor is coupled to the bearing assembly. The sensor is arranged to sense the magnetic field of the magnetically encoded zone and responsively produce an electrical signal.
US07886855B2
An electric walk-substituting vehicle includes a chassis, a seat assembly pivoted on upper ends of the connecting rods, a pivotal steering mechanism, and a folding and fixing device, which will fix the connecting rods after the seat assembly is moved to either of raised in-use and lowered not-in-use positions; the seat assembly includes connecting rods pivoted on the chassis; the folding and fixing device includes two position-limiting plates, which are secured on the connecting rods to pivot together with the connecting rods; the position-limiting plates each have first and second holes; the folding and fixing device includes a pressing and moving mechanism with two insertion rods; the insertion rods will pass into the first holes to engage the position-limiting plates after the connecting rods are pivoted to the raised in-use position; the insertion rods will pass into the second holes after the connecting rods are pivoted to the not-in-use position.
US07886853B2
A dual-motor handcart for lifting, steering, and transporting a heavy object, such as a snowmobile, by one person, having two motor-powered wheels or trackdrives for moving and steering attached to a width and height adjustable frame, the frame offering a handle, a pair of legs connected to the handle, lift pads for supporting the heavy object, a length adjustable lift strap for coupling the frame to the heavy object. The operatively independent motors each attached to one of the wheels providing force required for moving and steering. Thumb switches having on, off, forward, and reverse motions settings at desired speeds, control each motor providing for a single person to easily steer a cart fully loaded with a heavy object over smooth or rough terrain.
US07886843B2
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a rock drilling process, in which an impulse-generating device comprising an impact element transmits a shock wave to a tool connected to the impulse-generating device, whereby a portion of the energy of the shock wave is transmitted to the rock by means of the tool and a portion of the energy of the shock wave is reflected and brought back to the impulse-generating device as reflected energy. The method comprises steps of generating at least one parameter value representing the reflected energy, and regulating the interaction of said impact element with said tool at least partially based on said value or values to control the rise time and/or length of said shock wave. The invention also relates to a regulation device, an impulse-generating device and a drilling rig.
US07886824B2
A microemulsion system is disclosed which comprises a solvent subsystem, a co-solvent subsystem and a surfactant subsystem comprises at least one monoalkyl branched propoxy sulfate anionic surfactant, where the microemulsion system are useful in drilling, producing, remediation, and fracturing application to reduce water blocks and water blocking in formation of a producing formation.
US07886821B2
A downhole fluid sample container includes a fluid sample container detachably coupled to a downhole sub, the fluid sample container having an internal chamber for receiving the downhole fluid. At least one semimetal (for example, silicon or germanium) window is coupled to the fluid sample container, the window being substantially transparent to electromagnetic energy wavelengths within a selected band. A method includes transmitting electromagnetic energy from an electromagnetic energy source to downhole fluid through at least one semimetal window in a container, receiving an electromagnetic energy response with a spectrometer, and estimating the downhole fluid property based at least in part on the electromagnetic energy response.
US07886814B2
In an air conditioner constructed to pass an air introduced into an air conditioning unit through an evaporator and a heater core both arranged in the unit, cooler pipes for the evaporator and heater pipes for the heater core are arranged to extend from the same side wall of the air conditioning unit.
US07886809B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a phase change material, a plurality of particles intermixed with the phase change material, and a conductive structure encapsulating the phase change material. The conductive structure includes a cavity including a cone shape. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a conductive structure having a cavity, injecting a phase change material into the cavity, injecting a plurality of spheres into the cavity, and sealing the cavity.
US07886803B2
A cord drive mechanism to convert linear motion to circular motion for use in coverings for architectural openings. Various controls are used to provide a braking force on the cord. Some of the embodiments incorporate a capstan.
US07886801B2
An apparatus for stacking a plurality of pieces of material has an assembly region, one or more platens on a first longitudinal side of the assembly region, and, a plurality of press rams on a second longitudinal side of the assembly region opposite the first longitudinal side. The press rams are movable transversely across the assembly region to immobilize or partially immobilize pieces of material in the assembly region permitting accurate and precise alignment of the pieces relative to each other in the assembly region.
US07886798B2
An adhesive sheet (S) is expanded by an expanding mechanism (20) with a plate-like article (W) being mounted to a frame (F) after dicing of the plate-like article (W) to increase spacings between individual chips (T), an expanded state of the adhesive sheet (S) is maintained by an expansion maintaining device (10), so that the plate-like article (W) is able to be conveyed together with the frame (F) with the spacings between the chips (T) being maintained, thereby preventing adjacent chips (T) from interfering with each other during the conveyance. This allows the plate-like article (W), after the dicing, to be conveyed together with the frame (F) without edges of the adjacent chips (T) coming into contact with each other by vibration during the conveyance, thereby avoiding the causing of chipping or microcracks in the edges.
US07886790B2
This invention relates to a tire having an improved durability in the run-flat running without damaging the ride comfort in the usual running, and more particularly to a run-flat tire comprising a sidewall portion provided with a side reinforcing rubber layer having a crescent shape at section wherein a cord layer including a polyketone fiber cord satisfying the following conditions of the following equations (I) and (II): σ≧−0.01×E+1.2 (I) σ≧0.02 (II) [wherein σ is a thermal shrinkage stress at 177° C. (cN/dtex) and E is an elastic modulus at 25° C. under a load of 49 N (cN/dtex)] is disposed in at least a part of a region A ranging from a belt end to a maximum width part of a tire side portion and a region B ranging from a neighborhood of a bead core to a bead filler.
US07886786B1
A carrying container in a form of an ergonomically shaped handbag that has a variety of convenience features. The convenience features include, but are not limited to, a self locking top flap, a secure ID feature implemented in the top flap, a hidden retractable handle, hidden secret compartments, compartment quick access features and detachable shoulder strap, a plurality of interchangeable top flaps and a back flap. A handbag has an ergonomic shape that provides for added convenience of carrying the handbag under the arm. The handbag also has a detachable strap that can be used for carrying the bag in a variety of ways.
US07886782B1
A telescoping funnel and container assembly comprises a container member including an opening with a neck portion, which has a circular base member extending perpendicularly therefrom. The base member includes an outer, circumferential, upstanding wall portion extending opposite the container member. The neck portion has an inner shoulder section encircling the container member opening. A plurality of concentric, annular ring members, each of a selected diameter, surrounds the container member opening, with an innermost, annular ring member secured to the neck portion of the container member. The selected diameter of each annular ring member increases with distance from the neck portion. The plurality of concentric, annular ring members is contained within the upstanding wall portion of the base member and is extendable upwardly to form a funnel. A cover member is removably fastened to the upstanding wall portion of the base portion for covering the annular ring members in a collapsed state.
US07886775B2
An irrigation pipe formed from a sheet that is rolled into a tube about a longitudinal axis of the sheet. The pipe has a watertight layer and a fabric layer. The fabric layer comprises a first fiber arrangement including first main fibers having a first orientation and a second fiber arrangement including second main fibers having a second orientation. The first and second orientations are transverse relative to each other and to the longitudinal axis when viewed in the sheet before it is rolled.
US07886769B2
A diverter valve having an improved transition at the connecting branches, wherein one inlet and two outlet ports are formed and a cylindrical rotary valve incorporating a straight inner pipe is provided. In order to attain the smoothest possible transition between the rotary valve and inlet and outlet ports of the housing, the invention provides that all three inlet and outlet ports, as well as the respective opposed contour of the rotary valve bore are executed with the same shape, and that in the passage bore of the diverter valve in the region of the inlet and of the two outlet ports two pocket-like shaped surfaces on the housing that are formed mirror-symmetrical relative to the longitudinal center axis are worked into the material of the diverter valve in each case in the form of a pocket-like recess, wherein these shaped surfaces that are fixed to the housing have opposed shaped surfaces in the rotary valve connecting to them smoothly and seamlessly, which are worked-in recessed into the material of the rotary valve.
US07886768B2
A hydraulic fluid tank includes a tank main member of a box-shaped member with a return port and a drawing port that are opened therein; and a divider member that is located in an interior of the tank main member and defines a path of fluid flow from the return port to the drawing port. In addition, the divider member is formed so that the fluid flow makes at least one turn in a vertical direction and at least one turn in a width direction.
US07886767B2
A hydraulic valve includes a valve body, a valve spool that is movable relative to the valve body for controlling fluid flow through the valve body, and a spool return assembly for biasing the valve spool into a centered position relative to the valve body. The hydraulic valve further includes a position sensor assembly having a sensor portion affixed relative to the valve body and a movable portion that is movable relative to the sensor portion in response to movement of the valve spool. The sensor portion is responsive to a position of the movable portion for outputting a signal indicative of the position of the valve spool relative to the valve body. The movable portion of the position sensor assembly is biased into engagement with the spool return assembly.
US07886759B2
A fuel cutoff valve comprises a casing and a float mechanism having a float and a seat portion. An upper vent hole is formed in the upper wall portion of the float, and a side portion communication hole is formed in the side wall portion. The passage area of the side portion communication hole is set so as to allow a large volume of vapors entering the float chamber to escape into the valve chamber. The passage area of the upper vent hole is set so that vapor entering the float chamber when the vehicle inclines escapes into the valve chamber, and the float chamber fills with fuel lifting the float, whereas when the vehicle turns sharply, the float is lifted without the float chamber filling with fuel.
US07886715B2
A variety of methods and arrangements for improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines are described. Generally, an engine is controlled to operate in a skip fire variable displacement mode. Feedback control is used to dynamically determine the working cycles to be skipped to provide a desired engine output. In some embodiments a substantially optimized amount of air and fuel is delivered to the working chambers during active working cycles so that the fired working chambers can operate at efficiencies close to their optimal efficiency. In some embodiments, the appropriate firing pattern is determined at least in part using predictive adaptive control. By way of example, sigma delta controllers work well for this purpose. In some implementations, the feedback includes feedback indicative of at least one of actual and requested working cycle firings. In some embodiments, the appropriate firings are determined on a firing opportunity by firing opportunity basis. Additionally, in some embodiments, an indicia of the current rotational speed of the engine is used as a clock input for a controller used to selectively cause the skipped working cycles to be skipped.
US07886709B2
A spring assembly is mounted on a crankshaft for a vehicle. A selector mechanism for the spring assembly selectively connects the spring assembly to the crankshaft. The selector mechanism is engaged in a first position to connect the spring to the crankshaft when the engine is shut-off such that the crankshaft winds the spring as it rotates. The selector mechanism is then engaged in a second position such that the spring applies a rotational force to re-start the engine. A method for braking the engine includes engaging the crankshaft with the torsion spring and winding the torsion spring with rotation of the crankshaft until the tension within the torsion spring is greater than the force applied to the crankshaft.
US07886708B2
An intake air control apparatus comprises an intake air path connected to a combustion chamber, and an intake airflow control device having a first opening deviated in one direction when viewed from an axial direction of the intake air path by partially closing a cross-section of a flow path of the intake air path, and that controls distribution of an intake airflow by deviating the intake airflow downstream of the first opening to a side in which the first opening is formed, the intake airflow control device having a second opening of smaller opening area than that of the first opening, and deviated in an opposite side to the side in which the first opening is formed and at a location away from an intake air path wall.
US07886703B2
When an actuation mechanism fails to operate and thus fails to control a turning of a control shaft of a valve lift varying mechanism, a moving member is enforcedly moved to an intermediate stable position by a biasing force that is produced by combining a first type force that biases the control shaft in a direction to increase a valve lift degree of an engine valve and a second type force that biases the control shaft in a direction to reduce the valve lift degree of the engine valve. The intermediate stable position of the moving member assures an easy engine starting even in a cold engine condition.
US07886701B1
A dog collar comprises a flexible non-metallic cord component having first and second ends and comprising an inner cord surrounded at least in part by an outer cord sheath. A fastening mechanism is provided and has a band defining a space at the first end of the cord component and a fastening bar at the second end of the cord component. The fastening bar and band are dimensioned such that the fastening bar is able to pass through the space in one orientation and not able to pass through the space when in other orientations.
US07886690B2
A plasma source is described. The source includes a reactive impedance element formed from a plurality of electrodes. By providing such a plurality of electrodes and powering adjacent electrodes out of phase with one another, it is possible to improve the characteristics of the plasma generated.
US07886683B2
An automotive paint installation providing additionally to standard paint application, automated application of small rare color shade paint volumes. The installation includes at least a secondary rare color shade paint dispensing and recovery circuit, wherein scrapers are circulated in the part of the circuit supplying painting stations, and including a distribution device for directing the fluid exiting the painting stations towards paint, solvent, or recovery vessels. A plurality of connecting pipes connect each secondary circuit to a painting station, and are provided each with a bleeding system to enable recovery and bleeding to be performed during application of a current paint color shade. A rare color shade point dispensing and recovery method use such an installation.
US07886682B1
A multifunctional emergency kit includes a portable canister with an open top end and a lid. A helium cartridge is anchored within the canister, and a mechanism is included for automatically initiating an inflation process of the balloon while the lid is initially disposed at a closed position such that the balloon articulates the lid to an open position when filled to a predetermined volume. The kit further includes a plurality of illuminable sticks that glow in the dark when agitated. Such illuminable sticks are removably disposed within the canister, and a plurality of brackets are abutted against the helium cartridge and are anchored to the interior wall of the canister such that the helium cartridge remains statically and fixedly attached to the canister after the balloon is inflated and displaced out of the canister.
US07886674B2
A support system comprises a hub comprising a channel, a leg comprising a finger that slideably engages the channel, and a washer that prevents the finger from disengaging the channel, wherein a multi-dimensional force is exerted that tightens the connection therebetween when the hub, the leg, and the washer are connected together. A method of connecting a support system for an article of furniture comprises inserting a finger of a leg into a channel of a hub to form a mating connection therebetween, connecting a washer to the hub to maintain the finger within the channel, and exerting a multi-dimensional force to secure the leg to the hub.
US07886673B2
A storage device has a rectangular base member which includes a substantially flat floor and four sockets arranged perpendicularly thereto with a free internal cross-section, in each of which is releasably received a supporting rod in the form of a hollow profile. The external cross-section, which corresponds to the internal cross-section of the sockets, is for holding storage platforms. Each of the sockets is configured to include first and second centering structures.
US07886672B2
A load carrying platform is formed by a blank of cardboard or plastic and two or more loading ledges. The platform is formed in that the blank is folded around a horizontal and a vertical leg of each loading ledge. At least a metal foot of each loading ledge is received in an opening of the blank. In some arrangements, the blank has two transversal flaps, two longitudinal flaps, and creases to facilitate folding.
US07886670B2
An articulating camera transport apparatus and corresponding methods involving an articulating camera truck for accommodating a camera element and for engaging a set of camera dolly tracks, the tracks having a curvature, the truck including a carrier and an undercarriage, the undercarriage having a plurality of articulating wheels and a structure for gimbaling the plurality of articulating wheels for accommodating the curvature and for facilitating a smooth passage of the truck along the tracks.
US07886668B2
A munition includes a structural component formed from a composite material comprising a energetic material dispersed in a metallic binder material. A method is also provided that includes forming a energetic material, combining the energetic material with a metallic binder material to form a mixture, and shaping the mixture to form a composite structural munition component.
US07886665B2
The present invention provides a method for producing a low-odor, printed packaging material and the printed packaging material produced thereby. The printed packaging material of the present invention is especially suitable for packaging of substances, such as food, drugs and tobacco, which require low odor from printing inks. In this process, the printed ink is activated by exposure to actinic radiation, such as UV light, before an actinic-radiation curable coating is applied thereto. The exposure of the printed ink to UV light reduces residual solvent content and odor of the packaging material and improves the friction resistance and gloss of the printed images. Furthermore, the exposure of the printed packaging material to UV light provides an additional benefit of reducing microbial count, thereby extending a shelf-life of the packaged substance, such as food and drugs.
US07886662B2
A printing surface includes a substrate having latching electrodes on a first surface, a spacer layer on the first surface of the substrate, the spacer layer patterned to form wells such that the latching electrodes reside in the wells, a deformable membrane, the membrane having conductive regions, on the spacer layer to enclose the wells, each enclosed well and its associated region of the membrane forming a pixel membrane, and actuation circuitry to actuate the electrodes to cause selected ones of the pixel membranes to remain in a deflected state when the pixel membranes receive an impulse to return to an undeflected state.
US07886648B2
Systems and methods inhibit locomotion of a human or animal target in a denial zone. Acquiring the target includes forming a prediction of at least two locations of impact on the target and testing the prediction according to criteria that may include whether the locations are within a boundary corresponding to the target and whether the locations are separated by a minimum physical and/or electrical distance.
US07886646B2
The present invention concerns a method for protecting ships against terminal phase-guided missiles provided with a target data analysis system, as well as an apparatus for implementing the method, wherein the missile moving in a direction towards the ship to be protected is detected by suitable sensors, located, and its expected trajectory is calculated by a computer; the type of target data analysis performed by the missile and its attack structure is detected by suitable sensors, and the missile is classified with regard to the type of its target data analysis; the current wind speed and direction of wind is continuously detected by wind measuring sensors; the ship's own data: travelling speed, direction of travel, rolling and pitching motions, is continuously detected by motion and/or navigation sensors; the detected sensor data is transmitted to a fire control calculator which controls at least one decoy launcher and generates, by taking into account all of the detected data, an effective decoy pattern that is adapted to missile and attack structure.
US07886644B2
A cutter including a base, a holder, a cutter blade portion, and a laser generator. The holder is supported on the base portion in an upright posture. The cutter blade portion supports a moving blade. The cutter blade portion is supported on the holder movable between an upper position and a lower position. The cutter blade portion is moved into the lower position to cut a workpiece supported on the base using the moving blade. The laser generator is attached to the holder or the cutter blade portion in an orientation to direct at least a portion of the laser light onto a position on the workpiece that is directly beneath the cutter blade portion when the cutter blade portion is in the upper position. Alternatively, a holder has a shaft support portion, and a slide shaft is axially slidably supported by the shaft support portion. A front end of the slide shaft has a hinge holder which pivotally supports the cutting blade portion. A laser generator is fixed to a front side of the hinge holder.
US07886642B2
A light source is used to illuminate a sawn portion of a piece of wood and exposed surfaces of the saw blade on both sides of the sawn portion. The sawn portion and the exposed surfaces of the saw blade are then imaged substantially concurrently using a single image generator. At least one geometric characteristic of the sawn portion and at least one geometric characteristic of the saw blade are determined based on the imaging.
US07886632B2
A handle (10) for controlling a machine, has a largely vertical shaft (12) forming a grip part (11) and has an upper end forming a receptacle (14) that holds switch units (15-17) and a lower end forming a hand rest (20). The hand rest can be adjusted along the shaft (12) and can be detachably clamped to the shaft. The hand rest (20) comprises front and rear rest part (26, 27) that are pivotally, or swivelably, connected to one another. To prevent unintentional opening of the hand rest (20) by axial pressure on the latter, the two rest parts (26, 27) can be moved relative to one another in the axial direction to effect a locking and unlocking of their relative pivotabilities.
US07886629B2
A machine tool comprises a first travelling assembly (10) which carries in its turn a second travelling assembly (22). The first assembly (10) is adapted to position the second assembly (22) in a relatively wide space (S1) and with movements at relatively low speeds and accelerations. The second assembly (22) carries in its turn a tool which is provided with actuators for positioning the tool in a relatively narrow space (S2) and with movements at relatively high speeds and accelerations. The machine includes means for controlling the movements of the two assemblies (10, 22) which are so arranged to obtain s global movement of the tool without solutions of continuity in all the space of movement (S1) of the first assembly (10). The invention also relates to a manipulator device which can be used independently or be installed as a second assembly (22) on a travelling structure of a machine tool.
US07886623B2
A nano-particle containing apparatus, a nano-particle detection system and a method are disclosed. The nano-particle containing apparatus includes a casing, an air extracting device, a pressure device and a measuring instrument. The casing has a containing space for disposing a plurality of nano-particles. An internal wall surface of the casing has active self-cleaning function. The pressure control device controls the pressure status of the containing space. The active self-clean function is that nano-particles adhered to the internal surface wall are removed into the containing space. The nano-particles then are pumped by the air extracting device from the containing space. The measuring instrument then detects the status of an object affected by the nano-particles after the object is delivered into the containing space.
US07886619B2
A torque detecting apparatus includes two magnetism collecting rings cylindrical portions enclosing a magnetic circuit forming member provided on a rotating body and a magnetism sensitive device disposed between the protruding pieces protruding from parts of the cylindrical portions in an radially outward direction of the cylindrical portions. It includes a regulating body for regulating a relative position between the magnetism sensitive device and the protruding pieces respectively. This regulating body includes two inserting recesses into which each of protruding pieces is inserted respectively, each recess having a prismatic shape. It also has a connecting part connecting inner edges of apertures of the inserting recesses to each other. It also has a holding part holding the magnetism sensitive device between the inserting recesses.
US07886617B2
Cloth in which fibers include conductive polymer fibers in order to provide a sensor and an actuator, which use cloth including excellent sensing function and actuation function.
US07886614B2
A measuring device includes: a measuring transducer accommodated, at least partially, in a housing, for registering at least one, measured variable; and a measuring device electronics electrically connected, at least at times, with the measuring transducer. The measuring device electronics includes at least one measurement channel for registering and further processing at least one primary signal generated by means of the measuring transducer, and an electrical current measuring circuit for registering measuring-device-internally flowing, electrical currents. Furthermore, it is provided, that the electrical current measuring circuit registers, during operation, at least at times, especially recurringly, an electrical leakage current, which flows as a result of a potential difference existing, at least at times, between housing and measuring device electronics and as a result of an electrically conductive connection likewise existing between housing and measuring device electronics, especially an undesired, electrically conductive connection and/or an electrically conductive connection formed by a deposit affecting the housing. Taking into consideration the registered leakage current, the measuring device electronics generates, additionally, at least one state value, especially a digital state value, instantaneously representing an operating state, especially a defective operating state, of the measuring device.
US07886613B2
A method for detecting the strain applied to a transmission chain includes positioning a strain gauge on an inwardly-facing surface of a first of a pair of opposed outer link plates, spacing the inwardly-facing surface of the first outer link plate from an outwardly-facing surface of a first of a pair of opposed inner link plates facing the first outer link plate, connecting the strain gauge into a bridge network and an electric circuit, and using an output of the electric circuit to determine the strain applied to the chain.
US07886611B2
A system is disclosed for detecting an electrical sensor, the system includes a sensor signal processing circuit further comprising an input port to receive a connector including the output signal lines of the sensor, a resistor connected to the output signal line of said input port, wherein the resistor is connected to a predetermined voltage; a sensor circuit having a connector adapted to connect to the connector, wherein the sensor circuit has a resistance substantially less than the pull-resistor, and the sensor signal processing circuit detects an unconnected sensor based on the voltage applied by the resistor.
US07886609B2
A semiconductor package (10) including a pressure sensor die (14) has an interconnect layer (22) formed over a first major surface of the pressure sensor die (14). An encapsulant (18) encapsulates a second major surface and sides of the pressure sensor die (14). A cavity (32) extends through the interconnect layer (22) to the first major surface of the pressure sensor die (14). The interconnect layer (22) allows for the assembly of a low-profile package.
US07886603B2
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that performs high acoustic pressure and low acoustic pressure ultrasonic transmissions by switching at predetermined timing in the enhanced ultrasonography, and displays concurrently a replenishment image obtained through the low acoustic pressure transmission in real time like a moving picture, and a pre-flash image obtained through the low acoustic pressure transmission immediately before switching to the high acoustic pressure transmission like a still image to allow the operator to understand the structure at the level of capillaries. It is also possible to display a selected image obtained through the low acoustic pressure transmission at an arbitrary timing instead of the pre-flash image.
US07886599B2
The technical solution provided can be implemented with the help of two miniature vessels and even one miniature vessel filled with the flowing media. It is based on determining the pressures difference in particular points, wherein the pressures caused by the cross accelerations and other disturbance factors are considered to be equal, and the ones caused by the acceleration determined are considered to be different. The present solution enables one to determine the acceleration with higher accuracy even with big tilting (practically up to 360°) of the platform, in particular, on the body of a moving object, the acceleration whereof is determined.
US07886595B2
A motion sensor includes a substrate at least having one micromechanical acceleration sensor and a magnetoresistive circuit. The micromechanical acceleration sensor and the magnetoresistive circuit are constructed on the same substrate.
US07886592B2
A flow sensor includes a detector provided on a side surface of a body formed in a tubular shape. First and second passages formed in the interior of the body communicate with an introduction passage of the detector via first and second sensor passages. The first and second sensor passages penetrate through and open respectively on first and second projections, which project at predetermined heights from an inner circumferential surface of the body, communicating with the first and second passages. A fluid, which flows from the first passage and into the first sensor passage, after being guided to the introduction passage and the flow rate thereof detected by a detector, flows through the second sensor passage and into the second passage.
US07886591B2
Methods and apparatus for improving the determination of at least one multiphase flow parameter of an earth formation comprising propagating within the formation a first salinity front, determining a first value of the at least one multiphase flow parameter, propagating in the formation a second salinity front and improving the determination of the at least one multiphase flow parameter from the first value for the at least one multiphase flow parameter and a saturation profile associated with the first and second salinity fronts within the formation.
US07886565B2
A bending apparatus for long workpieces, especially tubes, to form a curved section extending between two bend end points (A, B) on the tube wherein the curved section is located about a center bend point X, distanced from a reference position (P) by a predetermined distance (L) extending along a tube, wherein the bending apparatus includes a bending segment rotatable about a pivotal axis so that the tube is positioned on a semicircular scale with a starting zero point of 0° to mark the start of the curved section at one of the bend end points (A, B), which point is designated as a bending-start point, characterized, in that the apparatus has a bend length-selector having at least one measurement edge the measurement edge aligning with the center bend point (X) to automatically place the tube at the bending-start point and at the 0° mark of the bending segment upon the placement of the tube in the bending apparatus.
US07886556B2
An air conditioning system includes a plurality of latent heat utilization side refrigerant circuits which are connected in parallel with one another, and a plurality of sensible heat utilization side refrigerant circuits which are connected in parallel with one another. The latent heat utilization side refrigerant circuits include adsorbent heat exchangers provided with an adsorbent on the surface of each. The sensible heat utilization side refrigerant circuits respectively include air heat exchangers and are capable of exchanging heat between the refrigerant and air.
US07886554B2
A chest refrigerator and/or freezer with a carcass and a cover movable relative to the carcass, includes a pane, preferably a pane of glass or plastics, or is formed by the pane, with a heating element provided by which the pane can be heated.
US07886546B2
A dehumidification device is provided to dehumidify a gaseous medium in a substantially closed space having a plurality of walls. The device includes a first element exposed to the gaseous medium, a cooling device coupled to the first element and configured to cool the first element to a temperature below ambient temperature, and a second element configured to cool the heat extracted from the first element and dissipate the heat to the surrounding environment. The second element is coupled to at least one wall of the substantially closed space. The device can include a deflecting structure configured to deflect cooled air toward the second element. The second element can be formed, at least in part, by at least a portion of a wall of the substantially closed space.
US07886542B2
A device attaching an afterburner to a turbojet casing. The device comprises a transverse plate for attachment to the casing and at least two side brackets for supporting two legs of the afterburner. The brackets and the two legs extend longitudinally. The afterburner includes a flame-arrestor arm with the two legs.
US07886540B2
A combustor liner for use in a gas turbine engine includes a first liner section and a second liner section. They are joined together by welding or a mechanical fixing along a common join line or weld. A heat shield extends along the join line to protect it from the high temperatures and thermal stresses that are experienced by the combustor liner during the operation of the gas turbine engine. The heat shield is spaced apart from the joint line to define a passage between the heat shield and the first and second liner sections for the introduction of a cooling fluid such as air. The heat shield and the exposed surfaces of the liner sections are coated with a thermal barrier coating.
US07886537B2
A power generation system comprises a turbine and a fluid warming device in communication with the turbine. The fluid warming device may comprise a housing, an inlet pipe carried by the housing, an outlet pipe carried by the housing, and a plurality of solar collection members carried by the housing between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe. The plurality of solar collection members may have a plurality of channels to receive fluid. The inlet pipe, the plurality of solar collection members, and the outlet pipe are in fluid communication with one another.
US07886536B2
The invention relates to an exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) as well as in particular a guide apparatus (13) for an exhaust-gas turbocharger (1). The guide apparatus (13) can have a ring of guide vanes (8), which are pivotable on a vane bearing ring (12) by vane studs (18). The vane studs (18) can be each attached to a vane lever (11). The vane levers (11) can have vane-lever-connectors (17, 10, 46, 47), which interact with unison-ring-connectors (16, 10, 57) of a unison ring (9) which is pivotable with respect to the vane bearing ring (12) in a way, that pivoting the unison ring (9) with respect to the vane bearing ring (12) results in a synchronous movement of one or more of the vane levers (11) and guide vanes (8). The unison ring (9) can be radially supported on axial bosses (14) of several vane levers (11).
US07886535B2
To provide a position control method for a shape memory alloy actuator that improves positioning accuracy of the actuator while ensuring satisfactory response until achieving positioning, the method includes a commanded resistance value setting step of setting a commanded resistance value that corresponds to the predetermined length, a resistance value measurement step of measuring the value of resistance, a resistance value comparison step of comparing the commanded resistance value and the measured resistance value, a first control step of controlling the length of the shape memory alloy using a first gain based on the result of comparison until the commanded resistance value is reached, a termination determination step of making a determination as to a condition for terminating the first control step, and a second control step of keeping the moving body stationary, upon determination of termination in the termination determination step, by retaining the length of the shape memory alloy using a second gain smaller than the first gain based on the result of the comparison, wherein the second control step is continued until a commanded resistance value is set again, thereby performing position control of the moving body.
US07886521B2
An exhaust purification catalyst diagnosis device for diagnosing a degree of performance degradation of a NOx catalyst, which is provided in an exhaust system of an engine for exhaust purification, has a program that determines whether temperature of the NOx catalyst is within a predetermined diagnosis permission range before catalyst diagnosis processing and a program that controls the temperature of the NOx catalyst into the diagnosis permission range before the catalyst diagnosis processing if it is determined that the temperature of the NOx catalyst is outside the diagnosis permission range. Thus, the exhaust purification catalyst diagnosis device can perform the catalyst diagnosis processing frequently with high reliability and high accuracy, while maintaining suitable emission.
US07886520B2
Within a turbine engine a heat exchanger may be provided to cool compressor air flows to be utilized for cabin ventilation or other functions. A fluid flow acting as a coolant for the heat exchanger is generally drawn from the by-pass duct of the engine and a dedicated outlet duct is provided such that the exhausted fluid flow from the heat exchanger is delivered along the conduit duct to a low pressure region. In such circumstances, an appropriate pressure differential across the heat exchanger is maintained for operational efficiency when required, whilst the exhausted fluid flow is isolated and does not compromise the usual engine ventilation vent exit area sizing. Over-sized ventilation vents would create an aerodynamic step and therefore drag upon the thrust of the engine. Typically, the outlet end of the outlet duct has a variable geometry to enable adjustment in the pressure differential across the heat exchanger such that an air fan valve used to control flow rate through the heat exchanger may not be required.
US07886517B2
Embodiments of a transition (400) of the present invention comprise a cooling channel (20, 30, 410) defined in part by an outer wall (23) and an inner wall (24). The cooling channel (20, 30, 410) also comprises lateral side walls (33, 34). Two or more subdomains (AA, BB, A, B1, B2, C1, C2, D) of impingement jets (25, 35) are provided through the outer wall (23), and one or more metering outlets (26, 36, 37, 38) is provided through the inner wall (24), all communicating with a respective channel (20, 30, 410). The impingement jets of each respective subdomain are designed to supply cooling fluid to one of the one or more metering outlets. Further to the impingement jets (25, 35) their size, shape, spacing, and arrangement with regard to the metering outlet (26, 36, 37, 38) are such that a desired cooling of the inner wall (24) is provided during normal gas turbine operations through advantageous impingement cooling at points along the surface of the inner wall (24) that defines the cooling channel (20, 30, 410).
US07886501B2
A door is constructed with a separate member joined to the door edge by a tongue-and-groove coupling and screws so as to be readily removable and replaceable. The separate member sustains the impacts imparted to the door by carts or wagons pushed past the door and can be readily replaced when damaged, thus avoiding replacement of the entire door. A flexible cover snaps over the outer surface of the separate member to add impact resistance and aesthetic appeal. Intumescent strips may be inserted inside or outside of the cover to enhance sealing between the door, and as adjacent door or door frame, thereby improving the fire resistance rating of the door. Accent strips or reveals of contrasting or complementary colors may be incorporated to add to the aesthetic appeal of the door. The door construction is of particular utility in schools, health care facilities and other institutions.
US07886498B2
A clip for joining reinforcing members for use in reinforced concrete slabs and/or columns includes a first wire member having an upper mid-portion and pair of legs, each of the legs having a hook portion adapted to wrap around a lower surface of a first reinforcing member. A second wire member has a lower mid-portion and a handle portion, the lower mid-portion sized to seat on an upper surface of a second reinforcing member. Each end of the lower mid-portion extends outward, wrapping around an outer portion of the upper mid-portion of the first wire member at least once, and extending parallel to the second reinforcing member to form the handle portion.
US07886489B2
System for buffering horizontal acceleration acting on structural member and position returning unit
A position returning device rollers for absorbing a horizontal force acting on a structure are provided between a foundation and a structure. A force from an earthquake is absorbed as the rolling motion of the rollers, roll in roller receivers. The receivers which function as a returning unit, supporting the rollers have a concave shape, and the action of the rollers naturally return to the center of the roller receivers by gravity. Gears disposed on the rollers at intersecting portions of the rollers mesh and maintain a constant angle at which the rollers intersect.
US07886483B2
An electronic device to warn of low water level, particularly in a Christmas tree water reservoir base. A flashing unit provides an affect to an outlet where the strand of lights on the tree or another lighted device will turn on and off until the water is filled into the base again. A message will be played at intervals. The message is recorded by pressing a button then speaking into a microphone. Messages are limited only to the human imagination. The lights will stop flashing and the message will stop playing when the water is filled into the reservoir base. The circuitry is housed separately away from the base to prevent shock.
US07886479B2
A trap having a first housing member slideably engaged with a second housing member, to provide a collapsible trapping enclosure therebetween. The trap has an opening that provides a passageway to the trapping enclosure, such as an opening disposed in one of the first and second housing members. The trap has an open position and a closed position. In the open position, the opening is unobstructed so that an animal may enter and exit the trapping enclosure. In the closed position, the opening is substantially blocked. A trigger is located inside the trap, so that when the trigger is triggered by an animal, the trap moves to its closed position, enclosing the animal inside.
US07886469B2
A polymeric revolver including a frame, a cylinder mounted in a rectangular aperture in the frame via a yoke, and a cylinder retaining mechanism is provided. The cylinder retaining mechanism includes multiple assemblies, which lock the yoke in the cylinder-closed position, including: (1) an extractor, a locking bolt and a locking bolt retainer that house an extractor rod spring and engage a ratchet hub driver, hub drive center pin and central pin plate that house a ratchet drive spring; (2) a star-shaped configuration of grooves and ridges on the extractor and the ratchet hub driver, respectively; (3) a rear taper of the locking bolt that engages a concave recess at the axial center of the rounded groove of the locking bolt recess; and (4) an annular ring that engages an inner wall of an annular opening in a breach face of the frame.
US07886459B2
A device and method for assisting in the removal of fluid, such as water, and related moisture from a bladder of a fluid storage device, such as a personal hydration pack or reservoir, is disclosed. The device has a three-dimensional structure or profile so that, when inserted within the bladder, the bladder is held in an open configuration or position, which allows any water or fluid to drain out and allows evaporation to the atmosphere of moisture to occur through the port of the bladder used to fill the device. In one form, the device has an insertion section having portions of elongated structure having a smaller size than the opening so that the insertion section can be fed into the bladder, and the overall insertion section has a profile larger than the opening so that the bladder is held open.
US07886453B2
A method is described for measuring a workpiece on a machine tool using an analogue probe having a deflectable stylus. The method comprises the step of taking a workpiece having a nominal surface profile, the workpiece being located within the working area of the machine tool. The machine tool is used to move the analogue probe along a predetermined (known) measurement path relative to the workpiece whilst deflection of the stylus is measured. The analogue probe is moved relative to the workpiece at a speed greater than five millimeters per second and the predetermined measurement path is selected to provide intermittent contact between the stylus and the workpiece.
US07886452B1
A tool and method for making precision cuts with conventional saws and other woodworking machines. The shape of an inside or outside corner of a construction, such as a wall construction, is obtained with the tool, and the tool is used to as a guide to set the blade of the cutting apparatus to the proper cutting position. The tool may be used to indicate the mitre cuts for both inside and outside wall corners without having to measure the angle with a measuring tool and determine the precise degrees of the angles to be cut.
US07886447B2
A vehicle visor measuring and cutting apparatus generally comprised of a measuring component, an implement holder, a handle, and a contour guide. The adjustable implement holder is positioned along a portion of window film on a windshield relative to the contour guide, which juxtaposes the windshield molding, and is moved across the windshield, measuring or cutting a portion of window film to the desired dimensions and compensating for any contours and arcs in the windshield.
US07886441B2
A method of manufacturing a rolling bearing device for a road-wheel that includes an outer ring, an inner ring member, rolling elements arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring member, and a shaft body having the inner ring member mounted to an outer periphery includes a caulking step of radially outwardly bending and deforming a cylindrical portion formed at one end side of the shaft body by using a predetermined caulking pressure acting from the one end side toward other end side of the shaft body, thereby forming a caulked portion caulked to an axial end face of the inner ring member. Identification information indicating an existence of the caulked portion so formed is die-stamped on a visually observable surface at the other end side of the shaft body by using the caulking pressure during the caulking step.
US07886438B2
At least one base material having a wiring circuit that has been formed into a predetermined outer shape is bonded to a motherboard. The motherboard wiring board and the base material having a wiring circuit are electrically connected to each other at least one portion through an inner via hole. The outer shape of the base material having a wiring circuit is smaller than the outer shape of the motherboard, with the base material having a wiring circuit having an island shape on the motherboard.
US07886432B2
A method for connecting a first terminal array 6 provided in a connection portion 5 of a first electric component and a second terminal array 8 provided in a connection portion 7 of a second electric component to each other in such a manner that electric continuity is established between them has two steps, that is, a step of tentatively fixing the two connection portions 5 and 7 with each other whose terminal arrays 6 and 8 are positioned with respect to each other by soldering them with solder particles 3 using a paste-like anisotropic conductive adhesive 1 in which the solder particles 3 and conductive particles 4 are dispersed in a thermosetting resin 2, and a step of finally fixing the two connection portions 5 and 7 with each other with the thermosetting resin 2 that has been set thermally. This prevents positional deviation from occurring between the two terminal arrays 6 and 8 during a transport from a tentative fixing apparatus to a final fixing apparatus.
US07886431B2
A power distribution system for integrated circuits includes methods to damp resonance between a bypass capacitor network and a power/ground cavity of the printed circuit board that (a) does not require excessive quantities of bypass/damping components or (b) does not require high plane cavity capacitance or in the alternative can insure a Q of less than 1.4 at the transition from the bypass network to the plane cavity impedance cross-over.
US07886430B2
A circuit board component installation tool includes a tool head having a surface receptive of a press; a seating member connected to the tool head and receptive of at least one circuit board component; and a post attached to and extending from a side of the tool head to ensure proper orientation of the tool with respect to the circuit board component or proper orientation of the component with respect to the circuit board.
US07886429B2
A method is provided for producing a measuring transducer in order to transform at least one physical variable into at least one electric variable. A plurality of planar, insulating and conductive layers are respectively structured according to predefineable models which are adapted to each other and which are assembled in order to form a multi-layered arrangement.
US07886428B2
A method of producing a multilayer printed wiring board by attaching a photosensitive dry film onto an interlaminar resin insulating layer having a thin-film conductor layer and conducting a light exposure and development to form a plating resist and then forming a conductor circuit on a portion not forming the plating resist, characterized in that the photosensitive dry film has a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound layer on its either surface.A photosensitive dry film capable of improving the compatibility between thin-film conductor layer and photosensitive dry film to strengthen the adhesion force and to prevent the occurrence of floating or the like in the photosensitive dry film as well as a method of producing a multilayer printed wiring board using such a dry film.
US07886425B2
A method of manufacturing a transformer is disclosed. A first bobbin piece, having a first channel and a primary winding section is provided. A second bobbin comprising first and second secondary side plates, plural partition plates, a wall portion, a secondary base having a first pin arranged on a bottom surface of the secondary base, plural secondary winding sections, and a second channel is provided. A second pin is inserted into the second bobbin piece to form a wire-arranging part protruded from the second secondary side plate and an insertion part protruded from the bottom surface of the secondary base. A primary winding coil is wound on the primary winding section, and the first and second terminals of a secondary winding coil are respectively fixed on the first pin and the wire-arranging part. A magnetic core assembly is partially disposed within the first channel and the second channel.
US07886419B2
A method for crimping a stent onto a balloon includes inflating a balloon with a fluid, sliding a stent over the inflated balloon, crimping the stent onto the balloon, and controlling the pressure inside the balloon below a given value when the stent is being crimped onto the balloon.
US07886415B2
In a machine tool with at least two axes of movement (2, 7) defining, respectively, the mobility of a first function-supporting unit (1) and of a second function-supporting unit (5), only the first function-supporting unit (1) is provided with its own servo drive, while the second function-supporting unit (5) is driven by the movement of the first function-supporting unit (1) through a coupler unit (13) that can be switched between an engaged and a disengaged state.
US07886411B2
An apparatus for the manufacture of an air laid web in which individual cellulose fibers or textile fibers or their blends can be conveyed and distributed by air uniformly to any desired width onto a forming zone composed of either a foraminous screen or a fibrous polymer matrix on top of a consolidating vacuum box.
US07886407B2
The invention relates to a hinge arrangement, in particular refrigerator housing comprising a refrigerator door pivotably articulated thereto, with a first part, with a second part pivotably articulated to the first part via a hinge, with a piston cylinder damping unit, which is operatively arranged between the first part and the second part for damping a pivoting movement of the two parts relative to one another, and which is articulated to at least one part.
US07886404B2
A semi-flexible practical handle, includes on a rigid main part a plane. In the waist of the side opposite to this plane the inner-sink space with U-shaped cross-section is provided, which stretches toward the plane and holds gel. A U-shaped inner clip flange is set with the two ends of the rubber lagging respectively corresponding to the two ends of the U-shaped groove to clip with it, which makes its waist seal the gel in the inner-sink space. A gland is used to make tightly press on the plane of the main part the extending part stretching inwardly at the opens in the two ends of the rubber lagging, and fix it to the main part.
US07886391B2
The drum type washing machine includes a tub of plastic having a wall portion for holding washing water and securing a driving unit thereto, and a front side sloped upward at a predetermined angle from ground, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub, a hollow drum shaft passed through the tub, and connected to the drum inside of the tub for transmission of driving power from a motor to the drum, at least one bearing for supporting the hollow drum shaft, a stator fixedly secured to the rear wall portion of the tub, a rotor connected to a rear end of the drum shaft to constitute a motor together with the stator, a pulsator rotatably mounted in the drum, a pulsator shaft mounted to pass through the hollow of the drum shaft, having a fore end connected to the pulsator, and pulsator control means for braking/releasing rotation the pulsator.
US07886375B2
A method bathing a baby is provided by a thermally buffered clean water flow universal baby bathing tub which includes a tub body. A baby bathing portion is formed in the tub body and a reservoir is formed in the tub body having a reservoir weir exiting the reservoir into the baby bathing portion, wherein baby bathing portion is configured to receive the bathing water from the source of bathing water through the reservoir and the reservoir weir, whereby the reservoir will provide a thermal buffer for the bathing water between the source of bathing water and the baby bathing portion. A clean water flow baby bathing tub further includes a bathing height regulating hole configured to define the conventional bathing height of the bath in the baby bathing portion. The bathing tub provides a clean water circulating flow for bathing the baby.
US07886372B2
The present invention provides an improved drain assembly having a drain stopper assembly in operational communication with an actuation assembly. The drain stopper assembly includes an elongate one-piece housing with a longitudinal body coextensive with proximal and distal extents of the housing and defining a lumen therein. A flange portion at the proximal extent has a fluid egress for delivery of fluids from a sanitary vessel to the housing lumen. The housing body has an inner circumferential surface of predetermined inner diameter and an outer circumferential surface of predetermined outer diameter. A linearly reciprocatable drain stopper is provided that has a closure head proximate which an elongate shaft depends. The stopper reciprocates between a fully closed position, wherein the closure head obstructs the fluid egress, and a fully open position, wherein the fluid egress remains unobstructed. A securement region provided on the outer housing surface has a receiving region defined therewith and effects operational communication between the drain stopper assembly and the actuation assembly so that operation of a drain articulation member effects reciprocal motion of the drain stopper. In this embodiment, the housing, flange portion and securement region comprise an integral member. In an alternative embodiment, the drain stopper assembly has a multi-piece housing.
US07886368B2
A garment apparatus adapted and configured to have the functionality of a backpack that includes at least one pocket fixedly attached to each of an anterior portion and a posterior portion. The at least one pocket on the posterior portion covers a surface area of the posterior portion in an amount of about one percent up to fifty percent of the surface area.
US07891006B2
On embedding electronic watermark data in point group data obtained from a three-dimensional measurement, an x-y plane region defining the point group data is divided into a plurality of small regions so that a point group is produced with respect to each of small regions. The coordinate values of each point group are offset with making a barycenter of the point group be an origin point. A discrete Fourier transform is carried out in order to produce a Fourier coefficient sequence, which is modified into a watermarked Fourier coefficient sequence. The inverse discrete Fourier transform is carried out on the watermarked coefficient sequence in order to produce a watermarked complex number sequence. An optimum watermark embedding strength is calculated. On the basis of the embedding strength, the Fourier coefficient sequence is modified to produce a watermarked Fourier coefficient sequence which is inversely offset into the watermarked point group data.
US07891003B2
A threat modeling application generates threats to a business application. The threat modeling application receives user input associated with business application data. The input may be received through an interface provided by the threat modeling application. Threats are automatically generated from the received data and an attack library. The attack library includes information regarding attacks and related countermeasures. By automatically generating threats based on business application information, the threat modeling application can generate security threats consistently and objectively.
US07890999B2
A method for verifying port integrity in a network, comprising: accessing port binding information in a port authorization file in the network, querying a port mapper in the network for a mapped port assignment, comparing the port assignment to the port binding, and initiating a response based on the results of the comparing.
US07890998B2
A system, method, and program product is provided that provides authentication on a per-role basis in a Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) environment. When a user attempts to acquire a role, the improved RBAC system determines whether (a) no authentication is required (e.g., for a non-sensitive role such as accessing a company's product catalog), (b) a user-based authentication (e.g., password) is required, or (c) a role-based authentication (e.g., role-specific password is required).
US07890989B1
Automated context-sensitive updating of content in an audiovisual (AV) storage system is disclosed. A media storage device for storing a multimedia signal includes a storage medium, such as a dedicated hard drive, a processor, and memory. The storage medium is coupled to the processor and the memory. The memory contains instructions that, when implemented, enable a method of off-site management of data stored on the storage medium. The method includes a step of receiving a media signal with content data and context data at the media storage device. The method also includes a step of receiving storage management instructions from a storage management provider, remotely located from the media storage device. Lastly, the media signal is stored on the media storage device in accordance with the storage management instructions.
US07890988B2
In delivering an entertainment program over a communications network, e.g., a cable TV network, interactive application data for realizing interactive features in the entertainment program are interjected into the program stream carrying the entertainment program on an as needed basis. Because the entire channel bandwidth is temporarily dedicated for transmission of the interactive application data, whose amount is relatively small compared with that of the video and audio data of the programming content, the interactive application data when transmitted appears as a short “burst,” causing a virtually unnoticeable interruption in the programming content delivery.
US07890977B2
A signal processing apparatus that upconverts a plurality of content data includes an operation unit configured to receive an operation instruction from a user, a generating unit configured to generate user's preference information based on an operation history corresponding to the operation instruction received by the operation unit, a processing unit configured to upconvert the plurality of content data, and a control unit configured to calculate a preference level of each content data to preferentially upconvert content data having a high preference level based on the preference information generated by the generating unit and content information about each content data.
US07890973B2
An information processing apparatus which, in addition to displaying an electronic program guide in a display screen, uses URL information in order to display web pages when there is URL information associated with the programs displayed in the electronic program guide. Program information and the URL information concerning associated web pages are stored in correlated form and a determination is made, for instance, as to whether any URL information is associated with an in-focus program in the electronic program guide. If there is associated URL information, the URL information is used to display a web page. If the web page is switched, a determination is made as to whether there is a program associated with the web page obtained as a result of the switch and, if there is an associated program, the focus is changed to that program.
US07890972B2
In an EPG generating apparatus, a controller specifies a program which meet a predetermined condition and extends the display area of the specified program as a popup portion. When extending the display area of a specified program, the controller changes the configuration of the display area of the specified program so that the display area of the specified program does not overlap the display area of another specified program positioned close to the display area of the specified program.
US07890970B2
In a brushless motor for use in a disk drive, a rotor is mounted onto a tube portion of a housing. A retaining claw is formed at an upper end of the tube portion. A turntable has a central concave portion which accommodates an upper portion of the tube portion of the housing. A retaining member is provided radially outside the central concave portion, and includes a plurality of retaining pieces extending to the inside of the central concave portion. When the rotor is mounted onto the housing, the retaining pieces come into contact with the retaining claw and then move upward. When the rotor moves upward relative to the housing, the retaining pieces come into contact with the retaining claw, thereby restricting upward movement of the rotor. Upward movement of the retaining pieces is restricted by contact between the retaining member and the turntable.
US07890969B2
A claw member includes a claw portion and a movement support portion. The movement support portion includes a movement pivot portion which is a pivotal portion of the movement of the claw member, and a movement support portion formed radially inward of the movement pivot portion. The claw member is allowed to maintain an axial height of a tip portion thereof while smoothly maintaining a movement in a radially inward direction thereof since a movement support receiving portion and the movement support portion make contact with one another.
US07890965B2
A disk carrying device including a transporting roller for carrying a disk, a turntable and a clamper for holding the disk, a trigger plate moved by carrying of the disk to a chucking position for changing a transmission route of driving force from the transporting roller to a cam plate, a first biasing means for urging the trigger plate to a position before moving, a guide base for pressing the disk on the transporting roller, an arm roller disposed on an opposite side of the guide base with respect to the transporting roller so as to move the guide base apart from the transporting roller, and a second biasing means disposed between the guide base and the arm roller. The second biasing means is extended when the disk is present between the guide base and the transporting roller and generates urging force pulling the guide base to the transporting roller.
US07890959B2
A system and method for message lifetime management. According to an embodiment of the invention, a front-end application process identifies during a user interface interaction cycle of the front-end application process at least one stateful message reported to the front-end application process by a back-end service process during a prior user interface interaction cycle of the front-end application process, the at least one stateful message having been stored in a message buffer by the front-end application process, queries the back-end service process to determine whether the at least one stateful message is currently valid, and removes the at least one stateful message from the message buffer if it is determined not to be currently valid.
US07890958B2
Provided are a system and article of manufacture for automatic adjustment of time a consumer waits to access data from a queue during a waiting phase and transmission phase at the queue. A determination is made as to whether a queue is in a waiting phase or a transmission phase for data in response to waiting for a waiting phase wait time when initiating an operation to access data from the queue. During the waiting phase data is not available in the queue for reading. An incremental wait time is waited in response to determining that the queue is in the waiting phase. A determination is made as to whether the queue is in the waiting phase or the transmission phase in response to waiting the incremental wait time. A total wait time is recorded in response to determining that the queue is in the transmission phase. The at least one recorded total wait time is used to determine the waiting phase wait time to use when initiating the operation to access data from the queue.
US07890957B2
A platform provides an intuitive and integrated management tool for disparate communications channels. Media such as web sites, web logs, electronic mail, instant messaging, and short messaging services may be combined and controlled through a single access point. The user interface for the access point may itself be deployed for use with a cellular phone, web client, or the like. While graphical user interfaces are one useful embodiment, a command-oriented interface may similarly be operated telephonically, or using electronic mail, instant messaging, SMS, or any other suitable technique.
US07890954B2
A system and method for communicating across multiple heterogeneous hosts using a two-tier software infrastructure where messaging software is used to handle all intra- and inter-host messaging and application software is divided into functional blocks called software entities where these entities communicate with one another through the messaging software. The messaging software communicates with other hosts using TCP/IP connection, where information about the registered entities such as location and state are communicated using a routing protocol such as RIP. This framework provides a new means of communication between functionally well-separated software components.
US07890937B2
The present invention relates to a data processing system including a first file converter converting a set of file formats into an extended markup language format, a software development tool, and a workflow processing system. The software development tool includes a second file converter for rendering the extended markup language format into a unified modeling language graphic, a renderer for rendering a unified modeling language format converted file, a modifier for graphic modification of the rendered file, a third file converter converting the unified modeling language format to the extended markup language format, and means for deploying an extended markup language format converted file to the workflow processing system. The present invention enables to provide a meta workflow system that can be implemented on the level of existing workflow systems by integration.
US07890932B2
A test recording method capable of preventing omission of tests for software to be delivered. When test input data is entered from a testing client, a data transmitter transmits the data to a testing server. Upon reception of test output data and a hash value from the testing server, an evaluation unit determines a test result, pass or fail, by comparing the test output data with the output pattern described in a test specification. The result recorder stores a test log in a log memory, the test log including the test result and the hash value received from the testing server.
US07890926B2
The invention pertains to a system and method of application development on a web portal. In one embodiment, the user logs on to a web portal and is provided with various tools to choose from to write an application, compile the application and then test the application. After completing the development process of the application, the user could either choose to store the application on the web portal, thereby using the services of the web portal or download the application on to his own computer. The user is also given the option to deploy the application from the web portal, the portal being used as a server for servicing multiple clients, thereby using the server resources during deployment and avoiding the high cost of infrastructure.
US07890913B1
Various techniques for referencing components of a programmable logic device (PLD) are provided. In one example, a method of referencing wires of a routing graph of a PLD is provided. The routing graph comprises a plurality of routing graph wires and a plurality of routing graph switches corresponding to components of the PLD. The method includes maintaining a plurality of master tiles comprising a plurality of master wires and a plurality of master switches corresponding to the routing graph wires and the routing graph switches, respectively. The method also includes identifying a first one of the routing graph wires. The method further includes mapping the first routing graph wire to a second one of the routing graph wires using at least one of the master wires.
US07890912B2
In accordance with the invention, there is a method of designing a lithography mask. The method can comprise generating initial phase photomask data and initial trim photomask data from a first set of data from a first drawn layer and/or layout and a second set of data from a second drawn layer, combining the initial phase photomask data with the first set of data to form a combined layer, inspecting for gaps in the combined layer, and processing the gaps in the combined layer.
US07890911B2
A skeleton generation method includes: creating a netlist which is a circuit connection information input file format for analog circuit simulation, as subcircuit descriptions corresponding to function blocks of a system, on the basis of input and output information on the function blocks; constructing a function block skeleton of a system level design language using the respective subcircuit descriptions as units of the function blocks, on the basis of the circuit connection information described in the netlist; and constructing a system skeleton on the basis of a result of analysis of connection information on nodes of the subcircuit descriptions.
US07890895B2
A method for determining, for each of at least p physical parameters of one or several components of an electronic circuit or of a microelectromechanical system, a number n of experiment values of the physical parameter includes determining n vectors of dimension p, each component of each of the vectors corresponding to one of n initial values of one of physical parameters; and iteratively modifying at least some of the n vectors to bring to a maximum, at least locally, for each pair of vectors from among pairs of n vectors, the smallest average of the sum of distances between the vectors of said pair projected onto sub-spaces of dimension k, where k belongs to a set of integers ranging between 1 and p and at least comprising 1, 2, and p, the components of each of the n vectors corresponding, at the end of the iterations, to experiment values.
US07890893B2
Disclosed is a design structure for a semiconductor chip structure that incorporates a localized, on-chip, repair scheme for devices that exhibit performance degradation as a result of negative bias temperature instability (NBTI). The repair scheme utilizes a heating element above each device. The heating element is configured so that it can receive transmission line pulses and, thereby generate enough heat to raise the adjacent device to a temperature sufficient to allow for performance recovery. Specifically, high temperatures (e.g., between approximately 300-400° C. or greater) in the absence of bias can accelerate the recovery process to a matter of seconds as opposed to days or months. The heating element can be activated, for example, on demand, according to a pre-set service schedule, and/or in response to feedback from a device performance monitor.
US07890891B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for use in improving the gate oxide reliability of semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices using accumulated charge control (ACC) techniques. The method and apparatus are adapted to remove, reduce, or otherwise control accumulated charge in SOI MOSFETs, thereby yielding improvements in FET performance characteristics. In one embodiment, a circuit comprises a MOSFET, operating in an accumulated charge regime, and means for controlling the accumulated charge, operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET. A first determination is made of the effects of an uncontrolled accumulated charge on time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET. A second determination is made of the effects of a controlled accumulated charge on TDDB of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET. The SOI MOSFET is adapted to have a selected average time-to-breakdown, responsive to the first and second determinations, and the circuit is operated using techniques for accumulated charge control operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET. In one embodiment, the accumulated charge control techniques include using an accumulated charge sink operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET body.
US07890889B2
A media management user-interface (UI) application that provides access to media items and media files and provides browsing and search capabilities for locating media items within media files. The UI application may rely on a hierarchical display of various levels or categories of media files and, as such, the application is uniquely suited for portable digital devices having small displays. The hierarchal display of media file levels allows the user to easily browse through levels to identify a desired media file and to locate and display a desired media item. In addition, the UI application may provide for an easily activated search function that provides for keyword searches to be performed based on information that has been associated with media files and media items.
US07890885B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to user interface navigation and provide a method, system and computer program product for content navigational shortcuts for portal environments. In one embodiment of the invention, a content navigational shortcut method can be provided. The method can include associating anchors with corresponding user interface elements in a markup language defined display. The method further can include listing references to a subset of the user interface elements in a quicklink list in the markup language defined display. Finally, the method can include setting focus in the markup language defined display to a corresponding one of the user interface elements at an associated one of the anchors in response to an activation of one of the references in the quicklink list.
US07890881B1
The invention comprises systems and methods for a fold preview. Various embodiments of the present invention provide a fold preview of a web page, including fixed-width and flexible-width web page designs. Other embodiments of the present invention provide a fold preview of any software application interface. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for providing a fold preview comprises calculating a cut-off region for one or more display resolutions, rendering one or more fold indicators, and continuing to display an area of a page falling within the cut-off region.
US07890869B1
A method for a computer system including a display includes determining a plurality of security metrics associated with a plurality of servers within a network, displaying a tree map on the display representing at least a portion of the network, wherein the tree map comprises a plurality of shapes associated with servers from the plurality of servers, wherein a size of shapes in the plurality of shapes are determined in response to a first security metric from the plurality of security metric associated with the servers, and wherein an appearance of the shapes are determined in response to a second security metric from the plurality of security metrics associated with the servers.
US07890866B2
A clip editing method using double time axis and an assistant display mode includes: generating a first trim-bar interface with a first time axis, specifying a first media clip through the first trim-bar interface by using a three-point control method, generating a second trim-bar interface with a second time axis based on the duration of the first media clip by using an equal-proportion mechanism, the duration of the second time axis being the same as the duration of the first media clip, the display ratio of the first media clip being resized, generating a second media clip through the second trim-bar interface by using the three-point control method, and providing editing operations for the second media clip.
US07890865B2
Improved methods and apparatuses are provided for determining when and how to display non-modal messages relating to user input portions of a graphical user interface (GUI). One method includes displaying at least one user input portion within a GUI and determining if the user input portion is in an invalid state by determining that valid user input associated with the user input portion has not been received. The method further includes displaying a non-modal message within the GUI. The non-modal message is visibly graphically associated with the user input portion. The method also includes automatically applying a focus of the GUI on the user input portion. As long as the focus of the GUI remains on the user input portion, the method includes displaying the non-modal message until the user input portion is determined to be in a valid state.
US07890844B2
An apparatus is provided for transmitting a signal in a communication system using a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) code. A controller determines a number of ‘0’s to be inserted in information data according to a first coding rate to be applied when generating the information data into an LDPC code, and determines the number of ‘0’s to be removed from the LDPC code. A ‘0’ inserter inserts ‘0s’ in the information data according to control of the controller. An LDPC encoder generates the LDPC code by encoding the ‘0’-inserted signal according to a first parity check matrix. A ‘0’ remover removes the inserted ‘0’s from the LDPC code.
US07890841B2
In an error correction method, a codeword is transmitted through a noisy communication channel and detected by a receiving device. An error detection code is then applied to the detected codeword to generate a syndrome. Where the syndrome is not all zero, the codeword is determined to contain some error. Accordingly, the method computes a set of potential error start positions for a plurality of error events based on a syndrome value corresponding to the syndrome. Next, a confidence value is computed for each of the plurality of error events at each of the potential error start positions in the refined set, and finally, a most likely error event in the detected codeword is corrected based on an error event and corresponding potential error start position having the highest confidence value.
US07890835B2
A method of implementing and manufacturing a cyclic redundancy check circuit for a multi-channel communication system. The method includes creating a generation expression that generates cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits that satisfies a cyclic redundancy check polynomial of a mono-channel serial communication system with respect to a first point in time, creating a generation expression with respect to points in time that are sequentially delayed as much as the number of multi-channels from the first point in time by applying each point in time to the generation expression, and embodying a circuit corresponding to the generation expression with respect to the most delayed point in time among the created generation expressions. The CRC circuit corresponding to the generation expression will have more modulo-2 adders (e.g., XOR gates) than the number of non-zero coefficients in the selected CRC polynomial.
US07890832B2
A method for allowing measurement corrections on a chip-by-chip basis. Error correction values are generated responsive to the input value to a circuit of the calibrated integrated circuit chip and to a measured value from the circuit of the calibrated integrated circuit chip. The error correction values are stored within an error correction table within a nonvolatile memory of the integrated circuit chip.
US07890825B2
Scan testing of plural target electrical circuits, such as circuits 1 through N, becomes accelerated by using the scan test response data output from one circuit, such as circuit 1, as the scan test stimulus data for another circuit, such as circuit 2. After reset, a scan path captures the output response data from the reset stimulus from all circuits. A tester then shifts the captured data only the length of the first circuit's scan path while loading the first circuit's scan path with new test stimulus data. The new response data from all the circuits then is captured in the scan path. This shift and capture cycle is repeated until the first circuit is tested. The first circuit is then disabled and any remaining stimulus data is applied to the second circuit. This process is repeated until all the circuits are tested. A data retaining boundary scan cell used in the scan testing connects the output of an additional multiplexer as the input to a boundary cell. The inputs of the additional multiplexer connect to the data input and data output of the boundary cell.
US07890816B2
Apparatus, systems and methods are described that facilitate the detection of errors within a remote control for a controlled device. A remote control detects an error condition during operation and transmits information regarding the error to a controlled device. The information regarding the error may be analyzed to determine the source of the problem in the remote control and/or possible solutions.
US07890815B2
A RAID system is provided for detecting and correcting dropped writes in a storage system. Data and a checksum are written to a storage device, such as a RAID array. The state of the data is classified as being in a “new data, unconfirmed” state. The state of written data is periodically checked, such as with a timer. If the data is in the “new data, unconfirmed” state, it is checked for a dropped write. If a dropped write has occurred, the state of the data is changed to a “single dropped write confirmed” state and the dropped write error is preferably corrected. If no dropped write is detected, the state is changed to a “confirmed good” state. If the data was updated through a read-modified-write prior to being checked for a dropped write event, its state is changed to an “unquantifiable” state.
US07890812B2
A computer system includes a plurality of buses; a device connected with the plurality of buses and configured to generate an error message when a failure has occurred on a first bus of the plurality of buses; and an IO control circuit connected with the device and configured to close the first bus in response to the error message transaction. The device includes a plurality of bus control sections respectively connected with said plurality of buses. The IO control circuit transfer a first operation transaction to the first bus through a first bus control section, and closes the first bus in response to the error message transaction in a bus failure operation when the failure has occurred on the first bus.
US07890811B2
Methods and apparatus dynamically reconfigure storage or channel capacities in a memory system. A fully-buffered dual in-line memory module (DIMM) is configured for a particular storage capacity and a particular channel capacity. An error may be detected at a memory address in some portion of the DIMM. To resolve the problem, the storage capacity or the channel capacity may be reduced and the DIMM may be dynamically reconfigured according to the reduced capacity. For one embodiment the DIMM may be reconfigured by mapping the portion of the DIMM containing the error as unavailable and taking that portion off-line without taking the entire DIMM off-line. For another embodiment the DIMM may be reconfigured by throttling the DIMM at a reduced frequency. The portion of the DIMM containing the error may be retested at the reduced frequency. If no errors are detected, the DIMM may be made available at the reduced frequency.
US07890806B2
A test harness development component streamlines the design of regression test harnesses for testing text-based software. An auto-recording tool to automatically record the input and output data in an actual run of the testing session and to automatically generate a test harness. The test harness development component provides an auto-executing tool to automatically run the test harness in subsequent regression tests. The test harness language is used to specify the tests, validation rules of the results, and any other rules for running the test of a test harness. The test harness language is human-readable and emulates the manual test procedures with very little overhead.
US07890805B2
A standard input for a regression test is processed in a printing system in a first (standard) configuration to generate a standard output. The standard output may include a standard PDL output and a standard bitmap. The standard input is processed in the printing system in a second configuration to be tested to generate regression test output. The regression test output may include a test PDL output and test bitmap. The regression test output and the standard output are compared to determine if changes included in the second configuration of the printing system produce an undesirable effect. Each standard input and corresponding standard output is identified by a unique test identifier and is stored.
US07890787B2
A microprocessor programmable clock calibration device compares, in response to a calibration command from a programmable processor, turns on a normally off reference oscillator clock, compares the frequency of the reference oscillator clock with the frequency of a calibratable oscillator clock, turns off the reference oscillator clock and adjusts, in response to a difference in those frequencies, the frequency of the calibratable oscillator clock towards that of the reference oscillator clock.
US07890786B2
A memory controller includes an output buffer for receiving a clock signal and outputting the clock signal to an external memory; and a replica buffer for receiving the clock signal and outputting the clock signal to a counting circuit; wherein the replica buffer and the output buffer have the same delay time such that the clock signal received by the counting circuit can be synchronized with that received by the external memory, and therefore the counting circuit can accurately count to a predetermined time according to the clock signal and output an enabling signal to enable a data control signal. The present invention further provides a signal synchronizing method for the memory controller.
US07890782B2
Power is conserved by dynamically applying clocks to execution units in a pipeline of a microprocessor. A clock to an execution unit is applied only when an instruction to the execution unit is valid. At other times when the execution unit needs not to be operational, the clock is not applied to the execution unit. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a dynamiclock-control unit is used to provide a control signal to a local clock buffer providing a local clock to an execution unit.
US07890775B2
According to one embodiment, a storage medium configured to be connectable to apparatuses for processing an encrypted content, the medium stores a content key of the encrypted content, and a copy control list includes information indicating one of the apparatuses which is a copying destination of the encrypted content.
US07890773B2
A user terminal converts stored contents of an SD card to contain second encrypted content key data equivalent to an encrypted title key of SD Audio, and encrypted content equivalent to encrypted content of the SD Audio. Accordingly, compatibility can be realized between an encryption dual key system as a first encryption system and an encryption (single) key system as a second encryption system.
US07890768B2
Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for identifying sensitive data from a user-entered input sequence based on user-defined criteria. According to one method, user-defined criteria for identifying sensitive data within user-entered input sequences that include sensitive data and padding data are received. A request for sensitive data from a requesting agent is presented. A user-entered input sequence that includes sensitive data and padding data is received in response to the request for sensitive data. Sensitive data is identified within the user-entered input sequence using the user-defined criteria. The identified sensitive data is provided to the requesting agent in response to the request for sensitive data.
US07890761B1
A token value is generated for a user to submit to an authentication service of an electronic system. The token value represents that the user is in possession of an electronic item known to the authentication service, where the electronic item is capable of two-way communications with the authentication service and has thereon an authenticator application transmitted from the authentication service to the electronic item. The authenticator application obtains a current time value from a clock of the electronic item or an authentication value from the authentication service, retrieves predetermined indicia of the electronic item from a location thereon, and combines the obtained value and the retrieved indicia of the electronic item to generate the token value. The authentication service essentially performs the same steps based on information already available at such authentication service to generate a verification token value, and compares the submitted token value to the verification token value.
US07890759B2
A connection assistance apparatus avoids unauthorized access and DoS attacks, prevents a performance degradation from occurring, and does not need to recognize different connections to gateway apparatus. An authenticating unit authenticates the validity of a terminal by checking if the terminal is a valid terminal capable of communicating with a gateway apparatus according to IPSec in response to a request from a user who owns the terminal. If it is judged that the terminal is a valid terminal, then a preshared key generating unit generates a preshared key for the terminal and the gateway apparatus, and a firewall opening instruction information generating unit generates firewall opening instruction information to open a firewall of the gateway apparatus. A transmitting unit sends the preshared key to the terminal and the gateway apparatus and sends the firewall opening instruction information to the gateway apparatus.
US07890758B2
A global key control mechanism provides a single point of overall control for key generation, but portions of the key generation and/or allocation tasks may be delegated to client computer systems, thereby reducing network traffic. The global key control mechanism may download a client key generation mechanism on one or more client computer systems, and may allocate a block of keys to the client key generation mechanism. Requests for keys may then be routed to the client key generation mechanism, which can generate and/or allocate keys within the block of keys that the global key control mechanism allocated to it. When the block of keys is used up, the client key generation mechanism may request another block from the global key control mechanism. The preferred embodiments also include the capability of downloading a client key generation mechanism with an associated block of keys once the requests from one or more client applications exceed a predetermined threshold. In addition, the preferred embodiments include a hierarchy of key control mechanisms, with a single global key control mechanism that maintains control over one or more client key control mechanisms that may, in turn, control other client key control mechanism(s) or which may generate and/or allocate keys directly to requesting applications.
US07890749B2
A method is provided for establishing a telephone call between a trusted Internet Protocol (IP) telephone and an untrusted device. The method includes receiving a call initiation request from the untrusted device that indicates a desired communication with the trusted IP telephone. The method evaluates the call initiation request, and establishes a telecommunication link between the untrusted device and the trusted IP telephone in response to a positive evaluation of the call initiation request.
US07890742B2
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to automatically selecting firmware instructions for an operating system. According to one embodiment, at least a part of a first subset of firmware instructions on a computer system is executed. An automatic determination of whether the first subset of firmware instructions supports an operating system the computer system will execute is made. If the first subset of firmware instructions does not support the operating system, a second subset of firmware instructions that does support the operating system is automatically caused to execute without requiring human intervention. A single firmware includes the first subset and the second subset of firmware instructions for different operating systems.
US07890738B2
A method and logical apparatus for managing processing system resource use for speculative execution reduces the power and performance burden associated with inefficient speculative execution of program instructions. A measure of the efficiency of speculative execution is used to reduce resources allocated to a thread while the speculation efficiency is low. The resource control applied may be the number of instruction fetches allocated to the thread or the number of execution time slices. Alternatively, or in combination, the size of a prefetch instruction storage allocated to the thread may be limited. The control condition may be comparison of the number of correct or incorrect speculations to a threshold, comparison of the number of correct to incorrect speculations, or a more complex evaluator such as the size of a ratio of incorrect to total speculations.
US07890733B2
A data processor comprises a plurality of processing elements (PEs), with memory local to at least one of the processing elements, and a data packet-switched network interconnecting the processing elements and the memory to enable any of the PEs to access the memory. The network consists of nodes arranged linearly or in a grid, e.g., in a SIMD array, so as to connect the PEs and their local memories to a common controller. Transaction-enabled PEs and nodes set flags, which are maintained until the transaction is completed and signal status to the controller e.g., over a series of OR-gates. The processor performs memory accesses on data stored in the memory in response to control signals sent by the controller to the memory. The local memories share the same memory map or space. External memory may also be connected to the “end” nodes interfacing with the network, eg to provide cache. One or more further processors may similarly be connected to the network so that all the PE memories from all the processors share the same memory map or space. The packet-switched network supports multiple concurrent transfers between PEs and memory. Memory accesses include block and/or broadcast read and write operations, in which data can be replicated within the nodes and, according to the operation, written into the shared memory or into the local PE memory.
US07890731B2
An instruction is provided to perform clearing of selected address translation buffer entries (TLB entries) associated with a particular address space, such as segments of storage or regions of storage. The buffer entries related to segment table entries or region table entries or ASCE addresses. The instruction can be implemented by software emulation, hardware, firmware or some combination thereof.
US07890722B1
A sequentially performed implementation of a compound compare-and-swap (nCAS) operation has been developed. In one implementation, a double compare-and-swap (DCAS) operation does not result in a fault, interrupt, or trap in the situation where memory address A2 is invalid and the contents of memory address A1 are unequal to C1. In some realizations, memory locations addressed by a sequentially performed nCAS or DCAS instruction are reserved (e.g., locked) in a predefined order in accordance with a fixed total order of memory locations. In this way, deadlock between concurrently executed instances of sequentially performed nCAS instructions can be avoided. Other realizations defer responsibility for deadlock avoidance to the programmer.
US07890718B2
A system and method are provided for creating a non-standard calendar that may have customized attributes, such as number of days in a month, first day of a month, number of months in a year, first month of a year, number of years, or other customized attributes. Such non-standard calendars may be similar to non-standard calendars used by companies, enterprises or other organizations, such as a fiscal calendar, academic calendar, or other calendar. A storage management system manager may have a database of storage policies that include preferences and frequencies for performing storage operations, and associations with a non-standard calendar. The storage manager can initiate storage operations based on the storage policy using data that may be identified according to selection criteria, and determine a time to perform the storage operation according to a non-standard calendar.
US07890715B2
This invention relates to an asynchronous remote copying (ARC) system adapted to operate as a remote copy pair by communicating between primary storage and remote storage of a remote copy pair. The system comprises a primary controller for receiving a write command and writing data to primary storage; a remote controller for receiving a write command and writing data to remote storage; an ARC controller for suppressing the release of the write command to the remote controller if a delay between receiving the write command and the time when the remote storage may accept the data is more than a threshold delay, and the primary controller suppresses recording the data in primary storage until release of the write command to the remote storage.
US07890704B2
A system and method for implementing an enhanced hover state with active prefetches. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a snooper in a processing unit receives a system-wide update complete operation indicating a completion of a storage-modifying operation targeting a particular address, where the storage-modifying operation results in a modified first cache line in a first cache memory. The snooper determines if a second cache memory held a second cache line associated with the particular address prior to receiving the system-wide update complete operation. If so, the snooper issues a prefetch request for a copy of the modified first cache line to replace the second cache line in the second cache memory. The snooper updates the second cache memory with a copy of the modified first cache line.
US07890700B2
A method, system, and computer program product for cross-invalidation handling in a multi-level private cache are provided. The system includes a processor. The processor includes a fetch address register logic in communication with a level 1 data cache, a level 1 instruction cache, a level 2 cache, and a higher level cache. The processor also includes a set of cross-invalidate snapshot counter implemented in the fetch address register. Each cross-invalidate snapshot counter tracks an amount of pending higher level cross-invalidations received before new data for the corresponding cache miss is returned from the higher-level cache. The processor also includes logic executing on the fetch address register for handling level 1 data cache misses and interfacing with the level 2 cache. In response to the new data, and upon determining that older cross-invalidations are pending, the new data is prevented from being used by the processor.
US07890695B2
A storage device that includes a flash memory device providing a storage medium, a cache memory for use with the flash memory device, and a control circuit. In the storage device, based on a write command and provided address information, the control circuit selects either the flash memory device or the cache memory as a writing destination of input data.
US07890676B2
Memory systems are disclosed that include a memory controller; an outbound link, the memory controller connected to the outbound link, the outbound link comprising a number of conductive pathways that conduct memory signals from the memory controller to memory buffer devices in a first memory layer; and at least two memory buffer devices in a first memory layer, each memory buffer device in the first memory layer connected to the outbound link to receive memory signals from the memory controller.
US07890674B2
A system for providing dynamic queue splitting to maximize throughput of queue entry processing while maintaining the order of queued operations on a per-destination basis. Multiple queues are dynamically created by splitting heavily loaded queues in two. As queues become dormant, they are re-combined. Queue splitting is initiated in response to a trigger condition, such as a queue exceeding a threshold length. When multiple queues are used, the queue in which to place a given operation is determined based on the destination for that operation. Each queue in the queue tree created by the disclosed system can store entries containing operations for multiple destinations, but the operations for a given destination are all always stored within the same queue. The queue into which an operation is to be stored may be determined as a function of the name of the operation destination.
US07890671B2
A CPU reads a system initialization program from a first recording area and stores the read system initialization program to an internal memory, and then reads the system initialization program from the internal memory and executes the system initialization and initialization of a second recording area. A DMA control unit transfers a system control program included in the program from the first recording area to the second recording area without through the CPU. A memory management unit manages a processing state of the transfer of the system control program to the second recording area by the DMA control unit. The CPU reads the program from the second recording area and executes the system control in collaboration with the memory management unit.
US07890668B2
Systems, methods and computer program products for providing indirect data addressing at an I/O subsystem of an I/O processing system. The computer program product includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes receiving a control word for an I/O operation. The control word includes an indirect data address for data associated with the I/O operation. The indirect data address includes a starting location of a list of storage addresses that collectively specify the data, the list spans two or more non-contiguous storage locations. Data is gathered responsive to the list. The gathered data is transmitted to a control unit in the I/O processing system.
US07890666B2
A protocol-based communication between a host device (e.g., MP3 player, digital camera, palmtop, etc.) and an interface (e.g., flash mass storage card) is established automatically by providing protocol-supporting facilities in the interface, each facility supporting communication with the host device based on a respective protocol, by sending a query message from the host device to the interface specifying at least one protocol for use in protocol-based communication, by searching, within the plurality of protocol-supporting facilities provided in the interface one protocol-supporting facility supporting the protocol proposed in the query message, and if such protocol-supporting facility is found within the plurality of protocol-supporting facilities provided in the interface, by setting up the protocol-based communication between the host device and the interface based on the protocol proposed in the query message issued from the host device.
US07890659B2
Example embodiments address current problems associated with changes in service contracts by providing automated mechanisms to update portions of an existing service implementation. For example, one mechanism modifies an implementation's skeleton (e.g., methods, method signatures, data structures, etc.) in order to conform to changes to an NPDL (e.g., WSDL) contract. In such an embodiment, the developer may only need to make the necessary changes, if any, to the business logic, which typically will not be known from the contract definition. Accordingly, such automatic modifications to the implementation facilitate a developer's adopting a contract based approach to web service development.
US07890652B2
An information aggregation and synthesization system and process. The present invention provides aggregation and packaging of structured or unstructured information from disparate sources such as those available on a network such as the Internet. A network compatible/addressable interface device is operated by a user. The network interface device communicates with local datastores or network accessible datastores via an addressing scheme such as Uniform Resource Locator addresses (URLs) utilized by the Internet. Data passing between the network interface device and the datastores is accessed, polled, and retrieved through an intermediary gateway system. Such aggregated information is then synthesized, customized, personalized and localized to meet the information resource requests specified by the user via the network interface device.
US07890644B2
Particular embodiments generally relate to a parallel tasking framework. Network devices may use discovery messages to determine which services are being offered by different devices. The services provided using the framework allow parallel processing of tasks using modules found in devices. Distribution of modules from one of the devices to other devices may be provided to process a project, which may be any analysis that needs to be performed on data. A project may be made up of tasks that need to be performed where each task may process at least part of the data for the project. The parallel tasking framework allows a device to use processing resources from other devices when other devices are not using the full availability of their processing resources.
US07890635B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for deploying and delivering composite services in an NGN network. In one embodiment, a method for selectively synchronizing content across different views of a composite service can be provided. The method can include establishing for a common session, multiple channels of access to a composite service and providing content to a view for one of the channels of access for synchronization across others of the channels of access to the common session. A set of user preferences can be consulted to determine whether synchronization of the content is permitted for individual ones of the channels of access to the common session. Subsequently, the content can be synchronized only to channels of access to the common session that are permitted by the set of user preferences.
US07890634B2
Scalable session management is achieved by generating a cookie that includes an encrypted session key and encrypted cookie data. The cookie data is encrypted using the session key. The session key is then signed and encrypted using one or more public/private key pairs. The encrypted session key can be decrypted and verified using the same private/public key pair(s). Once verified, the decrypted session key can then be used to decrypt and verify the encrypted cookie data. A first server having the private/public key pair(s) may generate the cookie using a randomly generated session key. A second server having the same private/public key pair(s) may decrypt and verify the cookie even if the session key is not initially installed on the second server. A session key cache may be used to provide session key lookup to save public/private key operations on the servers.
US07890626B1
A high availability, scalable cluster server system for enterprise data management. The server is a cluster of two or more nodes. Each node runs one or more virtual servers. A virtual server consists of network resources and resources for enterprise data management. Failover is based on moving virtual servers from a failed node to a healthy node. The invention provides for network failover within the same node. Enterprise data management consists of data discovery, data categorization and applying enterprise policies on categorized data. One of the problems of data management is the diversity of policies and in some cases their conflicting requirements. According to one aspect of the invention, enterprise policies are broking into policy entities. Policy entities represent the simplest policy unit. Some of the policy entities are shared between the diversified enterprise policies. Identifying a data management policy with the highest priority and applying the policy entity that belongs to it resolve conflict in policy requirements.
US07890621B2
An information processing system including a host device and a client device which requests the host device to process information, includes: a communication unit which provides communication between the host device and the client device, wherein the host device includes: a communication completion judgment: unit which judges whether or not first communication information to be transmitted and received via one round of communication provided by the communication unit has all been transmitted or received; and a communication information process determination unit which, in the event that the communication unit is unable to transmit or receive the first communication information before it is judged by the communication completion judgment unit that the first communication information has all been transmitted or received, determines a process related to the first communication information in accordance with second communication information received via a next or subsequent round of communication.
US07890620B2
The monitoring technology capable of reducing total monitoring cost without degrading the monitoring capability in accordance with the configuration of the large-scale service system and quickly comprehending the state of the service system after the configuration change. A monitoring system in which information processing apparatuses constituting the service system are objects to be monitored has a monitoring manager program and a plurality of monitoring agent programs, and objects to be monitored having the same performance characteristics are sorted into the same groups. In each of the groups, parties where monitoring is carried out at a short monitoring interval and parties where the monitoring is carried out at a long monitoring interval are provided. The performance of objects to be monitored in the party of the long monitoring interval is estimated from the performance of the objects to be monitored in the party of the short monitoring interval.
US07890618B2
A method and system are provided for provisioning a circuit in a data network without manual intervention. A network management module receives an order for provisioning the circuit and then, based on the order, transmits a request to a legacy logical element module to configure a logical circuit in one or more network devices in the network. The network device may be a switch. The circuit may be a frame relay circuit or an ATM circuit. A method and system are also provided for maintaining a network circuit in a data network. The network circuit includes both a logical circuit and a physical circuit. A legacy physical element module sends a request for logical circuit data to a legacy logical element module through a network management module in communication with the legacy physical element module and the legacy physical element module. Based on the request, the legacy logical element module retrieves the logical circuit data from one or more network devices in the network and transmits the data to the legacy physical element module through the network management module. Upon receiving the logical circuit data, the legacy physical element module troubleshoots the physical circuit to maintain the network circuit.
US07890614B2
A method, an apparatus, and computer instructions are provided for a secure network install. One aspect of the present invention provides a proxy server within the same subnet of the client for performing a lookup of the boot image file and downloading the boot image file from a boot file server in a secure manner. The client in turn downloads the file from the proxy TFTP server. Another aspect of the present invention modifies the client remote boot code to include a secure boot file download discovery (SBDD) mode. The client starts the SBDD mode by sending a request for a boot image file to a subnet broadcast address and port, which is listened by a proxy TFTP server. The proxy TFTP server receives the client request and downloads the boot image file. The client in turn downloads the boot image file from the proxy TFTP server.
US07890611B2
A method of configuring an edge device in a network wherein a transport network interfaces with edge devices that interface with client devices involves a configuration file in a dynamic file format. The edge device is configured by downloading the configuration file to the edge device. The method comprises connecting the edge device to the network, downloading the configuration file to the edge device, and configuring the edge device. The configuration file is in a dynamic file format and contains configuration information for the edge device including information relating to at least one edge device input and information relating to at least one radio frequency output.
US07890610B2
An information processing apparatus is used in a network including an information apparatus compatible with the universal-plug-and-play (UPnP) discovery and control method and an information apparatus compatible with the Web based discovery and control method and includes a browser support unit for converting the Web based discovery and control method to the UPnP discovery and control method and a server support unit for converting the UPnP discovery and control method to the Web based discovery and control method. The information apparatus compatible with the UPnP discovery and control method and the information apparatus compatible with the Web based discovery and control method can acquire device information from each other and control the device by each other.
US07890597B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for DMA transfer completion notification that include: inserting, by an origin DMA on an origin node in an origin injection FIFO, a data descriptor for an application message; inserting, by the origin DMA, a reflection descriptor in the origin injection FIFO, the reflection descriptor specifying a remote get operation for injecting a completion notification descriptor in a reflection injection FIFO on a reflection node; transferring, by the origin DMA to a target node, the message in dependence upon the data descriptor; in response to completing the message transfer, transferring, by the origin DMA to the reflection node, the completion notification descriptor in dependence upon the reflection descriptor; receiving, by the origin DMA from the reflection node, a completion packet; and notifying, by the origin DMA in response to receiving the completion packet, the origin node's processing core that the message transfer is complete.
US07890592B2
Functionality is described for collecting data from a presence-based system, such as an instant messaging system. The functionality can extract information from the collected data based on one or more rules. For instance, the functionality can identify presence data and/or message data that includes predetermined key words. The functionality can formulate result information based on the extracted information for presentation to a recipient. Based on these operations, the collected data supports a data-mining operation, as well as the traditional role of facilitating communication among the participants of the presence-based system. The result information can correspond to a report that presents aggregated findings, optionally organized into one or more demographic categories, or the result information can correspond to an advertisement, etc.
US07890589B2
The invention relates to a system, method and device for providing information relating to a received communication for a device. For the method, it comprises: while the device is composing an outbound communication, monitoring for receipt of an inbound communication; if the inbound communication is directed to the device, evaluating the inbound communication to determine whether it is related to the outbound communication; and if the inbound communication is related to the outbound communication, providing a message to the device indicating receipt of the inbound communication.
US07890565B2
A combination of an infrequently-called tiny multiplication unit and a “differential” unit that quickly computes T(n+1) basing on known Tn. The schedule (how often the multiplication unit is called) can be considered as a parameter of the algorithm. The proposed architecture of the “differential” unit is efficient both in terms of speed (delay) and area (gate count).
US07890563B2
A sampling-rate conversion method receives N input channels which have been digitized at an input sampling rate, and converts the sampling rate of each input channel to produce N output channels at an output sampling rate. The method comprises computing a common FIR interpolating function which depends upon the input and output sample clocks and the instantaneous output time, and applying the common FIR interpolating function to all N input channels to compute all N output channels.
US07890562B2
An automatic test system that includes low cost and accurate circuitry for generating sinusoidal signals. Each sinusoidal signal generator includes a look-up table that can, for each phase on sine wave, output two digital values representing an in-phase and a quadrature-phase value of the sine wave. Simple circuitry can be used to address the look-up table to output in-phase and quadrature-phase values. The in-phase and quadrature-phase values can be applied to down-stream circuitry, such as error correction circuitry, that uses an in-phase and a quadrature-phase value to process the sine wave without the need for a relatively complex phase shifter in the down-stream circuitry. A dual-port memory may be used to implement the look-up table so that both an in-phase and a quadrature-phase value may be obtained from a single block of memory that stores a representation of a sine wave.
US07890557B2
The invention relates to a system and a method for the securely recording input values used for processing in a safety-oriented processor. In order to allow input values to be recorded securely by means of a non-safety-oriented operating device, a first value which is input via input means is displayed with the aid of an operating device using first display means, said first value is transmitted in an uncoded manner to a safety-oriented process along with an identification value, a second value transmitted by the processor is converted into a third value, said third value is displayed using second display means, a fourth value that is input via the input means is displayed using third display means, said fourth value is converted into a fifth value, said fifth value is transmitted in an uncoded fashion to the processor together with the identification value while the processor stores the first value, control values, and threshold values, compares the identification value to one of the control values by means of first comparing means, compares the first value to the threshold values with the aid of second comparing means, converts the first value into a second value, transmits the second value in an uncoded manner to the operating device, and compares the fifth value to the first value with the aid of third comparing means.
US07890550B2
Example embodiments provide a garbage collection method which includes applying a weight to each of at least two or more factors to calculate garbage collection costs. A hash table is configured using the calculated garbage collection costs. The method further includes searching a block having the lowest garbage collection cost from the hash table and performing garbage collection on the searched block.
US07890548B2
A system and method for automatically transforming non-Unicode supporting files into Unicode supporting files via one or more reusable maps. The system comprises a reusable source type tree organized from a schema, wherein the schema is created from a file; and one or more reusable maps, structured to automatically map one or more rules onto the reusable source type tree to transform the reusable source type tree into a reusable target type tree. The method comprises determining a type of data to be supported; defining one or more rules to support the type of data; and applying the one or more rules automatically to a reusable source type tree to transform the reusable source type tree into a reusable target type tree.
US07890546B2
Disclosed is a method for determining database queries to be sent by an analytical server to a Relational Dababase Monitoring System (RDBMS) by using hierarchical level metadata to describe the various structures within the database.
US07890536B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for generating templates of nodes to structure content objects and steps to process the content objects. A template is generated having a plurality of first level nodes representing a flow of tasks. A set of second level nodes representing a flow of steps is generated for at least one of the first level nodes to collectively perform the task represented by the first level node. A content object including information for a step represented by the node is associated with at least one node in the second level. Links are generated among the first level nodes and in each set of second level nodes indicating a logical ordering of the nodes and a direction of the flow of the tasks represented by the first level nodes and the flow of steps represented by the second level nodes. An end-user graphical user interface is generated from the generated nodes and links to direct an end user through the flow of tasks and steps represented by the nodes.
US07890528B1
A search can be refined to locate information about an item based on dynamically selected and ordered search categories. More specifically, methods and systems identify a set of search categories based on search category preference information obtained from the search results. The data entries are returned after searching on data stores with a search query provided by a user, and then the ranks of the returned data entries are determined based on a degree of relevancy with the search query. The dynamically selected search categories are displayed in an order corresponding to the rank of the data entries where the search category preference information is obtained.
US07890523B2
Technologies for search-based filtering of a property grid. Such filtering allows a user to enter a search term into an easily recognized search text box, or apply a user or pre-defined term to a property grid, thus reducing the set of properties visible so that the user has a smaller list to search to find the one on which they desire to operate. The search term is typically applied to all properties shown in the property grid. Elements that match the search term are made visible in an updated property grid while those that do not match are not presented. Also, the search term may be applied to more than just the name of the property. It may be applied to a category within which the property appears, the type of the property, or any of a number of attributes or tags that may be applied to the property.
US07890521B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that automatically generates synonyms for words from documents. During operation, this system determines co-occurrence frequencies for pairs of words in the documents. The system also determines closeness scores for pairs of words in the documents, wherein a closeness score indicates whether a pair of words are located so close to each other that the words are likely to occur in the same sentence or phrase. Finally, the system determines whether pairs of words are synonyms based on the determined co-occurrence frequencies and the determined closeness scores. While making this determination, the system can additionally consider correlations between words in a title or an anchor of a document and words in the document as well as word-form scores for pairs of words in the documents.
US07890519B2
A method, article of manufacture and apparatus for graphically summarizing the data in an initial query result set, including when rows are removed from the result set by applying a data quality standard is disclosed. When a user selects to change the data quality standard, a group of target rows are identified and removed from the user's display. A bitmap is generated to graphically represent the location of each row in the initial result set, including removed rows. A bitmap to summarize the data values for one or more columns in the initial result set may also be created. Thus, a user may quickly obtain an intuitive view of what the data looks like, without the need for complex analysis or graphing packages.
US07890514B1
A method, operating model, system, data structure, computer program and computer program product for analyzing and categorizing and exploring or querying unstructured information and for tracking trends and exceptions. Method for analytical processing of unstructured objects in a dimensional space. Method for tracking trends in concepts. Method for tracking exceptions in concepts. Tools and interface for displaying concepts, query results, tracked trends and exceptions.
US07890512B2
Images are automatically annotated using semantic distance learning. Training images are manually annotated and partitioned into semantic clusters. Semantic distance functions (SDFs) are learned for the clusters. The SDF for each cluster is used to compute semantic distance scores between a new image and each image in the cluster. The scores for each cluster are used to generate a ranking list which ranks each image in the cluster according to its semantic distance from the new image. An association probability is estimated for each cluster which specifies the probability of the new image being semantically associated with the cluster. Cluster-specific probabilistic annotations for the new image are generated from the manual annotations for the images in each cluster. The association probabilities and cluster-specific probabilistic annotations for all the clusters are used to generate final annotations for the new image.
US07890510B2
Improved techniques are disclosed for detecting patterns of interaction among a set of entities and analyzing community evolution in a stream environment. By way of example, a technique for processing data from a data stream includes the following steps/operations. A data point of the data stream representing an interaction event is obtained. An interaction graph is updated on-line based on the data point representing the interaction event. The updated interaction graph is stored in a nonvolatile memory. An interaction evolution is determined off-line from the updated interaction graph stored in the nonvolatile memory.
US07890506B2
The invention provides a user interface control apparatus and a method thereof, which can enhance operability of a user interface by replacing a presentation of a user interface designed by a developer of an application program with a UI component that is easy to use and is customizable for each user. A client computer acquires application software program that includes an element describing a presentation of a user interface and an element describing a data model expressed in the user interface by having a communication unit access an application server through a network. A UI component search unit searches a personal UI component library for a UI component having a presentation preferred by a user, which is replaceable with an element of the data model. A UI component replace unit replaces a second element of the application software with the searched for UI component.
US07890505B1
Systems and methods are provided for creating an advertising profile and selecting advertisements for a user. In accordance with certain implementations, information is accessed indicating which documents were selected by a user. At least one positive word vector is generated using words contained in at least one of the selected documents, and at least one negative word vector is generated using words contained in at least one of the unselected documents. Document word vectors are generated, and a document rank order is established based on a vector space relationship analysis. Categories associated with the documents are ranked based on the document rank order, and an advertising profile comprising the ranked categories is created. Advertising material may then be selected based on the advertising profile for the user.
US07890504B2
In an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus uses a LUN (logical unit number) data type for storage allocation. The apparatus includes a storage appliance that specifies a LUN data type for a LUN. The storage appliance then allocates data blocks in the LUN based on the LUN data type. The storage appliance allocates data blocks in the LUN as contiguous data blocks or as non-contiguous data blocks, based on the LUN data type. The LUN data type may be, for example, database data type, user data type, or binary data type.
US07890501B2
Search results, including sponsored links and algorithmic search results, are generated in response to a query, and are marked based on frequency of clicks on the search results by members of social network who are within a predetermined degree of separation from the member who submitted the query. The markers are visual tags and comprise either a text string or an image.
US07890494B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to processing information regarding events. In one particular example, a stabbing query may be formulated in response to an event. One or more sets are associated with and/or mapped to nodes of a tree.
US07890493B2
A computer-implemented method can include translating a search query from a first language to a second language, comparing the translated query with content in the second language, and identifying content in the second language relevant to the translated query based on the comparing. Also, a computer-implemented method can include translating content in a second language at one or more network locations into a first language, comparing the translated content with a search query written in the first language, and identifying, from the translated content, content relevant to the query based on the comparing.
US07890490B1
The present invention relates to an interactive media guidance application that provides improved searching functionality for media information, such as media program listings, media programming information, celebrity information, and other related media information. Search objects may be defined in the entertainment context and applied to media information to enable efficient searching. Different types of media information may be categorized to enable proper organization of search results. A search object query may be performed based on a user entered search expression and the results may be a vertical slice through the organized categories of media information. User submitted tags may also be applied to the media information and used to search the media information. Atomic searching may be enabled for more generic search expressions, whereby an atomic search object is associated with a personalized atomic search algorithm comprised of individual searches. The search algorithm is determined by receiving both user metrics and editorial input. Context sensitive searching may also be provided by defining search objects with different context settings and determining a context setting of the user initiated search.
US07890488B2
A method of caching posting lists to a search engine cache calculates the ratios between the frequencies of the query terms in a past query log and the sizes of the posting lists for each term, and uses these ratios to determine which posting lists should be cached by sorting the ratios in decreasing order and storing to the cache those posting lists corresponding to the highest ratio values. Further, a method of finding an optimal allocation between two parts of a search engine cache evaluates a past query stream based on a relationship between various properties of the stream and the total size of the cache, and uses this information to determine the respective sizes of both parts of the cache.
US07890484B1
A method and apparatus for providing service discovery are disclosed. Specifically, each service provider builds or constructs a behavior description or model of its service and, in turn, stores and publishes the behavior description. Each behavior description is implemented in accordance with a set of shared ontology of terms for a particular domain. In turn, a user may generate a query associated with service discovery that will be capable of exploiting the behavior descriptions for a plurality of services.
US07890473B1
The present invention provides methods and systems for evaluating the performance of a computer system to enable capacity planning. With respect to the present invention, performance data (metrics) collected from computing devices are used to generate performance results. A set of utilization factors are calculated to forecast computing needs without a long manual analysis of large volumes of data. A user has access to a graphical representation of the utilization factors to determine a forecast of capacity needs based on the information calculated.
US07890472B2
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for supporting parallel nested transactions in a transactional memory system. Multiple closed nested transactions are created for a single parent transaction, and the closed nested transactions are executed concurrently as parallel nested transactions. Various techniques are used to ensure effects of the parallel nested transactions are hidden from other transactions outside the parent transaction until the parent transaction commits. For example, versioned write locks are used with parallel nested transactions. When a transactional memory word changes from a write lock to a versioned write lock, an entry is made in a global versioned write lock map to store a pointer to a write log entry that the versioned write lock replaced. When the versioned write lock is encountered during transaction processing, the global versioned write lock map is consulted to translate the versioned write lock to the pointer to the write log entry.
US07890465B2
A computer program for managing and manipulating archive zip files of a computer. The program includes a system and method for opening, creating, and modifying, and extracting zip archive files. The program is fully integrated into Microsoft Windows Explorer and is accessed via Explorer menus, toolbars, and/or drag and drop operations. An important feature of the program is the archive manager which may be used to open a zip file, create a new zip file, extract zip files, modify zip files, etc. The program is integrated into Microsoft Windows Explorer using the shell name space extension application program interface developed by Microsoft.
US07890456B2
A system may include reading a provider database mapping of file identifiers to page numbers of the provider database, determining one or more shared database objects of the provider database based on the provider database mapping, and registering the one or more shared database objects in a local namespace of a reader database.
US07890445B2
A model selection method is provided for choosing the number of clusters, or more generally the parameters of a clustering algorithm. The algorithm is based on comparing the similarity between pairs of clustering runs on sub-samples or other perturbations of the data. High pairwise similarities show that the clustering represents a stable pattern in the data. The method is applicable to any clustering algorithm, and can also detect lack of structure. We show results on artificial and real data using a hierarchical clustering algorithm.
US07890443B2
A “Classifier Trainer” trains a combination classifier for detecting specific objects in signals (e.g., faces in images, words in speech, patterns in signals, etc.). In one embodiment “multiple instance pruning” (MIP) is introduced for training weak classifiers or “features” of the combination classifier. Specifically, a trained combination classifier and associated final threshold for setting false positive/negative operating points are combined with learned intermediate rejection thresholds to construct the combination classifier. Rejection thresholds are learned using a pruning process which ensures that objects detected by the original combination classifier are also detected by the combination classifier, thereby guaranteeing the same detection rate on the training set after pruning. The only parameter required throughout training is a target detection rate for the final cascade system. In additional embodiments, combination classifiers are trained using various combinations of weight trimming, bootstrapping, and a weak classifier termed a “fat stump” classifier.
US07890442B2
A method and system for autocompletion of multiple fields in electronic forms that generates “inference networks” (Bayesian networks), and evaluates them to suggest likely options for user selection while filling out fields in corresponding electronic forms. The disclosed Bayesian networks are generated and evaluated based on a broad set of information. The information used by the disclosed system for generating an inference network includes form previously selected field values. The information used in the disclosed system to evaluate an inference networks while a current instance of a given form is being filled out includes values previously entered by a current user into preceding form fields, and values of ambient variables that are external to the forms, such as current day of the week, current time of day, etc. When the inference network is evaluated in this way, posterior probabilities are determined for values of fields not yet filled out in the current form instance. These posterior probabilities are used to present value options for the unfilled fields in a way that makes selection of the most-probable options convenient to the user.
US07890439B2
It is difficult to select parameter values for constraint programming problem solvers which will yield good performance. Automated tuning of such problem solvers on a per problem instance basis may be used and this involves learning a function for predicting the runtime of a problem solver depending on parameter values of the problem solver and features of the problem instance being solved. However, it takes time for such prediction functions to be learnt, either during operation of a problem solver or offline, using specified examples. To address this, information about such a prediction function is shared between two or more problem solvers to improve performance. A sharing system may be used to receive prediction function information and send this to problem solvers.
US07890438B2
A document annotation method includes modeling data elements of an input document and dependencies between the data elements as a dependency network. Static features of at least some of the data elements are defined, each expressing a relationship between a characteristic of the data element and its label. Dynamic features are defined which define links between an element and labels of the element and of a second element. Parameters of a collective probabilistic model for the document are learned, each expressing a conditional probability that a first data element should be labeled with information derived from a label of a neighbor data element linked to the first data element by a dynamic feature. The learning includes decomposing a globally trained model into a set of local learning models. The local learning models each employ static features to generate estimations of the neighbor element labels for at least one of the data elements.
US07890427B1
Disclosed herein is an electronic device in a mobile services network. The electronic device may be provided access to a plurality of services including an firmware/software update service and update notifications of availability of update packages. In response to receiving an update notification, the electronic device may confirm the authenticity of the received update notification before downloading the associated update package from a management server in the mobile services network. Short message service notifications may be sent from a customer care center or management server employing a short message center in an embodiment of the present invention.
US07890422B1
A system of accessing through a financial processing network multiple accounts associated with a single financial card. Data is input to the financial network in addition to transaction data and account identification data that is read from the card. This additional data permits the proper account to be accessed. The data may be input at the point of sale as an account selection. In this instance, the selection may be used to route the transaction data through the financial processing network or may be used to read data regarding one of multiple accounts encoded on the card. The data may also be stored as conditional routing rules at transfer points in the financial processing network. In this instance, the transaction is routed to the proper account based on the stored rules.
US07890419B2
A method and system provides for the use of credit arrangements in simulated environments. A user can participate in credit transactions involving purchases of virtual products, virtual services, and virtual items of value. Feedback is provided to the user regarding results of the credit transactions. In some embodiments multiple users can make simulated purchases or incur simulated credit obligations that are posted to virtual accounts, and the multiple users can also make simulated compensation against balances due or obligations owed for said virtual accounts. The user is also provided with an opportunity of engaging in real-world financial transactions related to the virtual credit arrangement. In some implementations of the system and method, multiple players at different locations can use virtual charge accounts and/or real world financial accounts in connection with arranging or resolving a virtual credit transaction.
US07890416B2
Systems and methods for configurable trading interfaces that allow a trader to quickly and easily submit trading commands to a trading system are provided. Using these systems and methods, a trader can using various trading interfaces to initiate trading commands, configure various display features and default command settings, and control a level of command entry verification that is provided to protect against inadvertent entry of incorrect trading commands.
US07890407B2
A method and system for financial modeling to predict the amount of liquidity needed to support a portfolio of assets that is being financed in the commercial paper market, or any other market that is sensitive to the provision of liquidity. As the ability to access these markets is related to the rating of the assets, the model simulates rating movements over time and uses historical funding information of like assets to make estimates of future funding needs. Many aspects of the funding (draw) process are simulated (i.e., likelihood of draw, likelihood of continuing draw, and extent of draw amount). The result of the model is an estimate of reduced liquidity needs that is less than if the underlying assets were guaranteed individually, providing economic savings for the liquidity provider. A model is also described that predicts the required characteristics of a group of institutions jointly functioning as liquidity provider to the pool.
US07890405B1
A common collaboration tool enables advisors, their clients and other participants to interact in a coordinated manner in various areas of interest. A client authorizes selected advisors as well as other participants to view, discuss, modify and perform other operations in response to the client's request for services. A client defines the scope of authorization for advisors and/or other participants for security and confidentiality reasons. Advisors (and/or participants) access information submitted (or authorized) by the client to collaborate as a cohesive team in sharing information, devising a plan, addressing client's concerns, drafting (or modifying) a document and performing other services for the client.
US07890403B1
A method and mechanism that protect a person with a property interest in a piece of real property against a loss of expected future market value of the real property. A policyholder may first select an expected future market value for the real property and a time period in which the expected future market value is to be attained (e.g., 10 years). An insurer may model relevant conditions, factors and events that effect property values over time for a particular geographic region. A premium may be determined based on the selected expected future market value and the determination of expected future market value made by the insurer. Upon a conveyance of the real property at the time period or window specified, a loss may be determined if the fair market value of the real property is less than the selected expected future market value.
