US08100947B2
A pedicle screw and rod assembly is provided which has a low profile in the final assembled position. The pedicle screw includes a screw having a threaded portion and a head portion. A tulip is positioned on the head portion of the screw. A fastener assembly is coupled to the tulip and positioned to retain the tulip on the head portion. A rod retainer member is positioned inside the tulip and grips the rod, to hold it in position relative to the tulip assembly and pedicle screw. The top of rod retaining member is approximately equal in height to, or lower than the rod itself. This provides a low profile pedicle screw and rod assembly since the rod itself will normally be the uppermost member of the completed assembly.
US08100938B2
A self-expanding occlusion device for occluding an atrial auricula in the heart of a patient includes a braiding of thin wires or threads given a suitable profile form by means of a molding and heat treatment procedure. The occlusion device includes a proximal retention area, a distal retention area and a center section. The occlusion device holds securely in the atrial auricula of a patient in its expanded and implanted state without damaging the tissue of the patient's heart. The proximal retention area has a flanged area which positions at the inner walls of the atrial auricula when the occlusion device is in an expanded state in the atrial auricula to be occluded, and forms a force-fit connection with the inner walls of the atrial auricula, thus holding the implanted and expanded occlusion device in the atrial auricula, whereby the distal retention area closes the opening in the atrial auricula.
US08100936B2
A vessel filter comprising a first region and a second region wherein the filter is movable between a collapsed position for delivery to the vessel and an expanded position for placement within the vessel. A first region has a filter portion having a converging region at a first end portion to direct particles toward the center of the filter and the second region is flared in the expanded position to have a transverse dimension increasing toward a second end portion opposite the first end portion. The second region includes a vessel engaging portion at the second end portion. The second region includes a plurality of spaced apart struts with adjacent struts being joined.
US08100935B2
Embolectomy catheters, rapid exchange microcatheters, systems and methods for removing clots or other obstructive matter (e.g., thrombus, thromboemboli, embolic fragments of atherosclerotic plaque, foreign objects, etc.) from blood vessels. This invention is particularly useable for percutaneous removal of thromboemboli or other obstructive matter from small blood vessels of the brain, during an evolving stroke or period of cerebral ischemia. In some embodiments, the embolectomy catheters of this invention are advanceable with or over a guidewire which has been pre-inserted through or around the clot. Also, in some embodiments, the embolectomy catheters include clot removal devices which are deployable from the catheter after the catheter has been advanced at least partially through the clot. The clot removal device may include a deployable wire nest that is designed to prevent a blood clot from passing therethrough. The delivery catheter may include telescoping inner and outer tubes, with the clot removal device being radially constrained by the outer tube. Retraction of the outer tube removes the constraint on the clot removal device and permits it to expand to its deployed configuration. An infusion guidewire is particularly useful in conjunction with the embolectomy catheter, and permits infusion of medicaments or visualization fluids distal to the clot.
US08100932B2
The invention generally relates to a method and apparatus to treat obesity and controlling weight gain. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention relates to a covered cage device that is implanted within a human's stomach to occupy volume and cause a reduced desire for eating. The covered cage device is made from a wire-mesh, such a Nitinol, and can be adjustable and collapsible. In another embodiment, the covered cage device has edges that provide stimulation to the stomach to induce a feeling of fullness.
US08100931B2
A bariatric device and method of causing at least partial satiety includes a body that is adapted to be positioned at i) an abdominal portion of the esophagus and/or ii) a proximal cardiac portion of the stomach. The body has a wall defining a lumen. The wall is configured to generally conform to the shape and size of i) the abdominal portion of the esophagus and/or ii) the proximal cardiac portion of the stomach. A force is exerted with the wall at i) the abdominal portion of the esophagus and/or (ii) the proximal cardiac portion of the stomach thereby influencing a neurohormonal feedback mechanism of the patient to cause at least partial satiety by augmenting fullness caused by food and simulating fullness in the absence of food. The method further includes adjusting the force exerted with the wall.
US08100929B2
Seal assemblies, generally for use in trocar assemblies, are provided for selectively promoting movement of fluid away from a central portion of the seal assemblies. In one exemplary embodiment, an inner surface of a seal body of the seal assembly is configured to selectively promote such movement of fluid away from the central portion of the seal body toward a peripheral portion of the seal body. While various configurations, geometries, and dimensions are discussed, one example of such a configuration includes locating a central portion of the seal body at a more proximal position than a peripheral portion of the seal body.
US08100927B2
A dermatome assembly is operable to harvest a skin graft and includes an ultrasonic dermatome and a power supply. The ultrasonic dermatome includes a body and an ultrasonic blade assembly mounted in the body. The blade assembly includes a frequency generator and a cutting horn powered by the frequency generator. The cutting horn is spaced apart from the body so that the body is restricted from damping vibrational movement of the cutting horn. The dermatome assembly is operable to precisely control the thickness of the cut skin graft and also restrict the cutting horn from overheating.
US08100925B2
Described here are devices and methods for intussuscepting a portion of stomach tissue. Typically the intussusception is created at a position near, but distal to the gastroesophageal junction, and a pouch capable of storing a volume (from about 0 cc up to about 100 cc) is created proximal the intussuscepted tissue. In this way, the amount of food that may be ingested is reduced, helping to ameliorate GERD symptoms, and aiding in weight loss efforts. Some of the devices described here include an expandable member and at least one suction inlet. In these devices, the expandable member is expanded to create a proximal cavity into which the stomach tissue is pulled (e.g., using suction), thereby creating the intussusception.
US08100913B2
A method and assembly for tightening a locking element in an orthopedic implant comprises a ratcheting mechanism that includes a shaft portion and a sleeve portion operatively connected over the shaft portion. The assembly further includes a first handle or wrench operatively connected to the shaft portion and a second handle or wrench operatively connected to the sleeve portion. The method comprises aligning the ratcheting mechanism over the orthopedic implant; operatively connecting the first wrench to the shaft portion; operatively connecting the second wrench to the sleeve portion; rotating the second wrench counter-clockwise to establish a position for leverage; holding the first wrench in a firm position; and rotating the second wrench clockwise while the first wrench is held in the firm position.
US08100907B2
A jawed surgical instrument fitted at the distal end of a jaw head which is affixed at the distal end of a longitudinally elongated stem and which supports two mutually oppositely displaceable jaw parts, the jaw head being connectable by means of an actuation bar to one of two drive elements of a manipulating unit that are mutually oppositely displaceable in the stem direction, the other of the drive elements being connected to the stem. The jaw head comprises at least one electrode designed for tissue surgery and is electrically connected by means of the actuation bar to a cable issuing from the bar, the actuation bar and the jaw head being detachably connected to the manipulating unit wherein the actuation bar and the jaw head are detachably connected transversely to the stem direction or in the proximal direction parallel to the stem to the manipulating unit.
US08100906B2
The invention relates to an electrosurgical instrument for cutting and/or coagulating a tissue to be treated, comprising at least one cutting electrode for conducting a high-frequency (“HF”) current through the tissue for carrying out a cutting process and comprising power supply devices for supplying the HF current at least to the cutting electrode. The design of the electrosurgical instrument is improved so that the cutting process can be carried out with an increased reliability while prolonging the serviceable life of the cutting electrode at the same time. To this end, the cutting electrode is mounted on the electrosurgical instrument in a manner that enables it to rotate about a rotation axis and comprises at least one cutting area which is provided in the form of a helical curve or similar three-dimensional curve running around the rotation axis and which is arranged in such a manner that when the cutting electrode rotates about the rotation axis it is active over its length in sections on the tissue when a section falls below a defined minimum distance from the tissue and/or is located within a defined window area.
US08100905B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of excising tissue including injecting fluid into the submucosa to raise targeted tissue. A first electrode is positioned below the targeted tissue within the injected fluid and a second electrode is positioned adjacent a surface of the raised targeted tissue opposite the first electrode. Electrical current is applied between the first and second electrodes and the targeted tissue is excised with the second electrode.
US08100903B2
A sphincterotome comprising a tensioning mechanism to adjust relative tension between a filament and shaft thereof. In one embodiment, the tensioning mechanism adjusts relative tension and or length at a connection of the sphincterotome handle assembly to one or both of the shaft and filament. In another embodiment, the tensioning mechanism adjusts relative tension and or length where it is disposed along the filament.
US08100901B2
Tissue ablation probes are provided. Each tissue ablation probe comprises an electrically conductive probe shaft, at least one tissue ablation electrode carried by a distal end of the probe shaft, and an electrically insulative outer sheath disposed on the probe shaft. The sheath is at least partially composed of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and another material comprising condensed-phase particles interspersed throughout the PEEK to increase the echogenicity of the outer sheath. The durability of the PEEK allows the sheath to be formed as thinly as possible, thereby minimizing the diameter of the ablation probe, while the inclusion of condensed-phase particles within the PEEK does not significantly degrade the durability of the sheath.
US08100896B2
The present disclosure is directed to methods for relieving pain associated with an intervertebral disc having a disc nucleus pulposus and an outer annulus fibrosus surrounding the nucleus pulposus. The method includes the steps of providing an elongated thermal or electromagnetic probe member having a flexible guidable region adjacent the distal end thereof; introducing the flexible guidable region of the probe into the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc; and supplying thermal or electromagnetic energy, from an energy source, to heat or induce an electromagnetic field adjacent to the annulus fibrosus sufficient to produce a thermal or electromagnetic effect on the intervertebral disc. The flexible guidable region of the probe may be introduced at a location which is in relative close proximity to the region of intervertebral disc to be thermally or electromagnetically treated.
US08100891B2
A medical appliance with an adjustment apparatus, such that cleaning of the medical appliance, constructed with the adjustment apparatus, can be carried out reliably and simply. The medical appliance includes a first setting device disposed at an outer side on a housing of the appliance, and a second setting device disposed in the interior of the appliance. The second setting device is designed to actuate a setting element for adjustment of a controllable and/or regulatable device. The first setting device and the second setting device each comprise magnet elements, by which the first setting device cooperates with the second setting device in such a way that the one setting device actuates the other setting device for the transmission of adjustments, the cooperation of the setting devices being achieved by way of a magnetic coupling.
US08100889B2
A body-insertable apparatus is introduced in a subject to perform at least one of input and output of a predetermined fluid to and from the subject. The body-insertable apparatus includes a reservoir (2) in which the predetermined fluid is stored; a first communicating channel (4) whose one end is opened to an inside of the reservoir, the first communicating channel (4) being extended in a predetermined direction; a second communicating channel (5) whose one end is opened to an outside space of the body-insertable apparatus, the second communicating channel (5) being extended in a direction substantially parallel to the first communicating channel (4), and the second communicating channel (5) partially running parallel to the first communicating channel (4); and a control mechanism (6) which controls a communication state between the first communicating channel (4) and the second communicating channel (5).
US08100876B1
Undergarments with sanitary absorbent device holders include an undergarment body and a sanitary absorbent device holder carried by the undergarment body. The sanitary absorbent device holder is adapted to hold a sanitary absorbent device such as a tampon or sanitary napkin in a discreet or concealed manner as the undergarment is worn by a user.
US08100868B2
A gland member within a medical valve is configured to have a substantially consistent or enlarging internal volume as the valve transitions from a closed mode to an open mode. To that end, the valve has a housing forming an interior containing a flow path, and a stationary post member within the interior. The post member has a lumen that is a part of the flow path. The lumen has an opening to the interior of the housing. The valve further includes a gland member circumscribing the post member to produce a variable volume region formed at least in part between the gland member itself and the post member. In addition, the variable volume region is a part of the flow path, while the gland member occludes the post lumen opening when in the closed mode. The variable volume region has an open volume (i.e., when the valve is in the open mode) that is no less than its closed volume (i.e., when the valve is in the closed mode).
US08100867B2
A needle (1, 100, 110) for precision filling of dosage containers, such as vials, ampoules etc. is provided. The needle ideally comprises an elongate plastics body (2) having a through channel (5) extending between inlet (3) and outlet (4) openings. A tip portion (7b) at the outlet opening (4) has a chamfer (8) tapering towards the outlet opening (4) and an end surface (9) around the opening so that the tip portion (7b) is frusto-conical. The surface area of the end surface (9) is sufficiently smaller than the area of the cross-section of the needle body (2) so that in use the needle (1) is capable of providing for formation of smaller droplets of liquid at the outlet (4) compared to needles without such body thickness reduction at the time when the liquid flow through the needle is shut off. The end surface (9) may be so narrow as to take the form of a sharp rim.
US08100865B2
The invention comprises a disposable hypodermic syringe with means for passive aspiration. The syringe comprises a barrel (10) of clear synthetic plastics material and a plunger (12) comprising an elastic bung (28) slideable in the barrel (10). Pressure on the plunger elastically deforms the bung (28). If this pressure is released the bung (28) resiles to effect aspiration. This aspiration is passive, requiring no active withdrawal of the plunger by the user. After use the syringe may be disposed of as a whole, with no disassembly, using one hand only. The syringe may be made by adapting cartridges conventionally used for dental local anaesthetic.
US08100859B2
A catheter-insertion assembly includes a catheter with a proximal end and a distal end, a needle with a proximal end and a beveled distal end forming a sharp distal point, and an obturator with a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of the obturator includes at least one bend. The bend allows the distal end of the obturator to protect the catheter from the sharp distal point of the needle during insertion of the needle through the catheter.
US08100853B2
Drug delivery devices adapted to receive liquid medication vials to fill a reservoir, utilize sliding through valves that are closed except when driven by force of liquid medication pushed by a plunger to an open position to feed the medication via needle to a patient or via a connection to an IV port. The devices have multiple seals and automatically close up when pressure on the plunger is released. The methodology is also included.
US08100848B2
A system uses reduced pressure to provide a therapeutic force to a person's breast area. The system includes a dressing assembly shaped and configured to be placed on the breast area, a releaseable circumferential connector for holding the dressing assembly against at least a portion of the breast area, and a sealing subsystem for providing a fluid seal over the dressing assembly against a person's epidermis. The system may further include a reduced-pressure subsystem for providing reduced pressure to the dressing assembly. When reduced pressure is supplied, the system generates a force against at least a portion of the breast area of the person. The dressing assembly may be formed as a brassiere having a first cup and a second cup formed from a bolster material.
US08100839B2
Provided are methods and devices that pertain to the acquisition of data related to breast vascularity associated with breast cancer, use of data, or both, that are associated with the generation of sounds, including Korotkoff sounds, within a breast. The present methods and devices overcome the inherent limitations associated with x-ray absorption (upon which mammography relies) by the breast tissue of younger women, and may also be used to augment traditional single-parameter (visual) analysis of a breast through the use of a new parameter—sound. Also disclosed are databases comprising breast sounds that may be used to provide a more complete assessment of a patient's breast, either alone or in combination with the traditional visual parameter.
US08100832B2
A transmission wave corresponding to an FM continuous wave having been subjected to an FM modulation processing is transmitted from a transmitting transducer. A pre-amplifier generates a reception RF signal and outputs the reception RF signal to a receiving mixer. The receiving mixer applies orthogonal detection to the reception RF signal to generate a complex signal. A reference signal supplied to each mixer in the receiving mixer is generated based on an FM continuous wave output from an FM modulator. The FM continuous wave output from the FM modulator is delayed by a delay circuit, and one signal is directly supplied to a mixer whereas the other signal is supplied to a mixer via a π/2 shift circuit. The delay circuit applies a delay processing in accordance with a depth of a target position within a living organism to the FM continuous wave.
US08100831B2
Ultrasound data of a biological tissue is acquired in a relaxed state and a tensed state. A strain is estimated directly from the relaxed state ultrasound data and the tensed state ultrasound data by way of an imaginary part of a complex correlation function. In estimating the strain, the tensed state ultrasound data is re-stretched, and the imaginary part of the complex correlation function is calculated from this re-stretched ultrasound data and the relaxed state ultrasound data. A slope factor is also calculated, and the strain is estimated from this slope factor and the imaginary part of the complex correlation function.
US08100827B2
An adjustable surgical retractor system for clamping system to an operating table. The clamping mechanism includes an upper jaw, lower jaw, a drive member, an adjustable frame support post and releasable locking mechanism for adjusting the height of the surgical retracting frame. The releasable locking mechanism can be a mechanism that includes a sleeve in close sliding relationship to the upper portion of lower jaw member. The upper portion of the lower jaw has a plurality of sockets for receipt of a plurality of balls. The sleeve can have a first position which positions an internal shoulder in alignment with the sockets and urges the balls into engagement with circumferential grooves in post member to lock the post at desired height. In a second position, an internal groove in the sleeve can align with the sockets to allow the balls to move partially out of the sockets and out of engagement with the groove in the post so that the post can be longitudinally adjusted relative to the clamping mechanism.
US08100826B2
The apparatus and methods herein provide quantitatively controllable light sources and expanded dynamic range endoscopy systems that can improve the quality of images and the ability of users to distinguish desired features when viewing tissues by providing methods and apparatus that improve the dynamic range of images from endoscopes, in particular for example with endoscopes that have dynamic range limited because of small image sensors and small pixel electron well capacity, and other optical system constraints. The apparatus and methods herein, for example, combine light sources with quantitatively variable spectral output and quantitatively variable wavelength dependent intensity distribution with image sensors and controllers to create an expanded dynamic range endoscopy system. By digitally combining illumination data from the digitally controllable light source with the digital image data from the image sensor the system synthesizes expanded dynamic range images whose dynamic range exceeds the dynamic range of the image sensor alone thus providing greatly enhanced information content in the acquired images.
US08100823B2
A reciprocating surgical file system for precisely removing bone and/or other tissue is described. The system allows a user to maneuver the system and navigate into hard-to-access sites under a direct vision mechanism. A transmission mechanism converts rotary motion from a motor into reciprocating motion and provides it to the surgical file for precision removal of bone or other tissue. A pulsatile pump mechanism is operatively coupled with the transmission mechanism and provides irrigating fluid to the surgical site.
US08100821B2
A delivery device for efficiently delivering a cardiac support device of the type having a jacket. The device includes a body, a deployment mechanism and an actuating mechanism. The deployment mechanism is for releasable connection to a cardiac support device and movable within the jacket between retracted and extended states to drive the jacket between collapsed and open configurations. At least portions of the deployment mechanism within the jacket have a lubricious surface to substantially reduce friction between the jacket and a heart onto which the jacket is being positioned. The actuating mechanism moves the deployment mechanism between the retracted and extended states.
US08100820B2
A device and method for reducing ventricular dilation by placing one or more cardiac bridges into vessels extending along a length of the ventricle. Each cardiac bridge preferably includes a pair of anchors and a bridge member secured therebetween. The tension in the bridge member is increased to compress the ventricle and thereby reduce the dilation. In another embodiment, the bridge member is tensioned to reshape the left ventricle for reducing tension on the chordae tendinae in the heart to improve valve function.
US08100815B2
An exercise device comprising a frame; and a plurality of platforms for accommodating an exerciser's feet, each platform of the plurality of platforms including at least one moving member for facilitating both a divergent movement and a convergent movement. The device includes a tensioning structure for providing adjustable resistance.
US08100814B2
Clambering device having a number of blocks defined by at least four geometrical surfaces, of which surfaces at least three have normals of which one is at an angle to the surface in which the other two are situated, wherein means for mutual coupling of the blocks are provided at those surfaces. The geometrical surfaces may be substantially flat, identical to each other in shape, or particularly congruent to each other.
US08100813B2
A fence surrounds a trampoline and extends above the rebounding surface, reducing the risk of injury. Shock absorption is aided by a support system of independent poles, linked at their tops by a flexible strap or line which is attached directly to a protective cap at the top of each pole. Also disclosed are a method and apparatus for attaching a pad to a trampoline frame either with or without an enclosure.
US08100802B2
A method for controlling a torque converter having an internal lockup clutch includes detecting vehicle operating conditions and executing one of a stored plurality of torque converter clutch modes each corresponding to a different set of vehicle operating conditions. A fully-released mode corresponds to vehicle pre-launch, a partially-engaged mode corresponds to post-launch of the vehicle in first gear, downshift, coasting, throttle tip-in, or throttle tip-out; a first fully-engaged mode corresponds to steady-state operation in second gear or a higher; and a second fully-engaged mode corresponds to an upshift. Slippage across the converter is controlled only during the first fully-engaged mode. A vehicle is also provided having an engine, transmission, torque converter with lockup clutch, and controller having a control algorithm. The algorithm executes a different lockup clutch mode based on the detected vehicle operating conditions, and the slippage across the converter is controlled during only one lockup clutch mode.
US08100801B2
The hybrid transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The hybrid transmission includes a motor/generator, three planetary gear sets, five torque-transmitting devices, one fixed interconnection, three external gear sets and a final drive gear set. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with one of the external gear sets. The five torque-transmitting devices provide interconnections between various planetary and external gear members, the input shaft, and the transmission housing, and are operated in combinations of three to establish eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio.
US08100797B2
A method for forming a convex tilting zone (23) at a main body-surface (11) of a transverse element for application in a push belt for a continuously variable transmission comprises the step of applying a die (30) that is placed against the main body surface (11) under pressure. However, the die (30) is pressed against the main body surface (11) just outside of an area where the tilting zone (23) needs to be formed. By applying the die (30), a recessed area (27) is arranged in the main body surface (11), wherein retraction of the material of the transverse element takes place along an upper edge (28) of this area (27). A retraction area that is obtained in this manner is suitable to function as tilting zone (23). An important advantage of the application of the described method is that the pressure that is exerted on the die (30) may be considerably lower than the pressure that is required during conventional processes for forming a tilting zone (23).
US08100787B2
A non-wood baseball or softball bat wherein the barrel portion of the bat is filled with an inner foam layer which has a relatively low compressibility surrounded by an outer foam layer having high compressibility. This configuration would not hinder the hitting performance of less skilled players in an effort to control the maximum rebound speed generated by the best players.
US08100786B2
A system of 8 loops (300) of elastic material and a method for keeping score or determining the winner of a tie-break during a tennis game using the 8 loops is disclosed. Of the 8 loops, 4 are to be affixed to a left shaft and 4 are to be affixed to a right shaft of an assembly with at least two shafts. The loops (300) of elastic material are affixed under light tension so that they can be moved easily by the player or spectator and then stay in place once positioned. The loops (300) are marked contrastingly so that they can be easily distinguished for keeping score as necessary. Each point is marked by positioning one of the eight loops in an upwards or downwards direction, an improvement over prior-art which called for a single marker being placed over a specific figure. Several embodiments of the present invention are described.
US08100784B2
An extension net for providing a backstop for a standard or specially modified lacrosse goal. The extension net includes one or more frame portions that are secured to the lacrosse goal and are rotatable so as to vary an angle between an end portion of the extension net and the lacrosse goal. The extension net can be sized so as to mark an outer boundary of a regulation lacrosse crease.
US08100780B1
An adjustable golf shaft having an upper shaft member, a lower shaft member, and a locking mechanism to hold the upper shaft member in place relative to the lower shaft member. The upper shaft member has an elongated bore therein and the lower shaft member has a cylinder and a rod having one end fixed to a proximal end of the cylinder. A fixed bushing is positioned within the elongated bore of the upper shaft member and has an elongated bore extending therethrough and a groove. The locking mechanism includes a pin that has a tapered tip configured to engage into the groove.
US08100758B2
A system to determine a product to be offered to a casino player based on player data and on an approximate maximum price for which the product may be sold through a retail channel. Advantageously, a potential increase in a casino's profit due to a product offer can be determined using the player data, and an approximate maximum profit attainable through sale of the product through a retail channel can be determined based on the determined price. As a result, a product to offer can be determined in a manner which maximizes casino profit.
US08100756B2
A system that facilitates enhancing a game, game play or playability of a game may include an experience component, a game component and an alteration component. The experience component can collect a portion of data related to a game in which the portion of data indicates at least one of a tip or a tactic for the game. The game component can dynamically incorporate the portion of data into the game during game play to enhance playability of such game for a user with assistance provided by at least one of the tip or the tactic. The alteration component may alter the game during game play.
US08100749B2
A system and method is provided by which players participating in a primary lottery drawing may elect to participate in a second, or derivative lottery drawing (a “meta-game”). In one embodiment, a meta-game is conducted by first registering a plurality of lottery entries to define a group. The group wins an award in the meta-game if the plurality of lottery entries of the group fail to win an award above a predetermined threshold in the primary lottery drawing.
US08100748B2
An interactive poker game which provides a predetermined outcome to a player. The gaming device initially displays a plurality of individual sets or hands of face down playing cards. The gaming device determines, based on the obtained predetermined game outcome, one or more playing cards to display to the player for one or more of the individual hands of playing cards. The gaming device then enables the player to select one of the individual poker hands to play as the player's active poker hand. The gaming device determines which playing cards must be provided to the actively played poker hand to provide the player the selected predetermined game outcome. The active poker hand is provided any determined cards which when combined with any previously revealed playing cards in the player selected poker hands results in a poker hand with an associated payout equal to the payout associated with the predetermined game outcome. The gaming device determines, preferably randomly, and displays one or more playing cards for each of the non-selected hands of playing cards and provides the predetermined game outcome to the player.
US08100745B2
A power tool includes a tool body, and the tool body is subject to vibration during operation of the power tool. The power tool also includes a handle adapted to be grasped by an operator of the power tool for controlling the motion of the power tool, and at least one coupling member, where each coupling member includes a first end coupled to the tool body and a second end coupled to the handle and a longitudinal axis between the first end and the second end.
US08100744B2
A corner sander base including a sanding surface, the corner sander base for sanding proximate interior wallboard corners, the corner sander base including a first member and a second member connected together at a longitudinally oriented juncture where they form a tip, one side of the members defining a sanding surface. Each member further includes a planar forward section which in the radial direction originates at the juncture and terminates at a longitudinally oriented transition wherein a forward angle is the angle subtended between the planar forward sections in the radial plane. Each member further includes a planar rear section originating at the transition and connected to the forward section at the transition wherein a rear angle is the angle subtended between the planar rear sections in the radial plane and wherein the forward and rear angles selected to more aggressively sand the areas at the rear sections and less aggressively sand the area at the tip and forward section.
US08100739B2
A substrate holding apparatus prevents a substrate from slipping out and allows the substrate to be polished stably. The substrate holding apparatus has a top ring body for holding and pressing a substrate against a polishing surface, and a retainer ring for pressing the polishing surface, the retainer ring being disposed on an outer circumferential portion of the top ring body. The retainer ring includes a first member made of a magnetic material and a second member having a magnet disposed on a surface thereof which is held in abutment against the first member.
US08100738B2
A grinding machine for grinding work pieces between centers, as well as for centerless grinding, features a drive for a grinding wheel and a drive for a regulating wheel. The work piece can be supported between the grinding wheel and the regulating wheel either between centers on a work piece axis or on a rest for centerless grinding. The driving axis of the regulating wheel and the work piece axis are parallel, and the wheels can be adjusted relative to the work piece independently of one another. The drive of the regulating wheel serves for driving the work piece while grinding between centers or for driving the work piece during centerless grinding. In addition, a means for measuring the contact pressure of the regulating wheel on the work piece is provided for grinding between centers. This means may consist, for example, of a pressure sensor.
US08100717B2
A connector is provided comprising a tubular connector body with a mating end, an end face at the mating end, an outer diameter, and a center axis. A circular groove in the end face defines a ring with a sealing surface, and a coupling member mates with the sealing surface. The coupling member has a mating end configured to connect with a separate device.
US08100701B2
A device which on the one side (socket side) includes a plug portion which may be inserted into the standardized plug socket. A plurality of chambers (15) is present on the other side (plug side), into which in each case a plug may be inserted. Moreover, the device has a plurality of adapter contacts which by way of introducing the plug portion into the socket, may be brought into electrical contact with the socket contacts. In each of the chambers, at least two of the adapter contacts are electrically conductively contactable by way of plug contacts of the introduced plugs. The chambers are at least partly present within the socket opening, i.e. the inserted plugs project into the socket opening, so that at least one piece of the plug lies within the socket opening.
US08100685B1
An imprint embossing alignment system. In one embodiment, the system includes a die having a bottom surface, an embossing foil positioned above the bottom surface, and a mandrel, to receive the substrate, having a rod portion that extends through a central portion of the die. The system also includes a ball bushing positioned around the rod portion and a ring portion positioned between the ball bushing and the embossing foil to hold a precise alignment of a centerline of the rod portion and a centerline of the embossing foil.
US08100677B2
A vacuum container for a tyre curing mold having two sidewalls and a number of lateral sectors; the container having an inclined-surface actuating device, which moves the lateral sectors radially, is activated by a press having a movable plate with a central airtight chamber, and has, for each lateral sector, a wedge integral with the lateral sector, and a conical bell fitted in sliding manner to the wedges; and the container having: an air shut-off plate integral with the movable plate of the press to transmit motion to the conical bell; an adjusting ring integral with the air shut-off plate and the conical bell; a static first annular seal interposed between the conical bell and the adjusting ring; and a static second annular seal interposed between the air shut-off plate and the movable plate of the press.
US08100676B2
The invention relates to a rotor for a positive displacement rotary pump. The rotor comprises a hub with an aperture and a center axis through aperture and at least 2 lobes radially extending from hub and in a direction essentially perpendicular to the axis of hub. The rotor comprises a core of a first polymer material and a cover of a second polymer material, which second polymer material has a hardness which is lower than the first polymer material. The first and the second polymer materials are connected to each other. The hub or the major part of the hub is preferably provided by the core, whereas at least a part of the lobes is provided by the cover. The invention also relates to a method of providing the rotor and a pump comprising the rotor.
US08100670B2
The subject of the present invention is a device (50) for propelling a liquid (L) comprising a reservoir (51) equipped with a mobile separation member (57) and a pyrotechnic gas generator (1), which is arranged inside said reservoir (51), equipped with nozzles (4a, 4b, 4a′, 4b′). Characteristically, said nozzles (4a, 4b, 4a′, 4b′) of said gas generator (1) are arranged radially on the wall(s) of said body (2) and said gas generator (1), arranged in such a way that its axis corresponds to the line of travel of said mobile separation member (57), is equipped with a deflector (8) to deflect said generated combustion gases (G) along said line of travel of said mobile separation member (57).
US08100667B2
A turbomachinery disc, (e.g. a fan) has a primary axis of rotation and an axial flow direction X parallel to the primary axis of rotation. The disc has an annular diaphragm extending from proximate a blade land to a free inner radius. The diaphragm is asymmetrical about a plane (P) perpendicular to the primary axis of rotation.
US08100660B2
A wind turbine rotor blade root load sensor includes an insert secured within a root portion of a wind turbine rotor blade and including an internal bore. The sensor also includes a carrier member fixedly connected to the internal bore of the insert so that loads can be transmitted therebetween. The sensor further includes a sensing element supported by the carrier member within the internal bore of the insert. The sensing element is positioned to detect loads applied to the wind turbine rotor blade and transferred through the insert and the carrier member.
US08100649B2
In a ceiling fan having a blade surface light, an annular blade surface light including a plurality of LEDs that are light emitters that are continuously placed is secured on a circumference that connects sides near tips of a plurality of rotary blades of the ceiling fan, and the light emitters are lit by a lighting controller only when they are in a predetermined range on a rotation reference circumference. LED devices housing the LEDs that are the light emitters and that are provided with cooling fins are housed in an annular LED case, and the LED case is secured to the rotary blades. Thus, the LEDs radiate heat from the cooling fins provided in the LED devices by rotation of the rotary blades, and they are intermittently lit and extinguished to prevent a temperature increase. The LEDs only in the predetermined range are lit, thereby preventing any uncomfortable feeling when LEDs are caused to flash.
US08100644B2
A turbine stage in a turbomachine is disclosed. The stage includes a wheel mounted in a ring carried by a turbine casing, and a nozzle situated upstream from the wheel and including an annular fastener rim for fastening to the turbine casing, sealing being provided between the outer rim of the nozzle and the upstream end of the ring by a radial annular sheet bearing axially at its inner and outer peripheries against a downstream face of the outer rim of the nozzle, with its middle annular portion being axially spaced apart from the outer rim of the nozzle and bearing axially against the upstream end of the ring.
US08100639B2
An improved actuating rod end connector is connected with an actuating rod that extends from a turbocharger assembly actuator mechanism. The rod end connector has a body with an opening at one longitudinal end, and the actuator rod is disposed through the opening. An adjustment member is rotatably disposed within the body and has a threaded inside cavity in communication with the opening. The inside cavity is threadably engaged with a threaded outside surface of the actuator rod. The body includes an actuator rod opening disposed therethrough adjacent the adjustment member to receive a section of the actuator rod therein to facilitate contacting the actuator rod disposed within the body from outside of the rod end connector. An attachment opening is disposed through the body to facilitate attachment of the rod end connector with a linkage member, e.g., a linkage member connected with a movable member of the turbocharger.
US08100636B2
A seal gas recovery method including introducing a first seal gas stream to a first mechanically coupled booster/expander assembly, where the first booster/expander assembly includes a first booster, a first expander, a first shaft that mechanically couples the first booster and the first expander, and a first seal on the first shaft. The method further includes removing at least a portion of a first recoverable gas stream from the first seal, where the first recoverable gas stream includes at least a portion of a first process leak gas stream and at least a portion of a first seal gas vent stream. The method further includes introducing a second seal gas stream to a second expander assembly, where the expander assembly includes a second expander, a second shaft, and a second seal on the second shaft. The method further includes removing at least a portion of a second recoverable gas stream from the second seal, where the second recoverable gas stream includes at least a portion of a second process leak gas stream. The method further includes combining at least a portion of the first recoverable gas stream and at least a portion of the second recoverable gas stream to form a third recoverable gas stream. The method further includes introducing at least a portion of the third recoverable gas stream into the second expander.
US08100634B2
A fan outlet guide vane for a gas turbine engine comprises a generally radially-extending internal structural member and at least one surface member securable in use to the internal structural member so as to define an aerofoil. The gas turbine engine includes an annular first structure and an annular second structure, the second structure being radially outward of the first structure so as to define a duct between them, and in use the internal structural member of the vane is secured between the first structure and the second structure. In a preferred embodiment, the surface member or surface members are secured only to the internal structural member, and not to the first or second structures.
US08100629B2
A casing supporting a series of stationary vanes between which there are disposed series of moving blades movable in rotation about a longitudinal axis in which the radially outer ends of the moving blades being close to the inside face of the casing is disclosed. The casing includes, at least over an annulus situated facing one of the series of moving blades, at least one casing treatment zone facing towards the blades and including a surface relief disturbance in the form of a groove of closed outline. The invention is applicable to controlling rotating separation in a turbomachine compressor.
US08100627B2
An impeller fixing mechanism is provided in a centrifugal pump for immobilizing the impeller, relative to the pump shaft and drive shaft of the pump, while effecting repairs to the pump, thereby eliminating much of the labor-intensive need for realigning the pump shaft and drive shaft and assuring accurate positioning of the impeller relative to the pump shaft. A method for effecting repairs of centrifugal pumps employs use of the impeller fixing mechanism of the invention to immobilize the impeller relative to the pump shaft, thereby facilitating the repair.
US08100624B2
The present invention relates to a sack truck (1) comprising a main frame (2), a number of handles (3), a number of wheels (4) and a first foot plate (5), where the handles (3) are connected at an upper end of the main frame (2), and the wheels (4) and the first foot plate (5) are connected at a lower end of the main frame (2), wherein the main frame (2) comprises a first and a second frame part (9, 10), which are arranged to engage at a displacement arrangement allowing a displacement of the first frame part (9) in relation to the second frame part (10).
US08100616B2
A clinch nut is used to attach a first panel and a second panel with a space therebetween for accepting a liquid primer. The body has a nut face for abutting a first panel and a threaded aperture through the nut body for receiving a threaded bolt. The nut face has grooves into which the first panel is deformed to clinch the nut body to the first panel. An abutment rises from the nut face a distance greater than the thickness of the first panel so that upon the bolting of the second panel to the first panel by the insertion of the threaded bolt into the threaded aperture of the nut body, the second panel will be spaced from the first panel by the abutment thereby assuring that the liquid primer can flow between the first and second panels.
US08100614B2
A transport vehicle includes a chassis (4) with wheels (5), a load compartment (3) on the chassis with a load floor (7), longitudinal side walls (6) extending upwardly with respect to the load floor, a bulkhead (9) at the front, at least one load door (10) at the back, and a roof (8). A mezzanine floor (12) is provided in the load compartment above the load floor, lifting elements (18-25) which cooperate with the mezzanine floor for adjusting the height thereof with respect to the load floor, and a closed flexible bag (13) for containing a fluid, the bag having a lower surface (14) and an upper surface (15), the lower surface being supported in the load compartment and the upper surface being freely supported above the lower surface in dependence on the contents of the bag. The flexible bag (13) is positioned on top of the mezzanine floor (12).
US08100613B2
Complex workpieces, particularly aeronautical parts made of solid stock presenting a bottom wall and at least one stiffening rib transverse to the bottom wall, are machined using a device having a tool head furnished with a transmission component rotatable about a relative longitudinal axis, and a tool, typically a milling cutter, connected to the transmission component and capable of piercing the transverse rib. The longitudinal axis of the tool is disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the transmission component so that the stiffening rib can be pierced at a point close to the bottom wall of the workpiece. The device also incorporates a feeler mechanism associated with the tool head and designed to engage the bottom wall during the movement of the tool toward the machining location, in such a way that the position of the tool head can be actively controlled and the tool deployed at a selected distance from the bottom wall.
US08100608B2
A retaining wall, in particular a retaining wall (24) inclined against a soil backfill, composed of individual shaped blocks (20, 21, 22, 23), the shaped blocks (20, 21, 22, 23) being arranged one above the other in layers (30) and the shaped blocks (20, 21, 22, 23) of adjacent layers (30) each engaging in a form-fitting manner with one another in the region of upper sides (25) and lower sides (26) of the shaped blocks (20, 21, 22, 23). Provision is made according to the invention for upper sides (25) and lower sides (26) of the shaped blocks (20, 21, 22, 23) to be designed and/or oriented in such a way that when lateral pressure is exerted transversely to an imaginary longitudinal axis of the retaining wall (24), individual layers (30) can be displaced in the corresponding direction. In order to produce the form-fitting engagement transversely to the longitudinal axis of the retaining wall, provision is preferably made for the shaped blocks (20, 21, 22, 23) to be provided in the region of the upper side (25) and the lower side (26) with respective form-fitting means, in particular projections and/or offsets and/or oblique faces (31).
US08100606B2
A stabilization system for stabilizing a submarine pipeline supported on a seabed below water level. The seabed is inclined in that it incorporates a sloping section extending between an upper section and a lower section. The stabilization system includes an upper anchoring mechanism for anchoring the pipeline to the upper seabed section adjacent the top end of the sloping section and the other being a lower anchoring mechanism for anchoring the pipeline to the lower seabed section adjacent the bottom end of the sloping seabed section. A buoyancy mechanism is provided along the extent of the pipeline section between the two anchoring mechanisms. The buoyancy provided by the buoyancy mechanism maintains the pipe section above and out of contact with the sloping seabed section.
US08100603B2
A roller drum assembly includes a roller drum for rotationally engaging a surface, a frame connected to the roller drum for manually controlling movement of the assembly, a tank mounted on the frame for retaining a liquid, and conduits mounted on the frame for directing the liquid from the tank to the roller drum, and further includes a wand mounted on the frame and in communication with the tank, for ejecting the liquid onto selected surfaces spaced from the roller drum assembly.
US08100598B2
A magnetically actuated writing instrument includes a holder portion including a first magnetically attractive member. The instrument also includes a writing instrument portion having an interior and a second magnetically attractive member. The writing instrument portion includes a barrel having a distal end portion. The barrel member is movable between a retracted position wherein the distal end is disposed within the interior of the writing instrument portion, and an extended position wherein the distal portion is disposed exteriorly of the writing instrument portion. A retractor for moving the barrel between the retracted and extended positions includes the first and second magnetically attractive members. The presence of magnetic attraction between the first magnetically attractive member and the second magnetically attractive member causes the barrel to move toward the retracted position, and the absence of magnetic attraction between the first and second magnetically attractive members causes the barrel to move toward the extended position.
US08100597B2
The invention relates to a device for applying a fluid, comprising an application container (12) limiting a receiving space (34), the application container being equipped at a first end (14) with an application unit (16), and being connected via a valve unit (20) at a second end to a reservoir container (22) having a reservoir space (38), the reservoir container being embodied of a sleeve which is guided at a plunger-like cylindrical body (26) of the valve unit (20) via an annular collar (24) that has a lateral channel (30), which is connected to an axial channel (32), which leads to the receiving space (34) of the application container (12). The reservoir container (22) is detachably embodied as opposed to the application container (21) such that in a closed position of the reservoir container (22) a fluid flow between the reservoir space (38) of the receiving space (34) is blocked, and that in an activating position of the reservoir container (22) the reservoir space (38) and the receiving space (34) are connected via the lateral channel (30) and the axial channel (32).
US08100596B2
A thermal sublimation imaging apparatus and a thermal sublimation printer using the same are described. A print head of the thermal sublimation imaging apparatus is fixed, a platen capable of contacting or separating from the fixed print head is lifted up to contact the fixed print head, and an elastic component is used in conjunction to provide a pressure for printing. The platen lays flat in paper feed/reverse mode, and presses downwardly to drive a paper pickup plate to fetch paper. These actions are achieved by a stepper motor together with a sensor through a worm shaft, a worm gear, and at least a gear. Therefore, the number and the cost of the gears are reduced, and the time for switching the printing action is greatly reduced since the switching can be implemented within a very small rotation angle.
US08100593B2
A speed reducing mechanism includes: a driven member; and a decelerating member transmitting a drive force from an actuator to the driven member. The driven member includes an engagement pin. The decelerating member includes: a teeth portion engaging a rotor pinion portion serving as the drive force from the actuator; and a cam slot engaging the engagement pin. The decelerating member is rotatably supported and is formed into a sheet shape thinner than a face width of the rotor pinion portion.
US08100591B2
A method for stabilizing a camera platform includes generating a first signal from a platform sensor, such as a gyro sensor, on the camera platform indicative of a change in angular position of the camera platform. The first signal is added to a control signal provided from a camera platform position controller, typically operated by the camera operator. A first correction value based on the sum of the first signal and the control signal is calculated. A second correction value is calculated based on a signal from an encoder associated with a motor linked to the camera platform. Adding the first correction value and the second correction value provides a motor control signal which is amplified and used to control the motor.
US08100587B2
An outer ring for a rolling element bearing has three mounting pads on its outer surface. The inner surface of the ring is arranged to be non-circular, with its effective radius being at a minimum at the three points midway between adjacent pairs of mounting pads. This provides a preload on the rolling elements of the bearing in use, preventing skidding, but because the ring is not supported between the pads it can still flex under loads. The ring may be oriented in use so that transient loads are directed through one of the mounting pads.
US08100585B2
The invention described herein provides an embedded wireless device such as a RFID tag molded into separate housing formed of any thermoplastic material compatible to that of the plastic material as the device to which the housing is to be attached. Subsequently, the housed tag assembly can be thermally bonded onto the device through many means which are well known and accepted in the industry.
US08100584B2
Methods and systems are generally described for measuring a voltage used by an imaging system to generate radiation used in imaging. In embodiments, different datasets are acquired using different degrees of attenuation of the radiation. The differently attenuated datasets are processed to derive a ratio of the differential attenuation. The attenuation ratio is processed to derive a measure of the voltage used by the imaging system to generate the radiation used to acquire the different datasets.
US08100576B2
An apparatus for preparing samples of granulated material comprises an upper vessel having a floor including a plurality of planks, slots between each plank, and an open ceiling to allow passing of homogenized material, a lower vessel under the upper vessel and having a plurality of division plates that fit in the slots and form a plurality of compartments which hold samples, a feeder which oscillates over the upper surface of the upper vessel to render a homogenised and representative sample. The method comprises positioning the lower vessel under the upper vessel, feeding material to be sampled through the feeder by an oscillating movement, raising the lower vessel such that the division plates partition the heap of material to form a plurality of samples, removing planks from the upper vessel, thus forcing the plurality of samples to fall toward the compartments, and separating both the vessels to remove the samples.
US08100573B2
A light-emitting module includes a power transmitting substrate disposed adjacent to a light guide plate (LGP). The power transmitting substrate includes first and second substrate portions positioned substantially perpendicular to each other. The first substrate portion faces a light incident surface of the LGP. The second substrate portion extends from the first substrate portion and is substantially parallel with a counter surface of the LGP. First and second light sources respectively emit light from a top and a side thereof, and are respectively mounted on the first and second substrate portions. The first and second light sources respectively emit light to the light incident surface. A receiving container supports the light-emitting module and contains the LGP.
US08100572B2
A light guide device is provided in an embodiment of the invention. The light guide device comprises a light guide plate and a light source provided on a side surface of the light guide plate. A light guide strip is provided on a side surface of the light guide plate intersecting with the side surface provided with the light source. A side surface of the light guide strip facing the light guide plate is a light exit surface of the light guide strip, a side surface of the light guide strip opposite to the light exit surface is a reflective surface of the light guide strip, and an end surface of the light guide strip adjacent to the light source is a light entrance surface of the light guide strip.
US08100569B2
A vehicle headlight can include an LED optical unit with a high cooling efficiency. The LED optical unit can include a projector lens, a lens holder including a frame that has a tapered portion, and an LED light source mounted on a base member. The base member can be located in the tapered portion of the frame to define an air flow space between the frame and the base member. The projector lens can be attached to the lens holder so as to face the light source. Cool air can flow from the air flow space towards the light source, and heat generated from the light source can flow toward the upward air flow space. The LED light source can be efficiently radiated even when it is located close to the projector lens. Thus, the vehicle headlight can be used for various vehicles including a small size car.
US08100567B2
Light-emitting devices can include a package that supports one or more light-emitting die (e.g., light-emitting diode die, laser diode die) and which can ensure mechanically stability, can facilitate electrical and/or thermal coupling with light-emitting die, and can manipulate the manner by which light generated by the die is emitted out of the light-emitting device. The package can also facilitate the integration of the light-emitting devices in various components and systems. For example, suitable packages may facilitate the use of light-emitting devices in components and systems such as light-emitting panel assemblies, LCD back lighting, general lighting, decorative or display lighting, automotive lighting, and other types of lighting components and systems.
US08100558B2
A lighting device includes: at least one lighting module including a lead frame and a plurality of light emitting diodes packaged on the lead frame; an upper plate disposed on the lead frame, and having at least one perforated region formed with a plurality of through-holes for extension of the light emitting diodes therethrough, and at least two conductor regions respectively provided on two sides of the perforated region, the conductor regions being connected electrically to the lead frame; a heat sink disposed below the lead frame; and a plurality of fasteners fastening the lighting module to the upper plate and the heat sink such that the heat sink is in tight contact with bottom ends of the light emitting diodes.
US08100557B2
An LED lighting module includes a base, a plurality of first LEDs disposed on a top side of the base, and a plurality of reflectors disposed on the top side of the base. The reflectors correspond to the first LEDs, respectively, whereby light generated by the first LEDs can illuminate an area to which a bottom side of the base faces. A plurality of second LEDs are disposed on the top side of the base and located within the reflectors.
US08100551B2
A replacement light fixture for directing light emitted from a light source toward an area to be illuminated, including a base member upon with the light source is positioned and a reflector assembly detachably secured to a first and second mounting brackets that are mounted to a portion of the preexisting light fixture housing such that a lens portion of the reflector assembly overlies the light source and such that substantially all of the light emitted from the light source passes through the lens portion.
US08100548B2
A direct backlight module supporting apparatus and a direct backlight module are provided. The direct backlight module comprises a backboard, an optical film, at least one light source and at least one direct backlight module supporting apparatus. At least one light source is fixed on the backboard; and at least one direct backlight module supporting apparatus is placed between the backboard and the optical film, wherein the direct backlight module comprises a base and a main body. The base is fixed on the backboard. The main body is a pillar formed on the base. The main body has an opening stretching down from the top of the main body to make a backlight projected to the top of the direct backlight module supporting apparatus. The top of the direct backlight module supporting apparatus supports the optical film.
US08100547B2
A service apparatus for a transportation means comprises a first component in the form of an air shower with an air inlet and at least one air outlet, and a second component in the form of an illumination device. The first component and the second component are arranged essentially centrically in relation to each other, wherein one of the two components encloses the other component essentially in a ring-shaped manner. In this way an integral reading light with a forced-air nozzle, or an integral forced-air nozzle with a reading light, is implemented that uses little design space.
US08100542B2
An electro-optic device includes an electro-optic panel and a light-shielding section. The light-shielding section formed on a side of a light exiting surface of the electro-optic panel and includes an inclined surface inclined toward a side opposite to the light exiting surface.
US08100532B2
The eye movement, body movement, and/or physiological performance of a subject may tracked while the subject performs a task, such as participating in an activity or sport. The collected data may then be used to identify correlations between the subject's eyesight and the subject's body movement exists and/or physiology. Such a correlation may be analyzed (e.g., over time) to determine any delays or gaps in the subject's ability to track an object, such as a ball, while participating in a sport or other activity. Further, a subject's performance may be compared to data collected from other individuals. The eye movement, body movement, and/or physiological performance data may be used to test and/or train the visual and cognitive abilities of an individual.
US08100531B2
An opthalmoscope for examining a patient's eye includes an illumination device for generating an illumination beam Illumination imaging optics image the illumination beam onto the eye and a scanning device scans the illumination beam over the eye. The opthalmoscope also includes an observation device and observation imaging optics for imaging an observation beam generated by reflection of the illumination beam from the eye onto the observation device. An electronic shutter excludes stray light from the observation beam. The observation device comprises an electronic sensor with an array of photosensitive pixels that can respectively be activated and/or read out in rows, and the scanning device includes an electronic drive circuit for reading out at least one pixel row of the sensor.
US08100519B2
A liquid discharging head includes a head chip including a plurality of energy generating elements configured to discharge liquid, and liquid chambers provided around the energy generating elements, and a common passage member configured to define a common passage communicating with all the liquid chambers. Liquid is discharged from the liquid chambers by driving the energy generating elements so as to apply a discharging force to the liquid. N-number of common passage members (N≧2) are provided, and each includes an inlet for supplying the liquid to the common passage and an outlet for ejecting the liquid from the common passage. The inlet of the first common passage member is connected to a liquid supply member. The inlet of the N-th common passage member is connected to the liquid supply member via an opening-closing valve and to the outlet of the (N−1)-th common passage member.
US08100515B2
A multilayer piezoelectric actuator and a liquid discharge head are provided which are equipped with dense piezoelectric ceramics having improved insulation performance. The multilayer piezoelectric actuator comprises a multilayered body comprising a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic layers containing a PZT phase as a main crystal phase; and an electrode layer containing Ag, which is disposed at least one of on the surface and in the interior of the multilayered body. A lattice constant c of c-axis of the PZT phase is 0.4085 nm to 0.4100 nm, and a ratio of the lattice constant c of the c-axis of the PZT phase and a lattice constant a of a-axis, namely, the ratio c/a, is 1.011 or more. A second phase containing Ag different from the PZT phase is not substantially contained in the piezoelectric ceramic layer. A Zn2SiO4 phase is contained at grain boundaries of the PZT phase, and a Pb2SiO4 phase is not substantially contained at the grain boundaries of the PZT phase.
US08100511B2
A heater of a thermal inkjet printhead. The heater is formed of tantalum aluminum oxynitride (Ta—Al—ON), wherein the tantalum aluminum oxynitride is formed of about 30 to about 60 atomic % tantalum, about 10 to about 30 atomic % aluminum, about 5 to about 30 atomic % oxygen, and about 5 to about 30 atomic % nitrogen.
US08100506B2
A printhead assembly comprising a substrate defining a plurality of ink inlets; a plurality of nozzle assemblies positioned on the substrate, each nozzle assembly defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink inlet and a nozzle opening from which ink is ejected; and a plurality of endless containment walls extending from the substrate. Each endless containment wall surrounds a group of nozzle assemblies and defines a containment chamber to contain leakage ink from the group of nozzle assemblies therewithin.
US08100504B2
The present invention aims to obtain a highly reliable inkjet recording apparatus using a nozzle plate which is excellent not only in ink repellency at the initial stage of the lifetime thereof but also excellent in mechanical durability against wiping, and the like. For this end, the present invention provides an inkjet recording apparatus which is equipped with at least an ink flying unit configured to fly an inkjet recording ink by applying an impulse to the inkjet recording ink to form an image, wherein the nozzle plate surface of an inkjet head in the ink flying unit has an ink repellent layer containing a silicone resin; and the inkjet recording ink contains at least a pigment, water, a fluorochemical surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant.
US08100499B2
A method of detecting print head roll begins with the formation of a test pattern on an image receiving surface. The test pattern includes a plurality of marks arrayed across the image receiving surface in a cross-process direction with each mark in the plurality being formed by a different nozzle of a print head. The cross-process direction positions of each mark in the plurality of marks are then detected; and the detected cross-process direction positions are correlated to a print head roll value for the print head.
US08100494B2
A method of printing comprising: determining the position of ink marks on a medium resulting from the breakaway of secondary ink drops from primary ink drops; and positioning the primary ink drops on the medium using said determination.
US08100486B2
A drawer seal includes a magnetic coupler, a bellows filled or substantially filled with a vibration dampening material and which is affixed to either a drawer or cabinet by a base member. The base member can be embodied as a dart that extends into a hole formed into the drawer or cabinet. A refrigerated food storage cabinet includes a self-closing drawer provided with the drawer seal whereby the drawer is less likely to rebound open.
US08100480B2
A scraper device for a milling drum mounted in a construction machine at a machine frame between lateral walls with a milling drum axis, with a two-part scraper blade arranged in a height-adjustable fashion behind the milling drum when seen in the direction of travel, the lower part of which can glide over the ground surface milled off by the milling drum, where the lower part of the scraper blade is adjustable in height when in operating position, it is provided that the upper part of the scraper blade is attached, at the upper end, to swivel about a swivelling axis parallel to the axis of the milling drum, that the scraper blade, when in operating position, is engaged with lateral retaining devices at the lateral walls, which retain the scraper blade in a position running essentially orthogonally to the ground surface, that a swivelling device is capable of swivelling the scraper blade about the swivelling axis when the scraper blade is disengaged from the lateral retaining devices, and that the swivelling device is provided, at the upper end of the upper part of the scraper blade, with an operating device articulated between a permanently installed part of the construction machine and the upper part of the scraper blade.
US08100463B2
An integrated bracket for attaching multiple components to a vehicle instrument panel reinforcement includes a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion. The first attachment portion is configured to receive a first component and the second attachment portion is configured to receive a second component. The integrated bracket also includes at least one flange for attaching the integrated bracket to an instrument panel reinforcement.
US08100460B2
An air dam is attached to the underside of a vehicle and extends downwardly into proximity with the road surface and potential interference with curbs or like obstructions extending above the road surface. A panel assembly includes a top wall attached to the underside of the motor vehicle, forward and rearward walls depending from the top wall, and a bottom wall. These walls cooperate to define an interior space, and the forward and rearward walls have serially arranged pleats connected by living hinges by which the panel assembly can adjusted in height by flexing the living hinges to provide an extended position of the panel assembly in which the bottom wall is positioned further below the underside of the motor vehicle and a withdrawn position in which the bottom wall is withdrawn upwardly closer to the underside of the motor vehicle to avoid potential interference with curb or like obstructions.
US08100458B2
A vehicle glazing having a centring pin bonded thereto, and a centring pin suitable for a vehicle glazing are disclosed. The centring pin comprises a base portion bonded to the vehicle glazing and a centring portion adapted to be inserted into a hole in the bodywork of a vehicle. The centring portion is joined to the base portion, and moveable between a lowered position, in which the glazing may be stored, and a raised position, in which the glazing may be fitted into an aperture in a vehicle.
US08100457B2
A seat system for the interior of a motor vehicle, such as a driver's cab of a truck, has a vehicle seat that is movable from a home position, set on a seat support on the vehicle, into at least one further position. The vehicle seat is separable from the seat support and has a roller element device by which the vehicle seat can be moved into a position separated from the seat support. The seat support can include at least one coupling element for a connection line, with the coupling element being connectable to a coupling element on the vehicle seat.
US08100455B2
An overhead console may include a conversation mirror having a fitting protrusion formed on one end thereof, a housing having adjoining main and auxiliary spaces defined therein, wherein the auxiliary space releasably stores the conversation mirror, a cover pivotally coupled to the housing to open or close the main space, wherein the cover has a bucket to be selectively engaged to the main space, a latch part provided in an upper portion of the auxiliary space, wherein the fitting protrusion of the conversation mirror is fastened into or unfastened from the latch part so that the conversation mirror is stored inside or released from the auxiliary space, and an elastic member fixing the auxiliary space and the conversation mirror, wherein the elastic member applies an elastic force in a direction to release the conversation mirror from the auxiliary space.
US08100454B2
A vehicle interior assembly is provided with a console having a side-wall coupled to the console and at least one storage bin that slidingly engages the side-wall. A user slides the storage bin forwards or rearwards to cover and/or uncover the storage bin. The at least one storage bin is accessible to a user in the front or rear of a vehicle at least in front or behind the lid, respectively. The at least one storage bin slides along one or more tongues of the side-wall to expose, in part or in whole, the storage bin, thereby utilizing compact console design while providing space creation and ergonomics for a vehicle driver and/or passengers. An upper portion of the side-wall slidingly engages a lower portion of the side-wall to allow a user to adjust an armrest of the upper portion and/or to cover and uncover the at least one storage bin.
US08100453B2
A linkage member 3 is pivotally supported, through a first shaft 30, by an article 1 having an opening, is supported, through a second shaft 31, by a lid member 2, and includes a latch 32 engageable with a latch receiver 12 disposed in the article 1. The lid member 2 has an engageable end 201 disposed therein so as to be receivable into an engagement hole 34 formed in the linkage member 3 and further has a switching member 20 disposed therein so as to be movable to selectively set the engageable end 201 in an advanced position to place the engageable end in a most deepest position in the linkage member 3 through the engagement hole 34, in a retracted position to take the engageable end out of the engagement hole 34, and in an intermediate position between both of the advanced position and the retract position. When the engageable end 201 of the switching member 20 is set in the advanced position, the engageable end brings the latch 32 out of engagement with the latch receiver 12.
US08100452B1
A scoop for filling bags has a channel shaped member open at its forward and rear ends with an open top extending through forward and rear portions between the forward and rear ends. The forward portion has a flat bottom with two sides tapering inward from the front to the rear portion. The rear portion transitions from the flat bottom and the two sides of the forward portion to an open-top arcuate cross-section at the rear end suitable for being inserted into an open end of a bag. Forward and rear handles extend across the open top at the respective forward and rear portions with ends fastened to the two sides.
US08100449B2
A chain grab hook for use with one hand, having a spring-loaded rotatable lock ball protruding from the shank of the hook, the lock ball movable along an axis aligned with the apex of a nodule on the tip portion of the hook, the nodule defining entrance and exit ramped slopes presenting a chain disengagement force exceeding a chain engagement force.
US08100440B2
A battery cover latch mechanism is provided including a cover member having a pivoting assembly formed thereon, and a housing member. The housing member defines a mounting section. The pivoting assembly is configured to be either pivotably mounted within the mounting section when the cover member is rotated relative to the housing member at an angle less than 90 degrees, or detached from the mounting section when the cover member is rotated relative to the housing member at an angle equal to 90 degrees.
US08100435B1
A revised adhesive fastener pack, and its arrangement in a book-like ringless paper binder, enables inserted pages to be turned, and the immediate filing of a paper by eliminating a separate fastening and unfastening step.
US08100434B2
A frame structure for a vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, a pair of occupant seats, and a center pipe. The vehicle body frame has a front-rear direction. The pair of occupant seats includes a driver's seat and a passenger seat and are arranged side by side in a vehicle width direction substantially orthogonal to the front-rear direction. The center pipe extends in the front-rear direction and is arranged substantially on a center line of a vehicle body so as to pass through positions between the driver's seat and the passenger seat in the vehicle body frame.
US08100432B2
A safety airbag arrangement for a vehicle comprises a main airbag having an inlet for connection with an inflator and a gas deflector bag secured within the main airbag, having an inlet in register with the inlet of the main airbag, for connection with the inflator, the gas deflector bag having ventilator holes and the arrangement being such that gas supplied to the airbag arrangement via the inlets by the inflator must first pass into the gas deflector bag, to pass subsequently from the gas deflector bag through the ventilation holes. The wall of the gas deflector bag is secured to the main wall of the main airbag by a plurality of arcuate seams spaced progressively from inlets, to maintain the gas deflector bag in a predetermined position relative to the main airbag when the airbag arrangement is activated.
US08100430B2
A multi-mode hand truck is convertible to assume a hand-truck mode, a reclined load-assist mode, and a push-cart mode.
US08100418B2
A folding seat comprising a base and a back hinged thereto, in which the base comprises an open topped container defining an inner storage space, in which in a first arrangement the back is folded onto the base, and a closed container is formed, and in which in a second arrangement the back is unfolded from the base and a seating or lying platform is formed.
US08100411B2
Cylinder head gasket whose gasket plate comprises a single sheet metal layer, combustion chamber openings, and for each combustion chamber opening a ring-shaped combustion chamber sealing element, which is a sheet metal ring that is arranged on the sheet metal layer and is joined to the latter by welding; to avoid the risk of damage to a combustion chamber sealing element as a result of sliding movements occurring between a cylinder head sealing surface and the cylinder head gasket while the engine is in operation, all sheet metal rings are arranged on that side of the sheet metal layer which is to face an engine block.
US08100410B2
A sealing ring is set between the engine block of an internal-combustion engine and a cylinder head fixed to the engine block, within a seat set concentrically around a cylinder of the engine. The sealing ring has a composite structure, with an external hollow annular body made of superelastic material, and an internal hollow annular body including a shape-memory alloy.
US08100401B1
A game system including a progressive bonus apparatus connected to a plurality of individual game units. In an exemplary embodiment, the progressive bonus apparatus receives score contributions from each game unit to increase a progressive score. When players achieve a predetermined result on a game unit, they receive an award based on the progressive score. Each game unit connected to the progressive bonus apparatus may take the form of a game with a rotating wheel.
US08100400B2
A sheet ejecting device has a pair of ejection rollers, a strengthener arranged in the sheet ejection device, for strengthening a sheet, a driver for moving the strengthener to advance into and retreat from a sheet ejection route, a sheet sensor, and a tray for receiving sheets ejected via the pair of ejection rollers and holding the sheets in a stack. Based on a detection signal from the sheet sensor, the strengthener is moved to advance into and retreat from the sheet ejection route so that only a necessary part of a sheet can be strengthened.
US08100392B2
The printer as an image forming apparatus supplies a plurality of types of tab sheet, and distinguishably discharges the tab sheets that became no longer necessary according to the type of tab sheets.
US08100385B2
In a humidifier including a hollow fiber membrane bundle housed in a case, the hollow fiber membranes exchange water therethrough between the first and second gases flowing inside and outside the hollow fiber membrane to humidify one of the first and second gases having the water content lower than the other, and an annular mesh member throttles a part near the gas outlet of the second gas to provide a space between the part and the gas outlet of the second gas to easily discharge the second gas.
US08100383B2
A valve assembly includes: a valve body defining an annular shoulder that is formed with an annular shoulder groove; a hollow ball member disposed in the valve body; a sealing unit including an O-ring received in the shoulder groove and protruding outwardly of the shoulder groove; a stem extending into the valve body to connect with the ball member and formed with an annular flange seated on the O-ring; an annular packing seated on the annular flange; and an annular pressing member defining an annular neck that cooperates with the annular shoulder to sandwich the annular flange, the O-ring and the annular packing therebetween. The pressing member is coupled adjustably to the valve body, and is adjustable to move toward and away from the O-ring.
US08100378B1
A vertical column coupling providing a means for creating entire concrete forms for constructing the ceiling and floors of multistory buildings utilizing a plurality of pipe columns and supported form slabs that are erected to a desired height and in horizontal alignment. Additionally the present invention provides for the ability to pour concrete in one continuous pour from the top and easy disassembly and removal of the device after said poured concrete has dried.
US08100371B2
An I.V. support stand (10) includes a support section and a base (20). The base (20) includes a base body and a plurality of wheel assemblies (24), each wheel assembly including a wheel support (26) operatively mounted to the base body for pivotal movement relative thereto and at least one wheel (28) operatively mounted to the wheel support. The wheel supports are pivotally movable relative to the base body between an extended position in which the wheels rest on a support surface and retracted position, the arrangement being such that when the base is disposed on the support surface the wheels are caused to adopt the extended position and when the base is moved clear of the support surface the wheel assemblies are caused to adopt the retracted position.
US08100370B1
A device for keeping lawn waste or other flexible refuse bags open while filling. The device is made of a resilient and flexible material so that it can be squeezed and easily inserted into the top opening of a refuse bag. The size of the device is proportional to the interior circumference of the opening of the bag so that the device expands when released securing itself within the opening of the bag. The shape of the device is that of a rectangular perimeter of a hyperbolic paraboloid or saddle, having segments that grip the interior corners of the bag when the device is released into position. Once the bag is filled with waste it can be squeezed again, allowing for the removal of the device from the bag and the preparing of the device for insertion into another bag.
US08100367B1
A system includes a fabric wing, such as a Rogallo wing or parafoil, a roller connected to the fabric wing, cables connected to the fabric wing, a motor connected to the roller. Upon activation, the motor causes the roller to roll-up or unroll at least a portion of the fabric wing. The system may include a rigid or collapsible roller support structure connected to the roller. The roller may be located along a central axis of the fabric wing. A control unit may be connected to the cables, the control unit including a logic controller, power source, communications system, GPS and inertial navigation sensor system, motor controller, and one or more sensors including an air speed sensor, altitude sensor, obstacle detection sensor, and/or a ground proximity sensor. The system may include a second roller with an attached motor, with each roller located at an end of the fabric wing.
US08100366B2
A system (10) is described for performing the automatic control of the flight of at least one kite (11) controlled and driven by cables (13) comprising at least one first actuating motor (12) adapted to exert an unwinding-rewinding action of such cables (13) on respective winches (14a, 14b) and at least one second actuating motor (15) adapted to perform a differential control action of such cables (13).
US08100365B2
An aircraft, the aircraft including a whole-aircraft ballistic parachute that is coupled to the aircraft. The aircraft determines if a pre-activation action needs to be performed before activation of the whole-aircraft ballistic parachute. The aircraft also receives a whole-aircraft ballistic parachute activation request. The aircraft then issues a command to perform the pre-activation action and then activates the deployment of the whole-aircraft ballistic parachute. The aircraft then issues a command to perform a post-activation action.
US08100363B2
A hatch provided with at least one locking socket, equipped with a first actuator to urge a flexible linear pulling member, connected to the socket, in an unlocking direction, by abutting against a stop member secured to the member, at a distance from a second member end of the member, in which the actuator can be controlled from a first side of the hatch, and equipped with second actuator to urge the member in the unlocking direction, the second actuator being connected to the second end and being controllable from a second side of the hatch.
US08100358B2
The present invention provides a method of reducing the compressibility drag of wing, and it also provides a container implementing the method. The container (10, 10′, 10″) is provided successively with a front portion (11) in the vicinity of its leading edge (14), then with an intermediate portion (12), and then with a rear portion (13) in the vicinity of its trailing edge (15), said rear portion (13) tapering progressively in a direction going from the leading edge (14) of the container towards its trailing edge (15). Furthermore, said rear portion (13) is extended by connection means (17) enabling the container (10, 10′, 10″) to be connected under the wing (1) in such a manner that said tapering rear portion (13) is partially upstream from the leading edge (2) of the wing (1).
US08100353B2
Self-healing of a mechanical part in a mechanical system is provided, such as a self-healing part in a cutting apparatus. Differential hardness of respective parts in contact with each other is used. Undesirable damage from a foreign object in a mechanical system is managed by directing damage away from a part that is not wanted to be damaged and towards a part that may receive damage and be replaced. True zero-clearance cutting on a commercial scale is provided via a cutting area including a sacrifice material that is relatively softer than the cutter. One example is a cutting system which is capable of cutting a material such as, for example, tape or paper, into a fiber or powder. Destruction of the material is further enhanced by advantageous strategic patterning of cutting edges on a rotary cutter, and further by secondary shredding features. For example, on the same axis as the rotary cutter, may be disposed, one on each end, rotating secondary shredders that receive material that has been cut by the rotary cutter as well as material that has escaped cutting by the rotary cutter. A variety of materials, of different thicknesses and types, may be reduced to a dust or powder-size. A single destruction machine advantageously may receive (with minimal operator intervention) a mixed input load, such as a mixture of a combination of paper (including paper that is folded, ripped, stapled, or otherwise irregular), CDs, DVDs, polyester, plastic cards, SMART cards, wood, Verichips, flash drives, biometric chips, and/or other generally-planar materials.
US08100350B2
An injector includes a valve body, a needle valve, and a thermal expansion member. The valve body includes an internal space and a bottom portion having a nozzle hole. One end side of the space is covered with the bottom portion. The needle valve is accommodated in the space such that a fuel passage leading to the hole is formed between an inner surface of the valve body and an outer surface of the needle valve. The passage is opened or closed with respect to the hole by movement of the needle valve, so fuel injection is started or stopped. The inner surface of the bottom portion is opposed to a one end surface of the needle valve. The member is attached on the one end surface. The member is made of a material having a larger coefficient of thermal expansion than a material of the needle valve.
US08100345B2
A needle is forced to open an injection hole by reducing a pressure of fuel in an injection control chamber to thereby inject fuel stored in a fuel storage, while the needle is forced to close the injection hole by increasing the pressure of fuel in the injection control chamber to thereby terminate injection of fuel from the injection hole. In a valve-closing stroke of the needle to close the injection hole, fuel pressure is supplied from a common accumulator to the fuel storage and the injection control chamber in such a manner that the pressure to supply fuel to the fuel storage is lower than that to supply fuel to the injection control chamber. In this way, a force acting on the needle toward the injection hole side can be increased in the valve-closing stroke, to thereby accelerate a valve-closing speed of the needle.
US08100342B1
A rail seal for sealing the gap between a rail and a concrete panel in a railroad crossing so as to provide a generally even or level surface for vehicular or pedestrian traffic while still providing an appropriate rail structure for receiving and guiding the train wheels along the tracks is provided. More particularly, the upper surface of the rail seal is formed with a recessed portion or flangeway for receiving the flanged-end of a train. The flangeway or recessed portion, however, is formed so that the surface of the flangeway lies in a plane above the bottom of the rail head but below the upper surface of the rail head, thereby providing a “shallow” flangeway. The provision of a “shallow” flangeway helps to reduce the risks associated with vehicular and/or other pedestrian traffic that must access or cross the railroad tracks. Specifically, the shallow flangeway helps to prevent the heels of pedestrian shoes or the smaller width bicycle, stroller or wheelchair wheels from becoming trapped in the gaps typically associated with railroad crossing structures.
US08100337B2
The invention concerns an electronic module (11) with double communication interface, in particular for a chip card, the said module comprising firstly a substrate (27) provided with an electrical contact terminal block (17) allowing functioning by contact with the contacts of a reader, and secondly comprising an antenna comprising at least one turn (13) and whose terminals are connected to the terminals of a microelectronic chip situated on one face of the module (11).This module (11) is characterised in that the antenna turns (13) are situated substantially outside the area covered by the electrical contacts (17), so that the electrical contacts of the terminal block do not constitute electromagnetic shielding for the signals intended for the antenna.The invention applies in particular to the production of chip cards with double communication interface with contact and without contact.
US08100335B2
A method for performing system administration using radio frequency identification (RFID) is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes detecting a radio frequency identification device, reading the device for information contained within the card, determining whether the information contains a request to perform a task to administer a computer system, and executing the task in response to the request if the information contains the request.
US08100333B2
A transaction product includes a digital camera assembly, a housing and an account identifier. The digital camera assembly includes a lens assembly, an image sensor aligned with the lens assembly, and a memory electrically coupled with the image sensor. The digital camera assembly is configured to capture images through the lens assembly using the image sensor and to digitally store the captured images to the memory. The housing substantially encloses the image sensor and the memory. The account identifier links the transaction product to an account or record and is machine readable by a point-of-sale terminal such that value can be added to or deducted from the account or record using the account identifier. Other product, cards, assemblies and associated methods are also disclosed.
US08100326B2
A computer implemented method includes receiving, at a server of an internet protocol television (IPTV) network, a voting selection from a set-top box device. The voting selection is associated with video content that is received at the set-top box device via the IPTV network. The computer implemented method includes adding the voting selection to a tally of votes related to the video content when a voting status indicates that a previous vote has not been received from the set-top box device. The computer implemented method also includes changing the voting status to indicate that a vote has been received from the set-top box device after adding the voting selection to the tally of votes.
US08100319B2
A file folder having an index tab and an interior pocket capable of containing loose papers within the file folder, wherein a front cover of the file folder may be inserted into the interior pocket to releaseably secure the file folder in a closed position.
US08100315B1
A method is provided for providing external insulation for an exhaust gas aftertreatment or acoustic device, including the steps of (a) securing an insulating blanket around the exterior of the device, (b) securing a sheet of foil around the insulating blanket, (c) interconnecting a plurality of wires into a sleeve oriented in an axial direction by knitting or interweaving, whereby extending the sleeve in the axial direction biases the sleeve radially inwardly, (d) positioning the wire sleeve around the foil sheet, (e) welding one end of the wire sleeve to the device adjacent one end of the insulating blanket, (f) pulling the other end of the sleeve in the axial direction to bias the sleeve radially inwardly sufficiently to apply a compressive force to the insulating blanket, and (g) welding the other end of the sleeve to the device adjacent the other end of the insulating blanket.
US08100309B2
A surgical stapling instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, an articulating tool assembly and an articulation mechanism is disclosed. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The articulation mechanism includes an articulation link for articulating the tool assembly, an articulation knob operatively coupled to the articulation link, wherein rotational motion of the articulation knob is translated into axial motion of the articulation link thereby articulating the articulating tool assembly.
US08100308B2
A separating apparatus is described for separating interconnected cushions by breaking weakening lines provided between these cushions. To this end, the apparatus includes at least one circulating element and a conveyor for carrying the interconnected cushions along the circulating element. The circulating element is arranged for engaging the interconnected cushions at least once during a circulating movement of the circulating element, in order to carry one of these cushions along over a part of the circulating movement at a carrying speed which is higher than a conveying speed of the conveyor. An apparatus is described for manufacturing cushions by filling chambers formed in film material with a gas and then sealing them.
US08100304B2
A device including a rotational locking piece. The rotational locking piece includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is rotationally connected to the second portion. The first portion can be locked in relation to the second portion by a locking device. The locking device includes a locking member having a locking portion. A holster is connected to the rotational locking device. The rotational locking piece locks the holster in a many positions and the locking portion prevents the first portion from rotating when it is inserted in a locking groove formed on the first portion.
US08100291B2
A dispensing device comprising an upright rotatable product carrousel comprising a plurality of dispensing chutes for retaining a product. The dispensing chutes are radially located about a central pivot, with a dispensing point located at a lowest point of rotation of the product carrousel. During use, removal of product from a dispensing chute located at the dispensing point results in rotation of the product carrousel to position an adjacent dispensing chute at the dispensing point, allowing for sequential removal of product from the product carrousel.
US08100277B1
A peelable seal having one or more layers for sealing containers by heat sealing may include a stiffening structure, a foil portion, and a sealant structure. The stiffening structure of the seal includes an outer periphery or overhanging portion which extends beyond the rim of a neck of a container thereby allowing the peelable seal to be loosened from the container by flicking the overhanging portion of the peelable seal with a portion of the hand and without the need to pinch the seal.
US08100271B2
An apparatus and method of mounting storage batteries are presented in which batteries in multiple tiers may be easily accessed for installation and servicing. A battery cabinet or relay rack has provision for multiple tiers of batteries spaced so that batteries may be inserted in each tier. The batteries are supported by a tray or other structure so that they are positioned to permit top access to the battery terminals mounted on the front or front to surfaces of the battery. Tiers are positioned further from the front of the relay rack as the height of the tier increases.
US08100269B2
The powder classifying device classifies powder having a particle size distribution and collects the classified powder. The device includes a disc-like cavity to which the powder is supplied and where the supplied powder is classified, a powder supply port for supplying the powder to the cavity, guide vanes arranged so as to extend from an outer periphery of the cavity in an inner direction at a predetermined angle, a discharge unit for air streams including fine particles discharged from the cavity, a collection unit for coarse particles discharged from the cavity and air nozzles arranged below the guide vanes on an outer peripheral wall of the cavity along a tangential direction of the outer peripheral wall and blow compressed air into an inside of the cavity.
US08100267B2
A sorting device includes a feed mechanism, a plurality of unloading mechanisms, a support mechanism, a measurement mechanism, a marking mechanism, and a plurality of transfer mechanisms. The plurality of transfer mechanisms is between the support mechanism and the feed mechanism or the plurality of unloading mechanisms, the measurement mechanism and the marking mechanism are on one side of the support mechanism and aim at different stations of the support mechanism.
US08100260B1
An enclosure (1) for a lipstick comprising at least two enclosure parts (2, 3), the two enclosure parts (2, 3) are rotated relatively to one another and at least one of the at least two enclosure parts (2, 3) comprises an opening (4) and a closing mechanism, comprising two lids (5, 6) by which the opening (4) in one of the at least two enclosure parts (2, 3) is closed and a tubular element (8), which rotates relatively to one of the enclosure parts (2, 3), when the enclosure parts (2, 3) are rotated in relation to one another, each of the two lids (5, 6) and the tubular element (8) comprise means, which move the two lids (5, 6) when the tubular element (8) is rotated, so the lids (5, 6) close or open the opening (4) and the means of the tubular element (8), interacting with one of the two lids (5, 6) and the means of the tubular element (8), interacting with the other of the two lids (5, 6) are arranged on two different circular paths on the tubular element (8).
US08100256B2
A carton for cooperating with a packaging material to contain a plurality of articles and a package formed thereby. The carton comprises a plurality of panels comprising a central panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. The side panels are positioned relative to the central panel to at least partially form a space for receiving the articles. A handle is in at least one of the side panels. The handle is adapted for grasping and carrying the carton. A reinforcement flap is foldably attached to the at least one of the side panels. The reinforcement flap has at least one opening for receiving an article. A handle reinforcement flap is foldably attached to the at least one of the side panels.
US08100254B2
A conveyor is provided for conveying and buffering articles (G) and the like along a vertically extending, substantially helical path. A conveying assembly such as a conveyor belt or conveyor rollers is supported by a frame and driven by a drive unit and extends along said helical path and conveys articles along said path. The substantially helical path is divided into zones (Z), each zone being provided with switch members, in such a manner that the conveyor can be switched in each zone between a conveying position, in which the conveying assembly conveys the articles, and a buffering position, in which the articles present in said zone are stationary. Buffering devices distributed over the length of the conveyor and being present in each zone support the articles in the buffering position. The drive unit and/or the conveyor belt/rollers on the one hand and the buffering devices on the other hand are vertically movable with respect to each other in each zone (Z), in such a manner that the articles (G) in question are in contact with the drive unit in the conveying position and with the buffering devices in the buffering position in said zone. In this way a simple and reliable buffering system can be realised.
US08100251B2
A highly secure bill handling device that can essentially prevent bill removal includes a bill container for storing a bill inserted through a bill insertion slot, an exit through which the bill container projects out of a housing, an openable/closable shutter for closing the exit, a shutter drive module for opening and closing the shutter, a lock member movably supported between a locked position where the shutter is not allowed to open and an unlocked position where the shutter is allowed to open, and a lock member moving module for moving the lock member between the locked position and the unlocked position.
US08100241B2
An electromagnetically actuated viscous clutch assembly includes a rotor arranged relative to an axis of rotation, an electromagnetic coil for generating magnetic flux, a housing positioned adjacent to the rotor to create a fluid working chamber therebetween with the housing and the rotor being selectively rotatable relative to one another, an insert extending through the housing and configured to conduct magnetic flux from the electromagnetic coil along a flux path, a valve assembly electromagnetically linked to the insert along the flux path for selectively controlling fluid flow into the working chamber to selectively engage the rotor and the housing, and a plurality of recesses defined in a portion of the housing located at an interior of the flux path to reduce eddy currents.
US08100239B2
Some embodiments of a clutch system may drive an output member to rotate at a first speed when the opposing clutch surfaces are engaged and to rotate at a second speed when the clutch surfaces are shifted to a disengaged position. In particular embodiments, the multi-speed clutch system may employ an eddy current drive system that causes the output portion to rotate even when the opposing clutch surfaces are disengaged.
US08100234B2
A manually guided implement having a tool and a brake mechanism for the tool. The brake mechanism includes a brake band that is looped about a brake drum. The brake band and the brake drum form abrasion partners that cooperate with one another during a braking process. At least one of the abrasion partners has a coating. The coating is provided with diamond particles that are embedded in a matrix that contains nickel. The coating is effected in a nickel bath in which the diamond particles are dispersed.
US08100233B2
A disk brake vibration damper comprising a cylindrical element (4) equipped on its cylindrical peripheral surface (41) with a layer of a supple material (5) which exhibits properties of adhesion with the materials of the piston (3) and of the cylindrical element (4). This cylindrical element (4) is intended to be positioned inside an axial cavity (30) of the piston with the layer of supple material (5) in contact with the interior wall (31) of the cavity of the piston (3).
US08100231B2
A self-locking comprising a pulley in the form of a rotary cam, a brake shoe, and an actuating handle of a mechanism with an interruptible mechanical link between the pulley and handle after an intermediate position has been passed causing disengagement of the pulley and automatic return of the cam to a locking position. The mechanism comprises a selector with a pushbutton coupled with an operating means designed to occupy an active position or an inactive position to respectively disable or enable said disengagement of the pulley.
US08100226B2
An acoustical building panel and method of manufacturing it are disclosed. Embodiments of the panel include a porous nonwoven scrim, a coating deposited on the scrim, a base mat, and an adhesive deposited on either the base mat or the scrim in a discrete form such as in droplets. Embodiments of the method of manufacture include steps of perforating the base mat, applying the adhesive to the base mat in the discrete form, laminating the scrim onto the base mat, and applying the coating to the scrim surface.
US08100224B1
A firearm suppressor includes at least one baffle disposed within a cylindrical housing. The baffle includes a distal-facing conical baffle having a wider end and an opposing narrower end; and a proximal-facing conical baffle intersected by the distal-facing conical baffle such that the narrower end of the distal-facing conical baffle extends beyond a wider end of the proximal-facing baffle, wherein a central bore extends through both the distal-facing conical baffle and the proximal-facing conical baffle.
US08100221B2
A center-closed power steering system provides power steering assistance in engine-off conditions for reduced fuel consumption. The power steering system includes a hydraulic pump mechanically driven by the engine, a high pressure accumulator, a steering gearbox fluidly connected to the accumulator, and a center closed valve mechanically connected to a driver-operated steering wheel. The valve is configured to selectively control flow of pressurized fluid from the accumulator to the steering gearbox to provide power steering assistance. The inner shaft of the rotary center-closed valve is provided with a cavity with V-shaped notches on the transition surfaces on lands configured to sealingly engage the inner surface of the valve outer sleeve, in order to provide a smooth transition in flow for power steering assistance, and a better driver feel.
US08100209B2
A vehicle bulkhead cover and vehicle front assembly using the cover are described. The vehicle front assembly separates a significant proportion of entrained dirt or water particles from an air flow through the assembly. The resulting air flow can then be directed to an engine air intake.
US08100181B2
A safety valve apparatus has a housing with a bore and a projection in the bore. A flapper rotatably disposed on the housing is movable relative to the bore between opened and closed positions, and a packing element disposed on the housing is compressible to engage an inner conduit wall surrounding the housing. An upper sleeve disposed within the bore above the projection is hydraulically movable from a first position to a second position via the hydraulic communication with a port in the projection. The first sleeve when moved to the second position compresses the packing element. A piston disposed in the housing hydraulically communicates with the port and couples to a second sleeve disposed within the bore below the projection. The second sleeve conceals the piston and is hydraulically movable via the hydraulic communication of the port with the piston to open and close the flapper.
US08100177B2
A method for determining the location and height of a fracture in a subterranean formation using a neutron emitting logging tool. The method includes obtaining a pre-fracture data set, fracturing the formation with a slurry that includes a proppant doped with a high thermal neutron capture cross-section material, obtaining a post-fracture data set, comparing the pre-fracture data set and the post-fracture data set to determine the location of the proppant, and correlating the location of the proppant to a depth measurement of the borehole to determine the location and height of the fracture. Using a pulsed neutron capture tool, it is also possible to determine whether the proppant is located in the fracture, in the borehole adjacent to the fracture, or in both. The method may also include a plurality of post-fracture logging procedures used to determine various fracture and production characteristics in the formation.
US08100173B2
A continuous method for producing incontinence articles in the form of pants for receiving body excrements utilizes crotch sections comprising absorbent bodies and having leg cut-outs formed by a first contour cut. Two partial webs are joined to the crotch sections in such a fashion that one end of the crotch sections overlaps one partial web in a longitudinal direction transversely to the machine direction, and the other end thereof overlaps the other partial web, and the crotch sections are disposed at a separation from each other in the machine direction. A second contour cut is performed that includes the partial webs on their mutually facing edge sections for forming substantially curved leg cut-outs. The article is then folded and the partial webs are joined transversely to the machine direction at a separation from each other for forming side seam areas of the incontinence article to be produced.
US08100168B2
The invention relates to a device for reheating the water of the windscreen washers of a motor vehicle comprising, in the engine compartment thereof, a degassing box (1) forming part of the engine cooling system, and at least one tank (3) for pressurised washing water, said tank being associated with a circulation pump which pumps water therefrom and supplies said water to nozzles for spraying the same over the windscreens. The inventive device is characterised in that the tank (3) at least partially surrounds the degassing box (1), leaving a separation space of a determined thickness thereinbetween, and a double-walled hollow body (4) is integrated into said space, defining a closed thermal insulating volume.
US08100165B2
An investment casting core combination includes a metallic casting core and a ceramic feedcore. A first region of the metallic casting core is embedded in the ceramic feedcore. A mating edge portion of the metallic casting core includes a number of projections. The first region is along at least some of the projections. A number of recesses span gaps between adjacent projections. The ceramic feedcore includes a number of compartments respectively receiving the metallic casting core projections. The ceramic feedcore further includes a number of portions between the compartments and respectively received in the metallic casting core recesses.
US08100163B2
An apparatus for controlling the movement of a barrier is provided. The apparatus includes a governor with a preload member. The preload member provides a preload force that releasably and magnetically couples the preload member to the governor. The preload member is configured and arranged to provide a sufficient holding force to the governor in order to hold the barrier in place. The governor is configured and arranged to, upon the preload force being selectively decoupled from the preload member, allow for the downward movement of the barrier while also forming and applying an intentional braking force to the barrier to slow the downward movement of the barrier.
US08100161B2
Unabsorbed infrared laser light that has passed though plastic parts to be welded with a low absorption TTIr process is recirculated back to the low absorption weld interface for reabsorption in the process. A beam of infrared laser light is directed at the plastic parts to be welded, a transmissive first part and an absorptive (or partially absorptive) second part. The infrared laser light impinges the transmissive part and first transits through the transmissive part to be welded to a weld interface at the junction of the two parts. At the weld interface, either the infrared laser light is partially absorbed by an additive infrared absorber, the infrared laser light is partially absorbed by the absorptive part, or both. The portion of the infrared laser light that is not absorbed continues through the absorptive part and exits the far side. This infrared laser light is then redirected back to the weld interface.
US08100159B2
In the pneumatic tire in which not less than three main grooves 1 extending in the tire circumferential direction R are formed and ribs 2 are formed by the main grooves 1, upper edges 11 of the main groove 1 when the tire is new extend in a linear manner in the tire circumferential direction R, the bottom 12 of the main groove 1 extends in a zigzag manner in the tire circumferential direction R, the sidewalls 13 of the main groove 1 is provided with concave portions and convex portions, and in the concave portion of at least one of the sidewalls 13 of the main groove 1, the protrusions 3 that is joined to the bottom 12 of the main groove 1 and to the sidewall 13. Further, the pneumatic tire may be provided with sipes or notches that extend from the concave portion to the inner side of the rib 2 in the tire width direction.
US08100146B2
Flexible valves principally (although not necessarily exclusively) for automatic swimming pool cleaners are addressed. The valves have generally parabolic closure regions and do not present linear transverse cross-sections to water flowing through them. The closure regions may extend substantially below the transverse center lines of the valves, which additionally may include teeth at or near hinges of the closure regions. Including the hinges reduces likelihood of undesired wear at or near the outlets of the valves.
US08100145B2
An LIFD valve assembly has a pressure balance device a pressure balance slide of which is urged in the opening direction by a pressure downstream of a metering aperture and in the closing direction by a control pressure preferably corresponding to the highest load pressure of a plurality of consumers, and a load pressure downstream of the metering aperture is reportable to a line via the pressure balance device, and a load-maintaining device that can be put in a closing position, in which position a pressure medium flow path from a consumer to the metering aperture is blocked. The pressure balance slide is embodied in divided fashion, with an upper part and a lower part, wherein the latter is guided on the upper part, and determines the pressure balance device throttle cross section with a pressure balance control edge and embodies a closing body of the load-maintaining device.
US08100143B2
An oil and gas collection and transmission system for petroleum, chemical industry, and so on, includes a multi-way valve with a fan-shaped flow channel sealing pair to measure production of an individual well to obtain the dynamic production data of an oil well. The multi-way valve with fan-shaped flow channel sealing pair includes a floating gating ring that is applied with contact specific pressure by an elastic component and an upper porous plane body form a gating plane sealing pair; a plurality of fan-shaped flow channel oil inlet holes are annularly and uniformly distributed on a mating surface of the upper porous plane body; the floating gating ring is configured such that it changes gradually from the upper fan-shaped flow channel to the lower round-shaped flow channel; and the inner part of the middle rotary spool is used as a public flow-guide passage.
US08100140B1
A multi-level fluid-collecting pan configured for placement under an upright cylindrical hot water heater tank and support thereof. It has a circular bottom surface integral with a raised central hub, multiple raised arcuate spokes extending outwardly from the hub, and multiple elevated risers extending from the perimeter wall toward the hub. A perimeter wall around the bottom surface defines a non-raised fluid-collecting area. Vibration isolators that support a hot water heater tank upon the risers maintain the tank above any accumulated water in the non-raised areas of the bottom surface. Low elevation risers in perpendicular orientation to some risers, a nesting configuration with mismatched indents, sturdy and impact-resistant materials, a drain opening in the perimeter wall, and an upturned lip extending upwardly from the perimeter wall, are also preferred. The hub, spokes, and risers cover much of the pan's bottom surface and force accumulated water toward the perimeter wall.
US08100139B2
A protective improvement on a collapsible umbrella includes a driving cord directly penetrating a base for connecting to an upper accommodation. The driving cord has its one end fixed to a pulley tackle and its other end fixed to the upper accommodation. A spacer is axially disposed inside a part of the through hole O and extends along an elongated direction of the through hole O for dividing up the part of the through hole O into two half through holes H's, and for separating the driving cord from the pulling cord to facilitate an independent and non-overlapping working space of the driving cord and the pulling cord.
US08100138B2
An applicator enables a composition to be applied to the eyelashes and/or the eyebrows. The applicator may include an applicator member including a core defining faces, and rows of applicator elements connected to the core. The rows of applicator elements may include at least a first row including applicator elements connected to the core via a respective bend portion. The applicator elements in the first row may include at least one applicator element including a main portion extending substantially parallel to a face of the core underlying and facing the main portion. The main portion may be situated between the bend portion and a free end of the at least one applicator element.
US08100114B2
Free heat from an exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine or an electric heater supplies heat to a vaporizer. Gasoline is converted from fluid to vapor in the vaporizer and sent directly to the fuel injectors. Water fog may be added to the air intake manifold. One embodiment adds a catalyst to the vaporizer to convert gasoline to propane vapor. Fuel efficiency from 30 to 43 miles per gallon has been tested.
US08100108B2
A hydraulically operated charge air system for an internal combustion engine includes an intake manifold having a number of intake runners, and a number of rotatable airflow control devices mounted within at least a portion of the intake runners. A hydraulic motor rotatably positions the airflow control devices.
US08100106B2
An arrangement for warming the oil in a gearbox in a vehicle powered by a combustion engine. A first pipe system with a first flow device which makes possible circulation of oil from the combustion engine through a heat exchanger. A second pipe system with a second flow device makes possible circulation of oil from the gearbox through the heat exchanger. A control device controls the flow devices so that flow of oil through the heat exchanger is obtained in situations in which the oil in the gearbox is at a too low temperature with respect to a desired temperature. The motor oil in the combustion engine can thus be used for heating the oil in the gearbox during cold starts of the combustion engine.
US08100105B2
The present invention relates to a balance shaft unit for mass balancing for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle including at least one balance shaft having at least one balance weight and a housing part in which the balance shaft is journaled. A first gear is associated with the balance shaft and meshes with a second gear. An introduction passage is formed in the housing part through which, starting from an assembly opening, at least one of the two gears can be introduced into the interior of the housing part, with the introduction passage extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the balance shaft. The first gear and the second gear are arranged sequentially with respect to the direction of extent of the introduction passage. The housing part surrounds the periphery of the assembly opening in one piece, with the length of the assembly opening at the outer side of the housing part in a normal plane to the longitudinal axis of the balance shaft being smaller than the sum of the diameters of the two gears. A particularly high stability is hereby reached.
US08100084B1
A system and method is described for determining, based on one or more variables, the appropriate amount of food to dispense in order to implement weight management individually tailored to one or more pets. Based on the one or more variables, a predefined weight of food is determined that should be dispensed in a container during a given time interval. If the current weight of the food within the container has reached a threshold weight, then no additional food is added to the container during the given time interval. However, if it is determined that the threshold has not been reached, then more food is added to the container. The process is repeated during the given time interval until the threshold is reached, and then optionally again for additional given time intervals.
US08100063B2
A mechanism and method for storing and deploying an expansion portion of a surface is provided. The mechanism is configured so as to raise and lower a storable expansion surface portion with respect to an adjacent surface portion, allowing the storable expansion surface portion to be stored behind the adjacent surface portion when a smaller surface area is desired.
US08100060B2
This invention relates to the technical area of sports and recreational apparatus, which reveals the dual-purpose and turnover ping-pong table. This dual-purpose table includes the table support and table surface, two sides of which are different tables. The center of short frame on both sides of the table surface hinges the baffle means on the upper end of the table support through the pivot components. Its characteristics lie in that the baffle means on the upper end of table support is equipped with the positioning device for table surface turning over, which has a stand bar that can be turned around. The stand bar can withdraw if the table surface needs turning around so that the table surface turn over. When the table surface has turned around, it can stretch out below the surface and stabilize the table surface. The structure is very simple and convenient for application.
US08100051B2
The invention concerns a centre arm for holding an upper contact grilling or roasting plate, the centre arm having a substantially vertical supporting section and a holding section which is arranged pivotably on the vertical supporting section and to which is attached the contact grilling or roasting plate, and in the holding section being arranged a device for weight relief for the upper contact grilling or roasting plate to be fitted on the holding section, the device for weight relief including at least one guide means which is constructed and designed at one end for pivotable mounting and on which is movably arranged a sliding element, a return element arranged on the free end of the guide means and secured by a stop means between the sliding element and the stop means, and also an adjusting device which can be actuated by means of an actuating element for varying the distance between the sliding element and the stop means in the longitudinal direction of the guide means, which is distinguished in that the adjusting device includes a control profile element which has a control profile for bringing about an axial movement of the sliding element in the longitudinal direction of the guide means. Furthermore the invention concerns a contact grilling or roasting device having such a centre arm.
US08100048B2
A piston extends along a central axis with an upper crown and a boss depending from the crown. The boss has opposite sides extending along opposite sides of the central axis to a free end and an annular pocket extending laterally into at least one of the sides. The boss further includes an opening extending through the free end into the pocket. The opening has a width extending from the side in which the pocket extends toward the other side of the boss. An assembly including the piston further includes a connecting rod terminating at a small end configured for receipt in the pocket with a shank extending from the small end. The small end can be provided with an external bearing material on a convex outer surface, and the small end is unobstructed from lateral movement along the opening over a full stroke of the piston.
US08100045B2
A fluid pressure cylinder assembly has a sensor to provide a signal indicating the amount of extension of a piston rod from the cylinder. The sensor includes a sleeve that is fixed relative to a base of the cylinder and passes into a longitudinal bore in the piston rod, and the piston rod carries a sensor core that is in the bore and is secured to the piston rod at an end opposite from a piston on the rod. The core slides on the interior of the sensor sleeve. A connection is provided to the sensor sleeve such that as the core moves relative to the sensor sleeve a signal indicating the amount of movement and the relative position of the cylinder base and the piston rod is provided.
US08100025B2
A rolling element retainer is provided with two through rolling element retaining spaces. Each of the rolling elements retaining spaces is provided for accommodation of one rolling element. The rolling element retainer is provided with a linking portion at each of two opposite sides thereof. The rolling element retainer is further provided with a rolling element rolling channel in each of two external end surfaces thereof. The angular difference between the respective rolling element rolling channels and the respective linking portions is 0 degree or 90 degrees. By such arrangements, the rolling channels at two ends of the rolling element retainer are provided for contact with the rolling elements therebetween, so as to guide the movement of such rolling elements.
US08100022B2
The invention relates to a device and to a method for measuring the total pressure of a flow. According to the invention, the device comprises a Pitot tube (25), means for measuring the total pressure at a stagnation point (4, 12) and comparison means (32, 33) for comparing pressures measured by the Pitot tube (25) and the means for measuring total pressure at the stagnation point (4, 12), the Pitot tube (25) and the means for measuring total pressure at the stagnation point (4, 12) being joined together and tapping air streams off the flow along the same axis (7). The method implementing the device includes comparing the measured pressures and if the difference between the two measured pressures is greater than a given discrepancy, then a warning is generated specifying that only the higher pressure has a good likelihood of being correct.
US08100013B2
A passage detection apparatus is configured to detect the change in the properties (propagation state of sound wave, dielectric constant, etc.) of a specific space, which changes according to the passage of an object in the specific space and the size of the object. The passage detection apparatus includes a pair of detection units and configured to transmit and receive signals to and from an external device. The specific space is formed by the space between the detection unit and the detection unit. The detection unit is supported by a first substrate. The detection unit is supported by a second substrate that is parallel to the first substrate, and arranged at the position corresponding to the detection unit supported by the first substrate.
US08100012B2
A MEMS sensor includes a substrate having a MEMS structure movably attached to the substrate, a cap attached to the substrate and encapsulating the MEMS structure, and an electrode formed on the cap that senses movement of the MEMS structure.
US08100009B2
A balance assembly for a rotating assembly comprising: a first movable rotor and a second movable rotor which are selectively movable about the rotating assembly; and a controller with a microprocessor operating with stored control programs for controlling movement of the first movable rotor and second movable rotor and adapted to calculate a value and to periodically modify the value and to cause the first movable rotor and the second movable rotor to move in accordance with the calculated value and the modified value, wherein the values are adjusted during a plurality of control iterations to reduce vibrational signals from an at least one vibration sensor.
US08100004B2
The invention consists of a barometric pressure sensor, coupled to a processor for recording changes in the pressure over time, this is coupled to a GPS device providing an accurate measurement of the altitude which allows for the barometric pressure measurements to be normalized, typically to mean sea level. Once the measurements have been normalized the effects of the vertical motion of the sensor are effectively removed and the resulting trend shows the absolute atmospheric pressure which can then be used for weather prediction.
US08099998B2
An engine control system, controller, and method for estimating a stopped engine crank angle of an internal combustion engine. Typical crank sensors do not output a reliable crank signal when the engine is about to stop, and do not indicate crank direction which is necessary to determine if engine bounce-back occurs. A crank sensor signal is analyzed as the engine coasts to a stop so that a coast-down model can be adjusted to accurately estimate the stopped engine crank angle. A bounce-back model is also used to estimate an engine bounce-back angle and to make further corrections to the estimated stopped engine crank angle.
US08099995B2
An apparatus and a method of making a measurement using the same. The apparatus includes a channel through which a fluid flows, a detector, and a choked flow channel. The detector measures a property of the fluid by generating a signal that depends on that property. The signal generated also depends on a pressure of the fluid in the detector. The choked flow channel receives the fluid at a first pressure after the fluid has been measured by the detector, and then transmits the fluid to a downstream location at a second pressure. The fluid reaches a supersonic velocity at one point in the choked flow channel. The choked flow channel may include a convergent-divergent nozzle or an orifice in a structure located in the choked flow channel.
US08099994B2
A method for calibrating a multiple-triad triaxial accelerometer is provided. The method may include receiving accelerometer measured output from a first measurement triad and at least one additional measurement triad of the accelerometer. The method may further include aligning the output of a x, y, and z components of the first measurement triad to be substantially orthogonal with respect to each other, aligning the output of x, y, and z components of at least one additional measurement triad to be substantially orthogonal with respect to each other, and rotating the output of at least one measurement triad so the outputs of all measurement triads substantially align with each other. The method may further include storing the result of the alignment and rotation associated with at least one calibration function associated with the multiple-triad triaxial accelerometer. The alignment and rotation may be performed substantially simultaneously.
US08099993B2
A method of verifying the operation of an accelerometer is provided. The method includes channeling a high frequency signal through a positive lead of the accelerometer, and detecting a signal at a negative lead of the accelerometer. If the detected signal is substantially similar to the high frequency signal channeled through the positive lead, the integrity of the accelerometer is verified.
US08099979B2
A dynamic piece of jewelry, which comprises: a bezel comprising: a partially spherical base having a curved bottom and an essentially flat top; and plurality of prongs that extend in a tilted manner from said essentially flat top of the base, each of said prongs having a bottom end which is attached to said essentially flat top of said base, and a top end, and wherein said prongs are tilted such that they form a structure having an expanding cross section from the structure bottom to the structure top; a tooth at the top of each prong, for, jointly supporting a gemstone; a seat which supports said partially spherical base, said seat having a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature of said partially spherical base; a gemstone supported by said plurality of teeth at the top of said prongs; and a holder having a central hole, said holder being attached to said seat in such a manner that a top portion of the prongs including the gemstone protrude above said holder hole, and a bottom portion of said prongs and said partially spherical base being maintained below said holder, and wherein the cross section of said prongs structure at the holder level is slightly smaller than the hole, thereby enabling multi directional freedom of movement, although limited, of the bezel within said the limitation of said hole.
US08099976B2
The present invention provides an oil-returning device and a accumulator, the oil-returning device including an outlet pipe and a filtering component, the outlet pipe having an bent arc portion which is provided with a positioning hole, the filtering component including a filtering screen and a filtering screen base with an oil-returning orifice, and being fixedly installed in the positioning hole, wherein an effective cross section area Sn of an inner space of the outlet pipe at a position where the filtering component is installed is in a range of 50%˜90% of an original effective cross section area S0 of the inner space of the untreated outlet pipe at a position where the filtering component is to be installed. The accumulator includes a hermetically sealed container, a inlet pipe and the oil-returning device, wherein in the case of a given diameter of the outlet pipe and a diameter of the oil-returning orifice, appropriate oil-returning capacity will be attained by setting the effective cross section area of the inner space at the oil-returning orifice of the outlet pipe, and thus the production has significant versatility and can meet the requirements of various refrigeration systems.
US08099974B2
A refrigerator including a housing with a chassis and a door enclosing a chilled interior; and a pressure equalization valve extending through a wall of the housing thereby facilitating an inflow of air from the surroundings into the interior and thereby blocking an outflow of air from the interior into the surroundings, the refrigerator comprising, a wall having a throughbore formed therein in a parallel flow arrangement with the pressure equalization valve, through which air can pass in two directions, wherein the flow of air is less than that of the airflow through the pressure equalization valve in the throughflow direction and greater than that of the air leakage value of the pressure equalization valve in the blocked direction.
US08099961B2
A gas-turbine combustion chamber wall for a gas-turbine has a combustion chamber wall 9, on the inner side of which several tiles 10 are arranged, with an interspace 14 being formed between the tiles 10 and the combustion chamber wall 9, into which cooling air is introduced via impingement-cooling holes 8 provided in the combustion chamber wall 9 and from which the cooling air flows into the combustion chamber via effusion-cooling holes 11, 23 provided in the tile 10. The tile 10 includes a surface structure 19, 22 on the side facing the combustion chamber wall 9. The area of the impingement-cooling holes 8 and the area of the effusion-cooling holes 11 do not coincide.
US08099960B2
A fuel-air mixer includes an annular shroud, inner and outer counter-rotating swirlers, a hub separating the inner and outer swirlers, a center body extending axially along the annular shroud, a fuel shroud disposed radially outwardly from the outer swirler circumferentially around the annular shroud, and a radial swirler disposed downstream of the inner and outer swirlers, the radial swirler being configured to allow an independent radial rotation of a second gas stream entering the annular shroud from a region outside a wall of the annular shroud separately from a stream flowing through the inner and outer swirlers, the radially rotating second gas stream entering the annular shroud at a region adjacent an outer wall of the annular shroud.
US08099956B2
The invention is based on an arrangement of supercharging units (1, 5, 6, 7), which arrangement is to be attached in the construction space of a motor vehicle, for supercharging an internal combustion engine with a fluid (23) comprising charge air and/or exhaust gas, wherein the supercharging units (1, 5, 6, 7) comprise at least one heat exchanger (5, 6, 7) and at least one compressor (1). According to the concept of the invention, the supercharging units (1, 5, 6, 7) are arranged combined in a module (10A, 10B) and, in order for the same to be kept together in the module (10A, 10B), the supercharging units (1, 5, 6, 7) are connected at any rate partially to one another in a fluid-conducting manner, and at least one of the supercharging units (1, 5, 6, 7) is held on a holding structure. This enables the supercharging units to be handled flexibly, simply and nevertheless in a manner saving on construction space and outlay on connection. The invention also leads to a production method.
US08099955B2
The invention herein proposed describes a plant operated by the movement of floaters (A) connected to horizontal arms (B). These arms (B) move hydraulic pumps (C), which inject water into the hyperbaric chamber (E). This chamber (E) supplies water through an outflow control valve, to set in motion a conventional turbine (G) that connected to electric generator supplies electricity.
US08099952B2
In an internal combustion engine, an NOx selective reducing catalyst is arranged inside an engine exhaust passage, an oxidation catalyst is arranged upstream of the NOx selective reducing catalyst, and an NOx adsorption catalyst is arranged upstream of the oxidation catalyst. The NOx adsorption catalyst has a property of releasing NOx when the temperature rises and a property of trapping the SOx contained in the exhaust gas. The inflow of SOx into the oxidation catalyst is suppressed by the NOx adsorption catalyst to prevent the NO released from the NOx adsorption catalyst being oxidized to NO2 at the oxidation catalyst from being obstructed by SOx.
US08099950B2
The present invention provides, as one aspect, an exhaust gas purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine including a setting unit that sets commanded values of an amount and a period of injection from an additive fuel injector, an adding controlling unit that injects fuel from the additive fuel injector in accordance with the commanded values, a determining unit that determines whether a high-accuracy measurement state has been entered in which a difference between measurement values of first and second air-to-fuel ratio sensors is within a predetermined range, and a calculating unit that calculates, when the high-accuracy measurement state has been entered, a deviation between the commanded value and a true value of the amount of injection by the adding controlling unit as a correction value, from at least one of the measurement values of the first and second air-to-fuel ratio sensors.
US08099946B2
A method, a device and a computer program product for the diagnosis of an oxidation catalyst for the oxidation of NO into NO2 in a motor vehicle is provided. An exhaust gas aftertreatment system includes at least the aforementioned oxidation catalyst and a particulate filter and/or an NOx-reducing catalyst arranged downstream of the oxidation catalyst, and a predetermined quantity of a reducing agent is supplied to the exhaust system upstream of the oxidation catalyst, and the NOx content or NO2 content is measured downstream of the oxidation catalyst. The method includes measuring a first value for the NOx/NO2 content at a point in time before the reduction agent is supplied to the exhaust gas system, measuring a second value for the NOx/NO2 content at a point in time during the period when the reduction agent is supplied to the exhaust gas system, and comparing the aforementioned values, in conjunction with which an indication of the impaired function of the oxidation catalyst is obtained when the difference between the aforementioned measured values is less than a predetermined first value.
US08099933B2
A process of manufacturing sealed packages containing a pourable food product from a web packaging material moving along a predetermined path involves providing a recurring pattern of printed register marks on the web packaging material, applying a recurring pattern of bend or fold lines on the web packaging material as a function of the detected position of the printed register marks, generating new references, distinct from the bend or fold lines, on the web packaging material in a synchronized way with the application of the recurring pattern of bend or fold lines; and performing one or more subsequent operations on the web packaging material based on a synchronization pulse created by detection of the new references.
US08099928B2
A tablet filling device that allows the device to be smaller since a driving range of an arm for holding vials is greatly decreased includes: a tablet supply unit 16; a first vial delivery arm unit 17; and a second vial delivery arm unit 18. The tablet supply unit 16 supplies tablets accommodated in a tablet feeder 21 provided at an outer periphery of a drum 101 as prescribed. The first vial delivery arm unit 17 has an arm 202. The arm 202 is movably mounted in a horizontal direction and may even be lifted in a vertical direction. The first delivery arm unit 17 receives vials 4 at a horizontal first position, accommodates the tablets discharged from the tablet feeder 21 into the vials 4 at a second position and delivers the vials 4 at a third position. The second vial delivery arm unit 18 has an arm 302. The arm 302 is movably mounted in the horizontal direction and may be lifted in the vertical direction. The second vial delivery arm unit 18 receives the vials 4 from the first vial delivery arm unit 17 at the horizontal first position, delivers the vials 4 to a capping unit 20 at the second position and discharges the vials 4 at the third position.
US08099925B1
A chair and system for securing, supporting, and connecting cable, having troughs supported on support members for receiving cables. The troughs can each have locks for closing the troughs and securing the cables in place.
US08099920B2
An external wall constructing structure excellent in ornamental appearance, weather resistance, contractibility, and safety is provided. An external wall constructing structure 1 comprising external wall panels that are joined to each other by vertical and horizontal shiplap joints and secured to a skeleton of a building by securing a metal fitting 5. A cut-off end portion 23 of a dimension-adjusted external wall panel 20 among the plurality of external wall panels is fixed to a skeleton 10 of the building via end constructing bracket 3. Left and right joint end portions of the dimension-adjusted external wall panel 20 are fixed to the skeleton 10 via lateral end securing metal fittings 6. In the end constructing bracket 3, a rear plate portion 31 is abutted on rear surface 26 of the dimension-adjusted external wall panel 20 and forward-bending portion 32 is abutted on cut-off end surface 231 of the dimension-adjusted external wall panel 20. The rear plate portion 31 and the rear surface 26 of the dimension-adjusted external wall panel 20 are adhered by adhesive agent 11. The forward-bending portion 32 of the end constructing bracket 3 has horizontal section 320, front section 321 and third abutting section 322 and sealing material 163 is placed in front of the front section 321.
US08099915B2
Modular floor tiles and modular floors are described herein. A modular floor tile may include a top surface layer, a plurality of edge surfaces, an interlocking mechanism for attachment to adjacent tiles, and a support system. The support system may additionally include a first rigid level and at least one resilient support member disposed under the top surface layer, the at least one resilient support member extending to a distance further from the top surface layer than the first rigid level. The at least one resilient support member may be compressible toward the top surface layer. A modular floor may include a plurality of interlocking tiles connected to one another. A method of forming a modular floor that includes an interlocking modular tile is also disclosed.
US08099912B2
An replacement floor panel is provided for a raised floor, and includes a top plate with corner-forming sections and leveling legs for height adjustment. Foot-print-expanding brackets engage the leveling legs for extending their foot print outwardly so that the floor panel can be used on different raised floor systems without misalignment problems with stanchion supports. A handle is pivotally mounted in the top plate between a flush position and a raised position for grasping to lift the replacement floor panel, the handle having a decor matching the top plate for aesthetics.
US08099911B2
A jamb flashing which includes a first plate, a second plate lying in a plane coplanar with or parallel to that of the first plate, and a flange the plane of which is substantially perpendicular to the planes of the first and second plates; said first plate having a first longitudinal edge which is upturned to lie at an acute angle to the plane of said first plate, and a second longitudinal edge which is rigidly secured to the lower edge of said flange; said second plate having a first longitudinal edge which is rigidly secured to the lower edge of said flange; said flange and said upturned first longitudinal edge of said first plate both projecting from the same side of the jamb flashing.
US08099904B2
A mechanism for the installment of a door or other similar closure having a rotational-sliding movement, of the type comprising the following elements to associate to a shutter: first pivot means defining a first vertical axis for the pivoting of a shutter, in a substantially central region thereof, to translation means arranged so as to slide in a corresponding guide associated to the upper strut of a frame of a door; second pivot means with an axis parallel to the axis of the first pivot means, for the pivoting of two arms, a first upper one and a second lower one, that are both pivoted with one of their ends to the frame of the door or closure in proximity to a jamb to define a second rotation axis, and have the opposite ends reciprocally rigidly coupled by means of a rod, defining a third rotation axis interposed between the first axis and the second axis, passing through the shutter in the direction of the height thereof. The second pivot means are rigidly coupled to the frame with means for adjusting the distance of the second rotation axis from the nearby jamb of the door or the like; further the rod is fixed to at least one of the two arms with a rigid connection device that provides a non-welded joint between the rod and the arms. Such mechanism according to the invention facilitates and improves the installment of doors having a rotational-sliding movement.
US08099903B2
A door system has at least one door leaf and a displacement system for the door leaf. The door leaf is connected to an organ that is moveable between two suspension points, wherein the first suspension point is situated at a greater distance from the plane of the entrance opening than the second suspension point. A track system is provided, for moving the door leaf in two phases, wherein the track system in the first phase rotationally moves a side of the door leaf outward, and in the second phase determines a displacement of the door leaf by a displacement of the organ from the first suspension point in the direction of the second suspension point.
US08099899B2
A maneuverable fishing lure for attachment to a fishing line includes a lure body including a first end and a second end. An attachment means joins to the fishing line where a retrieval of the fishing line imparts motion on the lure through water. A rudder is pivotally joined to the lure body proximate to the first end. The rudder is pivotal between a first position and a second position about a pivot axis substantially perpendicular to an axis extending through the first end and the second end. With the rudder in the first position, the motion causes the lure to travel through the water in a first direction. With the rudder in the second position, the motion causes the lure to and travel through the water in a second direction. A change in the motion causes the rudder to pivot between the first position and the second position.
US08099896B2
A rifle with a replaceable barrel with two or more barrels for different purposes and calibers and with own magazines for different cartridges. At least one barrel (1) has the cavity (2), into which a projection or upper edge (4) in the cartridge magazine (3) corresponding to the barrel fits, when the right magazine has been inserted into the rifle.
US08099894B1
Retrieval sock attachable to an associated retaining plate and floor plate of an ammunition magazine
A sock secured to an exposed end of an ammunition holding magazine associated with a projectile firing device. The sock includes a heavy duty and frictionally engaging curtain shaped body, such as constructed of a heavy duty silicone. An integrally formed lanyard loop extends from the body, this enabling easy single finger engagement for accomplishing easy and efficient withdrawal of the magazine from a projectile firing device, easy storage and ease of transport.
US08099891B2
The present invention relates to a holder clip (1) for cards, such as identification cards, comprising two holding arms (3, 4) interconnected by a yoke (2) and defining between them a card reception slot (5). In order to be able to hold also cards of various thicknesses with adequate holding force by means of the holder clip (1), the present invention is so conceived that at least one of the two holding arms (3, 4) is provided with at least one contact-pressure pad (6) bulging, at least in certain sections thereof, towards the respective other holding arm (3, 4), said contact-pressure pad (6) consisting of a material that is different from the material of the holding arms (3, 4).
US08099883B2
The invention relates to a display unit including of two panels which are joined along the lateral edges thereof, and at least one push unit joined to one of the panels and including first and second edges wherein at least the second edge is a free edge. The inventive display unit can be collapsed, whereby the element and the panels are disposed back-to-back adopting a flat configuration. The invention also includes a pull element intended to rotate, curve or bend the push element thereby pushing the free second edge of the push element towards one of the two panels in order to expand the panels automatically from the collapsed configuration to a service position in which the display unit it adopts a convex configuration able to stand upright.
US08099882B2
The invention relates to an iron (1) having a sole (2) on top of which is formed a body (3, 5) defining a handle and a sleeve (4), said body (3, 5) including at least one switch (7, 9) associated with a function such as steam generation, characterised in that the sleeve (4) is mounted so as to be capable of movement relative to the body (3, 5) and in that the switch (7, 9) can be actuated by a mechanical member (10, 14) secured to the sleeve (4).
US08099881B2
To provide boots which have hygienic and health advantages such as the ability to effectively deodorize the inside of the boots. The entire outer surface excluding the sole of the boot is made of a material which is formed into an integrated body by continuously knitting a yarn and, in the material, at least the instep-covering part to cover the toe or the instep of the foot is knitted out of a yarn including a fiber into which minute particles having one or more functions selected from among deodorizing function, antibacterial function or blood circulation promoting function. The boot can also be formed by knitting a twine which is made by twisting a fiber into which minute particles having deodorizing function, antibacterial function or blood circulation promoting function around a fiber which has high elasticity.
US08099879B1
A modular preserver system for a protective covering. The modular preserver system includes a permeable flexible covering received within the protective covering. An absorbing material is provided within another permeable covering, which is disposed within the permeable flexible covering for retaining moisture withdrawn from the interior surface area of the protective covering. A compact cover may be wrapped over the protective covering adapted to contain any contaminants within the compact cover thereby preventing the contaminants polluting adjacent objects. The modular preserver system may include a flexible strap adapted to modularly carry a pair of protective coverings.
US08099861B2
A current-leveling electrode for improving electroplating and electrochemical polishing uniformity in the electrochemical plating or electropolishing of metals on a substrate is disclosed. The current-leveling electrode includes a base electrode and at least one sub-electrode carried by the base electrode. The at least one sub-electrode has a width which is less than a width of the base electrode to impart a generally tapered, stepped or convex configuration to the current-leveling electrode.
US08099858B2
A winding device for producing a field coil including a double-layer multiple-circuit winding for an electric motor includes a drive. The drive is configured to operate upon a winding mandrel with multiple lamellas arranged to be swung radially outwardly and inwardly by the drive in order to produce the double-layer multiple-circuit winding as a plurality of winding stacks that are arranged in separate slots and electrically connected in series, in parallel or both. At least two axially-separated winding stacks can be produced at the same time by the drive.
US08099857B2
The electrical pin installation apparatus provides a user with a real time video display of the process of pinning an electrical connector body. Such real time video display substantially improves the user's ability to accurately and effectively install electrical pins into electrical connectors without the attendant electrical test equipment and fixturing of prior art devices. The apparatus assists in the pinning process by providing various prompts and guides to guide the user in error-proof pin installation. The apparatus further includes built-in electrical pin insertion and retention load assessment to assure proper insertion and retention loads are applied during the pin installation process. Additionally, the apparatus may include storage of manufacturing data as it is inputted into the apparatus.
US08099855B2
Methods of recording head fabrication are provided to fabricate a region of separation material between a write pole and a shield of a write head that forms a controlled spacing between the write pole and the shield of the write head. The method comprises forming a mask structure having an opening exposing a write pole of the write head and forming separation material above the portions of the write pole exposed by the opening. The method further comprises removing the mask structure and forming a shield of the write head above the separation material. The separation material forms a spacing between the write pole and the shield, which controls the amount of flux from the write pole absorbed by a shield (e.g., a wrap around shield) of the write head.
US08099853B2
A method for manufacturing a boundary acoustic wave device prevents formation of discontinuous portions in a dielectric film without a significant decrease in the thickness of an IDT when the dielectric film is formed by deposition and without deterioration of electrical characteristics. The method includes the steps of forming an IDT on a piezoelectric substrate, forming a lower dielectric film so as to cover the IDT, conducting a planarizing step so as to smooth the rough surface of the lower dielectric film, and forming an upper dielectric film so as to cover the lower dielectric film of which the rough surface is smoothed.
US08099852B2
A method for assembling an image capturing device is provided. The image capturing device includes a light-pervious module, an image sensor and a binding material. The image sensor has a light sensing region for converting an imaging light into an electronic signal. The binding material is used for binding articles together and curable by a curing process. Firstly, the light-pervious module and the image sensor together are releasably bound together via the binding material, thereby defining a close space for accommodating the image sensor. Then, a testing process is performed to detect a clean condition of the close space. If particles present in the close space are detected, the light-pervious module is detached from the image sensor, a cleaning process is done to remove the particle, and the light-pervious module and the image sensor are releasably bound together to define the close space again. Afterwards, the binding material is cured.
US08099851B2
A crimping system for crimping a stent onto a catheter balloon includes at least one crimping head of moveable contracting members, which define a diameter reduction chamber. The chamber has a length and a longitudinal axis. The chamber has a reduced diameter configuration and a pre-reduction diameter configuration. Each member has a length corresponding to the length of the chamber. In both the reduced diameter configuration and the pre-reduction diameter configuration each member is a given distance from the longitudinal axis, wherein a first region of the length of each member is a greater distance from the longitudinal axis than a second region of the length of each member.
US08099841B2
The needle board for a needling machine has a base plate with a plurality of receptacles, and a plurality of needle modules. Each needle module has a carrier plate, which is equipped with a plurality of needles arranged in a predetermined pattern and which is inserted into one of the receptacles in the base plate in such a way that the needles project from the base plate.
US08099840B2
The invention relates to a device for needling a web of fiber, said device comprising at least one driven needle beam. A vertical reciprocal movement of the needle beam is carried out by a vertical drive unit and a superposed horizontal reciprocal movement is carried out by a horizontal drive unit or due to a phase adjustment by the vertical drive unit. A weight balancing device is provided for balancing the inertia forces of the crank mechanisms. In order to be able to balance both vertical and horizontal inertia forces in a simple manner, the weight balancing device is formed by at least one balance weight which is associated with the crank mechanism of the vertical drive unit and which is set-off by an angle in the range of <180° from an eccentric element of the crank mechanism.
US08099829B2
A wet type suction cleaner comprising a tank (10) having an inlet (22) for suction-induced air flow and an outlet leading to a fan for creating the suction: and a float valve assembly (30) including a housing (32) and a float member movable relative to the housing (32) to cause closure of the outlet; wherein the inlet (22) directs the suction air flow to impinge on a part (40) of the housing (32), and the housing (32) has an opening (54) leading to the outlet which opening (54) is at a part of the housing (32) facing away from the inlet (22), the housing (32) further comprising deflecting means (42) for deflecting impinged matter away from the opening (54).
US08099827B2
The invention relates to a device for suction of waste and contaminating substances from the ground of the type used in machines for cleaning roads and similar, comprising a suction pipe (2) and a recirculation pipe (3), the device comprising: an inlet aperture (2a) of the suction pipe (2a) and an outlet aperture (3a) of the recirculation pipe (3); the outlet aperture (3a) being a slot surrounding the inlet aperture (2a) near the ground; the device further comprising a system for adjustment (12) of the distance from the ground consisting of an articulated quadrilateral (13), a fluid dynamic cylinder (14) and at least one castor (15) in contact with the ground.
US08099825B2
A vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle, an air-filtering dirt receptacle, and a motor. A fan of the vacuum cleaner is configured to be driven by the motor to drive a flow of air that carries dirt from a surface through the nozzle and into the receptacle to clean the surface. A controller of the vacuum cleaner provides a notification to a user of the vacuum cleaner indicative of an excessive amount of dirt in the receptacle when current drawn by the motor drops below a threshold value.
US08099820B2
A toothbrush includes a handle and a head. The head is in the form of a peripheral frame having an open central area. A plurality of cleaning element carrying support members are mounted across the frame over the open central area to form an open lattice pattern having through holes to facilitate the cleaning of the head. The cleaning elements are bristles laser welded to the support members.
US08099810B2
The disclosed changing station may support a small person, such as a baby. The station may comprise a platform, a support structure, and a mounting structure. The platform may be rotatable from a vertical storage position to a horizontal use position along a rotational axis. The support structure may have a rotatable support member that rotates along the rotational axis. The mounting structure may be used for mounting the support structure to a vertical wall.
US08099808B1
A leg holder assembly includes a leg support apparatus and a rail attachment mechanism. The leg support apparatus includes a planar support apparatus and a plurality of adjustable arms. The adjustable arms are pivotable. A patient's leg can be received within a space defined between the adjustable arms and rested on the planar support apparatus. The leg support apparatus also includes a support shaft. The rail attachment mechanism includes a body and a plurality of attachment arms. The rail attachment mechanism can be secured to the rail of an operating table by hooking the arms of the rail attachment mechanism over the rail of the operating table. A slot formed within the body of the rail attachment mechanism receives the support shaft and enables the support shaft to be slid into and out of the slot for attachment and detachment of the leg support apparatus to the operating table.
US08099807B2
A patient support is provided having an onboard storage location for a foot section.
US08099805B1
A sink and its installation are shown and described. A lip of the sink defines a continuous outer perimeter which is preferably received within a first inner perimeter of a portion of a countertop so that an upper surface of the countertop extends at or at an elevation above the upper surface of the lip. Preferably a slope leads from the upper surface of the countertop to an upper surface of the lip wherein water or food may be directed from the countertop into the sink. The sink preferably rests on a ledge of the countertop which has been machined or otherwise formed into the countertop. Furthermore, the outer perimeter of the lip of the sink preferably has no discontinuous points thereon wherein when a derivative is taken of an equation defining the outer perimeter, a solution is provided for all points.
US08099801B2
A system is provided herein which includes a closet flange insert and at least one spacer to be positioned between the closet flange insert and an installed closet flange. The closet flange insert includes a toilet connecting flange which extends radially outwardly from a through pipe. The through pipe is sized to be inserted into a pipe section of a closet flange. Each spacer includes spaced apart first and second faces, and spaced apart inner and outer edges extending between the first and second faces. The inner edge defines an opening extending through the body, the opening sized to permit passage therethrough of the through pipe of the closet flange insert but not the toilet connecting flange of the closet flange insert. Advantageously, with the subject invention, a system is provided which allows the closet flange insert to be mounted atop an installed closet flange, with one or more spacers therebetween, and with the closet flange insert being flush with surrounding finished flooring.
US08099800B2
A device for spraying an inner surface of a toilet bowl with a cleaning and/or deodorizing chemical is disclosed. The device can include a container for the chemical, a sprayer through which the chemical can be sprayed laterally at least halfway around a perimeter of the sprayer, means for attaching the sprayer near a rim of the toilet bowl, a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the container and the sprayer, and a manually operated pump for delivering chemical from the container through the fluid conduit and to the sprayer when the pump is operated. In one version, the pump includes a pump chamber in fluid communication with the container, a discharge conduit in fluid communication with the pump chamber and in fluid communication with the fluid conduit, and a piston that reciprocates in the pump chamber for drawing fluid from the container into the pump chamber and moving fluid from the pump chamber through the discharge conduit and into the fluid conduit. The device can apply chemical around the entire circumference of the inner surface of the toilet bowl.
US08099799B2
Securing devices secure the position of protective pads on the arms of a user of the protective pads. A first strap and a second strap are placed over the head with the head of the user passing in between the first and second strap. The first and second straps connect to a third strap at a first connection point. At a second connection point opposite from the first connection point a fourth strap connects to the first and second straps. The third and fourth straps each connect to an attachment device. The attachment devices connect to the protective pads of the wearer. Each one of the straps can each be adjustable to accommodate wearers of varying dimensions. The attachment devices can be detachable from the protective pads so that the wearer can utilize the securing device in conjunction with protective pads that the wearer already has.
US08099795B2
The aqua sport shield is used while spear fishing. The shield distributes the force of loading a spear gun over a body area such as a chest area or the thigh area of a person's leg, greater than the butt end of the spear gun. The shield is comprised of a waterproof layer, a force absorbing layer and a force distributing layer. The shield can be a separate unit and attached to the user or can be a releasable or permanent part of a wet suit. Further it can be of various shapes to fit different body shapes as long as it effectively distributes the force of loading the spear gun to prevent body bruising or undue comfort.
US08104084B2
A method and apparatus for authorizing a user is provided. A requestor submits a request for challenge data to a device. The device generates the challenge data and provides the challenge data to the requestor. The requestor obtains response data that is responsive to the challenge data. The requestor may obtain the response data by providing, to a third party, the challenge data and identification information for the requestor. Upon the third party successfully validating the identity of the requestor, the third party provides the response data to the requestor. The requestor thereafter submits the response data to the device. In response to receiving the response data from the requestor, the device verifies the response data. Upon the device successfully verifying the response data, the device grants access to the requestor.
US08104074B2
A digital identity system includes a principal including an identity selector programmed to receive a security policy from a relying party, review a plurality of digital identities associated with the principal, and request one or more claims related to an identity of the principal from an identity provider. The principal is further programmed to receive one or more security tokens including the claims from the identity provider, and to forward the security tokens to the relying party.
US08104067B2
An apparatus to reduce effects on playback of moving picture data caused by variations in data transmission rate that occur on a communication line, a receiving and playing back apparatus includes a receiver for receiving moving picture data transmitted over a communication line; playback modules for playing back the received moving picture data; a second buffer for temporarily storing the moving picture data received by the receiver and outputting the stored moving picture data at a desired speed; and a first buffer for providing the playback modules with moving picture data required for playback processing.
US08104063B2
An information storage apparatus for processing a plurality of broadcast contents, where each content is subject to a respective use condition, includes a storage unit for storing such contents, a control unit configured to manage a respective recording reservation of each content and to control the storage unit so as to store a reservation target content in the storage unit and delete a stored content from the storage unit, the reservation target content and the stored content being respective members of the plurality of broadcast contents, and a determination unit configured to determine, when an instruction to perform a recording reservation of the reservation target content is received, whether there is any content stored in the storage unit that, according to its use condition, is permitted to be deleted from the storage unit by a recording start time of the reservation target content.
US08104053B2
A chassis is comprised of a resin material. A main shaft is attached to the chassis and extends in a first direction. A sheet metal frame is attached to the chassis and has an edge rail portion which extends in the first direction. The main shaft and the edge rail portion are adapted to guide the optical pickup in the first direction.
US08104043B2
A system and method is provided for cooperative execution of distributed tasks by networked computers without the use of a centralized controller to coordinate the task execution. Each computer has an execution agent that cooperates with the execution agents of the other computers to carry out the execution of a given sequence of tasks. The execution instructions for the task sequence are provided to a first computer in the selected set of computers for task execution. The first computer processes the instructions and forwards them to its peer computers so that each of them knows the tasks it is to perform in connection with the tasks of the other computers. The computers then executes the tasks assigned to them and use peer-to-peer communications to provide status update to their peer computers to synchronize and coordinate the task execution.
US08104034B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an architecture for securely and efficiently executing byte code generated from a general programming language. In particular, a computer system is divided into a hierarchy comprising multiple types of virtual machines. A thin layer of software, known as a virtual machine monitor, virtualizes the hardware of the computer system and emulates the hardware of the computer system to form a first type of virtual machine. This first type of virtual machine implements a virtual operating domain that allows running its own operating system. Within a virtual operating domain, a byte code interpreter may further implement a second type of virtual machine that executes byte code generated from a program written in a general purpose programming language. The byte code interpreter is incorporated into the operating system running in the virtual operating domain. The byte code interpreter implementing the virtual machine that executes byte code may be divided into a kernel component and one or more user level components. The kernel component of the virtual machine is integrated into the operating system kernel. The user level component provides support for execution of an applet and couples the applet to the operating system. In addition, an operating system running in a virtual operating domain may be configured as a special purpose operating system that is optimized for the functions of a particular byte code interpreter.
US08104032B1
A rollback manager creates a restore point on a computer. The rollback manager stores a reboot indicator in non-revertible storage. The rollback manager monitors the reboot indicator to detect an unexpected reboot during deployment of a modification. The rollback manager configures the computer responsive to the reboot indicator. The rollback manager can roll back the system state, responsive to detecting a failed modification deployment. The rollback manager can deem the computer to be stable, responsive to detecting a successful modification deployment.
US08104030B2
A computer implemented method, computer usable program code, and a system for parallelizing a loop. A parameter that will be used to limit parallelization of the loop is identified to limit parallelization of the loop. The parameter specifies a minimum number of loop iterations that a thread should execute. The parameter can be adjusted based on a parallel performance factor. A parallel performance factor is a factor that influences the performance of parallel code. A number of threads from a plurality of threads is selected for processing iterations of the loop based on the parameter. The number of threads is selected prior to execution of the first iteration of the loop.
US08104026B2
Assigns suitable registers to a plurality of variables. A compiler converts a source program into instructions for a processor having: a simultaneously used variable acquisition section which obtains, with respect to each of a plurality of variables used in the source program, some of the other variables used simultaneously with the variable; an allocation sequence generation section which generates a plurality of allocation sequences between the plurality of variables to allocate each variable to one of the plurality of registers different from those to which some of the other variables used simultaneously with the variable are allocated; an allocation priority acquisition section which obtains allocation priorities indicating to which one of the plurality of registers each variable is allocated with priority; and a register allocation section which allocates the variables to registers in accordance with an allocation sequence selected on the basis of the allocation priorities.
US08104012B1
Dynamic power savings and efficient use of resources are achieved in a programmable logic device (PLD) such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or complex programmable logic device (CPLD) by receiving a design netlist specifying a circuit including clock signals, clock buffers, clock enable signals and synchronous elements, examining the design netlist to identify synchronous elements coupled to common clock and clock enable signals, cutting the clock signals to the synchronous elements to form a modified design netlist, inserting gated clock buffers into the modified netlist to output gated clock signals to the synchronous elements, responsive to the clock enable signals, and performing placement and routing on the modified netlist. A system for performing the method on an EDA tool is provided. The methods may be provided as executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium which cause a programmable processor to perform the methods.
US08104010B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit design supporting system has a memory unit which stores cell information containing the number of power supply pads formed at a chip as well as names and the number of a plurality of IO cells, and a drive factor definition file defining a drive factor of each of the plurality of IO cells, a pad laying out section which tentatively lays out the power supply pads and input-output pads corresponding to the IO cells, using the cell information, a package virtual designing section which prepares a package drawing based on coordinates of the power supply pads and the input-output pads, which have been tentatively laid out, an electric characteristics data calculating section which calculates inductance of the power supply pads, using the package drawing, and a noise risk calculating section which calculates noise risk of each of the input-output pads, using the inductance and the drive factor definition file.
US08103993B2
A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium for designing, manufacturing, and/or testing a design for dynamically allocating lanes to a plurality of PCI Express connectors is disclosed that include identifying whether a PCI Express device is installed into each PCI Express connector, and assigning a portion of the lanes to each PCI Express connector having a PCI Express device installed into the PCI Express connector. Dynamically allocating lanes to a plurality of PCI Express connectors may also include identifying a device type for each PCI Express device installed into the plurality of PCI Express connectors, creating allocation rules that specify the allocation of lanes to the plurality of PCI Express connectors, and receiving user allocation preferences that specify the allocation of lanes to the plurality of PCI Express connectors.
US08103991B2
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for designing a circuit, having, generating electrical filter graphic data indicating a candidate portion where a dimensional value of a layout pattern is permitted to deviate from a design value by taking account of an electrical characteristic, and electrical filter data indicating the permissible dimensional value in the candidate portion of the layout pattern by taking account of the electrical characteristic, by using circuit diagram data, a static timing analytical result, and a result of a circuit simulation, and store them in the storage unit, generating design data by using the electrical filter graphic data, and form a layout pattern by using the design data, detecting a lithography error by performing a lithography simulation on the layout pattern, determining by using the electrical filter database whether the error requires correction by taking account of the electrical characteristic, correcting the layout if the error is found to require the correction, and outputting a result of the correction of the layout.
US08103990B2
A technique for characterising variation in a performance parameter(s) of circuit cells within a circuit cell library with perturbations in manufacturing process parameters uses a statistical approach whereby the statistical distribution of performance parameter(s) resulting from a joint distribution across manufacturing process parameter space is determined. The perturbation in manufacturing process parameter which results in a characteristic amount of variation is then identified and common sets of such perturbations used to group families of circuit cells together. Families of circuit cells have a correlation in their response to manufacturing process parameter perturbation and this is represented by a correlation matrix. Variation characterising data generated in accordance with the above technique is used to drive electronic design automation tools in integrated circuit design and manufacture.
US08103982B2
Methods and systems for allowing an Integrated Circuit designer to specify one or more design rules, and to determine the expected probability of success of the IC design based on the design rules. Probability information is compiled for each circuit component, that specifies the probability of the circuit component working if a characteristic of the circuit component is varied. As the design rules are examined, the probability of each component working is calculated. The probabilities are combined to determine the overall probability of success for the IC design. Furthermore, the IC design may be broken into a plurality of portions, and design rules can be separately specified for each portion. This allows a designer the flexibility to use different design rules on different portions of the IC design.
US08103976B2
A photo mask set for forming multi-layered interconnection lines and a semiconductor device fabricated using the same includes a first photo mask for forming lower interconnection lines and a second photo mask for forming upper interconnection lines. The first and second photo masks have lower opaque patterns parallel with each other and upper opaque patterns that overlap the lower opaque patterns. In this case, ends of the lower opaque patterns are located on a straight line that crosses the lower opaque patterns. As a result, when upper interconnection lines are formed using the second photo mask, poor photo resist patterns can be prevented from being formed despite the focusing of reflected light.
US08103975B2
A programmable logic device (PLD) includes first and second circuits. The first and second circuits are part of a user's design to be implemented using the PLD's resources. The first circuit is powered by a first supply voltage. The second circuit is powered by a second supply voltage. At least one of the first and second supply voltages is determined by a PLD computer-aided design (CAD) flow used to implement the user's design in the PLD.
US08103968B2
A system, an apparatus, and a method for representing a multimedia display are proposed in the present invention for displaying multimedia data and a menu. The system comprises an interface from which the user may input signals and the apparatus comprising screens for displaying. Three signals can be inputted from the interface, a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal. The apparatus comprises a first screen for displaying multimedia data, a second screen for displaying menu, and optionally a third screen for displaying information related to the multimedia data. The method comprises the steps of: providing a first screen to display multimedia data; providing a second screen to display a menu; and optionally providing a third screen to display information related to multimedia data.
US08103964B2
A device editing a value of a parameter according to an operation by a user operates in a normal mode and in a detailed edit mode. In the normal mode, according to an operation sensed by a touch panel, the position of a cursor in a main screen displayed on a display panel is controlled, and a parameter to be edited is selected and an operation mode is shifted to the detailed edit mode. In the detailed edit mode, a screen for accepting an edit operation of the parameter selected in the normal mode is displayed on a touch screen and a value of the parameter stored in a current memory is changed according to the operation sensed by the touch panel.
US08103959B2
A method, system and computer-readable medium are disclosed for exchanging gestures in a virtual world application. In one embodiment, the virtual world application determines whether a first avatar has a gesture exchange function enabled. If so, the virtual world application displays words communicated by a first user to a second user during the communication session and identifies a keyword among the communicated words corresponding to a gesture in a user inventory of the first avatar.
US08103953B2
Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer program products, for delta handling in server pages. A server method, for processing a page document that has multiple page components, includes generating, for each page component of the page document, a corresponding browser component. The method also includes building a document structure of a browser document corresponding to the page document. The document structure includes a page buffer and the generated browser components. The page buffer and the browser components have relationships that reflect the structure of the browser document. The method can identify a browser delta in the document structure and send the browser delta to an output stream.
US08103952B2
A method for processing XML documents using a SAX parser, implemented in a two-thread architecture having a main thread and a parsing thread. The parsing procedure is located in a parsing thread, which implements callback functions of a SAX parser and creates and executes the SAX parser. The main thread controls the parsing thread by sending target content to be searched for and wakeup signals to the parsing thread, and receives the content found by the parsing thread for further processing. In the parsing thread, each time a callback function is invoked by the SAX parser, it is determined whether the target content has been found. If it has, the parsing thread sends the found content to the main thread with a wakeup signal, and enters a sleep mode, whereby further parsing is halted until a wakeup signal with additional target content is received from the main thread.
US08103947B2
A collaborative system and method are used to capture, organize, share and preserve life stories. Life stories can be expressed in first person or third person. In either case, the process of developing the life stories is carried out with collaboration with and contributions from other users. The collaboration among the users is desirable because it serves to encourage and prompt users to record their life stories and also increases the relevance of the recorded life stories, so that an online community of users containing highly relevant and meaningful content, that is also relatively permanent in nature, about the users can be created.
US08103944B2
A system and method for increasing the throughput of a RS decoder in MediaFLO™ receivers. A MAC de-interleaver RAM architecture allowing operation of parallel RS decoders comprises of four equal portioned memory banks, a codeword buffer for data correction, and a higher bit width RAM. The method of increasing throughput of RS decoder by minimizing RAM access and clock frequency includes increasing the bit width of the de-interleaver RAM, using parallel RS decoder cores for decoding received data, partitioning a 4-bank RAM and ECB allocation scheme, and correcting the data using intermediate buffers. The architecture enables on-chip implementation of the MAC de-interleaver RAM and RS decoders with reduced power consumption and provide higher RS decoder throughput.
US08103943B2
Symbol reconstruction methods by applying Galois Field arithmetic to Reed Solomon codewords have been disclosed. Reconstruction methods by applying n-valued reversing logic functions are also provided. A correct codeword can be selected from calculated codewords by comparing a calculated codeword with the Reed-Solomon codeword in error. A correct codeword can also be found by comparing a codeword in error with possible (p,k) codewords. Non Galois Field Reed Solomon coders are disclosed. Methods for correcting symbols in errors that have been identified as being in error are provided. Apparatus that implement the error correction methods are disclosed. Systems, including communication and storage systems that use the disclosed methods are also provided.
US08103938B2
The quality of data stored in a memory system is assessed by different methods, and the memory system is operated according to the assessed quality. The data quality can be assessed during read operations. Subsequent use of an Error Correction Code can utilize the quality indications to detect and reconstruct the data with improved effectiveness. Alternatively, a statistics of data quality can be constructed and digital data values can be associated in a modified manner to prevent data corruption. In both cases the corrective actions can be implemented specifically on the poor quality data, according to suitably chosen schedules, and with improved effectiveness because of the knowledge provided by the quality indications. These methods can be especially useful in high-density memory systems constructed of multi-level storage memory cells.
US08103934B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for the detection and correction of memory errors using code words with a quantity, divisible by 4, of data bits, with an equal quantity of check bits, and having the check bits and data bits interleaved. Upon execution of a memory write instruction, a processor may send a memory word to a check bit generator that generates the check bits before the code word is written to a memory unit. Upon a signal from the processor that a memory read is requested, the memory unit may send a stored code word to a syndrome bit generator to generate a syndrome vector. The syndrome vector may then be sent to a correction bit generator and an uncorrectable error detector. These units may send corrected bits and an uncorrectable error signal, respectively, to the processor.
US08103933B2
A method and system to ensure the integrity of data in a data-processing device, a data packet is read from a memory and checked to determine whether the data packet is an existing code word of a predefined first code, and if the data packet is an existing code word, the data packet is accepted as intact, and if the data packet is not an existing code word, at least one data block of an error-correcting second code that overlaps with the read data packet is ascertained, and an error is searched for in the data packet using the second code, and the data packet is corrected on the basis of the result of the search, and the corrected data packet is accepted as intact.
US08103932B2
A DTV transmitting system includes a frame encoder, a randomizer, a block processor, a group formatter, a deinterleaver, and a packet formatter. The frame encoder builds an enhanced data frame and encodes the frame two times for first and second error correction, respectively. It further permutes a plurality of encoded data frames. The randomizer randomizes the permuted enhanced data, and the block processor codes the randomized data at a rate of 1/N1. The group formatter forms a group of enhanced data having one or more data regions and inserts the data coded at the rate of 1/N1 into at least one of the data regions. The deinterleaver deinterleaves the group of enhanced data, and the packet formatter formats the deinterleaved data into enhanced data packets.
US08103926B2
Methods and apparatuses for synthesizing and/or implementing an augmented multimode compactor are described.
US08103921B2
A memory system including a first memory, a content addressable memory, a testing module, and a memory controller. The first memory includes first memory cells. The content addressable memory includes second memory cells and is configured to store addresses of selected ones of the first memory cells, store data having the addresses in corresponding ones of the second memory cells, and retrieve the data from the corresponding ones of the second memory cells. The testing module is configured to determine a number of the first memory cells that fail at a first refresh rate. The first refresh rate corresponds to a time period between refreshing the first memory cells. The memory controller is configured to, based on the number of the first memory cells that fail at the first refresh rate, maintain the first refresh rate, and increase the first refresh rate.
US08103920B2
A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory, a control circuit that controls the nonvolatile memory, an MPU that controls the control circuit, and an interface circuit that performs communication with a host according to an aspect of the preset invention, wherein the control circuit includes a reading unit that outputs a read enable signal to the nonvolatile memory to read data; a delay unit that delays a signal obtained by returning the read enable signal and outputs the signal as a clock, and a latch unit that latches and outputs the data read from the nonvolatile memory by using the clock output from the delay unit.
US08103917B2
In a circuit and method for correcting skew among a plurality of communication channels used in communicating with a memory circuit, and in a memory controller and memory controlling method, and in a memory system and method, the circuit for correcting skew includes a transmitting circuit for transmitting a reference signal to input ends of the plurality of channels and through the plurality of channels, and a plurality of receiving circuits for receiving at the input ends of the plurality of channels a respective plurality of reflected signals, the reflected signals being reflected from respective output ends of the plurality of channels. A detection circuit receives the reflected signals and detects relative signal propagation time differences between the plurality of channels. A delay circuit coupled to at least one of the channels sets a signal propagation delay in the at least one of the channels based on the detected relative signal propagation time differences.
US08103916B2
In an example embodiment, a method is provided for scheduling a check to detect anomalies in a computing system. An average time between the anomalies that are detectable by the check is identified and additionally, a runtime of the check is identified. A frequency of the check is then calculated based on the average time between the anomalies and the runtime of the check, and execution of the check may be scheduled based on the calculated frequency.
US08103915B2
A method performed by a domain name service client includes storing DNS entries in a local cache; sending a DNS query to another device to obtain an update to one of the DNS entries; determining whether a DNS response is received; and resetting a time-to-live (TTL) timer associated with the one of the DNS entries when the DNS response is not received.
US08103904B2
Data storage reliability is maintained in a write-back distributed data storage system including multiple nodes. Each node comprises a processor and an array of failure independent data storage devices. Information is stored as a set of stripes, each stripe including a collection of at least a data strip and associated parity strips, the stripes distributed across a primary data node and multiple corresponding parity nodes. A read-other parity update protocol maintains parity coherency. The primary data node for each data strip drives parity coherency with the corresponding parity nodes, independently of other data nodes, in keeping relevant parity strips for the primary data node coherent. A parity value is determined based on data other than a difference between new data and existing data. A new parity value is based on new data and dependent data, wherein with respect to one data value, dependent data comprises other data encoded in a corresponding parity value.
US08103897B2
Objects of the invention are to provide a clock generation circuit, in which, even when different clock signals are used among a plurality of circuits such as a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit, stabilized communication is possible; and to provide a semiconductor device including the clock generation circuit. The clock generation circuit includes an edge detection circuit, a reference clock generation circuit, a reference clock counter circuit, and a frequency-divider circuit. The reference clock counter circuit is a circuit which outputs a counter value, which is obtained by counting the number of waves of a reference clock signal outputted from the reference clock generation circuit, in a period of time from when the edge detection circuit detects an edge of a signal which is externally inputted to the edge detection circuit to when the edge detection circuit detects the next edge, to the frequency-divider circuit. The frequency-divider circuit is a circuit which frequency-divides the reference clock signal based on the counter value.
US08103894B2
Embodiments that dynamically conserve power in non-uniform cache access (NUCA) caches are contemplated. Various embodiments comprise a computing device, having one or more processors coupled with one or more NUCA cache elements. The NUCA cache elements may comprise one or more banks of cache memory, wherein ways of the cache are vertically distributed across multiple banks. To conserve power, the computing devices generally turn off groups of banks, in a sequential manner according to different power states, based on the access latencies of the banks. The computing devices may first turn off groups having the greatest access latencies. The computing devices may conserve additional power by turning of more groups of banks according to different power states, continuing to turn off groups with larger access latencies before turning off groups with the smaller access latencies.
US08103884B2
Methods and products for managing power consumption of a computer and computers for which power consumption is managed. The computer includes the computer including a computer processor and embodiments of the present invention include providing, by an in-band power manger to an out-of-band power manager, a proposed performance state (‘p-state’) for the computer processor; determining, by the out-of-band power manager, in dependence upon a power setpoint and currently-measured operating metrics of the computer processor, whether to approve the proposed p-state; and if the out-of-band power manager approves the proposed p-state, setting operating parameters of the computer processor according to the approved p-state.
US08103883B2
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for controlling access to data stored on a plurality of storage devices associated with a first platform. The method includes authenticating a user to access the first platform, wherein the first platform includes first and second storage devices, chipset encryption hardware, and a memory. Data stored on the storage devices are encrypted, with first data on the first storage device being encrypted by the chipset encryption hardware and second data stored on the second storage device being encrypted by another encryption mechanism. The data are decrypted and the user is allowed to access the first data and the second data.
US08103881B2
The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for securely granting access to an event. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus, such as an electronic card, ticket or information carrier, contains biometric data about a user. When the “ticket” is purchased or authenticated, event access information is stored on the electronic card or ticket by an entity authorized by the event provider. The user is allowed access to the event when the biometric data stored on the electronic card or ticket matches the user's biometric data and the event access information is validated. The user's biometric data is authenticated via a biometric sensor on the electronic card or ticket. The user's biometric data can also be authenticated by the entity granting access to the event.
US08103877B2
The present disclosure describes, e.g., electronic tickets, coupons and credits. In some cases these electronic objects are represented by imagery or audio. One claim recites a handheld apparatus including: an input for receiving an electronic coupon or credit, the electronic coupon or credit comprising audio; electronic memory for storing a received electronic coupon or credit; an audio output for outputting the received electronic coupon or credit, in which the electronic coupon or credit is intended to be applied to a purchase or transaction; and an electronic processor programmed for controlling output of the received electronic coupon or credit. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too.
US08103876B2
A method for handling digital certificate status requests between a client system and a proxy system is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving at the proxy system digital certificate status request data transmitted from the client system and generating query data for the digital certificate status in response to receiving the digital certificate status request data. The query data is transmitted to a status provider system, and status data from the status provider system in response to the query data is received at the proxy system. Digital certificate status data based on the status data received is generated and transmitting to the client system.
US08103873B2
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for processing auditory communications is disclosed. In an embodiment, this comprises receiving an auditory communication, comparing a portion of the communication to a lexicon comprising a plurality of keywords to determine if there is a negative match to a first keyword from the lexicon, and quarantining the communication if the comparison returns a positive result, wherein the positive result indicates that the communication is not compliant.
US08103869B2
A node configured for use in a communication network with a distributed architecture. The node comprises a key encryption functionality, a transceiving functionality for transmitting and receiving packets, a privilege level introduction functionality configured to introduce a privilege level into packets to be transmitted, and a comparison functionality configured to compare a privilege level of received packets with a privilege level assigned to a second node from which these packets are received, wherein these packets are dropped, if they violate the privilege level of said second node.
US08103866B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system for reconfiguring a processor array while it is currently operating. The reconfiguration system uses configuration chains streamed down communication channels that are set for the re-configuration process, then re-set after the reconfiguration process has completed.
US08103864B2
According to one embodiment, if start-up of an application is abnormal after starting up the application, the information processing apparatus reports the fact to the basic input/output system (BIOS), and the BIOS locks a system.
US08103862B2
A system to perform an information handling system (IHS) initialization includes one or more subsystems to receive a command to power on the IHS, initialize a processor cache memory to emulate a random access memory (RAM), determine whether a manufacturing self test is being performed on the IHS, and in response to the manufacturing self test being performed, complete the initialization without a complete memory initialization.
US08103851B2
What is provided is an enhanced dynamic address translation facility. In one embodiment, a virtual address to be translated and an initial origin address of a translation table of the hierarchy of translation tables are obtained. An index portion of the virtual address is used to reference an entry in the translation table. If a format control field contained in the translation table entry is enabled, the table entry contains a frame address of a large block of data of at least 1M byte in size. The frame address is then combined with an offset portion of the virtual address to form the translated address of a small 4K byte block of data in main storage or memory.
US08103844B2
Bulk data transfers by directly accessing a persistent and secured area on the data storage device, e.g., a disk drive having a magnetic storage medium, without relying on the system operating system to execute its read/write operations. For a disk drive, the Protected Area Run Time Interface Extension (PARTIES) technology is applied to create and organize a secured sub-area within a secured storage area. The secured sub-area is a data buffer to and from which large data file transfers can be made with data authenticity and confidentiality. Since this new secured sub-area is not organized and protected by the operating system, it is inherently protected from attack by viruses or Trojan horse software whose effectiveness depends on their ability to maliciously direct the operating system. In addition, the read/write operations bypass command payload limits while reducing data and command validation costs.
US08103838B2
In traditional transactional locking systems, such as Transactional Locking with Read-Write locks (TLRW), threads may frequently update lock metadata, causing system performance degradation. A system and method for implementing transactional locking using reader-lists (TLRL) may associate a respective reader-list with each stripe of data in a shared memory system. Before reading a given stripe as part of a transaction, a thread may add itself to the stripe's reader-list, if the thread is not already on the reader-list. A thread may leave itself on a reader-list after finishing the transaction. Before a thread modifies a stripe, the modifying thread may acquire a write-lock for the stripe. The writer thread may indicate to each reader thread on the stripe's reader-list that if the reader thread is executing a transaction, the reader thread should abort. The indication may include setting an invalidation flag for the reader. The writer thread may clear the reader-list of a stripe it modified.
US08103830B2
Methods and apparatus relating to disabling one or more cache portions during low voltage operations are described. In some embodiments, one or more extra bits may be used for a portion of a cache that indicate whether the portion of the cache is capable at operating at or below Vccmin levels. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08103829B2
A system for performing storage operations using hierarchically configured storage operation cells. The system includes a first storage manager component and a first storage operation cell. The first storage operation cell has a second storage manager component directed to performing storage operations in the first storage operation cell. Moreover, the first storage manager component is programmed to instruct the second storage manager regarding performance of storage operations in the first storage operation cell.
US08103815B2
Techniques enable reducing a number of intercepts performed by a hypervisor by reducing a number of End Of Interrupt (EOI) messages sent from a virtual central processing unit (CPU) to a virtual advanced programmable interrupt controller (APIC). The EOI path of the guest operating system running on the virtual CPU is altered to leave a marker indicating that the EOI has occurred. At some later time the hypervisor inspects the marker and lazily updates the virtual APIC state.
US08103810B2
Mechanisms for enabling both native and non-native input/output virtualization (IOV) in a single I/O adapter are provided. The mechanisms allow a system with a large number of logical partitions (LPARs) and system images to use IOV to share a native IOV enabled I/O adapter or endpoint that does not implement the necessary number of virtual functions (VFs) for each LPAR and system image. A number of VFs supported by the I/O adapter, less one, are assigned to LPARs and system images so that they may make use of native IOV using these VFs. The remaining VF is associated with a virtual intermediary (VI) which handles non-native IOV of the I/O adapter. Any remaining LPARs and system images share the I/O adapter using the non-native IOV via the VI. Thus, any number of LPARs and system images may share the same I/O adapter or endpoint.
US08103805B2
A startup method and circuit to allow high current consumption for startup processes of a low operating voltage memory device such as a NAND device until the receipt of a valid command to the memory device. Upon receipt of a valid command, startup functions are ceased at the high current consumption, and normal operation begins without the need for using an unreliable low voltage power on reset circuit.
US08103798B2
A gateway for connecting networks of different types is designed to connect a first network and a second network that uses a signal format and a protocol that are different from those of the first network. The gateway comprises a conversion section, a detection section, and a network-connecting section. When communication is performed between a terminal connected to the first network and a terminal connected to the second network, the conversion section converts a signal used in the first network to a signal to be used in the second network, and a signal used in the second network to a signal to be used in the first network. The detection section detects conversion-process information containing at least one of the time spent to convert the signal and the amount of data converted. The network-connecting section is connected to at least one of the first and second networks and transmits the conversion-process information to a fee-charging system of the first network or a fee-charging system of the second network.
US08103793B2
Improved techniques for automatic (or dynamic) updating (or maintaining) of playlists for a media system that stores and plays media content for a user of the media system. The automatic update to playlists can occur when additional media content is added to or removed from the media system. The automatic update to playlists can also occur when previously stored media content is otherwise altered.
US08103789B1
To address shortcomings in the prior art, the invention uses fate sharing information to compute backup paths. Fate sharing information relates groups of nodes or links according to common characteristics, attributes, or shared resources (e.g., a shared power supply, close proximity, same physical link). In one embodiment, fate-sharing information includes costs associated with groups of nodes or links. When a primary path contains a link or node that is in a fate-sharing group, the other links or nodes in the fate-sharing group are assigned the cost associated with that fate-sharing group. The node computing the backup path takes into account the assigned cost together with other node and link costs. Discovering the existence of the relationships and assigning costs to the groups may be done manually or automatically.
US08103788B1
Various embodiments of systems and methods for dynamically reallocating buffers used in communicating packets in various communication channels are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may involve transmitting packets in several communication channels dependent on availability of buffers allocated among the communication channels; tracking a history of packet traffic in each of the communication channels; and dynamically reallocating one or more of the buffers dependent on the history.
US08103785B2
Splintered offloading techniques with receive batch processing are described for network acceleration. Such techniques offload specific functionality to a NIC while maintaining the bulk of the protocol processing in the host operating system (“OS”). The resulting protocol implementation allows the application to bypass the protocol processing of the received data. Such can be accomplished this by moving data from the NIC directly to the application through direct memory access (“DMA”) and batch processing the receive headers in the host OS when the host OS is interrupted to perform other work. Batch processing receive headers allows the data path to be separated from the control path. Unlike operating system bypass, however, the operating system still fully manages the network resource and has relevant feedback about traffic and flows. Embodiments of the present disclosure can therefore address the challenges of networks with extreme bandwidth delay products (BWDP).
US08103781B1
In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a method that includes receiving at a first device a first request for a physical address of a second device different from the first device, wherein the first request specifies a network address of the second device, and determining that a set of pending requests has a maximum number of requests, wherein the set of pending requests is ordered based on when the requests were received by the first device. The method can further include removing an oldest request from the pending requests and adding the first request to the pending requests, and processing a newest request in the pending requests by sending a message to the second device and receiving the physical address responsive to the message.
US08103777B2
A device and a method for sharing resources in a network of peers are disclosed. A user may compile a wish list (420) of programs to be recorded on a recording device (400) that is a peer in the network. A resource list (421) is compiled of resources that the device shares within the network. The wish list and resource list are communicated to a coordinator (440) comprised within the network. The coordinator makes assignments of who records what and communicates an assignment list (422) to each peer. Each peer plans (405) and executes (407) the assigned recordings, which can be retrieved from a peer (410), or sent to the user device. Deletion control is applied to prevent the loss of recordings by deletion on a local peer. The coordinator may be comprised within a peer, as a standalone service within the network or implemented as a distributed algorithm between the peers.
US08103774B2
The idea of the present invention is to provide a challenge-response mechanism to acquire work scope split range information from the application's Work Scope Split component of the over-utilized resource. By using the work scope split range information, the provisioning system is able to add a new resource, install a new application for that new resource, configure the new and the over-utilized resource's application, and reconfigure the load-balancer in accordance with the work scope split range information. The present invention adds scalability to complex and stateful application programs and allows dynamic provisioning of resources for these application programs.
US08103771B2
An information processing apparatus for performing, in response to a user's operation, reliable and effective distributed processing among a plurality of information processing apparatuses interconnected through a network. A main processor writes information data about an operating status of its own apparatus as an apparatus data in a main memory connected to the information processing controller, and transmits the apparatus data to another apparatus in response to a request from the other apparatus. Accordingly, an information processing apparatus checks the operating status of its own and other information processing apparatuses, selects an information processing apparatus for executing a computer program in response to the user's operation, and causes the selected apparatus to execute the computer program.
US08103766B2
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.
US08103757B2
An object of the present invention is to manage presence update by publishers that a presentity does not recognize.When the presence server 100 receives status information that indicates a status of presentity A from publisher B (#1), the presence server 100 stores it in the history table 9 and transmits a change notification to a watcher C (#3). Subsequently, the presence server 100 makes an inquiry to presentity A as to whether or not to allow an update by publisher B (#4). When it is allowed (#5, #6), publisher B is added in the allow list 8a of the allow list DB 8 (#7). Also, presence information is generated based on status information retrieved from the history table 9 (#8), is notified to the watcher C and is stored in the presence management DB 2b (#9, #10). When it is denied (#11), publisher B is added in the deny list 8b of the allow list DB 8 (#12). Also, status information received from publisher B is deleted from the history table 9.
US08103756B2
A system on a computer network device for managing a network access device capability arranged to alert a computer network administrator if a network access device lacks the capability to implement a user access profile.
US08103752B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for installing translators. In one embodiment, a system and a method pertain to identifying devices that are to receive the translator, and facilitating transmission of the translator from a first imaging device that possesses the translator, wherein transmission of the translator from the first imaging device facilitates receipt of the translator by the devices identified to receive the translator.
US08103745B2
Methods, apparatus, and business techniques are disclosed for use in mobile network communication systems. A mobile unit such as a smart phone is preferably equipped with a wireless local area network connection and a wireless wide area network connection. The local area network connection is used to establish a position-dependent ecommerce network connection with a wireless peripheral supplied by a vendor. The mobile unit is then temporarily augmented with the added peripheral services supplied by the negotiated wireless peripheral. Systems and methods allow the mobile unit to communicate securely with a remote server, even when the negotiated wireless peripheral is not fully trusted. Also mobile units, wireless user peripherals, and negotiated wireless peripherals that project a non-area constrained user interface image on a display surface are taught.
US08103743B2
There is provided a method of enabling client-side initiated delivery of dynamic secondary content to a host page comprising running a dynamic secondary content delivery application, requesting a secondary content update to one or more items of existing secondary content rendered on the host page during page load, downloading the secondary content update to the client system, parsing the secondary content update by the dynamic secondary content delivery application, and rendering the secondary content update on the host page, resulting in the client-side initiated delivery of the dynamic secondary content to the host page. In one embodiment, the method is executed by a client system in response to instructions comprising the dynamic secondary content delivery application stored on a computer-readable medium.
US08103727B2
Methods and systems are provided for delaying local information classification until global intelligence has an opportunity to be gathered. According to one embodiment, an initial information identification process, e.g., an initial spam detection, is performed on received electronic information, e.g., an e-mail message. Based on the initial information identification process, classification of the received electronic information is attempted. If the received electronic information cannot be unambiguously classified as being within one of a set of predetermined categories (e.g., spam or clean), then an opportunity is provided for global intelligence to be gathered regarding the received electronic information by queuing the received electronic information for re-evaluation. The electronic information is subsequently classified by performing a re-evaluation information identification process, e.g., re-evaluation spam detection, which provides a more accurate categorization result than the initial information identification process. Handling the electronic information in accordance with a policy associated with the categorization result.
US08103723B1
A first processing session is entered with a POP client. A set of messages from a message repository is identified as available for access by the POP client. When the POP client causes a message to be deleted from the message repository (either by explicit or implicit actions), the message is removed from the set of messages available for access by the POP client but maintained for access by another POP client or by another messaging program. The messages available may be limited by a session size and they may be ordered newest to oldest. In some instances messages are part of conversations and the number of conversation from which the message may be drawn is limited.
US08103722B2
The endpoint status notification system includes an address book of network user's names and their associated endpoints. A user selects a personal list of contacts from the address book and receives an instant message alert upon every occurrence of a reportable event for one of the contacts on the list. Alerts are informational status messages pertaining to the contact and are delivered unbeknownst to the contact. Preferably, alerts are popup windows displayed for a preset amount of time, however audible alerts are available in lieu of or in combination with the popups. Reportable events are selected by the user for each of the contacts on the list and may differ from contact to contact. Simultaneous with the alert, the user may be provided a call-control option related to the reportable event and pertaining to the contact. If selected, the call-control option causes a telecommunication function to immediately occur.
US08103717B2
An access from a server apparatus to a terminal apparatus is made safely and reliably possible without changing the setting of a firewall, etc. The terminal apparatus 100 sends instruction inquiries 711, 712, to inquire of the server apparatus 200 about existence/absence of a command (an execution instruction) to be executed by the terminal apparatus 100, in a form of an HTTP request (S12). The server apparatus 200 sends reply data 721, 722 (an inquiry response) including the command, in the form of an HTTP response to the HTTP request, to the terminal apparatus 100 (S26, S29) when the command to be executed by the terminal apparatus 100 exists. The terminal apparatus 100 executes the command when the reply data 721, 722 includes the command.
US08103711B1
Methods and systems for novel infinite impulse response filtering system to allow DC using a complex input signal having a real and imaginary part of the complex input signal yr and yi to produce a real part of a dispersion-compensated signal Xr. The system includes a first filtering circuit for filtering the real part of the input signal yr to produce a filtered real signal w1, a second filtering circuit for filtering and time reversing the imaginary part of an input signal yi to produce a filtered imaginary signal, and a first output summing device for summing the real and the imaginary filtered signal to produce the real part of a dispersion-compensated signal Xr. In an embodiment the filtering is accomplished with time reversing devices and real coefficient infinite impulse filters. In another embodiment, the filtering is accomplished with complex-coefficient infinite impulse filters.
US08103709B1
A computer-enabled system, method, and medium is provided to support, e.g., analyzing intellectual property documents by assigning attributes to the documents. The present invention is suitable for use by intellectual property professionals and is flexible to support development and use of customized attribute types and attributes. Optionally, a group of intellectual property documents can be divided into projects, which can be ingested including assigning attributes. Optionally, the attributes can be used to filter information included in e.g., searches, and/or reports.
US08103704B2
Methods for consolidating databases while maintaining data integrity are disclosed. A source database and target database are compared, and consolidated, and the consolidated databases are used. In other examples, a database is split to support divested entities.
US08103701B2
A method includes receiving a user input in a design environment indicating at least one software component for which a technical design document is desired, identifying files in which information associated with the component is located, accessing the information, and formatting the information according to a technical design document template. A system has a design environment for development of software components, and a document generator to automatically generate documentation for the software components on demand. A method to design software components includes producing a design of a software component in a design environment residing upon a computer, selecting the software component for design review, and generating a design document according to a template from the design environment.
US08103698B2
A computer implemented method is disclosed including receiving a client request from a client within an object-oriented model and intercepting said client request with a client abstraction layer able to communicate with said client and a management layer database. The method further includes generating with said client abstraction layer a request for information from said management layer database, wherein said database comprises information describing each managed object of said object-oriented model. An information handling system is further disclosed including a processor and memory accessible by the processor. The system further includes instructions stored on the memory that when carried out cause the system to initialize a discovery process identifying each managed object of the information handling system. The instructions further cause the system to add to a management layer database created by a client abstraction layer, the management layer database comprising information describing each managed object of said system any new information describing the managed object of the system, wherein said new information is not already present in the management layer database, and wherein said database is created when said instructions are installed on said system.
US08103691B2
A system for transmission, reception and accumulation of the knowledge packets to plurality of channel nodes in the network operating distributedly in a peer to peer environment via installable one or more role active Human Operating System (HOS) applications in a digital devise of each of channel node, a network controller registering and providing desired HOS applications and multiple developers developing advance communication and knowledge management applications and each of subscribers exploiting the said network resources by leveraging and augmenting taxonomically and ontologically classified knowledge classes expressed via plurality search macros and UKID structures facilitating said expert human agents for knowledge invocation and support services and service providers providing information services in the preidentified taxonomical classes, wherein each of channel nodes communicating with the unknown via domain specific supernodes each facilitating social networking and relationships development leading to human grid which is searchable via Universal Desktop Search by black box search module.
US08103685B1
A system receives, from an agent, an agent timestamp associated with a production of a collection of data. The system creates a history associated with the collection of data and the agent timestamp. The system receives an indication that processing the collection of data is complete, and associates the collection of data and the agent timestamp with at least one resource referenced within the collection of data.
US08103683B2
A computer program product is provided. The product comprises a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for converting between data objects constructed according to different software technologies. The method comprises providing a system comprising distinct software modules to perform the converting between data objects and processing a properties file to identify a first class associated with a first software technology based on a second class associated with a second software technology. The method also comprises analyzing the first class to identify a first attribute of the first class. The method also comprises constructing a first object of the first class and assigning a first value to the first attribute of the first object based on a second value of a second attribute of a second object of the second class.
US08103669B2
A system and method enable semi-automated generation of query expansion rules for searching a knowledge base. Candidate synonymy pairs are automatically extracted from queries made by users when searching a knowledge base. Synonymy rules are defined, based on the extracted candidate synonymy pairs, and may be context dependent. Query expansion rules based on the defined synonymy rules can then be exported to a storage medium for use in expansion of new user queries when searching the knowledge base.
US08103668B2
A technique for adding a search control by a user to a file, webpage, desktop, or mobile device, for example. The control lets the end user create documents, webpages, or dashboards with static and/or dynamic content as easily as inserting pictures. The technique also facilitates the imbedding of control access to the search information via this control. When a document is created, the control allows for adding a search into the document, authoring the default view of the query (e.g., thumbnail, details, extended view, slideshow, timeline, etc.), setting the scope (e.g., local computer, website, company human resources database, etc.), and “publishing” states (e.g., dynamically update, static-fixed, query run on local machine, etc). The technique also facilitates the adding of views such as via a user interface control for “adding a search” and standard “search list view control.”
US08103661B2
A method includes receiving a search query that includes the input search string. The input search string includes a plurality of terms. The method includes performing a first comparison task to compare each of the plurality of terms to a list of category terms. The method also includes identifying a matched term as a category term when there is a match with respect to the first comparison task. The method includes identifying each of the plurality of terms that have not been identified as a category term to produce a set of naming terms. The method also includes filtering a database having a plurality of database entries based on each of the identified category terms to identify a reduced set of database entries. The method includes comparing at least one of the naming terms to the reduced set of database entries to identify at least one matching name.
US08103658B2
Techniques described herein perform an index backbone join of data that is contained within two or more tables. Significantly, key data are selected from the indices constructed on the tables, and such data are filtered by the query-indicated criteria, before any data is selected from the tables themselves. Row identifiers of the rows remaining after the index filtering has been performed are then used to select the qualifying rows (only) from the tables. Data selected from the tables is joined to produce query results. Because all of the filtering is performed based on index entries prior to any table access, and because index access is typically much faster than table access, queries whose results require very large quantities of data from multiple tables can be performed much more quickly.
US08103656B2
A method for processing a distributed query in a network of computational resources is provided. The method includes receiving a user-defined freshness criterion and a distributed query from a user. The user-defined data freshness criterion is based on the version of the distributed query results desired by the user. An integrated cost model is formulated to optimize the execution of the distributed query. The integrated cost model is based on one or more integrated cost model factors. Thereafter, an objective function is constructed, based on the processing cost for each of the one or more copies of the one or more relations, and a data transmission cost for the transfer of the one or more copies of the one or more relations from a first to a second computational resource. Subsequently, an optimal solution of the objective function is calculated by using one or more heuristic approaches.
US08103650B1
In particular embodiments, advertising groups may be formed based on keywords. Access a plurality of keywords, each keyword comprising one or more words and describing one or more characteristics or features of particular advertising subject matter. Annotate each of the keywords with one or more labels selected from a plurality of labels, each label comprising one or more words and describing one or more aspects of or one or more categories or concepts represented by the keyword. Group the keywords into one or more keyword groups based on similarities between the labels of the keywords, each keyword group comprising one or more of the keywords. Form one or more advertising groups from the keyword groups, comprising from each of the keyword groups, form one or more of the advertising groups, each of the advertising groups comprising one or more of the keywords in the keyword group.
US08103647B2
An address matching system that maintains a central database of valid addresses has been designed. According to the invention, address matching requests are received by the system from a plurality of remote users located at respective machines (“clients”). Those requests are processed at the central system, and the results are returned to the client that made the request. In addition, novel techniques are implemented for improving the likelihood of obtaining one or more matches from a request.
US08103630B2
A first storage subsystem 100A includes a first storage device 6A1 and one or more second storage devices 6A2, 6A3. A second storage subsystem 100B includes a third storage device 6B1 and a fourth storage device 6B2. A third storage subsystem 100C comprises a fifth storage device 6C1 and a sixth storage device 6C2. The first storage subsystem 100A generates a data set comprising an update number expressing the update order of the first storage device 6A1 and write data stored in the first storage device 6A1, stores the generated data set in the one or more second storage devices 6A2, 6A3, and transmits the data set to the second and third storage subsystems 100B, 100C. Each of the second and third storage subsystems 100B, 100C stores the received data set in the third storage device 6B 1 or fifth storage device 6C1, reads a data set from the third or fifth storage device 6B1, 6C1 according to the update number, and stores the write data within the data set in the fourth storage device 6B2 or sixth storage device 6C2.
US08103629B2
Systems and methods for synchronizing data between endpoints, including the modification of data on an endpoint without necessarily modifying data that is communicated between endpoints are disclosed. In such systems and methods the representation of data on an endpoint may be modified so that constraints on that particular endpoint are enforced, without requiring a similar or the same modification to the data when it is synchronized to other endpoints.
US08103626B2
A method for updating web pages on a web server without republishing the web pages involves providing on a production database server a live version of one or more business data tables containing information used to populate web pages on a production web server and storing in a quality assurance database server a quality assurance version of the business data tables that can be used to populate pages on a quality assurance web server. A maker at a business workstation can access the quality assurance database server from time to time and enter a change to data on the quality assurance version of the business data tables. Thereafter a checker at the business workstation accesses the quality assurance database server to review and approve or reject the changes to the data on the quality assurance version of the business data tables, and if the checker approves the changes, the changes to the data on the quality assurance version of the business data tables are replicated from the quality assurance database server to the live version of the business data tables on the production database server.
US08103623B2
A method for accessing data stored in a storage medium of an electronic device, where the storage medium stores a file-usage table having a plurality of file-usage data which correspond to a plurality of clusters of the storage medium, respectively, includes: when a file is stored into at least a specific cluster of the plurality of the clusters of the storage medium, modifying a specific file-usage data which corresponds to the specific cluster; and when the file is deleted from the storage medium, setting the specific file-usage data by a first predetermined value.
US08103622B1
A mechanism by which a server system executing a host application monitors utilization of a fractionally reserved space on a volume storing application data. The server system executes space reservation policies to ensure that the host application is not halted due to inability to create snapshots on the volume. In one implementation, the server system alerts a system administrator if the rate of change in the size of data snapshots exceeds a specified threshold and initiates deletion of backup datasets stored on the volume if the size of a data snapshot exceeds the available space on the volume.
US08103620B2
A system collects ancillary data objects such as log messages from an application while the application is in use. The data objects may be stored if desired; otherwise, they may be discarded if the application begins a new transaction. Software to perform related methods is also described and claimed.
US08103615B2
One aspect of the invention is a method for identifying at least one property of data. An example of the method includes receiving data, and making assessments regarding the data. The method also includes applying at least one behavioral operator, and outputting results. The method further comprises receiving feedback concerning system performance. Additionally, the method includes adjusting at least one parameter based on the feedback received concerning system performance, wherein the at least one parameter is a parameter of a machine learning method.
US08103613B2
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: soliciting, based at least in part on a hypothesis that links one or more objective occurrences with one or more subjective user states and in response at least in part to an incidence of at least one subjective user state associated with a user, at least a portion of objective occurrence data including data indicating incidence of at least one objective occurrence; and acquiring the objective occurrence data including the data indicating incidence of at least one objective occurrence. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08103610B2
Various embodiments include one or more of systems, methods, software, and data structures for dynamic categorization of rules and collections of rules within a rule base, such as a rule base of an expert system. One embodiment provides a computerized method that includes receiving a selection of one or more identifiers of rules in an expert system rule base and receiving a profile definition, the profile definition including metadata, which when processed, yields classification data that classifies the rules in the expert system rule base of the one or more selected rule identifiers. This computerized method further includes storing the profile definition with an association to the one or more selected rule identifiers of rules in the expert system rule base.
US08103602B2
In Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning, rewards typically come seconds after reward-triggering actions, creating an explanatory conundrum known as the distal reward problem or the credit assignment problem. How does the brain know what firing patterns of what neurons are responsible for the reward if (1) the firing patterns are no longer there when the reward arrives and (2) most neurons and synapses are active during the waiting period to the reward? A model network and computer simulation of cortical spiking neurons with spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) modulated by dopamine (DA) is disclosed to answer this question. STDP is triggered by nearly-coincident firing patterns of a presynaptic neuron and a postsynaptic neuron on a millisecond time scale, with slow kinetics of subsequent synaptic plasticity being sensitive to changes in the extracellular dopamine DA concentration during the critical period of a few seconds after the nearly-coincident firing patterns. Random neuronal firings during the waiting period leading to the reward do not affect STDP, and hence make the neural network insensitive to this ongoing random firing activity. The importance of precise firing patterns in brain dynamics and the use of a global diffusive reinforcement signal in the form of extracellular dopamine DA can selectively influence the right synapses at the right time.
US08103590B2
Systems and methods have been developed for managing multiple catalogs of files on a network. The systems and methods may manage a catalog of files with rights for sale and a catalog of rights presented for free public use. The systems and methods may manage these multiple catalogs via determining when one file should be moved from one catalog into another. The systems and methods may manage rights presented in the files, including rights offered for sale, rights offered for free use, where the managing may include changing the classification of those rights based on data relating to the files. The systems and methods may provide the ability to a user to research whether rights in the file are for sale.
US08103588B2
A system and method are disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a server computer, a transaction clearing request for a transaction, and then determining, using the server computer, if the transaction satisfies a stored blocking parameter. The method further includes allowing, using the server computer, the transaction clearing request if the transaction does not satisfy the stored blocking parameter, and denying, using the server computer, the transaction clearing request if the transaction satisfies the stored blocking parameter.
US08103585B2
A financial account issuer facilitating transactions between accounts is disclosed. The invention provides sellers with an irrevocable method of receiving funds from a purchaser and for improving purchaser willingness to transact with an unknown party. The invention also enables the allocation of a portion or all of a charge or loyalty points to different transaction accounts issued by different issuers, or to sub-accounts.
US08103578B2
A system and method for determining a margin requirement associated with a plurality of financial instruments within a portfolio is disclosed. The system and method include receiving a plurality of data associated with the plurality of financial instruments within the portfolio, determining a systematic risk margin based on at least a portion of the received plurality of data, determining a curve risk margin based on at least a second portion of the received plurality of data, determining a convergence and divergence risk margin based on at least a third portion of the received plurality of data, determining a sector risk margin based on at least a fourth portion of the received plurality of data, determining an idiosyncratic risk margin based on at least a fifth portion of the received plurality of data, determining a liquidity risk margin based on at least a sixth portion of the received plurality of data, determining a basis risk margin based on at least a seventh portion of the received plurality of data, and calculating a multi-factor risk margin based on one more of the determined risk factors.
US08103577B2
A computer-implemented system for trading a viatical and life settlement insurance policy receives a seller's selling price for the policy; divides the policy into a plurality of units; determines a price of one unit based on the number of units; receives a purchase price of the policy from at least one potential purchaser; makes an initial determination of the number of units bought by the potential purchaser in order to be allocated depending on the purchase price; compares the total number of units allocated to the potential purchaser with the total number of units into which the policy was divided; adjusts the price of one unit based on this comparison; and redetermines the number of units allocated to the potential purchaser, depending on the adjusted purchase price. The system repeats making the comparison, the price adjustment, and the redetermination for a given amount of time.
US08103573B2
A computer implemented data processing system and method processes data relating to a deferred annuity contract during the accumulation phase for a relevant life. The system is configured to determine an amount of an available benefit payment, available on a periodic basis for withdrawal without reduction of a payment base value, the available benefit payment amount being based on a withdrawal percent value and one of a payment base value and a contract value. The withdrawal percent value increases automatically after a first of the benefit payments.
US08103571B2
A computer implemented data processing system and method administers a deferred variable annuity contract during the accumulation phase for a relevant life. The annuity contract has a payment base value, a contract value, and a step-up provision. Administration of the product determines whether a step-up of the payment base value is applicable. If applicable, the product determines a step-up, wherein the step-up is guaranteed at a predetermined percentage. The investments of the deferred variable annuity contract are not limited to a specific asset allocation in order to qualify for the step-up provision.
US08103570B1
A financial instrument is disclosed that provides spread exposure to volatility in an underlying security within an upper and lower range of prices. This is accomplished by combining a long option for the underlying security at one strike price and a short option for the underlying security at a different strike price, where difference between the two prices creates the spread exposure and the choice of option type for the high and low strikes determines whether the overall spread is short or long. The financial instrument is then priced such that the cost of the instrument prevents any possible negative value total returns at the exercise date of the underlying options. In other words, the option spread creates a lower limit on the possible downside risk in the transaction and the purchase price insures that at inception the financial instrument has no possible negative values. In this way, options market trading can be accomplished without requiring additional collateral, credit or insurance. Accordingly, such an instrument provides near one delta financial exposure.
US08103565B2
A loan is secured by insurance policy collateral between a lender, borrower with the insurance policy, and an intermediary. The intermediary establishes a securities account and holds the insurance policy, which designates the borrower as the beneficial owner and the intermediary as the record owner. The lender disburses the loan proceeds to the borrower. In the event the lender notifies the intermediary of a default, the intermediary is obligated to modify the insurance policy by designating the lender as the beneficial owner of the policy, thereby enabling the lender to control the policy. The lender, for example, may make premium payments upon the policy, or order the intermediary to sell the policy.
US08103558B2
Included are embodiments for customized ordering. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving an indication to send a previously created customized order to a vendor and retrieving at least one component of the customized order according to the indication. Some embodiments include determining the vendor associated with the customized order and sending the at least one component of the customized order to the vendor in a first manner, the vendor being configured to receive the customized order.
US08103555B2
A method of recommendation to a user is disclosed. In the method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a recommendation system recommends a product to a user of an e-commerce site, which sells the product through the Internet. The method can include: collecting user behavior information of the user; analyzing the collected user behavior information; creating a recommendation tree for predicting a user preference for a certain product based on the analyzing; and recommending the product to the user based on the recommendation tree. The user behavior information is a command signal inputted by the user in the e-commerce site while the user is accessed to the e-commerce site, and the product can be classified into a plurality of items, which represent the product. The method in accordance with the present invention can analyze the user's preferences more quickly and accurately without inconveniencing the user.
US08103554B2
A method and system for using a vehicle's electronic systems to provide all features and functions typically found on a handheld electronic book device. The vehicle's electronic systems can be used in an integrated fashion with a user's handheld electronic book device, such that the vehicle's systems can be used to recite electronic book materials, media files can be shared between the vehicle and the handheld device, bookmarks can be synchronized, and the user can seamlessly switch from one system to the other. The vehicle's electronic systems can also be used independent of any other electronic book device, such that the vehicle's systems provide all electronic book device functionality—including browsing for new reading materials, purchase, download, storage, reading, and listening.
US08103553B2
A method for making an online posted comment more conspicuous relative to other online posted comments. The method can include the steps of publishing internet content online by an internet content provider; providing with the published content a section for recording and posting reader comments; viewing by a reader the published internet content; providing to the reader an option of posting for free a default format comment or posting for a fee a comment made distinctive relative to a default format comment; recording, by the reader, a comment; paying, by the reader, the fee for making the comment distinctive relative to a default format comment; and posting the reader's distinctive comment in the comment section, wherein the posted comment lacks an indication of the time of posting. The fee for distinctiveness transaction can also be implemented by use of an online auction.
US08103551B2
In one example embodiment, a system and method is illustrated that includes receiving an item choice including a fashion item. The system and method also includes matching the fashion item with an additional fashion item selected from a style matrix, the matching based upon an attribute. Further, the system and method includes transmitting the additional fashion item as part of an outfit match set. Moreover, the system and method includes selecting the fashion item from a digital closet. The system and method includes processing the fashion item to build an attribute association matrix. In addition, the system and method includes comparing the attribute association matrix and the style matrix to determine a match of the fashion item and the additional item.
US08103546B1
Programming media and advertising media may be presented in a manner that approximates or equals a target ratio. In one implementation, a total temporal length of one or more programming media segments is accessed after the user has selected the programming media segments. One or more advertising media segments are then selected. The advertising media segments have a total length that is based on the total temporal length of the programming media segments and a target temporal ratio between programming media and advertising media. The client system may present the one or more selected advertising media segments.
US08103543B1
Systems and methods for detecting instances of click fraud are disclosed. Click fraud occurs when, for example, a user, malware, bot, or the like, clicks on a pay per click advertisement (e.g., hyperlink), a paid search listing, or the like without a good faith interest in the underlying subject of the hyperlink. Such fraudulent clicks can be expensive for an advertising sponsor. Statistical information, such as ratios of unpaid clicks to pay per clicks, are extracted from an event database. The statistical information of global data is used as a reference data set to compare to similar statistical information for a local data set under analysis. In one embodiment, when the statistical data sets match relatively well, no click fraud is determined to have occurred, and when the statistical data sets do not match relatively well, click fraud is determined to have occurred.
US08103542B1
Digitally marked objects and promotional methods include presenting a digitally watermarked object to a reader device at a first location, decoding information from the watermark, and triggering a first response thereto. The method also includes presenting the object to a reader device at a second location, decoding information from the watermark, and triggering a second, different, response thereto.
US08103536B2
Designing and executing a workflow having flow-based and constraint-based regions. A user selects one or more activities to be part of a constraint-based region. Each constraint-based region has a constraint associated therewith. The workflow is executed by executing the flow-based region and the constraint-based region. The flow-based region executes sequentially. The constraint is evaluated, and the constraint-based region executes responsive to the evaluated constraint.
US08103530B2
Insight-driven interactions with customers may be enhanced in a holistic approach. A customer relationship management (“CRM”) methodology may include: (1) evaluating a customer strategy; (2) identifying customer segments from a customer base; (3) forming an interaction strategy; (4) defining a series of experiences based on the strategy; (5) applying those interactions with customers during interactions; and (6) monitoring the results of the customer interactions. A computer aid may preferably guide a user through some of these steps. A modular, vendor-independent, centralized, rules-based engine may perform processing to deliver tailored customer experiences, relying on values for prioritized experiences identified through use of the computer aid.
US08103527B1
A method for managing insurance claim data across insurance policies involves identifying a first insurance claim data and a second insurance claim data using pattern recognition on multiple insurance claim data associated with an insured party, where the first insurance claim data and the second insurance claim data are associated with a single insurance claim of the insured party, where the first insurance claim data is further associated with a first insurance policy, and where the second insurance claim data is further associated with a second insurance policy. The method further involves determining a financial responsibility of the insured party for the single insurance claim based on the first insurance claim data and the second insurance claim data, and presenting the financial responsibility in a graphical user interface (GUI).
US08103523B2
A system and method assists an emergency medical dispatcher in responding to emergency calls. A computer implemented emergency medical dispatch protocol includes interrogatories for a dispatcher to ask a caller to generate an appropriate response. A diagnostic tool is provided to determine a vital sign of a patient based on a timer and caller relayed information about the patient. An intervention tool is provided to administer assistance and determine a compression rate based on a timer and caller relayed information.
US08103517B2
A method for creating a personalized exercise routine with at least one user interface used in connection with forming machine-readable instructions protected as private to a user subsequently carrying out the exercise routine on an exercise machine, the method including the steps of: providing the user with at least one user interface to define the personalized exercise routine; forming machine-readable instructions to control the exercise machine to carry out the exercise routine on the exercise machine, said machine instructions protected as private to the user; storing the personalized exercise routine formed in the machine-readable instructions in a memory device; and user-triggered engaging of the machine-readable instructions to control the exercise machine in carrying out the personalized exercise routine. In the method, the step of forming machine-readable instructions to control the exercise machine can includes the steps of associating the exercise routine with a first exercise machine to produce a first set of signals; and subsequently translating the first set of signals into the machine-readable instructions.
US08103511B2
An audio file generation method and system. A computing system receives a first audio file comprising first speech data associated with a first party. The computing system receives a second audio file comprising second speech data associated with a second party. The first audio file differs from the second audio file. The computing system generates a third audio file from the second audio file. The third audio file differs from the second audio file. The process to generate the third audio file includes identifying a first set of attributes missing from the second audio file and adding the first set of attributes to the second audio file. The process to generate the third audio file additionally includes removing a second set of attributes from the second audio file. The third audio file includes third speech data associated with the second party. The computing system broadcasts the third audio file.
US08103504B2
An electronic appliance includes a speaker which outputs a first sound wave based on a first voice signal generated from the electronic appliance, and a microphone to detect a second sound wave on which a sound wave generated for control of the electronic appliance is superimposed to output a second voice signal. A first waveform generator generates a first waveform signal based on the first voice signal, and a second waveform generator generates a second waveform signal based on the second voice signal. A waveform shaping unit outputs a third waveform signal in which the first waveform signal is enlarged in a time axis direction, and a subtracter subtracts the third waveform signal from the second waveform signal.
US08103495B2
Modeling protocols. A method includes accessing a number of model programs. Each model program includes computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions describe the behavior of at least one of another program, system, or component. Model programs may be disjointed in that they have independent meaning or dependent in that they include at least one of a state variable, action, or precondition that is dependent on another model program to impart meaning to the model program. An output model program is composed by unification including substituting state variables into another of the model programs without executing the model programs. Traces are generated from the output model program. Each of the traces includes a path of labels. The labels describe actions of the output model program from an initial state to an accepting state where a run is allowed to stop. The traces are output to a user.
US08103490B2
The present invention relates to a method for aiding the design of a system architecture. The method for design of an architecture of a system according to an embodiment of the invention includes at least the following steps: functional and non-functional analysis of a technical requirement with which the system complies; formalization of points of view for analysis of the architecture of the system based on the functional and non-functional analysis; definition of one rule for analysis of the architecture of the system for each analysis point of view; construction of the architecture of the system; and analysis of the architecture according to the rules of analysis. The design of system architectures notably relates to the field of system engineering. The systems to which the present invention is applicable can be hardware systems, software systems, or systems combining both hardware and software. An embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in the framework of the development of an aircraft navigation system.
US08103489B2
A tire is designed using a tire FEM model by obtaining an optimal solution for a tire structure which optimizes an objective function with a tread pattern shape kept fixed and performing a numerical optimization for obtaining an optimal solution for the tread pattern shape which optimizes the objective function with the tire structure kept fixed. The optimization for the tire structure is performed using a tire model having a tread pattern shape optimized at the immediately preceding cycle of the operation of optimizing the tread pattern shape. The optimization for the tread pattern shape is performed using a tire model having a tire structure optimized at the preceding cycle of the operation of optimizing the tire structure. The optimizing operations are repeated until convergence of optimal solutions obtained by those operations takes place.
US08103485B2
A system and a method for computing an estimated state of charge and an estimated cell resistance of an electrochemical cell are provided. The method includes predicting a first cell resistance value indicating a present resistance of the electrochemical cell utilizing a first nonlinear cell model. The method further includes predicting a first state of charge value indicating a present state of charge of the electrochemical cell utilizing a second nonlinear cell model. The method further includes measuring a voltage and, a current associated with the electrochemical cell to obtain a voltage value and a current value, respectively. The method further includes estimating a second state of charge value indicating the present state of charge of the electrochemical cell utilizing the second nonlinear cell model based on the first state of charge value, the first cell resistance value, the voltage value, and the current value. The method further includes estimating a second cell resistance value indicating the present resistance of the electrochemical cell utilizing the first nonlinear cell model based on the first cell resistance value, the first state of charge value, the voltage value, and the current value.
US08103484B2
A computer-aided design apparatus generates a tree structure of coordinate systems defining the topology of a three-dimensional object to be fabricated. The coordinate systems are positioned and orientated in accordance with mathematical functions. The mathematical function positioning child coordinate systems has the identity of the parent coordinate systems as a variable so that the positions of the child coordinate systems relative to their parent coordinate systems vary in accordance with the identity of the parent coordinate systems. Data defining the coordinate systems and connections therebetween is stored in a graph. Bases having a defined relationship are identified and three-dimensional content objects are added thereto. The content objects are added using the same mathematical function to generate a three-dimensional content object in each of a plurality of coordinate systems. The mathematical function for generating the content objects has the identity of the coordinate systems as a variable thereof to generate the content object in each coordinate system with a different shape.
US08103478B2
By dividing a complex set of parameters of a production process in forming semiconductor devices into individual blocks, respective PCA models may be established for each block and may thereafter be combined by operating on summary statistics of each model block in order to evaluate the complete initial parameter set. Thus, compared to conventional strategies, a significant reduction of the size of the combined PCA model compared to a single PCA model may be obtained, while also achieving an enhanced degree of flexibility in evaluating various subsets of parameters.
US08103475B2
An apparatus for testing connections in a system has a plurality of inputs each adapted to couple to a test point in the system under test and a switching module. The switching module includes a first output selectively coupled to receive a first group of one or more of the inputs and a set of outputs corresponding in number to the plurality of inputs, each being selectively coupled to receive a corresponding one of the plurality of inputs. The apparatus may also include a meter coupled to the first switching module output and an array of nodes coupled to the set of switching module outputs, where each node couples a signal to a row sense line and a column sense line.
US08103474B2
A debug system includes equipment to be debugged (onboard information equipment 10) which is controlled by a microcomputer 11; and a command return jig 20 which is connected to the equipment to be debugged via a communication interface unit 12, receives a specific command generated and output by the microcomputer 11 via the communication interface unit, and outputs the specific command by return to the equipment to be debugged, wherein the equipment to be debugged switches, when receiving the specific command from the command return jig, the microcomputer to set it in an operation environment the microcomputer does not use normally.
US08103473B2
A test and measurement instrument and a method of calibrating the test and measurement instrument including a reference signal generator; multiple input channels; and multiple input circuits. Each input channel is coupled to a corresponding input circuit; and one of the input circuits is coupled to the reference signal generator.
US08103465B2
Generation of renewable energy for, exportation of the renewable energy from, importation of utility generated energy to, and consumption of energy at, a facility are monitored in substantially real time to provide for substantially real time management and reporting of energy performance of the facility. Monitoring of environmental conditions and facility operations of the facility, also in substantially real time and time correlated with the energy monitoring, is performed to further enhance the management and reporting of the energy performance of the facility.
US08103451B2
A collision between a vehicle and an obstacle is estimated, and based on the estimation result, vehicle deceleration control is performed by a brake actuator to reduce the collision and vehicle wheel load is controlled by a suspension actuator.
US08103445B2
Provided is a single repository for capturing, connecting, sharing, and visualizing information based on a geographic location, for example. Detailed information can be dynamically rendered as a function of a user parameter, which can include a user demographic, a user profile, and a user preference information. Map information and advertisements displayed in conjunction with the map information can be dynamically rendered as a function of a user advertising preference. If a user prefers one product over another product, a first advertisement for the less preferred product can be replaced with a second advertisement for the preferred product.
US08103438B2
In a method for automatically directing traffic on a site, information is received regarding a plurality of selected entities on the job site. An indication of a first priority assigned to a first of the plurality of selected entities is received. An indication of a second priority assigned to a second of the plurality of selected entities is received. It is then determined that the first of the plurality of selected entities has a right of way over the second of the plurality of selected entities based upon a comparison of the first priority and the second priority.
US08103435B2
A near real-time physical transportation network routing system comprising: a traffic simulation computing grid and a dynamic traffic routing service computing grid. The traffic simulator produces traffic network travel time predictions for a physical transportation network using a traffic simulation model and common input data. The physical transportation network is divided into a multiple sections. Each section has a primary zone and a buffer zone. The traffic simulation computing grid includes multiple of traffic simulation computing nodes. The common input data includes static network characteristics, an origin-destination data table, dynamic traffic information data and historical traffic data. The dynamic traffic routing service computing grid includes multiple dynamic traffic routing computing nodes and generates traffic route(s) using the traffic network travel time predictions.
US08103431B2
A control system for an engine includes a manifold absolute pressure (MAP) module that compares MAP of an engine to a predetermined MAP and an air/spark module that decreases flow of air and that advances ignition spark when the MAP module indicates that the MAP is greater than a predetermined MAP.
US08103430B2
With an internal combustion engine (1) there is the problem that the fuel-air mixture directed into the combustion chamber of the cylinders (2) can be substantially influenced by manufacturing tolerances and ageing of the fuel injectors and uneven distribution is thus created. The uneven distribution is individually determined for each cylinder (2) depending on the operating mode of the internal combustion engine (1) (homogenous operation, stratified operation), wherein either the exhaust gas is analyzed and a corresponding emission value is determined therefrom or that a value is individually determined for each cylinder (2) for the operational roughness of the internal combustion engine (1). These values are compared with a limit value predetermined for the internal combustion engine (1) and upon exceeding of the predetermined limit value a fault entry in a fault memory (9) is made for the cylinder (2) concerned.
US08103427B2
A method is disclosed for adjusting a target EGR mass flow in response to a current charge flow and target EGR fraction. The method includes interpreting an air-fuel ratio and a target air-fuel ratio. The method further includes interpreting a charge flow and a target EGR fraction. The method further includes determining an adjusted target EGR mass flow based on the air-fuel ratio, the target air-fuel ratio, the charge flow, and the target EGR fraction. The method further includes controlling an actuator based on the adjusted target EGR mass flow.
US08103426B2
At each engine cycle, nearby the TDCC, an injector is driven so as to perform a fuel injection sequence according to a predetermined pattern (A-Z), including a plurality of successive, separate fuel injection pulses (pulse 1-pulse N) having respective predetermined durations. The start of the first injection pulse (Pulse 1) of the sequence is defined as a predetermined angular distance from the TDCC. For each injection pulse (pulse 2-pulse N) following the first one (pulse 1) the respective start is selectively determined either as a time distance from the end of the immediately preceding injection pulse (pulse 1-pulse N−1) or as an angular distance from the relevant TDCC, in dependence on the instantaneous value of at least one predetermined parameter.
US08103419B2
A driving force transmission device includes a transfer torque command value calculation section which calculates a transfer torque command value indicating a command value of the transfer torque between two members based on a running state of the vehicle, an energy calculation section which calculates an energy value obtained by multiplying the transfer torque between the two members by a differential rotation rate between the two members at every predetermined sampling time, an energy accumulated value calculation section which calculates an energy accumulated value of accumulating the energy value calculated at every the predetermined sampling time, a map storage section which stores previously a map defining a relationship between the energy accumulated value and a correction torque, and a correction section which acquires the correction torque by applying the energy accumulated value to the map and corrects the transfer torque command value based on the acquired correction torque.
US08103402B2
Apparatus, method, and system enforce compliance with Transportation Safety Policies (TSP) governing vehicle fleets, subways, trains, busses, airplanes, etc.The apparatus identifies, authenticates, authorizes and logs-in all drivers/operators before enabling vehicle operation. Assigned privileges are granted to Transportation Safety System (TSS) enrolled drivers/operators. After drivers/operators log-in, the apparatus detects, reports, and alarms safety violations to the governing TSS. Biometric log-in precludes driver/operator repudiation.In preferred embodiments, biometric readers and/or card-based fingerprint readers are mounted into vehicle dashboards for driver/operator authentication/log-in.The invention helps reduce inattentiveness accidents due to unauthorized wireless use (phoning, texting, Internet, games, etc.). Unauthorized wireless usage by drivers/operators is detected in driving and control areas. All unauthorized activity is logged, alarmed and/or reported to Transportation Safety System administrators, depending on incident type, severity, and/or safety violation.Remediation action varies from issuing warnings, to logging violations, to incapacitating vehicles forcing safety stops requiring supervisory intervention.
US08103392B2
A method of mitigating the system-level effect of a fault detected in a vehicle system during a vehicle mission, the method comprising: using a processor to automatically prognose the system-level effect of said fault in terms of the residual capability of the vehicle system during the remainder of the mission, on the basis of predetermined stored data; using a processor to automatically generate a corresponding set of alternative reversionary or investigative action plans for mitigating said system-level effect during the remainder of the vehicle mission, on the basis of said prognosis; submitting the set of alternative reversionary action plans to a decision-making authority for determination by the decision-making authority of a preferred one of the reversionary action plans suitable for achieving a mission objective; and using a control unit, operably connected to the vehicle system, to implement the preferred reversionary action plan in accordance with said determination.
US08103391B2
Illustrative embodiments disclose managing a charging process of an electric vehicle. Begin by monitoring a set of operational parameters of the charging process during the flow of electricity for one or more interruptions in response to receiving, from an energy transaction execution engine, a request signaling the start of the charging process. The process then detects the one or more interruptions during the flow of electricity from the set of operational parameters, which conform to a set of predefined interrupt conditions. In one embodiment, the one or more interruptions include at least one of a device capability interruption, a preference interruption, and a data services interruption. The process sends a response to the energy transaction execution engine to terminate the charging transaction in response to detecting the one or more interruptions.
US08103390B2
In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method to read energy-related data in a power meter. In one exemplary embodiment, the method includes the step of sending a request message to an on-premise processor, directing the on-premise processor to read energy-related data from a power meter, using an 802.11 X-based wireless protocol. The method further includes the step of retrieving energy-related data stored in a memory of the power meter by the on-premise processor, using the 802.11 X-based wireless protocol, and the step of receiving a response message sent at a host processor, communicated from the on-premise processor, using the 802.11 X wireless protocol. The method further includes the step of recording the energy related data in a data structure in memory of the host processor, along with a date and time information.
US08103388B2
Disclosed are a power management system and associated method that not only initiate a “greenout” to avoid the negative impact of high loads (i.e., to avoid high power cost, negative environmental impact, brownouts, and ultimately blackouts), but can also predict the initiation of such a “greenout”. Predicting the initiation of a “greenout” and communicating the prediction to one or more of the various electronic devices connected to the power grid allows the electronic device(s) to take preparatory action to avoid and/or limit any negative impact that may be caused by the “greenout”.
US08103385B2
The present invention provides novel techniques for controlling flow rates through parallel distribution paths of centrifuges and dryers using model predictive control. In particular, the present techniques are presented in the context of biofuel production, wherein control of whole stillage flow rates through parallel distribution paths of centrifuges and dryers may be optimized. However, the present techniques may also be applied to other suitable applications, such as the production of agricultural products, where parallel distribution paths of centrifuges and dryers may be used to separate solids from liquids as well as to remove water from the solids and liquids.
US08103376B2
The present invention provides a system and method for the on-machine 2-D contour measurement, employing the contour measurement, coordinate system transformation, error identification, and image matching theory in image processing field to develop the on-machine measurement of X-Y-plan manufacturing error of a micro device manufactured by a high-precision micro-device machine tool, contour error, and trace error.
US08103375B2
A method for finishing a part having excess material includes generating one or more surfaces on a model of the part to be machined, creating a machining tool path drive geometry, using the machine tool path drive geometry and one or more surfaces on the model to be machined to generate machining tool paths on the surfaces; and running tool paths on the part in a fixture.
US08103366B2
A method and apparatus for installing a foam proportioning system into existing fire fighting equipment is provided. The method can include installing a foam proportioning library into a first application of a processor of the existing fire fighting equipment and installing a foam proportioning support into a second application of a display of the existing fire fighting equipment. The method can also include connecting a foam proportioner to the processor, receiving user inputs with the display, and processing the user inputs with the second application and the foam proportioning support. The method can further include transmitting the user inputs to the processor and operating the foam proportioner in response to the user inputs with the first application and the foam proportioning library.
US08103363B2
A device control system includes a general device component, a feature definition set, and a specific device component. The feature definition set is operatively connected to the general device component. The specific device component is operatively connected to the general device component. The general device component defines an application program interface (API) for accessing a device. The feature definition set defines features associated with the device. The specific device component supports the features.
US08103357B2
An implantable medical lead includes an adaptor coupled to a body of the lead. The adaptor holds a sensor capsule between a first portion and a second portion of the lead body.
US08103356B2
An integrated catheter shaft with a guidewire and a radio frequency wire is used in a catheter to deliver radio frequency energy to a treatment site. The small entry wound and the long integrated catheter shaft allows a user to thread the shaft along a tortuous route along a spinal canal to reach a treatment site while causing a minimal amount of trauma to the patient.
US08103352B2
A method, device and system for stimulating visual tissue, typically in the retina or visual cortex, to achieve an artificial percept of light or image. The method includes providing stimulating electrodes suitable for placement in proximity to the visual tissue and generating a series of short-duration stimulation signals having a duration of less than about 0.5 milliseconds each. The short-duration stimulation signals are applied through the stimulating electrodes with varying frequencies that are substantially matched to a spiking range of frequencies of at least one ganglion cell for perceiving brightness or image.
US08103350B2
A method of treating a neurological disorder comprises introducing an electrical stimulation lead within a patient's head, locating the stimulation lead within the 4th ventricle of the patient's head, and placing the stimulation lead adjacent the fastigium nucleus of the patient's brain. The method may further comprise stimulating the fastigium nucleus with the stimulation lead to treat the neurological disorder, for example, by increasing the flow of blood within the patient's brain.
US08103348B1
A method for providing a header assembly for connecting an implantable medical device to at least one conductor lead terminating within a patient intended to be assisted by the medical device is provided. The implantable medical device is comprised of at least one feedthrough wire extending from the control circuitry and through a wall of the housing. The header assembly is comprised of an insulative body that is mountable on the housing of the medical device. The insulative body supports at least one conductor subassembly comprising a terminal that is directly connectable to the conductor lead, an intermediate conductor comprising a distal end connected to the terminal and a proximal end connected to a connector. Methods for making the header assembly and for connecting the header assembly to the implantable medical device are also disclosed.
US08103344B2
In a device and method in a dual chamber pacing system operating in an atrial synchronized mode, the cardiac stimulator is connectable to a lead arrangement arranged for sensing atrial electrical and mechanical activity. Upon detection of an atrial arrhythmia based on either of sensed atrial mechanical activity, atrial electrical activity, or a combination thereof, a mode switch from an atrial synchronized ventricle stimulating mode to a non-atrial synchronized mode is triggered.
US08103343B2
Methods and systems to modulate timing intervals for pacing therapy are described. For each cardiac cycle, one or both of an atrioventricular (A-V) timing interval and an atrial (A-A) timing interval are modulated to oppose beat-to-beat ventricular (V-V) timing variability. Pacing therapy is delivered using the modulated timing intervals.
US08103340B2
Treatment of biological material containing living cells using a plasma generated by a gas discharge
In order to treat a biological material (1) containing living cells with a plasma (4) generated by a gas discharge at atmospheric pressure (9) an electrode (3) is arranged at a distance to the biological material (1). Further, a solid body dielectric (2) is arranged between the electrode (3) and the biological material (1), directly in front of the electrode (3) and at a distance to the biological material (1). Then a high alternating voltage consisting of separated high voltage pulses of alternating polarity is applied to the electrode (3) for igniting and maintaining a dielectric barrier gas discharge within a region between the dielectric (2) and the biological material (1).
US08103334B2
A cardiac rhythm management system that includes a pacemaker configured for biventricular pacing and an external programmer with an associated display for displaying electrogram data and markers representing ventricular events. Associated with each marker are intraventricular intervals designed to relate information to a user in a manner suited for ventricular resynchronization pacing.
US08103330B2
A sensor device, in particular a PET detector, for operation in the time-varying magnetic field of a magnetic resonance tomograph. In at least one embodiment, a sensor circuit is for generating a sensor signal, as well as an induction circuit in which a compensation signal is induced. These signals are combined with one another so as to compensate for noise signals in the sensor signal, which are induced in the sensor circuit by the time-varying magnetic field. The invention furthermore concerns a method of compensating for such noise signals.
US08103326B2
A technique for determining a patient's hematocrit by an electrical impedance measurement is described. An implantable device may be configured to utilize the technique in order to assess a cardiac patient's fluid status. In order to determine the hematocrit, the electrical impedance of the blood is measured and mapped by a mapping function to a corresponding hematocrit value.
US08103322B2
In a particular embodiment there is provided a handheld electronic device, comprising a bridge, a first device member having a first i/o element thereon and a second device member having a second i/o element thereon. The first and second device members are slidable relative to the bridge between a closed position for the handheld electronic device and a spaced-apart position for the handheld electronic device. In the closed position the first and second device members overlap such that the first device member blocks access to the second i/o element. In the spaced-apart position the second i/o element is accessible and the first and second device members are spaced apart by a selected non-zero spacing.
US08103306B2
A mobile station includes a radio channel condition measurement portion that measures a radio channel condition, a radio channel averaging portion that averages the measured radio channel condition over a predetermined period of time, and a reception mode control portion that allows switching to a measurement mode for measuring a different frequency and a different system to be realized in accordance with the averaged radio channel condition; and a base station includes a radio channel condition averaging portion that averages a radio channel condition received from a mobile station, over a predetermined period of time, and a transmission mode control portion that allows switching to a discontinuous transmission mode for performing a discontinuous transmission to be realized in accordance with the averaged radio channel condition.
US08103299B2
Aspects of mobile communication for establishing a receive-only group communication, such as a Push-to-Talk (PTT) call or multicast call with a plurality of wireless communication devices that are in a receive-only mode are disclosed. When a group call between wireless communication devices starts from an originating device, in one embodiment indicating a receive-only group with which a group call is to be established, one or more receive-only wireless communication devices are determined and invited to participate in the group call. The traffic channel to the receive-only wireless communication device is transitioned to a uni-directional, forward-only traffic channel such that media is provided from the originating wireless communication device to the receive-only wireless communication device via the uni-directional traffic channel.
US08103290B2
The invention provides a method for guiding a mobile communication device in a wireless communication network. At first, the method according to the invention determines a plurality of referenced positions covered in the wireless communication network. Afterward, the method obtains a plurality of communication quality parameters which each corresponds to one of the plurality of referenced positions. Next, the method transmits the plurality of referenced positions and the plurality of communication quality parameters to the mobile communication device and receives a target position from the mobile communication device. Then, the method determines a current position relative to the mobile communication device. Finally, according to the target position and the current position, the method generates a guiding information and transmits the guiding information to the mobile communication device.
US08103286B2
The invention discloses a wireless communication system including first mobile devices, a second mobile device, and a system end. The system end cooperates with the second device to determine a coordinate of each of the first mobile devices. When each of the first mobile devices receives a signal from the system end, each of the first mobile devices can detect its corresponding received signal strength. The system end or the second mobile device is capable of generating a received signal strength distribution map according to the coordinates and the strengths of the received signals.
US08103279B2
A system and method for routing calls in a distributed mobile switching center environment involves receiving a call at a first node (115(1)) in a telecommunication network (100). The first node is associated with multiple trunks (430, 445). A constraint relating to selection of a circuit for routing the call is identified (320). The circuit is associated with one of the trunks that is associated with the first node. The call is routed (350) to a trunk in accordance with the constraint.
US08103277B2
A handover method from a WCDMA network to a CDMA network in a system comprising a mobile communication terminal, a RNC of the WCDMA network and a BSC of the CDMA network comprises: transmitting a measurement control message for commanding cell power measurement on a WCDMA cell and a beacon cell in the RNC into the mobile communication terminal; transmitting a measurement report message into the RNC in the mobile communication terminal after measurement of the cell power on the WCDMA cell and the beacon cell; and determining a handover into a CDMA cell in the RNC depending on the measurement report message when there is no more receivable WCDMA cell.
US08103267B2
A communication device that includes a femtocell base station and a mobile station transmitter/receiver. The femtocell base station may provide bidirectional internet protocol (IP) communication for one or mobile devices to a cellular network. The femtocell base station may be operable to communicate with the cellular network using a wide area network. The mobile station transmitter/receiver may be coupled to the femtocell base station (in a same housing). The mobile station transmitter/receiver may be operable to perform radio frequency (RF) wireless communication with the cellular network, e.g., to detect and/or report environmental parameters, performing testing (e.g., loopback testing), and/or provide communication for the one or more mobile devices (e.g., when the wide area network is down), among others.
US08103266B2
Apparatus, methods, and programs that determine and manage battery performance characteristics of a wireless device. Embodiments include a wireless device having a computer platform with a processing engine operable to generate a plurality of battery performance data associated with activities on the wireless device. The wireless device further includes a battery performance module operable, based on a received battery performance configuration, to collect selected ones of the plurality of battery performance data. The embodiments may also include an apparatus operable to generate the battery performance configuration, and operable to receive the collected battery performance data and to generate a performance report characterizing the battery performance of the wireless device. Further, embodiments of the apparatus may also generate and transmit to the wireless device a new device operational configuration, based on the collected battery performance data, effective to change the battery performance of the wireless device.
US08103264B2
Disclosed herein is a mobile handset, part of an open update framework, that uses a mime-type to determine if an update package received is appropriate for an update activity, or is currently supported. In addition, it uses the mime-type to determine where the downloaded update package needs to be stored in non-volatile memory, such as Flash. It also uses the mime-type to invoke an appropriate firmware, software or configuration update agent.
US08103256B2
A method is disclosed for enhancing call center services. The method comprises: receiving at the call center a call from a user; analyzing a phone number associated with the call, a location of a vehicle associated with the call, a current request of the user, a previous request of the user, and a time period between the previous request and the current request; presenting a list of menu options to the user based on the analysis; and routing the call to an advisor based on a received user selected menu option. In addition, a system is disclosed for enhancing call center services.
US08103254B2
Disclosed is a method for providing a multimedia Ring Back Tone (RBT) service by using a receiver-side switching center, which comprising the steps of: (a) receiving an ISDN User Part (ISUP) call connection request message including information (multimedia codec information) regarding a multimedia codec from a caller-side switching center when the originating terminal attempts a call connection to a terminating terminal; (b) transmitting the ISUP call connection request message including the multimedia codec information to a sound source-providing server; (c) requesting the caller-side switching center to set the multimedia codec, thereby activating a routing path for the RBT service; and (d) receiving a RBT sound source selected using the multimedia codec information from the sound source-providing server and transmitting the RBT sound source to the caller-side switching center.
US08103250B2
A system and method for sharing location data amongst wireless communication devices uses a token system to grant permission to share location data. The tokens may be created automatically as the result of user activation of a different function. Location data may be exchanged when two wireless communication devices, authorized to exchange location data, are within a predetermined distance from each other. Location data may also be automatically exchanged upon the occurrence of a scheduled calendar event within a wireless communication device. Location data may be exchanged a single time or can be exchanged on a continuous or periodic basis so long as the token still exists. The token may be destroyed manually by some user activity or may be terminated automatically.
US08103244B2
Usage of televisions or other media devices is controlled, including controlling access to content on such devices. Access to multimedia content is controlled. Multimedia content to be accessed is identified, a viewer of the content is identified, data for the identified viewer that specifies a usage quota associated with the viewer and a usage rate associated with the viewer for the content is accessed, and the content to the viewer based on the usage quota and usage rate data is provided.
US08103241B2
A medical data receiver configured to wirelessly receive medical data via a signal and having an externally perceptible indicator of signal reception.
US08103239B2
An emergency notification uses a normal cellular telephone terminal instead of a dedicated terminal without requiring communication using a voice. An emergency notification system has a mobile communication network including a cellular telephone terminal, an emergency notification device for receiving an emergency notification, a communication line connecting the mobile communication network and the emergency notification device, and the cellular telephone terminal including display means for displaying a menu for identifying kind of emergency notification on a display screen and means for performing the emergency notification in response to selection of one of items in the menu by a user.
US08103233B2
The present disclosure relates to a tuner capable of receiving a television broadcasting signal of a wide band having an operating frequency bandwidth of 48 MHz˜1 GHz, wherein the tuner filters a radio frequency (RF) signal outputted from the low noise amplifier using a tunable filter. The tunable filter includes according to an embodiment an inductor and a variable capacitor as passive elements to reject harmonics. The tuner includes a mixer which mixes an output signal of the tunable filter with a local oscillator signal and converts the mixed signal to an In-phase and Quadrature IF signal, where the converted IF signal of I channel and Q channel is processed through an IF signal processor and is converted to an appropriate signal by a demodulator.
US08103223B2
A device includes a first wireless transceiver adapted to communicate over a cellular network, a second wireless transceiver adapted to communicate over a local network separate from the cellular network, and a mechanism adapted to report movement information to a computer via the second wireless transceiver. The mechanism is optionally an optical sensor reporting relative position information. The device is operable as both a cellular communication device and a computer pointing device. A button of the device is adapted to operate as a mouse button, and optionally, in some modes, controls operation of the cellular communication device. The second wireless transceiver optionally uses Universal Serial Bus protocol. The device optionally transfers files via the second wireless transceiver. In some usage scenarios, the device and a separate wireless pointing device communicate with a same computer and are used to operate an application, such as a gaming application.
US08103221B2
A CMOS monolithic transmit/receive switch comprises a single pole double throw switch (SPDT) module operable to selectively connect an antenna port to either a transmit port or to a receive port. A transmit matching network comprising a first transmission line matches the impedance of the transmit port of the SPDT module to a transmit impedance, and a first shunt transistor is operable to selectively ground a transmitter end of the first transmission line. A receive matching network comprising a second transmission line matches the impedance of the receive port of the SPDT module to a receive impedance, and a second shunt transistor is operable to selectively ground a receiver end of the second transmission line.
US08103207B2
A lubricant application apparatus including a lubricant application member and an elastic member. The lubricant application member applies lubricant to a lubricant receiving member moving in a given surface movement direction. The elastic member contacts the lubricant receiving member in a counter direction with respect to the surface movement direction of the lubricant receiving member, and smoothes the lubricant applied on the lubricant receiving member. The elastic member is in contact with the lubricant receiving member at a contact area of the elastic member, in the counter direction. The elastic member is positioned in a downstream side of the surface movement direction of the lubricant receiving member with respect to the contact area of the elastic member. The elastic member is in contact with the lubricant receiving member at the contact area with a contact angle of 85 degrees or more.
US08103198B2
A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus.
US08103194B2
An ink development unit is disclosed for liquid electro photography (LEP) printers or the like. An exemplary squeegee on PIP (photo imaging plate) (or “SOP”) ink development unit for a liquid electro photography (LEP) printer system includes an ink dispenser configured to dispense ink during a printing operation. A developer roller having a compliant surface is positioned in contact with a PIP during a printing operation. The developer roller directly receives the ink dispensed from the ink dispenser. The developer roller squeegees the ink dispensed from the ink dispenser into an ink layer with higher solids concentration for development onto an image area on the PIP.
US08103187B2
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing; a partition wall which is provided in the housing along a substantially vertical direction, the partition wall partitioning an inner space of the housing into a first space and a second space; developing units which are disposed in parallel along the substantially vertical direction in the first space, each of the developing units comprising a first reception opening and a return opening; and developer cartridges which correspond to the plurality of developing units, the developer cartridges being disposed in parallel along the substantially vertical direction in the second space, each of developer cartridges comprising a supply opening and a second reception opening. The first reception openings of the developing units communicate with the supply openings of respective ones of the developer cartridges, and the return openings of the developer units communicate with the second reception openings of respective ones of the developer cartridges.
US08103186B2
An image forming apparatus including an image forming section; an upper unit located over the image forming section with a space therebetween and slidable in a direction of from the front side to the rear side of the apparatus and the opposite direction; a sheet discharger configured to discharge a sheet bearing an image in the first or opposite direction; a sheet stacker receiving the sheet from the sheet discharger; a support arranged outside of both side ends of the sheet stacker in the first direction and slidably supporting the upper unit; and at least one of a release preventing member for preventing releasing of the upper unit from the support, and a covering member movable from a first position to a second position in conjunction with sliding of the upper unit and covering an opening formed at an end portion of the support when acquiring the first position.
US08103175B1
An optical signal processing system is provided that includes a first light modulator for receiving, placing information on a first optical signal, and for producing a second optical signal. The second optical signal includes a desired signal portion and an undesired signal portion. The optical signal processing system includes a second light modulator that tunes a first optical pump signal to a Brillouin frequency that is less than, but corresponding to, a frequency of the undesired signal portion. The optical signal processing system includes a light conductor configured to receive as a first input the second optical signal and as a second input the first optical pump signal tuned to the Brillouin frequency. The optical signal processing system causes the first optical pump signal tuned to the Brillouin frequency to induce a Stimulated Brillouin Scattering effect at the light conductor to attenuate the undesired signal portion.
US08103174B2
A communication network is provided for interconnecting a network of digital systems, such as multimedia devices. Each node of the communication network may include a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver and transmitter of each node can be an optical receiver and transmitter. The optical receiver is preferably powered by two power supply pins, each providing different supply amounts. An activity detector within the receiver can be powered from a first supply amount, and the signal path of the optical receiver can be supplied from a second supply amount greater than the first supply amount. The first supply amount is provided at all times, and the second supply amount is only provided if activity is detected. A voltage regulator which provides the first supply amount can be beneficially embodied on the same integrated circuit as a network interface to reduce the manufacturing cost of the network. By powering the activity detector separate from the signal path, power down and power up (normal) operating states are envisioned for reducing power consumption and increasing longevity of the optical receiver and transmitter.
US08103173B2
An optical homodyne communication system and method in which a side carrier is transmitted along with data bands in an optical data signal, and upon reception, the side carrier is boosted, shifted to the center of the data bands, and its polarization state is matched to the polarization state of the respective data bands to compensate for polarization mode dispersion during transmission. By shifting a boosted side carrier to the center of the data bands, and by simultaneously compensating for the effects of polarization mode dispersion, the provided system and method simulate the advantages of homodyne reception using a local oscillator. The deleterious effects of chromatic dispersion on the data signals within the data bands are also compensated for by applying a corrective function to the data signals which precisely counteracts the effects of chromatic dispersion.
US08103172B2
A distributed quantum relay architecture is disclosed. In one embodiment of this architecture, time and wavelength division multiplexing are used to enable a laser pump pulse, already used to create an initial entangled photon pair, to be distributed to a remote relay site, on the same optical fiber as a photon from that initial pair. At that remote site, the pump pulse is amplified and used to locally create the second entangled photon pair that is required for quantum teleportation. This embodiment enables the placement of quantum repeater stations at remote locations without complicated dedicated channels to distribute the pump or electronics. In addition, as lasers are generally among the most expensive components, a significant cost savings is gained, in this embodiment, by using only one pump laser instead of two (or more) as in previous quantum teleportation efforts.
US08103169B2
Disclosed is a secure/non-secure bypass switch, which includes a secure mode signal path, and a non-secure mode signal path, wherein signals are routed through an encryption device connected in the secure mode signal path when no power is supplied to the switch, and the signals are routed through the non-secure path when power is supplied to the switch.
US08103148B2
A recording apparatus comprises: a removable recording medium; a processor; and a receiving unit that receives an operation command for demounting the removable recording medium, wherein, when the receiving unit receives the operation command, the processor demounts the removable recording medium from a file system; and wherein the processor automatically mounts the recording medium on the file system under a predetermined condition in which a command of mounting the recording medium is not given.
US08103142B2
When transmitting in higher-order modes (HOMs), the chances of dielectric breakdown in the bulk glass can be reduced by judicious selection of the mode of transmission. Since energy distributions in the HOM profile change with the mode order, one can calculate the peak intensity for any given HOM. Correspondingly, one can calculate whether any portion of the transmitted pulse will exceed the breakdown threshold for the optical fiber through which the HOM signal is being transmitted. Should the calculated energy exceed the dielectric breakdown threshold, another HOM with a lower peak intensity can be selected for signal transmission. Disclosed are systems and methods for selecting an appropriate HOM to reduce the likelihood of dielectric breakdown.
US08103139B2
A method is provided for predicting an installed performance parameter of an optical fiber cable. The method includes obtaining a measurement indicative of a value of the performance parameter at a first moment in time. A measurement indicative of a value of the performance parameter at a second moment in time may then be obtained. A first correlation may then be determined between the measurement at the first moment in time and the measurement at the second moment in time. A value of the performance parameter at the second moment in time may then be estimated based upon the measurement at the first moment in time in combination with the first correlation, the first correlation being based upon observations of a manner in which the performance parameter varies over time for at least a second optical fiber.
US08103138B2
A tunable filter is provided. The tunable filter comprises an input optical fiber for launching an optical signal into the tunable filter; a collimator disposed for collimating light transmitted from the input optical fiber; a grating disposed for dispersing the collimated light according to wavelength in a dispersion plane; a first reflector disposed for reflecting at least a portion of the dispersed light to a second reflector; a second reflector disposed for reflecting the dispersed light back to the grating; a third reflector disposed for reflecting the transmitted dispersed light from the grating back to the grating, wherein then the second reflector reflects the transmitted dispersed light to the first reflector, the first reflector reflects the transmitted dispersed light back to the grating, the collimator receives the transmitted dispersed light from the grating and substantially focusing it to a focal point; and an output optical fiber disposed at the focal point for receiving the focused light; wherein one of the reflectors is rotated to selectively reflect the dispersed light having a predetermined wavelength.
US08103136B2
Thermo-optical devices providing heater recirculation in an integrated optical device are described. The thermo-optical devices include at least one waveguide having a non-linear path length in thermal communication with a thermal device. Methods of fabrication and use are also disclosed.
US08103135B2
A sensor system for use in a well bore includes a metal-clad fiber-optic cable, the fiber optic cable include one or more Bragg gratings, and each Bragg grating is configured such that a value or change in a physical parameter to be measured results in a measurable value or change in the Bragg grating. The sensor system is included in a tool moveable through a drill string. The Bragg gratings are subjected to a strain related to the well bore's pressure, such that the pressure can be determined from the characteristics of the Bragg grating.
US08103134B2
A method for creating an image that depicts the motion of a moving object. The method comprises: a) identifying a motion of a moving object in a plurality of initial images depicting a scene, b) capturing a plurality of reference images of the moving object, c) cropping at least one sub-image of the moving object from at least one of the plurality of reference images, and d) combining the at least one sub-image and at least one of the plurality of reference images to produce a final representation depicting the motion. The resolution of the plurality of initial images is lower than the resolution of the plurality of reference images.
US08103113B2
An image processing apparatus which enables reduction of memory size required for image modification is provided. The image processing apparatus establishes a target block of the modification process; generates an image within the target block by storing an image within a referent block into a source memory area, and by referring the referent block image in the source memory area; generates entirety of the post-modification image by sequentially shifting the target block to a different position within the image modification area and by generating an image within the target block after each shift; computes a maximum block size of the referent block associated with the target block situated any available position prior to generation of the image; and allocates the source memory area capable of storing an image of a size equal to the maximum block size.
US08103111B2
In a method of coding light ray information including information about a position on a predetermined surface and information about an incident angle to the surface when a ray of light from a subject enters the surface, the light ray information is divided into two or more processing unit blocks. In a first coding process, coding are executed for each of the two or more processing unit blocks, and first block unit information composing first image information about the subject is obtained. In a second coding process, coding are executed for each of the two or more processing unit block, and second block unit information composing second image information different types from the first image information is obtained.
US08103109B2
There is a need to provide simple, accurate, fast and computationally inexpensive methods of object and hand pose recognition for many applications. For example, to enable a user to make use of his or her hands to drive an application either displayed on a tablet screen or projected onto a table top. There is also a need to be able to discriminate accurately between events when a user's hand or digit touches such a display from events when a user's hand or digit hovers just above that display. A random decision forest is trained to enable recognition of hand poses and objects and optionally also whether those hand poses are touching or not touching a display surface. The random decision forest uses image features such as appearance, shape and optionally stereo image features. In some cases, the training process is cost aware. The resulting recognition system is operable in real-time.
US08103106B2
A method of processing a plurality of still images. The method includes the steps of: detecting an object photographed for each of the still images; arranging the object detected by the step of detecting an object with respect to the plurality of still images and detecting an object photographed by the plurality of still images; relating objects having a strong relationship out of the plurality of objects detected by the step of arranging the object; selecting a still image including at least one of the objects detected by the step of relating objects from the plurality of still images; and outputting the still image selected by the step of selecting a still-image.
US08103104B2
Disclosed are systems and methods to identify text-like pixels from an image by providing an image and classifying line segments of pixels within the image by edge-bounded averaging.
US08103095B2
An information processing apparatus that suppresses occurrences of color conversions not intended by the user. Information on affected regions for individual color conversion processes applied to an image is stored in the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus determines whether or not the affected region of a color conversion process that the user is attempting to apply overlap an affected region of a color conversion process that has already been applied, and if so, informs the user by, for example, displaying the affected regions on a chromaticity diagram.
US08103091B2
It is to learn an object identification parameter while suppressing an influence of the background area. The object identification parameter learning system includes: a feature extracting device for obtaining a feature of an object from the image; a background specifying device for specifying a background area of the image; a background replacing device which replaces feature components corresponding to the background area of the feature with other values; and an identification parameter update device for updating the identification parameter based on the feature components replaced by the background replacing device. The identification parameter can be learnt by generating a plurality of pieces of feature data of the object with different backgrounds from a single object image through replacing the background area of the feature of the object.
US08103089B2
A pattern generating apparatus includes a sequence generating unit and an image data generating unit. The sequence generating unit generates a sequence formed by terms having M-value numeric values. The image data generating unit generates the image data by converting each numeric value of the sequence into a gray-level value according to each numeric value, and the sequence is generated by the sequence generating unit. The sequence generating unit generates the sequence such that vectors expressed by sub-sequences have different directions for the sub-sequence constituting the generated sequence.
US08103080B2
Provided are methods for determining and analyzing photometric and morphogenic features of small objects, such as cells to, for example, identify different cell states. In particularly, methods are provided for identifying apoptotic cells, and for distinguishing between cells undergoing apoptosis versus necrosis.
US08103071B2
In an MR-compatible video system, MR-compatible video eyeglasses are connected to a graphics unit. A position sensor arrangement is connected to the graphics unit to detect the position and/or orientation of the MR-compatible video eyeglasses and/or the position of the pupils of a user. The graphics unit comprises means for producing image signals for MR-compatible video eyeglasses depending on the position and/or orientation of the MR-compatible video eyeglasses and/or the position of the pupils of the user.
US08103068B2
Methods and systems for reconstructing an object from observations of interaction of the object with a physical system.
US08103060B2
To suitably reduce data amount. For example, feature points from a branch point or an end point to the next branch point or an end point in a blood vessel line are set as a group. In the three feature points satisfying one of the condition that the absolute value of the outer product of vectors in continuous three feature points is smaller than an outer product threshold value, and the condition that a cosine in the above three feature points is smaller than a cosine threshold value, the middle one of the three feature points satisfying the other of the above conditions and being the smallest is eliminated, for every group.
US08103059B2
A method for digital signal processing is disclosed. Reflected laser signals are received and digitized to generate corresponding digital signals. The digital signals are accumulated to generate an accumulated signal. A digital filtering operation is applied to the accumulated signal to generate a filtered signal. A maximum signal value for the filtered signal is found and a threshold value is set accordingly. It is determined whether the maximum signal value is less than the threshold value, and, if not, a distance value is calculated.
US08103051B2
A method for embedding data into a media signal receives a media signal, divides the media signal into blocks of samples, and calculates a function of the samples in the blocks, including transformations of samples in the blocks to corresponding block values. A processor uses the block value to determine a factor for samples in the blocks to be multiplied by the samples so that when a data embedding function is evaluated for the block, an output of the data embedding function corresponds to a data value representing desired digital data embedded in the block. A compatible decoder extracts this embedded data from the media signal. The decoder divides the media signal into blocks of samples and calculates a function of the samples in the blocks, including transformations of samples in the blocks to corresponding block values. A processor processes the block value to evaluate a data embedding function to determine digital data embedded in the block.
US08103046B2
A digital-signature is obtained by digitising a set of data points obtained by scanning a coherent beam over a paper, cardboard or other article, and measuring the scatter. A thumbnail-digital signature is also determined by digitising an amplitude spectrum of a Fourier transform of the set of data points. A database of digital signatures and their thumbnails can thus be built up. The authenticity of an article can later be verified by re-scanning the article to determine its digital signature and thumbnail, and then searching the database for a match. Searching is done on the basis of the Fourier transform thumbnail to improve search speed. Speed is improved, since, in a pseudo-random bit sequence, any bit shift only affects the phase spectrum, and not the amplitude spectrum of a Fourier transform represented in polar coordinates. The amplitude spectrum stored in the thumbnail can therefore be matched without any knowledge of the unknown bit shift caused by registry errors between the original scan and the re-scan.
US08103042B2
There is provided a case for containing a portable media player, the case including: a frame for placement of the media player; and a speaker driver mounted in a cabinet, the speaker driver connectable to an audio output of the media player. The media player may be either permanently located within the case or removable from the case. The speaker driver may be connected to the audio output of the media player using either a wired connection or a wireless connection, the speaker driver being exposed when the case is in an open mode and the speaker driver being concealed when the case is in a closed mode. The case alternates between the open mode and the closed mode using fasteners such as, for example, adhesive strips, Velcro strips, magnetic strips, or a zipper.
US08103037B2
A system for producing parameters for a bass-enhanced loudspeaker enclosure; meanwhile, a low-frequency extended frequency, a quality and quantity ratio and radius of a port need to be defined for the system. Also, the resonance frequency of a mechanical system and the quality and quantity of a mechanical system are fixed to obtain the parameters for the frequency ratio, the length of the duct and the cavity volume inside the device, etc. and to manufacture the bass-enhanced loudspeaker enclosure.
US08103035B2
An apparatus includes a housing. A waveguide is located within the housing. The waveguide includes a first subsection that bends around a first axis and has a first cross-sectional area with an aspect ratio that is substantially different from unity. A second subsection bends around a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis and includes a second cross-sectional area with an aspect ratio that is substantially different from unity. A third subsection acoustically couples the first subsection to the second subsection. The third subsection includes a third cross-sectional area with an aspect ration that varies between the first aspect ratio and the second aspect ratio.
US08103031B2
A hearing device, in particular a hearing system, is designed more acoustically stable with regard to feedback as well as more mechanically stable with regard to external influences by a sound emission tube for direct connection to an output nozzle of an earpiece of a hearing device. The sound emission tube has an outer sheath made from a first plastic and an inner wall made from a second plastic that is more elastic than the first plastic. The outer sheath and the inner wall are produced by 2-component injection molding. The inner wall damps vibrations from the earpiece outward or shocks from the outside to the earpiece. Conversely, the outer sheath provides for the mechanical stability and the sufficiently rigid mounting of the earpiece.
US08103027B2
A MEMS microphone has an SOI wafer, a backplate formed in a portion of the SOI wafer, and a diaphragm adjacent to and movable relative to the backplate. The backplate has at least one trench that substantially circumscribes a central portion of the backplate.
US08103023B2
An apparatus for acoustic beamforming comprises a beamform processor (105) for generating a beamformed signal from two audio inputs. An update processor (107) updates the beamforming filter of the beamform processor (105) if an update criterion is met. An adaptive filter (111) filters the signal from one of the signals and the difference signal between the filtered signal and the signal from the other audio input (101) is generated. An adaptation processor (115) adapts the adaptive filter (111) to minimize the difference signal. A criterion processor (109) modifies the update criterion in response to the (possibly normalized) difference signal. Specifically, the update criterion may be relaxed to improve acquisition performance if the difference signal is indicative of a strong signal outside the beam of the beamform processor (105).
US08103004B2
The present embodiments advantageously provide methods and systems for use in decrypting content, and in some preferred embodiments expanding a security environment to distribute the computational processing involved in decryption. In some embodiments, a method for use in decrypting content is provided that receives a first content key at a first system for the decryption of a first track of encrypted content; encrypts the first content key according to a first instance key known at the first system; communicates the first encrypted content key over an externally accessible communication link to a second system; generates the first instance key at the second system independent of the first system; decrypts the first encrypted content key using the generated first instance key at the second system; and decrypts the first track of encrypted content using the first unencrypted content key at the second system.
US08102999B2
A communications protocol is used to provide data privacy, message integrity, message freshness, and user authentication to telemetric traffic, especially to and from implantable medical devices in a body area network. Encryption, message integrity, and message freshness are provided through use of token-like nonces and ephemeral session-keys derived from device identification numbers and pseudorandom numbers.
US08102989B1
Gateways facilitate communication of voice traffic from a calling party to a called party over a packet network. To establish a communication session, an originating gateway sends one or more initial call control messages using overlap signaling to a destination gateway. The destination gateway may be unable to establish the communication session using overlap signaling. The destination gateway signals the originating gateway, such as by indicating that the communication session could not be established because of an incomplete or invalid destination address. The originating gateway then attempts to establish the communication session using en bloc signaling. In this way, an attempt that fails due to the use of overlap signaling is retried using en bloc signaling.
US08102978B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for enabling network facilities with data storage capability. A data connection is established to a storage device. Customer-defined electronic data is communicated to the storage device via the data connection. At least some of the electronic data may be managed according to a service level agreement.
US08102963B2
A CT scanner includes a first X-ray beam source, and a second X-ray beam source. With such an apparatus, first source is used to monitor buildup of an injected contrast agent in a selected region of interest relative to a patient and at least the second source is used to perform diagnostic scanning when the buildup of the contrast agent reaches a desired level.
US08102960B2
A method and apparatus to improve adaptation speed of a digital receiver is presented. The receiver includes an equalizer to initiate adaptation to a transmission channel responsive to a first control signal, a slicer coupled to the equalizer to generate symbol decisions based at least in part on an equalized digital signal, logic to receive the symbol decisions and generate a selection signal when a lock onto a training sequence of the symbol decisions occurs, first and second phase detectors to detect phase errors of the equalized digital signal and an incoming digital signal, respectively, and a clock generator to generate a clock signal responsive to one of the first and second phase errors.
US08102958B2
A communications network and method thereof include a base station controller configured to provide a repetition period of a primary synchronization channel to be equal to a predetermined integer value times a scrambling code length of the scrambling code of a common pilot channel. A user equipment in the network is configured to search for a known sequence comprising the primary synchronization channel to select a cell and a corresponding sub-frame/symbol timing from the selected cell.
US08102955B2
The multi-pulse frequency shifted technique uses mutually orthogonal short duration pulses o transmit and receive information in a UWB multiuser communication system. The multiuser system uses the same pulse shape with different frequencies for the reference and data for each user. Different users have a different pulse shape (mutually orthogonal to each other) and different transmit and reference frequencies. At the receiver, the reference pulse is frequency shifted to match the data pulse and a correlation scheme followed by a hard decision block detects the data.
US08102952B2
An Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless communication system in a multi-user environment determines a threshold value to eliminate a signal pulse affected by a near-interference from among a plurality of signal pulses transmitted a number of times. A method for controlling an interference includes receiving the signal pulses, calculating a correlation value by applying a predetermined correlation mask to the signal pulses, determining a threshold value by referring to the number of times that the signal pulses are transmitted, a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio, and information about a ratio of a near-interference to a far-interference, and eliminating signal pulses having a correlation value greater than the threshold value. The correlation values that are not greater than the threshold value are summed to detect a bit corresponding to each pulse signal.
US08102951B2
An apparatus and a method for raising a data throughput by dynamically changing the maximum number of iterative decoding times of an iteratively decodable code in a mobile communication system are provided. The apparatus includes an early stop controller for determining whether an early stop condition is satisfied during a decoding process according to a maximum number of the iterative decoding times, a Connection IDentifier (CID) controller for detecting a CID of a Media Access Control (MAC) header after the early stop, and an iteration controller for, when determining that a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) is allocated to the receiver apparatus by detecting the CID of the MAC header, resetting the maximum number of iterative decoding times after identifying a decoding block of a next PDU, and for, when the CID is not detected, resetting the maximum number of the iterative decoding times after identifying a next decoding block of the current PDU.
US08102943B1
The present invention is a radio frequency (RF) receiver that uses an RF mixer for tuning to desired frequency bands. The RF receiver down converts a received RF signal into a very low intermediate frequency (VLIF) signal. When receiving a desired RF signal, the frequency of the resulting VLIF signal is called the desired VLIF frequency, and is based on the signal strength of the received RF signal. In one embodiment of the present invention, the desired VLIF frequency is selected to be one of two VLIF frequencies, and is inversely related to the signal strength of the received RF signal. For example, a higher desired VLIF frequency is selected when receiving lower signal strength RF signals to increase effective receiver sensitivity. A lower desired VLIF frequency is selected when receiving higher signal strength RF signals to improve image rejection.
US08102935B2
Techniques for estimating data-to-pilot ratio are described. A terminal may receive pilot sent to multiple terminals and may receive data sent specifically to the terminal. The terminal may estimate channel gain and noise variance based on the received pilot. The terminal may then estimate a data-to-pilot ratio based on the received data y and the estimated channel gain h and noise variance σ2. In one design, the terminal may determine a metric y 2 - σ 2 h 2 and may average the metric across multiple received data symbols to obtain the data-to-pilot ratio. The terminal may receive pilot and data via multiple antennas and may combine the received data across these antennas to obtain combined data. The terminal may estimate signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio (SINR) based on the received pilot from the multiple antennas and may then estimate the data-to-pilot ratio based on the combined data and the estimated SINR.
US08102933B2
The present invention relates to methods for implementing transmit diversity in a telecommunication network. In particular there is provided an algorithm for performing transmit diversity encoding in a transmitter (100) and transmit diversity decoding in a receiver (1700) respectively. In the method processed pairs of data blocks (314.1A, 314.1B) are transmitted on a first antenna (112.1) on N sub-carriers in a first temporal order; and a second antenna (112.2) in the reverse temporal order.
US08102928B2
A channel in a multiple carrier communication system is equalized by computing a target spectral response, shortening the impulse response of the channel so that a significant part of an energy of the impulse response is confined to a region that is shorter than a target length and filtering the signal based on the target spectral response.
US08102922B2
A demodulator device for a digital TV receiver includes a symbol-deinterleaver performing symbol-based deinterleaving, a bit-deinterleaver performing bit-based deinterleaving, a demapper performing demapping, and a Viterbi decoder performing Viterbi decoding, wherein one of the symbol-deinterleaver, the bit-deinterleaver, and the demapper includes a memory storing data that has undergone symbol-deinterleaving, and another one of the symbol-deinterleaver, the bit-deinterleaver, and the demapper or the Viterbi decoder reads the data that has undergone symbol-deinterleaving with an adaptively optimized throughput rate.
US08102914B2
The present invention provides an image decoder which decodes a stream encoded with standard resolution and transforms it into a high-definition image with a better image quality. An intra-field pixel interpolation module generates an interpolated pixel using pixels in a field. An inter-field pixel interpolation module generates an interpolated pixel using pixels from another field. A weighted averaging module refers to the prediction mode used in predictive encoding for the coded stream. If the prediction mode is a field prediction mode, it increases the mixture ratio of interpolated pixels generated by the intra-field pixel interpolation module, and if the prediction mode is a frame prediction mode, increases the mixture ratio of interpolated pixels generated by the inter-field pixel interpolation module.
US08102908B2
A waveform equalizing device for performing high-precision waveform equalization for an input signal and outputting the result as an output signal, includes: a FIR filter for performing convolution operation between the input signal and a plurality of tap coefficients; first and second slicers at least one of which makes decision on the value of the output signal; a first delay device for imparting a delay to the output of the second slicer; an IIR filter; and an addition section for summing the output of the FIR filter and the output of the IIR filter and outputting the sum as the output signal. The IIR filter includes first and second delay portions for respectively receiving the outputs of the first slicer and the first delay device and imparting delays, and performs convolution operation between the signal received by the first delay portion and tap coefficients for the first delay portion and between the signal received by the second delay portion and tap coefficients for the second delay portion.
US08102900B2
A method and an apparatus for efficient Gold code generation and management in WCDMA systems are presented. Aspects of the method may include simultaneously generating, based on the codeword sequence, a plurality of scrambling code segments associated with a scrambling code. A plurality of scrambling code segments, where each is associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of scrambling codes, may also be simultaneously generated. The plurality of scrambling codes may form a scrambling code group. Based on the codeword sequence, a plurality of time shifted versions of at least one scrambling code segment associated with a scrambling code may also be simultaneously generated.
US08102899B2
A receiver arranged to receive a plurality of spread spectrum signals including a first spread spectrum signal from which interference caused by one or more others of said plurality of signals is to be removed, wherein at least one of said other spread spectrum signals has a spreading factor which is unknown to said receiver. The receiver comprises means for estimating a spreading factor of said at least one other spread spectrum signal having an unknown spreading factor, said estimating means selecting the spreading factor to be smallest possible spreading factor, means for despreading said at least one other spread spectrum signal using said estimated spreading factor, and means for estimating interference in the first spread spectrum signal caused by said at least one other spread spectrum signal.
US08102896B2
An approach is provided for performing control signaling. Data and control information are received. The control information is orthogonalized using block-level spreading. The data and the orthogonalized control information are multiplexed at a symbol-level.
US08102895B2
Radio transmission apparatus, radio reception apparatus, transceiver, and radio communication method
A radio transmission apparatus that uses a plurality of band groups and that transmits a signal subjected to frequency hopping between a plurality of bands in each band group at a local frequency apart from the center frequency of each band includes a local frequency generating unit that generates a local frequency lower than the center frequency of each band in a first band group in the transmission with the first band group. The local frequency generating unit generates a local frequency higher than the center frequency of each band in a second band group in the transmission with the second band group, the local frequency to be generated being the same as the local frequency generated in the transmission with the first band group.
US08102893B2
An extended cavity surface emitting laser has a first laser die with a first cavity and a first gain element and a second laser die with a second cavity and a second gain element. The first and second gain elements are in series to provide optical gain and optical feedback in an extended optical cavity configuration. The first and second gain elements provide optical gain and optical feedback in a common extended cavity with the first and second gain elements operating serially as a common extended cavity optical mode.
US08102886B1
A wavelength tunable laser which includes a first mirror, a diffraction grating to diffract a laser beam into a plurality of diffracted laser beams, at least one feedback waveguide, at least one second mirror. Each feedback waveguide precedes one of the second mirrors, and a phase detector to detect an error in a wavelength of a received laser beam with respect to a desired wavelength.
US08102885B2
An optical device that includes 1) a gain section having a plurality of core regions including dopant species configured to absorb incident radiation at a first wavelength and emit radiation at a second wavelength, and 2) at least one passive section attached to the gain section. The gain section and the at least one passive section comprise an optical cavity which selectively promotes in-phase light emission from the optical cavity. An alternative optical device which includes a gain section having a plurality of core regions including dopant species configured to absorb incident radiation at a first wavelength and emit radiation at a second wavelength, and 2) two passive sections attached to the gain section at opposite ends. In this alternative optical device, the gain section and the two passive sections comprise an optical cavity which selectively promotes in-phase light emission from the optical cavity such that the light emission from the optical cavity, in a far field, has a singular Gaussian-like intensity distribution about a longitudinal axis extending from the optical cavity.
US08102884B2
A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for retrieving arbitrarily aligned vector operands within a highly threaded Network On a Chip (NOC) processor are presented. Multiple nodes in a NOC are able to access a single Compressed Direct Interthread Communication Buffer (CDICB), which contains a misaligned but compacted set of operands. Using information from a Special Purpose Register (SPR) within the NOC, each node is able to selectively extract one or more operands from the CDICB for use in an execution unit within that node. Output from the execution unit is then sent to the CDICB to update the compacted set of operands.
US08102882B2
A multicarrier data transmission scheme is provided. According to the provided scheme, a radio transmitter encodes data bits with different degrees, the degree of an encoded data bit being defined by the number of parity check equations protecting the data bit. The data bits are preferably encoded with an irregular low-density parity check (LDPC) code. The encoded data bits are then mapped to symbols. The symbols are allocated to subcarriers of a multicarrier radio signal on the basis of channel state information obtained from the radio receiver and the degree used with respect to each symbol. On the basis of the channel state information, a number of subcarriers are truncated due to high attenuation, and the number of subcarriers to be truncated relative to the total number of subcarriers is substantially fixed. The available transmit power to the non-truncated subcarriers. The multicarrier signal comprising symbols on the non-truncated subcarriers is then transmitted to the radio receiver.
US08102880B2
The invention relates to a data packet structure for conveying data of service data units (SDU) using protocol data units (PDU). The data packet comprise a data packet payload comprising at least one protocol data unit (PDU), wherein a protocol data unit (PDU) comprises a service data unit (SDU) or a fragment of a service data unit; and a data packet header comprising an indicator (FFF, SFF) indicating whether or not the data packet payload begins with a protocol data unit (PDU) being a fragment of a service data unit and whether or not the data packet payload ends with a protocol data unit (PDU) being a fragment of a service data unit.
US08102872B2
The present invention comprises a method of communicating background noise comprising the steps of transmitting background noise, blanking subsequent background noise data rate frames used to communicate the background noise, receiving the background noise and updating the background noise. In another embodiment, the present invention comprises an apparatus for communicating background noise comprising a vocoder, at least one smart blanking apparatus operably connected to the vocoder, a de jitter buffer operably connected to the smart blanker; and a network stack operably connected to the input of the de jitter buffer and the an output of the smart blanking apparatus.
US08102871B1
In a network environment, a wireless medium is reserved for transmissions. Medium reservation modifications can be requested and granted wherein a master device allocates a medium using reservations that are observed by other devices sharing the medium and a slave device complies with reservations by holding data for transmission until its reservation in time arrives by determining a reserved length of an upcoming transmitting opportunity reserved for a slave device, determining a desired length for transmitting data from the slave device over the medium, comparing the reserved length and the desired length to determine if a medium reservation modification is warranted, if the medium reservation modification is warranted, requesting, during the reserved time covered by the medium reservation, the medium reservation modification, and determining whether to grant or deny the medium reservation modification and conveying the determination to the slave device.
US08102870B2
The present invention discloses a method, server and system for optimizing a group management protocol so as to reduce the complexity in setting and switching filter modes in the prior protocols. The method includes: a group member sends a membership report to a multicast router; upon reception of the membership report, the multicast router judges whether the report carries an EXCLUDE mode non-empty source list; if so, the router updates a corresponding state inside the router according to a non-source-specific join; or else, the router updates the corresponding state inside the router directly with the information of the report. The method provided by the present invention can avoid the complex switching and processing of filter modes in the prior protocols.
US08102869B2
A motion control system collects data from a plurality of types of motion control devices and distributing data to a plurality of types of data destinations. A data input module comprises a plurality of data source components. Each of the data source components is configured to collect data from one of the plurality of motion control device types. At least one of the data source components is operatively connected to collect data from at least one of the motion control devices. The data output module comprises a plurality of data transport components. Each of the data transport components is configured to transport data to one of the plurality of data destination types. At least one of the plurality of data transport components is operatively connected to distribute data to at least one of the plurality of data destinations. The data cache module stores data collected by the plurality of data input modules; data stored by the data cache module is accessible by the plurality of data output modules. The data output module distributes data collected by the data input module and stored in the data cache module to at least one of the plurality of data destinations.
US08102864B2
Applications in a broadcast environment distribute events in real-time to a large number of receivers within specified geographic locations while efficiently sharing bandwidth resources with other applications using the same broadcast network. Applications need not be aware of the other applications sharing the resources, nor of the methods, protocols, and other mechanisms used to actually broadcast the data over the broadcast medium. Server-side applications that serve data, send notifications, or distribute events to specific locations within the network use a broadcast location manager. Client applications that receive such data, notifications, or events use a client location filter to obtain events that are relevant based on the location of the device. The broadcast location manager and client location filter work together to reliably and efficiently transmit data, notifications, and events to specific locations over the broadcast network for all applications involved.
