US07922607B2
The present invention relates to a noncontact printing method for applying indicia, such as insignia or stripes, on at least one subsurface layer of a transparent or translucent cover golf ball, e.g. the core, or one or more intermediate layers. The indicia may be visible in ambient light or are only visible when exposed to specific non-ambient light wavelengths, e.g. ultraviolet wavelengths. Advantageously, this method of noncontact printing on subsurface golf ball layers substantially improves the durability of indicia because such indicia are protected from direct abrasion and club impacts by the cover. Moreover, unlike pad printing, noncontact printing forms indicia that are not susceptible to ink degradation because the indicia are solid markings created by very small discrete dots. In one embodiment, both the cover and the intermediate layer(s) may be transparent or translucent and thusly decorated to achieve previously unattainable image depth effects.
US07922606B2
A method for dynamic collision avoidance of graphical and textual elements on a display is disclosed. The method comprises displaying an aerial image of a portion of the golf course on a viewport of a golf GPS device, wherein the GPS device comprises a GPS component, a memory for storing a plurality of aerial images of a golf course, and a user input. The method further comprises determining the location of the at least one element of texts on the display in positional relation to the plurality of elements on the display, determining if there is a collision of elements on the display, and adjusting the texts element to avoid collision.
US07922601B2
A golf club head according to the present invention comprises a plurality of score lines on a face, and a stair-shaped portion comprising a plurality of steps formed on a side wall of the score line from a face side end of the side wall in a depth direction of the score line.
US07922591B2
A clutch assembly for a UV module shutter, comprises a shutter shaft, a shutter drive arm, a clutch plate, at least one ball, a clutch thrust washer, and a spring assembly. The shutter shaft has a flange, the flange having a plurality of radially positioned flange detents. The shutter drive arm includes a drive pin, a drive arm cavity, and a receiver slot opening into the drive arm cavity, the drive pin disposable in a drive slot of a shutter end cap. The clutch plate may be disposed in the clutch plate cavity, may have a tab disposed in the receiver slot and a plurality of clutch plate detents. Each of the ball(s) may extend from one of the flange detents and may be partially disposable in one of the clutch plate detents. The spring assembly may exert a bias against the clutch plate and the thrust washer. The shutter shaft may extend through the shutter drive arm, the clutch plate, and the clutch thrust washer.
US07922587B2
At least two betting terminals for playing a game, comprising a network of terminals linked to different game tables, wherein each of the terminals comprises a mechanism to switch on a plurality of games so as to allow a player at one terminal to switch to different tables and place bets at different games at a time.
US07922583B2
An apparatus and method for generating and controlling electronic signals in a gaming machine is disclosed. The provided apparatus and method include a gaming machine having a CPU or master gaming controller and a digital sound system. The digital sound system comprises one or more speakers, at least one memory unit storing data, a digital signal processor adapted to control and generate audio output, and a programmable logic device interposed between the master gaming controller and the digital signal processor, such that the digital signal processor is unable to communicate to the master gaming controller. The programmable logic device includes at least an address decoder and an event sequencer, with the event sequencer being able to convert instructions from the master gaming controller to instructions that can be executed by the digital signal processor.
US07922579B2
A method and apparatus for a wagering game is described that allows a player to collect indicia from a series of individual primary games to form a winning game outcome in a single secondary game. In one embodiment, the secondary game is won through the collection of a specified number and/or type of indicia. The primary game may have its own pay table with, for example, traditional winning game outcomes for card type games. The number of primary games available to contribute toward a winning secondary game outcome may be limited to a predetermined number of primary game outcomes or a period of time during which game outcomes may be obtained. Alternatively, or in addition, collected indicia obtained from a series of primary game outcomes may expire after a predetermined duration.
US07922550B2
A slider includes a foam board, a top layer and a bottom layer. The foam board is a polystyrene foam board that is easily formed and molded. Furthermore, a bottom of the foam board has a rail portion protruded with a plurality of foam rails therefrom and the foam rails are parallel with each other. In addition, the top layer and the bottom layer are made of polyethylene materials and comprise interface coatings respectively, so that the top layer and the bottom layer made of polyethylene could heat bonded to the polystyrene foam board without adhesives by the first and second interface coatings.
US07922549B1
An oar or paddle for moving forward and backward any kind of vessel through the water comprising two parallel lattices fixed at a given distance from each other and a frame moving between lattices. The frame has a multitude of parallel grooves of circular cross-section which pivotally support a multitude of plates. The plates are located axially of the grooves by the portion of the plates disposed within the groove. The grooves have a peripheral extent which permits the plates to rotate. The frame is connected with vessel's mode of movement backward or forward controller. Lattices are connected with vessel's engine.
US07922540B2
A power plug having backup fuse tube, its major objective is that, when a fuse tube is damaged, a replaceable backup fuse tube can be obtained readily and promptly. The power plug has a backup fuse tube with pins and a casing, lead-out wires. A cavity is provided in the casing. The cavity is covered with a matching backup fuse tube holder. On a backside of the backup fuse tube holder a retainer is provided, and a backup fuse tube is placed in the retainer.
US07922537B2
An electrical connector (100) comprises an insulative housing (1) defining a number of passageways (10) and shielding holes (14) arranged among the passageways, a conductive covering (5, 6) provided on a top surface of the insulative housing, a dielectric covering (7, 8) provided on a top surface of the conductive covering, a number of electrical contacts (2) receiving in the passageways and comprising a number of signal contacts (22) and grounding contacts (21), and a plurality of conductive elements (3) received in the shielding holes (14) and electrically connected to the grounding contacts (21) through the conductive covering (5, 6), the conductive elements (3) being insulated from the signal contacts (22).
US07922536B2
A cable connector assembly (100) includes an insulative housing (22) having a plurality of contacts received therein, a cable assembly (3) connected with the contacts by a printed circuit board (5), an upper shielding member (11) and a lower shielding member (12) together with the upper shielding member to form a receiving space (10). Each of the upper shielding member and the lower shielding member have a base portion (111, 121) and a plurality of vertical walls (113, 114, 115, 123, 124, 125) extending from the base portion. The lower shielding member (12) defines a stopping portion (126) to prevent the upper shielding member (11) from moving along a transverse direction. The stopping portion (126) is of U-shaped and comprises a first restricting flake (1261) and a second restricting flake (1262), and a corresponding vertical wall (113) of the upper shielding member is located between the first restricting flake (1261) and the second restricting flake (1262).
US07922535B1
An electrical connector includes an inner shielding shell, an insulating housing, a plurality of terminals and an outer shielding shell. The inner shielding shell defines an accommodating chamber therein. The insulating housing has a base body engaged with a rear of the accommodating chamber and a tongue portion extended forward from the base portion to stretch into a front of the accommodating chamber. A ring-shaped cavity is opened in a periphery of the base body for receiving a waterproof washer therein. An outer periphery of the waterproof washer abuts against insides of the inner shielding shell. The terminals are disposed in the insulating housing. The outer shielding shell surrounds the inner shielding shell. The outer shielding shell has at least one soldering arm soldered to a printed circuit board for achieving a ground function of the inner shielding shell through the outer shielding shell.
US07922526B2
It is an object to provide electrical equipment eliminating the need to change the diameter of wires, and capable of improving assembly workability. Vehicle-mounted camera equipment includes a circuit substrate having a substrate connector, and a camera housing. An inside connector section which is connected to the substrate connector is provided integrally on an inner surface side of the camera housing, and an outside connector section which is connected to an external connector provided at the end of an external harness is provided integrally on an outer surface side of the camera housing. Connector terminals of the inside connector section and connector terminals of the outside connector section are connected by connecting conductors, respectively, which are provided to be buried in the camera housing. The connector terminals, and the connecting conductors are made of a single conductive material.
US07922525B2
The present invention provides a USB electrical connector having: a plurality of electrical connection units each including a terminal block and at least two rows of conductive terminals embedded in the terminal block. The conductive terminals are embedded in the terminal block by an overmolding process, and wherein each conductive terminal has one end adapted to be electrically connected with a USB plug and the other end adapted to be connected with a printed circuit board. A joint mechanism joins and holds the plurality of electrical connection units, and a fixture fixes the other end of each conductive terminal connected with the printed circuit board. An outer shielding housing encloses the electrical connection units, the joint mechanism and the fixture. The USB electrical connector of the present invention enables a plurality of rows of conductive terminals to be set in stable and good relative positions.
US07922517B2
A system and method of preventing an unwanted release of wires from a poke in style connector is disclosed. The system and method are designed to prevent wires that can be removed from connectors by simultaneous twisting and pulling force from being released. The system and method operate by bundling at least two wires together to prevent the wires from rotating proximate to the connector.
US07922515B2
A termination device to facilitate interconnection of a twisted pair communications cable to IDCs includes: a housing having an aperture and a pair of first and second IDCs extending within the aperture; a twisted pair communications cable having a twisted pair of first and second conductors; and a termination device. The termination device comprises: a body having an outer surface; a channel in the outer surface of the body, the channel being sized and configured to receive a twist of the first and second conductors and to maintain the twist in position; and IDC guide structure configured to guide the first IDC into engagement with the first conductor at a first engagement location and the second IDC into engagement with the second conductor at a second engagement location, the first and second engagement locations being positioned within the channel and within the twist of the first and second conductors. A splitting structure is positioned in the channel that separates at least a portion of the first and second conductors as they reside in the channel.
US07922514B2
An electrical connector (1) includes an insulative housing (2) defining a plate-like shape with at least one alignment hole (21) extending therethrough in a vertical direction, and a number of electrical contacts (3) secured in the insulative housing (2). A number of spring ribs (211) are integrally formed on the insulative housing (2) and extend into the alignment hole (21). The spring ribs (211) deform in radial direction and circumferential direction of the alignment hole for engaging with an alignment post (41).
US07922512B2
A socket connector comprises an insulating base receiving a plurality of contacts, a movable frame assembled to the insulating base, at least one latch device pivotally assembled to the insulating base, and at least one actuating member corresponding to the latch device and retained on a sidewall of the movable frame. The at least one actuating member includes a driving portion disposed at inner edge of the sidewall of the movable frame and extending downwardly. The movable frame is able to move up and down relative to the insulating base. Each latch device includes a latching member having a pressing portion with a cuneiform outside surface. When the actuating member moves up and down together with the movable frame, the driving portion of the actuating member pushes the cuneiform outside surface of the pressing portion of the latch device to shift between a closed position and an opened position.
US07922505B2
A card connector 1 includes a slide member 21 movable along an inserting/withdrawing direction of a card, an urging member 22 for urging the slide member 21 toward a card insertion opening, and a pin member 26 having a slide end 26a slidable within and relative to a cam groove 25 provided in the slide member 21 and a support shaft end 26b supported to the body 2 side. As the slide end 26a is retained at a lock portion L formed in the cam groove 25, the card is retained at an appropriate position. The card connector 1 includes a switch mechanism M which is operated by the support shaft end 26b when the slide end 26a is pushed by the slide member 21 along the urging direction of the urging member 22 at the time of retention of the slide end 26a at the lock portion L.
US07922501B2
A substrate earthing mechanism includes a plate-like spring extending toward a substrate in a direction parallel to a surface of the substrate, and a contact portion coupled to a tip end of the plate-like spring for coming into contact with the substrate to thereby provide electrical conduction therebetween. The plate spring and the contact portion are laid out so that a contact position at which the contact portion is in contact with the substrate and a layout position of the plate-like spring are substantially the same in position as each other in a direction at right angles to the substrate surface in the state that the plate spring is out of its elastic deformation.
US07922500B2
An electrical connector has a plurality of terminals arranged side-by-side in a horizontal direction. Each of the terminals has a first connection portion adapted to be connected with one of two members electrically connectable to each other via the electrical connector, and a second connection portion adapted to be connected with the other member. In the electrical connector, two or more first terminals consisting of a part of the terminals are arranged such that an inter-terminal pitch in the first connection portions thereof is equal to that in the second connection portions thereof, and two or more second terminals consisting of the remaining terminals other than the first terminals are arranged such that an inter-terminal pitch in the first connection portions thereof is less than that in the second connection portions thereof.
US07922489B2
The invention relates to a process for determining the form a duplicate of a residual tooth area, which is to be fitted with a dental restoration whereby the duplicate sections to be fitted with the restoration are removed from the duplicate and the form data to be allocated to their forms has to be determined and stored in a computer, by means of which the form of the restoration is calculated taking into consideration the spatial allocation of the duplicate sections. In order to be able to determine the shape of the residual tooth area to be fitted with the restoration, and thereby determine the shape of the restoration itself with high precision, it is proposed that the duplicate sections are or are being individually referenced to each other in their spatial allocation to each other according to a referencing stored in the computer.
US07922487B2
A degradation resistant gingival retraction cord including silk is formed from two or more strands that are braided, twisted or woven. The degradation resistant retraction cord comprises at least about 50% silk, 80% silk, 90% silk, 95% silk, or essentially all silk. They are able to maintain at least about 70%, 80% or 90% of this tensile strength for a time period of at least about 7 days, 30 days, 60 days, or 90 days. The silk retraction cords have the look, feel and desirable utility of a thin, flexible, and resilient natural fiber cord, while also resisting degradation when pre-impregnated with a corrosive agent. Such cords combine the degradation resistance of a man-made fiber, while also having greater liquid absorbance, lightness, flexibility and resilience like a natural fiber cord.
US07922472B2
A mold for use in an injection molding process includes a molding plate, a molding block and a plurality of mold cores. The molding plate defines a receiving cavity, a plurality of through holes and a plurality of elongate gates. The through holes surround the receiving cavity, and each of the elongate gates communicates with the receiving cavity and the corresponding through hole. The molding block is detectably received in the receiving cavity. The molding block defines a cold slug well and a plurality of runners. Each runner communicates with the cold slug well and the corresponding elongate gate. Each mold core is received in the corresponding through hole.
US07922466B2
The invention relates to a radial fan (1), preferably a high-speed radial fan, comprising a blower wheel (8), a housing (2) which receives a rotor (6) and a stator (5) of an electrical drive (4) of the blower wheel shaft (7), and a cooling system. The aim of the invention is to develop one such radial fan in terms of the cooling system required. To this end, paths (30, 37) for a first cooling medium (K1) and a second cooling medium (K2) are provided in the housing (2), the second cooling medium (K2) being cooled by the first cooling medium (K1) as provided for by the housing (2), and the paths (30, 37) are separated from each other by intact material walls (40) of the housing (2).
US07922465B2
A cooling fan includes a fan housing (10) having a central tube (11) extending upwardly therefrom, a bearing (20) received in the central tube, a stator (40) mounted around the central tube, a rotor (30) having a shaft (37) extending into the bearing, and a magnetic ring (38) being fixedly mounted to the rotor to rotate with the rotor during operation of the cooling fan. The bearing is made of iron-copper alloy. The magnetic ring is made of hard magnetic material and exerts a magnetic attraction on the bearing, whereby the rotor is pulled downwardly by a magnetic attraction of the bearing on the magnetic ring to lessen the floating problem of the rotor during operation of the cooling fan.
US07922462B2
The invention provides a pump assembly comprising an actuator lever, a supporting structure, a pump comprising a pump member moveable by actuation of the actuator lever, and an actuator for moving the actuator lever. A first stationary pivoting joint is formed between the actuator lever and the supporting structure, and a second floating pivoting joint is formed between the actuator lever and the pump member allowing the pump member to float relative to the actuator lever, the floating pivoting point providing a constant-length actuator arm defined between the first pivoting joint and the second pivoting joint.
US07922461B2
An inflatable product includes an inflatable body, a socket built in the inflatable body, and an electric pump. The electric pump includes a pump body and an air outlet, connected to the socket to pump the inflatable body, wherein the pump body is wholly or partially located in the socket. A connector may be provided at a predetermined position of the electric pump for connecting an external power to actuate the electric pump.
US07922460B2
A refrigerating compressor includes a compressing element and a hermetic container accommodating the compressing element, which includes a compressing chamber where refrigerant gas is compressed, and a suction muffler (118) having a sound deadening space (119) and communicating with the compressing chamber. The suction muffler (118) includes a tail tube (121) having a first end open into the hermetic container and a second end open into the sound deadening space (119), and a resonating chamber (122) formed attached to the tail tube (121) and having a resonance frequency substantially agreeing with a specific resonance frequency of the hermetic container. This structure allows the resonating chamber (122) to deaden the noises coming from vibration sounds of a suction valve or ripple sounds of refrigerant gas.
US07922457B2
A compressor system operable to shutdown in response to a shutdown signal. The compressor system includes a compression device operable between a first speed and a second speed to produce a flow of compressed fluid at a pressure. A blowdown valve is movable between a closed position and an open position in which at least a portion of the flow of compressed fluid passes through the blowdown valve to reduce the pressure of the flow of compressed fluid. A sensor is positioned to measure the pressure and a controller is operable to move the blowdown valve to the open position and set the speed of the compression device to a low set point speed in response to the shutdown signal.
US07922447B2
A highly stable and durable fan bearing structure practical for small electronic device application is disclosed to include a bearing block, which has a stepped hub defining a vertically extending axle hole and an inside annular flange inside the axle hole at a distance away from the top opening of the axle hole, a fan blade assembly, which has permanent magnets mounted in a hollow base block thereof and an axle suspending in the hollow base block and inserted into the axle hole and coupled to the inside annular flange of the stepped hub and kept in coincidence with the central axis of the axle hole, and a stator module accommodated in the hollow base block of the fan blade assembly for acting against the permanent magnets to cause rotation of the fan blade assembly upon connection of an electric current.
US07922444B2
A shroud rail for retaining a feather seal in a vane shroud of a gas turbine engine comprises a slot for, receiving the feather seal, and a chamfer rail pocket for lightening the shroud rail. The slot traverses the vane shroud and includes a slot base extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the shroud rail, and a slot wall extending generally perpendicularly from the slot base. The chamfer rail pocket comprises a pocket wall extending along the slot wall, and a chamfer wall extending from the pocket wall at an angle oblique to the slot base.
US07922442B2
A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a spaced pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset array configuration, columns slightly offset array configuration, or a staggered array configuration.
US07922432B2
A quick-positioning screw assembly includes a cap having an inside annular flange and a locating groove or locating rib extending around the inside wall, a mounting socket bonded to a mounting through hole of a first plate member and having a top positioning flange extending around the periphery and detachably forced into engagement with the locating groove or locating rib of the cap, a screw press-fitted into the inner diameter of the inside annular flange of the cap for threading into a screw hole on a second plate member to secure the first plate member to the second plate member, and a compression spring mounted in the cap around the screw and stopped between the inside annular flange of the cap and an inside annular flange of the mounting socket.
US07922430B2
The current invention is directed to an improved storage unit for dunnage wherein the dunnage comprises load supporting plates and load locking bars, the load supporting plates being stored in a horizontal orientation.
US07922429B2
The drill bit comprises a cutting blade formed at one end of a shank. The cutting blade has a pair of cutting shoulders that extend inwardly from the outer sides of the blade toward the bit axis. A tip having converging sides that create a point extends from the shoulders. The cutting edge of each shoulder is beveled with respect to the plane of the face of the blade. A flute is provided on the leading portion of each blade face adjacent the cutting edges. Each flute is a smooth curve that creates a substantially uninterrupted recess on each face of the blade that facilitates chip removal, increases the drill rate and lowers the power required to drill a hole. A non-stick coating may be applied to the blade to further facilitate chip removal.
US07922424B2
A diamond wire saw and method provides a frame that includes a clamp that attaches to a target (e.g. piling, beam, tubular), an elongated toothed rack extending away from the mount and target, and a moving portion that carries the diamond wire and motor drives that advance the moving portion toward the target and along the toothed rack while driving the wire around roller guides.
US07922414B2
The present invention relates to a link for joining mooring lines having an eye at their joining end, characterized in that the link comprises two side plates joined by two hollow, cylindrical or non-cylindrical shafts, which shafts have a diameter which allows the bending of a polymer line around it without causing breakage to the strands of the polymer line.
US07922410B2
An applicator may include a stem, a closure element configured to close a receptacle, and a bundle of bristles including a cross-section of elongate shape along a major axis thereof. The closure element may be at a first end of the stem. The bundle of bristles may be at a second end of the stem, remote from the first end of the stem. The bundle of bristles may include, as observed perpendicularly to the major axis, a beveled end. An angle at a tip of the bevel may lie in a range of about 10° to about 35°.
US07922409B2
A printer which prints to a roll paper medium under the control of the printer and to a printer control method for maintaining consistently in high quality printing even at the end of a roll paper print medium. The printer conveys roll paper 11 through a paper transportation path and prints to the roll paper 11 using a print head 21 carried on a carriage 23 that moves transverse to the transportation path. When the trailing end 11a of the roll paper is detected, the printer advances and then stops the print medium so that the trailing end 11a of the roll paper is positioned on the transportation path outside of the carriage path 53.
US07922398B2
A cartridge loading/unloading device includes a cartridge holding mechanism 154 which holds a liquid cartridge 80 when a liquid cartridge 80 is inserted by a first predetermined stroke, and a power transmission converting mechanism 153 which ensures a push-in force required for loading of the ink cartridge 80 using the principle of the lever by the rotational motion of a lever arm 160, and which converts the rotational motion of the lever arm 160 into a second predetermined stroke S of movement required for loading of the ink cartridge 80 in a state in which it is held by the cartridge holding mechanism 154. The cartridge holding mechanism 154 includes an integral engaging member 155 which is engaged with the front side of one surface of the ink cartridge 80 in its loading direction across the center of the one surface.
US07922387B2
A performance testing apparatus for a heat pipe includes a heating set, a cooling set, and a supporting set supporting the heating set and the cooling set thereon. Position and orientation of the heating and cooling sets on the supporting set are adjustable. The heating set includes a first immovable portion and a first movable portion cooperatively defining a first channel therebetween for receiving an evaporating section of the heat pipe. A temperature sensor is exposed to the first channel for detecting temperature of the evaporating section. A cooling set includes a second immovable portion and a second movable portion cooperatively defining a second channel therebetween for receiving a condensing section of the heat pipe. A temperature sensor is exposed to the second channel for detecting temperature of the condensing section of the heat pipe.
US07922380B2
Provided are a light unit and a display device having the same. The light unit comprises a light guide member, a board, and a light-emitting module. The light guide member outputs surface tight upward. The light-emitting module comprises the board where a light-emitting devices disposed and a metal plate on a rear surface of the board.
US07922369B2
A device having an inner surface with a combination of reflective and refractive surface facets swept about an axis of revolution perpendicular to the optical axis of the device. The outer surface has a non-planar, non-circular, non-spherical shape. This outer surface generates an appropriate intensity distribution in a direction generally parallel to the major axis of the output rectangle and may also distribute energy generally parallelly to the minor axis of the output rectangle as well.
US07922356B2
An illumination apparatus comprising an optics module wherein a driving circuit may be disposed within the proximal base portion of the optics module. The proximal base portion may further be releasably secured within an independent heat dissipating element. Such an apparatus may be very beneficial in light emitting diode (LED) applications due to its efficient conduction and dissipation of heat away from the LED semiconductor junction. Additionally, a releasable optics module comprising a plurality of LEDs and a driving circuit provides for cost efficient and environmentally friendly replacement of such a component at the end of its lifespan. The heat dissipating element (e.g. heat sink) may continue to be used, while only the optics module need be replaced or serviced as required. Precious environmental resources may thus be conserved and maintenance costs reduced while concurrently extending the lifespan of such an inventive illumination apparatus.
US07922349B2
A versatile, low profile, lightweight, compact, body mounted lighting system includes a housing mountable to a person's body and a light module in the housing. The light module may include at least one LED producing a beam. There is a lens in front of the LED and a mechanism is configured to move the lens to adjust the distance between the lens and the LED to vary the size of the beam.
US07922348B2
A luminous handle (10) for doors, furnishings, or public buildings such as airports, toilets, hospitals, etc., means of transport or the like, comprising a handgrip or knob (20) made of transparent or translucent material, sanded if necessary. A spindle (8) with a definite section is intended to be inserted in a lock (24), through the latch present in the lock while a fixing screw or spring ball (12) is suitable to be fixed on said spindle (8) passing through the latch of the lock. The spindle (8) has an axial through hole positioned inside which is an electric conductor (4) electrically insulated from said spindle (8) by an insulating sleeve (9). The handgrip or knob (20) contains a LED or a luminous source of any type supplied by said electric conductor (4). The LED and the circuit can be inserted in the handle (10). The handle 10 is in contact with the handgrip or knob (20) inside which a chamber can be produced to allow diffusion of the light. The LED or luminous source of any type can also be positioned inside the handgrip or knob (20). The power supply is preferably obtained by an induction system (26, 28).
US07922344B2
A retroreflective sheeting (10) comprising a cube layer (20) having a front light-receiving surface (30) and a rear retroreflecting surface (32), and a metallic layer (22) covering the rear retroreflecting surface (32). The rear surface (32) comprises an array of retroreflective elements (34) and diffusing patches (36) within such array (without retroreflective elements (34)). The metallic layer (22) covers the retroreflective elements (34) and the diffusing patches (36), whereby diffusing patches (36) scatter incoming light increasing daytime brightness to a desired level.
US07922333B2
A projector includes a light diffusing unit that is vibratably provided to diffuse incident light by a vibration and to emit diffused light, the light diffusing unit having a unique resonance frequency, a vibration generating unit that has a piezoelectric element for vibrating the light diffusing unit, and a control unit that controls the vibration generating unit to vibrate the light diffusing unit at a frequency corresponding to the unique resonance frequency of the light diffusing unit. An image is displayed using the diffused light emitted from the light diffusing unit.
US07922332B2
A compensation element adjustment mechanism used with a light modulation device and a polarization plate includes: an optical compensation element disposed between the light modulation device and a polarization plate; a frame for supporting the optical compensation element, and having a pair of shaft members disposed at positions opposed to each other on a periphery of the optical compensation element; a support holder to be fixed with respect to the light modulation device, and for rotatably supporting the pair of shaft members; and a fixing section for restricting a displacement of the frame to the support holder by an elastic contact.
US07922329B1
A slit-lamp assembly that has a pivoting arm that is removably connected to a vertical column associated with a frame. The pivoting arm supports a plate spindle assembly that supports a camera wherein the plate spindle assembly includes a bracket that secures a digital camera thereto and a light assembly thereto so that the lens of the camera is disposed through a circular opening of the light assembly.
US07922323B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for causing the optical center of the eye to align “HIGH point” of the anterior surface of the cornea. In accordance with one aspect of the invention relating to corneal ablation procedures, the HIGH point of the eye is used as the pole of a spherical surface which is fitted approximately to a portion of the anterior surface of the cornea within a “bounded region.” For corneal ablation procedures, the “bounded region” comprises a generally inverted-cup shaped region of the anterior surface of the eye bounded at its periphery by a plane which is substantially perpendicular to a local z-axis. During the operation local high points which project above the spherical surface are ablated. According to another aspect of the invention relating to radial keratotomy procedures, a pair of incisions in the plane of a “great circle” are formed in the cornea to weaken and flatten it. As used herein, a “great circle” is formed by a plane containing the HIGH point and parallel to the local z-axis. The “bounded region” for radial keratotomy procedures is defined absolutely in terms of a circle projected onto the corneal surface which is centered about an axis passing through the HIGH point and parallel to the z-axis.
US07922322B2
The invention relates to a display (1) for mounting on a pair of eyeglasses (2), the display comprising an electronic and optical system for generating light beams (20A) and an imager (20B) for shaping the light beams coming therefrom, the display including a releasable securing arrangement for releasably securing it on the pair of eyeglasses, and an adjustment arrangement for adjusting the position of said imager relative to the eye of the wearer. According to the invention, the display comprises two elements, a first element (10) carrying said removable securing arrangement, and a second element (20) including said electronic and optical system and said imager, and connectable to said first element via said adjustment arrangement for adjusting the pupillary distance and including position-locking means for locking it in the adjusted position.
US07922319B2
A shield plate fixing device of an electronic apparatus includes a mechanical section for performing operation in a main body housing, an electronic substrate for controlling operation shielded by two upper and lower shield plates above the mechanical section, and an upper housing for sealing an upper opening of the main body housing above the electronic substrate. The mechanical section, the electronic substrate, and the upper housing are respectively placed in a stacked manner. The upper shield plate is directly fixed to the main body housing, so as to reduce tolerance accumulation in the assembled electronic apparatus.
US07922305B2
A liquid ejector including: a nozzle; a pressure chamber communicating, at one end thereof in a specific direction, with the nozzle; a liquid-store chamber; a restrictor through which the other end of the pressure chamber in the specific direction and the liquid-store chamber communicate with each other; and an actuator having a plurality of piezoelectric layers, a pair of electrode layers, and an active portion that is constituted by a portion of one of the plurality of piezoelectric layers, which portion is interposed between the pair of electrode layers, wherein the active portion is disposed at a position corresponding to the pressure chamber so as to extend in the specific direction, and has a shorter length than the pressure chamber in the specific direction, and wherein a center of the active portion in the specific direction is shifted toward the nozzle than a center of the pressure chamber in the specific direction.
US07922294B2
An ink jet printhead comprising: a substrate; a plurality of chambers supported by the substrate for receiving therewithin bubble forming liquid; a nozzle aperture formed in a surface of each chamber; a beam suspended within each chamber, the beam comprising at least one respective heater element. The at least one respective heater element heats at least part of the bubble forming liquid to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein, thereby causing ejection of a drop of the bubble forming liquid through the nozzle aperture corresponding to the heater element.
US07922288B2
A printing system includes a first image applying component configured for applying one or more primary colorants to print media for rendering an image. A second image applying component is configured for applying a second colorant, such as black colorant, to print media for rendering an image. A first pathway conveys print media between the first image applying component and the second image applying component. A second pathway bypasses the first image applying component for conveying print media which is printed by the second image applying component. Where an image is to be rendered with the primary colorants and optionally also black, the print media is directed on the first pathway to both the first and second image applying components. Where an image is to be rendered only with black colorant, the print media may be directed to the second image applying component via the bypass pathway. In this way, during black printing, the first image applying component can be placed in a standby mode.
US07922284B2
An ink-jet head includes a pressure generating block, a nozzle plate having an ink jetting surface, and a manifold block. The manifold block has an inclined surface which inclines toward the ink jetting surface and is continuous to the ink jetting surface at one end thereof.
US07922282B2
A cap apparatus includes a cap which seals nozzles of a liquid jetting head, an absorber which is accommodated tightly inside the cap, a cap holder which is accommodated tightly inside the cap, and a holder which has a holding body which makes a contact with an upper surface of the absorber, a pin which is protruded downward from the holding main portion, and an engaging portion which is provided on a front end of the pin. Through holes which make the cap, the absorber, and the cap holder communicate, are formed in the cap, the absorber, and the cap holder. Since the through holes function as a passage, it is possible to improve an assembling workability of the cap apparatus.
US07922275B2
A remaining amount detecting step is performed by a first controller, in which a remaining amount of a liquid contained is detected for each of a plurality of cartridges containing the liquid to be ejected from nozzles. An information transmitting step is performed by the first controller, in which when the remaining amount of the liquid in at least one of the cartridges is detected to be equal to or lower than a predetermined amount, information relating to a cartridge with a small remaining amount is transmitted, the cartridge with the small remaining amount corresponding to the at least one of the cartridges. A liquid ejection data generating step is performed by a second controller, in which at least one cartridge other than the cartridge with the small remaining amount is determined as a substitute cartridge based on the information, relating to the cartridge with the small remaining amount, that has been transmitted, and liquid ejection data for controlling ejection of the liquid contained in the substitute cartridge is generated and transmitted. The remaining amount information obtaining step is performed by the second controller, in which information relating to a remaining amount of the liquid of the substitute cartridge is obtained from the first controller each time a process of transmitting the liquid ejection data is performed, after the information relating to the cartridge with the small remaining amount has been received.
US07922272B2
There is provided a method of applying an accurately positioning at least one graphic image on a large contoured surface using an apparatus comprising a flexible-rail positioning system mounted on a portion of the surface on which the graphic image is to be applied, a graphic image application system, software to operate the positioning system, and software to operate the graphic image application system.
US07922262B2
Bearing wheel hub unit (1) is provided with a mounting flange (3) which is integral with an inner race (21) of the bearing (2) in order to mount a wheel, and with a centering collar (4) which extends from a frontal surface (31) of the flange (3) to permit the centering of the wheel in relation to the unit (1). The centering collar (4) produced, preferably of alloy, in such a way as to be independent of the mounting flange (3), and is assembled with the flange (3) by fixing onto the frontal surface (31).
US07922248B2
A seating structure has an articulated seat and back. A rear portion of the seat is automatically pivotable relative to a forward portion of the seat as the seat is tilted between upright and reclined tilt positions. An upper portion of the back is pivotable relative to the lower portion between a neutral position and an extended position, with the upper portion being pivotable relative to the lower portion independent of the tilt position of the back. In one aspect, an adjustment mechanism is coupled between lower and upper back support members and pivots the upper support member between at least first and second support positions. A seat with an adjustable seat depth is also provided, along with various methods for operating the different aspects and embodiments of the seating structure.
US07922237B2
A vehicle includes a cab; a front window that is capable of moving between a closed position where a window opening at a front surface of the cab is closed and an open position where the front window is housed in a ceiling portion of the cab and the window opening is open; and a guide structure for the front window that guides the front window between the closed position and the open position.
US07922228B2
A vehicle interior trim assembly includes a vehicle structure and a trim member. The vehicle structure defines an interior compartment having at least one trim supporting portion. The trim member is coupled to the trim supporting portion. The trim member has an interior trim surface exposed within the interior compartment and a recessed portion defining a clip receiving lip. The clip receiving lip has a thickness that is less than the overall thickness of the trim member and is dimensioned to support a removable clip. The clip receiving lip includes a first clip engagement surface formed by the interior trim surface, a second clip engagement surface that forms a part of the recessed portion and an edge surface that connects the first and second engagement surfaces.
US07922217B2
A ferrule for a metal tube fitting includes an annular body having a generally cylindrical radially interior wall extending through the center of the ferrule. An outer radial wall extends from the ferrule front end to a rearward flange portion of the annular body. The outer radial wall has: a first tapered portion extending from the ferrule front end with an increasing radial dimension towards the rearward flange portion, the first tapered portion extending to a crown portion, the crown portion including a convex surface that tapers radially inwardly towards the rearward flange portion.
US07922216B2
A metal ring gasket provides a high-pressure temperature tolerant metal-to-metal seal between subcomponents of a threaded union. The metal ring gasket is received in an annular cavity formed between mating surfaces of the subcomponents of the threaded union. The metal ring gasket is capable of maintaining a fluid seal even at very high temperatures resulting from direct exposure to fire. At high fluid pressures the metal ring gasket is energized because hoop stress induced by the fluid pressure forces the metal ring gasket into tighter contact with the subcomponents of the threaded union.
US07922202B2
An energy-absorbing apparatus for occupant protection in vehicles has a receptacle in which a magnetorheological fluid is present, which in the event of an impact is pressed through a flow zone. The apparatus further has a device generating a variable magnetic field and which has a core which is wound with a coil. The magnetic field acts on the magnetorheological fluid in order to regulate the flow properties. The coil together with the core is arranged in the flow zone. The axis of the coil lies perpendicularly to the direction of flow of the magnetorheological fluid, and the flow zone has a sheathing formed of a magnetically conductive material.
US07922191B2
An airbag cushion has multiple chambers of which the expansion order and speed are controlled. The airbag cushion can expand in a predetermined order at a predetermined speed to optimally protect a passenger. Therefore, the airbag cushion can rapidly expand between the steering wheel and the passenger, without injuring the passenger.
US07922187B2
Gentle and substantially linear vertical motion of a wheelchair foot support is expected to provide superior results for maintenance of a wheelchair user's leg muscle mass' thus reducing atrophy of the wheelchair user's legs. Additionally, gentle continuous motion of the foot support is expected to aid in maintaining elasticity of the wheelchair user's leg joint ligaments' thus reducing contractures. Accordingly, an atrophy-reducing wheelchair includes a movable foot support mounted to a linkage that is movably connected to the wheelchair frame. As the wheelchair moves in normal operation, rotation of a wheelchair wheel drives the linkage to provide substantially linear vertical reciprocation of the foot support.
US07922185B2
A drive axle and suspension assembly for a vehicle having a power source and wheels including a torsionally compliant twist beam suspension and a driveline assembly. The twist beam includes a twist element defining a first lateral axis and arm portions adapted to rotatably support the wheels of the vehicle along a second axis extending substantially parallel to the first axis. The driveline assembly is adapted to receive torque from the power source and drive the wheels. The driveline assembly includes a plurality of power transmission rotatably supported by arm portions.
US07922178B2
A game ticket is disclosed. The game ticket includes a first and second indicia concealed by a removable opaque covering and indicating visually whether the game ticket is a winning ticket. The first indicia is located with a game play area. The second indicia includes a first player key located within the game player area and a second player key located in a customer key area, wherein whether the game ticket is a winning ticket is determinable upon a comparison of the first and second player keys. A method and apparatus for using the game ticket is also disclosed.
US07922153B2
A variable speed winch in one embodiment includes a drive shaft, a power source, a single gear operation lever, a variable gearing system and a drum. The power source is configured to rotate the drive shaft. The variable gearing system is in rotational connection with the drive shaft and is configured to change the gearing of the winch based on the rotation of the single gear operation lever. The drum is in rotational connection with the variable gearing system.
US07922149B2
A damper actuator assembly comprises an actuator and an electronic fusible link (EFL) connected by at least one wire. The actuator comprises an actuator housing with actuator leads extending from the actuator housing. The actuator leads include a first quick connect positioned on an end of the actuator lead. A flexible conduit material covers the actuator lead. The EFL comprises an EFL housing which is separate from the actuator housing. The EFL housing includes a quick connect seat and an integral conduit adaptor. A second quick connect is positioned on an end of the EFL lead. When the end of the flexible conduit material that includes the actuator lead and first quick connect is inserted into the integral conduit adaptor of the EFL housing, the first quick connect is coupled to the second quick connect and an electrical connection is established between the actuator and the EFL.
US07922142B2
In accord with the present invention, a vehicle seat suspension apparatus is provided comprising: a seat suspension base; an isolator plate disposes above the base and adapted to support a vehicle seat; means for allowing reciprocating horizontal movement of the isolator plate relative to the base; an elongated guide mounted to one of either the base or the isolator and oriented along the travel path of the isolator; and a guide engaging member mounted to the other of the base or the isolator and engaging the guide to stabilize the isolator as it moves along its travel path.
US07922140B2
A universal travel hook including first and second hook members and a connector member which pivotally connects the first and second hook members for rotation about an axis such that when in a closed configuration, the first hook member opens generally in the same direction as the second hook member in side-by-side relationship, and when in an open configuration, the first hook member opens generally in the opposite direction as the second hook member. In one embodiment, the connector is a split ring which pivotally connects to the hook members by extending through a through opening in the proximal end portion of each hook member. When in an open configuration, the first hook member is adapted for placement over a door or other object while the second hook projects outwardly therefrom and is adapted to receive and hold an article of clothing, a bag, or other object.
US07922133B2
A flat panel display (FPD) support has a supporting bracket, a connecting assembly pivotally connected to the supporting bracket and a pulling assembly mounted between the supporting bracket and the connecting assembly. The connecting assembly is attached to an FPD to allow the supporting bracket to hold the FPD on a plane. The pulling assembly pulls the supporting bracket toward the panel bracket and a weight of the FPD allows the FPD and the supporting bracket leaning to each other to stay in a specific angle. Therefore, a visual angle of the FPD relative to a plane is easily adjusted by the supporting assembly. The FPD with the FPD support is light, simple and portable and is conveniently packaged for sale or transportation and does not occupy a large area when in use.
US07922131B2
A device according to the present invention includes a support bracket coupled, or adapted to be coupled, to a longitudinal support member, such as a microphone stand, and a receiver extending from the support bracket. The support bracket is generally formed in a coil. The receiver may be integrally formed with the support bracket, or may be removably coupled thereto. A plurality of interchangeable receivers may also be provided.
US07922125B2
A launcher and satellite connection-separation apparatus for launching and satellite vehicles has a band-clamp assembly of a band with an inner channel in which clamps are located in a sliding manner for application to rings interfacing between the vehicles, and a union-separation device on ends of the band for radially tightening the band and controlling opening of the band in first and second phases such that the ends of the band shift in contact with the rings for dissipating by friction elastic energy corresponding to the tightening of the band and separate from the rings until reaching a parking position.
US07922116B2
An apparatus for sealing and illuminating a balloon includes a housing for sealing insertion into a neck of a balloon. A flow path within the housing conducts an inflation gas from an inlet to an outlet of the housing, and a flow control system disposed in the flow path allows the inflation gas to flow from the inlet to the outlet. The apparatus includes a light source mounted in conjunction with the housing and a power source disposed within the housing providing power for the light source. A switch mounted in conjunction with the housing is operable to selectively connect the power source to the light source by completing a circuit between the power source and the light source. The apparatus also includes a switch activating member annularly disposable around the housing to operate the switch.
US07922114B2
A winder in which the jaws of the mandrel expand automatically by the weight of the reel, without introducing external energy. The winder has a mandrel of horizontal axis (A) whose jaws are expandable by means of links hinged to the end of a sliding pull rod and connected to the frame by a hinged connecting rod. The winder includes a rocker connected to the frame by a fixed pivot axis (D) and to the mandrel by the physical embodiment of the axis of rotation (A), the two axes (D, A) are parallel. The rocker moves the mandrel vertically between a raised loading position and a lowered use position under the weight of a reel and it brings about, simultaneously, sliding of the pull rod, automatic expansion of the jaws, and automatic clamping of the reel.
US07922112B2
A bail assembly is provided for a spinning reel of the type having a spool mounted for reciprocal and rotational movement with respect to a body, a drag system, a rotor with a line pickup generally surrounding the spool, and a handle drive mechanism for reciprocating the spool and rotating the rotor thereabout to wind line onto the spool. The bail assembly has a bail wire formed of spring tempered stainless steel wire stock and is bent in an arc with first and second ends respectively attached to the rotor by generally diametrically opposed first and second end mounts. The arcuate bail wire exerts spring tension and the end mounts are cooperatively configured so that the bail wire is manipulable in spring toggle motion from an open position permitting line to play freely off the spool to a closed position directing line to the line pickup for collecting line on the spool. The arcuate bail wire also biases the bail assembly to remain in one of the open and closed positions until manipulated to the other position.
US07922111B2
A disc refiner is disclosed, including a shaft, a rotatable disc and a stationary disc, both with refiner elements. Between the stationary refiner elements and the stationary disc, axially deformable chambers are arranged, filled with an incompressible hydraulic medium, whereby the stationary refiner elements can move angularly in order to adjust themselves tangentially in parallel to the refiner elements of the rotatable disc, and the incompressibility of the hydraulic medium prevents stationary refiner elements from moving axially and impairing the axial stiffness.
US07922109B2
A gyratory crusher includes a crushing head on which a first crushing shell is mounted, and a frame on which a second crushing shell is mounted. The crusher has a thrust bearing which is made up of horizontal bearing plates and which is located between a vertical shaft and a piston arranged vertically below the vertical shaft. The crusher further has a first space, which is adapted to receive a variable amount of pressurized liquid, the first space being defined by the piston and a piston housing formed in the frame, and a second space which is adapted to receive, by way of a duct, pressurized liquid from the first space, the second space being located between the vertical shaft and the piston and at least partly accommodated in an opening in at least one of the bearing plates. The first space and the second space are adapted, by the liquid, to transmit forces from the crushing head to the piston housing, in order that the load on the thrust bearing is relieved.
US07922107B2
A spray paint gun having a disposable cartridge inserted therein such that paint can flow through the cartridge in the spray gun without touching the spray gun. Since no part of the spray gun has paint touching it, there is no cleaning of the spray gun or its components. The cartridges can be easily inserted into the spray gun and easily removed such that different color paints can be used in the spray gun in quick succession without down time for cleaning. There is no use of solvents for cleaning, making the cartridge spray gun environmentally friendly. The disposable cartridges eliminate expensive time consuming cleaning. The cartridges can be breach loaded into the front portion of a spray gun and front portion containing the cartridge can quickly snapped into place and ready for use by a hinged connection to the rear portion or by other connection means.
US07922098B1
An automated banking machine operates to carry out financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The machine includes a card reader that operates to read data from user cards. The card data corresponds to financial accounts. The automated banking machine further includes a cash dispenser and a receipt printer. The machine is operative to dispense cash to an authorized user based on identifying data including card data, and to cause a financial transfer from an account corresponding to card data through communication with at least one remote computer. The machine includes a check acceptor that operates to determine magnetic symbols included on checks. Cash may be dispensed in exchange for a check received through operation of the check acceptor of the machine.
US07922097B2
The invention provides a SIM card IC module and a SIM card having a small antenna gain change. A SIM card 10 includes an IC module 11 including a circuit section 18 having a plurality of electronic components 16 mounted on a mounting surface 14A of a board 14, and an antenna 20 connected to the circuit section 18, and a plate-like base member 12 in which a recessed portion 22 for accommodating the circuit section 18 is provided. The antenna 20 is arranged to be substantially parallel to the mounting surface 14A, and has a three-dimensional structure arranged at a position shifted by a predetermined dimension from the mounting surface 14A along a thickness direction of the board 14.
US07922094B2
One exemplary electrically conductive, RFID-enabled signage includes (1) an electrically conductive article including an opening and (2) an assembled device that is coupled to the electrically conductive article to provide RFID functionality to the electrically conductive article. One exemplary kit includes (1) an RFID IC arrangement including conductive leads adjacent to an integrated circuit; (2) an insert attached to the RFID IC arrangement; and (3) an attachment device capable of attaching the RFID IC arrangement-insert combination to an electrically conductive signage such that the RFID IC arrangement is positioned to span at least a portion of an opening in the signage and to electrically couple the integrated circuit to the electrically conductive signage. One exemplary method involves providing an assembled device including and RFID IC arrangement and an insert and coupling the assembled device with an electrically conductive signage.
US07922087B2
When a two-dimensional code including a number of location symbols is detected from an image. First, a plurality of location symbols are detected from the image. Then, candidate location symbols are determined among the detected location symbols on the basis of sizes of the detected location symbols and distances between the detected location symbols. After that, a combination of location symbols constituting the two-dimensional code is detected among the candidate location symbols.
US07922086B2
An apparatus, device, method, computer program product, and system that detects a first electronic device in a proximity to a second electronic device; and obtains an end user assistance corresponding to an at least substantially common aspect of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.
US07922079B2
A bulk check acceptor includes: a bundle receiving module for drawing a bundle of checks into an interior of the acceptor when an insertion hole shutter is open, and for transferring the checks on a leaf-by-leaf basis; an automatic alignment module for aligning and transferring the checks transferred on a leaf-by-leaf basis by the bundle receiving module; a recognition module for recognizing information on the checks automatically aligned and transferred by the automatic alignment module; an escrow module for escrowing the checks whose information has been recognized; a print module for endorsing a check which is permitted to be accepted; a rejecting module for discharging a rejected check through the bundle receiving module; and a storage box module for receiving the endorsed check.
US07922076B2
An automated banking machine controlled responsive to data bearing records includes a card reader that is operative to read data from user cards including identifying data and to authorize operation of an automated banking machine responsive to the identifying data. The automated banking machine includes a deposit accepting device. The deposit accepting device is operative to receive a stack of sheets and to separate each sheet from the stack through operation of a picker. Each sheet is aligned with the sheet path and analyzed by analysis devices including at least one magnetic read head, an imager and/or a validation device. Sheets determined not to have at least one property of a genuine sheet are returned to a user of the machine. Sheets determined to have at least one property of genuine sheets are processed and stored in the machine.
US07922075B2
A sensing device for use with a security document is disclosed. The security document has disposed thereon or therein coded data including a plurality of coded data portions. Each coded data portion is indicative of an identity of the security document and a signature part. The signature part is a part of a digital signature of at least the identity. The sensing device has a sensor for sensing coded data portions and a processor. The processor determines, using sensed coded data portions, a sensed identity, a plurality of signature parts, and an identifier for each signature part, generates a sensed signature from the plurality of signature parts by arranging signature parts according to respective identifiers, determines a generated identity from the sensed signature, and authenticates the security document by comparing the sensed identity and the generated identity.
US07922074B2
A system and method for matching lids to cartons includes a carton feed conveyor having a plurality of cartons carried at individual flight positions defined along the conveyor, with each of the cartons having a mark applied thereto indicating a type of lid to be applied to the respective carton. A reader is operatively disposed relative to the carton feed conveyor to read the marks. A lid feed conveyor has a plurality of individual flight positions defined thereon, with each flight position on the carton feed conveyor having an assigned flight position on the lid feed conveyor. A lid placer station is supplied with different types of lids from respective separate lid magazines and is disposed along the lid feed conveyor. The lid placer station is in communication with the reader and is configured to select and place lids dictated by the marks from the magazines onto the flight positions on the lid feed conveyor that are assigned to the flight positions on the carton feed conveyor containing the carton and associated mark read by the reader.
US07922073B2
A container label printing method and apparatus, the method comprising the steps of providing a label having first section and a second section spaced apart from the first section and oppositely facing front and back surfaces, providing a container with an external surface, securing the first section of the label to a portion of the external surface of the container with the second section of the label extends from the first surface, providing a printer, using the printer to print indicia on the a the front surface of the second section of the label and securing the second section of the label to the external surface.
US07922071B2
A container and method of manufacture are provided. The container includes a cup with a permanently attached sleeve overlying an exterior portion of the cup sidewall. The sleeve includes a plurality of inwardly directed protuberances providing a gap between a substantial portion of the cup sidewall and the sleeve.
US07922069B2
A container having interior columns on its end walls which are between the sides of the end walls. Each column is formed by a first column panel attached to an inner end panel, a second column panel attached to the first column panel and an attachment panel fastened to the inner end panel. A blank for the container.
US07922065B2
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a part for an article of equipment includes a fluid conducting first region including a corrosion resistant first material, and a fluid conducting second region including a second material. The first region and the second region are either directly or indirectly joined by solid state welding to form a unitary fluid conducting part. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for replacing at least one fluid conducting part of an article of equipment is disclosed wherein a replacement part is provided that includes a fluid conducting first region including a corrosion resistant first material, and a fluid conducting second region including a second material. The second material is substantially identical to the material of a region of the equipment on which the replacement part is mounted. The first and second regions are either directly or indirectly joined by solid state welding to form a unitary fluid conducting replacement part. The replacement part is secured to the article of equipment by a process comprising fusion welding the second material of the second region of the replacement part to the substantially identical material of the mounting region of the article of equipment.
US07922058B2
A nail gun includes a body, a handle, a nail ejection member, a magazine member connected pivotally to the nail ejection member, and a connecting rod having an upper end connected pivotally to an end of the handle. One of the connecting rod and the magazine member is connectable with a selected one of first and second positioning portions of the other of the connecting rod and the magazine member to allow the magazine member to change between horizontal and inclined positions. In the horizontal position, a free end of the magazine member is spaced apart from the end of the handle. In the inclined position, the free end of the magazine member is adjacent to the end of the handle, and the connecting rod abuts against the magazine member along a full length thereof.
US07922054B2
A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a trigger. A trigger disabling mechanism changeable between a first condition wherein operation of the trigger is not disabled and a second condition wherein operation of the trigger is disabled is also included. The device includes a nose piece configured to change the trigger disabling mechanism from the second condition to the first condition. The nose piece includes including a first nose portion removably coupled to a second nose portion. The first nose portion and the second nose portion define a channel therebetween through which a fastener is driven.
US07922048B2
A spare tire carrier for a vehicle may structurally entail a base, a mounting flange extending from the base, a vertical support post extending from the base, a light support post attached to the vertical support post, a threaded stud that engages a front surface of the base to support a spare tire. A tether, which may be secured to the base with a fastener, may lie largely concealed within the base and have additional studs or bolts which may protrude through a front surface of the base and further support a spare tire. A plurality of strength ribs may join the mounting flange and the base, while the base, the first mounting flange, vertical support post extending from the base, and plurality of strength ribs may be a single cast magnesium part. The tether may be of another high strength material.
US07922044B2
A dosage-dispensing device for substances in powder- or paste form is equipped with a supply container and a dosage-dispensing head which is connected or connectable to the supply container and has a housing with an outlet orifice of circular cross-section. The dosage-dispensing head further has a delivery- and closure element, wherein the outlet orifice and the delivery- and closure element are arranged on the central lengthwise axis of the dosage-dispensing head, and the delivery- and closure element is designed to be rotatable about the central lengthwise axis in relation to the housing and to be capable of translatory displacement along the central lengthwise axis relative to the outlet orifice. The delivery- and closure element in its basic configuration is of a cylindrical shape and has at least one closure portion that serves to close off the outlet orifice and further has, adjacent to the closure portion, a delivery portion that serves to deliver the substance to be dispensed, wherein the delivery portion has at least one recess that is indented from the cylinder wall.
US07922043B2
A dosage-dispensing device for substances in powder- or paste form is equipped with a supply container and a dosage-dispensing head which is connected or connectable to the supply container and which has a housing with an outlet orifice of circular cross-section. The dosage-dispensing head further has a delivery- and closure element, wherein the outlet orifice and the delivery- and closure element are arranged on the central lengthwise axis of the dosage-dispensing head, and the delivery- and closure element is designed to be rotatable about the central lengthwise axis in relation to the housing and to be capable of translatory displacement along the central lengthwise axis relative to the outlet orifice. The delivery- and closure element in its basic configuration is of a cylindrical shape and has at least two closure portions that are arranged at a distance from each other along the central lengthwise axis and serve to close off the outlet orifice and further has, between the closure portions, a delivery portion that serves to deliver the substance to be dispensed, wherein said delivery portion comprises at least one recess that is indented from the cylinder wall.
US07922042B2
The invention relates to a pump for a liquid product dispenser, which includes a reservoir and interacts with a manually actuatable element provided with an injection orifice. The pump includes a body embodied in the form of a single piece and including a seat which covers the reservoir and is provided with an intake orifice and a flap, which is mounted on the seat by a joint associated with an elastic bellows which enables the flap to be reversibly tilted towards the seat, by pressing on the actuating element, in such way that the injection orifice is opened and the intake orifice is simultaneously closed.
US07922039B2
A toy gun is disclosed that may have a pressurized elastomeric supply bladder in fluid communication with an elastomeric pulse bladder via a trigger valve. The pulse bladder may also be in fluid communication with a pulse nozzle via a pulse valve that is operatively connected to the pulse bladder so that the pulse valve moves from a closed position to an open position when the pulse bladder expands. When the supply bladder is filled with pressurized liquid and the trigger valve is opened, pressurized liquid from the supply bladder is forced into the pulse bladder. As the pulse bladder expands, the expansion eventually causes the pulse valve to open and cause a burst of liquid to be discharged from the pulse bladder through the pulse nozzle. As the pulse bladder contracts during the burst of liquid, the pulse valve returns to the closed position so that the pulse bladder can continuously cycle through the sequence of filling with pressurized liquid and opening the pulse valve to release a burst of liquid as long as the trigger valve remains opened and the supply bladder forces pressurized liquid to the pulse bladder.
US07922038B2
A lottery ticket machine having function of preventing tickets from being illegally drawn out includes a machine base provided thereon with a driving device, two press rollers and a control device. One of the two press rollers is disposed with a shaft extending out of the machine base for assembling the control device, which consists of a rotary gear with engage holes, a bushing and a control wheel bored with a bushing hole to be fitted on the bushing and provided with engage teeth and projecting bars to be respectively engaged with the engage holes of the rotary gear. An outer cover covered on the control device is disposed inside with engage teeth to be correspondingly engaged with the engage teeth of the control wheel, and a spring has its opposite ends respectively pushing against the control wheel and the inner wall of a bushing cover.
US07922035B2
By controlling the profile of a folded stack when placed into an oval dispenser, it is possible to reduce the compression of the folded stack by the dispenser's sidewall, thereby reducing or eliminating sheet tears when dispensing the sheet-material from the dispenser. In particular, by making the folded stack thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges, as a result of providing a variable width flat stack prior to folding the flat stack, the folded stack will better fit into an oblong or circular dispenser.
US07922028B2
A pail includes a base and at least one wall extending upwardly from a periphery of the base to an opening of the pail. A lip protruding outwardly from an upper edge of the at least one wall includes a plurality of flanges. A lid located adjacent the plurality of flanges.
US07922025B2
An improved convenience closure that is adapted for sealing an end of a can includes an end panel having a peripheral score, a rivet formation, a mustache score and a flex line score defined therein. The mustache score may include a central portion that is positioned radially inwardly on the end panel relative to the rivet formation. The central portion is preferably curved, with a concave side of the curvature facing the rivet formation. The mustache score also may include first and second preferably symmetrical end portions, each of which is continuous with the central portion. Most of the total length of each of the end portions may be curved away from a nearest portion of the peripheral score, with a convex side of curvature facing the nearest portion of the peripheral score. Tooling for making the convenience closure and a method of making such a convenience disclosure are also disclosed.
US07922022B2
A hanging condiment container holder is provided including a clip portion for removably attaching the holder to an upper portion of a food package, a loop portion for receiving a condiment container, and an extension wall extending between the clip portion and the loop portion. The clip portion may be contoured to the shape of the upper edge or lip of a food package such as a cup. Various clip portions may be employed for removably attaching the hanging condiment container holder to a food package such as a cup.
US07922019B2
The screw capsule includes two parts, a) an insert with a so-called internal head and an internally-threaded skirt a metallic shell, including an external head and an external skirt, the capsule being typically provided with a sealing element, a tamper-protection element and a member for first opening, characterised in that the external skirt includes at least one piece, typically cylindrical, of height, diameter corresponding to the neck for sealing and at least one radially-expanded section, of height, within a circle of diameter D2>D1, such as to form an annular radial cavity. The above offers the advantage that the expanded section particularly facilitates the manipulation of the capsule (1) and the rotation thereof with relation to the neck for opening/closing the container by unscrewing/screwing up the capsule on the neck.
US07922018B2
A closure, embodied to cooperate with a neck of a container, the neck, having a wide mouth on the upper part thereof, an external thread and a tapering piece on the lateral wall, for sealing the closure which includes a) an external body having an external head and skirt, b) an insert, enclosed within the body and fixed thereto, including an internal head and skirt, provided with an internal thread, for cooperation with the external thread of the neck and c) a sealing joint, forming an inset piece, fixed to the insert. The joint has a central piece and a border piece. The insert includes a radial compression element, for the sealing joint against the neck, such that when the bottle closure is screwed to the neck, the border is compressed radially between the insert and the neck.
US07922012B2
A cable tray has a pair of opposed side rails with a pair of aligned through bores. One or more stacked cable support blocks extend between the opposed side rails. A lower rung extends between the rails at the pair of aligned through bores. The lower rung has an upwardly opening channel extending along its length receiving the bottom edge of a lowermost one of the cable support blocks. The lower rung also has at least one opening extending through the lower rung in alignment with the pair of aligned through bores. A fastener extends through at least one opening of the lower rung and through at least one of the pair of aligned through bores in the side rails.
US07922010B2
A product management display system for merchandising both larger and heavier products includes using a pusher mechanism along with one or more roller assemblies that, in combination, improve the merchandising of products on the shelves, especially on horizontal or non-inclined shelves or surfaces. In an exemplary embodiment, the product management display system includes a pusher mechanism configured to urge product forward and toward the front of the shelf. At least one roller assembly is positioned beneath the product to be merchandised to assist the pusher mechanism in urging the product toward the front of the shelf.
US07922009B1
A motorized bicycle storage and retrieval assembly for loading, storing and unloading bikes. The storage assembly is mountable within or to the top of existing bicycle storage racks. The storage assembly has a frame, a lower track, an upper track and a motor assembly and windable cable interconnects the lower and upper trolley track. The upper track has front and rear bike wheel securement structures which secure a bike to the upper track. A plate assembly is provided to pivot the upper trolley track with respect to the lower trolley track to load and unload bikes. The motorized assembly includes a gear reduction device, a brake device, a wound cable and a switch mechanism to operate the bicycle storage assembly. Further, a safety mechanism is provided to lock the upper track to the lower track.
US07922007B2
The present invention relates to a permselective separation membrane that can be used in blood purifying treatment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a polysulfone-based permselective separation membrane which has well-balanced separation properties, highly stable safety and performance, and also can be smoothly assembled into a module, and a method for producing the same.
US07922001B2
A container having complementary walls that provide 180 nest/stack functionality. Opposing walls, despite being dissimilar, include outer contact surfaces that provide consistent, rigid contact with arms of a storage and retrieval system. One end wall of the container includes alternating inner and outer portions. The other end wall of the container includes complementary alternating inner and outer portions. The outer surface of at least one of the inner portions of one end wall includes a plurality of ribs providing a contact surface. The outer surface of at least one of the outer portions of the opposite end wall has a plurality of ribs extending outwardly to an end wall face. The ribs of the one wall and the end wall face of the opposite wall provide similar contact surfaces for arms of an automated storage and retrieval system.
US07921994B2
A package (10) includes a one-piece molded plastic container having a base (14), an outer wall (16), and at least one dividing wall extending across the outer wall to divide the container into at least first and second chambers that are separated from each other by the dividing wall. The container has an open end remote from the base, and a molded plastic lid (12) is provided for receipt over the open end of the container in sealing engagement with the outer wall and the dividing wall. The lid is constructed to seal the chambers from each other and from ambient surrounding the package. In at least one of the chambers, the dividing wall preferably has ribs for engagement by a coating application roller.
US07921992B2
A container includes a first tray, and a second tray disposed within the space of the first tray to define a reservoir therebetween. The first tray has a first bottom wall and a surrounding first sidewall, which extends generally upwardly from the first bottom wall to define a space therein. The second tray has a second bottom wall and a surrounding second sidewall, which also extends generally upwardly from the second bottom wall. The second bottom wall has at least one aperture defined in a central region thereof, and also has an upper surface, which slopes downwardly toward the at least one aperture. The reservoir defined between the first and second trays is in fluid communication with the aperture.
US07921989B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, a sample conveyor apparatus for conveying a sample holder which permits a sample container to be held therein, the sample container permitting a sample to be received therein, includes, a belt base extending along a conveyance path, a conveyor belt stretched on the belt base and to be run to form the conveyance path, and a frame unit including a pair of guide rails which extend along the conveyance path to guide the sample holder along the conveyance path, the frame unit being detachable from the belt base, the conveyor belt being detachable from the belt base.
US07921987B2
A belt drive device includes a plurality of rollers and an endless belt stretched around the rollers, and configured to drive the endless belt by rotating the rollers. The belt drive device further includes a roller-shaft shifting member that shifts at least one end of a shaft of at least one roller of the above described rollers in accordance with the movement of the endless belt in the axial direction of the roller.
US07921983B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for marshalling objects into groups on a single, driven conveyor. The conveyor has two end rollers and at least one deflector roller positioned at the lower part of the conveyor. The apparatus also includes an end stop positioned at the one end roller of the conveyor as well as a stop plate disposed to move up and down, at 90° in relation to the conveyor. The conveyor further has a deflection point placed at the upper part of the conveyor. The conveyor is disposed to be slanted downwards from this deflection point in that the end roller is moved downwards.
US07921979B2
Drinking water bottle return apparatus having a bin, a door or receiving tray movable between an open position and a closed position, a first sensor detecting when the door or receiving tray in the open position, a second sensor detecting a drinking water bottle entering the bin, and a receipt dispenser that dispenses a receipt in response to detection by the second sensor of a drinking water bottle entering the bin within a predetermined time period after detection by the first sensor of the door or receiving tray in the open position.
US07921978B2
This invention is to prevent a MAC of a correct answer from being calculated by use of an IC card even if count data in the database of a PC is falsified since the MAC calculated by the IC card is made invisible from the exterior of the IC card. Thus, falsification of data by enciphering the number (total sum) of cut sheets in a sheet checking equipment.
US07921976B2
The invention relates to an overload protection device which has a force-loaded or torque-loaded component, a chamber for receiving a fluid which is at a predetermined pressure, and at least two transmitting elements which are connected to said component in a force-transmitting manner. The transmitting elements serve to transmit a counter-force or a counter-torque, which is generated by the pressure acting upon said transmitting elements, to the component, and is, at the same time, part of a sealing arrangement which occludes an outlet of the chamber due to the fluid pressure. If the force or torque acting upon the component are greater than the counter-force or counter-torque resulting from the predetermined pressure, the sealing arrangement unblocks the outlet, as a result of which the pressure in the chamber drops below said predetermined pressure.
US07921975B2
A clutch actuation mechanism having a plurality of friction plates engaged with a clutch outer and a clutch inner in a relatively non-rotatable manner and arranged alternately between a bearing plate portion and a pressing plate portion. A clutch disengage/engage control mechanism for switching disengagement/engagement of the clutch actuation mechanism. A clutch piston having opposite sides facing toward a control hydraulic chamber and a hydraulic canceler chamber. A division wall member forming the hydraulic canceler chamber between the division wall member and the clutch piston for forming an oil passage, which introduces lubricating oil toward the friction plates, in cooperation with the clutch inner. A control hydraulic chamber, hydraulic canceler chamber, and division wall member are arranged within a range corresponding to the space between the outer surfaces of a bearing plate portion and pressing plate portion and radially inward of a clutch actuation mechanism.
US07921967B2
An energy absorption device for a safety fixing system includes two sections capable of being set in relative motion with friction so that the device is able to absorb energy. The device has elements for adjusting the frictional force between the two sections. A safety fixing system incorporating the energy absorption device is also disclosed. The device maybe used in the safety systems that make use, in particular, of a life-line.
US07921966B2
A linear acoustic liner for an aircraft includes a cellular core having a first surface and an opposed second surface. A substantially imperforate back skin covers the first surface, and a perforate face skin covers the second surface of the core. The perforate face skin includes an outer face skin layer having a first plurality of spaced openings, an inner face skin layer having a second plurality of spaced openings, and a porous layer disposed between the outer face skin layer and the inner face skin layer. Each of the first plurality of spaced openings are substantially aligned with one of the second plurality of spaced openings.
US07921949B2
A transaxle (200) operatively connects a first associated rotational connection and a second associated rotational connection with an associated vehicle axle. An electrically-variable transmission includes an engine (108), a first electric machine (110) operatively connected to the engine, second and third electric machines (130 and 132), a first transaxle (126) operatively connecting the engine and second electric machine to an associated vehicle axle (104A), and a second transaxle (128) operatively connecting the first and third electric machines to another associated vehicle axle (104B). A method (300, 400, 500) is also included.
US07921948B2
A saddle seat type fuel-cell electric vehicle includes a body frame having a pair of right and left main frames connected at their front ends to a head pipe and extending downward therefrom and a pair of right and left under frames connected at their front ends to the head pipe and extending downward therefrom along the right and left main frames on the lower side thereof. A pair of hydrogen cylinders extend substantially vertically along the body frame between the front side of the head pipe and the front side of the front end portion of the footrest so as to interpose the body frame in the lateral direction of the vehicle. A fuel supply unit is provided in a space surrounded by the main frames and the under frames with the hydrogen cylinders being surrounded by a guard pipe connected to the main frames.
US07921942B2
An amphibious all terrain vehicle having a body and at least three wheel and axle assemblies on each side and a pair of ground engaging track assemblies which are mounted on tires on either side of the vehicle. Each of the wheel and axle assemblies include an axle shaft supported by and positioned transverse to the vehicle body so that the wheel and axle assemblies form a front assembly, a rear assembly and at least one middle assembly. Each of the axle shafts has an axle extension with the axle extensions of the front and rear wheel and axle assemblies being fixed extensions and the axle extensions on at least the middle assemblies are idler axle extensions to permit the wheels on such assemblies to move in a free wheeling mode relative to their respective axle shafts.
US07921935B2
The invention is based on a portable power tool having a vibration-damped handle (10) which has two legs (12, 14) running in the longitudinal direction (48) of the portable power tool and which is motionally coupled to its housing (28), wherein at least one lever (20, 22; 20a, 22a; 20b, 22b) oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction (48) is coupled to each of the two legs (12, 14) at an articulation point (16, 18; 16a, 18a), and wherein the levers (20, 22; 20a, 22a; 20b, 22b) are coupled to a joint region (50) lying between the two legs (12, 14) of the handle (10). It is proposed that each lever (20, 22; 20a, 22a; 20b, 22b) have a bearing point (24, 26; 24a, 20 26a; 24b, 26b) between the joint region (50) and the respective articulation point (16, 18; 16a, 18a).
US07921934B2
A power tool capable of performing vibration damping action in working operation, without an increase in size. The working tool includes a motor, a housing in which an internal mechanism driven by the motor is stored, a tool bit disposed on one end of the housing, a hand grip continuously connected to the other end of the housing, and a dynamic damper. The dynamic damper is disposed by utilizing a space between the housing and the internal mechanism so that the damping direction of the dynamic damper faces the longitudinal direction of the tool bit.
US07921933B2
In a driving tool, a diameter of an intermediate member is enlarged to increase a mass of the intermediate member and an outside diameter of a cylinder at a position where the intermediate member is internally provided is enlarged in accordance with the enlarged diameter of the intermediate member. Further, in the driving tool, a bearing thickness of a ball bearing is reduced correspondingly to a dimension of the enlarged outside diameter of the cylinder and a washer is provided at a part where the ball bearing abuts on the cylinder in the forward and backward moving direction thereof.
US07921924B2
A technique is provided for controlling actuation of a well component. A resistance device is deployed in a tool string and connected to a well tool to be actuated. The resistance device comprises a deformable body and a deforming member that move relative to one another during actuation of the well tool. Deformation of the deforming member provides constant resistance and consequent control over component actuation.
US07921923B2
A casing mandrel for an independent screwed wellhead includes a seal bore for receiving a fixed-point packoff connected to a high-pressure mandrel of a pressure isolation tool, and a pin thread adapted for engagement with a box thread of a tubing head supported by the casing mandrel.
US07921921B2
A downhole backup system includes, a tubular positionable within a downhole structure such that an annular space exists between the tubular and the downhole structure. The downhole backup system also includes, a plurality of wedges that are radially movably positioned within the annular space, and each of two opposing ends of the plurality of wedges are configured to completely cover the annular space at all possible radial positions of the plurality of wedges.
US07921920B1
A well intake with an anti-coning end portion provides for withdrawal of fluid hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas, from pockets that contain an underlying layer of water. The anti-coning end portion may include a tube having an upwardly turned or upwardly facing end or mouth, a tube having a non-circular cross section, a tube having one or more baffles, or a combination thereof, in order to prevent or block the formation of cyclonic or swirling flow patterns of water in the vicinity of the well intake.
US07921912B2
Methods of acidizing subterranean formations or well bores, and more specifically, to acidizing systems involving acid-generating fluids that comprise acid-generating compounds and associated methods are provided. An example is a method that comprises: providing an acid-generating fluid that comprises an acid-generating compound; placing the acid-generating fluid into a subterranean formation; and allowing an acid to generate from the acid-generating fluid.
US07921911B2
A method and composition for treating a subterranean formation with a fluid, including forming a fluid including a particulate and an organosilane with the chemical formula RnSiX4-n, wherein n is equal to 1, 2, or 3, R is an organic functional group, and X is a halogen, alkoxy, or acetoxy group, introducing the fluid into a subterranean formation with exposed surfaces, and modifying the wettability of a surface of the particulate or subterranean formation or both. A method and composition for treating a subterranean formation with a fluid including forming a fluid comprising a particulate and an organosilane, introducing the fluid into a subterranean formation with exposed surfaces, and modifying the wettability of the proppant or surfaces or both, wherein the wettability modification degrades.
US07921906B2
In a temperature control method, a controlled part is arranged to contact a first principal surface of a heat conduction part. The heat conduction part has the first principal surface and a second principal surface opposite to the first principal surface. The first principal surface has a configuration corresponding to a configuration of the controlled part. The second principal surface is larger in surface area than the first principal surface. At least one of a heating unit and a cooling unit is driven to set the controlled part at a predetermined temperature. The heating unit and the cooling unit are disposed on the second principal surface of the heat conduction part so that the heating unit and the cooling unit are arranged side by side.
US07921905B2
A plastic intercooler assembly includes a plurality of plastic tubes that extend between plastic end plates. The plastic tubes are secured to the end plates to provide the desired seal between the end plates and the ends of the tubes. The plastic tubes are attached utilizing plastic welding methods that reduce assembly time and cost.
US07921901B2
Some die cast aluminum alloy articles have internal cylindrical surfaces such as the round internal cylinder surfaces of a cylinder block for an internal combustion engine. During casting solidification molten aluminum alloys shrink against the metallic permanent mold tools used to mold and define such internal surfaces, and tend to stick to the tool surfaces making it difficult to remove the casting. The tendency of some aluminum casting alloys to solder to the tool can further intensify sticking. In this invention, an aluminum alloy sleeve is placed on and over the tool surface before casting and the sleeve isolates the tool from the molten aluminum. The sleeve becomes bonded to the casting and facilitates removal of the casting from the tool. The sleeve may be (and preferably is) fully machined from the internal casting surface. The sleeve may be of the same composition as the casting, in which case handling and recycling of machining chips would be facilitated. The practice of the invention is also applicable to die casting of magnesium alloys using magnesium sacrificial sleeves.
US07921900B2
A process for forming an article includes locating a container containing a charge of semi-solid metal alloy in a passage in front of a plunger arranged to travel relative to the passage to force the charge of semi-solid metal alloy into a desired shape, and displacing the charge of semi-solid metal alloy from the container and forming it into the desired shape by causing relative travel between the plunger and the passage. The plunger can push a displaceable closure member to displace the closure member and the charge of semi-solid metal alloy along an interior volume of the container from a first opening proximal the plunger and closed by the closure member towards a second opening remote from the first opening.
US07921898B2
A pneumatic automation system (1) is disclosed for mobile screens (2) comprising at least one of the mobile screens (2), a device for compressing a control fluid, a device for channeling and checking the control fluid, a device for pneumatically actuating a movement of the mobile screen (2) equipped with at least one sliding cursor (4) controlled by the control fluid and supplied by the compressing device through said channeling and checking means, and a device for connecting the cursor (4) with the mobile screen (2).
US07921888B2
Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example embodiment, a router table may comprise a table top, a mounting can, a sleeve, and an adjustment mechanism. The table top may have an aperture and a plurality of support members; the support members may be configured to support the table top. The mounting can may be attachable to the table top in a vicinity of the aperture. The sleeve may be engaged to the mounting can, and may be configured to receive a router and to position a router bit of the router along an axis extending through the aperture. The adjustment mechanism may be configured to move the sleeve within the mounting can and relative to the table top to thereby move the router along the axis and position the router bit at one of a plurality of positions relative to the table top.
US07921874B2
A non-implantable valve assembly and a method for controlling flow rates in a medical device are provided. The valve assembly includes a valve member being dimensioned for reception at least partially within a lumen of the medical device. The valve member includes a flow regulator for controlling flow rates in a first direction having a first rate and a second direction having a second rate. The second rate is greater than the first rate.
US07921868B2
The invention relates to an airing and venting valve for pipes and fittings carrying fluid, comprising a substantially cup-shaped valve body becoming smaller in cross-section towards the bottom for closing and opening a valve outlet, with a seal cup co-operating with a float of the valve, and a cup seal which is disposed between the valve body and seal cup and is able to move into different closing and opening positions lying across passage orifices of the valve body. By virtue of one aspect of the invention, the seal cup has an internal contour which becomes wider towards the top conforming to the external contour of the valve body. By virtue of another aspect, the valve body is disposed so that it is able to move against its seat at the valve outlet so that it can release and close a passage in the region of the valve body seat.
US07921865B2
The invention concerns an exclusively mechanical stand-alone device for controlled watering by sprinkling, wherein a soil simulating member, having an absorbent body associated with a reclinable cup arranged beneath, contributes to determination of the interval between two watering operations. A balance arm, bearing the absorbent body and an annular magnet, is mounted and balanced by a compressed spring, contributing to the determination of the opening and closing times of a valve. The valve includes a hydraulic relay with a nozzle triggering its opening or closure, in response to the displacement of the magnet field. An impermeable sleeve encloses the core and the nozzle. A sliding canopy enables one of the parameters determining the duration of the watering operation to be adjusted. A thermostatic element has an adjustable position preventing watering in sunshine. The device is mounted rotating on a pivot including the base of the sleeve and a tail unit.
US07921862B1
An improved frame for tents and structures comprising a generally circular base plate, a plurality of main frame support struts, each including a lower leg section, a generally upright center section, and an upper section such that each of the support struts is generally C-shaped in side elevational view and an indexing ring mounted on the lower face of the base plate which includes a plurality of lower leg section retaining notches circumferentially spaced around the indexing ring to releasably engage and retain the lower leg sections of the main frame support struts. Upper and lower strut connectors pivotably connect the upper ends and lower ends of the struts to one another. A generally circular frame extension ring engages retaining notches of the main frame support struts between the center section and upper sections thereof such that the base plate and frame extension ring retain the main frame support struts in an upright, circumferentially spaced orientation.
US07921861B2
An adjustable lighted walking aid adapted to be used in low light or dark areas is disclosed and may include a cane having a front light for illuminating obstacles being encountered in front of the user and a back light for simultaneously illuminating the area proximate the feet of the user so that the user may see and thus help avoid upcoming obstacles in front, as well as observe the area at his or her feet while walking. The cane may be used in its generally vertical manner during use to assist properly the stability of the user, and is adjustable in its length to accommodate a variety of users.
US07921854B2
Improved devices and methods for removing blood from a blood vessel in preparation for endovenous laser ablation are described. The improved methods include one or more of: placing the patient in the Trendelenburg position, applying external compression around the vein, massaging the vein, cooling the vein externally, encouraging spasming of the vein, and removing blood with a suction device.
US07921851B2
One aspect of the present invention relates to a covering member for a protruding portion of a patient's body. This cover is flexible and collapsible so that it conforms to the shape of the encased portion of the body. This prevents the cover from being noticed while it is worn under clothing. The cover can contain a medicament or agent for pretreating a portion of the body before an examination or procedure. When the cover is used to apply a topical anesthetic to a portion of the body for a recommended period of time prior to the procedure or examination commencing, the amount of discomfort experienced by the patient can be significantly reduced compared to the amount experienced by the patient who has the anesthetic applied for just a few moments before the procedure begins. Alternatively, the cover can be used to hold a medicament or agent on the intended portion of the body in order to heal a wound or cure a condition such as a skin rash or the like.
US07921849B2
A condom applicator (10) is disclosed which comprises a base (12) with a split line (18) across it and two flaps (14) which are connected by flimsy hinges to the base (12). Tubs (16) protrude from the flap (14). The base (12) includes two generally parallel walls (24, 28) and a base (26) which bound a trough (22). The trough receives the hem ring of a condom. There is an opening in the base which is encircled by the inner wall (24). When the flaps (14) are folded over, areas (44) of the flaps (14) cover the trough leaving a gap (G) between the wall (24) and the area (44). The tubs (16) span across said opening. The teat of the condom lies across the opening.
US07921844B1
A drug inhaler of the type having an air jet entraining liquid medicine at an entrainment region from a medicine reservoir and nebulize or atomize entrained liquid by impacting a liquid medicine-laden air jet on a flat surface, and deliver the atomized medicine to a patient via a medicine delivery channel. A breath-activated fluidic switch has a power nozzle coupled to a source of air under pressure. The fluidic breath-activated switch has a pair of diverging legs, one of the diverging legs has a control port connected to sense inhalation of the patient, the other of the legs is coupled to the medicine entrainment region, whereby the entrainment of medicine at the medicine entrainment region is prevented by air supplied to the medicine entrainment region from the other of the legs in the absence of sensed patient inhalation at the control port. The fluidic control port is located downstream of the power nozzle a predetermined distance downstream of the wall attachment point.
US07921836B2
A paintball marker includes a main body and a dual feed adapter coupled to the main body. The dual feed adapter has a hollow interior, a top feed port and a bottom feed port. A top feed storage hopper is detachably connected to the dual feed adapter at the top feed port, and a bottom feed storage magazine is detachably connected to the dual feed adapter at the bottom feed port. A sleeve with an opening is rotatable within the dual feed adapter between a first position where the sleeve opening aligns with the top feed port for feeding therethrough a first group of paintballs from the hopper, and a second position where the sleeve opening aligns with the bottom feed port for feeding therethrough a second group of paintballs from the magazine.
US07921830B2
An EGR venturi for use in an EGR system of an IC engine includes a body defining a converging inlet section, a throat, and an interior liquid heat exchange chamber adjacent to the throat.
US07921826B2
To make it possible to pump a fuel from a supply pump into an accumulator, even when a pressure control means provided with a pressurized fuel pathway is out of action. In a fuel supply system of an engine, which is provided with pressure control means controlling a fuel pressure in an accumulator, on the pressurized fuel pathway delivering the fuel from a feed pump via a supply pump having a plurality of plungers into the accumulator, at least one pressurized fuel pathway is not provided with the pressure control means and the other pressurized fuel pathways are provided with the pressure control means, out of the plurality of pressurized fuel pathways delivering the fuel from the feed pump via plurality of plungers into the accumulator.
US07921821B2
A switchable finger lever (1) of a valve train of an internal combustion engine, said finger lever (1) comprising an outer lever (2) between whose arms (3) an inner lever (4) extends, a support (9) for at least one gas exchange valve being arranged on one end (7), said inner and outer levers (4, 2) extending on a common axle (10) in the region of said one end (7), said finger lever (1) further comprising a lost motion spring means (11) acting between said inner and outer levers (4, 2), said outer lever (2) possessing on the undersurface (8) on another end (12), a contact surface (13) for a support element, a coupling element (14) is arranged above or laterally of said contact surface (13), which coupling element (14), for realizing coupling, can be brought partially into engagement with an entraining surface (15) of an adjoining crossbar (16) of the inner lever (4), wherein the inner lever (4), starting from its crossbar (16) on the another end (12), merges into a box-like open center portion (17) having two bar-shaped arms (18).
US07921818B2
Valve controller for reciprocating piston internal combustion engines with at least two intake and/or exhaust gas-exchange valves for each piston/cylinder unit, wherein the gas-exchange valves are guided by valve stems in a cylinder head (8) of the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine, loaded in a closing direction by valve springs, and can be controlled via a common bridge (10) by an activation device, wherein the bridge (10) is guided over a sliding surface parallel to the movement of the gas-exchange valves, the bridge (10) has at least one hydraulic valve clearance compensation element (14 or 15) that connects to a gas-exchange valve, and a device is provided that prevents rotation of the bridge (10) about the sliding surface.
US07921816B2
A control device for a hydraulically driven fan is provided with a cooling fan which is rotated by a hydraulic motor and carries out ventilation for cooling a working fluid. Further, the control device for the hydraulically driven fan is provided with a sensor for detecting a temperature of the working fluid, and a lever switch for detecting whether a working mechanism actuated by the engine is in a stopped state, by determining whether a working machine lever has been operated. In order that a resonance between the cooling fan and the engine is suppressed, the control device for the hydraulically driven fan further adjusts a rotating speed of the hydraulic motor in correspondence to a detection result by the lever switch. In the case that a stopped state of the working mechanism is detected on the basis of an operation state of the working machine lever by the lever switch, the rotating speed of the hydraulic motor is adjusted. Accordingly, it is possible to adjust and change the rotating speed of the cooling fan, thus it is possible to prevent resonance noise and vibration from being generated between the cooling fan and the engine.
US07921812B1
A portable animal bathing apparatus (10) that comprises an enclosure (12) having a front panel (14), a rear panel (16), a right panel (18), a left panel (20), a bottom panel (22), an upper edge (24) and a lower edge (26). The enclosure (12) is preferably rectangular shaped an extending downward from each corner of the enclosure is a preferably height adjustable leg (68). A curtain (104) extends upward for the upper edge (24) of the enclosure (12). The curtain (104) is supported by four curtain posts (112). A combination swing ramp and cover (116) extends downward from the right panel (18) of the enclosure (12). The swing ramp and cover (116) allows an animal to be walked up and into the enclosure (12), and also functions as a cover for the enclosure (12) when not in use. A water pump (136) and water reservoir (140) are located in the enclosure (12), within a protective enclosure (144). A shower hose (152) is attached to the water pump (136) to provide directional water spraying during an animal bathing session.
US07921808B2
A bird feeder comprises a feed container, a connector having an open passage therethrough, a feeding tray, a funnel and a collection container. The feeding tray includes a sleeve into which the connector extends to provide a self refilling feed mound from which birds eat. Discarded seeds and seed hulls fall into the funnel and into the collection container. The feeding tray includes a disk located below an upper edge of the funnel to maximize collection of seed hulls and discarded seeds. In some embodiments, the feeding tray is pivotally attached to the connector.
US07921803B2
The present invention generally provides method and apparatus for non-contact temperature measurement in a semiconductor processing chamber. Particularly, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for non-contact temperature measurement for temperature below 500° C. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates. The apparatus comprises a target component comprises a material with higher emissivity than the one or more substrates.
US07921801B2
A droplet jetting applicator includes a coating unit jetting and coating droplets to a to-be-coated object; a storage space storing the to-be-coated object coated with the droplets; an exhaust section exhausting gas in the storage space; an adjustment unit adjusting an outlet flow of the gas exhausted by the exhaust section from the storage space; and a control section controlling the adjustment unit so that the outlet flow is changed in a stepwise manner.
US07921796B1
A collapsible arch bar for a water craft includes a pair of side arms pivotally attached to the gunnels on the water craft. A cover member is pivotally attached to the upper ends of the side arms allowing the arch bar to be collapsed rearwardly if the craft is approaching an overhead obstruction. An automated lifting means allows the water craft operator to automatically collapse and re-erect the arch bar, if desired.
US07921794B1
A rod-shaped anchor has lower and upper ends and a central extent. A fixed plate and a movable plate with adjustment mechanisms couple the plates. The movable plate has an exterior end. A vertical collar slidably receives the central extent of the anchor. Driving mechanisms selectively raise and lower the anchor. A control assembly is operatively coupled with respect to the driving mechanisms.
US07921788B2
A sewing machine comprising: vertical movement actuator that vertically moves the presser bar having a presser foot; a control unit, that controls the vertical movement actuator to selectively execute a first mode or a second mode; a mode switch unit capable of selectively switching between the first mode and the second mode; and the control unit, when switched to the first mode, controls the vertical movement actuator so as to retain the presser foot at a cloth pressing position irrespective of an operational status of a sewing process; and when switched to the second mode, controls the vertical movement actuator so as to retain the presser foot in a slightly lifted position while a sewing operation is ongoing, whereas when the sewing operation is stopped, the presser foot is moved and retained in the cloth pressing position.
US07921783B2
A hopper car discharge section may be wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Outflow is controlled by closure members, at least one of which is movable. The closure members come together to a closed condition or position for retaining lading. When apart, in an open position or condition, lading may be discharged. A seal member or seal member assembly is mounted to one or both of the closure members. The closure member may have a lading discharge encouragement feature, which may be in the nature of a tine, or blade, or knife that extends upwardly through the throat of the discharge section. Movement of the door may tend to move the blade, thereby tending to dislodge lading that may be otherwise reluctant to move.
US07921782B2
An individual transportation system (10) includes a track system (12), including a primary track section (14), a switching track section (16) and loading/unloading section (18). The transportation system (10) additionally includes a plurality of carriages (20) supported by the track system (12), and a plurality of underslung passenger vehicles (22) each matably engageable with one of the carriages, and adapted to hold at least one passenger therein. The transportation system (10) further includes a storage facility (24) for storing the vehicles (22) when they are disengaged from the carriage, whereby a carriage and vehicle combination traveling on the primary track can be switched between primary track section (14) via an associated switching track section (16), and can be switched to the loading/unloading track (18), wherein the vehicle may be disengaged from carriage (20) and stored in the storage facility (24).
US07921779B1
A projectileless ammunition system (20; 320) includes a metallic case (22; 322). A propellant charge (26; 326) is carried by the case and covered by an over-powder member (24; 324) in the absence of a separate projectile. The ammunition is advantageously used with an industrial ballistic tool operating so that each spent case serves as the effective projectile to be propelled by firing of the next round of ammunition.
US07921757B1
An armor plate is provided for a body jacket to include provision for electrical power. The plate includes a flexible substrate, a ceramic cover disposed on the substrate, and a battery. The cover includes cavities along the substrate, with the battery disposed within the cavities. The battery comprises sheets disposed within the cavities. The battery includes a first metal layer disposed on the substrate, an electrolyte layer disposed on the first electrode layer and a second electrode layer disposed between the electrolyte layer and the cover.
US07921755B2
A table saw includes a base assembly, a table assembly supported by the base assembly, a saw assembly having a blade extending through the table assembly, and a riving knife assembly connected to the saw assembly. The riving knife assembly has a removable riving knife, and a riving knife locking mechanism for locking the riving knife in the riving knife assembly. A handle is mounted to the base assembly or the table assembly, and is connected to the riving knife locking mechanism for releasing the riving knife without using additional tools.
US07921754B2
Woodworking machines including cutting tools and motors adapted to drive the cutting tools are disclosed. The machines also include a detection system adapted to detect a dangerous condition between the cutting tool and a person, and a reaction system adapted to perform a specified action upon detection of the dangerous condition. The machines further include a control system adapted to test the operability of at least a portion of the detection system and/or the reaction system. The control system is adapted to disable the motor if the tested portion is inoperable.
US07921752B2
A multi-function hand tool with a pivotally collapsible jaw-type tool that has a jaw lock which mechanically prevents the jaw-type tool from collapse. The jaw lock mechanism is contained within the jaw pivot joint of the jaw-type tool, and may be partially extended as a push button to prevent unwanted handle collapse. A plurality of blades are pivotally attached to the opposite end of the multi-function tool, which has a blade locking mechanism wherein the blade lock is pivoted about an axis located distal to the blade fastener/pivot axis. Each handle of the multi-function tool may be made of two individual handle halves that unite to form the handle, but that provide very precise tensioning, or the handles may be of a single channel shape using an infinitely adjustable threaded fastener and sleeve to provide precise adjustment of the multiple blades.
US07921749B2
A case includes an assembling hole portion and a snap ring preassembled hereto. When fixing a bearing to the case, a first distance between both ends of the snap ring can be expanded within the assembling hole portion. The bearing is used for supporting a rotational shaft of the case. The assembling hole portion includes dual hole portions, which open at respective positions where the both ends of the snap ring can be expanded within the dual hole portions.
US07921732B2
An apparatus for operating an electromagnetic valve, associated to a gas meter, and operated to stop, or allow, a flow of gas through the meter (1) includes: an electronic consumption measuring device (4), which generates in output electric signals representing the quantity of gas, which flows through the meter (1); a central unit (C), which receives in input the electric signals generated by the measuring device (4) and includes means for transmitting the data concerning the gas consumption, by electromagnetic waves. Moreover, the apparatus includes an electric, functional connection between the central unit (C) and the electromagnetic valve (3), while the central unit (C) includes also means for receiving significant data by electromagnetic waves.
US07921730B2
Disclosed are a tool and method for identifying the relative strength of subsurface intervals through which a borehole has been drilled. The tool includes a tool body capable of being moved through a borehole. The tool body has pads mounted on movable arms. Preferably the arms can be loaded independently. Each pad carries scratchers, which are pushed against the borehole wall so as to create either deep narrow or shallow wide scratches. Preferably, the scratchers comprise either a single or dual element polycrystalline compact (PDC) cutter or suitable hard, wear resistant material such as tungsten carbide or natural diamond, and are pushed against the borehole wall by resiliently loaded arms. The depth of narrow scratches is measured, for example, by two tandem powered calipers and the width of wide scratches is visualized by a borehole imager.
US07921720B2
Dial-type flow-restriction gauges are used for indicating flow-restriction conditions of fluid filters, such as automobile air and fuel filters. Prior versions of these type filters have been more complicated and costly to manufacture than desirable. Accordingly, the present inventors have devised, among other things, an exemplary dial-type flow-restriction gauge that is inexpensive to manufacture and performs reliability and consistently over a wide temperature range. One exemplary gauge includes an external dial that rotates relative a restriction scale in response to a differential pressure. Placement of the dial on the exterior of the gauge eliminates the need to use clear material and allows embedding of the restriction scale into an exterior surface of the gauge.
US07921717B2
Disclosed are a system and method of selecting one or more operational parameters of an ultrasonic imaging system. In particular, methods and means are disclosed for automatically or semi-automatically determining a best operating frequency, or for determining whether a system should operate in a fundamental imaging mode or a harmonic imaging mode.
US07921711B2
To an electronic control unit is connected a shaft position detection sensor that outputs, as a shaft position detection value, a signal whose magnitude changes stepwise by a predetermined amount in correspondence with the position of a control shaft of a valve characteristics change mechanism. The electronic control unit stores in advance, as a determination reference value, the drive amount of an actuator at the time when the magnitude of the shaft position detection value changes. The electronic control unit performs normality determination to indicate that the valve characteristics change mechanism is operating normally when the drive amount at the time when the shaft position detection value changes along with driving of the actuator and the determination reference value correspond to each other, and performs abnormality determination to indicate that an abnormality is occurring in the valve characteristics change mechanism when the drive amount and the determination reference value do not correspond to each other.
US07921700B2
A method for determining cylinder-specific combustion features of an internal combustion engine, the cylinder-specific combustion features being ascertained from a variable which represents the crankshaft speed, especially being ascertained from a signal of a crankshaft sensor or camshaft sensor. The cylinder-specific combustion features include a combustion position of at least one cylinder and/or a torque of the crankshaft.
US07921699B2
The rotational position detecting apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a rotational angle sensor outputting a rotation angle signal indicative of a rotational angle of the internal combustion engine, an in-cylinder pressure sensor outputting an in-cylinder pressure signal indicative of an in-cylinder pressure of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine, and a reference rotational position detecting section which detects a specific rotational angle of the internal combustion engine at which the in-cylinder pressure becomes a predetermined reference pressure under a predetermined running condition of the internal combustion engine, and determines the detected specific rotational angle as a reference rotational position of the internal combustion engine. The reference rotational position detecting section detects the specific rotational angle at least a predetermined number of times, and determines an average value of the detected specific rotational angle as the reference rotational position.
US07921698B2
A method and a system for detecting a crank angle of an engine includes detecting a non-toothed portion of a crank pulse rotor during a inlet valve open period for preventing falsely recognizing compression top dead center as a position of the non-toothed portion. A crank angle sensor is arranged at a position facing an outer circumference of a crank pulse rotor including a non-toothed portion thereof. An interval calculating unit measures crank pulse time intervals between adjacent teeth based on a sensing signal received from the crank angle sensor. The measured successive crank pulse time intervals are compared for detection of the non-toothed portion. A ratio calculating unit calculates a ratio of crank pulse intervals. A maximum ratio detecting unit determines presence of the non-toothed portion when the calculated ratio of crank pulse interval is the maximum in the cycle of the engine.
US07921696B2
This liquid feeding system has the first and second pumps each of which is provided with a plunger. Liquid sucked through each of the pump suction ports is discharged out of the discharging port through the first pump and/or second pump. Under the starting operation mode, the second pump is stopped and only the first pump is operated. When the discharging pressure at the discharging port reaches up to a predetermined value, the starting operation mode is changed over to the normal operation mode. Under the normal operation mode, the first pump is stopped and only the second pump is operated.
US07921687B2
A wheel reconditioning apparatus provided. The wheel reconditioning apparatus includes a support frame upon which a base support plate is attached. A rotatable adapter plate is supported on the base support plate by a precision bearing for supporting the rotation of the adapter plate about the vertical axis of a mounted wheel. Adjustable chucks are set in place on the adapter plate. The disfigured wheel is mounted on the adjustable chucks and held in place by the chucks during the reconditioning process.
US07921684B2
A steering lock apparatus for locking a steering shaft of a vehicle. The steering lock apparatus includes a motor and a lock assembly that is moved by the motor. The lock assembly includes a lock bar that moves between a lock position at which the lock bar is engaged with the steering shaft and an unlock position at which the lock bar is disengaged from the steering shaft. A magnet receptacle portion is arranged on the lock assembly. A magnet is attached to the magnet receptacle portion and moved integrally with the lock assembly. A magnetic field detection element detects a present position of the lock assembly based on a magnetic field of the magnet. The magnet is magnetically held and positioned in the magnet receptacle portion by magnetic attraction force produced between the magnet and a part of the lock assembly.
US07921668B2
A refrigerator has a freezing chamber at the bottom, and a refrigerating chamber over the freezing chamber. The refrigerator includes an ice making unit and an ice dispenser mounted in a refrigerating chamber door that allows ice to be dispensed without opening the door. A sub-PCB is mounted in the refrigerating chamber door for controlling operations of the ice making unit and the dispenser. A cold air supply duct supplies cold air from a cold air supply unit to the ice making unit.
US07921666B2
A refrigerator with an icemaker (100) is disclosed, having an improved structure for supplying ice to a user of the outside through a dispenser (30) provided in a door (25), which includes a dispenser (30) provided in a door (25); an icemaker (100) for making ice by using a cool air of a freezer; a container (200) for receiving and storing the ice discharged from the icemaker; and a lifter (300) provided between the dispenser and the container, for lifting the ice stored in the container to the dispenser.
US07921656B2
A design for equipment and process for reliquefaction of LNG boiloff gas, primarily for shipboard installation, has high thermodynamic efficiency and lower capital cost, smaller size (volume, footprint), lower weight, and less need for maintenance than systems utilizing the prior art. The main refrigerant gas compressor is reduced to a single stage turbocompressor. Optional elements include: compression of boiloff gas at ambient temperature; compression of boiloff gas in one or two stages; turboexpansion of refrigerant gas incorporating one or two turboexpanders; turboexpander energy recovery by mechanical loading, compressor drive, or electric generator; refrigerant sidestream for cooling at the lowest temperatures.
US07921650B2
A fuel spraying apparatus of a gas turbine engine includes a first fuel spraying section configured to spray fuel for diffusion combustion and a second fuel spraying section configured to spray fuel for premixed combustion. The second fuel spraying section is disposed so as to surround the first fuel spraying section. The apparatus further includes an air curtain generating section disposed between the first fuel spraying section and the second fuel spraying section. The air curtain generating section is configured to generate an air curtain which defines an outer edge of a diffusion combustion area in a combustion chamber.
US07921641B2
An arrangement for delivering hydraulic fluid to at least one hydraulic actuator of a work vehicle for moving a work implement and/or steering the vehicle includes at least two pumps which are adapted to be operatively driven by a power source and adapted to operatively drive said at least one hydraulic actuator via hydraulic fluid. A first pump is operated with a phase shift relative to a second pump.
US07921640B2
An exhaust heat recovery heat exchanger assembly for use along a main exhaust flow path of an exhaust system for an engine, and a method of operation, is disclosed. The exhaust heat recovery heat exchanger includes a sealed vacuum chamber, including a hydride pellet mounted in the chamber, and electrical leads extending from the hydride pellet. An exhaust chamber along the main exhaust flow path is located along an inner wall of the vacuum chamber. A housing surrounds the vacuum chamber and defines a heat receiving medium chamber. A heat receiving medium flows through the heat receiving medium chamber and absorbs heat from the exhaust flowing through the exhaust chamber when an electric current is applied to the hydride pellet.
US07921636B2
A tip turbine engine has a more efficient core airflow path from the hollow fan blades, through the combustor and to the combustion chamber of a combustor. The turbine engine includes a rotatable fan having a plurality of radially-extending fan blades each defining compressor chambers extending radially therein. A turbine is mounted to the outer periphery of the fan. A diffuser at a radially outer end of each compressor chamber turns core airflow through the compressor chamber toward the combustor. The high velocity, high pressure core airflow from the compressor chambers in the hollow fan blades is diffused before the compressed core airflow enters the combustor, thereby improving the efficiency of the tip turbine engine. Further, the overall diameter of the tip turbine engine is reduced by the arrangement of the diffuser case in a position not directly radially outward of the fan blades.
US07921634B2
A turbofan engine assembly includes a core gas turbine engine including a high-pressure compressor, a combustor, and a high-pressure turbine, a booster compressor coupled upstream from the core gas turbine engine, an intermediate-pressure turbine coupled to the booster compressor, the intermediate-pressure turbine disposed downstream from the core gas turbine engine, a counter-rotating fan assembly disposed upstream from the booster compressor, the counter-rotating fan assembly comprising a first fan configured to rotate in a first direction and a second fan configured to rotate in an opposite second direction, and a low-pressure turbine disposed downstream from the intermediate-pressure turbine, the low-pressure turbine configured to drive the counter-rotating fan assembly. A method of assembling the above turbofan engine assembly is also described herein.
US07921633B2
A power generation system (10) and method of operating a power generation system (10). An exemplary power generation system (10) shown in FIG. 1 includes a gasification system (2) for generating a supply (33) of a first gas comprising hydrogen and a supply (39) of a second gas comprising carbon monoxide based on a chemical breakdown of hydrocarbons in a melt (17). A component system (3) produces a supply of steam (99) by reacting one of the streams of gas and a steam turbine (120) generates mechanical power by expanding the steam (99). In an associated method, a melt (17) is created in a gasifier (12) which then receives a hydrocarbon source (22) to generate a continuous supply (33) of a first gas comprising hydrogen while increasing concentration of dissolved carbon in the melt (17). Hydrogen present in the first gas is supplied to a first combustor (90). A continuous supply (39) of a second gas comprising carbon monoxide is generated with carbon present in the melt (17). Carbon monoxide present in the second gas is supplied to a second combustor (80).
US07921622B2
In a cigarette packer, groups of single cigarettes are first assembled by a formation unit and placed in trays carried by a conveyor, then directed in succession along a set feed path, advancing sideways-on, toward a wrapping unit by which each one is enveloped in a transparent or at least partly transparent wrapper; during the transfer from the formation unit to the wrapping unit, the trays are directed past a print unit stationed along the feed path, by which at least one graphic element such as lettering or a logo is impressed on at least one cigarette making up each group.
US07921612B2
A method and device for supporting a structure above a fixed surface. The device can include a support pedestal whose height is adjustable through a range of heights without a substantial gap in the obtainable heights.
US07921611B2
The present invention is an improved apparatus and method for forming a retractable tower or column. The present invention includes pointed hooks wherein the hooks are attached to each section of a section chain, one in a horizontal direction and one in an off-set manner. The section chains are placed on a take up mechanism in an operable position and then raised utilizing a motor. As the section chains are raised, they are guided by a guide tower, rollers, shims, and gear racks into a position whereby hooks from adjacent sections of the section chains form coupled engagements. The coupled engagement of the hooks of the sections of each adjacent section chains thereby form the column.
US07921605B2
A roof structure and a method of installing a snow guard on the base of a roof is provided, wherein the roof structure includes a plurality of synthetic shingles of thermoplastic materials, and where a snow guard is provided having an outwardly projecting snow-engaging platform and an oppositely provided hook at an upper end, wherein the hook is adapted to engage over and upper edge of a butt portion of one or more shingles in an underlying course of shingles, and wherein a tab portion of a shingle in a next-overlying course of shingles is disposed over the upper end of the snow guard, substantially covering its base, and wherein the snow-engaging platform is adapted to receive snow and ice that may slide down the roof, to intercept the same or break the snow or ice up into small harmless particles. The synthetic shingles of thermoplastic materials allow for the upward bending of the overlying tab portions of shingles a substantial amount within their elastic limit, to permit insertion of snow guards under tab portions of overlying shingles, where such tab portions of overlying shingles are already-installed on a roof, followed by a relaxation of the upwardly bent tab portions of shingles back to a flattened condition overlying the butt portions of shingles in an underlying course of shingles, and overlying the base of the snow guard between the platform and hook, due to the inherent memory of the original flattened shape of the shingles that have their tab portions flexibly upwardly bent.
US07921602B2
A shutter assembly includes a stile having a solid core and a plastic outer cover. Holes are formed in the plastic outer cover and aligned with an axial groove formed in the solid core to receive a slotted louver pin. The louver pin includes a pair of arms that provide a sufficient compression fit in the axial groove of the stile while enabling each louver to rotate freely. Separate stile end caps are formed to be flush with the edges of the ends of the plastic cover. Each louver includes louver edges and opposite end caps which are substantially flush with the louver edges. A method of manufacturing a shutter assembly is also provided.
US07921601B2
A water amusement system may include a composite tree and an elevated structure. A composite tree may include a base having an artificial trunk portion. The base may be coupled to a surface. Living plants may be coupled to the base. Portions of the living plants may form branches of the composite tree. In some embodiments, the living plants are living trees. The water amusement system may include a water amusement ride coupled to the base. The water amusement ride may include an access point configured to allow participants to access the water amusement ride from the structure. The access point may be positioned adjacent to the base.
US07921599B2
A panel assembly includes a plurality of open faced cells fluidly interconnected for retaining a growing medium and live vegetation in a vertical orientation of the panel assembly. The fluid interconnection of the cells provides for gravitationally induced water transfer from the growing medium of a first cell to the growing medium of a second cell, as well as root growth between the cells.
US07921596B2
The invention provides a method for regulating the heat and the CO2 concentration of the air in an enclosed space within which plants and/or crops are grown, in which method an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrocarbon-containing gas are alternately passed over a bed of particles that are capable of binding oxygen, wherein the oxygen-containing gas is passed over the bed of particles under conditions whereby the particles are oxidised and heat is released, after which at least part of the heat is provided to the enclosed space, and wherein the hydrocarbon-containing gas is passed over a bed of the oxidised particles so obtained under conditions whereby the oxidised particles are chemically reduced and water and CO2 are formed, after which at least part of the CO2 so obtained is provided to the enclosed space.
US07921588B2
A safeguard system ensures device operation in conformance with governing laws for devices such as directed energy weapons or surveillance systems, whose misuse may discomfort, harm or otherwise violate the legal rights of a person. A legal protocol is defined by rules embodying the laws that govern the use of the device and requires as inputs an authorization to use the device and input condition(s) relating to at least one of a use of the device, an attribute of a human target of the device and an operational environment of the device and human target. The safeguard system applies the rules to the authorization and input condition(s) to generate a control signal that ensures the device is used in conformance with the legal protocol. A documentation system records the authorization, input condition(s) applied rules, and control signal.
US07921586B2
A display system includes a frame and a plurality of rotatable columns carried by the frame. Each of the plurality of rotatable columns may include a column connection member, at least one display engagement member carried by the column connection member, and a plurality of display members carried by the at least one display engagement member. The display system may also include a respective plurality of display guide members carried by the frame to engage each of the plurality of rotatable columns. Each of the respective plurality of display guide members may include an arcuate shaped guide. Each display guide member may have four imaginary quadrants and a portion of the arcuate shaped guide extends through each of the four imaginary quadrants. Each portion of the arcuate shaped guide extending through each of the imaginary quadrant preferably has a different shape.
US07921584B2
The kinetic sculptural system of interconnected modules has multiple configurable positions (e.g., square or sphere). One system has a central coupler and eight struts each with a pivot element at its distal end. Modules move on the struts radially and rotate 180 degrees in a slotted radial passageway. The slot and radial channel are coextensive. To configure the system, modules are moved outboard, then rotated 180 degrees, the moved inboard as a toy or puzzle or object of art. The kinetic sculptural system can be configured with n struts wherein n is greater than 1 and the central coupler rests upon an imaginary ground plane (such as a hemispheric central coupler rising above a ground plane). Each movable module has a complementary first and second inboard shape and the module shapes complement each other to form a compressed first and second shape.
US07921581B2
A device for excavating and transporting material, especially earth, the device comprising an excavation appliance that can be rotated about a rotational axis (y) in a rotational direction (u), and a longitudinal conveyor for transporting the excavated material. The excavation appliance comprises an impeller having a conically extending guide surface arranged around the rotational axis (y) in a rotationally symmetrical manner, and guide vanes which radially protrude from the conical guide surface and form an acute angle in relation to the rotational axis (y).
US07921577B2
A sprinkler system and a method for mitigating scaling, microbiological influenced corrosion and oxidative corrosion are disclosed. The system includes a piping network in fluid communication with a source of pressurized water and an air pump. The network is vented to the ambient. The air pump moves initially dry ambient air through the system, either by maintaining a negative or a positive air pressure within the network. The dry air absorbs residual water within the network and exhausts it to the ambient. Rate of air flow through the system is controlled by restrictor elements such as orifices, throttle valves or venturies within the piping network.
US07921564B2
The invention concerns the assembly of a cross-member and an instrument panel. The invention concerns an assembly method including assembling a ventilation element (40, 42) on a cross-member (26, 28), and assembling the panel instrument on the cross-member (26, 28) such that a centering device penetrates into the orifice. The method includes: prior to assembling the ventilation elements (40, 42) on the cross-member (26, 28), arranging thereon a base (10) of the centering device of reduced height so that it does not obstruct the assembling of the ventilation elements (40, 42), and, prior to assembling the instrument panel on the cross-member (26, 28), arranging, on the base (10), a body of the centering device. The invention is applicable to motor vehicle cockpits.
US07921556B2
A fully bladed closure design for a turbine wheel with tangential entry. A set of the final three buckets including a bladed closure bucket are disposed about a wheel margin with two buckets adjacent to the bladed closure bucket secured to the wheel margin by the dovetails. The closure bucket is secured to adjacent buckets by a combination of one or more retaining keys and to the margin by one or more retaining pins. The bladed closure bucket and the adjoining faces of the adjacent buckets have flat skirts providing suppport from the retaining keys across the full axial width of the bladed closure bucket and the adjacent buckets.
US07921552B2
A process carrier is capable of supporting printed circuit boards during manufacturing and testing. The process carrier includes a base plate, a first top plate and a second top plate. The base plate has an upper surface including a recessed area sized to receive a panelized group of printed circuit board substrates and a lower surface. The first top plate is coupleable to the upper surface of the base plate during a first manufacturing process. The first top plate includes a plurality of connected rails configured to secure the panelized group of printed circuit board substrates. The second top plate is coupleable to the upper surface of the base plate during a second manufacturing process. The second top plate is configured to cover the panelized group of printed circuit board substrates.
US07921551B2
An electronic component mounting method includes a step of applying a resin composition (3) including solder powder, convective additive and resin having fluidity at the melting temperature of the solder powder on a main surface of a wiring substrate (1) provided with conductive wirings and connecting terminals, a step of preparing a group of electronic components consisting of a plurality of electronic components (7, 8 and 9) including at least a passive component, the respective electronic components comprising electrode terminals, position-aligning connecting terminals with the electrode terminals, and making the group of electronic components abut a surface of the resin composition, a step of heating at least the resin composition so as to melt solder powder and make the solder powder self-assembled between the connecting terminals and the electrode terminals by the convective additive, and thereby connecting the connecting terminals and the electrode terminals by soldering, and a step of fixedly adhering the group of electronic components to the wiring substrate using the resin by hardening the resin in the resin composition. Accordingly, a mounting process can be remarkably simplified without forming bumps in advance.
US07921548B2
A method of manufacturing a heater having a heating element, an insulator and a spring is disclosed. The method includes forming a spring from an annealed superalloy material, heat treating the spring after forming, positioning the heating element in contact with the insulator, and biasedly engaging the spring with the insulator to maintain contact between the insulator and the heating element.
US07921543B2
A method of manufacturing a disk drive is disclosed. After installing at least one disk into a base, a media cover is coupled to the base, wherein the media cover covers at least a portion of the disk. After coupling the media cover to the base, a head coupled to an actuator arm and a voice coil motor for rotating the actuator arm about a pivot is installed into the base. After installing into the base the head coupled to the actuator arm and the voice coil motor, the media cover is removed from the base. After removing the media cover from the base, a HDA cover is coupled to the base to form a head disk assembly (HDA).
US07921538B2
An aligner and a method for its use in staking a fastener. More specifically, the aligner guides a tip of a staking tool in some portion of a staking operation properly into alignment with a clinch portion of a staked fastener. As a result, the clinch portion is shaped into a head of a generally higher quality than would otherwise occur.
US07921534B2
Ultrasonic end stops and methods of making ultrasonic end stops are provided. The present invention relates to plastic reclosable fasteners with sliders for opening and closing the reclosable fasteners on plastic bags and the like and particularly to the use of protruding end stop structures on reclosable fasteners to prevent travel of sliders past the fastener ends. The end stop structures include at least one of high density polyethylene, to medium density polyethylene, polypropylene, a cyclic olefin copolymer, a high density material, or a high modulus material and may optionally include low density polyethylene or linear low density polyethylene.
US07921529B2
A burnishing tool including a tapered cam shaft including a camming surfaces having a planar spatial orientation substantially the same as the planar spatial orientation of sides of a pyramid, wherein respective keys respectively extend along respective camming surfaces of the tapered cam shaft, the keys having respective longitudinal axis of extensions parallel to the respective camming surfaces and lying in respective planes normal to the planar spatial orientations of the respective camming surfaces, wherein the camming surfaces are arrayed about a cam shaft axis that is normal to a plane that is parallel to a base of the pyramid. The burnishing tool further includes a burnishing assembly, the burnishing assembly includes segmented burnishing components including respective cammed surfaces positioned on the tapered cam shaft adjacent respective camming surfaces. These segmented burnishing components include mate with the cam shaft.
US07921515B2
A hinge includes a first connecting member, a shaft, a second connecting member, a first fixing member rotatably mounted to the shaft, a ring immovable fixed to the shaft and abutting against the first fixing member, a number of biasing members all rotationally mounted to the shaft, and a fastener. The shaft extends from the first connecting member, with a threaded distal end of the shaft engaging with the fastener. The second connecting member defines a first depressed portion, a through hole transversely passing through the first depressed portion for rotationally fitting about the shaft, and a fixing slot in a first end of the second connecting member. The first fixing member is received in the first depressed portion, and a fixing protrusion extends from the first fixing member for engaging with the fixing slot.
US07921513B2
A hinge assembly includes a first plate member having a ball and a stem connected to the ball. A second plate member has a socket retainer for receiving and securing the ball therein. The second plate member has a channel formed therein for receiving the stem.
US07921503B1
A windshield wiper includes a blade assembly, which has a primary frame member having opposite ends to which secondary frame members are respectively connected. The primary frame member forms a central opening delimited by two side walls. A retain carrying a positioning bar is received in the opening. An arm coupler is received in the opening and has an inner wall section and an outer wall section through which mounting holes are defined. Fixing pawls extend downward from the inner wall section to engage the retainer for fixing the arm coupler. The mounting holes serve to couple to a wiper arm of a vehicle for driving reciprocal motion of the windshield wiper. The arm coupler can be mounted to the primary frame member in different directions so that the windshield wiper is suitable for both left hand drive vehicles and right hand drive vehicles.
US07921499B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for producing a toothbrush (50) or part thereof by the two-component or multi-component injection-molding process. To produce in the brush body segments (20) that are isolated from the rest of the brush body, a mold (10) which comprises three hollow regions (12, 14, 16) is used. Two of these hollow regions (12, 14) that are separate from one another serve for producing the segments (12) and the other regions (18) of the toothbrush (50) from a first component (38). A third hollow region (16) serves for distributing material to the segments (20) that are isolated from one another and from the other regions (18), or the corresponding hollow region (14). The material (22) remaining behind there is removed and sent for disposal. In a further step, connecting elements (42) between the segments (20) and/or the other regions (18) are injection-molded from a second component (39).
US07921493B2
Disclosed is a washing machine, which can automatically supply a liquid detergent into a washing tub and automatically clean inner flow passages through which the liquid detergent has flown with a cleaning solution. A liquid detergent supply mechanism supplies at least one kind of liquid detergent to the washing tub, and the inner flow passages of the liquid detergent supply mechanism through which the liquid detergent has flown are cleaned with the cleaning solution supplied from outside.
US07921490B2
A patient support device for positioning the anatomy of a patient during a medical procedure includes a base and a handle. The base is supported on the top of a patient support table. The handle protrudes from a proximal side of the base. Both the base and the handle are made from a biocompatible, radiolucent material that is capable of being used during a radiographic procedure.
US07921481B2
A toilet bowl flush device where the quantity of water to be discharged can be accurately quantified is provided where a cistern can be reduced in size. The toilet bowl flush device for discharging flush water in a cistern has a water discharge pipe for toilet bowl flushing, where the toilet bowl flush device has a water intake pipe with a water intake opening within the cistern and a water discharge start valve for introducing priming water, that starts the water discharge into the water intake pipe. Further, a trap for forming an air stagnation section is positioned in the middle of the water intake pipe midway between the water intake opening and the water discharge start valve with the position of the air stagnation section being formed at a higher relative position than that of the water intake opening.
US07921472B2
Garment (10) comprising means (20, 30) for active protection of the upper part of the body against falls and/or impacts with obstacles, in which a single active protection means (20, 30) extends from one side to the other of the chest above the sternum.
US07926115B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided an information recording and reproducing apparatus which records information in a recording medium and reproduces information recorded in the recording medium, the information recording and reproducing apparatus includes a recording section which records in the recording medium an first encrypted encryption key aggregate where at least one encryption key for encrypting each of a plurality of pieces of information has been encrypted and registered and information encrypted using the encryption key, a necessity determining section which determines on the basis of conditions decided according to the type of the recording medium whether to record the first encrypted encryption key aggregate into the recording medium, wherein the recording section records in the recording medium the first encrypted encryption key aggregate determined to have to be recorded.
US07926113B1
Systems and methods to manage multiple vulnerability scanners distributed across one or more networks using a distributed security management system, herein called a Lightning Console. By distributing multiple scanners across a network, the work load of each scanner may be reduced to significantly reduce the impact on the network routing and switching infrastructure. In addition, scanners may be placed directly behind firewalls for more thorough scanning. Further, scanners may be placed closer to their scanned networks. By placing vulnerability scanners closer, the actual scanning traffic does not cross the core network switch and routing fabric, thereby avoiding potential network outages due to scanning activity. In addition, the closer distance of the scanners to the scanned targets speeds scan times by reducing the distance that the packets must traverse.
US07926108B2
In one embodiment, a transparent relay receives diverted e-mail communications between an e-mail client and an e-mail server. The transparent relay may be configured to examine the e-mail communications for network security policy violations. E-mail communications that do not violate a network security policy may be relayed to their intended destination. Policy actions, such as discarding or redirection, may be performed on those that violate one or more network security policies. The transparent relay may include a pair of communications interfaces running in promiscuous mode, one for downstream communications and another for upstream communications. The transparent relay may decompose a network communication protocol to look network security policy violations.
US07926106B1
Upon detection of a rootkit, a host computer system is rebooted. The boot process is interrupted. Access to a media, e.g., a volume or disk, containing the rootkit is gained and the media is directly accessed. The rootkit is disabled, e.g., renamed or deleted, and the host computer system is rebooted a second time. If the rootkit has not been previously removed, e.g., only renamed, the rootkit is removed, e.g., using a conventional antivirus application. Thus, upon detection of a rootkit, the rootkit is removed without a clean boot.
US07926100B2
A method for preventing unauthorized connection in a network system mainly includes adding an authentication key in the LLDP (link layer discovery protocol) transmitted in accordance with the 802.1ab communication protocol so as to proceed with security mechanism under the structure of 802.1ab communication protocol. The method for preventing unauthorized connection includes receiving a LLDP packet satisfying the 802.1ab communication protocol transmitted from a second network device by a first network device in a network system; analyzing the LLDP packet and checking whether the LLDP packet contains a legitimate authentication key; and if the authentication key does not exist or is illegitimate, then block all packets transmitted from the second network device so as to prevent the unauthorized second network device from using the network transmission service provided by the first network device.
US07926093B2
The present invention discloses a system and method for configuration of access rights to sensitive information handled by a sensitive Web-Service. In a case of requested configuration changes initiated by the client system the Web-Server system provides a configuration data file to the client system preferably using a SOAP-communication protocol. The changes of the configuration data file are exclusively performed offline at the client side and the updated configuration data file is signed with authentication information and sent as a part of a SOAP-request to the Web-Server system. The Web-Server system provides a filter component for identifying and discarding non-SOAP requests as well as an access control manager for providing authentication examination for incoming SOAP-requests. After successful passing these components the SOAP-request is used for updating the existing configuration data file.
US07926090B2
Systems and methods for creating and operating separate secure networks over a non-secure network are described herein. Some illustrative embodiments include a system that includes a router with one or more ports and control logic coupled to the one or more ports (the control logic capable of establishing a plurality of secure data paths with at least one other router across a network), and a plurality of external storage devices (each storage device separate from the router but capable of being detachably coupled to a port of the one or more ports, and each external storage device comprising configuration data defining one or more secure data paths of the plurality of secure data paths). Configuration data stored in a first external storage device of the plurality of external storage devices is different from configuration data stored in a second external storage device of the plurality of external storage devices.
US07926087B1
Described herein is a centralized access request authorization system comprising an authorization module, one or more server systems, and a collection of one or more storage systems connected through a network. An application executing on a server system receives an access request for accessing the storage system collection and sends an authorization request to the authorization module for authorizing the access request. The application may be configured to only send the access request to the storage system collection if it first receives an authorization of the access request from the authorization module. Since the application is configured to do such, the storage system performs the access request without performing any authorization verification on the access request. The authorization module may receive authorization requests from a plurality of applications (executing on a plurality of server systems) and determine received authorization requests using a single repository of access permission information.
US07926085B2
A system and method for providing an interactive, visual complement to one or more audio programs. In one aspect, the system comprises an audio subsystem for generating an audio signal corresponding to a sound recording. The system also comprises a video subsystem for generating a video image specification based, at least in part, on the sound recording. In one aspect, the audio signal and video image specification are transmitted to an audio/video signal transmission system. The transmission system receives the video image specification and generates a video signal that conforms to the video image specification. The video signal and the audio signal are transmitted to at least one consumer receiver. In this way, the system provides a visual complement to an audio program.
US07926080B2
A video-on-demand system encodes multiple video streams from media content, such that the video streams have staggered intra-frame intervals. When a client device requests a video stream, the video-on-demand system selects one of the multiple video streams based on the position of the intra-frames, and transmits the selected video stream to the client device.
US07926074B2
A broadcast data receiver system is provided and a method of operating the system. The system includes a first broadcast data receiver (BDR) (2) located at a first location, typically in a premises. The BDR (2) receives video, audio and/or auxiliary digital data broadcast from a remote location via cable, satellite or terrestrial means. The BDR processes the data and displays the processed data on a display screen (10) and/or audio data via speakers connected thereto. At least a second broadcast data receiver (8) is provided at least a second location typically in the same premises. One of the first and second BDRs (2, 8) is made functional by a signal received from the other of the first and second BDRs, via a telecommunications line (4) provided in the premises and connecting the first and at least second BDRs together, thereby ensuring that both BDRs are connected before operation of the two BDRs can be achieved.
US07926070B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for performing requested commands for model-based applications. Embodiments of the invention permit efficient implementation of operations for model-based applications. Since drivers that are to implement an operation request data for implementing the operation, embodiments significantly reduce the likelihood of superfluous data being exchanged between an executive service and drivers. Further, if an operation is interrupted before implementation is complete, the operation can be resumed without having to re-perform already completed portions of the operation. Additionally, a user can be regularly updated on the progress of their commands.
US07926067B2
Certain aspects of a method and system for protocol offload in paravirtualized systems may be disclosed. Exemplary aspects of the method may include preposting of application buffers to a front-end driver rather than to a NIC in a paravirtualized system. The NIC may be enabled to place the received offloaded data packets into a received data buffer corresponding to a particular GOS. A back-end driver may be enabled to acknowledge the placed offloaded data packets. The back-end driver may be enabled to forward the received data buffer corresponding to the particular GOS to the front-end driver. The front-end driver may be enabled to copy offloaded data packets from a received data buffer corresponding to a particular guest operating system (GOS) to the preposted application buffers.
US07926062B2
A multi-streaming processor has a plurality of streams for streaming one or more instruction threads, a set of functional resources for processing instructions from streams, and interrupt handler logic. The logic detects and maps interrupts and exceptions to one or more specific streams. In some embodiments, one interrupt or exception may be mapped to two or more streams, and in others two or more interrupts or exceptions may be mapped to one stream. Mapping may be static and determined at processor design, programmable, with data stored and amendable, or conditional and dynamic, the interrupt logic executing an algorithm sensitive to variables to determine the mapping. Interrupts may be external interrupts generated by devices external to the processor software (internal) interrupts generated by active streams, or conditional, based on variables. After interrupts are acknowledged, streams to which interrupts or exceptions are mapped are vectored to appropriate service routines. In a synchronous method, no vectoring occurs until all streams to which an interrupt is mapped acknowledge the interrupt.
US07926058B2
The present invention is directed to a parallel processing infrastructure, which enables the robust design of task scheduler(s) and communication primitive(s). This is achieved, in one embodiment of the present invention, by decomposing the general problem of exploiting parallelism into three parts. First, an infrastructure is provided to track resources. Second, a method is offered by which to expose the tracking of the aforementioned resources to task scheduler(s) and communication primitive(s). Third, a method is established by which task scheduler(s) in turn may enable and/or disable communication primitive(s). In this manner, an improved parallel processing infrastructure is provided.
US07926054B2
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for instantiating a virtual machine on a computer by way of a physical peripheral device is provided. A virtual machine image may be composed on a portable memory device, such as a USB-flash memory device. Insertion of the physical device in a peripheral terminal is detected by a host function or module, and the physical device is evaluated to determine whether a virtual machine is defined thereby. In the event that the physical device includes a virtual machine image, the host reads the virtual machine image from the physical device and allocates a virtual machine per the read virtual machine image.
US07926053B1
A system installs an application by identifying a file set indicating files accessed during operation of the application. The system identifies a set of available storage areas that are accessible to a computerized device, and that are capable of storing files in the file set. The system identifies a performance metric associated with each of the storage areas in the set of available storage areas, and positions files from the file set into at least one storage area of the set of available storage areas. The files are positioned based on the performance metrics associated with the one storage area.
US07926051B2
The methods, systems, data structures and computer program products for deploying software components are provided, including deploying components in an enterprise environment. Dependency relationships among components to be deployed arc determined. Those components which are not dependent upon any other component may be installed first and substantially in parallel. Components which are dependent only upon the first installed components are next installed, substantially in parallel. Installation thus progresses until all components have been installed. By installing in parallel those components having a similar level of dependency, rather than installing all components sequentially, the deployment is more efficient and requires less time to complete.
US07926048B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide for minimizing the number of procedure frame unwinding operations to be performed when restoring the program control flow information. A first data structure may be constructed to contain procedure linkage information along with references to the conventional memory area where each procedure linkage information element (procedure return address or a procedure frame pointer) was originally found. The first data structure may be initialized upon the initial request for program control flow information. Upon each subsequent request, the contents of the conventional memory area as referenced by the first data structure may be compared with the corresponding elements of the first data structure. As a result of said comparison, changed and unchanged regions within the conventional memory area may be determined. Then, procedure frame unwinding operations may be performed for the changed regions.
US07926046B2
This invention describes a compilation method of extracting and implementing an accelerator control program from an application source code in a processor based system. The application source code comprises arrays and loops. The input application source code is sequential, with loop, branch and call control structures, while the generated output of this invention has parallel execution semantics. The compilation method comprises the step of performing loop nest analysis, transformations and backend processes. The step of loop nest analysis consists of dependence analysis and pointer analysis. Dependence analysis determines the conflicts between the various references to arrays in the loop, and pointer analysis determines if two pointer references in a loop are in conflict. Transformations convert the loops from their original sequential execution semantics to parallel execution semantics. The back-end process determines the parameters and memory map of the accelerator and the hardware dependent software.
US07926039B2
An improved method for automatically improving the precision of an extrapolation operator used, for example, in software program verification in connection with the static analysis and model checking of the software programs which rely on fix-point computation. In particular, a new extrapolation-with-care-set operator, together with a method for gradually increasing the precision of this operation by tightening the care set.
US07926033B2
A method and apparatus for configuring an element management system server (an EMS server) to support new network element service application versions without upgrading the EMS server software is provided. The EMS stores base version data that describes the data model of a first version of a service application installed on a network element. When a second version of the service application is available, incremental version data describing changes to the data model from the first version to the second version is obtained and stored. In response to receiving a client request involving a service application on a particular network element, the EMS may apply incremental version data, associated with the version of the service application installed on the particular network element, to the base version data to form merged version data that describes the data model of the version of the service application installed on the particular network element.
US07926023B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for: monitoring processor tasks and associated processor loads therefor that are allocated to be performed by respective sub-processing units associated with a main processing unit; detecting whether a processing error has occurred in a given one of the sub-processing units; re-allocating all of the processor tasks of the given sub-processing unit to one or more participating sub-processing units, including other sub-processing units associated with the main processing unit, based on the processor loads of the processor tasks of the given sub-processing unit and the processor loads of the participating sub-processing units; and at least one of: (i) shutting down, and (ii) re-booting the given sub-processing unit.
US07926018B2
A system that generates a layout for a transistor is presented. During operation, the system receives a transistor library which includes operating characteristics of fabricated transistors correlated to transistor gate shapes. The system also receives one or more desired operating characteristics for the transistor. Next, the system determines a transistor gate shape for the transistor based on the transistor library so that a fabricated transistor with the transistor gate shape substantially achieves the one or more desired operating characteristics. The system then generates the layout for the transistor which includes the transistor gate shape.
US07926002B2
After layout design data has been modified using an OPC process, a repair flow is initiated. This repair flow includes analyzing the modified data to identify any remaining or new potential print errors in the layout data. Regions then are formed around the identified potential print errors, and a subsequent OPC process is performed only on the data within these regions using a different set of process parameters from the process parameters employed by the initial OPC process. This repair flow is iteratively repeated, where a different set of process parameter values for the subsequent OPC process is used during each iteration.
US07926000B2
An integrated circuit system that includes: providing a first mask including a first feature; exposing the first mask to a radiation source to form an image of the first feature on a photoresist material that is larger than a structure to be formed, the photoresist material being formed over a substrate that includes the integrated circuit system; providing a second mask including a second feature; aligning the second mask over the image of the first mask to form an overlap region; and exposing the second mask to the radiation source to form an image of the second feature on the photoresist material that is larger than the structure to be formed.
US07925995B2
Described are methods that utilize a geographic location technology (e.g., GPS) to determine user location data, and existing network-based websites (e.g., Internet websites) for searching and accessing data related to the location data such that the user context can be developed and stored. A location component is provided that determines location data of a wireless communications device of a user. A context component is provided that accesses context data based on the location data to define a context in which the device is located. Activities, goals, and overall context of a user can be inferred through statistical fusion of multiple sources of evidence. The context data is presented to the user via the wireless device such that the user can make decisions as to where to go, for example. User preferences can be accessed and applied to filter context data according to what the user desires to see and access.
US07925992B2
A method and system to provide selection of entries in input fields, such as email client, includes pre-processing a list of potential addresses before the list is shown to a user by eliminating less important or invalid entries, and then displaying a list of entries for selection to the user in a format which highlights the most probable address to support selection of a “right” address.
US07925967B2
A method and system for improving the quality of original metadata associated with media on a computer network, such as multimedia and streaming media, includes analyzing each field of the URL of the multimedia and streaming media. Each field is analyzed to identify new metadata associated with that field. Identified new metadata is added to the original metadata. In another embodiment, the fields in the URL are reorganized in reverse order and metadata associated with a prefix of fields of the reorganized URL is added to the original metadata. In yet another embodiment, the contents of the field next to the prefix of fields is used to improve the quality of the original metadata.
US07925957B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining from a data block in a buffer a number of first operands in a first portion of the buffer and a number of second operands in a second portion of the buffer. Based on these numbers, a cyclic redundancy checksum (CRC) operation may be iteratively performed on the first and second operands to obtain a checksum result. The first and second operands are of a different length, and the checksum operation may be executed using processor instructions corresponding to the different lengths. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07925956B2
A method and apparatus for selecting interleaver sizes for turbo codes is provided herein. During operation information block of size K is received. An interleaver size K′ is determined that is related to K″, where K″ from a set of sizes; wherein the set of sizes comprise K″=ap×f, pmin≦p≦pmax; fmin≦f≦fmax, wherein a is an integer and f is a continuous integer between fmin and fmax, p takes integer values between pmin and pmax, a>1, pmax>pmin, pmin>1. The information block of size K is padded into an input block of size K′ using filler bits, if needed. Encoding is performed using the original input block and the interleaved input block to obtain a codeword block using a turbo encoder. The codeword block is transmitted through the channel.
US07925951B2
The peripheral circuitry (350, 360, ESD, BH) of an integrated circuit die on a wafer is tested without physically contacting the bond pads of the die.
US07925942B2
An architecture for testing a plurality of circuits on an integrated circuit is described. The architecture includes a TAP Linking Module located between test pins on the integrated circuit and 1149.1 Test Access Ports (TAP) of the plurality of circuits to be tested. The TAP Linking Module operates in response to 1149.1 scan operations from a tester connected to the test pins to selectively switch between 1149.1 TAPs to enable test access between the tester and plurality of circuits. The TAP Linking Module's 1149.1 TAP switching operation is based upon augmenting 1149.1 instruction patterns to affix an additional bit or bits of information which is used by the TAP Linking Module for performing the TAP switching operation.
US07925937B2
An integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of logic circuits. The integrated circuit further includes a scan chain including a plurality of scan elements coupled in series, wherein the scan chain is configured to load stimulus data to be applied to the logic circuits for testing. The scan chain is further configured to capture data subsequent to applying the stimulus data. The integrated circuit also includes an embedded memory having a read port, wherein the read port is coupled to one or more of the plurality of logic circuits via a read path. The embedded memory includes a virtual entry having a plurality of scan-controllable storage elements. During testing, the virtual entry is operable to apply transition data to the read path in order to cause logic state transitions in the one or more logic circuits in the read path.
US07925936B1
A method for storing data in a memory, which includes a plurality of analog memory cells, includes defining programming levels that represent respective combinations of at least first and second bits and are represented by respective nominal storage values. The data is stored by mapping the data to storage values selected from among the nominal storage values and writing the storage values to the memory cells. A condition is defined over two or more bit-specific error rates applicable respectively to at least the first and second bits. The bit-specific error rates include a first bit-specific error rate computed over the data stored by the first bits and a second bit-specific error rate computed, separately from the first bit-specific error rate, over the data stored by the second bits. The nominal storage values are set based on the bit-specific error rates so as to meet the condition.
US07925934B2
An information providing device including: a registration information memory means for memorizing registration information from a database management system; a request information receiving means for receiving request information for screen information transmitted from a terminal device upon an instruction from a user; an expiration date lapse judgment means for judging whether or not an expiration date setup for the registration information elapses when request information is received; a registration information acquisition / update means for acquiring the registration information when the expiration date elapses; an acquisition error detection means; a screen information generation means for generating the screen information when the registration information is acquired through the program interface; a screen information transmission means; and an appropriateness judgment information generation means for generating appropriateness judgment information used for judging whether or not the screen information is appropriately generated on the basis of detection result of the acquisition error.
US07925931B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for handling errors in data servers. Generally, embodiments of the invention enable a data packet that is marked as erroneous to be handled so that it is not committed to permanent storage. One or more components are configured to recognize a poisoned data indicator, and to respond to the indicator by taking programmed actions to delete the data, to stop the data from being transmitted, to notify upstream components, and to purge related data from downstream components.
US07925930B2
A storage control system of the present invention can carry out settings for a storage device using redundantly configured access channels. A controller of the storage control system can access a storage device using a plurality of access channels of system A and system B. Respective I/F control units each comprise a plurality of normally open-type switches. The switches of system A and the switches of system B are respectively wired-OR connected. A disk control unit outputs a control signal to an I/F control unit on the basis of a setting table. When a failure occurs in an I/F control unit of system A, the output signals of the respective switches transfer to a high-impedance state. Therefore, a storage device can be set by outputting, from an I/F control unit of system B, a signal corresponding to a desired operational mode and identification information.
US07925927B2
A fault tolerant system is simulated to determine the occurrence of data loss in the fault tolerant system. A list of erasure patterns corresponding to an erasure code implemented across the devices in the system is provided and a device event is simulated. The list of erasure patterns is updated based on the device event, and the occurrence of data loss is determined based on the updated list.
US07925925B2
According to some embodiments, delta checkpoints are provided for a non-volatile memory indirection table to facilitate a recovery process after a power loss event.
US07925919B2
A disk management method for managing a disk management device for writing and reading data to and from a disk drive in which a recording medium is managed in a first control unit. The disk management method includes an error checking operation for checking an error on the recording medium in the first control unit, an error correction operation for correcting the error detected in the error, an error correcting operation for correcting the error detected in the error checking operation after converting data including the error to the second control unit, a data loss registration operation for registering a region in which data are lost due to an inconsistency between the first control unit and second control unit in a data loss region table, and a data loss recovery operation for recovering the loss of data with reference to the data loss region table.
US07925916B2
A failsafe recovery capability for a Coordinated Timing Network. The recovery capability facilitates recovery when communication is lost between two servers of the coordinated timing network. The capability includes checking another system's status in order to determine what action is to be taken. The status includes the stratum level of the servers and a version number indicating the code level of the servers.
US07925913B1
Clock data recovery (CDR) circuitry of a high-speed serial interface on a programmable integrated circuit device toggles, during the electrical idle period of the receiver of the interface, between its “lock-to-reference” (“LTR”) state and its normal “lock-to-data” (“LTD”) state. Whenever during this toggling mode the CDR circuitry toggles to the LTD state, it remains in that state for a predetermined interval and then returns to the LTR state, unless, while it is in the LTD state, it receives a signal from elsewhere in the receiver that data have been received and byte synchronization has occurred. The predetermined toggling interval preferably is long enough to obtain an LTR lock to minimize frequency drift, but short enough to avoid unnecessary delay in detection of the synchronization signal. Preferably, this interval is programmable by the user within limits determined by the characterization of the programmable device. Unreliable analog signal detection is thereby avoided.
US07925908B2
A method for controlling a slotted mode of several systems using one sleep controller enhanced a hybrid sleep controller that performs sleep/wake-up interface of system protocol stacks (PSs) in a hybrid terminal including at least two system PSs used for different communication networks of a mobile communication system. The method includes determining whether there is a shared hardware-waiting system according to a sleep request from a system PS; if there is no shared hardware-waiting system, turning off a clock of the sleep controller and power of shared hardware to enable operation in a real sleep mode; and if there is a shared hardware-waiting system, sending an active command to a corresponding system and simultaneously driving a sleep timer until a time that other systems wake up, to enable operation in a virtual sleep mode.
US07925896B2
Apparatus and method to scramble data prior to placing it on a bus or in memory uses embedded hardware keys for encryption/decryption. The hardware keys may be used in addition to software encryption. Different hardware keys may be used to process most significant bits and least significant bits of a data word. Different hardware keys may be used to process messages from/to different channels. The hardware key may be comprise a series of fixed logic cells.
US07925894B2
System and method for delivering versatile security, digital rights management, and privacy services
A method for providing enhanced security features in a storage device involves partitioning a storage media in the storage device into a hidden partition and a storage partition in the storage media. A base class is written to the hidden partition. A security provider base class is instantiated from the base class. The security provider base class is adapted to control access to the storage media.
US07925887B2
Authenticating an identity of a user claiming to be a genuine-user includes receiving from the user biometric data pertaining to a plurality of biometric parameters. The received biometric data are compared with corresponding authentic biometric data which have previously been obtained from the genuine-user. The user's identity is authenticated if the received biometric data meet qualification criteria when compared with the corresponding authentic biometric data.
US07925879B2
An information processing unit is an unit which has an information division recording function in which a file is divided and stored. The information processing unit includes a first storage section for storing a first partial file of a file divided, a second storage section for storing a second partial file, a state detection section for checking an operating state of the information processing unit and detecting that the operating state has changed in a specific manner, and a control section for performing a lock processing in accordance with the state detected to the second partial file stored on the second storage section when the state detected by the state detection section is determined as a risky state in which unauthorized access can be performed.
US07925878B2
A system and method for creating a trusted network capable of facilitating secure transactions via an open network using batch credentials, such as batch PKI certificates, is presented. A certificate is bound to a group, or batch, or devices. This certificate is referenced by an activation authority upon processing a request for service by a device. Information regarding the device batch certificate is maintained in a permanent, or escrow, database. A user identity is bound to a device, as a device key is used to sign a user key created on the device in the presence of the user, and a copy of the device key is later used to decrypt the signed user key upon its transmission and receipt.
US07925877B2
A method, system and apparatus for executing a boot loader for an embedded system including a system-on-chip (SOC) processor coupled to a memory including first boot loader code for implementing a first boot loader stored in a first sector and second boot loader code for implementing a second boot loader stored in a second sector determines which of the first boot loader code and second boot loader code is younger; if the second boot loader code is determined to be younger than the first boot loader code, a swapping operation is performed so that the second boot loader code is associated with the first sector and the first boot loader code is associated with a different sector, and the boot loader code associated with the first sector is executed.
US07925875B2
Methods, systems, and architectures for multiplatform booting from a portable module with nonvolatile memory. Preferably the portable module carries the correct binaries for booting multiple system architectures, together with a table from which the host, at power-up, can calculate the correct offset to load the appropriate binary.
US07925873B2
A system that controls one or more operating parameters in a computer system is presented. Until specified values for one or more operating parameters are achieved, the system performs the following operations. The system operates the computer system using a specified load profile. The system then determines whether the specified load profile produces the specified values for the one or more operating parameters. If the specified load profile does not produce the specified values for the one or more operating parameters, the system adjusts the specified load profile, which involves using a pulse-width modulation technique to adjust a duty cycle between a first workload and a second workload.
US07925865B2
In the described embodiments, a method for prefetching data and/or instructions may include generating control flow information for each retired branch instruction. A correlation table may be maintained based on the generated control flow information and cache miss addresses for each retired instruction that incurs one or more cache misses. Each correlation table entry may correspond to an index, and may contain a tag and a correlation list. The correlation list may consist of a specified number of cache miss addresses that most frequently follow the cache miss address for the index. A prefetch operation may be performed for each cache miss based on the contents of the correlation table entry corresponding to the index. The index may generated using a combination of bits of a given cache miss address and one or more bits of the program control flow information for the given cache miss address.
US07925863B2
Multiple hardware accelerators can be used to efficiently perform processes that would otherwise be performed by general purpose hardware running software. The software overhead and bus bandwidth associated with running multiple hardware acceleration processes can be reduced by chaining multiple independent hardware acceleration operations within a circuit card assembly. Multiple independent hardware accelerators can be configured on a single circuit card assembly that is coupled to a computing device. The computing device can generate a playlist of hardware acceleration operations identifying hardware accelerators and associated accelerator options. A task management unit on the circuit card assembly receives the playlist and schedules the hardware acceleration operations such that multiple acceleration operations may be successively chained together without intervening data exchanges with the computing device.
US07925856B1
A method and apparatus for maintaining an amount of reserve space using virtual placeholders. In one embodiment, a method of using placeholders for log files to maintain an amount of reserve storage space comprises determining a first required log file, wherein the first required log file is to be used to recover a database volume, generating at least one placeholder for representing at least one required log file in a log volume and storing the first required log file and the at least one placeholder in a portion of the log volume, wherein the at least one placeholder is used to control a size of the portion of the log volume.
US07925852B2
Upon receiving a primary/secondary switching command from a secondary host system, a secondary storage control device interrogates a primary storage control device as to whether or not yet to be transferred data that has not been remote copied from the primary storage control device to the secondary storage control device is present. In the event that yet to be transferred data is present, the secondary storage control device receives yet to be transferred data from the primary storage control device and updates a secondary volume. The primary storage control device then manages positions of updates to the primary volume due to host accesses to the primary volume occurring at the time of the secondary storage control device receiving the primary/secondary switching command onwards using a differential bitmap table.
US07925849B2
A bus arbiter receives requests of initiators, and internally includes a page hit/miss determining unit with permissible determining function, a bank open/close determining unit with permissible determining function, and an LRU unit with permissible determining function. Regarding the priority of the request arbitration on the requests, the bank priority on the SDRAM is determined in the order of page hit, bank open, and LRU. Furthermore, each determining unit internally includes a permissible time determining unit, and processes, at top priority, the request of the initiator which the corresponding permissible time is below the count threshold value in the priority processing of the determining unit.
US07925848B2
A method for initializing a control device of a memory, the control device executing commands for accessing the memory transmitted to the memory by a control signal, the method comprising steps of detecting the switching on of the memory and of at least partially initializing the control device following the switching on of the memory. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises steps of detecting a specific event in the control signal, and of at least partially initializing the control device following the detection of the specific event.
US07925847B2
A storage system controller (302) includes a plurality of media controllers (301), a local microprocessor (306), and a host interface logic (310), operably coupled by a multi-drop bus. The multi-drop bus includes a control bus (324), a payload data bus (320), a real-time ready-status (data ready) signaling bus (322) and a general microprocessor bus (330). Each media controller has a storage media (311) operably coupled thereto. Each media controller includes a parameter storage (404), a media interface circuit (406), a control data state machine (408), a command sequencer state machine (410), a media-side multi-mode transfer state machine (412), a dual-port memory (402), a memory controller (420), and a host-side transfer state machine (430). The host interface logic and the media controllers are implemented in one or more Field Programmable Gate Arrays. The storage system architecture allows the microprocessor to simultaneously broadcast a command to the media controllers, which have a capability to substantially simultaneously begin exchanging data with the storage media in response to the command. The storage system has provision for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, method 0, operation.
US07925846B2
A processor of a management computer acquires the free disk space amount of a disk pool, acquires the invalid disk space amount from a plurality of host computers, determines a host computer to which the instruction for the physical disk space collection is issued on the basis of the invalid disk space amount, and judges that the free disk space amount is smaller than a predetermined threshold value before transmitting a GC control request to the determined host computer; another processor generates and transmits invalid disk space position information indicating the position of the invalid disk space in a virtual volume in cases where a host investigation request is received; and the other processor collects the physical disk space of a physical disk allocated to the storage disk space of the virtual volume in the disk pool.
US07925840B2
The present invention provides a data processing apparatus and method for managing snoop operations. The data processing apparatus has a plurality of processing units for performing data processing operations requiring access to data in shared memory, with at least two of the processing units having a cache associated therewith for storing a subset of the data for access by that processing unit. A snoop-based cache coherency protocol is employed to ensure data accessed by each processing unit is up-to-date, and when an access request is issued the cache coherency protocol is referenced in order to determine whether a snoop process is required. Snoop control storage is provided which defines a plurality of snoop schemes, each snoop scheme defining a series of snoop phases to be performed to implement the snoop process, and each snoop phase requiring a snoop operation to be performed on either a single cache or multiple caches. When a snoop process is required, a snoop unit is used to reference the snoop control storage in order to identify, having regard to one or more properties of the access request, the snoop scheme to be employed to perform the snoop process. Such an approach provides a great deal of flexibility with regards to how snoop processes are implemented, in particular allowing different snoop schemes to be used dependent on the properties of the access request in question.
US07925839B1
A processor may operate in one of a plurality of operating states. In a Normal operating state, the processor is not involved with a memory transaction. Upon receipt of a transaction instruction to access a memory location, the processor transitions to a Transaction operating state. In the Transaction operating state, the processor performs changes to a cache line and data associated with the memory location. While in the Transaction operating state, any changes to the data and the cache line is not visible to other processors in the computing system. These changes become visible upon the processor entering a Commit operating state in response to receipt of a commit instruction. After changes become visible, the processor returns to the Normal operating state. If an abort event occurs prior to receipt of the commit instruction, the processor transitions to an Abort operating state where any changes to the data and cache line are discarded.
US07925836B2
A data processing system is provided with a general purpose programmable processor and an accelerator processor. Coherency control circuitry manages data coherence between data items which may be stored within a cache memory and/or a further memory. Memory access requests from the accelerator processor are received by a memory request switching circuitry which is responsive to a signal from the accelerator processor to direct the memory access request either via coherency control circuit or directly to the further memory.
US07925825B2
A memory system is provided that implements an asynchronous boundary in a memory module. The memory system comprises a memory hub device integrated in a memory module. The memory system also comprises a set of memory devices coupled to the memory hub device. The memory hub device comprises a command queue that receives a memory access command from an external memory controller via a memory channel at a first operating frequency. The memory system further comprises a memory hub controller integrated in the memory hub device. The memory hub controller reads the memory access command from the command queue at a second operating frequency. By receiving the memory access command at the first operating frequency and reading the memory access command at the second operating frequency an asynchronous boundary is implemented within the memory hub device of the memory module.
US07925821B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device and method of managing the same are provided. The nonvolatile semiconductor storage device includes a nonvolatile memory configured to be electrically rewritable; and a controller configured to control an access area of the nonvolatile memory on the basis of information associated with management of the nonvolatile memory. The controller partitions an area of the nonvolatile memory for management and numbers management information for managing data for each area and a map of the management information in an integrated manner to write the numbered management information and map to the nonvolatile memory, thereby determining whether the management information and the map are normal on the basis of the numbering.
US07925819B2
A non-volatile memory storage system including a connecting interface, a non-volatile memory, a buffer memory, a microcontroller, and a virtual host module is provided. The connecting interface is used for connecting to a host. The non-volatile memory is used for storing user data, wherein the non-volatile memory further stores an expansion read only memory (ROM) image to be read by the host. The buffer memory is used for temporarily storing the expansion ROM image. The microcontroller controls the operation between the connecting interface, the buffer memory, and the non-volatile memory. The virtual host module provides an activation code in the expansion ROM image to the host through the microcontroller. Thereby, both the size and the fabrication cost of the non-volatile memory storage system can be effectively reduced.
US07925812B2
A card-type peripheral device having a plurality of specifications of external interfaces includes a connector configured to connect the card-type peripheral device to a connectable device connectable to the card-type peripheral device, the connector including a dedicated terminal in which an interface to be used is set; an electronic component configured to be accessed via the set interface; a plurality of interface function units each configured to control an interface compliant with one of the plurality of specifications; and a communication function unit configured to perform communication with the electronic component using one of the interface function units having a specification corresponding to a setting of the dedicated terminal.
US07925811B2
A modular system comprises a head module having at least one connection for an external bus signal on an external bus, at least one pneumatic supply connection, an electric supply connection and having a serial bus interface for an internal serial bus, an electric supply interface, a multipole interface and a pneumatic supply interface which are each led to the outside on the same side. The modular system further comprises at least one functional module having an internal serial bus line, electric supply lines, electric multipole lines and pneumatic supply lines which are each passed through from one side to the opposite side and which are each connected to a corresponding interface of the head module. The head module here converts serial bus signals into multipole signals and outputs these signals at the multipole interface. The functional module selectively branches at least one of the multipole lines and, with a signal carried thereon, executes a pneumatic or an electric or both a pneumatic and an electric function.
US07925810B2
A data storage system has a first storage unit and a second storage unit for storing the same data received from a plurality of higher-level devices. The first storage unit transmits sequence information representative of a sequence for storing the data received from the higher-level devices, to said second storage unit.
US07925802B2
A multi-computer system has many processors that share peripherals. The peripherals are virtualized by hardware without software drivers. Remote peripherals appear to the operating system to be located on the local processor's own peripheral bus. A processor, DRAM, and north bridge connect to a south bridge interconnect fabric chip that has a virtual Ethernet controller and a virtual generic peripheral that act as virtual endpoints for the local processor's peripheral bus. Requests received by the virtual endpoints are encapsulated in interconnect packets and sent over an interconnect fabric to a device manager that accesses remote peripherals on a shared remote peripheral bus so that data can be returned. Ethernet Network Interface Cards (NIC), hard disks, consoles, and BIOS are remote peripherals that can be virtualized. Processors can boot entirely from the remote BIOS without additional drivers or a local BIOS. Peripheral costs are reduced by sharing remote peripherals.
US07925800B2
The present invention discloses a method of editing a multi-media playing schedule for a digital photo frame, a system and a computer readable storage medium thereof, which are characterized in that users can edit a multi-media playing schedule on the data processing apparatus when the digital photo frame is electrically connected to the data processing apparatus, and after editing of the multi-media playing schedule is finished, the multi-media playing schedule is transmitted to the digital photo frame and stored in the digital photo frame. Therefore, the problem of being unable to edit complicated multi-media playing schedules due to simple operation interface of digital photo frames can be solved.
US07925794B2
Provided are methods, systems and devices for localizing data existing on a distributed network which comprises receiving an instruction within a programmable logic device (“PLD”) for controlling a network peripheral from a client computing system, the PLD being in communication with the network peripheral via a modem and also in communication with the computing device via a generic interface and receiving a task request from the computing device via the generic interface to be accomplished according to the instruction. The methods, systems and devices further provide for augmenting the task request with an additional instruction provided by a meta-behavior interface.
US07925787B2
The present invention relates to an arrangement, in a communications network, for allocating addresses to users or clients connecting to the network. It comprises at least one address holding means holding a plurality of addresses and allocating control means for, from said address holding means, allocating addresses to the users or clients, and for detecting when an address is released or when a user or a client allocated an address disconnects. It further comprises, for each pool of addresses, delay means for allowing control of the minimum time period to lapse before an address having been allocated to a user is reused, i.e. again allocated to a user, such that a minimum time period before reuse of each address can be guaranteed.
US07925785B2
Dynamically upsizing and/or downsizing a network farm in response to network demand. An application message router routes messages to the network farm. When the network farm approaches or is anticipated to be approaching capacity, a group of one or more servers may be added to the network farm. When the added server(s) are capable of participating in the network farm, the application message router is triggered to route also to the added servers. When the network farm has excess capacity, a group of one or more servers may be dropped from the network farm. This may be accomplished by triggering the application message router to no longer route messages to the removed servers. The removed servers may be either immediately or gracefully removed from service.
US07925781B1
A method of video distribution within a peer-to-peer network. Once the video has initially been downloaded from a server, various fragments of it reside on various peers of the network. At the location of each fragment, the peer which stores it preferably also carries pointers to preceding-fragment, following-fragment, and same-fragment locations. This provides a list-driven capability so that, once a user has attached to any fragment of the program, the user can then transition according to the previous-fragment and following-fragment pointers to play, fast-forward, or rewind the program.
US07925778B1
A method and apparatus for providing multicast messages across a data communication network, the method comprising receiving a multicast message and adding to the multicast message a vector stack including at least one address of a router to which the multicast message is to be sent. The multicast message and the vector stack are then forwarded. At the first router indicated by the vector stack, the next address to which the multicast message is to be sent is read. This is repeated as necessary until the multicast message is received by the final address in the vector stack. The multicast message is then routed to the address indicated in the original multicast message.
US07925775B2
Systems and methods are described for controlling congestion, such as within the transport control protocol (TCP) based on bandwidth estimation techniques which provide explicit indications of back-to-back packet traffic. In response to registered back-to-back traffic, receiver-side bandwidth estimation techniques are exploited to enhance the congestion control behavior of TCP based networks. By way of example, a sender marks packets in the header or by changing segment size within a packet to indicate whether the packet is being sent back-to-back. A receiver utilizes the explicit back-to-back information, optionally in conjunction with other back-to-back packet estimation techniques, when estimating available bandwidth and setting congestion parameters. In addition a mechanism for controlling the length of packet trains is described which is based on modulating the transmission of delayed acknowledgements, such as sending acknowledgements upon receipt of a selected number of packets.
US07925774B2
The present disclosure relates to playback of video/audio streaming media data to provide a substantially glitch-free experience. The system adapts the media stream to the user connection in order to choose the most desirable stream to avoid glitches. For example, in the case where there is interference (e.g., a microwave being used near a wireless device), the quality of the media stream is lowered. In one embodiment, an index file is used to make logical decisions about which media stream to choose in order to minimize glitches. The index file can take different forms, but, generally, includes characteristics about the available media streams. Example characteristics include the bit rates of the media streams and quality information about the media streams.
US07925765B2
Communication software to aid portable computers monitor, and correct problems accessing a network through a wireless access point. The software controls the exchange of information with other portable computers in the vicinity of the wireless access point. The information exchanged may be used to diagnose problems at the wireless layer, the network layer, the transport layer or the application layer. The information exchanged may provide information about the configuration of computers that successfully or unsuccessfully communicate through the wireless access point. A portable computer receiving this configuration information may compare it to similar information about its own configuration to diagnose problems. Such software may be of particular benefit for portable computers experiencing difficulty connecting to a network at a wireless hot spot.
US07925759B2
System for decentralized storage and rapid retrieval of medical data among geographically separate locations, connected by data paths of limited bandwidth, which optimizes transmission therebetween. Medical data is separated into bulk content and metadata. Metadata is transmitted to all locations. Bulk content is copied to selected locations based on desired duplication, available storage, distance, transmission cost, data path bandwidth or utilization, likelihood of retrieval calculated from the metadata, requests to use or prior usage of content or information from a system that manages the content. Transmission rate is limited and bulk content is queued for transmission based on priority calculated from metadata, from requests to use content or information from a system that manages the content. Optimal locations for bulk content are recalculated based on requests to use content, new patient appointments, data path or equipment failures. Copies are made or deleted. Distributed lists of locations for content are updated.
US07925747B2
A monitoring system is provided that allows owners of monitoring accounts to share web monitoring data collected under the direction of the monitoring account. Account owners are able to interact with the monitoring system to identify recipient accounts for shared web monitoring data and apply permissions at a granular level so that portions of monitored data can be shared with varying permission levels. Grouping can also be employed by an account owner to facilitate efficient sharing of monitoring data to many recipient accounts. The monitoring system also provides analysis utilities that can be used by a recipient account to aggregate shared with owned data and generate related reports as desired.
US07925746B1
A refrigerated server rack that may be used in a server room to cool computing equipment. The refrigerated server rack may contain a cooling unit or include a cooling inlet to receive chilled air to cool the computing equipment within the server rack. The self contained server rack has a modular design such that it may be easily integrated into mounting point within a data center. As the requirements of the data center change, server racks may be added or removed to provide scalability. As the racks are added or removed, a monitoring application discovers the server racks and equipment contained therein. The server rack and equipment may then be configured to operate within the data center computing infrastructure. Because only the interior of the self-contained server rack is cooled to maintain a proper operating environment for the computing equipment, there is no need to cool entirety of the data center.
US07925745B2
The present invention has: a data deriving section 610 that derives from an information processing apparatus having a management function for the client-server system state data representative of an apparatus state of the information processing apparatus, when the data deriving section receives a notification of occurrence of a breakdown by the information processing apparatus; a breakdown classification section 620 that classifies breakdown associated with the notification into a breakdown type corresponding to a seriousness of breakdown, of two or more breakdown types that are mutually different in seriousness of breakdown; and a data storage section 630 that stores the state data derived from the data deriving section 610 in a storage area corresponding to the breakdown type classified by the breakdown classification section, of two or more storage areas associated with said two or more breakdown types, respectively.
US07925739B2
A system and method for policy-based advertising. According to an embodiment, an advertisement server receives a request for advertising content from a user computer over a network, the advertising content associated with an advertising policy specifying one or more usage conditions to be met by a user of the user computer in connection with the advertising content in order for the user to qualify for a promotional consideration, provides to the user computer over the network, in response to the request for the advertising content, the advertising content and one or more constraints to be enforced by a content player on the user computer in accordance with the advertising policy, receives from the user computer metering data reflecting usage of the advertising content on the user computer, and determines whether the one or more advertising policy usage conditions have been met based on the received metering data.
US07925733B2
Embodiments of the inventive subject matter use a radix-like counting technique to generate unique object identifiers (OIDs) for managed objects in accordance with a network management protocol. A limit value is utilized to ensure prefix uniqueness for an allocated object identifier. For a level in a managed objects tree with a maximum value of MAX, a suffix MAX-2 will be allocated for a unique object identifier and a suffix MAX-1 will be extended to allow allocation of unique object identifiers with MAX-1 in the prefix, while the suffix MAX-2 will not occur in a prefix for a unique object identifier. Embodiments of the inventive subject matter allow for generation of unique object identifiers in constant bound time O(1). Additionally, the number of OIDs generated is not limited by the maximum value of an integer 232−1.
US07925730B1
A method and system for sensor network localization including communicating with a plurality of directly neighboring sensor nodes to determine a patch in a sensor network, localizing the patch, generating a system of equations from computed local coordinates of the patch, incorporating global coordinates of a plurality of sensor nodes into the system of equations, and solving the equations using a distributed equation solver is described. The described methods and systems have utility in the arts of military, radio, police, fire, rescue, business, travel, and other diverse applications.
US07925714B2
A remote-operated unit of a user terminal apparatus remote-operated through network from a remote terminal apparatus of a support staff sends image information of a changed portion to the remote terminal apparatus to display a business screen in an interlocked manner when a change is detected in the business screen displayed by a business processing unit with an image-information transmission unit. When an operation-information reception unit receives remote operation information of a mouse or keyboard from the remote terminal apparatus, a remote-operation prohibited region management unit refers to a remote-operation prohibited region table and prohibits remote operation if the remote operation information is within the operation prohibited region.
US07925708B2
The disclosure describes systems and methods delivering communications associated with delivery conditions in which the occurrence of the delivery condition is determined by monitoring information received from a plurality of sources via multiple communication channels. The message delivery systems allow messages to be delivered to any “Who, What, When, Where” from any “Who, What, When, Where” upon the detection of an occurrence of one or more “Who, What, When, Where” delivery conditions. A message (which may be any data object including text-based messages, audio-based message such as voicemail or other audio such as music or video-based prerecorded messages) is delivered in accordance with delivery conditions based on any available data, including topical, spatial, temporal, and/or social data. Furthermore, because the systems coordinate delivery of messages via multiple communication channels and through multiple devices, the communication channel for delivery of a message may be dynamically determined based on the delivery conditions.
US07925706B2
A method for handling electronic messages comprising: determining if a stored email addressed to a user includes an identifier; determining by an email server if an email addressed to a user includes an identifier; determining if the identifier is valid upon determining the email includes the identifier; and filtering the email upon determining either the email does not include the identifier or the identifier is not valid.
US07925705B2
A terminal device, which is to be connected to the network together with other terminal devices and a host device to operate the terminal device, includes an output device that outputs perceptually recognized information, a self-pattern storing system that stores information on an expression pattern for the terminal device, a configuring system that configures the information into the self-pattern storing system, an output executing system that makes the output device output the expression pattern, based upon the written information, an obtaining system that obtains information on expression patterns for the other terminal devices, and a setting system that defines an expression pattern different from any of the expression patterns for the other terminal devices as the expression pattern for the terminal device, based upon the obtained information, and sets information on the defined expression pattern as the information to be written.
US07925704B2
A computer implemented method comprising receiving a list of one or more contact points from a sender and comparing the list of one or more contact points to a satellite server's do-not-contact list. Any contact point on the list of one or more contact points that appears on the satellite server's do-not-contact list is reported to the sender. The satellite server's do-not-contact list is generated from a do-not-contact list distributed by a master server. A registrant registers with the master server to provide a registrant contact point to be on the do-not-contact list to be distributed by the master server. The contact points in the registry may be organized in a hierarchy with preferences at one or more levels.
US07925702B2
A novel real time Internet communication system is disclosed. It is a novel way for users to collaborate on the fly, and without having to own or download any programs that then stay resident on the user's computer. Users collaborate in an online environment where they communicate through chat room type dialogue, while at the same time, one or more users designated as leaders guide the other participants' browsers to selected sites on a distributed network or the Internet. It is marketed under a novel business system that makes highly productive software available to businesses and end users, but which is not purchased by customers or end users, has no conventional distribution system, and never requires update, installation or rollout by the customer or end user.
US07925698B2
Some embodiments provide a system for synchronizing participant copies of presentation data during a collaboration session. A presenter/server controlling the session sends synchronization commands when a change in state of the presentation data occurs. The synchronization commands can be received by a mobile communication device and then forwarded to the participant computer system where it is used to synchronize the copy of the presentation data with the presenter/server.
US07925687B2
A saturating count counts received event signals up to a first predetermined number. An overflow counter counts overflows up to a second predetermined number. The counter indicates overflow when the overflow count is non-zero and saturates and stops counting at a maximum count when the overflow count reaches the second predetermined number. The counter can be read via a register read operation. The sum of the sum of the first predetermined number of bits and the second predetermined number of bits being an integral multiple of 8 bits.
US07925679B2
Disclosed is a technique for result set management. One or more result sets are stored. Each result set was generated by executing a query. When at least one of a number of result sets that may be stored and a number of bucket tables that may hold result sets is modified, it is determined whether any of the one or more result sets are to be removed. When it is determined that one or more of the result sets are to be removed, those result sets are removed.
US07925676B2
A fact repository stores objects. Each object includes a collection of facts, where a fact comprises an attribute and a value. A set of objects from the fact repository are designated for analysis. The presentation engine presents the facts of the objects in a user interface (UI) having a table. Through manipulation of the UI, an end-user can add or remove facts from the table, and sort the table based on the values of particular facts. The presentation engine also presents the facts of the objects in a UI having a graph. Through manipulation of the UI, the end-user can add or remove facts from the graph, and can sort the facts shown in the graph based on values that are shown, or not shown, in the graph. The presentation engine can further present the facts of the objects in UIs including maps and timelines.
US07925665B2
The processing of a query that is submitted to a central controlling server where the central controlling server sources data from one or more backend databases and where such data is referenced by subqueries associated with the query is disclosed.
US07925662B2
Methods, systems, apparatus and computer-readable media are disclosed for generating extract files. A first example method is disclosed for generating an extract file. The method includes receiving a data request and analyzing the data request to identify at least one record of at least one file containing data associated with the data request. The method also includes extracting the identified records and formatting the identified records according to a comma separated value format. The method further includes outputting an extract file containing the formatted records. Other methods, apparatus, systems and computer readable media are disclosed for generating extract files.
US07925656B2
Markup language node level hash join operations for evaluating a query language query are performed. The markup language node level hash join mechanism, i.e. the “XHashJoin” operator, is a multi-way join operator that uses two hash tables, BUILD and PROBE, to intersect document nodes from multiple index scans and to buffer intermediate query results. The BUILD hash table stores document nodes matching the predicates of a query, and buffers document nodes satisfying extraction nodes, of each portion of the query up to a current portion of the query being evaluated. The BUILD hash table and the PROBE hash table are switched at each portion of the query being evaluated. Query results are generated by linking document nodes buffered in the BUILD hash table based on the semantics of each extraction node.
US07925649B2
A method, system, and graphical user interface for alerting a computer user to new results for a prior search are disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a graphical user interface on a computer that includes a plurality of links recommended by a search engine for a computer user. The plurality of links are determined by the search engine by: producing search results by rerunning a plurality of search queries that have been performed previously for the computer user; and evaluating the produced search results to select search results that meet predefined search result selection criteria. At least one of the criteria is based on Internet usage data for the user.
US07925636B2
A repository has a database containing a number of artifacts storing data and a system device model defining various entities, including the artifacts and properties used in the artifacts. To update a system device model in database an extension package is passed to the repository. Update software identifies differences introduced by the extension package that are only permitted if the data in the artifacts is compatible and updates the database if and only if the data and extension package are compatible.
US07925632B2
In one embodiment, a method for providing a transient data facility for database applications includes creating a definition of transient data that corresponds to a unit of work to be performed by an application, and mapping the definition of transient data to a temporary storage table. The method further includes storing the transient data in the temporary storage table while the application performs the unit of work spanning one or more user sessions, and deleting the transient data after the application completes the unit of work.
US07925627B1
The present invention is a system and method for reconciling results returned from a multi-protocol scan of a NAS system. Certain NAS systems use different protocols. Some may use the NFS protocol, whereas others may use the CIFS protocol. A scan of the NAS may therefore produce two data object names for a single data object. When a storage virtualization system is tasked with acting as an intermediary between the client and the NAS, these two data object names will cause errors during data migration, synchronization or redirection. The present invention is a method for using the results of a multi-protocol scan of the NAS in order to reconcile data object names that may present differently depending on the protocol applied.
US07925626B2
A composite storage server employs a plurality of distributed storage sites including a mount site, a source copy site and one or more copy target sites for executing a storage of volume data within the composite storage server. In operation, an immediate copy target site receives a communication of a source copy complete message from the mount site, the source copy complete message being indicative of the source copy site having a complete copy of the volume data. Based on the source copy complete message, the immediate copy target site pulls the volume data from a peer distributed storage site having a complete copy of the volume data (e.g., the source copy site, the mount site or another copy target site).
US07925623B2
Embodiments of this invention provide primary magnetic disk data storage capacity to clients while at the same time making sure that client data is replicated locally and at an offsite location to protect from all forms of data loss.
US07925616B2
A reporting system that incorporates a context sensitive prompt object in a report definition to enable questions to be answered automatically by the reporting system (e.g., decision support system, business intelligence and OLAP) at report execution time. The context sensitive prompt object is an object separate from the report such that the context sensitive prompt object may be used by a plurality of different reports. The answer is defined at least in part by a contextual feature of the report execution.
US07925613B2
An action efficiency support apparatus includes a detection unit, a storage unit, a calculation unit and a judgment unit. The detection unit detects an activity to acquire activity information. The storage unit stores the activity information. The calculation unit calculates a probability pattern as to presence or absence of the activity in a predetermined period or a probability pattern a frequency of the activity in the predetermined period, based on the activity information. The judgment unit judges an effect of personal action based on the calculated probability pattern.
US07925611B1
The present invention relates to systems and methods that facilitates rendering of data in an industrial automation environment. According to an aspect of the invention, a device analyzer can determine properties associated with a plurality of devices intended for delivery of data. An HMI generator can format the data respectively in accordance with the determined properties of the devices and deliver the formatted data to the respective devices.
US07925606B1
A monitoring system is provided. The monitoring system comprises a first storage queue containing rules ready for processing, an event storage containing events, and a plurality of first processor threads configured to execute any one of the rules contained in the first storage queue based on the contents of the event storage. The system also comprises a rules processor configured to receive a plurality of events from a plurality of monitored locations, to add the event to the event storage, to remove a first rule from the first storage queue, to provide the first rule to one of the first processor threads for executing, to receive a first result from the one of the first processor threads, and to send a first notification based on the first result.
US07925602B2
Described is a technology by which a maximum entropy model used for classification is trained with a significantly lesser amount of training data than is normally used in training other maximum entropy models, yet provides similar accuracy to the others. The maximum entropy model is initially parameterized with parameter values determined from weights obtained by training a vector space model or an n-gram model. The weights may be scaled into the initial parameter values by determining a scaling factor. Gaussian mean values may also be determined, and used for regularization in training the maximum entropy model. Scaling may also be applied to the Gaussian mean values. After initial parameterization, training comprises using training data to iteratively adjust the initial parameters into adjusted parameters until convergence is determined.
US07925591B2
A retailer facilitates issuance of a digital license from a licensor to a customer for a corresponding piece of digital content. The retailer receives payment for the license from the customer, where the payment is to be shared with the licensor in a pre-determined manner. The retailer also receives customer-based information from the customer. The retailer then composes an actual license request including the obtained customer-based information, and including retailer-based information identifying the retailer to the licensor and acknowledging to the licensor that the retailer owes a portion of the received payment to the licensor. Thereafter, the retailer forwards the actual license request to the licensor. The licensor notes based on the retailer-based information in the actual license request that the retailer identified thereby owes the licensor at least a portion of the forwarded payment. If an individual sends a license request directly to the licensor and thus fails to forward payment for the license to a retailer, the actual license request as composed by the individual fails to include the retailer-based information. Accordingly, the licensor refuses to issue a license as requested based on the lack of retailer-based information.
US07925587B2
A method is used in a system that includes a financial service provider coordinating accounts issued by an issuer to cardholders requesting credit from merchants. The method can be performed by a merchant sending a transmission to its acquirer including a request for a transaction against one account to which the merchant receives a denial or prior to receiving such a denial. The merchant then requests information from the financial service provider who responds by sending the requested information, upon which the merchant determines whether to extend the credit. When the method is performed by a financial service provider, in response to the denial received by one merchant or prior to such denial, the financial service provider receives a transmission from the merchant including a request for information about the account. In response, the financial service provider sends the merchant the requested information.
US07925586B2
A method and system for escrow service for web-based transactions, such as multi-currency web-based transactions, is web-accessible and accepts registrations from exchanges and/or portal partners. The completion of registration and transactions is allowed to entitled users who access the system via the web. The system maintains an internal banking engine to act as a deal manager, messaging service and accounts sub-ledger and escrows funds entrusted to it. The transaction process is composed of a number of transaction statuses, and reporting of those statuses to users is accomplished online and via web query. The system provides local currency/multi-currency capability and supports several methods of payment, such as credit cards, authorized Automated Clearing House (ACH) or equivalent direct debit/credit and wire transfer payments, and all funds movements are electronic. The system supports transaction level detail through its banking engine accounts; funds movements from its currency accounts, and escrows funds to currency based escrow accounts. Buyers completing goods/services inspections after delivery initiate settlements.
US07925580B2
In the present invention, a system and method is provided for making insurance policies and products, consumer goods, property taxes, household obligations and credit card debt more affordable by paying for such items, (collectively known as goods and services) through residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit and any other residential liens, by amending the interest rates or the balances due or a combination of both the interest rate and the balance due on such mortgages. The interest rates and/or balances charged on the aforementioned secured loans will be increased sufficiently to collect enough money each month to pay participating homeowners' monthly payments for their homeowner's insurance or other debts and products they chose to include within their mortgages. Because interest paid on most mortgages is tax deductible, this invention has the potential to offer a significant financial benefit.
US07925579B1
A method of managing pipeline risk comprises processing a plurality of mortgage loan applications and managing pipeline risk based on status information for the mortgage loan applications. The processing is performed by a computer-implemented workflow engine responsive to user inputs. The processing includes prompting a user to perform tasks that need to be performed in connection with the mortgage loan applications and maintaining status information relating to status of the tasks that need to be performed. The pipeline risk is managed based on the status information for the mortgage loan applications maintained by the workflow engine.
US07925578B1
Systems and methods relate to generating a unified determination based on a subdetermination, and in particular, generating a unified score based on respective scores. For example, the invention provides a method for generating a unified determination based on subdeterminations, the method including generating a first subdetermination based on first criteria; generating a second subdetermination based on second criteria; and generating a unified determination based on the first subdetermination and the second subdetermination. The generation of the unified determination includes (a) assigning, using iterative processing, an assigned weighting respectively to the first determination and second determination; (b) determining if the assigned weighting satisfies at least one constraint; (c) comparing the assigned weighting to an optimized weighting, which was previously determined, to determine if the assigned weighting is improved over the optimized weighting; and (d) if the assigned weighting is improved, then assigning the assigned weighting to be the optimized weighting.
US07925575B2
A graphical interface and method are provided for selectively displaying market information corresponding to a plurality of tradeable objects. According to one example method, a scanning feature is provided in relation to a number of tradeable object indicators. Upon detecting a predefined movement of a user input device in relation to the plurality of indicators, a graphical interface dynamically displays market information corresponding to the tradeable objects as a predefined movement of the user input device is detected in relation to the tradeable object indicators.
US07925572B2
Methods and investment instruments for investing in real estate are described wherein a portfolio of investment real estate is divided into a plurality of tenant-in-common deeds of predetermined denominations, and which are subject to a master agreement and master lease to form “deedshares.” Holders of the deedshares receive a guaranteed income stream from the master lease and yearly depreciation, without having to maintain or manage the real estate. The holders of deedshares are subject, under the master agreement, to a mechanism that enables the master tenant to purchase, or arrange for the purchase of the deedshares at fair market value (or some other calculable value) at the end of a specified term. Because the deedshares qualify as interests in investment real estate, they are eligible for tax-deferred treatment under §1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.
US07925570B2
A method, executed in a computer system, for opening an electronic market for trading of a security is described. The method includes receiving by the computer system eligible orders and quotes for the security traded in the electronic market and disseminating an order imbalance indicator indicative of predicted trading characteristics of the security at the open of trading. The method also includes determining by the computer system a price or prices at which the maximum shares would be executed and determining which price would minimize any imbalance of eligible orders and executing at least some of the eligible orders at the determined opening price.
US07925561B2
In one aspect, the invention comprises acquiring background data regarding securities positions and regarding real-time pricing data; performing calculations regarding intermediate measures of performance of the securities; receiving configuration data for a portfolio of securities and one or more data requests, at least one of the data requests comprising a request for a value at risk report regarding the portfolio; and providing a value at risk report based on a Parkinson's volatility estimation. In another aspect, the invention comprises displaying a tree structure display in a first portion of a graphical user interface display; in response to a user selecting an item from the tree structure display, displaying a corresponding listing in a tabular display in a second portion of the graphical user interface display; and in response to the user selecting a listing in the tabular display, displaying a corresponding item in the tree structure display.
US07925555B2
A method and apparatus containing a single master system of record that provides a record of all paper and electronic transactions during a predetermined period of time, that provides capability for directing the retrieval of images stored in multiple and distributed owned and un-owned archives, and that provides a link to all assisting transaction informational data and images, e.g. e-signature, pictures, and handwriting is provided.
US07925550B2
A system and a method enable supply chain solutions for regulated industries. The embodiments facilitate regulatory and tax compliance management integrated with smart inventory and e-warehouse management solutions. The embodiments are applicable to heavily regulated industries such as, for example, beverages, food, oil, pharmachemicals, and chemicals.
US07925544B2
A universal shopping cart is provided that obtains and orders products and services from different merchants located on the Internet. The consumer completes all of their shopping on the shopping site and is not directed to another merchant's site to complete an order. The universal shopping cart provides a monitoring service that allows the consumer to monitor a product for specified criteria. The order injection system places orders for products contained within the universal shopping cart from affiliated and non-affiliated merchants. Specific ordering details required from merchants external to the shopping site are hidden from the consumer. For external merchant sites that require a consumer account before allowing the product to be purchased, the shopping site creates a new consumer account without intervention from the consumer. Once the products are ordered, the consumer may keep track of the ordered products from the shopping site.
US07925543B2
An Internet wire-mesh merchandising system comprises a webserver for generating a web presence. Potential customers are allowed to log-on to a website operated by a retailer, distributor, and manufacturer. An HTML product page includes navigation buttons that link to other HTML product pages. Each page further includes JPG or GIF type pictures that allow the shopper to see a particular product corresponding to a presently displayed HTML product page. A group of alternate-view buttons link to other pictures of the same product that show variations or different perspectives. A set of four navigation buttons permit the shopper to hyperlink to HTML product pages. Once the link is taken, a graphic is presented. The list of hyperlinks includes only those HTML product pages that represent available combinations. A “price” and an “order” hypertext allow the shopper to see the product price for the selected item and to order it electronically.
US07925536B2
Non video data regarding a point of sale (POS) transaction is received. POS primitives are generated based on the received non video POS data. Video data regarding a corresponding POS transaction is received. Video primitives are generated based on the received video data. An exceptional transaction is inferred based on a corresponding exceptional transaction rule and at least one of the generated POS primitives or video primitives.
US07925535B2
A system and method for securing a Radio Frequency (RF) transaction using a RF identification device (RFID) transaction device is provided. The method includes a RFID transaction device including a random number generator for generating a random number. The random number may be used by an account issuer to verify the validity of a RFID transaction device or RFID reader communicating on the RF transaction network. The authorizing agent may receive the random number and compare the random number to a device validating code.
US07925528B2
Estimating and scheduling additional calendar time in preparation for electronically called meetings
Method, apparatus, and computer program products for estimating, scheduling, and tracking preparatory work associated with electronic meeting invitations. When a meeting invitation is received and tentatively accepted, preparation time for associated work is estimated programmatically from characteristics of documents associated with the meeting invitation. A floating block of time is created, subject to the constraint that it must be completed before the meeting convenes, and added to the user's electronic calendar.
US07925526B2
A production unit for which a schedule of tasks is to be accomplished is prepared and stored in a central management device. The unit includes individual electronic devices, control stations, and a network linking the individual electronic devices and the control stations to the central management device. Each individual electronic device includes a device to input the tasks accomplished and problems encountered and further includes a transmission device for information input. The central management device compares data received with the schedule of tasks, generates a warning signal when the comparison detects a gap or discrepancy between the data received and the schedule of tasks, and transmits the warning signal to the individual electronic devices and control stations. The individual electronic devices and the control stations include a device to display the warning signal.
US07925521B2
A system for managing remote doctor medical request workflow may include a workflow module that optimizes assignments of medical requests to remote doctors based on parameterized doctor and scheduling information and may further include a forecasting module that predicts the hospital credentials, state licenses or doctors needed to fulfill a projected volume of future medical requests. In one embodiment, radiologists are parameterized and then matched with requests for radiological readings based on information extracted from DICOM image headers and merged with associated information contained in a medical work order. In this embodiment, the radiologists are parameterized based on their locations, schedules, hospital credentials, state licensing, compensation metrics, and performance metrics and incoming requests for review of CT scans and the like are filtered based on the parameterized radiologist information to identify one or more radiologists who are to fulfill the medical request.
US07925519B2
The current invention is directed to methods for reducing the cost of healthcare by improving the standard of care and by encouraging healthy behavior. Additionally, the methods of the current invention are designed to help improve clinical and economic outcomes through the principles of empowerment and accountability. The methods of the current invention provide financial incentives to both the patient and the medical practitioner in an interactive, web-based incentive system that creates appropriate and powerful checks and balances that motivate medical practitioners and patients to participate and to be adherent to beneficial performance standards. The methods of the current invention achieves the objectives of improved healthiness and better and more affordable healthcare by aligning the interests of medical providers, patients/consumers, and healthcare purchasers/payers in a win-win-win proposition. In the invention, purchasers/payers achieve lower healthcare consumption and costs by compensating medical providers and patients to declare compliance to beneficial performance standards on an intermediary's Internet application, and then having both parties confirm each other's compliance. The methods of the current invention incorporates evidence-based medicine treatment guidelines and content and other performance standards, and dispenses information therapy and other similar types of content through an Internet application or by other means to improve the standard of healthcare treatment and promote healthy behavior, which leads to better clinical outcomes and a reduction in the overall cost of healthcare.
US07925511B2
There is provided a system and method for secure voice identification in a medical device. More specifically, in one embodiment, there is provided a method comprising receiving an audio signal, identifying one or more frequency components of the received audio signal, determining a permission level associated with the one or more frequency components, determining a medical device command associated with the one or more frequency components, wherein the medical device command has a permission level, and executing the medical device command if the permission level of the medical device command is at or below the permission level associated with the one or more frequency components.
US07925506B2
The invention provides a system and method for improving speech recognition. A computer software system is provided for implementing the system and method. A user of the computer software system may speak to the system directly and the system may respond, in spoken language, with an appropriate response. Grammar rules may be generated automatically from sample utterances when implementing the system for a particular application. Dynamic grammar rules may also be generated during interaction between the user and the system. In addition to arranging searching order of grammar files based on a predetermined hierarchy, a dynamically generated searching order based on history of contexts of a single conversation may be provided for further improved speech recognition. Dialogue between the system and the user of the system may be recorded and extracted for use by a speech recognition engine to refine or create language models so that accuracy of speech recognition relevant to a particular knowledge area may be improved.
US07925502B2
Pitch is tracked for individual samples, which are taken much more frequently than an analysis frame. Speech is identified based on the tracked pitch and the speech components of the signal are removed with a time-varying filter, leaving only an estimate of a time-varying speech signal. This estimate is then used to generate a time-varying noise model which, in turn, can be used to enhance speech related systems.
US07925500B2
In a pitch conversion method and device which can reduce data throughput while suppressing a degradation of sound quality due to a pitch conversion as much as possible, an input signal pitch pattern per predetermined processing unit and a target pitch pattern are inputted, and a degradation degree indicating how a waveform of the input signal degrades upon pitch conversion from the input signal pitch pattern to the target pitch pattern is calculated. Alternatively, a degradation degree corresponding to a voice state and a phonemic type of the input signal is extracted from a database in which all of combinations of voice states and phonemic types estimated are associated with the degradation degrees to be recorded. Then, a pitch converter which performs a pitch conversion with small data throughput and a pitch converter which performs a pitch conversion with large data throughput are switched over depending on the degradation degree.
US07925498B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that identifies a synonym with N-gram agreement for a query phrase. During operation, the system receives a candidate synonym for the query phrase. Then, for each term in the query phrase, the system determines whether the term is a lexical synonym of a corresponding term in the candidate synonym or the term shares meaning with the corresponding term in the candidate synonym. If this is true for all terms in the query phrase, the system identifies the candidate synonym as an N-gram agreement synonym for the query phrase. The system then uses this identified N-gram agreement synonym to improve synonym mappings for query terms and/or query phrases.
US07925497B2
An information service apparatus provides information described in a language suitable for a user. The information service apparatus has an operation panel on which operation information on the information service apparatus is displayed: It is judged whether or not information can be provided in a language designated by discrimination information contained in a request from a terminal. When it is determined that the information in the language designated by the discrimination information cannot be provided, an operation panel language used for displaying the operation information on the operation panel is set as the language used for providing the information.
US07925491B2
Method and framework for identifying optimal allocations of computing resources in a complex, distributed data processing environment. A plurality of server models are established, with each server model including one or more server nodes and each server node having an associated set of capacity attributes. Similarly, a plurality of service models are established, each service model including one or more service nodes and each service node having an associated set of demand attributes. The server models are defined with a layered relationship as are the service models. A node that is part of a model in one layer corresponds to a model in the next-lower layer. The invention generates optimized mappings of service nodes that are described in user-selected service models to server nodes that are described in user-selected server models, as a function of the associated sets of demand and capacity attributes.
US07925485B2
A structure and method comprises a data structure representing a characteristic of an object in the virtual interactive environment. The device further comprises a client simulator to perform a first simulation of the characteristic of the object in the virtual interactive environment and a server simulator to perform a second simulation of the characteristic of the object in the virtual interactive environment. The device further comprises a synchronizer to synchronize the first and the second simulations.
US07925480B2
A simulation system [200] models and optimizes parameters for a pulsed liquid slug boring system employing an energetic fluid [7]. The simulation system [200] employs a fluid flow energy unit [251], an exhaust and retention energy unit [253] and a comminuting energy unit [255] to calculate energies of the system. Total energy unit [257] combines these energies. Fluid flow energy unit 251 receives fluid volume and calculates the fluid flow energy. Exhaust and retention energy unit 253 receives input from the exhaust energy volume unit [243] and mission duration unit [211] to determine the exhaust and retention energy. Comminuting energy unit 255 receives hole depth and hole diameter and specific energy of rock to determine the require comminuting energy. The simulation system [200] operates to determine optimum values of design parameters by searching for the minimum energy solution.
US07925478B2
A method for automatically designing a buffer packing size and a computer accessible storage media to store program thereof are provided. First, a buffer thickness of a buffer material is calculated, and a buffer area for a surface of the object receiving an impact is calculated according to a weight of an object and a static stress of the buffer material. Next, a suitable buffer packing size is automatically calculated according to the buffer thickness and the buffer area.
US07925476B2
A method is described for combining models of a plurality of theory solvers in order to produce a model which may be satisfiable by each of the plurality of theory solvers. A model is accessed for a first theory solver which is satisfiable in the first theory solver. It is determined that one or more equalities are implied by the model and it is determined if the equalities are compatible with a second solver. The model is updated in accordance any equalities determined not to be compatible with the second solver. A method is also described for mutation of models using freedom intervals. A freedom interval is determined for a variable within a model and the model is updates by choosing a value for the variable which lies within the freedom interval.
US07925471B2
Brings the response time of a Web server and the like closer to a targeted value. A controller controlling the average response time elapsed between reception by information processing apparatus of a processing request and response of information processing apparatus to the processing request. The controller including: a section for obtaining a response time goal which is a target value of the average response time; a section for calculating a predicted response time which is a predicted value of the average response time at the time point when a predetermined reference period has elapsed from setting an operation mode in the information processing apparatus, the operation mode being any of a plurality of operation modes which provide different throughputs; and a section for setting the operation mode in the information processing apparatus if predicted response time calculated by the predicted response time calculating section is less than goal.
US07925469B2
A Sensor Web formed of a number of different sensor pods. Each of the sensor pods include a clock which is synchronized with a master clock so that all of the sensor pods in the Web have a synchronized clock. The synchronization is carried out by first using a coarse synchronization which takes less power, and subsequently carrying out a fine synchronization to make a fine sync of all the pods on the Web. After the synchronization, the pods ping their neighbors to determine which pods are listening and responded, and then only listen during time slots corresponding to those pods which respond.
US07925467B2
An orientation calculation apparatus obtains data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an image pickup device, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device. Firstly, the orientation calculation apparatus calculates an orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor. Secondly, the orientation is corrected in accordance with acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor. Further, the orientation is corrected in accordance with an image of a predetermined subject to be taken by the image pickup device.
US07925463B2
Aspects of a method and system for compensating temperature readings from a temperature sensing crystal integrated circuit are provided. In this regard, a temperature indication and calibration voltages from a temperature sensing crystal integrated circuit (TSCIC) may be digitized and the digital signals may be utilized to calculate a compensated temperature indication. Data derived from a memory integrated within the TSCIC may be retrieved based on the compensated temperature indication. The retrieved data may be utilized to control operation of one or more circuits. The compensated temperature indication may be calculated by removing a gain error and/or offset error from the digitized temperature indication. The compensated temperature indication may be utilized as an index for a data table. The compensated temperature indication may be a normalized compensated temperature indication. The calibration voltages may include a minimum voltage and/or a maximum voltage that the TSCIC is operable to output.
US07925454B1
A process for determining a remaining useful life for a turbine airfoil that suffers from erosion or corrosion damage in order to reuse a component that still has acceptable remaining life. The process includes the steps of removing the damaged component, scanning the damaged component with an optical scanner such as a white light scanner to produce a 3D solid model of the damaged component, scanning a new component to produce a 3D solid model of the undamaged component, comparing the two 3D solid models to determine the amount of damage on the damaged component, determining the length of time the damaged component was used and the temperature at which it was exposed, and analyzing the 3D solid model of the damaged component to determine how much longer the part can be used before the component will suffer critical damage or the engine will suffer unacceptable performance.
US07925448B2
A method of determining kinetic parameters for a reversible molecular interaction between a ligand immobilized to a solid support surface and a binding partner to the ligand in solution, comprises sequentially, without intermediate regeneration or renewal of the immobilized ligand, flowing a plurality of fluid volumes containing different known concentrations of the binding partner over the solid support surface, monitoring the momentary amount of binding partner bound to the solid support surface related to time and solution concentration of binding partner and collecting the binding data, and determining the kinetic parameters by globally fitting a predetermined kinetic model for the interaction between the binding partner and the immobilized ligand to the collected binding data, which model allows for mass transport limitation at the solid support surface. An analytical system for carrying out the method, a computer program, a computer program product and a computer system for performing the method are also disclosed.
US07925447B2
The exemplary embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for calculating a probability. An input is received, wherein the input comprises a PQ tree. The leaf nodes of the PQ tree are counted to form a number of leaf nodes. A factorial value of the number of leaf nodes is calculated to form a denominator. A hash value of a frontier of all permutations of the PQ tree is calculated to form a numerator. A ratio of the numerator to the denominator is determined to form a result. The result is displayed to a user.
US07925445B2
A read-write assay system includes providing an assay device; and writing assay device information to the assay device for subsequent reading of the assay device information from the assay device; or performing an assay with the assay device and subsequent writing of the assay related information to the assay device or reading of assay related information from the assay device.
US07925443B2
Method for conducting an efficient and interpretable controlled-source electromagnetic reconnaissance survey for buried hydrocarbons. While a part of the survey area is being set up for measurement and data are being acquired, data from a nearby part of the survey area, surveyed just previously, are being rapidly processed and analyzed. If the analysis shows resistive anomalies of interest in a portion of a survey area, a fine-grid survey is quickly designed for that portion, and that survey is conducted next before moving source and receivers to a more distant part of the survey area.
US07925438B2
A navigation system displays a route guidance list on a monitor screen in an intuitive and organized manner so that a user can easily understand information regarding the maneuvering locations and actions associated with the route to the destination. The route guidance list is structured in a layered manner so that the information regarding the maneuvering actions at the locations closer to the current user position will be prioritized. For example, in the route guidance list, the information regarding the immediate maneuvering location and action is more detailed, enlarged, and highlighted than the others. The navigation system displays the route guidance list in which the information regarding the maneuvering locations and actions will be dynamically changed in response to the changes of the current location of the user.
US07925434B2
An image-related information displaying system includes: a host system having a three-dimensional land feature/place name information database and a delivery service subscriber list database; and multiple mobile terminal devices, each of which receives land feature/place name information from the host system and is connected to a base station via respective radio channels The base station is connected to a network, such as a wired public telephone circuit network, and the host system is connected thereto. Individual mobile terminal devices and the host system are bilaterally connected via the radio channels and the network which both reach to the base station. The base station corresponds to a base station managed by a cellular phone service provider when cellular phones are used as radio transmitter-receiver means. The host system includes the three-dimensional land feature/place name information database and the delivery service subscriber list database. Data on three-dimensional coordinates of representative points which represent land features, for example, throughout Japan, and the corresponding name and information are registered in the three-dimensional land feature/place name information database in the host system. The host system includes a retrieval processor unit for performing a process of retrieving land feature information from the three-dimensional land feature/place name information database in response to a request for the land feature information from one of the mobile terminal devices, and a transmitter-receiver unit for transmitting and receiving data between the host system and each of the mobile terminal devices.
US07925424B2
A method and computer program using airport surveillance data to define common paths taken by vehicles on the airport surface is presented. Position data points for a group of vehicles create separate paths for each of the vehicles in the group. A matrix is created including areas measured between the path of each vehicle in the group and each of the remaining vehicles in the group. A column-wise average for each of the columns in the matrix is calculated, the column having a lowest mean average of all of the columns is determined, and a vector A(J) including the areas and vehicle identifications is created from that column. A difference vector δA(J) is created having the difference between successive entries in the vector A(J), and subgroups with the group are recursively identified using the values in the difference vector.
US07925420B2
Methods and devices for determining and putting in fuel into an internal combustion engine on the basis of an air-fuel ratio in proximity to the stechiometric value, based on the use of the ion current released by a device, positioned on each cylinder of said engine. This ion current is acquired by a Control Unit equipped by means, preferably electronic ones, which implement the invention, repeated continually for each engine cycle and for each cylinder, characterized in that the method develops over various phases.
US07925415B2
In automatic steering control, when both a traveling lane and a preceding vehicle are detected, a target position on a first vehicle traveling path based on traveling lane information and a target position on a second vehicle traveling path based on preceding vehicle information are set as a first target position and a second target position, respectively. When the second target position is set farther than the first target position, the correction amount of the distance between the first target position and the second vehicle traveling path is set in accordance with the distance difference in the front-rear direction between the first and second target positions, and a third target position is set by correcting the first target position by the correction amount so as to become closer to the second vehicle traveling path. The steering control amount is calculated on the basis of the third target position.
US07925414B2
A method and device for influencing the longitudinal velocity of a motor vehicle, in which a setpoint minimum distance and/or a setpoint maximum velocity is presettable by the driver, the driver being able to influence the vehicle velocity via the accelerator pedal and/or brake pedal, and in which the distance from a vehicle traveling ahead is measured by a distance-measuring sensor and, if the setpoint minimum distance is undershot and/or the setpoint maximum velocity is exceeded by the vehicle velocity, the vehicle velocity is limited so that the setpoint minimum distance is not undershot and/or the setpoint maximum velocity is not exceeded. This function is provided, in particular, in connection with an adaptive distance and cruise control system, the driver being able to activate either the adaptive distance and cruise control system or the limiting function.
US07925410B2
A method is provided for efficiently decelerating a vehicle having a braking circuit for braking a set of brake actuators. A flow of pressurized brake fluid is generated within the braking circuit. Normal force parameters exerted on each wheel of the braking circuit are determined. At least one respective brake actuator is isolated from receiving pressurized brake fluid for increasing the flow of pressurized brake fluid to a non-isolated wheel of the brake circuit in response to the normal force parameters.
US07925406B2
A first input torque value estimated when it is determined that an inertia phase has started is stored as an input torque value. Then, the input torque value is updated to a value determined based on the first input torque value and a second input torque value estimated when it is determined that the accelerator pedal has been operated by at least a predetermined amount. When the second input torque value is smaller than the first input torque value, the stored input torque value is updated to a value that is equal to or greater than the first input torque value. When the second input torque value is equal to or greater than the first input torque value, the stored input torque value is updated to the second input torque value.
US07925400B2
The present invention provides an active mounting apparatus for adjusting an input shaft of a rear axle to make an output shaft of a transmission and the input shaft of the rear axle in a straight line. The apparatus includes a mounting bracket, a rotatable support member, a hydraulic cylinder, a hydro supply unit, a suspension geometry measuring sensor, and a control unit. The rotatable support members are rotatably mounted on mounting bracket. The hydraulic cylinder controlled by the control unit activates a clockwise or counterclockwise position angle of rotatable support member. Therefore, even though the rear axle is moved upward or downward due to the change in load during the driving of a vehicle, an output shaft of a transmission and an input shaft of the rear axle are always aligned with each other on one straight line so as to minimize vibration, noise, and the loss of power.
US07925397B2
A vehicle state tracker tracks the state of a vehicle during a diagnostic test sequence to eliminate redundant steps between diagnostic procedures. The vehicle state tracker maintains a list of preconditions required for each diagnostic procedure, reads a current vehicle state from a memory register and verifies the current setting of the vehicle state corresponding to a specific precondition. If the precondition is required and the current setting is not valid, the state tracker further formats a test preparation step corresponding to the precondition for display to instruct a vehicle technician to satisfy the precondition. Otherwise, if the precondition is not required and the corresponding setting is valid, the state tracker formats an instruction to reverse the corresponding vehicle condition. The state tracker additionally receives feedback indicating when a precondition has been satisfied or the corresponding vehicle condition has been reversed, and updates the vehicle state in memory.
US07925393B2
A method and apparatus that generates a 4D flight plan that takes in account weather, metrological data, and safety of flight information for 360 degree horizontal layer at all relevant altitudes and times is disclosed. The method may include receiving a flight plan request from a user, the flight plan including user preferences, receiving meteorological information and safety-of-flight information based on the user's origin, destination and preferences, generating a 4D flight plan based on the meteorological information, safety-of-flight information, and user preferences, and outputting the 4D flight plan for the user.
US07925391B2
A system for providing remote display of an enhanced image comprises at least one image source and a processing element. The processing element is capable of receiving data from the image source, creating an enhanced image with the received data, and transmitting the enhanced image via a wireless link to a display device capable of displaying the enhanced image. The processing element may create the enhanced image by stitching image data from at least two image sources having different fields of view, fusing image data from at least two image sources having different image modalities, or combining image data from at least one image source with synthetic image data. The processing element may be further capable of modifying at least one transmission characteristic based on a bandwidth of the wireless link. The transmission characteristic may be selected from the group comprising field of view, frame rate, resolution, and compression.
US07925390B2
An outer dust collecting filter covers a casing an intake port and an outer fan flows air from an external environment into the casing via the outer dust collecting filter. A clean chamber has an intake port within the casing, an inner dust collecting filter for covering the intake port, and an inner fan for flowing the air within the casing. A control unit controls fan rotating speeds so that a measured pressure within the casing becomes higher at a set value than a measured pressure in the external environment, and a measured pressure within the clean chamber becomes higher at a set value than the measured pressure within the casing.
US07925386B2
The disclosure relates to a control device for a pneumatically operated actuator in the field of process automation, in particular for continuous control of material flows in the industrial environment. The control device has a communications interface for receiving an electrical setpoint value, and an output for the output of a pneumatic fluid, whose pressure is varied as a function of a control deviation. The received electrical setpoint value is suitable as a process parameter. The control device is connected via a communications channel to an actual-value encoder, which is designed to output an electrical signal corresponding to the actual value of the same process parameter.
US07925377B2
Embodiments generally provide an apparatus and method for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system (e.g., a cluster tool) that has an increased system throughput, increased system reliability, substrates processed in the cluster tool have a more repeatable wafer history, and also the cluster tool has a smaller system footprint. In one embodiment of the cluster tool, grouping substrates together, and transferring and processing the substrates in groups of two or more, improves system throughput, and reduces the number of moves a robot has to make to transfer a batch of substrates between the processing chambers, thus reducing wear on the robot and increasing system reliability. Embodiments also provide for a method and apparatus that are used to increase the reliability of the substrate transfer process to reduce system down time.
US07925375B2
A machine for storing objects includes a compartment system with a plurality of compartments and having at least one closure mechanism which can be moved relative to a central, predefined access orifice in the machine housing to permit or prevent access to a specific, individual compartment or to a specific group of adjacent compartments. A driving force of the drive system for the closure mechanism is dimensioned or can be set and/or a drive train or a motion transmitting path between the drive system and closure mechanism has a force or torque limiting device such that maximum force or torque transmitting values acting on the closure mechanism are fixed or can be set so that automatic movements of the closure mechanism can not cause serious injuries to a user, and in addition the closure mechanism can be manually held open or pushed open in spite of the active drive system. The closure mechanism or drive system co-operates with at least one stop mechanism which can be activated and/or deactivated in a controlled manner or positioned in a controlled manner, which is designed mechanically to restrict a maximum permissible opening width of the closure mechanism). This results in an increased degree of personal safety and at the same time protects access to the storage machine.
US07925371B2
An eyeglass lens processing system for processing an eyeglass lens includes: a data inputting device that inputs a left and right target lens shape data and a layout data; a cup attaching device that attaches a lens fixing cup used for processing the eyeglass lens, the cup including an IC tag capable of rewriting data, the cup attaching device including a left/right information inputting unit that inputs which of left and right eyeglass lenses the attached eyeglass lens is, and a writing device that writes processing information including the left/right identifying information to the IC tag; and an eyeglass lens processing device that holds the eyeglass lens and processes the lens, the eyeglass lens processing device including a reading device that reads the information stored to the IC tag and a setting unit that sets the processing information based on the read left/right identifying information.
US07925367B2
The invention proposes a system that interrupts a processing associated with an ADC having low priority when an ADC processing cannot catch up with ADR by an ADC alone that is not under execution but uses an ADC for an ADR having high priority. To preferentially execute ADR/ADC having high priority, the invention employs an algorithm for serially selecting ADR/ADC in the order of higher processing capacity (in the order of greater numerical values in the expression by a DPH unit) from among ADR/ADCs that have the lowest priority, no matter whether the ADR/DC is now under execution or not.
US07925363B2
Upon detection of an error such as a malfunction occurring at a drive mechanism, a sensor transmits an error signal to a control section. The control section selects character information about details of the error corresponding to the error signal and an image representing the drive mechanism where the error occurs and a position of the sensor in the drive mechanism, and reads out the character information and the image from a storage part. Then, the control section allows a liquid crystal display device to display error information in which a first image of character information is combined with a second image of an error occurrence site in the drive mechanism. Then, error correction is sequentially performed in accordance with details of an error displayed as an uppermost layer on a screen.
US07925354B2
A method and apparatus for improving visual acuity when providing a visual image from a “high” resolution input device to a “low” resolution output device. The described invention is of particular use when the output device is an array of electrodes as part of a retinal prosthesis used to restore vision to a visually-impaired patient. In that various limitations may, within the foreseeable future, limit the density of such an electrode array (and thus the resolution of the output image), the present invention teaches techniques to assign processed pixel subsets of a higher resolution image to a single electrode. By varying the pixel subsets, e.g., by jittering, and/or altering the processing criteria, the perceived visual acuity may be further improved. Alternatively and additionally, such processing may be further extended to drive neighboring electrodes in combination to thus stimulate virtual electrode sites and thus further enhance visual acuity.
US07925351B2
Apparatus is provided, including an ingestible capsule, one or more electrodes coupled to the capsule, and a control unit configured to maintain the capsule in a vicinity of a designated site of a subject by driving at least a subset of the electrodes to apply a current that induces reverse intestinal peristalsis in the subject. Other embodiments are also described.
US07925339B2
The invention comprises an apparatus and a method for externally assessing and monitoring placement of an endo-tracheal tube for ventilation of patients based on thoracic impedance measurement.
US07925335B2
An apparatus for determining cardiac performance in the patient involving a conductance catheter (12) for measuring conductance and blood volume in a heart chamber of the patient. The apparatus includes a processor (14) for determining instantaneous volume of the ventricle by applying a non-linear relationship between the measured conductance and the volume of blood in the heart chamber to identify mechanical strength of the chamber. The processor (14) is in communication with the conductance catheter (12).
US07925324B2
A method for defining an antetorsion angle γ of a femur is provided. The antetorsion angle γ is defined by two angles α′ and β that can be determined by means of two images of the femur, wherein the equation tan γ=tan α′/(cos β·cos θ) can be used to calculate the antetorsion angle γ.
US07925321B2
Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. During initial calibration, the analyte sensor data is evaluated over a period of time to determine stability of the sensor. The sensor may be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. The calibration may be updated after evaluating the calibration set for best calibration based on inclusion criteria with newly received reference analyte data. Fail-safe mechanisms are provided based on clinical acceptability of reference and analyte data and quality of sensor calibration. Algorithms provide for optimized prospective and retrospective analysis of estimated blood analyte data from an analyte sensor.
US07925316B2
The mobile terminal apparatus of the present invention includes a housing having an opening section in which an accommodated object is fitted; a lid covering the opening section, the lid having a protrusion which surrounds the opening section and shields the accommodated object from water, on a surface facing the accommodated object; and a cover covering the lid, the cover being attached to the housing to press the lid onto the housing. When the cover is attached to the housing, the protrusion of the lid surrounds the opening section and is pressed onto the housing by the cover, so that the accommodated object can be reliably shielded from water.
US07925314B2
A foldable electronic device including a first frame, a second frame, a first connecting rod, and a second connecting rod is provided. The first connecting rod has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are respectively pivoted on one side of the first frame and the second frame. The second connecting rod has a third end and a fourth end, wherein the third end and the fourth end are respectively pivoted on the other side of the first frame and the second frame. The first connecting rod is suitable for rotating along a first axle, and the second connecting rod is suitable for rotating along a second axle, wherein the first axle is not coaxial with the second axle.
US07925312B2
According to an aspect of an embodiment, a mobile terminal device includes a lower casing, an upper casing, and an intermediate casing, an intermediate casing connected to the lower casing by a hinge structure which enables the intermediate casing to rotate about an axis, the intermediate casing supporting a back surface of the upper casing by a front surface of the intermediate casing, wherein the upper casing has a first groove formed in a vertical direction with respect to the rotation axis on a surface facing the intermediate casing, the intermediate casing has a first portion protruding from a surface facing the upper casing and fitting the groove of the upper casing, and the upper casing is rotatable with respect to the intermediate casing for the portion being guided by the groove.
US07925303B2
Improved methods and apparatuses are provided to address a potential “hidden beam problem” in wireless communication systems employing smart antennas. The improved methods and apparatuses utilize complementary beamforming (CBF) techniques, such as, for example, Subspace Complementary Beamforming (SCBF), Complementary Superposition Beamforming (CSBF) and/or Single Beam Complementary Beamforming (SBCBF) techniques.
US07925292B2
Signals of different cells in a cellular wireless communications system are observed during associated intervals to predict a signal behavior in future. A target cell is selected by observing over time signal characteristics of potential target cells. Thereafter a target cell is selected by using the observed characteristics to predict which potential target cell will in future satisfy certain criteria.
US07925288B2
A remote control-based data sharing system and method for handheld terminals over a communication network are provided. The data sharing system includes a master terminal that transmits a control assignment request and displays a screen image received in response to the control assignment request; a slave terminal that selectively assigns a control to the master terminal in response to the control assignment request and operates in accordance with a control signal received from the master terminal; and a network that establishes wireless communication channels with the master and slave terminals for exchanging signals between the master and slave terminals.
US07925285B2
According to the present invention, Bluetooth master device offset information is determined and distributed among the master devices within a Bluetooth network. The system either provides an offset to each master device or determines master device offsets and distributes this information to master devices within the system to allow or efficient hand-offs of a slave between master devices.
US07925282B2
A method for storing short message service (SMS) messages in a mobile communication terminal includes determining that a storing region corresponding to a Class of a new SMS message is full by detecting a transferable SMS message in the pertinent storing region, transferring the detected SMS message to another storing region, and storing the new SMS message in the pertinent storing region.
US07925280B2
Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating paging of an access terminal. A detector detects delivery at the access terminal of a paging message. The paging message includes a group of identities that are ordered. The ordering is determinative of an extra identity bit conveyed with the paging message.
US07925278B2
A method and system for locating a Wireless electronic device (200) in a wireless communication network (100) is provided. The method includes sending a ranging code (504) by the wireless electronic device to a predefined number of base stations. The method further includes replicating (506) the ranging-code by the predefined number of base stations, for calculating the pseudoranges. Moreover, the method includes locating (508) the wireless electronic device, based on calculations of distance, using a ranging-response message sent by the predefined number of base stations to the wireless electronic device.
US07925277B2
The invention provides a positioning system of positioning a wireless communication apparatus. The positioning system transmits and receives positioning signals which have different frequency bands and generates corresponding positioning values according to the positioning signals. The positioning system then judges and selects positioning values which have less error from the generated positioning values, and calculates an average value of the selected positioning values. Therefore, positioning of the wireless communication apparatus will be more precise. Furthermore, if the positioning system is implemented in a radio-wave-based wireless communication environment, the N positioning signals can be polarized in a linear polarization way, a left-handed circular polarization way or a right-handed circular polarization way, so as to reduce the environmental impact to enhance precision of the positioning.
US07925272B2
The present invention relates to the field of location databases containing position related information, and specifically to a method of providing quick and accurate response to users requesting location dependant data from such database. This speed-up in response is done by storing information that is related to most probable path for travelling users on top of database stack and therefore is easy to find and sent to requesting users.
US07925269B2
A method and system for establishing a channel in a wireless video area network, is provided. Establishing a channel involves scanning available high-rate and low-rate channels, selecting a channel from the available channels with minimal interference with other networks, determining if the selected channel remains available for a listening period, and if the selected channel remains available, then starting communication on the selected channel. The selected channel is a high-rate channel and a corresponding low-rate channel.
US07925266B1
The coverage radii for a number of wireless transmission stations is calculated based on one or both of a link budget analysis and a propagation model. At least one coverage gap may then be identified within a given coverage area of a communications network, and locations selected for new wireless transmission stations based on a location selection criteria. The previously-identified coverage gap information is updated to take into account the wireless coverage to be provided by the new wireless transmission station, after which additional passes of the coverage area may be performed to identify locations for additional new wireless transmission station based on both the location selection criteria and on the updated coverage gap.
US07925262B2
A mobile station performs location registration to one of exchanges managing a location registration area where the mobile station is located, in a mobile communication system in which a plurality of exchanges manage one location registration area and a radio network controller is connected to the plurality of exchanges. The mobile station includes a communication controller configured to stop transmission of signals to the radio network controller, when an identifier of an exchange notified by an access restriction signal from the radio network controller matches an identifier of an exchange which has performed the location registration of the mobile station.
US07925259B2
A system, method, and arrangement for controlling access to a wireless communication network. When a User Equipment (UE) is denied access to the network through a first access point, the UE stores the Location Area Identity (LAI) utilized at the first access point on a list of forbidden LAIs in the UE. If the LAI stored by the UE is utilized at another access point where the UE is allowed access, the LAI at the other access point is dynamically changed to a second LAI that is not on the UE's list of forbidden LAIs. An access point database stores a table defining which UEs are allowed to utilize each access point. The database also stores a list of rejected LAIs for each UE. A radio network controller accesses the database to determine an allowed LAI, and changes the LAI at the other access points where the UE is allowed access.
US07925255B2
A method and system for distributing files to remote receiving units such as passenger vehicles. The method includes the steps of (a) creating a file broadcast schedule that identifies a plurality of files and that includes scheduling information indicating when the files will be transmitted, (b) sending the file broadcast schedule to a number of remote receiving units via wireless transmission, (c) analyzing the file broadcast schedule at one or more of the remote receiving units by identifying at least one specific file intended for receipt and storage at that receiving unit and by determining from the scheduling information a scheduled time at which the specific file is intended to be received, (d) monitoring a digital satellite transmission channel at the scheduled time for the specific file, and (e) upon receiving the specific file, storing it at the remote receiving unit.
US07925254B2
Cellular receivers, in the form of portable radiotelephones are commonplace, and their design and operation is well understood. Such portable radiotelephones can be used for making and receiving telephone calls, sending and receiving messages, and even browsing world-wide computer network such as the Internet. Many standards exist for portable radiotelephones, including global system for mobile communications (GSM), general radio packet service (GPRS).Receivers capable of receiving digital television signals; such as signals according to the terrestrial digital video broadcasting (DVB-T) standard are also commonplace.The present invention provides a method and apparatus for receiving and transmitting signals via multiple communication channels.
US07925252B2
An application container-level transaction management system for managing transactions of an application on a wireless device. The system comprises a transaction manager for providing an interface to the application container for accessing methods for creation and execution of transactions in a hierarchical order. The transactions comprising correlative operations. The system further comprises a transaction stack for storing the transactions to be executed in an execution order according to the hierarchical order, the order of execution providing for at least one of rollback and completion of the correlative operations.
US07925248B2
A wireless communication processing decision unit 33 acquires, from a wireless communication specific information storage unit 52, wireless communication specific information which specifies regions in which utilization of its frequency bandwidth is permitted by law. Next, registered position information which specifies the region in which this mobile communication terminal is position registered is acquired from a registered position information storage unit 34. Next, if the region specified by the registered position information is included in the regions shown by the wireless communication specific information, then the wireless communication processing decision unit 33 makes a decision to the effect that communication is possible, and notifies a communication processing unit 53 of this permission of communication. Upon receipt of this communication permission, the communication processing unit 53 starts communication processing.
US07925245B1
A system and method for merchandizing content to wireless subscribers that have upgraded their mobile station or service is disclosed. The wireless carrier maintains a database of identifying data for content downloaded to subscribers' mobile stations. When a subscriber upgrades his or her mobile station the wireless carrier searches the database for previously downloaded content, identifies the equivalent content that is compatible with the new mobile station and provides the information of available equivalent downloads to the mobile station.
US07925232B2
A system for utilizing circular polarized signals to perform satellite communication to mobile users. The satellite includes transponders, each transponder providing linearly polarized signals and at least two orthogonal linear polarized transponders. A plurality of mobile users with a circularly polarized antenna for receiving signals from the satellite, and singly circular or linear polarized transmit antennas for transmitting signals to the satellite. Circuits for providing a correction scheme implemented in a hub side to offset frequency error between two channels produced by the satellite transponder local oscillators mismatch.
US07925228B2
A calibration method and system for reducing modulation errors in a telecommunication transmitter apparatus includes providing a pair of test signals, which are substantially in quadrature to each other, and to repeat an estimation loop. The estimation loop starts with generating a modulated signal by modulating the test signals (the modulation introducing a modulation error) and continues by obtaining a squared signal corresponding to the square of the modulated signal. A transformed signal corresponding to the squared signal in the frequency domain is then calculated. The estimation loop further includes calculating an error indicator, indicative of the modulation error, according to the modulus of the transformed signal. A compensation, to be applied to the test signals for counterbalancing the modulation error, is calculated according to the error indicator and is then applied to the test signals. The estimation loop is repeated until the error indicator reaches a threshold and an indication of the compensation resulting from a last iteration of the estimation loop is stored (for the application of the compensation to each pair of operative signals managed by the telecommunication transmitter apparatus during operation thereof).
US07925224B2
An apparatus to facilitate wireless communication where one side of the link is designed for ultra-low power consumption. The apparatus comprises two types of transceivers: a full function transceiver (called the “Controller”) and a reduced function transceiver (called the “Terminal”), which are normally connected in a “star” network configuration (i.e. several Terminals communicating with one Controller). The Controller communicates with Terminals directly using chirp signals which contain the modulated data to be transmitted. The Terminal communicates with the Controller by re-transmitting “carrier” chirp signals which have been sent to it by the Controller. In this way the Terminal does not generate any of its own RF signals, thereby reducing its power consumption. The Terminals may not communicate directly with each other, only indirectly through the Controller.
US07925218B2
Method for planning and/or dimensioning links between several stations in a wireless telecommunication system including the following steps: a) establishing a relation, in logarithmic scale, for each existing link between the ground equivalent radiated power, EIRPground, the signal to noise density ratio required (C/No)req for a link, and a quality indicator QaF, b) determining the quality indicator QaF from the contribution of the first type items (link analysis disturbance) that are linear in EIRPground and the second type items that are non-linear in EIRPground, c) determining the EIRPground from the quality indicator QaF determined in step b).
US07925209B2
Two satellite communications systems can use the same frequency or frequencies in geographically overlapping footprints, without creating undue interference in a given system that is caused by the same frequency signal(s) that is/are used by the other system. In particular, an aggregate Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) of the radioterminals and/or ancillary terrestrial components of a second satellite communications system in the common footprint is sufficiently low, and/or the receive antenna gain of a first satellite communications system is sufficiently low compared to the receive antenna gain of the second satellite communications system, so as to increase an aggregate receiver noise that is seen by the first satellite system receivers by an amount that does not substantially change a Quality of Service (QoS) of the first satellite communications system.
US07925207B2
A method for performing ranging by a mobile station in a communication system. The method includes transmitting a ranging sequence to a relay station; receiving an added signal of a reference sequence of the relay station and the ranging sequence, from the relay station; performing a correlation operation on each of the ranging sequence and the reference sequence in the added signal; estimating a time difference between the ranging sequence and the reference sequence depending on the correlation operation; and transmitting the signal to the relay station taking the time difference into account.
US07925198B2
A fixing device has a fixing roller, a pressure roller, an electromagnetic-induction heating section, and a heat pipe. The pressure roller has a metal layer, so that heat transferred directly from the fixing roller to the pressure roller is thermally transported by the metal layer of the pressure roller, whereby temperature of the pressure roller in its axial direction can be equalized.
US07925194B2
A developing unit to supply toner to a photosensitive medium of an image forming apparatus to form an image thereon, including a housing to hold a toner of a predetermined color, a developing roller which is coupled to the housing to be rotatable in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the photosensitive medium, to supply the photosensitive medium with the toner, and to form the image by potential difference, and a regulating blade including a coupling end part coupled to the housing and a free end part double bent with regard to the coupling end part to contact the developing roller at a tip part thereof.
US07925193B2
A rotary member includes a rotating main body, and support members that are formed to be supported by bearings. Each of the support members includes a spindle core formed of a first metal, and a cylindrical sheath that sheathes a portion of the spindle core where slidably contacting respective one of the bearings and that is formed of a second metal different from the first metal.
US07925191B2
A toner cartridge includes: a casing; a partitioning wall; and an operation member. The casing is configured to accommodate toner therein. The casing is formed with a first casing opening. The partitioning wall is configured to be rotatable relative to the casing around a predetermined rotational axis. The partitioning wall has a side surface that extends substantially parallel to the rotational axis and a pair of opposite ends that are arranged opposing each other along the rotational axis, a first partitioning-wall opening being formed through the side surface of the partitioning wall, the first partitioning-wall opening being selectively aligned with the first casing opening when the partitioning wall is rotated relative to the casing. The operation member rotates the partitioning wall relative to the casing, the operation member including a pair of lever members rotatably supported on the casing that when rotated apply a rotating operation to both of the pair of opposite ends of the partitioning wall.
US07925188B2
A novel development device includes a developer roller, a developer reservoir, a rotatable conveyor, and a replenisher unit. The developer roller is configured to supply toner particles to the electrostatic latent image. The developer reservoir is configured to hold the developer therewithin for application to the developer roller. The rotatable conveyor is configured to rotate within the developer reservoir to convey the developer toward the developer roller. The replenisher unit has a tubular member terminating at a port opening in the developer reservoir. The replenisher unit is configured to direct a particulate material through the tubular member into the developer reservoir via the port. The particulate material is toner particles, carrier particles, or a mixture of toner particles and a given amount of carrier particles. The port is submerged in the developer within the developer reservoir as the rotatable conveyor rotates.
US07925176B2
A transfer voltage control method of an image forming apparatus includes supplying a first measurement voltage to a first transfer member and a second transfer member, measuring a variation in resistance of the first transfer member by supplying a second measurement voltage to the first transfer member during a first period of time, and measuring a variation in resistance of the second transfer member by supplying the second measurement voltage during a second period of time. Therefore, it is capable of measuring accurately a variation in resistance of a transfer unit, such that an optimum transfer voltage may be set. Accordingly, transfer quality of an image forming apparatus is improved.
US07925175B2
A developing device includes a developer container storing a developer, a developer supplying member supplying a toner stored in the developer container to an image bearing member, a voltage applying unit capable of applying a bias voltage to the developer supplying member, an image density detecting unit detecting a density of toner formed on the image bearing member, and a control unit correcting a toner concentration in the developer on the basis of a result of image density detection of a reference toner image formed on the image bearing member. The control unit is capable of executing a first toner concentration correction between printing operations and executing a second toner concentration correction between predetermined points during continuous printing.
US07925173B2
A monitoring apparatus includes a determining unit that determines in advance a first target amount, which is determined as a target of consumption amount of a colorant at a first timing, at which a first predetermined period from start of use of the colorant in image formation has elapsed, a first calculating unit that calculates an actual amount of the colorant actually consumed during the first predetermined period, and an announcing unit that announces consumption status information generated based on the first target amount and the actual amount.
US07925170B2
A predistortion circuit provides a predistorted input signal that compensates for distortion generated by a non-linear amplifier such as a laser device. The predistortion circuit may be used in an optical transmitter designed for broadband applications, such as a laser transmitter used for forward path CATV applications. The predistortion circuit may include a primary signal path and a secondary signal path that receive an input signal. A second order distortion generator on the secondary signal path generates predistortion of a magnitude corresponding to the magnitude of, but at an opposite phase to, the distortion generated by the non-linear amplifier. The second order distortion generator includes diodes with an adjustable diode bias to control phase, magnitude and/or magnitude/phase versus frequency of the predistortion.
US07925165B2
A packet and optical routing equipment exchanges multiplexed optical signals with other equipment in a network and exchanges branch non-packet and packet signals with client equipment. The entering branch non-packet signals are converted into electric signals by a non-packet interface and supplied directly to an electric switching unit, the entering packet branch signals are converted into electric signals, supplied to a packet forwarding module and routed to the electric switching unit. The electric switching unit switches the electric signals toward a WDM interface that converts them into optical signals at selected wavelengths that are added to the multiplexed optical signals. The entering multiplexed optical signals that should be terminated in the equipment are extracted, converted into electrical signals, and electrically switched toward the non-packet interface or the packet forwarding module according to whether they are of non-packet or of a packet type. The switching unit is of configurable type and may switch a variable ratio of electric non-packet and packet signals according to the traffic requirements.
US07925157B2
A ranging method and system for passive optical network, and an optical network unit are provided. The ranging method includes: sending an initial ranging signal to a splitter loop-back device and recording a current sending time as a first time; receiving a loop-back ranging signal from the splitter loop-back device, and determining whether the loop-back ranging signal is a return signal of the initial ranging signal; if the loop-back ranging signal is a return signal of the initial ranging signal, recording a current receiving time as a second time; and obtaining ranging information by calculating a difference between the first time and the second time, and performing a ranging on the basis of the ranging information.
US07925150B2
A camera system includes: a light emitting unit that performs a main emission of light in which during photography a photographic subject is illuminated with a first light having a first color temperature, and a preparatory emission of light in which the photographic subject is illuminated with a second light having a second color temperature before photography; an imaging element that outputs an image capture signal; a calculator that calculates an amount of the first light by the light emitting unit, based upon the image capture signal output during the preparatory emission of light; a corrector that corrects the calculated amount of the first light, based upon a color temperature difference between the first color temperature and the second color temperature; and a controller that controls the light emitting unit to perform the main emission of light at the amount of the first light after correction by the corrector.
US07925141B2
A digital video recorder (DVR) and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the DVR includes: (1) a mass data storage unit that concurrently and continuously receives and digitally stores a plurality of channels and (2) a channel viewer, coupled to the mass data storage unit, that retrieves a portion of one of the plurality of channels from the mass data storage unit based on a received command and presents the portion on a video display device.
US07925128B2
The present disclosure provides an approach to more efficiently amplify signals by matching either the gain materials or the pump profile with the signal profile for a higher-order mode (HOM) signal. By doing so, more efficient energy extraction is achieved.
US07925124B2
An electro-optical filter made of a support in which an optical guide with a diffused channel waveguide and of a cover, that are created in borosilicate glass, and which includes a gap obtained by the use of suitable spacers, filled with a grating constituted of alternating strips of polymer and liquid crystal called POLICRYPS (Polymer Liquid CRYstal Polymer Slices), and with first electrodes that are coplanar to the support and next to the optical guide with a channel, that electrically control the grating making the filter tunable, and a manufacturing process.
US07925118B2
An image processing apparatus having an image sensing unit and a subject detection unit for performing a process of detecting a subject in an image inputted from said image sensing unit, has a detection size operation unit that sets a resolution of a target object to be detected by the subject detection unit, and an image conversion unit that converts a resolution of the input image, based on the resolution of the target object set by the detection size operation unit. The subject detection unit performs the process of detecting the subject in the image whose resolution has been converted by the image conversion unit.
US07925114B2
The present invention provides a system and method for mosaicing multiple input images, captured by one or more remote sensors, into a seamless mosaic of an area of interest. Each set of input images captured by the remote sensors within a capture interval are ortho-rectified and mosaiced together into a composite image. Successive composite images, along a given flight path, are then mosaiced together to form a strip. Adjacent strips are then mosaiced together to form a final image of the area of interest.
US07925110B2
A method for filtering a point cloud is provided. The method includes: (a) acquiring a point cloud of an object from a point cloud obtaining device; (b) establishing a topological structure for the point cloud; (c) selecting a maiden point from the point cloud as a selected point; (d) searching a plurality of points which are near to the selected point from the point cloud according to the topological structure as near points of the selected point; (e) determining whether the selected point is a noise point by comparing coordinate values of the selected point and coordinate values of the near points; (f) deleting or smoothing the noise point from the point cloud; and repeating steps from (c) to (f), until all points in the point cloud have been selected. A related system is also provided.
US07925107B2
A variable block transform system, medium, and a system, medium, and method for video encoding/decoding using the variable block transform. The system includes a transform block size determination unit that determines the transform block size for components of an input video based on a format, defining the components, of the input video or characteristics of the components, and a transform coding unit that performs transform coding on each of the color components of the input video according to the determined transform block sizes and outputs transform coefficients.
US07925106B2
A motion detection apparatus detecting motion in an image may include a black-and-white signal motion detector, a first color signal motion detector, a second color signal motion detector, and a final motion flag output unit. The motion detection apparatus may output a final motion flag in accordance with whether there is motion in a black-and-white image, whether there is first color motion in a color image, and whether there is second color motion in the color image. The motion detection apparatus may control a threshold value used to determine whether there is motion in an image in the present frame in response to accumulated information about whether there has been motion in the image for a predetermined past frame through to the previous frame.
US07925105B2
An image transmission apparatus comprises an outline extraction processor, a selector, and a transmission module. The outline extraction processor extracts an outline of a specific-type image element in each of the image frames and to create outline data, based on image data representing the image frames. The selector selects the image data or the outline data for each image frame for transmission to an external receiving device. An image processing apparatus in another embodiment comprises an outline extraction processor, a scene change determination module, and a clipping processor. The scene change determination module determines that a scene change is occurred between two image frames when an amount of change between the outlines in the two image frames exceeds a prescribed threshold value. The clipping processor creates clipped motion picture data representing multiple image clips which are obtained by dividing the motion picture between two image frames when the determination that a scene change has occurred between the two image frames is made.
US07925102B2
An apparatus and a method for compressing a picture by wavelet transform and entropy coding, in which the processing load of arithmetic coding may be relieved and rate control may be carried out effectively, while still maintaining the picture quality. An encoding object prediction unit predicts bitplanes to be encoded and extracts only those bitplanes which are to be encoded. An EBCOT unit generates an encoding pass from one bitplane to be encoded to another to execute arithmetic coding. In controlling the code volume to a target code volume, a rate controller sums the arithmetic codes in a sequence from the arithmetic code with the highest bit position in the totality of the code blocks of an input picture to the arithmetic code of the lowermost bit, from one bitplane to another or from one encoding pass to another, and halts the summation when the predetermined target code volume is exceeded.
US07925101B2
A method and apparatus for controlling image compression is disclosed. A current block of pixels is firstly compressed. The average pixel size of the compressed current block is averaged with an average pixel size of preceding block or blocks to obtain an average value. The compressed current block is passed as output, if the average value is not greater than a target value; otherwise a portion of the current block prior to compression is truncated and then passed as the output.
US07925098B2
This invention is to generate encoded data within a target amount. A first encoding unit generates lossy encoded data of each pixel block by using a quantization matrix Qi specified by a parameter i. A second encoding unit generates lossless encoded data of each pixel block. Let Lx be the lossless encoded data length, and Ly be the lossy encoded data length. A control unit determines, using a nonlinear boundary function fi,j( ) specified by the parameters i and j, whether condition: Ly
US07925096B2
A method and apparatus that validates a hologram by scanning the hologram at multiple angles is disclosed. The method may include scanning a document containing the hologram at a first angle to create a first image, scanning the document containing the hologram at a second angle to create a second image, determining whether the hologram is valid, and sending the validity determination to a user interface for display to a user.
US07925092B2
A hand-writing input device comprises: an input surface, a guidance device provided on the input surface along a predetermined track to guide a finger or pen along the track; a plurality of switch elements provided at particular positions on the track. When a particular character is inputted, the triggered switch element outputs the corresponding signal, and the combinations of the signals outputted by the switch elements correspond to the inputted characters. Since hand-writing input is performed by guiding a finger or pen along a predetermined track, only few switch elements are needed, thereby simplifying hand-writing recognition, reducing software requirements and increasing recognition accuracy.
US07925089B2
A method of labeling pixels in an image is described where the pixel label is selected from a set of three or more labels. The pixel labeling problem is reduced to a sequence of binary optimizations by representing the label value for each pixel as a binary word and then optimizing the value of each bit within the word, starting with the most significant bit. Data which has been learned from one or more training images is used in the optimization to provide information about the less significant bits within the word.
US07925075B2
A method for inspecting a feature of a part is provided. The method includes obtaining a profile corresponding to the feature using a sensor and projecting the profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature for generating an updated profile. The method also includes using the updated profile for reducing a measurement error caused by an orientation of the sensor. An inspection system is also provided. The inspection system includes a sensor configured to capture a fringe image of a feature on a part. The inspection system further includes a processor configured to process the fringe image to obtain an initial profile of the feature and to project the initial profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature.
US07925072B2
Methods for identifying array areas in dies formed on a wafer and methods for setting up such methods are provided. One method for identifying array areas in dies formed on a wafer includes comparing an array pattern in a template image acquired in one of the array areas to a search area image acquired for the wafer. The method also includes determining areas in the search area image in which a pattern is formed that substantially matches the array pattern in the template image based on results of the comparing step. In addition, the method includes identifying the array areas in the dies formed on the wafer based on results of the determining step.
US07925068B2
A method for producing a three-dimensional guide image of an object to be scanned during an ultrasound scan. The method comprises insonifying the object, receiving return echoes from the object, processing the return echoes to generate a data set representing the object, comparing the data set with a plurality of shape models, selecting a best fit shape model responsive to the step of comparing and displaying the best fit shape model as the guide image.
US07925064B2
The present invention generally relates to intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) image segmentation methods, and is more specifically concerned with an intravascular ultrasound image segmentation method for characterizing blood vessel vascular layers. The proposed image segmentation method for estimating boundaries of layers in a multi-layered vessel provides image data which represent a plurality of image elements of the multi-layered vessel. The method also determines a plurality of initial interfaces corresponding to regions of the image data to segment and further concurrently propagates the initial interfaces corresponding to the regions to segment. The method thereby allows to estimate the boundaries of the layers of the multi-layered vessel by propagating the initial interfaces using a fast marching model based on a probability function which describes at least one characteristic of the image elements.
US07925056B2
A method for investigating and ascertaining pulse or heartbeat includes directing illuminating radiation to illuminate a body part such as a finger. The illuminating radiation is of a wavelength or wavelength band substantially in the blue light region of the light spectrum. Then, an optical speckle pattern of the illuminated body part resulting from the illumination of the body part is obtained and imaged. The optical speckle pattern is representative of the heartbeat and by correlation of frames extracted from the speckle pattern, the pulse or beat extent of the body part may be ascertained.
US07925055B2
The present invention relates to a method and a system of determining correspondence between location sets. A basic idea of the present invention is to provide a scheme in which correspondence between location sets is determined. A feature location set (X) comprising a number (n+1) of components is transformed into a feature vector that can be used in an HDS. Therefore, a feature density function (ƒjs(x)) is created. A feature vector (XF) for the HDS is chosen to be a sampled version of the feature density function (ƒX,g(x) ), which results in feature vectors of equal and finite dimensions regardless of the number (n+1) of features that are present in the biometric template XT from which the location sets is derived. Thereafter, a distance (d) between two feature location sets (X, Y) is determined. The distance (d) between the sets is chosen to be the Euclidian distance between the corresponding feature density functions.
US07925054B2
A motion detection apparatus which extracts a 1-frame differential signal from a video signal, separates the 1-frame differential signal into a vertical low frequency signal having a frequency which is lower than a predetermined frequency with respect to the vertical direction of a frame of the video signal and a vertical high frequency signal having a frequency which is equal to or higher than the predetermined frequency, separates, from the vertical low frequency signal and the vertical high frequency signal, signals having different frequency bands with respect to the horizontal direction of a frame of the video signal, respectively, and combines these separated signals.
US07925043B2
A system and method create an authentication mark on a recording medium by depositing marking material on a medium in an image area to create a marking material image and to create a marking material authentication image. A predetermined amount of additional marking material is further deposited upon the medium in the authentication image area to increase an amount of marking material associated with the marking material authentication image in the authentication image area. The fixed marking material associated with the authentication image area is a tactilely perceptible authentication mark wherein the fixed marking material associated with the authentication mark has a height, with respect to a surface of the medium, that is tactilely perceptible.
US07925041B2
A linkage assembly is used for mechanically coupling an armature and a diaphragm of a balanced receiver, the linkage assembly formed from a first linkage member displaced from a strip of stock material relative to the plane of the stock material and a second linkage member displaced from the strip relative to the plane. The first and second linkage members are then joined while secured to the strip. At least one severable connecting member securing the linkage member to the strip is severed to release the linkage member from the strip for assembly of the linkage member into the receiver. A method of forming a three-dimensional structure from flat stock is used to form the linkage assembly.
US07925038B2
A wired or wireless earset assembly comprises an earset housing having a curved portion configured to fit to the top of an ear, a speaker driver contained in a speaker housing, a flexible tube having a first extension so as to be coupled with at least a part of the curved portion of the earset housing and a second extension coupled with the speaker housing, a rotatable cap containing a bud coupled with the speaker driver, a sound delivery port in the bud, a circuitry for processing an input signal in the case, and a wire in the flexible tube connecting the circuitry and the speaker driver. The structure of the assembly allows a user to wear it with great comfort and high quality acoustic performance for an extended period, enables the assembly to fit to both right and left ears by a simple rotation of the cap, and increases ease of manufacturability.
US07925034B2
In order to switch between different hearing programs to adjust to a momentary acoustic surround situation, a method is provided to operate a hearing device as well as a hearing device. Signals, or parameters of a transfer function, are changed smoothly in order to form a smooth transition from a momentary to a desired value. Thereby, the advantage is obtained to eliminate undesired abrupt switching operation when a hearing program switching is necessary.
US07925032B2
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a volume of a reproducing apparatus and a reproducing apparatus using the same, wherein a reproduction volume of an audio file can be automatically controlled in accordance with information on a volume level of the audio file. The reproducing apparatus of the present invention includes a memory for storing at least one audio file and volume level information for controlling a reproduction volume level of the audio file, and a control unit for controlling a reproduction volume of the audio file in accordance with the volume level information recorded corresponding to the audio file when the audio file stored in the memory is reproduced.
US07925031B2
The invention concerns an audio system comprising a microphone, audio signal processing means, an output transducer and mans for detecting a possible feedback tone and the corresponding frequency of the feedback tone in the audio system between the output transducer and the microphone. According to the invention means for counteracting feedback are provided. Further, mans are provided for changing the phase of the audio signal at a given frequency.
US07925027B2
A method allows Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) nodes that use Mobile IPv6 for mobility management, or DHCP for address provisioning, to securely claim and defend their network addresses themselves or through proxies using the SEND protocol. The network node may also sign and verify a message that claims and defends a network address. The network address to be claimed and defended may be either autoconfigured or obtained from a server using the DHCPv6 protocol. If the MCGA is generated by a mobile IPv6 node as a mobile IPv6 home address, the MCGA can be securely proxied by the mobile IPv6 home agent after the mobile node has left the home link. However, if the MCGA is generated as a mobile IPv6 care-of address by a mobile IPv6 node while on a foreign subnet, the MCGA can be securely proxied by the current or new access router, before the mobile node arrives on the link and after it has left the link, respectively.
US07925026B2
Systems and methods for providing autonomous security are configured to modify an original header associated with an original data packet wherein key information is added; encrypt original data associated with the original data packet in response to the key information; and form an encrypted data packet including the modified header and the encrypted data, wherein the encrypted data packet is a same size as the original data packet.
US07925022B2
A system may include and/or involve a first device, a second device, and logic to effect pairing of the first and second devices upon detection of physical contact between the devices.
US07925014B2
Random number generating, encrypting, and decrypting apparatus, method thereof, program thereof, and recording medium thereof are provided.Random numbers for cryptographic applications are generated by a CA core. The CA core is composed of one-dimensional, two-state, and three-neighbor cell automaton. A total of three inputs for the own cell and both neighbor cells are input to each cell. Each cell performs a logical operation and outputs the result of the logical operation. Each cell contains a register. Each register captures the result of the logical operation in synchronization with a clock and stores the result. An output of a cell is fed back to the cell to perform an arithmetic calculation at the next time step. In this case, a rotation shift operation of which outputs of cells are shifted to the left and fed back to the cells is performed. To output random numbers having many bits, 40 bits of outputs of cells are selected. The selected cell numbers are not increased at fixed intervals, but increasing intervals.
US07925009B2
A method and apparatus for encrypting and decrypting data. A first block cipher encrypts data to generate a first cipher output. A first double irregular columnar transposition cipher encrypts the first cipher output to generate a second cipher output. A second block cipher encrypts the second cipher output to generate a third cipher output.
US07925004B2
A speakerphone having improved echo cancellation and sound output includes at least one directional microphone having at least one axis of sensitivity and at least one zone of insensitivity, and a speaker disposed in the zone of insensitivity of the microphone to radiate sound away from the microphone and towards a reflective surface, such as a desktop or wall, against which the speakerphone is disposed. A baseplate disposed adjacent to the speaker outlet can combine with the housing of the phone to form a flaring, right-angled horn having an inlet coupled to the outlet of the speaker and an outlet terminating at a periphery of the housing. A wall-mounting embodiment incorporates a unidirectional microphone with an axis of sensitivity oriented perpendicular to the wall, and a desktop-mounting embodiment includes an array of at least two bi-directional microphones having respective axes of sensitivity oriented parallel to the desktop.
US07924996B2
Audibly identifying an event includes enabling selection of a first sound based upon an identifier. The identifier enables identification of an entity related to the event. A notification of an occurrence of the event is received. The notification includes the identifier. An intended recipient is alerted of the event by playing, in response to the notification, at least a portion of the first sound and at least a portion of a second sound that is related to the event.
US07924991B2
A system for reporting telecommunications system usage data related to a telecommunications service. The system includes a network controller that captures telecommunications service billing data and reporting data, and populates a base module with the billing data and a local use module with the reporting data. The system also includes a storage system that stores the base module and the appended local use module, and a reporting system that generates billing reports from the base module and various user-selectable reports from the appended local use module.
US07924989B1
Establishing a telephone call includes enabling display of a visual indicator of a call destination entity and detecting selection by a user of the visual indicator. The availability of the user to receive a first telephone call is determined. Voice communications between the call destination entity and the user are established in response to detection of the selection by the user of the visual indicator and conditioned on the user being determined to be available to receive the first telephone call. Establishing voice communications includes enabling placement of the first telephone call to the user to establish a first PSTN link with the user and enabling a voice communications link to be setup with the call destination entity.
US07924988B2
A method and system for acknowledging receipt of a voice mail message sent by a first user to a second user and accessed by the second user. The first and second users are respectively connected to a first and second server. Responsive to receiving a request from the first user for an acknowledgment message indicating that the second user has accessed the voice mail message, the second server places an indication of the request in a voice mail box of the second user. After the second user accesses the voice mail message, the second server sends the acknowledgment message to the first server, after which the first server informs the first user that the second user has accessed the voice mail message.
US07924987B2
Methods and apparatus for authorizing and allocating outdial communication services are disclosed. A disclosed system comprises an application server to initiate an outdial communication service, a gateway to transport the outdial communication service from the application server to an access network via a shared communication facility, and a policy server to selectively authorize the initiated outdial service and, if the outdial service is authorized, to allocate a portion of the shared communication facility to the authorized outdial service.
US07924977B2
Methods, a processor, and a system for improving an accuracy of identification of a substance are described. One of the methods includes determining whether a relative molecular interference function of the substance includes at least one peak.
US07924973B2
The present invention discloses an interferometer device and method. In embodiments, the device comprises an electromagnetic radiation source emitting radiation having a first mean wavelength λLE; a phase grating having a first aspect ratio; an absorption grating having a second aspect ratio; and a detector. The electromagnetic radiation source, the phase grating, the absorption grating and the detector are radiatively coupled with each other. The absorption grating is positioned between the detector and the phase grating; the electromagnetic radiation source is positioned in front of the source grating; and wherein the phase grating is designed such to cause a phase shift that is smaller than π on the emitted radiation. Additional and alternative embodiments are specified and claimed.
US07924969B2
The dual energy X-ray CT apparatus automatically optimizes a map for separation to achieve a high degree of separation accuracy and a reduction of dose.An X-ray attenuation coefficient acquired in the dual energy X-ray CT system is applied to a map for separation which represents a relationship between the X-ray attenuation coefficient and a composition of an object, thereby separating the composition of the object. The map formation unit for separation calculates an existing probability of each composition for each combination of multiple types of X-ray attenuation coefficients, and determines the composition having the largest existing probability as the composition corresponding to the combination of the X-ray attenuation coefficients, thereby forming the map for separation. This configuration allows a formation of the map for separation with respect to each imaging condition, and high degree of accuracy in separating composition can be achieved.
US07924959B2
A data conversion system acquires samples of low frequency signal components of an applied analog signal at a first data conversion rate and samples of high frequency signal components of the applied analog signal at a second data conversion rate that is higher than the first data conversion rate. The data conversion system applies a first correction filter to the acquired samples of the low frequency signal components to provide a first filtered signal and applies a second correction filter to the acquired samples of the high frequency signal components to provide a second filtered signal. The data conversion system interpolates the first filtered signal to provide an interpolated signal, and sums the interpolated signal with the second filtered signal to provide an output signal.
US07924958B2
An apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving a data stream in a multi-antenna system, in which a plurality of data streams are received, a plurality of code symbol sequences are generated by precoding the plurality of data streams, the code symbol sequences being mapped to the transmit antennas in a one-to-one correspondence, the code symbol sequences being delayed by delay times for the mapped transmit antennas, and the delayed code symbol sequences are transmitted through the mapped transmit antennas.
US07924954B2
A frequency correction circuit that gives plural frequency offsets to a received radio signal in order to correct a frequency error of the radio signal, demodulates the radio signal, combines an arbitrary number of demodulation signals as combined demodulation signals from among plural demodulation signals, and selects one demodulation signal or combined demodulation signal from among the demodulation signals and the combined demodulation signals.
US07924952B2
A signal detection device rapidly and accurately detects a desired signal from a reception signal. A correlation unit 231 outputs a correlation value string obtained by cross-correlating an input symbol string and a reference symbol string, a first position detection unit 232 detects a position of a correlation value viewed as a maximum or a local maximum on the correlation value string, a compensation unit 233 performs compensation by suppressing correlation error values from correlation value at positions other than the detected position, a second position detection unit 234 detects a position of a correlation value viewed as the maximum on the compensated correlation value string, and a sync-detected signal generation unit 235 outputs a sync-detected signal based on the position detected by the second position detection unit 234.
US07924945B2
The disclosure relates to a method for receiving a data signal by NR receiving antennas. The data signal undergoes, before transmission, a channel coding and is transmitted on NT antennas each transmitting a portion of this signal. Upon reception the transmission channel between the transmitting antennas and the receiving antennas is estimated. The method of the aforementioned type involves at least one iteration for improving an estimation of the received signal according to the received signal and involves a preceding estimation of said received signal, comprising the following steps: filtering this received signal; determining an interference affecting the received signal while furnishing an estimated interference; subtracting this estimated interference form the filtered signal whereby obtaining an improved signal; equalizing this improved signal and furnishing an equalized signal, and; estimating, from this equalized signal, the emitted data signal, called the estimated signal.
US07924943B2
Aspects of a method and system for an optional closed loop mechanism with adaptive modulations for a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) WLAN system are provided. One aspect of the system may comprise a receiver that may select, for a plurality of spatial streams, a modulation type and/or coding rate. The receiver may communicate a message, via an RF channel, that comprises a plurality of modulation types and/or coding rates. The receiver may configure for receiving subsequent data based on at least one selected modulation type and/or coding rate. Another aspect of the system may comprise a transmitter that may receive a message, via an RF channel, that comprises a specification of, for a plurality of spatial streams, a plurality of modulation types and/or coding rates. The system may configure for transmitting subsequent data based on at least one of the received modulation types and/or coding rates.
US07924940B2
A communication network system sets communication parameters which enable an operation under a maximum possible communication rate in a situation where a transmission path has cyclic noise/impedance fluctuations. A transmission/reception apparatus 100 transmits training packets for checking the state of the power line at two distinct points in time. A transmission/reception apparatus analyzes SNR at each carrier frequency, and stores an SNR evaluation result. The transmission/reception apparatus compares two SNR evaluation results which are obtained through two instances of a channel estimation algorithm, selects an SNR evaluation result which dictates a faster PHY rate, and transmits it to the transmission/reception apparatus. The transmission/reception apparatus changes modulation/demodulation rules based on the received SNR analytical result.
US07924939B2
An envelope elimination and restoration power transmission apparatus in a wireless communication system is provided. The apparatus comprises a signal processor for dividing a transmission signal into a size component and a phase component and for generating a control signal for controlling a current of a bias modulator according to the size component, the bias modulator for amplifying the size component according to the control signal supplied from the signal processor, for lowering an impedance characteristic of the amplified size component and for outputting the amplified size component, a frequency modulator for modulating the phase component into a radio frequency (RF) signal, and a power amplifier for amplifying the RF signal by using an output signal of the bias modulator as a bias voltage. As provided, the transmission apparatus reduces a memory effect due to an impedance difference in a modulation frequency band.
US07924936B2
A system and method of damping the ringing response of Band Pass Filters for use in impulse and single cycle modulation systems which are capable of carrying a high data rate and which are severely affected by the ringing response of the Band Pass Filter.
US07924928B2
A moving picture decoding apparatus which receives stream data in time series and decodes a moving picture included in the stream data, includes a deciding unit which decides a slice picture boundary of a picture of the moving picture, and a decoding unit which decodes the picture based on a result of the decision of the deciding unit, wherein the deciding unit decides that a slice picture and a just before slice picture are different from each other when an increment of frame_num of the slice picture is 1.
US07924926B2
The invention relates to a decoding apparatus and same method for decoding a video bit stream. The apparatus decodes an encoded video bit stream to produce pixel data of a first and second macroblocks. The video bit stream comprises at least one video packet, a first, second, third logic units. The first logic unit comprising parameters a1 and b1. The second logic unit comprises parameters a2 and b2. The third logic unit comprises parameters a3 and b3. The parameters a1 and a2 are used for reconstructing a first macroblock. The parameters b1 and b2 are used for reconstructing a second macroblock. The video decoding apparatus comprises a searching module and a decoding module. The searching module locates a first address indicating location of the first logic unit, a second address indicating location of the second logic unit, and a third address indicating location of the third logic unit. The decoding module first decodes the first logic unit to obtain a decoded parameter A1 corresponding to the parameter a1 without obtaining and storing a decoded parameter B1 corresponding to the parameter b1 into a memory. The decoding module also decodes the second/third logic unit to obtain a decoded parameter A2/A3 corresponding to the parameter a2/a3. Then, the decoded parameters A1, A2, and A3 are used to produce the pixel data of the first macroblock.
US07924924B2
A prediction error generating unit generates a predictive vector from the motion vectors of a plurality of adjacent blocks, and obtains a difference from a target vector. A plurality of variable-length coding units respectively encode the output of the prediction error generating unit with different encoding methods. A determining unit estimates the accuracy of the predictive vector generated by the prediction error generating unit based on the degrees of non-uniformity of the motion vectors of the plurality of adjacent blocks. A selecting unit selects one of the encoding results obtained by the plurality of variable-length coding units.
US07924923B2
Provided are a motion estimation device and method adaptive to change in illumination. The motion estimation method includes the steps of: generating a current frame pattern block and a reference frame pattern block for a reference frame block; calculating the sum of absolute differences (SAD) for candidate pattern blocks and determining the candidate pattern block corresponding to the SAD satisfying a predetermined condition among the calculated SAD as a motion vector; encoding the current frame block, and adding flag information indicating the addition of a mean pixel value applied to the encoded current frame block and identification information on the encoding mode as header information corresponding to the encoded current frame block.
US07924922B2
A method performed by a processing system includes building a first image pyramid of a first frame of a first channel of a digital video, building a second image pyramid of a second frame of a second channel of the digital video, the second frame corresponding to the first frame, and determining a first global motion estimation for the first frame to the second frame based on the first image pyramid and the second image pyramid.
US07924921B2
A decoder receives an entry point header comprising plural control parameters for an entry point segment corresponding to the entry point header. The entry point header is in an entry point layer of a bitstream comprising plural layers. The decoder decodes the entry point header. The plural control parameters can include various combinations of control parameters such as a pan scan on/off parameter, a reference frame distance on/off parameter, a loop filtering on/off parameter, a fast chroma motion compensation on/off parameter, an extended range motion vector on/off parameter, a variable sized transform on/off parameter, an overlapped transform on/off parameter, a quantization decision parameter, and an extended differential motion vector coding on/off parameter, a broken link parameter, a closed entry parameter, one or more coded picture size parameters, one or more range mapping parameters, a hypothetical reference decoder buffer parameter, and/or other parameter(s).
US07924919B2
In a transcoder that decodes and encodes a motion picture stream, a highly compressed motion picture stream cannot be obtained if the same corresponding frame is referenced for coding purposes in a situation where an intraframe coding mode, in which an unconverted stream is not provided with vector information, is used and in a situation where an interframe predictive coding mode, in which the unconverted stream is provided with vector information, is used. Further, if an additional frame is referenced after searching for the corresponding frame, the circuit scale and power consumption increase. To solve the above problems, the disclosed transcoder comprises a decoder for decoding an input motion picture stream and detecting sub-information indicating whether an intraframe coding scheme or interframe predictive coding scheme is used; and an encoder for changing the frame to be referenced at the time of coding depending on whether the sub-information indicates the use of the intraframe coding scheme or interframe predictive coding scheme.
US07924912B1
A method and apparatus for advantageously utilizing the reset state of an RTZ shift register to guarantee proper data alignment at the feedback taps to facilitate decision feedback equalization (DFE) in a unified signaling system. An input data stream is sliced into an even data stream and an odd data stream, whereby the sliced data is compared to a programmable threshold depending upon a detection mode. Each bit of the even data stream is propagated through RTZ latches and each bit of the odd data stream is propagated through RTZ latches. At any given instant in time, a correct portion of the RTZ latch outputs contain zero information, so that each latch output may be summed in a current mode without the need for any intervening logic. The input data stream is summed in current mode with the feedback data and converted to voltage prior to sampling the currently received data bit.
