US07980652B2
A printing apparatus and a calibration method are provided which, by using a small-capacity memory, can perform a high-speed calibration processing on data used to eject ink of the same color from a plurality of nozzle arrays. By ejecting ink of the same color from the plurality of nozzle arrays, patch is printed and, based on the printed result of the patch, a content of a print data correction processing is changed.
US07980644B2
A home-bar door apparatus includes a home-bar door that selectively opens or closes an opening formed in a home-bar frame and has rotational shafts protruding at both sides of a lower portion thereof and a catching step formed along a lower end thereof, dampers that are installed on a rear face of the home-bar frame and control an opening/closing speed of the home-bar door by receiving the rotational shafts of the home-bar door therein so that the rotational shafts of the home-bar door can be relatively rotated, and a stop rib that is formed laterally along a lower end of a groove formed around a periphery of the opening and has stopping steps formed at positions corresponding to both ends of a catching step of the home-bar door so that the catching step can be caught by the stopping steps.
US07980642B2
A drawer assembly including a drawer and a sliding guide rail system for slidably opening and closing the drawer within an article of furniture is provided. A support bracket for supporting the drawer is provided at each side of the drawer. The sliding guide rail system includes a pull-out rail disposed within each of the support brackets. One of the support brackets has a slot and the pull-out rail disposed within one of the brackets has a recess. A stabilizer arrangement for stabilizing the sliding movement of the drawer is also provided. The stabilizer arrangement includes a guide bracket and a lever. The guide bracket has a protrusion engageable within the support bracket slot. The guide bracket has a resilient grip portion that allows for the guide bracket protrusion to be adjustable laterally within the support bracket slot when the guide bracket is locked onto the support bracket.
US07980637B2
A vent valve made from a standard emergency brake valve portion. It includes an emergency portion body with an interface to be mated with the emergency portion interface of the pipe bracket. The body includes a casting with at least one cover and the casting including all the cast cavities and passages for an emergency portion. A vent valve selectively connects a first brake pipe port to a vent port on the body, A vent piston controls the vent valve and a discharge valve pneumatically controls the vent piston. An emergency piston is responsive to brake pipe pressure for controlling the discharge valve. The body does not include at least one of an inshot valve and an accelerated application valve.
US07980636B2
An automated gate control system for a vehicle with a load carrying portion capable of carrying a load of material selectively distributable through a gate comprises a driver-accessible control module and a gate actuating mechanism. The driver-accessible control mechanism is positionable within reach of a driver of the vehicle. The gate actuating mechanism is controllably linked to and responsive to control signals from the driver-accessible control module to open and to close the gate to distribute material through the gate as desired. As a result, the driver need not exit the vehicle to move the gate before, after or during a material distribution operation.
US07980635B2
An auxiliary mechanism for a seat belt apparatus includes a support portion and a guide portion. The support portion supports a webbing in a manner drawable to the front of a seat back. The support portion is movable between a storage position, which is near the seat back, and a projection position, which is spaced further apart from the seat back than the storage position to draw out the webbing toward the front of the seat back. The guide portion guides the movement of the support portion between the storage position and the projection position, and then continuously guides the movement of the support portion along a vertical direction of the seat back at the storage position.
US07980629B2
A recreational vehicle such as a snowmobile, personal watercraft, or all-terrain vehicle has a removable straddle-type seat that includes a base having a flexible portion that includes an aperture. The base is used in conjunction with a fuel tank or vehicle frame having a protrusion protruding therefrom. The flexible portion is flexed to allow the aperture therein to pass over the protrusion on the fuel tank or vehicle frame such that removal of the seat is quick, easy and requires no tools.
US07980620B2
A hardtop folding roof for an open motor vehicle includes an upper roof part and a rear roof part having a rear window. The roof parts can be transferred from a closed position into a storage position via respective lateral link mechanisms. Each link mechanism includes two main links. A first main link is assigned to an associated roof pillar of the rear roof part, and a second main link is coupled at least indirectly to the upper roof part at a distance in front of the associated first main link. A rear window holder of the rear window can be moved relative to the roof pillars during the transfer of the folding roof, and the second main links of each link mechanism are assigned to the rear window holder of the rear window.
US07980619B1
An improved tarpaulin bow for use primarily on a vehicle trailer in which the bow is selectively movable in a downward direction. The bow is preferably arched and attached to the sidewalls of a typical open-bed trailer. The arched shape enables the trailer to assume a greater load capacity and a multiplicity of the bows support a tarpaulin which protects the contents of the trailer. The bow comprises two sections connected by spring elements. Downward pressure on either section extends the spring elements allowing the bow to move downward without breaking. Once the downward pressure is removed, the spring elements compress and return the bow to its original position and shape.
US07980618B2
A center seat provided rightward in a left seat is detached from a center seat retention base when a seatback is caused to fold so that the thickness direction of the seatback coincides with the thickness direction of a seating cushion. Then, the folded center seat is caused to move on a floor forward in the vehicle, and is housed into a center seat-housing portion in a console box.
US07980610B2
A slinging device for a piece includes a sling with a nonextensible part and a section with a spring device, enabling an elastic lengthening or shortening of the sling under load by a limited amplitude in response to a limited change in the load on the piece, the device including a frame and a floating support, the spring device holding the floating support in the absence of application of force to the piece along a vertical axis, in a position of equilibrium centered vertically with respect to the frame under the weight of the piece, and a way for regulating and adapting the position of equilibrium of the floating support depending on the weight of the piece.
US07980606B2
In a vehicle bumper structure, an optical fiber sensor (32) is provided in a vehicle width direction on the front surface of a front-bumper reinforcement (30). A front-bumper absorber (28) is provided in front of the optical fiber sensor (32), the front-bumper absorber (28) formed of a soft absorber (54) and a hard absorber (56). The hard absorber is disposed at the bumper center region where the thickness of the bumper is increased. Accordingly, the thickness of the soft absorber (54) becomes substantially uniform in the vehicle width direction, so that a substantially uniform load is inputted to the optical fiber sensor (32) regardless of the collision position of the bumper with an object. As a result, variations in the output of the load-sensing unit are reduced.
US07980603B2
A locking system wherein the latch is rotatable to provide either a first beveled surface for use as a ramp in latching or a second beveled surface for use as a ramp in unlatching. An entire latch module may be rotated about its axis by a rotary solenoid to achieve this function, and the first and second ramping surfaces are physically the same surface repositioned by rotation 180°. Alternatively, a releasable latch has a beveled surface for engaging a striker plate during bolt entry and a non-beveled surface for locking. The latch is pivotable to allow the non-beveled surface to become the beveled ramp for unlocking. The releasably pivotable latch mechanism may be used with a deadlock. The mechanism is readily incorporated into a rim exit device for releasably securing a door such as an emergency exit and may be actuated either electrically or manually.
US07980592B2
A bi-lobular air bag (14) has first and second lobes (232 and 234) defined at least partially by a central recess (230). The air bag (14) includes a central panel (210) formed in an endless loop and including a longitudinal slit (276) that at least partially defines an opening (270) in the central panel. First and second side panels (212 and 214) have peripheries (290) interconnected with respective edge portions (250 and 252) of the central panel (210). A recess panel (216) has a periphery (286) interconnected with portions of the center panel on opposite sides of the longitudinal slit (276). The recess panel (216) is folded and has overlying portions interconnected to form a pleat (306) that helps define the first and second lobes (232 and 234) of the air bag (14).
US07980591B2
The invention relates to a gas bag module (10) for a vehicle safety system, including a gas bag (48), a gas generator (12), a module housing (46), and a pyrotechnical actuator unit (16) which is fitted to a module component by an attachment section (22), the space which is acted upon with an internal pressure upon an activation of the gas generator (12) and is at least partly limited by the gas bag interior being defined as a gas bag chamber (52). After its activation, the actuator unit (16) breaks into the attachment section (22) fixed at the module component and at least one separated fragment (24), the separated fragment (24) being situated outside of the gas bag chamber (52), and a restraint element (30) being provided which limits the freedom of movement of the separated fragment (24).
US07980586B2
A front passenger seat airbag apparatus 12 includes an airbag 15, a case 25 supporting the airbag 15, and an airbag cover 50 covering the airbag 15. The case 25 includes a tubular inner wall portion 29. A plurality of claw portions 37 are arranged along a vehicle widthwise direction on the upper edge of a front inner wall 31 and a rear inner wall 32 of the tubular inner wall portion 29. The airbag cover 50 includes a tubular outer wall portion 53 having a plurality of engaging holes 57. The tubular outer wall portion 53 is engaged with the case 25 by inserting and engaging the claw portions 37 in the engaging holes 57. The front inner wall 31 and the rear inner wall 32 each include connected portions 66, to each of which a claw portion 37 is connected, and non-connected portions 65, to which no claw portion 37 is connected, along the arrangement direction of the claw portions 37. Two non-connected portions 65 are located on both sides of each connected portion 66. At least one of the non-connected portions 65 has cutout portions 61, 62 that extend from the upper end of the corresponding inner wall to a position lower than the tips 37A of the claw portions 37.
US07980585B2
Mounting assemblies can be used to retain an inflatable curtain airbag in a packaged configuration and attach the inflatable curtain airbag to a vehicle structure. The mounting assemblies can have a mounting structure and a wrapper that are both coupled to inflatable curtain airbag. The mounting structure is attached to a vehicle structure and the wrapper wraps and retains the inflatable curtain airbag in a packaged configuration. During airbag deployment, the wrapper releases the airbag so that the airbag can adopt a deployed configuration, wherein the mounting structure continues to anchor the inflatable curtain airbag to the vehicle structure.
US07980584B2
A portable commode, shower, and bath wheelchair apparatus comprising a first support frame, a second support frame, a mechanical interface interconnecting the first support frame to the second support frame thereby forming a first contiguous support rail and a second contiguous support rail. A seat assembly is slidingly attached to both the first contiguous support rail and to the second contiguous support rail.
US07980576B2
A vehicular suspension arm is provided in which an arm main body (1) includes a main plate (2) press-formed as a main part of the arm main body and having a short cylindrical part (EB) provided integrally with one end by flanging, and a reinforcing plate (H) superimposed on one of upper and lower faces of the main plate (2) and reinforcing the main plate (2). The reinforcing plate (H) has an eye-shaped head part (Ha) formed in an annular shape and arranged coaxially with the short cylindrical part (EB), and a tail part (Hb) extending integrally from the eye-shaped head part (Ha) along the longitudinal direction of the main plate (2), is formed from a single plate material that is thicker than the main plate (2), and has at least the tail part (Hb) welded to the main plate (2). A bush press-fit portion (P1) is formed from an inner peripheral face of the eye-shaped head part (Ha) and an inner peripheral face of the short cylindrical part (EB). This ensures that the cross-sectional shape of a transition section from the bush press-fit portion to the plate-type arm main body is adequate, thus enabling the rigidity and strength required for the transition section to be easily guaranteed and, furthermore, it becomes possible to meet a requirement for increasing the strength of the arm without specially increasing the space around the outer periphery of the bush press-fit portion.
US07980575B2
A four-point link for suspending a vehicle axle (36) on a vehicle frame (35) of a vehicle (11). The four-point link includes four link arms (2, 3, 4 and 5) which are fixed to one another by a central region (6) and which extend away from the central region (6) to form a cross. Two first link arms (2, 3) may be connected, in an articulated manner, to the vehicle frame (35) and two second link arms (4, 5) may be connected, in an articulated manner, to the vehicle axle (36). Each of the link arms (2, 3, 4, 5) has an H-shaped profile (13) which is open transverse or vertically with respect to the cross plane (20).
US07980574B2
There is provided a torque rod bracket assembly for an axle assembly of a motor vehicle. The torque rod bracket assembly has a torque rod mounting bracket engaging plates with a plate connector. The torque rod mounting bracket has a base, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall. A receiver wall located between the first sidewall and the second sidewall has a centrally located recess. Slots are located in the receiver wall between the recess and the sidewalls. Axle mounts mount the torque rod bracket assembly to the axle housing of the axle assembly.
US07980558B2
A vacuum control assembly for use in an image production device is provided. The assembly has a plenum, a perforated plate, a plurality of valve assemblies, and a controller. Each valve assembly has a rotating valve having a vacuum passage, and a chamber body having a plurality of chambers. Each valve is rotatable between a first position that fluidly connects the vacuum passage with at least one of the chambers to complete a fluid path between the plenum and the perforated plate, and a second position at which the vacuum passage connects the plenum with none of the chambers. The controller controls the plurality of valve assemblies to provide vacuum to a first predetermined portion of the perforated plate while also providing no vacuum to a second predetermined portion of the perforated plate.
US07980556B2
An image forming apparatus has an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; a discharging roller pair that discharges the sheet, on which the image is formed, onto a stacking portion with a rotation in a first direction, and conveys the sheet to a re-conveying path for conveying the sheet to the image forming unit again with a rotation in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a skew feed correction member that is provided in the re-conveying path, and contacts against a leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the rotation in the second direction to correct skew feed of the sheet. The sheet conveying force when contacting the leading edge of the sheet against the skew feed correction member is smaller than sheet conveying force of the discharging roller pair when discharging the sheet onto the stacking portion.
US07980553B2
A method for measuring dimensions of a stack of medium in a media input location of an imaging system, includes emitting light along a direction that is at a predetermined angle with respect to the normal of the planar surface of the media input location. An array of photosensors are disposed along an array direction that lies in a plane defined by the direction of the light and the normal of the planar surface. The photosensors receive a spatially-varying pattern of light reflected from a surface that is substantially parallel to the planar surface of the media input location to provide corresponding electronic signal data from the photosensor array for subsequent transmission to a printing system controller. The varying electronic signal data is used to provide a measurement of the one or more dimensions corresponding to the stack of medium.
US07980545B2
An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet, includes a sheet inserting unit configured to insert one or more of a first insertion sheet and a second insertion sheet at one or more predetermined insertion positions in a plurality of sheets, in a case where the plurality of sheets are output by the image forming unit. The image forming apparatus also includes a control unit configured to control the sheet inserting unit to prevent the sheet inserting unit from inserting both the first insertion sheet and the second insertion sheet at the same predetermined insertion position in the plurality of sheets.
US07980541B2
A device for distributing successive products of a product flow, particularly the successive folding products produced by a cross cutting device by dividing a material web, to two branch flows, with a wedge arrangement which is arranged in a stationary manner in the transporting plane of the product flow and which engages between two cam rollers which flank it and which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center working plane. The device is characterized in that the wedge arrangement engages between two guide plates which flank it and which, together with the wedge arrangement, define a path fork. The guide plates have slots through which they are alternately penetrated by cams of the respective adjacent cam roller which are associated with the slots, so that the penetrating cams and the guide plate which is not penetrated form a feed for a belt guide associated with a branch flow.
US07980538B1
An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a jig for holding a workpiece using forces provided by a clamp having a first clamping member, a second clamping member, and a connecting member operable for moving the first clamping member relative to the second clamping member. The jig includes an elongated base member and an elongated support member extending upward from the base member. The support member has a clamp engagement surface for engaging the first clamping member of the clamp, a generally vertically oriented upper surface disposed opposite of the clamp engagement surface for engaging a lateral side of the workpiece, a generally horizontally oriented support surface extending from the support member disposed below the upper surface for engaging a bottom side of the workpiece, and an aperture sized and arranged to accept the connecting member of the clamp.
US07980534B1
A barrier, such as fence panel, is formed from a plurality of channel-shaped rails and plurality of upright members. Each upright member traverses the rail channels of the rails forming the barrier and is mechanically connected to the rail, such that the upright member is selectively tiltable with respect to the rail within an angular adjustment range. The mechanical connection between rail and upright member may be formed by a weld, such as a resistance weld, by a permanent adhesive, or with a fastener such as bolt or screw. A tab that extends from the rail web may be used to connect a rail to an upright member. The tab may depend from a bracket installed within the rail channel, or may be cut out and bent into the channel from the web. The tab is rotatable about an axis situated at or adjacent the web.
US07980532B2
A leveling device for vehicle wheels comprising a first integral planar member for mating with one or more additional integral planar members of substantially the same shape and dimension in releasable relationship. All integral members have four sides and an upper surface divided into a plurality of vertically projecting rows of pins with a row of projections situated up front. The bottom surface of each of the integral planar members include rows of sockets, each of which is conformable in shape and size to receive an individual pin in releasable frictional engagement. Each planar member also includes one partially beveled side with a sloped projection with one or more openings conformable to the shape and dimensions of the individual pins. Two or more integral planar members are adapted to stack one upon the other by mating pins and sockets of respective planar members so that the sloped projections overlap one another and are positioned in parallel relation. The sloped projections of stacked planar members may also be disposed in a laterally offset relation. Both embodiments enable substantial alignment of the inclined planes to facilitate movement of a vehicle wheel up on to the surface of the device and back down.
US07980525B2
A locking device for a rail adjustment system of a vehicle seat, with a number of locking bolts and with a lever element, which is pivotable about a pivoting axis, for unlocking the locking bolt is provided, wherein the locking bolts can be unlocked by an application of force to an adjusting surface of the lever element in the unlocking direction. Furthermore, a rail adjustment system is provided which comprises an upper rail which can be connected to a vehicle seat, a lower rail which can be mounted in a positionally fixed manner, an articulation shaft and a locking device of the type mentioned at the beginning.
US07980524B2
A suspension trauma relief device includes a member extending from a ring to which the safety harness and lanyard are attached. The member provides a support for the wearer so that the wearer can take his/her weight off of the safety harness, and particularly the leg straps on the safety harness, to allow blood circulation and prevent suspension trauma. Preferably the member includes at least one foot support allowing at least one of the wearer's feet to be placed in the foot support to take the wearer's weight off the safety harness and avoid any constriction of the straps of the safety harness on the person's blood flow.
US07980522B2
A blade clamp for a helicopter blade having a width and leading and trailing edges includes a first clamping part, a first flexible liner attachable to the first clamping part, a second clamping part, a second flexible liner attachable to the second clamping part, a hinge mechanism to pivot the first clamping part and the first flexible liner with respect to the second clamping part and the second flexible liner and a connector provided opposite to the hinge mechanism. The flexible liners evenly distribute clamping force upon the blade clamp to prevent damage to the blade. The hinge mechanism allows the first and second clamping parts to open wide enough to safely and easily accommodate a helicopter blade during removal and installation of the blade.
US07980520B2
A garden item hanger assembly. The assembly has an upright with a first and second portion. The first end of the first portion and the second end of the second portion can be connected together by using a medial connection portion which provides a flush surface. The assembly also has a ground engaging stake with a self centering socket and a plurality of set screws to set the upright. The ground engaging stake utilizes a plurality of moment resisting surfaces to maintain an upright position against both a first and second moment about the ground engaging stake applied by the item load.
US07980517B2
A neutral field tray includes an attachment portion for removably attaching the tray to a mayo stand, a base coupled to the attachment portion, two sidewalls extending upward from opposite sides of the base, a distal endwall extending upward from a distal end of the base, a cover extending between the sidewalls above the base adjacent the distal endwall, and support for positioning a single instrument above the base with a distal end of the instrument underneath the cover and a proximal end of the instrument elevated relative to the distal end of the instrument. A method is also provided for using the neutral field tray.
US07980511B2
A device for the transport and medical care of patients as well as for the provision of emergency medical care in an aircraft, which can be arranged and permanently installed inside the passenger cabin of an aircraft, and has a stretcher and medical care equipment, and screens the patient from the environment at least partially by means of lateral elements. The device is enveloped on all sides by lateral elements, and forms a separated compartment relative to the passenger cabin, the volume of which can be temporarily enlarged by shifting at least one lateral section between the first, emergency medical care mode, and a second, expanded mode for patient transport, wherein the stretcher can be horizontally arranged within the compartment in the first mode, and space is available for a medical assistant inside the compartment.
US07980509B2
Thrust systems for passenger aircraft provide at least one flight engine and a taxi engine wherein all flight engines together provide, in total, a takeoff thrust arranged in a takeoff thrust direction and the taxi engine provides a taxi thrust which does not exceed 15% of the takeoff thrust and is directed substantially the same as the takeoff thrust direction. The taxi thrust is thereby sufficient to taxi the aircraft along a taxi path. In a system embodiment, the taxi thrust does not exceed 7.5% of the flight thrust. In another system embodiment, the flight engines have, in total, a flight engine weight and the taxi engine has a taxi engine weight that does not exceed 10% of the flight engine weight. In a system embodiment, the taxi engine weight does not exceed 7.0% of the flight engine weight. In another system embodiment, the taxi engine has a rated thrust and is configured so that the taxi thrust is within 40% and 100% of the rated thrust. In another system embodiment, the taxi engine includes a rotatable engine portion to divert the taxi thrust over an azimuth angle to assist taxiing along the taxi path. The taxi engine significantly reduces fuel costs because when flight engines are used for taxiing, they operate in a very inefficient region of their rated thrust and consume excessive fuel. The taxi engine also significantly reduces the brake repair and adjustment that is incurred when the flight engines are used for taxiing and the brakes are frequently engaged to counter their high thrust.
US07980508B1
A V/STOL aircraft includes an aft by-pass powerplant 28 having an aft, rearwardly directed nozzle 30 and twin transverse vectorable nozzles 32. A duct 29 extends forwardly of the powerplant and terminates in a vectorable nozzle 16. The duct supplies relatively cool by-pass air to the nozzle.
US07980506B2
A dispenser for rolls of flexible sheet material, each of the rolls having spindle elements extending axially outwardly beyond the ends thereof, wherein a first roll is located in a dispensing position. Alternatively, a second roll may be located in a reserve position. The dispenser further includes a stub roll position arranged to receive a first roll exhausted to a predetermined extent. Retaining elements are arranged on both sides of the stub roll position to support the spindle elements inserted into each end of a roll, wherein the retaining elements arranged for simultaneous release of the spindle elements when the dispenser is opened.
US07980498B2
A machine for distributing insulation from a bag of insulation is provided. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end. The chute is configured to receive the bag of insulation. The inlet end of the chute has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially vertical and the outlet end of the chute has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially horizontal. A plurality of shredders is mounted at the outlet end of the chute and is configured to shred and pick apart the insulation. A discharge mechanism is configured for distributing the insulation into an airstream. The chute has a cross-sectional shape that approximates the cross-sectional shape of the bag of insulation and the plurality of shredders and the discharge mechanism are positioned beneath the outlet end of the chute.
US07980494B2
The present invention provides an integral system for recycling post consumer motor-oil plastic containers. Oils and especially motor-oil, physically attaches to its HDPE (high density polyethylene) containers demanding a unique recycling process. As described by this patent, oil-contaminated plastic containers are thermally drained and mechanically freed from their labels and aluminum sealing rings. Unlabeled containers are further shredded through oil-free flake-cutting process, in which, plastic melting is minimized, thus preventing oil to be trapped inside the plastic structure. A hot water bath of sulfonic acid and/or detergents, containing the shredded flakes, is subjected to a very high turbulence in the absence of air (water sealed), which induces liquid cavitation. High rotational turbulence combined with cavitation impacts (generated by fast evaporation/condensation/implosion) supply enough surface energy to liberate the strongly attached oil molecules, which are further trapped by the detergent bath. The bath can be regenerated indefinitely. Centrifugation of the washed flakes, hot and cold water rinsing and further hot-air drying, complete the process before re-pelletizing industrial quality HDPE with the full characteristics of new material.
US07980488B2
A rotary sprinkler includes: a shaft having a cam, the cam having a plurality of radially outwardly projecting cam lobes; a rotatable water distribution plate adapted to be impinged upon by a stream emitted from a nozzle causing at least the water distribution plate to rotate; a hesitator assembly including a stationary housing having a sealed chamber at least partially filled with a viscous fluid, with at least the cam and the cam lobes located within the chamber; a rotor ring located within the chamber in substantially surrounding relationship to the cam, the rotor ring loosely located within the chamber for rotation and translation, the rotor ring provided with at least two hesitator lobes projecting radially inwardly and movable laterally into and out of a path of rotation of the cam lobes, and a first plurality of radially outwardly projecting teeth selectively engageable with a second greater plurality of teeth provided on an inner wall of the housing; and wherein rotation of water distribution plate is slowed during intervals when one of the cam lobes engages and pushes past a respective one of the hesitator lobes, the cam lobe exerting both rotation and translation forces on the rotor ring, with one of the first plurality of teeth on the rotor engaging one of the second plurality of teeth on the housing wall.
US07980487B2
A texture spray pump unit (100) having a tank (140) with an outlet for providing texture material to a pump (120), for delivery to a texture spray gun. The spray pump unit (100) also has an air source (180) for providing power to the pump (120) and air to deliver the texture material from the gun. A frame supports the tank (140), air source (180) and pump (120). The tank (140) is removable from the frame, and has a self closing valve to block leakage from the tank (140) when removed from the frame. The valve may have a pair of helper springs urging the valve closed. Mating portions on the frame and tank (140) guide engagement of a tank outlet with a pump inlet tube.
US07980485B2
A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a housing, a valve seat, a metering orifice disc, and a needle. The housing has an inlet, an outlet, and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough. The valve seat is disposed proximate the outlet and includes a passage having a sealing surface and an orifice. The metering orifice disc is located at the outlet and has a plurality of metering openings extending therethrough. The needle is reciprocally located within the housing along the longitudinal axis between a first position wherein the needle is displaced from the valve seat, allowing fuel flow past the needle, and a second position wherein the needle is biased against the valve seat, precluding fuel flow past the needle. A generally annular channel is formed between the valve seat and the metering orifice disc. The channel tapers outwardly from a large height to a smaller height toward the orifice openings. A method of generating turbulence in a fuel flow through a fuel injector is also disclosed.
US07980484B1
An anti-slabbing device pivotally coupled above a material conveyor and configured to drop down onto material conveyed and further configured so as to vibrate the leading edge of the material as it reaches the end of the conveyor to create a more consistent flow of material from the end of the conveyor down onto a spinner for distributing the material.
US07980482B2
A thermostatic expansion valve includes a valve body having an evaporator inlet port, an evaporator outlet port, a suction line port, and a liquid line port. A sensor chamber formed within the valve body is disposed between the evaporator outlet port and the suction line port. A valve is disposed within the valve body controls a flow of refrigerant from the liquid line port to the evaporator inlet port. A diaphragm separates a charge chamber and a pressure chamber where a pressure differential between a charge chamber and a pressure chamber controls the positioning of the valve. A restriction flow passage located to provide fluid communication between the sensor chamber and the pressure chamber is configured to limit a flow rate from the pressure chamber to sensor chamber, thereby slowing the opening of the valve resulting in a reduction of noise generated following an initial startup of a compressor.
US07980465B2
A method, system, and program provides for hands free contact database information entry at a communication device. A recording system at a communication device detects a user initiation to record. Responsive to detecting the user initiation to record, the recording system records the ongoing conversation supported between the communication device and a second remote communication device. The recording system converts the recording of the conversation into text. Next, the recording system extracts contact information from the text. Then, the recording system stores the extracted contact information in an entry of the contact database, such that contact information is added to the contact database of the communication device without manual entry of the contact information by the user.
US07980460B1
An automated banking machine operates using data included on user cards. The machine accepts checks and dispenses cash to users. The automated banking machine operates to acquire image and magnetic data from deposited checks and to determine the authority of a user to receive cash for such checks.
US07980456B2
The present invention includes a system and method for monitoring a user's pace and providing an indication of the user's average pace in conjunction with performing an activity. The method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes monitoring a user's pace relating to the performance of the activity and calculating pace data relating the user. In response to a first signal, the method stores the pace data and in response to a second signal retrieves the pace data. The method then calculates an assistance pace for the user over a defined time interval and transmits an output signal reflecting the assistance pace based the pace data, such as in the example of a golf club assisting in the swinging pace of the golf club.
US07980443B2
In various embodiments, an anvil of a disposable loading unit including a first member having staple pockets for deforming staples, a first cover plate secured to the first member, and a second cover plate secured to at least one of the first member and the first cover plate, wherein the first and second cover plates can be configured to support the first member. In at least one embodiment, an anvil can include a first member inserted into a second member, where at least one of the first and second members can be deformed to retain one to the other. In various embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can include a disposable loading unit comprising a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a sleeve, wherein the sleeve can be configured to be slid relative to the staple cartridge and the anvil to hold the anvil in a closed position.
US07980440B2
A combustion-engined setting tool (10) for driving fastening elements in a workpiece includes a combustion chamber (11), a drive piston (15) displaceable in a piston guide (17) and driven by expanding gases produced in the combustion chamber (11), and a device for returning the drive piston (15) in its initial position as a result of pressure difference between chambers formed on opposite axial sides of the piston head (115), and including a pump (20).
US07980428B2
A dispensing gun for viscous material including a stock supporting a push rod which is advanceable along a keep in which a cartridge of a material can be mounted. The rod is advanced by means of a catch plate and a locking plate prevents the rod retreating with the catch plate. The locking plate is carried by the rod between a first and a second position so that it acts as a lost motion brake once force is removed from the trigger in one configuration of the dispensing gun, taking the dispensing force off the cartridge to prevent leaking when the trigger is not depressed. In an alternative configuration, the lost motion is reduced, for example to zero, to allow a continuous dispensing action by maintaining the pressure in the cartridge using a pumping action of the trigger.
US07980420B2
A card dispensing apparatus having a compact configuration has a housing to support a stack of cards on a fixed base. Openings in the base member can permit surfaces from a conveying member to extend into the housing and contact a surface of the lowest card. The conveyer member can move horizontal to a release point and retract beneath the base member to return to an initial position. A movement unit provides a cyclic looping movement of the conveyer member into and out of the housing for transporting cards. A feed unit positioned at the dispensing point of the cards can grasp and release the cards from the card dispensing apparatus.
US07980410B2
The invention relates to a foldable bag that can be unfolded from an essentially flat initial state into an unfolded final state, provided with at least a first, a second and a third sheet for forming, respectively, a first, a second and a third wall of the foldable bag. The first sheet is joined to the second sheet via the third sheet, which third sheet in the initial state is folded along a fold line, wherein the fold line in the initial state is between the first and the second sheet. The foldable bag furthermore has an opening in the first sheet. The fold line of the third sheet in the initial state extends underneath the opening to form a channel between the first and second sheet past the opening. The invention furthermore relates to a combination of a container and empty bag as well as method for the use thereof, wherein the bag is fixed to the peripheral wall of the container by means of a first and a second fixing.
US07980398B2
A theft deterrent dispensing unit particularly for use with cans includes a conveyor section that leads to a dispensing head. A shroud extends over the forward edge of the conveying section. The dispensing head pivots downwardly allowing the leading can to be grasped without interference of the shroud. The rear edge of the dispensing head pivots upwardly, preventing the next adjacent can from moving immediately into the dispensing head until the dispensing head rotates back to a closed position. Likewise, when the dispensing head is rotated to an open position, a barrier is pulled down from the top of the shroud, again preventing an individual from reaching in and grabbing the next adjacent can. A locking mechanism is positioned on the side of the dispensing units to prevent two adjacent dispensing units from being opened at the same time. Finally, the speed at which the dispensing heads move from an open to a closed position is regulated to prevent rapid removal of cans from a single dispensing unit.
US07980397B2
A glass plate packaging pallet includes a pallet base formed by integrating a base part and a backside part rising from a rear side of the base part, and a mount body formed by integrating a pedestal part and a backrest part, the pedestal part being placed above the base part and supporting from below a plurality of glass plates disposed so as to be stacked with an upright posture, the backrest part being placed in front of the backside part and supporting the glass plates resting thereagainst, and is configured such that a rear surface of the backrest part and a front surface of the backside part are fixed together so as to face each other along the same plane, and that the pedestal part is positioned in a non-connected state with respect to the base part.
US07980395B2
An apparatus and method for filtering working fluid in an appliance with a cross-flow filter located within a recirculation circuit.
US07980390B2
A display card (200) including a front layer (230) and a back layer (210), wherein at least a portion of the front layer (230) is connected to at least a portion of the back layer (210), a blister (220) supported by at least one of the front layer (230) and the back layer (210), and at least one support tube (240) defined by the front layer (230) and the back layer (210), wherein the support tube is formed by folding the front layer (230) relative to the back layer (210).
US07980382B2
The present invention relates to a method for uniformly filling a relatively large container (5) with relatively delicate products, wherein the products are supplied at a first level using a feed conveyor (17), and these products are transferred by means of a guiding device which guides the products in restrained manner from the first level to a second level, wherein at the second level the products are released into a distributing device (3) for distribution in the container. The invention further relates to a guiding device (2) for guiding products from a feed conveyor, comprising: —at least one transfer member (11) comprising means for receiving the products at a speed which can be adjusted to the speed of the feed conveyor, —a guide member (12) which is arranged substantially along a part of the outside of the transfer member for guiding the products in the transfer member.
US07980373B2
A viscous fan drive with a front-mounted fan and electrical actuation without a tethered harness. The mechanical package includes an inverted viscous clutch, a drive pulley and a split electromagnetic actuator with the electrical portion mounted to a stationary mounting member. An axially moveable valve member controls the flow of viscous fluid.
US07980371B2
A clutching device includes an outer race, an inner race, a plurality of rollers and an actuator plate. The outer and inner races have axial ridges to define opposed outer and inner race pockets. The rollers are positioned in the outer and inner race pockets. The clutching device further includes an axial projection coupled for rotation with one of the inner and outer race. An actuator plate is coupled for rotation with one of the inner and outer race and axially moveable between a first position wherein the actuator plate engages the axial projection and a second position wherein the actuator plate does not engage the axial projection.
US07980370B2
A lockup device 7 of a torque converter 1 is formed of a piston 75, a clutch plate 80, and a damper mechanism 9. The clutch plate 80 has a first passage P1 connecting an inner space S3 on the radially inner side to a space S1 formed axially between the front cover 11 and the clutch plate 80, and a second passage P2 connecting the inner space S3 formed on the radially inner side to a space S2 formed axially between the piston and the clutch plate 80.
US07980369B2
The present invention comprises a lash prevention spring of unique design having a plurality of spring legs shaped into an s-curve and an inner circumference formed into at least one spline. The invention also comprises a lash prevention assembly in which the disclosed lash spring is attached to a damper hub and is biased against the several teeth from a turbine hub that extend through the damper hub from its opposite side.
US07980357B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for exhaust silencers for engines, such as microturbines, are described. An exhaust silencer reduces noise produced by an engine. While passing through an exhaust silencer, an exhaust stream from the engine makes one or more turns, thereby reducing turbine noise. An exhaust silencer includes a body, a cavity in the body, a baffle plate that partially divides the central cavity, an inlet port formed in a first surface of the body, and an outlet port formed in a second surface of the body. The inlet port is configured to receive an exhaust stream that flows through the cavity, around the baffle plate. The outlet port is configured to discharge the exhaust stream from the body.
US07980353B2
A steering system is provided for controlling the turning angle of the steering wheels of a vehicle. The steering system includes two electro-hydraulic circuits each including an actuator, both actuators being mechanically coupled and acting simultaneously on the turning angle of the wheels. A first circuit is displacement-controlled relative to a position set point while a second circuit is stress controlled. The set point applied of the second circuit includes a component developed from the filtering of the position set point applied to the first circuit.
US07980352B2
A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising a frame comprising an operator's compartment, wheels supported on the frame, at least one of the wheels being a steerable wheel, and a steer-by-wire system associated with the steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel. The vehicle further comprises a control apparatus.
US07980342B2
A method for operating a vehicle may include operating a motor and an engine to propel the vehicle, and increasing consumption of fuel as a residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle increases. The residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle can provide an indication of fuel degradation, enabling the duty cycle of the engine to be selectively increased to enforce fuel use conditions, particularly in the context of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle where fuel use may be less frequent.
US07980338B2
A power take off (PTO) driveline shaft of an agricultural implement may be securely stowed when not in use using a PTO driveline storage device. The storage device is pivotably mounted to the frame of the agricultural implement, such as the hitch, and may be rotated from its own stowed position to a position to provide support for the PTO driveline shaft when the PTO driveline shaft is not connected to the PTO of a tractor or other machine having a PTO output. The storage device includes an arm having a first end that is mounted to the hitch and has a second end that is adapted to fit against the PTO driveline shaft when the device is being used to stow the PTO driveline shaft. When not in use, the storage device may be rotated clear of the PTO driveline shaft and pivoted to a position where it may be securely stowed.
US07980332B1
In one aspect of the invention, a downhole centrifugal drilling fluid separator has a bore within a tubular body comprising a central axis. The bore is formed to receive drilling fluid comprising particulate matter. At least one fin rigidly fixed within the bore and at least one port formed in a wall of the tubular body. As the drilling fluid flows through the tubular body the at least one fin creates a rotary motion within the drilling fluid forcing a portion of the particulate matter away from the central axis and through the at least one port in the tubular body.
US07980331B2
A drill string component includes a downhole power assembly and a center mandrel with a through-bore adapted to accommodate a flow of drilling fluid. The downhole power assembly includes a tubular battery cage disposed around the center mandrel. At least one battery is disposed in at least one bay formed in the tubular battery cage and a tubular sleeve is adapted to slide over and cover the tubular battery cage.
US07980328B2
The invention provides rotary steerable devices and methods for use of rotary steerable devices. One aspect of the invention provides a rotary steerable device including: a cylinder configured for rotation in a wellbore, the cylinder having a slot and a gauge; and at least one cam received in the slot. The cam is configured for selective actuation between a first position, wherein the cam lies within the gauge of the cylinder, and a second position, wherein the cam is displaced out of the gauge of the cylinder.
US07980326B2
A method and system of subterranean excavating that estimates a buoyancy force applied to a downhole excavating system from drilling fluid. The estimated buoyancy force is used to derive a true weight on bit (WOB) at the borehole bottom. The derived realized WOB is compared to a target WOB to obtain a change in WOB. Based on the change in WOB, the excavating system is adjusted so the realized WOB approximates the target WOB. The excavating system adjustment includes applying a compensating force to the string. Compensating forces can be produced by manipulating a block assembly or deploying a thruster device in the string.
US07980324B2
A power tool including a motor, an output member and a transmission disposed between the motor and the output member. The transmission includes a ring gear with opposite axial end faces. The power tool also includes a clutch for limiting an output of the transmission. The clutch includes an annular clutch face disposed about the ring gear. At least a portion of a side of the ring gear is configured such that an included angle between the annular clutch face and the at least a portion of the side of the ring gear is about ninety five degrees to about one hundred fifty degrees.
US07980323B2
A post driver having a dampening device adapted to isolate the hands and arms of the user from shock.
US07980315B2
A selectively communicatable hydraulic nipple is provided which includes an upper and lower communications component adapted to communicate with tools landed inside the hydraulic nipple. Each communications component communicates with a control line used by the hydraulic nipple. An operator is allowed to selectively communicate with tools landed inside the nipple via the upper and lower communications components via the nipple control line. As a result, should the TRSCSSV control line loose integrity, the operator has the option of utilizing the nipple control line to continue oil and gas production without the need for well modifications. Alternatively, an operator could land a chemical injection tool, with an injection string suspended therefrom, in the nipple and inject chemicals into the well via the nipple control line.
US07980307B2
An apparatus for finding a pre-existing downhole window includes a body having a deflector ramp and a cavity, and an extendable dog disposed in the cavity, the dog mechanically moveable between a retracted position and an extended position into the pre-existing window. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes an axially moveable sleeve disposed adjacent the extendable dog. A downhole window finding apparatus includes a deflector including a window finding assembly, and a running tool removably coupled to the deflector, wherein the window finding assembly includes an extendable member and an axially moveable sleeve retaining the extendable member. In certain embodiments, a fluid flow path extends through the running tool and the deflector to the window finding assembly. In some embodiments, a shear bolt removably couples the running tool to the deflector and includes a fluid passage fluidicly coupling a flow line in the running tool to a flow line in the deflector. A method of finding a pre-existing downhole window is also disclosed.
US07980287B2
A substrate bonding apparatus includes a first chamber including a first surface plate on which a first substrate is supported, a second chamber spaced from the first chamber and including a second surface plate on which a second substrate to be bonded to the first substrate is supported, an adhesive module provided on the first surface plate and including a plurality of adhesive rubber areas holding the first substrate, and a lift module for lifting at least one of the plurality of adhesive rubber areas.
US07980280B2
A pneumatic tire having improved wear resistance, especially improved uneven wear resistance (such as river wear), is offered. The tire that is a rib-pattern tire has five ribs extending circumferentially of the tire. The ribs include a center rib and intermediate ribs located on the opposite sides of the center rib that is located on the equator line of the tire. Closed sipes are formed at least in the center rib and in the intermediate ribs. Each sipe is located in the lateral center of the corresponding rib. Both ends of each sipe terminate within the corresponding rib. The closed sipes are successively offset circumferentially among the ribs and arranged in a periodic pattern on the outer surface of the tire. The closed sipes in the ribs are so arranged that when they are optically projected onto the equator line of the tire, the sipes do not overlap circumferentially of the tire among the ribs.
US07980274B2
A dobby includes two controlled latches for coupling a drive element mounted to a main drive shaft of the dobby and an actuator element in rotation. A first resilient element resiliently biases each of the latches towards a configuration in which their respective bearing surfaces are engaged with corresponding surfaces of the actuator element. Control members are provided for moving the latches against the action of the first resilient element and that act directly on the first latch and indirectly on the second latch so as to move the first latch against the first resilient element to thereby disengage its bearing surface with a corresponding surface of the actuator element while the second latch remains in a configuration in which its bearing surface is engaged with another corresponding surface of the actuator element.
US07980268B2
The present invention relates generally to fluid control valves and, more particularly, to a mixing valve for use within a faucet.
US07980263B2
The present invention relates to a tray for use with a walker. The tray includes a generally rigid tray base having an essentially rectangular shape with a front long side, a back long side, a first short side and a second short side, and wherein the tray has a length that extends to or past the essentially horizontal support member; a ridge extending along the sides of the tray, wherein the ridge has a height of at least about a ½ inch; a strap having a hook and loop fastener wherein the strap is positioned at or near the back long end; and a first hinge and a second hinge, the first and second hinges are positioned, when the tray is in use, at or near the front leg of the first and second support, respectively. The length of the tray is greater that the distance between the support member of the first support and the support member of the second support; and the width of the tray is less than the length of the support member of the first support or second support. The present invention further includes methods of using the tray, and system and kits that include the tray.
US07980255B2
In a first aspect, a module is provided that is adapted to process a wafer. The module includes a processing portion having one or more features such as (1) a rotatable wafer support for rotating an input wafer from a first orientation wherein the wafer is in line with a load port to a second orientation wherein the wafer is in line with an unload port; (2) a catcher adapted to contact and travel passively with a wafer as it is unloaded from the processing portion; (3) an enclosed output portion adapted to create a laminar air flow from one side thereof to the other; (4) an output portion having a plurality of wafer receivers; (5) submerged fluidnozzles; and/or (6) drying gas flow deflectors, etc. Other aspects include methods of wafer processing.
US07980251B2
A pouched tobacco product includes a lined pouch material of a web and a water-soluble liner adjacent the web and a tobacco component contained within the lined pouch material. The water-soluble liner is interposed between the web and the tobacco component. The liner preferably reduces staining of the web by the tobacco component. Additionally, the liner may include a flavorant.
US07980250B2
A tobacco smoke filter which has a tar retention of at most 50% and comprises a relatively high draw resistance downstream filtering plug of at most 50% tar retention, a relatively low draw resistance upstream filter plug of at most 22% tar retention spaced longitudinally upstream therefrom, and a filter wrapper engaging around and joining the spaced plugs to define a cavity therebetween.
US07980249B2
This invention relates to a protective mouthguard for use by athletes that incorporates a color customizable feature, allowing users to customize the visible color of the mouthguard. The invented protective mouthguard has a u-shaped base that will fit inside of a user's mouth. The front surface of the mouthguard can be visible when the mouthguard is worn by the user inside of his mouth. A colorable strip is placed inside a cavity in the front wall of the mouthguard and is visible through holes that are placed in the front wall.
US07980240B2
A breaking apparatus (1) including a movable mass (3) for impacting on a striker pin (4), a housing (2) and a striker pin (4) configured to partially protrude through the housing (2), the apparatus (1) characterized in that the striker pin (4) is configured to be beatable in a plurality of retaining locations relative to the housing (2).
US07980217B2
A valve train of an internal combustion engine with at least one camshaft (1) on which at least one rotatable cam (2) is arranged fixed in the axial direction, wherein a rotationally fixed connection of the at least one cam (2) with the camshaft (3) can be selectively established and released by an associated coupling-like locking device (3). So that the valve train has a compact construction and low production costs and nevertheless low wear in operation, it is provided that the locking device (3) is held within the cam (2) and has a spring-loaded, annular locking collar (12) that can move in the axial direction on the camshaft (1) and, as a counter part to the locking collar (12), locking shoes (11, 11′) coupled with the cam (2), wherein, in a locking position, the locking collar (12) is pressed against the locking shoes (11, 11′) by contacting, ramp-shaped boundary surfaces (19, 20) formed on the locking collar (12) and the locking shoes (11, 11′), so that radial projections (15) arranged on the locking shoes (11, 11′) engage in adjacent, pocket-shaped receptacles (16) of the camshaft (2) by a radial force and, in an unlocked position, the locking collar (12) is released from the locking shoes (11, 11′) by a force acting against the radial force.
US07980208B2
A reciprocating engine (10) operating on the two stroke cycle, comprising a pair of stationary and substantially concentrically aligned mutually opposed pistons (13, 15) and a sleeve (11) adapted to reciprocate about these static pistons. The reciprocating sleeve (11) defining two cavities, each cavity being operatively connected to one of the pistons to define a chamber. The first chamber being a pre-charge chamber (21) and having at least one inlet port (25), and the second chamber being a combustion chamber (19) and having at least one outlet port (35), the two chambers being separated by a pressure operated transfer valve (23). The reciprocating motion of the sleeve (11) can be converted into rotary motion.
US07980207B2
A multi-link engine has a piston that moves inside a cylinder. A piston pin connects the piston to an upper link, which is connected to a lower link. A crank pin of a crankshaft supports the lower link thereon. The lower link is pivotally connected to one end of a control link, which is connected at another end to the engine block body by a control shaft. The control shaft is lower than a crank journal of the crankshaft, and disposed on a first side of a plane that is parallel to a cylinder center axis and that contains a center rotational axis of the crank journal. The cylinder center axis is located on a second (i.e., opposite the first side) plane. The control link has a center axis that is parallel to the cylinder center axis when the piston is near top and bottom dead centers.
US07980194B2
A process and apparatus for preparing a surface coating composition for an animal food. The process involves combining, in-line along a food processing line, liquid fat and a dry additive to provide a liquid fat-dry additive composition, which then is combined with a liquid additive to provide a surface coating composition. The composition is coated on the food.
US07980188B2
A cloth-holder frame transfer apparatus for a sewing machine includes a carriage detachably attachable to a cloth-holder frame holding workpiece cloth, a carriage driving mechanism including an actuator moving the carriage in two directions intersecting each other on a horizontal plane, an external force detector which detects an external force applied by an operator to the cloth-holder frame attached to the carriage, an assisting force output device which produces force assisting the movement of the cloth-holder frame by the external force, and a control device controlling the assisting force output device based on the external force detected by the external force detector. The carriage driving mechanism includes first and second direction movement actuators provided with first and second direction displacement sensors respectively. The first and second direction movement actuators include respective stepping motors, and the first and second direction displacement sensors include respective rotary encoders.
US07980181B2
A drag racing roller coaster amusement ride has at least two sets running rails, each set having at least one running rail and an embark point. At least two carriers (109) are arranged to carry at least one rider on a respective set of running rails with the rider(s) in a substantially prone position. Each carrier is arranged to slidingly engage with the respective set of running rails to enable the carriers to traverse the ride. The ride has an indicator (109) to provide a ride commencement indication. A launch system is configured to provide a powered initial motion to each carrier. Each carrier has a ride activator controllable by a rider of the carrier to trigger the launch system to commence the ride for the carrier following the ride commencement indication. Launch systems are also disclosed.
US07980173B2
A hydraulic compactor system includes a portable container adapted to be transported by a truck and having a chamber for receiving a waste material to be compacted. The container has a self-contained compacting ram actuated by a hydraulic cylinder, and a remote hydraulic power supply unit is connected to the hydraulic cylinder by flexible hydraulic hoses. Each of the hoses is provided with a breakaway hydraulic coupling having two sections connected by tension releasable coupling means with the sections having spring biased valves which are open when the sections are coupled together and automatically close when the sections separate due to a predetermined tension force on the hoses. Each breakaway coupling compensates for increases in hydraulic fluid pressure to prevent separation of the coupling sections when the fluid pressure increases to actuate the hydraulic compacting cylinder.
US07980170B2
The invention relates to a method for making coffee-based drinks and to an arrangement in an apparatus for making coffee-based drinks. In this process, coffee is made by means of a so-called expresso method using hot water. High pressure and a short boiling time. According to the method, a strong coffee concentrate is stored in a hermetically sealed heat vessel and the concentrate is either used as such or it is diluted so as to obtain a desired strength at the moment of serving by adding a suitable amount of water to the concentrate in a mixing tank. According to the invention, both expresso-based specialty coffees and ordinary coffee are made by means of the same equipment. The invention also makes it possible to quickly serve large amounts of coffee.
US07980168B2
A process for making a hot beverage, such as coffee or tea, includes placing ground coffee or tea into a filter, inserting the filter into a filter basket to support the filter with respect to a reservoir that is to receive a brewed beverage; introducing water into the filter; and repeatedly deforming the filter to alter its shape as water passes through the filter and ground coffee or tea en route to the reservoir. A device for making a hot beverage includes a drive and a filter basket. The filter basket defines a filter basket chamber for receiving an associated filter. The filter basket includes a movable component operably connected to the drive and movable for deforming the associated filter. The movable component is operable between a first operating position where the filter chamber has a first dimension and a second operating position where the filter chamber has a second dimension that is smaller than the first dimension.
US07980166B1
A ballistic barrier incorporates a flexible ballistic blanket having a threat side and a protected side, opposing top and bottom edges, and opposing side edges. A plurality of spaced-apart elongated stiffening elements extend longitudinally between opposing top and bottom edges of the ballistic blanket. An elongated structural brace extends laterally between opposing side edges of the ballistic blanket, and is arranged to support the ballistic blanket in a desired lateral configuration.
US07980163B2
A saw includes a rotatable cutting blade having a first side, a second side, an outer edge and a front end region, a motor for driving the cutting blade, and a blade guard covering at least a portion of the blade. The saw has an air deflector assembly positioned in proximity to the front edge region of the cutting blade, the air deflector assembly having a first deflector device positioned substantially adjacent to, but spaced apart from, the first side of the rotatable cutting blade, and a second deflector device. The second deflector device is movable between an operating position whereby the second deflector device is positioned substantially adjacent to, but spaced apart from, the second side of the blade, and a non-operating position wherein the second deflector device is spaced apart from the blade by a greater distance than in the operating position.
US07980160B2
A deep throat chuck jaw system adapted to be used with a lathe with or without a headstock hole is provided. The system includes a set of jaw extension members having an inboard end supported from a face of a master chuck jaw coupled to a lathe chuck. The jaw extension members also include an outboard end. The set of jaw extension members are operable to grip an outer surface of a part having an outer diameter greater than the headstock hole with a clamping assembly clamped around the outboard end.
US07980129B2
A bin monitoring system functions both as a device for lifting the bin and as a weighing system for monitoring or measuring the level of feed in a feed bin. Various embodiments having a suspended load cell and methods of retrofitting the bin monitoring system to existing bins are provided. Further, the accuracy provided by various embodiments enables one to accurately predict when the feed bin will be empty. Thus, the feed mill can be aware of anticipated needs days in advance, allowing the feed mill to better optimize its scheduling and deliveries.
US07980128B2
In order to provide an improved level monitoring system for monitoring the electrolyte fill level of an accumulator, the present invention proposes a level monitoring system having a level monitoring device and a signal output device (10) which is arranged in a separate housing, receives signals representing the fill level of the electrolyte from the level monitoring device and outputs at least one corresponding fill level signal.
US07980127B1
A flow meter includes a transparent holder with an inlet and an outlet connected to a first, second and third fastening portions through a first, second, third and fourth connection ribs, a first and second fastening assemblies screwed respectively with the inlet and outlet, a butting member located at one end of the transparent holder, a flow scale plate located on a recess of the transparent holder, and a regulation member coupled to the inlet. The three fastening portions with respectively a first, second and third fastening hole are integrally formed with the inlet and outlet. Through the first and second fastening holes, the transparent holder is firmly fastened to a machine. Thus hydraulic pressure generated in the inlet and outlet does not cause loosening due to screw fastening of the three fastening portions. The structural strength of the transparent holder is increased and assembly is easier.
US07980122B2
A rotation detecting device for detecting the rotational speed of a gear in a transmission without increasing the width of the gear in the axial direction, using any expensive sensor and not limiting the location of a shift drum. An internal combustion engine includes a crankcase in which a crankshaft and a transmission are accommodated. The transmission includes a plurality of gears for shifting, an input shaft for inputting a rotational drive force from the crankshaft, and an output shaft wherein the rotational drive force is transmitted from the input shaft through the gears and to the output shaft to a drive wheel. The internal combustion engine includes rotation detecting devices for respectively detecting the rotational speeds of the gears. The rotation detecting devices respectively include detecting portions opposed to the gears rotating with the rotation of the input shaft and positioned in the axial direction of the transmission.
US07980120B2
A fuel injector diagnostic system includes a fuel pump control module, a pressure sensor, and a diagnostic module. The fuel pump control module disables delivery of fuel to a fuel rail of an engine. The pressure sensor measures a first pressure of the fuel rail before an injection event and a second pressure of the fuel rail after the injection event on at least one of a plurality of injectors when the engine is running. The diagnostic module diagnoses a fault in the at least one of the injectors based on the first pressure and the second pressure.
US07980119B2
An auto-sampler cleaning mechanism is provided, which is capable of maintaining the supply of a liquid in a non-time-consuming manner when a cleaning solution is supplied. The auto-sampler cleaning mechanism of the present invention includes: a sample-metering sample loop 14 having a sample-injecting needle 15 at a front end thereof, a metering pump 24, a multi-ported valve 11a, a multi-position valve 11b, and a liquid-supply valve 11c. A diaphragm pump 25 is disposed between the port of the multi-position valve 11a and the port of the liquid-supply valve 11b, and used to supply a cleaning solution 26 or a mobile phase 20 to the sample loop 14.
US07980110B2
Apparatus for continuous extrusion of an aluminium sheathing free from imperfections or discontinuities onto a core cable, such as an insulated copper cable, includes a rotatable wheel formed with a pair of circumferential grooves arcuate tooling bounding radially outer portions of the respective grooves, a die body provided with divergent exit apertures discharging laterally to an extrusion chamber through 90° elbows and short divergent passages at diametrically opposed locations. An electrical induction heater includes coils of copper tubing connected to an electrical power source and to a coolant circulating device is positioned at a radially outer portion of the die body and is energizable to supply heat to the die body to maintain a uniform temperature of approximately 480° C., controlled by signals from thermocouples around the extrusion chamber.
US07980105B2
A wafer-type tumbler cylinder comprises a sleeve, a cylinder, a plurality of first and second wafers, some springs and some U-shaped fixtures. The wafer-type tumbler cylinder is an integral cylindrical shaft having indentations, fixing slots and riveting plates made in a consistent operation. After the placement of every pair of first and second wafers and one shared spring into the cylindrical shaft, the riveting plates are pressed into a horizontal position to secure the wafers and spring; furthermore, all the indentations, first and second wafers, springs and riveting plates are installed on one side, or on both sides of the cylindrical shaft. The improved structure of riveting plates, U-shaped fixtures and shared spring for every pair of first and second wafers enables the key to move forward and backward smoothly, and also enables the users to lock and unlock easily and successfully.
US07980099B2
A filament forming apparatus has a bushing that includes structural components and non-structural components. The structural components are formed of a first material having a high creep strength and the ability to withstand corrosive effects of molten mineral materials. The non-structural components are formed of at least a second material that is different from the first material.
US07980094B2
Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems and heat exchangers are provided which include dissimilar tube spacing configurations. The heat exchangers include multiple sets of multichannel tubes in fluid communication with each other. One set of multichannel tubes contains a plurality of tubes spaced apart at one spacing while the another set of multichannel tubes contains a plurality of tubes spaced apart at a different spacing. The different spacing between the multichannel tubes allows each set of tubes to be configured to the properties of the refrigerant flowing within the tubes.
US07980093B2
A compressor for a refrigerant is integrally contained in a housing with a positive displacement pump for a secondary coolant. Both the compressor and pump are driven by a common motor. In one embodiment, a linear compressor includes a reciprocating piston rod coupled at one end to a refrigerant compressor and at an opposite end to a positive displacement liquid pump. The pump circulates a secondary coolant through a thermal storage unit and heat exchanger associated with an evaporator. The evaporator is coupled to a condenser, in turn, coupled to the compressor. A conventional rotary compressor may also have a positive displacement pump coupled to the motor to provide circulation for a secondary coolant circuit.
US07980091B2
A refrigeration device comprising two refrigerated regions, whose temperature is independently regulated and which are supplied with cold air from a common evaporator chamber. A flap is situated in one branch of a cold air conduit, which connects the refrigerated regions to the evaporator chamber, said flap being pivotable between two positions, each of which seals a respective branch of the conduit. The pivoting displacement of the flap is driven by an eccentric cam.
US07980083B2
An embodiment of the present invention may provide a variable speed booster, which receives air from a compressor of a gas turbine through an intercooler, to supply air at a relatively constant pressure to an air processing unit. An embodiment of the present invention may provide an external power source to energize the variable speed booster; which provides air at a relatively constant pressure to an air processing unit.
US07980080B2
FCHTMC engine defines a new device, not any makeover. Some instances of conflict, which may arise in general claims for the Stirling or all other engines, are, therefore, of no consequences. This engine improves over the power, efficiency, size, weight, complicity, and versatility of the Stirling and other engines—all known to this date. This application makes the use of the specific refrigerant, Duracool™, for propulsion, not cooling, and the use of the specific ceramic Z500. Multiple horizontal layers describe the engine inner configuration within these layers, defining the space for internal components, providing a simplicity of assembly/dis-assembly and the pipes' usage in structure. The meaning—pipes are incorporated inside of the device, excluding external piping. This style of construction defines the unimpeded access to improve manufacturing costs. This device is a single-hot cycle, multi-cylinder, and none-rotary engine without any vibratory or gyroscopic reactions.
US07980077B2
A method for retrofitting a cooling system of a turbocharged engine system. The method comprises reconfiguring the cooling system so that at least some coolant flows from a first radiator to a second radiator, and from the second radiator to an inlet of an intercooler without first passing through a lubricant cooler. The method may be applied to a cooling system originally configured so that at least some of the coolant would flow through the first and second radiators in parallel, and from the first and second radiators to the lubricant cooler, before flowing to the inlet of the intercooler.
US07980067B2
A method to detect drive cycles of a vehicle and modify engine operation according to the detected drive cycles to effect regeneration of exhaust components, particularly the Diesel Particulate Filter.
US07980059B2
An object is to estimate the degree of deterioration of an NOx catalyst with improved accuracy in an exhaust gas purification system having the NOx catalyst provided in an exhaust passage. According to the present invention, an NOx sensor is provided downstream of an NOx catalyst, and the difference between an estimated value of the NOx concentration in the exhaust gas in the exhaust passage upstream of the NOx catalyst and a detection value of the NOx sensor at a time when NOx in the exhaust gas is not removed in the NOx catalyst is calculated. In addition, in estimating the degree of deterioration of the NOx catalyst, the estimated value of the NOx concentration in the exhaust gas in the exhaust passage upstream of the NOx catalyst is corrected based on this difference, and the degree of deterioration of the NOx catalyst is estimated based on the difference between this corrected value and the detection value of the NOx sensor.
US07980057B2
An integral composite rocket motor nozzle. The novel nozzle includes a first layer of a first reinforcement material, a second layer of a second reinforcement material, and a common matrix material surrounding the first and second reinforcement materials such that the reinforcement materials and matrix material form a single integral composite structure. In an illustrative embodiment, the first reinforcement material includes graphite fibers for providing structural support, and the second reinforcement material includes glass or quartz fibers for providing thermal insulation on a first side of the first layer. The nozzle may also include a third layer of a third reinforcement material for providing thermal insulation on a second side of the first layer. In a preferred embodiment, the first layer is shaped to form an integrated dome and nozzle structure.
US07980054B2
A tip turbine engine (10) includes a combustor (30) radially outward of a fan. In order to reduce the heat transfer from the combustor and the high-energy gas stream generated by the combustor, a cold air ejector (38) radially outward of the combustor extends from a forward end of the nacelle (12) to a point rearward of the combustor and an exhaust mixer (110). The cold air ejector includes an annular inlet (17) at the forward end of the nacelle. The cold air ejector draws air over the outer engine case (39) to provide a boundary between the nacelle and the hot outer engine case. The layer of air being pulled past the engine case ejects the heat, thereby preventing the heat from escaping into the nacelle or engine bay.
US07980049B1
An improved shield panel for use in the top shield of a rotary disc cutterbar equipped mower that features a twin sheet, vacuum formed plastic panel with a steel frame that interfaces with existing hinge and mounting structures on the mower to enable the plastic shield panel to directly replace a steel shield panel. Stiffening ribs formed into the plastic shield provide the necessary strength for the shield panel while the resiliency of the plastic material enables the plastic shield panel to better withstand impacts from flying debris generated from cutterbar operation. Molded receptacles in the exterior surface of the shield panels are configured to receive connectors for the mower front shield curtain and any stiffening members necessary for attachment to the mower. The predominate use of plastic reduces weight and lowers production costs compared to a comparable steel panel with a plastic protective liner.
US07980046B2
An apparatus for filling a container includes an enclosure (11) having an opening for receiving a container (14). The apparatus may include a shuttle assembly (15), a wash station (20), a fill station (21), and a seal station (16) contained within the enclosure (11). The shuttle assembly (15) may include a frame structure (23) and a shuttle (22). The shuttle (22) may advance along a path of travel and facilitate the washing, filling, and sealing of the container (14). The apparatus may be employed in a method for consecutively washing, filling, and sealing at least one container in an enclosed housing. The method includes the steps of providing at least one container, washing the container, filling the container, and sealing the container. The method may be conducted along a path of travel.
US07980042B2
A molded panel is provided, which includes a body and a plurality of supporting members. The body includes a generally planar top surface and a bottom surface. The supporting members extend from the bottom surface of the body to define a support structure. The support structure includes a top surface adjacent to the bottom surface of the body, a generally planar bottom surface and at least one edge extending therebetween. The support structure also includes at least one channel extending along a central x-axis of the support structure, and at least one additional channel intersecting the at least one central channel and extending along a y-axis of the support. The y-axis is generally perpendicular to the x-axis. A connection system for the molded panel, systems including the molded panel, and methods related to the molded panel are also described.
US07980040B2
Attachment devices are described for attaching and locating overlapped anchor sheets while allowing for some relative movement as to expansion and contraction. Generally, the devices are a male/female connection on corresponding sheets and expansion openings or apertures surrounding either the male or female part to provide for areas of flexibility to provide for possible movement of either the male or female part.
US07980039B2
A device for connecting and locking two building boards, in particular floor panels, on their longitudinal sides and/or transverse sides in the horizontal and vertical direction through an essentially vertical joining movement. The building boards have a top side and an underside. On their lateral edges to be connected to one another are provided with profiles corresponding to one another. A locking element with a locking projection is provided in the profile of the first building board. The locking projection interacts with a locking depression provided in the profile of the second building board such that the two building boards are automatically locked in the vertical direction with the joining movement. The locking element is embodied in an essentially rigid manner and the locking projection can be brought into the locking depression through a rotary motion of the locking element.
US07980024B2
Certain embodiments and aspects of the present invention relate to a photobioreactor including photobioreactor units through which a liquid medium stream and a gas stream flow. The photobioreactor units are floated on a body of water such as a pond or a lake. The liquid medium comprises at least one species of phototrophic organism therein. Certain methods of using the photobioreactor system as part of fuel generation system and/or a gas-treatment process or system at least partially remove certain undesirable pollutants from a gas stream. In certain embodiments, the photobioreactor units are formed of flexible, deformable material and are configured to provide a substantially constant thickness of liquid medium. In certain embodiments, a barrier between the photobioreactor unit and the body of water upon which the unit is floated facilitates thermal communication between the liquid medium and the body of water.
US07980021B2
An improved self-engaging bait fish rig and assembly device which does not require the use of any sort of tool or device to engage the fish is disclosed. The rig is made of pliable metal prongs which have sufficient strength to hold a bait fish once engaged. The prongs are formed in a bent fashion with acute angles turned inward and upward towards the center of the rig. The rig attaches to the hook by way of rubber o-ring, which allows for movement of the rig along the hook. The prongs of the rig are spring-biased, thereby resetting the spring action to the closed position while in use. Such spring closure is reinforced by a rubber o-ring that encircles both prongs allowing for flexibility in stretching the prongs apart for insertion into the body or eyes of the fish.
US07980019B2
The fishing lure is formed in a variety of configurations mimicking various prey animals to which game fish might be attracted. Each lure is formed of relatively soft plastic or rubber for flexibility, although the head or forward end of the lure may optionally be formed of harder material. The lure includes a pair of laterally opposed notches or grooves between the head and body, and a series of longitudinally staggered notches or grooves across the upper and lower body or tail portion. These notches or grooves provide even greater flexibility for the lure, allowing the lure to undulate due to hydrodynamic force when drawn through the water. The hook is installed in the forwardmost portion of the lure with the tip oriented above and/or forwardly of the remainder of the lure, to avoid reduction of body flexibility due to being penetrated by the relatively stiff shank of the hook.
US07980013B2
A postcard includes: a front postcard panel having first and second surfaces, the first surface having a stamp, address, and message-writing regions; and a rear postcard panel attached to the second surface of the front postcard panel and including at least one stand cutout that is releasably adhered to the second surface of the front postcard panel and that is detachable from the remainder of the rear postcard panel and the second surface of the front postcard panel.
US07980010B2
Footwear includes a shaft and a shell connected to the shaft. The shaft includes an expandable portion adapted to expand to facilitate ease of entry and exit of a heel of a foot into and out of the shell. The expandable portion is surrounded by a material forming the shaft.
US07980008B2
Disclosed herein is footwear for three-beat rhythm walking. The footwear includes an outsole (S) having a first landing part (100) for landing a heel, a second landing part (200) for landing a center of a foot, and a third landing part (300) for landing a toe. The first landing part (100) includes a landing guide groove (110) which is curved inwards from a junction (C) of the first landing part and the second landing part (200) in such a way as to extend widthwise and forms a first beat of the heel landing on a ground. A rolling landing surface (120) is connected to the landing guide groove (110) to form a continuous curve, thus guiding rolling and landing of the heel. An air cushion (130) is provided in the first landing part, and absorbs shocks of the heel, which rolls and lands using the rolling landing surface (120).
US07980001B2
Fabric conditioner dispensers capable of being maintained with one hand.
US07979995B2
Measurement of a track position is carried out in successive measurement sections (15), wherein the relative track position is registered in each case with the aid of a long chord (17), formed by a laser beam (16), which serves as reference line of a measuring system (9). During this; an angle enclosed by the two long chords (17) of two successive measurement sections (15) is measured in order to thereby obtain a spatial curve reproducing the actual position of the track.
US07979988B2
By finding a range of an allowable error of maximum meshing position of a worm shaft in an axial direction relative to a worm wheel, that is higher than that of a worm shaft of a conventional worm gear unit, a worm gear unit of the present invention is provided.
US07979980B2
A press frame for attaching connectors to workpieces such as cables and pipes is described. The press frame is adapted to be releasably attached to a hand-held, battery powered press tool. The press frame includes selectively interchangeable components that enable a wide range of different styles, sizes, and configurations of electrical connectors to be attached to cables.
US07979968B2
A membrane puller for pulling a sheet of membrane material over an underlying surface has a frame with a lever arm pivotally attached to the frame for pivotal movement between a first position and a second position. A foot actuatable clamp assembly is carried by the frame for relative movement with the frame in response to pivotal movement of the lever arm. A cable has one end adapted for operable attachment to the lever assembly and another end adapted for operable attachment to the clamp assembly. The clamp assembly moves conjointly with the body via the cable and in response to pivotal movement of the lever arm toward its second position to pull the membrane material toward the front of the membrane puller.
US07979965B2
The present invention relates to a safe pacifier clip, mainly composed by a base sheet, a pulling member, a latching member and a tying tool. When a sheet button of the pulling member is pulled, the sheet tenon is rotated in the tenon slot provided at the inner wall of the retaining sheet, and the pressing section provided behind the sheet tenon is optionally moved to the tilting section or the plane section that has a height difference with respect to the height of the tilting section, and the resilient tenon provided against the bottom surface of the convex edge is driven to release or store energy by the latching member according to the height difference between the plane section and the tilting section, and the other end of the clip sheet is driven to be outwardly pulled or inwardly fallen by the latching member around the axial core defined by the connecting location where the latching member and the retaining sheet are pivotally connected, so a gap or an engaging status is formed between the clip teeth and the sheet teeth.
US07979963B2
A holder for securing eyeglasses, sunglasses or other personal items that may be securely incorporated into an article of clothing at the time the article is manufactured. The holder includes a base member that can be inserted into an article of clothing. The base member can be securely attached to/by a fastening device. The fastening device may have one end threaded through the article of clothing and securely affixed to the base member and the other end securely affixed to the external part of the holder. The external part of the holder can include a hanger with a support base and a loop. The holder allows a wearer to insert a temple piece of a pair of eyeglasses, or a hook attached to another personal item, through the loop and allows the item to assume a secure and relatively flat position against the wearer's body. The holder may also in include an RFID tag. The holder may also include a covered loop. The covering may be either internal or external. The covering may include a design, logo or monogram.
US07979957B2
A vacuum cleaner attachment useful to collect dispersed packing particulates and the like comprises a thin-walled polymeric enclosure defined by a plurality of generally planar panels surrounding at their free edges a receiving opening through which the particulates are collected by the vacuum draw against a perforated screening structure. As the particulates accumulate in the enclosure the large pressure drop across the outer ranks thereof produces inward pressure forces across the panels, resulting in the inward flexures thereof to assist in the retention of the particulates in the enclosure as it is moved over a collection receptacle.
US07979954B2
The subject invention provides a vacuum unit and a waste container. The vacuum unit applies a vacuum to clean an area to collect debris and the waste container collects waste by a user separate from debris collected by the vacuum unit. The vacuum unit includes a battery for powering a motor of the vacuum unit. The vacuum unit also includes an exhaust port which exhausts air in an exhaust path. The battery is disposed in the exhaust path to provide for cooling of the battery.
US07979950B2
A windscreen wiper device comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade includes opposing longitudinal grooves on its longitudinal sides, in which grooves spaced-apart longitudinal strips of the carrier element are disposed, wherein neighboring ends of said longitudinal strips are interconnected by a respective connecting piece, which windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device for an oscillating arm, wherein said oscillating arm is pivotally connected to said connecting device about a pivot axis near one end, with the interposition of a joint part, wherein said joint part comprises at least one resilient tongue engaging in a correspondingly shaped hole provided in said oscillating arm, and wherein said resilient tongue is rotatable along an hinge axis between an outward position retaining the wiper blade onto the oscillating arm and an inward position releasing the wiper blade from the oscillating arm, characterized in that said resilient tongue is forced in the outward position under the influence of a moment in case a force is exerted on the wiper blade in a direction away from the oscillating arm.
US07979949B2
An actuator for rotating an oscillating disk is mounted on a rear door. A pivot shaft provided with a lever is rotatably supported on a rear door glass. The lever is provided with a first elastic portion and second elastic portions. When the rear door glass is open, the first elastic member contacts the lever between the first restrictor and the lever. As a result, the rotation of the lever toward the outside of a first angle range by a first rotational force or less is restricted. The second elastic portion contacts the lever between the first restrictor and the lever even if the lever rotates toward the outside of a second angle range by a rotational force greater than the first rotational force.
US07979947B2
A toothbrush having a head with a first end and a second end with peripheral edge regions extending between the first end and the second end is described. The head includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first surface includes raised portions and depressed portions, wherein the depressed portions are adjacent the peripheral edge regions. A first plurality of cleaning elements protrude from the first surface, and a second plurality of cleaning elements protrude from the first surface. Each of the first plurality of cleaning elements protrudes from a depressed portion and has a cross section. Each of the depressed portions has the same cross section as each of the first plurality of cleaning elements.
US07979944B1
One or more tubular cleaning devices and methods for cleaning a tubular are provided herein. The tubular cleaning device can include an inner tubular member having an inner tubular member inner bore formed therethrough. The inner tubular member can include a stop formed on a first portion thereof, a first connection end adjacent the stop, and a second connection end opposite the first connection end.
US07979939B2
The invention is directed to a dental cleaning device. It relates in particular to a handle section of an electric toothbrushing device, with a coupling section for coupling various cleaning tools thereto, a drive mechanism for driving the coupled cleaning tool, and a control device for controlling the drive mechanism. The invention further relates to such cleaning tools. According to the invention the handle section includes an electronic interlock device which is deactivated by an encoded interlock canceling element on the cleaning tool only when the cleaning tool is coupled to the handle section.
US07979930B2
A quiet, non-binding collapsible spring mechanism for resiliently supporting a mattress includes a system of collapsible, sinuous springs, each having hooked ends for silencing the mechanism during use or collapse, as well as central offset portions for enabling the sinuous springs to compress to a greater extent than heretofore. Both rigid and yieldable support structures connect the spring mechanism to an item of furniture.
US07979924B1
Methods of cleaning a swimming pool using a swimming pool cleaning head. A first method may include intermittently raising a nozzle head under water and ejecting a stream of water under water, incrementally rotating the nozzle head in a clockwise direction, retracting the nozzle head, sliding a cam reverser, and reversing the direction of rotation of the nozzle head with the cam reverser to counterclockwise. A second method may include rotating a stem by sliding at least one pin coupled to the stem through at least one channel in a cam, the stem configured to release a stream of water under water in a swimming pool. The method may further include reversing the direction of rotation of the stem by sliding a slidable section of the cam with the at least one pin.
US07979920B2
A sports-type cap comprises a crown structure and a bill attached at its first edge portion to a crown structure's lower edge portion. A fabric strap is secured at its first end portion within an interface between the crown structure and the bill, and extends outwardly from the interface over the bill's upper surface. A first magnet is attached to a second end portion of the fabric strap. A second magnet is attached to the bill adjacent its second edge portion. A third magnet is attached to the crown structure at a location above the interface. The magnets are jointly positioned and configured to allow the first magnet to be selectively engaged with/disengaged from the second magnet for securing the fabric strap in a stowed orientation and to allow the first magnet to be selectively engaged with/disengaged from the third magnet for securing the fabric strap in an eyeglass-securing orientation.
US07984508B2
A contents using device (or a terminal device) 300 is composed of: a license processing unit 305 which judges, on the basis of a usage rule of a license, whether or not the content is available; a content reproduction unit 304 which uses the content judged by the terminal device 300 to be available; a restriction unit (or a content reproduction unit 304) which restricts the license corresponding to the contents from being used by another source by reason that the license is currently in use, for a time period between a start and a normal end of the content usage by the content reproduction unit 304; an event detection unit 307 which detects a predetermined event that occurs between the start and the normal end of the content usage and that forcefully aborts the content usage; a restriction-relaxation necessity judgment unit (or a recovery/penalty judgment unit) 309 which judges whether or not the predetermined event is against an intention of a user; and a restriction relaxation unit (or a license recovery unit) 306 which relaxes the restriction on the content usage when the recovery/penalty judgment unit 309 judges that the predetermined event is against the intention of the user.
US07984495B1
A method and an apparatus to identify security association (SA) of virtual private network (VPN) tunnels are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes generating a free list having a first plurality of numbers, and randomizing the free list, wherein the first plurality of numbers in the randomized free list are possible candidates of a tunnel index for a security association (SA) of a virtual private network (VPN) tunnel between a first private network and a second private network during negotiation to establish the VPN tunnel, wherein the tunnel index is included in packets sent via the VPN tunnel. Other embodiments have been claimed and described.
US07984494B2
Provided is a computer system including: a first computer; a second computer including a second processor and a second memory; and a communication controller for controlling communication between the first and second computers, in which: upon reception of a packet from the first computer, the communication controller translates address information of the received packet to transfer the packet to the second computer; the second memory stores SA candidate information as SA information in which a part of the address information is unknown; and the second processor decrypts the packet encrypted by the first computer by using the SA candidate information upon reception of the encrypted packet from the first computer, and creates SA information based on the SA candidate information used for the decryption and the address information of the encrypted packet upon successful decryption of the encrypted packet.
US07984488B2
An exemplary system enabling credential roaming among a plurality of different computing devices may include an event handler to receive event notifications such as, e.g., a client logon. The event handler may invoke a management service in response to receiving an event notification. The management service may include a synchronizing module to synchronize a user's credentials with a remote directory service, such as, e.g., Active Directory, so that the user's credentials are available from any of a number of different computing devices.
US07984482B1
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing Global Account Lockout (GAL) using an Ordered Messaging Service (OMS) is presented. A database operation is received from a client, and a determination made regarding whether the operation contains an authentication mechanism. When the operation does not contain an authentication mechanism then the operation is returned from. When the operation does contain an authentication mechanism then the following steps are performed: locating the entry and checking its authentication mechanism, determining whether the authentication mechanism in the operation is good, sending a bind message to a GAL manager, checking and updating GAL state, committing updates to GAL state, and returning operation to the client.
US07984481B2
An image processing system includes: a document storage apparatus for storing document data therein; an image processing apparatus connected to the document storage apparatus via a network, for processing the document data in association with the document storage apparatus; a first authenticator for performing user authentication at the time of an access to the document storage apparatus; a second authenticator for performing user authentication at the time of an access to the image processing apparatus; and controller for controlling, based on an authentication result by at least one of the first authenticator and the second authenticator, an authenticating operation by the other authenticator.
US07984477B2
There are provided a method, a system and machine-readable medium for encoding a video broadcast. The method includes obtaining one or more first compression settings for the video broadcast from an electronic program guide (EPG), the EPG associating the video broadcast with the one or more first compression settings. The method further includes compressing the video broadcast using the one or more first compression settings into a distribution broadcast. Yet further, the method includes distributing the distribution broadcast. There is also provided a method, system and machine readable medium to provide compression settings for encoding a video broadcast. The method includes inserting one or more compression settings into an electronic program guide (EPG) in association with the video broadcast based on a content type of the video broadcast. The method further includes distributing the EPG.
US07984472B2
The present invention is directed to a system, method and computer program for enabling a user (an auditor or a viewer) to access complementary information related to one or a plurality of sequences or topics of interest in a recorded program previously broadcast on the radio or television and played back on a device, such as an audio or video tape or disk recorder/player. The preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a system and method for enabling a person listening to or watching a recorded program, to select one or a plurality of topics drawing his or her attention and for immediately receiving further information related to these topics from the World Wide Web. The system is based on the synchronization of local times of transmitters and recorders. The flow of information transmitted, received and recorded is always synchronized, independently of the relative positions of recorders and transmitters.
US07984465B2
A relay station comprises an emergency information detection unit for detecting an emergency information broadcasting flag in the digital broadcasting TMCC signal transmitted from the center station; a replacement data creation unit for issuing an instruction for creating replacement contents and replacing the data when emergency information is multiplexed in the TS; and a time synchronization unit for executing time synchronization between the TS created by the data replacement and the TS before the data replacement. On a receiving terminal, the replaced data broadcasting contents can be received while prefectural broadcasting video and audio contents are continuously received.
US07984464B2
A digital broadcast receiving apparatus, includes: a channel information memory unit which stores the physical channel, a virtual channel, the sub channels, and scrambling information which indicates whether the sub channels are scrambled or not so as to refer the scrambling information to the sub channels; a scrambling judgment unit which judges whether the broadcast data of the sub channels, which is scanned by the scanning unit is scrambled or not; a memory control unit which stores a judgment result obtained by the scrambling judgment unit in the channel information memory unit as the scrambling information; and an updating program which updates the scrambling information in the channel information memory unit by executing the scanning unit, the scrambling judgment unit, and the memory control unit at the predetermined timing; and wherein when the judgment result obtained by the scrambling judgment unit indicates that all of the sub channels in the physical channel are scrambled, the memory control unit stores information that the physical channel is a channel which needs to be scanned when the scrambling information is updated by the updating unit.
US07984458B2
A disk unit is disclosed wherein a disk inserted by a pivoting arm is loaded to the interior of the disk unit or a disk accommodated in the interior of the disk unit is unloaded to the exterior of the disk unit, the disk unit including a plurality of arms able to convey two types of disks different in diameter while supporting an outer periphery edge of each of the disks.
US07984454B2
Mechanisms for migration of single root stateless virtual functions are provided. A Single-Root PCI Configuration Manager (SR-PCIM) provides a system image (SI) with possible virtual function (VF) migration scenarios supported by the endpoint (EP). The SR-PCIM may be instructed that a stateless migration of a VF and its associated application(s) from one SI to another is required. Outstanding requests to the VF are completed and any applications associated with the VF are removed from the SI and the VF is detached from its associated physical function (PF). The SWI may then attach the VF to a target PF which may be in the same or a different EP. The SWI makes the VF available to the SI with which the VF is now associated and the SI configures the VF thereby making it available for use by associated applications.
US07984450B2
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for dispatching packets on a global combining network of a parallel computer comprising a plurality of nodes connected for data communications using the network capable of performing collective operations and point to point operations that include: receiving, by an origin system messaging module on an origin node from an origin application messaging module on the origin node, a storage identifier and an operation identifier, the storage identifier specifying storage containing an application message for transmission to a target node, and the operation identifier specifying a message passing operation; packetizing, by the origin system messaging module, the application message into network packets for transmission to the target node, each network packet specifying the operation identifier and an operation type for the message passing operation specified by the operation identifier; and transmitting, by the origin system messaging module, the network packets to the target node.
US07984447B1
A method includes associating each computing job with a group of a plurality of groups, and associating each group with a minimum promised utilization. Further, the method includes determining a present utilization for each group having at least one job ready for scheduling, each job being associated with at least one required resource, the present utilization for a given group comprising a total amount of a promised resource consumed by presently executing jobs associated with the given group divided by the minimum promised utilization associated with the given group. A first computing job selected for scheduling is one that is ready for scheduling and is the computing job having a highest static priority within a group having a lowest present utilization. A subset of computing nodes able to satisfy the at least one required resource associated with the first computing job is identified.
US07984436B1
Physical components that share common attributes in a software product are combined into logical groupings. A product matrix also lists logical groupings that are included into each software product listed in the product matrix. A compatibility matrix indicates whether any two logical groupings listed in the product matrix are compatible. When a new product is provided for an installation, the compatibility matrix is consulted to determine whether any two logical groupings of the new product and installed product are compatible. An installation can proceed or be terminated based on the compatibility determination.
US07984433B2
Program distribution arrangements (e.g., carried out by a managing computer) for distributing a corresponding program to an apparatus including a processor, a memory, and a communication interface, such arrangements including: storing program request information indicating a condition required for executing the program; judging whether an apparatus as a distribution destination of the program includes a program execution control unit for controlling execution of the program; partially revising the program to a partially revised program to be distributed, according to the program request information, when the program is to be distributed to an apparatus not including the program execution control unit; and distributing the partially revised program to the apparatus not including the program execution control unit.
US07984429B2
A method of instrumenting one or more units of an application program is disclosed. Each unit can have one or more interfaces through which communications pass through the unit. Client units can request creation of a server unit. When they do so, the call is intercepted and sent to a unit creation function, which creates the server unit and returns a reference to an interface of the server unit. When a reference to an interface of the server unit is detected, an interface wrapper is created for the interface, the interface wrapper comprising a reference to instrumentation, the reference to the interface, and a reference to a type description of the interface. The client receives a reference to the interface wrapper in place of a reference to the interface, and thereafter is able to treat the reference to the interface wrapper as if it were a reference to the interface.
US07984422B2
Embodiments of systems, methods and computer program products are described for implementing repository relationship programming. Implementations described herein describe processes for implementing a union of concerns, integrating concerns, assembling concerns and separating concerns.
US07984420B2
Methods and apparatus for configuring process, environmental, industrial and other control systems generate and/or utilize models representing configurations of control systems and/or the systems controlled by them. Records of changes to the models or the configurations represented by them are maintained, thereby, for example, providing bases for determining current states, prior states and histories of changes. Objects in the model have characteristics, such as an object type characteristic and an area characteristic. Users can have corresponding permissions. A security mechanism apparatus controls access by users to the objects. Composite objects are defined by definition objects and are displayed in encapsulated or expanded formats. Objects can include an edit control type identifier that determines how they are presented for editing. Functionality responds to user commands by transferring characteristics of a first object depicted by the graphical user interface to a second object. Configuration-time formulas contained objects are evaluated to constants prior to downloading to the control system.
US07984418B2
A situation object instantiator (SOI) receives a request from a client including a typekey. Available situations are retrieved. For a retrieved situation, a call to an evaluator is made. If the situation is active a check is made to see if an instantiator exists for the typekey and situation. If so, the object instantiator is called, it returns an instance to the SOI, and the SOI returns the instance to the client. If not, more situations are retrieved until the situations are exhausted, and such is communicated to the client.
US07984408B2
Design structure embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing a design. The design structure includes semiconductor device structures characterized by reduced junction capacitance and drain induced barrier lowering. The semiconductor device structure of the design structure includes a semiconductor layer and a dielectric layer disposed between the semiconductor layer and the substrate. The dielectric layer includes a first dielectric region with a first dielectric constant and a second dielectric region with a second dielectric constant that is greater than the first dielectric constant.
US07984407B1
A programmable device with contact via programming to reduce leakage current and a method for reducing standby power for such programmable device are described. Configuration memory cells are identified responsive to instantiation of a user design in a test platform of the programmable device. The programmable device is via programmed during manufacturing thereof to not couple for programmability a first portion of the configuration memory cells and to form a first portion of the user design associated with the first portion of the configuration memory cells as hard-wired and to couple for programmability a second portion of the configuration memory cells for subsequent instantiation of a second portion of the user design in the programmable device.
US07984406B2
A computer-implemented timing verification method for obtaining delay time for a signal propagated through a signal path and performing timing verification. The method stores a table including a wiring resistance variation amount and a wiring capacitance variation amount that are in accordance with a geometry deviation of a wire from a reference geometry, extracts a wiring structure of the signal path from a storage unit, extracts a wiring resistance variation amount and a wiring capacitance variation amount that correspond to the extracted wiring structure from the table, generates an on-chip-variation coefficient from the extracted wiring resistance variation amount and wiring capacitance variation amount, and calculates delay time for the signal propagated through the signal path based on the generated on-chip-variation coefficient.
US07984401B2
An automated debugging method and system for over-constrained circuit verification environment are described. Useful information related to circuit evaluation and/or over-constrained event is collected and provided. The information may include: clock cycles at which an over-constrained event occurs; identification of a minimum subset of constraints that will cause an over-constrained event to occur; signal ports having an associated signal that can not switch between different signal states; whether a triggering signal event has occurred during the evaluation; indicating whether constraints in the evaluation are realizable, etc. Novel approaches for detecting and obtaining the useful information also are described.
US07984395B2
A method of increasing hierarchy compression of a metal 1 standard cell layout during optical proximity correction (OPC) is provided. This method can use a context determination defined from the outermost OPC correctable-edge boundaries of a metal 1 standard cell and not extending past outermost OPC correctable edge boundaries of adjacent metal 1 standard cells in other rows. The method can also include (or can alternatively include) adjusting the landing pads (resulting from metal 2 placement) to fit within the lines of the metal 1 standard cell layout. This adjusting can be performed by a place and route tool as part of a “clean-up” operation after metal 2 placement. The landing pads can be sized for single or double vias. A layout design for the metal 1 standard cell layout can be output based on using the context determination and/or adjusting the landing pads for hierarchy compression.
US07984393B2
The present disclosure is directed a method for preparing photomask patterns. The method comprises receiving drawn pattern data for a design database, the drawn pattern data describing device circuit features and dummy features. The dummy features have first target patterns. Mask pattern data is generated for the dummy features, wherein one or more of the dummy features have second target patterns that are different from the first target patterns. The mask pattern data is corrected for proximity effects.
US07984385B2
A computer-implemented method includes displaying, within a user interface of a digital media system, a bounded region representing at least a portion of a media item, the media item comprising a plurality of frames, determining a position of a cursor within the bounded region, and displaying within the bounded region a frame from among the plurality of frames based on the determined cursor position.
US07984383B2
A computer readable medium includes executable instructions to select a panel layout with panels specified in combination. Interactive graphic files representative of input and output values for panels within the panel layout are selected. The interactive graphic files are associated with panels in the panel layout. A composite interactive graphic file representative of input and output values for the interactive graphic files representative of input and output values that have been associated with the panel layout is generated.
US07984381B2
A user interface with a display and user input for a mobile telephone that provides a set of icons or other user selectable objects in a number of different idle mode screens. The user interface has two modes. In a focused mode, the user input can change focus so that the user can focus and select a desired object from a presented idle mode screen. In a non-focused mode, none of the objects is focused. Instead of changing the focus from one object to another, the user input now can change the idle mode screen itself so that different predefined contents can be accessed with a limited user input.
US07984379B2
Various embodiments provide a standardized schema that can be used by site developers to define a site map and its associated hierarchy. In at least some embodiments, a corresponding user interface can be created within an application such as, for example, a Web browser, to allow the user to specify locations at which they wish to see the site map.
US07984366B2
An efficient Chien search method in Reed-Solomon decoding is adapted to be implemented in a processor having a parallel processing instruction set. The method includes the following steps: (a) calculating an error evaluation value; (b) subjecting the error evaluation value to mapping processing so as to find an index adjusting value; (c) storing a symbol index into an error location memory corresponding to a location index; (d) updating the location index according to the index adjusting value; (e) updating the symbol index; and (f) repeating steps (a) to (e) a particular number of times. The method primarily aims to reduce program flow branching so as to enhance the computation efficiency of the Chien search process.
US07984363B2
An integrated circuit device includes a plurality of memory circuits, a memory hibernation state control circuit to bring the memory circuits into a hibernation state in response to an external command, a state controller which indicates an interrupt in a memory circuit in a hibernation state, and a plurality of partial error checking and correcting (ECC) code generating circuits which are provided for the memory circuits, respectively, to code hold data of an address of a memory circuit in a hibernation state in accordance with a rule of a Hamming code determinant by an interrupt in the memory circuit in the hibernation state. The integrated circuit device further includes a code storage memory which obtains ECC code data corresponding to all of the hold data based on partial ECC codes coded by the partial ECC code generating circuit and stores the ECC code data in a corresponding address.
US07984355B2
A memory module includes a plurality of memory devices and a stacked error correction code memory device. The plurality of memory devices includes one or more memory chips arranged in a plurality of ranks. The stacked error correction code memory device includes a plurality of error correction code memory chips. The number of error correction code memory chips is at least one more than the number of the one or more memory chips. Each of the error correction code memory chips are arranged together with the memory chips of one of the ranks.
US07984353B2
Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test, including a vector expanding section that sequentially generates a plurality of test vectors; a vector selecting section that selects test vectors that cause a prescribed characteristic of the device under test, which is to be measured when test signals that are each based on one of the test vectors are supplied to the device under test, to fulfill a preset condition; and a judging section that judges pass/fail of the device under test based on measured values of the prescribed characteristic of the device under test supplied with the test signal based on the test vectors selected by the vector selecting section.
US07984349B2
Today many instances of IEEE 1149.1 Tap domains are included in integrated circuits (ICs). While all TAP domains may be serially connected on a scan path that is accessible external to the IC, it is generally preferred to have selectivity on which Tap domain or Tap domains are accessed. Therefore Tap domain selection circuitry may be included in ICs and placed in the scan path along with the Tap domains. Ideally, the Tap domain selection circuitry should only be present in the scan path when it is necessary to modify which Tap domains are selected in the scan path. The present disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus which allows the Tap domain selection circuitry to be removed from the scan path after it has been used to select Tap domains and to be replaced back into the scan path when it is necessary to select different Tap domains.
US07984340B2
A digital data recording/reproducing method includes the steps of: interleaving data on a PI code for each PI code of a 208-row ECC block; and converting a short burst error into random errors by dispersing errors on the PI codes. Moreover, the digital data recording/reproducing method increases correction capability against several bytes to several tens bytes of errors generated at random without changing burst error correction length by performing this processing for respective PI codes by using interleave rules that are different as much as possible from one another.
US07984337B2
A data processing system and method generates debug messages by permitting an external debug tool to have real-time trace functionality. A data processor executes a plurality of data processing instructions and uses a memory for information storage. Debug circuitry generates debug messages including address translation trace messages. A memory management unit has address translation logic for implementing address translation to translate addresses between virtual and physical forms. The debug circuitry includes message generation circuitry that is coupled to the memory management unit for receiving notice when one or more address translation mappings are modified. The message generation circuitry generates an address translation trace message in response to a detection of a modification of an address translation mapping occurs and provides the address translation trace message external to the debug circuitry.
US07984329B2
A system and method for providing DRAM device-level repair via address remappings external to the device. A system includes a memory controller having an interface to one or more memory devices via a memory module. The memory devices include addressable redundant and non-redundant memory blocks. The memory controller also includes a mechanism for utilizing one or more redundant memory blocks in place of one or more failing non-redundant memory blocks via an address remapping external to the memory device. The remapping occurs while the system is on-line.
US07984318B2
A handheld communication device to communicate with a remote universal serial bus (USB) host controller via an integrated power and data port is provided. The device includes a microprocessor communicating with a power management integrated circuit (IC), wherein said microprocessor requires greater than 100 mA to be enumerated with the USB host controller. The device includes a USB microcontroller communicating with the USB host controller via a multiplexer and integrated power and data port, wherein the USB microcontroller requires less than 100 mA to be enumerated with the USB host controller, and wherein if a current available from the rechargeable battery is below a specified threshold required to power up the microprocessor, then the USB microcontroller performs USB enumeration with the USB host controller.
US07984317B2
A system and method is disclosed for efficiently managing power distribution among the various functional blocks used within portable electronic devices. The method includes allowing each functional block to be independently controlled, containing its own low-level software and power controls for setting the local power state of the functional block. For each power control domain in the implementation, hardware uses these local power states and sets the actual operating state of the power control domain accordingly.
US07984314B2
A method and apparatus for intelligent power management for low power link states. Some embodiments include methods, apparatuses, and systems for a device coupled to a controller via a link; a link power management engine to alter a power state of the link based on a transaction and some knowledge of future transactions between the device and the controller; and a memory or logic to store the link power management engine. In some embodiments, the memory stores information about at least one of the following: the power state of the link, the device buffering, the controller or device state or a history of transactions. In some embodiments, the device is a peripheral of a computer system. In some embodiments, the method may include transitioning the device to various link states. Other embodiments are described.
US07984305B2
An encryption processing apparatus and method in which the difficulty of encryption analysis based on power analysis can be increased considerably are provided. By dividing an original encryption processing sequence into a plurality of groups and by mixing the processing sequence by setting dummies as necessary, several hundreds to several thousands of types of different mixed encryption processing sequences can be set, and a sequence selected from a large number of these settable sequences is performed. According to this configuration, consumption power variations which are completely different from consumption power variations caused by a regular process possessed by the original encryption processing sequence can be generated, and thus the difficulty of encryption analysis based on power analysis can be increased considerably.
US07984304B1
Computer-executable instructions in a computer are verified dynamically, after they have been identified for submission for execution, but before they are actually executed. In particular, for at least one current instruction that has been identified for submission to the processor for execution, an identifying value, for example, a hash value, is determined for a current memory block that contains the current instruction. The identifying value of the current memory block is then compared with a set of reference values. If the identifying value satisfies a validation condition, then execution of the current instruction by the processor is allowed. If the validation condition is not satisfied, then a response is generated: In the common case, execution of the current instruction is not allowed, or some other predetermined measure is taken.
US07984303B1
In an electronic data storage device accessed by a host computer motherboard, a fingerprint sensor scans a fingerprint of a user of the electronic data storage device and generates fingerprint scan data. A processing unit activates an input/output interface circuit to store a data file and fingerprint reference data obtained by scanning a fingerprint of a person authorized to access the data file in a memory device having non-volatile memory, where the processing unit transmits the data file to the host computer motherboard upon verifying that the user of the electronic data storage device is authorized to access the data file stored in the memory device as a result of comparison between the fingerprint scan data from the fingerprint sensor and the fingerprint reference data. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07984298B2
The invention discloses a method for authenticating in end-to-end communications based on a mobile network, applied to a system including a first service entity requesting a service, a second service entity providing the service and an entity authentication centre, EAC; respectively performing a mutual authentication between the first service entity and the EAC and that between the second service entity and the EAC according to the negotiated authentication mode; if the first service entity requests the second service entity to provide the service, the EAC providing authentication inquiring for the first service entity and the second service entity according to the negotiated authentication mode, and generating a shared derived key according to the negotiated authentication mode; and the first service entity and the second service entity authenticating each other according to the shared derived key and the negotiated authentication mode, and generating a session key for protecting the service.
US07984290B2
In an encryption communication using VPN technologies, a load on a VPN system becomes large if the number of communication terminals increases. When an external terminal accesses via an internal terminal an application server, processes become complicated because it is necessary to perform authentication at VPN and authentication at the application server. A management server is provided for managing external terminals, internal terminals and application servers. The management server authenticates each communication terminal and operates to establish an encryption communication path between communication terminals. Authentication of each terminal by the management server relies upon a validation server. When the external terminal performs encryption communication with the application server via the internal terminal, two encryption communication paths are established and used between the external terminal and internal terminal and between the internal terminal and application server.
US07984286B2
In some embodiments, a processor-based system may include at least one processor, at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, a boot block stored at a first memory location, a capsule update stored at a second memory location, a startup authenticated code module to ensure the integrity of the boot block upon a restart of the processor-based system, code which is executable by the processor-based system to cause the processor-based system to validate the boot block with the startup authenticated code module upon the restart of the processor-based system, and, if the boot block is successfully validated, to validate the capsule update for the processor-based system with the startup authenticated code module. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US07984283B2
There is provided a method for operating a basic input/output system (BIOS) of a pay-as-you go computer system. In one example embodiment, the method includes determining if a user password feature is activated on a hard drive and computing a password to unlock the hard drive if the password feature is activated. In another example embodiment, the method includes performing a checksum verification of boot information. In yet another example embodiment, the method includes storing portions of boot information in non-standard locations on the hard drive and combining the portions using operators.
US07984274B2
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a prediction circuit and another circuit coupled to the prediction circuit. The prediction circuit is configured to predict whether or not a first load instruction will experience a partial store to load forward (PSTLF) event during execution. A PSTLF event occurs if a plurality of bytes, accessed responsive to the first load instruction during execution, include at least a first byte updated responsive to a previous uncommitted store operation and also include at least a second byte not updated responsive to the previous uncommitted store operation. Coupled to receive the first load instruction, the circuit is configured to generate one or more load operations responsive to the first load instruction. The load operations are to be executed in the processor to execute the first load instruction, and a number of the load operations is dependent on the prediction by the prediction circuit.
US07984268B2
An advanced processor comprises a plurality of multithreaded processor cores each having a data cache and instruction cache. A data switch interconnect is coupled to each of the processor cores and configured to pass information among the processor cores. A messaging network is coupled to each of the processor cores and a plurality of communication ports. In one aspect of an embodiment of the invention, the data switch interconnect is coupled to each of the processor cores by its respective data cache, and the messaging network is coupled to each of the processor cores by its respective message station. Advantages of the invention include the ability to provide high bandwidth communications between computer systems and memory in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
US07984259B1
The present invention provides a system, method, and computer program product for reducing load imbalance in a storage system having a plurality of storage devices organized in one or more RAIDs for storing data by moving data from heavily-loaded storage devices to less-loaded storage devices during normal data access operations. As a result of moving data to less-loaded storage devices, the service latency of those storage devices decreases, thereby optimizing the system's performance.
US07984256B2
A data processing system includes a plurality of requestors and a memory controller for a system memory. In response to receiving from the requestor a read-type request targeting a memory block in the system memory, the memory controller protects the memory block from modification, and in response to an indication that the memory controller is responsible for servicing the read-type request, the memory controller transmits the memory block to the requestor. Prior to receipt of the memory block by the requestor, the memory controller ends protection of the memory block from modification, and the requestor begins protection of the memory block from modification. In response to receipt of the memory block, the requestor ends its protection of the memory block from modification.
US07984253B1
An architecture for managing a plurality of storage area networks including a plurality of data storage volumes and one or more hosts, wherein the volumes are in a switched storage network in the storage area networks the architecture comprising one or more processors in communication with switching capability for the switched storage network, wherein the one or more processors include program logic for embodying logical constructions of a storage presentation layer including target virtualization and logical unit (LU) virtualization; and a volume presentation layer including volume virtualization for replication of data.
US07984251B2
The invention is an improvement to a storage virtualization system that enables the system to determine a class of service for potential storage devices and allows a user, administrator, or application to select a minimum class of service for any given type of data. The class of service is based upon factors that reflect a potential storage device's reliability, such as the device type and historical uptime data. In a P2P environment, the class of service also includes additional factors, such as the type of attached processing unit and the type of operating system running the attached processing unit.
US07984247B2
A memory controller to provide memory access services in an adaptive computing engine is provided. The controller comprises: a network interface configured to receive a memory request from a programmable network; and a memory interface configured to access a memory to fulfill the memory request from the programmable network, wherein the memory interface receives and provides data for the memory request to the network interface, the network interface configured to send data to and receive data from the programmable network.
US07984236B2
A virtual tape library including a module which is operable to issue input and output commands to a tape drive connected to the virtual tape library, wherein an input command is a command to write data to a tape connected to the tape drive and an output command is a command to read data from a tape connected to the tape drive.
US07984234B2
A memory control apparatus and a memory control method are provided to enable an effective utilization of buffer memory in a system LSI by comprising buffer memory for temporarily storing data stored in memory, and comprising the processes of: receiving an instruction to the memory; transmitting a buffer memory security-dedicated use packet for securing the capacity of memory in the buffer memory required by the instruction on the basis of the received instruction; receiving a buffer memory validation signal corresponding to the transmitted buffer memory security-dedicated use packet; and executing the received instruction on the basis of the received buffer memory validation signal.
US07984231B2
When moving image data or the like is recorded into an information recording medium, such as a flash memory, in real time, an influence of locations of free recording areas upon the recording speed is suppressed to ensure the real time performance of the data recording. In an access apparatus, there is provided an area management block control part that manages FAT1 and FAT2, which are area management information of a nonvolatile memory, on a FAT block-by-FAT block basis, and the length of the free recording area in each FAT block is calculated. Then, area management block information, in which the free recording area length in each FAT block is recorded, is generated on a RAM. A FAT block in which the free recording area length exceeds a threshold value is assigned to the data recording, thereby suppressing the number of updates of the area management information regardless of the location of the free areas. In this way, the buffer overflow can be prevented from occurring due to a high frequency of the updating of the area management information, thereby ensuring the real time performance during the data recording.
US07984228B2
Device connection routing for controllers is provided. A computing device is configured with multiple controllers that provide connections for peripheral devices. The controllers enable the peripheral devices to interact with the computing device through a bus. Each device connection is routed to one of the multiple controllers based on one or more pre-determined factors. These factors may include load-balancing, power saving, quality of service, data flow requirements, and the like. Device connection routing may be dynamically managed to respond to changing states of the peripheral devices and the controllers. The device connection routing may be performed for controllers associated with any type of wired or wireless buses, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), IEEE 1394, Secure Digital Input/Output (SDIO), and the like.
US07984220B2
A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, log trace data in response to an exception if the exception meets a filter criteria and create quality data from the trace data if a class in a call stack associated with the exception is owned by a user defined in a user table. In an embodiment, the quality data includes an identification of the user, a count of a number of times the exception was encountered by the user, and an identification of the exception. In various embodiments, the filter criteria may be an exception type, classes that initiate the exception, or packages that contain the classes that initiate the exception.
US07984214B2
In a data bus with asynchronous data transmission via a clock and a data line, the transmitted data are ascertained by sampling with a multiple of the data rate of the data bus. Sampling is done in this case with a clock which is not synchronous with the asynchronous clock of the data bus. For avoiding interferences which develop due to the unnecessary operation of the interface circuit with a high frequency clock when no data are currently transmitted, a control circuit is provided for detecting the beginning and the end of a data transmission. Only at the beginning of a data transmission, the interface circuit will be supplied with the required clock. After the end of the data transmission, the clock for the interface circuit will be switched off again. The control circuit is preferably designed as a state machine which reacts, without the need for clock signals, to the states on the data and clock line of the data bus.
US07984207B2
One or more external control pins and/or addressing pins on a memory device are used to set one or both of a burst length and burst type of the memory device.
US07984201B2
A communication apparatus comprises a connection notifying unit that causes a communication destination party to detect a connection; an interface unit that requires startup processing, and controls a communication with the communication destination party after the startup processing is completed; and a connection notification control unit that changes a state of the connection notifying unit to a state of causing the communication destination party to detect the connection before the startup processing of the interface unit is completed.
US07984191B2
The invention relates to the field of home networks, in particular to the connection of two home networks of different types via a gateway. The network appliances in the network of the first type are also intended to be able to control the network appliances in the network of the second type, and vice versa. One problem that occurs when carrying out conversion processes on control messages is that an input parameter which is known in the network of the first type can be changed as required and can also be signaled further within this network, but the associated correspondence in the network of the second type is permanently set, and accordingly cannot be changed. The invention provides a way in which an input parameter such as this can nevertheless be likewise updated in the network of the second type.
US07984188B2
A mediator system (and associated methods and computer program products) for mediating a communication between a client and a plurality of providers within a network is described. The mediator system may include logical machines including a first receiving machine configured to receive a request message from the client, a first sending machine configured to send answer messages back to the client, a processing machine configured to handle the received request message internally represented as a request object, a second sending machine configured to send outgoing request messages to the providers, and a second receiving machine configured to receive incoming answer messages from the providers. The machines can be scheduled separately from being executed, and the request object may be split into subrequests, where each of those subrequests may be further decomposed into subsubrequests that may be sent out in parallel to the providers.
US07984185B2
A method for establishing a network connection service includes: initiating a request for establishing a network connection service from the user side of a source end to the user side of a sink end; a network ingress node and network egress node of the network connection service negotiating through message exchange to determine a network connection between the two nodes for supporting the network connection service and a protocol adaptation stack from the user side to the network side in the network connection service; and the network ingress node and the network egress node establishing the network connection supporting the network connection service and configuring the adaptation stack, so as to establish the network connection service.
US07984183B2
A state change in a network comprising a master server among a plurality of servers is determined, at the master server, a first lookup table is calculated, said first lookup table indicating respective partitions of a second lookup table distributed among active servers of said plurality of servers, the calculated first lookup table is distributed to each active server, and based on the first lookup table, at the master server, a modified partition of the second lookup table is generated.
US07984179B1
Methods and systems for transmitting compressed audio/video data streams across conventional networks or channels in real time. Each system employs the Adaptive Rate Control (ARC) technique that is based on the detection of defective packets and other influencing factors such as overall system performance, usage model and channel characteristics. To control data stream congestions in the channel and maintain the visual display quality above a certain level, the present invention exploits the human visual perception and adaptability to changing visual conditions. The ARC technique relies on the client's capacity for calculating the quality of video packets received from a server and sending information of a desired transmission rate to the server. This approach simplifies the hardware and software implementation complexity otherwise imposed on the server and reduces the overall design cost by shifting the burden of monitoring bandwidth and transmission control from the server to the client.
US07984163B2
Traffic transmitted over long fat networks (LFN) can be expensive and/or slow. The amount of traffic is reduced by application of the present invention which introduces a manipulator device at each end of a long fat network. The manipulator device emulates the opposing end-side equipment for the local-side equipment and then communications over the long fat network using an established tunnel. Thus, the protocol exchanges that would normally be transmitted over the long fat network in setting up, tearing down and controlling a communications session are reduced or eliminated. Yet an alternate embodiment may use a single manipulator device at a central operator premises of the LFN. The single manipulator device may replace domain names that are embedded within a markup language file with their IP addresses.
US07984162B2
A preferred embodiment of the subject invention comprises a system for implementing computer network services and applications, comprising a front-end component comprising one or more applications; a back-end component comprising one or more services; and an abstraction layer component operable to communicate with the front-end and back-end components. In another preferred embodiment, the subject invention comprises a system for linking applications and services, comprising: a vendor connectivity component; a business integration component; a security component; a utility component; and a back end connectivity component.
US07984157B2
The invention relates to systems and methods for reestablishing client communications by securely traversing network components using an encapsulating communication protocol to provide session persistence and reliability. A first protocol that encapsulates a plurality of secondary protocols is used to communicate over a network to provide session persistence and a reliable connection between a client and a host service via a first protocol service. A ticket authority generates a first ticket and a second ticket associated with the client. The first ticket is provided to the client and the client uses the first ticket to establish a communication session with the first protocol service. The second ticket is provided to the first protocol service and the first protocol service uses the second ticket to establish a communication session with the host service.
US07984151B1
User information describing a group of users of a distributed computer system configured to store and retrieve individualized user data associated with individual ones of the group of users, and system resource information associated with the distributed computer system, may be obtained. A global distribution plan describing a distribution of at least a portion of the individualized user data associated with the group may be determined based on a global optimization function of the obtained user information and system resource information associated with the distributed computer system, wherein the global optimization function is based on optimizing a global distribution of the portion of the individualized user data based on a determination of a measure of performance and fault tolerance associated with a model of the distributed computer system configured in accordance with the global distribution plan. The determined global distribution plan may be provided to a device for processing.
US07984148B2
A method for load balancing requests on a network, the method including receiving a request from a requester having a requester network address at a first load balancer having a first load balancer network address, the request having a source address indicating the requestor network address and a destination address indicating the first load balancer network address, forwarding the request from the first load balancer to a second load balancer at a triangulation network address, the request source address indicating the requester network address and the destination address indicating the triangulation network address, the triangulation network address being associated with the first load balancer network address, and sending a response from the second load balancer to the requestor at the requestor network address, the response having a source address indicating the first load balancer network address associated with the triangulation network address and a destination address indicating the first requestor network address.
US07984145B2
Included are embodiments for notifying of electronic activity. One embodiment of a method, among others, includes receiving from a client an indication of a suspicious electronic activity, the client being associated with a user, gathering data related to the suspicious electronic activity, and calculating a frequency of appearance of at least one keyword within the data. Some embodiments include determining that the data is related to an undesirable incident based on whether the frequency of appearance meets a threshold and notifying at least one predetermined recipient of the undesirable incident.
US07984144B2
A computer system manages logical volumes as operation map including a volume ID of the logical volume and a plurality of pieces of a predetermined operating information (for example, a path setting, main-volume, sub-volume, permanent storage setting, and storage period setting), when an operation is added to the logical volume, corresponding operating information is set to addition and when the operation is released, the information is set to release, and at a time when a predetermined operating information is all set to release, a corresponding logical volume to the volume ID is detected as being deletable, thereby detecting the deletable the logical volume automatically.
US07984131B1
A SAN management application maintains configuration information in a near real-time (RT) manner for timely and accurate responses to queries. A database manager responsive to the management application aggregates information concerning both current and historical configurations by combining current and historical information sets as a common (DB) database portal responsive to an individual query for configuration data from both current and historical data. The common portal avoids redundant and duplicative entries between the current and historical information sets, and is responsive to the management application for maintaining each change on only one of the current and historical information sets. Configuration changes add, update and move data items between the current and historical information sets, but need not store a configuration change in both the current and history information sets.
US07984126B2
A network guidelines estimator (NGE) estimates a network load for each software application operating in a test network to determine network load metrics for each software application. A network load estimator (NLE) estimates a network load for one or more software applications concurrently operating in a production network responsive to the network load metrics of each of the one or more software applications. A network load analyzer (NLA) analyzes the network load for the one or more software applications concurrently operating in the production network to determine an actual network load for the production network.
US07984110B1
A system and method of load balancing in an upstream proxy. Information is received from a plurality of downstream proxies. A list of downstream proxies is maintained. Weights are assigned to each of the downstream proxies in the list, the weight based upon information received from the downstream proxies.
US07984101B2
A messaging session is established between a first user and a second user where messages are sent from a first user using a first device to a second user using a second device. During the messaging session, the second user may decide to use a third device. A presence update may be received that specifies the third device. Messages sent from the first user are then routed to the second user at the third device. These messages are routed without the second user having to manually start a new messaging session with the first user.
US07984095B2
An apparatus, system and method of executing a monolithic application program successfully on a grid computing system are provided. Before the program is executed on the grid computing system, the program is executed on a computer on which the program has previously been successfully executed. During its execution, the program is monitored to collect its runtime information. The runtime information is provided to the grid computing system. With this information the grid computing system is able to successfully execute the program.
US07984090B1
A function generator for a digital system includes a plurality of sub-function generators. Each sub-function generator has an input that receives a respective input value and has an output that provides a respective output value responsive to the respective input value. A case detector receives a system input value and selectively routes at least a first portion of the system input value to the input of at least one selected sub-function generator. The case detector selects the selected sub-function generator in response to at least a second portion of the system input value. The case detector further suppresses transitions of data on the input of at least one non-selected sub-function generator. The case detector further selects the respective output value provided by the at least one selected sub-function generator and provides the selected respective output value as a function generator output value.
US07984086B2
A reproducing apparatus for reproducing audio-visual data stored in a storage medium includes a storage unit which stores metadata used to search for desired audio-visual data in the audio-visual data stored in the storage medium, and a search unit which searches for the desired audio-visual data using the metadata stored in the storage unit, wherein the metadata includes a volume identifier indicating a volume comprised of a plurality of discs used to create a disc library stored in the storage unit. The metadata may further include disc information and title information common to the discs, and the search unit may create the disc library using the disc information, the title information, and the volume information, and search for the desired audio-visual data using the created disc library.
US07984082B2
A method and apparatus for provision of connections to program components. In an embodiment of a method, a call is received from a persistence engine, the call requesting a connection to a database. A method is called to obtain the connection from a data source. The connection is provided to the persistence engine. The method further includes providing the connection to the persistence engine. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US07984078B2
Disclosed is a method and system for ranking answers supplied by user authors in an online database. A first author enters a first answer under a question. The answer is ranked #1 for output under that question. Then a second author enters a second answer under the same question. The second author also enters a bet claiming that her answer is better than the first answer. If the first author declines the bet, the second answer becomes ranked #1 for output under the question. If the first author accepts the bet, the bet is decided by a judge. The judge enters her decision into the answer database system.If the judge finds that the first author's answer is better than the second author's, then the first author's answer remains ranked first under the question; if the judge finds that the second author's answer is better, then the second author's answer replaces the first author's answer as the #1 ranked answer under the question.
US07984075B2
Asynchronously traversing a disjoint linked data structure is presented. A synergistic processing unit (SPU) includes a handler that works in conjunction with a memory flow controller (MFC) to traverse a disjoint linked data structure. The handler compares a search value with a node value, and provides the MFC with an effective address of the next node to traverse based upon the comparison. In turn, the MFC retrieves the corresponding node data from system memory and stores the node data in the SPU's local storage area. The MFC stalls processing and sends an asynchronous event interrupt to the SPU which, as a result, instructs the handler to retrieve and compare the latest node data in the local storage area with the search value. The traversal continues until the handler matches the search value with a node value or until the handler determines a failed search.
US07984074B1
Deployment of new elements in a computer network can result in development of patch kits adapters, and other software and trigger corresponding regressive test efforts. In a storage area network, a method is disclosed for defining a general, extensible model of a manageable entity for use in management of the entity. The method includes obtaining a set of attribute values related to the manageable entity in relation to the storage area network. A deployment engine identifies corresponding entity categories within a storage area network entity model that contains attribute definitions that correspond to respective attribute values in the set of attribute values obtained from the manageable entity. The deployment engine assigns the respective attribute values of the manageable entity to the corresponding respective attribute definitions identified in the model. The deployment engine then determines if all attribute values of the manageable entity have been assigned. If unassigned attribute values remain, a classification processor defines new entity categories to contain new attribute definitions, and assigns the unassigned attributes value to the new attribute definitions contained in the new entity category.
US07984058B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for constructing a complex database query. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a selection of meta data indicative of searchable data values stored in two or more database tables. The method also includes constructing a complex database query to search the two or more database tables based on the received selection of meta data.
US07984045B2
Extraction of data employing a sequence of remote function calls in form of a synchronous multi-batch call chain is provided. Sequencing of calls is enabled by generating parameters associated with the extraction of a next batch of data. The parameterized, dynamic generation of queries allows for optimization of memory utilization by batching result sets and data conversion. Each subsequent call retrieves a packet of data, picking up where the previous call left off without an overlap. Parameters are updated after each call based on extracted data, available memory, and the like.
US07984039B2
A method and system are provided of merging results in distributed information retrieval. A search manager is in communication with a plurality of components, wherein a component is a search engine working on a document collection and returning results in the form of a list of documents to a search query. The search manager submits a query to the plurality of components, receives results from each component in the form of a list of documents; estimates the success of a component in handling the query to generate a merit score for a component per query; applies the merit score to the results for the component; and merges results from the plurality of components by ranking in order of the applied merit score.
US07984027B2
An image processing apparatus communicates with a document management server and a client apparatus. The image processing apparatus receives document entity data and document property information required for determining accessibility to the document entity data stores the received document entity data in a storage unit. The image processing apparatus transmits document property information to the document management server and requests the document management server to perform document registration. The image processing apparatus sends, to the document management server, an inquiry about accessibility to the stored document entity data, if the document entity data is requested by the client apparatus, based on information obtained from the client apparatus. The image processing apparatus controls transmission of the requested document entity data to the client apparatus based on an obtained inquiry result received from the document management server.
US07984017B2
The present invention creates a model that maps object classes in an object-oriented environment to a data source. The model maps the relationship between properties of each object class and data of the data source. The present invention can be used with a data source such as a relational database, user interface, file system, or object-oriented database. An application's object classes and data source schema are designed independent of the other since the model can be used to map one to the other. The model is comprised of entities and attributes. An entity maps to an object class and to at least one table of the DBMS. An entity contains attributes either simple or derived. A simple attribute maps to a DBMS column. A derived attribute is a combination of other attributes and does not directly map to a DBMS column. A relationship creates a link between entities of the model. A relationship can be used to flatten an attribute or flatten a relationship. A flattened attribute is an attribute of one entity that is added to another entity. A flattened relationship is created by the elimination of intermediate relationships between two entities. Relationships can be either unidirectional or bi-directional. A unidirectional relationship has a single traversal path that has a source entity and a destination. A bi-directional relationship has two traversal paths. A reflexive relationship can be created using a single entity. The model is used to synchronize object properties and the data of the data source.
US07984011B2
A policy change processing apparatus is used for controlling a system, and processes a change in a content of a plurality of policies specified so that contents of the policies do not conflict with each other. The policy change processing apparatus includes: a changeable scope storing unit that stores therein a changeable scope for each of the policies, the changeable scope indicating a scope where a policy content is changeable without causing a conflict with any other policies; and a changeable scope determining unit that determines whether a policy content accepted as a change target of a predetermined policy is within the changeable scope of the predetermined policy, the changeable scope being stored in the changeable scope storing unit.
US07984008B2
Computer readable storage medium, computer-implemented method, and computer system for identifying substring repetition in a pass phrase. A sub-string index is generated. The number of bits required to represent each character in the pass phrase is determined. An entropy value is assigned to each character in the pass phrase in accordance with a probability function that assigns highest probabilities at boundaries of an interval for the entropy of a character, or that assigns lowest probabilities when a ratio of a number of pass phrase characters to pass phrase length is equal to a ratio of a size the interval to a sum of interval sizes. A total entropy value for the pass phrase is computed to provide an indication of pass phrase quality.
US07983997B2
A system which allows a user to teach a computational device how to perform complex, repetitive tasks that the user usually would perform using the device's graphical user interface (GUI) often but not limited to being a web browser. The system includes software running on a user's computational device. The user “teaches” task steps by inputting natural language and demonstrating actions with the GUI. The system uses a semantic ontology and natural language processing to create an explicit representation of the task that is stored on the computer. After a complete task has been taught, the system is able to automatically execute the task in new situations. Because the task is represented in terms of the ontology and user's intentions, the system is able to adapt to changes in the computer code while still pursuing the objectives taught by the user.
US07983993B2
A buyer (110) wishes to use a payment instrument as part of an online commerce transaction with a seller (120) and it is desired to authenticate that the buyer (110) has authority to use the payment instrument. A separate authentication service (130) determines whether the buyer (110) has access to certain secret information without revealing the secret information to the seller (120). Access to the secret information would verify that the buyer (110) has authority to use the payment instrument. The authentication service (130) informs the seller (120) whether the buyer (110) is authorized to use the payment instrument.
US07983987B2
In a secure electronic payment system, authentication data based on a payment account (e.g., a credit card account) is sent from an authentication server, through a user's Web browser, to a merchant's computer. The merchant's computer sends the authentication data to a computer operated by the issuer of the payment account, either through a payment organization computer or through an acquirer computer operated by the merchant's acquirer. The issuer's computer verifies the authorization request message, thereby generating an authorization response message. The authorization response message is forwarded to the merchant's computer, either through the payment organization computer or through the acquirer computer. If the authorization response message indicates that the verification was successful, the transaction is completed.
US07983980B2
There is provided a system which enables human-like automatic bidding by combining a plurality of processing functions with a bidding logic of absentee agents for absent participants of an auction system. Absentee agents, present in an auction server, receive price distribution and perform bidding similarly to on-site human participants. Absentee information is given to the absentee agent at the start of an auction, and absentee agents make bids autonomously and in cooperation with one another. In order to perform the human-like bidding, each agent makes a bid by combining (1) bidding possibility determination processing, (2) final bidding determination processing, (3) repeat bidding determination processing, (4) repeat bidding prohibition determination processing, (5) right acquisition bidding determination processing, and (6) character bidding determination processing. Here, the character bidding determination processing determines a bidding atmosphere from the rate of bidding and the number of bidders, and dynamically assigns a character to each absentee agent.
US07983978B2
Systems and methods are provided for trading and calculating the composition of foreign currencies indexed financial instruments. The compositions of the financial instruments are determined by calculating a geometric average of the exchange rates of foreign currencies with corresponding competitive weights. The competitive weights for each of the foreign currencies reflects competition between the goods of the United States and a country corresponding to the foreign currency in the markets of third countries.
US07983977B2
A method and system for to facilitate an electronic auction includes receiving a bid from each of a plurality of bidders for a plurality of merchandise items via a web-based bid form. Each bid including a bid price and a quantity bid. One or more of the merchandise items of the plurality of merchandise items are awarded to each of a plurality of successful bidders of the plurality of bidders at different prices based on the quantity bid by each of the plurality of successful bidders.
US07983968B1
Systems and techniques for submitting requests for approval relating to management of real property include presenting, on a user interface, a form for receiving data from a first user. An indication of one or more requests to be approved is received as a result of a user interaction with the form. For each request, types of data items to be provided by the first user are identified. The types of data items identified for each service are based on a type associated with the request. An indication of the identified types of data items for each request is displayed on the form. After a submission of the form, an approval of at least one, but fewer than all, of the requests can be received from a second user. In response, the first user can be notified of the approval and of requests not approved.
US07983958B2
An Internet trading network is operated by establishing supplier memberships of suppliers providing offerings to the trading network; establishing customer memberships of customers providing volume commitments; consolidating all volume commitments for a particular commodity or service when negotiating an offering with the supplier; managing memberships and their accounts.
US07983950B2
Method to visualize the information related to a catalog on an processing device (2) that includes a user's interface comprising a display (3). The method includes a looking through step of a database (11) that stores an E-catalog of items that can be purchased by use of said device (2). At logic-content level the database is organized according to the hierarchical tree-type structure (15) wherein the items that can be purchased are the leaf nodes (T1, . . . T5) of the tree and the groups of items are the intermediate nodes of the tree placed at different hierarchical levels that are higher than the hierarchical level of the leaf nodes.
US07983949B1
A system and method for selecting targeted information (e.g., advertisements) for serving with map views. The information is associated with target geographical areas (e.g., cities, metropolises, regions, countries) identified by the information providers. A given message or other set of information may be served with map views that significantly intersect the message's target area. A target area significantly intersects a map view if it overlaps the map view by at least a threshold percentage of the map view (e.g., 25%). Messages' target areas may first be compared with a map view to identify those that significantly intersect. Then, the messages whose target areas significantly intersect the map view may be filtered or screened based on any search terms or key words received with a request for the map view.
US07983944B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed for tracking and reporting electronic commerce activity over a web site that is stored on a first server coupled to a wide area network. The web page is programmed to include data fields reflecting commerce transaction activity and data mining code. The web page is uploaded to a visitor computer responsive to a request over the wide area network from the visitor computer. Commerce information is accepted within the data fields of the web page at the visitor computer to form a completed web page. The data mining code is operated on the visitor computer to obtain technical and commercial data and sent to a second server on the wide area network for logging and analysis.
US07983942B2
A method of processing incompatibilities for a transportation plan comprising the following steps: Receiving data which is descriptive of orders, data which is descriptive of available vehicles, and data which is descriptive of available cross-docking locations; reading a set of compatibility types, and a set of compatibility rules with respect to the plurality of orders, vehicles, and cross-docking locations, each compatibility rule specifying a combination of two values which refer to first and second attributes of a defined compatibility type, and being indicative whether or not they are compatible; associating a value with each order, the value being descriptive of the characteristics of the order, such that orders having the same characteristics have the same value associated therewith; replacing the data descriptive of the characteristics by the value associated therewith; and outputting the order data resulting from the preceding step.
US07983940B2
A computer-based method for representing a project includes accessing a description of the project and displaying, based on the description, at least a portion of the project in a perspective representation that generally resembles a path. A computer program product includes instructions that cause a processor to convert a description of the project into display instructions for displaying at least a portion of the project in a perspective representation, displaying relative progress of the project relative to an expected progress of the project, and displaying a relative rate of progress of the project relative to an expectation of a rate of progress. The computer program product is tangibly stored on machine readable media. A computer-based method for representing a project includes receiving a project identification identifying the project, accessing the description of the project identified by the project identification, identifying an element of the project from the description of the project, and displaying the element of the project in a perspective representation of the project.
US07983935B1
A method for automatically and iteratively updating patient encounter reports based on recognized patterns of occurrences. A patient's information is obtained prior to a visit to a healthcare facility. This information is compared to a set of guidelines. The result is a preliminary patient encounter report that may be presented to a physician as well as act as a preset trigger to generate financial transactions. The physician can edit the report due to his own preferences and the updated report automatically sent to a rules engine that examines the edits, on a physician, healthcare facility, and patient level and determines if changes to the existing guidelines need to be made. The new guidelines are sent to a predictor module so that upon subsequent visits by patients, new guidelines will appear on the preliminary patient encounter summary report along with other learned administrative and financial transactions within the system.
US07983933B2
A system that can enable clinical trial compliance determination by viewing sequences of images captured during an event is disclosed. For example, the innovation can employ captured event sequences to enable a subject or third party to assess a subject's actions related to a medical trial. The capture of event sequences can be triggered based upon sensory data, radio frequency identification (RFID) data, pattern recognition data, etc. The system also provides mechanisms to locate images or sequences, playback images or sequences or images as well as to set compliance parameters associated with a particular clinical trial.
US07983925B1
The present invention relates to an efficient computer implemented method and system for generating a home price index based on a repeat sales model by calculating the time-dimension frequency matrices (X′X and X′Ω−1X) and price change matrices (X′Y and X′Ω−1Y) directly without the need to calculate the big X and Y matrices at the dimension of the number of repeat sales. The inventive method may further be used to estimate indices for multiple geographic levels without processing an entire data set to estimate the price indices for each geographic level.
US07983923B1
A method, performed on a computer of supplier, is used in managing a supply chain with multiple customers. The method includes receiving a new delivery schedule from a customer, determining a deviation between the new delivery schedule and a confirmed delivery schedule from the customer, and determining if the new delivery schedule is eligible for further consideration based on the deviation. If the new delivery schedule is eligible for further consideration, the method also includes generating a schedule of production resources and inventory that satisfies at least some requirements of the new delivery schedule, and confirming to the customer that the supplier accepts the new delivery schedule.
US07983918B2
A device and method for assisting a human user in performing processes includes a speaker that provides audible instructions to the user corresponding to multiple tasks associated with performing the process. A storage device stores data corresponding to the audible instructions. A processor converts the stored data to the audible instructions, and an input device is adapted to enable the user to control the provision of the audible instructions.
US07983915B2
A method of generating an audio content index for use by a search engine includes determining a phoneme sequence based on recognized speech from an audio content time segment. The method also includes identifying k-phonemes which occur within the phoneme sequence. The identified k-phonemes are stored within a data structure such that the identified k-phonemes are capable of being compared with k-phonemes from a search query.
US07983914B2
A speech recognition system or method can include a speech input device and a processor coupled to the speech input device. The processor can be programmed to identify a plurality of words that are members of confusable pairs of words where each pair includes a target word and a substituted word. The processor can degrade a pronunciation of the substituted word to provide a worse pronunciation of the substituted word. The processor can further compare the pronunciation of the target word with the worse pronunciation to the substituted word. The processor can be further programmed to reduce confusion between the substituted word and other words in a recognition grammar of the speech recognition engine and can also narrow the scope within which the substituted word is recognized.
US07983908B2
A noise-canceling device of a voice communication terminal that removes noise elements included in received voice signals. The device comprises: a digital filter array that exhibits filter qualities in response to a coefficient setting signal showing each supplied arrays of filter coefficients, and includes a first-stage filter that receives the received voice signals as well as multiple later-stage filters connected thereto in a straight line; a filter qualities designator that generates input designation that designates each qualities of the multiple digital filters forming the digital filters array; and a filter coefficient setter that retains multiple arrays of filter coefficients, extracts a filter coefficient array corresponding to the designation input from among the multiple filter coefficient arrays, and supplies to each multiple digital filters. The noise-canceling device for a voice communication terminal provided to obtain desired filter qualities in real-time without calculation of filter coefficients.
US07983895B2
A system and method for generating grammatically correct text in a target language based on one or more text templates and corresponding context in a source language comprises a software module configured to select one or more source language text templates and corresponding context in the source language. The system also includes a localization engine configured to obtain the selected one or more source language text templates and corresponding context in the target language from memory, apply the target language context to the one or more target language text templates, and apply one or more grammatical rules for the target language, thereby generating a grammatically correct text string in the target language. The system further includes a display configured to display the grammatically correct text string in the target language.
US07983885B2
A method, apparatus and computer usable program code for identifying regions in the ground at a well site. Continuous data is received from the well site; reducing redundancies in the continuous data received from the well site to form processed data. Cluster analysis is performed using the processed data to form a set of cluster units, wherein the set of cluster units include different types of cluster units that identify differences between regions in the ground at the well site. Properties are identified for each type of cluster unit in the set of cluster units to form a model for the well site.
US07983881B2
Described are a method and system for describing a position of an entity in a three-dimensional coordinate system with respect to the reference model. The reference model is of a three-dimensional curved surface defined in the three-dimensional coordinate system. The three-dimensional curved surface is divided into a set of cells. Each cell is a subset of the three-dimensional curved surface and has a curved surface. A three-dimensional curvilinear coordinate system is defined for each cell in the set of cells. The three-dimensional curvilinear coordinate system for each cell has a curvilinear axis that extends along the curved surface of that cell.
US07983877B2
A method and apparatus for a pump control system. One or more embodiments of the invention include a pump controller that can perform a self-calibrating procedure, can provide precise motor speed control, can provide a limp mode before shutting down the motor when system parameters are exceeded and/or fault conditions occur, can detect fault conditions, and can store fault conditions for later retrieval.
US07983869B1
A flow testing system comprises a flow unit for interfacing with a flow hydrant, a pressure unit for interfacing with a test hydrant, a transmitter in a first one of the units to transmit data to a second one of the units, a receiver in the second unit to receive data from the transmitter, and a data storage medium in the second unit to record data. A method includes providing flow and pressure units, interfacing the pressure unit to a test hydrant and the flow unit to a flow hydrant, measuring static pressure by the pressure unit, initiating water flow through the flow hydrant, measuring pitot pressure in the flow, measuring residual pressure in the test hydrant, transmitting the residual pressure measurement from the pressure to the flow unit, and recording the pitot and residual pressure measurements.
US07983865B2
A power supply apparatus for operation supplies a drive signal of a resonant frequency to a surgical instrument to drive the instrument. A recognition section recognizes a surgical instrument connected to the power supply apparatus. A setting section sets a frequency scanning condition according to the surgical instrument recognized by the recognition section. A scanning section scans for the resonant frequency of the surgical instrument on the basis of the frequency scanning condition set by the setting section.
US07983862B2
A battery state-of-health monitoring and prognosis method includes training off-line parity-relation parameters between extracted battery voltage and current signals during off-line battery discharge events using at least one good off-line battery. Portions of terminal voltage and current signals of an on-board battery corresponding to an on-board engine cranking process are extracted, and battery voltage of the on-board battery are estimated based on the parity-relation parameters and the extracted portions of the on-board battery current signals. A diagnostic residual defining a deviation between the battery voltage estimation of the on-board battery and extracted portions of the on-board battery terminal voltage signals is generated. A measure of battery state-of-health based on the diagnostic residual is then provided.
US07983858B2
A fault test apparatus for testing a fault on each signal line in a circuit under test including signal lines includes a controller, which calculates a value of a fault excitation function for a fault signal line, using the fault excitation function representing a fitness result of a predetermined fault excitation condition between the fault signal line having a fault among the signal lines under test in the circuit under test and at least one of adjacent signal lines adjacent to the fault signal line and falling within a predetermined range from the fault signal line, based on layout information between the fault signal line and at least one adjacent signal line adjacent to the fault signal line, manufacturing parameter information, and timing information, and then, determines whether or not a dynamic fault is excited on the fault signal line based on the value of the fault excitation function.
US07983857B2
A system for applying ultrasonic energy to a workpiece, the system including a horn stack; a mounting system upon which the horn stack is mounted; a source of energy coupled to the horn stack; an anvil having a surface for supporting the workpiece; and a controller configured to receive a resonant frequency of the horn stack, and to determine a quantity standing in known relation to a change in gap between the horn stack and the anvil.
US07983851B2
A measuring system for determination of at least one chemical property in an oil under transportation from a first container to a second container, where a pipe inlet is arranged to withdraw a sample part from the oil in flow and a sample handling arrangement is arranged for guiding a sample from the sample part into and out of at least one chemical property measuring instrument. The measuring system further includes a control computer unit connected to the sample handling arrangement and being programmed to performing a plurality of consecutive measuring cycles, each including i) guiding a sample from the sample part into the at least one chemical property measuring instrument, ii) performing a measurement of the at least one chemical property in the sample, and iii) withdrawing the sample from the at least one chemical property measuring instrument.
US07983848B2
A method and system in a computing environment for inferring genetic findings for a patient is provided. The method includes receiving a request for genetic findings for a person from another application or a user. The method further includes inquiring as to whether the person has the genetic findings. If not, the method automatically provides inferred genetic findings for the person. The inferred genetic findings are calculated using genetic findings for family members of the patient, linkage analysis, haplotype analysis, semantic test results for the person and/or population genetics information.
US07983845B2
A method for analyzing a formation, that includes plotting resistivity data points on a resistivity graph to obtain plotted resistivity data points, and selecting a first shale point on the resistivity graph based on the plotted resistivity data points. The first shale point represents a resistivity anisotropy of shale in the formation. The method further includes generating, for each of a plurality of shale fraction values, a first shale fraction curve on the resistivity graph based on the shale fraction value and the first shale point, and generating, for each of a plurality of sand resistivity values, a first sand resistivity curve on the resistivity graph based on the sand resistivity value and the first shale point. A hydrocarbon yielding region in the formation is identified based on the first sand resistivity curves and the first shale fraction curves.
US07983844B2
A method for determining wind conditions within a geographic area based on a plurality of input wind resource grids. The input wind resource grids include input points associated with a geographic position and a wind condition. An output wind resource grid having a plurality of output points is defined. Each output point is associated with a geographic position within the geographic area. For each output point in the output wind resource grid, a wind condition is calculated based at least in part on wind conditions associated with at least some of the input points. A wind condition associated with an input point may be weighted based on the proximity of the output point to a meteorological instrument associated with the input point.
US07983843B1
A method of presenting weather phenomenon information including receiving weather data. At least one weather phenomenon represented by the weather data is identified. A plurality of current parameters related to the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon is determined. A plurality of historical parameters corresponding to one or more previous states of the at least one weather phenomenon is associated with the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon if at least one previous state of the at least one weather phenomenon has been identified. A plurality of forecasted parameters for the at least one weather phenomenon is calculated. Characteristics of the at least one weather phenomenon based on at least a first subset of the current parameters, the historical parameters, and the forecasted parameters are displayed.
US07983838B1
It is the object of this invention to provide a system that informs a vehicle operator that the vehicle is safely in the center of the proper lane of intended travel. It further informs the operator of specifics about the lane. Presence of the vehicle in an incorrect lane or going in the wrong way sets off an audible alarm. The information is visible on a computer screen in full view of the operator. It is functional regardless of the time, day or night, weather conditions, visibility or electrical interference. A metal detector senses passive elements imbedded in the center of the lane. For a boat the element is submerged in the proper channel and is sensed by a sonar device. Imbedded bar codes are the sources of the information. The general configuration is shown in FIGS. 1a-1c. FIGS. 2-4 show simplified block diagrams for the system.
US07983837B2
A navi-server which is provided with information from a traffic information providing center, and presents and provides information made on the information to a terminal is characterized by being equipped with a first storage means storing the information provided from the traffic information providing center; a traffic jam statistical making means which makes traffic jam statistical information including traffic jam information in a predetermined point and a predetermined zone as well as a reliability of the traffic jam information, based on information stored in the first storage means; and a second storage means storing information made by the traffic jam statistical making means, wherein the navi-server presents and provides the information stored in the second storage means to the terminal, based on a request of the terminal and at a predetermined timing.
US07983832B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel injection control technique which maximizes engine power according to fuel evaporation characteristics. The fuel injection timing in the intake stroke is delayed according as a physical quantity affecting the fuel evaporation time changes such that the fuel evaporation time decreases. Further, the fuel injection timing when a physical quantity affecting the fuel evaporation time is such that the fuel evaporation time decreases is set closer to the end of the intake stroke than the fuel injection timing when the physical quantity is such that the fuel evaporation time increases. The fuel injection timing is controlled so as to maximize engine power according to fuel evaporation times.
US07983826B2
Static demand engine torque set in a static torque setter is converted into dynamic demand engine torque in a converter using an engine model C (s) represented by a first-order lag function. A time constant T of engine model C (s) is calculated by a time constant calculator. The time constant calculator calculates time constant T in accordance with the static demand engine torque set in the static torque setter and dynamic demand engine torque set in a dynamic torque setter. The dynamic demand engine torque set in the dynamic torque setter is added to the dynamic demand engine torque converted from the static demand engine torque in the converter.
US07983819B2
A motor vehicle with an occupant restraint device, including a control device which produces a triggering signal when a predefined hazard signal is generated as a function of signals of a safety sensor system, and, accordingly, the occupant restraint vehicle acts on a vehicle occupant by at least one impact cushion. The control device generates the hazard signal at least as a function of vehicle acceleration signals and a belt state signal representing the activation or deactivation of a seat belt, deactivating the occupant restraint device at least for a certain period of time and/or activating the occupant restraint device at reduced power if the seat belt is identified as having been deactivated and vehicle acceleration signals are assigned to a critical forward displacement of the occupant if the seat belt is deactivated.
US07983818B2
An arrangement is provided for triggering a vehicle safety device. A proximity sensor (1) provides an output related to a distance to an object and/or the relative speed between the object and the sensor. A main accelerometer (2) is sensitive to acceleration in a predetermined direction. A supplementary accelerometer (3) is also provided. A first processing arrangement (4) performs an algorithm with the main algorithm, and is connected to receive an input from the proximity sensor and from the main accelerometer and to provide an output to a triggering signal generator (5). There is a second processing arrangement (7) which receives a signal from the main accelerometer (2) and also from the supplementary accelerometer (3). The second processing arrangement also provides an output connected to the said signal generator (5) to generate the triggering signal.
US07983814B2
Method for operating an adjustable stabilizer arrangement including an actuator, which applies actuator torque to stabilizer sections as a function of a command variable to influence the rolling movement of a motor vehicle body, where sensors are used to detect the movement of the motor vehicle body and the movements of the wheels. An operating condition of the actuator supplies a variable which can be used to determine the actuator torque, upon which is superimposed an adjustment signal for the actuator, and where the variable is modified by a weighting factor.
US07983812B2
A method and apparatus for battery power management in an emergency vehicle having its engine off and warning lights on is disclosed. The method may include monitoring a voltage level of a battery of the emergency vehicle, determining if the battery voltage level is below a predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the battery voltage level is below the predetermined threshold, automatically starting the emergency vehicle's engine to charge the battery, determining if the emergency vehicle's battery is charged, wherein if it is determined that the emergency vehicle's battery is charged, automatically turning off the emergency vehicle's engine, wherein the monitoring of the battery voltage level is resumed.
US07983811B2
The system described in this invention can be used for monitoring and analyzing real time visual and non-visual information pertaining to the occupant, vehicle, and surroundings prior to, during and post eccentric operating conditions for a given period of time. The system stores vehicle and occupant data from sensors throughout the vehicle and also makes use of existing vehicle sensors that may already be present in the vehicle. The invention also includes a video recording module that makes use of a fish-eye camera to capture video from the inside and the outside of the vehicle. Real-time data analysis is performed to detect and to recognize vehicle occupants, and recognize impending eccentric events. Vehicle, occupant, and video data are stored in circular buffers. When an eccentric event, a collision for example, has been detected, the device continues to record data and video for a fixed period of time. Once this time has elapsed, the data is transferred from volatile to non-volatile memory for later retrieval. A computer may be used to retrieve and display the vehicle and occupant data in a synchronization with the video data for the purposes of accident recreation, driver or vehicle monitoring.
US07983808B2
A fully automatic driverless straddle carrier for transporting and stacking freight containers is equipped with several different sensor systems for the vehicle detection and navigation. Laser scanners are arranged at the vehicle for automatically guiding the vehicle over a container stack. In this straddle carrier, one of the absolute sensor systems for the vehicle detection is made up of a local radio detection system, which is arranged on the vehicle as a mobile radio base station, a plurality of radio transponders being stationarily positioned in the traveling area of the working site, an automatic switching device being provided for switching the steering from the automatic steering by navigation to an automatic steering by laser scanners and vice versa, when the vehicle reaches, travels over or leaves a container stack.
US07983805B2
A communications system for a train having spaced apart first and second locomotives each capable of lead and remote operation and rail cars. The first locomotive operating as a lead unit controlling the second locomotive operating as a remote unit. The train comprising a brake system comprising a brake pipe extending a length of the train and controlled by a brake controller in the first and second locomotives. The communications system comprises a communications channel; a station in the first locomotive issuing a first command over the channel to the second locomotive, the first locomotive applying brakes and entering a suspended operational state during which its lead operation is suspended; and a station in the second locomotive issuing a second command over the channel to the first locomotive controlling it to remote operation and controlling the second locomotive to lead operation, and terminating the suspended operational state.
US07983792B2
A method and system for generating a customized, printed, three-dimensional object accesses a data record for a selected recipient and prints objects on a substrate based on the data record. The method and system then generates die lines based on the data record, and finishes the substrate by cutting, perforating, creasing, folding or otherwise finishing the substrate along the die lines to yield a customized, three-dimensional printed object.
US07983791B2
A method for coding the address location on a document or in a data base so that two or more electronic mailings with differing address placements may be combined together and sorted while the mailings are still in electronic form in order to take advantage of workshare discounts, delivery sequence efficiency, desired delivery date, class of delivery service, etc.
US07983789B2
An apparatus and associated method for collecting debris from a tool, wherein programming instructions are stored in memory and executed by a machine tool controller, and wherein the controller is responsive to an intermittent debris collect signal in altering an operative path of the tool in order to engage the tool with a debris collecting device.
US07983784B2
A data structure of branch-structured vector data that is created from line drawing information of an embroidery design and provides a basis for creating embroidery data by a computer that includes at least one data piece of a branch, which is an embroidery path connecting two endpoints. The branch data piece may include thread color information that indicates a color of a sewing thread to be used when each of the branches is embroidered, or loop information that indicates whether tracing a link destination of the endpoint of the branch results in generation of a loop that returns to the same endpoint. The thread color information may be used to determine whether to create embroidery data for a link destination branch and the loop information may be used to determine whether to create running stitch sewing data for the link destination branch. Thus, branch-structured vector data may have information of a plurality of thread colors and represent a loop in one data piece.
US07983774B2
A handheld audio playback device for interacting with an article having a position-coding pattern and a plurality of different print elements printed thereon. Each print element corresponds to a different audio output. The device comprises: a nib for indicating a selected print element; an optical sensor for reading a portion of the position-coding pattern when the nib is used to indicate the selected print element; a processor coupled to the optical sensor for determining a position using the read portion of the position-coding pattern; a memory storing audio data files for the different audio outputs; means for retrieving an audio data file from the memory for playback; means for downloading audio data files to the memory from a personal computer; and an audio output device for playing the audio output corresponding to the audio data file.
US07983767B2
A cochlear implant electrode assembly (10) comprising an elongate electrode carrier member (11), a bioresorbable stiffening element (15) and an outer layer (16) surrounding the stiffening element (15). The carrier member (11) is made of a resiliently flexible first material and has a plurality of electrodes (12) mounted thereon and has a first configuration selected to allow it to be inserted into an implantee's cochlea, and at least a second configuration wherein it is curved to match a surface of the cochlea. The bioresorbable stiffening element (15) has a configuration selected for biasing the elongate member (11) into the first configuration and is made of a second material relatively stiffer than the first material and which dissolves or softens on exposure to cochlear fluids to permit the elongate member (11) to at least approach or adopt the second configuration. The outer layer (16) surrounding the stiffening element (15) is made of a material sufficiently resiliently flexible to allow the elongate member (11) to at least approach or adopt the second configuration. The outer layer (16) has a first rate of cochlear fluid ingress therethrough and has at least one fluid ingress means (21) formed therein. The rate of cochlear fluid ingress through the fluid ingress means (21) is greater than the first rate of cochlear fluid ingress through the outer layer (16).
US07983764B2
A lead assembly comprises a lead body extending from a lead proximal end portion to a lead distal end portion with at least one conductor disposed therein. A lead lumen extends within the lead body and is dimensioned and configured to removably and rotatably seat a driver therein. The driver includes a driver body extending from a driver proximal end to a driver distal end and having a stylet or guidewire lumen disposed therein. An extendable and retractable active fixation mechanism is disposed at the lead distal end portion. The active fixation mechanism is actuatable by rotation of the driver. In one example, the at least one conductor includes a first conductor and a second conductor, in which the first conductor is co-radial with the second conductor. In another example, the driver distal end includes a portion extractably engagable with the lead distal end portion.
US07983760B2
A control unit for an implantable medical device includes a housing and electronics within the housing. The electronics control an RF emission from the control unit. An antenna is pivotably connected to the housing. The antenna is movable between a stowed position where RF emission from the antenna is prevented and a deployed position where RF emission from the antenna is permitted. To use the external control unit to effect communication between an external control unit and an implanted medical device, the user places the external control unit within electronic communication range of the implanted medical device. The control unit antenna is moved from the stowed position to a deployed position where RF emission from the antenna is permitted. RF waves are emitted from the antenna to establish communication between the external control unit and the implanted medical device.
US07983759B2
Systems, devices and methods for reporting multiple health-related parameters are disclosed. One aspect is a programmable device having machine executable instructions for performing a method to report multiple parameters related to a health condition of a patient. In various embodiments, a number of trended health-related parameters, a number of predetermined events corresponding to the number of trended health-related parameters, and a number of alerts associated with the predetermined events are acquired. The number of trended health-related parameters, the number of predetermined events, and the number of alerts are communicated in a manner suitable for use in determining the health condition of the patient. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
US07983757B2
The invention is directed to techniques and systems in which external brain monitoring is used to facilitate implantation and configuration of an implantable medical device. The techniques may create an open loop or closed loop system in which brain signals quantify the efficacy of electrical logical stimulation (or drug therapy via an implantable drug pump) at locations outside of the brain. The techniques may be used to improve placement of leads and electrodes during an implantation procedure, and/or to select or adjust stimulation parameters either during the implantation procedure or possibly following implantation of an implantable medical device. The described techniques have applications for the alleviation of pain, but may find other applications where EEG signals can quantify the efficacy of treatment via an implantable medical device.
US07983751B2
A method for measuring the conduction velocity of a depolarization wave in a tissue employs a first satellite located within the tissue and a second that satellite is located within the tissue a distance away from the first satellite, e.g., by using the time of depolarization wave as reported from each satellite and the distance to determine velocity of the wave. Also provided are systems and kits that find use in accordance with the invention.
US07983748B2
A method and device for treating an electrical problem in an organ, especially a heart, of a human or animal patient comprises atraumatically blocking the transmission of one or more electrical signals external to the organ. Nerve cell membranes near a cathode are depolarized while nerve cell membranes near an anode are hyperpolarized, inducing a DC conduction block. The method and device are especially suitable for treating atrial tachycardia where unwanted signals from at least one pulmonary vein and/or at least one fat pad are blocked within the construct of the heart.
US07983738B2
Method for creating a three dimensional imaging system is disclosed. There is a first source of laser light and a second source of laser light having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the laser light of the first source. The laser light from the first and second sources are combined, and the combined laser light is transmitted to a scanner. The scanner further transmits the combined light to a surface to be imaged.
US07983737B2
Provided herein are systems and methods for the detection of cells and/or compositions using optical coherence tomography. The systems and methods comprise a plurality of magnets for applying a plurality of distinct magnetic field strengths to the cells and/or compositions and a phase sensitive optical coherence tomographic imaging modality for detecting the cells and/or compositions while same are disposed in the presence of at least one of the plurality of distinct magnetic field strengths.
US07983730B2
An oximeter system includes a blood oxygen saturation detector for detecting blood oxygen saturation information of a subject, a body motion detector for detecting body motion information of the subject, a controller for causing the blood oxygen saturation detector to acquire the blood oxygen saturation information, and causing the body motion detector to acquire the body motion information at a predetermined sampling frequency concurrently and respectively sequentially, and a display unit for displaying data concerning the acquired blood oxygen saturation information and data concerning the acquired body motion information along a common time axis.
US07983719B2
In a mobile communication device, a scanning operation is performed with use of a wireless transceiver to identify one or more available wireless communication networks in a given geographic area. Each time the scanning operation fails to result in identifying a wireless network to be available for connection with the communication device, the scanning operation is repeated after delaying for a next scanning delay period of a plurality of consecutively-increasing scanning delay periods n=[n1, n2, . . . , M], wherein M is set as an upper limit. In response to identifying a first predetermined battery condition of the communication device, a first new upper limit N is added to the plurality of consecutively-increasing scanning delay periods n=[n1, n2, . . . , M, N], wherein N is the first new upper limit such that N>M. Further, in response to identifying a second predetermined battery condition of the communication device, a second new upper limit is added to the plurality of consecutively-increasing scanning delay periods n=[n1, n2, . . . , M, N, P], wherein P is the second new upper limit such that P>N>M. Advantageously, power consumption is reduced during adverse battery conditions of the mobile device.
US07983711B2
Alternative software architectures for a dual mode wireless communication device and methods of use are provided for efficient and effective use of the processor and memory capabilities of first and second air interface processors on a dual mode wireless communication device. The alternative architectures efficiently distribute a plurality of operational modules across the processors for efficient dual mode operation of a dual mode wireless communication device. Procedures for transitioning into a second air interface mode from a first air interface mode and vice versa are also disclosed. These seamless transitions can be based on user preferences and/or real time environmental variables such as signal strength or availability.
US07983704B2
Methods and apparatus for performing a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) initialization procedure are described. A terminal profile having a most recent release version format is communicated to a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). An error from the SIM is detected in response to sending the most recent release version format of the terminal profile, since the SIM is incompatible with this most recent release version. Subsequently, a terminal profile having a previous release version format is communicated to the SIM based on detecting the error from the SIM. This may be repeated further until compatibility between the mobile communication device and the SIM is established.
US07983703B2
A subframe structure for a wireless community uses a master common subframe and second master common subframe method to give BSs different priorities to serve overlapping areas in common subframes. The subframe structure and corresponding method can increase overlapping cells' capacity and reduce interference.
US07983692B2
Proposed is a technique for implementing data communication and distance measurement even in a case where data communication and distance measurement share the physical layer. A wireless communication apparatus includes a radio unit and a distance measuring unit. The radio unit performs communication using a frame that includes at least a data period for transferring data and a beacon period for transmitting a beacon. The distance measuring unit utilizes the beacon period to measure the distance from the wireless communication apparatus to a target object whose distance is to be measured.
US07983690B2
A method for establishing communication with a mobile vehicle includes determining whether the mobile vehicle is within a predetermined geographic region and initiating a time trigger based on the determination. The method further includes initiating communication between the mobile vehicle and a central node via a wireless connection based on the time trigger.
US07983687B2
An uplink signal-to-interference ratio for each of multiple mobile radio terminal connections supported in a cell in a cellular communications system is estimated. A signal-to-interference ratio error is determined for selected ones of the estimated uplink signal-to-interference ratios. One or more signal-to-interference ratio errors are identified that exceed a signal-to-interference ratio error threshold. An instability indicator associated with the cell is determined based on the one or more identified signal-to-interference ratio errors. A load control decision and/or a decision for scheduling one or more uplink mobile radio transmissions in the cell may then be made based on the instability indicator, e.g., to prevent a transmission power rush in the uplink in the cell and/or to efficiently use available resources for uplink transmissions.
US07983681B2
A system and method for improving the interoperability of communication system components using multiple audio encoding formats within a single talkgroup is provided. The system includes at least two base site repeaters, each of which may be configured to receive and process voice calls from communication units using different audio encoding formats. The system also includes a transcoder provided at either the base sites or as a separate infrastructure server. When a voice call is transmitted to a first repeater using a first audio encoding format, the audio signal is transcoded by the transcoder and provided to a second repeater using a second audio encoding format. The second repeater then broadcasts the voice call to any communication unit within range using the second audio encoding format.
US07983666B2
A cancellation system that delays the received signals and cancels less than all the received signals from the delayed version of the received signals and a demodulator and despreader unit produces a demodulated and de-spreader and remodulator unit produces a remodulated and respread signal from the demodulated and despread signal with a combiner that produces a combined signal from the delayed version of the received signals and the remodulated and respread signal to identify a low power signal.
US07983662B1
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for receiving interaction information relating to a mobile communication facility, weighting content based at least in part on the interaction information, and ordering the content for presentation on a mobile communication facility based at least in part on the weighting.
US07983656B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to implement an Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) cryptosystem and manage a key exchange, authentication, and certificate exchange with a communication device also implementing the ECDH cryptosystem, wherein the server communicates over a network that provides an encrypted communication link for the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US07983654B2
A private network emergency pager alert system as described herein can generally utilize a plurality of personal alert pager devices and a main controller in two-way communication with each personal alert pager device. Each personal alert pager device can be provided with a transceiver for receiving alerts from the main controller and for sending alerts to the main controller, a text display for receiving alert messages, switches for sending an alert to the main controller, and a GPS receiver for providing location data of the personal alert pager device to the main controller. The personal alert pager device could additionally be provided with an RFID module and/or a key pad for sending text messages.
US07983652B1
Enhanced services, such as call restriction, call forwarding, anonymous call rejection, and proprietary services, may interfere with an emergency callback potentially preventing the callback from reaching the intended destination. Systems and methods for processing emergency calls to eliminate emergency callback failure in response to an emergency call being disconnected are provided herein.
US07983650B2
One embodiment of the invention provides a wireless communication device including: a wireless communication unit that wirelessly receives first power consumption information from a device, the first power consumption information including a plurality of data pieces, each data piece indicating power consumption in the device for processing a streaming data signal encoded in each of a plurality of encoding formats; an encoding format selection unit that selects one of the encoding formats for a data signal to be transmitted, based on the received first power consumption information; and an encoding controller that encodes the data signal to be transmitted in the encoding format selected by the encoding format selection unit to generate an encoded data signal as a streaming data and outputs the encoded data signal to the wireless communication unit, wherein the wireless communication unit wirelessly transmits the encoded data signal as the streaming data to the device.
US07983643B2
A frequency demodulator comprises a frequency discriminator configured to generate a frequency modulation signal from frequency modulated signal, circuitry for generating a phase modulation signal from the frequency modulation signal, and a click reduction signal processing (CRSP) circuit operable to remove noise enhancements from the phase modulation signal caused by clicks. By first converting the frequency modulation signal to a phase modulation signal, noise enhancements caused by clicks are more readily distinguished from other noise in the phase modulation signal. After the noise enhancements have been removed by the CRSP, the frequency modulation is recovered substantially free of clicks. Removal of the clicks results in an improved output signal-to-noise ratio, thereby advantageously extending the onset of the threshold effect.
US07983641B2
A STB 1 of this CATV system includes a diplexer 11, a signal level adjusting unit 30, a splitter 12, a tuner 2, a demodulating unit 3, a memory 17, and a CPU 19. The CPU 19 finds a correct reception level of a downstream signal by arithmetically operating a level correction value which is found based on a detected level adjustment state (state of switches) of the signal level adjusting unit 30 and a reception level after AGC which is found from signal intensity outputted from the demodulating unit 3, and notifies the found reception level to a CATV center station 40 by means of an upstream signal.
US07983635B2
In one embodiment, a method of controlling intermodulation (IM) interference is provided. The method comprises determining if an IM product spectrum overlaps the spectrum of an assigned receive frequency and determining when transmissions from at least two transmitters are to overlap in time. If the IM product spectrum overlaps the assigned receive frequency spectrum, it is determined if a signal is being propagated on the receive frequency when the transmissions from the at least two transmitters are to overlap in time. If a signal is not being propagated on the receive frequency, the at least two transmitters are allowed to transmit the overlapping transmissions; and if a signal is being propagated on the receive frequency, control steps are initiated to reduce the effects of IM interference.
US07983632B2
Amplitude modulation is provided for a polar transmitter that incorporates a translational loop. The input to the polar transmitter and translational loop may be an amplitude modulated signal. The amplitude modulation of the transmitter may be controlled via a closed loop to help ensure that the output of the amplifier accurately corresponds to the modulated input signal. The transmitter may incorporate partially integrated or separate translational and amplitude modulation loops.
US07983607B2
An image forming apparatus has a endless conveying belt (50) which conveys a sheet (P) on which an image is to be formed, and is twisted 720 degrees, and a plurality of suspending members which suspend the conveying belt (50). The conveying belt (50) is suspended on the suspending member like a figure of eight, and conveys a sheet (P) by rotation driving of the conveying belt (50).
US07983601B2
A toner transport apparatus for a printing system in which toner is moved from a toner container to a developer housing. The toner transport apparatus can accommodate different lengths and orientations between the toner container and the developer housing. The apparatus discloses a variable length component that expands or contracts to extend the toner transport apparatus to a desired length. The toner transport apparatus can assume unique angles per station with a gear mechanism. A flexible auger can be associated with the toner transport apparatus to move material in non-vertical positions. The toner transport apparatus with the variable length component and flexible auger would provide the ability to reuse components at a variety of positions and angles.
US07983599B2
An automatic belt tension apparatus of an image forming device having: a tension actuating part connected to the driving unit and operating by a driving force of a driving unit; a tension applying part to selectively apply a predetermined tension to a belt, installed with respect to the belt; and a tension releasing part to operate the tension applying part to not apply the predetermined tension to the belt, installed with respect to the tension applying part.
US07983594B2
An image forming apparatus configured to effectively prevent a failure in an image is provided. The image forming apparatus of the invention includes a housing, a transport belt for transporting a sheet along a sheet transport face, an image forming portion arranged above the sheet transport face, and a fixing unit arranged on a downstream side of the sheet transport face of the transport belt in a sheet transport direction. The fixing unit includes a heating roller and a pressure roller. A deposit portion where a toner waste deposits is disposed between the image forming portion and the heating roller. The deposit portion is provided with a contact portion that is configured to make contact with an image formation outside region at a trailing edge of the sheet jumping in a direction approaching the heating roller by being separated from the sheet transport face.
US07983587B2
An image forming apparatus which includes a first image forming portion including a first photosensitive member, a first charging member for electrically charging the first photosensitive member to form an image thereon, and a first cleaning brush for cleaning the first charging member, a second image forming portion including a second photosensitive member, a second charging member for electrically charging the second photosensitive member to form an image thereon, and a second cleaning brush which has a longer brush length than that of the first cleaning brush for cleaning the second charging member, a driven mechanism for causing the first cleaning brush to be rotatably driven by the first charging member which is rotatably driven along with rotation of the first photosensitive member, and a drive coupling mechanism configured to drivably couple the second charging member and the second cleaning brush to transmit a driving force from the second charging member which is rotatably driven along with the rotation of the first photosensitive member to the second cleaning brush.
US07983586B2
There is provided a corona generating device for a printing machine, including a conductor; a frame for supporting the conductor; a cleaning assembly, within the frame, for cleaning the conductor, the cleaning assembly includes a cleaning carriage, a drive system for translating the cleaning carriage along the length of the conductor in a path of movement, the cleaning assembly further includes a cleaning pad, means for engaging a portion of the clean pad into contact with conductor, and means for translating the cleaning pad from an used portion to an unused portion of the cleaning pad.
US07983576B2
An image forming apparatus to form image data on a printing medium, the apparatus includes a developing cartridge having a developer transfer body to transfer developer to an image receptor, a developer storing unit to separately store a transfer-regulated developer which has been transfer-regulated in the developer transfer body and a non-transferred developer which is not transferred to the developer transfer body, and a used developer storing unit to store a used developer separated from a surface of the photoreceptor; a printing information storing unit to store cartridge printing information of the developing cartridge; and a controller to calculate an average printing density on a basis of the cartridge printing information, and to control the developing cartridge so that an amount in which the transfer-regulated developer of the developer storing unit is transferred to the used developer storing unit can exceed a reference amount if the calculated average printing density is below a reference printing density.
US07983571B2
The apparatus includes a pulse emitter and at least one line fiber for conveying at least one pulse in the line fiber. A spreader module for linearly spreading pulses is provided including a propagation medium that is dispersive and linear. The propagation medium presents accumulated chromatic dispersion that is high enough to lower the peak power of the pulse to below a predetermined threshold, where a signal above the threshold is subjected to non-linear distortion in the line fiber. The spreader module is disposed between the emitter and the line fiber.
US07983567B2
The invention relates to a method and a system for controlling a PMD compensator (2). For this purpose, a measuring signal (MS) is branched off from an already compensated optical data signal (ODSK) and supplied to a polarization adjuster (2). The output signal of the latter is supplied to an optical filter unit (61) and subdivided into two optical measuring signal components (OMK1, OMK2) having different polarizations. After a respective opto-electrical conversion, the spectra are compared with each other in an analysis and control unit (81) and the PMD compensator (2) is adjusted in such a manner that they are as identical as possible.
US07983566B2
A method and system for improving the performance of a differential-phase modulated optical communication system is disclosed. The system comprises a demodulator having a tunable element to adjust the free-spectral range (FSR) thereof, and a tunable phase shifter to adjust a frequency of a signal passing therethrough.
US07983560B2
Modular WSS-based Communications system with colorless and network-port transparent add/drop interfaces is described herein. According to certain aspects of the invention, equipment architecture is provided that enables a linear, ring, and mesh optical network. The embodiments of the invention are primarily on how to add and drop signals at a node of the network. The embodiments of the invention are based on the use a wavelength selective switch (WSS), which is an emerging component technology. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07983550B2
A focus adjusting apparatus includes an imaging unit, a calculation unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The imaging unit is configured to generate an imaging signal of an image formed by an optical system. The calculation unit is configured to calculate based on the imaging signal a focus evaluation value in accordance with a focus adjustment position of the optical system. The detection unit is configured to detect a state with respect to a size of the image. The control unit is configured to control focus adjustment of the optical system based on a rate of change in the focus evaluation value and the state with respect to the size of the image.
US07983543B2
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to convert an object image into an image signal, a vibration detection unit configured to detect a vibration and output information about the vibration, a correction unit moving in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis configured to correct the vibration, a target position calculation unit configured to calculate a target position to which the correction unit is moved based on the information about the vibration output from the vibration detection unit, a position detection unit configured to detect a present position of the correction unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate a difference between the present position and the target position, and a determination unit configured to determine whether a force acting on the imaging apparatus is a gravitational force based on the information about the vibration and a cycle of the vibration.
US07983542B2
A heater system is provided for a respiratory system having a PID feedback control in which the coefficients are adjusted, such as in a warm-up process, to correspond to a likely flow rate of gas through a chamber of heated water based on the difference between heat input and heat output in relation to a temperature set point without the need to directly monitor flow rate or humidity level. A steady-state adjustment of the coefficients based on the behavior of the measured temperature in relation to the set point is also disclosed.
US07983525B2
A recording apparatus includes a synchronization-signal generator configured to generate a predetermined synchronization signal on the basis of a reference synchronization signal; a resolution converter configured to convert a second signal into a third signal when a received signal is the second signal, the second signal being different from a first signal having a first resolution and the second signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, and the third signal having the first resolution; a delayer configured to delay the first signal received when the received signal is the first signal, by a predetermined time taken to convert the second signal into the third signal; and a recorder configured to record the first signal delayed by the delayer or the third signal obtained by converting the second signal by the resolution converter, on a recording medium on the basis of the synchronization signal.
US07983524B2
An interactive communication apparatus is disclosed which has a video signal obtained by an image pickup device performing an image pickup activity and which has the obtained video signal sent to another apparatus through a communication section while causing a display section to display an image based on a video signal received from the other apparatus through the communication section. The apparatus includes: a pickup start and stop section; an indicator image storage section; a video switching section; and a control unit.
US07983514B2
An arrangement includes a photonic band-gap assembly comprising at least one input wave guide and at least one output wave guides, and at least one routing element responsive to signals to selectively route a signal from the input wave guide to one or more of the output wave guides.
US07983513B2
An OCR process is executed for image data read by an image reading unit. First date information in the image data is acquired based on the OCR process result. Current second date information is acquired. The acquired first date information is compared with the second date information. Time stamp information is added to the image data if the comparison result indicates that the difference between the two pieces of date information falls within a predetermined period. The image data is saved at a designated saving destination.
US07983506B2
A method, medium and system processing an image signal. The system includes an edge detection module to detect a pixel belonging to an edge in an input image, a period determination module to determine a period of change in pixel values based on a first value of the pixel belonging to the edge and a second value of a pixel that is adjacent to the pixel belonging to the edge, and a signal correction module to correct one or more sub-pixels of the pixel belonging to the edge using a weight allocated according to a result of the determination performed by the period determination module.
US07983500B2
An encoding method of losslessly encoding picture data is disclosed. The picture data are composed of pixel data. The pixel data whose number of quantizer bits is larger than eight bits are separated into a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is composed of eight bits on an LSB side. The second portion is composed of remaining bits on an MSB side excluding the first portion. A first encoding process is losslessly performed for the first portion. A second encoding process is losslessly performed for the second portion. The second encoding process is different from the first encoding process.
US07983490B1
A system and method for classifying input patterns into two classes, a class-of-interest and a class-other, utilizing a method for estimating an optimal Bayes decision boundary for discriminating between the class-of-interest and class-other, when training samples or otherwise, are provided a priori only for the class-of-interest thus eliminates the requirement for any a priori knowledge of the other classes in the data set to be classified, while exploiting the robust and powerful discriminating capability provided by fully supervised Bayes classification approaches. The system and method may be used in applications where class definitions, through training samples or otherwise, are provided a priori only for the classes-of-interest. The distribution of the other-class may be unknown or may have changed. Often one is only interested in one class or a small number of classes.
US07983485B2
An image-processing system receives an image from a user and identifies an image-processing instruction which has been added to the image by the user. The instruction corresponds to an image-processing operation which is to be applied to at least a portion of the image in order to manipulate the image into a modified form. When the system is coupled to a device such as a photocopier, the photocopier is controlled to perform the image manipulation in accordance with the identified instruction and to print the modified image. Thus the image can be modified without the need to alter the original image itself.
US07983473B2
A method for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest within an original image for display on a display screen, the region-of-interest being at a depth within the original image and being occluded by a portion of the original image at a lesser depth, the method comprising: applying graduated transparency to the original image to generate the presentation, the graduated transparency reducing occlusion of the region-of-interest by making transparent at least some of the portion of the original image occluding the region-of-interest, the graduated transparency when applied renders within the presentation a focal region having a maximum level of transparency at the depth of and for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region where transparency decreases with lessening depth from the maximum level to that of the original image surrounding the shoulder region to provide context for the focal region with respect to the original image; and, displaying the presentation on the display screen.
US07983459B2
A method of defining a heart region from imaging data is provided. Received imaging data is projected into a first plane. A first threshold is applied to the first plane of data to eliminate data associated with air. A largest first connected component is identified from the first threshold applied data. A first center of mass of the identified largest first connected component is calculated to define a first coordinate and a second coordinate of the heart region. The received imaging data is projected into a second plane, wherein the second plane is perpendicular to the first plane. A second threshold is applied to the second plane of data to eliminate data associated with air. A largest second connected component is identified from the second threshold applied data. A second center of mass of the identified largest second connected component is calculated to define a third coordinate of the heart region.
US07983448B1
Apparatus, methods, systems and devices for identifying and tracking a human hand in a video. The steps for identifying the hand includes detecting parallel lines (bars), detecting curved fingertips (curves), grouping the detected parallel lines and curved fingertips according to a parallel line decision tree and a curved fingertip decision tree, respectively, and merging the parallel line group and the curved fingertip group to identify candidate hands.
US07983445B2
A smoke detecting method which uses a beam of radiation such as a laser (16), to monitor a region, such as a room (12). A camera (14) is used to capture images of part of the room (12), including a path of the laser beam. Particles in the laser beam scatter light (30), and this is captured by the camera (14) for analysis. A processor (20) extracts data relating to the scattered light (30) to determine the density of particles in the beam, to determine the level of smoke in the region. The laser may have a modulated output (38) so that images captured without the laser tuned “on” can be used as a reference point and compared to images taken with the laser turned “on”, to assist in determining the level of scattered light (30) compared to ambient light. Filters (24, 26) may be used to decrease signals generated from background light.
US07983438B2
A headphone unit including a back housing provided at the rear of a driver unit and a baffle portion provided at the front thereof. In the headphone apparatus, the baffle portion, which is formed to surround a space except a front opening portion of a driver unit, and/or the back housing portion, which is formed to cover the back surface of the driver unit, are formed using the air-permeable porous material.
US07983429B2
A speaker system utilizes input from a transducer that receives an acoustical signal produced by a speaker that is separate from the speaker system. The acoustical signal is amplified and drives a speaker of the speaker system. The speaker system is thereby provided with the necessary electrical audio signal without the speaker system being wired into any existing sound system wiring. In automobiles, the transducer is in proximity to a speaker wired into the automobile's audio system, and the transducer obtains the acoustical signal to produce the electrical audio signal used by the speaker of the speaker system so that no access to high or low level electrical audio signals of the audio system of the automobile is necessary. Additionally, the speaker system may employ a power socket plug that is electrically coupled to the power input of the amplifier and that may be plugged into a power socket such as those typical of most vehicles to provide electrical power to the amplifier of the speaker system.
US07983428B2
A communication device includes: (1) a wireless adapter at which a wireless headset is communicatively connected to the communication device and at which is received a first acoustic input that includes a speech input and a first ambient noise input; (2) a microphone that receives a second acoustic input, which includes a second ambient noise input; and (3) a dual-channel adaptive noise canceller that utilizes the second ambient noise input to filter the first ambient noise input out of the first acoustic input to generate an acoustic output that primarily comprises the speech input.
US07983427B2
A method of conserving battery power includes providing an electrical conductor that is connectable between an audio source and an accessory of the audio source. The conductor is capable of conducting a first electrical signal, containing audio information from the audio source, to the accessory. A second electrical signal is applied to the conductor when the first electrical signal is not present on the conductor. An aspect of the second electrical signal is measured while it is being applied to the conductor. An amount of battery power supplied to the accessory is reduced when the measured aspect meets a predetermined condition.
US07983423B1
A system and method for pre-generating encryption keys for re-keying stored ciphertext. The encryption keys are illustratively distributed to LKMs and therefrom to the security appliances communicating with each other. A minimum number of un-used pre-generated encryption keys is established wherein when that number is reached more pre-generated encryption keys are created and distributed.
US07983416B2
An information processing device that executes processing for outputting recording data to an information recording medium includes a storing unit that stores common data that includes encrypted content, key information applied to decoding of the encrypted content, and content management information and, data content of which is unchanged even if a medium as a data recording destination is changed, a media-specific-data generating unit that generates media specific data, data content of which is changed according to the medium as the data recording destination, an output-data generating unit that generates output data based on the common data and the media specific data, and a data outputting unit that outputs the data generated by the output-data generating unit.
US07983414B2
In a method for protected execution of a cryptographic calculation in which a key with at least two key parameters is drawn on, an integrity check of the key is performed, in order to prevent a cryptographic attack in which conclusions are drawn as to at least one second key parameter by corrupting at least one first key parameter. A further method serves to determine a key for a cryptographic calculation with at least two key parameters provided for use in the first-mentioned method. A computer program product and a portable data carrier have corresponding features. The methods enable particularly good protection of cryptographic calculations against attacks.
US07983410B2
A method and an apparatus are disclosed that improve how an incoming call is handled across multiple data-processing systems, without some of the disadvantages of the prior art. Specifically, in a telecommunications call when a called telephone number is not associated with a particular in-service terminal, an enhanced terminating system of the call refrains from transmitting ringback to the calling terminal until an appropriate event occurs, such as the receiving of an asynchronous response from the auxiliary data-processing system to which the call has been directed. Depending on the response received, the terminating system might refocus the call or provide other treatment to the call. In some embodiments of the present invention, the terminating system also transmits a feedback signal to the calling terminal to provide status to the calling party on the progress of the call attempt, wherein the feedback signal is different than the ringback signal.
US07983401B1
A system for utilization in connection with an automated telephone attendant comprises a recognizer component that determines information associated with a caller, such as identity of the caller, that is connected with the automated telephone attendant. An organization component dynamically determines which menu options to provide to the caller and an order of the menu options based at least in part upon the determined information associated with caller.
US07983399B2
The invention relates to remote access systems and methods using automatic speech recognition to access a computer system. The invention also relates to an intelligent agent resident on the computer system for facilitating remote access to, and receipt of, information on the computer system through speech recognition or text-to-speech read-back. The remote access systems and methods can be used by a user of the computer system while traveling. The user can dial into a server system which is configured to interact with the user by automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech conversion. The server system establishes a connection to an intelligent agent running on the user's remotely located computer system by packet communication over a public network. The intelligent agent sources information on the user's computer system or a network accessible to the computer system, processes the information and transmits it to the server system over the public network. The server system converts the information into speech signals and transmits the speech signals to a telephone operated by the user.
US07983396B2
Methods and systems for generating bremsstrahlung with enhanced photon flux in a narrow cone at forward angles utilize a thin target of a high-Z material such as gold as radiator, supported on a tube of a low-Z material such as titanium, which tube contains a circulating fluid such as water which acts as a coolant and also may absorb the incident electron beam.
US07983394B2
A multiple wavelength x-ray source includes a multi-thickness target, having at least a first and a second thickness. The first thickness can substantially circumscribe the second thickness. An electron beam can be narrowed to impinge primarily upon second thickness or expanded to impinge primarily upon the first thickness while maintaining a constant direction of the beam. This invention allows the target thickness to be optimized for the desired output wavelength without the need to redirect or realign the x-rays towards the target.
US07983371B2
A method is provided for offsetting a reference frequency of a quadrature reference clock signal. A quadrature reference clock (110) generates the quadrature reference clock signal at the reference frequency, while a quadrature variable offset clock (130) generates a quadrature clock signal at a base offset frequency based on a base offset value it receives from a control circuit (560). The base offset value can be determined in many ways, including reading it from a local memory (910) or receiving it from a remote device (1010). A polyphase mixer (140) performs a polyphase mixing operation between the quadrature reference clock signal and the offset clock signal to generate an agile clock signal having an agile clock frequency equal to the reference frequency plus the base offset frequency. If desired, the method can revise the offset frequency based on actual conditions and determine a corresponding revised offset value (920, 1020).
US07983370B2
A clock and data recovery circuit including a phase synchronization loop including an oscillator, the oscillation frequency of which is variably controlled, the phase synchronization loop performing phase-synchronization of a clock signal output from the oscillator with an input data signal. The circuit also includes a discriminator circuit, responsive to a clock signal for discrimination, for discriminating the input data signal and outputting the discriminated signal. The circuit further includes a phase detector circuit for detecting the phase difference between an output data signal, discriminated and output by the discriminator circuit, and the input data signal. The circuit also includes a phase shift circuit for shifting the phase of the clock signal, output from the oscillator, based on a comparison result output from the phase detector circuit. The clock signal, which is output from the phase shift circuit, is supplied as the clock signal for discrimination to the discriminator circuit.
US07983368B2
A sampling clock signal controller for receivers of digital data is disclosed. Specific bit patterns of a data waveform can be identified, and stored time samples of the waveform that correspond to the specific bit patterns can be analyzed to improve the timing of a sampling clock signal. These “time-amplitude” samples on known bit patterns can be utilized to determine if a sample on the data waveform should be taken before the center of the eye pattern, at the center of the eye pattern, or after the center of the eye pattern and by what time change. Accordingly, a single low power clock can be utilized to adjust the timing of the sample clock such that improved communication scan be achieved. Such a single clock system has reduced power requirements and increased accuracy.
US07983365B2
A multi-channel receiver (200) comprises: an input (111) for receiving a wideband signal potentially comprising multiple channels, a tuner stage (110), a wideband amplifier (201) connected between the input (111) and the tuner (110), a controllable switch (202) bridging the amplifier (201) and a switch controller (203) designed to generate a switch control signal (BSC). For controlling the switch, the switch controller (203) is designed to measure at least one signal quality parameter and to generate its switch control signal (BSC) on the basis of the measured parameter. The decision of switching the switch (202) to its open state (amplifier active) is exclusively taken during at least one time interval when the receiver is switched to a channel.
US07983357B2
A method of transmitting data in a multi-carrier communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes mapping at least one data symbol to at least one subcarrier of a first frequency domain and at least one data symbol to at least one subcarrier of a second frequency domain, wherein the first frequency domain and the second frequency domain are mutually exclusive and the at least one data symbol mapped to the at least one subcarrier of the second frequency domain is multiplied by a spreading code, transforming the at least one data symbol mapped to the first frequency domain and the at least one data symbol mapped to the second frequency domain by an inverse discrete Fourier transform (IDFT) module, and transmitting the transformed data symbols to a receiving end.
US07983345B2
This invention realizes correct adjustment of lip-syncing of video and audio on a decoder side. According to this invention, a plurality of encoded video frames given video time stamps VTS and a plurality of encoded audio frames given audio time stamps ATS are received and decoded from an encoder side, and the resultant plurality of video frames VF1 and plurality of audio frames AF1 are stored, a time difference which occurs due to a difference between the clock frequency of the reference clock of the encoder side and the clock frequency of the system time clock stc of the decoder side is calculated by a renderer 37, 67, and video frame output timing for sequentially outputting the plurality of video frames VF1 frame by frame is adjusted based on audio frame output timing for sequentially outputting the plurality of audio frames AF1 frame by frame, according to the time difference, resulting in realizing the lip-syncing with keeping sound continuousness.
US07983344B2
A method and apparatus for allocating bandwidth within a bandwidth constrained interactive information distribution system. The system determines if a requested information stream may be provided to a requesting subscriber at an appropriate bandwidth level (i.e., appropriate bitrate providing full quality), a minimal bandwidth level (i.e., a reduced bitrate providing minimally acceptable quality) or not at all. Each information stream and any ancillary streams may be stored twice by the system, once at an appropriate encoded bitrate and once at a minimal encoded bitrate.
US07983338B2
Highly efficient lossless decoding is realized under the condition that codes transmitted as a base part are compatible with the H.264 standard. An orthogonal transformation section (12) performs orthogonal transformation of residual signals (Rorig), acquires transform coefficients (Xorig), and a quantization section (13) quantizes the transform coefficients. An existential space determination section (14) obtains information on upper limits and lower limits of the respective coefficients (an existential space of transform coefficients) from quantization information. A bundled coefficients coding section (16) decides whether respective grid points in the existential space of the transform coefficients have validity as results of orthogonal transformation of the residual signals, and enumerates valid grid points, assigns serial numbers (index) in the order of enumeration, and encodes using a serial number coding section (166) the serial numbers of grid points which match the transform coefficients (Xorig) of the residual signal.
US07983331B2
A method to detect a defective or missing filter at a customer's side between a first connection having a first frequency spectrum and a second connection having a second frequency spectrum and using the same physical transmission medium as the first connection between said customer and a central office equipment (DSLAM), comprises the steps of generating and transmitting at least one first type signal within said first frequency spectrum simultaneously performing quality measurements on said second connection in said second frequency spectrum, analyzing said quality measurements for thereby concluding the presence or not of the correct functionality and presence of said filter. An apparatus for performing the method is as well disclosed.
US07983328B2
A data transmission device for sending back data on a reflected wave of an unmodulated carrier, the data transmission device includes: an antenna adapted to receive an unmodulated carrier Fo from a data reader with which data is to be exchanged and send a reflected wave of the unmodulated carrier Fo to the data reader; subcarrier oscillation means for generating a subcarrier frequency Fs; subcarrier modulation means for digitally modulating sending data on the subcarrier Fs; D/A conversion means for generating the analog modulated subcarrier wave Fs by converting a digital modulated signal, generated by the subcarrier modulation means, into analog form; and frequency mixing means for mixing the unmodulated carrier Fo and modulated subcarrier wave Fs to generate new modulated waves Fo+Fs and Fo−Fs.
US07983324B2
The present invention relates to a symbol acquisition apparatus and a method thereof. The method includes: determining a first boundary according to a first preamble symbol and generating a first confidence value according to signal quality of the first preamble symbol; determining a second boundary according to a second preamble symbol and generating a second confidence value according to signal quality of the second preamble symbol; and determining a symbol boundary from the first and the second boundaries according to the first and the second confidence values.
US07983323B2
Aspects of a method and system for managing, controlling and combining signals in a frequency selective multipath fading channel are presented. Aspects of the system may comprise a searcher that detects a maximum signal energy level among at least one of a plurality of individual distinct path signals in a signal cluster, and computes a first moment time associated with at least one of the plurality of individual distinct path signals. Aspects of the system may further comprise a rake receiver that receives at least a portion of the plurality of individual distinct path signals at a corresponding plurality of time instants based on the computed first moment time, wherein the received at least a portion of the plurality of individual distinct path signals is received within a duration comprising a delay spread.
US07983319B2
To provide surface-emitting type semiconductor lasers and methods of manufacturing the same in which the polarization direction of laser light can be readily controlled, a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser includes a vertical resonator above a substrate. The vertical resonator includes a first mirror, an active layer and a second mirror disposed in this order from the substrate. The vertical resonator has a plurality of unit resonators. An emission region of each of the unit resonators has a diameter that oscillates in a single-mode.
US07983309B2
This invention relates to methods, a computer program product and apparatuses in the context of frame buffering. A buffering time for one or more frames received by a frame buffer is determined based on a specific buffering time associated with a specific frame and on information representative of a specific amount of data stored in the frame buffer.
US07983305B2
An apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving wireless packet data are provided. In a wireless packet data transmitter for transmitting to a wireless packet data receiver data packet on a transport channel and control information for supporting the transport channel on a control channel in a wireless packet data communications system, a padding bit eliminator eliminates optional padding bits of a variable size from a transport block for data packet transmission. A transport channel encoder for transport channel-encodes the transport block without the padding bits and transmits the encoded transport block on the transport channel. A control channel encoder control channel-encodes the control information including a padding bit number indicator indicating the number of the eliminated padding bits and transmits the encoded control information on the control channel.
US07983303B2
A system and processes create a Mega-frame Initialization Packet such that remote MIP inserters can regenerate Transport Stream bit rate and MIPs for Single Frequency Networks with modulation schemes different from an incoming stream in a totally deterministic way. This process guarantees that all MIP re-generators having the same signal at the input and having the same modulation scheme generate exactly the same stream (bit exact) even in multiple locations.
US07983302B2
Various example embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless networks, such as relay networks or multi-hop networks, and also relating to control signaling techniques for wireless networks. In an example embodiment, a method or technique may include transmitting (e.g., data or control) frames in a downlink direction and control frames in an uplink direction during a first phase, and transmitting (e.g., data or control) frames in an uplink direction and control frames in a downlink direction during a second phase.
US07983296B2
Random access operation is performed under a communication environment in which a plurality of communication modes having different transmission rate coexist with small overhead. A high-grade communication station spoofs information of a packet length and a rate in a decoding portion so that a value of (packet length)/(rate) corresponds to a duration where the communication is hoped to be stopped. The other station receiving the spoofed information receives the rest of the packet with the designated rate during the interval designated by the value of (packet length)/(rate). In this case, the packet length and the rate are not those of actually transmitted packet so that this packet is discarded.
US07983290B2
A network device includes one or more sprayers, multiple packet processors, and one or more desprayers. The sprayers receive packets on at least one incoming packet stream and distribute the packets according to a load balancing scheme that balances the number of bytes of packet data that is given to each of the packet processors. The packet processors receive the packets from the sprayers and process the packets to determine routing information for the packets. The desprayers receive the processed packets from the packet processors and transmit the packets on at least one outgoing packet stream based on the routing information.
US07983287B2
Roughly described, a packet switching fabric contains a separate queue scheduler for each combination of an input module and a fabric output port. The schedulers may also be specific to a single class of service. Each queue scheduler schedules its packets without regard to state of other input queues and without regard to packets destined for other output ports. In an aspect, the fabric manages per-flow bandwidth utilization of output port bandwidth capacity by monitoring the same and asserting backpressure toward the queue scheduler for any thread that is exceeding its bandwidth allocation. In another aspect, a switching fabric uses leaky buckets to apply backpressure in response to overutilization of downstream port capacity by particular subflows. In another aspect, a switching fabric includes a cascaded backpressure scheme.
US07983281B2
A method serves to compose a VPN (Virtual Private Network) over a plurality of networks, each of which is managed by a different Internet Service Provider (ISP). When a packet with a first capsule header used for composing a VPN in a first ISP network is transmitted to a second ISP network, a route for outputting the packet to the second ISP network is determined based on the information both in the capsule header and in the IP header. In addition, a second capsule header used for composing a VPN in the second ISP network is determined based on the above information.
US07983274B2
A system may forward to a network device an advertisement label mapping message that requests an establishment of an active performance monitoring (APM) control channel. Further, the system may process a reply label mapping message that is sent from the network device in response. The system may establish the APM control channel and a pseudowire associated with the APM control channel.
US07983266B2
A method for processing packets. The method includes receiving a first packet, wherein the first packet is associated with a first protocol, classifying the first packet using a protocol associated with the first packet, sending the first packet to a first receive ring based on the classification, sending the first packet from the first receive ring to a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) based on an operating mode, sending the first packet from the first VNIC to a first protocol specific virtual network stack (VNS), wherein the first protocol specific VNS is configured to only process packets associated with the first protocol, and processing the first packet by the first protocol specific VNS to obtain a first processed packet.
US07983262B1
A switch includes a plurality of ports. A memory stores a bridge table including an entry that associates an Internet Protocol (IP) multicast destination address and an IP source address with a port indicator, which identifies one or more of the plurality of ports. When the switch receives an Ethernet packet comprising an IP multicast packet, a controller generates a key based on an IP multicast destination address and an IP source address associated with the Ethernet packet and performs a lookup on the bridge table using the key. The controller floods the Ethernet packet to the one or more ports identified by the port indicator in response to confirming that the entry is an IP multicast entry and determining that the IP multicast destination address and the IP source address of the entry matches the IP multicast destination address and the IP source address of the Ethernet packet.
US07983260B2
Techniques for watermarking and distributing are provided. Content is broken into frames, each frame includes a watermark. Resources request the content and each frame of each resource's acquired version of the content includes a watermark. The frames of each resource's acquired version of the content form unique watermark sequences or unique keys. Each watermark sequence or key is uniquely associated with a particular resource. Each resource is also provided one or more delivery plans for acquiring that resource's uniquely watermark and sequenced version of the content over the network.
US07983253B2
A scalable switch, a system of switches and methods, configured to sense a carrier at the output of the respective switch. The invention intelligently, and dynamically, controls the connection of a respective switch input to a respective switch output as a function of a carrier being present, or absent, at a selected output. The present invention provides a switching system that is scalable, and not limited as are Stored Program Control (SPC) type switches.
US07983252B2
Variable-length information-containing frames (e.g., MPDUs) are aggregated into a bitstream using frame delimiters to distinguish the frames. Aggregation and frame extraction techniques are provided that support recovery from bit errors that may be present in a frame delimiter. One class of techniques involves providing redundant length information in the frame delimiters, e.g., by using multiple copies of a length field or error correction codes usable to correct errors in the length field. The receiver can use the redundant information to detect and correct errors in the length field. Another receiver-side technique iteratively attempts to locate the end of the corresponding frame when a corrupt frame delimiter is detected. Conventional synchronization fields may be eliminated.
US07983249B2
A Mobile Enterprise Platform utilizes a web based service that synchronizes enterprise data between a plurality of disparate mobile devices and a plurality of backend enterprise resources. The Mobile Enterprise Platform creates a web service synchronization source instance using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”) for each application or database present on a plurality of mobile devices. Corresponding to each of these web service synchronization source instances is a web based synchronization service associated with a specific backend enterprise resource. Each synchronization service is web based and can thus live anywhere on the network or on a dedicated services tie as they need only to supply a small set of operations to offer synchronization capability to a variety of mobile devices.
US07983239B1
A system constructs an OSPF-compatible virtual model of a multi-hop, multi-access packet radio network that includes a plurality of routers (120) and which includes its own private, internal routing system (150), in order to facilitate the incorporation of that packet radio network into an overall OSPF routing environment. The system determines a network graph identifying actual connectivity among the plurality of routers (120). The system constructs a virtual model (300) of the, wherein connectivity of the virtual model may be different than the actual connectivity of the network graph. The system represents the multi-hop, multi-access radio network in the virtual model as a set of multi-access links (305, 310), point-to-point links, AS-external routes, and area summary routes. The system employs the virtual model for routing purposes and advertises the virtual model to other OSPF routers for the same purpose.
US07983234B2
A wireless communication apparatus includes management units and a decision unit. The apparatus is capable of receiving a plurality of items of data each including data frames each transmitted from the same data transmitter and managed under the same traffic identifier. The apparatus acknowledges the transmission of the data for the data transmitter in response to the reception of the data. Each of the management units holds acknowledgement information to acknowledge the transmission for each of the items of data. The decision unit, when the data is newly received, causes any one of the management units whose information amount of the acknowledgement information already held is smaller not only to discard the acknowledgement information but also to hold the acknowledgement information on the newly received data.
US07983231B2
A staggered startup method and system for a cyclic prioritized multiple access (CPMA) system reduce interference between overlapping first and second wireless LAN cells contending for the same medium. Each cell includes a respective plurality of member stations. A first member station in the first cell coordinates a periodic sequence of first contention-free sessions. Each contention-free session includes multiple bursts with other member stations in the first cell. The first member station retains control of the medium by using interframe spaces sufficiently short between the bursts so that the multiple bursts appear to contending stations to be a single instance of activity in the medium during a session until an end of a session. A second member station in the second cell listens to the activity in the medium and detects an end to one of the first contention-free sessions indicated by an interval longer than a PIFS idle interval following an end to the activity in the medium. The second member station then sets a post-backoff delay to periodically transmit a minimal interval after the first contention-free sessions of the first member station. The second member station coordinates in the second cell a periodic sequence of second contention-free sessions. In this manner, contention-free sessions are interleaved on a periodic basis in the first and second cells.
US07983221B2
In a method for radio link failure (RLF) recovery in a wireless communications network, a timer T sets a predetermined time period from a command to a mobile terminal UE to hand over to a new eNB. Resources are reserved at a target eNB 2. If the time period expires without the UE attaching to the target eNB 2, the source eNB requests other candidate eNBs 3 and 4 to reserve resources. Once the UE associates with the target eNB 2, the resources reserved at candidate eNBs 3 and 4 are released. If the UE associates with the target eNB 2 prior to expiry of the time period T, resources are not unnecessarily reserved at the candidate eNBs 3 and 4. If the UE associates with one of the candidate eNB 3 instead of the target eNB 2, resources have already been reserved, enabling RLF recovery to be implemented without the UE going via LTE_IDLE, in an LTE arrangement.
US07983215B2
In an embodiment, a communication device is provided. The communication device may include a scheduling message generating circuit configured to generate a scheduling message such that the scheduling message includes a receiving scheduling information specifying when to receive an uplink transmission control message, the receiving scheduling information being defined depending on a configuration of an uplink transmission channel, an uplink transmission control message generating circuit configured to generate an uplink transmission control message to control an uplink transmission from another communication device via the uplink transmission channel, and a transmitter circuit configured to transmit the uplink transmission control message in accordance with the receiving scheduling information such that the uplink transmission control message is transmitted via an uplink transmission control downlink channel.
US07983211B2
A control system uses a wireless mesh network to provide communication between a host computer and field devices. The host and the field devices communicate with one another using wireless messages containing requests and responses that are routed through the wireless mesh network. The wireless messages include sequence information that allow the receiving device to identify and reject messages that are received out of order.
US07983187B2
Methods and arrangements for providing load reference data in a CDMA wireless communication system with receiver diversity are presented. The method comprises measuring (210) of received total wideband power for more than one receiver branch. Probability distributions for a respective power quantity are estimated (212), related to selected state variables of an estimation algorithm, from quantities representing the measured powers using selected measurement functions of the selected state variables of the estimation algorithm. The selected state variables correspond to cell power quantities and the selected measurement functions correspond to the quantities representing the measured powers. A conditional probability distribution of noise floor measures for the respective branches are computed (214) based on the estimated probability distributions. The method ends with provision (216) of load reference data based on the computed conditional probability distributions of the noise floor measures.
US07983185B2
Space-time solutions are determined by exchanging pings among nodes in a network. Each ping includes a current space-time state of the transmitting node, which includes the transmitting node's currently estimated location and corrected time (as a count stamp). A particular node in the network receives pings from the other nodes in the network and uses the data in the received pings to estimate its own current position and to correct its own free-running clock relative to a common system time. As a service to the network, the particular node then transmits its corrected time (as a count stamp) and estimated position to the other nodes. In some embodiments, the space-time solutions discussed herein are used as backup to other navigation systems, such as the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system.
US07983183B2
A method and an arrangement for measuring a transmission quality in terms of lost packets between two pre-determined nodes arranged to transmit and receive packets in a packet mode communication network. Each node is provided with a counter arranged to count transmitted packets in one node and received packets in the other node during a pre-determined period of time. After the pre-determined period of time has ended, the counters are compared in order to obtain a packet loss measurement.
US07983180B2
An advantageous system, apparatus, and method for remotely managing or maintaining a Gateway, such as a residential router, are provided. In one example, the Gateway generates and sends an announcement to a service or equipment provider informing the provider of the Gateway's current IP address (or resolvable name) and a valid password to access the Gateway. Thus, in one example, a service/equipment provider without inherent knowledge of a Gateway IP address may remotely manage or troubleshoot a Gateway using a basic Web browser.
US07983178B2
A fabric simulation device implementing a method for generating a simulated fabric of a simulated storage area network. In operation, the fabric simulation device logs into a physical storage area network as an unofficial physical fiber channel switch connected to the simulated storage area network, and maintains a fabric testing relationship between the physical storage area network and the simulated storage area network based on being logged into the physical storage area network as the unofficial physical fiber channel switch.
US07983177B2
A plurality of communication nodes are one-to-one connected to each other by Ethernet (registered trademark) which is duplicated with a normal-system ring and with a standby-system ring. The communication node includes an A port, a B port, and a communication processor that performs a process of receiving a frame output from the B port and a process of transmitting the frame from the normal-system ring from the B port when the communication is normal. When other communication node performs a loop-back process due to communication abnormality, the communication node performs only a process of forwarding a frame input from the standby-system ring in the B port without receiving the frame and performs a process of transmitting the frame from the A port to the standby-system ring.
US07983172B2
Interference levels occurring at one or more stations in a wireless network, where each of said one or more stations is a base station or a relay station. The measured interference levels are mapped by building a first matrix including noise plus interference occurring at each of the one or more stations, respectively, and scheduled transmissions at predetermined times by each relay station respectively are mapped by building a second matrix. The first matrix and the second matrix are multiplied in order to determine the noise plus interference impact upon each base station by each relay station so that a network schedule can be generated in order to increase bandwidth efficiency in the network.
US07983171B2
A failure threshold host command that provides a host with the capability to tune a storage controller path failure threshold based on the host application performance requirements. The failure threshold host command comprises path failure threshold rules that the storage controller uses to determine when a CHPid has reached a failed state condition.
US07983166B2
A method of delivering video content includes receiving a request for a video stream at a network device of a video distribution network. The request is received via a network link associated with a link aggregation group. The method includes determining a current real-time traffic load at each of a plurality of physical interfaces associated with the link aggregation group at the network device. Further, the method includes identifying an interface having a lowest traffic load of the plurality of physical interfaces. The lowest traffic load is lower than a pre-defined threshold. The method includes determining a total traffic load for the identified interface. The total traffic load includes an estimated traffic load corresponding to the requested video stream and including the lowest traffic load. The method also includes sending the requested video stream via the identified interface when the total traffic load is lower than the pre-defined threshold.
US07983165B2
Methods and apparatus for use in a wireless communications system in which traffic air link resources may be, and sometimes are, shared are described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited for use in a peer to peer communications system in which transmission control decisions are made in a decentralized manner. An exemplary peer to peer communications system implements the scheduling of traffic intervals in a distributed manner utilizing connection priority information and interference information. An exemplary peer to peer timing structure includes a user scheduling interval and an associated traffic interval. The user scheduling interval includes a plurality transmission request/request response rounds. By utilizing multiple request/request response rounds, a transmission decision corresponding to a connection to yield in an earlier round can be overridden in a subsequent round, resulting in higher overall traffic throughput in the system.
US07983163B2
A method for implementing adaptive load sharing to balance network traffic. The method begins by identifying all paths in a network between a first provider edge and a second provider edge. Next determining jitter, packet delay, and packet loss for each identified path in the network. Then utilizing the jitter, packet delay, and packet loss values, calculating a usage value for each path in the network. The usage value corresponds to the percentage of all network traffic which a specific path in the network may manage. When data is received by the first provider edge, the provider edge selects the appropriate path for the data. The appropriate path being the path with the largest usage value which is currently not managing a percentage of the network traffic that is equal to its usage value.
US07983161B2
A control management system for managing voice-over-IP parameters includes a network traffic shaping control state model for a network traffic shaping control. The network traffic shaping control state model defines state sets that contain states. The state sets may include a pending state set, a running state set, a terminated state set, a finished state set, and a stopped state set. The network traffic shaping control state model also defines intra-state transitions, which are transitions within a state set, and inter-state transitions, which are transitions between state sets. The intra-state and inter-state transitions may be associated with a condition, and the network traffic shaping control changes state according to the intra-state or inter-state transition when the associated condition is satisfied. The associated condition may be satisfied when one or more network event identifiers are generated by the control management system.
US07983160B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting a digitally encoded video image in real time via a data network wherein the video image is digitally encoded using a compression algorithm having a variable bit rate, e.g., JPEG2K, to provide an encoded data stream, the encoded data stream is fed into a buffer of known size, and the data is read from the buffer via a streamer with a controllable bit rate to provide a bit stream at a desired stream bit rate for transmission via the network. The bit rate of the encoded data stream from the encoder is monitored by a predictor and predicts a future bit rate of the encoded data stream; and, the bit rate of at least one of the encoder and the streamer is adjusted to provide the desired streaming bit rate.
US07983156B1
A method for controlling network congestion includes estimating a queue size, entering a first mode of operation if the estimated queue size is below a first threshold, and entering a second mode of operation if the estimated queue size is above a second threshold.
US07983148B1
An enterprise network is provided that includes a plurality of internal terminals 108, 112 corresponding to a plurality of subscribers and a network reconfiguration agent 212 operable to (a) determine that at least one of a requested connection to a first terminal 112-1 associated with a subscriber and a connected communication with the first terminal 112-1 will have and/or has an undesirable grade of service and (b) in response thereto, perform at least one of the following operations: (i) direct the requested connection or connected communication to a second terminal 108, 140 associated with the subscriber; and (ii) change the communication path for the requested connection or connected communication from a first communication path comprising a first network 110 but not a second network 404 to a second communication path comprising the second network 404 but not the first network 110.
US07983146B2
A method, system and type of database for transmitting data is disclosed in which the data is organized into a structured linear database. The structured linear database includes a routing header portion, a file allocation table, a data portion and a tailbit portion. The structured linear database may be transmitted over any type of network, such as a TM-UWB system or a fiber-optic system. Once the data to be transmitted is identified, a corresponding field is identified in the field allocation table giving the location of the data within the transmission. This field is then referenced by the user to access the specific type of data desired at the given location of the transmission. this process may be repeated enabling data to be stored on transmission lines and accessed at any point at any time providing an always on network.
US07983140B2
A transmitting apparatus, a receiving apparatus, and a communication system are provided that allow a reduction in a frame loss due to interference caused by use of the same channel. A transmitting apparatus disposed in a base station includes a GPS receiver for receiving a GPS signal, a timing generator for controlling respective function blocks in accordance with the GPS signal and an inter-base-station control signal so as to precisely synchronize the timing of frame transmission among base stations, the front-end transmission processing unit including for converting transmission information into transmission time slots, a frame generator for generating a frame including a plurality of time slots and one frame guard, and a back-end transmission processing unit for transmitting the generated frame as a radio signal.
US07983137B2
According to the present invention, whether recoding pits are larger or smaller than diffraction limit is determined. Then, a signal process suitable for processing of the recording pits larger than the diffraction limit and a signal process suitable for processing of the recording pits smaller than diffraction limit are divided to divisionally perform equalizer processing. The respective signals subjected to the divisional processing are synthesized to obtain a processed output signal. A reproduction signal with reduced impact of intersymbol interference is thus obtained.
US07983133B2
Portable data storage assembly having a holographic data storage layer and an optical tracking layer
A portable data storage assembly, comprising a holographic data storage layer, and an optical tracking layer comprising addressing information for the holographic data storage layer, wherein that addressing information defines a first storage band comprising a first plurality of storage addresses and a second storage band comprising a second plurality of storage addresses, wherein said second plurality of storage addresses is greater than said first plurality of storage addresses.
US07983130B2
An optical disk processing system having a recording unit and a printing unit is provided. An optical disk processing system comprises a printing unit and a recording unit. An optical disk is driven with a low torque and then with a high torque. Based on reaching times until target rotational speeds are reached when the optical disk is driven with the low torque and the high torque, a type of the optical disk is judged. Loading of a plurality of optical disks is detected when the judgment results for low torque and for high torque do not match.
US07983129B2
The optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer, and a data layer disposed on the substrate layer, the data layer comprising data being arranged in tracks as marks and spaces. A protection code is coded in one of the tracks or a part of a track which code comprises marks of a first size and marks of a smaller, second size. The marks of the second size have in particular a width being smaller than the width of the marks of the first size. To obtain the protection code, a method is used comprising the steps of reading a track or a part of a track with a first laser power for obtaining a first data signal, reading the same track or the same part of a track in another step with a second laser power being different from the first laser power for obtaining a second data signal, and calculating the protection code by taking into account the first and the second data signals. The protection code may be calculated for example by a microprocessor of a respective data reading apparatus.
US07983124B2
A data recording/reproducing system (1) reads a recording signal written on a recording track of a recording medium (3), by using light, which is modulated by a drive signal wherein a frequency signal is superposed for scanning the signal along the recording track at a prescribed scanning speed. Then, the system reproduces the read signal as data. The data recording/reproducing system is provided with a computer (13) for controlling the superposition frequency of the frequency signal for the drive signal corresponding to the scanning speed, and an LD driver (17).
US07983118B2
An optical record carrier (1) includes an area (2) for storing user information and an area (3) for storing control information. The control information is arranged in a block of frames of equal length. The block includes an identification of the total number of frames in the block.
US07983116B2
An electronic timepiece includes a reception unit that receives satellite signals transmitted from positioning information satellites; a time information generating unit that generates an internal time; a manual reception process unit that starts operation of the reception unit and executes a manual reception process when an external operating member is operated; an automatic reception process unit that automatically operates the reception unit and executes an automatic reception process when a predetermined condition is satisfied; a simple time adjustment process unit that executes a simple time adjustment process to receive a satellite signal from one positioning information satellite by means of the reception unit, acquire time information from the received satellite signal, and adjust the internal time; and a high precision time adjustment process unit that executes a high precision time adjustment process to receive satellite signals from a plurality of positioning information satellites by means of the reception unit, acquire time information and positioning information from the received satellite signals and determine the location, and adjust the internal time to the time acquired based on the positioning result. The automatic reception process unit executes the simple time adjustment process by means of the simple time adjustment process unit when the automatic reception process executes, and the high precision time adjustment process unit executes the high precision time adjustment process only when the manual reception process is executed by the manual reception process unit.
US07983109B2
A phase change memory capable of highly reliable operations is provided. A semiconductor device has a memory array having a structure in which memory cells are stacked including memory layers using a chalcogenide material and diodes, and initialization conditions and write conditions are changed according to the layer in which a selected memory cell is positioned. The initialization conditions and write conditions (herein, reset conditions) are changed according to the operation by selecting a current mirror circuit according to the operation and by a control mechanism of a reset current in a voltage select circuit and the current mirror circuit.
US07983102B2
A data detecting apparatus and a data detecting method are disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention. The data detecting apparatus operates according to a clock signal with a predetermined period. The data detecting apparatus comprises a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of sense amplifiers and a pre-charge control circuit.
US07983094B1
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide the calibration of input and output circuits for a high-speed memory interface. Timing errors caused by the fly-by routing of a clock signal provided by the memory interface are calibrated for both read and write paths. This includes adjusting read and write DQS signal timing for each DQ/DQS group, as well as inserting or bypassing registers when timing errors are more than one clock cycle. Timing skew caused by trace and driver mismatches between CK, DQ, and DQS signals are compensated for. One or more of these calibrations may be updated by a tracking routine during device operation.
US07983093B2
A Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) cell and programming method in which the cell can denote at least two logic levels (e.g., 0 and 1) and includes a read-transistor with a floating gate and a Band-To-Band-Tunneling device (BTBT device) sharing the floating gate with the read-transistor. The BTBT device is configured as an injection device for injecting a first charge onto the floating gate when the BTBT device is biased so that it is in accumulation, to set at least one of the logic levels.
US07983087B2
A Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) cell in an NVM array is read out using other NVM cells in the array as a load element. Conventional load elements such as MOS transistors or resistors used to vary the bitline potential for the NVM cell readout in conventional NVM arrays are replaced with NVM cell(s) in the array. The omission of the extra MOS transistors or resistors for the load elements not only saves silicon area but also simplifies the bitline sensing circuitry design in the NVM array.
US07983081B2
An apparatus and method of an electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory cell with a deep N-well to isolate the memory cell from the substrate is disclosed. In one embodiment, a non-volatile memory apparatus includes at least one non-volatile memory cell fabricated on a P substrate, with a deep N-well located in the P substrate, while a P-well and an N-well are located in the deep N-well. The memory cell further includes a PMOS transistor located in the N-well, in which the PMOS transistor includes a PMOS gate-oxide, and an NMOS capacitor located in the P-well. The NMOS capacitor includes an N+ coupling region located in the P-well, and an NMOS gate-oxide. The memory cell further includes a floating gate comprised of a poly-silicon gate overlying the PMOS transistor and the NMOS capacitor.
US07983077B2
A phase change memory apparatus is presented. The phase change memory apparatus includes a phase change memory cell, a sense amplifier, and a voltage selecting unit. The sense amplifier is configured to differentially amplify a current that through the memory cell and a comparison voltage. The voltage selecting unit is configured to provide a reference voltage as the comparison voltage when performing a normal read function and to selectively provide either a first voltage level or a second voltage level as the comparison voltage in accordance with data when performing a verify read function.
US07983076B2
A non-volatile semiconductor memory circuit for generating a write voltage is presented. The non-volatile semiconductor memory circuit includes a memory cell and a voltage generator. The voltage generator provides a write voltage at a given target level that varies in accordance with an amount of current detected by the memory cell array by using a reference voltage.
US07983072B2
In one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device A semiconductor device may include a SRAM cell having a first inverter, a second inverter, a first transfer transistor and a second transistor, the first inverter having a first load transistor and a first driver transistor connected to the first load transistor, the second inverter having a second load transistor and a second driver transistor connected to the second load transistor, a voltage supplying circuit configured to supply a voltage to one of the terminals of the first driver transistor and one of the terminals of the second driver transistor, the voltage which is one of more than a GND voltage and less than a GND voltage.
US07983070B2
In one embodiment, a first transistor is comprised of a first p+ source region doped in an n-well in the substrate and a first n+ drain region doped on one side at the top of the pillar. A second transistor is comprised of a second p+ source region doped into the second side of the top of the pillar and serially coupled to the top drain region for the first transistor. A second n+ drain region is doped into the substrate adjacent the pillar. Ultra-thin body layer run along each pillar sidewall between their respective active regions. A gate structure is formed along the pillar sidewalls and over the body layers. The transistors operate by electron tunneling from the source valence band to the gate bias-induced n-type channels, along the ultra-thin silicon bodies, thus resulting in a drain current.
US07983068B2
An integrated circuit including a memory element and method for manufacturing the integrated circuit are described. In some embodiments, the memory element includes a switching layer that selectively switches between a low resistance state and a high resistance state, and a positive temperature coefficient layer in thermal contact with the switching layer, the positive temperature coefficient layer having a resistance that increases in response to an increase in temperature.
US07983064B2
A power adapter includes an insulation casing. A plug module has at least one plug pin which defines a plug end protruding out of the insulation casing and an inserting end opposite to the plug end received in the insulation casing. The insulation casing receives a printed circuit board, at least one connecting member and conductive member therein. The conductive member is fixed on the printed circuit board and defines a receiving space. The connecting member has a contact portion received in the receiving space of the conductive member for electrical connection therebetween and a retaining portion connecting with the inserting end of the plug module. The assembly structure of the power adapter is simplification.
US07983061B2
The present invention provides a switching controller capable of reducing acoustic noise of a transformer for a power converter. The switching controller includes a switching circuit, a comparison circuit, an activation circuit, and an acoustic-noise eliminating circuit. The acoustic-noise eliminating circuit comprises a first-check circuit, a second-check circuit, a pulse-shrinking circuit, and a limit circuit. The first-check circuit receives a switching-current signal which is correlated to a switching current of the power converter and a PWM signal to generate a trigger signal. The second-check circuit receives the trigger signal to generate a control signal. When the frequency of the trigger signal falls into audio band, the control signal will be enabled to limit the switching current. Therefore, the acoustic noise of the transformer can be eliminated.
US07983058B2
Shielding structure for use in an electronic device comprising a housing and an electronic substrate which is arranged in the housing and which includes electronic parts, wherein the housing includes at least a surface facing the electronic parts, the surface being made of an electrically conductive substance. There is disposed a shielding member made of electrically conductive material comprising a frame-shaped section disposed on the printed board to surround a periphery of the electronic parts and a leaf spring section disposed to project from an upper-edge section of the frame-shaped section toward the inside of the frame-shaped section and upwardly in an inclined direction. The shielding member is disposed on the electronic substrate, and the surface made of an electrically conductive substance of the housing pushes the leaf spring section to be brought into contact therewith.
US07983054B2
A motor vehicle control device includes a housing lid and a base plate that are connected with each other in an oil-tight manner via a frame. An interconnect device with at least one electronic component and/or at least one electrical contact area is arranged on the base plate. Respectively in the area of an electronic component and/or an electrical contact area, the base plate includes a foil conductor strip, of which an end section facing the interconnect device in turn includes an electrical contact area. The frame completely surrounds the interconnect device and includes one opening respectively in the area of an electrical contact area of the foil strip. Via connection lines, the electronics on the interconnect device are electrically connected with the contact area in the opening, and thus with the electronic components outside the control device.
US07983052B2
The invention relates to an electronic device chassis, comprising at least an opening on the chassis and an inward guide apparatus along the opening; the guide apparatus comprises at least a first guide part and a second guide part which are respectively a concave slide and a convex slide, to guide modules in at least two different structural specifications into the electronic device to establish electrical connection with the electronic device. The module is inserted through the opening along the slides, and is fitted to the corresponding connector on the mainboard. The invention can solve the problem that traditional switch devices can not support different transmission speeds and transmission modes between networks. With the slides, a device can be compatible with data transmission modules with different speeds and different interface forms. Functions of a device are enhanced and device configuration is increased; in addition, the structure is compact, which flexibly meets changing market demands for a device. The invention also relates to a network switch device with the chassis.
US07983044B2
An inverter apparatus includes a liquid path in which cooling water flows, and in which the cooling water performs cooling at a cooling part located directly underneath the power circuit part of the inverter apparatus. The liquid path includes a first partial structure part formed between a feed pipe and the cooling part, and having a liquid path cross-sectional profile that is gradually reduced in the short-side direction of the cooling part and that is gradually enlarged in the long-side direction thereof; and a second partial structure part formed between the cooling part and a drain pipe, and having a liquid path cross-sectional profile that is gradually enlarged from the short-side of the cooling part and that is gradually reduced from the long-side thereof.
US07983038B2
A cable management rack is provided within which or upon which a heat-generating device is mountable, and which encompasses a vertical rectangular frame open in a front and a rear of the frame. The rack includes a first upright and a second upright attached to opposite respective lateral sides of a base and a top member, and respective side-facing panels. Each of the panels defines a plurality of vent holes arranged in an array and permit the rack to receive a sideways flow of cooling air into a first side of the rack through one of the vent hole arrays for cooling a heat-generating device mounted between the panels, and permit the rack to discharge a sideways flow of exhaust air through the other vent hole array. Each of the array of vent holes may manifest a honeycomb pattern of vent holes, and each of the vent holes may manifest an hexagonal shape. A cable management system includes a cable management rack for accommodating a heat generating device, a first baffle mounted with respect to a first upright of the rack and for redirecting a rearward flow of cool air sideways from a space adjacent a front side of the rack, and a second baffle mounted with respect to a second upright of the rack and for redirecting a sideways flow of exhaust air from the rack and through the second upright into a space adjacent a rear side of the rack. A method of cooling a heat-generating device mounted in or on a cable management rack includes providing a sideways flow of cooling air into the rack and into the device.
US07983036B2
A computer comprises an upper housing, a lower housing, and a flexible sheet disposed between the housings. The sheet covers and area of least one of the housings. The sheet comprises an outer skirt that fits within a receiving portion in at least one of the housings thereby forming a seal around an edge of the computer.
US07983028B2
A display device includes a display module, a first case and a boss insertion element having a combination hole. The first case covers a first surface of the display module and has a first boss which is inserted into the combination hole to combine the front case to the display module. The first boss is formed at inside edges of the display module.
US07983025B2
A driving device (100) for driving a plurality of discharge lamps (14), and includes a controller board (11), a connecting board (15), and a group of high voltage lines (17). The controller board includes a controller circuit (13) for converting a received signal to a high voltage signal suitable to drive the plurality of discharge lamps. The connecting board includes a balance circuit for balancing currents flowing through the plurality of discharge lamps. The connecting board is substantially perpendicular to the controller board. The high voltage lines are connected to the controller board and the connecting board, and the high voltage signal from the controller circuit is output to the balance circuit via the high voltage lines.
US07983023B2
Earthing equipment for a switchgear is comprised of a movable carrying cart, a switch portion, a manipulating portion, and a voltage detecting device. The earthing equipment is provided with: an upper conductor connected to any one of the movable electrode and the stationary electrode; a lower conductor connected to the other of the movable electrode and the stationary electrode, an earthing wire connecting the lower conductor to a terminal used for earthing of the switchgear; and an adaptor conductor being selectively connected to either a disconnection portion at a bus bar side or a disconnection portion at a cable side of the switchgear and is permitted to be selectively replaced on either upper or lower face of the upper conductor.
US07983010B2
A perpendicular magnetic recording head according to the present invention is composed of a first magnetic layer having a main magnetic pole exposed at a facing surface opposite a recording medium, a second magnetic layer adjacent to the first magnetic layer with an intermediary non-magnetic layer disposed therebetween, and a coil layer for applying a recording magnetic field to the first magnetic layer. Since the second magnetic layer has a shape including a substantially arched portion in its cross section along a height direction, it becomes possible to keep an Edge Write magnetic field in a low level and improve external magnetic field resistance.
US07983008B2
A piezoelectric actuated suspension with passive damping is disclosed for precision positioning of hard disk drive while reducing undesired shock vibrations. Along the longitudinal axis of an etched suspension, two piezoelectric actuators dispose near the base plate to provide a push-pull motion. The actuators have two main portions. The first portion is piezoelectric elements to provide active positioning. The second portion is viscoelastic damping layers underneath the piezoelectric elements for passive damping. The complementary parts such as stiff edge elements and optional soft boundary covers are used to enhance the actuating abilities of the actuators and prevent any contaminants of the viscoelastic layers from going into the clean sealed chamber of the hard disk drive, respectively. The present invention further relates to a dual-stage servo system in a hard disk drive for fine positioning of the read/write head and better shock resistance via the piezoelectric actuated suspension with passive damping.
US07983007B2
In a magnetic tape apparatus of the present invention, a magnetic head unit having magnetic elements capable of recording or reproducing information with respect to a magnetic tape includes a movable member that includes a magnetic element and has such a size that the movable member comes into contact with the magnetic tape over an entire region in a width direction, and is placed so as to move in the width direction of the magnetic tape, and a stationary member that is placed at a position adjacent to the movable member in a magnetic tape transport direction, wherein the movable member is moved in the width direction of the magnetic tape by a tracking servo mechanism during a tracking servo control. According to this configuration, a magnetic tape apparatus excellent in a tracking precision can be provided, in which even a magnetic tape with a high friction coefficient does not move following the movement of a magnetic head unit in the width direction.
US07983006B2
A suspension has a load beam and a flexure having a tongue portion to which a slider is attached. The load beam has a pin insertion hole formed between a proximal portion of the load beam and the slider and an opening formed between a distal portion of the load beam and the slider. A first locating pin is inserted into the pin insertion hole, and a second locating pin into the opening. An extending portion is formed on a distal portion of the flexure. The flexure has a first locating hole in which the first locating pin is inserted and a second locating hole in which the second locating pin is inserted. The second locating hole is formed in the extending portion.
US07983005B2
For a Tunneling Magnetoresistive (TMR) element, an electrode is used as a magnetic shield or vice versa. This can pose a problem in that noise from a heater source or electromagnetic induction has a direct influence on the TMR element, namely, on a read signal. According to one embodiment of the present invention, however, a thin film head portion has an insulating film, a heater, an electromagnetic shield, a read element, and a write element laminated in this order from the side of a slider. Insulating films isolate the constituent elements above from each other, and a protection film covers the group mentioned above. The heater is a thin film resistive element made of NiCr or the like, and is disposed above the insulating film. The electromagnetic shield is a magnetic film made of permalloy or the like, and covers the heater. The read element comprises a lower shield and electrode, a TMR element, and an upper shield and electrode. The write element comprises a lower magnetic pole piece, an upper magnetic pole piece, and a coil formed therebetween. The thin film head portion is formed with a common terminal.
US07982998B1
A communications circuit includes a first filter having a corner frequency that is adjustable. A data type identifier that tracks first and second types of data flowing through the communications circuit. A control module that adjusts the corner frequency of the first filter to provide alternating current (AC) coupling during the first type of data and adjusts the corner frequency of the first filter to provide direct current (DC) coupling during the second type of data.
US07982996B2
A microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) write head and system has a spin-torque oscillator (STO) located between the write pole of the write head and a trailing shield that alters the write field from the write pole. The STO is a stack of layers whose planes lie generally parallel to the X-Y plane of an X-Y-Z coordinate system, the stack including a ferromagnetic polarizer layer, a free ferromagnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic electrically conductive spacer between the polarizer layer and the free layer. In the presence of the write field from the write pole the polarizer layer has its magnetization oriented at an angle between 20 and 80 degrees, preferably between 30 and 70 degrees, with the Z-axis. In the presence of a direct electrical current through the STO stack, the free layer magnetization rotates or precesses about the Z-axis with a non-zero angle to the Z-axis.
US07982990B1
Methods, apparatuses, and systems describing digital techniques to decode signals extracted from computer-readable storage media. A digital signal that includes a digital representation of a repeatable runout signal having a magnitude and included in an analog signal is obtained. An estimate of the magnitude of the RRO signal based on the digital signal is determined. The estimate is provided for decoding the digital signal to extract the included data by adapting a detector gain target in accordance with the estimate. The detector gain target is a function of a desired amplitude of the RRO signal.
US07982984B2
The present invention provides a magnetic transfer master carrier which forms a magnetic pattern corresponding to a pattern of information to be recorded on a perpendicular magnetic recording medium when a magnetic field is applied to the perpendicular magnetic recording medium, with the magnetic master carrier and the perpendicular magnetic recording medium closely attached to each other, the carrier including: a base material having convex portions on its surface, the convex portions being provided corresponding to the pattern of information; a magnetic layer deposited on at least top surfaces of the convex portions, and having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; and a soft magnetic layer deposited on the surface of the magnetic layer.
US07982977B2
An imaging lens, which can be suitable for small-size information terminals, such as mobile phones equipped with cameras, or Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). The imaging lens includes an iris, a first lens having a positive refractive power, a second lens, having a negative refractive power, a third lens having an aspherical shape and a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens having an aspherical shape and a negative refractive power.
US07982972B2
The image observation apparatus includes a first image-forming element and a second image-forming element each of which forms an original image, and an optical system configured to introduce light fluxes from the first and second image-forming elements to an exit pupil position of the optical system where an eye of an observer is placed. The optical system includes an optical surface as a single surface that reflects the light flux from the first image-forming element and transmits the light flux from the second image-forming element. The first image-forming element and the second image-forming element respectively form a first original image and a second original image that correspond to different viewing fields from the exit pupil position. The apparatus combines plural original images to enable observation of one combined image and that can suppress generation of light scattering.
US07982970B2
A zoom lens includes a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a reflection member configured to bend an optical path, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power. In the zoom lens, two or more lens units of the first through the third lens unit move during zooming. In addition, in the zoom lens, the third lens unit includes a first lens sub-unit, and a second lens sub-unit configured to move in a direction having a component perpendicular to the optical axis to displace an image forming position.
US07982955B2
An optical filter uses two or more reflective polarizers together with retarders to form birefringent filters with controlled transmission. The energy reflected by these polarizers is absorbed by one or more dichroic elements, which can be adjacent to a reflective polarizer; or spaced apart from it by one or more retarder elements. These dichroic elements act as dampers, so the energy of rays undergoing multiple reflections is markedly reduced or virtually eliminated, and high image quality is maintained. This provides a filter arrangement with enhanced spectral range, image quality, or greater extinction, or lower cost, compared to filters using dichroic or prism-type polarizers.
US07982954B2
Disclosed herein are light collectors for use in projection applications. The light collectors gather light from surface emitting sources (e.g., LEDs) of differing color (or same color in some embodiments) using input lightpipes. A light collection system splits the light into orthogonal linear polarization states and efficiently propagates the light by use of a polarizing beamsplitter (PBS) and a reflecting element. Further, the light collection system may efficiently homogenize the light using an output lightpipe in a lightpath from the output of the PBS and the reflecting element. In addition, the light collection system may present a single, linear polarization at the output through the use of a half-wave switch (LC cell) in some embodiments or ColorSelect filter in other embodiments. The light collection system may be integrated into a single, monolithic glass, plastic or combination glass/plastic assembly.
US07982952B2
A polarization component, capable of efficiently reflecting an obliquely transmitted light beam toward a light source without degrading the transmission-polarization property of a perpendicular incident light beam, is provided. A C-plate having an oblique retardation of at least λ/8 with respect to a light beam inclined by at least 30° is disposed between at least two reflective circular polarizer layers whose selective reflection wavelength bands of polarized light overlapping each other. A combination of a reflective linear polarizer and a quarter wavelength plate may be used instead of the reflective circular polarizer. Alternatively, a combination of two reflective linear polarizer layers and two quarter wavelength plate layers (Nz≧2) disposed therebetween can provide a similar effect. Further, a combination of two reflective linear polarizer layers and a half wavelength plate (Nz≧1.5) disposed therebetween may be used. When reflective linear polarizer layers are used, they must be bonded together with their axial directions set at a certain angle. The polarization component is preferably used in various image display apparatuses such as liquid crystal display apparatuses and organic EL display apparatuses.
US07982944B2
An optical frequency comb generator includes a laser device arranged for generating input laser light having a predetermined input light frequency, a dielectric micro-resonator having a cavity exhibiting a third order nonlinearity, so that the micro-resonator is capable of optical parametric generation providing parametrically generated light, and a waveguide optically coupled to the micro-resonator, the waveguide being arranged for in-coupling the input laser light into the micro-resonator and out-coupling the parametrically generated light out of the micro-resonator, wherein the laser device, the waveguide and the micro-resonator being arranged for resonantly in-coupling the laser input light to a mode of the micro-resonator with a minimum power level so that an optical field inside the cavity exceeds a predetermined cascaded parametric oscillation threshold at which the parametrically generated light includes frequencies of frequency sidebands of the input light frequency and of the sidebands thereof.
US07982943B2
The present invention relates to a light source apparatus that has a base structure capable of generating SC light and further having a structure that enables the shaping of the spectral waveform of the SC light, power adjustment of the SC light, or adjustment of the frequency of repetition of the pulse train that contains the SC light. For example, a light source apparatus that enables shaping of spectral waveforms comprises a seed light source that emits seed light which is a pulse train or continuous light; an optical fiber that generates SC light from the seed light, and spectrum shaping means for completely or partially changing the spectral waveform of the SC light. The shaping of the spectral waveform changes the maximum power of the seed light by changing the optical coupling efficiency of the seed light source and optical fiber, for example, thereby suitably deforms the spectrum of the SC light.
US07982939B2
Apparatus for steering a beam of radiation includes a thermally anisotropic element configured such that the shape of the optical element can be varied by varying the temperature of the element. The beam is reflected from or transmitted through the element in a manner such that the direction of the beam on leaving the element can be varied by the change of shape resulting from the temperature variation.
US07982937B2
The micro mirror unit includes a substrate, on which are provided a micro mirror reflecting light, a torsion bar supporting the micro mirror, a frame rotatably supporting the torsion bar, and a deformative supporting part which deforms itself to lift the frame away from the substrate and supports the frame in such a lifted condition. This arrangement makes it possible to realize an increased space between the micro mirror and the substrate, thereby realizing an enlarged mirror tilt angel, without increasing the thickness of the sacrifice layer.
US07982921B2
An image processing device is provided which corrects error pixels without using a line buffer even in the case of using an image sensor with a structure having a plurality of sensors arranged in series. It has a detecting component for detecting the presence or absence of a factor of black line and Kth error pixel correcting processing components each for receiving the Kth pixel signal among the pixel signals output in N divisions, and for correcting error pixels. When the factor of black line is detected at a boundary between Kth and (K−1)th division outputs, the Kth error pixel correcting processing component notifies the (K−1)th error pixel correcting processing component of neighboring pixel information about the error pixels, and the (K−1)th error pixel correcting processing component corrects the error pixels at the boundary in response to the neighboring pixel information notified and the (K−1)th pixel signal.
US07982919B2
An image forming apparatus, method, and computer program product can create and transmit an e-mail to which is attached an image file created by an image forming apparatus and a file received from an external device. The image forming apparatus can include an image reader and an operation unit including one-touch keys. If a received email instructs one-touch key registration, mailing information including recipient information and one or more attached files can be obtained from the email and associated with a one-touch key. If reading of an original document by the image reader is specified by operation of a one-touch key, the mailing information and file information associated with the one-touch key can be read, an email can be created including the created image file and the one or more attached files, and the email can be sent to a recipient corresponding to the recipient information.
US07982918B2
A method and apparatus that annotates an image with a barcode is disclosed. The method may include receiving one or more image parameters from a user, determining information concerning a device to be used for processing, determining a date on which image processing occurs, determining a number of copies of the image to be processed, generating a barcode that contains at least coded information concerning the device to be used for processing, the date on which the image is processed, the number of copies of the image to be processed, and at least one of the one or more image parameters received from the user, and sending the generated barcode to the device to be used for processing to enable the barcode to be placed near the image when processed.
US07982913B2
To suppress jaggies in second image data on the basis of first image data, the second image data obtained by executing halftoning processing for the first image data, and attribute data representing an attribute of each pixel contained in the first image data, a judgment signal indicating whether to execute smoothing processing is output on the basis of the attribute data. Edge correction data is generated from the first image data by executing smoothing processing in accordance with the judgment signal. The pixel data of the second image data is compared with the pixel data of the edge correction data. The pixel data having a higher density is output. Jaggies generated by halftoning processing can be suppressed with a simple arrangement at a low cost.
US07982905B2
An apparatus for reproducing a visible image depicted in a photograph carrying digitally encoded data printed in invisible ink. The digitally encoded data having pixel values for all pixels in the visible image. The apparatus comprises an illuminating means for illuminating the photograph with invisible radiation; a sensing means for receiving the invisible radiation illuminated on and reflected from the photograph by the illuminating means, the sensing means adapted to detect an interaction of the invisible radiation with the digitally encoded data carried on the photograph; a top substrate in which the illuminating means and the sensing means are encased, the top substrate being transparent to the invisible radiation and having a semi circular cross section in the vicinity of the illuminating means, the top substrate further having a elongated recess for receiving therein the sensing means; means for processing the invisible radiation received by the sensing means, the means for processing operable to decode the digitally encoded data; and an inkjet printer for receiving data from the means for processing data to print a copy of the visible image depicted in the photograph, the data used to print the visible image being generated from the digitally encoded data. The top substrate, in the vicinity of the sensing means, is shaped to define an array of microlenses for focusing the invisible radiation reflected from the photograph onto the sensing means.
US07982892B2
This invention controls a printer to download using either a nonsecure protocol or a secure protocol depending on as to whether or not the printer is included in a network segment to which an information processing apparatus generating print control information belongs. When, on an application executed by the apparatus, a desired data file stored in a server on the network is designated as an object to be printed, the apparatus acquires a printer port activated by a printer driver. The apparatus determines whether or not a destination IP address set to the printer port is included in the network segment inside an office. If the IP address is included in the network segment, HTTP is set as a protocol associated with file acquisition which is to be described in a job ticket. If not, HTTPS is set as a protocol associated with file acquisition.
US07982884B2
An autofocus system (222C) for measuring the position of a work piece (200) along an axis includes a slit light source assembly (236), a slit detector assembly (238), and a control system (224). The slit light source assembly (236) directs a first slit of light (342A) at a first slit area (344A) of the work piece (200). The slit detector assembly (238) detects light reflected off of the first slit area (344A) and generates a first slit signal relating to the amount of light reflected off of the first slit area (344A) at the slit detector assembly (238). The control system (224) uses the first slit signal from the slit detector assembly (238), and first reflectance information of the first slit area (344A) to determine the position of the work piece (200) along the axis. With this design, the autofocus system (222C) can compensate for the changes in reflectivity of the work piece (200). As a result thereof, measurements taken with the autofocus system (222C) are more accurate and the work piece (200) can be positioned with improved accuracy.
US07982881B2
A device for the interferometric measurement of a sample, in particular the eye, including an interferometer arrangement with a first measurement beam path, through which a measurement beam falls onto the sample, and a first reference beam path, through which a reference beam runs, which is applied to the measuring beam for interference. The interferometer arrangement includes a second measuring beam path and/or second reference beam path. The optical path lengths of the second measuring beam path and/or second reference beam path are different from one of the first beam paths. The wave length difference is selected according to a distance of two measuring areas which are arranged at a distance in the depth direction of the sample.
US07982873B2
A method and system are provided to correct differences among multiple spectrophotometers. In one form, one spectrophotometer of a plurality that may be present in an image rendering system is treated as “primary”. Additional spectrophotometers are treated as “secondary”. The spectrum of a color from a secondary spectrophotometer is transformed by a linear transformation to an adjusted spectrum, which then is converted to L*a*b* (if desired) using standard techniques. The L*a*b* thus produced is, on average, substantially closer to the L*a*b* that the primary spectrophotometer would have produced when measuring the same color than it is to the L*a*b* that the secondary spectrophotometer would have produced without any correction. The linear transformation is generated by linear regression to minimize the spectral error, followed by non-linear optimization to minimize the error relative to a color difference metric—such as DeltaE 2000.
US07982866B2
A method for calibrating a surveying instrument is disclosed, the survey instrument comprising a base element and a camera with an image sensor, the camera being rotatable about a vertical axis fixed with respect to said base element and being rotatable about a tilting axis, the tilting axis being rotated about the vertical axis with rotation of the camera about the vertical axis. In the method, data associated with calibration points and images of the calibration points on the image sensor captured in different faces are used, the data for each of said calibration points comprising distance data and the data for each of the images of each said calibration point comprising image position data and orientation data. Further, on the basis of the distance data for each of the calibration points and the image position and orientation data for each of the images of the calibration points the surveying instrument is calibrated simultaneously taking into account at least one optical property of the camera and at least one of the relative orientation of the vertical axis and the tilting axis and the orientation of the camera relative to one of the base element, the vertical axis and the tilting axis.
US07982863B2
The subject of the present invention is a laser anemometry probe for optical homodyne detection of frequency offset by Doppler effect, comprising two devices (DERF1, DERF2) for transmitting/receiving beams in two different directions, avoiding duplicating a plurality of elements of a mono-axial laser anemometry probe.
US07982861B2
A method for measuring time delay and distance may include providing an electromagnetic radiation carrier frequency and modulating one or more of amplitude, phase, frequency, polarization, and pointing angle of the carrier frequency with a return to zero (RZ) pseudo random noise (PN) code. The RZ PN code may have a constant bit period and a pulse duration that is less than the bit period. A receiver may detect the electromagnetic radiation and calculate the scattering profile versus time (or range) by computing a cross correlation function between the recorded received signal and a three-state RZ PN code kernel in the receiver. The method also may be used for pulse delay time (i.e., PPM) communications.
US07982857B2
A stage apparatus PST is provided with a holder PH, which has a substrate holding surface 33A that holds a substrate P; a stage 52, which supports and moves the holder PH; and a recovery apparatus 60, which is disposed in the vicinity of the holder PH and has lyophilic parts 3, 5 of which at least a part of each is lyophilic, that uses the lyophilic parts 3, 5 to recover a liquid 1. As a result, the infiltration of liquid into the space between the substrate and the holder is prevented, even if performing an exposure treatment by filling the space between a projection optical system and the substrate with the liquid.
US07982850B2
In a lithographic projection apparatus, a structure surrounds a space between the projection system and a substrate table of the lithographic projection apparatus. A gas seal is formed between said structure and the surface of said substrate to contain liquid in the space.
US07982845B2
A display device which can ensure a sufficient adhesive strength on an adhering surface between each of a pair of substrates of a liquid crystal display panel and a sealing material is provided. A display device includes: a first substrate on which a predetermined integrated circuit is formed; a second substrate which is arranged on one surface of the first substrate in an overlapping manner; and an adhesive material which is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate and has an annular planar shape as viewed from the surface of the first substrate, the adhesive material being provided for adhering the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein an outer periphery of the adhesive material as viewed from the surface of the first substrate includes a zone which is constituted of a plurality of first portions passing substantially the same position as an outer periphery of the surface of the first substrate and a plurality of second portions each of which is connected with the two neighboring first portions and has a center portion thereof in a peripheral direction retracted toward an inner peripheral side of the adhesive material as viewed from the surface of the first substrate.
US07982844B2
A liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal display panel having a plurality of data lines and a plurality of gate lines crossing each other; a data drive circuit which supplies data voltages to the data lines; a gate drive circuit which supplies scan pulses to the gate lines; and first dummy pads on a substrate of the liquid crystal display panel at both sides of the data drive circuit, and wherein the data drive circuit is joined onto the substrate with a first anisotropic conductive film and both sides of the first anisotropic conductive film are joined to the first dummy pads.
US07982841B2
A liquid crystal display device employs a white sub-pixel among RGBW-4 sub-pixels as a view control component to realize a narrow viewing angle or a wide viewing angle in a fringe field switching mode. The LCD device comprises gate lines and data lines crossing each other to define RGBW sub-pixels on a first substrate, a thin film transistor formed at each crossing of the gate and data lines; a first common electrode in each region of the RGBW sub-pixels, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor and insulated from the first common electrode, the pixel electrode having at least one slit, a second substrate attached to the first substrate, wherein the first and second substrate face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and a second common electrode on the second substrate and corresponding to each W sub-pixel.
US07982838B2
Source lines cross, over an intervening first insulation film, gate lines on an insulation substrate. Switching elements are on crossings between the gate lines and the source lines. Pixel electrodes are connected to the switching elements. Common electrodes facing the pixel electrodes generate between the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes an electric field directed approximately parallel to the insulation substrate. First shielding electrode patterns along the source lines in a layer, with the first insulation film intervening, underneath the source lines, at least partially overlap the source lines widthwise. Plural second shielding electrode patterns are formed along the source lines, overlapping the first shielding electrode patterns and without substantially overlapping the source lines in a layer, with a second insulation film intervening, above the source lines. The first shielding electrode patterns having a same electric potential as the plural second shielding electrode patterns.
US07982834B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes: a liquid crystal (LC) panel defining thereon an array of pixels each including a reflective area driven in a longitudinal electric field and a transmissive area driven in a lateral electric field; a quarter-wavelength retardation film disposed in the reflective area in front of a LC layer; and first and second polarizing films sandwiching therebetween the LC panel. The LC molecules in the LC layer have a major axis parallel or perpendicular to an optical axis of the first polarizing film disposed in front of the LC panel.
US07982833B2
The present invention discloses a transflective liquid crystal display panel, which includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and second substrates, so as to constitute a plurality of pixels each divided into a transmission region and a reflective region. Within the reflective region, a first common electrode layer formed on the first substrate corresponds to both of a second common electrode layer and a pixel electrode layer formed on the second substrate, wherein the pixel electrode layer is exposed from a plurality of apertures formed on the second common electrode layer. This varies distribution of the electric lines so as to control tilts of the liquid crystals in the reflective region. By the tilts, a total retardation change value achieved in the reflective region can gradually reach consistent with a total retardation change value achieved in the transmission region. It means that transmittances of both regions can reach consistence with each other under the same driving voltage.
US07982828B2
The present invention provides a polarization switching liquid crystal element 1 having TN liquid crystal 7 retained between two transparent substrates 2a and 2b for transmitting at least visible polarized light with the polarized light transmission axis selectively rotated by 90 degrees when a voltage is selectively applied to the TN liquid crystal 7, wherein a phase difference u of said TN liquid crystal 7 is defined by the following equation: u=2×Δn×d/λ, where Δn is the refractive index anisotropy of said TN liquid crystal 7, d is the thickness of said TN liquid crystal 7, and λ is the wavelength of said polarized light, and a transmittance T of said polarization switching liquid crystal element measured with polarization plates on the incident and outgoing sides is defined by the following equation: T=(½)×sin2{π(1+u2)1/2/2}/(1+u2), and wherein the phase difference u includes a value 1.7 and the transmittance T is 0.1 or lower when the λ ranges from 400 nm to 700 nm. Then, a polarization switching liquid crystal element having a high response speed and reduced wavelength-dependency can be realized using inexpensive and highly durable TN liquid crystal without increasing parts cost.
US07982822B2
A liquid crystal display includes a backlight. The backlight includes a plurality of waveguides to selectively direct light. A set of selection elements in combination with the backlight selectively direct light to the front of the display.
US07982819B2
A lighting device for a display device, according to the present invention, includes a plurality of tubular light sources 17 arranged parallel to one another, and a light reflecting plate 14 arranged on the side of the tubular light sources 17 that corresponds to the opposite side of the light emitting side. The tubular light sources 17 on an inner side of the array are arranged at narrower intervals, than those on an outer side of the array. A plurality of angled reflective portions 40 are provided on the light reflecting plate 14, so that each of the angled reflective portions is positioned between adjacent tubular light sources 17 and extends along the longitudinal direction of the tubular light sources 17. Each angled reflective portion 40 includes two inclined surfaces 41, 42, which face the adjacent tubular light sources 17, respectively. The two inclined surfaces 41, 42 can reflect a larger amount of light to the outer side of a center position O between the adjacent tubular light sources 17 that corresponds to the outer side of the array, than to the inner side of the array.
US07982812B2
In a display device, first and second substrates parallel to each other are arranged between first and second polarizers that are parallel to each other. A liquid crystal layer is arranged between the first and second substrates, and a light emitting layer having a quantum dot structure is arranged on the first polarizer. Also, a light source that emits a blue light is arranged under the second polarizer. Thus, the display device may improve a light utilizing efficiency, thereby improving a display quality.
US07982809B2
A method and apparatus for providing a picture cropping function enables users to crop pictures in a convenient and direct manner using discrete navigation keys of a user input device. According to an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a first processor operative to provide at least one of an audio and video output during a first mode. A second processor is operative to provide a picture cropping function during a second mode by enabling a user to crop a picture using discrete navigation keys of a user input device of the apparatus.
US07982803B2
Provided is an audio video synchronizing apparatus and method in a video processing equipment. It is detected whether or not an external device connected to an audio/video output port of the video processing equipment is an audio system, and an audio signal synchronized with a video signal outputted to a display device of the video processing equipment is provided to the audio system through an audio output port when the detection result shows that the external device is the audio system. Accordingly, a vide signal on a screen is synchronized with an audio signal outputted from the audio system.
US07982793B2
In a portable housing, a digital photographing apparatus (100) may include an image capturing unit (100) operable for capturing at least one digital image (172) and a memory (158, 161) for storing the at least one digital image. Digital photographing apparatus may also include a laser scanning projector (150) operable to optically raster scan the at least one digital image on a remote surface (170) one pixel at a time. The laser scanning projector is operable without focusing adjustment to scan the at least one digital image in focus on the remote surface independent of a distance (174) between the digital photographing apparatus and the remote surface. A controller (154) is operable to read the at least one digital image from the memory and operate the laser scanning projector to project the at least one digital image on the remote surface.
US07982788B1
A method of generating video and a video camera are disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an input signal by sensing an optical signal using a plurality of first pixels, wherein (i) the sensing is capable of a pixel reduction by at least one of binning the first pixels and skipping some of the first pixels and (ii) a plurality of first spatial separations among the first pixels in the input signal are (a) uniform both horizontally and vertically while the pixel reduction is inactive and (b) non-uniform while the pixel reduction is active, (B) generating a plurality of second pixels in response to the first pixels such that a plurality of second spatial separations among the second pixels are uniform both horizontally and vertically while the pixel reduction is active and (C) generating an output signal carrying the second pixels.
US07982779B2
In an inspection of a substance in which a first region is made of black resin and a second region is made of a metal, a portion surrounding the first region is registered as a first imaging range, and a portion surrounding the second region is registered as a second imaging range. As an imaging condition for the first region, a relatively slow shutter speed is registered such that an image does not become dark. Further, as an imaging condition for the second region, a relatively fast shutter speed is registered such that an image does not have unduly high white levels. As such, the imaging range and condition set by a user are supplied to a CCD camera, and then image processing is performed on a captured image from the CCD camera by an image processing device main body.
US07982775B2
A method and apparatus for digital image stabilization. The method comprises segmenting an exposure time to have multiple partial-exposure images of a scene and manipulating the partially exposed images to produce a stable image.
US07982774B2
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus detects only an object to be detected by removing a disturbance, such as the shaking of trees by using a very simple process and parameter. The image processing apparatus includes a reference image storing unit for storing a plurality of past image data photographed by a video input unit as reference image data, and an image moving object detecting unit for detecting the difference of pixels or difference in small areas between the image data photographed by the video input unit and each of the plurality of reference image data stored by the reference image storing unit and detecting a moving object in the image data based on the continuity or appearance probability of the difference.
US07982772B2
An image correction apparatus which corrects blurring generated by the traveling of a vehicle in the captured image, including: a camera which captures an image of front of a vehicle continuously; mobile vector calculation means of calculating a mobile vector in an image of each object based on a position of an object in each image continuously captured by the camera; and blurring correction means of correcting blurring of the image captured by the camera using the mobile vector calculated by the mobile vector calculation means.
US07982766B2
Method for determining the angles and the characteristic parameters of the alignment of a vehicle situated at a measurement location comprising the following steps: equipping each of the wheels of the vehicle with a flat target carrying any design; determining the relationship between the position of the target and the wheel; arranging at least one pair of television cameras making a stereo system in a position such as to see at least the target associated with a wheel; creating a spatial reference system W to which the three-dimensional image of the target created by said at least one pair of television cameras refers; processing the three-dimensional image of the target collected by the two television cameras and determining the angular orientation and the position of the target in the spatial reference system W; using said position and angular orientation to determine the alignment of the wheel relative to the spatial reference system.
US07982762B2
The invention provides a method and system wherein first video images are directly overlaid with remote video images to produce a combined video image which is then displayed to the user and/or stored as appropriate. Preferably at least one of the first and/or remote images is subject to an image processing operation prior to the overlay operation being performed, the image processing operation being such that the scenes contained within the images to be overlaid when processed are separably distinguishable to a user within the combined video image when viewed by the user. The overlay operation is performed such that the scenes contained within the respective video images are substantially in alignment on top of each other. By overlaying the respective first and remote video images as described a single image is obtained within which the respective scenes of the respective first and remote images are still separably distinguishable, but which is still of an appropriate size for display on a screen of limited size without occlusion of one or other of the images.
US07982752B2
An image display apparatus and method are disclosed. In the present invention, image frames of various data information sizes are displayed with a selected output data information size. If the selected output data information size is below a limit of a storage medium for buffering image frames to be displayed, the data information size of an input image frame is adjusted to the output data information, and the image frame is displayed in the output data information size. If the output data information exceeds the limit of the storage medium, the input image is over-compressed to have a lower data information size. Then an image processing is performed to the image frame, so that the processed image frame is decompressed to have the output data information size before being displayed. Therefore, the decompressed image frame can be displayed in the selected output data information size.
US07982740B2
Herein described is a method and system of displaying low resolution graphics onto a high resolution display. The low resolution graphics may be displayed using one or more displayable maps or surfaces, each of which is defined by way of one or more parameters. The display may comprise a monitor, television set, or set top box, capable of displaying at a particular resolution. In one or more representative embodiments, the various aspects of the invention permit scaling the low resolution graphics onto the high resolution display by way of using the one or more displayable maps or surfaces such that the graphics data is properly displayed on the higher resolution display.
US07982729B2
A driving signal generating device for staggering transition time of driving signals to prevent image crosstalk for a display device includes a receiving terminal, a first adjusting unit, a multiplexer, a second adjusting unit and a frame output controller. The receiving terminal receives a plurality of step grayscale waveforms. The first adjusting unit transforms the plurality of step grayscale waveforms into a plurality of initial grayscale waveforms and further adjusts widths of the plurality of initial grayscale waveforms according to a first predetermined value to generate a plurality of grayscale waveforms. The multiplexer selects a first grayscale waveform from the plurality of grayscale waveforms. The second adjusting unit then adjusts a width of the first grayscale waveform according to a second predetermined value to generate a second grayscale waveform. The frame output controller controls output of the first grayscale waveform and the second grayscale waveform.
US07982711B2
An apparatus includes a characterization module configured to receive data associated with operational characteristics of a mechanical device, the operational characteristics being associated with a perceptual experience of the mechanical device. A conversion module is coupled to the characterization module. The conversion module is configured to automatically produce, substantially without user intervention, a parametric data set associated with the mechanical device based on the data. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving data associated with operational characteristics of a mechanical device. The operational characteristics are associated with a perceptual experience of the mechanical device. A parametric data set associated with the mechanical device is produced automatically, without user intervention. The parametric data set is associated with the mechanical device based on the data.
US07982710B2
There is provided a driving device for an image display medium that drives the image display medium including: a display substrate; a back surface substrate; plural first electrodes; plural second electrodes; and particles enclosed between the display substrate and the back surface substrate so as to move according to an electric field generated between the substrates by applying a voltage corresponding to an image between the first and second electrodes; the driving device including: a voltage application section that applies the voltage corresponding to an image between the first and second electrodes, the voltage application section, as a display drive voltage to be applied for each pixel to display a desired color at each pixel, applying a first pulse voltage that can cause the particles in a stationary state to start moving and thereafter applying a second pulse voltage that can cause the particles that have started moving to move.
US07982706B2
The present invention prevents extension of the time period from powering on a device to convergence of chromaticity of emitted white light on a certain chromaticity, irrespective of the temperature when the device is powered on. A color liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display unit, a backlight employing LEDs of red, green and blue as its light source, a drive unit for driving the LEDs of each color, a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the LEDs, and a chromaticity sensor for sensing the chromaticity of white light emitted from the LEDs. The drive unit supplies a current to the LEDs to drive them, and implements feedback control of the amount of current for the LEDs of each color based on a value sensed by the chromaticity sensor so that the white light has a certain chromaticity. Furthermore, upon powering on the backlight, the drive unit retrieves initial current values of the LEDs of each color from a non-volatile memory, and corrects the initial current values according to a value sensed by the temperature sensor to activate the LEDs of each color with the corrected value.
US07982703B2
A method for driving a liquid crystal display, includes receiving source data, reducing the number of bits of the source data, thereby generating a reduced-bit source data, comparing the reduced-bit source data of a previous frame with the reduced-bit source data of a current frame to select a preset modulated data in accordance with the result of the comparison, and modulating the source data by using the selected modulated data.
US07982695B2
Displaying an image with unevenness correction by measuring Vgs-Id characteristics of the transistors in a subset of pixels; approximating each characteristic using an equation of the form Id=(a(Vgs−b))c; calculating a value c′ using the approximations; measuring the characteristics of the remaining pixels; approximating each of those characteristics by an equation of the same form, using c′ as the power for all of the approximations, calculating corrected image signals for each pixel using the respective approximations of the corresponding pixels of the display device to correct for unevenness; and applying the corrected image signals to the corresponding pixels of the display device to display a corresponding image with unevenness correction.
US07982694B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel having a plurality of display pixels two-dimensionally arrayed display pixels having pixel drive circuits and light emitting devices near at intersections of a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines laid out in a row direction and in a column direction so as to be orthogonal to each other, a scan driver which applies a scan signal to the scan lines at a predetermined timing, a data driver which supplies a gradation signal corresponding to display data to the display pixels via the data lines, and a pair of power source drivers which apply a supply voltage to both ends of a plurality of power supply lines laid out in the column direction at a predetermined timing.
US07982693B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus having four types of light producing dots, including R (red), G (green), B (blue), and W (white) dots, includes detecting the amount of high frequency components of a portion of a color image to be displayed, or calculating average brightness or power of display from input image data; or detecting the amount of current flowing in display; or responding to a user input instruction; or responding to a battery capacity; and adaptively changing the usage ratio of W dots accordingly.
US07982687B1
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for receiving signals from communications satellites are disclosed. An antenna unit for receiving signals transmitted from a plurality of communications satellites at a plurality of orbital slots, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention comprises a first reflecting surface, a frequency selective reflective surface, and a plurality of low noise block down converters with feedhorns (LNBFs), wherein at least a first LNBF is placed on the antenna unit in a first location and receives at least first signals at a first frequency band from a first orbital slot and at least a second LNBF is placed on the antenna unit at a second location and receives at least second signals at a second frequency band from the same orbital slot, wherein the first signals reflect from the first reflecting surface and transmit through the frequency selective surface and the second signals reflect from the first reflecting surface and also reflect from the frequency selective surface.
US07982686B2
A freestanding frequency selective surface (FSS) is provided which comprises at least one shorted resonance aperture element (12). The shorted resonance aperture element provides a sensitivity to polarization. The shorted resonance aperture element may comprise at least one short, which may enable the FSS to be freestanding. The invention further provides an FSS device comprising at least one array of the freestanding frequency selective surfaces, and a method of forming the freestanding frequency selective surfaces.
US07982685B2
A GPS reception arrangement includes a GPS radome body having an upper body portion, a lower body portion and a peripheral body portion between the upper body portion and the lower body portion and extending circumferentially there around, and a GPS antenna positioned inside the radome body. A plurality of light sources on the peripheral body portion of the radome body project light in a manner to identify the GPS radome, and distinguish it from other radomes. Retroreflective material is positioned around the radome body on the peripheral body portion, adjacent the plurality of light sources.
