US07947482B2
The invention refers to new strains of Bifidobacterium, especially of the species Bifidobacterium infantis, having the ability to survive in the intestinal tract and to produce glutamine and optionally arginine in vivo, as well as to compositions comprising said strains.
US07947477B2
Compositions and methods of use are disclosed for clonally amplifying target polynucleotide sequences in solution and attaching the amplicons to a surface by activation of a masked binding moiety. In an embodiment, the amplicons comprise the masked binding moiety and the surface comprises a binding partner of the binding moiety. Upon activation of the binding moiety, the amplicons bind to the binding partner on the surface. In a non-limiting example, the masked binding moiety is caged biotin or caged fluorescein, while the corresponding binding partner is avidin or an anti-fluorescein antibody.
US07947474B2
Novel polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for zyctor17, a novel cytokine receptor. The polypeptides may be used within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block ligand activity in vitro and in vivo. The polynucleotides encoding zyctor17, are located on chromosome 5, and can be used to identify a region of the genome associated with human disease states. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.
US07947471B2
The invention provides a method for production of polypeptides in eukaryote microcarrier cell culture, the method comprising the steps of (i) Culturing cells expressing said polypeptide on microcarriers under conditions and at a setpoint temperature appropriate for expression of said polypeptide; (ii) Cooling the culture to a predetermined temperature below said setpoint; (iii) Sedimenting the microcarriers; and (iv) Harvesting all or part of the culture medium.
US07947467B2
A method for identifying physiological conditions associated with the pH or the buffer capacities of biological fluid secreted from a person, by providing a secretion-monitoring article of a body that includes an absorbent material for absorbing a biological fluid secreted from a person and an indicator system having a hydrophobic chemical composition that includes an indicator agent and an ion-balance reagent, at specific relative amounts. Optionally, a competitive agent for establishing a pre-set threshold of an analyte of interest in a tested bodily fluid, is added to the indicator system, wherein the indicator reagent being charged oppositely to the analyte of interest and the competitive reagent having the same charge as the indicator reagent.
US07947457B2
Systems, methods, compositions and apparatus relating to genome selection are disclosed.
US07947450B2
A device and kit for pulsing a biological sample with a pulsing agent is disclosed. The biological sample so pulsed is subsequently stabilized and the device or kit provides a control reaction. Applications for the described device and kit are found in the field of medical diagnostics, particularly immunology.
US07947440B2
The present invention provides a method for measuring the specific rate of ribosome synthesis for a distinct cell population, such as a distinct microbial population. For an actively growing (or non-growing) culture, the specific rate of ribosome synthesis is identical to the specific growth rate of the culture. With the method of the invention, researchers will be able to measure the specific growth rate of distinct cell populations in mixed cultures, such as biological reactor systems or environmental samples. In addition, the method of the invention provides the ability to identify members of a distinct cell population that are rapidly growing.
US07947434B2
The process of forming a plated film according to the invention is designed such that the surface asperities of the inorganic film formed by the tracing of a standing wave occurring at the inner wall surface of the first opening in the resist at the resist pattern-formation step are reduced or eliminated. It is thus possible to form, efficiently yet in a short period of time, a high aspect-ratio plated film portion having an aspect ratio of greater than 1. In addition, the formed plated film quality is extremely improved for the absence of pores (cavities).
US07947430B2
A method of forming 3D micro structures with high aspect ratios includes the steps of: disposing a mask, which has a plurality of through holes having at least two different sizes, on a substrate to expose the substrate through the through holes; forming a negative photoresist layer on the mask and the substrate; providing a light source to illuminate the negative photoresist layer through the substrate and the through holes of the mask so as to form a plurality of exposed portions and an unexposed portion; and removing the unexposed portion and leaving the exposed portions to form a plurality of pillars each having a bottom portion contacting the substrate and a top portion opposite to the bottom portion. A top area of the top portion is slightly smaller than a bottom area of the bottom portion, and the pillars are allowed to have at least two different heights.
US07947429B2
Disclosed is a method for making long flexible circuits. Some of the long circuits may be made using a single photoimaging mask. Also disclosed are flexible circuits made by this method.
US07947420B2
An image forming method comprising the steps of: (i) charging a surface of a photoreceptor; (ii) exposing the charged photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image; (iii) developing the electrostatic latent image using a toner comprising at least a release agent to form a toner image; (iv) transferring the toner image on the photoreceptor to a transfer material; and (v) fixing the toner image transferred on the transfer material employing a contact-heating fixing devise comprising a pair of belts, wherein the releasing agent comprises a first release agent component containing a monoester compound represented by Formula (1) and a second release agent component containing a hydrocarbon having a branched chain structure, wherein a content of the first release agent is 40 to 98% by mass, based on a total mass of the first release agent component and the second release agent component: R1—COO—R2. Formula (1)
US07947417B2
A process for preparing a high sensitivity titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) pigment includes dissolving a Type I TiOPc in a suitable solvent, precipitating an intermediate TiOPc pigment by quenching the solution comprising the dissolved Type I TiOPc in a solvent system comprising an alcohol and alkylene chloride such as, for example, methylene chloride, and treating the intermediate TiOPc pigment with monochlorobenzene. The resultant TiOPc pigment, which is designated as a Type V TiOPc, is suitable for use as a charge generating material in a photoreceptor of an imaging device.
US07947412B2
In one embodiment, a system is disclosed that includes an illuminator having a source that produces light waves having a first wavelength, and a mask. The mask includes at least one partly opaque area and at least one opening within the opaque area includes a slanted, sub-resolution feature that redistributes a portion of the light passing through the open area to an off-axis location. A method of forming a device by way of photolithography might include forming unresolvable features on a mask and projecting light through the mask. Other systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed.
US07947411B1
To provide a membrane and electrode assembly comprising a catalyst layer that improves water holding properties and exhibits high power generation characteristics even in low humidified conditions without inhibiting the diffusibility of reaction gas, the removal of the water generated by the electrode reaction, and its manufacturing method. There is provided a membrane and electrode assembly produced by sandwiching a polymer electrolyte membrane between a pair of catalyst layers, in which the catalyst layer comprises a polymer electrolyte and particles carrying a catalyst material, and in which the volume of fine pores having a diameter of 1.0 μm or smaller is increased toward the polymer electrolyte membrane from the surface of the catalyst layer.
US07947410B2
Embodiments of the present inventions are directed to fuel cell electrodes in membrane electrode assemblies, and methods of making same wherein the fuel cell electrodes comprise a catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The catalyst layer comprises at least one catalyst, phosphoric acid and a binder comprising at least one triazole modified polymer.
US07947405B2
A solid polymer electrolyte composite membrane and method of manufacturing the same. The composite membrane comprises a porous ceramic support having a top surface and a bottom surface. The porous ceramic support may be formed by laser micromachining a ceramic sheet or may be formed by electrochemically oxidizing a sheet of the base metal. A solid polymer electrolyte fills the pores of the ceramic support and preferably also covers the top and bottom surfaces of the support. Application of the solid polymer electrolyte to the porous support may take place by applying a dispersion to the support followed by a drying off of the solvent, by hot extrusion of the solid polymer electrolyte (or by hot extrusion of a precursor of the solid polymer electrolyte followed by in-situ conversion of the precursor to the solid polymer electrolyte) or by in-situ polymerization of a corresponding monomer of the solid polymer electrolyte.
US07947398B2
Disclosed is an electrolyte for a secondary battery comprising an electrolyte salt and an electrolyte solvent, the electrolyte further comprising a lactam-based compound substituted with an electron withdrawing group (EWG) at the nitrogen position thereof. The electrolyte allows formation of a firm and dense SEI film on the surface of an anode, minimizes irreversible oxidative decomposition at a cathode, and thus can provide a battery with significantly improved lifespan, stability and high temperature characteristics.
US07947397B1
A battery component structure employing inorganic-silicate binders. In some embodiments, casting or coating of components may be performed using aqueous slurries of silicates and electrode materials or separator materials.
US07947396B2
A negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which reversibly inserts/extracts lithium ions includes a current collector (11) in which a concave portion (12) and a convex portion (13) are formed at least one surface thereof; and a columnar body (15) which is formed by laminating n (n≧2) stages of columnar body portions which are obliquely erected on the convex portion (13) of the current collector (11) and in which a content ratio of elements sequentially vary in a longitudinal direction of the current collector (11), and has a configuration in which variation directions of content ratios of elements of odd-numbered stages of columnar body portions and even-numbered stages of columnar body portions are different from each other. At least three surfaces (13a, 13b, 13c) of the convex portion (13) in a section of the longitudinal direction are covered by the columnar body portions.
US07947390B2
A pouch type secondary battery having enhanced reliability by protecting the battery from external impacts is described. A reinforcement structure may be installed on a pouch casing and an electrode assembly housed in the pouch casing. Short-circuits inside the pouch casing may be minimized. The pouch type secondary battery has an electrode assembly with positive and negative electrode plates with a separator interposed therebetween, and positive and negative terminal portions extending from the positive and negative electrode plates. A first reinforcement member is closely adhered to one or more planes of the electrode assembly. A second reinforcement member may be adhered to the pouch casing and used with or without the first reinforcement member.
US07947368B2
Block copolymer particles, and related compositions and methods, are disclosed.
US07947354B2
The present invention discloses a thermal insulating blanket (10) including an insulating core (41) encased in a fibrous envelope with at least one breather vent (50) in the upper portion of the outer enveloping cover (31) and at least one drain opening (60) in the lower portion of the outer enveloping cover.
US07947346B2
The present invention is drawn to a method of treating silica in an aqueous environment. The method can comprise steps of dispersing silica particulates in an aqueous environment to form an aqueous dispersion; reversing the net charge of a surface of the silica particulates from negative to positive using a surface activating agent, thereby forming surface-activated silica particulates dispersed in the water; and contacting the surface-activated silica particulates with organosilane reagents to form reagent-modified and surface-activated silica particulates.
US07947341B2
An optical laminate is provided which effectively prevents the occurrence of interface reflection and interference infringes by eliminating the interface between a light transparent base material and a hard coat layer. The optical laminate includes a light transparent base material, and an optical modulating layer and a hard coat layer provided on the light transparent base material, in that order. The optical modulating layer includes a component constituting the light transparent base material and a component constituting the hard coat layer.
US07947333B2
A method for coating of a metallic coil or of metallic sheets with an aqueous coating composition comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of zirconium compounds, titanium compounds and hafnium compounds whereby the such treated metallic coil or metallic sheets is/are shaped by cold extruding, by deep-drawing, by drawing, by necking, by punching, by wall ironing or by any combination of such process steps to a hollow article like a container or a casing and is then cleaned and optionally further coated either by chemical pre-treatment and then by coating with ink or paint or both or by chemical treatment.
US07947332B2
A printed wiring board prepreg according to the present invention is a printed wiring board prepreg obtained by impregnation-drying of a base material with a thermosetting resin composition, and when it is bent by 90°, cracks do not occur in the base material.
US07947328B2
A metal pattern forming method includes the steps of: applying one of a metal salt solution and an acetylene compound solution onto the substrate, the acetylene compound solution containing an acetylene compound expressed by a general formula of: (R.(C≡C)l)k-(L)-(A)m, where R is one of a metal element, hydrogen, a carboxyl group or salt thereof, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group and a heterocyclic group, L is one of a compound linking A with a carbon-carbon triple bond and a group having (k+m) valency, A is one of a polyoxyether group, a polyaminoether group and polythioether group, k and l are integers not less than 1, and m is an integer not less than 0; and then applying the other of the metal salt solution and the acetylene compound solution onto the substrate so that the metal salt solution reacts with the acetylene compound solution to form a metal precipitate on the substrate, wherein at least one of the applying steps is performed by using an inkjet apparatus to directly form the metal pattern composed of the metal precipitate on the substrate.
US07947326B1
There is disclosed an apparatus for forming a fluidized bed of circulating particles. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a bottom portion having a sidewall, the sidewall defining a curvilinear profile, and the bottom portion configured to contain a bed of particles; and a gas inlet configured to produce a column of gas to carry entrained particles therein. There is disclosed a method of forming a fluidized bed of circulating particles. In an embodiment, the method includes positioning particles within a bottom portion having a sidewall, the sidewall defining a curvilinear profile; producing a column of gas directed upwardly through a gas inlet; carrying entrained particles in the column of gas to produce a fountain of particles over the fluidized bed of circulating particles and subside in the particle bed until being directed inwardly into the column of gas within the curvilinear profile.
US07947317B2
Confectionery products, packages containing confectionery products and methods for marketing same are disclosed. The products permit the consumer to manipulate them into composite shapes having various flavor, color, and/or texture combinations. Additionally, packages containing a plurality of resiliently deformable candy pieces are disclosed. The packages provide indicia in the form of graphic and textural information regarding the contents and how to use the pieces to create composite shapes having various flavor, color and/or texture combinations.
US07947316B2
A pod for mixing an amount of a dispersible material with water. The pod may include a pod body having a lower aperture and a poppet positioned within the aperture. The poppet may be sized so as to seal the lower aperture until a predetermined pressure is reached within the pod body.
US07947314B2
A skin whitening cosmetic composition having excellent whitening effects without causing any side effects, which includes a carbonized pine cone, as well as a pack containing the same. The skin whitening cosmetic composition includes natural substances, unlike prior commercially available products, and has excellent whitening effects without causing any side effect since it is safe to the skin. When the whitening cosmetic composition is used as it is or as a pack together with a substrate, such as a nonwoven fabric, it will provide a functional pack that can impart whitening effects in addition to effects, such as skin moisturization and skin firming.
US07947312B2
The disclosure provides a method for isolating the bioactive component of the water-soluble extract of Uncaria tomentosa known as C-MED-100®, comprising (i) precipitating the spray drying carrier from C-MED-100®; (ii) using the resulting C-MED-100® to obtain a spotting mixture for thin layer chromatography (TLC); (iii) spotting the C-MED-100® spotting mixture on pre-run TLC plates and eluting the plates to obtain the fluorescing band with Rf=0.2-0.3; (iv) scraping off the Rf=0.2-0.3 band, eluting it in ammonia and freeze drying the eluted band to form a powder; and (v) extracting the powder with methanol to remove solubilized silica gel, concentrating the methanol solution and crystallizing the concentrated solution to obtain the bioactive component. The isolated bioactive component in vitro is a quinic acid analog, preferably quinic acid lactone. By contrast, the disclosure further shows the isolated bioactive component in vivo is quinic acid, whether as free acid or as a quinic acid salt, including quinic acid ammonium salt. The disclosure then provides for a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of the bioactive component and a nontoxic inert carrier or diluent. The pharmaceutical composition and bioactive component may be used to enhance immune competency, treat disorders associated with the immune system, inhibit the inflammatory response, treat disorders associated with the inflammatory response, enhance the anti-tumor response, and treat disorders associated with the response to tumor formation and growth, all in mammals.
US07947309B2
Compositions are provided which include hyaluronic acid derivatives in combination with vaccine antigens, and optionally adjuvants, for mucosal delivery. Also provided are methods of making the compositions, as well as methods of immunization using the same.
US07947306B2
Methods for hydrolyzing solid ungranulated lysophosphatidylcholine with phospholipase A2 are provided. Also disclosed are methods for making a lipid matrix of lysophosphatidylcholine, monoglyceride and fatty acid, and lipid matrices of particular structure.
US07947295B2
Ophthalmic compositions suitable for use as artificial tears or as vehicles for ophthalmic drugs are disclosed. The compositions contain a combination of two polymers that have a synergistic effect on viscosity.
US07947294B2
The present invention relates to personal care or cosmetic compositions that contain a shatter-resistant blend of microencapsulated colorants that can produce a natural, textured tone effect. A method for cosmetic treatment comprises application of such personal care or cosmetic compositions onto at least a part of the body.
US07947289B2
The present invention provides compositions comprising modified bacterial toxins and methods for using the modified bacterial toxins for targeting particular cell populations and for treating diseases.
US07947287B2
This invention is related to the Molecular Pharmacology field and especially to the development of peptides useful for treating epithelial tumors and mainly those associated to oncogenic types of HPVs. The main objective of this invention is to identify peptides whose structure permits to block the Casein Kinase II (CKII) phosphorylation domain by direct interaction with such a site. In the present invention it is shown eleven cyclic peptides with different aminoacid sequences which inhibit the CKII phosphorylation in vitro, exhibit cytotoxicity on HPV-16 transformed cells (CaSki) and also increase the sensitivity of these cells to the cytostatic effect of interferon (IFN). Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of these peptides conjugated or fused to other peptides and chemical compounds which penetrates into cells as well as with the use of both peptide and chemical mimetic molecules.
US07947284B2
Disclosed herein are extracts of blue green algae, such as Aphanizomenon flos aquae, that are enriched for a selectin ligand, such as an L-selectin ligand. Selectin ligands isolated from blue-green algae cells are disclosed herein. Methods are described for isolating these selectin ligands. The purified selectin ligands are of use in inducing stem cell mobilization in a subject. Thus, methods for inducing stem cell isolation that include administering a therapeutically effective amount of the extract enriched form the selectin ligand, or an isolated selectin ligand, are disclosed herein.
US07947278B2
The present invention provides methods of modulating angiogenesis in an individual, the methods generally involving administering to an individual an agent that modulates the expression or activity of Egfl7, where an agonist of Egfl7, including an Egfl7 polypeptide, decreases angiogenesis. In one embodiment, the methods of the invention relate to inhibiting pathological angiogenesis by enhancing activity of Egfl7, which method may be carried out in conjunction with administration of one or more other anti-angiogenic agents.
US07947274B2
The invention relates to neutralizing antibodies and antibody fragments having high potency in neutralizing hCMV, wherein said antibodies and antibody fragments are specific for a combination of hCMV proteins UL130 and UL131A, or for a combination of hCMV proteins UL128, UL130 and UL131A. The invention relates also to immortalized B cells that produce, and to epitopes that bind to, such antibodies and antibody fragments. In addition, the invention relates to the use of the antibodies, antibody fragments, and epitopes in screening methods as well as in the diagnosis and therapy of disease.
US07947272B2
Inducing tolerance in a primate by use of a compound, or a combination of at least two compounds, that has certain characteristics when tested in vitro. The compound, alone or in combination, is preferably TRX1 antibody and the compound or combination is preferably used in accordance with a specified dosing regimen.
US07947257B2
Compositions are provided for the intranasal administration of granisetron or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Preferred compositions are in the form of an aqueous solution. Optionally, the compositions comprise chitosan, a salt or derivative thereof or a salt of a derivative of chitosan. The compositions can be used for the treatment or prevention of nausea and/or vomiting.
US07947244B2
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a silicate comprising at least silicon and oxygen, comprising (1) mixing of silicon dioxide and/or of a silicon dioxide precursor with an aqueous solution comprising at least one tetraalkylammonium compound comprising R1R2R3R4N+ and at least one base, wherein R1 and R2 are methyl and both R3 and R4 are n-propyl; (2) heating of the colloidal solution obtained according to (1) to a temperature in the range of from greater than the boiling point of the colloidal solution under the chosen pressure to 180° C. at atmospheric pressure to give a suspension comprising at least one silicate, wherein the silicate comprising at least silicon and oxygen is added as a crystallization auxiliary in (1).
US07947241B2
The present application relates to the use of a solution for the treatment of exhaust gases at the outlet of on-board or stationary diesel engines. It also relates to its use in any device for the treatment of these exhaust gases, regardless of whether the engines are engines of heavy goods vehicles or engines for light vehicles or also engines for stationary industrial engine applications.
US07947237B2
The invention provides a rack system containing an adapter for convenient application of small volumes of sample in a vessel to analysis.
US07947235B2
A microfluidic device (1) comprising a hydrophilic microchannel structure (2) in which there is a functional unit that comprises a microconduit I (17) in which there is an inlet end (16), an outlet end (18), and a capillary stop function I (24) in the form of a local non-wettable surface area (44). The capillary stop function (24) defines a segment of microconduit I (17). Microconduit I (17) is within at least a part of this segment (46) divided into two or more microchannels (42). A part of the non-wettable surface area (44a,b) is associated with an inner wall of each of the microchannels (42).
US07947234B2
A handheld multichannel pipette includes multiple fluid-handling nozzles and a rotary adjustment mechanism for adjusting the width of a pattern of nozzles while maintaining equal spacing between pairs of nozzles. Embodiments of the adjustable-spacing multichannel pipette include an adjustable stop mechanism.
US07947233B2
A method of combusting a catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel comprising providing a first fluid and a second fluid, at least one of said fluids comprising a mixture of a hydrocarbon fuel with an air stream, passing the first fluid into one or more catalytic tubes of a catalytic reactor, and passing the second fluid adjacent the catalytic tubes in a chamber of a catalytic reactor. A varying tube cross section to modify the flow of one of the fluids is provided for at least a portion of the tube. The flow of the first fluid leaving the catalytic tubes is mixed with the second fluid and combusted.
US07947232B2
An improved reactor for an HF alkylation unit of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger type has an axial tube bundle to provide cooling for the reactor and a centrally-located axial sparger system for injecting and dispersing the hydrocarbon reactants into the flow path in the reactor. The sparger comprises an axially-extensive tube with outlet nozzles for the hydrocarbon reactants arranged around the tube, preferably with differing radial angles, at different locations along the length of the sparger.
US07947226B2
A sensing element for catalytic combustion type gas sensor includes: a heat conducting layer (12); a heater coil (13) buried in the heat conducting layer (12); and a combustion catalyst layer (11) coating or carried by a surface of the heat conducting layer (12) and causing combustion of a detection target gas brought into contact therewith, wherein the combustion catalyst layer (11) and the heat conducting layer (12) are both made of a firing material whose main component is tin oxide. Preferably, the heat conducting layer (12) is made of fine powder of the firing material, the firing material being produced by firing at a higher temperature than a temperature for producing the firing material of the combustion catalyst layer (11). Accordingly, durability and waterproof performance of the gas sensor itself can be enhanced, and without the need to take measures such as special environment setting, mounting thereof on a FCV can be realized.
US07947223B2
In general terms the biosensor apparatus according to the invention comprises a housing (5, 6), a pair of heat sinks (11, 12) and a pair of heat reflectors (13, 14) thermally floating relative to the heat sinks, and a pair of Peltier elements (16) attached to and in thermal contact with the heat sinks (11, 12), one element (16) on each heat sink (11, 12). The housing is made of an insulating material, and the heat sinks (11, 12) are made of a material with thermal properties large enough to absorb the heat flow with only a very slight, negligible disturbance in its temperature, to render their envelope surface having a high heat emissivity. The heat reflectors (13, 14) are made of a material having a very low emissivity and have a generally flat and thin disc shaped structure and acts primarily as radiation shields.
US07947219B2
In a process for manufacturing composite sintered machine components, the composite sintered machine component has an approximately cylindrical inner member and an approximately disk-shaped outer member, the inner member has pillars arranged in a circumferential direction at equal intervals and a center shaft hole surrounded by the pillars, and the outer member has holes corresponding to the pillars of the inner member and a center shaft hole corresponding to the center shaft hole of the inner member and connected to the holes. The process comprises compacting the inner member and the outer member individually using an iron-based alloy powder or an iron-based mixed powder so as to obtain compacts of the inner member and the outer member, tightly fitting the pillars of the inner member into the holes of the outer member, and sintering the inner member and the outer member while maintaining the above condition so as to bond them together. A circumferential side surface facing a circumferential direction of the pillar of the inner member and a circumferential side surface facing a circumferential direction of the hole of the outer member are interference fitted at 0 to 0.03 mm of the interference. A radial side surface facing a radial direction of the pillar of the inner member and a radial side surface facing a radial direction of the hole of the outer member are fitted so as to be one of being interference fitted at not more than 0.01 mm of the interference and being through fitted.
US07947212B2
The fabrication of ceria based electrolytes to densities greater than 97% of the theoretical achievable density at temperatures below 1200° C., preferably approximately 1000° C., is disclosed. The electrolyte has a concentration of divalent cations minus an adjusted concentration of trivalent cations of between 0.01 mole % and 0.1 mole %.
US07947209B2
The invention relates to a device and a method for producing a water barrier in unsolidified roof tile preforms. The inventive device comprises a molded piece with a recess as well as a die. The molded piece is disposed above the end of a roof tile perform, whereupon all or part of the rear edge of the roof tile perform is pressed upward by means of the die. The roof tile perform is then dried.
US07947181B2
An apparatus for purifying water according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a feed line fluidically connected to a reverse osmosis module containing a semipermeable membrane. The semipermeable membrane produces purified water and a concentrate. A drain line is also connected to the reverse osmosis module configured to transport concentrate. A product line is connected to the reverse osmosis module for transporting purified water. Operatively associated with the product line and drain line is a shut-off mechanism containing a pressure sensor operatively associated with an appliance configured to activate the shut-off mechanism.
US07947180B2
A method and apparatus for the air-free filling of the blood side of a hemodialysis apparatus with a physiological electrolyte solution and for the venting of the blood side of a hemodialysis apparatus during operation includes using a chamber in a blood-removing line system. The blood-removing line system, including the chamber arranged therein, is filled with a physiological electrolyte solution, with a valve arranged above the chamber and connected thereto being opened to fill the chamber completely with the physiological electrolyte solution until it comes into contact with a hydrophobic filter arranged above the valve.
US07947165B2
Improvements in the selective extraction of relatively low molecular weight oils from coal, coal liquids, oil shales, shale oils, oil sands, heavy and semi-heavy oils, bitumens, and the like are provided by a continuous process involving contacting the material to be treated with supercritical water in a continuous operation at pressures of from 500 psi to 3000 psi, temperatures of 250° C. to 450° C., and in-reactor dwell times generally in excess of 25 seconds and up to 10 minutes.
US07947164B2
A grey-water utilisation system for an aircraft for treating grey water from the lavatory basins to become odourless clear water used for flushing the toilets. Freight compartment drainage can be by way of drainage valves embedded in the fuselage, or alternatively, by way of removal by suction into a waste-water collection tank.
US07947160B2
A system for coating an object having an elongate portion and a method of employing the same that includes at least one retaining member engaging a continuous belt, the retaining member including a retaining portion positioned to releasably retain the elongate portion of the object to the belt for coating the object.
US07947154B2
A belt for papermaking shoe press is provided which comprises a reinforcing fibrous base (6) and a polyurethane layer (2) united therewith, the reinforcing fibrous base (6) having been embedded in the polyurethane layer (2). The belt includes a polyurethane layer obtained by curing a mixture comprising: a urethane prepolymer obtained by reacting a polyisocyanate compound selected among p-phenylene-diisocyanate, 4,4′-methylene-bis(phenyl isocyanate), and tolylene-diisocyanate with a polyol compound selected among polypropylene glycol, polytetramethylene glycol, and a polycarbonate diol; a hardener selected among an aliphatic diol compound, hydroquinone-bis-β-hydroxyethyl ether, and organic polyamine compound; and an aliphatic triol compound. Due to this layer, the shoe press belt for papermaking is excellent in wearing resistance and flexing fatigue resistance.
US07947150B2
A device for use in connection with a multi-ply rolled paper holder to separate multi-ply rolled paper into distinct individual plies. The device includes at least one arm and at least one member. Each arm has an upper end portion that is configured to releasably couple to a multi-ply rolled paper holder and a lower end portion that couples to the at least one member. The overall length L of the arm may be of a fixed length or may be adjustable through a telescoping or sliding mechanism. Each member has two ends, and a top surface and a bottom surface. When operatively positioned relative to the multi-ply rolled paper holder, the configuration of the member functions to divide the multi-ply rolled paper into the individual plies. A method of use and of assembly of the multi-ply rolled paper separating device are also disclosed.
US07947149B2
A web of a first sheet material and a web of a second sheet material are laminated together by a process wherein the sheet materials are wound, in an interleaved relationship, upon a roller having a radially displaceable outer surface. The roller and webs and then subjected to heating and/or a low-pressure environment so as to complete the lamination. A body of adhesive material, such as a hot melt adhesive, may be interposed between the webs and the heating or low pressure environment can activate this adhesive. Further disposed are particular configurations of rollers with radially displaceable surfaces.
US07947142B2
A pleated filter is made from a monocomponent monolayer nonwoven web of continuous monocomponent meltspun partially crystalline and partially amorphous oriented fibers of the same polymeric composition that are bonded to form a coherent and handleable web having a Gurley Stiffness of at least 100 mg and which further may be softened while retaining orientation and fiber structure. Rows of pleats are formed in the nonwoven web, and the web is cut to a desired size and shape to provide a pleated filter element containing a self-supporting porous monocomponent monolayer matrix of fibers bonded to one another at least some points of fiber intersection and having an average initial submicron efficiency of at least 15% at a 1.52 meters/sec face velocity. The filter element is deformation resistant without requiring stiffening layers, bicomponent fibers, adhesive or other reinforcement in the filter media layer.
US07947135B2
A method for arthroplasty includes using a self-locking prosthesis that has a member structured to transfer a load produced by the weight of a patient to a bone. An expandable bone-locking portion that is integral to the member includes a shape-memory material and expands to produce a locking force. A portion of the bone is removed to form an aperture in the bone. The bone-locking portion is inserted into the aperture, and a temperature increase causes a change from a contracted state to an expanded state resulting in expansion of the bone-locking portion so as to contact the inner surface. The expanding is sufficient to create a locking force at the junction between the inner surface and the bone-locking portion of the prosthesis and the majority of the locking force is applied at or above the metaphysis. The length/width ration of the prosthesis may be less than or equal to 5. The resulting reconstructed long-bone may have improved primary and long-term stability.
US07947132B2
A dishwasher having multiple wash zones has an interior tub configured to provide an interior wash chamber for washing dishes and a dish rack located within the wash chamber. The dishwasher also has a spray arm assembly configured to spray a first flow of wash liquid toward the dish rack, thereby providing a first wash zone. A spray manifold provided within the wash chamber is configured to provide a second flow of wash liquid toward the dish rack, thereby providing a second wash zone.
US07947131B2
Embodiments of the invention generally provide apparatus and method for detecting and controlling edge bevel removal of a semiconductor substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for inspecting a rotating substrate. The apparatus comprises a substrate support configured to support the rotating substrate on a back side and rotate the substrate about a central axis, and a sensor positioned above the substrate support, the sensor being configured to inspect a front side of the rotating substrate while moving simultaneously radially across the substrate.
US07947125B1
Provided are fine particle dispersion liquid containing tantalum oxide fine particles each having a small crystallite size and uniformly dispersed in an organic solvent, a tantalum oxide fine particle-resin composite, and a method of producing the dispersion liquid. The method of producing a fine particle dispersion liquid containing tantalum oxide fine particles includes: preparing a mixture of the tantalum oxide fine particles, a basic compound, a surface modifier, and an organic solvent; and subjecting the mixture to a dispersion treatment.
US07947120B2
The adsorption of CO2 from flue gas streams using temperature swing adsorption. Adsorbent contactors are used in the temperature swing adsorption unit that contain a plurality of substantially parallel channels comprised of or coated with an adsorbent material that is selective for adsorbing CO2 from flue gas.
US07947119B2
In a hydrogen reservoir having a housing with a hydrogen storage material arranged in the housing for absorbing and releasing hydrogen as needed, the hydrogen reservoir includes at least one unit having a porous body surrounding a container in which the hydrogen storage material is contained and a method is provided for charging the hydrogen reservoir with hydrogen from a hydrogen filling stations.
US07947112B1
A method for degassing a fluid includes providing a degassing system having a degassing module and a fluid pump apparatus having a fluid reservoir, wherein the fluid pump apparatus is operated in a discontinuous mode involving one or more discrete pumping cycles having a first cycle time. The fluid pump apparatus is calibrated to deliver a predetermined volume of the fluid from the fluid reservoir during each of the pumping cycles, and the degassing module is adapted to operably move gas from the fluid to an extent sufficient to render the fluid volume to a desired degassed condition within a period of time that is not greater than the first cycle time.
US07947109B2
A powered air purifying respirator and method for directing a forced flow of air to a wearer. A battery operatively powers a fan fluidly coupled with the air flow path which exhibits, in some circumstances, a passivation. A voltage delay sensing circuit, operatively coupled to the battery, provides an indication related to the passivation. A signal may provide an indication to a user of the passivation of the power source. A correction circuit may correct such passivation.
US07947105B2
This invention is directed to systems, devices and methods for treating organic-containing sludges and converting such sludges to high value fertilizers containing both inorganic and organic fertilizer components, which creates an inorganically-augmented bioorganic fertilizer. The invention describes methods to create a thixotrophic or paste-like material via the application of mixing energy to the organic sludge followed by an alkaline treatment and a subsequent ammoniation. The invention further describes a method to increase the plant nutrient content in the organic containing product to a level which permits the finished granular fertilizer product to compete in the commercial agricultural fertilizer marketplace. Further, the invention reduces odors associated with said organic-containing sludges.
US07947101B2
Embodiments of the invention generally include a filter assembly having a media pack having a single web of pleated media having at least two mini-pleated regions arranged in non-linear orientation. In one embodiment, a filter assembly includes a media pack defined by a single web of media, and an adhesive layer coupling a flat end of the media pack to a frame assembly to form a lap joint. In another embodiment, a filter assembly includes a media pack sealed to a frame assembly. A discontinuous layer of adhesive couples at least one edge of the media pack to the frame assembly.
US07947088B2
The present disclosure relates to a composition for dyeing keratin fibers, comprising, in a suitable medium, at least one first oxidation base chosen from 2,3-diamino-6,7-dihydro-1H,5H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrazol-1-one and the addition salts thereof; at least one second oxidation base chosen from 4,5-diamino-1-(β-hydroxyethyl)pyrazole and the addition salts thereof; and at least one coupler chosen from 2-chloro-6-methyl-3-aminophenol and the addition salts thereof. The present disclosure also relates to a process for dyeing keratin fibers using the composition of the present disclosure, the use of this composition for dyeing keratin fibers, and also a method for making the composition of the present disclosure.
US07947084B2
A hip-joint prosthesis includes a shaft which is configured to be inserted into the femur and whose surface has an osteoinductive finish. This finish is provided exclusively in the metaphyseal portion of the shaft and laterally from the line delineating the maximum antero-posterior dimension of the shaft cross section. This ensures a better involvement of the metaphyseal spongiosa in the flow of forces, without compromising the ability to perform follow-up surgery on the prosthesis.
US07947081B2
A skeletal implant for replacing a human bone includes an inner reinforcing member and an outer plasticized and fluid resistant layer encasing the inner reinforcing member. A structurally rigid and foamable layer is disposed between the inner reinforcing member and the outer plasticized layer. An end of the outer layer is configured for receiving, in articulated engagement, an end of an adjoining bone. A plurality of ligaments are grafted between the implant and the adjoining bone and proximate the articulated engagement. Conduit passageways are also established between the inner reinforcing member and the end of the outer layer in order to communicate a fluid to an articulating engagement and ligament supporting location with an adjoining bone.
US07947079B2
A method and system for fusing a region in the spine involve the use of at least one guide tube to pass instruments and substances into the spinal region in a minimally invasive manner. In the preferred practice of the method, a guide tube is anchored to a vertebra and the guide tube is moved to thereby position the vertebra. A steerable drilling tool is passed through the guide tube and steered into position to abrade at least a portion of an intervertebral disc and thereby create a cavity in the disc. A flowable substance is passed into the cavity and permitted to solidify to establish fusion in the cavity. Optionally, an uninflated balloon is inserted into the cavity and the balloon is filled with the flowable substance to contain the flowable substance.
US07947066B2
A connecting apparatus includes a first grasping member adapted to hold a first elongated member and a second grasping member adapted to hold a second elongated member. The second grasping member is operatively connected to the first grasping member so that the first and second grasping members are movable relative to each other. The apparatus further includes a first rotatable rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the first grasping member, a second rotatable rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the second grasping member, a first engaging member operatively connected to the first rotatable rod, and a second engaging member operatively connected to the second rotatable rod. The first engaging member is adapted to engage at least a portion of a first pedicle screw. The second engaging member is adapted to engage at least a portion of a second pedicle screw.
US07947059B2
A medical device such as a tube or a balloon including wall structure with multiple layers. The wall structure can distribute stress, resulting in reduced defect propagation and failure.
US07947055B2
Methods and devices for maintaining a space-occupying device in a fixed relationship relative to a patient's stomach by manipulation of the stomach. In one variation, two or more regions of the stomach wall are brought into approximation with one another and secured together in a manner that secures a space-occupying device within the stomach of the patient. In another variation, two or more regions of the stomach wall are wrapped around a space-occupying device to maintain the position of the space-occupying device relative to the stomach wall. In another variation, a system having a space-occupying member and a locking member capable holding the space-occupying member against the inner wall of the stomach are provided. In a further variation, a pouch is created within the stomach that receives and retains a space-occupying device.
US07947054B2
Mesh deployment apparatus including a deployment rod having a proximal handle and a distal roller portion, the roller portion having a mesh-sheet attachment member to which a mesh-sheet is attached. The roller portion is articulated with respect to the deployment rod by means of a joint, and a manipulating member is coupled to the roller portion for moving the roller portion about the joint to a position such that the roller portion is not collinear with the deployment rod.
US07947040B2
A method of surgical perforation via the delivery of electrical, radiant or thermal energy comprising the steps of: introducing an apparatus comprising an energy delivery device into a patient's heart via the patient's superior vena cava; positioning the energy delivery device at a first location adjacent material to be perforated; and perforating the material by delivering energy via the energy delivery device; wherein the energy is selected from the group consisting of electrical energy, radiant energy and thermal energy.
US07947036B2
A method of scanning a laser beam across a set of cells includes during a first interval, causing a galvanometric scanner to scan a laser beam across a set of cells; and during a second interval, causing the galvanometric scanner to deflect the laser beam away from the set of cells. The first interval is selected to cause microcavitation in at least a portion of the cells from the set of cells.
US07947031B2
A catheter includes a wall surrounding a lumen. The wall has an inner portion forming an outer surface of the lumen and an outer portion surrounding at least a portion of an outer surface of the inner portion. A first diffusion rate of materials from the lumen through the inner portion is different from a second diffusion rate through the outer portion. A durometer hardness of the inner portion is lower than a durometer hardness of the outer portion.
US07947027B2
The present invention provides a body adhering absorbent article which is capable of absorbing bodily fluids. In this particular embodiment of the present invention, provided is an absorbent article which is specifically designed for attachment to a wearer's skin in the vulva region of the wearer's torso.
US07947026B2
A method and device to conform with the glans penis to recover ejaculated semen completely, to prevent the loss of initial sperm rich epididymal fractions, to avoid the use of a condom for masturbation, to eliminate the multi-step transfers of semen following ejaculation that are common with current methods, and to provide a single device that contains a semen collecting chamber that fits onto a glans penis. The device provides a storage and measuring reservoir, an optional cap, and a vertical stand in one integrally formed module in a sterile pack. The device and method will have multiple uses in a variety of contexts including, but not limited thereto: in the diagnosis of infertility, in semen donation, in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) clinics, hospitals, forensic laboratories and research laboratories and will be included in kits intended for over-the-counter sperm testing devices.
US07947024B2
A collapsible, hands-free emesis container is provided with improved portability, deployment and emesis reception characteristics. The container includes a receptacle portion for receiving emesis, a chute portion for directing emesis and a retainer to maintain desired positioning of the container about a support structure, which may be the neck of an impaired patient. The container may be provided in a package having size characteristics for easy storage and access by emergency medical service personnel. The container may be formed as a single unitary member.
US07947023B1
A known disposable per use surgical primary cassette is modified to avoid contamination thereof during use by aspirated fluid from a vitreous cutter connected thereto by bypassing the aspirated fluid into a receiving chamber of a relatively less expensive disposable secondary cassette, whereby during use a vacuum produced in a chamber of the primary cassette connected to the receiving chamber of the secondary cassette in turn produces a vacuum in the receiving chamber of the latter for drawing aspirated fluid from the vitreous cutter directly into the receiving chamber.
US07947019B2
A catheter retention assembly and method of use with a catheter. The assembly has a carrier system and a cuff positioning device with an in-growth cuff and a lumen having an inner wall adapted to be mounted on the outer surface of the catheter, and a carrier system with an inner surface and an outer surface in contact with the inner wall of the cuff positioning device. The carrier system holds the lumen in a first radial state. When the carrier system is removed, the lumen contracts to a second radial state, and the inner wall of the cuff positioning device provides sufficient surface adherence to the outer surface of the catheter, so as to maintain the position of the cuff positioning device relative to the catheter, and to allow for catheter exchange.
US07947017B2
An apparatus includes a movable member and a valve coupled to the movable member. The movable member is configured to be disposed within a housing of a medical device and has a first end portion and second end portion. A portion of the first end portion is configured to define a portion of a boundary of a gas chamber. The first end portion defines an opening configured to be in fluid communication between the gas chamber and an area outside the gas chamber. The second end portion is configured to be coupled to a needle configured to deliver a medicament into a body. The valve is configured to selectively allow fluid communication between the gas chamber and the area outside the gas chamber through the opening defined by the first end portion of the movable member.
US07947015B2
A non-polymeric or biological coating applied to radially expandable medical delivery device provides uniform drug distribution and permeation of the coating and any therapeutic agents mixed therewith into a targeted treatment area within the body. The delivery device is expanded using the pressure of an inflation fluid. After expanding the delivery device to a pre-determined size and shape, the inflation fluid weeps through the porous surface of the delivery device. The coating releases the delivery device and floats on the inflation fluid until bonding to the tissue due to its affinity for the tissue. Once the coating bonds or affixes to the tissue, through an absorption mechanism by the tissue cells of the coating material, the coating and any therapeutics contained therein are delivered to the tissue. The fluid can contain a therapeutic agent, or can be otherwise biocompatible and/or inert.
US07947014B2
A relief valve incorporated within a Luer connector regulates the amount of air pressure applied by a syringe to a balloon at the end of a catheter to prevent bursting of the balloon.
US07947013B2
Apparatus (10) is provided for use with a biologically-compatible-fluid pressure source (16), the apparatus (10) including an elongate carrier (26), adapted to be inserted through a proximal opening (18) of a body lumen (20), and a piston head (30) coupled to a distal portion of the carrier (26). The piston head (30) is adapted to form a pressure seal with a wall of the lumen (20) after the carrier (26) has been inserted into the lumen (20), and to be advanced distally through the body lumen (20) in response to pressure from the fluid pressure source (16). The apparatus (10) is configured to facilitate distal advancement of the piston head (30) by facilitating passage of fluid out of the lumen (20) from a site within the lumen (20) distal to the piston head (30). The apparatus (10) additionally includes an optical system (32), coupled to the carrier (26) in a vicinity of the distal portion, the optical system (32) having distal and proximal ends. The optical system (32) includes an image sensor (232), positioned at the proximal end of the optical system (32); an optical member (234) having distal and proximal ends, and shaped so as to define a lateral surface, at least a distal portion of which is curved, configured to provide omnidirectional lateral viewing; and a convex mirror (240), coupled to the distal end of the optical member (234), wherein the optical member (234) and the mirror (240) have respective rotational shapes about a common rotation axis.
US07946997B2
Measurement system comprising a sensor wire provided, at its distal end, with a physiological condition sensor to measure a physiological condition inside a patient, and to provide measured data to an external device, the measurement system comprises a transceiver unit adapted to be connected to the proximal end of the sensor wire, and a communication unit arranged in connection with the external device. The transceiver unit is adapted to communicate, by a communication signal, with the communication unit, in order to transfer measured data to the external device. The communication signal, including the measured data, is generated by the transceiver unit and transferred as an output signal and the communication unit is arranged to be connected to a standard input/output connector of the external device and to communicate with the external device in accordance with an established standard, or in accordance with relevant parts of an established standard, e.g. BP22 or USB. The measurement system further comprises a physical optical communication link arranged between the transceiver unit and the communication unit, wherein the communication signal is an optical signal transferred by the optical communication link. The transceiver unit also comprises an energy means adapted to energize the sensor, the transceiver unit and also the optical communication link.
US07946996B2
An introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly that is insertable into a blood vesel of a human or veterinary patent to measure the temperature of blood flowing through that blood vessel. The introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly may be used in conjunction with an indwelling heat exchange catheter system to warm or cool all or a portion of the patient's body to a desired target temperature and to maintain such target temperature for a desired period of time.
US07946992B2
The present invention is to provide a velocity measuring method and a velocity measuring device for carrying out the method. The velocity measuring method includes: a step (S4) for expanding N time series signals by using 0-th to (N−1)-th degree discrete Legendre function as a base; a step (S5) for calculating 2n-th degree complex expansion coefficient by multiplying a linear combination of a (2n−1)-th degree expansion coefficient and a ( 2n+1)-th degree expansion coefficient by an imaginary unit and then linearly combining the result and a 2n-th degree expansion coefficient, and calculating a (2n+1)-th degree complex expansion coefficient by multiplying the (2n+1)-th degree expansion coefficient by an imaginary unit and then linearly combining the result, the 2n-th degree expansion coefficient and a (2n+2)-th degree expansion coefficient; a degree decision step (S4) for determining the degree m of a coefficient having the maximum absolute value among the complex expansion coefficients; and a step (S8) for calculating a signed velocity signal concerning a moving reflection object from a ratio of square sums of the expansion coefficients or complex expansion coefficients corresponding to the degree m.
US07946990B2
A method is provided to improve the frame-rate in color-flow ultrasound imaging using simultaneous spatially-distinct transmit beams with one or more frequency bands per transmit beam. Pulses of different center frequencies are used simultaneously in different (lateral and/or elevational) directions, thereby reducing the scanning time and improving the frame-rates. Optionally, a multi-modal pulse is used, and flow is estimated separately for the different frequencies. The flow estimates for these pulses are appropriately combined to improve low-velocity sensitivity and to reduce aliasing. A flow sample count with two or more different pulse repetition intervals can be used to further improve low-flow sensitivity and minimize aliasing.
US07946978B2
This endoscope treatment tool insertion-extraction system is provided with: a first treatment tool and a second treatment tool which are insertable into and retractable from a forceps channel of an endoscope; a first insertion-extraction mechanism which feeds the first treatment tool into the forceps channel or removes the first treatment tool from the forceps channel; a second insertion-extraction mechanism which feeds the second treatment tool into the forceps channel or removes the second treatment tool from the forceps channel; one driving section which drives the first insertion-extraction mechanism and the second insertion-extraction; and a selection section which selectively engage the driving section with one of the first insertion-extraction mechanism and the second insertion-extraction mechanism.
US07946977B2
A phallic device for sexual stimulation generally includes a housing and at least one end cap attached to the housing. The end cap includes a data access device for accessing audio data from a data device. The end cap further includes a sound emitter for emitting audio corresponding to the audio data accessed by the data access device from the data device.
US07946973B2
Systems and methods for providing controllable pulse parameter magnetic stimulation are described. One aspect is directed to a magnetic stimulation system for inducing approximately rectangular electric field pulses in a body organ, comprising an electrical energy storage device, a stimulating coil, and a switching means for electrically coupling said electrical energy storage device to said stimulating coil to produce current pulses in said stimulating coil which generates, in response to the current pulses, magnetic field pulses that can induce approximately rectangular electric field pulses in the body organ.
US07946971B2
An apparatus for stretching at least the hamstring muscle of a user's leg is provided having a first support member for supporting the back of the leg of the user at or near the knee at least at the commencement of stretching and a second support member for engaging the back of the lower leg portion of the user during stretching. This first support member is disposed in front of the user during stretching of the hamstring muscle of the user's leg and the second support member is displaceable generally in a direction to stretch the hamstring muscle of the user's leg. An actuator operable by the user during use of the apparatus can be used for displacing at least the second support member generally in a direction to cause stretching of at least the hamstring muscle of the user's leg.
US07946966B1
This invention provides a device for increasing the apparent height of persons, such as may be called for in theatrical and cinematographic applications. The device enables active normal-appearing walking and other motion, and is sufficiently compact to be used under costumes, and sufficiently light to enable extended use.
US07946951B2
During a standstill, a prescribed rotation speed N3, which is lower than a prescribed rotation speed N2 used during a travel at a low vehicle speed, is set as a minimum rotation speed Nemin (S410), and when a demand for an idle operation has been made (S490), the minimum rotation speed Nemin is set as a target rotation speed Ne* and the value 0 is set as a target torque Te* (S500), whereby an engine is controlled. As a result of this, it is possible to improve the fuel consumption of a vehicle when the engine is operated at idle at standstill compared to a case where the engine is operated at idle at the minimum rotation speed Nemin for which the prescribed rotation speed N2 is set regardless of whether or not the vehicle is at a standstill.
US07946945B1
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, four external gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. Each of the external gear sets includes first and second members. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes.
US07946936B2
A sports system may include a base and a support structure that is sized and configured to support a goal, such as a netball goal or a basketball goal, at a height above a playing surface. The base may be constructed from plastic and may include a hollow interior portion that is sized and configured to receive ballast. The base may also include a protrusion that is sized and configured to abut a support surface and the protrusion may have an at least substantially solid construction. The sports system may further include a brace that may be connected to the support structure and the base. The brace may be disposed through an opening formed in the base and it may be connected to the base by a sleeve and a pin that is disposed within a receiving portion formed in the base.
US07946935B2
A golf practice mat including a surface pattern formed by thermally deforming and allowing setting of the deformed mat surface.
US07946934B2
A golf ball comprising a thermoplastic inner core layer that has a geometric center hardness greater than its surface hardness to define a “negative” hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a substantially homogenous thermoset composition, typically rubber, and has an inner surface hardness less than its outer surface hardness to define a “positive” hardness gradient. An inner cover layer is disposed about the outer core layer and an outer cover layer is disposed about the inner cover layer. The “negative” hardness gradient of the inner core is typically −1 to −5 Shore C and the “positive” hardness gradient of the core layer is less than 25 Shore C points. The difference between the inner core surface hardness and the outer core inner surface hardness, Δh, should be less than 25 Shore C points.
US07946929B2
A golf club head has a face portion and a body portion. The face portion has a support frame, a matrix structure attached to and contained within the support frame, and a face material surrounding the matrix structure. In some aspects, the matrix structure may be a racquet structure that is tensioned to influence performance characteristics. The face material may be a metal, polymer, ceramic, or a combination thereof, and may be encapsulated over the matrix structure by suitable techniques such as coating, dipping, or molding processes such as injection molding or metal injection molding (MIM). In some aspects, the face material is lighter than the body portion of the club head, to concentrate mass away from the striking face, e.g., as in cup face technology.
US07946916B2
A central gaming server communicates with a gaming workstation over a network, such as a local area network or wide area computer network. The gaming server makes an initial determination of payout percentage for an instance of a game engaged in by the workstation, and generates results of turns of the game in accordance with the initial payout percentage. In one embodiment, the payout percentage is dynamically changed by the gaming server, and it generates additional results of turns of the game using the new payout percentage. Triggers for determining a new payout percentage could be that a predetermined number of turns of play at the initial payout percentage have occurred, the elapsing of a certain amount of time, or the player logging off the game and then logging back on. In further embodiments, the gaming workstation includes a processor and instructions for locally determining an initial payout percentage, the results of play, and dynamically changing the payout percentage without requiring communication with a central gaming server.
US07946911B2
A method of playing a game, such as a wagering game, that includes dealing, from a deck of cards, a hand to each player of the game, selecting a community card from the deck of cards, and allowing each of the plurality of player cards to be arranged into a high hand and a low hand. Each player of the game has an option to use the community card in lieu of either one of the player cards in the high hand or one of the player cards in the low hand. In one example, the method further includes receiving a community card ante, or commission, from each of the players in exchange for the option to use of the community card.
US07946902B2
An articulated walking device, configured for movement across a surface, includes a frame and a plurality of leg assemblies movably coupled with the frame so as to at least partially support the frame for movement across the surface. Each leg assembly includes a leg member configured to rotate with respect to the frame about a joint. The joint is formed by a pin passed through an at least generally hour glass shaped aperture to provide rotational movement of the leg member with respect to the frame about at least first and second axes of rotation intersecting in the joint. A drive mechanism is operatively engaged with the plurality of leg assemblies so as to actuate each of the leg members to rotate about the first and second axes in a like, predetermined, repeatable cycle of movement. At least some of the leg members are out of phase with other leg members to produce an anatomic-like gait of the toy device upon actuation of the drive mechanism.
US07946898B2
A method for producing a plasma display panel, a formation of the front-sided dielectric layer comprising the steps of: (i) locally supplying a low-melting point frit material onto a predetermined region of the substrate having the electrode thereon to locally form a low-melting point frit material layer; (ii) heating the low-melting point frit material layer to form a local glass layer therefrom; (iii) supplying a dielectric material over the substrate, covering the electrode and the local glass layer therewith to form a dielectric material layer; and, (iv) heating the dielectric material layer to form a dielectric layer therefrom, wherein a softening temperature of the local glass layer is lower than and equal to a softening temperature of a sealing material to be used for a panel sealing by which the front panel is sealed with a rear panel.
US07946895B2
The invention relates to a contact-making arrangement for establishing an electrical contact, having a nut which has an internally threaded section, and having a holding part for holding captive the nut and at least one connecting part such as a cable lug, with the nut having a collar section which projects radially beyond a base body of the nut, with the holding part having a holding section for the nut, into which the nut can be inserted in a first axial direction, and with the holding part having first latching means which are designed to engage behind the collar section of a nut which has been inserted into the nut holding section.
US07946893B2
An extension to USB includes an insulative tongue portion and a number of contacts held in the insulative tongue portion. The contacts have four conductive contacts and a plurality of differential contacts for transferring differential signals located behind/forward the four standard USB contacts along a front-to-rear direction. The four conductive contacts are adapted for USB 2.0 protocol and the plurality of differential contacts are adapted for non-USB 2.0 protocol. The extension to USB is capable of mating with a complementary standard USB 2.0 connector and a non-USB 2.0 connector, alternatively.
US07946887B1
An electrical connector assembly includes a first and a second electrical connector each having two connector ports. The first connector port of the first connector has an insulating mating tongue with a plurality of contacts thereon and an insulating protecting frame arranged side by side with the mating tongue along a longitudinal direction of the first connector and spaced away from the mating tongue. The second connector port is received in the protecting frame and has a shielding shell surrounding therearound.
US07946884B2
A converter has a casing and a plug. The casing has a mounting recess, an engaging tab and multiple mounting protrusions. The mounting recess is formed in the casing. The engaging tab is formed on and protrudes from the mounting recess. The mounting protrusions are formed on the mounting recess. The plug is detachably mounted on the casing and has an escutcheon, an engaging protrusion, multiple terminals and a pinhole. The escutcheon covers the mounting recess. The engaging protrusion is formed on the escutcheon, is mounted in the mounting recess and has an engaging hole and multiple holding grooves. The engaging hole is formed in the engaging protrusion to engage the engaging tab. The holding grooves are formed on the engaging protrusion and engage the mounting protrusions. The terminals are formed on the escutcheon. The pinhole is formed through the escutcheon and communicates with the engaging hole.
US07946883B2
An electrified wall panel in a modular furniture environment includes a plurality of multi-port electrical distribution blocks diversely located throughout the panel. Certain ones of the multi-port electrical distribution blocks are fixed to wall panel frame members and other ones of the multi-port electrical distribution blocks are free of the wall panel. A plurality of jumper cables, each having connectors at opposite cable ends are adapted to mate with any one of the multi-port electrical distribution block ports. The cables electrically interconnect the distribution blocks to form one complete circuit. There are a plurality of electrical receptacles, each having an electrical connector near one end which are electrically coupled to a port of a corresponding multi-port electrical distribution block. The system is assembled by fixing a jumper mounting bracket to a jumper cable near one end of the jumper cable. The jumper mounting bracket is attached to a support member. A modular electrical component such as an electrical receptacle is electrically connected to the power distribution block and is mechanically connected to the jumper mounting bracket thereby stabilizing the power distribution system on the support member.
US07946882B2
An electrical connector assembly includes a first and second connector (A, B) engaged with each other. The first connector includes a first housing (20) with a middle plate (205), a number of first contacts (50) arranged into the first housing, a shield shell (10) surrounding the first housing. The second connector includes a second housing (60) defining a receiving slot (603), in which the middle plate of the first housing is seated, a number of second contacts (80) electrically connected to the first contacts in the receiving slot, a grounding element (70) assembled into the second housing and engaged with the shield shell.
US07946876B1
A smart card holder includes a connector, two rocker arms and a latching member. The connector includes a connecting plate having a plurality of contacts formed thereon. The two rocker arms respectively rotatably connect an end of the connecting plate. The latching member includes a plate portion and two latching units forming on opposite two surfaces of the plate portion, each latching unit latches a smart card. The latching member rotatably connects to the two rocker arms. When the latching member attaches on the connecting plate, the smart card installs on the latching unit facing the connecting plate correspondingly resisting against the contacts, the other smart card can resist against the contacts the by rotating of the latching member.
US07946868B1
A power adapter having a replaceable and rotatable plug has a body having an annular chamber, two conducting elements inside the annular chamber, four channels recessed on a top thereof to communicate with the annular chamber, and an engagement slot abutting each of the four channels; and a hollow plug having two intermediate conducting elements, a cylinder protruding beyond a bottom of the plug and received in the annular chamber, four arced holes communicating with an inner portion of the plug, four engagement blocks protruding from a cylindrical periphery to respectively correspond to the four channels and four engagement slots, and at least two prongs mounted on a top thereof, one end of each of the two prongs penetrating through the plug to electrically connect with corresponding intermediate conducting elements. Given the aforementioned structure, the plug can be replaced and selectively oriented with respect to the body.
US07946867B2
A card connector includes an insulative housing (1) having a receiving space (10); a set of contacts (2) retained in the insulative housing and protruding into the receiving space for electrical connection to the electrical card; a metal spring member (3) having an arcuate locking arm (34) protruding toward the receiving space for retaining the electrical card in the receiving space; and a metal guiding member (4) having a guiding portion (41) extending along the front-to-back direction for guiding a lateral side of the electrical card and a resisting portion (44) extending from a back end of the guiding portion for resisting a front free end portion (34) of the locking arm outwardly.
US07946865B1
A pick-up cover adapted to be mounted to a connector which includes an L-shaped insulating body with a base body and a prop body perpendicularly extending upward, includes a pick-up board mounted on the connector, two clipping boards extending downward from two opposite ends of the pick-up board to clip the insulating body therebetween, and prop boards protruding downward from a front of a bottom surface of the pick-up board and abutting on the base body to strengthen the pick-up board. The pick-up board has a flat top surface for the convenience of the pick-up cover being picked up by a SMT machine. A bottom edge of the clipping board protrudes inward to form a locating barb buckled in an end outside of the base body. A locating portion protrudes at an inside of the clipping board and abuts against an end of a rear surface of the prop body.
US07946863B2
A protection block and method of use are disclosed. The protection block includes a rectangular housing having a front, a rear, and top, bottom, left, and right sides. The protection block also includes a plurality of sockets arranged in a two-dimensional array in the front of the housing, each of the plurality of sockets associated with two pairs of opposed, normally open contacts. Each of the plurality of sockets is arranged to receive an overvoltage protection plug that separately connects each of the two pairs of contacts. The protection block also includes a plurality of electrical connections in a second discrete region of the block separate from the first discrete region, the plurality of electrical connections electrically connected to the contacts. The protection block also includes a grounding bar associated with one or more of the sockets and positioned for electrical connection to a ground connection of an overvoltage protection plug when inserted into a socket.
US07946861B2
The invention relates to contact pins for providing an electrical connection between electronic devices. In one aspect the pin is adapted to be inserted into a hole of a circuit carrier and the pin comprises at least three portions; namely a contact termination portion, an electrical contact portion and a mechanical fastening portion. The mechanical fastening portion preferably allows a fastening of the contact pin without any soldering.
US07946859B1
An Ethernet adaptor comprises a box having an upper and a lower covers, a female connector and a circuit board. The upper cover includes an upper opening having a female press-fit element on the side wall, and two upper positioning ribs in the interior. The lower cover includes a lower opening having two positioning protrusions on a lower edge, and two lower positioning ribs in the interior. The upper opening, lower opening, upper positioning ribs and lower positioning ribs form a through-hole. The female connector is accommodated in the through-hole and includes an L-shape body. The bottom of the L-shape body has positioning notches corresponding to the positioning protrusions. An outward-facing surface of a vertical portion of the L-shape body has two positioning members. An inward-facing surface of the vertical portion extends through the through-hole to the interior of the box to connect with the circuit board inside the box.
US07946858B2
An electrical connector includes a socket assembly and a plug assembly. The socket assembly includes a socket. The plug assembly includes a supporting member, a plug, and at least one elastic member. The plug includes a front end capable of inserting into the socket and a back end opposite to the front end. The at least one elastic member is connected between the back end of the plug and the supporting member.
US07946855B2
A contact type electrical connector includes a first plunger in contact with one member; a second plunger in contact with another member and electrically connected to the first plunger, whereby the two members are electrically connected through the first plunger; a cylindrical support member for slidably and elastically supporting the first and second plungers with a connection portion of the first plunger and a connection portion of the second plunger overlapping and electrically connected; and a compression coil spring surrounding the outer peripheries of the first and second plungers with the connection portions thereof supported by the cylindrical support member and brought into contact with a spring receiving portion of each of the plungers so as to urge the plungers apart. The cylindrical support member, which may be formed as a coil spring, serves to improve electrical connection between the plungers.
US07946854B2
An electrical connector assembly includes a coaxial connector structure having a center contact configured to be surface mounted to an upper surface of a circuit board at a board edge of the circuit board. The center contact extends along a contact axis in an axial direction. A shielded housing block extends rearward from the coaxial connector structure. The shielded housing block has a shielded chamber receiving a portion of the center contact with an open bottom extending along the upper surface of the circuit board. A shield member engages at least one of the coaxial connector structure and the shielded housing block. The shield member extends along at least a portion of the open bottom of the shielded chamber in the axial direction.
US07946852B2
In one example, an electrical device comprises an electrical connector. The electrical connector comprises a housing comprising an interior perimeter, and a rotating section located at least partially within the interior perimeter of the housing. The rotating section comprises a section wall, a front face coupled to a first end of the section wall, a conductor set, and a prong set. The conductor set comprises a first conductor at least partially circumscribing a perimeter of the section wall at a first distance from the front face, and a second conductor at least partially circumscribing a perimeter of the section wall at a second distance from the front face. The prong set comprises a first prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the first conductor, and a second prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the second conductor. The rotating section, including the conductor set and the prong set, is rotatable relative to the interior perimeter of the housing. Other examples and embodiments are described and claimed herein.
US07946847B2
An incisal guide for dental articulators or the like provided with an upper and a lower component which are movable relative to each other by way of a joint, the incisal guide being mountable on the upper or lower component and provided with a guide surface inclined with respect to a reference plane upon which an incisal pin is bearing and which, with a line of application of the greatest bearing force component denominated as normal, encloses an angle corresponding to the angle of protrusion and laterotrusion alignment of the human denture, at least one incisal table guide surface inclined relative to a reference plane being provided which may be positioned by a guide surface adjustment device, the articulator incisal pin during movement simulation moving over the predetermined incisal guide way on the incisal guide surface.
US07946841B2
A device for the transportation and chilling of a film tube extruded shortly before has at least one first pair of rollers, through the clearance between which rollers, the film tube enters into a chilling area, and a second pair of rollers, through the clearance between which rollers, the film tube leaves the chilling area. Thereby the film tube can discharge heat to its environment between the first and the second roller pair.The path length that the film traverses between the first roller pair and the second roller pair is variable.
US07946840B2
A device for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-wise solidification of a building material in powder form at positions in the respective layers corresponding to the object is disclosed. The device comprises: a container (25) arranged in the device; a support device (26), which can be vertically moved in the container, wherein the upper side of the support device (26) forms a building platform (78), on which the three-dimensional object is generated layer-wise; an application device (27) for applying building material in powder form onto the building platform and a previously solidified layer, respectively; and an energy source (6) that provides a beam (9) for solidifying the building material in powder form. In a region below the container (25) in the device (1) outlets (90) are provided, wherein from each of the outlets (90) a directed flow of a fluid medium escapes in a directed manner to peripheral regions of the container (25).
US07946836B2
An injection molding machine and a mold are used to form batches of hallow parts, such as PET preforms. An end of arm tool transfers the molded preforms from the mold to a temperature conditioning station having a conveyor. The batch of molded preforms is received and retained on the end of arm tool by an array of cooling tubes that are attached to a number of identical cooling tubes carrier devices. The conveyor is adapted to receive the carrier devices and the cooling tubes loaded with molded preforms from the end of arm tool. The conveyor is also adapted to transfer rapidly the carrier devices and the empty cooling tubes into the end of arm tool before the end of arm tool is moved back into the molding area to receive subsequent batches of molded preforms.
US07946834B2
A balance shaft module according to the present invention includes a first balance shaft equipped with a first eccentric balance weight, a second balance shaft equipped with a second eccentric balance weight, and a hydraulic pump that is operated by the first balance shaft and the second balance shaft, wherein the hydraulic pump includes a first gear equipped on the first balance shaft and a second gear equipped on the second balance shaft and externally meshed with the first gear.
US07946830B2
A bracket for use with a fluid pump in a transfer case of a vehicle comprises a base member and a plurality of support members extending outwardly from the outer periphery of the base member, with each support member comprising at least one wall member. The base member is positioned within a fluid pump cavity of a transfer case housing when installed into the transfer case, where the fluid pump cavity includes a plurality of indent portions for receiving lugs extending from the fluid pump. Each support member is disposed within a separate indent portion with a wall member being positioned between the transfer case housing and a portion of a fluid pump lug received within the respective indent portion such that the wall members at least partially inhibit the respective lug portions from contacting the transfer case housing proximate the indent portions of the fluid pump cavity.
US07946829B2
A jet pump is disclosed through which a liquid flows. The jet pump includes a jet nozzle including an injection port for injecting the liquid. The jet pump also includes a throat pipe including a throat passage that extends linearly. The throat pipe includes a downstream side with an open part, and the liquid injected from the injection port flows into the throat passage. The liquid in the throat passage forms a liquid seal across a cross section of the throat passage to generate negative pressure, which introduces the liquid into the throat passage.
US07946826B1
A rotor blade for a wind turbine is disclosed. The rotor blade may comprise a root portion, a tip, and a body extending between the root portion and the tip. The body may include a pressure side and a suction side. Additionally, a winglet may be defined by the body. The winglet may terminate at the tip of the rotor blade and extend inwardly in a direction of the suction side of the body. Further, a bend may be defined in the body such that a portion of the body extends outwardly in a direction of the pressure side of the body.
US07946823B2
A rotating blade for a steam turbine includes a root section and an airfoil section contiguous with the root section. The airfoil section is shaped to optimize aerodynamic performance while providing optimized flow distribution and minimal centrifugal and bending stresses. The blade also includes a tip section continuous with the airfoil section, and a cover formed as part of the tip section. The cover defines a radial seal that serves to minimize tip losses. The rotating blade is capable of running at operating speeds between 5626 and 11250 rotations per minute.
US07946821B2
A rotating blade for a steam turbine includes a root section and an airfoil section contiguous with the root section. The airfoil section is shaped to optimize aerodynamic performance while providing optimized flow distribution and minimal centrifugal and bending stresses. The blade also includes a tip section continuous with the airfoil section, and a cover formed as part of the tip section. The cover defines a radial seal that serves to minimize tip losses. The rotating blade is capable of running at operating speeds between 5626 and 11250 rotations per minute.
US07946817B2
A turbine blade that may include a tip shroud that comprises one or more cooling cavities formed therein. At least one of the cooling cavities may include a plurality of ribs and a first interior wall that generally opposes a second interior wall across the cooling cavity. The plurality of ribs may be configured such that some of the ribs originate at the first interior wall of the cooling cavity and extend toward the second interior wall of the cooling cavity and some of the ribs originate at the second interior wall of the cooling cavity and extend toward the first interior wall of the cooling cavity. The ribs that originate at the first interior wall of the cooling cavity and extend toward the second interior wall of the cooling cavity may be oriented and sized so that at least some of the ribs extend across at least a majority of the distance across the cooling cavity. And the ribs that originate at the second interior wall of the cooling cavity and extend toward the first interior wall of the cooling cavity may be oriented and sized so that at least some of the ribs extend across at least a majority of the distance across the cooling cavity.
US07946813B2
A turbine rotor 10 is disposed in a steam turbine, into which high-temperature steam of 650° C. or more is introduced, and separately configured of the portion made of the Ni-base alloy and the portion made of the CrMoV steel depending on a steam temperature and a metal temperature, and the individual portions having a small difference in coefficient of linear expansion are welded mutually.
US07946808B2
A rotor and a stator assembly, wherein the rotor (30) comprises at least one stage of rotor blades (32) and the stator (34) comprises at least one stage of turbine stator vanes (36). The rotor blades (32) have aerofoils and platforms (42) and the turbine stator vanes (36) having aerofoils and platforms (48). A seal (43,45) is defined between the rotor blade (32) platforms (42) and the stator vane (36) platforms (48) wherein a portion (42B) of the rotor blade platforms (42) and/or a portion (48B) of the stator vane (36) platforms (48) comprise a shape memory alloy member or a bimetallic member. The shape memory alloy member, or bimetallic member, controls the flow of cooling air through the seals (43,45) allowing a greater cooling flow at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures.
US07946802B1
Various embodiments of a wind turbine are disclosed having a plurality of pivotable slats disposed about a rotor coupled to one or more blades. Each of the plurality of slats can be pivoted such that the open slats on a windward side redirect the wind to cause rotation of the rotor and the closed slats on a leeward side retain at least a substantial portion of the wind within the interior.
US07946800B2
A substrate transport apparatus including a drive section having at least one drive shaft and at least two scara arms operably coupled to the at least one drive shaft, the at least one drive shaft being a common drive shaft for the at least two scara arms effecting extension and retraction of the at least two scara arms, wherein the at least two scara arms are coupled to each other so that, with the at least one drive shaft coupled to the at least two scara arms, rotation of the drive shaft effects extension and retraction of one of the at least two scara arms substantially independent of motion of another of the at least two scara arms.
US07946797B2
An egg transport system has an egg transport module (10) where eggs are stored on a plurality of shelves (20) on a transportable frame (30) with wheels (11).The module (10) is loaded or unloaded by a loader (50, 150) and unloader (70), both of which can be vertical aligned to enable loading/unloading of a selected one of the shelves (20).
US07946795B2
A pipe handling apparatus has a base, a main rotating structural member pivotally connected to the base, a pipe handler connected to the main rotating structural member for moving a pipe from a generally horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation, and a jack connected to the pipe handler. The jack exerts a downward force in generally parallel relation to the pipe when the pipe is in the vertical orientation. The pipe handler has a gripping structure for gripping an outer surface of the pipe. The gripping structure has a stab frame. The jack is affixed to the stab frame. The jack has a piston-and-cylinder assembly positioned relative to the stab frame, and a hydraulic actuator connected to the piston-and-cylinder assembly. The hydraulic actuator is suitable for passing hydraulic fluid to the piston-and-cylinder assembly so as to move the piston-and-cylinder assembly from a retracted position to an extended position.
US07946778B2
A device for packaging and applying a composition may include: a receptacle configured to contain the composition; an application element configured to apply the composition at least one wiper member configured to wipe the application element; and at least one adjustment member configured to act on the wiper member to modify an inside section of the wiper member. The application element may include a core and projecting elements that extend from the core. The application element may define an envelope surface including at least one cross-section that is off-center relative to the core and/or non-circular. The adjustment member may be movable in turning and/or translation relative to the wiper member.
US07946776B2
A sheet feeding procedure supplies recording media from a medium enclosing portion to a medium conveying path. An overlap-feed detecting procedure monitors a thickness of recording media supplied to the medium conveying path, thereby detecting the overlap-feed media. Sheet returning procedures (A) and (B) return the overlap-feed media into the medium enclosing portion when the overlap-feed media are detected. A looseness forming procedure applies rotational forces of different rotation speeds to upper and lower surfaces of the overlap-feed media during the medium returning procedure, thereby forming a looseness in the overlap-feed media. A medium re-feeding procedure supplies again the returned recording media to the medium conveying path from the medium enclosing portion. In the medium feed control, the overlap-feed can be further certainly recovered.
US07946775B2
A keypad including a plurality of user interface key caps flexibly coupled to a carrier and forming a substantially planar unitary member. The user interface key caps defined by and located between nested slots formed in the substantially planar unitary member wherein the nested slots are devoid of a material from which the plurality of user interface key caps and the carrier are formed. A flexible web is disposed the slots between the plurality of user interface key caps, wherein the plurality of user interface key caps, the carrier and the flexible web constitute a unitary member.
US07946764B2
Expandable bag assemblies and associated methods are disclosed herein. Certain aspects of the invention are directed toward an expandable bag assembly that includes a flexible bag with closed and open ends and collapsible sidewalls disposed between the ends. The assembly beneficially includes an integrated support structure provided with stiffeners and a mechanism for attachment to help hold a mouth of the bag in an open position while filling the bag. The assembly can be compressed for easy packaging and storage and be expanded into a self-supported, open position without memory folds. The assembly is also configured to retract during closure of the open end of the bag.
US07946753B2
The present invention generally relates to a rotatable mixing device, a dynamic mixing apparatus, and a high throughput workflow system and dynamic mixing method employing the same.
US07946752B2
A mug body has an open top. A lid is fitted to the open top. The lid has first and second top to bottom holes formed therein. An arm extends down from the bottom of the lid into the mug body. An actuator handle extends out from the top of the lid, through the second hole. The actuator handle is coupled to the arm to move the arm relative to the mug body. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07946743B2
A vehicle lamp assembly includes a first lamp section and a second lamp section, which are disposed inside a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and a front cover. The first lamp section includes a light source and a reflector which reflects light from the light source. The second lamp section includes a first light emitting device, a second light emitting device, a light guide member, and an optical component. The light guide member includes a base end face from which the light guide member extends in a strip shape along the front cover, a functional portion having a diffusing front surface which emits light from a first light emitting device, and a decorative portion having an internally reflecting rear surface which reflects light from a second light emitting device. A light emitting area of the decorative portion is larger than that of the functional portion. The optical component is disposed on a rear side of the functional portion to guide the light from the first light emitting device toward the diffusing front surface. The light emitted from the second light emitting device is incident on the base end face.
US07946742B2
An in-vehicle illuminating device capable of preventing light emitted from a light source from coming directly into a passenger's sight. An in-vehicle illuminating device 1 includes a housing 2, a reflective member 18 provided within the housing 2, a light source or LEDs 10 orienting a light axis of light emitted therefrom to the reflective member 18. Reflected light obtained by allowing the reflective member 18 to reflect the light emitted from the LEDs 40 is irradiated to the outside of the housing 2, thus preventing light emitted from the LEDs 40 from coming directly into a passenger's sight.
US07946737B2
An LED illumination device includes an optical section, an electrical section, and a heat dissipation section provided with a heat dissipation device. The heat dissipation device includes a hollow metal tube, a plurality of metal fins extending from the metal tube, a bottom cover plate and a top cover plate respectively sealing a bottom and a top of the metal tube, and a tubular member received in the metal tube and axially defining a vapor passage channel therethrough. A condensing chamber is defined between the metal tube and the tubular member. An evaporating chamber is defined between the bottom of the tubular member and the bottom cover plate. A vapor chamber is defined between the top of the tubular member and the top cover plate. A porous wick is received in the evaporating chamber and attached to the bottom cover plate. A working fluid is saturated in the porous wick.
US07946732B2
A robust LED lamp may be assembly by forming a heat sinking sandwich with two metal heat sinks positioned around the circuit board and pinned together a heat conductive element. The assembly is positioned by pressing it into a base providing electrical connections. The robust assembly is rapidly assembled, thermally effective in draining or spreading heat from the circuit board and is readily adaptable to a variety of applications lighting. The heat sink may be decorated, colored or otherwise esthetically enhanced for consumer appreciation.
US07946726B1
An input device capable of enhancing symbol readability for an electronic product includes a plurality of keypads for displaying a plurality of first kind symbols and a plurality of second kind symbols; a detection unit for detecting an operation mode of the electronic device; and a control unit coupled to the detection unit and the plurality of keypads for controlling the plurality of keypads to display the plurality of first kind symbols or the plurality of second kind symbols according to a detection result of the detection unit.
US07946721B2
An exemplary backlight module includes a base plate, a plurality of light guide plates and a plurality of light sources. The light guide plates are juxtaposed and attached on the base plate. The light guide plates are optically isolated from each other. The light sources are disposed adjacent the respective light guide plates.
US07946712B2
A projector apparatus equipped with a metal plate structure serving as a light shield against a light source and as a heat radiator is provided. The metal plate structure is arranged over the light source to hide the light source. The metal plate structure extends farther to a cooling fan and connects to the upper end of the air expiration face of the fan. The metal plate structure thus serves as the top plate of the baffle section of the exhaust duct of the fan for leading the air expired from the fan. The metal plate structure also serves as a shield plate, which can be connected to a grounded metal piece.
US07946710B2
A projection display, for modulating lights into an optical image through an image display element, thereby projecting the optical image from a projection lens, enlargedly, comprising: a light source, which is configured to emit the lights; an optical integrator, which is configured to equalize illuminance distribution of the lights from the light source; a color separation optic system, which is configured to separate the lights emitted from the optical integrator into a plural number of light components; a relay optic system having a plural number of relay lenses, each of which is configured to relay the light separated by the color separation optic system; and a rotation adjuster, which is provided in at least any one of the plural number of relay lenses, and configured to adjust an inclination angle thereof, with respect to a light axis of the lights emitted from the light source.
US07946708B2
A display device includes a light source that supplies light, a phase modulator that modulates the phase of the light from the light source to form an image, and an imaging optical system that focuses the image formed through the modulation performed by the phase modulator. The phase modulator produces diffracted light according to a phase modulation pattern while changing the phase of the light so as to form an intermediate image between the phase modulator and the imaging optical system, and the phase modulator also changes the position of the intermediate image.
US07946705B1
This invention relates to a rechargeable illuminated eyeglasses, in which two temple arms are respectively hinged on both sides of a frame and a rechargeable lighting apparatus is provided in the interior of at least one temple arm. A light emitting body is disposed in front end of the temple arm such that the direction of light beam emitted from the light emitting body is in conformity with user's view direction. The rechargeable lighting apparatus comprises a light emitting body, a control switch, a battery and an USB slot. Configuring like this, the battery is recharged with electricity through the USB slot so that undesired battery replacement step can be eliminated to achieve environment protection purpose of reuse of battery.
US07946703B2
Curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content and method of fabricating the same. The lenses comprise a polyvinylalcohol polarizer film or similar type of material laminated with triacetate or similar type material on one or both sides, wherein the polarizer film has a polarizing efficiency equal to or exceeding 99% and a transmittance percentage equal to or exceeding 35% and a retarder film (e.g., norbornene copolymer resin) laminated on a front surface of the polyvinylalcohol polarizer film laminated with triacetate and aligned to produce a desired circular polarization responsive to specified retardation wavelengths. Thermoforming and press polishing techniques may be used to fabricate/curve the blanks into lenses. The lenses (optical elements) may be used in an injection molding process to add thickness.
US07946700B2
A wet ink printer uses a heated printhead. A platen guides and supports the print medium during printing, and has a plurality of raised ribs. In an example, the ribs extend on the base generally along the advance direction of the print media. Each rib comprises a discontinuous series of rib portions, and wherein between each adjacent pair of ribs is provided a spacing to allow deformation of the print medium towards the platen base.
US07946697B2
A printing fluid supply device for a printhead comprises a printing fluid storage compartment for storing printing fluid; an absorbent material provided in the printing fluid reservoir, the absorbent material comprising a plurality of channels formed therethrough; and a fluid trapping layer provided between the absorbent material and the printhead. The fluid trapping layer is adapted to absorb printing fluid and draw printing fluid from the printing fluid storage compartment into and through the absorbent material.
US07946696B2
An ink supply system includes an ink cartridge and an cartridge accommodating portion. An ink cartridge includes a cartridge case forming an ink chamber, an ink supply portion, and an air intake portion. The cartridge case includes a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, and a particular face connected to each of the front face and the rear face. The particular face has an opening formed therethrough. The ink supply portion is positioned at the front face and configured to supply ink. The air intake portion is configured to introduce air from the outside of the ink cartridge to the ink chamber. The air intake portion includes a valve, a valve seat, an urging, and an operation member. The cartridge accommodating portion has an accommodating chamber having a wall contacting an operation member.
US07946694B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a flow channel unit, having a liquid flow channel for supplying a liquid stored in a liquid cartridge; and a plurality of cartridge holders, including a first cartridge holder and a second cartridge holder adjacent to each other, and attached to the flow channel unit while the cartridge holders are arranged in a first direction, each of the cartridge holders adapted to hold the liquid cartridge and having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion. The first engaging portion of the first cartridge holder and the second engaging portion of the second cartridge holder are engageable with each other to lock the first and second cartridge holders, and the first engaging portion of the first cartridge holder and the second engaging portion of the second cartridge holder are disengageable from each other to unlock the first and second cartridge holders when one of the first and second cartridge holders is moved in a second direction that is apart from the flow channel unit.
US07946690B2
A printhead or other droplet emitter is manufactured integrally with a flexible circuit. Preferred methods of manufacturing a droplet emitter comprise the steps of: creating metal traces, preferably deposited using a metal oxide precursor; patterning a sacrificial photoresist to create ink channels and nozzle chambers; depositing piezoelectrically active material over the metal traces and sacrificial photoresist; patterning vias through the piezo-electrically active material to act as nozzles and openings to ink reservoirs; and flushing out the photoresist. The piezo-electrically active material is preferably a mixture of PZT and PVDF.
US07946686B2
A bonded printhead assembly comprising at least one printhead integrated circuit having a plurality of etched ink supply channels defined in a first bonding surface thereof each ink supply channel extending longitudinally along said first bonding surface a molded ink manifold having a second bonding surface and an adhesive tape sandwiched between the first bonding surface and the second bonding surface said adhesive tape having a plurality of ink supply apertures defined therein.
US07946685B2
An inkjet printer that has a plurality of nozzle apertures, each with a nozzle axis normal to, extending through the center of the nozzle aperture. A chamber corresponds to each of the nozzles respectively. An inlet to supply the bubble forming chamber with liquid. A heater element is disposed in each of the bubble forming chambers respectively. The heater element configured as a beam suspended at its ends for immersion in the liquid such that heating the heater element forms a gas bubble that ejects a drop of the liquid through the nozzle corresponding to that heater element. The heater element is a planar structure parallel to the nozzle aperture and nucleates the gas bubble with a bubble centre offset from the nozzle axis towards the inlet. Offsetting the gas bubble towards the inlet reduces the variation in drop trajectories caused by reverse flow out of the inlet when the pressure pulse is generated.
US07946683B2
A printing system includes a liquid source including a liquid with the liquid including particles. An acoustic transducer is associated with the liquid source. A controller is operably associated with the acoustic transducer and is configured to actuate the acoustic transducer to generate a standing sound wave including a nodal point in the liquid such that the particles are caused to move toward the nodal point of the standing sound wave.
US07946668B2
In some examples, a printing system including a rotating platen having an axis of rotation and configured to support a substrate, and a printhead configured to eject drops in a direction parallel with the axis of rotation onto the substrate supported by the rotating platen.
US07946667B2
A dampened drawer within a drawer frame includes frame and drawer slide rails cooperating together with the drawer supported in the frame for longitudinal sliding movement of the drawer slide rail with respect of the frame slide rail. A first strip of material is attached to the frame slide rail and a second strip of material is attached to the drawer slide rail with the strips contacting each other in frictional engagement. The frictional engagement is determined so as to prevent longitudinal sliding movement of the drawer slide rail with respect to the frame slide rail when a force less than a predetermined force is applied to the drawer in any position of the drawer with respect to the frame over the entire range of longitudinal sliding movement of the drawer slide rail with respect to the frame slide rail.
US07946659B2
A thru-axle system installs a wheel on a hub disposed between a pair of dropouts of a frame or fork. An axle (10) extends between dropouts and supports a wheel on a hub (60). The axle has a first end with at least one radially protruding shoulder (12). The second end has a thread (16) for engaing a threaded sleeve (5). A bushing (20) between the radially protruding shoulder (12) and the other dropout has a central bore with first and second inner diameters. Its first inner diameter is large enough to admit the radially protruding shoulder and the second diameter is large enough to admit the axle portion of the axle. The bushing (20) has an external tapered surface (22) facing the other dropout for transmitting an axial force acting on the shoulder to the bushing and from the bushing to the first dropout.
US07946657B2
A degradation assembly for attachment to a driving mechanism used for degrading a formation. The degradation assembly includes both a cutting structure and a tensioning element adapted to connect the cutting structure to the driving mechanism. The tensioning element includes a body having a engaging structure adapted to engage with the cutting structure on a first end, a thread adapted to engage with the driving mechanism proximate a second end, a necked region between the engaging structure and the thread which is operable to break when acted upon by a predetermined tensile force, and a torque member extending from the engaging structure that engages with the cutting structure to transfer torque between the cutting structure and the body, and which torque member is operable to break when acted upon by a predetermined torque.
US07946651B2
The invention relates to a mechanism for an office chair or arm-chair, in which control means for the backrest inclination and spring means for biasing the backrest to the position of minimum inclination are provided, in which at least one stepped stop block can be moved in a controlled manner, a step of said block being suitable to interfere with a member connected to the backrest when the same is being inclined, in order to limit the stroke of said member between the position of minimum inclination of the backrest and a position of interference of the member connected to the backrest with a selected one of the block steps. The invention also relates to a method for transforming a locking mechanism to an end-of-stroke mechanism.
US07946637B1
A foldable shovel structured for scooping/pushing is provided. The disclosed foldable shovel includes two arcuate members that are hinged together at one end. In the folded configuration the two arcuate members are nested. Further, the coupling device includes a locking disk assembly structured to allow the arcuate members to be configured in different positions relative to each other. Thus, the foldable shovel may be optimally configured as either a scooping device or a pushing device.
US07946632B1
A mounting system for accessories, including motorcycle windshields and windscreens, that quickly and securely attaches the accessory in such a manner that that the accessory will not come unexpectedly detached. After the initial installation of the components of the mounting system, the installation of an accessory requires a minimum of force and the installation and removal of an accessory is accomplished without the use of tools.
US07946630B2
A hydraulic system, especially for motor vehicles includes a master cylinder, a slave cylinder and a pressure medium line connected thereto. The invention provides a hydraulic system which is simple or economical to produce by virtue of the fact that the hydraulic system includes at least one hydraulic plug-type connection with a plug connector and a socket contact and the plug connector includes an abutment and a sealing element which are made of different materials and which are connected together in a material fit.
US07946611B2
An airbag module for protecting the knees of an occupant located in an occupant compartment of a vehicle, the airbag module configured to be mounted behind an instrument panel of the vehicle and including a housing; and an airbag configured to be filled with an inflation gas. The housing may surround the airbag. The housing may include two connected portions. The housing may also be configured so that when the airbag is inflated and deploys the two portions of the housing disconnect and the first housing portion bends downward into a position where the first portion forms a ramp to guide the airbag from a stored position into the occupant compartment. The airbag module may also include a mounting mechanism configured to mount the housing to the instrument panel.
US07946609B2
A compactable wheeled transport system with a first pivotal shelf for ease of transporting a first object in a first mode of operation. A compactable wheeled transport system with a second pivotal shelf for use as a work surface and support a second object thereon. Additionally, a pivotal foot is disclosed for stabilization of the system.
US07946606B2
A backup device for limiting the rotation of converter dollies about a trailer hitch is presented. A dolly mounted, laterally extending moveable bar is selectively pressed against the vertical members of the trailer's underride guard in order to prevent rotation of the dolly relative to the trailer. The bar is retracted from the trailer to allow significant rotation of the dolly during normal forward operation. The backup device is operable with many makes and models of trailers because the laterally extending bar provides a large area that the trailer underride guard may contact. In addition to being operable with many models of trailers, the present invention does not require specific features to be added onto a trailer pulling the converter dolly. Additionally, the large contact area of the laterally extending bar allows the device to function with dollies that are significantly rotated about a trailer hitch. The backup device is also robust, aerodynamic, and self contained. Although manual operation of the device is possible, by connecting the device to the pressurized trailer brake line, the electrical circuitry of the trailer, or other means, the backup device may be operated from within the tractor cab.
US07946602B2
A stabilizer configured to connect suspension devices situated right and left of an automobile, the stabilizer is characterized in that the stabilizer extends below a suspension member where a steering device of the automobile is fixed; at a side of the suspension member, the stabilizer extends above a lower arm and toward a front of the automobile; and the stabilizer is connected to the suspension devices.
US07946598B1
A frame for a two wheeled hand cart comprising a single frame useful for a two wheel or four wheel hand cart that is constructed and designed of a molded plastic in a single unitary piece comprising a pair of side frames joined by spaced apart cross rails integrally molded with each of the side rails at pre-selected spaced apart locations to form a molded plastic, rigid frame for receiving handles and wheel assemblies in a frame of improved strength and life.
US07946597B2
The present invention relates to a roller skate frame. The roller skate frame includes a plate being pressing molded into a main frame of the roller skate comprising two wheel-mounting plates corresponding to each other, and a front bottom connecting face and a shoe-mounting plate connecting thereto. The front bottom connecting face and the shoe-mounting plate are spaced apart with a suitable distance. Further, the front bottom connecting plate is formed by an upper and a lower bridging plate corresponding to each other, and both of which are positioned with a fastener hole respectively.
US07946592B2
A bearing seal includes: a ring-shaped outer seal portion; a ring-shaped inner seal portion provided inside the outer seal portion; a connecting portion for connecting the inner seal portion and the outer seal portion; and a ring-shaped rigid portion provided at the connecting portion. The outer seal portion, the inner seal portion, and the connecting portion are integrally formed of the same material consisting of an elastic material. The inner seal portion has rigidity higher than that of the outer seal portion, and has a ring-shaped seal surface gradually approaching a ring center axis of the inner seal portion while extending from a ring-shaped base end side connected to the connecting portion toward a distal end side.The inner seal portion is formed in a tapered cylindrical shape having the ring-shaped seal surface on an inner peripheral surface thereof, and has a thickness which gradually decreases from the base end side toward the distal end side. The inner seal portion includes only one inner seal portion.
US07946586B2
Playing card handling devices, such as shufflers, dealing shoes, discard racks and verification systems are rotatably secured to a gaming table to allow for functional and ergonomic adjustment of the card handling device, without removal from the gaming table. One end of the device, preferably a front end of the device from which playing cards may be removed has a structure that extends through an aperture in the gaming table. The device is movable within the aperture. Movement in the X-Y direction, angular movement and rotational movement, parallel to the movement of the plane of the surface of the gaming table is enabled. The movement of the device about the aperture preferably maintains the base of the device relatively parallel to the plane of the surface of the gaming table.
US07946578B2
In an automatic original conveying device, a motor rotates in a single direction and a driving force transmission mechanism transmits the driving force of the motor from a sheet feeding roller to a switchback roller. The sheet feeding roller conveys an original that stands by in a switchback conveying path to a second conveying path. A sorting unit sorts the original conveyed from a paper delivery path to an original delivery table or to the switchback conveying path. The switchback roller is provided between the sorting unit and the switchback conveying path and it is rotatable in a normal direction or a reverse direction.
US07946573B2
A sheet feed device has a tray with holding surface for holding sheets, a feed unit for feeding sheets from the tray, and a separation plate. The separation plate has an inclined surface and two or more separation portions that separate a sheet from the sheets held in the tray. At least one of the separation portions projects a first distance from the inclined surface. The separation plate also has a projection positioned on the inclined surface that projects a second distance from the inclined surface. The second distance is greater than the first distance. A first of the separation portions is positioned upstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction, and a second of the separation portions positioned downstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction.
US07946568B2
A saddle stitching portion which can bind the center portion in the conveying direction of a sheet bundle by a stapler and fold it by a pair of folding rollers and a pushout member, includes an end stopper which receives the downstream end of a sheet conveyed by a first conveying roller in a first receiving position on the downstream of the first conveying roller by a length not buckling the sheet on the downstream of the stapler or the downstream end of the sheet conveyed by a second conveying roller in a second receiving position on the downstream of the second conveying roller by the length on the further downstream, wherein the receiving position of the downstream end stopper is selected according to the length in the conveying direction of the sheet.
US07946566B2
An apparatus for wire-stitching print products compiled from gathered signatures and for trimming open edges of the print products, includes a first gathering and wire-stitching machine including a first wire-stitching unit. A first cutter is installed downstream from the first gathering and wire-stitching machine. A second gathering and wire-stitching machine having a second wire-stitching unit is selectively connected in-line with the first gathering and wire-stitching machine. A second cutter is installed downstream from the second gathering and wire-stitching machine. A transfer element is also positioned between the first and second gathering and wire-stitching machines for transferring print products or partial print products from the first gathering and wire-stitching machine to the second gathering and wire-stitching machine. The apparatus further includes a drive motor operatively arranged with the first gathering and wire-stitching machine and the first cutter. The first cutter may be selectively coupled and uncoupled with the drive motor.
US07946565B2
Imaging-system bookbinding apparatus avoids cutting any folded sheets mixed into booklets it trims. Furnished with: an imaging unit; a sheet-folding unit that folds imaging-unit sheets; a stacking unit that stacks sheets from the sheet-folding or image-forming units; a cover-sheet binding unit that encases stacking-unit sheet bundles with, and binds them into, cover sheets; a trimming unit that trims true the bundle fore-edge; and a fold-position computing unit that determines where a sheet is pleated by the sheet-folding unit. The sheet-folding unit has a sheet conveyance path along which folded sheets are transported elsewhere than the stacking unit, while the fold-position computing unit in a first control mode transports to the stacking unit sheets folded over by the sheet-folding unit, and in a second control mode transports them from the sheet conveyance path elsewhere than the stacking unit.
US07946564B2
There is provided a technique in which in a case where a sheet folding process or a staple process is performed, even in the case where the size precision of a sheet used is not satisfactory, the high-precision staple process and folding process can be performed to the sheet. In a sheet processing method of a sheet processing apparatus to perform a specified process to a sheet, a relatively moved sheet is detected, the size of the sheet is calculated based on the detection result, and a position where the specified process is performed to a bundle of sheets as an object of the specified process is adjusted based on the calculated sheet size.
US07946563B2
A post-processing apparatus for transferring sheets from a sheet carry-in port to a first post-processing section and a second post-processing section to execute post-processing such as stapling and sheet folding on the sheets, includes a sheet carry-in path located in a substantially horizontal direction. The sheets fed to the carry-in port are sequentially transferred to a predetermined sheet discharging port. A first switchback conveying path branches off from the sheet carry-in path so as to reverse a sheet conveying direction. The first post-processing section connected to the first switchback conveying path executes the post-processing on the sheets. A second switchback conveying path branching off from between the carry-in port and sheet discharging port of the sheet carry-in path is upstream of the first switchback conveying path so as to reverse the sheet conveying direction. The second post-processing section is located downstream of the second switchback conveying path.
US07946557B2
An actuator-valve assembly includes a housing, which has an inlet operable to allow material to enter the housing and an outlet operable to allow the material to exit the housing. The actuator-valve assembly also includes a valve operable to control a flow of the material into the outlet. In addition, the actuator-valve assembly includes an actuator operable to move the valve, where the actuator includes a resilient member. At least one of the valve and the resilient member has one or more dimensions such that forces applied against the valve and the resilient member by the material are approximately balanced. For example, the one or more dimensions could be selected such that a net force applied against the valve and the resilient member by the material is within a specified threshold. The specified threshold could represent a percentage of a force provided by a control signal received by the actuator-valve assembly.
US07946555B2
The present invention includes a rotational angle sensor having a magnetic detection device. The magnetic detection device includes a sensing section that can detect a change of a magnetic field produced by at least two magnets attached to a rotary member. A housing member is molded integrally with the magnetic detection device and a support member. The support member may serves as a protective member for protecting at least the sensing section of the magnetic detection device or may serve as a positioning member configured to enable at least the sensing section to be positioned relative to the positioning member.
US07946552B1
A notary privacy guard includes a first face substantially opaque having at least four sides, a second face having at least four sides, and a sleeve formed by joining two adjoining sides of the first face with corresponding two adjoining sides of the second face such that the sleeve can slip over two sides and a corner of a book. A second sleeve can be provided to cover both sides of a book. A window can be provided in the substantially opaque face within which the signer can execute his or her signature.
US07946546B2
An apparatus for positioning a device. The apparatus includes a coupling member, a first arm, a second arm, and a sloped support member. The coupling member defines a first opening and a second opening. The first arm passes through the first opening, and the coupling member is movably connected to the first arm. The second arm passes through the second opening. The sloped support member is releasably connected to the second arm. The apparatus has at least five degrees of freedom.
US07946543B2
Closet carrousel having a motorized vertical support tube that attaches to the floor and ceiling of a standard closet. horizontal support tube arms radiate from the vertical support tube. Three arms extend out from the out from the upper region of the vertical tube and three arms extend out from the lower region of the support tube. The support tubes are slidably mounted on inner support rods. Each support rod is made of a first rod and a second rod that are hinged together to form one long rod. The support tubes hold standard hangers for hanging garments. The user can slide a horizontal support tube out past the hinged portion of the inner support rod so that the inner rod may be bent by the user thereby exposing and giving access to an inner core of shelving members.
US07946539B2
Device for supporting a safety line, in particular for preventing the accidental falling of personnel working in places presenting this risk, having at least one elongated tubular element for guiding the passage of the cable of the safety line, wherein this tubular element is retained by at least two supports, spaced apart and designed to be fixed to a fixed surface, characterized in that the elongated tubular element is of a flexible plastic material so that it is able to conform to the shape of a curve to be produced.
US07946535B2
An improved supersonic laminar flow wing structure, on a supersonic aircraft, having one or more of the following: a strake extending forwardly of the wing inboard extent, a raked wing tip, a reversed fillet at the strake or fuselage junction, an inboard leading edge flap extending over less than about 15% of the inboard wing panel span, and a hybrid plain-split flap having a lower surface portion deflectable downwardly relative to plain flap extent.
US07946529B2
The use of at least one attachment screw (12) that includes means (14, 15, 17a, 17b, 20) for detecting the secondary path loading of a flight-control actuator, or associated with a bush that includes such means, for the attachment of the top coupling of the secondary path of a flight-control actuator.
US07946521B2
A winch drum assembly has a barrel to receive a line, and a spooling device for guiding the line onto the barrel. The line is wound onto the barrel at a point that moves axially with respect to the barrel, and the orientation of the line on the barrel is adapted to change at least once per revolution of the barrel, so that radially adjacent layers of line are non-parallel. Spooling gear is described for guiding the line and the barrel can have ramps and walls to guide the line in the different directions. Non-parallel layers of line exhibit a reduced tendency to interfere with one another, so that the spooled line comes off the barrel more consistently.
US07946517B2
A grinding machine has a shearing chamber that includes one or more edges that provide fulcrum points against which frozen block of material, such as frozen blocks of meat, can be held against during a reduction or shearing process. The edges may be arranged to limit the advancement of reduced blocks of material to provide more control on the size of the ground material that is ultimately output by the grinding machine. The grinding machine may also include an expansion zone into which reduced blocks can be temporarily held to accommodate volume increases during the reduction process. A feed screw advances the frozen blocks through the shearing chamber and includes pressure flighting to help shear material from the frozen blocks. The feed screw may include a knife holder that provides support for a knife held therein against the lateral forces experienced by the knife as the knife shears material adjacent the orifice plate.
US07946506B2
A hydraulic heating apparatus includes a body having an inlet for high pressure fluid, and an outlet for heated fluid, a chamber within the body and a flow path for the high pressure fluid between the inlet and the chamber. The high pressure fluid flows through a restriction in the flow path between the inlet and the chamber whereby the apparatus becomes heated. The working fluid flowing from the inlet to the chamber must pass through an orifice which is closable by a linearly acting closure structure. The closure structure is urged to a position in which the closure structure closes the orifice when the pressure of the high pressure fluid is below a threshold pressure. The closure structure includes a thermally sensitive material which expands in response to increasing temperature to close the orifice in response to a temperature above a threshold temperature.
US07946495B2
An information providing system includes a portable terminal including an IC chip, and an information providing apparatus that carries out wireless communications with the IC chip. The information providing apparatus includes a browser that reads content and that outputs the content on a screen based on screen-output control information embedded in the content data and defining an output format or a data structure of the content, and a wireless communication unit that carries out wireless communications with the IC chip. In the content data, transmission target information to be transmitted to the portable terminal, and transmission control information instructing transmission of the transmission target information, are also embedded. The browser instructs the wireless communication unit to transmit the transmission target information to the portable terminal based on the transmission control information. The wireless communication unit transmits the transmission target information to the IC chip based on the instruction.
US07946492B2
Methods, media, and mobile devices for providing information associated with a visual code are provided. In some embodiments, methods for providing information associated with a visual code are provided, including capturing an image including a visual code and non-visual code regions using a mobile device; selecting a non-visual code region of the non-visual code regions based at least in part on the visual code and an orientation of the mobile device relative to the visual code; retrieving information associated with the selected non-visual code region; and displaying the retrieved information on the mobile device.
US07946485B2
A method of maintaining a status of a product item is provided. The product item includes an associated interface surface which has coded data including a plurality of coded data portions indicative of the product item's identity. The method includes, in a sensing device, sensing at least one coded data portion, generating indicating data indicative of the product item identity therefrom, and transferring the indicating data to a computer system. The computer system is responsive to the indicating data to update product status information stored in a data store. The coded data is substantially invisible to the unaided eye.
US07946481B2
A method and system for registering a card that is used to enable configurations of an application and/or a device. The method and system includes initializing into an administrative card setup mode, providing information for at least one card to be registered, storing the information for the at least one card to be registered, and exiting the administrative card setup mode.
US07946478B2
A banking machine system controlled by data bearing records includes an automated banking machine which includes a deposit accepting device. Data read from a user card through operation of a card reader in the machine is used to determine if the data on the card corresponds to an authorized machine user. 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.
US07946473B2
There is provided an authentication information management system including: an information processing terminal mounted with an IC chip capable of non-contact communication with a reader/writer; and an authentication information management server capable of communication with the information processing terminal, wherein the information processing terminal includes: a plurality of memory areas provided in the IC chip for each of functions of the IC chip; and a plurality of applications for achieving each of the functions of the IC chip, and the authentication information management server includes: an authentication information setting portion for setting authentication information in the first memory area in response to a request sent from the first application of the information processing terminal; and an authentication information notifying portion which in response to a request sent from a second application of the information processing terminal, notifies the second application of the authentication information of the first memory area.
US07946469B2
An assembly for positioning a structural assembly for friction stir welding, and a system and method for friction stir welding the structural assembly are provided. The assembly includes a substrate defining a recessed pattern therein, and at least one structural member positioned within the recessed pattern to at least partially secure the structural member therein. The structural member is positioned adjacent to the substrate and within the recessed pattern such that the substrate and structural member are formed of materials capable of being friction stir welded together.
US07946467B2
A braze material and processes for making and using the material, such as for use in the manufacturing, coating, repair, and build-up of superalloy components. The braze material is composed of particles with melt-modifying constituents that are limited to the surfaces of the particles, yet are capable of sufficiently promoting the heating of the particles by conventional means and microwave radiation to achieve at least partial melting of the particles. The melt-modifying constituents are in the form of particulates embedded in the outer surface region of each particle. The particulates are formed of melting point depressant(s) and/or microwave coupling enhancer(s), are much smaller than the particle in which they are embedded.
US07946465B2
A wirebonder for electrically connecting an integrated circuit die with conductors on a printed circuit board. The wirebonder has a bonding tool for attaching wire bonds from the integrated circuit die to the conductors of the printed circuit board and a wire engaging structure for deforming the wire bonds such that they have a flatter profile shape.
US07946464B2
An actuator housing (20) for use on a pneumatic nailer (10), the actuator housing comprising a casing (22) defining a cartridge insertion opening (24), and a selectively activated actuator cartridge (50) which is inserted in the casing through the cartridge insertion opening. The actuator housing further comprises a releasable second fastening means (30, 69) which allows releasable extraction of the actuator cartridge from the casing. The actuator cartridge comprises an actuator head (54) for sealing engagement with the cartridge insertion opening of the casing and extending outwardly of the casing. The actuator cartridge also comprises a piston assembly (58) received within the casing, the piston assembly comprising a cylinder (100) defining a cylinder chamber (101) therein and a plunger (120) movably mounted within the cylinder chamber. The actuator cartridge further comprises first fastening means (71, 104) to fasten the actuator head to the cylinder of the piston assembly. Upon selective activation of the actuator cartridge, the plunger is actuated along the cylinder chamber.
US07946462B2
A slide frame is mounted on a driver unit that can be vertically reversed on a base frame. A guide pin disposed in the slide frame engages with a concave portion of a cam plate portion formed in the base frame. When a fixation releasing handle of the driver unit is operated, a lever pushes the slide frame to slide the slide frame and the guide pin is deviated from the concave portion to rotate the driver unit. In a state where the driver unit is fixed in a regular posture, since the guide pin is pushing a switch lever, the detection switch is kept turned ON and thus an electric stapler is in an operable state. When the driver unit is rotated, the switch lever is released from the press of the guide pin and the detection switch is turned OFF, thereby cutting off the power.
US07946444B2
The device subject of this disclosure pertains to an insulated pipe or vessel including a single piece inspection plug device having a plug component attachable to an insulating structure and forming an aperture for access to an insulated pipe or vessel, a strap component attaching a lid component to the plug component, and that the lid component can be inserted into the aperture.Also disclosed is a method of providing access to a pipe covered with insulating material and a metal jacket comprising cutting a hole in the metal jacket and inserting the bottom of the plug component into the hole and further including inserting screws or clips through at least one pilot hole. The method may include pressing a skirt of the plug component to form an outer seal of the plug to the metal jacket and/or holding the plug component to the metal jacket using at least one flexible locking ring on the bottom of the plug component.
US07946439B1
An efficient, cost-saving system and method of designing, installing, testing, and monitoring a secondary containment system for new and existing Above Ground Storage Tanks (ASTs) that is comprised of a protective steel membrane for the floor of the tank, including the floor-to-wall juncture, and the lower portion of the tank shell such that the steel membrane creates one or more interstitial zones between the steel membrane and the tank shell. The steel membrane may be installed zone by zone such that the secondary containment system can encapsulate existing tank features by molding itself around the existing contours, such as repair plates, corners, sumps, etc. Furthermore, a unique testing method using a simple electronic device is provided for on-site testing of the integrity of the weld seams that may be efficiently used after each zone is installed without requiring that the entire tank be evacuated during the construction of other zones.
US07946435B2
Assembling a merchandising system includes placing a display fixture on a floor in a retail environment, where the display fixture includes a first end assembly supported on the floor, a second end assembly supported on the floor, a first cross-piece, and a second cross-piece, each of the first and second cross-pieces extending between the first and second end assemblies and being substantially parallel to one another. A display fixture accessory is releasably secured to the display fixture and an accessory sheath is slid over the display fixture accessory by sliding an open bottom of the accessory sheath over the display fixture accessory until a top of the accessory sheath abuts a top of the display fixture accessory and the accessory sheath covers a substantial portion of the display fixture accessory. The accessory sheath includes a plurality of substantially horizontal bracket slots. A slot mountable bracket of a retail device is releasably secured into one of the bracket slots and a plurality of products are supported with the retail device.
US07946428B1
A screen panel center retainer system utilizes a center retainer that is provided with a retainer base which is adapted to be secured to screen stringer rails of a vibrating separatory machine. A pair of retainer channel legs form an upper portion of the center retainer and have screen panel edge receiving slots. A locking strip, having a wedging tongue, is used in conjunction with the center retainer. The wedging tongue is insertable into the channel on the center retainer which is defined by the two retainer channel legs. Flow control dams and cross dam retainers are used in conjunction with, and in addition to the center retainers and locking strips, to provide the complete installation of screen panels on the vibrating separating machine.
US07946426B2
A package material includes cushioning materials and a covering member. The cushioning materials are assigned for three sides of an article to be packaged. Each of the cushioning materials has three projections each projecting outwardly toward three inner walls of the package box and coming into contact with the three inner walls of the package box. The covering member covers at least a portion of the article to be packaged, and supports the cushioning materials assigned for the three different sides of the article to be packaged. The covering member includes plural sets of three openings in which the three projections of the respective cushioning materials are inserted in a state where the cushioning materials are supported; and folded portions that are interposed between the three openings.
US07946424B2
A design board container enabling the arrangement and temporary positional securement of beading elements is provided. The container includes a base member and a lid member preferably in hinged relationship with one another. The base member and lid member include a design liner and lid liner, respectively, formed of a resiliently deformable and preferably compressible material. The liners are preferably substantially planar, i.e., a flat surface, so as to allow for free form designing unconstrained by preset channels. By closing the container, the lid surface engages the design surface and beading elements such that the beading elements deform the design liner and are positionally secured between the design liner and the lid liner. The surfaces of the lid liner and the design liner preferably comprise gripping members, such as filamentary or hair-like elements.
US07946413B2
A conveying device for conveying substantially round objects, such as eggs or fruit.The conveyor device has a roller conveyor with an endless transport element and successive rows of one or more rollers An object receiving space for receiving an object is delimited by two successive rollers. The roller conveyor has a discharge end where said objects are discharged by falling from said roller conveyor.The conveyor device furthermore has a second conveyor with an endless element and successive rows of one or more object holders, each object holder having an opening allowing to receive an object thereinThe second conveyor has a receiving end which is positioned in line with the discharge end of the roller conveyor so as to receive objects discharged by falling from the roller conveyor in the object holders of the second conveyor.
US07946411B2
Auxiliary drag mechanism at variable speed, consisting of a variable pitch worm being geared with connection means of the components to be moved, at least during part of their path of travel, at variable speed. The worm is mounted between two end supports (8) and at least one intermediate support (9), whose supports leave free the gearing area between the connection means and the worm, along said worm.
US07946406B2
A coin processing system includes a coin processing machine configured to receive a plurality of randomly oriented coins in a coin input region thereof, process the coins, and determine a total amount of the coins. The coin processing system also includes a sensor configured to measure a pre-determined property associated with a component of the coin processing machine and/or an operational state of the coin processing machine and to output to a controller a signal related thereto. The coin processing system also includes an actuating device disposed to influence the pre-determined property. A controller is configured to monitor the signal output by the sensor and, responsive to a deviation of a value of the signal from an acceptable value for the signal, to execute an error recovery instruction set at least once. Execution of the error recovery instruction set by the controller causes an actuation of the actuating device to influence the pre-determined property to attempt to restore the operational parameter to a condition wherein the signal output by the sensor is within an acceptable value for the pre-determined property.
US07946399B2
Provided is a hydraulic shock absorber enabling an increase in a variable range of both damping forces produced in an extension stroke and a compression stroke thereof. A cylinder (1) filled with hydraulic oil is divided into first and second oil chambers (101) and (102) by a piston (2), and a main valve (4) is disposed in a main passage (81) of the piston (2). An extension side pilot chamber (6) urging a spool (8) in a valve-closing direction at pilot pressure introduced thereinto through a first orifice (32) in the extension stroke and a compression-side pilot chamber (7) urging the spool (8) in the valve-closing direction at pilot pressure introduced thereinto through a second orifice (43) in the compression stroke are formed at a back face of the spool (8) of the main valve. Also, the shock absorber comprises a pressure-receiving portion for receiving high pressure in the extension stroke and urging the spool (8) in a valve-opening direction against the pilot pressure and a pressure-receiving portion for receiving high pressure in the compression stroke and urging the spool (8) in the valve-opening direction against the pilot pressure. In addition, the shock absorber comprises an extension-side poppet valve (11) for regulating the pilot pressure in the extension stroke, a compression-side poppet valve (10) for regulating the pilot pressure in the compression stroke, and a solenoid (71) for urging to reduce initial loads of springs (9) of the extension-side and compression-side poppet valves (11) and (10) by passing current therethrough.
US07946395B1
A front brake of a racing bicycle includes a first half part threadedly secured to a fork and comprising an upper first bifurcated member adapted to lockingly secure to a brake cable, an intermediate first through hole, a first brake pad mount releasably secured to the first through hole, and a first brake pad secured to the first brake pad mount; and a second half part threadedly secured to the fork and comprising an upper second bifurcated member adapted to lockingly secure to the brake cable, an intermediate second through hole, a second brake pad mount releasably secured to the second through hole, and a second brake pad secured to the second brake pad mount. The front brake is disposed behind the fork with no projecting lateral portions.
US07946392B2
A method of operating an elevator installation and the elevator installation include elevator doors actuated by an elevator drive according to a travel curve. At least one sensor unit detects pressure relationships and/or air flows. An evaluating unit determines a travel curve, which is optimal with respect to the detected pressure relationships and/or air flows, from a plurality of travel curves.
US07946380B2
A motorcycle has a muffler 40, a muffler cover 50 for covering a part of a side surface (outer peripheral surface) of the muffler 40 and an end cap 60 for covering the muffler 40 from a rear side thereof. The end cap 60 is separately formed from the muffler cover 50 and disposed away from the muffler cover 50. The muffler cover 50 is mounted on the muffler 40 in a manner such that a central axis of the muffler cover 50 is offset from a central axis of the muffler 40 in a radial direction.
US07946376B2
When activated, an actuator causes a piston rod in a cylinder to move forwards so as to support a receiving member for receiving an object to be protected. A lock mechanism for restricting a backward movement of the piston rod includes a lock ring which is accommodated in an accommodating groove on a piston portion and a locking stepped portion on the cylinder side. The locking stepped portion includes a locking and restricting surface and an outer circumferential restricting surface. A taper restricting surface in the accommodating groove on the piston portion is brought into abutment with an inner surface on a forward moving side of the lock ring which is being diametrically expanded as a result of the piston rod having moved forwards and is in abutment with the locking and restricting surface and the outer circumferential restricting surface of the locking stepped portion, whereby the backward movement of the piston rod is restricted by making use of the lock ring which is restricted in the locking stepped portion.
US07946373B2
One embodiment of a single person recumbent three or four-wheeled, zero emissions utility and recreational cycle vehicle provided with an electric motor driven from a battery and a multiple geared manual pedal mechanism with rear axle derailleur allowing the user to either select individually, or select simultaneously, electric powered or manual pedaling locomotion; also incorporating a rear axle limited slip differential and extra wide tires; and incorporating modular frame, canopy and rear axle design and construction, front and rear disc brakes, a highly-visible canopy; and incorporating a multi-purpose trailer or accessory hitch or receiver for attaching on-board cargo and material carrying devices or for towing of other vehicles for transport of personnel and materials.
US07946363B2
Cutting elements are provided having substrates including end surfaces. TSP material layers extend over only a portion of the end surfaces or extend into the substrates below the end surfaces. Bits incorporating such cutting elements are also provided.
US07946358B2
The invention relates to a sequence valve for use in a hydraulic plant, which sequence valve has a pressure-controlled slide valve (5) with a spring return and in a starting position defines a first cavity (10), which cavity is connected with a tank and the hydraulic plant, and in a second, pressurized position closes off the connection with the tank. The cavity is connected to a second cavity (18) via a channel (15, 16, 17) in the slide valve, and the second cavity is adapted to be connected with a pump via a throttle (20) and is positioned on the same side of the slide valve as the spring (7). The sequence valve has a third cavity (19), which is adapted to be connected with the pump and is positioned on the opposite side of the slide valve from the spring, and the second and the third cavity are connected with each other via a fixed throttle with a short flow channel. The invention also relates to downhole tractor with the sequence valve.
US07946356B2
An item (e.g. a drill bit) handling method, the item for use in a well operation, the method including producing information about an item used for a specific well task, the information including design information and intended use information, producing an item identification specific to the item, associating the information with the item identification producing thereby an information package, installing the information package in at least one wave-energizable apparatus, and applying the at least one wave-energizable apparatus to the item.
US07946353B2
A power tool, such as a hammer drill and/or a chiseling hammer, includes a lubricated transmission arranged in a sealed transmission box. The transmission box is in fluid connection with the atmosphere via a venting channel. A sealing element is arranged in the venting channel. The sealing element cooperates with the venting channel to create a meandering pathway for air to pass through the venting channel so that leakage of lubricant between the sealing element and the venting channel is at least substantially prevented.
US07946351B2
A method and a device for sealing a void incompletely filled with a castable material, in which an expandable material is placed in the void which is to be filled with the castable material, the expandable material expanding into spaces which are not filled with cast material. A method of sealing an annulus in a borehole includes the steps of: positioning an expandable material on a tubular structure; installing the tubular structure in the borehole, the annulus being formed between the tubular structure and the borehole; flowing a castable material into the annulus, the castable material partially displacing a fluid in the annulus, but leaving at least one space containing the fluid in the annulus; and expanding the expandable material into the space.
US07946349B2
A method of radially expanding a tubular element comprises inducing the wall of the tubular element to bend radially outward and in an axially reverse direction so as to form an expanded tubular section extending around an unexpanded section of the tubular element. The bending process occurs in a bending zone of the tubular element, and the method further comprises progressively increasing the length of the expanded tubular section by inducing the bending zone to move in an axial direction along the tubular element.
US07946348B2
A downhole rotation tool comprises a housing rotatable and axially slideable in relation to a gear shaft. The gear shaft is located interior of the housing. A tube gear is located intermediate the gear shaft and the housing. Helical threading on the gear shaft exterior interacts with helical threading interior of the tube gear to impart rotation of the tube gear upon linear movement of the gear shaft. A gear face at a lower end of the tube gear interacts with a corresponding gear face on the housing. Face gear teeth of the tube gear and the housing include axially-aligned engaging surfaces to rotate the housing in a preferred direction on downward stroke of the gear shaft and include inclined slip surfaces to allow relative rotation of the housing gear face and the tube gear face upon upward stroke of the gear shaft.
US07946339B2
A heat exchanger has a pair of heat exchange conduits having adjacent primary heat exchange surfaces thermally coupled together for the transfer of heat energy between the conduits. A third fluid conduit has a primary heat transfer surface thermally coupled to the primary heat transfer surfaces of the pair of fluid conduits, so that heat can be transferred between any one of the fluid conduits and each of the other fluid conduits.
US07946338B2
The invention relates to an air cooled condenser system that contains a steam-air heat exchanger (3) consisting of tubes (2) finned on the outside for the partial direct condensing of steam (1) with ambient air (4). This heat exchanger (3) receives the steam (1) from an upper distribution chamber (24) and ends in a lower chamber (25) which collects the condensate (8) and the steam (27) that has not yet condensed. The steam (22) not yet condensed in the steam-air heat exchanger (3) is condensed, in the steam-air section of the air cooled condenser, in a space operating as a direct contact condenser (9) by spraying water from the water-air cooling section (7) of the air cooled condenser, where the non-condensing gases are removed as well. The water (13) heated up in the direct contact condenser (9) is re-cooled in a water-air heat exchanger (7).
US07946332B2
A gate includes a gate leaf which is movable between a closed and an open position, and a plurality of gate leaf elements, which are tiltable. The gate leaf includes a door leaf which is swingable around a pivot axis extending perpendicular to the tilt axes. When closed, the door leaf is mounted in an opening in the gate leaf and the door leaf extends essentially parallel to the plane of the gate leaf. A stabilizing arrangement opposes the deformation of the gate leaf and a threshold element which rests on the floor of the opening when the gate leaf is in the closed position. The height of the threshold element is essentially less than 20 mm, preferably less than 10 mm.
US07946331B2
An apparatus for use with multiple chips having multiple posts as to engage at least a portion of a surface of one of the multiple chips, a frame configured to releasably constrain each of the posts so that, when unconstrained, each individual post can contact an individual chip and, when constrained, will allow a uniform vertical force to be applied to the chips.
US07946325B2
A centering device (13) is arranged to surround a loading table (11) on which a lens blank (1) is to be set, to set the geometric center of the lens blank (1) to coincide with the center of the loading table (11). The centering device (13) includes three clamp pins (31) which press the peripheral surface of the lens blank (1). When centering is ended, the loading table (11) on which the lens blank (1) is set is pushed up by a moving device (12) from a centering position (H1) to a block position (H2), and a peripheral portion of the lens blank (1) on a concave surface side is urged against the lower surfaces of locking portions (31A) of clamp pins (31). After a predetermined amount of wax (4) is dripped onto the lens blank (1), a lens holding unit (2) is moved downward by a predetermined amount and urged against the wax on the lens blank (1) to spread the wax thin and let the wax to solidify. Thus, the lens blank (1) and lens holding unit (2) are bonded to each other.
US07946323B2
An earth-friendly tire using raw materials derived from non-petroleum resources instead of all or part of raw materials derived from petroleum resources currently used for tires. The tire is prepared by using a natural rubber instead of a synthetic rubber; an inorganic filler and/or a biofiller instead of carbon black; vegetable oil instead of petroleum oil; and natural fiber instead of synthetic fiber so that the tire has a non-petroleum raw material in an amount of at least 75 % by weight based on the total weight of the tire.
US07946315B2
A method of loading particulate matter into a transport container having at least one chamber with a peripheral region using an apparatus comprising a rotatable member configured to be positioned at least partially into an opening for the chamber. The method can include the acts of locating the apparatus adjacent the opening for the chamber by movement relative to the transport container, initiating a flow of particulate matter from the apparatus into the opening, rotating the rotatable member to facilitate the dispensing of particulate matter within the chamber, and engaging the rotatable member with particulate matter so that at least a portion of particulate matter that has been dispensed into the chamber is pushed into the peripheral region within the chamber.
US07946313B2
A flexible pipe for fluid transport especially in offshore application has a first extruded tube having nylon and a first layer having aromatic polyamide disposed about the first tube. A plurality of rings composed of stainless steel are disposed about the first layer. Each of the rings has first ends with circumferential lips and second ends with circumferential grooves interconnecting together. These lips and grooves permit adjacent ones of the rings to tilt relative to one another by about 1.5-degrees for every 4-inches of flexible pipe. A second extruded tube having fiberglass is disposed about the plurality of rings, and an exterior jacket having nylon is disposed about the second tube.
US07946310B2
The invention relates to a pneumatic unit for activating a plurality of discharge valves of a turbomachine, the pneumatic unit having activation outlets corresponding to the number of discharge valves forming said plurality of discharge valves, and a single control input receiving a single control signal from an electronic control unit, the control signal serving to act on a control winding of a manifold means having outlets that form said activation outlets.
US07946308B2
A valve chip may include a substrate having first and second faces and openings between the first and second faces, and a plurality of flexible valve flaps on one of the faces of the substrate with each flexible valve flap being associated with at least one of the openings. The valve chip may be packaged by forming a frame having an opening therein, and securing the valve chip in the opening of the frame. More particularly, the valve chip may be secured in the opening so that central portions of the first and second faces of the substrate are exposed through the opening in the frame and so that a fluid seal is provided between the frame and edges of the substrate. Related valves, valve assemblies, and methods are also discussed.
US07946295B2
The invention provides a process for preparing a tobacco composition suitable for use as a smokeless tobacco composition, including: providing a moist tobacco material; heating the moist tobacco to a temperature of at least about 85° C. for a time sufficient to pasteurize the tobacco material while maintaining the moisture content at a relatively constant level; adding an amount of a base and water to the moist tobacco material sufficient to raise the pH of the slurry to at least about 8.7 and raise the moisture content to at least about 40% by weight, thereby forming a pH-adjusted moist tobacco material; and continuing to heat the pH-adjusted moist tobacco material to a temperature of at least about 55° C. for a time sufficient for the pH of the moist tobacco material to drop to less than about 8.5 while maintaining the moisture content at a relatively constant level.
US07946294B2
Smoking articles, such as cigarettes and cigarette filters, methods of manufacturing smoking articles including sealed filters, and methods of treating tobacco smoke are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a smoking article contains sealed filters, wherein additives are sealed within the sealed filters.
US07946289B2
An oral airway for providing an air passage to a patient's trachea including two embodiments. In both embodiments, the oral airway includes a curved section and a straight section with the curved section having spaced-apart curved upper and lower members and the straight section having spaced-apart planar upper and lower members with the same width. In the first embodiment, the curved upper member has the same width as the planar upper member with the curved lower member having a greater width than the width of the lower planar member. In the second embodiment, the width of the curved lower member is greater than the width of the planar lower member and the distance between the curved upper and lower members is greater than the distance between the planar upper and lower members.
US07946288B2
A medical apparatus that holds open a mouth of a patient. The apparatus contains a passage through which the patient can breathe by mouth. The apparatus contains a port to which an oxygen line is connected and which delivers oxygen to the passage for inhalation by the patient. The apparatus contains a sampling port which samples air in the passage and delivers sampled air to a monitoring device. The latter measures, for example, carbon dioxide content in the sampled gas, and issues a warning if carbon dioxide concentration is out-of-bounds. Phosphor material can be added to the apparatus, to make the apparatus glow in a darkened operating room, to allow technicians to easily find the patient's mouth and to insert tools, tubing, instruments and the like in the patient's mouth.
US07946284B2
An apparatus for covertly marking a target includes a housing sized and configured to simulate a portable electronic device; a reservoir positioned in the housing for holding a quantity of miniature markers; and a dispersing mechanism positioned in or on the housing for dispersing the markers onto the target.
US07946282B2
An archery release including a release body having a longitudinal axis, a fixed jaw having a bowstring facing surface being offset at a first predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis, and a movable jaw. The moveable jaw can define a bowstring notch, and can include a surface forward of the notch which opposes the fixed jaw. The moveable jaw surface can be offset at a second predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis, and can be substantially parallel to and oppose the bowstring facing surface when the moveable jaw is in a closed position. The first predetermined angle and/or the second predetermined angle can be about 0.1° to about 30°, about 0.1° to about 5°, or about 3° offset from the longitudinal axis. A method also is provided for drawing and releasing a bowstring with the assistance of the release.
US07946278B2
A closed crankcase ventilation system in which blow-by gas is introduced into an oil separator through a blow-by gas blowout opening provided in a truss structure of a cylinder block. A diaphragm is established in the truss structure of the cylinder block to close a portion of an oil hole portion returned from a cylinder head on the top thereof, thus preventing oil from flowing backward. An oil drain portion returns oil separated in the oil separator to an oil pan, and a gas recycling portion supplies blow-by gas separated in the oil separator to an intake manifold.
US07946270B2
A valve apparatus includes a valve shaft, a body, a bearing housing, a fixing device, and an actuator. The body has a flow path therein, and the flow path has an opening degree that is operated by rotation of the valve shaft. The bearing housing rotatably supports the valve shaft, and the bearing housing has a predetermined attachment portion. The fixing device fixes the bearing housing to the body by fastening the predetermined attachment portion of the bearing housing to an outer surface of the body. The actuator is provided to cover the fixing device from outside, and the actuator is fixed to the body and the bearing housing. The actuator applies a driving force to the valve shaft.
US07946269B2
A method for increasing an engine brake power of an internal combustion engine, particularly of a diesel engine, having at least one cylinder with a reciprocating piston, at least one inlet valve and one outlet valve, and a turbocharger, in which air is compressed by an air compressor and stored in the at least one storage device, and air is injected in a clocked manner into the at least one cylinder in order to increase the compression work performed by the piston and thereby enhance the engine brake power during an engine braking process.
US07946263B2
A method is disclosed for controlling cylinder valve switching between a first valve condition and a second valve condition for transitioning between combustion modes of an engine. The method includes adjusting timing of a signal to switch between the valve conditions based on an oil degradation condition from an oil sensor, wherein the combustion modes include spark ignition and homogenous charge compression ignition.
US07946258B2
Systems and methods for production of fuel for an internal combustion engine are described herein. Systems may include a plasma reformer, a separation system and the internal combustion engine. The plasma reformer may produce a gas stream from the liquid feed. The gas stream may include molecular hydrogen and carbon oxides. The separation system may produce a hydrogen stream from the gas stream generated in the plasma reformer. At least a portion of the gas stream and at least a portion of the hydrogen stream may be provided to an internal combustion engine.
US07946257B2
A fuel-fired water heater is provided with a combustion chamber assembly, representatively a sealed combustion chamber assembly, operative to create from combustion air delivered thereto via a circumferentially limited vertical side portion thereof a flow of primary combustion air to the underside of a centrally disposed fuel burner within the assembly via a first location underlying the burner, a first flow of secondary combustion air delivered to the burner via the first location, and a second flow of secondary combustion air delivered to the burner via a second location outwardly circumscribing the first location.
US07946253B2
A grooming stand includes a base, a platform with at least one peripheral surface, and at least one leg extending between the base and the platform. A gutter is disposed around a portion of the peripheral surface of the platform. The gutter is configured to receive clippings from the animal.
US07946252B2
An electronic animal trainer with temperament learning. The electronic animal trainer with temperament learning learns and remembers the response pattern of the animal to the correction stimulus to provide a customized training profile.
US07946251B2
A pet toy comprising a toy body preferably in the shape of a ball, and at least one toy enhancing strip bonded to the surface of the toy body. The toy enhancing strip is edible, preferably shelf-stable and water soluble so as to be at least partially dissolvable by the pet's saliva as the toy is mouthed or chewed by the pet. The enhancing strip can comprise a breath freshener, a dental agent and/or a medicinal agent. The toy body can also include a second enhancement strip bonded to the toy body and formulated to attract the pet.
US07946248B2
An elongated, tubular bird feeder comprising one or more pairs of interlocking feeder ports, where the feeder ports are of identical constructions, such that each feeder port mates with an identical feeder port. Each port defines an external perch and an external shield that is curved to fit the contour of the tube, a neck which fits tightly into an opening in the tube, and a reduced diameter portion that defines an end face, from which projects two interlocking features: a horizontally-oriented blade member; and a vertically-oriented generally sector-shaped member. When two ports are pushed together into diametrically-opposed side openings in the tube, with end faces located proximate one another, the two sector members will be located adjacent one another to define an essentially semi-circular upper region, and the two blades will be located next to one another to define an essentially horizontal blade member.
US07946246B2
A hand held magnetic test panel holder that will attach metal or paper test panels magnetically, and will magnetically attach to a metal wall or surface. Its main body is formed to provide a handle and an extension to provide space to hold a test panel at a distance to paint a test panel without the paint coming in contact with the user's hand. This hand held magnetic test panel holder holds a metal clip board with its magnet, which in turn will hold a paper test panel. The user will paint the test panel with a paint spraying device with one hand, and hold the hand held magnetic test panel holder with the other hand. When not in use, the device will magnetically attach to a metal wall for storage and when paint is in the drying process.
US07946242B2
The addition of flares to a kayak hull at or above the hulls shear/water line will increase the kayak's stability in rough water conditions by providing secondary stability by increasing the effective hull cross section of the kayak when waves interact with the flares. The location of the flares above the shear/water line will also keep the hull cross section to a minimum for easier paddling in calm water conditions.
US07946239B1
A coupling assembly includes a fixed component and a pivotable component. The fixed component has a base and an upstanding projection with a central bore and a plurality of small apertures around the bore. The pivotable component has a distal section and a proximal section with a planar face in sliding contact with the fixed component. The pivotable component has a threaded aperture axially aligned with the bore of the fixed component. A pin in the planar face is selectively positionable in a small aperture. Intermediate components adjustably couple the fixed and pivotable components. The intermediate components include a bolt received in the threaded aperture and slidably received in the bore. The bolt has a free end extending through the bore with a nut adjacent to the free end. A coil spring on the bolt between the nut and the fixed component urges the pin into a small aperture.
US07946236B2
An embroidery process allowing for extra lengths of stitched thread pairs to be laid down in a zigzag pattern while embroidering on a dissolvable substrate such that when the substrate is removed, the extra length allows the two-dimensional embroidered structure to relax into a three-dimensional shape.
US07946235B2
To provide an embroidery data creation apparatus, an embroidery data creation program, and a recording medium that records the embroidery data creation program, which create embroidery data for embroidery that is clear and sharp even when the tint or output size of an image is changed. The number of pixels necessary to create embroidery data is determined from thread density, size of the embroidery, and copied color data. Initial angle information is created from angle data and the angle information having necessary pixel configuration is re-computed from the initial angle information. Then, line segment data is created from the re-computed angle information, color data is created from the size adjusted color data and the line segment data, and the embroidery data is created from the line segment data and the color data.
US07946233B2
A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material. The system generally will include spaced rows of needles mounted along a tufting zone and which are reciprocated through the backing to different penetration depths. A series of loopers and a series of hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form cut and loop pile tufts of yarns having varying lengths in the backing material.
US07946217B2
A method for preparing a beverage or a liquid foodstuff from a capsule containing a product with a substance to be extracted, the capsule having a flexible membrane (17) capable of deforming elastically or permanently to a considerable extent, comprising the steps of perforating a plurality of holes (26) distributed over the flexible membrane and of injecting water onto the flexible membrane, in such a manner that it deforms in the direction of the product inside the capsule and in that the water penetrates into the capsule via said holes. The size of the holes perforated by the perforating spikes is controlled by the level to which the capsule is filled or by the compactness of the product inside the capsule, so as to influence the hydraulic pressure differential ΔP between the two sides (17a, 17b) of the flexible membrane, in such a manner as to achieve an automatic adjustment of the compression of the product contained in the capsule.
US07946215B2
Actuator controller comprising a body (12) with an inlet port (14) coupled to a source of pressurized fluid and in flow communication with primary and secondary spool bores (16, 20); primary and secondary spools (60, 62); first and second cross flow ports (48, 52) communicating said primary and secondary spool bores, compression and expansion outlet ports (53, 54) for applying pressurized fluid to a return-biased actuator (110); and a venting outlet port (23); wherein return action of the working piston of the actuator is facilitated with aid of pressurized fluid already gained in the system.
US07946211B1
According to typical inventive practice, an armor structure includes n≧1 highly-rate-sensitive elastomeric layers and n+1≧2 metallic layers, alternately configured. Each metallic layer is electrically connected to a power supply that includes, e.g., battery(ies) and/or supercapacitor(s). Each adjacent pair of metallic layers sandwiches a highly-rate-sensitive elastomeric layer and forms, with the power supply, an uncompleted electrical circuit. A high-velocity projectile that penetratively encroaches upon a highly-rate-sensitive elastomeric layer is subjected to electrical current by virtue of completion of the uncompleted circuit that includes the two sandwiching metallic layers. The circuit is completed by physical (and hence, electrical) contact, bridging the two sandwiching metallic layers, of the projectile and/or its plasma sheath (which at least partially surrounds the projectile's outside surface due to friction between the projectile and the highly-rate-sensitive elastomeric layer). The highly-rate-sensitive elastomeric layer's projectile-hindering mechanical influence temporally lengthens the projectile-hindering electrical influence.
US07946210B1
A protective structure for a vehicle having an opening on an upper surface is provided. One embodiment of the invention has at least a partial enclosure around an area defined laterally by the vehicle opening with an overhead and side protective capability. An embodiment of the invention has an overhead cover that is formed to substantially enclose a top area of the enclosure and having multiple panels that may be locked into place or opened by an occupant for exit through a top area of the enclosure. The multiple panels in this embodiment extend upwardly and inwardly from a section of the enclosure's side walls. Ballistic windows are provided on the protective structure such that an occupant can view laterally and vertically through the enclosure and overhead cover. A shield or protective plate can be mounted on one side of the enclosure.
US07946199B2
An improved coaxial cable connector rotation aid that facilitates rotation of a coaxial cable connector found on the end of a coaxial cable. Embodiments may include a nut with faceted portions or exclude a nut element. Embodiments may coupled with a nut having threads or the tubular element may include threads. Embodiments may include soft metal, plastic or composites to provide additional shielding. Embodiments allow the aid to slide from a first end of a coaxial cable to a second end, non-fixedly engaging the threaded connector nut on either end so that a single instance of one aid may be utilized on both ends of the cable. As the aid is slidingly engaged on the cable, it cannot be removed and swallowed by a small child or pet. Other embodiments allow for a combined textured and nut aid that allows for rotation by using a tool or by manual rotation.
US07946192B2
The present invention provides an organ type accelerator pedal apparatus comprising a pedal to which a driver applies a force to rotate a pedal arm; and a pedal bracket to which one end of the pedal is hinge-connected and which includes one or more fitting protrusions, guide protrusions, fitting holes used to be fixed.
US07946189B2
A sample station and method of using the station, which contains a removable receptacle for collecting fluid samples from tanks, pipelines or other receptacles. The removable receptacle has a valve at the bottom for easy emptying and cleaning. The sample station is vented so the sample receptacle can not be pressurized, and is meant to be piped to the container which holds the fluid to be sampled, so the sample can be collected without risk of splashing, and without risk of spilling.
US07946183B2
A bending-detection apparatus includes a sheet-shaped substrate having flexibility and a bending-detection mechanism including a sensor which measures a potential difference to detect bending deformations of the substrate and two bending-detection sections which are arranged on a surface of the substrate at different areas respectively. Each of the bending-detection sections has a piezoelectric layer provided on a surface of the substrate; plurality of first electrodes which are conducted with each other and each of which extends on a surface of the piezoelectric layer along a direction; a plurality of second electrodes which are arranged alternately with the plurality of first electrodes. An electrode-extending direction in which the first and second electrodes extend is different between the two bending-detection sections. Consequently, a bending-detection apparatus capable of detecting bending deformations in the substrate in various directions is provided.
US07946182B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring the strength of solar cells. The apparatus includes a shell, a flexible element, a fastener unit, an inlet valve and a vent valve. The shell is used to cover the solar cells. The flexible element is disposed in the shell, thus dividing the interior of the shell into a first chamber and a second chamber. The fastener unit is used to firmly attach the flexible element to the shell. The inlet valve is in communication with the first chamber. The vent valve is in communication with the first chamber.
US07946180B2
The present invention provides elastic constant and visco elastic constant measurement apparatus etc. for measuring in the ROI in living tissues elastic constants such as shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, Lame constants, etc., visco elastic constants such as visco shear modulus, visco Poisson's ratio, visco Lame constants, etc. and density even if there exist another mechanical sources and uncontrollable mechanical sources in the object. The elastic constant and visco elastic constant measurement apparatus is equipped with means of data storing 2 (storage of deformation data measured in the ROI 7 etc.) and means of calculating elastic and visco elastic constants 1 (calculator of shear modulus etc. at arbitrary point in the ROI from measured strain tensor data etc.), the means of calculating elastic and visco elastic constants numerically determines elastic constants etc. from the first order partial differential equations relating elastic constants etc. and strain tensor etc.
US07946176B2
Methods and apparatus for extracting the first arrival wave packet of an acoustic signal in a structural health monitoring (SHM) system include receiving an acoustic signal transmitted between two transducers thereof. Electromagnetic cross-talk is removed from the signal. Signal amplitude threshold values used for picking out the first arrival wave packet are chosen based on signal characteristics or chosen adaptively as the value that leads to the minimum variance of the group velocity estimates of all the actuation-sensing transducer pairs. The group velocity is estimated as the known actuator-sensor distance divided by the propagation time of the first wave packet of which the envelope exceeds a candidate threshold value. The first arrival wave packet is determined as the signal segment where the signal envelope first exceeds the chosen amplitude threshold and the segment length exceeds a specified threshold of time width.
US07946171B2
An analysis device is provided comprising a housing having at least two housing parts, a measuring unit and a processor provided therein for purposes of the functionality of the analysis device and generation of analysis data, wherein the device comprises a lock element for producing a generally fixed mechanical connection between the at least two housing parts. Providing such a lock element allows the analysis device to be checked for quality control and/or functionality purposes before the lock element is fitted to the housing, and if the device requires service or repair as a result of such checks then the housing can be reopened without damage to the housing or other aspects of the device. Once the lock element is fitted into a locked position for locking the housing together, subsequent reopening of the housing causes structural effects, including damage or destruction, to either or both of the lock element and the housing or housing parts, ensuring that such reopening becomes apparent to the user.
US07946170B2
A residual liquid quantity detecting method capable of accurately detecting the residual quantity of liquid without relying upon visual observation, preventing overfill at the time of refilling. A residual liquid quantity detecting method for a liquid supply container (100) has a container body (108) having a liquid supply opening (126) and has a liquid storage chamber (118) in which liquid (119) is sealed, the liquid storage chamber (118) being formed in the container body (108) and communicating with the liquid supply opening (126). The liquid (119) is supplied from the liquid supply opening (126) to the outside of the container by primary supply pressure generated through reduction, by pressure, in volume of the liquid storage chamber (118). The residual quantity of the liquid (119) in the liquid storage chamber (118) is detected by detecting primary supply pressure of the liquid (119).
US07946166B2
An apparatus for actuating a pressure delivery system of a fluid sampler. The apparatus includes a housing (302) having a longitudinal passageway and defining first and second chambers (338, 348). A piston (346) is disposed within the longitudinal passageway between the first and second chambers (338, 348). A valving assembly (356) is disposed within the longitudinal passageway. The valving assembly (356) is operable to selectively prevent communication of pressure from a pressure source of the fluid sampler to the second chamber (348). The valving assembly (356) is actuated responsive to an increase in pressure in the first chamber (338) which longitudinally displaces the piston (346) toward the valving assembly (356) until at least a portion of the piston (346) contacts the valving assembly (356), thereby releasing pressure from the pressure source into the second chamber (348) and longitudinally displacing the piston (346) away from the valving assembly (356).
US07946161B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for estimating particulate production from a diesel engine. Engine conditions such as fuel rate, exhaust gas recirculation, and fuel injection timing are determined. Based on empirical evidence or theoretical calculations, or both, particulate production markers, each indicating a level of particulate production, are assigned to each engine condition. The markers are combined and the combined marker is used to interpolate between a minimum and a maximum level of particulate production from the engine to estimate a particulate production rate. The production rate may be combined with an oxidation rate to determine a particulate accumulation rate, which may in turn be combined with a particulate load estimate to produce a combined particulate load estimate. The combined estimate may be used to determine whether to initiate regeneration of a diesel particulate filter.
US07946156B2
Glide test systems and associated methods are described. A glide test system includes a glide test head that is flown over the surface of a recording disk to detect asperities on the recording disk. The glide test head includes a detection pad on the trailing end of the head. Heating elements are fabricated proximate to the detection pad. The heating elements are independently controllable to control the amount of protrusion of different regions of the detection pad. The heating elements thus provide a way to substantially flatten the detection surface of the detection pad, and compensate for an uneven topography on a detection surface.
US07946154B2
A system for determining the type of hydraulic fluid employed in a transmission includes a translating valve, a valve position sensor, a hydraulic fluid temperature sensor, and a controller. The valve position sensor is operable to measure the actual time the valve takes to translate within the hydraulic fluid. The controller is operable to compare the actual time of valve translation to an expected time of valve translation. If the actual time of valve translation is different than the expected time of valve translation to a predetermined degree, the controller is operable to signal an operator of the motor vehicle or a service technician that the hydraulic fluid being used in the transmission is not meeting operating expectations.
US07946152B2
In a measuring apparatus, an atmosphere to be inspected taken out from a space to be inspected in a processing system is analyzed for organic gas concentration. The apparatus is provided with a collector having an approach connected to the space to be inspected. The collector is connected to a gas exhaust system and an adsorption material for preparing a captured organic gas is held in the collector. A temperature control mechanism including a heater controls the adsorption/desorption of organic gas through temperature control of the adsorption material. A carrier gas is supplied from a carrier gas supplying system in order to transfer the desorbed gas taken from the captured organic gas and the concentration of organic gas in the carrier gas transferring the desorbed gas is determined in a concentration measuring unit.
US07946146B2
The invention relates to a device for the internal high-pressure forming of components from tubular workpieces, in particular microcomponents, comprising an at least two-part mould, in which a workpiece can be placed, and means for sealing and/or applying pressure to the workpiece at the ends of the workpiece, in which device at least one guide (11) is arranged on the mould (2a, 2b), on which guide a carriage (12) is displaceable, which carriage carries means (4, 5) for sealing and/or filling/applying pressure to a workpiece end (1a), wherein a carriage (12) is displaceable by means of a drive (13, 15) which is arranged separately from the at least one guide (11) and is coupled to the carriage (12) at least essentially such that it is free from transverse forces.
US07946142B2
A padlock hasp assembly including a first hasp member (12) and a second hasp member (14) including interface contours including complimentary shaped protrusions and recesses that mate with one another, and a locking assembly housed in the first hasp member (12), the locking assembly including a cylinder lock (10) including a tumbler adapted to bring a locking element into locking engagement with a notch formed in a locking bolt (16), the locking bolt (16) being arranged for sliding motion through a first bore formed in the first hasp member, and when the second hasp member (14) is aligned with the first hasp member (12), the locking bolt (16) is slidable into a second bore formed in the second hasp member (14) so as to lock the first and second hasp members (12, 14) together.
US07946136B2
Apparatus for forming fibers or flakes of material comprises means (1) for producing a heated stream of molten material (9), means for feeding the stream in a substantially vertically downward direction and means (7) for receiving the downwardly directed stream and for forming fibers or flakes therefrom. The apparatus includes means (11, 13, 15, 17) for effecting a change in the temperature of the stream subsequent to the production thereof whereby fibers or flakes of a desired thickness are obtained. Instead of, or in addition to, the temperature changing means, there may be provided means for controlling the mass or volume flow of the stream. The invention also provides methods corresponding to the apparatus.
US07946134B2
The specification describes methods for the manufacture of very large optical fiber preforms wherein the core material is produced by MCVD. Previous limitations on preform size inherent in having the MCVD starting tube as part of the preform process are eliminated by removing the MCVD starting tube material from the collapsed MCVD rod by etching or mechanical grinding. Doped overcladding tubes are used to provide the outer segments of the refractive index profile thus making most effective use of the MCVD produced glass and allowing the production of significantly larger MCVD preforms than previously possible.
US07946133B2
Methods for modifying preform core ovality during and subsequent to the formation of an optical fiber preform. After MCVD deposition forms the core rod, but prior to overcladding of the core rod, the code rod may be etched to change its ovality. In order to etch the core rod, the core rod may be mounted to lathe, rotated by at least two rotors, and subjected to a heat source. Additionally, one of the at least two rotors may be phase-shifted from another one of the at least two rotors after the core rod is mounted on the lathe.
US07946126B2
Adjustable volume cups and methods for use are disclosed. Cups of various embodiments may have a series of removable inserts or a moveable bottom member allowing the containable volume to be adjusted.
US07946122B2
The present invention provides an air cooling device of an integrated thermo-hygrostat, which is advantageous over known integrated thermo-hygrostats in that it is possible to prevent indoor air from being mixed with cold outdoor air when cooling an indoor space using the cold outdoor air in winter by installing an indoor air control damper which can control the flow of the indoor air in front of an evaporator installed in an inner portion of a main body. The air cooling device can rapidly lower the temperature of the indoor space to the intended temperature, increase cooling efficiency, and prevent power from being unnecessarily consumed by being capable of suspending the cooling function thereof when cooling is performed using outdoor air having a temperature below a predetermined temperature.
US07946118B2
An electrically controlled turbocharger has a motor mounted on a shaft in a motor housing between a turbine and compressor. Oil is sprayed onto the motor stator to cool the stator. An oil gallery is disposed above the stator to receive lubricating oil and contains apertures that perform as jets to allow oil to be sprayed directly on the motor stator. A coolant jacket is formed in the turbocharger housing between the turbine and the motor to allow liquid coolant to circulate therein and dissipate heat from the turbine end prior to reaching the motor components. Other embodiments provide for a stator component to be submerged in flowing cooling oil.
US07946113B1
An electricity generating or other power distributing device that utilizes the energy stored in ocean waves as they approach the shoreline. A series of buoys, which are thus struck by said waves are thrust upward and outward, operating hydraulic pumps. Fluid is pumped into a rotator that lifts a plurality of weights contained in deep silos within the earth. The cable devices connected to these weights are threaded around, and thus rotate a series of clutches, transmissions and flywheels, which provide a constant rotational output. This output can be attached to an A/C generator, or any other device requiring a constant force and rotation to operate properly.
US07946112B2
An exhaust heat recovery device includes an accommodating portion extending continuously without shrinking a section therein and adapted to allow exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine to pass therethrough, a catalyst disposed in the accommodating portion for cleaning the exhaust gas, an evaporator disposed adjacent to the catalyst on a downstream side of an exhaust gas flow in the accommodating portion, and a condenser for condensing the working medium by radiating heat of the working medium flowing thereinto from the evaporator so as to recover exhaust heat on the coolant side. The condenser is located to return the condensed working medium to the evaporator.
US07946108B2
In a method for regenerating a nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter arranged in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, a constant value is set in a first regeneration phase for the air/fuel ratio λM of the air/fuel mixture fed to the internal combustion engine when a predeterminable triggering threshold value for the nitrogen oxide concentration in the exhaust gas on the output side of the nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter is exceeded. The first regeneration phase is followed by a second regeneration phase, in which the time rate of change d λM/dt of the air/fuel ratio λM is set as a function of the mass flow of the exhaust gas flowing through the nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter or as a function of an internal combustion engine operating variable linked with the mass flow of exhaust gas.
US07946102B2
A functional elastic composite yarn comprises an elastic member that is surrounded by at least one functional covering filament(s). The functional covering filament has a length that is greater than the drafted length of the elastic member such that substantially all of an elongating stress imposed on the composite yarn is carried by the elastic member. The elastic composite yarn may further include an optional stress-bearing member surrounding the elastic member and the functional covering filament.
US07946098B1
Apparatus for applying a drinking straw on a receiving surface of a stand up bag which can be supplied on a conveying surface to a transfer device for drinking straws. To increase the conveying speed of said apparatus, the transfer means is arranged such that the drinking straw while being handed over encloses an acute angle with the conveying surface.
US07946095B2
A wrapper dispensing mechanism for round balers includes a feed roller shiftable generally toward and away from a baling element of a bale forming mechanism so as to be selectively brought into and out of engagement with the baling element. The feed roller is driven by the baling element when the feed roller is in engagement with the baling element, with the feed roller and the baling element cooperatively defining a temporary nip therebetween during engagement. The feed roller is disposed to at least partially vertically support the roll of supply material thereon. A method of dispensing wrapping material from a supply roll includes supporting the supply roll at least partially on a feed roller, shifting the feed roller into engagement with the baling element to create a temporary nip therebetween and drive the feed roller, and driving the baling element while the feed roller is in engagement therewith.
US07946079B2
An electrically driven entryway activation system for opening and closing two spaced swinging doors hung on spaced rotating parallel door posts comprises a base plate extending between the door posts. Levers attached to each door post rotate in a plane parallel to the base plate. A low profile actuation system spaced between the levers comprises a center post, a sector gear journaled on the center post for rotation parallel to the base plate, and a low profile gearmotor mounted between the base plate and the sector gear. A low profile emergency manual mechanism is provided for unclutching the output pinion gear of the gearmotor.
US07946077B2
The present invention is a container for capturing mosquito larvae comprising: a water container (8) in which natural water can be pooled; an open-top concave induction pipe (1) which is to be intruded into the water container (8); a passage opening (4) formed in the lower part of the concave induction pipe (1); a passage-blocking member (5) for blocking the passage opening (4) in the case where the water levels in the water container (8) and in the concave induction pipe (1) are not higher at least than the top end of the passage opening (4); and a closed space (11) formed in the upper part between the water container (8) and the concave induction pipe (1), characterized in that the above members are so constructed that, after spawning in the concave induction pipe (1), hatched mosquito larvae migrate via the passage opening (4) to the space between the water container (8) and the concave induction pipe (1) and, after emerging, the imagoes die in the closed space (11) and accumulated therein.
US07946076B2
An automated fish sensing, reeling, and alarming device, particularly for ice fishing, designed to allow the fisherman to have a hands-free ice-fishing device that will catch fish without monitoring the device at all times. It also will allow a person with a limitation or handicap to enjoy ice fishing, such as some one with arthritis or limited use of upper limbs.
US07946063B2
A screed assembly for attachment to the boom arm of a mechanical hoe, including a first elongated member, an elongated ground-engaging structural member extending therefrom, a hoe connection interface and a hydraulic boom connection interface on the first elongated member, and a blade-engaging assembly operationally connected to the first elongated member. An elongated blade portion is pivotably connected to the blade-engaging assembly, a first pivot actuator is operationally connected between the first generally elongated portion and to the blade-engaging assembly, and a second pivot actuator operationally connected to the blade-engaging assembly and the elongated blade portion. Energization of the first pivot actuator pivots the blade engaging assembly relative to the first elongated member and energization of the second pivot actuator pivots the blade relative to the blade-engaging assembly.
US07946061B2
The invention relates to a sport shoe (1) with an outer shell (2) made from injection molded plastic, comprising a front foot shell (4) and a shoe cuff (5) adjoining it. At least partially accommodated in the shell (2) is a relatively soft elastic inner shoe (3). In particular, a ski shoe with at least one strap-shaped clamping means (12) disposed at least in a top end portion of the shoe cuff (5) and extending round the top end portion of the shoe cuff (5) is proposed. This strap-shaped clamping means (12) is of a non-stretch design within its entire longitudinal extension and the strap-shaped clamping means (12) is supported on at least one elastically flexible element (15) in the usage or active state, which is disposed between the shoe cuff (5) and the strap-shaped clamping means (12). Alternatively, the strap-shaped clamping means (12) is provided as a clamping means (12) extending at least partially round the shoe cuff (5) and is secured by at least one of its ends to an elastically flexible element (15) permanently mounted on the shoe.
US07946055B2
A drying apparatus has a casing, a cavity formed in the casing for receiving an object, and a fan located in the casing and creating an airflow. At least one slot-like opening communicates with the fan and is arranged in the casing so as to direct an airflow transversely across the cavity. The slot-like opening is formed between opposing walls which are manufactured from a thermosetting plastics material. By manufacturing the walls of the slot-like opening from a thermosetting plastic material such as melamine, the walls of the slot-like opening can be molded economically instead of machined from metal. The thermosetting plastic material is dimensionally stable when moulded, thermally resistant and impact resistant.
US07946034B2
A method for manufacturing an annular tribological component in the form of a seal or a sliding bearing of a brittle material. In order to attain the necessary sealing action even with a segmented construction, without expensive reprocessing being necessary in connection with the manufacture of segment surfaces bounding on one another, it is proposed that the annular component be formed of segments made by breaking a ring element and that the segments be assembled such that fractured surfaces fitting one another lie one upon the other.
US07946029B2
A method and apparatus is described for aligning a first article relative to a second article, for example for aligning a nanoimprint template with a semiconductor wafer. The method comprises the steps of: providing said second article with at least one flexible structure fixed relative thereto at least one point, providing a first article having at least one surface relief marking thereon, providing a detector for measuring an interaction of the flexible structure with the surface relief marking and generating detector signals relating to said interaction, identifying with the help of the detector signals the position of the flexible structure and thus of the second article with respect to the surface relief marking and generating relative movement between the first and second articles to achieve a desired alignment between the first and second articles defined by the surface relief marking. In this method and apparatus the flexible structure is brought into contact with the surface relief marking.
US07946026B2
A method of producing an ink jet printhead includes steps of forming a substrate having defined therein a nozzle chamber for receiving and storing a fluid, the chamber fed at one side by an inlet passage; forming a nozzle plate in-situ on the substrate to define a nozzle opening on an opposite side of the nozzle chamber to the inlet passage; and forming first and second heater elements suspended between the nozzle opening and the inlet passage, the heater elements having two opposite planar sides and positioned to be in direct thermal contact with the fluid stored in the nozzle chamber at both opposed planar sides. The first heater element is formed on a different layer to the second heater element. The first heater element is formed with a surface area larger than that the second heater element.
US07946015B1
Method and apparatus for separating dummy disc from multi-layer substrate for optical storage medium
A method and an apparatus which can be used for separating a dummy disc from a substrate in a process for manufacturing multi-layer optical storage discs are provided.
US07946014B2
This invention is directed to an apparatus for attaching webbing to a furniture frame. The apparatus includes a frame, a mounting assembly, and a webbing attachment assembly. The mounting assembly includes a clamping mechanism and a rack. The clamping mechanism is coupled to a lower portion of the frame while the rack is coupled to an intermediate portion of the frame. The clamping mechanism and rack are adapted to receive at least one furniture frame and hold the furniture frame in place. The webbing attachment assembly is coupled to the frame and is adapted to position the webbing relative to the at least one furniture frame to enable the webbing to be attached to the furniture frame.
US07946010B1
A tool for installing irrigation barb emitters into irrigation tubing including a cradle handle and a punch handle, the cradle handle and the punch handle being arranged in a parallel relation and connected intermediate their ends at a center point. A cradle which receives irrigation tubing is included. A punch pin allows a user to punch holes in irrigation tubing as desired with a spring loaded body which removes the punch pin when it has been driven into irrigation tubing. A barb holder allows a user to install emitter barbs into irrigation tubing as desired. A barb remover allows removal of barbs from irrigation tubing as desired.
US07946005B2
A safety hook includes a hook and a latch. The hook may be a twisted hook with a hooked portion twisted 90 degrees from a strap loop, or a flat “S” hook with the hooked portion and the strap loop in a single plane. The latch includes a full circle latch ring and a latch arm. The latch arm extends across a mouth opening of the hooked portion and is biased to prevent the hooked portion from disengaging from a wheel chair or other attachment point without forcing the latch arm away from the mouth. The latch ring resides against a loop portion of the hook and is held in place by grasps, fingers, lips, or the like which reach past center around a cross-section of the loop portion, or by molding-in-place over the loop portion, and by a strap attached around strap loop and the latch ring.
US07946003B2
A reclosable tamper-evident package is opened and closed repeatedly by opening and closing a first closure of a package, and when it is desired to close the package and provide an indication of further opening, a second closure is closed that cannot readily be opened. The tamper evident package has a closure assembly that includes a zipper closure arrangement with a slider device. In one embodiment, the slider device is movable between a first axial position and a second axial position. When the slider device is in the first axial position, moving the slider device laterally along the zipper closure arrangement in a first direction closes the first closure. When the slider device is in the second axial position, moving the slider device laterally along the zipper closure arrangement in a first direction closes both the first closure and the second closure. A method of using a package includes grasping a slider device and moving the slider device laterally in a first direction to close the first closure and to permanently close the second closure.
US07945999B2
A needle bar has a carrier bar and a casing surrounding the latter and holding a number of needles lined up with one. The carrier bar has a diameter of, in particular, 7.2 mm and the casing has a thin-walled region with a wall thickness of, in particular, 1.0 mm.
US07945994B2
A carrier and balance assembly for installation into the jamb channel of a window frame. The carrier and balance assembly are capable of being installed into the jamb channel optionally either as a single assembly or as two separate components. The two separate components are the carrier and a hanger-balance subassembly. The advantage of installing the carrier and balance assembly as two separate components is that such installation can occur after the assembly of the window frame and even after installation of the window into the wall of a building. Once the carrier and hanger-balance subassembly are separately installed in the jamb channel, they are then non-permanently locked together. Should any part of the carrier and balance assembly become damaged, replacement is performed by simply reversing the process described above without having to damage the jamb channel.
US07945988B2
A control system for a vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The control system includes a control pad for generating a number of user inputs. The control system further includes a serial controller for reading the state of the number of inputs and generating serial data in response thereto. The control system yet further includes a processor adapted to receive the serial data and generate control signals that controls a number of electric devices on the vacuum cleaner. A method of operating a vacuum cleaner is also disclosed.
US07945987B2
Wiper lever (10) with a driven wiper arm (12) and a wiper blade (14) linked to it for cleaning the windows of motor vehicles in particular, which is provided with a band-like, long-stretched-out, elastic supporting element (22) that is curved in the longitudinal direction over its band surfaces (26, 28), which features a rubber elastic wiper strip (30) that can be applied to the window on its concave curved band surface (26), on whose convex curved band surface (28) a coupling element (20) sits to connect the wiper blade to a coupling piece (18) of the wiper arm and the articulated connection is covered by a cap (100) that is held on the wiper blade. A well-designed, pleasing transition between the wiper arm and the wiper blade of the wiper lever along with good protection of the articulated connection that exists between these two components of the wiper lever are achieved without impairing the handling of the securing means in that this articulated connection has at its disposal means to secure the connection between the wiper arm (12) and the wiper blade (14) that can be actuated with at least one handle (80) and that the cap (100) accommodates the handle (80).
US07945980B2
A bridge deck (20) includes a plurality of rows (72, 74) of tubes (44) each extending between tube ends (46) with the tubes (44) disposed adjacent to each other in a side by side relationship. The bridge deck (20) includes lifting blocks (60, 70) having a square periphery with equal block sides (58) disposed therein abutting one of the tube ends (46) of at least one of the tubes (44) and laterally engaging adjacent tubes (44) on either side of the one tube (44). The rows (72, 74) include block rows (72, 74) defining two tubes (44) abutting one of the block sides (58) of one of the lifting blocks (60, 70). The block rows (72, 74) include end-block rows (74) having one of the tubes (44) abutting one of the block sides (58) of one of the lifting blocks (60, 70) at each tube end (46) thereof. The block rows (72, 74) include mid-block rows (72) having two tubes (44) abutting opposite block sides (58) of one of the lifting blocks (60, 70). The lifting blocks (60, 70) include lug lifting blocks (60) and hoist lifting blocks (70).
US07945979B1
A mattress with airflow-circulating function has a main body and a ventilator. The main body has a crisscross groove formed in the main body. The ventilator is detachably connected with the main body and has a hollow joint, four extending tubes and a curved tube. The joint has five openings. The extending tubes are respectively and securely connected to four of the openings of the joint to form a cross and are mounted in the groove. Each extending tube has multiple apertures formed in the extending tube. The curved tube is securely connected to the other one of the openings of the joint and is mounted through the main body. Accordingly, air can be pumped into the joint and is ejected out from the apertures toward the part of the human body. Therefore, the circulating airflow can massage the part of the human body, relieve the pressure and facilitate blood circulation.
US07945975B2
An improved device for assisting a caregiver in lifting and moving a patient. The device comprises a unitary garment member having a front panel section, a rear panel section and an interconnecting central or middle panel section. The device further includes a plurality of integral, reinforced support straps that enhance the structural integrity of the garment member. The rear panel section includes two flap portions extending laterally on opposing sides of the rear panel section. The two flap portions can be pulled forward and attached to the front panel section whereby the device becomes a vest-type garment that completely surrounds the patient's torso. The improved patient assistance device includes a plurality of strategically positioned hand holds, which provide enhanced leverage enabling a caregiver to more easily assist a patient wearing the device to move from one position to another.
US07945974B2
A convertible sofa-bed which is easy to convert between a sofa configuration and a bed configuration is provided. From a sofa configuration, a buttock-foot member may be pulled outward. Simultaneously, a head rest member and back rest member which are initially at a generally vertical position are traversed to a generally horizontal position. When the buttock-foot member is fully traversed outward (i.e., extended position), the head rest member, back rest member and the buttock-foot member are generally substantially co-planar and generally horizontal. This provides a firm bed surface upon which a person may comfortably sleep. From the bed configuration, head rest member and the back rest member may be buckled to allow the buttock-foot member to be pushed inward. The buttock-foot member is then pushed fully inward (i.e., retracted position) until the head rest member and the back rest member are in the generally vertical position. The person may sit on the buttock-foot member and lean backwards onto the back rest member.
US07945970B2
Tights having a localized compression effect for practicing a sport in which the legs are moved repetitively, in particular running or cycling, are constituted by stretchable textile pieces assembled to one another, namely first pieces having normal elasticity, second pieces providing a compression effect, and optionally third pieces having greater elasticity. When assembled together, all of the first and second pieces present substantially the same mean elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the tights, while the second pieces present, in the transverse direction, mean elasticity that is less than half the mean elasticity of the first pieces. Preferably, the difference in mean elasticity in the transverse direction between the first pieces and second pieces presenting the compression effect presents a ratio lying in the range 2 to 3.
US07945969B1
A garment, in the form of an apron, holds an electrical cord out of the way. The apron includes an elongated length of material having a front panel, a rear panel, and a neck portion adapted to fit about a person's neck and a plurality of releasable fasteners for securing the cord to the elongated length of material. The length of material is adapted to cover a person's torso. The releasable fasteners may be attached to the neck portion and to the elongated length of material. Each of the fasteners may include a strap adapted to hold the cord and hook and loop type fasteners.
US07945968B2
Protective clothing includes trousers having a leg portion with a distal end, a proximal end, and a knee area that corresponds to a wearer's knee when the trousers are worn by the wearer. Padding is coupled to the trousers and extends adjacent the knee area. A first and second array of fasteners is coupled to the leg portion, the first and second array having an upper end relatively adjacent to the leg portion proximal end and a lower end relatively distant to the leg portion proximal end. The clothing includes an adjustable protective member having a first side and a second side. A first strap extends from the first side of the adjustable protective member and is removably coupled to the first array of fasteners. A second strap extends from the second side of the adjustable protective member and is removably coupled to the second array of fasteners.
US07950061B2
Copy-Protected Audio, Video and or Data Optical Disk and the Protection Process for such Disk includes a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program which when once installed onto a computer system blocks any attempt to copy any designated Audio, Video or any Data on such Copy-Protected Optical Disk and or the Hard Drive. Additionally this system further includes a means of an optional Password Key which could be a Key Floppy or any suitable media. Optionally the password could be obtained by logging-on to an Internet based authentication terminal that unlocks the system and allows access to the stored contents on the disk for the first time user of the Copy-Protected Optical Disk thus increasing the pay per use revenues for Audio, Video and or Software Sales, Registration and or Rentals.
US07950059B2
A method for detecting malicious code in a stream of data traffic input (400) to a gateway in a data network by monitoring for suspicious data in the stream of data traffic (407). Upon detecting the suspicious data, an attempt is made to disassemble the suspicious data (403) and a treat weight is assigned for each instruction. The attempt to disassemble is initiated at initial instructions each with a different offset within the suspicious portion of data. The threat weights are accumulated respectively for each branch option in the disassembled code (403), producing respectively an accumulated threat weight for each branch option. When the accumulated threat weight exceeds a previously defined threshold level, an alert is generated and/or traffic is blocked from the source of the malicious code.
US07950055B2
Providing services within a network of service providers sharing an authentication service and a set of business rules. A central server receives a first request from a first server to provide a first service to a user via a client without forcing the user to present credentials. In response to the received first request, the central server stores data identifying the first service on the client. The central server further receives a second request from a second server to provide a second service to the user via the client after the user presents the credentials to the second service. After receiving the second request and the presented credentials, the central server allows the user access to the second service. In response to allowing the user access to the second service, the central server further allows the user access to the first service as a result of the stored data.
US07950042B2
A system and method of reducing a channel switching delay in TDM mobile television systems comprises transmitting a sequence of data bursts associated with channels for reception on a RF channel bandwidth received on a mobile television receiver; switching between an active state of transmission and a non-active state of transmission during reception of channels on the RF channel bandwidth, wherein the active state of transmission comprises transmission of data bursts associated with user-preferred channels and the non-active state of transmission comprises transmission of data bursts associated with user non-preferred channels; anticipating a particular user-preferred channel that a user will likely switch to during reception of channels on the RF channel bandwidth; decoding the sequence of data bursts during the active state of transmission; buffering one decoded data burst for each of the user-preferred channels; and replacing a previously buffered data burst with a newly buffered data burst.
US07950038B2
Multiple systems for delivering satellite signals are described. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a receive antenna, including at least one low noise block amplifier (LNB); and a module, coupled to and proximate the receive antenna, the module comprising a multiswitch, coupled to the LNB, for directing the satellite signal received by the LNB to an output of the multiswitch, at least one tuner, coupled to the output of the multiswitch, for tuning to a specific portion of the satellite signal, the specific portion of the satellite signal selected based on commands received from a new Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD), at least one demodulator, coupled to the at least one tuner, for demodulating the specific portion of the signal into a plurality of demodulated signals, and an interface for delivering a specific demodulated signal to the new IRD, wherein the specific demodulated signal is selected based on the commands received from the new IRD, and the specific demodulated signal is mapped to a new address based on a private channel number associated with the new IRD.
US07950036B2
An apparatus, method and data structure for generating at least one table in a broadcast environment, are provided. The apparatus includes a generator to generate an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT). The ETT has program guide information for an n-hour span and has a transmission interval. The ETT has a transmission interval and program description information according to the EIT. The transmission interval of the EIT is shorter than the transmission interval of the ETT.
US07950031B2
An interactive technique for generating a supplementary, program-related output. A programming signal and a supplementary, program-related data signal are combined into a broadcast signal which is then broadcast from a program signal source. The broadcast signal is received, and the programming signal of the received broadcast signal is performed with reproduction equipment for an audience. The supplementary, program-related data signal of the received broadcast signal is stored, and retrieval of the stored supplementary, program-related data signal is enabled interactively with the programming signal being performed. In response to a control signal being actuated by a member of the audience tuned to the programming signal being performed, the stored supplementary, program-related data signal is retrieved and used to generate the supplementary, program-related output. The supplementary, program-related data signal can be used, for example, to print a reward, such as a discount coupon for purchasing a product advertised as part of the programming signal.
US07950025B1
Described are techniques for facilitating communication between code modules. A first code module is provided that makes at least one call using an application programming interface. The application programming interface facilitates communication between the first code module and a target code module and provides support for performing the at least one call from a first execution mode associated with the first code module and a second execution mode associated with the target code module. The application programming interface provides support for user space to user space communication, user space to kernel space communication, kernel space to kernel space communication, and kernel to user space communication. The first execution mode of the first code module and said second execution mode of the target code module are determined. A communication path is established between the code modules in accordance with the first and second execution modes.
US07950022B1
Described are techniques for facilitating communication between device drivers. A device driver is provided that makes at least one call using an application programming interface. The application programming interface facilitates communication between the device driver module and a target code module. The application programming interface provides support for performing the at least one call from a first execution mode associated with the device driver module and a second execution mode associated with the target code module. The application programming interface provides support for user space to user space communication, user space to kernel space communication, kernel space to kernel space communication, and kernel to user space communication. The first execution mode of the device driver module and said second execution mode of the target code module are determined. A communication path between the modules is established in accordance with said first execution mode and said second execution mode.
US07950008B2
A software application can be installed under one operating system, and accessed for execution by a second operating system compatible with the first operating system by identifying and making appropriate changes to system parameters in the second operating system. The two operating systems may be installed on the same of different machines. A record can be made of changes in system parameters that are made upon installation of the software application in the first operating system as a basis for making appropriate changes in the system parameters of the second operating system to allow the software application to be accessed for execution from the second operating system.
US07949999B1
Techniques are described for providing enhanced access to software services or other software programs that provide interfaces for use by clients. The enhanced access may, for example, be provided for a software service having multiple distinct versions with distinct corresponding interfaces, such as if some clients continue to initiate access to older versions of the software service using corresponding older interfaces, while other clients initiate access to a current software service version using a corresponding current interface version. The enhanced access techniques may further include automatically adapting requests that correspond to older interface versions of a software service so that the adapted requests correspond to the current interface version for the software service, and responses may similarly be adapted from a format for a current version of a software service to a format for a prior interface version used by the request that resulted in the response.
US07949977B2
The method comprises a number of simultaneously switching signals calculation step in which the number of simultaneously switching signals is calculated for each set of user setting information for the input and output signal on the basis of pin arrangement information and the user setting information of the pins in a neighboring area of a pin to be executed in the estimation process; and a simultaneous switching noise calculation step in which a difference is calculated between noise corresponding to an initial point and that to a terminal point in a range of the number of simultaneously switching signals calculated for each set of user setting information on the basis of a relationship between the number of simultaneously switching signals and the noise caused by the number of simultaneously switching signals for each set of user setting information.
US07949976B2
An improved, systematic approach is provided for automatically determining which cells in a circuit should be replaced to satisfy timing adjustment requirements (TAR's), and automatically replacing the cells with replacement cells to meet the TAR's. With the improved approach, there is a high likelihood that an optimal replacement scheme will be found which requires the fewest number of cells to be replaced while still satisfying all of the TAR's.
US07949971B2
The invention includes a design structure embodied in a computer readable medium for performing a method for inserting a scan chain into a VLSI circuit design. The scan chain structure, or structures, are included in the design structure for the VLSI circuit design. The scan chain structure includes a first flip-flop (L1) and a second flip-flop (L2) configured to operate the first flip-flop (L1) in normal mode operation, in scan mode operation, in initialization mode and in low leakage power mode operation. A buffer circuit is electrically connected between the scan-out output of the second flip-flop (L2) and the scan-in input of the first flip-flop (L1) for the next latch in the scan chain. Buffer circuit control elements control the first flip-flop (L1) to switch between scan mode or low power leakage mode. The switching occurs in only one clock cycle. The design structure can include a netlist, which describes the VLSI circuit, reside on storage medium as a data format used for the exchange of layout data of integrated circuits, and preferably includes at least one of test data files, characterization data, verification data, or design specifications.
US07949967B2
A design pattern correcting method of correcting a design pattern in relation to a minute step of the design pattern, is disclosed, which comprises extracting at least one of two edges extended from a vertex of the design pattern, measuring a length of the extracted edge, determining whether or not the length of the measured edge is shorter than a predetermined value, extracting two vertexes connected to the extracted edge if it is determined that the length of the extracted edge is shorter than the predetermined value, and reshaping the design pattern to match positions of the two extracted vertexes with each other.
US07949963B1
A method and system for a user to consistently edit information on web pages at real-time. It starts with a authorize login for the said web pages. And then, the process of editing the select data can be done in 3 steps: First a user selects an option from an initial command menu, a tabular form is generated for said selected option; Second, said user inputs data in said tabular form, said user will then selects said option from a command menu on said tabular form; Third, wherein said user selects cancel from said command menu on said tabular form, said user will return back to the initial said command menu, or wherein said user selects submit option from said command menu on said tabular form, said server will store that data in to said data storage, said server will save the data as current data in the web control, said server will generate a new html document and post back onto said system with input data as view data, said system will render the new html document to said web page. Wherein said user elects to make additional changes to said web page, said process would be repeated by starting again at said initial command menu.
US07949954B1
A system and method are described for changing window's functionality upon detecting resizing events. According to one example method, a plurality of size thresholds is defined that are associated with a plurality of functional states for a window. Upon detecting that a size of a window reaches a first size threshold, a first functional state is applied to a window. Then, upon detecting another size threshold as the window is being increased or decreased in size, another functional state associated with the detected threshold is applied to the window.
US07949938B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for comparing and merging multiple merge documents, wherein each merge document includes content element locations having user content or empty. A determination is made in the determined merge documents of content element locations in at least two of the merge documents having a same content and content element locations in at least two of the determined merge documents having different content. An aggregate document is generated including content element locations corresponding to the content element locations in the determined merge documents. A content graphical indicator is rendered with content element locations in the aggregate document for which at least two of the determined merge documents provide different content, and information is rendered in response to user selection for the content in the plurality of the merge documents provided for the selected content element location.
US07949928B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a mode setting circuit, a parity data generation unit, and a data error detection and correction unit. The memory cell array has a plurality of first memory banks for storing normal data, and a predetermined number of second memory banks less than the number of the first memory banks for storing parity data according to control of a first flag signal. The mode setting circuit sets the first flag signal and a second flag signal controlling based on whether a separate memory bank is used to store the parity data in the second memory banks. The parity data generation unit receives normal write data during a write operation, generates parity data with respect to the normal write data in response to the second flag signal, and outputs the normal data and the parity data. The data error detection and correction unit receives normal read data and parity read data read from the memory cell array during a read operation, detects errors of the normal read data in response to the second flag signal, corrects the normal read data when the errors are detected, and outputs the corrected read data.
US07949921B2
Methods and apparatuses for synthesizing and/or implementing an augmented multimode compactor are described. An integrated circuit has circuitry that compacts test response data from scan chains in the integrated circuit under test. In many cases groups of the scan chains are coupled to output registers, such that a same group of scan chains is coupled to sequential elements of different output registers; and the same group is a subset of the scan chains including two or more scan chains. Various computer-implemented methods divide scan chains among at least groups and partitions. The groups disallow sharing a common scan chain from the scan chains, within a particular partition. At least one common scan chain is shared between the groups of different partitions.
US07949906B2
An object of the present invention is to enable a user to grasp the operation of the autonomous system for executing a countermeasure corresponding to a state of a system to be managed and to enable the user to check if a problem has been solved after the countermeasure taken against the problem of the system to be managed is performed by the user or by the autonomous system when the countermeasure performed by the autonomous system has failed or when the user wants to confirm the solution by the countermeasure performed by the autonomous system. An autonomous collaborative work operation control section 6 indistinctively records the content of a countermeasure corresponding to a manual operation and the content of a countermeasure taken not by the manual operation but by an autonomous operation in an autonomous collaborative work log storage section 5. The autonomous collaborative work operation control section 6 and autonomous collaborative work screen drawing section 7 display the fault of a system to be managed the solution of which has not been confirmed to allow the user to select an unresolved fault. Further, the autonomous collaborative work operation control section 6 and autonomous collaborative work screen drawing section 7 displays a screen for determining the countermeasure content for solving the fault. The autonomous collaborative work operation control section 6 executes the countermeasure according to the operation performed by the user and adds a log.
US07949905B2
A system (such as a process control system or communication system) includes one or more sources of configuration data (such as one or more BootP or DHCP servers). A testing mechanism transmits one or more requests for configuration data over a network. One or more sources of configuration data may respond to the requests, such as by providing configuration data (like IP addresses or NTP parameters) to the testing mechanism. The testing mechanism uses the response(s) to identify problems with the sources of configuration data. For example, if responses are received from multiple sources of configuration data, the testing mechanism could generate a notification indicating that a problem exists when the responses contain inconsistent configuration data. Also, if no responses are received, the testing mechanism could generate a notification indicating that a problem exists since no configuration data has been received. Any other or additional problems could also be detected.
US07949877B2
An integrity hash is obtained of rights information stored at a client device. The rights information is associated with content stored at the client device. The integrity hash is encrypted using a client device key to generate an encrypted hash. The client device key is externally inaccessible from the client device. The encrypted hash is stored on the client device.
US07949874B2
A method for providing a secure firmware operating environment includes detecting the presence of a new component, for example, a peripheral device. Next, a determination is made as to whether the peripheral device includes an option read-only memory. Next, a determination is made as to whether the option read-only memory is authorized to be executed on the corresponding device. If the option read-only memory is authorized, the code contained within the option read-only memory is executed. By only allowing execution of peripheral devices or components including authorized option read-only memories, security related breaches are substantially reduced or eliminated; thereby, enhancing device integrity.
US07949873B2
Secure instant messaging is described. In an embodiment, a messaging device encrypts a challenge identifier to generate an encrypted challenge message, and communicates the encrypted challenge message via a peer-to-peer communication link to a recipient messaging device. The recipient messaging device decrypts the encrypted challenge message and encrypts the challenge identifier as a return challenge identifier to generate an encrypted challenge return. The messaging device receives the encrypted challenge return from the recipient messaging device, decrypts the encrypted challenge return, and verifies that the return challenge identifier matches the challenge identifier to establish that communications are secure when communicated via the peer-to-peer communication link and, optionally, to establish control policies pertaining to a communication received at the recipient messaging device.
US07949867B2
There are disclosed processes and systems for establishing secure, communication channels between computing devices. The computing devices include respective agents which verify the relative identity of one another and thereby authenticate the communication channel. The agents continue to play a role in the communications to ensure that the communication channel is secure.
US07949856B2
According to embodiments of the invention, there is disclosed a computer processor architecture; and in particular a computer processor, a method of operating the same, and a computer program product that makes use of an instruction set for the computer. In one embodiment according to the invention, there is provided a computer processor comprising: a decode unit for decoding a stream of instruction packets from a memory, each instruction packet comprising a plurality of instructions; a first processing channel comprising a plurality of functional units and operable to perform control processing operations; a second processing channel comprising a plurality of functional units and operable to perform data processing operations; wherein the decode unit is operable to receive an instruction packet and to detect if the instruction packet defines (i) a plurality of control instructions or (ii) a plurality of instructions one or more of which is a data processing instruction, and wherein when the decode unit detects that the instruction packet comprises a plurality of control instructions said control instructions are supplied to the first processing channel for execution in program order.
US07949853B2
A processor for processing matrix data. The processor includes M independent vector register files which are adapted to collectively store a matrix of L data elements. Each data element has B binary bits. The matrix has N rows and M columns, and L=N*M. Each column has K subcolumns. N≧2, M≧2, K≧2, and B≧1. Each row and each subcolumn is addressable. The processor does not duplicatively store the L data elements. The matrix includes a set of arrays such that each array is a row or subcolumn of the matrix. The processor may execute an instruction that performs an operation on a first array of the set of arrays, such that the operation is performed with selectivity with respect to the data elements of the first array.
US07949852B2
The correspondence between logical addresses and physical addresses is determined so that the logical addresses in ascending order may be assigned to the physical addresses in ascending order with the physical addresses of defective blocks in a memory skipped. Then, the physical addresses of the defective blocks in ascending order are sequentially stored into the second blocks in ascending order of the physical addresses of the second blocks, respectively. To obtain a physical address from a logical address, a target block is retrieved out of a plurality of second blocks on the basis of the logical address, and the physical address of the target block is added to the logical address to obtain the physical address. Thus, it is possible to reduce the required capacity of a reserve storage region used for conversion of logical addresses into physical addresses without deteriorating the access speed.
US07949840B2
The invention relates to a method for saving computer data which consist in transferring the data to be saved from a client computer to a buffer storage formed by the hard disc of a backup server, organized in a plurality of volumes of predetermined size, and in then transferring the data from said buffer storage onto a final medium (for example magnetic cartridge). The invention is characterized in that it consists in recording on said permanent medium, after transferring the volumes from the buffer storage onto the final medium, a single sequence of data specific to each of said volumes (basic data), the method further comprising a step which consists in constituting a database wherein are recorded the basic data.
US07949839B2
A method, and corresponding software and system, is described for paging memory used for one or more sequentially-accessed data structure. The method includes providing a data structure representing an order in which memory pages are to be reused; and maintaining the data structure according to a history of access to a memory page associated with one of the sequentially-accessed data structures. A position of the memory page in the order depends on a transition of sequential access off of the memory page.
US07949837B2
A multiple computer system is disclosed in which n computers (M1, M2 . . . Mn) each run a different portion of a single application program written to execute only on a single computer. The local memory of each computer is maintained substantially the same by updating all computers with every change made to addressed memory locations. Contention can arise when the same memory location is substantially simultaneously updated by two or more machines because of transmission delays and latency of the communications network interconnecting all the computers. In particular a method of detecting and resolving contention is disclosed which utilizes a count value indicative of the number of the sequence of occasions on which each memory location has been updated. Contention is indicated if the currently stored count value and the incoming updating count value are the same. The contention can be resolved by providing a further rule. One such further rule is that in the presence of contention the updating message from the higher numbered computer is to be accepted and the updating message from the lower numbered computer is to be rejected. Other further rules are also disclosed.
US07949836B2
A memory controller performs a mirror copy function in a way that allows processor accesses to memory to continue during the mirror copy operations that make up the mirror copy function. Data integrity of mirror copy operations is assured by protocols set up in the memory controller. The result is a memory controller that performs a mirror copy function in a way that allows normal processor accesses to memory to be interleaved with mirror copy operations, thereby minimizing the impact on system performance of executing the mirror copy function.
US07949834B2
According to the methods and apparatus taught herein, processor caching policies are determined using cache policy information associated with a target memory device accessed during a memory operation. According to one embodiment of a processor, the processor comprises at least one cache and a memory management unit. The at least one cache is configured to store information local to the processor. The memory management unit is configured to set one or more cache policies for the at least one cache. The memory management unit sets the one or more cache policies based on cache policy information associated with one or more target memory devices configured to store information used by the processor.
US07949831B2
Maintaining cache coherence using load-mark metadata to deny invalidation of load-marked cache lines
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that maintains load-marks on cache lines. The system includes: (1) a cache which accommodates a set of cache lines, wherein each cache line includes metadata for load-marking the cache line, and (2) a local cache controller for the cache. Upon determining that a remote cache controller has made a request for a cache line that would cause the local cache controller to invalidate a copy of the cache line in the cache, the local cache controller determines if there is a load-mark in the metadata for the copy of the cache line. If not, the local cache controller invalidates the copy of the cache line. Otherwise, the local cache controller signals a denial of the invalidation of the cache line and retains the copy of the cache line and the load-mark in the metadata for the copy of the cache line.
US07949826B2
A computer system includes a disk space comprising at least one type of memory and an operating system for controlling allocations and access to the disk space. A runtime machine runs applications through at least one of the operating system or directly on at least one processor of the computer system. In addition, the runtime machine manages a selected runtime disk space allocated to the runtime machine by the operating system and manages a separate method cache within the selected virtual disk space. The virtual machine controls caching within the method cache of a separate result of at least one method of the application marked as cache capable. For a next instance of the method detected by the runtime machine, the runtime machine accesses the cached separate result of the method in lieu of executing the method again.
US07949822B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory device is disclosed to include memory organized into blocks, each block having a status associated therewith and all of the blocks of the nonvolatile memory having collectively a capacity status associated therewith and a display for showing the capacity status even when no power is being applied to the display.
US07949818B2
A memory system includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory and a controller. The controller controls the nonvolatile semiconductor memory. The controller selects whether to use the nonvolatile semiconductor memory in a first read mode or in a second read mode having shorter access intervals than the first read mode.
US07949810B2
A method, system, and connector interface for controlling an accessory. The method includes obtaining, by a portable media player, tuning information from the accessory; and controlling, by the portable media player, the accessory based on the tuning information. According to the system and method disclosed herein, the portable media player and accessory may utilize a plurality of commands utilized in a variety of environments such as within a connector interface system environment to control access to the portable media player.
US07949805B2
A method relating to wireless human interface device (HID) coordination is disclosed. A first human interface device (HID) is wirelessly coupled to two or more computing devices, wherein the first HID is configured to toggle between interactions with each of the two or more computing devices. An inquiry or paging message is broadcast to one or more HIDs, including a second HID wirelessly coupled to the two or more computing devices, wherein the second HID is configured to receive and provide a response to the inquiry or paging message. The second HID is located based on the response to the inquiry or paging message. A wireless link is established between the first HID and the second HID based on the identifying, wherein the first HID is configured to coordinate, via the wireless link, interactions with the two or more computing devices by both the first HID and the second HID based on the toggle.
US07949800B2
A device and a method for exchanging information with registers of a physical layer component. The method includes allocating at least one receive buffer for receiving the status information; associating at least one receive buffer descriptor with the at least one receive buffer; sending to a physical layer component a request to read status information stored in a selected status register of the physical layer component; and writing the status information to the at least one receive buffer descriptor.
US07949787B2
Systems and methods for open content model Web service messaging in a networked computing environment are described. In one aspect, a transport neutral message is generated that includes message recipient, endpoint addressing information, and one or more reference properties. The reference properties include selectively opaque message context. The transport neutral message is bound to a transport protocol for communication to the message recipient. At least a portion of the selectively opaque message context is not directed to the message recipient.
US07949782B2
The invention provides a method for utilizing the Inter Packet Gaps (IPGs) to create an Extended Link Monitoring Channel in a physical layer transceiver for a 10 Gb/s Ethernet link for communicating link related information, thus providing an extensive link maintenance capability. A corresponding transceiver between an Ethernet media access control (MAC) layer device and a 10 Gb/s Ethernet link, comprising a physical coding sublayer (PCS) extension circuit for implementing the Extended Link Monitoring Channel is also provided.
US07949778B2
A method and system for data delivery from a server to a client is provided. The server maintains a session counter and transmits data to a client at a transmission speed. The server receives a message from the client indicating a percentage of packets lost in a current session and compares the percentage of packets lost to a predefined range of packet loss, and modifies the transmission speed based on the comparison. Forward Error Correction (FEC) may be used to reconstruct the lost packets.
US07949776B2
A method for storing data, comprising the steps of (A) receiving a stream of data, (B) storing the stream of data in a series of data clusters each comprising (i) a predecessor link, (ii) a data portion, and (iii) a successor link, where the predecessor links and successor links are configured to minimize seek time between the clusters during contiguous stream operations.
US07949775B2
The present disclosure relates to playback of video/audio streaming media data to provide a glitch-free experience. The system adapts the media stream to the user connection in order to provide the glitch-free experience. Stream selection can be made using a heuristics module located on the playback device that analyzes various aspects of the playback to make intelligent decisions about which media stream to download from a network.
US07949774B2
One or more validation keys are embedded in a data stream at a server. A client requests the data stream from the server. The server sends the data stream to the client. The client receives the data stream, and samples the data stream to detect one or more validation keys.
US07949768B2
The present invention relates to a system and method for connecting wireless internet using number-base domain, the method according to the present invention may comprise the steps of (a) receiving an internet connection request signal from the mobile telephone; (b) determining if the received internet connection request signal is a number domain connection request signal and determining if the number domain exists in pre-stored number structure; (c) converting the number domain into a letter domain if the number domain exists in the pre-stored number structure; (d) transmitting web site information corresponding to the converted number domain to the mobile terminal. According to present invention, the domain input process can be simpler as the user has only to input number domain corresponding to homepage to be connected and press execution button.
US07949767B2
One embodiment of the present invention is a method for registering multiple addresses of record. The method comprises receiving a session initiation protocol register request. The session initiation protocol register request comprises a plurality of addresses of record and a contact address for a session initiation protocol endpoint. The method further comprises associating each of the plurality of addresses of record with the contact address for the session initiation protocol endpoint.
US07949751B1
The invention relates to a method for requesting access to services across a computer network, preferably although not exclusively to a network in which access is controlled by a AAA server. Instead of defining on the AAA server all possible network devices that may require or provide access, along with the respective services they may need, in the present invention the network devices submit access request messages which include information both identifying the device and also specifying explicitly which services are needed. On receipt of such requests, the AAA server uses its internal policies to confirm or deny access, to select appropriate services from those requested, and to instruct the provisioning of those services. The invention provides additional granularity in authentication/authorization, and also significantly reduces the amount of work required to set up and maintain the AAA server.
US07949747B1
A method of communication within a network of a water treatment system is disclosed. The water treatment system includes a plurality of devices. The devices including at least one AC powered device. The method comprising the steps of continually checking, by a first AC powered device, the network for broadcasts by other devices, detecting, by the first AC powered device, a broadcast by another device, establishing, by the first AC powered device, a logical connection with the other device, receiving, by the first AC powered device, any request by the other device for data, the request including the identification of a data element, and the address of the device which relates to the data element, and receiving, by the first AC powered device, any data offered by the other device, the data including the identification of a data element, the data element value, and the identification of the device which originated the data element value.
US07949745B2
An activity model is generated at a computer. The activity model may be generated by monitoring incoming and outgoing data in the computer. The collected data is analyzed to form a graph that describes and predicts what output is generated in response to received input. Later, a window of input and output data is collected from the computer. This collected window of data is used to query the activity model. The graph in the activity model is then used to give the probability that the collected window of data was collected from the computer used to generate the activity model. A high probability indicates that the computer is performing normally, while a low probability indicates that the computer may behaving erratically and there may be a problem with the computer.
US07949741B2
User interface (“UI”) redirection for a local device, such as a printer that is operatively coupled to a client, is provided by an arrangement in which a dummy driver is installed on the terminal server. When an application on the terminal server makes a call to show a UI, the dummy driver redirects the call to a process operating on the client that exposes the specific UI associated with the local device. User input to the UI indicative of preferences and/or other user-selected parameters is recorded and passed to the terminal server through the dummy driver and reported to the calling application. In an illustrative example, the terminal server and client communicate over a virtual channel using a remote desktop protocol in order to redirect print jobs to a local printer that is coupled to the client either directly or over a network such as a local area network.
US07949736B2
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for configuring a remote data processing system. A configuration is identified for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration. The hardware for the remote data processing system is configured. An installation application is sent to the remote data processing system across a communications link after the hardware in the remote data processing system has been configured, wherein the installation application executes on the remote data processing system to configure the remote data processing system. Installation files are sent across the communications link to the installation application executing on the remote data processing system. The installation program uses the installation files to configure install a set of operating systems, install applications, and configure software on the remote data processing system.
US07949735B2
The invention proposes a transaction process for the provisioning of rules in a network which includes at least one rule server and one rule server client. The process includes a first stage of transmission from the server to the client of a request for acceptance of the provisioning of a set of rules. The process also includes a second stage of reservation by the client of the resources necessary for the reception and the putting into application of the rules if the request is accepted by the client. The process includes a third stage of response to the request, from the client to the server, and a fourth stage for provisioning the set of rules to the client if the response to the request is favorable. When the network has several clients, each of the clients responds to the request from the server, and the provisioning stage is executed only if each response is favorable.
US07949734B1
A method is disclosed for re-generating a configuration command of a network device. A method includes receiving a request to re-generate a configuration command previously issued to a network device, wherein the configuration command has one or more parameters; retrieving a template and a pattern associated with the configuration command, wherein the template represents a syntax for the configuration command, wherein the pattern represents a storage location for the configuration command; based on the pattern, retrieving from an object database all objects containing values for all the particular parameters from the storage location specified by the pattern; and creating a re-generated configuration command by substituting the values of the retrieved objects into the template.
US07949727B2
A system with a number of consumer electronics units interconnected by a digital data network, each of the units comprising a computer for controlling the functioning of the unit itself and the functioning in interplay with the other units in the network. The computer is provided with at least one general table with interrelated table entrances, wherein each available functional state of the unit and each available interplay with other units is given by an entrance in this at least one table.
US07949724B1
Generally, the present invention provides for monitoring user Internet activity based on DNS information. The invention includes accessing a plurality of query logs from a plurality of DNS servers and retrieving a plurality of DNS requests from the query logs. The DNS requests are requests from a various computing devices that have requested web content from web servers indicated by IP addresses. The invention further includes processing the DNS requests to determine Internet-based activity information by the plurality of computing devices that requested the web content and determining attention data based on the activity information. The attention data indicates web search trends based on the corresponding IP addresses accessed by the requesting computing devices.
US07949719B2
A method for multi-media message transfer transmits a message to multiple recipients. The method includes receiving a message addressed to multiple recipients. The method also includes determining an indication of a state of each recipient. The method also includes transmitting an acknowledgement. The acknowledgment includes at least one message identifying at least one recipient and the associated state of the at least one recipient.
US07949716B2
Methods and systems for operation upon one or more data processors for assigning a reputation to a messaging entity by analyzing the attributes of the entity, correlating the attributes with known attributes to define relationships between entities sharing attributes, and attributing a portion of the reputation of one related entity to the reputation of the other related entity.
US07949714B1
A request for information items may include content information associated with one or more electronic messages and geographical information associated with the requesting user. A set of information items is identified based on the user geographical information and the message content of the one or more electronic messages. In some embodiments, at least one of the information items is identified based on both on the user geographical information and the message content. In some embodiments, if the user geographical information is different from the user's default geographical information, at least one of the information items is identified based on the user geographical information, but not the message content. A subset of the identified information items may be selected in accordance with a scoring or ranking function. The selected information items are transferred to the requesting client and displayed concurrently with (e.g., next to) the electronic messages.
US07949711B2
A system for integrating disjoined but related network components is presented. The system includes a network including a plurality of integrated collaborators where at least one of the integrated collaborators is designated as a head, at least one of integrated collaborators is designated as a parent and at least one of integrated collaborators is designated as a child. The head, parent and child are connected by a plurality of links. The integrated collaborators are grouped into clusters where one or more clusters form a cluster cloud. The integrated collaborators are configured to receive a data set, from a connected member, in a pre-determined format and deliver the data set in an acceptable format to a receiving member over the network. If necessary, at least one integrated collaborator converts the pre-determined format to the acceptable format such that the network components communicate with each other and conduct collaborative activities.
US07949708B2
A data connection can be established between a handheld device (e.g., a mobile phone or smartphone) and a computerized second device. For example, an action associated with a keyboard scancode can be mapped to a key on the keypad of the handheld device. A key press on a keypad of the handheld device can be translated into key press data. The key press data can be sent to the second device over the data connection, causing the action to be executed on the second device.
US07949705B1
A method for viewing a desktop on a first client involves initiating a first desktop session and a second desktop session, populating a first virtual frame buffer (VFB) using the first desktop session, populating a second VFB using the second desktop session, storing an extended virtual frame buffer (EVFB) using the first VFB and the second VFB, and selecting a first portion of the EVFB to view on the desktop using a first VFB scout.
US07949694B2
A method and system for contract processing. Sent by a procurement contract management system (PCMS) to decentralized execution systems is a list of I identifiers identifying a contract dataset in the PCMS earmarked for archiving. The PCMS receives from each DES a return list of M of the I identifiers approved by each DES for archiving. A generated intersection list includes a logical intersection of the return lists received from the decentralized execution systems. If the intersection list is not empty, the PCMS archives each contract dataset identified in the list of I identifiers and appearing in the intersection list and communicates to each DES that the archiving was performed by the PCMS for the contract datasets appearing in the intersection list. If the intersection list is empty, the PCMS communicates to each DES that the archiving will not be performed.
US07949692B2
In one embodiment, a user or client device communicates with a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. In some embodiments, systems and methods intelligently choose whether to use copy-on-write or point-in-time copy when saving data in a snapshot version of a file whose current version is being overwritten. In some embodiments, systems and methods allow snapshot users to return from a snapshot directory to the immediate parent directory from which the user entered into the snapshot.
US07949690B2
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to define a project in a computer graphics program. A project file is defined with general information regarding the project. A folder structure for the project is defined where one or more project drawing files are organized into various folders by drawing file type. A companion file for each project drawing file is defined with information to link each project drawing file to the project.
US07949689B2
A system and method for indexing media files includes capturing a subject in a media file with a media capture device. The media capture device also receives index information from a media indexing beacon, wherein the index information is related to the subject in the media file. The system and method associates the index information with the media file. The media file may then be provided to a media storage device containing other media files having index information associated therewith, whereupon the media files are searchable based on the index information and pertinent media files may be retrieved.
US07949688B2
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing the evolution of a data model through the application of change statements. Each change statement comprises a change operator operable to perform change operations on the elements of a target data model. The change statements are appended to a data model change stack. Execution of the change statements stored in the data model change stack results in change operations being performed on the target data model. Each change statement is associated with a version ID and a timestamp which identify the scope of the data model version and time instance of the change.
US07949682B2
A set of flat identifiers are received, and a locality of reference cue determined. A cache is searched to locate an association including the combination of the set of flat identifiers and the locality of reference cue. If such an association is found in the cache, the hierarchical object(s) associated with that combination are used first in attempting to map the set of flat identifiers onto a hierarchical namespace.
US07949681B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for aggregating content of disparate data types from disparate data sources for single point access by a user. Embodiments include establishing a user account for the user; retrieving content of disparate data types from identified disparate data sources associated with the user account; storing the retrieved content; and associating the stored content with the user account.
US07949679B2
A method of operating a storage of a finite state machine includes organizing information concerning an operation of the machine in a payload-transition matrix, in which a given number of columns of the matrix reflect features of a state of the machine and other columns describe valid transitions between the states of the machine depending on input characters, and compressing the payload-transition matrix in a row-displaced format.
US07949675B2
A method of retrieving data from any one of a plurality of data sources is disclosed. The data stored by each data source are arranged according to an associated data format. The method comprises: issuing a retrieval request for data stored on a designated one of the plurality of data sources to a control process; passing the retrieval request from the control process to the one a plurality of retrieval processes that is associated with the designated data source, said one of the retrieval processes retrieving the requested data from the designated data source and rearranging the retrieved data into a common output format, if it is not already in the common output format; and passing the data in the common output format to the control process.
US07949667B2
An information processing apparatus which may include acquisition means for acquiring meta-data of a content; morphological analyzing means for performing morphological analysis on text information included in the meta-data of the content; comparison means for comparing a morphological analysis result of the morphological analyzing means and a plurality of list patterns of predetermined performer names; and when there is a list pattern of predetermined performer names having matched at least one part or more out of the morphological analysis result on the basis of the comparison result of the comparison means, first extraction means for extracting a performer name with the list pattern of the matched predetermined performer name.
US07949666B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for synchronizing distributed work. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving first and second metadata entries, adding the first and second metadata entries to a set corresponding to a digital object, and providing access to first and second unique identifiers used for referencing the first and second metadata entries respectively, where the first and second unique identifiers are based on contents of the first and second metadata entries respectively.
US07949662B2
In a data processing system, a method includes deleting a particular copy of a data item when at least one other copy of the data item is available. The presence of another copy of the data item is determined, at least in part, based on an identifier for the data item, the identifier having been computed using all of the data in the data item and only the data in the data item, wherein two identical data items in the data processing system will have identical identifiers. The particular copy of the data item may be deleted if another copy of the data is determined to be present on another processor in the system or on the same processor. The identifier of the data item is computed using a function such as a message digest or hash function which may be: MD4, MD5, or SHA.
US07949659B2
A recommendations system is provided in various embodiments for selecting items to recommend to a user. The system includes a recommendation engine with a plurality of recommenders, and each recommender identifies a different type of reason for recommending items. In one embodiment, each recommender retrieves item preference data and generates candidate recommendations responsive to a subset of that data. The recommenders also score the candidate recommendations. In certain embodiments, a normalization engine normalizes the scores of the candidate recommendations provided by each recommender. A candidate selector selects at least a portion of the candidate recommendations based on the normalized scores to provide as recommendations to the user. The candidate selector also outputs the recommendations with associated reasons for recommending the items.
US07949656B2
A method of augmentation in a data processing apparatus is provided. The data processing apparatus has access to an information repository (either local or remote, or both), has an operating system for executing an application (e.g. a word processing application) and a temporary data storage area (e.g. a clipboard). A specification (e.g. key word or phrase) is entered into the application and is copied from the application into the temporary data storage area. An information augmentation means polls the area in order to detect change (e.g. addition of a specification) and on doing so, retrieves the specification. The specification is used to search the repository for relating information and the search results are passed back to the area. The results are now pasted from the area to the application.
US07949643B2
Generally, a method and apparatus provides for rating user generated content (UGC) with respect to search engine results. The method and apparatus includes recognizing a UGC data field collected from a web document located at a web location. The method and apparatus calculates: a document goodness factor for the web document; an author rank for an author of the UGC data field; and a location rank for web location. The method and apparatus thereby generates a rating factor for the UGC field based on the document goodness factor, the author rank and the location rank. The method and apparatus also outputs a search result that includes the UGC data field positioned in the search results based on the rating factor.
US07949642B2
A system and method for managing and presenting entity information is described. In an illustrative implementation, information such as product availability and operating hours is stored in a server (130). A query may be sent from a client (202) having a time (1402), date (1410), or both inquiring, for example, which entities are open at a certain or range of times, in the past, present or future. The server (130) compares the queried time with stored information, such as hours entries (4000, 4050). The results are displayed on a map (300) with open entities represented by a first symbol (930R) and closed entities by a second symbol (930G) such that all the entities on the map (300) are viewable without further searches. Clicking on a symbol (422) leads to a display (940) containing information about the associated entity, thereby enabling an entity's information to be found using only its location.
US07949641B1
In an exemplary method that is performed by a first computer system, one or more file blocks are identified within a target file. The one or more file blocks comprise a desired portion of the target file. At least one file block is downloaded from a second computer system. However, the entire target file is not downloaded. A previously calculated validation value is received for a file block that has been downloaded. A new validation value is calculated for the downloaded file block. If the new validation value for the file block does not match the previously calculated validation value for the file block, the file block is discarded.
US07949630B1
Seek operations required to perform restore processes at an HFS server are reduced by storing storage addresses of data associated with hash values included in recipes with the recipes. In a typical embodiment, an HFS server receives a recipe for entry into a hash file system and performs a reference check on the recipe to avoid data corruption. This includes using hash values of the associated data to lookup storage addresses for the associated data in corresponding index stripes. The identified storage addresses can be appended to/stored with the recipe when the recipe is stored by the HFS server. Later during a restore process, retrieval of the recipe also retrieves the storage addresses without having to look up the storage addresses in the corresponding index stripes. Consequently, seek operations during restore can be cut in half and the speed of performing the restore can be doubled.
US07949629B2
Systems and methods for modeling information from a set of documents are disclosed. A tool allows a user to model concepts of interest and extract information from a set of documents in an editable format. The extracted information includes a list of instances of a document from the set of documents that contains the selected concept. The user may modify the extracted information to create subsets of information, add new concepts to the model, and share the model with others.
US07949619B2
A system and method for analyzing enterprise applications driven by business processes is provided. The method for analyzing business processes comprises the steps of obtaining process data, serializing the process data, identifying patterns in the serialized process data, creating analyzed process data based on the identified patterns, and publishing the analyzed process data. In addition, the patterns can be identified using one or more of user-defined algorithms, rules, and reference process models, and the user-defined algorithms can be plug-ins. Also, information regarding the analyzed process data can be displayed.
US07949616B2
A telepresence system comprising a workstation which allows a user to specify a venue located at a remote site. The workstation accepts control information from, and conveys sensory information to, the user. The telepresence system also comprises several remotely controlled systems at remote locations, which carry sensors collecting sensory information from their environment. Each remotely controlled system also requires human assistance to operate according to control information sent by the user. The telepresence system also comprises a means for allocating one of the remotely controlled systems to the specified venue. The telepresence system also comprises a means for allocating a human assistant to assist the allocated remote system. The telepresence system also comprises a bi-directional communication channel which links the workstation to the allocated remote system and transmits control information from the workstation to the allocated remote system and sensory information from the allocated remote system to the workstation.
US07949615B2
A system and method manage delivery of energy from a distribution network to one or more sites. Each site has at least one device coupled to the distribution network. The at least one device controllably consumes energy. The system includes a node and a control system. The node is coupled to the at least one device for sensing and controlling energy delivered to the device. A control system is coupled to the node and distribution network for delivering to the node at least one characteristic of the distribution network. The node for controls the supply of energy to the device as a function of the at least one characteristic.
US07949603B1
In one embodiment, an online financial account has an associated telephone registered to the account. The financial account may be accessed over a computer network, such as the Internet. Upon receipt of a request to access the account, a text message containing a dynamic password is forwarded to the telephone over a telephone network. The user trying to access the account may use the telephone to reply to the text message with another text message that includes the dynamic password. The request to access the account may be granted if the reply includes a portion that corresponds to the dynamic password.
US07949601B2
Method and system for providing minimum contract values in an annuity with lifetime benefit payments
A data processing method administers a deferred annuity contract during the accumulation phase for a relevant life. The annuity contract has a contract value, a guarantee of lifetime benefit payments and a minimum contract value. Administration of the contract determines a minimum contract value, while paying a lifetime benefit payment less than the minimum contract value and a guaranteed death benefit not less than the minimum contract value. The lifetime benefit payment does not reduce the contract value below the minimum contract value.
US07949592B1
A method and system which provides for generating an integrated report. The method and system utilize information in a data storage system to provide individual account holders with an integrated report which includes detailed information regarding the financial account, and integrates financial planning recommendation information with the information regarding the financial account. Typically, the information regarding the financial account will be of sufficient detail so that a separate account statement need not be sent to the individual. The system and method herein provide individual account holders with a single report which provides the individual with financial account information, and financial planning advice, utilizing data available in a data storage system. Thus, the individual need not seek out advice, rather it is proactively delivered to the individual. Further, the method and system can provide for periodically generating the integrated report without requiring periodic input or action on the part of the account holder.
US07949591B2
Methods and systems for selecting and weighting securities for an actively managed exchange-traded fund. An initial selection of stocks includes domestic or international stocks, which are selected based at least in part on market capitalization. Each stock is scored using a plurality of growth and value factors to generate one or more growth scores and one or more value scores. A selection score is determined for each stock, and the stocks are ranked according to selection scores. A predetermined amount of stocks are eliminated from the stock portfolio based on selection score ranking, and the remaining stocks are split into a plurality of sub-groups. A stock portfolio is generated by weighting the remaining stocks according to the sub-groups they are in, with each stock being equally weighted within its sub-group. An exchange-traded fund is offered to consumers based on the stock portfolio.
US07949588B2
Marketing and delivering financial coaching services involves sponsoring a website pertaining to financial coaching services, engaging an electronic communications media partner to direct potential customers to the website, and calculating a behavior-based quality rating reflecting the business opportunity value of the potential customer. When the quality rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the potential customer is associated to an assigned sales agent who determines an interest rating reflecting the importance of the financial coaching services to the potential customer. When the interest rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the potential customer is associated to an assigned enroller who determines a readiness rating reflecting the willingness of the potential customer to purchase financial coaching services. When the readiness rating for the potential customer exceeds a predetermined rating, the potential customer is enrolled for financial coaching services, oriented by telephone, and receives an ordered sequence of one-on-one financial coaching sessions and financial coaching resources.
US07949582B2
A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full image scanner and a discrimination unit. An output receptacle receives the documents from the transport mechanism after being transported past the full image scanner and the discrimination unit. The full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.
US07949573B1
A system for presenting a set of recommended items corresponding to a first item is presented. The system comprises a processor, a memory; and a computer executable component. The computer executable component executes on the system, via the processor, and is configured to perform the following. An indication is received requesting the display of recommended items corresponding to the first item. A set of recommended items corresponding to the first item is then obtained. Display information is generated for displaying a list of items and the corresponding set of recommended items. The list of items includes the first item. Additionally, display information is provided, the display information for displaying the list of items and the corresponding set of recommended items on a consumer device.
US07949570B2
The present invention is a method for soliciting orders for customized apparel. The apparel can be appendage apparel, such as footwear, gloves, or head gear, or non-appendage apparel such as jackets. The present method includes providing an order form accessible through at least one computer by one or more users. The present method further includes providing one or more possible design parameters, requesting the user to customize the apparel by entering at least one of the parameters on the order form. The user submits the order form through the computer and receives apparel according to the order form. The parameters may include size, material, model, style, color, material treatment, or personalization.
US07949568B2
Image analysis techniques, including object recognition analysis, are applied to images obtained by one or more image capture devices deployed within inventory environments. The object recognition analysis provides object recognition data (that may include one or more recognized product instances) based on stored product (training) images. In turn, a variety of functionalities may be enabled based on the object recognition data. For example, a planogram may be extracted and compared to a target planogram, or at least one product display parameter for a product can be determined and used to assess presence of the product within the inventory environment, or to determine compliance of display of the product with a promotional objective. In yet another embodiment, comparisons may be made within a single image or between multiple images over time to detect potential conditions requiring response. In this manner, efficiency and effectiveness of many previously manually-implemented tasks may be improved.
US07949562B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods for the optimized selection and delivery of one or more advertisements from among one or more advertising campaigns. The method of the present invention comprises generating one or more media plans identifying execution parameters for the optimized selection and delivery of one or more advertisements. One or more advertisements organized according to one or more advertisement campaigns are retrieved. Additionally, advertiser specified constraint and target values associated with the one or more advertisements are retrieved. A forecast for the performance of the one or more advertisements is generated. A media plan is generated for the one or more advertisements according to the constraint and target values, as well as the forecast data. The one or more advertisements are distributed according to the execution parameters identified by the media plan.
US07949552B2
The systems and methods described herein provide a drill through engine that facilitates integration of solutions for performing workforce management, quality monitoring, e-learning, performance management, and analytics functionality. The drill through engine facilitates combining quality monitoring/call recording with performance management and e-learning functionality as a unified integrated solution. The combination can be delivered through a single platform and enables users to gain more insight and make smarter decisions faster about sales, service, and overall operations. This takes customer center tools beyond the traditional “suite” approach to a true single workforce optimization platform.
US07949551B2
The current invention relates to a technology for processing of compensation scopes comprised within atomic scopes of a process model by a Workflow Management System or a computer system with comparable functionality (WFMS). The method comprises a step of checking whether the atomic scope of the process instance of that process model has been aborted abnormally. If this is the case, in a further step it is analyzed if in the process model the compensation scope has been associated with a specific atomic scope behavior specification, defining a specific abort handling for the compensation scope in the particular case that the compensation scope is comprised within an atomic scope and the atomic scope has been aborted. In a final step the compensation scope is processed according to the specific atomic scope behavior specification.
US07949539B1
A document audit system includes a digital controller, a document data entry device, and a document report generator. The document data entry device is in communication with the digital controller. The document report generator is in communication with the digital controller. The digital controller is programmed to cause characteristic document data indicative of the characteristics of each of a plurality of selected documents to be received, compare the characteristic document data for each document to migration data metrics which specify the characteristic document data of documents that can appropriately be assigned to one of a plurality of migration categories, save the identities of the documents having characteristic document data that meet document data specified by the migration data metrics for the one of the plurality of migration categories, and enable the document report generator to generate a migration report. The migration report lists the identities of the documents having characteristic document data that meet document data specified by the migration data metrics for the one of the plurality of migration categories.
US07949534B2
A system is disclosed for facilitating speech recognition and transcription among users employing incompatible protocols for generating, transcribing, and exchanging speech. The system includes a system transaction manager that receives a speech information request from at least one of the users. The speech information request includes formatted spoken text generated using a first protocol. The system also includes a speech recognition and transcription engine, which communicates with the system transaction manager. The speech recognition and transcription engine receives the speech information request from the system transaction manager and generates a transcribed response, which includes a formatted transcription of the formatted speech. The system transmits the response to the system transaction manager, which routes the response to one or more of the users. The latter users employ a second protocol to handle the response, which may be the same as or different than the first protocol. The system transaction manager utilizes a uniform system protocol for handling the speech information request and the response.
US07949526B2
A voice interaction system is configured to analyze an utterance and identify inherent attributes that are indicative of a demographic characteristic of the system user that spoke the utterance. The system then selects and presents a personalized response to the user, the response being selected based at least in part on the identified demographic characteristic. In one embodiment, the demographic characteristic is one or more of the caller's age, gender, ethnicity, education level, emotional state, health status and geographic group. In another embodiment, the selection of the response is further based on consideration of corroborative caller data.
US07949523B2
A speech processing apparatus includes a rule storing unit that stores therein a rule that correlates one another causes of errors in speech recognition, responding methods each of which is used when an error has occurred during the speech recognition, and responding users each of whom is one of a plurality of users and serving as a target of a response; a detecting unit that detects a cause of an error that has occurred during the recognition of the speech; a method selecting unit that selects one of the responding methods that is correlated with the detected cause of the error from the rule storing unit; a user selecting unit that selects one of the responding users that is correlated with the detected cause of the error from the rule storing unit; and an executing unit that executes the response by the selected responding method to the selected responding user.
US07949516B2
An improved handheld electronic device and associated method employing an improved spell checking routine enable proposed spelling corrections having a close logical proximity to an active input to be output at a position of preference for easy selection by the user. By way of example, a base character and the various accented forms thereof can be said to have a logical proximity to one another that is closer than their logical proximity to any character having a different base character, whether additionally having a diacritical element or not.
US07949514B2
A method for identifying documents for enriching a statistical translation tool includes retrieving a source document which is responsive to a source language query that may be specific to a selected domain. A set of text segments is extracted from the retrieved source document and translated into corresponding target language segments with a statistical translation tool to be enriched. Target language queries based on the target language segments are formulated. Sets of target documents responsive to the target language queries are retrieved. The sets of retrieved target documents are filtered, including identifying any candidate documents which meet a selection criterion that is based on co-occurrence of a document in a plurality of the sets. The candidate documents, where found, are compared with the retrieved source document for determining whether any of the candidate documents match the source document. Matching documents can then be stored and used at their turn in a training phase for enriching the translation tool.
US07949510B2
A method and system for distributed simultaneous simulation are provided, the method including providing a state of at least one storage unit, providing a segment of the circuit bounded by the at least one storage unit, and simulating the segment in accordance with the state of the at least one storage unit; and the system including a memory for describing storage units of a circuit, maintaining states of the storage units, and identifying distributed segments comprising combinational logic separated by the storage units, and processing units, each for simultaneously simulating at least one of the segments in accordance with the maintained states.
US07949508B2
A method for a geometry of a lateral comb drive for an in-plane, electrostatic force feedback, closed-loop, micromachined accelerometer or closed-loop Coriolis rate gyroscope device, or closed-loop capacitive pressure or force measuring device. When vibration is applied to the device, the error in the time-average output, which is vibration rectification error, due to this input vibration is minimized or eliminated. The geometry resulting from practice of the present invention is space-efficient because drive force is maximized while vibration rectification is minimized or eliminated.
US07949506B1
The present invention provides a weight loss maintenance system. The invention incorporates supplements (dietary, pharmaceutical or neutraceutical) that aid in maintaining weight loss as well as physical activity. The invention further provides a personal plan that can include instruction, ideas and support based on user input, indicated preferences and various calculations. This invention calculates an Energy Gap™ that is produced by a specific amount of weight loss in an individual and fills this quantitative energy gap with activity and/or products which reduce hunger and/or increase metabolic rate.
US07949504B2
A method includes in a system determining a constraint for constraining operation of a portion of a block diagram model, determining if the portion of the block diagram model violates the constraint, and providing a user information based on the violating of the first constraint.
US07949503B2
The facilities optimization method utilizes Coulomb's law to model placement of facilities relative to a population using the facilities. The natural phenomenon of electrical charge attraction and repulsion can be used to model a wide variety of facility layout and planning problems. The physical phenomenon of charge interaction is simulated and used to effectively find a solution for a facilities supply-demand problem. Utilizing the charge model, problem solutions are naturally reached and are self-adjusting in response to parameter changes in the problem. A methodology for static, dynamic, elastic or inelastic demand is provided. The charge simulation approach supports any distance metric. The method always provides a solution regardless of the initial conditions used. The method provides high flexibility in choosing arbitrary demand and supply patterns.
US07949499B2
A signal filtering technique is designed to remove the effects of a periodic, low-frequency noise signal from a signal of interest. A signal waveform is sampled at different points of a number of consecutive periodic noise signal cycles and the collected samples are averaged to produce a corrected signal. The number of consecutive cycles in which samples are taken and averaged is inversely related to the signal amplitude such that as the signal level decreases, the number of cycles examined increases. The technique is particularly applicable to periodic signals associated with the output of Hall effect sensors in an electrical metrology environment. Improved RMS calculations are obtained for filtering low-frequency random noise from Hall sensors by averaging samples at different points of a signal cycle to create a composite desired signal cycle to facilitate other signal calculations. In a given electricity utility meter incorporating solid state circuitry, such metrology RMS calculations may be implemented in a metrology section of solid state devices provided on printed circuit boards, such as utilizing programmable integrated circuit components. By varying the number of cycles summed, the algorithm will adapt to amplitude changes more quickly. By using time averaged samples to filter random noise from the periodic signal of interest, the overall requirements for complex filtering is reduced. Instead, the technique relies on buffering and averaging synchronized samples for a given number of line cycles, so that by increasing the buffer size, larger numbers of line cycles can be accumulated and the filter cut-off frequency reduced.
US07949496B2
An apparatus for analyzing the condition of a machine having a rotating shaft, comprising: at least one input for receiving measurement data from a sensor for surveying a measuring point of the machine, the measurement data being dependent on rotation of the shaft; a data processor for processing condition data dependent on the measurement data; the data processor performing a plurality of condition monitoring functions (F1, F2 Fn). At least one of the plurality of condition monitoring functions (F1, F2 Fn) is a restricted function having a disabled state and an enabled state; the disabled state prohibiting complete execution of the condition monitoring function, and the enabled sate allowing execution. The apparatus allows a limited amount of use of the at least one restricted condition monitoring function; and at least one of the plurality of condition monitoring functions (F1, F2, Fn) is an unrestricted function.
US07949493B2
A system and method for meeting performance goals in an electronic system in an energy efficient manner. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise operating an electrical circuit at a current level of performance and a current level of energy efficiency by providing the electrical circuit with electrical power characterized by a current set of power characteristics (e.g., utilizing a power control module). The current level of performance may be determined (e.g., by a performance monitor) and compared to a desired level of performance (e.g., by the power control module). If the current level of performance is higher than the desired level of performance, then the electrical circuit may be operated at a next (e.g., lower) level of performance and a next (e.g., higher) level of energy efficiency by providing the electrical circuit with electrical power characterized by a next set of power characteristics.
US07949492B2
Measuring mechanical propulsive power includes establishing a first power and a second power. The first power is associated with a first rate of energy conversion by a device in a fluid, where the device is in the wake of a self-propelled conveyance moving with respect to the fluid. The average distance between the device and self-propelled conveyance may remain substantially unchanged. The second power is associated with a second rate of energy conversion by the device in the fluid without the self-propelled conveyance, where the other physical factors are substantially similar to that associated with the first power. The difference between the first power and the second power is calculated. The mechanical propulsive power for the self-propelled conveyance is determined using mappings, where a mapping associates the difference with the mechanical propulsive power.
US07949491B2
A system and method identifies road features that may not appear on a map database, such as paths not described as roads on the map database, and whether all the roads at a crossing cross at the same grade level. The system and method may thus be used to identify points of departure from, or points of merging onto, a road described by the map database or a path identified as described herein, but not described by the map database.
US07949489B2
A mechanism detects cable length in a storage subsystem with wide ports. The mechanism uses in-situ bidirectional cable wrapping for determining different cable lengths. The mechanism under-margins transmitter output to failure for each external port and even for each PHY within a wide port. Based on the transition point from “good” wrap to “bad” wrap, the cable length may be determined. The transition point identifies if the cable is long or short, at which point the optimum tuning parameters can accordingly be set. A calibration mechanism calibrates the high speed transmitter/receiver pair characteristics, and, thus, optimizes the transmission performance between subsystems. The calibration mechanism mitigates the need for frequent error correction and does not incur the performance degradation associated with error correction techniques.
US07949488B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that monitor movement of a person, or of a vehicle ridden by the person, to determine speed, distance traveled and/or airtime of the person or vehicle. Accelerometer-based sensors, pressure sensors or Doppler sensors may be employed in these systems and methods. A liquid crystal display may attach to the person to display speed, distance traveled and/or airtime.
US07949486B2
A camera (17) mounted on a rear view minor housing (5) of a vehicle (1), which captures a plan view image of the ground on one side of the vehicle for display on an in-vehicle visual display unit (13) is calibrated to correct for offset of the camera (17) from an ideal position. During calibration an image of a reference point (34) on the vehicle (1) is captured as the mirror housing (5) is swiveled from a rest position to an operative position. The offset of the actual position of the image of the reference point in the captured image from its ideal position is computed, and a look-up table is prepared, which indicates the position at which pixels of subsequently captured image frames should be located to produce image frames with offset correction.
US07949485B2
A portable terminal device 101 of the invention having at least two or more cases joinable in a plurality of different joining shapes includes a magnetism detection section 8 being provided in at least one of the two or more cases for detecting a magnetism quantity; a storage section 9 for storing the effect amount produced by magnetism from a magnetism generation source of the portable terminal device 101 in the detected magnetism quantities for each of the plurality of different joining shapes of the portable terminal device 101; a case shape detection section 4 for detecting a joining shape of the portable terminal device 101; a data processing section 3 for correcting the detected magnetism quantity based on the stored effect amount in the detected joining shape; and a position measurement section 2 for measuring an azimuth based on the corrected magnetism quantity.
US07949477B2
Method for monitoring an arrangement for determining the concentration of an analyte in a body fluid
The invention relates to a method for monitoring an arrangement for determining a concentration of an analyte in a body fluid. The determination of the concentration of the analyte by means of the arrangement involves a procedure in which the analyte from the body fluid passes through an interface and is transported in a stream of liquid into a flowmeter chamber, in which a measurement is carried out to determine the concentration of the analyte. The evaluation of the measurement takes place in a signal processor. The monitoring of the arrangement comprises the following steps: measurement of measured values of at least two correlated system parameters of the arrangement by means of a sensor system, and comparison of the measured values with limit values stored for each of the system parameters in a storage unit, to obtain a combination of at least two comparison results.
US07949476B2
A method for estimating molecule concentrations in a sample, the method including: obtaining a signal generated by a sample analyzing apparatus, the signal including at least one spectrum, the spectrum including peaks representative of the molecule concentrations in the sample and being expressed as a function of at least one variable; obtaining an analytical modeling of the signal with a modeling function, wherein the modeling function is based on the molecule concentrations and factors including gain factors of the equipment and description factors of the peaks; selecting uncertain factors in the factors; determining a priori probability distributions for the uncertain factors and the molecule concentrations; establishing, with the modeling function and the signal, posteriori probability distributions for the molecule concentrations and the uncertain factors; and estimating, with a processing module, the molecule concentrations and the uncertain factors from a parameter inferred from the posteriori probability distributions.
US07949475B2
The present invention generates a visual display of metabolomic data compiled by a database and associated processor. More particularly, the present invention provides a database for automatically receiving a three-dimensional spectrometry data set for a group of samples. The present invention also provides a processor device for manipulating the data sets to produce plots that are directly comparable to a plurality of characteristic plots corresponding to a plurality of selected metabolites. Furthermore, the processor device may generate a visual display indicating the presence of the selected metabolites across the group of samples. Thus, the present invention enables a user to analyze a series of complex data sets in a visual display that may indicate the presence of the selected metabolites across the group of samples. Furthermore, the visual display generated by embodiments of the present invention also expedites the subjective analysis of the spectrometry data sets.
US07949473B2
A method for measuring the concentration of at least two analytes in a biological liquid sample by using a set of ion selective electrodes is disclosed. The method obtains from the ion selective electrodes first voltage values representative of the concentration of sodium and potassium respectively in those biological samples, and obtains from the ion selective electrodes second voltage values representative of the concentration of sodium and potassium respectively in calibration standards. The method verifies by a predetermined procedure whether each of the second voltage values obtained by measuring the calibration standards has an abnormal value caused by a disturbance of the measurement conditions in one of the ion selective electrodes, and if this is the case, marks with a flag as doubtful the measurement results derived from the first voltage values obtained for the corresponding sample which was measured before measuring the calibration standards for sodium and potassium.
US07949464B2
A method of operating a navigation system includes obtaining a destination location and identifying a parking facility proximate said destination location. The method further includes transmitting a parking message including a determined parking availability. The determined parking availability is based on historic parking availability information and real time parking availability data. The parking message may include an identification code of said parking facility.
US07949461B2
In a motor vehicle with idle stop function, upon satisfaction of preset engine restart conditions (step S205), automatic engine restart control refers to a preset map representing a variation in amount of fuel Q1, which is to be initially injected into a cylinder Cyin stopping in an intake stroke, against the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin, and specifies the amount of fuel Q1 corresponding to the detected piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin (step S220). The automatic engine restart control then controls an injector to inject the specified amount of fuel Q1 into an intake port of the cylinder Cyin (step S230). Under the condition that the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin suggests low gas intake performance, the increased amount of fuel Q1 is injected into the intake port of the cylinder Cyin. This arrangement desirably reduces a misfire rate at the timing of first combustion and thereby improves the startability of an engine. When the amount of fuel Q1 specified at step S220 is equal to zero, the cylinder Cyin is not subject to the first combustion. Such control desirably prevents poor emission.
US07949453B2
A method controlling a clutch arrangement that serves, in a powertrain of a motor vehicle, for the transmission of a torque from an input element to an output element. Starting from an activated state of the clutch arrangement, a respective estimated torque value is calculated in repeating calculation cycles. A torque build-up value is calculated in dependence on at least one speed difference value. A torque reduction value is calculated in dependence on at least the last calculated estimated torque value. The estimated torque value is re-calculated on the basis of the last calculated estimated torque value by up integration of the calculated torque build-up value and down integration of the calculated torque reduction value. The recalculated estimated torque value is compared with a torque threshold value. The clutch arrangement is deactivated when the recalculated estimated torque value is below the torque threshold value.
US07949442B2
A method and system for boosting a torque output of a drive train comprises an engine speed detector for detecting an engine speed of an engine having a baseline torque versus engine speed curve. A data processor determines if the detected engine speed is within a first range of engine speeds, if the detected engine speed is within the first range, the electric motor is activated to rotate substantially synchronously with the engine speed within the first range in an electric propulsion mode in accordance with a supplemental torque versus engine speed curve. The supplemental torque versus engine speed curve intercepts the baseline torque versus engine speed curve at a lower engine speed point and a higher engine speed point.
US07949436B2
Method and apparatus for automatically detecting and correcting misalignment of a semiconductor chip
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that automatically detects and corrects a misalignment of a semiconductor chip. During operation, the system uses a position-detection mechanism integrated with the chip to determine the misalignment of the chip from a desired alignment for the chip. Next, the system uses an actuation mechanism integrated with the chip to automatically correct the misalignment, thereby improving performance and reliability of the chip.
US07949434B2
The present invention is related to a method for controlling a wind energy park with plural wind energy plants and plural control units, which perform control tasks in the wind energy park, comprising the following steps: a) one priority at a time is assigned to the control units, depending on the control tasks they must perform, b) during the operation of the wind energy park, the control units communicate continuously with each other and/or with a central communication unit, c) in case that a failure of a first control unit of the wind energy park takes place, a second control unit of the wind energy park takes over the control tasks of the defective control unit, wherein the second control unit is selected depending on the priority assigned thereto and has the same as or a lower priority than the defective control unit.
US07949432B2
An apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling microbiological activity in a process stream by measuring dissolved oxygen is disclosed.
US07949428B2
A robot apparatus having a plurality of movable sections includes a motion control section that generates a control signal for the periodic motion of at least part of the movable sections according to the output of an oscillator showing self-oscillation and entrainment characteristics, an environment measuring section that measures the motion according to the control signal for the movable sections or the physical environment at the time of the motion of the movable sections, a periodic oscillator control section that inputs a periodic signal to the oscillator as feedback according to the outcome of the measurement by the environment measuring section and generates an entrainment phenomenon and a non-periodic oscillator control section that inputs a non-periodic or temporary feedback signal to the oscillator.
US07949426B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein for a medicament container with a multi-colored, multi-functional display. In some embodiments, the display is adapted to output multiple colors and/or characters. In one embodiment, the display may change colors and/or blinking status in order to indicate the working status of the tray. For example, the display may show a green light to indicate that the medicament container is working properly, a yellow light to indicate that the tray needs to be replenished soon, or a blinking red light to indicate that the tray is empty.
US07949424B2
A method that enables the post to deliver mail addressed to a recipient nearest location virtual address to be delivery directly to the recipient's nearest designated location or facility to the place the mail was posted. Mail addressed to the nearest location virtual address (mapping to a street address or post office box) would be captured by the post during the post's sortation process and routed to the nearest location or facility to the place the mail was posted. This enables the recipient to receive their mail more quickly since the amount of delivery time is reduced.
US07949411B1
Embodiments include electrical leads and methods of using electrical leads that may be used for delivering both cardioversion/defibrillation signals and pacing signals and sensing to target tissue. Some of these embodiments may also be used to sense and transmit electrical signals from target tissue. Some electrical lead embodiments are configured to be delivered into a patient's intrapericardial space by non-invasive methods.
US07949408B2
A system for providing medical electrical stimulation including a lead assembly and a cannula. The lead assembly includes a lead body and a needle tip. The lead body has a distal section and a proximal section. The needle tip is formed of an electrically conductive material and is connected to the distal section of the lead body. The lead body is slidably disposed within a cannula lumen, with a distal end of the cannula being selectively connected to an abutment surface of the needle tip such that the needle tip extends distal the cannula to define a needle probe. With this construction, the lead assembly can be delivered to a desired implantation site via manipulation of the cannula and/or energization of the needle tip, and the cannula can be removed from the lead body without requiring movement of the needle tip.
US07949405B2
Cardiac stimulation control and communication system, including a pacemaker, having a processor for processing input signals to and/or from one or more electrodes located in a heart. A signal processing network for receiving input signals and for providing a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), a filtered signal, spread spectrum signal and/or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) signal to a selector for selection and transmission. In-phase and quadrature-phase cross-correlated spread spectrum signals are provided to a modulator for modulation and transmission of signals received from one or more electrodes or probes or sensors used by a patient. An implantable cardiac stimulation device and a telemetry transmitter and telemetry wired or wireless receiver, for transmission and reception of wireless and or wired signals, wherein said telemetry signals are for monitoring and/or controlling the implantable cardiac stimulation device. A pacemaker, receiver and demodulator for receiving and demodulating a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for receiving location finder signals or a receiver and demodulator for receiving and demodulating other than GPS signals and for providing location finder signals and for connecting said location finder signals to a transmitter for transmitting said location finder signals. A Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) signal is provided to a non-quadrature modulator for non-quadrature modulation of TDMA signal and a filtered signal is processed into a cross-correlated spread spectrum in-phase and quadrature-phase filtered signal and provided to a quadrature modulator for quadrature modulation of said cross-correlated spread spectrum filtered signal. The transmitted signals are received and used by a nurse or other health professionals.
US07949403B2
An electrical stimulation system and method for the treatment of neurological disorders is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the electrical stimulation system includes channels of electrodes positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a neuromuscular target body region of a patient to provide pattered neuromuscular stimulation to the patient's musculature. In addition, at least one electrode from a channel is positioned in electrical contact with a tissue of the motor control region of the brain. A series of patterned electrical pulses are then applied to the patient through the channels to provide peripheral neuromuscular stimulation, and a direct current is applied transcranially to the brain. Various exemplary embodiments of the invention are disclosed.
US07949401B2
Electromagnetic signal delivery for tissue affected by neuronal dysfunction, degradation, damage, and/or necrosis, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes identifying an affected region, with the affected region including neuronal tissue that, at least during a pre-dysfunctional period, was in neural communication with neuronal tissue in a dysfunctional region. The affected tissue can be functionally adversely affected by neuronal dysfunction in the dysfunctional region. The method can further include applying electromagnetic signals to the neuronal tissue in the affected region. For example, the electromagnetic signals can be applied to a hypo-active neural region that is not physically damaged, and has been identified as likely to recover at least in part as a result of electromagnetic signals. Signals can be applied at sub-threshold levels to cortical and/or subcortical regions.
US07949398B1
An exemplary includes acquiring an electroneurogram of the right carotid sinus nerve or the left carotid sinus nerve, analyzing the electroneurogram for at least one of chemosensory information and barosensory information and calling for one or more therapeutic actions based at least in part on the analyzing. Therapeutic actions may aim to treat conditions such as sleep apnea, an increase in metabolic demand, hypoglycemia, hypertension, renal failure, and congestive heart failure. Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
US07949393B2
In one embodiment, an implantable pulse generator comprises: pulse generating circuitry for generating pulses and delivering the pulses to outputs of the implantable pulse generator; a controller; wherein the pulse generating circuitry comprises a voltage multiplier for multiplying a battery voltage, the voltage multiplier including multiple outputs, wherein a first output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is programmably selectable from a plurality of voltages including non-integer multiples of the battery voltage, wherein a second output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is a fixed multiple of the battery voltage; wherein the controller controls the pulse generator circuitry to generate a first pulse for stimulation of the patient using a first output of the multiple outputs and controls the pulse generator circuitry to generate a second pulse to discharge output capacitors of residual charge from the first pulse using a second output of the multiple outputs.
US07949389B2
A method for fetal monitoring includes acquiring electrical signals from a set of electrodes, for example, a set of surface electrodes applied to a maternal abdominal region. The electrical signals are analyzed, including by performing a morphological analysis of fetal electrocardiogram signals. A clinical indicator is then determined from a result of performing the morphological analysis.
US07949387B2
A new method was discovered to analyze continuous spectral curves to determine relative hemoglobin oxygen saturation, using spectral curves collected from a continuous range of wavelengths from about 530 nm to about 584 nm, including spectra from transmitted or reflected light. Using isosbestic points and curve areas, a relative saturation index was calculated. With this method, noninvasive, in vivo measurement of relative oxygen saturation was made using light reflected from blood vessels in the eye and to map and measure relative changes in hemoglobin oxygen saturation in primate retinal vessels and optic nerve head in response to controlled changes in inspired oxygen and intraocular pressure (IOP). This method could also measure oxygen saturation from other blood vessels that reflect light sufficient to give a clear spectra from the blood hemoglobin. Changes in blood oxygen saturation can be monitored with this method for early detection of disease.
US07949382B2
One aspect of the invention provides a glucose monitor having a plurality of tissue piercing elements, each tissue piercing element having a distal opening, a proximal opening and interior space extending between the distal and proximal openings; a sensing area in fluid communication with the proximal openings of the tissue piercing elements; sensing fluid extending from the sensing area into substantially the entire interior space of the tissue piercing elements; and a glucose sensor adapted to detect a concentration of glucose in the sensing fluid within the sensing area. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of in vivo monitoring of an individual's interstitial fluid glucose concentration including the following steps: inserting distal ends of a plurality of tissue piercing elements through a stratum corneum area of the individual's skin, the tissue piercing elements each having a distal opening, a proximal opening, an interior space extending between the distal and proximal openings, and a sensing fluid filling substantially the entire interior space; and sensing a glucose concentration of the sensing fluid.
US07949380B2
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods that relate to a sensor with memory. Specifically, one embodiment includes a sensor, comprising a light emitting element configured to emit light, a light detecting element configured to detect the light, and a memory storing data corresponding to algorithms used by an oximeter monitor, the memory providing access to the oximeter monitor to read the data.
US07949378B2
A rotatable connecting mechanism (100) includes a cover (10), a base (30), a toothed element (20) and an elastic element (24). The cover is rotatably mounted on the base. The toothed element is configured on a surface of the cover facing the base and includes a plurality of slots (224) defined thereon. The elastic element having an engaging portion (2422) formed thereon and configured on a surface of the base facing the cover. The engaging portion rotatably engages with the slots of the toothed element.
US07949372B2
A system and method is provided for enabling data transfer over the same electrical routing network utilized by the mobile device to obtain electric power from an external power source. The system includes a contact base connected to a power supply, and mobile device adapters. The contact base is a flat surface that comprises a segmented conductive area with conductive contact pads on the surface, and a plurality of base controller modules that detect the presence of compatible mobile devices placed on the contact surface and routes the electrical power through the contact points on the surface to the compatible mobile devices accordingly, after a handshake protocol. The data communication portion of the system comprises a power line communication bypass circuit and a repeater for power line communication either within or adjunct to the power supply that powers the contact base. It further comprises, on the mobile device side, a power line communication adapter which converts the analog waveform the mobile device receives through its electrical contacts into digital data and vice versa.
US07949365B2
Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion.
US07949364B2
A system for managing the operation of a plurality of radio modems contained within the same WCD. One or more of the plurality of radio modems may be a dual-mode radio modem enabled to communicate using at least two separate radio protocols concurrently. The operation of the one or more dual-mode modems may be managed by resources encompassed in a radio modem interface coupled to, or integrated within, the dual-mode radio modem. These management resources may receive information from the operating system level of the WCD and from the at least two radio modem stacks utilizing the resources of the dual mode radio modem in order to coordinate the operation of the at least two radio protocols concurrently active in the modem.
US07949355B2
A system and method for processing attachments to messages sent to a mobile device is described herein. Embodiments described herein apply to encrypted messages comprising multiple message parts, in which different encryption keys (e.g. session keys) have been used to encrypt the different message parts. In at least one example embodiment, the encrypted session keys for every message content part comprising an attachment is received at the mobile device. In one embodiment, all of the encrypted session keys are stored together in a main message header. The mobile device may then decrypt the encrypted session key associated with a user requested attachment, and transmits the decrypted session key to one or more remote servers in an attachment request for use in decrypting the requested attachment. Data associated with the requested attachment, in decrypted form, is returned to the mobile device.
US07949354B2
A radio access network (11) facilitates transmission of a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service to plural user equipment units served by a radio base station. A radio network controller node (26) includes in a first message (70) of a Common Transport Channel Setup procedure an indication that sharing of a common transport bearer (60) involved in a session of the Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service is allowed. A radio base station (28) makes a determination whether to share the common transport bearer (60) among user equipment units (30) situated in plural cells (C) served by the radio base station (28). If the determination is positive, the radio base station (28) includes in a second message (80) of the Common Transport Channel Setup procedure an identification of an already-established channel to be used as the shared common transport bearer. The radio network controller (26) then uses the already-established channel as the shared common transport bearer for transmitting Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service user data to user equipment units (30) situated in plural cells served by the radio base station.
US07949350B2
To provide a mobile communication system which can distribute area information from a radio Node to a mobile terminal in a unit of cell. A mobile communication system comprising: a radio Node having a plurality of cells; host apparatus connected to the radio Node so as to be able to communicate information with the radio Node; and a mobile terminal receiving information distributed from the radio Node, wherein area information different for each cell is distributed from the radio Node to the mobile terminals 40 existing in the cell included in the radio Node, the area information is transmitted, together with control information including type information added according to a content of the area information, from the host apparatus to the radio Node, and the cell to be distributed with the information is determined based on the type information.
US07949339B2
A communication method enabling communication on a predetermined mobile communication network and communication on a predetermined wireless communication network different from the predetermined mobile communication network, includes the step of: switching, means for carrying out predetermined data transfer while maintaining a communication channel on the predetermined mobile communication network, between communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and communication on the predetermined wireless communication network, or activating or deactivating a part concerning the predetermined wireless communication included in a mobile terminal.
US07949332B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile telephone operable to use a feature of a second mobile telephone comprising a share module for obtaining details of one or more features on the second mobile telephone which are available for use by the mobile telephone a user interface for selecting an available feature; and a communication module for communicating data with the second mobile telephone to enable the selected feature to be used by the mobile telephone.
US07949328B2
A system for delivering a multimedia message from a message sender in a sender voice/video short messaging service system (VVSS) operator network to a message recipient in a recipient operator network. The system comprises a services hub suitable for routing the multimedia message, the services hub comprising one or more of a first interface with a sender in the sender VVSS operator network, a second interface with a second VVSS in the recipient operator network, a third interface with a third-party VVSS in a third-party VVSS operator network, wherein the third-party operator network is in communication with the recipient operator network, and a fourth interface with another services hub. Further, the services hub communicates with a sender VVSS and a recipient operator. The recipient operator may be a recipient VVSS operator or a non-VVSS recipient operator.
US07949325B2
A radio frequency (RF) transmitter includes a transmitter processing module that generates a processed signal based on outbound data, wherein the processed signal includes one of: a baseband signal and a low intermediate frequency signal. An up-conversion module up-converts the processed signal to generate an up-converted signal. A programmable filter module generates a plurality of delayed signals from the up-converted signal and that generates a filtered up-converted signal by combining the up-converted signal and the plurality of delayed signals, wherein a delayed signal of the plurality of delayed signals is scaled based on one of a plurality of coefficients, wherein the plurality of coefficients are selected based on a control signal. A radio transmitter front-end generates a transmit signal based on the filtered up-converted signal. A processing module generates the control signal to attenuate at least RF spur of the up-converted signal.
US07949320B1
In a technique for detecting single or multiple channels in a broadcast RF signal, a receiver determines a constant modulus indication value for each frequency of the receiver's local oscillator, as that oscillator is tuned across a range of possible channel frequencies. The receiver may determine this constant modulus indication value by determining the magnitudes of a constant modulus signal and a noise signal, for a signal output from a digital front end, that signal representing a mixing of the local oscillator frequency signal with the broadcast RF signal and a channelization thereof. As the local oscillator frequency signal is tuned through the range of possible channel frequencies, the receiver evaluates the constant modulus indication value course and or fine frequency increments to determine if the constant modulus indication value at any frequency rises above a threshold value, thereby indicating that the local oscillator frequency signal has locked onto an RF channel in the original RF signal.
US07949317B2
A method for communicating data using a “burst protocol” includes enabling power to transmitters and receivers when needed to balance power consumption with latency and unscheduled communication. A transmitter transmits a plurality of packets indicative of substantially the same payload. Power then may be disabled to the transmitter. A first predetermined time is determined to enable a receiver. A second predetermined time is determined to disable the receiver. Power then may be enabled to the receiver based on the first predetermined time. The payload is output in response to receiving one or more of the plurality of packets. Power to the receiver is disabled based on the second predetermined time.
US07949313B2
A conversion device (CD) is dedicated to conversion of baseband analog I/Q input signals into RF signals in a transmitting path of a wireless communication equipment. This device (CD) comprises i) first (PP1) and second (PP2) processing paths each comprising i1) an input node (IN1, IN2) receiving an input signal (I/Q), i2) an input path (IP1, IP2) connected to the input node and delivering an input current representative of the input signal (I/Q), i3) an amplification means (A1, A2) having first and second inputs fed with the input current and a common-mode current and outputting an amplified signal, and i4) a transconductor (T1, T2) delivering first and second currents from the amplified signal, the first current feeding a negative feedback path connected to the first input of the amplification means and being essentially equal to the input current, and the second current being a chosen scaled copy of the first current and representative of a voltage difference between the input signals (I/Q), H) a common-mode input path (CIP) connected to the input nodes (IN1, IN2) and delivering the common-mode current from the input signals (I/Q) to feed the second input of each amplification means (A1, A2), and iii) a switch core (SC) for mixing the second current delivered by a chosen one of the transconductors (T1, T2) with a local oscillator RF carrier to deliver output RF signals representative of the input signals (I/Q).
US07949309B2
An antenna system includes an antenna, a transmission line, an inductor module, a tunable capacitor module, and control logic. The transmission line is coupled to the antenna and to the inductor module. The tunable capacitor module is coupled to the transmission line in accordance with a capacitance control signal to provide a desired capacitance such that inductance of the inductor module and the desired capacitance tunes the antenna system. The control logic is coupled to generate the capacitance control signal based on the operational parameters.
US07949306B2
Techniques are disclosed for compensating for second-order distortion in a wireless communication device. In a zero-intermediate frequency (IF) or low-IF architecture, IM2 distortion generated by the mixer (20) results in undesirable distortion levels in the baseband output signal. A compensation circuit (104) provides a measure of the IM2 distortion current independent of the radio frequency (RF) pathway to generate an IM2 calibration current. The IM2 calibration current is combined with the baseband output signal to thereby eliminate the IM2 currents generated within the RF pathway. In one embodiment, the calibration is provided at the factory during final testing. In alternative embodiment, additional circuitry (156, 158) may be added to the wireless communication device to provide a pathway between the transmitter (150) and the receiver (146). The transmitter signal is provided to the receiver to permit automatic calibration of the unit. An internal signal source (162) may be used in place of the transmitter (150). The auto-calibration may be performed to eliminate IM2 distortion or permit optimization of the circuit to minimize other forms of distortion or interference.
US07949294B2
An image forming apparatus in which an original reading portion is disposed in an upper portion of the apparatus main body, a feed portion is disposed in a lower portion of the apparatus main body, and a printing portion is disposed between the original reading portion and the feed portion as an image forming system, is configured as follows. A paper post-processing portion that can perform a plurality of types of paper post-processing for recording paper transported from the apparatus main body after printing by the printing portion is finished, and a discharge portion to which recording paper is discharged after paper post-processing by the paper post-processing portion is finished, are disposed in a space of the apparatus main body formed by the original reading portion, the printing portion, and the feed portion.
US07949291B2
A fixing device having at least a cylindrical base material, an elastic layer disposed on the base material, and a surface layer disposed on the elastic layer is provided. The cylindrical base material has a variation in thickness within about ±10% when the cylindrical base material is in an endless belt shape having flexibility, or within a variation in outer diameter within about ±0.5% when the cylindrical base material is in a circular cylinder tube shape having rigidity. The elastic layer has a variation in thickness within about ±5%. The surface layer has a variation, along the circumferential direction of the base material, in thickness of the surface within about ±5% and with a surface elongation percentage which increases from a center portion toward both end portions in the widthwise direction of the base material. A fixing apparatus and an image forming apparatus having the fixing device are also provided.
US07949290B2
An image fixing apparatus includes a fixing member, a magnetic flux generator, a heat member, a core, and a magnetic flux adjuster. The fixing member fixes the toner image onto the recording medium. The magnetic flux generator generates a magnetic flux. The heat member has a heat layer which is heated inductively by the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator and heats the fixing member. The core faces the magnetic flux via the heat member. The magnetic flux adjuster is configured to vary a heating range of the heat member in the width direction. The heat layer has a predetermined Curie point.
US07949289B2
Multiple photoconductive drums on which images with different color components are formed respectively are rotated using individual motors, multiple adjustment images are formed at a predetermined interval along the cycle length of one rotation of each photoconductive drum, the reference phases for the rotation of the respective photoconductive drums are determined based on the maximum portions of the divergences between the predetermined interval and the detection interval of each adjustment image, and the individual motors are controlled so that the respective reference phases determined are aligned. The image forming region corresponding to the cycle length of one rotation of the photoconductive drum is divided into four or more even-numbered regions, the divergence amount of each region is calculated, and the maximum portions of the divergences are determined based on the difference between the divergence amounts of the divided regions being away from each other by a half cycle length.
US07949282B2
A developing device includes a housing, a developing roller that carries developer, a supply roller for supplying the developer, a developer cartridge that accommodates the developer, a first sealing member that is provided at both ends of the developing roller, a developer passage opening provided in at least one of the housing and the developer cartridge, and a second sealing member provided in a vicinity of the developer passage opening. At least a part of the second sealing member overlaps the first sealing member in a direction in which the developer cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the housing. A portion of a shadow of the second sealing member cast in a direction, in which the developer passes through the developer passage opening, overlaps the first sealing member. The developer cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the housing at a position opposed to the developing roller.
US07949278B2
A recording apparatus connected to a computer executes jobs in a desired order at the time of carrying out plural jobs transmitted from the computer. A printer for carrying out plural jobs transmitted from the computer and recording an image on a recording medium registers the jobs transmitted from the computer as object jobs corresponding to a first LED and a second LED for displaying job states and a first instruction button 21 and a second instruction button for inputting operations of carrying out the registered jobs, executes the job corresponding to the operated button in response to the operation of the first instruction button or the second instruction button, and gives notification using the first LED or the second LED corresponding to the job.
US07949276B2
An apparatus and method to update patch image formation frequency, in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on an image supporting object, and the electrostatic latent image is developed with a toner. The image formation apparatus includes a developing unit, a toner supply unit for supplying the toner to the developing unit, a patch image density detecting unit for detecting the density of a patch image formed on the image supporting object, a toner density detecting unit for detecting the density of the toner held in the developing unit, and a control unit that adjusts a generating interval of the patch image according to a detection result of the patch image density detecting unit.
US07949270B2
In an embodiment in which an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photoreceptor is developed with a toner by applying an oscillating bias voltage in which a development-side electrical potential and an opposite development-side electrical potential alternate with each other, between a development sleeve of a development roller and the photoreceptor, the development-side electrical potential is applied in two stages, and, in the two-staged development-side electrical potential, the absolute value of a first electrical potential V1 that is initially applied is larger than the absolute value of a second electrical potential V2 that is subsequently applied.
US07949268B2
A xerographic marking engine adjusts a charging actuator value, such as an AC peak-to-peak voltage or an AC peak-to-peak current, based on a determined knee value, VKNEE, of a charge curve for an imaging apparatus photoreceptor within the xerographic marking engine and environmental sensor data. The environmental sensor data may measure environment temperature and environment humidity. In near A-zone environments, for example, operational environments in which the temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the relative humidity is 80%, the charging actuator value may be selected to achieve a predetermined photoreceptor wear rate that avoids print quality defects due to lateral charge migration. In other than A-zone environments, the charging actuator value may be selected to minimize the photoreceptor wear rate, while avoiding print quality defects. The described approach allows optimal photoconductor wear to be achieved, in all operational environments, without increasing the risk of print quality defects.
US07949261B2
An optical receiver includes a demodulator having a delay interferometer comprising an optical input that receives a phase modulated optical signal from a bandwidth limited transmission system. The delay interferometer has a free spectral range that is larger than a symbol rate of the phase modulated optical signal by an amount that improves receiver performance. The receiver also includes a differential detector having a first and a second photodetector. The first photodetector is optically coupled to the constructive optical output of the delay interferometer. The second photodetector is optically coupled to the destructive optical output of the delay interferometer. The differential detector combines a first electrical detection signal generated by the first photodetector and a second electrical detection signal generated by the second photodetector to generate an electrical reception signal.
US07949259B2
In a visible light communication system, a transmission device includes a data modulation section which assigns 1-bit information to each of visible lights of RGB, and modulates transmission data into 3-bit modulation data. An LED light emission section transmits a multiplexed visible light signal, in which the RGB visible lights are multiplexed in accordance with the modulation data.
US07949243B2
An optical apparatus includes an anti-shake lens L3 shifting with respect to an optical axis AXL of an optical system, a movable lens L4 moving along the optical axis, a light intensity controlling member 5 controlling light intensity, first and second actuators including magnets 33a and 33b and coils 34a and 34b, respectively, which shifts the anti-shake lens to directions different from each other, a third actuator including a magnet 63 and a coil 54 which moves the movable lens, a fourth actuator 51 which operates the light intensity controlling member, and a barrel member 7 which contains the anti-shake lens, the movable lens, the light intensity controlling member, and the first to the fourth actuators. The first to the fourth actuators are disposed inside the barrel member so as not to overlap with one another when viewed in an optical axis direction.
