US07910024B2
Compositions and methods are described for inhibiting corrosion of corrodible metals present in contact with water in cooling water and other water storage systems. The compositions include concentrated stannous salts and agents to solubilize such salts.
US07910017B2
A two component low temperature heat transfer composition comprising 18% to 76% by volume of an ether component and 82% to 24% by volume of an alkylbenzene component which composition transfers thermal energy to itself from a material which is to be cooled and maintains a prolonged liquid phase in the temperature range from room temperature of about 68° F. to a very cold −175° F.; said composition being continually rejuvenated by exposure in alternating cycles to cryogenic or refrigerant materials, such as liquid nitrogen which removes thermal energy from the ether alkylbenzene composition which is maintained in a prolonged liquid phase throughout said temperature range which makes it suitable for use in very cold applications.
US07910014B2
A chemical processing bath and system used in semiconductor manufacturing utilizes a dynamic spiking model that essentially constantly monitors chemical concentration in the processing bath and adds fresh chemical on a regular basis to maintain chemical concentrations at desirable levels. Etch rates and etch selectivities are maintained at desirable levels and contamination from undesirable precipitation is avoided. The system and method automatically compare concentration levels to a plurality of control limits associated with various technologies and identify the technology or technologies that may undergo processing.
US07910013B2
For each one of plural plasma parameters, such as ion density, wafer voltage, etch rate, wafer current, a relevant surface of constant value is fetched from a memory. The relevant surface of constant value corresponds to a user-selected value of one of the plasma parameters, the surface being defined in a space of which each one of plural, chamber parameters (e.g., source power, bias power and chamber pressure) is a dimension. An intersection of these relevant surfaces is found, the intersection corresponding to a target value of source power, bias power and chamber pressure. The source power, the bias power and the chamber pressure, respectively, are set to their corresponding target values.
US07910010B2
An inkjet head having an electrostatic actuator and a manufacturing method of the same are disclosed. The inkjet head having an electrostatic actuator, comprising a stator, on which is formed a plurality of comb pattern shaped first protrusion parts and second protrusion parts in both directions, and a rotor consisting of a first component and a second component, the ends of which join with the diaphragm, wherein a third protrusion part is formed on the first component, facing the first protrusion parts and meshing with the first protrusion parts without contact; and a fourth protrusion part is formed on the second component, facing the second protrusion parts and meshing with the second protrusion parts without contact, may decrease the size of the head composition and may increase the electrostatic force so that a large displacement may be obtained with little voltage to increase the ink discharge pressure.
US07910003B2
A polymer alloy has been developed comprising a polysulfone and a vinyl lactam polymer. The resulting alloy has excellent thermal characteristics and even in the presence of substantial quantities in vinyl lactam polymers, has solvent resistance to both organic and aqueous solvent materials. The materials, when dissolved in solvents, can be spun from a variety of solvents into a variety of useful fiber materials. The resulting fine fiber, microfiber and nanofiber materials have excellent thermal and chemical resistance for a variety of fiber applications. The polymer alloys of the invention can be spun into nanofiber mats that can act as a filtration media and can also be combined into conventional substrate materials for fabrication into filter structures.
US07910001B2
The present invention relates to a novel arrangement of denitrification reactors for removal of nitrate compounds in a recirculating aquaculture system. The novel arrangement of an aquaculture system of the present invention includes positioning one or more anaerobic denitrification reactors upstream of aerobic nitrification and degassing processes. One aspect of the present invention includes a flow of aqueous medium from aquatic species rearing tanks towards one or more denitrification reactors. Another aspect of the present invention includes flow of aqueous medium from aquatic species rearing tanks to a solids removing filter or mechanical filtration means for removal of solid waste matter or biomass prior to flow of aqueous medium towards one or more denitrification reactors. In a sequence of components comprising a system of the present invention, treated and denitrified aqueous medium exiting one or more denitrification reactors is directed towards a solids removing filter wherein treated and denitrified aqueous medium combines with untreated aqueous medium. Combined untreated aqueous medium and denitrified aqueous medium exits a solids removing filter and is directed towards an aerobic nitrification unit. Aqueous medium exiting the aerobic nitrification unit is degassed and oxygenated and returned to aquatic species rearing tanks. A system of the present invention which utilizes denitrification reactors positioned upstream of aerobic nitrification has advantages over existing aquaculture systems which use denitrification in reduction of nitrate concentrations. This results in greater mitigation of water chemistries and compounds which are harmful to aquatic species and more efficient use and conservation of water resources.
US07909999B2
Disclosed is a filter assembly including a filter cartridge including a housing, a filter provided inside the housing, and a cartridge connection portion provided at an upper portion of the housing, a head portion including a head connection portion to be coupled to the cartridge connection portion so that the filter cartridge can be attached and detached, a water inlet which introduces water to the filter cartridge, and a water outlet which discharges the water filtered by the filter cartridge, the head portion including a filter attaching and detaching lever which is movable between a first position, at which the head connection portion and the filter cartridge connection portion are coupled to each other, and a second position, at which the head connection portion and the filter cartridge connection portion are separated from each other, and can be supported by the head portion.
US07909993B2
A centrifugal fraction collection system including a rotating carrier for holding at least one sample collection container and inducing a centrifugal force, a guide disposed on the rotating carrier, and a flexible eluant tube disposed over the rotating carrier and through the guide for receiving a flow of eluant having volatile and non-volatile components and directing the flow of eluant into at least one sample collection container wherein the centrifugal force separates the non-volatile and volatile components based on their respective densities and collects the non-volatile components in at least one sample collection container.
US07909986B2
Reduced emissions of gas phase reduced nitrogen species in the off gas of an FCC regenerator operated in a partial or incomplete mode of combustion is achieved by contacting the off gas with an oxidative catalyst/additive composition having the ability to reduce gas phase nitrogen species to molecular nitrogen and to oxidize CO under catalytic cracking conditions. The oxidative catalyst/additive composition is used in an amount less than the amount necessary to prevent afterburn. Fluidizable particles of the oxidative catalyst/additives are circulated throughout the partial or incomplete burn FCC unit along with the FCC catalyst inventory. The flue gas having a reduced content of gas phase reduced nitrogen species and NOx is passed to a downstream CO boiler, preferably a low NOx CO boiler. In the CO boiler, as CO is oxidized to CO2, a reduced amount of gas phase reduced nitrogen species is oxidized to NOx, thereby providing an increase in the overall reduction of NOx emitted into the environment.
US07909974B2
A layer composition of an electrowetting system with a first electrode layer, an insulator layer on the first electrode layer, and a fluid layer over the insulator layer, wherein the fluid layer comprises at least two immiscible fluids which, under the influence of an applied voltage, reversibly change their wetting behavior of a surface allocated to the insulator layer, wherein the insulator layer being at least in part built of a material with a permittivity of ∈r≧20. The fluid layer is adjacent to at least one layer being repellent for the at least one of the fluids. On the surface of the repellent layer pointing away from the fluid layer is provided an adhesion enhancing layer before the subsequent layer.
US07909971B2
A microfluidic electrochemical reactor includes an electrode and one or more microfluidic channels on the electrode, where the microfluidic channels are covered with a membrane containing a gas permeable polymer. The distance between the electrode and the membrane is less than 500 micrometers. The microfluidic electrochemical reactor can provide for increased reaction rates in electrochemical reactions using a gaseous reactant, as compared to conventional electrochemical cells. Microfluidic electrochemical reactors can be incorporated into devices for applications such as fuel cells, electrochemical analysis, microfluidic actuation, pH gradient formation.
US07909968B2
An electrolysis apparatus for water is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an enclosure, a first electrode disposed within the enclosure, a second electrode disposed within the enclosure, and at least one electromagnetic energy radiator disposed within the enclosure. The apparatus further comprises a power source disposed external to the enclosure, where that power source is interconnected with the first electrode such that the first electrode comprises a cathode, and where the power source is interconnected with the second electrode such that the second electrode comprises an anode. The apparatus further comprises at least one oscillator disposed external to the enclosure, where each oscillator is interconnected to a different electromagnetic energy radiator.
US07909965B2
Disclosed is a shoe press belt (10) which comprises a reinforcing fibrous base material (6) embedded in a polyurethane layer, and has an outer circumference layer (2a) and an inner circumference layer (2b) each formed with a polyurethane. The polyurethane layer constituting the outer circumference layer (2a) comprises a polyurethane which is cured by the reaction of an urethane prepolymer (A) with a curing agent mixture (B). The urethane prepolymer (A) is produced by reacting an isocyanate compound selected from p-phenylene-diisocyanate and 4,4′-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) with a polytetramethylene glycol and has an isocyanate group at its terminal. The curing agent mixture (B) comprises 1,4-butanediol and an aromatic polyamine having an active hydrogen group (H). The shoe press belt has excellent wear resistance, cracking resistance and bending fatigue resistance.
US07909950B2
The present invention provides an ultra soft high carbon hot-rolled steel sheet. The ultra soft high carbon hot-rolled steel sheet contains 0.2% to 0.7% of C, 0.01% to 1.0% of Si, 0.1% to 1.0% of Mn, 0.03% or less of P, 0.035% or less of S, 0.08% or less of Al, 0.01% or less of N, and the balance being Fe and incidental impurities and further contains 0.0010% to 0.0050% of B and 0.05% to 0.30% of Cr in some cases. In the texture of the steel sheet, an average ferrite grain diameter is 20 μm or more, a volume ratio of ferrite grains having a grain diameter of 10 μm or more is 80% or more, and an average carbide grain diameter is in the range of 0.10 to less than 2.0 μm. In addition, the steel sheet is manufactured by the steps, after rough rolling, performing finish rolling at a reduction ratio of 10% or more and at a finish temperature of (Ar3−20° C.) or more in a final pass, then performing first cooling within 2 seconds after the finish rolling to a cooling stop temperature of 600° C. or less at a cooling rate of more than 120° C./sec, then performing second cooling so that the steel thus processed is held at 600° C. or less, then performing coiling at 580° C. or less, followed by pickling, and then performing spheroidizing annealing at a temperature in the range of 680° C. to the Ac1 transformation point.
US07909941B2
A dishwasher includes at least one substantially closed water circuit in which rinsing liquid is circulated according to a program control unit, the rinsing liquid being conveyed through a filter element while circulating in order to filter out dirt. Another water circuit is provided through which the rinsing liquid is circulated according to the program control unit when the filter element is covered with dirt in order to cause the filter element to be cleaned.
US07909939B2
A vent system for a dishwasher provides a mixing chamber receiving high humidity air from a downdraft dishwasher vent system or the like and mixes this air with dry air before discharging it from the dishwasher to reduce the humidity of the discharged air moderating condensation problems.
US07909937B2
The presently disclosed embodiments relate generally to methods for the removal of coatings from an imaging member for use in electrostatographic, including digital, apparatuses. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to a method for removing at least one electrophotographic imaging layer from an electrophotographic imaging member using ultra-high pressure water.
US07909932B2
A mask includes: a base plate having an opening; a chip having an aperture pattern positioned at the opening in the base plate; a plug detachably arranged to the base plate; and a joining member joining the chip and the plug.
US07909909B2
With the production of the secondary steel based on scrap, wherein the scrap (10) is fed in a scrap preheater (2) through a charging device (1), is preheated there and, finally, is brought into a smelting unit (3) and is melted there with primary energy only, the process gases (19), which leave the smelting unit (3), are not used for directly preheating the scrap (10) but are rather used indirectly by heating a gaseous preheatable medium, e.g., air (18) or inert gas, so that energetic, fluidic, and spatial decoupling of preheating and melting and of post-combustion and preheating is achieved.
US07909907B1
A system and method for high volume production of nanoparticles, nanotubes, and items incorporating nanoparticles and nanotubes. Microwave, radio frequency, or infrared energy vaporizes a metal catalyst which, as it condenses, is contacted by carbon or other elements such as silicon, germanium, or boron to form agglomerates. The agglomerates may be annealed to accelerate the production of nanotubes. Magnetic or electric fields may be used to align the nanotubes during their production. The nanotubes may be separated from the production byproducts in aligned or non-aligned configurations. The agglomerates may be formed directly into tools, optionally in compositions that incorporate other materials such as abrasives, binders, carbon-carbon composites, and cermets.
US07909897B2
Fuel processors, methods of using fuel processors, and the like, are disclosed.
US07909886B2
This invention is directed to prosthesis, which, when implanted into a mammalian patient, serves as a functioning replacement for a body part, or tissue structure, and will undergo controlled biodegradation occurring concomitantly with bioremodeling by the patient's living cells. The prosthesis is treated so that it is rendered non-antigenic so as not to elicit a significant humoral immune response. The prosthesis of this invention, in its various embodiments, thus has dual properties. First, it functions as a substitute body part, and second, it functions as bioremodeling template for the ingrowth of host cells.
US07909885B2
An artificial joint including a stance-phase control means having a flexing axis and a control axis and a swing-phase control means adapted to engage the stance-phase control means. The perpendicular distance between the flexing axis and the swing-phase control means and the perpendicular distance between the control axis and the swing-phase control means are equal when the artificial joint rotates about the flexing axis up to 65°.
US07909881B2
A prosthetic femoral implant has a stem having a proximal end and a distal end. A circumferential collar is formed on the proximal end of the stem having a proximally facing surface in the form of a circular disc extending radially inwardly and proximally from a maximum outer circumference to a central neck region. The collar has a distally facing surface extending radially inwardly and distally at an included angle with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the neck region of between 120 and 140°. The distal surface of the collar is v-shaped and may be conical in form.
US07909876B2
An intervertebral disc prosthesis comprises a superior endplate, an inferior endplate, and an intermediate core positioned between the endplates. The core comprises a central disc portion and a radial flange. The central disc portion of the core is defined by a superior bearing surface and inferior bearing surface. The radial flange of the core includes a first portion that extends radially outward from the central disc portion of the core. The radial flange also includes a second portion that extends axially from the first portion of the flange. The second portion of the flange extends a substantially greater distance toward the inferior endplate than toward the superior endplate. In one embodiment, the second portion of the flange extends completely to the inferior endplate and engages the inferior endplate when the inferior endplate is in a neutral position relative to the core.
US07909873B2
The invention relates to a method of delivering and deploying a stent into a curvilinear cavity within a vertebral body or other bony or body structure. The invention also relates to devices that may be used to perform the steps to deliver and deploy a stent.
US07909864B2
The present invention is directed to implantable medical devices which may be used for controllably releasing a therapeutic agent within a patient and methods for making the same. These medical devices may include porous coatings, which may be polymer-free, located on an outer surface or abluminal surface of the medical device. The medical device may be a stent. The pores of the porous coating may be expandable to facilitate loading of the therapeutic agent. The medical device may be triggerable upon implantation of the medical device such that the volume of the voids shrinks to eject the therapeutic agent. The voids may be slots in the stent. Expandable materials or structures may be positioned in the voids to expand upon implantation and eject the therapeutic agent.
US07909856B2
A method of securing a spinal rod to a spine includes providing a head portion having a channel extending therethrough for receiving a spinal rod, the channel and the head portion being bounded by a first side wall and a second side wall. The method includes providing a bone fastener depending from the head portion, arranging the spinal rod in the channel of the head portion, and providing a locking cap having first and second portions that are rotatable relative to one another, the second portion of the locking cap having an underside with a recess. The method includes assembling the locking cap with the head portion so that the first portion is between the first and second side walls and so that the recess of the second portion of the locking cap is in contact with the spinal rod. While maintaining the recess of the second portion of the locking cap in contact with the spinal rod, the first portion of the locking cap is rotated, such rotation translating into a locking force applied by the second portion of the locking cap onto the spinal rod.
US07909855B2
Embodiments of an orthopedic implant assembly include an apparatus having a receiver member and a fixation member. The receiver member includes first and second branches which define a channel extending along a longitudinal axis. The channel is configured to receive an elongated member. Additionally, the fixation member can include a threaded portion configured to engage bone. The orthopedic implant system can further include a one-step locking mechanism operably connected with the receiver member, the locking mechanism being configured to lock an elongated member in the channel. The locking mechanism includes a first closure device operably connected with the first branch and a second closure device operably connected with the second branch. The first and second closure devices are configured to cooperate with each other along a lateral axis to lock an elongated member in the channel. In certain embodiments, the lateral axis does not intersect the longitudinal axis.
US07909852B2
A spinal fixation device is provided having first and second elongate members that are angularly adjustable relative to one another. Each elongate member can include a connecting feature formed on a terminal end thereof, and each connecting feature can be coupled to one another to allow angular movement of the first and second elongate members. The device can also include a locking mechanism that is adapted to couple to the connecting feature on each of the first and second elongate members to lock the elongate members in a fixed position relative to one another.
US07909848B2
A tissue retractor and guide device for use in securing a spinal fixation plate to a spine is provided. In general, the device includes an elongate member having a guide member formed thereon or mated thereto with at least one pathway for receiving a tool. The guide member is adapted to be juxtapositioned on a spinal implant, while the distal portion of the elongate member is effective to retract tissue disposed adjacent to the guide member.
US07909845B2
An epistaxis apparatus for use with a sphygmomanometer having an arm cuff comprising: i) an air filled compressible rubber reservoir bulb sized to be received within the arm cuff for compression therein; ii) a flexible hose having one end connected to an end portion of the compressible bulb; and, iii) an inflatable nasal bladder having a front end portion connected to another end potion of the hose having an exterior shape generally sized to fill a nasal cavity. When the sphygmomanometer is pumped to a selected pressure, the nasal bladder expands within the nasal cavity to the selected pressure stopping a nose bleed. In a preferred aspect of this invention the nasal bladder comprises two similar side portions so that each nasal cavity of a user may receive one of the nasal bladders so that when the apparatus is pumped to the selected pressure each side portion will be similarly pressured and septal deviation with its associated discomfort will be avoided. Each side portion of the bladder further comprises a breathing tube extending through the bladder from a front to a rear side portion thereof so that after the side portions of the bladder are positioned and pressurized within the nasal cavity the user will be able to breath through the breathing tubes therein.
US07909844B2
A catheter comprises a first catheter shaft comprising a wall. The wall comprises at least one section of electroactive polymer having an actuated state and a non-actuated state and defines a first lumen. In the actuated state the first lumen haves a first diameter and in the non-actuated state the first lumen haves a second diameter, the first diameter being different than the second diameter.
US07909840B2
A surgical knife safety device having a handle, a blade connected to the handle, and a guard carried by the handle for sliding movement between a retracted position in which the blade is exposed for use, and an extended position for covering the sharp cutting edge of the blade. In the retracted position, an enlarged guard radius is provided at the distal end of the handle to allow improved handle control and blade orientation. The enlarged guard radius is positioned to allow the user to firmly grip a large distal handle portion which is preferably molded as a single piece with the blade holder, preventing unwanted blade or handle movement due to guard mechanism tolerances. A spring, such as leaf spring or a cantilever beam, and a pair of detents or slots are provided to fix the guard in the extended or retracted position and to provide resistance during movement between the two positions. Additionally, a pushback prevention mechanism, a user operable lock and a drop-force operable lock are provided to prevent accidental retraction of the guard from the fully extended and guarded position.
US07909839B2
An inventive method for performing gastric bypass surgery and a gastric bypass band that is used in conjunction with the surgical method is disclosed. The inventive method involves separating a top portion of the stomach along with the esophagus from the remainder of the stomach, and re-connecting the separated portion to the small intestine to form a gastric pouch of about 20-30 cc in size. The inventive gastric band is placed midway along the gastric pouch to act as a restrictor valve to limit the amount of food passing through the valve. The band also retains food within the gastric pouch to give the patient a feeling of satiety. The band is comprised of an expansion-resistant section combined with a one-way latch mechanism. The latch has a curved orientation so that the band is formed into a radial profile when placed around the gastric pouch.
US07909838B2
Various obesity treatment tools and methods are described herein, as well as treatments for other gastric-related diseases, e.g., GERD. Treatment includes reducing the size of the stomach pouch to limit the caloric intake as well as to provide an earlier feeling of satiety. This may be done by creating a smaller gastric pouch within the stomach directly from the interior of the stomach itself. The smaller pouches may be made through the use of individual anchoring devices, rotating probes, or volume reduction devices. A pyloroplasty procedure may also be performed to render the pyloric sphincter incompetent. A gastric bypass procedure may additionally be performed using atraumatic magnetic anastomoses devices so that sugars and fats are passed directly to the bowel while bypassing the stomach. Many of these procedures may be done in a variety of combinations. Treatment may create enforced behavioral modifications by discouraging the ingestion of high-caloric foods.
US07909835B2
An auxiliary instrument for fixing a rod places a detent pin on a head portion of the screw. The auxiliary instrument comprises an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder, a first lever and a second lever. The inner cylinder has a plurality of claw portions and an opening employed to introduce the detent pin into an interior thereof. The outer cylinder is arranged to surround the inner cylinder and has a claw pressing portion. The first lever is rotatably connected to the inner cylinder and arranged in substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the inner cylinder. The second lever is rotatably connected to the fist lever and the outer cylinder and arranged in substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the outer cylinder. When the first and second levers are operated, the claw portions are pressed inward by the claw pressing portion to hold the head portion of the screw.
US07909828B2
An acetabular reamer (10′) for cutting a required cut shape. The reamer has a cutting shell (12′) having a series of doubly curved cutting teeth (16′) thereon of a quantity to substantially reduce a cutting pressure on each tooth as well as to reduce a size of a typical chip generated upon cutting. Substantially all the teeth each have a matched arc cutting edge (20′) of substantial length that has a cutting profile which substantially matches a profile of a shape to be cut. The apertures in which the cutting edges are formed has at least one flat edge by which a punch, used in the process of forming the edge may be oriented. Such a configuration reduces the number of teeth required to cut the shape.
US07909825B2
A bone fixation device is provided with an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and having a flexible state and a rigid state, a plurality of grippers disposed at longitudinally spaced locations of the elongated body, a curved rigid hub connected to the elongated body, and an actuator operably connected to the grippers to deploy the grippers from a first shape to an expanded second shape. Methods of repairing a fracture of a bone are also disclosed. One such method comprising inserting a bone fixation device into an intramedullary space of the bone to place at least a portion of an elongate body of the fixation device in a flexible state on one side of the fracture and at least a portion of a curved rigid hub on another side of the fracture, and operating an actuator to deploy a plurality of grippers of the fixation device to engage an inner surface of the intramedullary space to anchor the fixation device to the bone.
US07909818B2
A jointed mirror arm includes at least two tubular pieces, connected to each other by a joint with a reflecting mirror, which, as a result of the joint, may be arranged in varying configurations and which form a beam path for the radiation, with a fixed inlet on a first tube piece for the introduction of radiation from a stationary optical source and a position different from the position of the inlet for the outlet from the intermediate joint arm on a final tube piece for emitting said radiation. The jointed mirror arm is characterized in that a scanner for the radiation is arranged before the inlet into the intermediate jointed arm and an optical imaging system is provided in the at least two tube pieces of the intermediate jointed arm, for imaging the scanner after the output from the intermediate jointed arm.
US07909808B2
An applicator for dispensing two separate tissue adhesives includes a generally elongate body having two distinct interior regions, each containing one of the two tissue adhesives. Hinged levers associated with each region selectively force the expulsion of the adhesive from the end portions of the applicator in response to application of force by the operator.
US07909807B2
A pants-type disposable wearing article includes leg-circumferential first elastic members attached to crotch region's lateral margins of an outer sheet and waist-circumferential second elastic members attached to waist regions' upper margins of the outer sheet. The elastic members are joined to the sheet while the sheet and the second elastic members are stretched at given extension ratios, respectively, in a transverse direction and the first elastic members is stretched at a given extension ratio in the leg-circumferential direction so that the sheet and the first elastic members may have substantially the same leg-circumferential dimensions after these sheet and first elastic members have been relaxed and the sheet and the second elastic members may have substantially the same transverse dimensions after these sheet and second elastic members have been relaxed. In addition, the waist regions' upper margins and the crotch region's lateral margins are substantially planar.
US07909806B2
The present invention provides an improved kit for the collection of umbilical cord blood and placental blood, and collection of the placenta from which such blood is obtained. The kit improves upon existing kits in that it provides for improved user convenience, provides for the collection of the placenta itself, and better maintains the internal temperature of the container in which the collected blood and placenta are shipped to a blood bank or registry. The invention further provides a method of collecting umbilical cord and placental blood, and the placenta from which such blood is obtained, comprising using the kit described herein.
US07909794B2
An autoinflating catheter and balloon assembly having an autoregulating structure to prevent overinflation of the balloon as a result of variable fluid flow rates through the catheter lumen. A tight-fitting elastomeric balloon is provided on the distal end of the catheter body, and the assembly is constructed so that at least a portion of the fluid flow through the lumen is directed to the balloon to inflate it. As the balloon is inflated, more and more of the fluid flow through the catheter is discharged from the catheter, thereby preventing overinflation of the balloon.
US07909783B2
Methods and systems for dynamic compression of venous tissue enable improved blood movement in the extremities. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a pressure pad provides a compressive force to the venous plexus region of the foot. The pressure pad is successively withdrawn and re-pressed against the foot. Improved blood circulation may reduce the occurrence of undesirable complications such as deep vein thrombosis, ulcers, and the like.
US07909782B2
Ultrasonic medical apparatus is disclosed comprising ultrasonic transducers and associated electronics incorporated in a portable hand-held device adapted for engagement with the neck of a person and energized to induce a coughing reflex in the person. The apparatus can be utilized on subjects who, for various reasons, are unable to initiate coughing themselves at the time, and results in the effective clearing of fluid and debris within small airways in the lungs which cannot be reached by intrusive suction clearing.
US07909756B2
A illumination system for variable direction of view instruments is disclosed generally comprising an endoscope having a longitudinal axis and a variable view vector that pivots about a pivot axis angularly offset from the longitudinal axis. The view vector has an attendant viewing field that travels along a path as the view vector pivots, defining a viewing range. A source of illumination is arranged in a plane offset from the plane in which the view vector pivots and provides an annular, solid angle of illumination that covers the viewing range. In certain embodiments, the pivot axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the illumination plane is parallel to the pivot plane. In some embodiments, the source of illumination is a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged around the pivot axis.
US07909752B2
The use of stimuli in order to create association between training regimes subconsciously is known. Unfortunately, in highly noisy and other polluted environments it is difficult to provide ongoing reinforcement of previous behavior modification and training. By providing a stimulus phrase which comprises two or more stimuli in known combinations it is possible to provide keyed association with previous training regimes.
US07909746B2
A Push-Up Exercise Apparatus includes a swiveling base, a handle, and an arcuate member. The swiveling base is connected with the arcuate member. The arcuate member base is comprised of a housing and a housing base. The housing is sized to accept the arcuate member. The handle is connected with the swiveling base.
US07909742B2
Exercise apparatus and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an exercise assembly includes a load, a support assembly, a force-transferring assembly operatively coupled to the load and to the support assembly, and an exercise station operatively coupled to the force-transferring assembly. The exercise station includes a user interface, at least one adjustment assembly configured to adjust a position of the user interface, and an actuator assembly selectively engageable with the at least one adjustment assembly. The actuator assembly is configured to approximately simultaneously enable vertical and horizontal adjustment of the user interface when the actuator assembly is actuated to release the at least one adjustment assembly, and to approximately simultaneously disable adjustment of the user interface when the actuator assembly is actuated to lock the at least one adjustment assembly. Thus, movements of the user interface may be easily and efficiently performed using a single-touch actuation assembly.
US07909740B2
A combined anaerobic and aerobic exercise system comprises a multi-part frame, for example a telescoping frame, or a pivoting frame. The aerobic system may include an elliptical exercise device, while the anaerobic system may include a cable-based system wherein resistance is adjustable. An electronic console system at the exercise system allows a user to view progress in both anaerobic and aerobic workouts, and to send input signals that adjust anaerobic and aerobic resistance mechanisms.
US07909739B2
A pedal exercise machine with pedals and arm levers operated in conjunction with each other. A base, a front frame and a center frame are coupled to each other and a pair of pedals move upwards and downwards in alternating directions. Pedal links connect the pedals to the base, arm levers couple to the front frame, and lever link units include a first lever link coupled to the corresponding arm lever and a second lever link connecting the first lever link to the corresponding pedal. Subsidiary pedal links connect the pedals to the center frame, a resistance pulley is provided in the center frame, and a crank having crank arms is coupled to the resistance pulley. A first actuating link is coupled to each pedal link at a predetermined angle. A second actuating link is rotatably coupled at both ends to the first actuating link and the corresponding crank arm.
US07909728B2
A vehicle drive apparatus is disclosed having a differential mechanism and an electric motor provided in the differential mechanism for miniaturizing the drive apparatus or improving fuel consumption while suppressing the occurrence of shifting shocks. A switching clutch C0 or switching brake B0 is provided for placing a shifting mechanism 10 in a continuously variable shifting state and a step variable shifting state, enabling the drive apparatus to have combined advantages including a fuel economy improving effect of a transmission, enabled to electrically change a speed ratio, and a high transmitting efficiency of a gear type transmitting device enabled to mechanically transmit drive power. During a shifting of an automatic shifting portion 20 with a differential portion placed in a continuously variable shifting state, engaging pressure control means 84 controls a engaging pressure of a engaging device of the automatic power shifting portion 20 such that a rotational speed N18 of a transmitting member achieves a given variation so as to provide a compromise between a rapid shifting response on a feeling and a slow shifting response on the shifting shocks, thereby suppressing the occurrence of the shifting shocks.
US07909714B2
A rear mounted penetration limiter for bow-fired projectiles for use in combination with a projectile and a nock, wherein said projectile is an arrow or a crossbow bolt, said penetration limiter comprising an attachment component, a nock securing component, and an engagement component having one or more engagement members, with said penetration limiter suitably adapted to limit the penetration of the projectile through a game animal once the front end of the projectile has struck and passed through the game animal, thereby allowing the creation of an exit wound while retaining the projectile within the game animal. In one embodiment the penetration limiter is adapted to detach from the projectile, remaining secured thereto by a short tether, thereby allowing the detached penetration limiter to reorient itself within the game animal to create greater drag on the projectile.
US07909704B2
Training equipment for golf players that can be used by a golf trainee to execute a swing through a correct succession of movements of the body includes a mat (1) having a longitudinal dimension (2) and a transversal dimension (3). The mat (1) provides a support surface (1a) that is laid in a training area and a reference surface (1b) equipped with a plurality of reference signs with respect to which the golf trainee moves for follow corresponding body positions during a swing. On the reference surface (1b) of the mat (1) a golf ball reference position (11) is provided and two reference footprints (21, 22) are depicted at which the golf trainee stays with the right foot and with the left foot respectively. The mat (1) also includes a plurality of reference lines with respect to which the golf trainee orients the arms to reach a determined posture during a swing.
US07909701B2
A power transmission apparatus comprises a pulley mounted rotatably on a casing of a rotary device, a hub coupled to the pulley by fitting between depressions and protrusions, a power shutoff member for preventing excessive torque between a rotary shaft and the hub, and an engaging device for engaging the hub and the pulley each other. The engaging device includes a first stepped portion formed radially on the outer periphery of the hub and a second stepped portion formed radially on the inner peripheral wall of a rim of the pulley in such a manner as to engage the first stepped portion in the axial direction.
US07909698B2
With a game system, a timing fetch section fetches an input-timing for input data determined to be valid by an input-determination section, and an evaluation section compares the fetched input-timing and a reference-timing, and evaluates an operation with an operation section by a player or a sound-input action performed in answer to a first or second direction-mark. An input-reception section receives first and second input data generated based on an operation-detection of the operation section a sound-detection of the sound-detection section, respectively, and an input-determination section compares the first and second input data, determines that the first input data is valid when it is determined that the operation with the operation section by the player and the sound-input action by the player overlap within a given period, based on the first and second input data, and determines that the first and second input data are valid in other cases.
US07909689B2
A gaming apparatus may include a display unit capable of generating video images, a first value input device, and a controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the value input device. The first value input device may be located at a first geographic location. The controller may comprise a processor and a memory, and may be programmed to allow a person to make a wager, to cause a first video image to be generated on the display unit, and to determine a first value payout associated with an outcome of a game. The first video image may represent a first game wagered on the first value input device. The controller may also cause a second video image to be generated on the display unit. The second video image may represent a second game wagered on at a second value input device located at a second geographic location different from the first geographic location.
US07909684B2
A molded plastic garnish assembly (10) for a front post of an automotive vehicle, the garnish assembly having a duct portion (16) integrally molded with an overlying portion (18) that has a vent opening (14) therein. The duct portion and the overlying portion are molded together in alignment and are subsequently brought into overlying relationship by bending them relative to one another about a molded-in hinge (20). The duct portion and the overlying portion are secured to one another by engagement of a hook portion (22) at the end of a finger (24) that depends from the overlying portion into an opening (26) in a finger (28) that depends from the duct portion.
US07909682B1
A shrimp peeling, deveining and head removal tool including a pair of handles pivoted together and urged apart by a compression spring, an upper blade attached to lower handle and a lower blade pivoted to both handles with the ends of the blades of substantially of the same configuration and disposed in close proximity one within the other when the handles are compressed, and a pair of tines extending, respectively, from the upper handle and the upper blade and being in contact substantially the entire length thereof when the handles are not compressed.
US07909672B2
A scanning line, a signal line, a first current supply line, and a second current supply line are formed on a glass substrate, a first electrode is formed on the wiring layer comprising the above members, an organic layer comprising a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer is formed on the first electrode, a second electrode is formed as cathode on the electron injection layer, the first electrode as anode is connected to a plus terminal of a power source through the driving devices and the first current supply line, whereas the second electrode as cathode is connected to a minus terminal of the power source, and is connected to the second current supply line in the display region of each pixel, with a contact hole serving as a feeding point, whereby wiring resistance due to the second electrode is reduced, and variations in the brightness of a panel is reduced.
US07909667B1
A crimp contact that includes an elongated contact body having loading and mating ends and a central axis extending therebetween. The contact body includes a contact wall that extends around the central axis and that defines a conductor-receiving passage of the contact body proximate to the loading end. The contact wall has an outer surface. The crimp contact also includes a sleeve wall that extends around the central axis and the outer surface of the contact wall proximate to the loading end of the contact body. The sleeve wall is sized to engage a crimping tool and the contact wall is configured to grip a conductor within the conductor-receiving passage when the sleeve and contact walls are deformed by the crimping tool.
US07909661B2
A plug connector, for mating with a complementary connector, includes a housing comprising a mating interface defined by a pair of tongue portions and an opening defined between the tongue sections, a cover assembled with housing, an inner mold received in the cover, a printed circuit boar received in the housing and the inner mold, a plurality of cables electrically attached to corresponding electrical pads of the printed circuit board, and a fastening element securely anchored to the housing. The cover includes a first section, a second section extending along a direction different from the first section extending along, and a bending section connecting the second section to the first section. The printed circuit board includes a plurality of electrical pads formed thereon a part of which defines a mating portion parallel to the pair of tongue sections. The fastening element includes column post extending through the printed circuit board.
US07909654B2
A plug connector for mating with a receptacle connector includes a PCB having opposed upper and lower surfaces; a set of metal contacting pads disposed on the upper surface of the PCB; a metal shell enveloping the upper surface of the PCB and collaborating with the upper surface to form a receiving space for receiving a tongue plate of the receptacle connector; and a metal film covering the lower surface of the PCB.
US07909650B2
A card connector is provided which has a reduced size. The card connector includes a plurality of contacts which are held in a housing including an accommodating space for accommodating an electronic card. The plurality of contacts include a first switch contact and a second switch contact which are electrically connected to each other via a ground connection pad of the electronic card when the electronic card is accommodated in the accommodating space.
US07909645B2
A housing is provided for a coaxial cable connector that terminates a coaxial cable. The housing includes a cable-receiving end portion configured to engage an insulating cover of the coaxial cable, a mating end portion configured to engage another coaxial connector, and a base extending between the cable-receiving end portion and the mating end portion. The base is configured to engage an outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable. The housing also includes an electrical contact. The electrical contact includes an extension extending outwardly from the electrical contact, wherein the extension is configured to engage the outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable.
US07909625B2
A system comprises a plug locking assembly and a key. The plug locking assembly comprises a cover for receiving and holding a plug comprising a latch and a latch support surface positionable under the latch. A rotatable cam comprising a stop surface and a slot may carry the latch support surface and may interact with a cam latch comprising an arm. The arm is alternately positionable to abut the stop surface and to lie within the slot. The key may comprise a shaft, a key tab and a limit tab. The key mates with a key receiving member associated with the cover. The limit tab is positioned on a top surface of the shaft and helps prevent over-rotation of the latch support member.
US07909624B2
A connector hub apparatus is provided that has a carabiner clip connected to one or more portions of the apparatus. The apparatus can utilize a locking or non-locking type carabiner clip to secure the hub to a bag, belt loop, etc. for quick and easy transport of the apparatus. The hub apparatus can also be clipped around a group of wires or cables to securely fasten the hub in a position off the user's desktop, thus freeing up desk space. In one embodiment, the hub apparatus has an integrated upstream cable and plug that folds out from the apparatus, thereby eliminating the need to carry an upstream cable with the hub apparatus when traveling.
US07909621B1
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing with a number of passageways, a number of electrical contacts received in the passageways and a number of solder balls disposed on the electrical contacts respectively. Each electrical contact includes a contacting portion projecting out of the insulative housing, a retention portion retained in the passageways, and a solder portion. Each solder ball defines a gap which can be deformed to close the solder portion of the electrical contact by external force.
US07909599B2
Among other things, the invention relates to an injection nozzle for guiding hot-melt plastic within a mold, particularly an injection mold. Said injection nozzle comprises a nozzle housing (11) and a nozzle needle (13) which is mounted in a translationally movable manner and is used for opening and closing a melt opening that leads to a mold cavity. The nozzle needle (13) can be moved by means of a driving mechanism (V) to which a transmitting device (14) is assigned that allows a movement of the driving mechanism (V) to be converted into a movement of the nozzle needle (13). The invention is characterized, inter alia, in that the transmitting device (14) is assigned to an attached unit (22) which can be releasably connected to the injection nozzle (10) and inside which a rod assembly (30) is disposed at least in part. Said rod assembly (30) is connected to the driving mechanism (V) at an input end while being connected in a rigid, tenacious, and compression-resistant manner to the nozzle needle (13) at an output end.
US07909596B2
The resin molding machine is capable of cleaning a resin molding die while performing a molding action without stopping the molding action and capable of securely removing contaminations from the resin molding die. The resin molding machine comprises: a press unit including a resin molding die; and a cleaning unit for cleaning a molding face of the resin molding die. The cleaning unit has an energy ray irradiation section, which irradiates an energy ray to the molding face of the resin molding die so as to easily peel off a contamination, which has been stuck on the molding face during a molding action, from the molding face. The contamination is stuck onto resin of a molded product when the product is resin-molded, so that the molded product is released from the resin molding die together with the contamination.
US07909595B2
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to an ultraviolet (UV) cure chamber for curing a dielectric material disposed on a substrate and to methods of curing dielectric materials using UV radiation. A substrate processing tool according to one embodiment comprises a body defining a substrate processing region; a substrate support adapted to support a substrate within the substrate processing region; an ultraviolet radiation lamp spaced apart from the substrate support, the lamp configured to transmit ultraviolet radiation to a substrate positioned on the substrate support; and a motor operatively coupled to rotate at least one of the ultraviolet radiation lamp or substrate support at least 180 degrees relative to each other. The substrate processing tool may further comprise one or more reflectors adapted to generate a flood pattern of ultraviolet radiation over the substrate that has complementary high and low intensity areas which combine to generate a substantially uniform irradiance pattern if rotated. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US07909590B2
In a cat and mouse type apparatus for transforming volume variations of a plurality of chambers into a rotary motion of an axis, all of the driving mechanism is housed in a cylindric cavity coaxial with the driving axis, between the cylindric cavity, a smaller diameter inner coaxial cylinder and two discs perpendicular to the axis, a toroidal cavity in which are housed rotary pistons, each longitudinally traversed by an axis and having a circular sector in cross-section shape, the rotary pistons rotating to form cavities defined therebetween, also having a substantially circular shape in cross section, where the cavities cyclically change their volumes and an apparatus driving shaft is rotatively driven.
US07909581B2
Layered systems, which are used at high temperatures, often degrade rapidly when a layer has been lost, leading to the damage or loss of the component that consists of said layered system. A described layered system comprises at least one cooling safety orifice, which is e.g. covered by an intermediate layer and an outer layer. The cooling safety orifice opens if the layers are damaged, in such a way that the layered system is additionally cooled by a coolant that flows through the cooling safety orifice.
US07909577B2
A venturi receives incoming material through an inlet tube and subjects the material to pulverization. The material, as it undergoes pulverization, is further subject to moisture extraction and drying. An airflow generator, coupled to the venturi, generates a high speed airflow to pull the material through the venturi and into an inlet aperture in the airflow generator. The airflow generator directs the received pulverized material to an outlet where the material may be subsequently separated from the air.
US07909567B2
Installing large-sized wind turbines creates numerous challenges and limitations, hindering acceptance of wind generated energy. With small-sized wind turbines, such hindrances are omitted or minimized. Sized ever smaller, more small-sized wind turbines may be installed per installation. Accordingly, a method and corresponding apparatus for maximizing wind energy gathering potential of a plurality of wind turbines, each wind turbine having a sweep height, for a given location is provided. The present invention includes sizing sweep heights of substantially all wind turbines of the plurality of wind turbines to intersect at least one horizontal plane unique from horizontal planes intersected by a sweep height of at least one immediately adjacent wind turbine. Because the sweep height of each wind turbine of the plurality is individually sized in a prescribed manner, the present invention maximizes the wind energy gathering potential of the plurality of wind turbines especially for deployment of small-sized wind turbines.
US07909565B2
The invention relates to a turbo-machine, in particular to a gas turbine and to a method for accelerating a temperature modification of a rotor shaft rotationally mounted in turbo-machine. The aim of invention is to develop a device and a method for the turbo-machine making it possible to reduce the size of a radial split of the turbo-machine in order to obtain greater degree of efficiency. The inventive turbo-machine comprises a rotor rotationally mounted in the case of the turbo-machine, a feeding channel embodied in the rotor for introducing a fluid and an outlet channel embodied in the rotor for removing fluid. An inlet orifice of the feeding channel is disposed further inside than the outlet orifice of the outlet channel, and arrangement influencing a liquid flow is formed of an actuating device dependent on centrifugal force. Methods for cooling the rotor only by decelerating the gas turbine and for heating the turbo-machine rotor by heating fluid flowing there-through are also disclosed.
US07909552B2
A flexible system is provided for preventing freight damage during shipment. The system has adjustable and interlocking hinged panels that are attached to the side walls of a shipping enclosure, so that the system can be readily adapted to secure different types and sizes of loads. One embodiment of the invention, provided for use with a freight carrying enclosure that has an internal wall, includes first and second panel segments that each have an edge. A first mounting structure supports the first panel segment for rotation about a vertical axis, between a first position wherein the first panel segment is in perpendicular relationship with the wall, and a second position wherein the first panel segment is in abutting relationship with the wall. A second mounting structure joins the first and second panel segments together along their respective edges, and enables rotation of the second panel between vertical and horizontal orientations. A support structure selectively maintains the second panel segment in its horizontal orientation.
US07909548B2
A rotary motion cutting tool having an axis of rotation for cutting at least a portion of the spherical surface on an internal surface of a workpiece includes a rotary slide, a rotary actuator, and an actuating plate with a rotary surface machined therein. The rotary slide is rotatably supported with respect to a rotary axis extending generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotary motion cutting tool. The rotary actuator is rotatably supported with respect to the rotary slide for rotation about a rotary actuator support axis spaced radially from, and generally parallel with, the rotary axis of the rotary slide. The actuating plate is driven in reciprocal movement along the axis of rotation for interaction with the rotary actuator. Reciprocal movement of the actuating plate translates through the rotary surface and rotary actuator into rotary movement of the rotary slide through an arc about the rotary axis. Synchronized rotary movement of first and second rotary slides through first and second arcs about the rotary axis is provided while maintaining the rotational balance with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotary motion cutting tool. A process of operating the rotary motion cutting tool is disclosed.
US07909540B2
A portable air supply system includes a main frame for nesting paired air SCUBA cylinders therein. Saddle arms are connected for engaging the frame to pontoons of an inflatable boat. A pair of baskets are connected for carrying umbilical lines. A control box controls air flow, monitors diver status, and provides a communication link.
US07909539B2
A rod pushing and pulling machine includes at least one hydraulic cylinder having a front end thereof engagable with a reaction surface at an entry opening of a existing pipeline or borehole, a spindle assembly, and a dual vise assembly. The spindle assembly includes a frame, a spindle shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, a distal end of the spindle shaft being threaded for engagement with a mating thread of a rod, a drive system for rotating the spindle shaft in threading and unthreading directions, the spindle frame being secured to a rear end of the hydraulic cylinder for pushing or pulling of a rod string engaged to the spindle shaft upon extension or retraction of the hydraulic cylinder, and a support assembly for the spindle shaft. The support assembly includes a set of roller bearings rotatably supporting the spindle shaft, a radial flange on the spindle shaft, and a load flange secured to the spindle frame positioned to engage the radial flange, whereby the radial flange comes into engagement with the load flange during pulling operation to prevent rotation of the spindle shaft during pulling operation, and leaves engagement with the load flange during pushing operation so that the spindle shaft may rotate during pushing operation supported by the roller bearings. The dual vise assembly has two pairs of separately actuable jaws positioned to grip a rod nearest the spindle shaft and a rod adjacent the rod nearest the spindle shaft.
US07909533B2
A wheeled screeding device includes a wheeled support having a frame portion supported by at least one wheel, with the at least one wheel defining an axis of rotation. A screed head is mounted to the frame portion and is balanced such that the screed head is at least partially supportable on an uncured concrete surface. The screed head is adapted to impart a force onto the uncured concrete surface. An adjustment device may be operable to adjust a balance of the wheeled support about the axis of rotation to adjust the force imparted by the screed head. The screed head may be pivotable about an axis generally normal to the axis of rotation of the wheel and relative to the at least one wheel to adjust an angle of the screed head relative to the axis of rotation of the wheel.
US07909530B2
A technique to extensively increase the efficiency of the construction of large-size wooden building and to effectively use the loading space when materials for construction are transported fixes a basic hardware on a lateral surface of a longitudinal member with a subsidiary hardware on an end surface of a lateral member. The basic hardware has an upper tapered portion and a lower receiving portion and is affixed to the longitudinal member. The subsidiary hardware is affixed to the lateral member and has a lower tapered portion and an upper receiving portion that engage with the upper tapered portion and the lower receiving portion, respectively, of the basic hardware to join the longitudinal member and the lateral member together.
US07909516B2
A mounting system is disclosed for mounting a bearing assembly or other mechanical element to a shaft. The mounting system uses a tapered sleeve mechanism to secure the bearing assembly on the shaft. Specifically, a plurality of screws point load the tapered sleeve and drive it from a pre-assembled position to an initial position. Once the initial position has been reached a plurality of fasteners then drive the sleeve from the initial position to a final position. The difference between the initial position and final position determined by the width of a removable spacer used in the mounting system. The system also incorporates a jack screw mechanism used to dismount the bearing assembly from the shaft.
US07909511B2
An apparatus for digital radiography has a cassette adapted to obtain a digital image of a subject in response to incident radiation when receiving source power through an input power connector and adapted to provide the obtained digital image as output from a first data connector. A support tray is adapted to removably seat the cassette and has a second data connector that releasably engages with the first data connector on the cassette when the cassette is seated in the support tray. A wireless communication circuit in the support tray is energizable to transmit the digital image obtained from first data connector of the cassette to a host processor. A battery in the tray provides source power to at least the wireless communication circuit on the support tray circuitry and the input power connector of the seated cassette.
US07909503B2
A portable timepiece has a timepiece movement disposed in a case band. A pipe extends through and is attached to the case band and has a male screw portion on a part of the pipe that extends outside the case band. A crown has a crown head and a crown shaft, and the crown head has a female screw portion threadedly engaged with the male screw portion and disengageable therefrom in response to rotation of the crown head in a loosening direction accompanied by axial movement of the crown head in a direction away from the case band. The crown shaft has one end portion that extends into the pipe and is connected to a hand setting stem of the timepiece movement and another end portion that extends outside the case band beyond the pipe and slidably contacts an inner peripheral surface of the crown head to support the crown head and guide the axial movement thereof. The crown shaft has a force receiving portion for receiving a rotational force to rotate the hand setting stem, and the crown head has a force transmitting portion that releasably engages with the force receiving portion during axial movement of the crown head away from the case band to enable a rotational force to be transmitted to the force receiving portion by rotating the crown head. The end portion of the crown shaft that slidably contacts the inner peripheral surface of the crown head constitutes the force receiving portion of the crown shaft.
US07909501B2
This invention provides a safety system for electrically operated kitchen appliances such as blenders, food processors and the like, to protect users from contact with cutting or macerating implements which, in operation of such appliances, are rotated at reasonably high speeds by powerful electric motors. In order to provide a reliable and robust safety system which is economical to manufacture, the invention utilises a detent member (30, 50) which is rotatable with either the motor or the implement (80). A trapping member (110, 130), which is mobile between two positions along the motor's axis of rotation, but which cannot rotate, traps or releases the detent member, depending upon the trapping member's position. The trapping member (110, 130) is moved into the position at which the detent member (30, 50) is released only when a container (100) is correctly inserted into place to contain the implement. The invention also provides an electrically powered kitchen appliance incorporating such a safety system.
US07909498B2
A lamp holding apparatus for mounting a lamp to a base member includes a mounting plate having a pair of locking portions protruding to a base side. The locking portion is inserted into a mounting hole provided at the base and capable of being locked to a peripheral edge on its back side. Abutting portions, which protrude to the base side and are capable of abutting the base at the time of mounting, are provided on a bottom surface of the mounting plate that is an opposing surface to the base. The abutting portions are provided at three spots with one of the locking portions interposed therebetween. At the time of mounting, each of the abutting portions abut the base, and the mounting plate is elastically deformed so as to be warped, whereby the locking surface of the locking portion is kept in the state in which it is locked to a peripheral edge of a back side of the mounting hole by its elastic force.
US07909497B2
A backlight assembly includes first and second backlight units independently operating based on driving modes, and a light blocking member interposed between the first and second backlight units. The first backlight assembly includes a first light source generating and supplying a first light to a main display part of a display panel in a main mode and turned-off in a sub mode. The second backlight assembly includes a second light source generating and supplying a second light having different color from the first light to a sub display part of the display panel in a main mode and a sub mode.
US07909493B2
A vehicle headlamp is provided with: a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a front and rear direction of a vehicle; a light source disposed rearwardly of a rear-side focal point of the projection lens; a reflector configured to reflect direct light from the light source forward to converge reflected light toward the optical axis; a movable shade disposed between the projection lens and the light source and configured to blocking a part of the reflected light from the reflector and a part of the direct light from the light source to form a cutoff line in a light distribution pattern; and a bracket formed from a metal plate member and disposed between the projection lens and the light source, wherein the movable shade is rotatably supported on the bracket. An opening portion is formed in the bracket and configured to pass a part of the reflected light from the reflector along the optical axis. A shade portion is provided on the opening portion and configured to cover a gap between the movable shade and an opening edge of the opening portion.
US07909486B2
A light emitting device package and other devices using the light emitting device package are discussed. According to an embodiment, the light emitting device package includes a package body; at least one light emitting device disposed in the package body; at least one pair of leads electrically connected with the light emitting device; and a lens over the light emitting device and having at least one recess at an upper portion of the lens, the shortest distance from the light emitting device to a lowest portion of the recess being greater than approximately D1/7 and smaller than approximately D1/2.4, wherein D1 is a diameter of the lens.
US07909484B2
Apparatus and method for using a light source to incapacitate a subject by a pattern of temporal flashing and/or color flashing of the light source. The light source is preferably an array of light emitting diodes. A rangefinder may be used to control the light output from the light source to avoid exposing a subject to light energy beyond a maximum permissible exposure threshold.
US07909473B2
There is described a method for operating a high-intensity discharge lamp (2), in which the high-intensity discharge lamp (2) is acted upon by an AC current (I) which commutates between positive pulses (Ip) and negative pulses (In) with a predefined current amplitude (IA), wherein a pulse width ratio between the pulse width of a positive pulse (Ip) and the pulse width of an adjacent negative pulse (In) is modulated in such a way that the mean current value (I) of two successive positive and negative pulses (Ip, In) fluctuates periodically between positive and negative values. In addition, the value of the current amplitude (IA) is modulated in accordance with a predefined modulation function (M). A description is also given of a corresponding lamp driver (10) for a high-intensity discharge lamp (2) and of a projection system (1) comprising such a lamp driver (10).
US07909467B2
A beam combiner for combining a first color beam, a second color beam, and a third color beam is provided. The beam combiner has a transparent substrate with a first optical surface on which a first reflective film reflecting the first color beam is disposed, and a second optical surface on which a second reflective film reflecting the second color beam is disposed. The first optical surface and the second optical surface are parallel. The second color beam entering the transparent substrate is reflected by the second reflective film and leaves the transparent substrate by passing through the first optical surface, while the third color beam enters the transparent substrate from the second optical surface and leaves the transparent substrate by passing through the first optical surface. The optical paths of the first, the second, and the third color beam are substantially coincident after emerging from the first optical surface.
US07909464B2
An improved diagnostic ophthalmic lens using extra-low dispersion material, defined by having an Abbe Number, Vd>80, is provided. Such a single element diagnostic ophthalmic lens may be used for examination of the eye in conjunction with either an Indirect Opthalmoscope or a Slit Lamp Biomicroscope.
US07909460B1
An apparatus for measuring a downward rotation amount of eyeball that measures a length from a distance-vision eye point to a near-vision eye point of a spectacle lens actually worn by a wearer and attached to a frame having an upper side portion and a lower side portion, includes: a line-of-sight position detecting unit that detects a position of a line of sight corresponding to the distance-vision eye point of the wearer and a position of a line of sight corresponding to the near-vision eye point; and a computing unit that computes a distance between the position of the distance-vision eye point and the position of the near-vision eye point detected by the line-of-sight position detecting unit, wherein the line-of-sight position detecting unit has an arm member that is rotatable at one end and positioned at a lateral position of an eyeball of the wearer, a front detecting mechanism that is disposed on the other end side of the arm member and detects a front position of the eyeball of the wearer, and an arm rotation angle detecting unit that detects a rotation angle of the arm member.
US07909457B2
An eyewear assembly for attachment to headwear such as a sun hat, the headwear including a main body and a visor, the eyewear assembly including at least one eyewear member, at least one mounting means to attach the set of eyewear to the headwear and a pair of rotation mechanisms associated with the mounting means and the eyewear to movement relative to the at least one mounting means between a use position in front of a wearer's eyes and a stored position adjacent the visor of the headwear.
US07909448B2
A recording head and a recording unit are provided achieving both the reliability of ejection stability and storage stability and the prevention of a new color mixing phenomenon. The recording head has ejection orifice lines each of which ejects each of the inks constituting an ink set. The plurality of inks is stored respectively in ink cartridges each having an ink storage portion being brought into a hermetically-closed state. At least three types of inks among the inks are different in specific gravity from one another, and at least two types of inks among the at least three types of inks are different in specific gravity by 0.020 or more. The ejection orifice lines are arranged so that the total sum of differences in specific gravities between the inks to be ejected from ejection orifice lines adjacent to each other among the inks to be ejected from the ejection orifice lines becomes minimal.
US07909446B2
There are provided a water dispersion for ink-jet printing which contains a water dispersion of particles of a vinyl polymer or a polyester-based polymer which contain a colorant (B), and a water-insoluble organic compound (A) except for aliphatic acid derivatives; a water-based ink containing the water dispersion; a print obtainable by printing images or characters with the water-based ink; and a process for producing the water dispersion. Also, there are provided an ink set for ink-jet printing containing two or more kinds of inks having different colors from each other wherein the inks each contain a water dispersion of particles of a vinyl polymer or a polyester-based polymer which contain a colorant (B), and a water-insoluble organic compound (A) except for aliphatic acid derivatives; and a process for producing a print using the ink set. The water-based ink can provide multi-order color images or composite black images which exhibits a high optical density and is excellent in gloss and image clarity.
US07909442B2
An image recording apparatus including a housing; a recording head which ejects droplets of ink; a carriage which is provided in the housing and which carries the recording head and reciprocates in opposite directions; an ink supply tube which is connected, at one end thereof, to a tube connection portion of the carriage so as to supply the ink to the recording head, and is fixed, at a fixed portion thereof, to the housing such that an intermediate portion thereof located between the one end thereof and the fixed portion thereof forms a curved portion convex in one of the opposite directions, wherein the ink supply tube has a flexibility assuring that when the carriage reciprocates, the ink supply tube follows reciprocation of the carriage while the curved portion thereof changes a shape thereof; a pivotable support member which is supported by the housing such that the support member is pivotable about a supporting point, wherein the support member includes an arm portion having a support portion that supports a portion of the curved portion of the ink supply tube; and a stopper member which is fixed to a predetermined portion of the ink supply tube that is located between the support portion and the tube connection portion, and which, when the ink supply tube moves relative to the support portion, engages the support portion so as to inhibit an excessive movement of the ink supply tube relative to the support portion.
US07909440B2
A liquid container of the invention has a container body including a storage space and a liquid feed port and a liquid injection port which are installed on the container body. The liquid feed port is structured so as to interconnect the storage space and the liquid ejecting head with each other, when the liquid container is mounted on a liquid ejecting unit. The liquid injection port is structured so as to interconnect the storage space of the container body and a liquid tank of a stationary unit with each other, when the liquid ejecting unit is united with the stationary unit. The invention provides a liquid container effective in realization of a liquid ejecting apparatus which can meet two needs for executing a large amount of printing and transporting when necessary.
US07909428B2
A fluid ejection device includes a fluidic layer assembly mounted to a substrate, the fluidic layer assembly having a raised portion formed on a side that faces away from the substrate. A first nozzle is formed through a portion of the fluidic layer assembly other than the raised portion, and a second, larger nozzle is formed through the raised portion. A method of fabricating a fluid ejection device includes applying a first layer of a photoresist material to a substrate and a second layer of a photoresist material to the first layer. A sequence of exposures defines a first region of soluble material in the first layer that becomes the first nozzle and second and third regions of soluble material in the first and second layers, respectively, that jointly become the second nozzle. A region of insoluble material in the second layer becomes the raised portion.
US07909426B2
An apparatus and method for inspecting droplet discharge characteristics of an ink-jet printer head by photographing an overlapped droplet image for a plurality of ink droplet successively discharged from the ink-jet printer head.
US07909415B2
A locking mechanism for installing between a master cylinder and a brake line includes a housing having an internal bore, an inlet port, a passage, and an outlet port. A reciprocating piston is movable within the bore. A locking lever is coupled to the reciprocating piston for actuating the reciprocating piston. A fastener having an internal fluid passage for providing fluid communication between the passage and the master cylinder secures the housing to the master cylinder. The locking lever is moveable between a first position, wherein the hydraulic fluid can flow freely between the master cylinder and the brake line for engaging and disengaging the vehicle brake and a second position, wherein the hydraulic fluid is prevented from returning to the master cylinder for maintaining the vehicle brake in an engaged state.
US07909413B2
The brake actuation device of a motor vehicle brake system includes a pneumatic brake booster 1, the interior of which is subdivided into at least one vacuum chamber and one working chamber, a master brake cylinder 2 and a pneumatic motor-and-pump assembly 3 for providing the vacuum in the vacuum chamber, which has a vacuum pump 6 and a motor 7 driving the vacuum pump 6. A vacuum level in the vacuum chamber or a difference in pressure between the vacuum chamber and the working chamber is sensed using a sensor 9, and the motor-and-pump assembly 3 is enabled by an electronic control unit 12 when the vacuum falls below a first defined bottom vacuum level Pe in the vacuum chamber and is disabled when a second defined top vacuum level Pa is reached.The rotational speed np of the motor-and-pump assembly 3 is controlled depending on driving conditions of the vehicle.
US07909408B2
A method and apparatus for actuating a folding vehicle seat. The apparatus includes a handle remotely and functionally connected to the vehicle seat for moving the seatback from a folded position to an upright or design position. The handle is pivotally mounted on a support bracket and attached to an actuator member interconnecting the handle and the seatback. The actuator member transfers the motion of the handle to a generally “L-shaped” arm which is pivotally mounted to the vehicle seat below the seatback. The L-shaped arm rotates toward the back of the seat as the handle is lifted. As the L-shaped arm moves, it catches a stop or extension member located on the seatback and moves the seatback toward the upright position.
US07909390B2
A vehicle cockpit of modular construction includes at least one crossmember extending over the width of the cockpit and at least two submodules, each of which accommodates preassembled components. The submodules can each be fastened to the crossmember. The submodules are self-supporting so that they are able to be freely handled as preassembled subassemblies and so that they pass on their own weight and external loads directly to the crossmember. Installation and fitting the vehicle cockpit of modular construction includes first preassembling a plurality of submodules with a variety of different components groupings, selecting ones of the preassembled submodules to be installed, and connecting the selected submodules to the crossmember.
US07909387B2
A flatbed trailer includes first, second and third flatbed sections whereby the first and second sections are joinable in an extendable configuration and the first and third sections are joinable in an alternate and typically standard configuration. The trailer can be switched between the extendable and alternate configuration within a fairly short time. The invention thus eliminates the need for both a standard extendable trailer and a separate non-extendable trailer, and provides the ability to use the alternate configuration when the extendable configuration is not necessary in order to substantially reduce the weight which would otherwise be involved with the use of the extendable configuration.
US07909385B2
The invention relates to a convertible vehicle (1) provided with a roof (2) which comprises at least one rigid rear part (3) provided with a rear screen (4) and displaceable, independent of a roof area (5) which is arranged therebefore, in the direction of travel (F). The inventive convertible vehicle is characterized in that the roof area (5) arranged before the rear part (3) in the direction of travel (F) comprises at least two parts of the roof (6, 7) which are arranged in tandem when the roof is closed, displaceable at least partially on each other in order to be opened and can be stored is said connected position in the body (8).
US07909374B2
The invention relates to a handling device and to a handling method for wafers, in particular for wafers with a thickness of less than 100 μm. According to the invention it is provided that an adhesive membrane is arranged so as to delimit at least one workspace, the volume of which can be changed by supplying or removing pressurising medium, and in that the size of the contact surface between the adhesive membrane and the wafer can be adjusted by changing the workspace volume.
US07909368B2
A coupling assembly includes a first pipe having a threaded portion and a non-threaded portion and a second pipe having a threaded and non-threaded portion. The non-threaded portion of each of the pipes is located at a free end of the first pipe and the second pipe. The coupling assembly also includes a coupling member for fixedly connecting the first pipe and the second pipe. The coupling member includes a first threaded inlet for receiving the first pipe, a second threaded inlet for receiving the second pipe and a non-threaded portion extending between the first inlet and the second inlet. The non-threaded portion of the coupling member includes an annular recess. A cross-section of the annular recess includes a vertical leg, a first angled leg extending from the vertical leg, a horizontal leg extending from the first angled leg, a second angled leg extending from the horizontal leg and a third angled leg extending from the second angled leg to the first threaded inlet of the coupling member.
US07909365B2
A fluid system component is provided that includes first and second elements configured to be removably engaged with each other and defining a fluid passageway when engaged. The first element defines at least one groove. Correspondingly, the second element includes at least one engagement member configured and arranged to be received in, and travel along, a corresponding groove. The presence of a line pressure in the passageway substantially forecloses disengagement of the first and second elements until the fluid pressure in the fluid passageway has decreased to a predetermined magnitude. A handling and locking mechanism for selectively securing the second element relative to the first element is included. The locking mechanism includes a movable pin controlled by a pin handle adjacent a collar handle. The pin and collar handles can be gripped simultaneously by the same hand of a user to release the first element relative to the second element.
US07909356B2
An airbag apparatus includes an airbag that has a first portion and a second portion. The airbag is folded such that the first portion approaches the second portion. The folded airbag has an elongated shape extending along a first direction. An inlet 12a is formed in the airbag 5. By receiving the supply of gas through the inlet 12a, the folded airbag 5 is inflated while being deployed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, such that the first portion moves away from the second portion. The inlet 12a is arranged in a part of the folded airbag 5 that is located in a trailing side in the second direction. A first attachment portion 16 is provided in the same part of the folded airbag 5. A second attachment portion 27 is provided in each of the ends of the folded airbag 5. The folded airbag 5 is installed in a ceiling of a vehicle 2 by means of the first attachment portion 16 and the second attachment portions 27. When the airbag 5 is being deployed and inflated, the second attachment portions 27 function to apply an outward tension along the first direction to the airbag 5.
US07909350B1
Method and apparatus for an adjustable trailer hitch which allows the ball to be adjustable laterally and longitudinally so that the tongue of the trailer can be can be more easily attached to the ball of the towing vehicle. A body portion is mounted on a slide-tube for insertion in a receiver-tube wherein the body portion has an interior pocket or space which allows the draw bar having the ball mounting thereon to move laterally inside the pocket along with a plurality of apertures so that the draw bar can be laterally adjusted using the apertures and a first locking pin. The slide-tube also has a longitudinal adjustment slot in it which allows it to slide longitudinally inside the receiver-tube wherein a second locking pin holds the slide-tube in the receiver-tube allowing the entire trailer hitch to be longitudinally adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the towing vehicle.
US07909349B2
An assembly for drawbar retention from a hanger bar on the rear of a tractor includes bottom and top capture plates spanning the intersection of the drawbar and hanger bar, front to back and side to side, and held together by four bolt and nut fasteners that are passed vertically through the four corners of the two plates such that there are two bolts on either lateral side of the drawbar and two on the front and back sides of the hanger bar. A pair of spacer blocks are provided across the front and back edges of the hanger bar releasably captured between the cover plates by the bolts. Cutouts in the spacer blocks can receive tongues on wear pads to permit pads to be captured between the top cover plate and hanger and/or the hanger and the drawbar by the bolts and spacers. The method is the arrangement of top and bottom cover plates with spacers and fasteners as stated, with or without wear pads.
US07909346B2
A bicycle steerer tube assembly having an oblong asymmetric cross section formed along a portion of the steerer tube. The asymmetric portion of the steerer tube has a first diameter that is generally aligned with an axis of rotation of the front wheel and a second diameter that is generally aligned with a plane of rotation of the front wheel. The first diameter is greater than the second diameter and provides lateral stiffness to the wheel assembly and the second diameter accommodates longitudinal impact absorption of the fork and wheel assembly.
US07909345B1
A triple tree system for mounting the front fork of a motorcycle to the handlebars and to the frame thereof. The system includes upper and lower triple tree members. The upper triple tree member includes a pair of apertures, each containing a threaded connector member fastened at one end to an internally threaded end of one handlebar member, and fastened at an opposite end to an internally threaded end of one fork tube. The lower triple tree member includes a pair of apertures, each accepting one of the fork tubes there through. Threaded apertures, each of which intersect an aperture holding a fork tube, contain a set screw that advances a rod into the fork tube aperture, thereby contacting one of the fork tubes therein, to lock the fork tubes to the lower triple tree member. A stem member is attached between the upper and lower triple tree members and attached to the frame of the motorcycle.
US07909322B2
A skew correction device including a first guide member which supports the sheet transported by the transport roller from a lower side thereof in a vertical direction and guides the sheet to the gate member, and a second guide member which is provided on an upper position from the first guide member in a vertical direction and which guides the sheet to the gate member. Here, the first guide member includes at least one rotating member which faces a transport passage of the sheet interposed between the first guide member and the second guide member and is rotatably provided at least in the center of the second guide member in a width direction intersecting a transport direction of the sheet.
US07909320B2
A feeding apparatus including a feeding roller for conveying a sheet, a separation roller for conveying the sheet in a reverse direction, a transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force to the feeding roller, a limited force reverse transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force to the separation roller through a torque limiter, a forced reverse transmission mechanism for directly transmitting the rotational force to the separation roller, a temperature detector and a controller, wherein the controller controls the separation roller to receive rotational force through the forced reverse transmission mechanism after the limited force reverse transmission mechanism transmits the rotational force to the separation roller, then allows the limited force reverse transmission mechanism to transmit the rotational force to the separation roller, or to rotate the feeding via the transmission mechanism and the limited force transmission mechanism to transmit the rotational force to the separation roller.
US07909319B2
To provide an image forming apparatus and image forming method that can prevent a decrease in image quality by preventing a step-out of a driving source, which occurs because a load of a feeding device is applied when a medium is transported for image formation.When no roller reset operation, by which a paper feed roller is returned to a reset position, is performed (YES in S21), it is judged whether a counted value N of a counter, which indicates a position of a sheet of paper, is below a threshold value Na, which indicates that it is in an A region in which a load of a hopper or paper return levers of an automatic sheet feeder (ASF) is applied to a stepping motor (S22). When N
US07909318B2
An image forming apparatus capable of preventing simultaneous delivery of two sheets of paper when they are supplied from a paper supply device, thereby improving operational reliability of the paper supply device. The image forming apparatus includes a body incorporating a printing device, a first paper supply unit, in which first paper is loaded, a second paper supply unit, on which second paper is disposed, at least one feed roller to deliver the second paper disposed on the second paper supply unit, a pickup roller to pick up the first paper from the first paper supply unit, and a pickup pad, which is located at a first position to contact the pickup roller when the pickup roller picks up the first paper from the first paper supply unit, and which is located at a second position spaced apart from the pickup roller when the second paper disposed on the second paper supply unit is delivered by the feed roller.
US07909313B2
An elastomer bush bearing, wherein the bearing body (2) is encapsulated through axial flanges (4, 4′) of the outer bearing sleeve (3), with the bush bearing having an elastomer bearing body (2) with a special profile in the axial direction. The bearing body (2) is employed in constructing the bush bearing of the invention, which is capable of supporting high radial loads even with low radial stiffness and without adversely affecting its stability and service life. The two axial end faces (5, 5′) of the bearing body (1) each have undulated contours which extend in the circumferential direction (u) in the same direction, both with respect to one another and also over the entire region of the material thickness (d) of the bearing body (2). The end faces (5, 5′) of the bearing body (2) thus have wave troughs (6, 6′, 7, 7′) and wave crests (8, 8′, 9, 9′), whereby the corresponding wave troughs (6, 6′, 7, 7′) of both end faces (5, 5′) and their wave crests (8, 8′, 9, 9′) are formed so as to face one another, and each extend radially over the entire material thickness (d) of the bearing body (2) in the respective circumferential segment.
US07909305B2
A device for compressing a coiled spring comprised of multiple coils used in combination with a motor vehicle suspension strut under tension including a first hollow tube and a second smaller tube adapted to fit slidably into the first hollow tube. First and second compressor plates are provided to engage spaced coils. A rotatable drive shaft compresses the coiled spring to reduce tension against the strut's retention end plates to enable the safe, quick and easy removal and replacement of the strut. Each compressor plate consists of an open ended slotted central portion and two side sections defining an upper slotted section and a narrower bottom slotted section with an annular interior edge. The upper slotted section is provided to seat coils with a large diameter. The bottom slotted section is provided to seat coils with a small diameter.Openings are formed within the plates' side sections to receive elongated rods for preventing the tensioned coiled spring from slipping from its placement while awaiting the installation of a new strut.
US07909289B2
System for opening and closing a structural part arranged on a support structure. The system includes at least one hinged joint device for flexibly connecting the structural part to the support structure. The at least one hinged joint device is arranged inside the support structure and has an axis of rotation about which the structural part can be pivoted relative to the support structure during opening and closing. A locking arrangement is structured and arranged to connect the structural part to the support structure in a form-locking manner when the structural part is in a closed position. In the closed position, the locking arrangement is arranged to relieve the at least one hinged joint device. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US07909286B2
Support system suitable for sustaining an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to a fixed structure (2) belonging to a compartment of the auxiliary power unit (6) of the aircraft. The support system is made in a high mechanical strength material and with high resistance to ignition, and comprises three fittings (3, 4, 5) two of which are frusto-conical and one with a substantially cylindrical. Fittings (3, 4, 5) being able to be hollow and being able to comprise an array of lateral ribs. Each one of them presenting a first end (7) comprising means of attachment of the support system (8) to the fixed structure (2) and a second end (9) comprising means of securing of the support system (8) which are joined to the auxiliary power unit (1) in the periphery of the extension of said auxiliary power unit (1).
US07909284B2
A novel system for mounting welding wire spools of different sizes on a mounting spindle of a wire feed system is provided. The invention may reduce or eliminate wire feedability difficulties and welding arc outages arising from misalignment of the wire spool and inconsistent wire feeds. The invention provides a medium and large wire spool mounting system including a spool mounting hub, a movable back plate configured with a locking slot arrangement, and a left threaded nut plate. Furthermore, the invention provides a system for mounting small wire spools on a keyed shaft of a wire feed system comprised of washers, a spring, and a knurled nut. A braking system including washers, a spring, and a knurled nut is provided for the prevention of wire spool free wheeling during non-welding periods.
US07909282B2
A winder for winding a web to produce a rolled product is provided. The winder includes a web transport apparatus that is used for conveying the web. Also included in one exemplary embodiment is a plurality of independent winding modules. The winding modules are independently positioned to independently engage the web as the web is conveyed by the web transport apparatus. The winding modules may be configured to wind the web to form a rolled product by center winding, surface winding, and combinations of center and surface winding. The winding modules are structurally and operationally independent of one another where if one module is disabled, another may still operate to produce the rolled product without shutting down the winder.
US07909281B2
A wire-winding device includes a circuit unit, a wire-winding disk, two cables, a scroll spring and a circuit unit. The insulating body has receiving space. The wire-winding disk is rotatably located in the receiving space. The wire-winding disk has at least one concave slot. There is a rolling ball between the concave slot and the insulating body. The scroll spring is connected between the wire-winding disk and the insulating body. The circuit unit is located in the wire-winding disk and is electrically connected with the two cables. Thereby, the user can rapidly receive or lease the cable to adjust the length of the cable, and use the circuit unit to convert the input voltage or current into a desired voltage or current for outputting.
US07909274B2
A device for reducing clogging of a gutter comprises a housing which fits in a gutter over the downspout. The device contains a motor-driven grinder mechanism which grinds up waterborne leaves and other debris passing through the housing, preferably as they exit through the outlet of the housing to the downspout. Preferably, the device also includes a plunger mechanism which helps push water and debris in the housing through the grinder mechanism. Also, preferable the device includes a water sensor and a debris sensor for operating the motor only when both water and debris are present.
US07909273B2
A shredder is disclosed having a gas detection system. According to one embodiment, one or more sensors may be placed inside the housing of the shredder to detect the presence of gases, and in particular, flammable or combustible gases. If a gas is sprayed into the shredder, the sensor(s) will detect the gas and the shredder may be deactivated. In addition, an exhaust fan may also be activated to purge the gas from the housing. Further, one or more indicators may be provided to alert the user that the sensor has detected gas. For example, a visible signal and/or audible sound may be generated to alert the user that the sensor has detected a flammable or combustible gas.
US07909271B2
A direct injection fuel injector includes a nozzle tip having a plurality of passages allowing fluid communication between an inner nozzle tip surface portion and an outer nozzle tip surface portion and directly into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. A first group of the passages have inner surface apertures located substantially in a first common plane. A second group of the passages have inner surface apertures located substantially in at least a second common plane substantially parallel to the first common plane. The second group has more passages than the first group.
US07909265B2
A wheeled herbicide and/or pesticide carrier incorporates a non-motorized, three wheeled cart including a frame defining a basket for receiving tanks containing a fluid solution. An air compressor and battery are also supported on the cart. A nozzle communicates with the tanks for dispensing the solution. A control panel is mounted on the cart's handle to permit a user to select which tank is to be utilized and the rate for spraying. A second embodiment of the invention is designed to support four tanks thereon.
US07909264B2
A discharge device and a method for evaporating a liquid to the atmosphere are proposed. The liquid pressurized by gas is supplied to an evaporator via a flow restriction device which restricts the flow rate of the liquid such that continuous release and evaporation of the liquid is possible. Further, an evaporator is proposed. The evaporator comprises an evaporation surface which is designed preferably by microstructuring such that the surface area is increased and/or the liquid forms an essentially uniform film on the evaporation surface.
US07909263B2
A method of dispersing fine particles in a spray including the steps of providing a liquid carrier having a critical point and fine particles of at least one material. The fine particles are dispersed in the liquid carrier. A supercritical carrier containing dispersed particles is created by driving the liquid carrier containing dispersed fine particles above the critical point. The pressure of the supercritical carrier containing dispersed particles is reduced thereby forming a vapor carrier containing dispersed particles therein. The vapor carrier containing dispersed fine particles is then discharged.
US07909262B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a control valve for regulating temperature comprises a conduit, a fluid limiter, a restoring actuator, an opening actuator, and a restoring actuator chamber. The conduit has an inlet, an outlet, and an opening between the inlet and the outlet. The inlet is operable to receive fluid into the conduit and the outlet is operable to dispense of fluid out of the conduit. The fluid limiter is operable to at least partially cover the opening and thereby resist flow of fluid through the opening. The restoring actuator is operable to provide a force that moves the fluid limiter toward the opening to resist flow of fluid through the opening. The opening actuator is operable to provide a second force that moves the fluid limiter away from the opening to allow the flow of fluid through the opening. The opening actuator is activated based on a temperature of fluid in the conduit. The restoring actuator chamber is disposed around the restoring actuator and has a passage in communication with fluid upstream of the opening.
US07909250B2
A memory card slot door unit selectively opens and closes an entrance of a memory card slot used in a digital mobile apparatus. The memory card slot door unit includes a door for closing an entrance of a memory card slot. A plurality of hinges supporting a pivoting motion of the door against lateral walls of the memory card slot, so that the door selectively opens and closes the entrance of the memory card slot.
US07909249B2
Embodiments of the invention include systems and methods for tracking a medical device. Systems configured for such tracking may include the capability to either or both detect tampering with the medical device and to effectively expose an encapsulated medical device to sterilization substances and associate the medical device with an identifying characteristic.
US07909247B2
A wireless financial transaction instrument, such as a card, has a magnetic stripe, a display, and an on-board power supply, such as a battery, and is usable with a dual capture point of sale terminal. Information is received by such a terminal from the card wirelessly, and also from the magnetic stripe, and the data received contactlessly is preferably used to verify that read from the stripe. The display can display the account number on command, or to display a current balance, or amount of credit remaining, or any combination of these items of information.
US07909245B1
A computer implemented method of providing access to information includes issuing a secure identification element to a user. Such secure identification element is then submitted to a requesting entity in order to access the user's personal information. The requesting entity may access the user's personal information using the secure identification element by way of the processing agent. The processing agent may map the secure identification element to an information segment including personal information of the user by way of an identification element of the user and the information is transmitted to the requesting entity. The method provides a secure way to access personal information without divulging a user's identification number.
US07909244B2
A method of operating an image-based self-service check depositing terminal having an optical character recognition (OCR) reader comprises the steps of (a) receiving from a self-service depositor a check to be deposited, (b) illuminating the check with infrared radiation, (c) capturing a first image of the check while the check is illuminated with infrared radiation, (d) processing the first check image to provide an enhanced image of the check, and (e) applying OCR techniques to read a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) codeline from the enhanced check image.
US07909241B2
The present invention provides a system that facilitates the selection of purchasable items for use in an environs defined by the customer. In one aspect, the system includes a processing element capable of proposing a plurality of purchasable items to the customer for selection by the customer. The processing element also is capable of receiving data representing the environs and data representing at least one purchasable item selected by the customer. The processing element is further capable of generating and displaying a three-dimensional graphical representation of the environs and each purchasable item or items selected by the customer so that the customer can visualize the items in the environs.
US07909236B2
An end cap adapted to releasably secure to a tube having a first open end to form a shipping container. The end cap includes a base, a sidewall surrounding and extending from the base, at least one movable projection biased to extend beyond the outer side of the sidewall, and a deformable sealing element extending from a perimeter of the base and/or from the outer side of the sidewall. When the end cap is secured to the tube, an inner side of tube surrounds the outer side of the sidewall of the end cap, the movable projection extends into a mounting opening formed in the tube proximal to the first open end, and the sealing element is deformed against the inner side of the tube to form a circumferential seal between the end cap and the tube such that the end cap completely plugs a passageway through the tube.
US07909233B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor package system includes: providing a die having a plurality of contact pads; forming a leadframe having a plurality of lead fingers with flat tops of predetermined lengths, the plurality of lead fingers having a fine pitch and each having a trapezoidal cross-section; attaching a plurality of bumps to the plurality of lead fingers, the plurality of bumps on the tops, extending beyond the widths of the trapezoidal cross-sections, and clamping down on the two sides of each of the plurality of lead fingers; attaching a plurality of bond wires to the plurality of contact pads; attaching the plurality of bond wires to the plurality of bumps; and forming an encapsulant over the plurality of lead fingers, the die, and the plurality of bond wires, the encapsulant leaving lower surfaces of the plurality of lead fingers exposed.
US07909231B2
A new control variable is introduced, that when combined with previous dependent control criteria on other variables results in a control program that can create a superior weld while minimizing wear on the FSW tool, wherein the tool repeatedly experiences the same thermal and mechanical loading within specified control windows during every repeated weld sequence because flow stresses and tool loads are driven by temperature, and dependent control loops account for differences in material and heat that is transferred at different rates in varying locations throughout a friction stir weld.
US07909225B2
A friction-stir tool including a rotary-drivable tool body, at whose end facing away from the drive is provided a shoulder, from which extends in the direction of that end of the tool body that faces away from the drive, a rotatable rod-shaped projection that has a smaller diameter than the shoulder. The surface of the shoulder that points in the direction of the projection is form-adaptable.
US07909221B2
A surgical stapler has a handle assembly including a stationary handle and a trigger. The stapler also has a drive assembly with a body having a working end and a cam member supported on the working end. The cam member is positioned to translate relative to the anvil to maintain the anvil in the closed position during firing of the stapler. The trigger is operatively connected to a power cell. The power cell is operably connected to a motor of the drive assembly. The manipulation of the trigger actuates the power cell such that the power cell powers the drive assembly to effect translation of the cam member relative to the anvil. The stapler also has a channel for supporting the staple cartridge and the motor of the drive assembly controls the actuation sled supported within the cartridge. The actuation sled urges the plurality of staples from the cartridge when the anvil is in the closed position and in cooperative alignment with the staple cartridge.
US07909211B2
A dispensing cartridge with a vented piston is disclosed. The piston includes a piston shell and a bleed plug. The arrangement of the piston shell and the bleed plug allows air to be vented through the piston until all of the air is vented out of the dispensing cartridge. With the air vented out of the dispensing cartridge, the piston self-into actuates into a closed sealed position in which the bleed plug forms a seal with the piston shell to prevent further fluid from flowing between the two elements.
US07909207B2
The invention relates to a method of determining a status condition of a medicament container having a memory contained therein for storing medicament effect data, such as, for example, drug interaction, side effect, and other information for determining the status condition of the container.
US07909206B2
An automatic dispensing apparatus system and method for dispensing predetermined objects is disclosed. More particularly, the invention is an automatic bottled water dispensing apparatus system and method having a housing which houses various sizes of bottled water and a conveyor system for transporting the bottled water to a dispensing member for a customer. The dispensing apparatus system also includes a return machine for returning empty bottles, a plurality of selection members, a payment member and an inventory monitoring member.
US07909197B2
A seal member for a dispensing cartridge includes a flat circular seal disk, a frustoconical wall extending outwardly away from the seal disk, and a ring at an open end of the frustoconical wall. The seal member is assembled with a cap having an end wall and a cylindrical skirt wall. The skirt wall has an internal diameter and the ring has a slightly smaller outer diameter. The ring abuts the end wall. A central opening extends through the end wall with a diameter no larger than a ring inner diameter. The dispensing cartridge has a cylindrical mouth wall with inner and outer diameters. The skirt wall has an internal diameter sized to receive the mouth wall outer diameter and the diameter of the seal disk is larger than the mouth wall inner diameter. The ring outer diameter is at least equal to the mouth wall outer diameter.
US07909188B2
A composite lined closure for use with a container having a container neck crown includes a top having a periphery and an underside, a skirt depending downward from the periphery, the skirt including an inner surface and a locking bead radially extending inward from the skirt, and a resilient seal liner extending along the underside and along the inner surface above the sealing bead. Preferably, the liner is formed of an elastomeric material. A method of using the composite lined closure is also described.
US07909183B2
A hanger includes a display light bar and a hanging bar defining a support portion pivotally connected to the display light bar. The display light bar may be raised and lowered via the hinge pin. The display light bar defines a channel in which one or more LEDs may be arranged to emit lights of a desired color or colors, providing a method for identifying goods hung on the hanging bar at a distance. A tagger is provided at an opposed end of the display light bar for hanging a tagging plate providing additional information regarding the goods.
US07909181B2
An article holder for a dishwasher rack includes a first article support portion and a second article support portion connected to the first article portion and extending at an angle with respect to the first article support portion. The article holder further comprises a first mounting structure configured to engage a portion of a dishwasher rack to allow the first article support portion to support articles in a first orientation with respect to a dishwasher rack. The article holder still further comprises a second mounting structure spaced from the first mounting structure and configured to engage a portion of a dishwasher rack to allow the second article support portion to support articles in a second orientation with respect to a dishwasher rack.
US07909180B2
A load balancing method and incorporated assembly is provided for a computer frame having side walls. The assembly comprises a mid-plane plate having top and bottom sides and capable of being secured to the frames inside side walls. The mid-plane plate also has means both on its top and bottom sides for securing a number of electronic books in such a manner that they can be stacked on top of or adjacent to one another. A locking mechanism can also be provided as part of the assembly or alone to further secure the electronic books to the frame.
US07909174B1
A dewatering structure includes a receptacle body, a dewatering unit and an operation apparatus. The receptacle body includes a receptacle tub and an assembling space, in which the receptacle tub and the assembling space are independent from each other. The operation apparatus includes an operation unit and a base. The operation unit includes an active pedal and a driven pedal, which are pivotally coupled to the base and are intersected with each other. The driven pedal includes a free end slidably coupled with a driving block having a threaded through hole. The threaded through hole is provided for connection with a threaded rod sheathed in a spring member. When the active pedal and the driven pedal are repetitively pressed each other and then released, the dewatering unit is driven to rotate, thus producing a centrifugal force for removing the water from the water-contained object.
US07909166B2
The wafer container includes a container body, which is disposed with a plurality of slots for receiving a plurality of wafers therein and an opening is formed by one sidewall of which for importing and exporting the plurality of wafers, and a door includes an outer surface and an inner surface, which is joined with the opening of the container body via the inner surface for protecting the plurality of wafers within the container body. A latch component is disposed in a platform of the inner surface of the door, which includes an oval cam, a pair of moving bars contacting two ends of the oval cam, at least a pair of roller disposed in the platform and each of roller fixed in a slide groove of each moving bar, and a locating spring being an integral part of each moving bar for controlling the turning of the oval cam to drive the each moving bar.
US07909161B2
A case (100) can be configured to hold a portable computer (350) with a keyboard (351). In one embodiment, the case can include: (a) a base shell (120) having: (1) a base panel (121) with a first side (144); and (2) one or more pads (231) extending from the first side and positioned such that a bottom of the portable computer is capable of resting on the one or more pads; and (b) a cover shell (110) coupled to the base shell and configured to move between a first position relative to the base shell, in which a user cannot type on the keyboard of the portable computer while the portable computer is inside of the case, and a second position relative to the base shell, in which the user can type on the keyboard of the portable computer while the portable computer is inside of the case.
US07909156B2
A turnover device for turning over a substrate comprises a motor and a tumbler driven by the motor to rotate. The tumbler is provided with a transmission mechanism thereon and connected to an upper turntable and a lower turntable with the transmission mechanism, the tumbler can drive the upper turntable and the lower turntable to rotate, the transmission mechanism can drive the upper turntable and the lower turntable to move toward each other, and the substrate to be turned over is disposed between the upper turntable and the lower turntable.
US07909152B2
A bill handling apparatus is provided that comprises an intelligent cash box system for transmitting information from a validator 2 to a stacker 4. The intelligent cash box system comprises a card 3 bearing a code recorded on the card 3 for identifying the bill handling apparatus, and an intelligent storage 5 provided in the stacker 4. The card 3 can be inserted into an inlet 11 of the validator 2 to detect the code by a detection sensor 45 and store the code in a control circuit 47 as code information. Bill information includes data of the bills received in a storage chamber 30 of the stacker 4 and is transmitted from the control circuit 47 to the intelligent storage 5. The intelligent storage 5 is in communication with the control circuit 47 of the validator 2 to receive the code information and bill information from the control means 47 and store these information in the intelligent storage 5. The code information identifies the bill handling apparatus from which the stacker 4 is removed, and the bill information enables to collate an amount of collected bills in a plurality of stackers 4 with an amount of bills considered genuine and stored in the stackers 4.
US07909146B2
A brake housing and torque tube assembly for a vehicle such as an aircraft is presented. The interface between the brake housing and the torque tube is accommodated by a thermal composite material insulator that is located adjacent the brake housing and a metallic spacer adjacent the torque tube. The metallic spacer provides stiffness to the joint therebetween to prevent fatigue failure of the bolts interconnecting the brake housing and the torque tube. The metallic spacer also protects the insulator ring from sharp edges and small bearing area that are typically present at the ends of the torque tube.
US07909138B2
A system of increased safety when performing work using a ladder is described. The system includes a ladder bracket for temporarily attachment of a ladder to a structure to stabilize or secure the ladder. The bracket is easy to install and acts to limit or prevent slippage of the ladder laterally or away from the structure and generally promotes a greater margin of safety. In addition, the system includes a bracket for temporarily, yet securely, attaching a safety railing to a ladder.
US07909136B2
A soundproof assembly having front and rear panels with one or both of the front and rear panels having a laminar structure. In one embodiment the front and rear panels are spaced apart by a spacer structure and a covering structure is attached around the periphery to provide an enclosed air space between the front and rear panels. In another embodiment the front and rear panels are affixed to each other. In another embodiment front and rear panels are separated by an interior panel.
US07909133B2
A glazing unit with an improved vibroacoustic damping property including at least one sheet of glass and at least one vibroacoustic damping strip that is attached to at least one of the faces of the glass sheet and that includes at least one component made of damping material having a loss factor greater than 0.2. The strip is not joined to any other device on the opposite side from the glass sheet and the component made of damping material has a Young's modulus greater than 800 MPa, at 20° C., for a particular frequency corresponding to the critical frequency of the glazing unit to within plus or minus 30%.
US07909132B2
An approved apparatus (10) for turning steerable wheels (14,16) of a vehicle includes a pinion (28) which is disposed in meshing engagement with a rack portion (32) of a steering member (12). A steering column (22) is connected with a pinion (28) and with a vehicle steering wheel (20). A ball nut assembly (38) is connected with an externally threaded portion (36) of the steering member (12). A first motor (72) is connected with the steering column (22) at a location between the pinion (28) and steering wheel (20). A second motor (48) is connected with the ball nut assembly (38). A closed loop assembly (60) may be provided to control operation of the first motor (72). An open loop assembly (82) may be provided to control operation of the second motor (48).
US07909114B2
A drilling device includes an end cutting tool, a main housing, a motor, a transmission, and a dust collection unit. The end cutting tool processes a workpiece. The motor is provided in the main housing for generating a torque. The transmission transmits the torque to rotate the end cutting tool. The dust collection unit collects dust generated by the rotation of the end cutting tool. The dust collection unit includes a dust case for accumulating the dust therein. The dust case is detachable from the main housing and has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet and the outlet are oriented in a single direction.
US07909102B1
Methods and apparatus are provided for oil and gas well completions without conventional perforations or jet cutting. One or more frac gate tool(s) are included in the production casing string or liner which is cemented in the hole. The frac gates have a sleeve that is openable by a shifting tool to allow fluids inside the casing or liner to exit through ports and breakdown and treat the adjacent formation. Casing flapper valves are placeable above a lower frac gate to isolate the treated formation from a higher producing zone during treatment of the higher zone through a higher frac gate. A single hydraulically actuated shifting tool is usable to open the frac gates and close the casing flapper valves.
US07909099B2
The invention relates to oil production stimulation methods and can be used for both reservoirs with fractures resulting from the fracturing procedure and reservoirs with naturally occurring fractures, for which the fracturing procedure is not mandatory. A material which expands while hardening or setting, is injected into the near-wellbore region of a cased well, into the space between the casing and the reservoir, and the wellbore is then perforated. A material having an expansion degree sufficient for application of pressure to the wellbore walls and for keeping at least one fracture open is used as the material which expands while hardening or setting. After the perforation has been done, the reservoir is hydraulically fractured. For naturally fractured reservoirs, the fracturing procedure is not mandatory.
US07909095B2
A valve device and associated methods of selectively communicating between an interior and an exterior of a tubular string. A valve device includes an openable and closable flowpath for selectively permitting and preventing flow between an interior and exterior of the valve device, and a lock assembly which prevents the flowpath from being opened greater than a predetermined number of times. A method of testing at least one annular seal in an annulus formed between a tubular string and a wellbore wall includes the steps of: sealingly engaging the annular seal to thereby prevent flow through the annulus across the annular seal; and applying a pressure differential across the annular seal to thereby test the annular seal, the pressure differential being applied via a valve device interconnected in the tubular string.
US07909093B2
Methods and apparatus relate to in situ combustion. Configurations of injection and production wells facilitate the in situ combustion. A first production well disposed in a first oil bearing reservoir is spaced from a second production well disposed in a second oil bearing reservoir separated from the first oil bearing reservoir by a stratum having lower permeability than the first and second oil bearing reservoirs. The stratum isolates one of the first and second production wells from one of the first and second oil bearing reservoirs. In situ combustion through the first oil bearing reservoir generates heat that irradiates into the second oil bearing reservoir to enable producing hydrocarbon with the second production well.
US07909086B2
Continuously casting a billet with a small cross section by pouring molten steel into a mold using a cylindrical immersion nozzle is characterized by measuring the molten steel level in the mold using an eddy current sensor. The level is controlled based on the thus-measured value, motion of steel in the mold is adjusted by electromagnetic stirring, a cooling zone during the final period of solidification is disposed within a certain region ranging from the meniscus to the specific site, and casting speed is adjusted so that the region in which the solid phase ratio at the billet center is 0.3-0.99 may be included in the cooling zone during the final period of solidification. The secondary cooling water amount and the billet surface temperature at the entrance to the cooling zone the density of cooling water in the cooling zone during the final period of solidification are optimized.
US07909081B2
A sheet laminator includes a bonding unit and a restricting unit. The bonding unit bonds a first sheet to a second sheet that includes an adhesive layer. The restricting unit restricts movement of any one of the first sheet and the second sheet thereby preventing bonding between the first sheet and the second sheet before the first sheet and the second sheet reach the bonding unit.
US07909080B2
Apparatus and method in the use thereof attaches an annular transponder unit to an annular tire surface, the transponder unit being of a type having a sensor housing coupled to an annular antenna. The apparatus includes a rotary turntable for supportably rotating a tire having an annular tire surface in an accessible disposition and an arm proximately disposed to the turntable and having end-of-arm tooling for attaching the transponder unit section by section to the annular tire surface as the tire is rotated. The tooling includes a gripping mechanism engaging the sensor housing and placing the sensor housing at a preselected location on the annular tire surface and a guide mechanism engaging the annular antenna and positioning the annular antenna section by section along the annular tire surface as the tire is rotated. An adhesive material applicator nozzle is disposed between the guide mechanism and the gripping means for application of the adhesive material between the annular antenna and the annular tire surface as the tire is rotated. A pre-staging station supporting the transponder unit may further be utilized, the arm moving between the pre-staging station and the turntable and the gripping mechanism engaging the sensor housing at the pre-staging station to transport the transponder unit from the pre-staging station to the turntable.
US07909075B2
A pneumatic tire comprising a shoulder land portion and a narrow groove, the narrow groove comprises a first enlarged portion enlarging a groove width at a groove bottom only on the sacrificed portion side, a second enlarged portion being formed adjacently on the tread face side of the first enlarged portion and enlarging a groove width only on the sacrificed portion side, a projection portion being formed between the first enlarged portion and the second enlarged portion while projecting toward the main body land portion from an inner wall on the sacrificed land portion side, and a flat face portion having a depth, from the tread face, of 30% or more of a groove depth of the narrow groove, and having an inner wall on the sacrificed land portion side and an inner wall on the main body land portion side.
US07909073B2
The folding work bench folds compactly for storage when not in use and occupies a minimal work space. The folding work bench has a durable work surface, a top storage shelf, a back board for hanging tools, a locking mechanism, and a work table that can be folded up against the back board and locked in a compactly folded configuration that also secures the tools on the back board in the work bench.
US07909068B2
An alkaline storage battery including a strip-shaped porous metal substrate and a material mixture filled into the substrate. The substrate has an unfilled portion where the material mixture is not filled along at least one of two longitudinal sides of the substrate. The substrate has a weight per unit area of 150 to 350 g/m2. The material mixture contains an active material and an elastic polymer.
US07909062B2
The present invention relates to a temperature control faucet with an improved structure in the valve technical field. The temperature control faucet addresses the defects existing in the prior art of inconvenient control and narrow range of use. The temperature control faucet of the invention comprises a valve body which has two inflow conduits and an outflow conduit, and a temperature control valve set in the valve body. The temperature control valve is arranged at the convergence of cold water and hot water of the inflow conduits within the cavity of the valve body. The temperature control valve is linked with a turn handle out of the valve body. A flow valve is provided at one end of the outflow conduit of the valve body to control the flow rate. The temperate and the flow rate could be separately controlled by the temperature control faucet with an improved structure of the invention. Therefore, the faucet is conveniently used, and has a small volume and a wide range of use.
US07909060B2
A pressure control valve includes a sleeve on which an input port, an output port, and drain ports are formed; and a linear solenoid portion for generating thrust. The pressure control valve further includes a first spool, which advances and retreats within the sleeve, for receiving the thrust, regulating input pressure input to the input port, and outputting the regulated output pressure from the output port; and a second spool, which advances and retreats within the sleeve, for receiving the thrust, and selectively applying output pressure to the first spool. The output pressure is selectively applied to the first spool, thereby doing away with the need for a control valve or the like. This simplifies the oil pressure circuit for generating control pressure, and allows control pressure to be generated in a stable manner, and the size of the pressure control valve to be reduced.
US07909053B2
Condensation draining system and method for valve stem protectors comprising an actuator and a stem protector assembly structured in combination to provide a drain and an opening for draining condensation from inside the assembly to outside the combination.
US07909045B2
An adding device for dishwashers includes a fillable supply chamber for receiving a tablet-type detergent or rinsing agent. The supply chamber is arranged and configured in such a way that, when the adding device is in an operational position in the dishwasher, the detergent or rinsing agent can escape from the supply chamber into the rinsing area in a non-impeded manner in the direction of gravity. As a result, no substantial detergent residues remain in the supply chamber after the cleaning or rinsing program has come to an end. This results in the addition of cleaner into the dishwasher in an improved, reliable manner.
US07909033B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating a variety of breathing disorders experienced by patients. The invention is particularly suited to the treatment of atelectasis, the partial or total collapse of the lung, although those skilled in the art will appreciate that it has applications in treating other disorders as well. Treating patients with breathing disorders traditionally has required the use of multiple types of apparatus in order to provide the multiple types of treatment used. The present invention provides for a treatment apparatus that is enabled to provide multiple types of treatment, depending on the needs of the patient.
US07909030B2
The instant invention incorporates an asymmetrical purge valve tilted to fit within the confines of a chamber having a substantially elliptical cross-section. The elliptical cross-section is oriented to minimize the frontal area presented in the direction of swimming movement. The reduced cross-section results in a corresponding reduction of drag when the diver is swimming underwater.
US07909026B2
The present invention provides a servo actuated operating mechanism for a coacting lobed rotor positive displacement supercharger combining a low cost and capacity electromagnetic clutch with a small oil pump internal to the supercharger unit. The oil pump supplies on demand oil pressure from oil in a hydraulic clutch housing or the supercharger timing gear case and acts as a servomechanism to actuate an internal hydraulic clutch. The hydraulic clutch can be engaged over a much wider range of speeds and loads than is possible with an electromagnetic clutch alone. The electro-hydraulic servomechanism provides improved highway fuel economy relative to an electromagnetic clutch as the engagement speed could be moved to a higher rotational speed (rpm). The internal hydraulic system makes higher supercharger engagement speeds possible with a hydraulic system, but without the assembly and leak issues associated with externally plumbed engine oil system actuated clutches.
US07909018B2
A control for determining a firing timing of an engine is provided. An in-cylinder pressure is detected at a predetermined time interval. An in-cylinder pressure for every predetermined crank angle is calculated based on the detected in-cylinder pressure. A motoring pressure in a case where combustion is not performed in the engine is estimated. It is detected that a pressure difference between the calculated in-cylinder pressure and the motoring pressure has exceeded a determination value. A time point is identified, as a firing timing, at which the pressure difference has exceeded a determination value with a finer resolution than the resolution of the predetermined crank angle interval through an interpolation calculation. The interpolation calculation uses a first crank angle when it is detected that the pressure difference has exceeded the determination value, the pressure difference corresponding to the first crank angle, a second crank angle previous to the first crank angle by the predetermined crank angle and a pressure difference corresponding to the second crank angle.
US07909014B2
An oscillating piston engine comprises a housing in which at least one piston is arranged which can revolve in the housing about an axis of rotation which is fixed in relation to the housing, and which performs when revolving about the axis of rotation reciprocating pivoting movements about pivot axis extending perpendicularly to the axis of rotation between a first end position and a second end position, the at least one piston having a running element which runs, as the piston revolves about the axis of rotation, along at least one control cam which is configured in such a way that the pivoting movements of the at least one piston are derived from the revolving movement of the running element along the control cam. A second running element mounted to the piston and/or a negative-pressure source applying a negative pressure to the backside of the piston are provided for assisting the return of the piston from the first end position to the second end position of the pivoting movement of the piston.
US07909011B2
An internal combustion engine having an engine block with a chamber disposed therein containing a reciprocating piston. A head is mounted on the head of the engine block for providing fuel to the chamber. The chamber is designed to have a first end with a first diameter that tapers inward to a second end that has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter and extends into a cylindrical portion such that the reciprocating piston reciprocates within the cylindrical portion.
US07909003B2
An interconnected ring chain comprises a first ring comprising a biologically degradable material and having a first shape and a second ring comprising a biologically degradable material and having a second shape and interconnected with the first ring such that the first and second rings are both movable and substantially inseparable relative to each other. Each ring may be solid (continuous) or non-solid (discontinuous) such that the rings may be interconnected by mechanical or non-mechanical methods. A chain may be formed from rings having the same or various shapes.
US07909002B2
An avian hut includes a plurality of walls, each wall having an upper edge and a lower edge and coupled to at least one other of the plurality of walls, the plurality of walls together defining an avian hut interior and an avian hut exterior, the lower edges together defining an opening open to the environment, and at least one of the plurality of walls defining a notch shaped to accept a perch secured to an interior of a bird enclosure thereby allowing the perch to extend from the exterior of the avian hut into the interior of the avian hut. A securing device is operable to removably secure the plurality of walls within a bird cage and the notch above the perch.
US07908997B2
A new and improved hybrid hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material dispensing system wherein two or more different hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material depositions, comprising, for example, two or more different types of patterns, two or more different types of application techniques or processes, or two or more different types of cyclical operations, can effectively be simultaneously achieved at substantially two or more different locations relative to an underlying substrate. The hybrid system comprises a metering station upon which is mounted a metering head comprising a plurality of metering head dispensing modules, and a pair or remote applicator heads comprising a pair of applicator head dispensing modules.
US07908993B2
A film forming apparatus including a film forming chamber which forms a film, a jetting mechanism which jets aerosol containing material particles onto a substrate in the film forming chamber, a measuring chamber communicating with the film forming chamber, a measuring mechanism which measures a thickness of the film in the measuring chamber, a pressure adjusting mechanism which controls an internal pressure of the film forming chamber and the measuring chamber, a conveyor which transports the substrate between the film forming chamber and the measuring chamber, and a blocking section which blocks a communication between the film forming chamber and the measuring chamber. Accordingly, inside of the measuring chamber is maintained clean without being polluted with the aerosol, and the measurement precision can be maintained. In the film forming process, the film thickness can be easily and precisely measured, and fed back to the film forming condition.
US07908992B2
A capsule dusting system is designed to expose capsules to a dusting agent in a controlled manner. The system incorporates a tumbling basket positioned within an enclosure. The tumbling basket is loaded with capsules and is rotatably connected to a drive shaft. A dust injection system meters the dusting agent into the dust injection system. The dust injection system may include a dusting injector that translates between two positions. At one position, the dusting injector is loaded with dusting agent by a powder supply system. At the other position, the dusting injector is positioned to inject the dusting agent into the tumbling basket. A gas is fluidly connected to the dusting injector to cause the dusting agent to disperse into the tumbling basket. The enclosure contains the dusting agent within the system to reduce the environmental, health, and safety hazards associated with airborne particulates.
US07908990B2
A removable console for a boat and a boat including such a removable console are disclosed. The removable console is adapted to be positioned before a passenger seating position in the boat to shield the passenger position from wind. The connection between the deck of the boat and the removable console is fastenerless, so as to facilitate easy installation and replacement. The console itself may be enclosed, with both upper and lower surfaces.
US07908989B2
The present invention relates to a water craft (10) having two spaced hulls (18, 20) and a tunnel (22) defined therebetween. The water craft (10) is provided with a hydrofoil section (38) extending between the hulls (18, 20) and across the tunnel (22). The tunnel facing side of each hull (18, 20) is provided with a recess (50) which extends from a position rearward of the bow (24) of the water craft (10) to the stern (26) of the water craft (10). Each recess (50) includes a side wall (52) which extends upwardly from the keel line of each hull (18, 20) and an upper wall (56) which is inclined downwardly in the direction of the stern (26). Each recess (50) is further provided at a rearward portion thereof with a skirt (58) positioned inboard of the side wall (52) so as to define an open sided channel between the skirt (58), sidewall (52) and downwardly inclined upper wall (56) of the recess (50).
US07908988B1
A method and apparatus for removing debris from an ocean floor or seabed employs a subsea debris basket. The basket eliminates the absolute necessity of a cargo barge or any other supporting vessel that might be required to remain in a field until the objects on the ocean floor can be lifted. The present invention provides a non-weather sensitive solution. The present invention affords the safe operation in that all lifting and lowering is performed in a subsea environment next to the ocean floor or seabed. The present invention enables operation to be completed with the use of an ROV or remotely operated vehicle. The present invention provides improved offshore efficiency, less time being required to recover debris from the seabed to the underwater salvage basket or debris basket. The present invention enables the possibility of use of an A-frame or simple crane to lower debris into a subsea basket. The basket can be reused or redeployed in the field if desired. The basket may also be “reefed” in place to address the stability concerns of small debris and to minimize transit time of debris to a reef site.
US07908987B2
Method and device for orienting a tubular knitted articles, such as a sock, angularly around an axis
The device comprises: a tubular member (1); means (3, 5, 11) to insert and stretch a tubular knitted article (M) over the outside of said tubular member and over an end thereof; a control unit. It also comprises a crown (101) of detection elements cooperating with the end of the tubular member, and the control unit is programmed to determine the angular position of the tubular article stretched over the tubular member by reading the signal supplied by the detection elements in a definite reciprocal position of said tubular article, of said tubular member and of said detection elements.
US07908986B2
A method of sewing a trademark of clothes for being hidden into a pocket, in which a trademark pocket is provided at a trademark position correspondingly for hiding the trademark. The trademark pocket is an outside or inside trademark pocket, or a flat trademark hanging bag. When the clothes is worn in a way of touching the body shin, the trademark will not rub the body skin uncomfortably.
US07908985B2
A sewing machine capable of sewing an embroidery pattern based on embroidery data including at least thread color data and needle drop point data. The sewing machine includes a reader that reads out thread information stored in an RFID tag embedded in each of a plurality of thread spools, a selection device that selects the embroidery pattern, a thread color-and-amount acquisition device that acquires a necessary thread color and a necessary thread amount from the embroidery data of a selected pattern. The sewing machine also includes a comparison device that compares a read out thread amount with the necessary thread amount, a determination device that determines whether sewing the selected pattern is possible based on a comparison result by the comparison device, and an indication device that indicates a determination result by the determination device.
US07908984B2
A watering apparatus comprising a storage container having a tubular section which is closed with an open-cell foam based on an aminoplast, and a method for watering or applying fertilizer.
US07908979B2
A pallet includes a platform, having a substantially rectangular shape and is generally flat, an upper side face and an opposing underside face, and a plurality of supports that depend from said underside face. The supports are arranged in rows that extend both transversely and longitudinally across the surface of the underside face. The supports and the underside face are preferably covered by a generally rectangular shaped bottom sheet made, for example, of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE). A top sheet covers at least some of the upper side face. The supports are interconnected by a plurality of bridges that are spaced from the underside of the platform and which are adapted to provide support for the pallet when at least some of said bridges rest upon frame members of a rack.
US07908978B1
A user-assembled desk system includes specialized features for computer gaming. The top of the desk has an expanded side area for the placement of gaming aids such as joysticks, steering wheels and the like. The desk top cantilevers out from the center structure providing clearance for a large chair or recliner. A pair of angled, adjustable footrests are provided to facilitate foot controllers, pedals, and the like allowing the user to feel as if they are in a cockpit or a racecar. A rear panel has a power strip to electrically connect the various components. Finally, the desk sides can be decorated with various insignias, logos and characters to stylize the desk for use on a particular game or by a particular user.
US07908975B2
An hollow railroad car may be a have a lading containment structure that is a pressure vessel. The car may be a covered hopper car having one or more hopper discharge sections. Each hopper discharge section may include a transition from a substantially rectangular upper inlet to a substantially circular outlet. The transition may include developed plate formed as partial conic sections fitted as valleys between respective pairs of fore-and-aft slope sheets and side slope sheets. The car may have substantially planar internal ring reinforcement assemblies that serve to form a jig and a welding surface for the fore-and-aft slope sheet, a self-jig for the skins of the side wall and roof sheets, and which define buckling nodes for longitudinal compression of the car. The rings form local T-sections in combination with the adjacent wall skins, and do not employ out-of-plane formed sections such as hat sections. The reinforcement may be fabricated from flat sheet or flat bar.
US07908971B2
A propellant charge for a recoilless gun, in particular a propellant charge for a round of a reloadable support weapon. The propellant charge is cylindrically shaped and adapted for loading into a charge chamber formed between an inner casing and an outer casing of the round.
US07908962B2
A compressor is provided that includes a supplementary torque providing part that reduces a speed of a piston compression of refrigerant and increases the speed of the piston in drawing of the refrigerant. This structure reduces a compression rate of the refrigerant in compression relatively, and increases a re-expansion rate, to maximize suction efficiency.
US07908961B2
The invention relates to a locking device for linear actuators, in particular for fluid-actuated adjusting devices, with a piston rod mounted in an axially displaceable manner relative to a receiving device. The object of the invention is to provide a locking device for linear actuators, with which a secure locking is possible over the entire travel path of the linear actuators. This is attained in that the piston rod has a hollow space extending in the axial direction, in which form-fitting devices are arranged distributed in the axial direction, that form-fitting elements corresponding to the form-fitting devices are arranged in the piston rod in a radially displaceable manner, which elements are mounted in an axially stationary manner relative to the receiving device, and that an actuating device that displaces the form-fitting elements radially is assigned to the form-fitting elements.
US07908957B1
A synchronized ammunition container apparatus and system is provided with a weapon, rotating automatic arm, ammunition container, and rotatable turret base that allows an anti-aircraft weapon, to traverse, depress and elevate in order to engage a rapid, head-on, fly-over target. The synchronized ammunition container apparatus synchronizes the movement and position of the rotating automatic single arm, ammunition container and rotatable turret base to insure that the ammunition belt will not twist, tangle or break when the weapon follows a rapid, head-on, fly-over target. The synchronized ammunition container system and apparatus gives the user increased flexibility for multiple deployment locations and engaging multiple targets from different directions. Other embodiments include a synchronized anti-aircraft ammunition container and combining the apparatus and anti-aircraft weapon into an integrated anti-aircraft defense system with the synchronized ammunition container.
US07908956B2
A braider has a track for guiding 4N bobbin carriers and 4N horngears, where N is an integer greater than one. The horngears each have four horns for forming at least two paths. The bobbin carriers are positioned on the horngears in a tubular braiding mode with the track and horngears configured to provide two paths intersecting each other, to form a tubular braid section. The bobbin carriers are positioned on the horngears in a flat braiding mode, with the track and horngears configured so that there are N separate closed paths that do not intersect each other, to form a flat braid section. The braider is switched between the tubular and flat braiding modes while N of the horngears are free of contact with the bobbin carriers, to form a continuous braid having at least one tubular braid section and at least one flat braid section.
US07908948B2
Sensors of the longitudinal edges and/or the width of hot roll metal strip are located immediately ahead of the trimming blades and are used to transversely adjust the trimming heads and/or the centerline position for the strip so that in subsequent trimming operations, the trim widths are identical at both sides. The cutting heads can be positioned in indentations at junctions between the successive segments of the strip.
US07908946B2
There is described a tool as well as a method for machining a workpiece made of a hard material by means of a geometrically determined blade. In order to obtain an improved surface quality of the machined workpiece when machining such a hard and brittle material, a tool is provided which has a cutting angle of less than 10°. According to the associated machining method, rotational speeds exceeding 1300 rpm are used. There is further described a machine that is to be used in such a tool and is utilized in such a method.
US07908940B2
A bar end electric shifter is provided with a handlebar mounting portion, an electrical switch housing portion, a first electrical shift operating member and a second electrical shift operating member. The handlebar mounting portion is configured to be fixedly mounted to a free end of a bicycle handlebar. The electrical switch housing portion extends longitudinally from the handlebar mounting portion. The electrical switch housing portion has first and second lateral sides with a center axis of the free end of the handlebar extends longitudinally through the electrical switch housing portion when the handlebar mounting portion is mounted to the free end of the bicycle handlebar. The first electrical shift operating member is located on one of the lateral sides of the electrical switch housing portion. The second electrical shift operating member is located on one of the lateral sides of the electrical switch housing portion.
US07908939B2
An accelerator pedal which has a housing; a foot plate coupled hingedly with the housing; a pedal arm; a carrier that penetrates the housing to connect the foot plate and the pedal arm; a compression spring to apply restoring force to the carrier; and a cover. The accelerator pedal has a plate coupling part that extends from a body of the housing. The foot plate has a first end is inserted into a coupling hole of the plate coupling part and is coupled hingedly with the housing. The compression spring is disposed between a lower side of the body of the housing and the carrier.
US07908934B2
A valve assembly includes a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port, the valve body also having a valve chamber extending between the inlet port and the outlet port, a pair of seals each being located on opposing ends of the valve chamber; and a reciprocating piston extending into the valve chamber and movable between a closed position extending through the pair of seals and an open position extending only through one of the pair of seals, wherein the inlet port is fluidly connected with the outlet port when the piston is in the open position. A method of using the valve assembly is also disclosed.
US07908927B2
An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device includes a sensor positionable adjacent to or on the translating device. The sensor has a non-conductive compressible jacket with a cavity, and first and second conductors positioned within the cavity opposite from one another. In response to an object pressing against the jacket, the jacket compresses from a non-compressed state in which the conductors are not in electrical contact to a compressed state in which the conductors are in electrical contact. The sensor has a compressible support either inside or outside of the cavity. In response to the object pressing against the jacket while the jacket is compressed, the support compresses to allow the jacket to compress further in order reduce pinching of the object by the translating device when the object is between the jacket and the translating device.
US07908924B2
A sound focusing mechanism for generating a focused source of sound, which can be used to identify the transmission loss of an object or identify areas of acoustic leakage is disclosed. The sound focusing mechanism includes a housing having at least one wall formed from a material having high sound insulating properties. A sound generating device for generating a sound is located within a central cavity within the housing. An actuator assembly is operatively connected to the sound generating device for selectively operating the sound generating device. The wall is configured to limit the transmission of the sound there through such that a focused beam or pulse sound is emitted from the mechanism through the opening.
US07908920B2
An apparatus for determining a level of a liquid in a tank is provided. The apparatus comprises a probe and electronics. The probe passes into the tank and is immersed in the liquid. The probe includes a fiducial in spaced relation with a distal end. The electronics are operably coupled to the probe. The electronics include a signal generator propagating a signal along the probe and a signal receiver receiving the signal propagated along the probe. The electronics determine a velocity of propagation and/or an amount of time for the signal to travel between the fiducial and the distal end. The level of the liquid in the tank is then determined using the velocity of propagation and/or amount of time.
US07908919B2
A level meter, employing the radar principle for measuring the fill level of a medium in a container, includes a signal transmitter serving to transmit an electromagnetic signal, an electric conductor system for conducting the electromagnetic signal into the container and returning reflected components of the electromagnetic signal from the container, and a signal receiver serving to receive the reflected components of the electromagnetic signal. An electric conductor system is provided at its upper end with a suspension by which it is attached to a device on the container. A tensile-load testing device is placed between the suspension and at least a part of the electric conductor system, featuring a break point for the electromagnetic signal, with the distance between the break point and the signal transmitter or the signal receiver varying as a function of the tensile load bearing on the conductor system. This permits easy monitoring of the tensile forces to which the conductor system and the suspension are exposed, so that any damage to these devices as a result of excessive loads can be prevented.
US07908917B2
The present invention is a driving control method of a tire testing machine provided with a controller for giving a rotation command to a tire driving electric motor so that a slippage ratio of a tire with respect to movement of a simulated road surface is a preliminarily fixed value, and changing rotation speed of the tire, the method comprising: estimating longitudinal force imposed on the tire in accordance with the slippage ratio of the tire in a case where the rotation command is given; determining a torque limitation value for the tire driving electric motor based on an estimated longitudinal force estimate value; and applying the torque limitation value to torque limitation of the tire driving electric motor when the rotation command is given so as to change the rotation speed of the tire. With such a configuration, in a case where a tire test is performed while changing the slippage ratio, it is possible to perform the test without imposing excessive overloads on the tire driving electric motor.
US07908906B2
An apparatus, system and method for determining the osmolarity of a fluid. The system includes an apparatus having: a chip with a substantially planar top surface; a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion, each having a plurality of redundant electrically conductive lines disposed on the top surface; and a gap disposed between the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion, wherein a circuit is created when a fluid sample bridges the gap and connects the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion.
US07908900B2
A device and method for measuring friction on a surface, such as a road, allow for accurate and reliable measurements by preventing the slipping of a pilot wheel. The device includes a pilot wheel and a measurement wheel mounted on shafts in a wheel box and arranged one behind the other, the pilot wheel rotating without slip and the measurement wheel being braked in order to provide slip. The configuration of the device, including the positioning of an attachment axle, results in the pilot wheel being subjected to greater ground pressure than the measurement wheel, thus preventing slipping of the pilot wheel.
US07908899B2
Improved slide lock apparatus used in bending apparatus to bend stock to an acute angle. A hydraulic cylinder with a ram extendable under hydraulic pressure provides the bending power. The ram automatically retracts a slide from an first outward location when hydraulic pressure is removed to a second inward location for two separate bends to achieve an acute angle bend. This improved slide lock prevents any possible injury to the operator by covering a stop arranged to prevent the slide from moving outward a greater distance then the first outward location.
US07908888B2
A process for producing a low-attenuation optical fiber by producing a soot core preform by chemical deposition on a substrate; removing the substrate from the soot core preform, thereby forming a central hole along the soot preform; drying and consolidating the soot core preform in a consolidation furnace to form a glass core preform; heating the glass preform in the consolidation furnace above a glass melting temperature to produce a reduction of the diameter of the central hole; and stretching the glass core preform to completely close the central hole.
US07908884B2
Three bonding materials are provided on a first plate. The first bonding material is located between the second and third bonding materials. The first bonding material is thicker than the other bonding materials. A second plate is provided on the first bonding material. All of the plates and the bonding materials are heated to the softening point of the first bonding material. A load is exerted on the first bonding material to reduce the thickness of the first bonding material to that of the second and third bonding materials and transfer the load to the second and third bonding materials from the first bonding material. The temperature is raised to and kept at the crystallization point of the first bonding material. The temperature is raised to the wetting point of the second and third bonding materials.
US07908878B2
Refrigerant sent from a heat source side circuit (14) to utilization side circuits (11, 12, 13) is made to be single-phase liquid by using cooling means (36, 45) or a vapor-liquid separator (35). Variable-opening utilization side expansion valves (51, 52, 53) are provided in the utilization side circuits (11, 12, 13) so that an expansion process in a refrigeration cycle is performed also in the circuits.
US07908876B2
A refrigerator and a method to control the same are provided. The refrigerator includes a body having a supercooling compartment, a cooling unit to provide cool air to the supercooling compartment, an electromagnetic radiation sensor to detect electromagnetic radiation emitted when a food placed in the supercooling compartment begins to freeze, an energy supply to apply energy to the food placed in the supercooling compartment to prevent freezing of the food, and a controller to receive a detection signal from the electromagnetic radiation and then to activate the energy supply. Electromagnetic radiation emitted from each beverage in a supercooled state when the beverage begins to freeze is detected and energy is applied to the beverage according to the detection.
US07908875B2
A monitoring system is provided that is capable of determining when the temperature of at least one point along a refrigeration unit is not within a standard temperature range known for the operation of the refrigeration unit at the at least one point. In particular, the monitoring system is capable of alerting a technician or operator if, after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed after the refrigeration unit is expected to start, the temperature of the at least one point along the refrigeration unit is not within the standard temperature range known for operation of the refrigeration unit when the compressor is running. The predetermined elapsed time may be of a length of time necessary to allow for the refrigeration unit to complete a defrost and/or delog cycle and recover from such cycle. The monitoring of the at least one point along the system may be accomplished by the monitoring of a thermocouple. Further, the monitoring system may include sensors to monitor (i) when the door of the refrigeration compartment of the refrigeration unit is, or has been, open, as well as (ii) the temperature in the refrigeration compartment. In this regard, the monitoring system may alert a technician or operator when the temperature in the refrigerator is not optimal, taking into consideration whether the door of the refrigeration compartment has been, or is, open or closed and, optionally, also taken into consideration whether the refrigeration unit is operating properly.
US07908866B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a gas turbine combustor with improved fatigue resistance of a combustor. It is possible to intentionally reduce a stiffness of each of flanges of upper and lower walls of an end portion (outlet) of the tail pipe of the gas turbine combustor. It is possible to reduce a stiff difference between the upper and lower walls of the end portion (outlet) of the tail pipe section and side walls. Thus, it is possible to reduce compulsion deformation caused due to thermal stress generated in the end portion (outlet) of the tail pipe section on the operation of the conventional gas turbine combustor, and to reduce high stress easy to generate in the side plate. As a result, the gas turbine combustor with high fatigue resistance can be realized.
US07908863B2
A method for fabricating a secondary fuel nozzle assembly includes providing a nozzle portion defining a passageway configured to supply fuel. At least one peg is operatively coupled in fuel flow communication with the passageway. The at least one peg extends radially outward from the nozzle portion and defines at least one opening configured to direct a flow of fuel in a substantially upstream direction. A disc is positioned about the nozzle portion upstream of the at least one peg. The disc is positioned in communication with the at least one opening and configured to interfere with the flow of fuel to facilitate fuel atomization.
US07908850B1
A drive apparatus having an actuator assembly mounted on a control device is disclosed. The drive apparatus comprises an input, a variable drive system, a control device, and an actuator assembly. The drive apparatus is mounted on a vehicle that comprises an operating system. A prime mover drives the input, which subsequently drives one or more axle shafts. The variable drive system is capable of operation in forward and reverse directions. The control device determines the direction of operation and speed of the variable drive system. The actuator assembly is mounted to a component of the control device. The actuator assembly determines the state of operation of the output device with respect to the forward or reverse operation of the variable drive system.
US07908837B2
A riding mower carries a grass collector at the rear of the mower frame. A mounting system for the grass collector comprises a mount that pivotally couples the lower portion of the grass collector to the mower frame. The pivotal mount comprises a pair of hooks each of which is inserted onto a pivot rod. In addition, the mounting system comprises a quick connect fastening system that includes a pair of spring biased retaining pins that can be latched in a retracted, non-operative position or unlatched so that the spring bias on the pins is able to move the pins into an extended, operative position. In the extended, operative position of the retaining pins, the pins fasten or secure the grass collector to the mower frame in a substantially upright, operative position of the grass collector.
US07908828B2
A case for holding a DVD or other device may include a flexible clip arm for, e.g., retaining printed information about the DVD, holding the DVD, and/or locking one or more DVDs in place. An apparatus includes a body configured to retain a first disc. The apparatus further includes a retention device coupled to the body and configured to apply pressure to material disposed between the retention device and the body and thereby to assist in retaining the material between the retention device and the body. A method includes inserting a first disc into a container configured to retain the first disc. The method further includes securing material within the container using a retention device coupled to the container and configured to apply pressure to the material and thereby to assist in retaining the material within the container. Other implementations focus on holding or locking a DVD, or other device.
US07908821B2
Embodiments are described of devices for concealing and/or protecting a portion of a member, such as the base of a post, which devices can be easily applied to the member at any time. These embodiments include a plurality of components adjustably connected to one another so as to provide a snug fit of the device against the member to be protected, regardless of initial variations from the expected dimensions of the member. Further device embodiments are self-adjusting to provide a snug fit regardless of subsequent changes in the dimension of the member over time.
US07908813B2
A ceiling panel is provided for use in a grid-type suspended ceiling, wherein the grid includes a plurality of spaced grid runners. The ceiling panel comprises a tile base with perimeter segments and perimeter profiles along at least a portion of at least two of the perimeter segments. Each profile is supportable by the grid runners during suspension. A facing material is secured across the perimeter segments, and extends beyond the perimeter profiles in order to at least partially conceal two of the grid runners when the tile is suspended from the two grid runners and viewed from below.
US07908811B2
Constructive element (1), such as a profile or a grid or another adequate constructive element, where said constructive element (1) is formed beginning with a sheet whose thickness is fundamentally constant; the cross-section of said constructive element includes at least one unfolded region (2) defined between two ends of said cross-section; said unfolded region (2) includes a plurality of cuts that define a regular pattern along the constructive element (1); said unfolded region (2) is produced when a tractional force is applied to their respective ends; said constructive element (1) is characterized because said unfolded region includes at least one element rotated essentially in 180° (2.2) with regard to the rotation it had prior to the application of said tractional force; said at least one rotated element (2.2) is joined to at least one element that does not rotate (2.1), by means of conveniently defined linking lines (2.3).
US07908807B2
An insulated concrete form system for constructing the exterior walls and gable ends of a structure is disclosed using expanded polystyrene forms that interconnect and are bonded to each other and to the structure's slab or foundation with concrete. Internal, substantially columnar voids are provided in each of the panel forms and both the interior and the exterior surfaces of the walls and gable ends may be finished with a variety of finish materials using furring strips that are incorporated into the interior and exterior surfaces of the forms.
US07908806B2
A cable molding primarily intended to be installed on a wall structure of a common hallway of a multiple dwelling unit below pre-existing molding, and an overlay molding attachable to the cable molding to conceal both the cable molding and the pre-existing molding. The overlay molding includes a panel member having upper and lower edges and a flange extending rearwardly from the panel member intermediate the upper and lower edges. The flange defines with a lower portion of the panel member a lower channel shaped for attachment to the cable member, and defines with an upper portion of the panel member an upper channel for receiving pre-existing molding.
US07908804B2
A prefabricated form assembly for making a concrete floor is disclosed. The form comprises an elongated form plate having a front for forming and retaining a flowable concrete material before it sets, anchor elements extending from the back face of the form plate, and being destined to be embedded into the concrete floor; and an L-shaped lintel having a back wall connected to the front face of the form plate and a bearing wall for supporting a masonry wall. Advantageously the construction of a concrete floor adapted to structurally retain a masonry wall using prefabricated form assemblies according to the invention no more requires the use of different groups of workers from different building trades as in the prior art, only one group of workers is required.
US07908794B2
A flower pot assembly including at least one axle and two wheels near a lower region of a pot-shaped element. The axle is located from the bottom of the pot by a distance greater than the radius of the wheels such that the wheels are not in contact with the surface on which the assembly rests. Tipping of the flowerpot assembly brings the wheels into contact with the surface, and further tipping frees the bottom of the pot from contact with the surface. In this attitude, the assembly may be readily wheeled to a new location. A vertical handle, preferably detachable, is attached to a side above the axle to facilitate tipping and moving. The element may be cylindrical, conical, rectangular, or any other convenient shape. Preferably, the element is tapered to facilitate stacking of pots without wheels for shipping and storage.
US07908793B2
A tree tie and method of use is disclosed. The tree tie comprises a member. The tie member including a first end portion; a first tab coupled to the first end portion; a middle portion and one end of a middle portion coupled to the first tab. The tie member also includes an opposite end of the middle portion coupled to a second tab, a second end portion coupled to the second tab and a head portion coupled to the second end portion. The tree tie including a flexible hose surrounding the middle portion of the first member and being substantially held in place by the first and second tabs. Only flexible hose contacts the tree when the first member surrounds the tree.
US07908790B2
A rodent trap includes a base, a hoop pivoting relative to the base having a first and a second position, a bias arrangement, a retaining bar pivoting relative to the base and having a setting and a releasing position, a release arrangement comprising an over-center pivotally mounted keeper having first and second positions, the retaining bar including a locking lip to retain the hoop in a first set position when the retaining bar is in the setting position, the release arrangement for mounting a bait and release the retaining bar when subject to an upward force on the bait, the retaining bar automatically set to the setting position by drawing the hoop down onto the retaining bar against the bias and the retaining bar engaging a retaining lip of the release arrangement.
US07908789B2
A container and method for storing and imparting a scent to an object. The container having an outer layer formed to define an object receiving space and fabricated of a moisture and gas barrier material. The container further having an inner scented layer having a scent incorporated therein such that, upon an object being disposed in the object receiving space, the scent of the inner scented layer is imparted to the object while the outer layer serves as a barrier to prevent surrounding objects from being contaminated with the scent.
US07908786B2
A fishing rod holder that is mountable to a surface. The rod holder comprises an elongated sleeve defining a proximal end, a distal end and a body disposed between the proximal end and the distal end. The body delimits an internal channel that extends between the proximal end and the distal end and that opens out of the distal end. The distal end includes a first cut-out and a second cut-out which are in communication with the internal channel and in communication with each other. The second cut-out is positioned perpendicular with respect to the first cut-out and opening out of the distal end wherein the second cutout is sized and shaped to guide the handle of the fishing rod to the first cut-out as the fishing rod enters the distal end and into the internal channel. The first cut-out is sized and shaped to accept the handle as the handle rotates from the second cut-out and into the first cut-out such that the first cut-out contacts the handle when a fish strikes the fishing line to prevent the rod from exiting the internal channel under force of the fish strike.
US07908785B2
A non-motorized waterfowl decoy device includes a recoil mechanism adapted for use in a front-facing position or a rear-facing position. The recoil mechanism includes a rotatable spindle having a long axis about four times greater than its diameter. The recoil mechanism further includes a elastic drive member adapted to slidably couple into a pair of corresponding slots on the spindle and engage a rear-support post having a u-shaped alignment channel. A pull cord attached to the spindle causes the spindle to rotate and coil the elastic drive member. Positioning the pull cord through a provided aperture on the rear guide-post enables reward-facing operation and, positioning the pull cord through a provided aperture on a front guide posts enables forward-facing operation.
US07908782B1
A pivot mount base is assembled to or removed from the sight mounting rail of a firearm by a lever actuated cam energized rail clamping mechanism. The pivot mount base supports and provides for rotational and linear movement of a pivot shaft. A pivot shaft locator pin extending transversely through the pivot shaft is adapted to be selectively received in position controlling relation by pairs of aligned shaft location receptacles defined by the pivot mount base. A sight support device is fixed to the pivot shaft and serves to retain a firearm sighting device. The sight support device and sighting device are moveable between an operative position where the sighting device can be used to sight the firearm on a target and an inoperative position where the sighting device is positioned laterally offset from its operative position. The sight support device is pivotally mounted by the pivot shaft and is spring energized to secure the sighting device against inadvertent movement and noise at its operative and inoperative positions.
US07908779B2
A handgun has at least one barrel; a cartridge chamber; a gun lock correlated with the cartridge chamber and provided with a hammer to be cocked against a spring force into a cocked position and with a trigger for releasing the hammer from the cocked position. First and second electric or electronic sensor devices are provided. The first sensor device recognizes whether the hammer is cocked. The second sensor device recognizes whether a cartridge is in the cartridge chamber. At least one light illuminates when the hammer of the gun lock is cocked; when a cartridge is inserted in the cartridge chamber; or when both of these conditions are fulfilled. A mechanical locking and unlocking device acts on the hammer. In a locking position it secures the hammer in the uncocked position. It is electrically operable by a battery and is in the locking position when currentless.
US07908776B2
A garment care system includes a steam generator having a steam outlet, and a handset having a steam inlet arranged for coupling to the steam outlet, an opening for releasing steam and a steam control unit for controlling a valve for controlling the release of steam. The steam control unit includes a selector unit having at least two selection options, and a steam release switch connected to the selector unit and arranged for starting or stopping the release of steam in dependence on the selected option.
US07908775B2
A snow plow includes a primary moldboard and auxiliary plow positioned behind the primary moldboard. The snow plow may be a one-way or reversible snow plow. In the later case, the primary moldboard and auxiliary plow are attached to a drive frame that is rotatable about a frame. The frame is secured to the front of a vehicle by a frame and bracket, and controlled by hydraulic mechanisms. The auxiliary plow is operated independently of the moldboard by a pair of hydraulic cylinders and includes tines or a resilient blade for clearing snow and ice that is not taken up by the primary moldboard. The device also includes a mechanism whereby the scraping edge of the secondary plow follows the same path as the scraping edge of moldboard by sliding movement of the secondary plow relative to the drive frame, and the blade of the auxiliary plow may be formed by tines or a resilient blade.
US07908765B2
A continuous granulating and drying apparatus comprises a granulator and a fluid bed dryer. The fluid bed dryer comprises at least two separate processing compartments forming part of a common vessel being provided with radially extending partition walls separating the processing compartments from each other. Each processing compartment has a product inlet and a product outlet. The fluid bed dryer comprises a granulated product supply conduit arranged rotatably to selectively communicate with the product inlet of each separate processing compartment, respectively, and a product discharge conduit arranged rotatably to selectively communicate with the product outlet of each separate processing compartment, respectively. The granulator and the fluid bed dryer are closely coupled.
US07908760B2
An alignment device measures an angular offset between a vehicle body axis and a vehicle drive axis. The device includes an arm having a mounting portion for mounting to a vehicle such that the arm is aligned with the vehicle body axis. A wheel support member is coupled to the arm for rotation relative to the arm. A wheel is rotatably supported by the wheel support member and configured to roll on a ground surface, such that the wheel and the wheel support member are configured to self-align with the vehicle drive axis when the arm is mounted to the vehicle and the vehicle is driven on the ground surface. An indicator displays the angular offset between the wheel support member and the arm, which is indicative of the angular offset between the vehicle body axis and the vehicle drive axis. A method of carrying out a measurement with the device is also disclosed.
US07908753B2
A hands-free level for gauging structural-member orientation. The level includes an elongate frame with two side-faces and at least one main reference surface extending therealong and having a mainwidth, a level indicator secured to the frame, and a support arm to facilitate holding of the reference surface against the stud. The support arm has a proximal end and extends to a free distal end which includes an end member. The proximal end is pivotably secured to the frame about a pivot axis such that the distal end and end member are movable between a storage position along one of the side-faces and a use position beyond the reference surface and stud. A coil spring is about the pivot axis biases the distal end and end member to the storage position. The end member extends from the distal end and terminates in a stud-engaging portion. When the reference surface is against a stud surface, the stud-engaging portion engages the stud for hands-free holding of the level thereagainst.
US07908752B2
A geodetic instrument is disclosed, wherein an image sensor is used for locating the instrument above a desired point on the ground. The positioning of the image sensor with respect to the instrument vertical rotation axis is determined, or calibrated, using a method where two images are captured at different horizontal rotational positions for the instrument, and where the center pixel of the image sensor is related to the vertical rotation axis by means of image processing. It is also disclosed how reflecting elements, such as prisms, may be used for providing stereoscopic vision that can be used for determining the instrument height above the ground.
US07908748B2
A rack and pinion type steering device capable of reducing contact surface pressure, suppressing the wear of contact surfaces, and preventing a rack guide movable amount from being excessively increased by increasing the contact area of the outer peripheral surface of roller on the outer peripheral surface of a rack shaft in a rack guide, and method of manufacturing the steering gear.
US07908744B2
A method of fabricating a printed circuit board having capacitance components, including: providing a core board having first and second surfaces with first and second wiring layers provided thereon, respectively, and electrically connected, a second dielectric layer, and a carrier board sequentially provided thereon with a second metal layer, a high dielectric material layer, and a third wiring layer with a plurality of first electrode plates thereon; laminating the core board, second dielectric layer, and carrier board to one another; removing the carrier board so as to expose the second metal layer; and patterning the second metal layer so as to form a fifth wiring layer having a plurality of second electrode plates and a plurality of second conductive vias electrically connected to the third wiring layer, thereby allowing the first electrode plates, high dielectric material layer, and second electrode plates together to form a plurality of capacitance components.
US07908741B2
A hydraulic compression tool for securing a compression type cable connector to a prepared end of a coaxial cable. The tool can include a hydraulic assembly having an axially extendable ram, and a connector frame detachably attached to the hydraulic assembly. The connector frame can include a cable cradle configured to accommodate cables of various sizes and a sleeve for engaging a cable connector. The connector frame can further include a sliding guide structure attached to the cable cradle. The sliding guide structure can include a sliding bar and one or more sliding guides. The sleeve can be attached to the sliding bar. The sleeve can be configured to accommodate connectors of various sizes. Activating the hydraulic assembly can cause the ram to extend, which in turn can cause the sliding bar to move along the longitudinal axis of the cable connector compressing the compression member and connector body into operative engagement with the cable.
US07908738B2
A method for manufacturing antenna elements for use with wireless communication devices comprises a number of cutting techniques that allow the size of the antenna elements to be adjusted. Rollers cut the tabs that form the antenna elements. In a first embodiment, a plurality of rollers are used, each one effecting a different cut whose position may be phased so as to shorten or lengthen the antenna element. In a second embodiment, the rollers are independently positionable to shorten or lengthen the antenna element.
US07908733B2
A lead hole is formed in a base material of an injection hole member with a straight punch, and then, a taper hole is formed in the base material by widening the lead hole with a taper punch. An intersection line between a virtual plane perpendicular to a central axis of the lead hole and an inner peripheral surface of the lead hole is elliptic in shape, whose major axis is directed along an intersection line between a virtual plane, which includes the central axis of the lead hole and a thickness direction axis of the base material, and the virtual plane perpendicular to the central axis of the lead hole. An intersection line between a virtual plane perpendicular to a central axis of the taper punch and an outer peripheral surface of the taper punch is round in shape.
US07908718B2
Inexpensively manufactured device and system permits the holding, typically for display purposes, of at least one, but preferrably multiple items such as a trading cards or photographs in a manner offering an unobstructed view of the items.
US07908717B2
A fastener for components of a motor vehicle includes a tubular rivet, with a rivet head and a shank, wherein the shank has at least two longitudinal slits, between which lugs which can deflect in an elastically rebounding manner. The fastener includes a support bearing with a tubular mounting into which the shank of the rivet for the holding of at least a component between rivet head and support bearing can be inserted. Corresponding engagement elements are formed on the outer circumference of the shank and on the inner circumference of the mounting which, in a fixing position of the rivet in the mounting are engaged so that the rivet is held against slipping out of the mounting. The fastener includes a pin which can be inserted in the tubular rivet and which in a securing position in the rivet blocks a deflection of the lugs so that disengagement of the engagement elements is prevented.
US07908716B2
A tensioning device includes a pair of opposing first surfaces defining a first wedge opening. The first surfaces are fixed relative to each other. The first wedge opening is shaped to releasably secure a first portion of a cord. A pair of opposing second surfaces defines a second wedge opening. The second surfaces are fixed relative to each other. The second wedge opening is spaced apart from the first wedge opening. The second wedge opening is shaped to releasably secure a second portion of the cord. A cord block defines a support surface spaced from the first and second wedge openings. The support surface is positioned to slidably support the cord between the first and second wedge openings.
US07908711B2
A device for mounting on a door hinge, of the type having intermeshing sleeves held together by a hinge pin, for supporting clothes and other items. A hinge-mounted hanger kit for use with different sized hinges, including a hanger for attaching to a hinge using an overlength pin to replace the hinge pin and a spacer or selection of spacers for use in accommodating different sized hinges. An extender for use with a hinge-mounted hanger for displacing the pivot axis of the hanger from the hinge pivot axis and having two different sized receptacles for receiving different sized hinges. A swing-restraint clip for use with a hinge-mounted hanger for attaching to a hinge and interposing between the hanger and an adjacent surface for impeding pivoting movement of the hanger relative to the surface.
US07908709B2
A check link assembly is operatively connectable to a door to provide resistance to the rotation of the door. The amount of resistance varies with the position of the door to provide at least one detent position. The check link assembly stores energy when the door is latched in its closed position, and is configured to release the energy when the door is unlatched so that the door moves toward its open position.
US07908698B2
A wafer on which a CMP processing is completed is rotated. A front surface cleaning brush and a rear surface cleaning brush are made contact both surfaces of the wafer while being rotated. After the front surface cleaning brush and the rear surface cleaning brush are made to contact the wafer, both end portions of the front surface cleaning brush and the rear surface cleaning brush are deformed by means of pressurizing both ends of the front surface cleaning brush and the rear surface cleaning brush by pressure portions. That is, the both end portions of the front surface cleaning brush and the rear surface cleaning brush are compressed to enlarge diameters in the both end portions. As a consequence, the entire front surface of the wafer is made to contact the front surface cleaning brush substantially evenly, even if the wafer is warped into a shape of a mound. Therefore, a cleaning efficiency of the outer peripheral portion of the wafer improves.
US07908691B2
The present invention provides a medical support pillow and method for supporting a patient in the lateral position while maintaining an open airway. The lateral airway support pillow includes a chest support, a shoulder recess, a head support and a posterior bolster. The orientation of these components support the patient in the lateral position, with the spine and airway in a straight position, thus eliminating possible airway obstruction. One embodiment of the invention contains a head support with a posterior recess and a neck support which provides for straightening of the neck and airway and aligning the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes of the airway. Other embodiments position and elevate the patient in such a manner to treat or prevent soft tissue pressure injury, gastroesophageal reflux, congestive heart failure, or sleep apnea.
US07908679B2
The present invention discloses a safety goggles structure having a frame connecting portion, a frame latch portion, two frame snap-in portions, a lens connecting portion, a lens latch portion, two lens snap-in portions and two elastic buckles to mount a lens onto a frame for achieving the effect of securely connecting the frame and the lens or improving their connecting stability. With an upper guide channel slantingly and concavely disposed on the frame and a lower guide channel vertically up-and-down and concavely disposed on the frame, gases and liquids can pass through without producing fogs and accumulating liquid on the lens, and foreign substances cannot enter into the safety goggles easily to cause any safety issue. With the design of an upper gutter on the frame, liquid splashed onto the safety goggles can flow along either side of the upper gutter to prevent liquid accumulation or leaking.
US07908678B2
A protective sport helmet having an interior liner capable of conforming to the head of the wearer in the fore and aft direction and/or the side-to-side direction is disclosed. The sport helmet can comprise a protective outer shell and an inner energy-absorbing liner. The liner can comprise a top portion and a base portion flexibly connected therebetween to adjust the fit of the helmet to the head of a wearer in the fore and aft direction. The liner can comprise a side liner portion and the outer shell can comprise a slider mechanism for engaging the side liner portion to adjust the fit of the helmet to the head of the wearer in the side-to-side direction. The liner can comprise a plurality of grooves to transfer energy across the liner material.
US07908676B2
A multi-functional, lightweight outerwear garment that transforms into a temporary freestanding shelter.
US07908675B2
A multi-pocket assembly attachable to a garment and more particularly to a multipocket system for pants that allows easy access even when a user is in a seated position. One embodiment provides has a first pocket structure having an interior access opening with means for closing the top and at least one vertical side. Additional pockets can be added on top of the first pocket. Additional features that can be added to the invention include reflective tape, securable flaps, zippers, pleats, and the like.
US07908668B2
The disclosure relates to safety eyewear disposed in a safety helmet and including a transparent panel for positioning in front of the eyes of the wearer. At each side of the panel, arms are provided which, at their ends are pivotally connected, on the one hand to the panel and, on the other hand, to the helmet. The arms also each have an interjacent joint at a point between their respective ends.The disclosure also relates to a safety helmet provided with safety eyewear in accordance with the foregoing.
US07913309B2
Information rights management (IRM) systems enable information to be protected after it has been accessed by or delivered to an authorized individual. For example, this might be to allow an email to be viewed for a limited time by specified individuals but to prevent that email from being forwarded. However, existing IRM systems are limited in the situations in which they may operate. An IRM server is provided which communicates with one or more policy evaluators which are independent of the IRM server. Results from the different policy evaluators may be combined by the IRM server and one or more identity providers may be used in conjunction with each policy evaluator. By enabling the IRM server to act as a broker between authors, recipients and policy evaluators situations in which IRM systems may operate are greatly extended.
US07913295B2
A form of removable memory, such as a universal serial bus (USB) flash device, may enable a subscription-based computing system from any PC. The device may include an execution unit including a processor, a private memory including an encrypted application, a computing system interface, a cryptographic unit including a secure storage with a number of metering units, and a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include instructions for routing messages and data from the execution unit through the computing system interface to a connected computing system. Further, encrypted application data may be routed through the cryptographic unit to the execution unit to thereby transform the encrypted application into executable data for use by the computing system. Also, the device may decrement a number of metering units stored at the device during execution of the encrypted application by the computer.
US07913291B2
In the setting of policies for personal data, instructions originating from a primary user and defining a privacy policy for a selected piece of personal data are communicated, via an application unit (220), to a privacy-setting node (258) of a service broker (250). The instruction define possible data providers (240) for the data. The policy is stored at a database (254) in a privacy tree for the primary user comprising hierarchically arranged personal data with associated policies. Upon receiving a request for the personal data, the privacy-setting node determines whether there is a privacy policy defined from the data by checking the privacy tree of the primary user. If there is a policy for a requested data, it selects a data provider among the possible data providers and returns a response to the application unit, providing access to the requested personal data at this provider.
US07913287B1
A system for delivering data including rerun digital programming via unused bandwidth of digital side channels and the Internet to consumers, which system includes a monitor for providing real time feedback of the amount of unused bandwidth available for auxiliary transmissions.
US07913285B2
A method for providing pay-per-view service while observing an OpenCable standard in realization of bi-directional digital cable broadcasting includes a method for interfacing between a set-top box and a point of deployment (POD), the method comprising the steps of: receiving, at the set-top box, an arbitrary program event purchase-related instruction inputted by a user, generating an object based on the arbitrary program event purchase-related instruction, and transmitting the arbitrary program event purchase-related instruction object to the POD; and receiving, at the POD, the object transmitted by the set-top box, generating an answer object based on the reception, and transmitting the answer object to the set-top box.
US07913283B2
An entertainment head-end provides broadcast programming, video-on-demand services, and HTML-based interactive programming through a distribution network to client terminals in subscribers' homes. A number of different features are provided, including novel user interfaces, enhanced video-on-demand controls, a variety of interactive services (personalized news, jukebox, games, celebrity chat), and techniques that combine to provide user experiences evocative of conventional television.
US07913282B2
A Distributed Video System provides a scalable and interactive video-on-demand service with VCR operations over a communication network includes a video server and video clients, each of which includes a memory buffer, called a client buffer. The System provides a method of managing video frames of client buffers in a cooperative way with video frames held in the video server allows the video frames of the client buffers to be shared among the video clients. Requests for a video are primarily served by the video clients that have the requested video frames in their client buffers and only requests that the video clients are unable to attend to will be provided by the video server.
US07913279B2
An exemplary global listings format (GLF) is metadata for electronically transferring multimedia programming content and electronic program guide information. The GLF metadata specifies a self-referential data structure having a self-consistency mechanism comprising interlocking and crosslocking data elements. The self-consistency mechanism ensures completeness and validity of transferred programming data. In one implementation, the exemplary GLF is expressed in an extensible markup language (XML) schema definition (XSD) specification.
US07913276B2
A data-providing system comprising a first data-transmitting section (control unit 1), a control section (control unit 3), and a second data-transmitting section (control unit 3). The first data-transmitting section transmits a continuous stream of content data that consists of multimedia content groups, each composed of program data and auxiliary data items. The control section processes data items obtained by dividing each program data, attribute data of the auxiliary data items and user profile data, thereby to automatically assemble new data. The second data-transmitting section changes the order in which to transmit the auxiliary data items inserted in a program, in accordance with the new data assembled by the control section.
US07913267B2
An information storage disk handling apparatus includes a first disk device, a second disk device and a turn-over device. The first disk device has a first tray, and the second disk device has a second tray. The first disk device is mounted over the second disk device. Each of the trays has an ejected position. The turn-over device is mounted between the ejected positions of the trays of the first disk device and the second disk device to turn over an optical disk removed from the first tray at its ejected position and received by the second tray at its ejected position after the optical disk is turned.
US07913266B2
The present invention provides a disk drive with a compact size that makes it possible to effectively utilize space within a disk drive and permits a straightforward layout of members.The disk drive comprises a disk holder 10 that has a plurality of holder plates 11 that individually hold disks D, a drive unit 62 that plays back disks D, disk selectors 41A and 41B that form a space above and below a desired disk D by raising and lowering the holder plates 11, and a drive base 60 that moves the drive unit 62 into the space that is formed by raising and lowering the holder plates 11. The opening amount of the disk holder 10 by the rise and fall of the holder plates 11 is fixed. The height of insertion of disk D into the disk holder 10 is on the upper side between the highest holder plate 11 and the lowest holder plate 11 when the disk holder 10 is open.
US07913265B2
The invention relates to a method for loading a software having several modules loadable in the non-volatile memory of a portable digital device. The loading of at least one module includes testing the existence of a data structure associated with the module in the non-volatile memory and, when necessary, to create the data structure indicating it as empty. The method further includes resolving links for totality of internal elements and, afterwards, in marking the structure as loaded. The existence of an associated data structure is determined for each other module referenced in the loadable module and, when necessary, the structure is created and indicated as empty. The invention makes it possible to reduce the space occupied by the on-board software during loading of modules.
US07913263B2
An external device is used with a backend host operated with an operating system. The external device has a program and receives incoming data. The external device is operated with the backend host according to an operating method including the following steps. Firstly, the external device is connected to the backend host, and the external device is recognized by the operating system. Then, the external device is reconnected to the backend host to have the operating system recognize the external device as a memory device when the external device is unrecognizable by the operating system, so that the program is accessible and executable by the operating system to control the external device, or the external device converts the incoming data into at least one data file complying with the access format of a certain program in the operating system.
US07913257B2
A thread status managing unit organizes a plurality of threads into groups and manages the status of the thread groups. A ready queue queues thread groups in a ready state or a running state in the order of priority and, within the same priority level, in the FIFO order. An assignment list generating unit sequentially retrieves the thread groups from the ready queue. The assignment list appends a retrieved thread group to a thread assignment list only when all threads belonging to the retrieved thread group are assignable to the respective processors at the same time. A thread assigning unit assigns all threads belonging to the thread groups stored in the thread assignment list to the respective processors.
US07913254B2
The present invention provides a new method and system to provide a flexible and easily reconfigurable way to map threads or tasks of a parallel program to CPUs of a parallel computer. The inventive method replaces the necessity of coding the mapping of threads or tasks to CPUs in the parallel computer by looking up in a mapping description which is preferably presented in form of least one table that is provided at runtime. The mapping description specifies various mapping strategies of tasks or threads to CPUs. Selecting of a certain mapping strategy or switching from a specified mapping strategy to a new one can be done manually or automatically at runtime without any decompilation of the parallel program.
US07913253B2
This disclosure relates to drawing within a computer environment using a drawing resource. The computer environment includes a managed code portion and a native code portion. The computer environment compares a draw parameter call value being passed from the managed code portion to the native code portion with a stored drawing resource value stored in the native code portion. If the draw parameter call value is the same as the stored drawing resource value, then the computer environment is configured to draw onto a native drawing surface using the stored drawing resource. If the draw parameter call value is not the same as the drawing resource value, then a new drawing resource is created in the managed code portion. In another aspect, a portion of the drawing resource feature portion that contains data that describes at least one or more parameter of the drawing resource is transmitted between the managed code portion and the native code portion.
US07913251B2
A logically partitioned data processing system in which shared resources are emulated to provide each partition a separate copy of the shared resource is provided. In one embodiment, the logically partitioned data processing system includes a plurality of logical partitions, a plurality of operating systems executing within the data processing system and a plurality of assignable resources. Each of the plurality of operating systems is assigned to a separate one of the plurality of logical partitions, such that no more than one operating system is assigned to any given logical partition. Each of the plurality of assignable resources is assigned to a single one of the plurality of logical partitions. The logically partitioned data processing system also includes a hypervisor. The hypervisor emulates shared resources, such as an operator panel and a system console, and provides a virtual copy of these shared resources to each of the plurality of logical partitions.
US07913250B2
Migration of a user state from a source computing device to a destination computing device using a state migration point (SMP) is disclosed. The destination computing device may be the same as the source computing device but with a different operating system. The user state is securely stored by the SMP until the user state is restored on the destination computing device or a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Additional SMPs can be added without an architectural change. SMPs can be used to simultaneously migrate the states of multiple users of the source computing device to multiple destination computing devices. The SMPs can be restricted to migrate only the user states of computing devices with particular IP subnets. The SMPs can retain user states for a period of time after restoration in order to provide a backup, if necessary.
US07913249B1
A software installation checker is disclosed. A small stub application is put inside a desktop package, and is run at certain points during a software installation. The stub contacts a server and fetches a library which comprises a class with a method. The stub runs the method on the class, passing to the class the information as well as the server. The class unpacks an engine and passes control to the engine. The engine runs a check with tasks received from a collector of the server. Data is uploaded to the server, and can be examined via a web interface.
US07913248B1
A system and method installs a computer program, as well as the environment in which the computer program operates, if such environment is not already installed. The program as well as its environment are obtained via one or more servers and a computer network.
US07913247B2
The present invention relates to providing updates of software products via a network, for example the Internet. In order to provide a simple software updates download method which can be run automatically without major manual interference, once some initial work has been done, a Download server side performs the steps of: a) generating a RSS file including information for defining name and location of a file comprising said software update, b) offering the RSS file on a download server, c) evaluating incoming download requests if the request comprises a notation of the RSS file, and d) if the request comprises a notation of the RSS file, sending said file to the requesting user. At the update requesting side a RSS reader program for managing a subscription list is used, wherein each member of the subscription list comprises the definition of a download source file.
US07913242B2
A vehicle software installation, upgrade, and diagnostic system for use in vehicle assembly, upgrade, and repair, includes a portable memory device, such as a USB flash disk. The device receives diagnostic information via an open architecture communications port of a vehicle, such as a USB port. An external processor has a complimentary open architecture communications port and is adapted to receive and analyze the diagnostic information from the portable device. According to various aspects, analysis of the diagnostic information verifies successful installation and testing of vehicle software transferred from the portable device to vehicle processors, identifies software versions resident on the vehicle and related upgrade history for download and installation of an appropriate software upgrade, and/or diagnoses vehicle problems in accordance with sensed vehicle conditions and predetermined fault detection criteria.
US07913241B2
A method for optimizing functions is described. A query including an invocation of a function is received. A function declaration indicates that the function is associated with a first set of datatypes. At compile-time, static type-checking is performed on the query. During the static type-checking, a second set of datatypes is determined for the function. The second set of datatypes includes the datatype of each argument of the function that is specified in the invocation. The query is compiled, where compiling the query includes compiling the function with the second set of datatypes.
US07913231B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implement techniques for testing applications using configurable patterns. A test script is received for a pattern that includes a predefined arrangement of user interface elements and specifies predefined actions that can be performed using the user interface elements. The test script specifies test sequences operable to invoke one or more of the predefined actions that can be performed. A specification of an application is received, where the specification includes configuration data for the pattern. The configuration data specifies associations between one or more of the user interface elements and one or more entities in a back-end system. A generated application-specific test is operable to invoke one or more of the predefined actions according to the test sequences in the test script. The predefined actions use the entities in the back-end system with which the user interface elements are associated.
US07913209B1
A cycle basis is efficiently determined for a directed graph. A first depth-first search of the directed graph classifies each of the edges of the directed graph to have a type that is one of a within-tree type for an edge within a tree of the first depth first search, a forward type for an edge skipping forward along the tree, a back type for an edge directed back along the tree, or a cross type for an edge between two subtrees of the tree. A second depth-first search of the directed graph determines a respective cycle for each of the edges of the back type. A third depth-first search of the directed graph determines a respective cycle for each of the edges of the cross type that is included a cycle. The basis is output the basis that specifies each of the respective cycles.
US07913206B1
An improved method and mechanism for data partitioning for a DRC tool is disclosed that efficiently and effectively allows parallelization and multithreading to occur for DRC analysis of the IC design. Data partitioning is performed to allow some of the data to be processed in parallel by distributed processing units, while allowing other of the data to be processed in parallel by multiple threads. This can be accomplished by identifying different types of rules and data, and having different types of processing for the different types of rules and data. Certain types of rules/data will be processed with multi-threaded processing and other types of rules/data will be processed in parallel using distributed processing units.
US07913198B2
A method for designing low signature array antennas using a calculation method. The method proposes a way of improving antenna and signature performance of array antennas. According to the method electromagnetic antenna and signature characteristics are specified, an iterative optimizing method is performed to design the antenna to fulfil the specified characteristics, the iterative method is interrupted when a design fulfils the specified characteristics, and the specified characteristics are readjusted in an iterative optimizing method to follow if the specified characteristics not are fulfilled.
US07913197B1
According to various embodiments of the invention systems and methods for multiple pattern lithography, wherein a target layout pattern that is not capable of being printed in one lithography step is decomposed into multiple patterns that are printable in one lithography operation and, when appropriate, a continuous junction is utilized for where patterns overlap. In a further embodiment, where a continuous junction is not utilized, a splice is utilized at overlap locations. In yet another embodiment, where splices are utilized for overlap locations, identifying where critical nets are located in the target layout pattern, determining how close a component of the critical net is to a splice, and changing the target layout pattern as to avoid the condition of a component of the critical net being in proximity to a splice. In another embodiment of the invention, where splices are utilized at overlap locations, placing a landing pad of contacts or vias at the same location as the splice.
US07913196B2
A method of verifying a layout pattern comprises separately steps of obtaining a simulated pattern at a lower portion of a film by using a layout pattern as a mask to transfer the layout pattern to the film, and obtaining a simulated pattern at an upper portion of the film by using the layout pattern as a mask to transfer the layout pattern to the film. The layout pattern is verified according to the upper and lower simulated patterns.
US07913188B1
The present invention is directed to the graphical selection of objects. A selection indicator, one or more object indicators, and a position indicator are presented on a display. The selection indicator may be manipulated to indicate object indicators by rotating the selection indicator until an object indicators is within the area of the selection indicator and to select an object indicator which has been indicated. The selection indicator may be rotated so a portion overlaps with the location occupied by a portion prior to rotation. A menu indicator is also presented on the display. The menu indicator comprises a selector icon and a list of representations of the object indicators indicated by selection indicator. The selector icon may be manipulated to indicate a single representation of an object indicator and to select the object indicator represented by the representation of the indicated object indicator.
US07913185B1
A graphical user interface allows a user to create an image having a pop-up menu which is exportable to a target computer without the creating user being required to know how to program in JAVASCRIPT™. Using menu selection in the application in which the image is running, the creating user may insert a pop-up menu instruction associated with an object and positioned at a desired location within the image. The inserted pop-up menu instruction then causes the creating computer to invoke its own routines that construct an exportable JAVASCRIPT™ file that allows for a pop-up menu associated with the desired object to be displayed on the screen of a target system.
US07913173B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates acquiring data, which is presented within a web browser, for an application. During operation, the system receives a command from a user to acquire data from the web browser for the application. In response to the command, the system overlays a semi-transparent layer over at least a portion of the web browser, so that the data within the web browser is still visible to the user. The system also receives a drawing command, from the user, to draw a shape around an item of data within the web browser. In response to the drawing command, the system draws a shape around the item of data within the web browser, wherein the shape is drawn on the semi-transparent layer. Finally, the system acquires the item of data bounded by the shape for the application.
US07913169B2
A BD-ROM has recorded therein an AV Clip generated by multiplexing a video stream and a graphics stream. The graphics stream represents an interactive display to be overlayed with the video stream, and includes a sequence of three Button State groups. The interactive display includes a plurality of buttons, each of which changes from a normal state to a selected state, and from the selected state to an active state, according to a user operation. In the three Button State groups in the graphics stream, the first-order group (N-ODSs) is made of a plurality of pieces of graphics data, which represent normal states of the buttons, the second-order group (S-ODSs) is made of a plurality of pieces of graphics data, which represent selected states of the buttons, and the third-order group (A-ODSs) is made of a plurality of pieces of graphics data, which represent active states of the buttons.
US07913168B2
There is provided a technique to contribute to an improvement in convenience of a setting screen for performing setting for a function capable of being executed by an image processing apparatus. A display control apparatus causes plural setting screens to be selectively displayed, which are respectively for performing settings for plural functions capable of being executed by the image processing apparatus and on each of which plural setting items for each of the functions can be displayed, and includes a selection function determination unit to determine that a setting screen for which function among the plural functions has been selected, an item information acquisition unit to acquire information relating to, among the plural setting items relating to the function whose setting screen is determined to have been selected by the selection function determination unit, a setting item to be displayed on the setting screen for the function, and a control unit to display, based on the information acquired by the item information acquisition unit and on the setting screen for the function whose setting screen is determined to have been selected by the selection function determination unit, the setting item to be displayed on the setting screen.
US07913165B2
A system and method configured to support inserting at least one object in a text editor comprises a text editor module, a text rasterizer module, at least one object to be inserted, and a separate object interpreter module. The text editor module is unable to insert an object directly and is configured to support UNICODE and scalable fonts. The text editor module comprises a first set of UNICODE numerical values and a second set of UNICODE numerical values. The text rasterizer module is associated with the text editor module and is configured to use at least one of the first set of numerical values to generate text to display in a display area. The user selected object to be inserted is associated with the second set of numerical values usable by the text editor. The separate object interpreter module is configured to receive the second set of numerical values and insert the object into the display area.
US07913161B2
A computer-implemented method of managing electronic documents includes steps of providing a first electronic document, the first document including a plurality of first document content elements; providing a second electronic document, the second document including a plurality of second document content elements; defining a parent-child relation between the first document and the second document to form a hierarchy of electronic documents that includes the first and second electronic documents; defining an override relation to bind a selected first document content element to a selected second document content element, the override relation specifying an override type that determines whether the selected second document content element should be replaced by, appended to the selected first document content element or removed, and enforcing the at least one override relation binding the selected first document content element to the selected second document content element.
US07913152B2
A digital broadcasting transmission system processes dual transport stream (TS) including multi turbo streams. The digital broadcasting transmission system includes a turbo processor to detect a turbo stream from a dual transport stream (TS) which includes a multiplexed normal stream and a turbo stream, encoding the detected turbo stream and stuffing the encoded turbo stream into the dual TS; and a transmitter to trellis-encode the processed dual TS, and to output the resultant stream, wherein the turbo processor encodes the turbo stream using a plurality of turbo processors. Accordingly, a plurality of turbo streams may be processed in parallel.
US07913148B2
A RAID disk drive controller (FIG. 33) implements disk storage operations, including striping and redundancy operations with multiple disk drives connected via respective SATA ports (520). Configurable data path switch logic (460) provides dynamic configuration of two or more attached drives into one or more arrays. Data transfers are synchronized locally by leveraging the SATA port transport layer FIFO (530). Synchronous transfers allow on-the-fly redundancy (XOR) operations (FIG. 36) for improved performance and reduced hardware complexity. XOR accumulator hardware (FIG. 42-FIG. 43) reduces buffer requirements for multiple DMA channels otherwise required for synchronization, and various narrow and wide striping modes are supported.
US07913144B2
Provided are a diagnostic device and the like providing a favorable diagnosis result by further improving the diagnosis resolution. A diagnostic device 1 has a symbol injection part 3, which is composed of a symbol injection part for an active element 5 and a symbol injection part for a passive element 7, an occurrence probability providing part 9, an equal occurrence probability providing part 11, and a switching part 13. A per-test X-fault diagnosis flow by the diagnostic device 1 consists of a stage for collecting diagnostic information and a stage for drawing diagnostic conclusion. The layout of a deep-submicron LSI circuit usually needs to involve multiple layers, which means that vias are extensively used. Since via information is utilized by the symbol injection part for a passive element 7, it becomes possible to locate defects to the via level, greatly improving the diagnostic resolution. Since, by the occurrence probability providing part 9, a new diagnosis value is used and, the occurrence probabilities of possible faulty logic combinations are taken into consideration, the reality in a deep-submicron LSI circuit is better reflected, which contributes to the improvement of diagnostic resolution.
US07913137B2
Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of a so-called “X-press” test response compactor. Certain embodiments of the disclosed compactor comprise an overdrive section and scan chain selection logic. Certain embodiments of the disclosed technology offer compaction ratios on the order of 1000×. Exemplary embodiments of the disclosed compactor can maintain about the same coverage and about the same diagnostic resolution as that of conventional scan-based test scenarios. Some embodiments of a scan chain selection scheme can significantly reduce or entirely eliminate unknown states occurring in test responses that enter the compactor. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of on-chip comparator circuits and methods for generating control circuitry for masking selection circuits.
US07913134B2
A boundary scan test circuit is capable of sequentially performing a boundary scan test with respect to semiconductor integrated circuits bonded to both surfaces of a memory board. In order to reduce a boundary scan test time, the boundary scan test circuit includes a mirror function unit which transmits data signals of a first group pin or data signals of a second group pin corresponding to the first group pin according to a mirror function enable signal, and a boundary scan test unit which receives the data signals of the mirror function unit to perform a boundary scan test.
US07913117B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for providing removable storage management services using removable storage error information. Read/write error information is obtained for at least one removable storage by interfacing with the removable storage manager. The obtained read/write error information for the at least one removable storage is processed to determine read/write error rates for the at least one removable storage. A determination is made as to whether the determined read/write error rates for the at least one removable storage exceed at least one read/write error threshold. At least one message is sent to the removable storage manager to replace the at least one removable storage having read/write error rates that exceed the at least one read/write error threshold.
US07913104B1
Data and clock synchronization within a gigabit receiver is maintained throughout the data byte processing logic of the receiver by utilizing the same byte clock signal. The deserialization clock signal that is used to deserialize the received serial data stream is phase coherent with the distributed byte clock signal used within the physical coding sublayer (PCS), thus establishing reliable data transfer across the physical media attachment (PMA) and PCS layers of the gigabit receiver while maintaining a known, fixed latency. The phase relationship between a derived bit clock signal and the byte clock signal is shifted in a manner that achieves coarse data alignment within each data byte without affecting the latency. Conversely, the coarse data alignment is combined with a data alignment toggling procedure to reduce data alignment granularity with minimized latency changes.
US07913097B2
A fiscal data recorder for storing transaction related data in a point of sale system is provided with a processing unit receiving the transaction related data. Memory in communication with the processing unit is operable to store the transaction related data. A protection circuit acting between the processing unit and the memory inhibits the electronic tampering with the transaction data stored in the memory.
US07913088B2
A signing technique of a disclosed identification/digital signature method hereof uses a mixing system based on multiplication in a ring and reduction modulo an ideal q in that ring, while a disclosed verification technique uses special properties of products of elements whose validity depends on elementary probability theory. The security of the identification/digital signature scheme comes from the interaction of reduction modulo q and the difficulty of forming products with special properties. In an embodiment of the identification/digital signature scheme hereof that employs a quotient ring of polynomials, the security also relies on the experimentally observed fact that for most lattices, it is very difficult to find a vector whose length is only a little bit longer than the shortest vector, and it is also difficult to find a lattice vector that is quite close to a randomly chosen nonlattice vector.
US07913087B2
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for encoding digital watermarks into content signals. Also disclosed are systems and methods for detecting and/or verifying digital watermarks in content signals. According to one embodiment, a system for encoding of digital watermark information includes: a window identifier for identifying a sample window in the signal; an interval calculator for determining a quantization interval of the sample window; and a sampler for normalizing the sample window to provide normalized samples. According to another embodiment, a system for pre-analyzing a digital signal for encoding at least one digital watermark using a digital filter is disclosed. According to another embodiment, a method for pre-analyzing a digital signal for encoding digital watermarks comprises: (1) providing a digital signal; (2) providing a digital filter to be applied to the digital signal; and (3) identifying an area of the digital signal that will be affected by the digital filter based on at least one measurable difference between the digital signal and a counterpart of the digital signal selected from the group consisting of the digital signal as transmitted, the digital signal as stored in a medium, and the digital signal as played backed. According to another embodiment, a method for encoding a watermark in a content signal includes the steps of (1) splitting a watermark bit stream; and (2) encoding at least half of the watermark bit stream in the content signal using inverted instances of the watermark bit stream. Other methods and systems for encoding/decoding digital watermarks are also disclosed.
US07913073B2
An embedded memory card system includes a CPU, a nonvolatile memory storing a booting code and data, a card slave controller controlling the nonvolatile memory, a card host controller communicating with the card slave controller, and a memory controller controlling a volatile memory. The CPU controls the memory controller to boot the system directly from booting code as it is read from the nonvolatile memory.
US07913064B2
The present subject matter relates to operation frame filtering, building, and execution. Some embodiments include identifying a frame signature, counting a number of execution occurrences of the frame signature, and building a frame of operations to execute instead of operations identified by the frame signature.
US07913061B2
A non-volatile memory is constituted from a set of memory planes, each having its own set of read/write circuits so that the memory planes can operate in parallel. The memory is further organized into erasable blocks, each for storing a logical group of logical units of data. In updating a logical unit, all versions of a logical unit are maintained in the same plane as the original. Preferably, all versions of a logical unit are aligned within a plane so that they are all serviced by the same set of sensing circuits. In a subsequent garbage collection operation, the latest version of the logical unit need not be retrieved from a different plane or a different set of sensing circuits, otherwise resulting in reduced performance. In one embodiment, any gaps left after alignment are padded by copying latest versions of logical units in sequential order thereto.
US07913060B2
A lookup unit matrix combines a plurality of lookup units to provide a longest prefix match for a search key longer than the lookup unit's mapper key. A portion of the search key is provided to each of the plurality of lookup units in a single search request issued to the lookup unit matrix. Each lookup unit in the lookup unit matrix performs a multi-level search for the result value based on the portion of the search key forwarded as the mapper key and the result of a multilevel search in the previous lookup unit. The search results in a value corresponding to the search key stored in a single location in one of the lookup units.
US07913058B2
A system and method for identifying a TLB entry having a physical address that is within a specified range are disclosed. The method includes obtaining a tentative TLB entry from a page table entry and accessing a physical address associated with the tentative TLB entry. The method further includes comparing the physical address of the tentative TLB entry with a predetermined range of addresses. If the physical address is within the finite range of addresses, an exception is invoked. In response to the exception, the physical address and/or an attribute of the tentative TLB entry can be modified. The tentative TLB entry can then be stored in a TLB.
US07913057B2
A system that, at a process checkpoint, pauses the process to copy the system state for the process and then copies pages of the process in memory to disk storage while the process continues to run. When a write to a page by the process is to occur that requires a translation from a virtual address to a physical address the write is intercepted. The page that is being modified is duplicated and then the process is allowed to modify the page and continue. The duplicate page is then stored as part of the checkpoint copy.
US07913052B2
Groups of volumes having a certain amount of commonality of data are identified within a storage system. For each group, the process defines a base volume, such as the volume containing the most commonality with the other volumes. For each volume in the group, the process extracts differential data between the base volume and each other volume, saves the differential data in a pool volume, and updates a mapping table. Commonality between volumes in the group is managed in the base volume, the pool volume, and the mapping table. Then the original volumes except the base volume and the pool volume may be deleted, and the original volumes are replaced with virtual volumes accessible through the mapping table. As a result, the amount of data in a storage system can be reduced while maintaining data integrity and accessibility.
US07913051B1
Some embodiments are directed to a technique for storing and/or locating content units stored on an object addressable storage (OAS) system, wherein each content unit is identified by an object identifier. The OAS system may comprise a plurality of zones, each of which stores content units. A mapping process may be defined that maps object identifiers for content units to zones on the OAS system. Thus, the storage location for a content unit on the OAS system may be the zone on the OAS system to which the object identifier for the content unit maps.
US07913036B2
A method and apparatus for editing multimedia data stored in a disk. The method generates a Block Allocation Table (BAT) in the disk, wherein the BAT records a connection relationship between each of blocks based on a connection relationship between each of data stored in the respective blocks generated by dividing storage space of the disk having a predetermined size; and revises the connection relationship, which is between each of the blocks and is recorded in the BAT, when the connection relationship between each of the blocks is changed.
US07913035B2
A method of buffering a data stream in an electronic device using a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer system wherein a first read latch signal does not change a pointer location of a read pointer. A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and system are also disclosed in accordance with the invention to include a FIFO buffer system to buffer memory addresses and commands within the DRAM until corresponding data is available.
US07913033B2
Memory devices and methods disclosed such as memory devices that include a network identification that uniquely identifies the memory device on a network. The memory device can then receive memory commands that include the network identification. The memory device can also generate memory commands, including the network identification, for broadcast over the network.
US07913032B1
Systems and processes may use a host and an external host. The host may be a portable device that includes a memory, a memory controller, and a communication interface for communication with the external host. The portable device may receive a command signal from the external host and initiate a predetermined amount of wear leveling in response to the command signal.
US07913030B2
In one aspect, a system for indexing transactions over a shared bus is described. In various embodiments, the system includes a host controller and a plurality of storage devices in communication with the bus. Each of the storage devices is configured to store data. The bus facilitates communications between the host controller and the plurality of storage devices. A selected one of the storage devices is configured to function as a transaction indexer to monitor the bus and index and store selected transaction information associated with operations that occur over the bus. While the host controller may be arranged to configure the transaction indexer, the transaction monitoring, indexing and storing are performed substantially automatically by the transaction indexer without requiring further instructions from the host controller.
US07913023B2
The optimal lanes of at least one SAS wide port for the data connection are discovered. The allowable lanes for the data connection within the SAS wide ports of each level of the SAS domain are specified. The specified allowable lanes for the data connection are checked. The data connection is created on the specified allowable lanes.
US07913015B2
A bus system is provided for implantable medical devices. The bus system provides for flexible and reliable communication between subsystems in an implantable medical device. The bus system facilitates a wide variety of communications between various subsystems. These various subsystems can include one or more sensing devices, processors, data storage devices, patient alert devices, power management devices, signal processing and other devices implemented to perform a variety of different functions.
US07913013B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit according to an aspect of the invention includes a plurality of master devices which issue data transfer requests, at least one slave device which performs data transfer in accordance with the data transfer requests, and a network which arbitrates the plurality of data transfer requests respectively issued from the plurality of master devices, and informs the slave device of the arbitration result, thereby performing data transfer between the master devices and the slave device, wherein when issuing the data transfer request, the master device informs the network of a period which extends from the issuance of the data transfer request to the start of the data transfer.
US07913008B2
An auto-detection system for communication protocol includes a driving device, a communication mode selection circuit and a human-machine interface circuit. The human-machine interface circuit transmits a detection signal to the driving device through the communication mode selection circuit. The detection signal includes a transmission speed identification and a transmission mode identification. The driving device sets its transmission speed according to the value of the transmission speed identification of the detection signal and sets its transmission mode according to the transmission mode identification of the detection signal. An auto-detection method for communication protocol using the auto-detection system for communication protocol is also provided.
US07913000B2
A stacked memory apparatus operating with a compound read buffer is disclosed. The stacked memory apparatus includes an interface device having a main buffer and a plurality of memory devices each having a device read buffer. Systems incorporating one or more stacked memory apparatuses and related method of performing a read operation are also disclosed.
US07912995B1
SAS topology is managed. Internally within a SAS device on a SAS network, a performance characteristic of a PHY of the SAS device is monitored. Internally within the SAS device, it is determined, based on the performance characteristic, that the PHY has a problem, and, based on the determination, the PHY is affected to help prevent the PHY from adversely affecting communications on the SAS network.
US07912994B2
Techniques for reducing mount time for a peripheral device connected to an external host device are presented. In some implementations, when a connection is detected, file system data is pre-fetched before a request for such data is sent by the external host device. This allows faster access to the file system data used for initiating read/write communications. In other implementations, in response to a data access command from the external host device, a reply message is delayed from the peripheral device to prevent data access command failures. This delayed response prevents the external host device from pausing before attempting subsequent communication requests.
US07912987B2
One or more universal serial bus (USB) devices are connected at a client computer. The USB devices are recognized by the client computer and a determination is made as to whether an application server computer provides functionality for one or more of the USB devices. A specific communication path is provided from the USB device to the server computer if functionality is provided by the application server computer.
US07912986B2
A file transfer system including a client and a server capable of updating portions of the file stored on the server. The system is capable of uploading portions of a file before the file has been specified at the client side. The files are stored in raw at the client and the server, which preserves the block list mapping. The file transfer protocol is capable of compressing and encrypting transferred data. As a result, the partial file writes are possible while maintaining current bandwidth usage. The write request data structure is provided with additional features in the form of flags and fields to provide reliable transmission of partial file data.
US07912979B2
An RNIC implementation that performs direct data placement to memory where all segments of a particular connection are aligned, or moves data through reassembly buffers where all segments of a particular connection are non-aligned. The type of connection that cuts-through without accessing the reassembly buffers is referred to as a “Fast” connection because it is highly likely to be aligned, while the other type is referred to as a “Slow” connection. When a consumer establishes a connection, it specifies a connection type. The connection type can change from Fast to Slow and back. The invention reduces memory bandwidth, latency, error recovery using TCP retransmit and provides for a “graceful recovery” from an empty receive queue. The implementation also may conduct CRC validation for a majority of inbound DDP segments in the Fast connection before sending a TCP acknowledgement (Ack) confirming segment reception.
US07912974B2
Data for presentation in real time, such as a video or audio sequence, is available on different encoded versions having different degrees Of compression. In order to assess, during transmission of one version, the feasibility of switching to another version, given the data rate known to be available at the time, a server computes, for a candidate version, in respect of at least one portion thereof that has not yet been sent, the maximum value of a timing error that would occur if any number of portions starting with that portion to be sent at the available rate. The selection of the same or a different version for continuing transmission is taken in dependence on a comparison between the computed error and the current state of a receiving buffer. Error values may be computed in advance for a range of transmitting rates, stored and later retrieved for use in estimating an error value corresponding to the actual transmitting rate.
US07912965B2
An information processing system for a computing network in which the access log of a directory server is analyzed to detect anomalous client access requests.
US07912956B1
According to one embodiment, a distributed computing system includes a resource control system coupled to an enterprise service bus that orchestrates a plurality of services into a business application. The resource control system is operable to receive a performance parameter from the enterprise service bus in which the performance parameter includes a metric of the business application. Using the performance parameter, the resource control system determines a loading of each of a plurality grid nodes on which the plurality of services are executed, and provisions or un-provisions one of the plurality of grid nodes according to the determined loading.
US07912951B2
A method and system for providing quality of service to a plurality of hosts accessing a common resource is described. According to one embodiment, a plurality of IO requests is received from clients executing as software entities on one of the hosts. An IO request queue for each client is separately managed, and an issue queue is populated based on contents of the IO request queues. When a host issue queue is not full, a new IO request is entered into the host issue queue and is issued to the common resource. A current average latency observed at the host is calculated, and an adjusted window size is calculated at least in part based on the current average latency. The window size of the issue queue is adjusted according to the calculated window size.
US07912947B2
A monitoring system is used to monitor extended business transactions comprised of asynchronous messages. Each message may be a request or a response of an application transaction request-response pair and may be identified with a unique identifier. The unique identifier may be used to identify two or more asynchronous messages, where each extended business transaction may be associated with one or more unique identifiers to identify messages that comprise the business transaction. The extended business transactions are completed over an extended period of time and implemented over several different machines which may or may not be in communication with each other are monitored. Alerts are generated when messages of the extended business transaction do not satisfy a threshold or other criteria, such as a time period for occurring. A user interface or other mechanism may be used to configure the transactions and provide information regarding the status of the transactions and alerts generated for uncompleted portions of the transaction.
US07912944B2
A disclosed information processing apparatus includes an information processing unit configured to operate as a daemon process; an information displaying unit configured to operate as a process different from the daemon process and display a screen relevant to the information processing unit; a first ending unit configured to end the information displaying unit due to a first factor; and a second ending unit configured to end the information displaying unit due to a second factor different from the first factor. The information displaying unit ends the information processing unit in the event of receiving a request to end from the first ending unit and the information displaying unit does not end the information processing unit in the event of receiving a request to end from the second ending unit.
US07912941B2
A search system generates an ordered list of destination targets including identified individuals and data objects, based on applying a user context to an information context and to a connection context. The user context identifies a search context (i.e., the information the user is seeking) relative to an identity of the user, and the information context identifies destinations accessible by the user, including data objects and communications-based actions (e.g., voice over IP telephony calls, instant messaging session transcripts, etc.). The connection context identifies relationships between chosen destinations throughout the system, and the strength of those relationships determined from artifacts of the chosen destinations: the connection context is updated based on artifact detection. The portion of the connection context that is relevant to the user context is used to order the portion of the information context that is relevant to the user context, resulting in the ordered list of destination targets.
US07912930B1
Systems and methods for resource provisioning. Resources for which provisioning could be performed might include, for example, software, devices, directories, and/or databases. Where performance of an operation involved in provisioning requires interface with a resource, various operations might be performed to achieve such interface. The operations involved in a particular provisioning procedure could, for example, be defined by a system administrator and/or other user. Provisioning procedure execution might be monitored and/or affected. Further, such execution might be checked for compliance with one or more established business rules.
US07912912B2
The present invention is an information communication terminal having a function of displaying, together with a received mail list, part or all of a message of a received mail in the selected state in the preview. The information communication terminal includes: a judgment unit judging whether all of the message of the received mail in the selected state fits in a predetermined area for the preview display; and an update unit performing an update in the case when the judgment is affirmative so that information indicating whether the received mail has already been read indicates that it has already been read.
US07912906B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for allowing an Email User to create a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Email Account and thereafter to digitally sign, send, verify and receive PKI encrypted emails over a computer network, such as the Internet. The systems and methods preferably include a Web-based Email System and a Certificate Authority that coordinate their actions to make the process of creating, maintaining and using the PKI Account as easy as possible for the Email User. In a preferred embodiment, a Keystore System may also be used to enhance the management and use of digital keypairs.
US07912902B2
Service applications at one or more service providers are bundled through a server thereby creating new services. The server comprises service agents, each of which corresponds to one or more service applications and proxies for its application(s) to perform service bundling. When a subscriber interacts with a service application and affects service specific data, the application sends this data along with the subscriber's intent with respect to this data to the server. The server next identifies a primary service agent, which is the agent proxying for the application. This agent determines a peer group of service agents, wherein each peer agent corresponds to a service application that together define a bundled service. The principal and peer agents subsequently negotiate/coordinate with respect to the service data. As a result, the agents may communicate with their respective service applications to determine a subscriber's current service data configurations and/or to update these configurations.
US07912900B1
A system and method for providing education-related alerts in an online learning environment is provided. An online learning environment including a plurality of users participating in online educational activities is monitored. An online database including event rules and education-related information for the online educational activities is maintained. An event occurring in the online learning environment is identified. The event satisfies at least one of the event rules. A benchmark is determined for the event. The benchmark includes at least one of information selected from and information indicated by the education-related information. An alert is generated for the event by selecting a template for the event and populating the template with the benchmark as the alert. The alert is provided to one or more of the users.
US07912892B2
Systems and methods for parallel conversion, compilation, and distribution of content are disclosed. An application interface may be provided that enables a user to request the conversion of content items into formats well suited for presentation. The request may include a set of deliverables. Each deliverable may include an associated content item and a corresponding associated format to which to convert the associated content item. The request may be processed by a “pipeline” application. The pipeline application calls existing applications or proprietary applications associated with a delivery channel, and the pipeline application may customize the content items for conversion into the corresponding formats. The pipeline application may convert the associated content items using a plurality of parallel processing threads, each thread corresponding to an associated deliverable, whereby each thread converts the associated content item to the corresponding associated format. The pipeline application may compile the converted content, and distribute the compiled content to selected presentation devices.
US07912891B2
Provided are a high speed and low power fixed-point multiplier and method thereof. The multiplier includes: a partial product calculation unit for dividing input data into a plurality of bit groups, each bit group having a predetermined number of bits, generating partial products by independently multiplying a fixed coefficient for each bit group, and summing partial products included in a corresponding bit group, to thereby generate a summed partial products; and an adding unit for adding the summed partial products of each bit group generated from the partial product calculation unit.
US07912887B2
In a denormal support mode, the normalization circuit of a floating-point adder is used to normalize or denormalized the output of a floating-point multiplier. Each floating-point multiply instruction is speculatively converted to a multiply-add instruction, with the addend forced to zero. This preserves the value of the product, while normalizing or denormalizing the product using the floating-point adder's normalization circuit. When the operands to the multiply operation are available, they are inspected. If the operands will not generate an unnormal intermediate product or a denormal final product, the add operation is suppressed, such as by operand-forwarding. Additionally, each non-fused floating-point multiply-add instruction is replaced with a multiply-add instruction having a zero addend, and a floating-point add instruction having the addend of the original multiply-add instruction is inserted into the instruction stream. Upon inspection of the operands, if an unnormal intermediate result or a denormal final result will not occur, the addend may be restored to the multiply-add instruction and the add instruction converted to a NOP.
US07912876B2
A data processing apparatus includes an input section configured to receive data to be encoded, a first pseudo-random-number generating section configured to generate a first pseudo-random number, a second pseudo-random-number generating section configured to a second pseudo-random number, an address determining section configured to determine matrix address candidate values on the basis of a bit string of the second pseudo-random number generated by the second pseudo-random-number generating section, a matrix generating section configured to generate a matrix in which pixel values based on constituent bit values of the first pseudo-random number generated by the first pseudo-random-number generating section are set at matrix positions designated on the basis of the matrix address candidate values, and an encoding section configured to generate encoded data by executing exclusive OR operations between corresponding positional data in the matrix generated by the matrix generating section and the received data.
US07912874B2
The apparatus and system are provided for defining a metadata schema to facilitate passing data between an XML document and a hierarchical database. The invention includes a database accessor, a document accessor, and an association module. The database accessor accesses a database schema indicative of database field names and a hierarchical structure for a hierarchical database. The document accessor accesses a document schema that defines the hierarchical structure, content data syntax, and semantics of valid, well-formed, XML documents that can be passed into and out of the hierarchical database. The document schema also includes at least one XML element name that maps to a corresponding database field name in the database schema. The association module associates the database schema and the document schema to provide a metadata schema that enables data to be passed between an XML document and the hierarchical database.
US07912868B2
An advertisement placement method and system for relating an advertisement to a dataset based on a trainable semantic vector (TSV) associated with the dataset and respective semantic representations of the advertisements. The trainable semantic vector associated with the dataset is generated based on at least one data point included in the dataset and known relationships between predetermined data points and predetermined categories. A comparison process is performed to determine a similarity between the trainable semantic vector associated with the dataset and the semantic representation associated with each of the plurality of advertisements. The system selectively relates one or more of the advertisements with the dataset based on a result of the comparison process. The selected advertisement or advertisements may be displayed with the dataset.
US07912867B2
The present invention is generally directed to systems and methods for gathering information about nonnative data, comparing nonnative data elements to information defining nonnative data, comparing native data elements to information defining native data, establishing transformation rules, and integrating the nonnative and native data.
US07912866B2
A system and method for detecting and storing file identity change information within a file system. In one embodiment, the system may include a storage device configured to store a plurality of files and a file system configured to manage access to the storage device. The file system may be configured to detect an operation to modify an identity of a first file stored on the storage device and, subsequent to detecting the operation, store a record of the operation associated with the first file, where the record includes a signature corresponding to the first file.
US07912864B2
A method includes defining a plurality of terms for use in conjunction with a study where the terms are stored according to a series of relations and the relations corresponding to the terms indicate an association from a term to at least one other of the plurality of terms, defining at least one group of terms taken from the plurality of terms and storing at least one group of terms, including the relations corresponding to each term, defining a further level of relations to be applied to the group of terms, the further level of relations defining inclusion and exclusion criteria, and providing a match term defined by the group of terms and querying a memory of data from the study to find occurrences of the match term as defined by the further level of relations.
US07912862B2
A Relational Schema Definition (RSD) language that uses metadata of the relational database to generate an implementation-neutral or implementation-specific format that represents the precise database structure and data. The RSD language is a declarative description language such that an RSD file can then be used offline in a disconnected environment to reconstruct and use the database.
US07912860B2
In one or more embodiments, a tag is provided and includes a property that associates a strongly typed variable with the tag. Strongly typed variables can include any suitable types. For example, in at least some embodiments, the strongly typed variable is a people type that allows the tag to be associated with an individual person or group of people by virtue of a unique identification that is associated with the person or group. Strongly typed tags can then serve as a foundation upon which various other types of information and services can be provided to enhance the user experience.
US07912857B2
A start date of check-out processing of setting a shared document accessible by a plurality of users via a network into an exclusive state is reserved as a check-out start date based on an instruction of a user. In the exclusive state, the shared document can be updated by the user but cannot be updated by other users. When current date has reached the check-out start date, the shared document is set into the exclusive state for the user. The shared document can be released from the exclusive state in response to an instruction of the user checking-out the shared document. An expected check-in date to release the shared document from the exclusive state after the check-out start date can be reserved. This invention enables reservation for a document operation and prevents any decrease in the operation efficiency of users.
US07912856B2
A scalable access filter is used in a virtual private network to control access by users at clients in the network to information resources provided by servers in the network. Access is permitted or denied according to access policies which define access in terms of the user groups and information sets. The access filter in the path performs the access check, encrypts and authenticates the request.
US07912855B2
A method by which a disk-based distributed data storage system is organized for protecting historical records of stored data entities. The method comprises recording distinct states of an entity, corresponding to different moments of time, as separate entity versions coexisting within the distributed data storage system, and assigning expiration times to the entity versions independently within each of a plurality of storage sites according to a shared set of rules, before which times deletion is prohibited.
US07912853B2
There is disclosed a method for processing a query in a client-server database system comprising a server for managing content in a database and at least one client connected to the server via a network. The method comprises inputting a query from an application; and transmitting the inputted query to the server, skipping a query parsing processing at the client. The server parses the query transmitted from the client computer module and executes the query by manipulating the data in the database according to the query.
US07912848B2
An apparatus, program product and method dynamically optimize prepared statements resident in a statement pool to permit subsequent reuses of such statements to utilize the optimized representations of such statements. The optimization of pooled statements may be performed responsive to the tracked usage of the statements in a statement pool, to direct the overhead associated with such optimization to those statements that are more likely to be utilized in the future. Among a multitude of possible optimizations, a pooled statement that requests data in a format other than that utilized by the database being accessed may be modified to request the data in the format used by the database, thereby decreasing the overhead in the database associated with format conversions.
US07912845B2
A preferred method embodiment of the subject invention comprises a method for dynamically creating hierarchies to be used in database searches, comprising the steps of: (a) defining a data network; (b) receiving a query regarding data stored in one or more databases; and (c) based at least in part on said query and on said data network, dynamically building a hierarchy. A preferred system embodiment of the subject invention comprises a system for dynamically creating hierarchies to be used in database searches, comprising: (a) means for defining a data network; (b) means for receiving a query regarding data stored in one or more databases; and (c) means for, based at least in part on said query, dynamically building a hierarchy from said data network.
US07912842B1
Various exemplary systems and methods for linking entity references and identifying associations are presented. In particular, a method is provided for linking a plurality of entity references to at least one entity. The method comprises the steps of evaluating a probability of a match between a first entity reference and a second entity reference based at least in part on a statistical significance of one or more field values being common to both the first entity reference and the second entity reference, wherein field value statistical significance is inversely related to a number of field value occurrences occurring in some or all of the plurality of entity references and linking the first entity reference with the second entity reference when the probability is greater than or equal to a match threshold.
US07912836B2
A computer-implemented method is provided for ranking files from an Internet search. In one embodiment, the method comprises assigning a score to each file based on at least one of the following factors: recency, editorial popularity, clickthru popularity, favorites metadata, or favorites collaborative filtering. The file may be organized based on the assigned scores to provide users with more accurate search results.
US07912831B2
A system and method are provided to accessing a set of web pages within a context. The set of web pages may be represented using a graph comprising a set of nodes and a set of edges. First and second probability distributions may be generated over a set of nodes of the graph using a first algorithm to indicate a measure of closeness among the set of web pages. A characterization may be determined with respect to context for a web page from a second subset of web pages based on the first and second probability distributions. An indication of the characterization of the web page from the second subset of web pages may be outputted.
US07912820B2
An automatic task generation mechanism provides generation of tasks such as maintenance tasks for a computer system. A set of tasks is set up along with rules for performing the tasks. The rules may be associated with metadata that allow the tasks to be mapped to the tasks. Events may be detected that are related to database operations such as a create, modify, delete or add command. Upon event detection by the system, the system may store the event and associated metadata. Another process may query the event and metadata storage and compare those items to the rules previously set up. If there is a match between the rules and the event, one or more tasks may be established which correspond to an action that is desired to be taken. The task may then be inserted into a computer system for subsequent execution.
US07912818B2
A method and a processing device are provided for compressing a web graph including multiple nodes and links between the multiple nodes. Nodes of the web graph may be clustered into groups including no more than a predetermined number of nodes. A list of links of the clustered nodes may be created and sorted based on a frequency of occurrence of each of the links. A prefix tree may be created based on the sorted list of links. The prefix tree may be walked to find candidate virtual nodes. The candidate virtual nodes may be analyzed according to a selection criteria and a virtual node may be selected. The prefix tree may be adjusted to account for the selection of the virtual node and the virtual node may be added to the web graph.
US07912813B2
A configuration management database (CMDB) that associates a policy with a configuration item (CI) in the CMDB. The policy contains an “applies to” field and a “type descriptor”. When a relationship is created between the CI and a second CI in the CMDB, the policy is associated with the second CI. The type descriptor of the policy may be evaluated and the policy associated with the second CI in response to the evaluation. The policy may contain a type descriptor comprising an instance of a CI type. The policy may contain a type descriptor comprising a CI type. The policy may contain an “applies to” field having a value of “this CI type”. The policy may contain an “applies to” field having a value of “hosting environment of this CI type”. The type descriptor may include a hosted CI component portion and a hosting CI component portion.
US07912801B2
Some embodiments of a method and an apparatus to define ruleflows for a rule engine have been presented. In one embodiment, a graphical user interface (GUI) is generated to allow a user to graphically specify an execution order of some rules. Then the rule engine is used to execute the rules according to the execution order. The rules may include one or more rule sets, where each rule set contains one or more rules.
US07912798B2
A storage requirements estimating system estimates the storage required for a proposed multidimensional clustering data by modeling wasted space. The amount of wasted space is modeled by calculating the cardinality of the unique value of the clustering key for the proposed configuration. Cardinality may be determined by estimation techniques. Specific values for wasted space and total space may be determined in response to the determined cardinality. Comparison of estimates for different proposed clustering configurations facilitate a selection among proposed multidimensional clustering data configurations.
US07912793B1
A computer-implemented hierarchical revenue model includes providing a first revenue value associated with a first avatar component, providing a second revenue value associated with a second avatar component, and combining the first revenue value with a second revenue value to produce a third revenue value associated with a third avatar component, the third avatar component being a derived avatar component that inherits characteristics of the first and the second avatar components, the third avatar component inheriting the first revenue value from the first avatar component, the third avatar component inheriting the second revenue value from the second avatar component.
US07912788B2
Mutual authentication system and method for protection of postal security devices and infrastructure
A method of authenticating a PSD and an initializing infrastructure that uses a secret key, a PSD public/private key pair and a provider public/private key pair. The infrastructure prepares a signed provider key record using the provider public key and the provider private key and a first MAC using the signed provider key record and the secret key. Both are sent to the PSD. The PSD authenticates the signed provider key record using the first MAC and the provider public key using the included digital signature. The PSD prepares a signed PSD key record using the PSD public key and the PSD private key and a second MAC using the signed PSD key record and the secret key. Both are sent to the infrastructure. The infrastructure authenticates the signed PSD key record using the second MAC and the PSD public key using the included digital signature.
US07912783B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides a system, method, process, software and standards that enable a unified trading and control process utilized by sponsoring organizations and asset managers (money managers) for sub advised or externally managed investment portfolios as to increase control over the trading process by a sponsoring organization, enhance regulatory compliance, substantially lower trading costs and improve investment performance on a recurring basis for the shareholders and beneficiaries investing in registered and non registered mutual funds and institutional investment portfolios.
US07912780B2
A method provided for matching a buy order having a buy order price and a sell order having a sell order price that includes the step of determining if the buy order price is not less than the sell order price. Next, an NBBO price range is identified and it is determined whether the buy order price and the sell order price are within the NBBO range. A midpoint between the buy order price and the sell order price is then calculated. Finally, the buy order and the sell order is matched at the midpoint if the buy order price is not less than the sell order price and the buy order price and the sell order price are within the NBBO range.
US07912778B2
Methods and systems process multiple trade orders subject to investment account restrictions. The restrictions are associated with the holding of one or more securities or with a cash position in an investment account. Each received order to perform an investment account management action is processed to determine whether performance of the action violates any stored restriction. The investment account is updated to reflect the result of executing the orders that did not violate any stored restriction. All received orders that are found to be in violation of a restriction are then processed again to determine whether performance of the action now violates any stored restriction. This technique allows for approving for execution as many trade orders subject to restrictions as possible.
US07912775B1
A liquidity analysis system and method are disclosed for monitoring, analyzing and reporting on liquidity generated in a market or in a market center. The reports generated by the liquidity engine may be used for many differing purposes, including analyzing the effectiveness of market makers, the proportionate re-distribution of market data fees or as the basis for a liquidity generation financial incentive program.
US07912769B2
The present invention provides and system and related method for automatically examining a company's financial data and evaluating factors affecting the company's stock value. Specifically, the present invention evaluates a company's spread through that company's debt and equity costs. The present invention further measures returns to investors from company growth, either organic growth or growth through Mergers and acquisitions. The present invention may further evaluate the financial data of other publicly traded companies, such as those in the same industry, and compares the various factors affecting stock value. Proposed actions may then be evaluated according to their predicted changes to accounting values and the resulting changes in shareholder value from these changes.
US07912768B2
A computer-based system and method calculates and facilitates revenue accrual, for making larger, less frequent payments of estimated taxes or other obligations. Payer preferences are applied to satisfy variable payment intervals, amounts, and available resources. The obligation, required payments, and set-aside schedules are recalculated as needed, under payer and/or system control. Excess accruals are minimized; set-aside schedules are configurable. The system may be self-contained, handheld, or accessed remotely. Automatic datalinks move information and command fund transfers from the payer's bank, to accrue funds and make payments to other accounts. A service host may support a plurality of payers to make set-asides and payments at various levels as needed, on an individual or batch basis, including individual taxpayer enrollment for batch file tax payments by service providers. Some embodiments can be embedded to enhance the capabilities of other systems.
US07912765B2
Embodiments of the present invention seek to provide a cost effective means for gathering data which associates an individual or business with an address for a given time frame. This is accomplished by utilizing resources already providing a service in a geographic area to collect the desired data. In some embodiments, data collected in relation to a service company's regular course of business are made available for other purposes such as proof of occupancy. In other embodiments, service company representatives, in addition to their primary tasks, are dispatched to specific addresses to gather data unrelated to their primary tasks.
US07912761B2
A system and method for making an initial product offering of tangible products and services. A price for a product may be determined by calculating an aggregate customer history factor by aggregating customer history factors of potential purchasers in a buying group, calculating a cumulative demand for a product as a function of (i) expected purchase quantities of the product indicated by the potential purchasers in the buying group and (ii) the aggregate customer history factor, and setting a price of the product as a function of the cumulative demand for the buying group. The tangible products and services may be offered at the determined price.
US07912757B2
A gift registry system facilitates the availability of a convenient online accessed gift registry in which a plurality of gift givers make money gifts directly to an accumulating gift registry. The gift registry is maintained by a gift registry operator for the benefit of a registry owner. The gift registry operator accumulates funds given and provides accounting and tabulation of gifts given by each gift giver. Additionally, the gift registry operator provides interactive online service to be accessed by givers and banking services sufficient to accumulate and transfer funds. Finally, a plurality of merchants, vendors and service providers interact with the gift registry operator to offer incentives to the gift registry owner to interact with the subscribing merchants, vendors and service providers in spending the accumulated gift funds.
US07912756B2
A computer system for conducting electronic commerce. The system provides multiple electronic shopping carts for each user. Each electronic shopping cart has an indication of items currently within the electronic shopping cart and billing and shipment information. The system generates a display that identifies each of the electronic shopping carts and sends the generated display to a user computer system. The system then receives a selection of one of the identified electronic shopping carts from the user computer system and receives a selection of an item from the user computer system. In response to receiving the selection of the item, the system adds the item to the selected electronic shopping cart. The system then receives an indication to checkout the items in the selected electronic shopping cart from the user computer system. In response to receiving the indication to checkout, the system ships the items in the selected electronic shopping cart in accordance with the shipment information of the selected electronic shopping cart and bills for the items in the selected electronic shopping cart in accordance with the billing information for the selected electronic shopping cart. The system thus allows a user to select each of the electronic shopping carts for adding items to each electronic shopping cart.
US07912752B2
This invention relates to a system and method for presenting to a user relevant areas of distributed computer network sites. In particular, the invention disclosed infers and cross reference user mind sets with data stores of potential user goals. The user mind sets indicate a navigational goal of a user over the distributed computer network. In addition, the invention cross-references indicated user goals with data stores of service and service providers providing those services. The invention presents targeted service and service providers to the user across the distributed computer network thereby enabling the user to navigate towards the user goal.
US07912745B2
Methods and systems are provide for providing a group scheduling solution in which a hard-to-schedule attendee takes over responsibility for setting the start time of an event. In accordance with one implementation, an organizer sends a request to the hard-to-schedule person. The request may be maintained in a queue for the hard-to-schedule person. The hard-to-schedule person can then review the request and select a suitable time for the meeting, thereby causing an update to be sent back to the organizer and the other attendees and indicating the appointed time for the meeting. The organizer of the meeting can update the meeting details, etc. The hard-to-schedule person may change the start time or the duration of the meeting. The hard-to-schedule person can also decline the meeting entirely.
US07912739B2
A method for managing health plans includes the use of theoretically derived mathematical models. The methods may be used in the analysis of health insurance products. The method may also assist in the selection of a particular health plan's benefit and contribution strategy. The analysis may further be used in the selection of a health plan's funding arrangement.
US07912737B2
A consumer is provided with continuity of medical care by being prompted to transfer data to a recipient, upon completion of the consumer's interaction with a brokerage system. The data obtained during the interactions is transferred to one or more recipients selected by the consumer.
US07912734B2
Apparatuses, computer media, and methods for supporting health needs of a consumer by processing input data. An integrated health management platform supports the management of healthcare by obtaining multi-dimensional input data for a consumer, determining a health-trajectory predictor from the multi-dimensional input data, identifying a target of opportunity for the consumer in accordance with the health-trajectory predictor, and offering the target of opportunity for the consumer. A health benefit plan is offered from a set of health benefit plan configurations. Responses from members of a consumer group are received that are responsive to a questionnaire and preferred health benefit plans chosen by members of the group are predicted. From the responses, an overall enrollment distribution is estimated. A plurality of health benefit plans is offered to the group when a minimum economic objective is obtained from the set of health benefit plan configurations.
US07912730B2
Storing audio data encoded in any of a plurality of different audio encoding formats is enabled by parametrically defining the underlying format in which the audio data is encoded, in audio format and packet table chunks. A flag can be used to manage storage of the size of the audio data portion of the file, such that premature termination of an audio recording session does not result in an unreadable corrupted file. This capability can be enabled by initially setting the flag to a value that does not correspond to a valid audio data size and that indicates that the last chunk in the file contains the audio data. State information for the audio data, to effectively denote a version of the file, and a dependency indicator for dependent metadata, may be maintained, where the dependency indicator indicates the state of the audio data on which the metadata is dependent.
US07912727B2
An apparatus and method that integrates both phrase-based and free-form speech-to-speech translation approaches using probability models. The starting step of the method is to receive vocal communication in a source language. Then store the received vocal communication. Then decipher the content of the vocal communication. Then locate in a multilingual dictionary module the corresponding translation of the deciphered vocal communication provided a preset sentence exists in a speech recognition module for the vocal communication. Then translate the vocal communication into the target language provided there is no corresponding translation located in the multilingual dictionary module. Then synthesize the translated target language when there is no corresponding translation for the vocal communication in the multilingual dictionary module. Then store the sound of the translated target language. Then play the sound of the translated target language.
US07912724B1
Audio comparison using phoneme matching is described, including evaluating audio data associated with a file, identifying a sequence of phonemes in the audio data, associating the file with a product category based on a match indicating the sequence of phonemes is substantially similar to another sequence of phonemes, the file being stored, and accessing the file when a request associated with the product category is detected.
US07912719B2
A speech synthesis device, in which the sound quality is not significantly degraded when generating a synthesized sound, includes a target element information generation unit (102), an element database (103), an element selection unit (104), a voice characteristics designation unit (105), a voice characteristics transformation unit (106), a distortion determination unit (108), and a target element information correction unit (109). When the speech element sequence transformed by the voice characteristics transformation unit (106) is determined as distorted by the distortion determination unit (108), the target element information correction unit (109) corrects the speech element information generated by the target element information generation unit (102) to the speech element information of the transformed voice characteristic, and the element selection unit (104) reselects a speech element sequence. Therefore, the synthesized sound of the voice characteristic designated by the voice characteristics designation unit (105) is generated without degrading the sound quality of the synthesized sound.
US07912718B1
A system, method and computer readable medium that enhances a speech database for speech synthesis is disclosed. The method may include labeling audio files in a primary speech database and a secondary speech database, enhancing the primary speech database by placing the labeled audio files from the secondary speech database into the primary speech database, and storing the enhanced primary speech database for use in speech synthesis.
US07912714B2
A method is provided for forming discrete segment clusters of one or more sequential sentences from a corpus of communication transcripts of transactional communications that comprises dividing the communication transcripts of the corpus into a first set of sentences spoken by a caller and a second set of sentences spoken by a responder; generating a set of sentence clusters by grouping the first and second sets of sentences according to a measure of lexical similarity using an unsupervised partitional clustering method; generating a collection of sequences of sentence types by assigning a distinct sentence type to each sentence cluster and representing each sentence of each communication transcript of the corpus with the sentence type assigned to the sentence cluster into which the sentence is grouped; and generating a specified number of discrete segment clusters by successively merging sentence clusters according to a proximity-based measure between the sentence types assigned to the sentence clusters within sequences of the collection.
US07912713B2
An automatic speech recognition method for identifying words from an input speech signal includes providing at least one hypothesis recognition based on the input speech signal, the hypothesis recognition being an individual hypothesis word or a sequence of individual hypothesis words, and computing a confidence measure for the hypothesis recognition, based on the input speech signal, wherein computing a confidence measure includes computing differential contributions to the confidence measure, each as a difference between a constrained acoustic score and an unconstrained acoustic score, weighting each differential contribution by applying thereto a cumulative distribution function of the differential contribution, so as to make the distributions of the confidence measures homogeneous in terms of rejection capability, as the language, vocabulary and grammar vary, and computing the confidence measure by averaging the weighted differential contributions.
US07912701B1
A method for a computer system includes receiving an input source comprising a plurality of sentences, determining a set of semiotic relationships from the plurality of sentences, performing a contextual correlation in response to the set of semiotic relationships and in response to an ideas index to determine a reduced set of semiotic relationships from the set of semiotic relationships, omparing the reduced set of semiotic relationships to each of a plurality of semiotic relationships associated with a set of documents to determine comparison values, determining a reduced set of documents from the set of documents in response to the comparison values, and outputting portions of the reduced set of documents to a user.
US07912697B2
When an input section is actuated by a user, a character is inputted, and a storage section stores therein the inputted character. On this occasion, when the inputted character is a vowel character, a control section causes the storage section to store therein the inputted vowel character and an intonation associated therewith. In a case where a vowel character identical to the inputted vowel character is successively inputted by the input section, the control section causes the storage section to store therein the vowel character and the initial intonation in association with each other, for a first input. At second and subsequent inputs, the control section does not cause the storage section to store therein the identical vowel character anew, but it alters only the intonation associated with the vowel character which has been already stored in the storage section.
US07912693B1
Systems and methods are provided for verifying respective configuration data values for programming configuration memory cells of an integrated circuit device such as a programmable logic device (PLD). Each configuration memory cell controls an input of a corresponding initialization value from a file in response to a selectable assertion of an initialization signal of a test bench during a logic simulation of the PLD. The file structurally associates the configuration memory cell with the corresponding initialization value. A current value of one or more of the configuration memory cells is written with the respective configuration data value via a configuration port of the PLD during the logic simulation. Each configuration memory cell compares its initialization and current values in response to a selectable assertion of a check signal of the test bench. A mismatch error is output in response to a difference between the initialization and current values of one or more of the configuration memory cells.
US07912690B2
A method for simulating a system normally performs functional simulation of the system without performing timing simulation of the system. The method dynamically samples the functional simulation of the system at intervals to determine whether the functional simulation has entered into a new phase. Where the functional simulation has entered into a new phase, the method performs both the functional simulation and the timing simulation of the system for one or more intervals.
US07912672B2
A process for evaluating motion signals in three-dimensional space is disclosed. The process includes obtaining a first initial measurement value in a first initial direction which is also a first desired direction; obtaining a second initial measurement value in a second initial direction which is different from the first initial direction; calculating a second desired direction and a second determined value from the first and second initial measurement values, the second desired direction being different from the first and second initial directions; calculating a third desired direction and a third determined value from the first initial measurement value and the second determined value, the third desired direction being different from the first and second desired directions; and converting the first initial measurement value, the second and third determined values into respective first, second and third acceleration values. A device for implementing this process is also disclosed.
US07912671B2
The present invention relates to a method for determining the coordinates of an arbitrarily shaped pattern in a deflector system. The method basically comprises the steps of: moving the pattern in a first direction (X), calculating the position of the edge of the pattern by counting the number of micro sweeps, performed in a perpendicular direction (Y), until the edge is detected, and determining the coordinates by relating the number of counted micro sweeps to the speed of the movement of the pattern. The invention also relates to software implementing the method.
US07912666B1
Disclosed is a system and method for disk drive grouping in a multi-cell disk drive test system. A test platform includes a plurality of cells. Each cell is configured to receive and to provide communication with a disk drive. An automated loader/unloader is coupled to a test computer and is responsive to the test computer. The automated loader/unloader is configured to identify disk drives and to selectively load and unload disk drives into and out of the plurality of cells. Particularly, once the automated loader/unloader has identified a first disk drive, the test computer is configured to: determine a grouping criteria based upon the first disk drive; detect a subsequent disk drive having the same grouping criteria as the first disk drive; and cause the automated loader/unloader to load the subsequent disk drive into one of the plurality of cells.
US07912657B2
A system for providing a compensated Auger spectrum, the system includes: a processor, adapted to generate a compensated Auger spectrum in response to a non-compensated Auger spectrum and in response to an electric potential related parameter, and an interface to an electron detector that is adapted to detect electrons emitted from the first area, wherein the interface is connected to the processor, and wherein the electric potential related parameter reflects a state of a first area of an object that was illuminated by a charged particle beam during the generation of the non-compensated Auger spectrum.
US07912655B2
A meter adapted to determine and store an analyte concentration reading, in particular a glucose concentration reading, and including an interface having a plurality of predefined levels of user features. The predefined levels may be selected by a user based on the user's preferences, needs and abilities.
US07912628B2
Techniques are described for assessing road traffic conditions in various ways based on obtained traffic-related data, such as data samples from vehicles and other mobile data sources traveling on the roads and/or from one or more other sources (such as physical sensors near to or embedded in the roads). The road traffic conditions assessment based on obtained data samples may include various filtering and/or conditioning of the data samples, and various inferences and probabilistic determinations of traffic-related characteristics of interest from the data samples. In some situations, the inferences include repeatedly determining current traffic flow characteristics and/or predicted future traffic flow characteristics for road segments of interest during time periods of interest, such as to determine average traffic speed, traffic volume and/or occupancy, and include weighting various data samples in various ways (e.g., based on a latency of the data samples and/or a source of the data samples).
US07912626B2
A motor vehicle includes an engine and an external setting unit configured to set an engine control amount. A control unit is configured to store a basic control map having a preset engine control amount contained therein. The control unit is also configured to communicate with the external setting unit. An engine setting system is configured to change the preset engine control amount by replacing the preset engine control amount with the engine control amount set by the external setting unit. The engine control amount set by the external setting unit is reflected in the basic control map. The engine control amount set by the external setting unit is reflected in the control map when a start preparing operation is detected.
US07912615B2
A method for gear selection during driving of a vehicle in a heavy uphill drive condition is provided, the vehicle including an engine, an automated mechanical transmission, a clutch, a control unit for receiving input signals including signals indicative of vehicle speed, engaged ratio of the transmission, rotational speed of the engine, rotational speed of a input shaft and displacement of a throttle control for engine torque request, and for processing the signals in accordance with programmed logic rules to issue command output signals to the engine, to the transmission and to said clutch. When sensing a heavy uphill drive condition a target gear is determined for the uphill drive condition, the target gear being the highest possible gear with lowest possible gear ratio where the vehicle, in view of at least current circumstances, will be at least theoretically able to hold a constant vehicle speed or accelerate at least slightly, and where further selection of downshifts will be adapted so that no lower gear than the target gear will be selected and engaged.
US07912610B2
A control apparatus for a vehicle including an inertia force sensor for detecting an inertia force generated in the vehicle and a cooperative control unit connected to the inertia force sensor and connected also to a braking/driving force control unit and a steering control unit so that bidirectional communication is allowed, for deciding and outputting controlled variables or controlled correction variables of the braking/driving force control unit and the steering control unit according to the inertia force detected by the inertia force sensor and according to controlled conditions of the braking/driving force control unit and the steering control unit.
US07912602B2
A visual diagnostic system is disclosed. The visual diagnostic system has a sensor located onboard a machine to generate a signal indicative of a status of a machine component, and a user interface associated with the machine to receive input from and provide information to a user. The visual diagnostic system also has a controller in communication with the sensor and the user interface. The controller is configured display on the user interface a model containing the machine component in response to the signal.
US07912593B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer programs, and apparatus for adjusting a speed target of an aircraft. In particular, the adjustment of the speed target of the aircraft may allow that aircraft to maintain merging and spacing constraints with respect to a leading aircraft. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the speed target of an aircraft may be adjusted by obtaining a speed target, obtaining own ship track data for the aircraft, obtaining lead ship track data for a leading aircraft, and calculating a speed target adjustment based on the speed target, the own ship track data, the lead ship track data and merging and spacing constraints.
US07912590B2
A sign frame having a rigid structure, the frame of which contains a mounting collar attached to a heat pipe extending vertically from the center of the lower horizontal member of the sign frame. An integrated solar heating means within the luminaire of the sign, and a means for timing the release of the stored heat to the fluorescent bulbs is provided. The internal illumination means for the sign includes a flexible vinyl sign face stretched over a the sign cabinet's rigid frame over, in which the flexible vinyl sign face material has sewn hems on all edges with inserted rigid rods and tension springs extended through the hems and hooked to the rods. The invention also provides a control method for determining the run time for loads utilizing solar power.
US07912586B2
An integrated management system for controlling multi-type air conditioners in which certain information related to the equipment connected to the system is added to a remote communication protocol, and operation information related to at least one air conditioner system and the type information related to the connected equipment are received from a connection controller group for storage, whereby all or many of the air conditioners installed in a particular location can be integrally maintained, managed and inspected or repaired.
US07912581B2
Products and processes are disclosed for defining at least one inventory group. This at least one inventory group includes at least two products that are available for sale by a vending machine. The vending machine outputs an indication of products that the at least one inventory group includes. The vending machine receiving, from a customer, a selection of a first product that the at least one inventory group includes. The vending machine processes a sale of a unit of the first product and a respective unit of at least one additional product for a single price.
US07912568B2
A novel and non-obvious method, system and apparatus for tuning order configurator performance by dynamic integration of manufacturing and field feedback information. A method for dynamically tuning order configurator behavior by using product issue data can include collecting product issue data for a manufactured product, the product issue data including performance and attribute information of a part of the manufactured product, analyzing the collected product issue data to identify a problematic part, and, modifying the order configurator using the analyzed product issue data.
US07912567B2
A method of determining noise in an audio stream, the method comprising: acquiring a plurality of consecutive time frames of the audio stream each comprising samples of the audio stream; generating a discrete frequency spectrum for each frame responsive to the frame samples; partitioning the frequency spectrum of each frame into a plurality of same frequency bands; determining an audio energy for each frequency band in each frame; and determining an estimate of noise energy for each frequency band in a temporally last time frame responsive to a relatively small number of smallest values for the audio energy in the frequency band of the plurality of time frames.
US07912562B2
Comprehensive universal configurable interface for electrical, electronic, and electromechanical control, sensing, and actuation. Circuit, apparatus, method, and signal set for interfacing an electrical or electronic component or a mechanical component generating or effecting an electrical or electronic signal to a control system or device. Comprehensive universal input/output interface system, circuit, and method for interfacing such components and control systems that send or receive analog or digital voltage and/or current inputs over a large range of voltages and/or current without hardware or software switches. Interface and method includes and needs only two terminals for the connection of sensor or actuator. Provides plurality of operation mode circuits to accomplish the following functions: digital input, digital output, analog input, analog output, and others. Supports either voltage or current input and output, and voltage and current capabilities over a broad dynamic range. Single physical package for user configuration into a broad set of applications.
US07912547B2
A device for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electrical stimulator is provided. The device utilizes a design of a wireless energy transmitting and positioning device with an external energy-feedback control, which can automatically detect an optimum energy-transmitting position through an external antenna performing an adjustable energy transmission method, and through a wireless-feedback control method to provide the optimum energy. As such, the implantable electrical stimulator can exactly and effectively stimulate the nervous muscle.
US07912544B1
An exemplary method includes detecting a QRS complex using cutaneous electrodes, during the QRS complex, detecting an R-wave of a ventricle using an intracardiac electrode, determining if the R-wave occurred during a first, predetermined percentage of the QRS complex width and, based at least in part on the determining, deciding whether a patient is likely to respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy. Such a method may set the predetermined percentage to approximately 50%. An exemplary model includes a parameter for a percentage for the timing of an EGM R-wave with respect to the total width of an ECG QRS complex. Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc. are also disclosed.
US07912537B2
A physiological monitoring or therapy delivery system includes autonomous, wirelessly linked, implantable devices located at different areas to sense physiologic signals and deliver therapy. At least one of the implantable devices can trigger synchronized action (e.g. data capture or therapy delivery) by other implantable devices via a telemetry link.
US07912536B2
A disposable, multi-purpose cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy testing device which comprises a tubular body having a distal end, a proximal end and a passageway extending therebetween; at least one ECG electrode disposed on the exterior surface of the tubular body for monitoring ECG signals of a patient holding the tubular body; a breathing sensor attached to the tubular body for monitoring breathing through the passageway; a closure mechanism attached to the tubular body for selectively restricting the passageway; and a pressure monitor attached to the tubular body for confirming when a pre-determined pressure has been established in the passageway; whereby the testing device can be used to conduct (i) metronomic breathing tests, (ii) Valsalva maneuver tests, and (iii) HRV standing tests.
US07912528B2
CAD (computer-aided diagnosis) systems and applications for cardiac imaging are provided, which implement methods to automatically extract and analyze features from a collection of patient information (including image data and/or non-image data) of a subject patient, to provide decision support for various aspects of physician workflow including, for example, automated assessment of regional myocardial function through wall motion analysis, automated diagnosis of heart diseases and conditions such as cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease and other heart-related medical conditions, and other automated decision support functions. The CAD systems implement machine-learning techniques that use a set of training data obtained (learned) from a database of labeled patient cases in one or more relevant clinical domains and/or expert interpretations of such data to enable the CAD systems to “learn” to analyze patient data and make proper diagnostic assessments and decisions for assisting physician workflow.
US07912525B2
A method and apparatus for enhancing the integrity of an implantable sensor. Voids formed between an outer tubing and a sensor substrate or spacing element may be back-filled with a curable, implantable material, minimizing the extent to which unwanted fluids diffuse within the sensor. An enzyme or protein matrix pellet below the sensor window may be pre-treated with a reducing agent to enhance its bond stability, and to reduce undesired swelling that may cause the sensor window to detach or leak. The bonding between the enzyme pellet and a hydrogel layer may be reinforced by application of an intervening bonding layer of a protein material, such as human serum albumin (HSA). The size of the window may be minimized by minimizing the size of an underlying electrode, providing reduced flux and lengthening sensor. A coating may be deposited on the surface of the sensor leads, providing stiffening and lubrication.
US07912523B2
A portable electronic device includes a base or first member, a flip or second member, and a hinge mechanism pivotally connecting the second member to the first member for pivotal movement between a closed position and an open position. The hinge mechanism includes a first semi-annular elongated recess and a semi-annular elongated concave member with a semi-annular elongated concave surface, the semi-annular elongated rotation member being pivotally and slidably disposed within the first semi-annular elongated recess, and the semi-annular elongated concave surface of the semi-annular elongated rotation member being exposed when the first member and the second member are in the closed position and being not exposed when the first member and the second member are in the open position.
US07912520B2
A mobile phone having a body including a ground portion, a cover of a metallic material coupled to the body, the cover forming an exterior surface of the mobile phone, and a grounding unit electrically connecting the ground portion of the body to the cover, the grounding unit being disposed on one of facing surfaces of the body and the cover. Since the body and the metallic cover are electrically and stably connected with each other, a wireless communication characteristic of the mobile phone is prevented from being lowered.
US07912517B2
A power saving method for a mobile telephone is disclosed that can increase the useful life of a battery charge by temporarily turning off non-essential telephone functions not required for call transmission or reception. The method determines whether the remaining capacity of the telephone battery is smaller than a predetermined reference value. The power saving method includes the steps of setting an activation condition for non-essential telephone functions, detecting a state that satisfies the activation condition, measuring the remaining capacity of the telephone's battery if the activation condition is satisfied, and controlling an activation operation of the non-essential telephone functions by comparing the measured remaining charged capacity with a reference value. The power saving method may include saving to and recalling from memory user preference settings when a user function is de-activated and re-activated, respectively.
US07912512B2
A phone embedded within a vehicle for automatically using a service plan of a proximate personal mobile phone. The embedded phone includes an internal communication component that detects the presence of the personal mobile phone, and receives a mobile subscriber identification number from the detected phone. The embedded phone also includes an external communication component that sends the received mobile subscriber identification number to a wireless network authority, and receives an authentication request to the personal mobile phone via the embedded phone. The internal communication component sends the authentication request to the personal mobile phone. The personal mobile phone generates an authentication signal, and the external communication component sends the authentication signal to the wireless network authority.
US07912495B2
A wireless communication system transmits and receives electronic voice signals between a wireless communication device and a wireless networking device at a call bitrate stored in the wireless communication device. By using the call bitrate when transmitting and receiving call signals, the wireless communication system is able to eliminate delays in the call signals caused if the signal becomes worse.
US07912474B2
When a cell load becomes higher than a call setup threshold value for a first channel (CS channel), a second channel (PS channel) is changed into a channel having a low transmission rate. Consequently, the cell load is reduced and no cell loss occurs in the first channel. Therefore, the call loss rate of a first communication service is lowered. Simultaneously, a handover threshold value is higher than the call setup threshold value for the first channel so that a failure rate of handover is lowered.
US07912464B2
A SIMM System and method is provided that supports many Mobile Subscriber Integrated Service Digital Network (MSISDN) numbers on a mobile device. The mobile device includes one Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) and one International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). The SIMM system includes at least one signal gateway that supports the use of numerous MSISDN numbers by the mobile device. The signal gateway couples among components of the public mobile networks to which the MSISDN numbers correspond. The signal gateway connects calls between the mobile device and a first public mobile network using a first MSISDN where, for example, the first public mobile network is in a first country. Likewise, the signal gateway connects calls between the mobile device and a second public mobile network using a second MSISDN where, for example, the second public mobile network is in a second country.
US07912457B2
System for creation and transport of multimedia content flows. The system includes a method for transporting a content flow to a wireless access network for broadcast to devices coupled to the wireless access network. The method includes transmitting a request message to add the content flow to the wireless access network, wherein the request message includes a scheduled delivery time. The method also includes receiving a response message indicating that the content flow will be added to the wireless access network, waiting until the scheduled delivery time, and delivering the content flow to the wireless access network.
US07912455B2
A method and system for data protection for applications that includes registering applications with a storage cleaning mechanism so that the registered applications can receive notification of impending storage cleaning operations. Upon receiving notification of an impending cleaning operation, the registered applications can release or unreference storage so it can be cleaned of data.
US07912450B2
A system and method for communication service portability include the ability to receive, at an access point, a registration request for a user of an endpoint and to generate, based on the received registration request, a registration request for a wireless network authorization module, the generated registration request containing information from a user information module. The system and method also include the ability to receive a response to the generated registration request, to determine whether the generated registration request has been accepted, and to generate a response to the received registration request based on the status of the received response.
US07912444B2
A device may store a media file. A portion of the media file may be identified and played back in response to an event associated with the device. In one implementation, a portion of an existing audio file may be used as a ring tone in response to a received incoming telephone call.
US07912441B2
An apparatus and method for enabling a Near Field Communications (NFC) equipment integrated into a portable communications device, such that when the portable communications device's battery is low the residual charge of the battery is used to power the NFC equipment to enable various NFC applications without causing damage to the battery or portable communications device.
US07912439B2
In an organic memory which is included in a radio chip formed from a thin film, data are written to the organic memory by a signal inputted with a wired connection, and the data is read with a signal by radio transmission. A bit line and a word line which form the organic memory are each selected by a signal which specifies an address generated based on the signal inputted with a wired connection. A voltage is applied to a selected memory element. Thus writing is performed. Reading is performed by a clock signal or the like which are generated from a radio signal.
US07912438B2
Techniques for mitigating additional phase noise in local oscillator (LO) signals, which may be due to digital noise coupling, are described. A correction signal having an estimate of additional phase noise in an LO signal is derived. The correction signal is applied to a data signal either after downconversion or before upconversion with the LO signal to mitigate the additional phase noise. To derive the correction signal, an input signal having the additional phase noise may be obtained by downconverting a replica LO signal or based on the replica LO signal without downconversion. The input signal may be digitized and filtered to pass a single tone and suppress remaining tones. A replica signal may be derived based on the filtered signal and frequency translated to obtain a phase noise estimate signal at DC. The complex conjugate of the phase noise estimate signal may be provided as the correction signal.
US07912429B2
An upconverter includes a switching architecture configured to receive an input signal, a first local oscillator (LO) signal, and a second local oscillator (2LO) signal that is at a frequency that is twice a frequency of the local oscillator (LO) signal, wherein the switching architecture is configured to switch the input signal on transitions of the second local oscillator (2LO) signal, and wherein the first local oscillator signal and the second local oscillator signal are combined to form combined LO 2LO switching signals.
US07912425B2
A method of receiving the uplink region allocation information is disclosed. In a broadband wireless access system, in which a mobile terminal receives uplink region allocation information, the present invention includes the steps of receiving an uplink map message from which an uplink map information element (UL-MAP IE) for a ranging region or an uplink bandwidth request region is omitted from a base station and receiving information for a region for a ranging region or uplink bandwidth request using a message periodically transmitted for a control information transmission for an uplink channel. By transmitting uplink region allocation information via a periodically transmitted message, the uplink region allocation information can be efficiently transmitted.
US07912422B2
Methods and systems for demodulation of open-loop GPS radio occultation signals are provided. An occulted GPS radio signal where the atmosphere-induced modulation on the phase is up to 180 degrees may be recorded by a radio occultation receiver. The radio signal may be concurrently received by a second receiver where the atmosphere-induced phase modulation is below 90 degrees and where the Navigation Data Message (NDM) bit sequence can be readily extracted. The extracted NDM bit sequence may be used to demodulate the occulted GPS radio signal and a 4-quadrant phase extractor may then be used to determine the phase and amplitude of the radio occultation signal. The phase and amplitude modulations after removal of NDM may be used for inversion, e.g., retrieval of the atmospheric parameters such as the bending angle, refractivity and deriving of the meteorological parameters.
US07912418B2
An image-forming device includes: an image-forming unit; a sheet discharge unit; a sheet support unit; and a reading unit. The image-forming unit forms images on a recording sheet. The sheet discharge unit discharges, in a sheet discharging direction, a recording sheet formed with an image by the image-forming unit. The sheet support unit is disposed above the image-forming unit, and supports sheet discharged from the sheet discharge unit. The reading unit is disposed above the sheet support unit, with an underside surface of the reading unit opposing a top surface of the sheet support unit. The sheet discharge unit is configured to discharge the sheet diagonally upwardly so that sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit contacts the underside surface of the reading unit.
US07912417B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming part; a first conveyance roller that conveys a recording medium to the image forming part; a forward/reverse-rotatable second conveyance roller, located between the first conveyance roller and the image forming part in a conveyance direction of the recording medium; a contact member, in contact with the second conveyance roller, that forms a nip between the second conveyance roller and the contact member; a first conveyance roller driver that rotate-drives the first conveyance roller in the same direction as the conveyance direction of the recording medium; and a drive transmission mechanism that performs drive transmission from the first conveyance roller driver to the second conveyance roller so as to start rotation of the second conveyance roller in a reverse direction of the conveyance direction of the recording medium before a lead edge of the recording medium arrives at the nip.
US07912409B2
The present invention provides an exchangeable toner cartridge which can be attached to or detached from an apparatus main body. The toner cartridge includes the toner transfer member which is provided along a longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge and which can rotate. At the first range of the upstream side in a toner transfer direction the toner transfer member is formed into a substantially spiral shape, and at the second range of the downstream side in the toner transfer direction on a side of a toner supply port, toner transfer member has a shape different from that of the first range.
US07912406B2
An image-forming device includes a main body and a tandem photosensitive-member unit. The tandem photosensitive-member unit includes a unit frame, a plurality of photosensitive members, a front-side grip part, and a rear-side grip. The unit frame is configured to be slidably installed to and removed from the main body in a predetermined direction. The unit frame has a leading side and a trailing side with respect to the predetermined direction. The plurality of photosensitive members is provided corresponding to a plurality of colors and is supported by the unit frame. The front-side grip part is provided at the leading side of the unit frame. The rear-side grip part is provided at the trailing side of the unit frame.
US07912393B2
An image-forming device includes an image-forming unit, a test image memory, a test image forming unit, a density measuring unit, an abnormality determining unit, a test image re-forming unit, and a density re-measuring unit. The image-forming unit forms an image on a recording medium based on inputted image data. The test image memory stores image data of test image used for calibrating density of image to be formed by the image-forming unit. The test image forming unit controls the image-forming unit to form the test image by reading image data for test image stored in the test image memory and outputting the image data to the image-forming unit. The density measuring unit measuring the density of the test image that the image-forming unit forms on the recording medium. The abnormality determining unit compares the density of test image measured by the density measuring unit with prescribed values pre-stored in association with the test images to determine whether the measured density is abnormal. The test image re-forming unit controls the image-forming unit to re-form test image determined to be abnormal by the abnormality determining unit on the recording medium by outputting image data for the test image determined to be abnormal to the image-forming unit. The density re-measuring unit measures the density of the test image that the image-forming unit re-forms on the recording medium.
US07912392B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a fixer including a heating member and a pressure member, a reverse transport part to forward a recording medium transported from the fixer to the image forming part, a toner image sensor to detect presence of a toner image on the recording medium, and a controller. When a glossy image formation mode is selected and no toner image is detected on the recording medium, the image forming part does not form a toner image on the recording medium, the fixer performs a first heating and pressing process and transports the recording medium to the reverse transport part, the reverse transport part transports the recording medium to the image forming part, the image forming part forms a toner image on the recording medium transported from the reverse transport part, and the fixer performs a second heating and pressing process and fixes the toner image thereon.
US07912389B2
An image forming apparatus, wherein the following formulae are satisfied: 0.22 ≤ ( M / S ) L ≤ 0.4 , ( Q M ) L = Vc ( Lt 2 ɛ 0 ɛ t + Ld ɛ 0 ɛ d ) × ( M S ) L ( Dt max - Dt 0.1 ) { λ × ( M S ) L - 0.1 } ( Lt 2 ɛ 0 ɛ t + Ld ɛ 0 ɛ d ) × ( M S ) L 500 ≤ αβ ≤ ( Dt max - Dt 0.1 ) { λ × ( M S ) L - 0.1 } ( Lt 2 ɛ 0 ɛ t + Ld ɛ 0 ɛ d ) × ( M S ) L 150 αβ ≥ ( Dt max - Dt 0.1 ) { λ × ( M S ) L - 0.1 } 150 where (M/S)L: a toner bearing amount in a maximum density image portion of a photosensitive drum, (Q/M)L: an average charge amount of the toner in the maximum density portion, Vc: an absolute value of a potential difference between a DC-component of a developing bias and the maximum density portion, Lt: a toner layer thickness of the maximum density portion, Ld: a drum thickness, εt: a relative permittivity of the toner layer, εd: a relative permittivity of the drum, ε0: a vacuum permittivity, Dtmax: a transmission density in a maximum density image portion on the paper after fixation, Dt0.1: a transmission density in an image on the paper when the toner bearing amount on the paper after fixation is 0.1 mg/cm2, and λ: a transfer efficiency of the toner, α = ( Dt max - Dt 0.1 ) { λ × ( M S ) L - 0.1 } , and β = 1 / ( Q / M ) L .
US07912381B2
A communication network is provided for interconnecting a network of digital systems, such as multimedia devices. Each node of the communication network may include a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver and transmitter of each node can be an optical receiver and transmitter. The optical receiver is preferably powered by two power supply pins, each providing different supply amounts. An activity detector within the receiver can be powered from a first supply amount, and the signal path of the optical receiver can be supplied from a second supply amount greater than the first supply amount. The first supply amount is provided at all times, and the second supply amount is only provided if activity is detected. A voltage regulator which provides the first supply amount can be beneficially embodied on the same integrated circuit as a network interface to reduce the manufacturing cost of the network. By powering the activity detector separate from the signal path, power down and power up (normal) operating states are envisioned for reducing power consumption and increasing longevity of the optical receiver and transmitter.
US07912371B2
An optical transmission device includes an input interface unit, a cross-connecting unit, and an output interface unit, and a bandwidth switching control unit, and switches bandwidths allocated to paths in a transmission channel that connects to an adjoining optical transmission device synchronously with the adjoining optical transmission device. When the bandwidths are not continuous in the transmission channel, the bandwidth switching control unit controls the input interface unit, the cross-connecting unit and the output interface unit to rearrange the non-continuous bandwidths into continuous ones.
US07912364B2
The optical observation apparatus includes an optical element which reflects a first wavelength region light from an object to introduce the light to an eyepiece part, and a light source which emits a second wavelength region light. A wavelength-selective optical film which transmits the first wavelength region light and reflects the second wavelength region light is disposed inside the optical element. The optical observation apparatus superimposes an image formed by the second wavelength region light reflected by the wavelength-selective optical film on an object image formed by the first wavelength region light transmitted through the wavelength-selective optical film to cause an observer to observe the object image with the superimposed image through the eyepiece part. The optical observation apparatus can superimpose an optional image on the object image to enable the observer to observe these images without a deterioration of viewfinder performance.
US07912363B2
Face detection is executed only on an image imaged based on an arbitrary (predetermined) focal point information defined in advance. In face detection, the face of a person is detected based on a relative value of statistics in a plurality of characteristic regions produced by contour or parts of the face of the person. Thus, even if the face in the image used for face detection is blurred, the statistics in a certain region can be acquired, and thus such face is detectable. Therefore, the primary subject to be focused can be rapidly detected without performing focal point control at a stage of preliminary imaging in the imaging apparatus.
US07912362B2
The present invention relates to an optical image stabilizing apparatus for a micro-camera module capable of effectively stabilizing an image of the camera module and implementing miniaturization of the camera module by supplying an “L”-shaped biaxial guide structure to prevent a tilt in a Y axial direction while moving an automatic focusing unit of the camera module in a horizontal X axial direction and to prevent a tilt in an X axial direction while moving the automatic focusing unit of the camera module in a horizontal Y axial direction.
US07912360B2
A tank system can provide a predetermined cold start volume (VKS) of an operating liquid required by a liquid consumer after a cold start. The tank system can provide a urea solution to an SCR catalytic converter. The tank system includes a main tank with a filling opening through which the interior of the main tank can be filled with operating liquid. To melt a predetermined volume of the frozen liquid in a fast, efficient and complete manner, a melting device is provided. The melting device includes a melt tank which encloses a melting space and which comprises an inlet opening through which the melting space can be filled with the operating liquid from the interior of the main tank. The melting device includes a cold start heater for melting frozen liquid in the melting space. The melting space is at least as large as the cold start volume (VKS) and is smaller than the interior of the main tank.
US07912358B2
Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one system for providing power to one or more subsurface heaters is described herein. The system may include an intermittent power source; a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source, and a tap controller coupled to the transformer. The transformer may be configured to transform power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters. The tap controller may be configured to monitor and control the transformer so that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters from the transformer regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.
US07912357B2
A method and apparatus for creating a program table that has information associated with playing a TV program and storing the program table with program data. Program packets related to the TV program are extracted from an encoded MPEG-2 transport stream (TS) and stored. A TS demultiplexer extracts the program packets related to a program desired to be stored from TS packets under control of a TS demultiplexer control unit which also extracts location information of an I-picture. A program table having information related to playing the TV program and the location information of the I-picture is generated and the program table is stored together with the TV program so that subsequent play and trick play of the stored TV program are more easily performed by referring to the program table.
US07912351B2
Access to an audiovisual product is controlled by obscuring data. Cells 420 of audiovisual data A, B, C are reproduced by a sequence instruction 410 (e.g. a PGC or Program Chain). One such sequence instruction 410a correctly reproduces the audiovisual data A, B, C, but is hidden amongst many other sequence instructions 410b which incorrectly reproduce the sequence of cells 420 (e.g. as BAC, ACB, CAB, etc.).
US07912350B2
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.
US07912343B2
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.
US07912342B2
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.
US07912338B2
A recording medium having data structures for managing random/shuffle reproduction of video data recorded thereon is disclosed. The recording medium in accordance with the present invention comprises at least one piece of title management information, a playlist directory area storing at least one playlist including at least one playitem, and a stream directory area storing at least one clip of video data associated with the playlist. The title management information includes at least one segment that is associated with at least one playlist in the playlist directory area, and each playitem in the playlist is a unit to be randomized or shuffled during random/shuffle reproduction mode.
US07912332B2
A manufacturing method of an optical waveguide device which is capable of easily and precisely aligning the optical axis of a light receiving and emitting element and the optical axis of an optical waveguide and capable of shortening manufacturing time, and to provide an optical waveguide device obtained thereby. An under cladding layer 11 is formed on an upper surface of a substrate 10. A core layer 16 is formed on an upper surface of the under cladding layer 11. Horizontal alignment guides 17 made of the same material as the above-mentioned core layer 16 are formed on the above-mentioned substrate 10. A light emitting element 19 is installed on the substrate 10 along the horizontal alignment guides 17.
US07912331B1
Passive optical components may be used to tap the optical power, e.g., from fibers of a wavelength switch system. The passive optical components are realized by a standard photonics light-wave circuit (PLC) integrated to the fiber collimator array of the wavelength switch system. The PLC includes multiple waveguide paths that optically couple optical signals from one or more fiber ports to one or more corresponding free space optical component ports. Optical signals traveling through these waveguide paths are tapped by one or more optical taps and coupled to one or more corresponding tap ports. Each optical tap is located such that an optical signal is tapped after it is coupled into one of the waveguide paths.
US07912329B2
A light source supplies optical signal to an optical switch and a detector detects light receiving level. A control unit changes a deflection control amount for changing an angle of a tilt mirror, and outputs the deflection control amount to a driving unit. When an input and an output ports are same, optical offset of the tilt mirror is calculated based on optimal angle at which the light detector detects an optimal point of the light receiving level. Whenever the input and the output port are different, a structure parameter of the tilt mirror is calculated based on the optical offset and the optimal angle. The optical offset and the structure parameter are stored in a memory as a test result.
US07912320B1
A camera is capable of measuring distances to objects in a photographic field of view and when two such distances are measured and the included angle between their paths, a measurement standard and a vertical plane are defined. The standard is then used to measure linear dimensions of any objects within the defined vertical plane and field of view. The camera, itself, can be used, on site, to measure various objects in the field of view, or the information may be transmitted for use off site use.
US07912316B2
A band-limited image signal generating unit decomposes an input image signal into a plurality of band-limited image signals, each representing an image having different frequencies. An index value obtaining unit obtains an index value indicating a level of noise suppression based on data representing spatial frequencies as well as an evaluation value representing local contrast at a pixel of interest in band-limited images and data representing an X-ray dose. A noise suppression processing unit performs noise suppression processing on each pixel of each of band-limited images based on the index value. A processed image generating unit obtains a processed image, in which noise has been suppressed, by adding signals obtained by subtracting processed band-limited image signals, of which noise has been suppressed, from the band-limited image signals together, extracting a noise image signal, and subtracting the noise image signal from the input image signal.
US07912310B2
A system and method that scale a first image to a second image. The scaling factor between the first image and the second image may be used to determine the number of pixels from the first image to be used to produce a pixel of the second image. The number of pixels from the first image may be utilized to pre-compute coefficients of a filter to be applied to the pixels from the first image. The location of the pixels from the first image relative to the pixels of the second image may be utilized to compute the filter coefficients. The coefficients may be computed using a Sinc function. The predetermined coefficients may be organized according to the order in which the pixels from the first image are to be processed to produce the second image.
US07912308B2
An image processing device includes a retinex-value calculating portion, a normalizing-parameter reading portion, a normalizing portion, and a correcting portion. The retinex-value calculating portion calculates a retinex value of each pixel in an original image based both on a pixel value of a subject pixel and on a peripheral average luminance of the subject pixel, The normalizing-parameter reading portion reads an upper limit and a lower limit for performing normalization. The normalizing portion normalizes the retinex value based on the upper limit and the lower limit, thereby obtaining a normalized retinex value for each pixel in the original image. The correcting portion corrects the original image based both on the normalized retinex value and on the pixel value for each pixel in the original image, thereby obtaining a corrected image.
US07912300B2
This invention suppresses mixing of different types of encoded data in an image area having a specific image property while allowing mixing of losslessly encoded data and lossily encoded data. For this purpose, an input unit inputs image on an image block basis. A conversion unit converts the resolution of the image data to ½ by generating one pixel from 2×2 pixels. A first encoding unit lossily encodes the converted image data. A second encoding unit losslessly encodes the image data for each image block. A selecting unit selects encoded data with a smaller code amount. A determination unit determines whether an image block of interest has a specific image property, and outputs the determination result to the selecting unit. If the image of interest has a specific image property, the selecting unit selects and outputs encoded data of the type set by a control unit in advance.
US07912299B2
A system and method are disclosed which may include converting data identifying a plurality of visual features into a plurality of pixel characteristic data values; and forming an image file with pixels having the respective pixel characteristic data values.
US07912293B2
An image processing system and image judgment method able to suitably judge whether or not an image includes an image of a predetermined subject to be captured as the image and a program run in the image processing system are provided. Edges of a captured image are enhanced, and an evaluation value Ev concerning intensities of edges and/or amounts of edges included in the captured image is acquired based on values of pixels included in this edge enhanced image. It is judged whether or not the captured image includes an image of a predetermined subject FG based on this acquired evaluation value Ev. It becomes possible to accurately judge if the captured image includes an image of the predetermined subject FG. Further, it is also possible to judge if the image of that subject FG is suitable for a predetermined purpose (for example a template use image of biometric authentication) in accordance with the evaluation value Ev.
US07912291B2
A method and apparatus for image processing is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises accessing header data from a multi-resolution codestream of compressed data of a first document image, deriving one or more retrieval attributes from the header information, and performing image analysis between the first document image and a second document image based on the one or more retrieval attributes.
US07912287B2
A method for document processing including decomposing an image of a document into at least one data entry region sub-image, providing the data entry region sub-image to a data entry clerk available for processing the data entry region sub-image, receiving from the data entry clerk a data entry value associated with the data entry region sub-image, and validating the data entry value.
US07912276B2
With the objective of achieving defect kind training in a short period of time to teach classification conditions of defects detected as a result of inspecting a thin film device, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a visual inspection method, and an apparatus therefor, comprising the steps of: detecting defects based on inspection images acquired by optical or electronic defect detection means, and at the same time calculating features of the defects; and classifying the defects according to classification conditions set beforehand, wherein said classification condition setting step further includes the steps of: collecting defect features over a large number of defects acquired beforehand from the defect detection step; sampling defects based on the distribution of the collected defect features over the large number of defects; and setting defect classification conditions based on the result of reviewing the sampled defects.
US07912271B2
A computer receives a number of groups of projection images of a reference object already known to the computer. Each projection image was captured via a recording arrangement with corresponding positioning of the recording arrangement. The computer uses one projection image for the respective position of the recording arrangement to determine an interim projection matrix, which describes a mapping of the three-dimensional space to a projection image captured with the respective positioning of the recording arrangement. The interim projection matrices relate to coordinate systems that are specifically assigned to each group. The computer uses interim projection matrices of different groups determined for the same position of the recording arrangement to determine locations of the other coordinate systems related to one of the coordinate systems. The computer uses the interim projection matrices and locations of the other coordinate systems to define a final projection matrix, that relates to a uniform coordinate system, for every position of the recording arrangement.
US07912269B2
According to a medical image processing apparatus, a data of a region of the blood vessel is removed from respectives of a plurality of sheets of original image data collected by scanning a subject injected with a contrast medium by a medical modality, thereafter, a pixel value of the region of the blood vessel is substituted for by pixel values of a plurality of pixels present at a surrounding of the region, the plurality of sheets of original image data including the substituted region of the blood vessel are subjected to a preprocessing including a noise removing processing and a pixel bundling processing, and circulation dynamic state information of perfusion of a substantial portion is analyzed from the plurality of sheets of original image data subjected to the preprocessing.
US07912260B2
A method and Computer Program Product for segmenting a three-dimensional digital representation of an anatomical structure, in which a temporary replacement of intensity values is performed in a specified volume with a substitute intensity value corresponding to healthy anatomical structure. The segmentation of an outer boundary of the blood vessel is performed, before the original intensity values are restored. After restoration of the original intensity values, a thorough segmentation of the specified volume and any lesions contained therein is performed.
US07912256B2
Apparatus, system, method, computer program, and computer program product that provide a security in creating and processing fingerprint images obtained from a fingerprint sensor by generating a full image fingerprint minutia feature template without ever generating or reconstructing the full or complete fingerprint image that is conventionally required to generate such minutia feature template.
US07912254B2
Trimming is automatically performed on an image by inferring a person and a background in which the photographer of the image has interest. Facial images FP1 and FP2 are detected in a whole image P, and the vertical direction of the whole image P is judged based the facial images FP1 and FP2. Further, processing is performed using the information about the vertical direction to discriminate whether the composition of the whole image P is portrait-mode composition or landscape-mode composition. If it is judged that the facial image FP1 is positioned on the lower side of the whole image, and if a composition discrimination unit discriminates that the composition of the whole image P is landscape-mode composition, trimming is automatically performed using a trimming frame TG10 that has portrait-mode composition.
US07912253B2
A feature extraction unit (23) extracts features of an object of interest included in an image. A local region setting unit (24) sets a local region that includes a feature group required to obtain the shape of the object and a local region that includes a feature group required to obtain the positional relationship. A feature vector generation unit (25) calculates feature vector data in the set local regions. An object recognition unit (26) determines which of different objects the object of interest is, on the basis of the feature vectors.
US07912244B2
Video fingerprinting using watermarks is described herein. A watermark encoder embeds a watermark into an input video to produce a watermarked video. The watermark encoder can choose particular regions of the video that are sufficiently complex for watermarking. Spatial and temporal complexity analyses can be performed on a per-pixel basis to locate suitable regions of the video. The watermarks can be embedded using a unique codeword associated with a given user. A watermark decoder can receive the watermarked video. In some instances, the watermarked video may have been attacked in some way after being output by the watermark encoder. In these instances, the watermark decoder can extract the watermark from the watermarked video. In turn, the watermark decoder can extract the codeword from the watermark, and compare the extracted codeword to a plurality of known codewords associated with respective users.
US07912243B2
A decoding device has data extracting units extracting data from an image, data occurrence frequency calculating units calculating an occurrence frequency of data on a digit-by-digit basis, weighting units setting a weight corresponding to the occurrence frequency for every reference code so that the data with a smaller occurrence frequency in the extracted data becomes a majority in a decision by a weighted majority, first decision-by-majority units deciding the detection result of the data on the basis of the decision by the weighted majority, and judging units judging whether the image is falsified or non-falsified in accordance with whether the detection code decided by the first decision-by-majority units, is correct or erroneous.
US07912234B1
A broadband sound generator and transmitter provides minimal attenuation of sound over the distance between the generators and a point at a selected distance. The transmission component includes a parabolic dish and a positionable framework for the sound generators. The sound generators are positioned in front of the dish and oriented to direct sound into the dish for reflection toward a target. Drive signal conditioning circuitry apportion components of the drive signal to the several sound generators and adjust the signal in terms of delay and phase to accommodate changes in position of the generators relative to the dish.
US07912232B2
A first embodiment of the invention provides a method and apparatus for attenuating or amplifying voice or other signals present on a stereo audio recording that uses frequency domain techniques to calculate a time- and frequency-dependent gain factor, based on the input panning and phase information in the recording, and optionally outputs the original recording's phase and/or panning information. A further embodiment of the invention provides a method and apparatus for attenuating or amplifying voice or other signals present on a stereo audio recording that uses training-based frequency domain techniques in each frequency band to calculate a time- and frequency-dependent gain factor, based on the input panning, phase offset, and magnitude information in the recording, and optionally outputs the original recording's phase and/or panning information.
US07912230B2
A howling detection device detects a dominance ratio, which indicates a risk of howling to occur when a mixed signal obtained by mixing a plurality of sound signals collected by a plurality of microphones is outputted by a speaker. The howling detection device detects levels of the plurality of sound signals, compares, in a same time domain, the mixed signal with a signal regarding a sound to be outputted by the speaker as a noise reference signal, detects a time period, as a word ending section, during which the mixed signal is inputted after the noise reference signal falls, and calculates a dominance ratio by extracting only a level of the plurality of sound signals corresponding to the word ending section and determining a ratio of each of the extracted levels of each of the sound signals to a sum of the extracted levels of the plurality of sound signals.
US07912228B2
In a method and equipment for operating a voice-supported system, such as a communications and/or intercom/two-way intercom device in a motor vehicle, using at least one microphone and at least one loudspeaker to reproduce a signal generated by the microphone, as well as a bandpass filter configured between the microphone and the loudspeaker, a power of the signal as a function of a frequency is determined, and the bandpass filter is adjusted as a function of at least one local maximum of the power of the signal as a function of the frequency.
US07912226B1
Automatic measurements are made of audio presence and level in an audio signal by direct processing of an MPEG data stream representing the audio signal, without reconstructing the audio signal. Sub-band data is extracted from the data stream, and the extracted sub-band data is dequantized and denormalized. An audio level for the dequantized and denormalized sub-band data is measured without reconstructing the audio signal. Channel characteristics are used in measuring the audio level of the sub-band data, wherein the channel characteristics are used to weight the measured levels. The measured levels are compared against at least one threshold to determine whether an alarm should be triggered.
US07912223B2
Described is a method for secure data disposal. Data stored in storage volume(s) is encrypted with a specific encryption key. Before the key is disposed of, a clear text string is encrypted with the same key and the encrypted data is associated with the clear text string and stored in a repository. When a new key is created to encrypt a new volume, each of the encrypted data in the repository is checked to determine whether the encryption of the associated clear text string using the new key generates the same encrypted string as the stored encrypted data. If the result of the encryption of the clear text string matches at least one stored encrypted string, the associated new key is not used and another key is generated until the new key results in an encrypted string which does not match any stored encrypted strings.
US07912209B1
Statistics relating to the operation of physical, logical and software components of a contact center are generated by or on behalf of the components themselves rather than by a statistics engine based on event notifications from the components. In this way, the locally generated statistical information can be communicated as part of presence information for such components. By subscribing to a presence service for presence information for the components of interest, a statistics service can collect the locally produced statistics coming from each component. This provides a less centralised, more dynamic and adaptable way of managing statistical information in a contact center and provides in addition alternative methods of generating alarms and alerts.
US07912206B2
To provide a personalized voice email service, data pertaining to one or more of a user's email accounts, e.g., email addresses and account access data, is maintained in a folder by an information assistance service, which is unaffiliated with the email service providers (e.g., AOL, Hotmail, etc.) maintaining the user's email accounts. When the user calls the information assistance service, the user's folder is retrieved. The user's email accounts may be accessed on behalf of the user based on the email addresses and account access data in the user's folder. An information assistance provider including, e.g., an operator and/or a voice server, may present information concerning the email messages received in the user's email accounts in different manners. For example, the information assistance provider may report to the user selected email messages that satisfy one or more predetermined criteria, e.g., only those email messages which have been received since the last time the user called the information assistance service. Header information (e.g., sender/address, subject, etc.) concerning the selected email messages may be announced to the user. At the user's request, the information assistance provider may open and read a email message to the user. The user may then send a reply email message, or forward the email message to other recipients.
US07912202B2
A method is provided for operating a directory assistance system. The method includes the steps of storing a plurality of directory listings, including listings relating to identification of Voice over IP devices. A directory request is received for one of the directory listings and a call completion record is generated for providing information responsive to the directory request. The call completion record includes information relating to at least one of the Voice over IP devices, in a case where the requested information relates to a Voice over IP device. The call completion record includes information relating to a mobile phone device in a case where the requested information relates to a mobile phone device. The call completion record includes information relating to a landline device in a case where the requested information relates to a landline device.
US07912197B2
A discussion unit (6) for use in a conference system (8) is disclosed, which is adapted to be connected to at least one second discussion unit (6) of the conference system (8). The discussion unit (6) is switchable between at least two operating modes. The discussion unit (6) further comprises at least one exchangeable control (420) out of a set of controls comprising at least one control for each of the operating modes, wherein the at least one exchangeable control (420) is adapted to indicate to a user the operating mode currently used and to allow for the user to control the discussion unit (6).
US07912189B2
An improved approach to failover voice messaging services is provided. In one example, a method includes detecting a network communication interruption between a branch office and a main office, provisioning a mailbox of a failover voice messaging system of the branch office, and receiving an incoming call at the branch office. The method also includes routing the incoming call to the mailbox, storing a message associated with the incoming call in the mailbox, and detecting a restored network connection between the branch office and the main office. The method further includes synchronizing the message between the mailbox of the failover voice messaging system of the branch office and a corresponding mailbox of a voice messaging system of the main office in response to the restored network connection. Failover voice messaging systems supporting such features are also provided.
US07912186B2
A system that concurrently provides multiple user interface (UI) mechanisms that facilitate control of an application state machine (e.g., unified message system). More particularly, the invention can create two relatively distinct user experiences, one via dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) navigation and another through speech recognition navigation of a unified message system. In accordance therewith, one single underlying state machine can be used. Navigation and flow control (e.g., state transitions) in the state machine can be leveraged by multiple UI mechanisms that actively co-exist. The invention introduces speech recognition features together with other input mechanisms to drive the UI of an application state machine (e.g., unified messaging system). The speech recognition UI can be designed to provide a natural navigation through the application independent of a DTMF UI.
US07912182B2
The invention relates to a medical diagnostic X-ray apparatus (1) comprising an X-ray source (13), a hollow carrier (5) to which the X-ray source is connected, and a cooling mechanism (3) provided with a cooling means to cool the X-ray source (13) during use of the X-ray apparatus (1). The cooling construction (3) extends completely inside the hollow carrier (5) thus reducing the risk of leakage of cooling means.
US07912177B2
An efficient X-ray radiographic method for recognition of materials of inspected objects and a corresponding device with improved functional possibilities are proposed, ensuring direct determination of the effective atomic number Zeff of the material, its density and thickness, as well as chemical composition. In customs inspection this should ensure practically unambiguous identification of explosives and drugs, and in medical tomography—early diagnostics of cancer tumors, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and other dangerous and widespread diseases. The method includes X-raying of the inspected objects and recording of the transmitted radiation in several different spectral ranges with different effective energy by multi-element radiation receivers. For this purpose, quasimonochromatic X-ray radiation is used, and detection of radiation transmitted through the inspected object is made by spatially separated multi-element radiation receivers of selective sensitivity, upon each of which quasimonochromatic radiation of specified energy is directed. The background signal values in the absence of the inspected object are pre-recorded for each of said receiver elements under X-ray irradiation of specified energy, and signal values obtained in X-raying of a set of test objects are recorded. All the obtained signals are then normalized with respect to said background signals, and calibration constants are determined, after which the material is recognized by the obtained radiographic reflexes accounting for said calibration constants using special algorithms.
US07912175B2
The present invention is directed to realize an X-ray CT apparatus for properly performing contrast imaging. An X-ray CT apparatus includes an imaging unit and a control unit for controlling the imaging unit. The control unit includes: a first control unit for performing a monitoring scan to monitor arrival of a contrast agent at a region of interest in a start position of a main scan in an imaging range of the main scan that is set along the body axis of the subject or a first monitoring position that is set before the start position in a scan progress direction and, on arrival of the contrast agent, starting the main scan; and a second control unit for monitoring whether or not the contrast agent has reached a region of interest in a second monitoring position provided on the forward side of the start position of the main scan in the imaging range in the scan progress direction on arrival of the main scan at the second monitoring position, when the contrast agent has reached the second monitoring position, continuing the main scan and, when the contrast agent has not reached the second monitoring position yet, performing a monitoring scan for monitoring arrival of the contrast agent.
US07912174B2
A computed tomography system having a fixed X-ray source [10] for producing a fan beam [20], a fixed digital detector [12] and a manipulator [14] for holding and rotating an object [16] to be inspected. Left and right projections of the rotated object on the fixed digital detector are used to determine a central ray, reconstruction of an image of the object being based on the central ray position. A corresponding method and apparatus are also disclosed.
US07912165B2
A method is disclosed, including identifying a preamble in a frame, where the preamble has a preamble length 1. M data items received in succession are stored. The m data items once divided into n portions, where the data items in each portion have respectively been received at successive times and where m and n are natural numbers and the following applies to m and n: m>n, m>1, n>1. The n portions are respectively correlated to the expected values to form component correlation results. Delaying the component correlation results, with at least two component correlation results being delayed by different lengths. The method also includes combining the delayed component correlation results to form a total correlation value. The total correlation value is used to determine whether the m received data items contain the preamble of a frame.
US07912161B2
A novel method and apparatus is disclosed, that embeds with, or otherwise makes available to an adaptive equalizer, suitable for use in IEEE 1OG-LRM standard compliant receivers, digital logic that monitors some of the Layer 1 and preferably some of the Layer 2 processing that typically occurs after the equalization step during decoding and processing of the record data stream. From this additional logic information, the equalizer is able to make a much more accurate prediction of equalizer convergence by counting processing errors and prove convergence by calculation of BER. The novel method and apparatus are applicable to ASIC embodiments and the complexity of the logic information obtained can be programmably scaled back or enhanced as appropriate in light of the particular communication environment.
US07912149B2
A system and method for asynchronous data communication over a cellular communications network that allows the transmission of different types of data frames over a voice channel using a vocoder. The data frames include a synchronization signal and data segment, with the synchronization signal being selected in accordance with an attribute of the data segment so that, upon receipt of the data frame, the synchronization signal can be used by the demodulating modem to determine not only where the data segment begins, but also to identify what type of data segment is in the received data frame. The synchronization signals used have low cross-correlation and an auto-correlation function that approximates a unit impulse function to provide reliable transmission through the vocoder.
