US08119581B2
The invention relates to the use of microgels for modifying the temperature behavior of non-crosslinkable organic media, in particular in high temperature applications at least about 100° C., for example in engine oils, gear oils, etc.
US08119576B2
Treatments and compounds useful in subterranean formations are discussed, with particular attention to those utilizing ceramic coated particulates. Certain embodiments pertain to particulates and particulate packs with ceramic coatings of subatomic thickness. Of these, certain methods may utilize ceramic coatings on particulates in a subterranean formation, certain methods may utilize ceramic coatings on particulate packs in a subatomic formation, and certain compounds may provide the features of both ceramic coatings and particulates.
US08119575B2
Among other things, methods of treating a subterranean formation with gelled hydrocarbon fluids are provided. In certain embodiments, these methods comprise the steps of providing a gelled liquid hydrocarbon treatment fluid comprising a liquid hydrocarbon and a gelling agent that comprises a polyvalent metal salt of an organophosphonic acid ester or a polyvalent metal salt of an organophosphinic acid, and treating the subterranean formation with the gelled liquid hydrocarbon treatment fluid. The gelled liquid hydrocarbon treatment fluids of the present invention are suitable for use in subterranean treatment operations, such as subterranean stimulation and sand control treatments like fracturing and gravel packing, that may be carried out in subterranean formations for the production of hydrocarbons. The compositions and methods of the present invention also may be suitable, for example, to be used as plugging agents, well bore cleanup fluids, viscous sweep fluids, or insulating fluids to be used in associated methods.
US08119572B2
A method for determining protein binding specificity using a screen of a peptide library is provided. The method can be used to determine binding specificity for human NAD+-dependent deacetylase SIRT1, and to identify the most efficiently deacetylated peptide sequences. The method can be also used to screen a combinatorial H4 histone N-terminal tail peptide library to examine the binding preferences of a α-phos (S1) H4 antibody toward all known possible H4 histone modification states.
US08119569B2
The present invention provides a novel herbicide showing excellent herbicidal effects, which has a wide application range including agricultural fields and non-agricultural fields and various application methods including soil treatment and foliage treatment. A benzoylpyrazole compound represented by the formula (I) or its salt: wherein R1 is alkyl, R2 is a hydrogen atom or alkyl, R3 is alkyl, R4 is alkyl or halogen, R5 is alkyl substituted by one Y1, haloalkoxy, alkoxy substituted by one Y2, or alkoxycarbonyl, R6 is alkylsulfonyl, A is alkylene substituted by at least one alkyl, Y1 is alkoxy or haloalkoxy, and Y2 is alkoxy; a process for its production; a herbicide containing it as an active ingredient; and a method for controlling undesired plants or inhibiting their growth, which comprises applying a herbicidally effective amount thereof to the undesired plants or to a place where they grow.
US08119541B2
Some example embodiments of the invention provide a method to improve the performance of MOS devices by increasing the stress in the channel region. An example embodiment for a NMOS transistor is to form a tensile stress layer over a NMOS transistor. A heavy ion implantation is performed into the stress layer and then an anneal is performed. This increases the amount of stress from the stress layer that the gate retains/memorizes thereby increasing device performance.
US08119538B1
A method of making a semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes forming a dielectric layer using a high density plasma oxidation process. The dielectric layer is on a storage layer and the thickness of the storage layer is reduced during the high density plasma oxidation process.
US08119532B2
A dual zone plasma processing chamber is provided. The plasma processing chamber includes a first substrate support having a first support surface adapted to support a first substrate within the processing chamber and a second substrate support having a second support surface adapted to support a second substrate within the processing chamber. One or more gas sources in fluid communication with one or more gas distribution members supply process gas to a first zone adjacent to the first substrate support and a second zone adjacent to the second substrate support. A radio-frequency (RF) antenna adapted to inductively couple RF energy into the interior of the processing chamber and energize the process gas into a plasma state in the first and second zones. The antenna is located between the first substrate support and the second substrate support.
US08119526B2
A method of forming metal films includes preparing a substrate, on which an insulating layer and a metal layer formed of a first metal are exposed; and forming a metal capping layer by supplying an organic precursor of a second metal onto the substrate to deposit the second metal simultaneously on the insulating layer and the metal layer, wherein the second metal capping layer has different thicknesses on the insulating layer and the metal layer.
US08119522B1
Method of forming wires in integrated circuits. The methods include forming a wire in a first dielectric layer on a substrate; forming a dielectric barrier layer over the wire and the first dielectric layer; forming a second dielectric layer over the barrier layer; forming one or more patterned photoresist layers over the second dielectric layer; performing a reactive ion etch to etch a trench through the second dielectric layer and not through the barrier layer; performing a second reactive ion etch to extend the trench through the barrier layer; and after performing the second reaction ion etch, removing the one or more patterned photoresist layers, a last formed patterned photoresist layer removed using a reducing plasma or a non-oxidizing plasma. The methods include forming wires by similar methods to a metal-insulator-metal capacitor.
US08119519B2
A method for making a semiconductor device including at least three interconnection layers sequentially stacked without intervention of a via layer. At least one of the interconnection layers includes an interconnection and a via which connects interconnections provided in interconnection layers underlying and overlying the one interconnection layer.
US08119514B2
Methods of forming cobalt-doped indium-tin oxide structures are shown. Properties of structures include transparency, conductivity, and ferromagnetism. Monolayers that contain indium, monolayers that contain tin, and monolayers that contain cobalt are deposited onto a substrate and subsequently processed to form cobalt-doped indium-tin oxide. Devices that include oxide structures formed with these methods should have better step coverage over substrate topography and more robust film mechanical properties.
US08119511B2
A non-volatile memory device having a control gate on top of the second dielectric (interpoly or blocking dielectric), at least a bottom layer of the control gate in contact with the second dielectric being constructed in a material having a predefined high work-function and showing a tendency to reduce its work-function when in contact with a group of certain high-k materials after full device fabrication. At least a top layer of the second dielectric, separating the bottom layer of the control gate from the rest of the second dielectric, is constructed in a predetermined high-k material, chosen outside the group for avoiding a reduction in the work-function of the material of the bottom layer of the control gate. In the manufacturing method, the top layer is created in the second dielectric before applying the control gate.
US08119507B2
Methods of making, structures, devices, and/or applications for lateral double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistors are disclosed. In one embodiment, an LDMOS transistor can include: (i) an n-doped deep n-well (DNW) region on a substrate; (ii) a gate oxide and a drain oxide between a source region and a drain region of the LDMOS transistor, the gate oxide being adjacent to the source region, the drain oxide being adjacent to the drain region; (iii) a conductive gate over the gate oxide and a portion of the drain oxide; (iv) a p-doped p-body region in the source region; (v) an n-doped drain region in the drain region; (vi) a first n-doped n+ region and a p-doped p+ region adjacent thereto in the p-doped p-body region of the source region; and (vii) a second n-doped n+ region in the drain region.
US08119504B2
A method for transferring a nano material formed on a first substrate through deposition techniques to a second substrate, includes: (A) contacting the second substrate with a free end of the nano material on the first substrate; (B) heating the first substrate so that heat is conducted substantially from the first substrate through the nano material to the second substrate to soften a contact portion of a surface of the second substrate that is in contact with the free end of the nano material; (C) after step (B), cooling the second substrate so as to permit hardening of the contact portion of the surface of the second substrate and solid bonding of the nano material to the second substrate; and (D) after step (C), removing the first substrate from the nano material.
US08119503B2
Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include forming an etch stop layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate and forming a first interlayer insulating layer on the etch stop layer. The first interlayer insulating layer is patterned to define an opening therein that exposes a first portion of the etch stop layer. This first portion of the etch stop layer is then removed to thereby expose an underlying portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate. This removal of the etch stop layer may be performed by wet etching the first portion of the etch stop layer using a phosphoric acid solution. A semiconductor region is then selectively grown into the opening, using the exposed portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate as an epitaxial seed layer.
US08119489B2
A method of fabricating an isolation structure and the structure thereof is provided. The method is compatible with the embedded memory process and provides the isolation structure with a poly cap thereon to protect the top corners of the isolation structure, without using an extra photomask.
US08119488B2
A quantum well device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a quantum well region overlying a substrate, a gate region overlying a portion of the quantum well region, a source and drain region adjacent to the gate region. The quantum well region includes a buffer structure overlying the substrate and including semiconductor material having a first band gap, a channel structure overlying the buffer structure including a semiconductor material having a second band gap, and a barrier layer overlying the channel structure and including an un-doped semiconductor material having a third band gap. The first and third band gap are wider than the second band gap. Each of the source and drain region is self-aligned to the gate region and includes a semiconductor material having a doped region and a fourth band gap wider than the second band gap.
US08119481B2
A blocking dielectric engineered, charge trapping memory cell includes a charge trapping element that is separated from a gate by a blocking dielectric including a buffer layer in contact with the charge trapping element, such as silicon dioxide which can be made with high-quality, and a second capping layer in contact with said one of the gate and the channel. The capping layer has a dielectric constant that is higher than that of the first layer, and preferably includes a high-κ material. The second layer also has a conduction band offset that is relatively high. A bandgap engineered tunneling layer between the channel and the charge trapping element is provided which, in combination with the multilayer blocking dielectric described herein, provides for high-speed erase operations by hole tunneling. In an alternative, a single layer tunneling layer is used.
US08119478B2
A phase-change random-access memory (PRAM) device includes a chalcogenide element, the chalcogenide element comprising a material which can assume a crystalline state or an amorphous state upon application of a heating current. A first contact is connected to a first region of the chalcogenide element and has a first cross-sectional area. A second contact is connected to a second region of the chalcogenide element and having a second cross-sectional area. A first programmable volume of the chalcogenide material is defined in the first region of the chalcogenide element, a state of the first programmable volume being programmable according to a resistance associated with the first contact. A second programmable volume of the chalcogenide material is defined in the second region of the chalcogenide element, a state of the second programmable volume being programmable according to a second resistance associated with the second contact.
US08119477B2
A memory system is provided including forming a memory gate stack having a charge trap layer over a semiconductor substrate, forming a protection layer to cover the memory gate stack, and forming a protection enclosure for the charge trap layer with the protection layer and the memory gate stack.
US08119473B2
The present disclosure also provides another embodiment of a method for making metal gate stacks. The method includes forming a first dummy gate and a second dummy gate on a substrate; removing a polysilicon layer from the first dummy gate, resulting in a first gate trench; forming a first metal layer and a first aluminum layer in the first gate trench; applying a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to the substrate; performing an annealing process to the first aluminum layer using a nitrogen and oxygen containing gas, forming an interfacial layer of aluminum, nitrogen and oxygen on the first aluminum layer; thereafter removing the polysilicon layer from the second dummy gate, resulting in a second gate trench; and forming a second metal layer and a second aluminum layer on the second metal layer in the second gate trench.
US08119461B2
By performing a heat treatment on the basis of a hydrogen ambient, exposed silicon-containing surface portions may be reorganized prior to the formation of gate dielectric materials. Hence, the interface quality and the material characteristics of the gate dielectrics may be improved, thereby reducing negative bias temperature instability effects in highly scaled P-channel transistors.
US08119457B2
A semiconductor package assembly including a molded leadless package (MLP) having an exposed top emitter pad and an exposed bottom source pad. A folded heat sink is attached to the exposed top emitter pad of the MLP by a soft solder attach process. The folded heat sink has a planar member generally coextensive in size with the MLP and in electrical and thermal contact with the top emitter pad of the MLP, and also has one or more leads extending generally perpendicularly to the planar member in a direction towards the lower surface of the MLP. These heat sink leads may provide the emitter connection to a printed circuit (PC) board.
US08119452B2
One method includes fabricating a semiconductor device including providing a dielectric layer. At least one semiconductor chip is provided defining a first surface including contact elements and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The semiconductor chip is placed onto the dielectric layer with the first surface facing the dielectric layer. An encapsulant material is applied over the second surface of the semiconductor chip in a reel-to-reel process.
US08119450B2
A method for forming metallurgical interconnections and polymer adhesion of a flip chip to a substrate includes providing a chip having a set of bumps formed on a bump side thereof and a substrate having a set of interconnect points on a metallization thereon, providing a measured quantity of a polymer adhesive in a middle region of the chip on the bump side, aligning the chip with the substrate so that the set of bumps aligns with the set of interconnect points, pressing the chip and the substrate toward one another so that a portion of the polymer adhesive contacts the substrate and the bumps contact the interconnect points, and heating the bumps to a temperature sufficiently high to form a metallurgical connection between the bumps and the interconnect points. Also, a flip chip package is made by the method. The metallurgical connection includes an alloy of gold and tin at the interface between the bumps and the interconnect points.
US08119447B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a structure having a via filled with conductive material completely through the structure, a recess, and a pedestal portion bordering the recess; mounting a semiconductor device inside the recess in the structure; and encapsulating the structure and the semiconductor device in an encapsulation.
US08119432B2
A resonator includes a CMOS substrate having a first electrode and a second electrode. The CMOS substrate is configured to provide one or more control signals to the first electrode. The resonator also includes a resonator structure including a silicon material layer. The resonator structure is coupled to the CMOS substrate and configured to resonate in response to the one or more control signals.
US08119420B2
Providing an absorption pad which shows remarkable water absorptivity and can shorten a detection time when employed for an immunoassay apparatus. A water absorption pad for the immunoassay apparatus, containing 50% by weight or more of silicon-containing particles wherein a moisture absorptivity is 30% or less at a humidity of 60% or less and a moisture absorptivity is 40% or more at a humidity of 90% or more, a strip for an immunoassay using said absorption pad as a suction part, and an immunoassay apparatus including said strip for the immunoassay.
US08119414B2
Methods of manufacturing test strips are disclosed. Embodiments include laminating a two piece covering layer over a substrate with a series of cavities, wherein the two pieces are separated by a gap, the gap forming a vent opening for the cavities. Other embodiments include covering the sample receiving chamber with a cover thinner than the cover covering the body of the test strip, the thicker body cover absorbing more force than the chamber cover to reduce the possibility of adhesives squeezing out from under the chamber cover. The present invention also provides an advantageous method of mass-producing the inventive test strips without having to align the slot or vent opening laterally with respect to the test strips and without having to punch a vent opening. The method is also well suited to mass production by roll processing techniques.
US08119413B2
A method for solid material detection in a medium includes receiving an exhaust gas downstream with respect to a workpiece from which a photoresist material is removed. An electromagnetic circuit is configured to include the exhaust gas, the exhaust gas is excited with electromagnetic energy and an impedance value of the electromagnetic circuit is determined, wherein the impedance value corresponds to an amount of solid material within the exhaust gas.
US08119405B2
Disclosed are methods and pharmaceutical compositions for inducing pancreatic hormone production.
US08119383B2
A thermostable glycosidase enzymes derived from various Thermococcus, Staphylothermus and Pyrococcus organisms is disclosed. The enzymes are produced from native or recombinant host cells and can be utilized in the food processing industry, pharmaceutical industry and in the textile industry, detergent industry and in the baking industry.
US08119379B2
A method for the production of an immunostimulant milk product, characterized in that bioconversion is carried out on or a milk substrate with the aid of a Bifidobacterium culture by keeping said substrate in contact with said culture in conditions which are unfavorable with respect to the fermentation of Bifidobacterium. The invention also relates to milk foods and products obtained by said method.
US08119369B2
The inventive subject matter relates to novel compositions, methods, and kits for enhancing the expression, solubility, and isolation of heterologous proteins. Further, the inventive subject matter relates to methods for generating proteins with novel N-terminal amino acids, unlike wild-type proteins which always are translated from mRNA with methionine at the N-terminus.
US08119365B2
A bacteria lacking genomic and non-genomic IS elements is provided. The bacteria may be more stable and useful for the production of amino acids, polypeptides, nucleic acids and other products.
US08119363B2
An apparatus and method for automatic thin-layer cell sample slide preparation without requiring human intervention are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a cell sample is measured to derive a cell sample measurement. An estimation of total cellularity of the cell sample is determined based upon the cell sample measurement. A differential volume of diluent is dispensed to the cell sample based upon the estimation of total cellularity of the cell sample to form a cell suspension. In one embodiment, a differential volume of the cell suspension and a differential volume of cell adherent may be combined based upon the estimation of total cellularity of the cell sample to form a cell mixture. A differential volume of the cell suspension or cell mixture (if an adherent is mixed with the cell suspension) is dispensed onto a surface of a sample slide.
US08119360B2
The present invention provides a method, a reagent and a kit for simple and sensitive determination of cholesterol in remnant-like particles without separation of components of a sample. A method for quantitatively determining remnant-like particle cholesterol in a sample, which comprises: in an aqueous medium containing the sample and in the presence of a combination of specific surfactants and a phospholipid-hydrolyzing enzyme, allowing remnant-like particle cholesterol in the sample to react with cholesterol esterase and cholesterol oxidase or cholesterol dehydrogenase (in the presence of oxidized coenzyme); and determining the formed hydrogen peroxide or reduced coenzyme.
US08119358B2
The invention describes biomarkers which can be used to predict the likelihood that an individual will develop Diabetes. The biomarkers can also be used to screen large groups in order to identify individuals at risk of developing Diabetes.
US08119357B2
The invention relates generally the structural analysis of glycomolecule-containing macromolecules, such as those that occur either attached to proteins (proteoglycans, glycoproteins), lipids, or as free saccharides.
US08119352B2
The present invention provides methods and kits for conducting multiplex nucleic acid amplification reactions by controlling target sequence replication times. In one aspect, such control is exerted by selecting different lengths of target polynucleotides for amplification. In another aspect, control is exerted by providing sequence-specific polymerase inhibitors, such as specific blocking oligonucleotides. In accordance with the invention, multiple target polynucleotides can be sequentially amplified in an amplification reaction conducted in different stages, wherein amplification of sequences with longer replication times is permitted in one stage but precluded in other stages by modifying polymerase extension times in the course of the reaction.
US08119347B2
A method is provided for specifically detecting a G-quadruplex, and the like. The method is characterized by including the steps of preparing a solution including an anionic planar phthalocyanine and mixing the solution with a sample solution to obtain a liquid mixture. The solution includes an anionic planar phthalocyanine. The method also includes a step of measuring the absorbance at 640 to 740 nm of the obtained liquid mixture.
US08119337B2
Influenza viruses for use in preparing human vaccines have traditionally been grown on embryonated hen eggs, although more modern techniques grow the virus in mammalian cell culture e.g. on Vero, MDCK or PER.C6 cell lines. The inventor has realized that the conditions used for influenza virus 5 culture can increase the risk that pathogens other than influenza virus may grow in the cell lines and have identified specific contamination risks. Suitable tests can thus be performed during manufacture in order to ensure safety and avoid iatrogenic infections.
US08119335B2
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for selectively patterning surfaces using radical species generated with a photocatalyst. The photocatalyst may comprise a photocatalytic semiconductor or a photosensitizer. The radical species are brought into contact with an oxidizable coating disposed on the surface, thereby locally oxidizing and selectively patterning the surface. The photocatalyst is preferably disposed on a delivery device, such as a stamp, mask, or scanning probe, that is brought into close proximity or contact with the coated surface. The photocatalyst is then excited in a manner capable of generating radical species, for example, oxygen-containing radical species, in appropriate media. It is expected that these radical species will be transferred to the coated surface along a substantially shortest distance path, thereby locally oxidizing and patterning the surface.
US08119330B2
A method of making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of: a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, (ii) a coating on the support including a photopolymerizable layer and, optionally, an intermediate layer between the photopolymerizable layer and the support, wherein the photopolymerizable layer includes a polymerizable compound, a polymerization initiator and a binder, b) image-wise exposing the coating in a plate setter, c) heating the precursor in a pre-heating unit within a time period of less than 10 minutes after step (b), d) treating the precursor in a gumming station, including at least one gumming unit, whereby a gum solution is applied to the precursor, thereby removing non-exposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer from the support and gumming the plate in a single step.
US08119328B2
An imaging element is used to provide images based on the difference in index of refraction caused by imaging actinic radiation. Imaging provides desired results by the creation or elimination of light scattering in a two-phase imaging medium in which at least one phase contains a material that is capable of having a refractive index change in response to imaging actinic radiation. For example, if the refractive indices of the two phases are initially matched, imaging can cause a mismatch in imaged regions. Alternatively, the refractive indices of the two phases can be initially mismatched and imaging can create a match of refractive indices in imaged regions. An image can be produced using a controlled amount of imaging actinic radiation without any chemical processing or heating.
US08119324B2
A pattern formation method suitable for forming micro-patterns using electron beams (EB), X-rays, or extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) is provided. The method includes the following steps in the following order: (1) a step of forming and curing a under-layer film containing a radiation-sensitive acid generator which generates an acid upon exposure to radiation on a substrate, (2) a step of irradiating the under-layer film with radiation through a mask to cause an acid to be selectively generated in the exposed area of the under-layer film, (3) a step of forming an upper-layer film which does not contain a radiation-sensitive acid generator, but contains a composition capable of polymerization or crosslinking by the action of an acid, (4) a step of forming a cured film by polymerization or crosslinking selectively in the area of the upper-layer film corresponding to the area of the under-layer film in which the acid has been generated, and (5) a step of removing the area of the upper-layer film corresponding to the area of the under-layer film in which the acid has not been generated.
US08119322B2
A method for forming a self-aligned pattern on an existing pattern on a substrate comprising applying a coating of a solution containing a masking material in a carrier, the masking material being either photo or thermally sensitive; performing a blanket exposure of the substrate; and allowing at least a portion of the masking material to preferential develop in a fashion that is replicates the existing pattern of the substrate. The existing pattern may be comprised of a first set of regions of the substrate having a first reflectivity and a second set of regions of the substrate having a second reflectivity different from the first composition. The first set of regions may include one or more metal elements and the second set of regions may include a dielectric. Structures made in accordance with the method.
US08119315B1
An imaging member for ink-based digital printing having an outermost layer including a structured organic film (SOF) having a plurality of segments and a plurality of linkers arranged as a covalent organic framework, wherein the structured organic film may be multi-segment thick.
US08119299B2
A coolant subsystem for use in a fuel processor and a method for its operation are disclosed. In accordance with a first aspect, the coolant subsystem is separate from the feed to the processor reactor and is capable of circulating a coolant through the processor reactor. In accordance with a second aspect, the constituent elements of the fuel processor are housed in a cabinet, and the coolant subsystem is capable of cooling both the processor reactor and the interior of the cabinet. In various alternatives, the fuel processor can be employed to reform a fuel for a fuel cell power plant and/or may be used to provide thermal control for unrelated mechanical systems.
US08119298B2
A fuel cell system that can continue a stable operation of a fuel cell and perform un-interrupted operation of the system even upon the occurrence of an abnormality in a voltage converter, and a mobile body. A fuel cell system where an accumulator device is connected to a load via a voltage converter in parallel with a fuel cell includes an auxiliary equipment connected nearer the fuel cell than the voltage converter, and a control device for controlling the voltage converter and the auxiliary equipment. The control device changes the operational point of the auxiliary equipment when an abnormality has occurred in the voltage converter.
US08119297B2
The present invention provides an idle stop-start control method of a fuel cell hybrid vehicle including a fuel cell as a main power source and a storage means as an auxiliary power source, in which air and hydrogen supply is cut off during low power operation where the efficiency of the fuel cell is low and during regenerative braking such that residual oxygen and hydrogen are consumed to drop the voltage of a fuel cell stack, thus stopping the operation of the fuel cell.
US08119296B2
Disclosed is an electronic equipment including: a power source section including a fuel cell; and an electronic equipment main body driven by the electric power, wherein the power source section includes: a generation section including the fuel cell to perform power generation by the fuel cell and to discharge a discharging gas containing gaseous water; a discharging section to discharge a gas containing the gaseous water; and a control section to control a quantity of the gaseous water in the gas to be discharged from the discharging section on the basis of at least one of an ambient environmental condition of the electronic equipment and a usage state of the electronic equipment. Thereby, it can be prevented that the housing of the electronic equipment, the things around the electronic equipment, and a user of the electronic equipment are moistened by the water discharged from the discharging section.
US08119293B2
A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell can be charged at a high voltage of 4.3V or more and has excellent cycle characteristics and excellent high-temperature storage characteristics. The cell includes positive and negative electrodes capable of inserting and extracting lithium, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The non-aqueous electrolyte contains a non-aqueous solvent, 1,3-dioxane and a dinitrile compound additives, and an electrolyte salt. The non-aqueous solvent contains ethylene carbonate in the range of 25% to 40% by volume under the conditions of 25° C. and 1 atm.
US08119287B2
A negative electrode material for a nonaqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery that can stably and efficiently realize a high-performance nonaqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery in which a high discharge capacity, high charge/discharge efficiency at an initial stage and during charge/discharge cycles, and excellent charge/discharge cycle properties are provided as well as electrode expansion in volume after charge/discharge cycles is suppressed. The negative electrode material for a nonaqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery in the form of particles having, at least on the surface thereof, a compound of the phase in which an element Z is present in Si in a non-equilibrium state. The compound is expressed by the general formula SiZxMy, where Z represents C and/or N, M represents an element other than C and N, and when the concentration of the element Z in a compound SiaZp, where each of a and p is an integer, having a composition closest to that of Si and present in an equilibrium state is presumed to be 100 atomic percent, the concentration of the element Z in the compound SiZxMy is in the range of 10 to 95 atomic percent, and y is in the range of 0 to 0.5.
US08119286B2
An electrochemical cell is described. The electrochemical cell includes an anode, a cathode, a separator between said anode and said cathode, and an electrolyte. The electrolyte includes a salt dissolved in an organic solvent. The separator in combination with the electrolyte has an area specific resistance less than 2 ohm-cm2.
US08119276B2
A lithium oxyhalide cell electrically connected in parallel with a lithium ion cell is described. Importantly, the open circuit voltage of the freshly built primary lithium oxyhalide cell is equal to or less that the open circuit voltage of the lithium ion cell in a fully charged state. This provides a power system that combines the high capacity of the primary cell with the high pulse power of the secondary cell. This hybrid power system exhibits increased rate capability, higher capacity and improved safety in addition to elimination of voltage delay in comparison to a comparable lithium oxyhalide cell discharge alone.
US08119267B2
A glass substrate for a magnetic disk of the invention is a disk-shaped glass substrate for a magnetic disk where the substrate has a main surface and end face and is subjected to chemical reinforcement treatment, and is characterized in that the penetration length in the uppermost-portion stress layer on the main surface is 49.1 μm or less, and that assuming that an angle between the main surface and compressive stress in the stress profile by a Babinet compensator method is θ, a value y of {12·t·ln(tan θ)+(49.1/t)} is the penetration length in the uppermost-portion stress layer or less.
US08119266B2
Provided are a magnetic recording medium substrate whereupon a magnetic layer can be regularly formed in a recording area, a magnetic recording medium and a method for manufacturing the magnetic recording medium substrate. A plurality of recording areas wherein the magnetic layer is to be formed are formed on the surface of the disk-shaped magnetic recording medium substrate. The size of the recording area is an integral multiple of a lattice constant of a unit lattice of a single crystal structure constituting the magnetic layer. For instance, the width of a protruding section (3) to be used as the recording area is an integral multiple of the lattice constant of the unit lattice of the single crystal structure configuring the magnetic layer.
US08119261B2
The invention relates to a layer system for the formation of a surface layer on a surface of a substrate, in particular on the surface of a tool, wherein the layer system includes at least one first hard layer of the composition (AlaMgbCrcMedBeAXmSik)α(NuCvOw)β with (a+b+c+d+e+m+k)=α, (u+v+w)=β, and (α+β)=100, wherein 40≦α≦60 and wherein Me is at least one element of the group of the chemical elements consisting of: the secondary groups IVb, Vb and VIb of the periodic system of the chemical elements. The component AX is at least one element of the group of the chemical elements consisting of: the elements of the main group Ia and the elements Be, Ca, Sr, Ba and the elements of the secondary groups VIIb, VIIIb, Ib, IIb, IIIb and the elements of the group of the lanthanoids, of the periodic system of the elements, wherein 0.004≦m<60, and preferably 0.01≦m<50. In accordance with the invention 0.4≦a≦58 and 0.04≦b≦12 and 18≦c≦42.
US08119256B2
An organic light emitting device is provided that includes: an anode including an anode material and for injecting holes; an organic layer including a light emitting layer on the anode; and a cathode on the organic layer and through which light emitted from the light emitting layer passes, wherein the cathode includes: a buffer layer, a metal oxide layer including a metal oxide, and a metal layer including a metal having an absolute work function value lower than an absolute work function value of the anode material and coupled to the buffer layer and the metal oxide layer.
US08119255B2
Organic devices comprising an organic layer, wherein the organic layer is non-electroluminescent and comprises a cross-linked metal complex. The cross-linked metal complex may be formed by cross-linking a cross-linkable iridium complex, which comprises a set of ligands coordinated to a central iridium atom. One or more of the ligands have attached thereon, one or more polymerizable groups that are able to polymerize with other molecules to form intermolecular covalent bonds. In some cases, the organic layer may also comprise a dopant. Also provided are a method of making an organic light-emitting device, an iridium complex, and an organic-light emitting device using certain iridium complexes.
US08119246B2
Method for producing a reflective, waterproof, water-vapor permeable membrane, comprising the following steps,Provision of a waterproof, water-vapor permeable membrane,Provision of a carrier foil,Application of the membrane onto the carrier foil,Application of a metal surface onto the membrane's free surface via a vacuum sputtering process,Application of a waterproof, water-vapor permeable cover layer,Removal of the carrier foil.Reflective, waterproof, water-vapor permeable membrane with a metal coating, which is provided with a continuous cover layer, characterized in that at least 80% of the surface of the active metal coating is retained on the membrane after 3 washings according to DIN EN ISO 6330:2000.
US08119243B2
The invention relates to a process for the coating of objects made of valve metals selected from aluminum, magnesium, titanium, niobium and/or zirconium and their alloys with an oxide ceramic layer formed from the metal which has a thin barrier layer as a boundary layer towards the metal whose surface has been coated with polymers, characterized in that said polymers are introduced into the capillary system of the oxide ceramic layer in the form of dimers or halogenated dimers of general formula I wherein R1 represents one or more hydrogen or halogen residues; each R2 represents hydrogen or halogen; and R3 commonly represent a corresponding xylylene residue for completing a dimeric structure; by vacuum coating, followed by polymerizing the dimers.
US08119242B2
The amorphous carbon film of the present invention is an amorphous carbon film comprising carbon and hydrogen, wherein the amorphous carbon film contains not more than 30 atomic % (excluding 0%) of hydrogen and, when the entire amount of the carbon is taken as 100 atomic %, carbon having an sp2 hybrid orbital is present in an amount of not less than 70 atomic % and less than 100 atomic %. Conductivity is imparted to an amorphous carbon film by controlling the contents of hydrogen, Csp3 and the like to increase a structure comprising Csp2. This amorphous carbon film can be formed by plasma CVD using a reaction gas containing one or more gases selected from a carbocyclic compound gas containing carbon having an sp2 hybrid orbital, and a heterocyclic compound gas containing carbon having an sp2 hybrid orbital and silicon and/or nitrogen. By forming the amorphous carbon film on a surface of a substrate, a conductive member can be obtained.
US08119237B2
A fiber is obtainable from or comprises a blend of a propylene based polymer and an ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer characterized by an elastic recovery, Re, in percent at 300 percent strain and 1 cycle and a density, d, in grams/cubic centimeter, wherein the elastic recovery and the density satisfy the following relationship: Re>1481−1629(d). Such interpolymer can also be characterized by other properties. The fibers made therefrom have a relatively high elastic recovery and a relatively low coefficient of friction. The fibers can be cross-linked, if desired. Woven, knitted or non-woven fabrics can be made from such fibers.
US08119232B2
The present invention provides a flake compound which is useful for a conductive film. The flake compound comprises a conductive layer containing M and O, wherein M represents at least one metal element, preferably at least one transition metal element in mixed valent state.
US08119225B2
Provided herein are, among other things, epoxy resin varnishes and methods of making and using the same. In some embodiments, the epoxy resin varnishes comprise at least a filler such as silica. In certain embodiments, the epoxy resin varnishes provided herein are used for making laminates such as copper clad laminates. In further embodiments, the copper clad laminates provided herein are used for making printed circuit boards (PCBs).
US08119223B2
A multi-ply tissue paper includes at least two plies of tissue paper, including a first ply (2) being provided with a first embossing pattern forming cushions (24), each cushion being shaped in the form of at least a part of a first motive (20); and a second ply (3) being provided with a second embossing pattern forming protrusions (32, 34), each protrusion forming at least a part of a second motive (30); and at least the first ply and the second ply are combined together such that the protrusions of the second ply are generally positioned inside the cushions of the first ply and the motives are aligned with one another.
US08119219B2
An optical recording medium is provided. The optical recording medium includes a first recording layer and a second recording layer. The second recording layer includes a compound in the form of (CuXM(1-X))YO(1-Y), where M is one of Sn, Si, Zn, Al, Mg, Ge, Sb or Te, and X is approximately 0.5 to 1, and Y is approximately 0.001 to 0.1.
US08119218B2
An optical recording medium is provided. The optical recording medium includes a first recording layer and a second recording layer. The first recording layer includes a compound in the form of M(1−X)OX, where M is one of Si, Zn or Sn, and X is approximately 0.001 to 0.1.
US08119213B2
An anti-slip film is produced by combining a thin, dimensionally stable plastic film having a smooth surface finish with a silicone elastomer having a low durometer and a textured and polished surface finish. The film may include adhesive means for adhering the film to objects, and label stock for displaying graphical and/or textual indicia.
US08119212B2
The present invention relates to a pipe or a supplementary pipe article comprising a polyethylene composition comprising a base resin which comprises (A) a first ethylene homopolymer fraction, and (B) a second ethylene homo- or copolymer fraction, wherein fraction (A) has a lower average molecular weight than fraction (B), and the composition further comprises (C) an inorganic mineral filler, wherein inorganic mineral filler (C) is present in the composition in an amount of 1 to 70 wt. %, and to the use of said composition for the production of a pipe or a supplementary pipe article.
US08119199B2
A method of making a window unit is provided which may result in improved yields. In certain example embodiments, the method involves coating a substrate with both (i) a solar control/management coating, and (ii) a protective layer (e.g., of or including diamond-like carbon (DLC)) over the solar control/management coating. The protective layer protects the coated substrate from scratches and/or the like during processing prior to heat treatment. Then, during heat treatment, the protective layer(s) is burned off in part or in whole. Following heat treatment, the coated article (substrate with solar control/management coating thereon) is coupled to another substrate in order to form the window unit.
US08119196B2
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprises a discharge portion discharging a coating liquid onto a substrate; a gas supply tube supplying an inert gas into a liquid container that contains the coating liquid, and pressurizing an interior of the liquid container; a coating liquid supply tube airtightly supplying the coating liquid from the liquid container to the discharge portion using pressurization from the gas supply tube; a first connecting portion capable of attaching and detaching the liquid container to and from the coating liquid supply tube; a second connecting portion capable of attaching and detaching the liquid container to and from the gas supply tube; and a solvent supply tube supplying a solvent, which can dissolve the coating liquid, to the first connecting portion.
US08119189B2
An apparatus for forming a film having high uniformity in its film thickness distribution is provided. An evaporation source is used in which an evaporation cell, or a plurality of evaporation cells, having a longitudinal direction is formed, and by moving the evaporation source in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the evaporation source, a thin film is deposited on a substrate. By making the evaporation source longer, the uniformity of the film thickness distribution in the longitudinal direction is increased. The evaporation source is moved, film formation is performed over the entire substrate, and therefore the uniformity of the film thickness distribution over the entire substrate can be increased.
US08119187B2
In a chemical vapor deposition process simple precursors such as a rare earth nitrate or acetate, Ba-nitrate or acetate and Cu-nitrate or acetate are dissolved in an appropriate solvent, preferably water, to form a solution, nebulized into a fine mist and applied to a substrate.
US08119173B2
A method of coating flavorants on oral pouch products is provided. A drum coater containing oral pouch products is rotated. A flavoring solution is sprayed to coat the oral pouch products while the oral pouch products are tumbling in the rotating drum.
US08119172B2
A microorganism for the biological inactivation or detoxification of mycotoxins, in particular ochratoxins, which is selected from bacteria and/or yeasts, which cleaves the phenylalanine group of the mycotoxins, in particular ochratoxins, as well as a method for biologically inactivating or detoxifying mycotoxins, in particular ochratoxins, in food products and animal feeds by the aid of a microorganism, and the use of the microorganism(s).
US08119169B2
A multi-benefit oral composition is provided. The oral composition is efficacious as an antibacterial, antiplaque, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-halitosis oral composition. The active ingredient has one or more active compounds from an extract of oregano. The oral composition can be in the form of a mouth rinse; a dentifrice, including toothpaste, gels, powders; animal products; a film; or confectionaries, such as lozenges, and the like. Methods of making and using the oral composition are also provided.
US08119162B2
Oral care and other compositions comprising particles having cores attached to bioadhesive polymers for inhibition of pellicle formation, plaque formation, biofilm formation, biofouling, and microbial adhesion or attachment are described. Methods using said compositions to treat surfaces, such as oral surfaces.
US08119152B2
The present invention provides an implant material comprising an organic-inorganic complex porous article and a production method thereof. The organic-inorganic complex porous article is a biodegradable and bioabsorbable bioactive porous article in which a bioactive bioceramics powder is uniformly dispersed in a biodegradable and bioabsorbable polymer, wherein it has continuous pores and the bioceramics powder is partly exposed to the pore inner surface or the pore inner surface and the porous article surface.
US08119146B2
HBsAg is expressed in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae host, carrying a plasmid having a HBsAg coding sequence, wherein the plasmid includes: (1) an upstream promoter from a glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene, for controlling expression of the HBsAg coding sequence; and (2) an ARG3 transcription terminator downstream of the HBsAg coding sequence. The plasmids may also include: (3) a LEU2 selection marker; (4) a 2μ plasmid sequence; and (5) an origin of replication functional in Escherichia coli. HBsAg can be expressed in this host, and can be purified for use in the manufacture of vaccines, and in particular for the manufacture of combination vaccines and in new monovalent HBV vaccines e.g. with non-alum adjuvants.
US08119143B2
An improved method for recovering the protein expressed by open reading frame 2 from porcine circovirus type 2 is provided. Also provided is recombinant PCV2 ORF2 protein, and immunogenic compositions comprising PCV2 ORF2 protein. Moreover, multivalent combination vaccines are provided which include an immunological agent effective for reducing the incidence of or lessening the severity of PCV2 infection, preferably PCV2 ORF2 protein, or an immunogenic composition comprising PCV2 ORF2 protein, and at least one immunogenic active component of another disease-causing organism in swine.
US08119142B2
The present invention relates to a method for preventing obesity later in life by administering a certain nutritional composition to an infant with the age between 0 and 36 months. The composition comprises linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid.
US08119136B2
The present invention relates to the discovery that relaxin is associated with the development or maturation of body tissues. Knockouts of the gene encoding relaxin result in various abnormalities in the development of various tissues. The present invention provides methods of modulating apoptosis by administering a relaxin agonist or antagonist to a subject.
US08119135B2
The present invention provides anti-thrombotic agents, methods for screening for said anti-thrombotics agents and methods of treating thrombotic and other cardiovascular disorders.
US08119130B2
The invention relates to targeted binding agents against KDR and uses of such agents. More specifically, the invention relates to fully human monoclonal antibodies directed to KDR. The described targeted binding agents are useful in the treatment of diseases associated with the activity and/or overproduction of KDR and as diagnostics.
US08119120B2
Methods disclosed include methods of treating T1DM, said method comprising delivering a therapeutic amount of β-MSC to a subject in need thereof. Further disclosed are fusion cells comprising and MSC and a second cell wherein the nuclei of the MSC and the second cell are not fused in the fusion cell.
US08119119B2
The invention concerns a non-integrative and non-replicative recombinant lentivirus as well as its uses, in particular for preparing a composition for transferring genes in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo. The invention is useful for transferring genes in any mammal organism, for example in liver, muscle, pancreas or central nervous system (including the ocular sphere) tissues or cells, and in particular for treating disorders or pathologies such as, for example, central nervous system, including the ocular sphere, disorders.
US08119118B2
The invention features new helper virus-free methods for making herpesvirus amplicon particles that can be used in immunotherapies, including those for treating any number of infectious diseases and cancers (including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, other cancers in which blood cells become malignant, lymphomas (e.g. Hodgkin's lymphoma or non-Hodgkin's type lymphomas). Described herein are methods of making helper virus-free HSV amplicon particles; cells that contain those particles (e.g., packaging cell lines or patients' cells, infected in vivo or ex vivo); particles produced according to those methods; and methods of treating a patient with an hf-HSV particle made according to those methods.
US08119112B2
Ophthalmic compositions that comprise 0.1 ppm to 10 ppm of a cationic antimicrobial component selected from the group consisting of biguanides, polymeric biguanides, quaternium ammonium compounds and any one mixture thereof; 0.005 wt. % to 0.15 wt. % of hyaluronic acid; and 0.01 wt. % to 1.0 wt. % of an amphoteric surfactant of general formula I wherein R1 is R or —(CH2)n—NHC(O)R, wherein R is a C8-C16alkyl optionally substituted with hydroxyl and n is 2, 3 or 4; R2 and R3 are each independently selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl or iso-propyl; and R4 is a C2-C8alkylene optionally substituted with hydroxyl. The invention is also direct to the use of the ophthalmic compositions to clean and disinfect contact lenses, and in particular, soft, silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
US08119107B2
Disclosed is the use of an effective photo-stabilizing amount of stabilizing agent (a) selected from a diphenylacrylate UV filter (a1), a benzylidene amphor derivative (a2), an organosiloxane comprising benzalemalonate groups (a3), a fluoren derivative (a4), and a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid derivative (a5) for improving the stability with respect to UV radiation of a cosmetic or dermatological composition comprising a UV filter combination of at least one dibenzoylmethane derivative (b) and of at least one specific amino-substituted 2-hydroxybenzophenone derivative (c).
US08119103B2
The present invention is directed to metal chelating conjugates for use as metallopharmaceutical diagnostic or therapeutic agents. Specifically, conjugates of the present invention include one or more carriers, a linker, and metal coordinating moiety comprising a resorcinol, thioresorcinol, or dithioresorcinol derivative through which the metal coordinating moiety is bonded to the linker.
US08119102B1
The invention discloses a pharmaceutical composition of bioactive nanoparticles composed of chitosan, poly-glutamic acid, and a bioactive agent for oral delivery. The chitosan-based nanoparticles are characterized with a positive surface charge and enhanced permeability for oral drug delivery.
US08119098B2
A process for conversion of coal in a reaction vessel comprises steps of: admixing coal and powdered alumina clay to form reactants; injecting the reactants with a high-pressure steam jet into the reaction vessel; and producing aluminum oxalate ash and hydrogen. Preferably, the reaction vessel is pressurized to maximize the production of aluminum oxalate and hydrogen. Optionally, the process includes adding calcium carbonate if not present in the clay. The reactants in the reaction vessel are typically maintained a temperature of about 2,000 degrees Kelvin and a pressure of about 1 mega Pascals. To save energy, the process may include preheating water with the aluminum oxalate ash to aid in creating pressurized steam. The hydrogen may be mixed with air and burned in a combustion chamber, such as is found within a gas turbine-generator unit to produce electricity. Optionally the reactants may include an aqueous sodium hydroxide.
US08119093B2
Disclosed is a thin line having a hollow structure portion composed of a C70 fullerene molecule, which is a novel functional material useful for a capsule for containing various chemical substances, a reaction site, a gas adsorbent, a catalyst supporting material, an electrode material, a semiconductor and the like. Also disclosed is a method for producing the same.
US08119084B2
A reactor for the autorefrigerant alkylation process has a cylindrical upright reactor vessel with the inlet for the refrigerant reactant and the sulfuric acid at its lower end and a series of inlets for the olefin reactant at vertically spaced intervals up the length of the reactor. An extended, sinuous flow path for the reactants is provided by means co-acting baffles co-acting baffles having, alternately along the length of the reactor, central flow passages and peripheral flow passages for the reaction mixture to define sequential reaction zones in which alkylation takes place. The baffles interact with a rotary mixer with multiple impellers located on the reactor axis. The reaction mixture flows alternately towards and away from the reactor walls in the sequence of serial reaction zones within the reactor to promote mixing of the isoparaffin reactant with the acid catalyst.
US08119080B2
A liquid handling system has a robot manipulator for orienting pipette or dispenser tips in relation to sample containers situated in or on the system, pipette or dispenser tips, drives for moving the robot manipulator, and processors for controlling the movements and actions of the robot manipulator and/or of the pipette or dispenser tips. The system also includes at least two blocks situated on two arms of the robot manipulator, at least two of the pipette or dispenser tips being situated on each block and at an axial distance to one another. The axial distance essentially corresponds to the grid spacing of wells of a microplate. At least one of these blocks, for the alternating interlaced orientation of the pipette or dispenser tips of at least two blocks along a shared line, are individually movable at least in the X direction. A method allows the time-saving pipetting over of liquid samples between diverse sample containers, e.g., between sample tubes and microplates having 24, 96, 384, or 1536 wells.
US08119079B2
A microfluidic apparatus having a substrate including a channel through which a fluid is conveyed, a fluid container in which at least one kind of fluid is accommodated and which is disposed on the substrate so as to allow the fluid to flow toward the channel, and a fluid flow controller which controls a flow of the fluid toward the channel from the fluid container.
US08119075B2
The present invention is directed to an exhaust gas treatment system and method for removing particulate matter and nitrogen oxides from diesel engine exhaust streams. More specifically, the present invention relates to an emission treatment system that effectively provides simultaneous treatment of the particulate matter, as well as the NOx and other gaseous components of diesel engine exhaust. The emission treatment system uses an integrated soot filter coated with a catalyst washcoat composition comprising sub-micron particles, thereby providing an ultra-thin sub-micron washcoat layer showing improved catalyst performance without causing excessive backpressure.
US08119074B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous production of carbon nanotubes (CNT), as well as the method to carry it out. The apparatus for the CNT synthesis includes: two sets or more of tubes to synthesize in its interior the CNT; a set of nozzles for the same number of tubes that each set has, to feed to the interior of the tubes the precursory chemical compounds of the CNT; a furnace to maintain one of the sets to a suitable temperature to allow the formation of the CNT inside the tubes; a system for the detaching and collection of the CNT formed in the previous stage; and a control system, preferably a PLC (PLC by its abbreviation in English) to program the sequence of activities of the equipment.
US08119056B2
The end face processing apparatus of the present invention is an end face processing apparatus for processing the cut face of a cut ceramic molded body, which comprises an air blowing outlet and an extraneous material removal member, and is configured to remove burrs remaining on the cut face from the time of cutting as well as powder adhering to the cut face and on the periphery thereof using the extraneous material removal member and air from the air blowing outlet.
US08119047B2
A non-rotating drill pipe protector sleeve is molded in situ around a drill pipe tubing. The inner surface of the molded protector sleeve can be shaped to form a fluid bearing during use. Fixed stop collars may be molded in situ in the same mold and bonded to the tubing at opposing ends of the molded sleeve. Alternatively, a flexible sleeve liner made from a material having a hardness less than that of the sleeve's molding material can be used as a mold insert around the tubing. The liner can be bonded to the molded sleeve material when the sleeve is molded around the liner. The interior surface of the liner can be shaped to form a fluid bearing for the inside surface of the molded sleeve. Reinforcing inserts and wear pads can be placed in the mold region of the sleeve. Chemical and/or mechanical bonding is provided between the liner reinforcement and the material from which the sleeve is molded. Reinforcing inserts and wear pads also can be placed in the mold regions for the stop collars.
US08119041B2
The present invention provides a two-photon light-emitting compound represented by formula (1), an optical data recording medium comprising a compound represented by formula (1), a two-photon polymerizable composition comprising a polymerizable monomer or polymerizable oligomer and at least compound represented by formula (1), and a photopolymerization process: X2—(—CR4═CR3—)m—C(═O)—(—CR1═CR2—)n—X1 (1) wherein X1 and X2 may be the same or different and each represent a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group; R1, R2, R3 and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or substituent; some of R1, R2, R3 and R4 may be connected to each other to form at least one ring; and n and m each independently represent an integer of from 1 to 4, with the proviso that when n and m are 2 or more, the plurality of R1's, R2's, R3's, and R4's each may be the same or different.
US08119040B2
A method for forming an embedded passive device module comprises depositing a first amount of an alkali silicate material, co-depositing an amount of embedded passive device material with the amount of alkali silicate material; and thermally processing the amount of alkali silicate material and the amount of embedded passive device material at a temperature sufficient to cure the amount of alkali silicate material and the amount of embedded passive device material and form a substantially moisture free substrate.
US08119035B2
A conductive pattern forming ink for forming a conductive pattern on a substrate by a droplet discharge method includes: metal particles; an aqueous dispersion medium in which the metal particles are dispersed; erythritol; and a polyglycerol compound having a polyglycerol skeleton. In the ink, H shown in the following formula (I) is 0.15 to 0.80; H = OH ( A ) Mw ( A ) X ( A ) + OH ( B ) Mw ( B ) X ( B ) Formula ( I ) where OH(A) represents an average number of hydroxyl groups in one molecule of the polyglycerol compound, Mw(A) represents a weight-average molecular weight of the polyglycerol compound, X(A) represents a content of the polyglycerol compound in the conductive pattern forming ink in weight percent; and OH(B) represents a number of hydroxyl groups in one molecule of the erythritol, Mw(B) represents a molecular weight of the erythritol, and X(B) represents a content of the erythritol in the conductive pattern forming ink in weight percent.
US08119034B2
A conductive pattern forming ink for forming a conductive pattern on a substrate by a droplet discharge method includes: metal particles; an aqueous dispersion medium in which the metal particles are dispersed; sorbitol; and a polyglycerol compound having a polyglycerol skeleton. In the ink, H shown in the following Formula (I) is 0.20 to 0.80; H = OH ( A ) Mw ( A ) X ( A ) + OH ( B ) Mw ( B ) X ( B ) Formula ( I ) where OH(A) represents an average number of hydroxyl groups in one molecule of the polyglycerol compound, Mw(A) represents a weight-average molecular weight of the polyglycerol compound, X(A) represents a content of the polyglycerol compound in the conductive pattern forming ink in weight percent; and OH(B) represents the number of hydroxyl groups in one molecule of the sorbitol, Mw(B) represents a molecular weight of the sorbitol, and X(B) represents a content of the sorbitol in the conductive pattern forming ink in weight percent.
US08119032B2
The invention provides methods functionalizing a planar surface of a graphene layer, a graphite surface, or microelectronic structure. The graphene layer, graphite surface, or planar microelectronic structure surface is exposed to at least one vapor including at least one functionalization species that non-covalently bonds to the graphene layer, a graphite surface, or planar microelectronic surface while providing a functionalization layer of chemically functional groups, to produce a functionalized graphene layer, graphite surface, or planar microelectronic surface.
US08119021B2
Carbon nanotubes filled with a suspension or colloidal solution of functional nanoparticles and methods for production of carbon nanotubes loaded with functional nanoparticles are provided.
US08119007B2
Substantially pure water is produced via desalination using a directional solvent that directionally dissolves water but does not dissolve salt. The directional solvent is heated to dissolve water from the salt solution into the directional solvent. The remaining highly concentrated salt water is removed, and the solution of directional solvent and water is cooled to precipitate substantially pure water out of the solution.
US08119002B2
A liquid filter assembly is provided. The preferred assembly includes a serviceable filter cartridge having a primary filter section and a secondary or bypass filter section. The preferred assembly includes a bypass valve arrangement and a suction filter arrangement. The suction filter arrangement preferably includes a dimensionally biased valve arrangement, preferably one which is devoid of a helical coiled spring, to control flow through the suction filter. A flow/pressure regulation valve, to allow flow from an interior of the assembly to a reservoir if needed, is preferably provided. Preferred serviceable filter cartridges are shown.
US08118999B2
An improved filter capable of operating in a backwash mode that creates an upward swirling flow in the hollow interior of the pool filter container. During the backwash cycle, water or air and water are injected into the pool filter container at an angle. In the preferred embodiment, a mixture of water and air are injected into the filter container through exit jets located within the hollow interior of the filter container proximate to the bottom of the filter container. This causes the filter media to swirl upward mixing thoroughly with the backwash water promoting the separation of the mineral deposits from the filter media.
US08118997B2
A filter assembly is provided for an appliance that performs a useful cycle of operation on a physical article and uses a resource that passes through the filter assembly. The filter assembly includes at least one replaceable filter mounted in a filter holder. The filter holder has at least one control board having software architecture configured for communication on a network including other control boards or clients. The control board has at least one functionality of a universe of functionalities, and the functionality has a unique identifier, where the unique identifier can be communicated by the software architecture over the network. The filter assembly has at least one node in communication with the network, so that the filter assembly can monitor and record events, communicate, or affect the cycle of operation of the appliance.
US08118994B2
Naphthenic acid corrosivity of hydrocarbon feedstocks is correlated with the chemical composition of naphthenic acids, and especially with a ratio between an alpha fraction and a beta fraction of naphthenic acids. Contemplated plants, configurations, and methods are directed to reducing naphthenic acid corrosivity of hydrocarbon feedstocks by increasing the beta fraction over the alpha fraction.
US08118988B2
A simple titration method involving a single copper ion titrant detected by a copper ion specific electrode provides the concentrations of both copper ions and bath complexing agent (ethylene diamine, for example) in alkaline copper electroplating baths of the type used to deposit or thicken copper seed layers on silicon wafers. Standard addition of an excess of a strong complexing agent (EDTA, for example) and back-titration with the copper ion titrant yields the bath copper ion concentration, and continued titration to a second endpoint, preferably after addition of hydroxide to adjust the pH of the analysis solution, yields the total concentration of bath complexing agent. Based on these analyzes, the concentration of free bath complexing agent may be calculated. The method also provides direct determination of the free bath complexing agent concentration via standard addition of excess bath complexing agent to a sample of the plating bath and titration with the copper ion titrant.
US08118986B2
A method for determining the hydrodynamic radius for the constituents of an admixture, includes: (A) by separating capillary electrophoresis, the constituents of the admixture, leaving them within the capillary; (B) at one of the ends of the capillary obtained in this manner, containing, in different zones, the separated constituents, a detectable marker is injected in the region of a detection device which is placed at the side of the other end of the capillary; (C) a pressure difference is induced between the ends of the capillary in order to cause the various constituents separated in step (A) and finally the marker to migrate towards the outlet of the capillary; and (D) by analyzing the Taylor dispersion produced in step (C), the hydrodynamic radius is determined for each of the constituents, based on the detection time of the marker and the elution profile of each of the constituents.
US08118983B1
A corrosion inhibiting system is provided with the ability to allow both primary and secondary portions of the circuit to be used in the alternative without having the primary and secondary systems interfere with each other by operating at the same time. By incorporating a continuity controller, such as a switch or a diode to selectively disconnect the sacrificial anode from the circuit, the primary and secondary systems can both be provided on a marine vessel, but used independently from each other. In that way, the primary and secondary corrosion inhibiting systems are prevented from interfering with each other during normal operation.
US08118969B2
The use of a carboxylated acrylic resin for blending with a medium gel, medium crystallinity polychloroprene gives a waterborne adhesive formulation with an excellent combination of green strength, heat resistance, bond strength and sprayability unobtainable by other techniques reported by those skilled in the art. The adhesives described in the invention are environmentally friendly and have particular usefulness in postforming operations where a combination of green strength and heat resistance are critical.
US08118965B2
A manufacturing method for variable shape mirrors, which is suitable for mass production, includes a bonding step for sandwiching support pillars and piezoelectric elements between a support substrate and a mirror substrate, and bonding at least the support substrate and the support pillar to each other, the support substrate and the piezoelectric element to each other, and the mirror substrate and the support pillars to each other, respectively, and an elastic film forming step for forming a flat elastic film on the outer surface of the mirror substrate, and a reflection film forming step for forming a reflection film on the elastic film.
US08118963B2
A method of forming a security device is disclosed wherein a magnetically aligned pigment coating coated on a first substrate upon a release layer is hot stamped onto another substrate or object. Multiple patches with aligned magnetic flakes can be oriented differently in the form of a patch work or mosaic. For example, a region of stamped aligned flakes having the flakes oriented in a North-South orientation can be stamped onto one region of an object or substrate and another region of stamped same flakes removed from a same substrate can be stamped onto a same object oriented in an E-W orientation. By first aligning and curing flakes onto a releasable substrate, these flakes can be stamped in various shapes and sizes of patches to be adhesively fixed to another substrate or object.
US08118960B2
A method for forming an embossed holographic pattern comprises the following steps: A. recording the required pattern onto a photo-sensitive plate by means of laser holography to produce an optical mask plate for the holographic pattern; B. duplicating the laser holographic information on the optical mask plate onto a metal plate, to produce a metal plate for the holographic pattern; C. transferring the laser holographic pattern on the metal plate onto an information layer on a water soluble film, to form an embossed holographic water transfer printing film; D. carrying out a cubic water transfer printing on the surface of a base material by using the embossed holographic water transfer printing film, to form the holographic pattern on the surface of the base material. With the method for forming the embossed holographic pattern according to the present invention, a holographic pattern can be formed on the surface of work-piece having a complex shape.
US08118956B2
A method of manufacturing a pyrotechnic time delay composition includes admixing together a solid oxidizer, a solid fuel and water to form an aqueous slurry. The slurry is transformed into droplets. The droplets are gas-dried to form particles comprising the oxidizer and the fuel, with the particles thus constituting a pyrotechnic delay composition.
US08118955B2
A thermobaric self-sustaining reactive composition, method and device for defeating chemical or biological agents includes a first material including at least one of a Group IV or Group V metal; a second material reactive with the first material in an exothermic intermetallic reaction to generate heat sufficient to vaporize a third material; and the third material that when vaporized combusts with air producing an elevated temperature sufficient to destroy the chemical and biological agents. The device includes a container having a center core explosive driver with the self-sustaining reactive composition surrounding the center core explosive driver.
US08118951B2
An aluminum alloy sheet for a lithographic printing plate includes 0.03 to 0.15% (mass %, hereinafter the same) of Si, 0.2 to 0.7% of Fe, 0.05 to 0.5% of Mg, 0.003 to 0.05% of Ti, and 30 to 300 ppm of Ga, with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities, a surface area of the aluminum alloy sheet having an average recrystallized grain size of 50 μm or less in a direction perpendicular to a rolling direction, an Mg concentration that is higher than the average Mg concentration by a factor of 5 to 50, and a Ga concentration that is higher than the average Ga concentration by a factor of 2 to 20, the surface area being an area up to a depth of 0.2 μm from the surface of the aluminum alloy sheet.
US08118944B2
A pills counting device is provided. It comprises a tray comprising a base member and a trough member. The device also comprises a lid member mounted on the base member and being movable between two extreme positions. The device also comprises at least one port provided in the tray and/or in the lid member and adapted to be connected in fluid communication with the base member and with an air intake of a vacuum device that can be remotely controlled. When a vacuum is applied to the at least one port, an air stream is established to entrain toward the vacuum device particles that may be present on surfaces of the device. A cleaning method using the aforesaid pills counting device is also disclosed.
US08118934B2
A method for growing flat, low defect density, and strain-free thick non-polar III-V nitride materials and devices on any suitable foreign substrates using a fabricated nano-pores and nano-network compliant layer with an HVPE, MOCVD, and integrated HVPE/MOCVD growth process in a manner that minimum growth will occur in the nano-pores is provided. The method produces nano-networks made of the non-polar III-V nitride material and the substrate used to grow it where the network is continuous along the surface of the template, and where the nano-pores can be of any shape.
US08118930B2
An accelerating admixture for concrete, containing a liquid mixture being an aqueous solution or an aqueous dispersion, wherein a) the liquid mixture contains 13 to 43 weight % dissolved aluminium sulfate, b) the liquid mixture contains less than 1 weight % dissolved carboxylic acid, c) the liquid mixture contains at least 31 weight % water, d) the molar ratio of dissolved aluminium to dissolved sulfate in the liquid mixture is from 0.5 to 10.0.
US08118922B2
A pigmented phase change ink composition comprising an ink vehicle, a dispersant, and pigment particles wherein the dispersant is a chemical compound of formula: wherein R1 is an alkyl group, aryl group, alkylaryl group or arylalkyl group with at least 23 carbon atoms, R2 is an alkylene group, arylene group, alkylarylene group or arylalkylene group with at least 2 carbons and X is a quaternary ammonium salt. The ink can be resistant to substantial aggregation and settling of the pigment particles in the melt and even when exposed to freeze thaw cycles.
US08118921B2
A unit (1) for accumulating and degassing oil in an oil system comprising a reservoir (2) provided with a first chamber (3) in which the oil is subjected to atmospheric pressure and in which the oil volume is allowed to vary, a second chamber (4) which is intended to be at least nearly completely filled with oil and in which the oil is kept separated from direct contact with surrounding air, and a flow passage (7) between the chambers. A air-tight flexible member (11) is arranged in the first oil accumulation chamber in order to keep the oil therein separated from direct contact with surrounding air. The unit also comprises an apparatus (20) for degassing oil, which is connected to the reservoir and comprises an entrance (21a) for feeding oil into the apparatus (20), an exit (22a) for oil connected to the reservoir, and a degassing room.
US08118920B2
In various embodiments, a support system includes a multi-layer cover sheet with a number of layers. In certain embodiments, a source to move air inside and outside the multi-layer cover sheet can be provided. The source can include a source of positive pressure or negative pressure.
US08118915B2
Produced natural gas containing carbon dioxide is dehydrated and chilled to liquefy the carbon dioxide and then fractionated to produce a waste stream of liquid carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Natural gas liquids may be first separated and removed before fractionation. After fractionation, the waste stream is pressurized and transmitted to a remote injection well for injection either for disposal of the waste stream and preferably to urge hydrocarbons toward the producing well. A hydrocarbon stream proceeds from fractionation to a methanol absorber system which removes carbon dioxide gas. The hydrocarbon stream is thereafter separated into at least hydrocarbon gas, nitrogen and helium. Some of the nitrogen is reintroduced into a fractionation tower to enhance the recovery of hydrocarbons. A methanol recovery system is provided to recover and reuse the methanol. The hydrocarbons are sold as natural gas and the helium is recovered and sold. Excess nitrogen is vented.
US08118912B2
Embodiments of the invention include a system and a method for purifying and storing water produced from atmospheric air to provide a safe, inexpensive source of potable water. Improvements over prior systems and methods include the use of two isolated air chambers, one for ambient air used to capture moisture from the atmosphere, and another for clean rechargeable air to convert the captured moisture into condensate and using a rotating mass of hygroscopic material and a condensation unit, each of which is periodically sterilized by heat.
US08118909B2
An inertial gas-liquid separator and method is provided, including variable orifice jet nozzle structure having a variable orifice area dependent upon axial movement of a plunger relative to a housing sleeve, and in another embodiment having first and second flow branches, with the first flow branch being continuously open, and the second flow branch having a variable flow controller controlling flow therethrough.
US08118900B2
A dust collector includes a housing with a tubesheet and at least one filter element. A reverse pulse cleaning arrangement is provided to periodically emit gas pulses into a downstream flow face of the filter element. The reverse pulse cleaning arrangement includes at least Q number of blow pipes directed at the filter element, with Q being an integer of at least 2 or greater and is calculated based on filter length, filter width, pulse over coverage, and the maximum pulse non-coverage.
US08118897B2
A mix head assembly for use in the manufacture of chemical mechanical polishing pad polishing layers is provided, wherein inclusions of entrained gas inclusion defects are minimized.
US08118893B2
A gas-generating apparatus includes a reaction chamber having a first reactant, a reservoir having an optional second reactant, and a self-regulated flow control device. The self-regulated flow control device stops the flow of reactant from the reservoir to the reaction chamber when the pressure of the reaction chamber reaches a predetermined level. Methods of operating the gas-generated apparatus and the self-regulated flow control device, including the cycling of a shut-off valve of the gas-generated apparatus and the cycling of the self-regulated flow control device are also described.
US08118880B1
A natural coloring composition for coloring materials, and methods of its use. The coloring composition comprises a natural precursor aromatic ring molecule such as L-DOPA that is oxidatively oligomerized or polymerized in the presence of arginine and an activator, such as a salt or an enzyme, wherein the L-DOPA and the amino acid form a specific non-covalent interaction. The natural coloring composition can also include a buffer, colorant, stabilizer, and/or thickening agent, and can comprise one or two inactive solutions that are combined to form an active coloring composition.
US08118877B2
A membrane for implantation in soft tissue comprising a first domain that supports tissue ingrowth, disrupts contractile forces typically found in a foreign body response, encourages vascularity, and interferes with barrier cell layer formation, and a second domain that is resistant to cellular attachment, is impermeable to cells and cell processes, and allows the passage of analytes. The membrane allows for long-term analyte transport in vivo and is suitable for use as a biointerface for implantable analyte sensors, cell transplantation devices, drug delivery devices, and/or electrical signal delivering or measuring devices. The membrane architecture, including cavity size, depth, and interconnectivity, provide long-term robust functionality of the membrane in vivo.
US08118867B2
A coating for an orbital implant where the coating has an anterior portion having a different, longer term bioabsorbability than a posterior portion. This allows the implant to have a smooth surface for insertion and to provide reduced irritation to neighboring tissues, to help prevent exposure of the porous core of the implant, and to provide a stable anchorment for extraocular muscles, but which also encourages rapid fibrovascular ingrowth. The coating is marked with a visual indicator to facilitate proper orientation. Shell materials are further selected to allow for sterile packaging, the securing of therapeutic agents thereon, and to provide adequately strong securing of the coating to the core. Apertures are formed through the coating to enhance fluid flow to and from the core, and to provide exposure of the surface of the core to extraocular muscles, and for sutures. The apertures are sized and shaped to reduce irritating surface contact with orbital tissues. In an alternate embodiment, one of the coating portions has a bulbous raised zone encompassing suture holes. The gap created between the undersurface of the raised zone and the core facilitates threading of the sutures.
US08118863B2
Provided herein is a method of forming medical device that includes RGD attached to the device via a spacer compound. The method comprises providing a spacer compound comprising a hydrophobic moiety and a hydrophilic moiety, grafting or embedding the spacer compound to the surface layer of the polymer to cause the hydrophobic moiety to be grafted to or embedded within the surface layer of polymer, and attaching a chemo-attractant to the hydrophilic moiety.
US08118860B2
Suturing elements for connecting a vascular prosthesis to a blood vessel include an internal, substantially annular body intended to be received in the blood vessel in addition to an external annular body intended to lie clampingly on an outer wall of the blood vessel at least practically at the location of the internal annular body. At least one of the two annular bodies is provided with suturing members which grip in the vessel wall so as to effect an adequate fixation of at least the internal annular body. The device for use with such suturing elements and a vascular prosthesis which is provided on at least one of its outer ends with at least a part of such suturing elements are disclosed. Different embodiments of such prostheses together form a modular vascular prosthesis system. A side vessel of a thus supported blood vessel can be preserved using branch elements.
US08118859B2
An occlusion device for implantation within a body vessel is provided with a screen member and an associated support member. The occlusion device is radially expandable from a compressed condition, suitable for inserting the device in an introducer, to a deployed or expanded condition within a vessel. The screen member includes a plurality of substantially parallelogram-shaped openings in the compressed condition arranged in longitudinal rows, the openings being axially offset from each other. The porosity of the screen member is less than the porosity of the support member in the expanded condition.
US08118855B2
A curve forming stent graft for curved vessels such as the thoracic arch. The stent graft has a tubular body zig zag self expanding stents fastened to and supporting the tubular body. The zig zag self expanding stents comprising struts and points between adjacent struts thereby defining proximal end points and distal end points. A temporary diameter constriction arrangement associated with the least some of the plurality of zig zag self expanding stents comprises a pair of adjacent distal end points being releasably retained adjacent each other whereby at rest the tubular body of the stent graft is in a substantially sawtooth form and when released in a curved configuration a distal end point of a stent overlaps a proximal end point of a distally adjacent stent to facilitate curvature of the stent graft in a curved vessel.
US08118847B2
Provided is a device, system, and method for the fixation of the spine. In particular, the present invention provides a system that includes a low profile anterior vertebral plate and screws for fixation and stabilization of the cervical spine, the anterior vertebral plate having a selectable locking mechanism embedded in the underside of the plate during the manufacturing thereof and providing a visual locked indicator on the top side of the plate.
US08118842B2
A dynamic stabilization, motion preservation spinal implant system includes an anchor system, a horizontal rod system and a vertical rod system. The systems are modular so that various constructs and configurations can be created and customized to a patient.
US08118841B2
Embodiments described herein relate to a method and system for dynamic spinal fixation for the correction of spinal deformities, and more specifically pertains to a method and system permitting a correction of spinal deformity without rigid fixation of the vertebral bodies. The embodiments are useful in correcting spinal deformities, including all types of scoliosis or other misalignments affecting the vertebral column. The positioning of devices and elements permits a gradual correction of a three dimensional spinal deformity through operative intervention and/or the natural growth of the vertebrae and spinal column.
US08118837B2
A spine stabilization system having cylindrical bodies, plates, transverse members and resilient inserts for coupling a rod to bone fasteners. A first resilient insert may be positioned on a first rod. A cylindrical body, plate or transverse member may be positioned on the first resilient insert such that the first resilient insert is in a passage. A second resilient insert may be positioned on a second rod and positioned in the cylindrical body, plate or transverse member. The resilient inserts are advanced into the cylindrical body, plate or transverse member to lock the resilient inserts in place and couple the rods.
US08118832B1
An apparatus and a method for sealing a puncture in a tubular tissue structure or the wall of a body cavity are provided. The apparatus and method include a bioabsorbable member that is partially external to and partially internal to an introducer sheath before and during placement thereof.
US08118817B2
An embolization delivery system and a method of using the system by a physician to deliver an embolization coil into the vasculature of a patient is disclosed. The embolization delivery system includes a delivery tube in the form of a catheter or wire guide that may be reversibly inserted, a delivery catheter placed into the vasculature of a patient, a connector disposed around and permanently coupled to the delivery tube, a detachable embolization coil disposed within a portion of the connector and held in place by compressive forces exerted by the connector, and a release mechanism for detaching the embolization coil. The release mechanism includes a wire with one end being coupled to the catheter, a middle portion being in contact with both the connector and coil, and a second end that may be manipulated in a predetermined manner by the attending physician. The manipulation of the wire splits part of the connector, thereby reducing the compressive forces exerted by the connector onto the embolization coil and allowing the coil to detach from the embolization delivery system.
US08118812B2
Methods of employing bone defect filling, e.g., orthopedic cements, in conjunction with hard tissue securing devices, e.g., screws, plates or rods, are provided. A feature of the subject methods is that the cement is introduced to a target bone site through a passageway of the securing device while a vibratory force is applied to the securing device. Also provided are systems and kits that find use in practicing the subject methods. The subject methods, devices and systems find use in a variety of different applications.
US08118809B2
An electrode for ablation therapy includes a flexible conductive element for conducting electrical energy and a flexible conductive polymer member in electrically conductive contact with the conductive element. A catheter shaft may be coupled to the conductive element and/or the flexible conductive polymer member. The flexible conductive element may be formed as a helical coil, a mesh coating or wrap, or any other suitable form, and may surround (wholly or partially) a flexible electrically insulative, and optionally thermally conductive, member. A heat sink may be thermally coupled to at least one of the flexible conductive polymer member and the flexible electrically insulative member. The flexible electrically insulative member may include a passageway for coolant fluid to cool the electrode during ablation. The passageway may include at least one efflux hole to permit coolant fluid to flow from the passageway, or may define a closed loop.
US08118801B2
A force focused fastening system maintaining a fastener element in plane during fastening. The force focused fastening system includes a force focused fastening member including an extensible region and an end region. The end region includes a fastener element and the extensible region includes a high modulus region aligned relative to a center portion of the fastener element. During fastening, the force focused fastening member directs forces toward the center portion of the fastener element, away from end portions, minimizing distortion of the fastener element.
US08118793B2
The invention relates to a wound dressing, a wound contact layer and a medicinal composition comprising a hydrophilic base in which hydrocolloids are dispersed, wherein the hydrophilic base comprises at least one emulsifier and the use of said composition for treating wounds.
US08118783B2
A surgical portal apparatus includes a portal member dimensioned to access tissue and having a longitudinal passageway therethrough to permit access to underlying tissue, and defining leading and trailing ends, a seal housing associated with the portal member and a seal mount at least partially disposed within the seal housing. The seal mount is adapted for rotational movement within the seal housing. The seal mount includes an instrument seal adapted to establish a substantial sealed relation with a surgical object introduced within the longitudinal passageway and a closure valve adapted to substantially close the longitudinal passageway in the absence of the object.
US08118773B2
An oral administration device having a nipple member and a frangible seal is disclosed. And oral administration system having a nipple member and a syringe to fill the nipple member is disclosed. An oral administration device having a vacuum package surrounding the oral administration device is also disclosed.
US08118772B2
The present invention is a compact and hands-free human breast milk collection device that fits into a mother's existing nursing or standard brassiere. The invention can be attached to a conventional electric or manual pump for active milk collection and also can be used without a pump for passive milk collection. Additionally, the invention can be used for collection of hand-expressed milk. The invention comprises a breast adaptor which, in an embodiment, has at one end a funnel-shaped inlet coupled to a reservoir, wherein when the breast is inserted into the breast adaptor, the breast milk is expressed into the reservoir through a unique valve assembly and the milk is stored in the reservoir until the device is removed and the collected milk emptied into a container. In an embodiment, the valve assembly is mounted concentrically on a second end of the breast adaptor. The valve assembly alternately opens and closes communication between the breast adaptor and the reservoir. The valve assembly further includes an overflow chamber and a baffle structure to prevent backflow of milk into the pump and associated vacuum or suction line. The invention, in an embodiment, also includes a unique connection apparatus that enables the vacuum hose of the disclosed breast milk collection device to be sealingly attached to a vacuum hose of varying sizes attached to a vacuum pump mechanism.
US08118770B2
An electronic device may be configured to prompt a user via an on-board display to measure user glucose via an on-board glucose meter, to compute a first drug bolus value based on the measured user glucose, to display the first drug bolus value on the display and prompt the user via the display to enter carbohydrate information into the device, to compute a second drug bolus value based on the entered carbohydrate information, to display the second drug bolus value on the display and prompt the user via the display to enter user health information into the device, to compute a third drug bolus value based on the entered health information and a total drug bolus value as a sum of the first, second and third drug bolus values, and to display the third and total drug bolus values on the display.
US08118768B2
Ocular implants, delivery devices and methods for treating ocular disorders are disclosed. One method involves inserting an implant on one side of an eye. The implant has an anchor on a distal end portion and an outlet opening that is disposed proximal of the anchor. The implant is advanced across the eye to the other side of the eye. The anchor is inserted into eye tissue on the other side of the eye. A therapeutic agent is eluted using the implant.
US08118766B2
Skin antiseptic composition dispensers and methods of use are disclosed. The skin antiseptic composition dispenser may include a container with one or more walls that are substantially impermeable to ethylene oxide gas during normal ethylene oxide sterilization processes. In some embodiments, the container may include flexible walls free of metallic foil barrier layers. The containers may also include one or more vents in addition to one or more openings used to dispense the skin antiseptic composition within the container. The dispenser may include an applicator with a hydrophilic foam.
US08118765B2
A joint protector of a sheet-shaped flexible material, including an essentially tubular body, which is provided with a curved configuration for adaptation to a joint, and which is sewn together with at least one seam, between a first edge of a first material portion and a second edge of a second material portion, is distinguished in that the seam between said edges extends along a curve, which defines a recessed area of material of the first material portion at an essentially central portion of the first edge, and which defines an enlarged area of material of the second material portion at an essentially central portion of the second edge, that the first material portion is provided with a contracting action to the recessed area of material through the seam for achieving a curved configuration of the tubular body. The invention also concerns a blank and a method.
US08118759B2
The disclosure relates to a system for producing an orthopedic splint made of a cast material, wherein the system includes at least one thermoplastic cast material present as a flat material web and a template having a flat template body, wherein the cast material can be wound around the template body in a prescribed direction for generating a splint blank, and the splint blank can be activated in order to achieve deformability, particularly after cutting the cast material to length, and to a method for producing an orthopedic splint.
US08118752B2
The present invention provides an electrode array device for simultaneously detecting electrical potentials at five or more locations on the anterior surface of an eye. The device comprises a dielectric lens substrate having a concave inner surface conforming to the anterior surface of the eye, and at least five recording electrodes positioned in relation to the inner surface of the lens substrate so as to make electrical connection with the anterior surface of the eye when the lens substrate is placed on the anterior surface of eye. Each recording electrode is in electrically conductive communication with a corresponding conductive contact, there being one conductive contact for each recording electrode. Each conductive contact is adapted for operable connection to signal processor, and each conductive contact is electrically insulated from the anterior surface of the eye. A computational method for analyzing electrophysiological potentials recorded at five or more locations on the anterior surface of the eye, which reflect the spatial distribution of activity of the retina, is also provided.
US08118749B2
An implant assembly is implanted in vivo within a vascular system in which a vessel divides at a furcation into two sub-vessels, each sub-vessel having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said vessel. An implant assembly is released into a vessel such as a pulmonary arterial vessel of a patient. The implant assembly has a diameter smaller than or substantially equal to the inner diameter of the vessel and larger than the inner diameter of each of the sub-vessels. The implant assembly is configured so that it moves downstream within the vessel along with the flow of blood. When the implant assembly reaches a furcation where the vessel divides, the implant assembly is too large and not sufficiently compliant to fit through either of the smaller branch vessels. The implant assembly thus lodges at the furcation, prevented from moving downstream by being too large and stiff to fit into the branch vessels, and prevented from moving upstream by the flow of blood through the arteries. Alternatively, the implant assembly has a diameter greater than a vessel and compliance characteristics such that, upon release, the implant assembly travels down a narrowing vessel until an interference fit is created between the anchor structure and the vessel wall, thereby preventing further distal movement.
US08118747B2
An ergonomic housing for electroacoustic transducers, particularly for ultrasound imaging, includes at least an inner space (4) housing, one or more electroacoustic transducers (5) and possible further electric and/or electronic components (6/7). The housing (1) has at least an acoustic window (2) at which the one or more electroacoustic transducers (5) are placed. Further included is a handle part (101) composed of an opposing gripping surface having a shape that is ergonomically fitted for being gripped by a hand or a portion thereof. The gripping surface has such a shape or profile (301) to be ergonomically fitted for being gripped by inserting it in the hollow between two adjacent fingers of the hand.
US08118746B2
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for recognition helpful to diagnosis by giving and displaying a score serving as an index of diagnosis.An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a displacement measuring section (109) for measuring the displacement of an organism tissue of a subject (100) according to a reflection echo signal received correspondingly when an ultrasonic wave is transmitted from a probe (101) to the subject (100), an elastic image creating section for creating an elastic image after determining the distortion amount or the elastic modulus from the displacement, and an image display (107) for displaying the elastic image.The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus further comprises scoring means for specifying the distorted state or elastic state according to the information on the elastic image outputted from the elastic image creating section.
US08118742B2
Apparatus for intravascular ultrasonic imaging comprises a catheter having an ultrasonic transducer array fabricated at least in part from an electrostrictive material, wherein the electrostrictive material is non-polymeric.
US08118735B2
A seal assembly for permitting hand assisted laparoscopic procedures includes a seal cap having a seal positioned within a housing. The housing includes a lower seal ring having a track which supports an upper seal ring for relative rotational motion, wherein the seal is supported between the upper seal ring and the lower seal ring for rotation between an open orientation and a closed orientation. The upper seal ring includes a first ring member and a second ring member oriented for movement relative thereto, wherein a latching mechanism is positioned between the first ring member and the second ring member for selectively controlling movement of the first ring member relative to the second ring member. The seal assembly also includes a rotational control mechanism controlling motion of the upper seal ring relative to the lower seal ring.
US08118734B2
An endoscope illumination optical system includes a surface light source, a positive first lens element, a positive second lens element, in this order from the surface light source.The endoscope illumination optical system satisfies the following conditions: 0.40
US08118727B2
A method for providing support to an anatomical structure of the pelvis includes making a vaginal incision for securing a support portion under a urethra of a patient, passing a narrowed portion of an introducer through an introducer aperture of a first soft tissue anchor, seating the first soft tissue anchor on the introducer, and inserting a second soft tissue anchor through the vaginal incision and pressing the second soft tissue anchor into tissue on a second side of the urethra such that a support portion is suspended from the first and second soft tissue anchors under the urethra without the first and second soft tissue anchors penetrating an abdominal wall of the patient.
US08118726B1
A body portion fabricated of an essentially rigid material is formed of similarly configured first and second segments each shaped to include a generally spherical interior enlargement, a generally spherical exterior enlargement, an intermediate section between the enlargements, and a slit extending through the exterior enlargement and the intermediate section. The body portion pivots between a collapsed orientation with the slit at a reduced spacing and an expanded orientation with the slit at an enlarged spacing. An operational zone has a plurality of operational components. Application of a radial force to the second section by a user's external anal sphincter muscle causes axial movement of the segments to both contract and retain expanded segments and expand and retain contracted segments to reorient the system between a collapsed orientation and an expanded orientation.
US08118724B2
Various “contactless” bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective magnetic vectors opposing each other. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.
US08118722B2
The invention is directed to a novel method for reducing discomfort caused by transcutaneous stimulation. The novel method includes providing transcutaneous stimulation, reducing the transcutaneous stimulation at a first location, and substantially maintaining the transcutaneous stimulation at a second location. The transcutaneous stimulation may be created by electric and/or magnetic fields. The first location may be relatively proximate to the cutaneous surface and may comprise tissue, nerves and muscle. Also, the second location may be relatively deeper than the first location and include, for example, brain tissue that requires the transcutaneous stimulation for treatment purposes. The invention further may include locating a conductor on a treatment area and/or a transcutaneous stimulation device relative to the first location. In addition, the method may further include adjusting how much the transcutaneous stimulation is reduced at the first location.
US08118717B1
A dumbbell includes a bar, an axle, two weights and two cover. The bar includes a holding portion and two enlarged reception members connected to two ends of the bar. The axle extends through a passage of the bar and each reception member has a space for reception of the weight. Each weight includes a ridge and a weight body, the ridge is connected between the axle and the weight body. The two covers are respectively connected to the reception members to cover the two respective spaces. The weights are rotatable during using the dumbbell and the rotation exercises more muscles of the user's body.
US08118703B2
A transmission used in a hybrid vehicle comprising a planetary gear set and a synchronizer. The planetary gear set having a plurality of members and the synchronizer coupling and decoupling one of the members to change a speed ratio in the transmission.
US08118700B2
A front wheel drive transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes arranged within a transmission housing.
US08118698B2
The invention relates to a tensioner (1) for an endless drive, in particular of an internal combustion engine, wherein the tensioner has base part (2) and a tensioning part (3) which can rotate relative to the former, a spring element (11) which is arranged between the base part and the tensioning part (3) so as to impart a force, and a friction apparatus (13) which is provided between the spring element (11) and the base part or the tensioning part (3) and by way of which the relative movement between the base part (2) and the tensioning part (3) is damped. In order to improve a tensioner of the generic type in such that a simple construction is possible with satisfactory tensioning, it is proposed to arrange the friction apparatus (13) radially outside the spring element (11).
US08118692B2
It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.27(b).
US08118686B1
A training device for use with a golf club, an elongated member enabling the device to be mounted on the grip of a golf club, the member having an inner cavity shaped to the matching surface of the grip surface. A positioner member is engaged with a post which is substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the elongated member, the height of the locking member being adjustable to accommodate the hand size of the golfer. A disc member is attached to the positioner member, the golfer's hand being positioned between the elongated member and the disc member. An adjustable wrap around lock is positioned at the end of the elongated member spaced from the post and is adjustable such that the training device can fit onto various sized grips and to be secured thereto.
US08118685B2
An indoor and outdoor golf swing practicing device for a user is disclosed. The device comprises at least one hard board having a plurality of holes, at least one hinge means having a first hinge arm, a second hinge arm and a pivot arm, a plurality of wedges mounted to the hard board, at least one hanger bolt, at least one extension spring, at least one golf ball, a plurality of supporting pads attached to opposing first and second ends of an inner surface of the first hinge arm, a set of plurality of pads fixed to at least one end of the plurality of wedges proximate the hinge means and a plurality of pads fixed to the at least one hard board. A carpet is placed partially over the device to facilitate a user to stand on the hard board to practice their swing techniques.
US08118662B2
In one embodiment, the gaming system and method disclosed herein provides a plurality of gaming devices that each participate in a group game including a plurality of masked group game components and determines and provides separate awards to each player of the gaming devices based on the amount of modifiers applied to each of the group game components having a modifier applied by the player of that gaming device. In one embodiment, the gaming system enables each player to selectively apply or associate a plurality of modifiers to a single game component or apply the plurality of modifiers across the plurality of game components. For each gaming device, the gaming system displays and provides any awards to the player of that gaming device.
US08118661B2
A gaming machine includes plural stations and a processor. Each station can determine a game result and execute a game independently. The processor obtains an operation status of each station when a predetermined condition is satisfied. There is selected an event game among a plurality of event games, based on the operation status of each station. Then, there is executed the selected event game in common at plural stations.
US08118651B2
A crop residue chopping and distributing arrangement has a straw chopper (60) and at least one impeller blower (100) arranged downstream of straw chopper (60), the impeller blower comprising throw paddles (102, 102′) that can be set in rotation about an axis of rotation (108). The throw paddles (102, 102′) extend in the axial direction only over a part of the axial dimension of impeller blower (100). Adjacent throw paddles (102, 102′) that are offset angularly in the circumferential direction are respectively arranged offset in the axial direction.
US08118650B2
An adjustable flow distributor for a spreader of an agricultural combine operable for discharging a flow of straw and other crop residue in a sideward direction for deposition over a field, the flow distributor including an edge portion oriented at an oblique angle to a reference such as a back plate of the spreader, defining an oblique shaped space therebetween, the edge portion being pivotally adjustable in the fore and aft direction for controlling the portions of the flow of crop residue deposited beneath the spreader and discharged sidewardly therefrom, respectively, for instance, so as to better and more evenly distribute the crop residue over a swath of an agricultural field from which the crop was harvested, particularly a region of the swath in proximity to the spreader and/or chopper.
US08118645B2
A polishing method, a polishing pad, and a polishing system are described. The polishing pad with a plurality of grooves is provided. The width of each groove is W and the pitch between two adjacent grooves is P. An oscillatory movement distance of a workpiece on the polishing pad is set. The oscillatory movement distance enables any particular point on the workpiece to cross the same number of grooves, when a direction between the particular point and the center of the workpiece is perpendicular to a tangential direction of the grooves. The workpiece is then polished with the oscillatory movement distance, so as to achieve a better polishing uniformity for the surface of the workpiece.
US08118634B2
One or more ready-to-use near-invisible fixed-length tethers are provided on a carrier such that each tether can be removed from and reattached to the carrier without tangling. Most typically, such attachment is facilitated by modifying the ends of the tethers with a low tack adhesive and by winding the tether around a spool portion. Especially preferred low-tack adhesives provide adhesion of the tether ends to a user, the carrier, and the toy. In particularly preferred aspects, the tether is attached such that one end is removable while the other end remains attached such that the tether can be unwound from the spool by inverting the carrier.
US08118620B2
A connector assembly according to embodiments of the present disclosure is advantageously configured to allow a sensor connector to straightforwardly and efficiently join with and detach from a patient cable connector. Further, embodiments of the connector assembly advantageously reduce un-shielded area in an electrical connection between a patient cable and a sensor connector. In addition, embodiments of the connector assembly advantageously increase the shielding of detector signals coming from the patient sensor to the monitor.
US08118619B2
An advanced connector assembly enabled to receive and distribute power signals. In one embodiment, the connector comprises a multi-port modular jack, and incorporates a PSE controller board disposed in the rear portion of the connector assembly, e.g., outside the connector housing. The PSE controller board controls the power to a powered device and may be adapted to, for example, distinguish whether the device is a short circuit or a network interface card, guarantee the supply of power to selected ports, and prevent cables from transmitting abnormal power. Heat removal features are also optionally utilized to effectively dissipate heat produced by the electronic or signal conditioning components utilized on said multi-port modular jack. In some embodiments, the PSE controller board is also optionally made removable from the jack housing.
US08118618B2
An apparatus is described for burn-in and/or functional testing of microelectronic circuits of unsingulated wafers. A large number of power, ground, and signal connections can be made to a large number of contacts on a wafer. The apparatus has a cartridge that allows for fanning-in of electric paths. A distribution board has a plurality of interfaces that are strategically positioned to provide a dense configuration. The interfaces are connected through flexible attachments to an array of first connector modules. Each one of the first connector modules can be independently connected to a respective one of a plurality of second connector modules, thereby reducing stresses on a frame of the apparatus. Further features include for example a piston that allows for tight control of forces exerted by terminals onto contacts of a wafer.
US08118616B1
An adaptor device for an electrical outlet featuring a base plug unit having standard electrical outlet components; three standard slots disposed in the front surface of the base plug unit and two standard prongs disposed in the back surface of the base plug unit, the slots and prongs are configured opposite each other in orientation; two side plugs pivotally attached to the sides of the base plug unit, each side plug having slots identical to those of the base plug unit, wherein the side plug units can pivot to a pivot angle with respect to the base plug unit.
US08118615B2
A connector assembly (100) includes an insulative cover (1) defining a plurality of grooves arranged in a row along a transversal direction; a plurality of connectors (21) accommodated in the grooves, respectively, each of the connectors having a terminal module and a metallic shell enclosing the terminal module; a metallic cage (5) enclosing the insulative cover; and a plurality of conductive members (3), each of the conductive member (3) including a horizontal portion (31) and a vertical portion (32), the horizontal portion having a first tab (311) abutting against the metallic cage, and the vertical portion having a second tab (321) pressing against the metallic shell of a corresponding connector.
US08118612B2
To provide an end-processing structure of a coaxial cable, in which a catching engagement less liable to invite damage is achieved, a high tensile strength can be obtained, and also the reliability can be enhanced. A folded braid portion 24 is formed by folding an annular projecting braid portion 23 from its proximal end portion 34 so as to superpose the folded annular projecting braid portion on one insulative sheath 31a. When the proximal end portion 34 of the annular projecting braid portion 23 is bent, a terminal catching portion 35 is formed at the folded braid portion 24. Even when a strong force is applied in a direction of withdrawing of a coaxial connector 22, the terminal catching portion 35 of the folded braid portion 24 and a pair of sheath press-clamping portions 40 are caught and engaged with each other, and also the terminal catching portion 35 and a step portion 41 of a press-clamping portion 37 are caught and engaged with each other, that is, the metallic portions are caught and engaged with each other.
US08118610B2
The invention relates to a core connector (1) for splicing at least one twin core (a2, b2), comprising at least one housing (3, 4), in which core connection contacts are arranged, the core connection contacts being in the form of integral twin contacts (K1-K4), a first contact (K11, K21, K31, K41) of the twin contacts (K1-K4) being accessible from the upper side of the housing (3, 4), and a second contact (K12, K22, K32, K42) of the twin contacts (K1-K4) being accessible from the lower side of the housing (3, 4), at least four twin contacts (K1-K4) being provided, which are opposite one another in pairs, as well as to a method for splicing a twin core (a2, b2) into an existing end-subscriber twin core (a, b).
US08118607B2
An electronic card includes a housing, a plurality of contacts retain on the housing and a slider movably retained on the housing. The housing has a mating surface. The contacts are arranged in two rows along a length direction of the housing. Each contact in a first row has a flat first contact portion exposed to the mating surface. Each contact of a second row has a raised elastic second contact portion behind the first contact portion. The slider can move along the length direction of the housing to drive the second contact portions alternatively hiding below the mating surface or protruding out of the mating surface.
US08118601B2
The invention relates to a printed circuit board plug-type connector (1), comprising a housing, in which contact elements (6) are arranged, wherein the contact elements (6) have a first contact part at one end and a second contact part at the opposite end, wherein the first contact part is in the form of a fork contact (7, 8), wherein the second contact part is in the form of a contact which makes contact with the printed circuit board, and an associated connection module (30) with a printed circuit board plug-type connector (1).
US08118596B2
A one-piece, screw-receiving, externally-threaded endosseous dental implant includes a body portion with external threading and, at its proximal end, an unthreaded, cylindrical portion including a retentive groove for engaging a complementary transfer component or comfort cap; a one-or two-piece screw-receiving implant abutment for attachment to a one or two-piece implant, including a retentive groove for engaging a complementary transfer component or comfort cap; and a fixture mount for insertion in a one-piece implant, that can be sectioned with the distal end used to extend the implant height.
US08118590B1
A dual fuel vent free gas heater having at least one gas burner with a plurality of gas outlet ports. The gas outlet ports are in flow communication with at least one pilot flame burner. At least one fuel injector feeds fuel to the burner providing for introduction of more than one fuel to the burner. Optionally, an oxygen detection system, manual control valve, linkage, and/or shut off control system may be incorporated into the dual fuel vent free heater.
US08118589B2
A flame color-enhancing apparatus includes a hollow outer tubular member having a predetermined copper content, a predetermined inside diameter and surface, and a first predetermined length; and an internal tubular member frictionally disposed within the outer tubular member to a predetermined ratio of contact of the interior surface of the outer member to exterior surface of the internal tubular member. The internal tubular member contains a predetermined content of chlorine-based polymer and has a second predetermined length and an outside diameter substantially equal to the predetermined inside diameter.
US08118583B2
A connector (20) is placed in a first die (50) so that an end of a wall (41) of the connector (20) closely contacts a recess (55) of the first die (50) to define a cutoff (58). The dies then are closed to define a filling space (60C) between a surface (62) of a second die (51) and an outer surface (46) of the wall (41). The outer surface (46) of the wall (41) is inclined moderately upward. Molten resin is directed into the filling space (60C) and presses the inclined outer surface (46) of the wall (41) so that an inner surface (47) of the bottom wall (41) is pressed against the recess (55) of the first die (50) and strongly held in close contact by a component of this pressing force. Thus, molten resin cannot intrude through the cutoff (58).
US08118582B1
An apparatus for producing biobased carriers for dispersal of biological and chemical molecules includes a premixer having a cavity for receiving a coproduct of a wet biomass process and a binder and being operable to premix the coproduct and binder to produce a substantially homogeneous DDGS mixture; a high shear mixer having a receptacle for receiving the DDGS mixture and being operable to shear mix the mixture and produce very small DDGS particles; and, an agglomerator having an interior chamber sized and configured to receive and transform the DDGS particles into substantially spherical DDGS pellets.
US08118575B2
A variable displacement vane pump which includes an enhanced discharge port. The enhanced discharge port reduces areas of high pressure in the discharge port which would otherwise occur as the pressurized working fluid reverses its direction of flow to enter the discharge port. By reducing the areas of high pressure, the back torque on the pump rotor is reduced and the energy efficiency of the pump is enhanced. In one embodiment, the pivot for the pump control ring is located radially outwardly from a conventional location, to allow for a discharge recess to be formed in the control ring, adjacent the discharge port, and extending past the pivot to the pump outlet. In a second embodiment, the discharge recess is formed in the control ring around the pivot and a seal is provided on the control ring to inhibit leakage of pressurized working fluid past the control ring. In a third embodiment, a secondary discharge port is provided adjacent the discharge recess formed in the control ring and pressurized working fluid in the discharge recess can exit the discharge recess through the secondary discharge port which is in fluid communication with the pump outlet.
US08118572B2
A peristaltic pump system includes elastomeric pump tubing and a roller pump. The pump tubing has a pumping segment and an inlet segment. The inlet segment has an inlet segment outer diameter. The pumping segment has a pumping segment outer diameter less than the inlet segment outer diameter. The roller pump has a roller assembly and a roller assembly housing. The roller assembly is disposed within the roller assembly housing and engaged with the pumping segment within the roller assembly housing. The roller assembly housing has an inlet gap formed through the roller assembly housing. The inlet gap defines an inlet gap inner diameter smaller than the pumping segment outer diameter. The inlet gap is adapted to frictionally receive the inlet segment for aligning the pump tubing with a roller assembly and mitigate longitudinal movement of the pump tubing into the roller assembly housing.
US08118568B2
A hermetic compressor has a hermetic container storing oil, and a compressing element accommodated in the hermetic container and compressing a refrigerant gas. The compressing element has a compression chamber, a cylinder forming the compression chamber, a piston inserted into the cylinder for reciprocation, and a suction muffler whose one end communicates with the compression chamber. The suction muffler has a sound deadening space, a gas flow forming part forming a gas flow flowing in a constant direction in the sound deadening space, and an oil discharge opening provided in a downstream side of the gas flow in a lower part of the sound deadening space. By this construction, there is realized a hermetic compressor in which the oil does not readily remain in the suction muffler, whose noise is lower, and whose performance is stabilized.
US08118565B2
A supply current control circuit controls the voltage of a low-voltage direct-current power source so that the average current of an inverter circuit detected by a current detecting circuit becomes constant at a specified current value. Accordingly, characteristics that are little in the amount of change of air volume are obtained.
US08118562B2
A propeller blade device used in environments where a propeller system is subjected to blade erosion and wear and may also be subjected to an axial force from water. The propeller blade includes a blade tip mounted on its outer end using a mounting device such as nuts and bolts to form a junction there between. The tip may easily be replaced when worn or damaged without removing the blade. The tip is designed to fracture upon impact with an axial force before transmitting the force radially inward to the propeller blade.
US08118555B2
A fluid-flow machine, especially for an aircraft engine, includes a rotor having rotor blades 3. The rotor blades 3 include, on a suction side 9, at least two zones of different surface finish, with one zone being positioned between a rotor blade 3 leading edge 5, a casing line 1, a line SLM and a line EL and being provided with a boundary layer-energizing surface structure, with the line SLM being a meridional flow line at a Mach number-critical blade height of the rotor, and with the line EL being a connecting line of all points E to form a chord-orthogonal projection line EL.
US08118543B2
A centrifugal compressor for compressing gas has a casing, a rotary shaft, an impeller, a diffuser, a first scroll, a second scroll, a first passage, a second passage, and a switching member. The rotary shaft is supported by the casing. The impeller is rotatably fixed to the rotary shaft, and sends the gas radially outward to a flow path downstream thereof. The diffuser is formed around the impeller. The first scroll is formed around the diffuser. The second scroll is formed between the diffuser and the impeller. The first passage is formed from the impeller to the first scroll through the diffuser. The second passage is formed from the impeller to the second scroll. The switching member switches the flow path between the first passage and the second passage by opening and closing the diffuser.
US08118534B2
A platform container transfer terminal (10) functions as an efficient hub port. Sea Point™ Transfer station modules (21, 22, 23) can be moved intact across oceans for rapid erection in remote or strategic locations to provide high speed loading and unloading of large container vessels (31, 32) to lighters or feeder vessels (41, 42, 43, 44, 45) and/or to facilities adjacent. A gantry crane (510) combined with one or more rotating boom cranes (11, 12, 17, 18) increases cargo productivity economically. There can be two luffing boom cranes attached to the gantry and two slewing boom cranes attached to the gantry. One can retrofit an existing gantry by attaching a boom crane and frame to a ship-to-shore gantry.
US08118527B2
A fastener for installation into a workpiece which may be installed by either a swaging operation or a torquing operation. The fastener includes an enlarged protruding head which is proximal to a substantially cylindrical smooth shank portion. A threaded shank portion positioned distal to the smooth shank portion includes a male thread which is sufficiently strong to have a swage collar swaged onto it. Distal to the threaded shank portion is a pin tail portion having a surface which is configured to engage a tool. Positioned between the threaded shank portion and the pin tail portion is a breakneck groove having a lower tensile strength than any other portion of the fastener. The tensile strength of the breakneck groove is controlled such that the fastener severs within the breakneck groove when a preset range of tension is applied to the pin tail portion by the tool.
US08118515B2
The fastening element connects two parts in a chassis of a vehicle. The fastening element has a central axle on which two opposing paired support elements of damping material are arranged at an axial distance from one another. In order to achieve an improved performance at least one of the support elements is composed of two different components and/or of different material.
US08118511B1
A body has a closed bottom and an open top. The body has a periphery. The body has a side wall. The body is fabricated of a semi-soft squeezable plastic material. A stem is in a cylindrical configuration. The stem is supported within the body. The stem is fabricated of a hard plastic material. A sponge has a bottom. The bottom of the sponge is positioned on the bottom of the body. The sponge has a top. The top of the sponge extends above the body. The sponge is fabricated of an absorbent foam material. A protective cap is provided. The cap has a closed top and an open bottom. The cap has a periphery. The cap has a side wall. The peripheries are adapted to releasably couple the cap with respect to the body.
US08118510B1
An electronic assembly that produces audile signals, such as prerecorded phrases, when activated. The electronics assembly is part of a secondary device, such as a pen, utensil, jewelry, or similar small object. The electronics assembly includes a housing having a first end and an opposite second end. A battery casing is disposed within the housing. The battery casing is sized to retain a plurality of concentrically stacked button cell batteries. An electronics module is provided within the housing for producing audible signals. A spring extends from the electronics module into the battery casing and biases the button cell batteries into a stacked configuration. The electronics module is powered, in part, by electricity flow through said spring from the button cell batteries.
US08118508B2
An applicator device for dispensing a polymerizable adhesive material comprising a body portion comprising a closed proximal end and an open distal end providing a cavity sized to accept a frangible container having a polymerizable adhesive material; at least one breaking member at least partially deflectable into the cavity; an annular housing movable with respect to the body portion; and a reservoir secured to the open distal end of the body portion, the reservoir further comprising an applicator; wherein the annular housing is movable relative to the body portion from a first position to a second position to deflect at least a portion of the breaking member into the cavity.
US08118507B2
A mascara applicator with vibrating applicator head. The head is caused to vibrate in a controlled manner through electromechanical urging. The frequency, amplitude and geometry of the vibrating head are sufficient to significantly alter the rheological properties of thixotropic and anti-thixotropic mascara compositions, including an effect that persists after the vibration has stopped. The device allows the mascara to be manipulated for improved results, greater flexibility in formulation, benefits in manufacture, as well as other benefits.
US08118498B2
Provided are an optical receptacle capable of manufacturing an optical module thereby, while suppressing a manufacturing cost, preventing a quality degradation, and suppressing a quantity of returning light by reflection. In the optical receptacle, a recess for receiving a lens and a lens support and a through-hole penetrating from a bottom of the recess toward an exterior are formed, and the recess is formed so that an inner peripheral surface of the recess is fixed to a desired position with respect to an outer peripheral surface of the lens support, in a case where the lens and the lens support are received in the recess such that an optical axis of the lens and an optical axis of the optical fiber to be inserted into the through hole are deviated from each other.
US08118493B2
A tapered roller bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of tapered rollers which are rollably disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a retainer which retains the tapered rollers at predetermined circumferential intervals. In this tapered roller bearing, a roller coefficient γ=(the number of rollers×average roller diameter) exceeds 0.94, a number of indentations having a micro recess-like shape are randomly provided at least on a surface of the tapered roller, a surface roughness parameter Ryni of the surface having the indentations falls within a range of 0.4 μm≦Ryni≦1.0 μm, and an Sk value is −1.6 or less.
US08118490B2
A low profile baseframe is used with a desk or other support to movable support a keyboard or other device. The baseframe has ball races integrally formed along each side. The ball races face one another and contain ball retainers that are sized and shaped to fit within the ball races so that rows of ballbearings in each slide are substantially vertical relative to one another. The ball retainers are made from molded plastic and are folded into a U-shape after being removed from the mold. The baseframe has a slide plate that extends between the two ball races with side edges inserted into the ball retainers. The baseframe is constructed without the use of fastening means. The ball retainers rest in the ball races and the slide plate rests in the ball retainers without welding, bolts or rivets.
US08118486B2
A very high speed temperature probe is provided that can be used in medical applications and in environments that are corrosive or hostile. The probe has a thin wall housing made of a thermally conductive material, a thin film RTD temperature sensor which is mounted within the interior of the housing and is embedded within a temperature cured composite material. A thermally conductive material is used to fill the interior of the housing. The thin wall housing and absence of entrapped air bubbles or voids in the cured composite and thermally conductive materials cooperate to achieve a low thermal time constant and thus, high temperature measuring speed for the probe.
US08118482B2
A system for changing the temperature (T1) of a fluid such as an on-demand water heater is disclosed. The system comprises an input for receiving the fluid (120) at a first temperature (T1) and an output for delivering the fluid at a second temperature (T2). A conduit connects the input to the output, and comprising means such as a heating element for altering the temperature of the fluid from the first temperature (T1) to the second temperature (T2). The system is characterized by the presence of one or more virtual sensors for estimating the fluid temperature in a given location within the conduit. The system provides accurate fluid temperature control without suffering from the slow responsiveness that usually mars sensor-based systems.
US08118475B2
Provided is a kneading degree adjusting apparatus, which can have a wide adjusting range for a kneading degree even if a gate member and a cylindrical segment are not made so close as to invite a fear of metallic contacts. The kneading degree adjusting apparatus is disposed in a kneading treatment equipment, which includes a cylindrical segment formed at a predetermined portion and a kneading screw for kneading a material while feeding the same to the downstream side, thereby to adjust the kneading degree of the material. The kneading degree adjusting apparatus comprises a gate member having an opposed face confronting the outer circumference of the cylindrical segment and moved toward and away from the outer circumference of the cylindrical segment thereby to change the area of the material passage to be formed between the opposed face and the outer circumference of the cylindrical segment. The outer circumference and the opposed face are corrugated to form the passage into a bent shape.
US08118473B2
A system for calculating and reporting slump in a delivery vehicle having a mixing drum (14) and hydraulic drive (16) for rotating the mixing drum, including a rotational sensor (20) configured to sense a rotational speed of the mixing drum, a hydraulic sensor (22) coupled to the hydraulic drive and configured to sense a hydraulic pressure required to turn the mixing drum, and a communications port (26) configured to communicate a slump calculation to a status system (28) commonly used in the concrete industry, wherein the sensing of the rotational speed of the mixing drum is used to qualify a calculation of current slump based on the hydraulic pressure required to turn the mixing drum.
US08118469B2
A surface illuminating device is provided and includes a plurality of linear light sources, a light-transmissive optical sheet including a luminance-distribution control layer for decreasing unevenness in luminance of light emitted from the linear light sources, and a reflection surface for reflecting the light emitted from the linear light sources. The luminance-distribution control layer includes a plurality of protrusions. In a range of 0≦x≦L/2, protruding directions of some or all the protrusions are inclined such that the protruding directions of the protrusions are located farther from a Z direction, which is an optical axis of a linear light source in an X direction, to the X direction as the protrusions are located farther from the position of x=0 in the X direction, where the X direction represents the arrangement direction of the linear light sources.
US08118467B2
A light guide plate includes a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, a light incident surface, and a plurality of lenticular lenses and microstructure assemblies. The light incident surface is connected with the first surface and the second surface, and light beams enter the light guide plate by the light incident surface. The lenticular lenses are disposed on the first surface. Each of the lenticular lenses is suitable to deflect imaginary light beams that are incident on the first surface in a predetermined direction to form a focus region on the second surface. The microstructure assemblies are disposed on the focus regions for guiding the light beams incident on the focus regions. A plurality of planar regions are formed on the second surface. Each of the planar regions is disposed between two adjacent microstructure assemblies and suitable for totally reflecting the light beams incident thereon.
US08118466B2
A backlight assembly includes first and second backlight units independently operating based on driving modes, and a light blocking member interposed between the first and second backlight units. The first backlight assembly includes a first light source generating and supplying a first light to a main display part of a display panel in a main mode and turned-off in a sub mode. The second backlight assembly includes a second light source generating and supplying a second light having different color from the first light to a sub display part of the display panel in a main mode and a sub mode.
US08118463B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for substantially uniformly lighting a substantially cylindrical cavity using a minimal amount of light sources. The primary technique disclosed utilizes directing light through a light pipe where is dispersed appropriately. Further, techniques are disclosed for performing the above functions when the substantially cylindrical cavity is partially filled with an opaque obstruction.
US08118459B2
A vehicle headlight has at least one lens module. The lens module, or each lens module, respectively has a lighting device and a projection lens. Accordingly, at least two lens modules are positioned one on top of the other and at least one reflector is positioned between, in each case, two lens modules which are positioned one on top of the other.
US08118449B2
An LED based module designed to be easily retrofitted into existing incandescent based light fixtures with minimum or no modification is provided. The LED module of the present disclosure includes a generally cylindrical threaded adapter module including a flat top surface and a conical bottom portion. The bottom portion includes a threaded cavity for receiving a conventional threaded rod of a light fixture which then couples the LED module to the light fixture. The top surface of the LED module is configured to mount a metal core printed circuit board including at least one LED (light emitting diode). Furthermore, the LED module includes at least two channels running therethrough to accommodate wires or conductors from the light fixture to the metal core printed circuit board. The threaded surface of the LED module is configured to accept a conventional shade retainer ring or nut.
US08118447B2
Disclosed is a LED lighting apparatus with one or more swivel connections. The LED lighting apparatus includes a housing with at least one end, at least one light emitting diode extending along the housing and at least one end cap. The end cap has an opening with a sidewall to cap the end of the housing and a surface opposite the opening and spanning the sidewall. At least two pin connectors extend from the surface and are connectable to a standard fluorescent or incandescent light fixture. Various configurations are described such that the housing will rotate within the end caps with application of a rotational force after connection of the pin connectors to the light fixture to adjust the light output direction of the LED lighting apparatus.
US08118444B2
The tool has a handle and a rigid shaft that extends from the handle. The shaft has an end. It also has a bore that extends from the handle to the end of the shaft. A LED is situated in the bore, proximate the end of the shaft. The handle has a recess. A battery is situated within the recess. The LED is electrically connected to battery by a wire extending through the bore, between the LED and the handle. In the screwdriver embodiments, the end of the shaft is designed to engage a screw. Interchangeable heads are provided in the screwdriver embodiment for use with screws of various configurations. In another embodiment, the end of the shaft is planar such that light from the bore can illuminate hard to reach areas or focus on a small area.
US08118443B2
A light source device including light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a carrier is provided. Chromaticities of some LEDs fall in a first area of a chromaticity coordinate diagram, while chromaticities of the other LEDs fall in a second area of the chromaticity coordinate diagram. The second area and the first area are point symmetric to a white center of the chromaticity coordinate diagram. A chromaticity coordinate value farthest from the white center in the first area is (X1, Y1), and a chromaticity coordinate value farthest from the white center in the second area is (X2, Y2), wherein 0.06≧|X1−X2|≧0.03 and 0.06≧|Y1−Y2|≧0.03. The LEDs are disposed on the carrier, and a chromaticity difference of any two adjacent LEDs in the chromaticity coordinate diagram is (ΔX, ΔY), wherein |ΔX|≦0.01 and |ΔY|≦0.01.
US08118440B1
A capture system and method are provided for capturing an object utilizing at least one mirror. In use, a first angular dimension, a second angular dimension, and a curvature of the mirror are controlled for manipulating the capture of the object. By this design, a variety of applications may be provided.
US08118439B2
A selectively positionable lens cover is disclosed having a lens housing volume and an arcuate lip portion for the selective engagement to and disengagement from a lens. The lens cover has a first engagement structure whereby the first engagement structure may be releaseably engaged with and removed from a second engagement structure. The lens cover has an aperture having a first longitudinal axis whereby the first engagement structure may be selectively engaged with and removed from the second engagement structure in a first position that is substantially aligned with a user-defined second longitudinal axis.
US08118438B2
Methods and apparatus for projecting a tangible image of data characterizing an object onto a surface of the object itself. Three-dimensional measurements of the object are obtained, the measurements are processed for projection, and a tangible image is projected onto the object, the image conveying information based on the three-dimensional measurements. The image may be projected concurrently with performance of measurements. In an exemplary dental context, information derived in part from three-dimensional measurements of a tooth or replica may be projected onto the actual tooth or replica. In interactive application, a work piece is be measured during the course of fabrication, and three-dimensional information, derived from contemporaneous non-contact measurement, is projected onto the work piece in order to direct the user with the formation of the work piece.
US08118431B2
This invention discloses an apparatus that is attached to the objective lens of a microscope to split its field of view into at least two. In one embodiment, a mirrored gonio lens is snapped to the objective of an ophthalmic surgical microscope to provide a view of the eye's anterior surface and a view of the eye's anterior chamber.
US08118425B2
A spectacle lens with an object-sided front face and an eye-sided rear face, wherein at last the rear face comprises a viewing region that contributes to the optical effect of the spectacle lens and a carrier rim region that at least partially surrounds the viewing region and that does not significantly contribute to the optical effect of the spectacle lens. The rear face of the spectacle lens in the carrier rim zone is constructed substantially from a cosmetic viewpoint without consideration of the optical image-forming properties. A method for producing this spectacle lens is also provided.
US08118423B2
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a transport mechanism that is provided in the apparatus main body and transports a sheet, a recording head to record an image by discharging ink to the sheet transported by the transport mechanism, a sheet guide that is provided to be opposite to the recording head and guides the sheet, a transport roller provided at an upstream side of the sheet guide in a sheet transport direction, an ejection roller provided at a downstream side thereof, and a transport unit that integrates the medium guide, the transport roller and the ejection roller and is provided to freely come in and out of the apparatus main body.
US08118421B2
A printing machine for transferring a phase change ink onto a print medium includes a component for applying a phase change ink in an image, an imaging member for accepting the image and transferring the image from the imaging member to the print medium and a pressure member positioned in association with the imaging member to form a nip through which the print medium passes. The pressure member includes an outer layer with a tailored electrical conductivity to eliminate ghosting in duplex printing modes. The outer layer comprises a composite of a polymer and carbon nanotubes and/or graphenes. A similar outer layer may be implemented on a pressure roller in a direct-to-paper printing machine.
US08118412B2
A liquid ejecting head includes a flow passage forming substrate that includes a plurality of pressure generating chambers juxtaposed to each other and each in communication with a nozzle for ejecting droplets, and piezoelectric elements disposed on the flow passage forming substrate with a diaphragm interposed therebetween. The piezoelectric elements include a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode. The piezoelectric layer tapers downward at its ends. The lower electrode has a width smaller than the width of each of the pressure generating chambers. The piezoelectric layer has a larger width than the lower electrode to cover end faces of the lower electrode. The diaphragm has a top layer formed of a titanium oxide (TiOx) insulator film. The lower electrode has a top layer formed of a lanthanum nickel oxide (LaNiyOx) orientation control layer. The orientation control layer and at least part of the piezoelectric layer disposed on the orientation control layer are formed of perovskite crystals having a (113) preferred orientation.
US08118406B2
The present invention relates to a fluid ejection assembly that includes an injection-molded mounting substrate that is formed by a two-shot injection molding process, wherein a housing portion of the mounting substrate is formed by a first shot molding, and a die-attach portion of the mounting substrate is formed within the housing portion by a second shot molding. The die-attach portion is made of a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion along a direction that is parallel to a fluid passageway in the die attach portion.
US08118405B2
A printhead module includes a substrate, a plurality of drop ejector arrays, and electronic circuitry. The substrate includes a butting edge extending in a first direction along the substrate. The plurality of drop ejector arrays extends substantially parallel to the butting edge of the substrate with a first drop ejector array of the plurality of drop ejector arrays being closest to the butting edge of the substrate. A portion of the electronic circuitry is disposed between the first drop ejector array and the butting edge of the substrate.
US08118402B2
A printhead module includes a plurality of rows of printhead nozzles, at least some of the rows including at least one displaced row portion, the displacement of the row portion including a component in a direction normal to that of a pagewidth to be printed, wherein the displaced row portions of at least some of the rows are different in length than the displaced row portions of at least some of the other rows.
US08118400B2
An ink ejection printhead includes an elongate support frame. The support frame supports ink ejection printhead modules. An end plate is mounted to an end of the support frame and defines two guide recesses. A connector arrangement is received in the guide recesses and includes a body portion interconnected to a region by at least one bridge. The connector arrangement includes a connector extending from the body portion. An end housing defines an opening and is mounted to the end plate so that the connector is accessible through the opening.
US08118399B2
An ink receiving unit for an inkjet printer includes an ink receiver and an ink removing device. The inkjet printer has an inkjet head configured to eject ink onto a first surface of a medium. The ink receiver is provided to face the inkjet head via the medium. The ink receiver is configured to receive ink dripping from a second surface opposite to the first surface of the medium during printing. The ink removing device is configured to remove the ink from the ink receiver. The ink receiver unit is detachably mounted to a main body to which the inkjet head is mounted.
US08118381B2
An image forming apparatus includes a recording head configured to jet a liquid; a liquid tank configured to store the liquid; and a supply tube having flexibility, the supply tube being provided between the liquid tank and the recording head, wherein the supply tube includes a first flow path through which the liquid flows from the liquid tank to the recording head, and a second flow path surrounding the first flow path, the second flow path being a path through which a temperature control liquid flows, the temperature control liquid controlling a temperature of the liquid flowing through the first flow path.
US08118380B2
Provided is a printer controller for a pagewidth printer having a printhead configured to print according to print quality information. The printer has a paper transport mechanism for transporting a sheet of paper along a media path through the printer. The controller includes a processor having an address, data and control bus, an expander unit and a decoder unit each coupled to the bus and configured to decompress a bi-level black layer and a continuous tone (contone) layer of a page to be printed. The controller also includes a replaceable ink cartridge arranged in the media path and having a first integrated circuit (IC) interfaced with the processor, the first IC containing the print quality information. Also included is a second IC interfaced to the processor. The processor is configured to count a number of drops of ink printed by the printhead, to update a remaining drop count of the ink cartridge using the counted drops printed and to write an updated remaining drop count to the second IC each time a page has been printed. The processor is also configured to control the paper transport mechanism during printing.
US08118375B2
A desk comprising: a writing board, the writing board defining a top surface and a substantially opposed bottom surface; at least three sleeves, each of the at least three sleeves extending substantially away from the bottom surface, each of the at least three sleeves defining a respective free end substantially opposed to the bottom surface; at least three legs, each of the at least three legs being removably insertable into and securable to a respective one of the at least three sleeves; a first one of the at least three sleeves defining a ridge extending substantially longitudinally therefrom at the free end of the first one of the at least three sleeves and a second one of the at least three sleeves defining a recess extending substantially longitudinally thereinto at the free end of the second one of the at least three sleeves, the recess being configured and sized for substantially snugly receiving the ridge. Two of the desks are stackable on top of each other with legs detached therefrom by inserting the ridge of a first one of the two desks into the recess of a second one of the two desks and inserting the ridge of the second one of the two desks into the recess of the first one of the two desks.
US08118367B2
A seat support system for supporting a seat in a manner that ameliorates or eliminates load applied to a driving mechanism. The system may be configured to support a seat back when the seat back in pivoted upwardly and downwardly relative to a seat bottom. The support system may create a load-bearing link between a non-driven component on the seat back and an anchor.
US08118366B2
The device is embodied in four variants. The home chair comprises a three-dimensional frame with a seat pivotally connected thereto in such a way that it is tiltable forward and up-and-down, a seat arresting device, a smooth displacement compensator, a reset mechanism embodied in the form of an oil-gas damper and a backrest, the tilt angle with respect to the seat is less than 90° and the distance between the top edge and the seat is less than 250 mm. The school variant is provided with a smooth displacement compensator and a reset mechanism embodied in the form of a spring. The child variant is adjustable in the vertical and horizontal planes, thereby making it possible to select the optimal sitting parameters of a child during the growth thereof, and comprises a seat provided with a tilt angle adjusting unit, a smooth displacement compensator and a reset mechanism.
US08118361B2
A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a seat bottom and a seatback. The seatback includes a seatback frame and is selectively rotatable relative to the seat bottom from an upright position to a forward position. A seatbelt assembly includes a retractor coupled to the seatback frame and a belt selectively extendable from and retractable to the retractor. A first end of the belt is disposed in the retractor. A guide is coupled to the seatback frame and defines an orifice with the belt slideably extending through the orifice. The retractor and the guide are fixed relative to the seatback frame and the second end of the belt is fixed to the seatback frame. The retractor, the guide, and both ends of the belt rotate from the upright position to the forward position in response to a force exerted on the seatback frame during rapid deceleration of the seat assembly.
US08118360B2
A vehicle seat having a first support and a second support, and a first stay and a second stay for attaching a head rest to a seat back also includes a position adjusting mechanism and a retaining mechanism. The position adjusting mechanism adjusts positions of the stays with respect to the supports. The retaining mechanism prevents the stays from slipping out of the supports at positions above positions at which the stays are highest in an adjusted range by the position adjusting mechanism. A check hole for checking the connection state between two members, for example a cable and an operating rod, is formed in the first stay in such a position that the check hole is not visible when the stays are positioned in the adjusted range and is visible when the stays are prevented from slipping out of the supports by the retaining mechanism.
US08118350B2
A vehicle body has a floor-side reinforcement, in particular crash reinforcement structure, laterally on both sides of the central tunnel, for a transmission support. The transmission support is arranged between reinforcement elements of the vehicle floor which are held so as to be situated opposite on the vehicle floor interior and on the vehicle floor exterior respectively. Outer lateral longitudinal edges of the reinforcement elements are connected to floor longitudinal beams and inner lateral longitudinal edges are connected to transmission longitudinal beams which are held so as to be supported at the central tunnel.
US08118342B2
A lock apparatus of a seat for a vehicle includes a striker, a first plate including a first plate groove portion, a second plate including a second plate groove portion, plural fixing portions provided at the first and second plates, a hook member being pivotable between a lock release position and a lock position and including a hook groove portion with and from which the striker is engageable and releasable, a pawl member engageable with and releasable from the hook member, a biasing member biasing the hook member and the pawl member, and plural connecting portions provided at the first and second plates for connecting the first and second plates. The connecting portions are located at an area defined between the fixing portions and one side portion of the first and second plates opposite to another side portion at which the first and second plate groove portions are formed.
US08118340B2
A tool for threading a rope through a distant eye or around an object out of reach, such as for elevating tarps into trees, or placing fall protection lines, or securing a distant object. The tool has two curved arms that extend out from the body in unison and converge at a point where the end of the rope is passed from one arm to the other. The arms are then retracted back into the body, pulling the rope through the eye or around the object. The arms are extended by pulling one control line and retracted by pulling a second control line. The tool is typically mounted on the end of a pole, although other mountings are possible. The shape of the tool enables ropes to be threaded through a large number of eye configurations and around objects of varying sizes, even if there are obstructions adjacent the eye.
US08118333B2
The invention discloses a lock device. The lock device is used for detachably mounting a cover on a base. A recess is formed on the cover. A first hole is formed on the bottom of the recess, and a first retainer is extended out of the bottom of the recess. The lock device includes a first sliding member, a first elastomer, and a second sliding member. A column which is capable of passing through the first hole is formed on the first sliding member. A second retainer which is used for the first retainer to lock is formed on the second sliding member. When the first sliding member slides toward the base along a first axle, the column pushes the second retainer to make the second sliding member slide toward a second axle, so as to make the second retainer separate from the first retainer.
US08118329B2
Fender flares are disclosed for attachment to a vehicle having a mud flap and a wheel well that generally defines a volume. Vehicles that include fender flares are also disclosed. In some embodiments, a fender flare includes a body having a first surface and a second surface that together define a mud-flap channel that is adapted to receive the mud flap of a corresponding vehicle. In some embodiments, a fender flare includes a body that is configured to support more than one side of the mud flap of a corresponding vehicle. In some embodiments, a fender flare includes an inner portion extending from an outer portion, with the inner portion having a first surface adapted to support a front side of a mud flap, and with the outer portion having a second surface adapted to support a rear side of a mud flap.
US08118323B2
A hitch-and-coupler assembly (130) couples a trailer vehicle to a towing vehicle. The hitch-and-coupler assembly (130) includes a hitch assembly (132) having a pitch hinge part (134) that defines at least one pinhole towards its trailing end about a pitch hinge axis (138). The hitch-and-coupler assembly also includes a coupler assembly (140) having a pitch hinge counterpart (142) defining at least one pinhole (144) towards its leading end. The pitch hinge counterpart (142) is detachably connectible to the pitch hinge part (134) by positioning the pitch hinge counterpart (142) into a check position in which the pin holes (136, 144) are aligned for passing a pitch hinge pin (26) there through. The hitch-and-coupler assembly (130) also includes a guiding arrangement (146) having a guiding surface (148) extending away from the check position toward a leading end of the hitch assembly (132). The pitch hinge counterpart (142) is operatively able to engage the guiding surface (148) and is displaceable along the guiding surface (148) towards the check position.
US08118318B1
A fixture is disclosed for holding a container therein and for allowing rotation of the container for dispensing a fluid therefrom. The fixture can be mounted to a hand cart for transport of the container and for tilting the container so that the liquid can be dispensed therefrom. The tray can be pivotally mounted such that when pivoted and released, the tray automatically returns to a rest position.
US08118310B2
A brush seal including a bristle pack mounted in a holder, and having a free end for sealing with a member, a front plate for lying on a high pressure side of the seal and extending part way along the length of the bristle pack to a free end being spaced from the bristle pack characterized in that the front plate is formed for or carries a formation for reducing the influence of swirling fluid on the high pressure side on the bristle pack.
US08118307B2
A board game, Bible Walk provides fun while testing one's knowledge of the bible and teaches as you play. The game Bible Walk is designed to be and interactive multi-player game which includes a board, playing pieces and an electronic device which displays questions. The board is generally rectangle on which the players would move their pieces around the board. The board has colors and writings on the squares as well as on the center of the board. The electronic device contains questions from Genesis to Revelation from the Holy Bible. The players must answer short questions correctly in order to move to the next square. All questions are T-true or F-false. The game is meant to move at a fast pace. The first player or group of players to land on the well done square wins. Game may continue with other players for second or third and so on if players desire.
US08118295B2
A system for binding variable thickness multi-sheet collations includes first and second processing stations including a stitcher and stapler, respectively and a means for determining the thickness of a multi-sheet collation. A processor is responsive to a thickness value signal and selects one of the first and second processing stations to bind the multi-sheet collation. A conveyance system then transports the multi-sheet collation to the selected one of the first and second processing stations. A method includes the steps of: stacking sheet material to produce a multi-sheet collation, determining the thickness of the multi-sheet collation, and selecting an apparatus to bind the multi-sheet collation from one of at least two binding apparatus based upon the thickness of the multi-sheet collation. The multi-sheet collation is then conveyed along a feed path to a selected one of the binding apparatus. The method further includes the steps of disposing the multi-sheet collation between a pair of opposed registration members and aligning opposed edges of the multi-sheet collation by oscillating at least one of the registration members into and out of engagement with at least one of the opposed edges based upon the thickness of the multi-sheet collation.
US08118291B2
The invention relates to a workpiece positioning device (1) comprising at least one positioning axis (35, 39) and a modular machine frame (3) on which at least one workpiece receiving element (8, 9) is arranged. At least one frame part (4, 5, 6, 7) comprises at least one frame module (15) provided, in turn, with a long carrier element (16) and at least one connection element (17, 18, 18′).
US08118283B2
An aqueous scream is pumped through a vortex cylinder. The aqueous stream is rotated in a downwardly moving spiral stream within the vortex cylinder at a high downward velocity. The downward velocity of the aqueous stream increases as it flows through a discharge conduit concentrically located within a mixing chamber of the vortex cylinder. An adjustable air inlet tube open to atmospheric pressure extends through the vortex chamber and into the discharge conduit. A negative pressure zone is created at the discharge end of the discharge conduit for drawing air into the aqueous stream for mixing therewith and dissolving oxygen in the aqueous solution.
US08118278B2
An aseptic diaphragm valve in which a valve seat (37) is formed by a groove including a concave surface of engagement that positioned along an outer diameter of an upper end of an inlet tube (32), and a resilient valve member portion (41) that is annular in extent with a convex surface that moves into the groove to contact the concave surface (37) around the outer diameter of the inlet tube (32) to close the valve. The valve member portion (41) has at least a coating of polytetrafluoroethylene (47) or equivalent material.
US08118274B2
A support mechanism for supporting an object on a surface is disclosed. The support mechanism includes a joint connected to the object; and a stand connected to the joint. The joint may selectively rotate to allow the stand to support the object on the surface in: a first position comprising a landscape orientation at a first angle between the object and the surface, a second position comprising a landscape orientation at a second angle between the object and the surface, a third position comprising a portrait orientation at a third angle between the object and the surface, and a fourth position comprising a portrait orientation at a fourth angle between the object and the surface.
US08118261B1
An in-flight refueling method may include deploying a fueling hose from a refueling aircraft. The fueling hose may have a drogue. The deployment of the fueling hose may include extending the drogue using a telescoping arm having a ring. The deployment of the fueling hose may also include passing the fueling hose through the ring to deploy the fueling hose. The in-flight refueling method may further include retrieving the fueling hose by drawing the drogue into a wire pitch mounted on the ring and collapsing the drogue in response to drawing the drogue into the wire pitch.
US08118256B2
A system, apparatus and method of verifying operation of a vehicle fluid brake system shutoff valve is provided, wherein the shutoff valve is adapted to enable or inhibit the transmission of fluid pressure to at least one brake solenoid valve that controls operation of at least one brake actuator so as to effect wheel braking. In verifying operation of the system, the shutoff valve is commanded to inhibit the transmission of fluid pressure to the at least one brake solenoid valve, and the at least one brake solenoid valve is commanded to apply fluid pressure to the at least one brake actuator. An operational status of the shutoff valve is determined based on the absence or presence of wheel braking.
US08118250B1
The invention provides a fuel tanker truck accessory and a method of delivering fuel to a storage tank. The accessory is intended for permanently mounting on the truck and has a spool containing a roll of warning strap. The method includes attaching a plurality of the accessories containing rolls of warning strap to the fuel tanker truck; stationing the fuel tanker truck near the storage tank; extending one or more of the warning straps from the spools so as to define a fuel delivery operations area between the tanker truck and the storage tank and restrict passage therethrough; connecting a fuel delivery hose from the tanker truck to the storage tank so that the hose extends through the fuel delivery operations area; and delivering fuel through the hose to the storage tank.
US08118227B2
A multicamera imaging-based bar code reader wherein for least one camera assembly of the reader, a sensor array of the camera assembly is non-orthogonal with respect to an optical axis of an imaging lens assembly of the camera assembly such that an imaging or scanning volume of the camera assembly more closely conforms to a desired imaging field or region of the reader. In one exemplary embodiment the reader features: a housing supporting first and second transparent presentation windows and defining an interior region; an imaging system including a plurality of camera assemblies within the interior region, at least one camera assembly includes a sensor array and an imaging lens assembly, the sensor array being positioned with respect to the imaging lens assembly at an angle so as to be non-orthogonal with respect to an optical axis of the imaging lens assembly of the camera assembly.
US08118224B2
A handheld electronic book reader, program product, and method incorporate enhanced annotation and/or usage tracking capabilities. Users may create “contexts” for defined terms in an electronic document. Moreover, annotation data such as contexts, comments and highlighting may be associated with various users, and displayed in connection with the display of an electronic document so as to indicate that different annotation data has been originated by different users. In addition, from the standpoint of usage tracking, usage statistics for an electronic document displayed in a handheld electronic reader may be generated on a page-by-page basis, and/or in association with term definitions. Moreover, usage statistics for multiple users may be combined and analyzed. Through such analysis, the usage statistics may be used in the conduct of various beneficial actions such as revising an electronic document, revising a lesson plan with which an electronic document is associated, determining whether a user has read a selected portion of an electronic document, or determining whether a user needs supplemental assistance.
US08118219B2
A prepaid card processing system is operable for processing customized expiration dates of prepaid cards. The prepaid card processing system includes a database for storing program expiration parameters associated with an issuer prepaid card program; a set of card accounts created under the issuer prepaid card program, wherein each card account has an expiration date for a prepaid card associated with the card account; and one or more customized expiration parameters for the set of card accounts. The prepaid card processing system is operable to determine the expiration date for the prepaid card associated with the card account based on the program expiration parameters and the customized expiration parameters for the set of card accounts.
US08118211B2
A method for the low-temperature pressure sintering of at least one electronic unit to be contacted thermally, firmly connected mechanically, and located on a substrate, comprising the following steps: pressing the electronic unit using a mold enveloping matrix while sparing a connecting surface of the substrate for a heat sink connection, providing a heat sink plate, applying a sintering connecting layer onto the spared region of the connecting surface and/or onto to the region of the heat sink plate provided for contacting, and bonding of the heat sink plate to the substrate of the electronic unit in the region of the connecting surface using silver low-temperature pressure sintering technology.
US08118207B2
A surgical device is disclosed which includes a handle portion, a central body portion and a SULU. The SULU includes a proximal body portion, an intermediate pivot member and a tool assembly. The intermediate pivot member is pivotally secured to the proximal body portion about a first pivot axis and the tool assembly is pivotally secured to the intermediate pivot member about a second pivot axis which is orthogonal to the first pivot axis. The SULU includes a plurality of articulation links which are operably connected to the tool assembly by non-rigid links. The articulation links are adapted to releasably engage articulation links positioned in the central body portion. The body portion articulation links are connected to an articulation actuator which is supported for omni-directional movement to effect articulation of the tool assembly about the first and second axes. The handle portion includes a spindle and barrel assembly drive mechanism for advancing and retracting a drive member positioned in the tool assembly. In one embodiment, the tool assembly includes a cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples and an anvil assembly.
US08118204B2
To provide a compact portable fastening tool which can be easily pushed at its handle portion onto a punched side, even in case a magazine is attached at an inclination with respect to the horizon, so that it can be easily used even in a narrow place. An electric fastening tool 1 comprises: a housing 2 having a handle portion 2B formed to extend from a trunk portion 2A; an ejection unit attached to the lower portion of the housing 2; a magazine 5 attached to the ejection unit; a motor housed in the housing 2; a battery pack 3 for driving the motor; a flywheel rotationally driven by the motor; a follower shaft selectively rotated by the kinetic energy of the flywheel; and a plunger adapted to be linearly moved in the housing 2 by the rotation of the follower shaft thereby to drive the nail fed into the ejection unit. The magazine 5 is so attached that it is inclined in a side view with respect to the trunk portion 2A of the housing 2 and that it is inclined in a bottom view with respect to the handle portion 2B of the housing 2.
US08118188B2
An fastening clip includes a main body defining a through hole, a flange radially extending from the main body, a first clipping member hinged on the main body, a second clipping member hinged on the main body and comprising a first latching portion, and a latching mechanism extending from the first clipping member and comprising a second latching portion and a release tab. The clip has first and second positions. In the first position, the first and second clipping members extend out of the through hole, and the second latching portion can engage with the first latching portion. In the second position, the first and second clipping members are received in the through hole. When the release tab is operated, the release tab can engage the second clipping member to make the second latching portion disengage from the first latching portion.
US08118184B2
A lid for controlled drinking from a drinking container includes an aperture adjacent a periphery, and a closure device formed as a single continuous piece of material. The closure device has an actuator portion, a web portion and a valve portion. The actuator portion has a distal portion extending outward of the periphery, and a proximal portion attached to a first end of the web portion. A second end of the web is attached to the valve portion. The valve portion can rotate about a pivot point and move from a closed position over the aperture when the actuator portion is in a first position, towards an open position away from the aperture when the actuator portion is moved towards a second position, during which the web winds around a suitably shaped region partially surrounding the pivot point.
US08118178B2
A storage rack for supporting a server chassis in a storage cabinet. The storage rack includes front and rear vertical support members and one or more rack mount kits for slidably supporting one or more computing devices (e.g., servers). Each rack mount kit may include a pair of rail assemblies, each rail assembly including outer, middle and inner rail assemblies. The outer rail assembly may include first and second outer rail members that are slidable relative to each other and one or more locking mechanisms that may be operable to selectively limit sliding or translation of the first and second outer rail members relative to each other. In one arrangement, a locking mechanism may include a ratchet assembly that may allow the first and second outer rail members to slide in a first direction when the locking mechanism is engaged and in the first direction and an opposite second direction when the locking mechanism is released.
US08118174B2
A device for delivering bulk material consisting of individual products has a supply container for storing the bulk material of individual products, the supply container having a product outlet. A perforated plate is arranged downstream of the product outlet of the supply container on a base stand. The perforated plate serves to receive the individual products from the product outlet and to move them further in a transport direction while removing broken products and dust. A bulk material leveler formed as a leveler strip rotatable around a pivot axis is arranged downstream of the product outlet above the perforated plate.
US08118163B2
Devices and methods are disclosed for protecting individuals from the sharp ends of medical objects following use on a patient. Such sharp objects include hypodermic needles, scalpel blades, cannulae, trocars, and the like. The invention utilizes a disposable protective cover for the used sharp. The protective cover is designed to surround and embed the sharp in a permanent cover that is blunt and will not permit further puncture or cutting with the sharp. In an embodiment, the protective cover also absorbs any fluids on or in the used sharp and prevents any fluids from escaping the protective cover. The sharp cover is configured to irreversibly lock, once closed. A refillable or replaceable dispenser dispenses the protective covers at points of use. A disposable receptacle receives the used sharp embedded in the protective cover. When the receptacle is full, the entire receptacle may be discarded in a medical waste container.
US08118156B2
An acoustic wave device applicable to a wider scope and field and used for transporting a substance of any of wide variety of types to be transported with an improved efficiency without needing to clean a piezoelectric substrate and simultaneously transporting two or more physically separated substances along the propagation direction of a surface acoustic wave. An acoustic wave device has an exciting electrode for exciting a surface acoustic wave formed on a piezoelectric substrate generating a surface acoustic wave by a piezoelectric effect. A transport path plate is disposed adjacently to the exciting electrode over the piezoelectric substrate with a water layer (W) interposed therebetween. When current is supplied to the exciting electrode, a surface acoustic wave is generated on the piezoelectric substrate. The surface acoustic wave causes a longitudinal wave to be emitted into the water layer (W) and attenuates. The emitted longitudinal wave is propagated to the transport path plate, and a droplet (Dp) placed on the transport path plate is displaced by the emission pressure.
US08118154B2
A sod handling method and a sod handling apparatus, in one embodiment the sod handling apparatus uses a pressure differential to hold a sod slab during sod transfer, other embodiments include a sod lift member for lifting sod, a sod transport mechanism for moving sod; a sod carriage for transporting sod, a sod bed positioning system for stacking sod, a system and method for checking sod quality as well as an apparatus and method of machine stacking sod to maintain the integrity of a sod stack.
US08118151B1
A grain auger mover assembly is disclosed which may be used to move either a conventional grain auger or a grain auger having a swing hopper auger associated therewith. The grain auger mover of this invention is remotely controlled.
US08118150B2
The present invention is to provide a management system for a game arcade which does not decrease authenticity of money information, and is manageable without changing setting even if the number of a game machine is increased.A transmitting side includes money identification units, a slave processing unit connected to each money identification unit, and a slave wireless communication unit connected to each slave processing unit. A receiving side includes a master processing unit, and a master wireless communication unit connected to the master processing unit and communicating with the slave wireless communication unit. The system establishes a communication channel between the master wireless communication unit and the slave wireless communication unit, and the slave processing unit transmits the money information and the check information to the slave wireless communication unit. The system checks the authenticity of the check information corresponding to the received money information, and stores in the master processing unit the money information corresponding to the check information detected as a current money.
US08118143B2
An emergency braking assembly that stops the rotation of a shaft in the event that the speed of the shaft exceeds a predetermined speed. The braking assembly includes a flanged mounting ring that is mounted to a housing where the shaft extends through the ring, and a braking ring threadably mounted to the mounting ring. An insert is mounted to the shaft within the braking ring. The braking assembly insert includes a pair of symmetrical weights that tend to move outward upon rotation of the shaft. Pins mounted to the weights and the insert prevent the weights form moving outward until the speed of the shaft exceeds the predetermined speed. A locking mechanism that locks the pin to the insert releases causing the pins to extend outside of the insert and engage stops mounted to an inside surface of the braking ring, which stops the shaft from rotating.
US08118129B2
A layout for an exhaust pipe which also serves as a drainage pipe which prevents splashing of water generated in a fuel cell toward a passenger or splashing toward a tire. Humid excessive gas supplied from a fuel cell is diluted in a dilution box by off-gas discharged from the fuel cell and is used for humidifying air in the humidifier. An exhaust pipe is connected to the dilution box, and diluted hydrogen gas is discharged via the exhaust pipe. Vapor mixed in hydrogen gas is condensed in the exhaust pipe and turned into water, which is drained through the exhaust pipe that extends rearwardly of a vehicle body through the interior of a power unit. A discharge port of the exhaust pipe (which is also a drainage port for water generated in the fuel cell) is positioned at the widthwise center of the vehicle body.
US08118124B2
A fail-safe air flap control apparatus for a vehicle includes a coolant temperature sensor, a control unit, an actuator, a movable unit, a flap unit, an elastic member and a solenoid unit. The coolant temperature sensor measures the temperature of a coolant. The control unit compares a value measured by the sensor to a reference value and generates a corresponding control signal. The actuator has a rotator which rotates in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction depending on the control signal. The movable unit linearly moves under rotational force of the rotator. The flap unit includes a flap housing having an air flow slot, a flap door mounted to the flap housing to openably close the air flow slot, and a connecting rod connected to the movable unit. The elastic member applies elastic force to the movable unit in a direction in which the flap door opens. The solenoid unit is controlled by the control signal of the control unit so as to either restrain movement of the movable unit and so maintain the flap door in a closed state or to release the movable unit.
US08118118B2
A modular base assembly for a rotary drill head includes a drive flange assembly having a tubular drive shaft configured to engage at least a lower drive interface. The modular base assembly also includes a gear housing supporting the drive flange assembly. Furthermore, the modular base assembly can also include a plurality of interchangeable gear pinions selectively coupled to the drive flange assembly.
US08118115B2
There is provided a method for drilling a cased hole and installing a micropile. A sonic drilling apparatus is positioned at a desired location. The sonic drilling apparatus includes a rotating and vibrating apparatus for rotating and vibrating a drill string into the ground. A retrievable drill bit is operatively connected to the drill string. The cased hole is drilled to a desired depth by rotating and vibrating the drill string into the ground. The retrievable drill bit is retrieved from the cased hole following the drilling of the cased hole to the desired depth. A micropile is lowered into the cased hole following the retrieval of the retrievable drill bit. Grouting material may be discharged into the cased hole before or after the drill string is removed from the ground. In another embodiment, a removable drill bit may be used in place of the retrievable drill bit.
US08118109B1
A system by which a building structure is protected from wildfires, adjacent structure fires, and similar disasters while also affording a method to clean the roof using a plurality of specially-formed shingles, end caps, and ridge units designed to deliver a dispersing water spray, is herein disclosed. The shingles and ridge units would be provided in sectional pieces that interconnect theretogether to extend across a roof area. The end cap units provide plumbing connections thereto connected shingle units and a central water supply line within the structure. The system covers the roof and end wall areas of the building structure with water, thereby preventing ignition from an external source to take place. The system can also be used to clean the roof of dirt and debris if desired, and may additionally protection from chemical, biological, and/or radiological (CBR) attacks by rinsing off contaminates.
US08118102B2
What is provided is a method and apparatus wherein a swivel can be detachably connected to an annular blowout preventer thereby separating the drilling fluid or mud into upper and lower sections and allowing the fluid to be displaced in two stages, such as while the drill string is being rotated and/or reciprocated. In one embodiment the sleeve or housing can be rotatably and sealably connected to a mandrel. The swivel can be incorporated into a drill or well string and enabling string sections both above and below the sleeve to be rotated in relation to the sleeve. In one embodiment the drill or well string does not move in a longitudinal direction relative to the swivel. In one embodiment, the drill or well string does move longitudinally relative to the sleeve or housing of the swivel.
US08118088B2
A safety valve system includes a safety valve having an actuator and a line connected to the actuator. The safety valve is operable by opening the line in the well, with the line being free of any connection to a surface control system. Another safety valve system includes multiple safety valves. An actuator of each safety valve is connected to an actuator of another safety valve via a line. A biasing force in each of the actuators is operative to close the respective one of the safety valves in response to opening of the line. The biasing force is produced at least in part by hydrostatic pressure in a well.
US08118083B2
A cooling apparatus includes a tank for keeping a coolant liquid therein and including an air layer, a heat receiver in contact with a heat generating part for receiving heat therefrom, a radiator for radiating the heat absorbed by the coolant liquid, and a circulating mechanism for circulating the coolant liquid from the heat receiver through the tank, through the radiator and again to the heat receiver. The tank is mounted on the radiator. The radiator includes a coolant liquid circulating conduit for radiation which includes a width narrower at the middle position of the tank, and is divided by a gap at the middle position of the tank. The radiator includes cavities on both sides of a portion in which the gap in the coolant liquid circulating conduit is formed, each of the cavities having an area covered with the tank mounted on the radiator.
US08118079B2
An assembly of like two rib cores enclosing a splitter core are used to carry two or four sound damping inserts for sand mold casting of a pair of vented and damped brake rotors. Sand mold bodies are configured to define outboard surfaces of hub and rotor surfaces of the cast brake rotors. The three-piece core assembly is shaped to define the complex inner surfaces in casting of vented rotor bodies carrying one or two annular sound damping inserts.
US08118076B1
Apparatus, devices, systems and methods for removing automatically removing fixed carpeting such as glued down carpeting from spaces. The apparatus can include a motor powered winch having a hook end that can grip about a raised edge of the carpet. The winch can be anchored to a doorway by clamping ends of a telescopic bar to doorjamb members about the doorway opening. An operator can operate the winch by remote control and be spaced outside the room that the carpet is being removed from. Another version can include a U-shaped telescopic clamp arrangement so that the winch is also spaced outside the room from which the carpet is being removed.
US08118074B2
An apparatus and method of material bonding using captive plungers is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a base plate to have multiple holes in an array, multiple captive plungers each surrounded by a compressible spring to couple to the multiple holes in such a way which allows each of the multiple captive plungers to vertically move in a confine of each of the multiple holes corresponding to the each of the multiple captive plungers, and a fastening device to apply a force to bond two or more parts placed on top of each other with a bonding material in between the two or more parts through pressing the base plate to the two or more parts such that the force delivered through the multiple captive plungers to the two or more parts is concentrated to the array.
US08118067B2
A chemical loading system is used for loading a molten chemical into a tanker. The chemical loading system includes a source supplying a molten chemical and a tanker for receiving the molten chemical. The chemical loading system has a stationary feed line supplying a chemical from the source. An extendable loader has a feed passage that is in fluid communication with the feed line. The extendable loader has a retracted position and an extended position relative to the feed line. The feed passage is adapted to have at least a portion thereof inside the tanker when in the extendable loader is in the extended position. A hoist assembly selectively extends and retracts the extendable loader assembly between the retracted and extended positions.
US08118066B2
System for replenishing washing or cleaning agents, comprising a spout placeable on the opening of a bottle and having a first collar with a fastener for fastening the spout to a bottle, a second collar with a fastener for fastening a closure and/or metering cap on the spout, a wall extending from the first collar or second collar, a funnel, and an adapter element connectable to the pouring opening of a replenishing container and that comprises a cylinder element and a peripheral collar, a membrane for closing the replenishing container and preventing leakage of washing or cleaning agents out of the replenishing container, wherein the cylinder element of the adapter element has a guide groove configured such that the cylinder element can be detachably placed over the funnel and the web of the spout, whereby the positioning of the adapter element relative to the spout is determined.
US08118065B2
A woven sailcloth comprising warp yarns and fill yarns and having one or more of (i) a 1% warp of at least about 125 and/or a warp efficiency of at least about 17, (ii) a plain weave in which the ratio of fill yarn count to warp yarn count is about 1.1:1 to about 1.8:1 and the ratio of warp yarn density to fill yarn density is about 1.2:1 to about 1.9:1, and (iii) a weight of at least about 7 and at least one of a 1% warp to 1% fill ratio of at least about 4:1, a 1% fill to 1% bias ratio of less than about 1:1, a 1% warp:1% fill to 1% fill:1% bias ratio of at least about 1:1, a 10 lb. warp to 10 lb. fill ratio of less than about 0.5:1, a 10 lb. fill to 10 lb. bias ratio of at least about 1:1, and a 10 lb. warp:10 lb. fill to 10 lb. fill:10 lb. bias ratio of less than about 0.5:1; a sail comprising panels of sailcloth at least one panel of which is woven sailcloth as described; a method of making such a woven sailcloth comprising weaving warp yarns and fill yarns, which can comprise a reinforcing yarn and can be weaved in a ripstop pattern, in a plain weave in which the ratio of fill yarn count to warp yarn count is about 1.1:1 to about 1.8:1 and the ratio of warp yarn density to fill yarn density is about 1.2:1 to about 1.9:1; and a method of making a sail comprising assembling panels of sailcloth, at least one panel of which is woven sailcloth as described and wherein said at least one panel of woven sailcloth is assembled into the sail with load paths oriented along its warp yarns.
US08118059B2
A control valve for a hydraulic adjuster for the camshaft of an internal combustion engine is provided, wherein an actuator acts on a pressure part (12) embedded in a control piston (5). In order to prevent the piston (5) from being blocked in the valve housing by the expansion thereof caused by the pressure part embedment, the pressure part (12) and/or the control piston (5) is/are provided with radial recesses (34) in the embedment area (13) which make it possible to limit joining forces and the resulting radial expansion of the piston (5). Alternatively or in addition, the external surface of the control valve (5) has a reduced cross-section in the embedment area (13).
US08118050B1
A system for providing constant flow on-line dilution comprising a first fluid introduction line carrying a first fluid, a second fluid introduction line carrying a second fluid, a flow path selection assembly coupled to the fluid introduction line and the second fluid introduction line, a mixing assembly suitable for mixing the first fluid, the second fluid and a sample, and a plurality of fluid transport lines coupled to the flow path selection assembly suitable for transporting the first fluid, the second fluid and a sample to the mixing assembly. The flow path selection assembly is suitable for selecting a flow path for each of the first fluid introduction line and second fluid introduction lines and providing changeable coupling of each of the first fluid introduction line and second fluid introduction line to one of the plurality of fluid transport lines through the flow path selection assembly.
US08118047B2
Systems, devices and/or methods of a stake system configured to be used in substantially loose material to anchor a stake-down object are provided. In one embodiment, the stake system includes an elongate member and a flexible line. One end of the flexible line is configured to be coupled to a distal portion of the elongate member and is configured to be below an exposed surface of the loose material. The flexible line is sized and configured to cut through the loose material such that at least a portion of the intermediate portion extends tautly away from the elongate member and through the loose material below the exposed surface. With this arrangement, the other end of the flexible line is configured to extend above the loose material and configured to be coupled to the stake-down object.
US08118046B2
An intelligent outdoor sun shading device includes a shading system, an environmental sensor device and a functional controller. The shading system includes a supporting frame, a power source supported at the supporting frame, an awning frame suspendedly and movably supported by the supporting frame, and a sun shelter mounted to the awning frame to define a shading area under the sun shelter. The environmental sensor device is electrically linked to the power source and is installed to the shading system for detecting an environmental change of the shading system in responsive to the shading area thereof. The functional controller is electrically linked to the environmental sensor device and is operatively controlled the awning frame of the shading system, wherein when the functional controller receives a command signal from the environmental sensor device, the awning frame is automatically adjusted to regulate the shading area thereof in responsive to the environmental change of the shading system.
US08118045B2
An outdoor canopy includes a canopy frame, a canopy shelter and a side entrance arrangement. The canopy frame includes a roof frame and a legs frame downwardly extended from the roof frame to form a canopy area. The canopy shelter, which is made of waterproof fabric, is detachably fastening at the canopy frame to define a ceiling wall, a front wall, a rear wall and two sidewalls for enclosing the canopy area therewithin. The side entrance arrangement is formed on one of the sidewalls of the canopy shelter for a user to gain entry to and exit the canopy area without having to pass through the front entrance, wherein the side entrance arrangement contains a side entrance opening formed on the corresponding sidewall of the canopy shelter, and comprise at least one entrance fabric operatively mounted on the corresponding sidewall.
US08118044B2
A process chamber for processing semi-conductor wafers. The chamber includes at least one rotor within the process chamber. The rotor is adapted to receive and/or process semi-conductor wafers. The top of the process chamber also includes a tiltable rim. This rim tilts from a non-inclined position to an inclined position. The wafers may be loaded into and unloaded from the process chamber when the rim is in its inclined position.
US08118043B2
A vehicle washing installation includes a wash bay having a floor for supporting a vehicle to be washed and a washing apparatus for washing a vehicle. An artificial turf covers the floor of the wash bay which functions to pre-filter dirt and debris from the water used to wash the vehicle before the water is passed thru a water filtration system.
US08118041B2
The Plastic Tooth Cleaner is a hand-held plastic device that allows a person to remove food particles from spaces between their teeth more conveniently than existing flossing techniques. It is a three inch long device, with a helical shaped body and a straight, uniformly tapered segment at each end. The device is easily held and maneuvered. The device is more pliable than a common toothpick, inexpensively produced, disposable, and is designed for use by the general public.
US08118034B2
A brand control method for an automatic tobacco article processing machine, the method including the steps of: defining a number of end product brands that can be produced on the automatic machine; creating a number of configurations, each associated with a respective brand and having a set of values of control parameters controlling electrically controlled operating parts to produce the brand; selecting a desired end product brand; loading the configuration corresponding to the desired end product brand onto a control unit to commence production of the desired brand; defining a number of sections, each having a set of control parameters and independent of the other sections; defining a number of recipes by assigning each section at least one respective set of values of the corresponding control parameters, so each recipe corresponds to a respective section and contains the values of the control parameters in that particular section; and defining each configuration by combining a number of compatible recipes, so that each recipe may potentially form part of a number of different configurations.
US08118028B2
An intrauterine contraceptive device comprising a carrier body (1) and an active metallic alloy (4), characterized in that the active metallic alloy is of the formula ZnxCuyMnzAuk (I) or ZnxCuyMnzAgk (II), wherein x+y+z+k=100 weight %, x is in the range from approximately 18 to 30 weight %, z is in the range from approximately 0.5 to 3 weight %, and k is in the range from approximately 3 to 12 weight %, y being the balance.
US08118020B2
Five burners are arranged in the form of an “x.” The units are covered by a grate including two side sections, each covering two burners, and a central section covering the center burner. The side sections have concave inner side edges that mate with a circular segment of the center grate.
US08118018B1
An attachment for an existing commercial concrete saw to convert the vertically cutting saw to a horizontally cutting saw. The saw's vertically oriented saw blade and associated horizontal shaft are first removed and the attachment is installed on the saw. The attachment has a gear box with pulley for receiving power from a pulley on the saw via a drive belt that extends around both pulleys. The gear box has a drive shaft extending vertically downward out of the gear box. Either a horizontal saw blade or cup brush can be removably attached to the drive shaft so that the saw can be used for making horizontal cuts in concrete or alternately the cup brush can be used to remove striping off the surface of a road. The gear box and the horizontal saw blade or cup brush are water cooled and lubricated.
US08118017B2
One embodiment of a collapsible scent distributing airgun (“airgun”) may include a body and a gas cartridge, which may be carried by the body and contain a pressurized gas. The airgun may also have a pressure regulator valve, which may be carried by the body and communicated with the gas cartridge. In addition, the airgun may also have a barrel that may be pivotally carried by the body and movable between collapsed and extended positions. The barrel in the extended position may have an end communicated with the pressure regulator valve to receive the pressurized gas. Further, the barrel in the collapsed position may have the end adapted to receive a projectile configured to emit a scent. Also, the airgun may have a trigger that may be pivotally carried by the body and coupled to the pressure regulator valve to selectively direct the pressurized gas into the barrel for launching the projectile.
US08118015B2
A bottom feed magazine of a paintball gun includes a housing for storing a plurality of paintballs. A circular tray is mounted to the housing. A hub is rotatable about a shaft within the circular tray at a center thereof. The circular tray and the hub together define an annular channel for receiving paintballs dropped therein from the housing. A plurality of arms is provided on the hub for driving the paintballs along the channel. A tube has an inlet end extending into the channel and an outlet end extending generally upwards to a top wall of the housing. When the central hub rotates, the paintballs in the channel are driven along the channel, into the inlet end and pushed up along the tube towards the outlet end.
US08118012B2
In an internal combustion engine using hydrocarbon fuel and hydrogen gas as fuels and including a fuel injection device that injects liquid fuel, a hydrogen-blended fuel in which hydrogen gas is contained in the form of minute bubbles in a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, that is supplied to the fuel injection device. The hydrogen-blended fuel is stored in a fuel tank. Hydrogen gas that has escaped from the hydrogen-blended fuel in the fuel tank is fed to a minute-bubble producing device, which forms the fuel gas into minute bubbles and mixes the minute bubbles back into the hydrogen-blended fuel.
US08118011B2
A marine vessel propulsion device includes an engine, a fuel injection device, an intake system, a vapor separator tank arranged to separate fuel vapor from liquid fuel to be supplied to the engine, a pump unit arranged to transport the fuel from the vapor separator tank to the fuel injection device, a fuel pipe arranged to connect the fuel injection device and the pump unit, a vapor pathway arranged to connect the vapor separator tank and the intake system, a valve disposed in the vapor pathway, and an engine control unit. The engine control unit is arranged to control the opening degree of the valve in accordance with a valve opening speed set based on at least the pressure of the fuel in the fuel pipe when starting the engine.
US08118010B2
An engine control system for a homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine includes a fuel injector temperature determination module and a fuel injector control module. The fuel injector temperature determination module determines a temperature of a tip of a fuel injector based on a first temperature model when the HCCI engine is operating in an HCCI combustion mode, and determines the temperature of the tip of the fuel injector based on a second temperature model when the HCCI engine is operating in a spark ignition (SI) combustion mode. The fuel injector control module controls a fuel injector pulse width based on the determined temperature and a predetermined temperature threshold, wherein the fuel injector pulse width increases when the determined temperature is greater than the predetermined temperature threshold.
US08118008B2
A method for controlling a vehicle engine having a plurality of cylinders is provided. The method comprises: during engine idling, advancing spark timing of at least one cylinder to before a peak torque timing, and retarding spark timing from the advanced timing toward the peak torque timing in response to decreased engine speed to maintain idling speed.
US08118007B2
An L-shaped rotary valve has a pair of side plates and a valve plate. The rotary valve is rotatably supported in a housing at a shaft 5. The valve plate moves along downstream ends of side wall portions of an air duct. A gap is formed between a downstream end of an air-intake passage and the valve plate, when the rotary valve is moved to its valve closed position. The side plates of the rotary valve cover the gap in a lateral direction in parallel to an axial direction of the shaft, so that leakage of air flow in the lateral direction of the gap is suppressed.
US08118000B2
An internal combustion engine system and method of its operation are described. As one example, the method includes: repeatedly opening a first intake valve of a combustion chamber of the engine once every four piston strokes; transitioning operation of the combustion chamber from a four stroke cycle to a two stroke cycle by activating a second intake valve of the combustion chamber to repeatedly open once every four piston strokes during a different intake stroke than the first intake valve; and transitioning operation of the combustion chamber from the two stroke cycle to the four stroke cycle by deactivating the second intake valve in a closed position. In this way, the engine may be selectively operated in a two stroke cycle or a four stroke cycle by activating or deactivating or activating one of the intake valves while another of the intake valves continues to operate.
US08117994B1
An animal ramp apparatus includes a panel that has a top side, a bottom side, a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. A base frame includes a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall and a second side wall. The first end of the panel is pivotally coupled to the base frame adjacent to the rear wall. The second end of the panel is selectively pivoted upwardly from the frame to define a deployed position. A support member is pivotally attached to the frame and supports the panel in the deployed position at a selected angle relative to the base frame.
US08117983B2
A micro-extrusion printhead assembly utilized in a micro-extrusion system to form parallel extruded lines of material on a substrate includes a material feed system for pushing/drawing materials out of extrusion nozzles defined in the printhead assembly, a Z-axis positioning mechanism, and a base. The micro-extrusion printhead includes a layered nozzle structure sandwiched between back and front plate structures. The layered nozzle structure includes stacked plates including top and bottom nozzle plates sandwiching a nozzle outlet plate. According to various embodiments, at least one of the nozzle structure materials of the printhead assembly, the output geometry of the printhead assembly, and the internal conduit geometry of the printhead assembly are modified to cause the bead traveling through the extrusion nozzle to be reliably directed (biased) toward the target substrate as it leaves the printhead nozzle orifice.
US08117974B2
An apparatus for extracting energy from fiber introduced as a fuel into a vertically elongated combustion chamber having a suspension burner capable of projecting a flame down the axis of the combustion chamber with a heat collection surface located radially from the flame and below the burner, and an exhaust opening located below the flame and below at least a portion of the heat collection surface, in which the combusted fiber yields a mixture containing hot flue gas and molten ash above the exhaust opening and heat transfers therefrom to the heat collection surface prior to any substantial contact of ash to a surface of the combustion chamber, to yield a mixture containing warm flue gas and non-molten ash, that is thereafter cooled to yield a mixture containing cool flue gas and non-molten ash.
US08117973B1
A front component has top and bottom panels separated by a height. Left and right side panels are separated by a width. A rear opening and parallel front openings are separated by a depth. A rear component has top and bottom panels separated by a height. Left and right side panels are separated by a width. A rear panel and a parallel front opening are separated by a depth. The rear component is slidable between a forward contracted orientation and a rearward extended orientation. A door with a hinge pivotally couples the door to the front opening of the front component. A lock is adapted to selectively lock the door in the closed orientation. A size limiter precludes the rear component from moving rearwardly and separating from the front component.
US08117969B1
A hydrogen hybrid locomotive including a set of batteries for driving a plurality of electric traction motors for moving the locomotive along a set of railroad rails and a fuel cell power plant for charging the set of batteries and driving the electric traction motors. The fuel cell power plant includes at least one fuel cell power module for generating electrical current by reacting hydrogen fuel and oxygen from intake air, the amount of electrical current being proportional to an air mass flow of the intake air. An air system selectively provides an air mass flow to the fuel cell module to generate an amount of electrical current required for corresponding operating conditions of the locomotive. A cooling system cools the at least one fuel cell power module in response to the amount of current being generated.
US08117965B1
A pre-inked hand-held stamp includes a pair of outwardly positioned dust cover doors that are opened by movement of the internal components of the stamp during use.
US08117964B2
An intaglio-printing press for printing security documents comprising a plate cylinder (4) with at least one engraved printing plate (6), an impression cylinder (3), a wiping device (10) and an inking system, (5, 7a-8d); it further comprises a laser marking device with laser marking heads (15) arranged facing said plate cylinder downstream from said wiping device and upstream from the contact zone between said plate cylinder and said impression cylinder.
US08117961B2
An apparatus for thawing frozen food items includes an enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall extending between the top and bottom walls and defining a thawing chamber. One of the walls includes an access opening to the thawing chamber. A closure associated with the enclosure is movable between opened and closed positions wherein the thawing chamber is accessible through the access opening when in the opened position and the closure covers the access opening when in the closed position. A showerhead is adapted to discharge a shower of water onto frozen food items held by the receptacle.
US08117955B2
A weapon interface system, and methods of operating the same. The weapon interface system is coupled to an electrical interconnection system of a delivery platform and a weapon system coupled to a rack system. The weapon interface system includes a translation interface configured to provide an interface between the electrical interconnection system and an inductive power and data circuit. The weapon interface system also includes a weapon coupler, coupled to the translation interface, configured to provide an inductive coupling to the weapon system to provide mission information thereto.
US08117946B2
A clutch assembly for a locking differential includes driving clutch members engaged with driven clutch members in a preloaded configuration to provide a minimum amount of preload there between during low torque conditions. The driving clutch members are biased relative to each other with shear pin/spring assemblies located within bores of the driving clutch members. During assembly of the clutch assembly, the shear pin/spring assemblies may be positively locked down within the bores with a removable tool. In one embodiment, the removable tool is inserted into a small opening extending through the driving clutch member and the tool engages an annular groove on a shear pin of the shear pin/spring assembly. Further, the clutch assembly may include driving clutch members having drainage openings that may help prevent hydraulic lock during operation of the locking differential.
US08117939B2
In order to enable a compensating movement of a supply line (38) in an industrial robot (32), a line guide device is provided that, in particular, has a telescopic fork design. A slideway element (4) is provided, which is fastened to a rear robot arm (30) and through which a slide rod (6) is displaceably guided. A first clip (24) is placed on the front end of the slide rod (6), and the supply line (38) is fastened in a clamped manner inside this clip.
US08117936B2
A gear support mechanism for supporting two gears and an intermediate gear which meshes with the two gears to transfer rotation of one of the two gears to the other, includes a gear-shaft support member(s) which supports a gear shaft of the intermediate gear; and a spring member installed between the gear-shaft support member and the intermediate gear. The spring member includes a gear contacting portion which is in contact with the intermediate gear, and resilient support legs extend radially from the gear contacting portion and are in contact with the gear-shaft support member, the spring member biasing the intermediate gear in a direction of an axis of the gear shaft. Each of the two gears is positioned in an inter-leg space between adjacent resilient support legs as viewed in a direction along the axis of the gear shaft.
US08117916B2
An electronic component is disclosed, and this component includes an element with an electrode section which is formed of upper electrode (74), lower electrode (72), piezoelectric unit (70) placed between upper electrode (74) and lower electrode (72), and adhesive layer (76) layered between upper electrode (74) and piezoelectric unit (70). Piezoelectric unit (70) includes piezoelectric layer (80) made of piezoelectric material containing lead, and adhesive layer (76) includes a tungsten layer made of tungsten-based material. Piezoelectric layer (80) and the tungsten layer are layered together. The structure discussed above allows preventing a piezoelectric constant from lowering and a base-point voltage from varying. The lowering and the varying have been caused by a temperature-rise.
US08117913B2
Disclosed is an angular velocity sensor for achieving downsizing of a variety of electronic devices. For this purpose, the angular velocity sensor has a subtracter for outputting a first differential signal based on two sensor signals output from a first sensing electrode unit and a second sensing electrode unit, an adder for outputting a first additional signal, another subtracter for outputting a second differential signal based on two sensor signals output from a third sensing electrode unit and a fourth sensing electrode unit, and another adder for outputting a second additional signal. The sensor then detects an angular velocity from an additional signal obtained based on the first differential signal and the second differential signal and a differential signal obtained based on the first additional signal and the second additional signal.
US08117910B2
An apparatus for capacitive determining and/or monitoring of fill level of a medium in a container. The apparatus includes: A probe unit; a control unit, which supplies the probe unit with a drive signal; and an evaluating unit, which receives a response signal from the probe unit and which determines from the response signal a statement concerning fill level. Stored in the evaluating unit are at least a first and a second formula or a first and a second evaluating algorithm; and, in case accretion lies below a predetermined limit value, the evaluating unit determines the statement concerning fill level via a first formula and, in case accretion lies above the predetermined limit value, the evaluating unit determines the statement concerning fill level via a second formula.
US08117908B2
The present disclosure relates to a position measuring device for a fluidic cylinder, which includes a cylinder jacket and a piston rod longitudinally movable in the cylinder jacket, wherein the position measuring device includes an evaluation unit which determines the position of the piston rod with respect to the cylinder jacket with reference to the intrinsic capacitance of the capacitor formed by cylinder jacket, piston rod and a dielectric fluid acting as a dielectric.
US08117896B2
Apparatus, systems and methods are described for preconcentrators, chemical sensing systems and gas chromatographs. A preconcentrator is described that comprises a hollow enclosure containing a sorbent material. The enclosure may be a capillary tube that can be formed in to a desired shape and that may be heated. Heating may be accomplished by passing an electrical current through the capillary or other hollow enclosure form. The sorbent material can be a liquid, a solid, a porous ceramic material and/or a chemiselective polymer. The sorbent material can be coated to the inner wall of the enclosure. The hollow enclosure may be maintained in an insulated chamber. The preconcentrator acts to concentrate a vapor passed through the preconcentrator to a chemical sensing array that can detect chemicals present in the vapor. A gas passed through the hollow enclosure can provide a chemically concentrated input to a chromatographic column.
US08117893B2
A test bench for testing a hammer and hammer tool comprising: a bench frame; a load cell assembly mounted on the bench frame for absorbing the impact delivered by the hammer; and a movable mounting deck for securing the hammer to the bench frame and for moving the hammer with the hammer tool into a test firing position against the load cell assembly and delivering an impact force against the load cell assembly. The load cell assembly comprises a pneumatic air bag assembly constructed to dissipate the impact force of the hammer. Other aspects include a load cell assembly for testing a hammer and hammer tool and a method for test firing a hammer tool. Hydraulic hammers generating forces between 200 ft-lb and 12,000 ft-lb can be adequately test fired.
US08117891B2
A method for the calibration of measuring equipment, and measuring equipment. The measuring equipment comprises at least one first sensor, at least one second sensor and at least one reference piece. When the measuring equipment is calibrated, a moving web is supported against the reference piece and the reference piece with the moving web supported thereto is moved to different distances from the first sensor and the second sensor. Further, a distance between the first sensor and the moving web and a distance between the second sensor and the reference piece is measured at least for two different distances, and the first sensor and the second sensor are calibrated to be uniform in relation to the movement of the reference piece.
US08117890B1
A method for calibrating the steering configuration for a marine propulsion system provides a procedure by which the steering alignment is changed by a known and symmetrical amount in order to identify and characterize the effect that such a change has on the operating efficiency of the marine vessel. Before the calibrating process is completed, the overall consistency of the vessel operation is measured to determine that the conditions are correct for the calibration procedure to commence. After analyzing the consistency of operation of the marine vessel, known and symmetrical changes, or perturbations, in the steering system are made and the effect of those changes are determined as a function of the fuel usage by the marine vessel. The effects on fuel usage are characterized as being beneficial, harmful, or negligible. In other words, the effect on the marine propulsion system resulting from the change in steering alignment is characterized as improving the fuel usage, degrading the fuel usage, or having a negligible effect on the fuel usage.
US08117885B2
Self-aligning tools may be used to install and reposition an expandable structure in a workpiece. A self-aligning installation system may include an expansion mandrel, self-aligning nose cap assembly, and an installation tool for driving the mandrel. The expansion mandrel is sized to fit within a passageway of an expandable member such that the expandable member radially expands when the expansion mandrel is moved through the passageway. The self-aligning nose cap assembly moves relative to the installation tool and mandrel. A self-aligning seating system can be used to move the installed expandable member. The self-aligning seating system includes a seat backing, a seat base, and a pull rod coupled to the seat backing and extending through the seat base. The seat backing slidably engages the seat base to permit rotation of the pull rod.
US08117877B2
The invention relates to a method and a forming machine suitable for manufacturing a product having various diameters from a workpiece, such as a metal cylinder or plate, in which the workpiece is clamped down in a clamping device, the workpiece and a first tool are rotated about an axis of rotation relative to each other, the workpiece is deformed by means of said first tool by placing the tool into contact with the workpiece and moving the workpiece and/or the tool in a direction along the axis of rotation. At least a second tool is placed into contact with the workpiece at a position behind the first tool, seen in the working direction, and the workpiece is also deformed by means of said second tool. Thus, parts of the workpiece that have been deformed by the first tool are deformed by one or more subsequent tools practically immediately.
US08117876B2
A programmable lock cylinder assembly comprising a lock housing and a cylinder plug mounted for rotation within the housing. A set of rack pins are positioned in the cylinder plug and moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A set of tongue pins are positioned in the cylinder plug and extend across the keyway. Each tongue pin is selectively engagable with a respective rack pin. A re-combinating member is engaged with the tongue pins and moveable between a first position wherein the tongue pins are engaged with the rack pins and a second position wherein the tongue pins are disengaged from the rack pins. A reset actuator is positioned within the cylinder plug and moveable between an engaged position wherein the re-combinating member position is locked relative to the cylinder plug and a non-engaged position wherein the re-combinating member position is moveable relative to the cylinder plug.
US08117870B2
An improved and mechanically simplified blow head mechanism for blowing a parison and internally cooling the blown parison is disclosed which may be used with an I.S. machine to blow a parison to form a glass container and then internally cool the blown parison below the annealing point. The blow head mechanism has a cooling tube which supplies final blow and cooling air and which is raised or lowered by raising or lowering the blow head mechanism. The blow head mechanism supports a blow head with a pressurized cylinder which maintains the blow head in a position in engagement with the finish of a parison once initially lowered irrespective of the blow head mechanism being further lowered to lower the cooling tube into the blown parison.
US08117865B2
A refrigerator includes the ability to mount a variety of modules requiring utilities, such as electricity and fluids, within adjustable locations in the door of the refrigerator. The door includes a conduit extending in at least one direction and including one or more plug-in connectors for allowing a module with a mating connector to be positioned on the door for supplying operating utilities to the module. This allows the purchaser of the refrigerator to add components and accessories to the refrigerator after purchase or select desired features at the time of purchase.
US08117859B2
An air conditioning system having a cooling mode and a free-cooling mode. The system having a refrigeration circuit having a compressor and a pump; a suction pressure sensor for measuring a suction pressure of the compressor; a discharge pressure sensor for measuring a discharge pressure of the compressor; a controller for selectively operating in the cooling mode by circulating and compressing a refrigerant through the refrigeration circuit via the compressor or operating in the free-cooling mode by circulating the refrigerant through the refrigeration circuit via the pump; and a recover-refrigerant sequence resident on the controller, the recover-refrigerant sequence being configured to pump the refrigerant in a portion of the refrigeration circuit not used in the free-cooling mode to remaining portions of the refrigeration circuit used in the free-cooling mode when the controller switches from the cooling mode to the free-cooling mode.
US08117858B2
An air conditioner is switchable between a cooling mode and a heating mode using highly pressurized hot gas in a refrigerant cycle. During the cooling mode, a controller controls an input electric current to a solenoid to operate the control valve based on a lower pressure side pressure of the refrigerant cycle acting on a pressure sensitive mechanism and a quantity of the input electric current to the solenoid. During the heating mode, the controller controls the input electric current to the solenoid to operate the control valve based not on the lower pressure side pressure of the refrigerant cycle acting on the pressure sensitive mechanism, but only on the quantity of the input electric current to the solenoid.
US08117857B2
A method and apparatus for actively cooling the battery pack of an electric vehicle after the vehicle has been turned off, thereby limiting the adverse effects of temperature on battery life, are provided. Different battery pack cooling techniques are provided, thus allowing the cooling technique used in a particular instance to be selected not only based on the thermal needs of the battery pack, but also on the thermal capacity and energy requirements of the selected approach.
US08117854B2
The invention provides systems and devices for producing two-phase coolants such as an ice slurry. Also provided are methods for producing two-phase coolants, and methods for using the two-phase coolants to lower the temperature or maintain a low temperature in any subject, system, object, device, or application where particular low temperatures are desired. Also provided are systems for determining the cooling capacity of two-phase coolants.
US08117851B2
A liquefied gas supply system and method can supply the liquefied gas in a plurality of liquefied gas containers uniformly to supply huge amount of gas constantly. A liquefied gas supply system comprises a plurality of liquefied gas containers 1, a detector 2 installed in each of the containers 1 to detect a volume of liquefied gas contained in each of the containers 1, a heating device 3 installed on each of the container 1 and a control device 7 to process information obtained by each of the detectors 2 and control each of the heating devices 3. The control device 7 controls each of the heating devices 3 based on a value obtained by overall processing of the information obtained by each of the detectors 2.
US08117850B2
A heat pipe arranged between warm and cold connection elements is intended to be filled at least partially with a refrigerant, which can be circulated in the heat pipe by a thermosiphon effect. The parts of a device, particularly in superconducting technology, which are to be cooled are connected to the warm connection element and a heat sink is connected to the cold connection element. To thermally separate the warm and cold connection elements, the refrigerant can be pumped off through the pipeline connected to the interior of the heat pipe.
US08117846B2
A gas turbine burner, comprising at least one swirler, the swirler having at least one air inlet opening, at least one air outlet opening positioned downstream to the air inlet opening and at least one swirler air passage extending from the at least one air inlet opening to the at least one air outlet opening which is delimited by swirler air passage walls; a fuel injection system which comprises fuel injection openings arranged in at least one swirler air passage wall so as to inject fuel into the swirler air passage; and an air injection system which comprises air injection openings arranged in at least one swirler air passage wall and positioned downstream of the fuel injection openings for injecting air into the swirler air passage.
US08117841B2
A self-regulating wastegate valve actuator for dynamically regulating a wastegate valve in a turbocharged internal combustion engine. The wastegate valve actuator regulates and maintains a desired pressure differential across a throttle valve with minimal controlling elements by controlling a wastegate valve in response to the pressure differential generated across the throttle valve.
US08117832B2
The present disclosure relates to a diesel exhaust treatment device including a catalytic converter positioned upstream from a diesel particulate filter. An electric heater is positioned between the catalytic converter and the diesel particulate filter. A shore station can be used to provide power and combustion air to the diesel exhaust treatment device during regeneration of the diesel particulate filter.
US08117829B2
An exhaust emission control device for an internal combustion engine which is capable of supplying a just enough amount of reducing agent to a NOx catalyst while causing the consumption amount of reducing agent dependent on the degradation degree of an upstream catalyst to be reflected thereon. A NOx catalyst is disposed at a location downstream of a catalyst having an oxidation function for purifying exhaust gases, for trapping NOx contained in exhaust gases in an oxidizing atmosphere, and reducing the trapped NOx in a reducing atmosphere to thereby purify the trapped NOx. Exhaust gases flowing into the NOx catalyst are controlled to the reducing atmosphere, by supplying reducing agent to an upstream side of the catalyst. The degradation degree of the catalyst is estimated, and a time period over which the reduction control should be executed is corrected according to the estimated degradation degree.
US08117825B2
A gas turbine installation (1), in particular in a power plant for generating electricity, includes a turboset (2) having a turbine (4), a compressor (5) and a combustion chamber (6) arranged in a gas path (9) connecting the compressor (5) to the turbine (4), and a flue gas recirculation device (3), which passes combustion flue gas from the turbine (4) from a flue gas path (14) connected to the turbine (4) via a recirculation path (16) to a fresh gas path (13) connected to the compressor (5). To improve the efficiency of the gas turbine installation (1), a control device (17) controls a volumetric flow and/or a temperature of the recirculated combustion flue gases in such a way that a fresh gas/flue gas mixture which enters the compressor (5) is at a predetermined desired temperature.
US08117814B2
A crop-catching apparatus for use in a crop harvesting machine includes one or more plate members and one or more fluid conduits. The plate member(s) each have a surface adapted for catching falling crops, a front end and a back end, and a leading edge. The back end(s) are configured to pivotally mount on the crop harvesting machine. The front end(s) are configured to rest at a higher elevation with respect to the pivotally mounted back end(s). The conduit(s) are defined within at least one of the plate member(s) for carrying one or more fluids, and include one or more fluid inlets defined on the at least one of the plate member(s) for receiving the one or more fluids; and one or more fluid outlets defined on the at least one of the plate member(s) running at least partially along the leading edge(s) of the at least one of the plate member(s). The fluid outlet(s) are configured such that the one or more fluids exit therefrom to divert a direction of fall of the crops. A crop harvesting machine also employs a crop-catching apparatus.
US08117812B2
A swather tractor has ground drive wheels at a first end, castor wheels at a second end and a header lift arms at the first end and can be driven with the first end forward for harvesting and with the first end rearward for towing. A transport for the header includes a longitudinal beam with a plurality of transverse support arms along the beam. The beam is kinked adjacent the front so that a main portion of the beam is offset to one side relative to the hitch assembly and the rear wheels. A yoke engages the lift arms and provides a hitch for towing the header. Either the forward end of the beam is directly attached to the hitch for small headers or for larger headers a steerable front wheel assembly is connected to the hitch and includes a spring coupling which transfers load to the lift arms.
US08117792B2
Disclosed are a fixing structure of insulation panels and a prefabricated refrigerator with the same. The fixing structure of insulation panels includes a recess recessed on one surface of a first insulation panel having an insulation portion inside a casing, and a protrusion formed to be inserted into the recess, on one surface of a second insulation panel having an insulation portion inside a casing, wherein the insulation portions of nonmetal material are exposed to a bottom of the recess and a front end of the protrusion so as to shield a transmission path of heat flowed along a casing contact surface of the insulation panels, thereby improving insulation efficiency.
US08117790B2
An overmolded building product having a frame and a thin shell base. The frame has a periphery and a first aperture. The frame further has an overmolding adapted to receive a pane, which has an interior side and exterior side in contact with the overmolding. The pane covers the first aperture and transmits light. The thin shell base has an exterior side opposed to a portion of an interior side forming a first cavity. The first cavity selectably receiving a filler. The thin shell has a first distal end of the exterior side which may be selectably positionable adjacent to and securable to a roof member. The roof member defines a second aperture leading to a room in a building. The interior side of the thin shell defines a second cavity adjacent to the pane. The frame is securable to the thin shell base. The frame and thin shell base are molded using a process selected from thermoforming, rotomolding, compression molding, or injection molding.
US08117789B2
A window sill pan flashing or a door sill pan flashing with drain. The sill pan flashing has an inclined base, window or door continuous or near continuous sill supports which can be extruded as part of the base unit, and corner elements which can be snapped or otherwise attached to the base. Sill pan flashing offsets provided in the rear sill pan flashing wall and in the front flange create a flow path for water to drain from the sill pan flashing. The base may be solid or hollow with window or door supports extending vertically through the base. The sill pan flashing may be manufactured by extrusion, and corner pieces may be injection molded or otherwise fabricated. The base may be fabricated from fiberglass, metal, or plastic. A window sill support means is provided in a horizontal orientation so that the base can be extruded.
US08117783B2
A trigger for a marine animal trap is preferably constructed from two identical, or nearly identical, parts. The two parts are substantially flat as manufactured, and are constructed to have connector sections that fold without breaking away from each substantially flat part. The connector sections overlap and secure to one another, preferably with integral connection facilitators on each connector section. Fingers from each substantially flat part converge towards one another when the connector sections are secured together. Optional excluder bars may be included on each substantially flat part, and may be bent towards one another and secured together.
US08117779B2
Catches and trigger apparatus for use with weapons are described. An example trigger apparatus for use with a firearm having a breech includes a latch moveable between a blocking position that blocks the breech and a non-blocking position that does not block the breech. The latch includes a sear arm, a spring assembly, and a securing element moveable between a first position and a second position. The spring assembly is to bias the securing element. In the first position, the securing element is positioned at a distance from the sear arm and a surface of a securing device in a securing position to enable the latch to be moved to the non-blocking position and the breech to retract relative to the weapon. In the second position, the securing element is positioned adjacent the sear arm via the breech and the surface of the securing device in the securing position to secure the latch in the blocking position.
US08117776B1
A bracket for mounting an article, such as a roll-up fabric sign, on a mast, includes a body and a clamp on the body for securing the bracket at a desired location on the mast. A receptacle on the body is provided for receiving a portion of the article. The bracket body may be secured in first and second different orientations on the mast at the desired location, the first operational orientation being one in which the receptacle is positioned forwardly of a forward surface of the mast, for receiving the article portion, and the second non-operational orientation being one in which substantially no portions of the bracket body are positioned forwardly of the mast forward surface.
US08117762B2
A rule assembly includes a housing, a reel rotatably mounted in the housing, and an elongated blade having an end hook member on a free end thereof. The elongated blade is arranged to be wound on the reel and to be extendable through an opening in the housing. The end hook member is formed of sheet metal to include a mounting portion and a hook portion bent at a generally right angle from an end of the mounting portion. The end hook member includes a pair of generally upwardly extending side edges, a generally laterally extending lower edge, and recessed edge portions disposed at corner portions at which the upwardly extending side edges and the laterally extending lower edge intersect.
US08117761B2
A displacement amplifier 10 comprises first and second longitudinally extending elements 12, 22, each having a free portion 14, 24 and a constrained portion 16, 26. The constrained portions 16, 26 of the first and second elements 12, 22 are constrained to move together such that longitudinal displacement of a free portion 14 of one element with respect to the free portion 24 of the other element results in an amplified displacement of the constrained portions 16, 26 relative to a resting position.
US08117753B2
A safety razor blade unit has two or more blades (19,20,21) with parallel cutting edges (24,25,26) mounted in a frame (10) between guard and cap surfaces so that the average inter-blade span is not greater than 1.25 mm, and the wash through index, a measure of the rinsability obtained by a method defined in the specification, is not less than 0.20. The combination of narrow inter-blade spans and good rinsability enables enhanced comfort levels during shaving to be achieved.
US08117751B2
A method of fabricating an inkjet printhead by forming a plurality of actuators on a monolithic substrate, covering the actuators with a sacrificial material, covering the sacrificial material with a printhead surface layer, defining a plurality of nozzle apertures in the printhead surface layer such that each of the actuators corresponds to one of the nozzle apertures and then, removing at least some of the sacrificial material on each of the actuators through the nozzle aperture corresponding to each of the actuators.
US08117750B2
An apparatus and method for repairing an automatic transmission. Access is obtained to the valve body and a special shaped Torque Converter Clutch (TCC) regulator apply valve clip is inserted against a TCC regulator apply valve to hold a TCC regulator apply valve in a fully open position. The clip is dished to avoid wear when engaging the TCC regulator apply valve and has an asymmetric top portion which cooperates with the shape of the valve body chamber the TCC regulator apply valve clip is inserted into, to ensure proper placement.
US08117749B2
A process for producing a metallic gasket, which comprises making a thin metallic sheet into a solid figure having an inclined surface, thereby providing a bead region extended upwardly and downwardly over the inclined surface, and forming a sealing part made of a hardened rubber layer on the surface of bead region, characterized by forming a sealing part extended from the apex of the bead region down to an upperward position on the inclined surface, and another sealing part extended from a downward position on the inclined surface down to the flat bottom part, and joining the sealing parts by the rubber material in a solution state extended along the inclined surface from both of the sealing parts, before drying and hardening of the material for making sealing parts. Application of the rubber material in a solution state is carried out preferably by a screen printing process. The rubber sealing parts formed by a silk screen printing process contributes to uniformization of the layer thickness resulting from the drying and hardening.
US08117748B2
A method may include locating first and second lobe members of a camshaft on a first shaft. The first shaft may include an annular wall defining a bore. The first lobe member may be located on a first portion of the first shaft and may define a first end of the camshaft. The second lobe member may be located on a second portion of the first shaft and may define a second end of the camshaft. The first shaft may be fixed from axial displacement and a tool may be displaced through the bore of the first shaft to fix the first lobe member to the first shaft. The fixing may include the first shaft being free from axial restraint in a first axial direction extending from the first portion of the first shaft to the second portion of the first shaft.
US08117735B2
An electrical coil assembly utilizing a bi-metallic two-piece terminal construction and a method of manufacturing same are provided. The inner terminal structure utilizes a material that aids in the touchless attachment of the fine gauge magnetic wire to the inner terminal structure. The low mass of the inner terminal structure allows for increased winding speeds during the manufacturing process. The outer terminal structure utilizes a material that provides good corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity. The inner and outer terminal structures are electrically attached after the winding and electrical attachment process of the fine gauge magnetic wire. The coil and two-piece terminal connectors may then be encapsulated to provide a final electrical coil assembly.
US08117733B2
An apparatus (1) for removing a film (2) of a package (3) of objects having an elongated shape along a longitudinal axis comprises two pairs of rollers (7 and 12) suitable for pressing on the film (2) externally to hold the package (3) in place in a removal station (8); the two pairs of rollers are operatively connected to respective motor drives so as to apply a mechanical stretching to portions (13 and 14) of the film (2) in order to tear them, thus enabling the first pair (7) of rollers to remove the film (2) and free the objects from the package. Known film removal apparatus require a device for cutting the packaging film longitudinally, so that the speed of the apparatus is limited according to the length of the package and there is a risk of objects being damaged during cutting.
US08117730B2
A method of manufacturing lazurite-made faucet and apparatus thereof makes use of injecting wax into a soft silicone mold to form a wax mold, coating gypsum on the wax mold to form a gypsum body, heating the gypsum body to melt and guide the wax mold thereout to form a hollow gypsum body. Alternatively, a stainless steel body can be coated by gypsum to be placed in a shaping cast, and a heating furnace filled for melting lazurite pellets into liquid lazurite and dripping them into the shaping cast to fill the vacant space between the bodies and the shaping cast. After cooling, the shaping cast is taken out to attain a preliminary lazurite-material faucet body. Lastly, the gypsum body is smashed to shape the lazurite-made faucet body; with a further surface processing procedure and assembling with other parts, a satisfied and worthy lazurite-made faucet is achieved.
US08117726B1
A method of assembling an optical device and an optical device manufactured by placing in a housing an optical element comprising one or more interface datums, aligning the optical element to a reference feature to determine an amount of finish machining of the one or more interface datums needed, and finish machining the one or more interface datums according to the results of the aligning.
US08117713B2
A canister vacuum cleaner comprises a base, a recovery tank, and a clean solution tank. The vacuum cleaner can be used for dry vacuuming, wet vacuuming, and can distribute cleaning solution to a floor surface and has means for a fluid distribution system and a recovery system. The clean solution tank can be filled with a cleaning solution for distribution to a floor surface and the recovery tank is used for collecting dry or liquid matter recovered from vacuuming.
US08117701B2
This disclosure describes a control unit for a patient support, such as a mattress. One embodiment of the control unit includes a base portion and a display portion pivotably coupled to the base portion. The control unit may also include one or more communication ports for sending or receiving data from one or more remote devices over a network. The control unit may also include a memory port into which memory may be removably inserted. The control unit may also include a visual indicator configured to be activated by a triggering event, such as a patient exiting the mattress. The display unit may include a touchscreen user interface. The display unit may also be configured to display audiovisual material.
US08117698B1
A system of placing a vest with a rear hook and loop fastener on an infant, laying the child on a changing pad having a surface hook and loop fastener, and attaching the vest to the changing pad by fastening the hook and loop fasteners together, securely holding the infant onto a changing pad while changing a diaper. The changing pad has a flap that when closed, covers the surface hook and loop fastener when the system is not in use, to prevent snagging other clothing. The vest that can be placed on the child prior to and in preparation for changing a diaper when the child is standing, seated upright, or lying down. The vest has a front hook and loop closure for easy opening and closing by the user. The vest optionally includes tethered toys to amuse the child during diaper changing.
US08117695B2
A bed featuring a movable foot support. When the user wishes to stand up from lying down or sitting, the movable foot support moves toward the head of the bed. When the user is brought into a standing position, the movable foot support starts to come down so that the feet of the user are in close proximity to floor level.
US08117691B2
An adjustable suspension sleep device is provided to suspend and individual while sleeping. The adjustable suspension sleep device has a body support assembly having a first and second longitudinally extending sides spaced apart by first and second ends. A first adjustable tensioning assembly is in communication with the first side of the body support assembly and a second adjustable tensioning assembly is in communication with the second side of the body support assembly. Further, a first suspension support assembly is in communication with the first end of the body support assembly and a second suspension support assembly in communication with the second end of the body support assembly. The first and second adjustable tensioning assemblies each include a tension adjustment device. A method of use for the adjustable suspension sleep device is also disclosed.
US08117685B2
A flexible sink strainer having a cupped body completely comprised of a flexible material including a plurality of apertures to allow fluid to pass therethrough, wherein the body is capable of attaining first and second configurations, the first configuration being suitable for capturing material entrained within fluid as it passes through the apertures and the second configuration being suitable for removing material captured on the body as fluid passes through the apertures, is disclosed.
US08122514B2
Computer-executable instructions can implement a software-based Trusted Platform Module (TPM) that can have more computational power than the hardware TPM. The software TPM can be protected from modification, or other unauthorized access, via a memory partitioning scheme that enables other computer-executable instructions to access the software TPM in a predefined manner, but yet prohibits other access. A tri-partied partitioning scheme can be used wherein the computer executable instructions of the software TPM reside in a first region, a jump table to appropriate ones of those instructions resides in a second region, and everything else resides in the third region. The storage key of the software TPM can be sealed by the hardware TPM to be released only if the software TPM, and the computing device, are in a known good state, as determined by the Platform Configuration Registers of the hardware TPM, thereby further protecting the software TPM from tampering.
US08122512B2
A method to enable dynamic configuration of gaming terminals installed in one or a plurality of gaming premises whereby certified games, certified data files and certified support software components are activated in accordance with a predetermined schedule or automatically in response to the observed gaming activity. The method may include allocating an individual PKI certificate to each executable software component and each of its versions, binding the PKI certificate to the executable software, associating a distinctive policy for each certificate and then enforcing the software execution policies in accordance with the desired authorized game configuration and schedule. The PKI certificate's “Subject Name” (or “Issued to” field or “CommonName” field) may be a concatenation of the software component identification, its version number and optionally other identification characters. The method applies equally to other network connected gaming subsystems. The method enables a fine-grained and secure control of the authorized software components and thus the flexibility to securely configure the gaming system in accordance with a schedule or in a close-loop fashion in order to meet business objectives. In addition, a method to enable the certification authority to bind the certificates to the tested code is described.
US08122502B2
The presence of an installation on a data processing system may be detected by providing a signature that includes m files having paths associated therewith, respectively. A number n files on the data processing system are determined that match files in the signature and a files found ratio given by n/m is determined. A transformation is applied to the signature by replacing at least a portion of at least one of the paths with a new path. Then, a distance is determined between the n files on the data processing system and the m signature files. The distance corresponds to a sum of a number of path segments associated with the m signature files that cannot be matched to a corresponding path segment associated with files on the data processing system. The presence of the installation on the data processing system is determined based on the files found ratio and the distance.
US08122499B2
A network security system and method performs quantifying and billing for network security consumed during a period of time. Implementations may include billing server configured to calculate the security protection consumed by calculating damages avoided from attacks that were blocked. The network security system also may include a scanner inside the customer network configured to scan devices for vulnerabilities and to quantify assets at risk. The system may further include an intrusion suppression module outside the customer network configured to maintain a list of attacks sustained and blocked during a period of time. The network security system may also include a blocker inside the customer network configured to detect unauthorized disclosures of confidential information and block the disclosures in real time.
US08122480B2
A system that facilitates interactions with a digital video feed. During operation, the system receives the digital video feed, which includes a corresponding content feed, wherein the corresponding content feed is synchronized with the digital video feed, and wherein the corresponding content feed contains information associated with moving objects within the digital video feed. Next, the system plays the digital video feed within a viewer and allows a user to select a moving object being displayed within the viewer. In response to the selection, the system obtains content associated with the moving object and displays the content to the user.
US08122475B2
Systems and methods are described for remote control of a media server computer from a controller device, typically a laptop computer, where remote operation of the media server, including the selection of videos and other digital media may be performed from the controller while normal TV programming (cable, satellite, or broadcast) is viewed on the TV. Other embodiments describe background operations performed on the controller device, the media server, or both, such that new videos may be located on the web or locally on the LAN while a current video is playing on the media server and viewed on the TV. Methods are also described for more reliably establishing network connections between the controller and media server, and systems and methods are described for implementing a multi-video display on the media server where videos to be displayed on the media server are displayed on and selected by a controller device.
US08122463B2
An ESD protection device for a disk drive comprises a guide at two inner sides of the disk drive. A conductive sponge, one end contacting the case and the other protruding end contacting one of two conductive rails, is disposed in one guide. A hook is formed at one end, jutting out of the disk drive, of the rail. The rails support two sides of the tray, having electric elements disposed thereon and its bottom being covered by a conductive traverse cover, sliding. A conductive elastic stopper disposed at the bottom tray has an indentation formed at the front end to position the hook on the indentation's moving path, a contact part bent to electronically connect to the cover next to the indentation, and a sliding part formed at the rear end by protruding upwards to electronically connected to the rail, to electronically connect to the cover and the rail.
US08122460B2
A system and method for implementing dynamic interfaces in a JAVA program including methods having a common implementation and other methods to be handled independently. The system comprises a first dynamic proxy object implementing an invocation handler for providing default implementations; a separate object providing implementations of any method in a defined interface that requires independent handling; and, a second dynamic proxy object provided for checking a method definition object for an implementation of the method, and in response, one of: invoking the method on the separate object if the implementation exists, and if the implementation does not exist, invoking the method on the first dynamic proxy object. The second dynamic proxy object thus allows for a single implementation for repetitive methods, while allowing special cases to be handled independently.
US08122457B2
Facilitating the exchange of information among applications (e.g., business support systems or operational support systems or a combination thereof) may involve receiving a data object from a first application, using a first controller to route the received data object to a first transformer, using the first transformer to transform the data object from a first format used by the first application into a common format object, publishing the common format object to a communication channel, receiving a request from a subscribing application to subscribe to the communication channel, using a second controller to route the common format object to a second transformer, using the second transformer to transform the common format object into a data object in a second format used by the subscribing application, and sending the data object in the second format to the subscribing application.
US08122453B2
The present invention provides dynamic configuration and allocation of resources in a data center. These resources are monitored for availability and performance information according to their assigned execution (or application) environments. The measured performance information for each environment is used to predict levels of demand for an application in the environment. From the predicted levels of demand resource requirements can be determined to provide a predetermined level of performance under the demand changes. The resources can then be reconfigured or reallocated to different environment so that the requirements of each environment can be met.
US08122450B2
Methods and systems are provided for tuning memory allocated among a plurality of applications in a data processing system. In one implementation, the method includes generating memory benefit data for the plurality of applications, comparing the generated memory benefit data associated with each of the plurality of applications, and dynamically reallocating memory from one or more of the plurality of applications to one or more other of the plurality of applications based on the comparison. A method and system is also provided for tuning memory allocated among a plurality of individual memory consumers for a given application.
US08122446B2
An apparatus and method for provisioning software on a network of heterogeneous computers in a network. The provisioner receives a list of packages and deployment scope of the packages, then checks each node for installed applications and records dependency and potential application conflicts. In addition, the provisioner measures a plurality of network and node metrics. Based on the dependency information, conflict information, and metrics, one or more nodes are selected and software is provisioned and/or removed in accordance with the dependency and conflict information.
US08122442B2
A method for transforming access to a structure array, that includes compiling source code, wherein compiling the source code includes identifying the structure array in the source code, performing an object safety analysis to determine whether the structure array is safe for transformation, wherein the object safety analysis includes an inter-procedural alias class analysis, performing a profitability analysis on the structure array when the structure array is safe for transformation, wherein the profitability analysis includes selecting a transformation from a plurality of transformations, wherein the plurality of transformations includes a pointer based fully splitting transformation, a pointer based partially splitting transformation, and an address based fully splitting transformation, and performing the selected transformation on the structure array, and storing the compiled code.
US08122434B2
The invention provides improved apparatus for configuring a control system that includes a model that is made up of one or more objects representing one or more devices in the system. The objects have parameters reflecting characteristics of the devices represented by the respective objects. At least one of those parameters is associated with a “track” attribute indicating whether at least selected configuration information transferred from that object to the respective device in the control system is to be logged to a change tracking system. A download service transfers configuration information from objects in the model to devices in the control system. Those downloads can go directly to the respective devices or can go indirectly, e.g., via other devices in the control system (such as controllers, field bus modules, and so forth). Regardless, the download service according to this aspect of the invention generates for logging by the change tracking system indicia of that transferred configuration information. Generation of those indicia is governed, at least in part, by the “track” attribute associated with one or more of the parameters with which the transferred information is associated.
US08122428B2
In one aspect, a software application for facilitating design of a register specification is provided. The application comprises an interface adapted to receive input from a user indicating information about at least one register in the register specification, the interface generating register information based on the received input, a translator coupled to the interface to receive the register information and adapted to convert the register information to an internal representation, and at least one filter adapted to transform the internal representation into at least one respective output format.
US08122423B2
Test vectors for structural testing of an analog circuit are selected by first selecting an initial set of test input vectors for the analog circuit. A set of faults is selected, comprising faults that each correspond to a respective node in the analog circuit and corresponding fault voltage value for that node. A measure of overlap is computed between probability distributions of test output signal values for the analog circuit in response to the test input vectors in the presence and absence of each of the faults from said set of faults respectively, as a function of estimated statistical spread of component and/or process parameter values in the analog circuit. Test input vectors are selected from the initial set of test input vectors for use in testing on the basis of whether the measure of overlap for at least one if the faults is below a threshold value in response to the selected test input vector under control of the test selection computer.
US08122421B2
An integrated circuit includes a clustered memory storage subsystem. The integrated circuit utilizes a baseline design that supports a scalable number of memory clusters. The number of storage devices within an individual memory cluster may also be selected to adjust the memory capacity. A single baseline design of a clustered memory storage subsystem design is customized for a particular integrated circuit with the number of memory clusters and storage devices within memory clusters selected for the memory requirements of a particular application. The design and verification costs to fabricate different versions of the integrated circuit are thus reduced.
US08122410B2
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, specifying a portion of a circuit design to be treated as untimed by static timing analysis is performed on the RTL design by means of an attribute annotation. The process is operable to map through to the Physical Design by correlating latches and chip-level nets. This allows the testing process to become closed-loop. Design and simulation time is also greatly reduced due to the accessibility of RTL design.
US08122400B2
A computer executed method is disclosed which accepts an original circuit with an original logic, accepts a modified circuit, and synthesizes a difference circuit. The difference circuit represents changes that implement the modified circuit's logic for the original circuit. The synthesis may locate an output-side boundary in the original logic in such a manner that the original logic is free of logic changes in between the output-side boundary and the primary output elements of the original circuit. The disclosed synthesis may also locate an input-side boundary in the original logic in such a manner that the original logic is free of logic changes in between the input-side boundary and the primary input elements of the original circuit. A computer program products are also disclosed. The computer program product contains a computer useable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein. The computer readable program code when executed on a computer causes the computer to carry out the methods of finding input and output side boundaries in an original logic, and synthesizing in between those boundaries a difference circuit representing logic changes.
US08122390B2
A charged particle beam writing apparatus which the apparatus includes a first area density calculation unit and a first dimension error calculation unit. The apparatus includes a first dimension calculation unit which calculates a second dimension of a pattern obtained by correcting the first dimension error of the first dimension, a second area density calculation unit which calculates a second area density occupied by the pattern of the second dimension in the predetermined region, a second dimension error calculation unit which calculates a second dimension error caused by the loading effect, a second dimension calculation unit which calculates a third dimension by adding the second dimension error to the second dimension, a judgment unit which judges whether a difference between the first dimension and the third dimension is within a predetermined range, and a writing unit which writes the pattern of the second dimension onto a target workpiece.
US08122385B2
In a model-based OPC which makes a suitable mask correction for each mask pattern using an optical image intensity simulator, a mask pattern is divided into subregions and the model of optical image intensity simulation is changed according to the contents of the pattern in each subregion. When the minimum dimensions of the mask pattern are smaller than a specific threshold value set near the exposure wavelength, the region is calculated using a high-accuracy model and the other regions are calculated using a high-speed model.
US08122383B2
A system and method for classifying photographs using a TV and a remote control, and then subsequently searching for previously classified photos. A multi-level GUI that includes a “who” GUI operable to classify a photograph according to a proper name of a person appearing in the photograph and a “what” GUI operable to classify a photograph according to a name or genre of a subject associated with the photograph are provided. A user of the remote control navigates through levels of the GUI to classify photographs provided to the TV without having to manually type in text using alphabet keys.
US08122380B2
In a software object display system, an adaptation layer is used to isolate the presentation layer from expectations of the structure of the software objects displayed. A small set of data can be transferred between the adaptation layer and the presentation layer in order to provide for the display.
US08122375B2
An electronic device which displays a function setting menu for managing plural items by a hierarchical structure on a display and sets setting contents of various functions based on the function setting menu displayed on the display, comprising: a display control unit which displays each item in the function setting menu having the hierarchical structure on the display based on the hierarchical structure in accordance with an operation by a user; a function selection unit which selects and displays on the display the content of a desired function based on the items of the function setting menu displayed by the display control unit; and a hierarchical structure changing unit which changes the hierarchical structure of the function setting menu so to have the item, which is selected by the function selection unit and displayed on the display, positioned at the top of the hierarchical structure.
US08122369B2
The present invention is directed to a system for providing information to a user comprising: a screen for showing the information to the user, wherein the screen is the screen of a portable device or of a personal computer, receiving means for receiving one or more values from a source of values on which values the information shown to the user is based, generating means for generating two or more data lines wherein each of said data lines comprises at least one data set, wherein the data sets comprise data which are based on said values and wherein the data sets are assigned to the at least two data lines by predetermined or changeable criteria and displaying means for simultaneously showing said two or more data lines to the user on said screen.
US08122367B2
The present invention automates the publishing of financial, legal, and governmental documents and any other publications that are structured and require compliance with corporate or external standards and may share content elements. It gives users control in an always-on, familiar environment: the Internet. Due to its virtual document architecture and ability to operate over the Internet and intranets, the system facilitates collaborative work and traces accountability. The key concept behind automating publishing is to control scheduling and costs by better content management. The present invention handles document content as small, reusable components, down to the paragraph and table cell level. The interface helps users assemble documents from these version-controlled components with automated support. The system applies context and filtering criteria stored with each component to locate and apply content fragments to a current document. The system of the present invention can apply structural rules and content requirements to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and company business rules. A working virtual document within the system always incorporates the current version of all constituent elements.
US08122363B1
Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data between users of a communication system by delivering an e-mail message from a sender to at least one recipient and indicating the online state of at least one of the sender and any other recipient of the e-mail message upon opening of the e-mail message by the recipient.
US08122361B2
Techniques are disclosed to provide security for graphical user interface elements being displayed in a system having a host operating system and a high assurance operating system. Graphical user interface elements associated with the high-assurance operating system may be prevented from being obscured and from any partial transparency. Additionally, a piece of secret information may be stored and displayed by graphical user interface elements associated with the high-assurance operating system. Coordinating certain elements of the graphical user interface elements associated with the high assurance operating system also helps to identify legitimate elements associated with the high assurance operating system. Public title information may be furnished to a host operating system windowing system to identify a window owned by a process running on a high-assurance operating system. Private title information associated with the same window may be used in the high assurance operating system.
US08122360B2
A toolbar is provided, which may be downloaded and installed in a user's web browser. The toolbar uploads the user's browsing history to a server. The server determines, based on the browsing history, which sites the user visits frequently. Additionally, the server determines, based on an analysis of web content, which categories of content, and which concepts, the user is interested in based on the concepts and categories that occur frequently in the user's browsing patterns. The server identifies content of interest to the user—where such content may comprise frequently-updated content, such as news or RSS feeds—and provides a custom web page that shows or identifies the selected content.
US08122353B2
A method and an apparatus are provided for composing a message in an online textbox using a non-Latin script. In one example, the method includes receiving a selection of a target language for composing the message in the online textbox, loading a hash table and an integer n that are associated with the target language, adding to a queue a character inputted from a QWERTY keyboard, and applying appropriate parsing and mapping techniques to the queue using the hash table and the integer n to display an appropriate script of the target language.
US08122347B2
A document editing support device includes: an object obtaining unit that obtains at least one object as data representing at least one of a text and an image included in a document as a target to be edited; a split ratio storage unit that stores a predetermined split ratio; a reference line setting unit that extracts two lines from at least one of a circumscribed polygon and a boundary and sets the extracted lines as reference lines, the circumscribed polygon being of an object other than a target object, a location of which is to be determined relative to at least one object obtained by the object obtaining unit, and the boundary being of a layout area where objects are to be located in the document; a virtual line generation unit that generates a virtual line that splits an interval between the two reference lines set by the reference line setting unit, at a split ratio stored in the split ratio storage unit; and a location unit that determines a location of the target object, the location of which is to be determined, along the virtual line generated by the virtual line generation unit, within the layout area.
US08122345B2
By understanding a website author's intention through an analysis of the function of a website, website content can be adapted for presentation or rendering in a manner that more closely appreciates and respects the function behind the website. Various inventive systems and methods analyze a website's function so that its content can be adapted to different client environments, e.g. devices, network conditions, or user preferences. A novel function-based object model automatically identifies objects associated with a website, and analyzes those objects in terms of their functions. The function-based object model permits consistent, informed decisions to be made in the adaptation process, so that web content is displayed not only in an organized manner, but in a manner that reflects the author's intention.
US08122340B2
Enables a computer-assisted management of enterprise-network files of interest, and trouble-free migration of enterprise-wide business data and processes currently built and maintained in two popular tools, spreadsheets (commonly MICROSOFT® EXCEL®) and desktop/departmental databases (commonly MICROSOFT® ACCESS®). Includes: File-system repository that lists each file of interest and describes in detail design and intent information for each spreadsheet and desktop/departmental database; Utilities that keep the file-system repository complete and up to date; Simplified Enterprise Application Repository (SEAR) configured to store descriptions of simple “enterprise” applications; Repository Application that manage both the file-system repository and SEAR; Utilities that read enterprise database meta-data (such as table definitions) and store them in SEAR; Utilities that analyze spreadsheets and desktop/departmental databases in the file repository and restate them as simple “enterprise” applications in SEAR; Utilities that generate well-documented and well-programmed enterprise relational databases and applications from simple “enterprise” applications descriptions in SEAR.
US08122339B2
Systems and methods analyze the physical structure of text rows in a document image, including the positions of one or more alignments of one or more character blocks in one or more text rows of the document image. The systems and methods determine one or more groups of text rows that are placed into a class based on the structures of the text rows, such as the positions of the one or more alignments of the one or more character blocks in each text row.
US08122336B2
A link-tracking server receives a request for a Web page or an image and stores link-tracking information in one or more link-tracking files to create a record of link-tracking information. The link tracking files may later be accessed by a link-tracking subscriber, such as by logging onto the link-tracking server. A content provider embeds link-tracking code in each Web page where link-tracking information is desired to be captured. Such Web pages embedded with such link-tracking code are then stored in a content provider server, which then serves such tracking-enabled Web pages to users on the network. When a user requests a tracking-enabled page, the link-tracking code sends one or more requests to a link-tracking server to record link-tracking information.
US08122335B2
A method (100) of generating an ordered sequence of items from a collection of items, at least one of the items of the collection having at least two annotations, is disclosed. The method (100) selects one or more of the annotations and forms a first plurality of groups of items from the collection of items, each item in a group having one or more of the selected annotations in common. The method (100) selects a second plurality of the groups of items to form a sequence of groups, each group in the sequence comprising an item having at least one annotation in common with an item of at least one adjacent group of the sequence. The items are ordered within each of the selected groups of the sequence based on the selected annotations.
US08122332B2
Various approaches to recover data are described. An one example, an encoded data stream is processed in a first channel decoder producing a channel decoder output. The channel decoder output and the encoded data stream are processed in an error compensation unit to compensate the channel decoder output for low frequency noise and produce an error compensated data stream. The error compensated data stream is processed in a second channel decoder to produce a recovered data stream, wherein the recovered data stream has a reduction in the number of errors as compared to the encoded data stream. Systems to iteratively recover data from an encoded data stream are also described.
US08122331B1
A system and method of media defect compensation incorporate an architecture capable of modifying a signal representative of data reproduced from a recording medium to compensate for defects in the medium. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a media defect compensator may incorporate one or two data detectors cooperating with a defect detector to compensate for signal loss due to media defects.
US08122330B2
An optical transport system (OTS) having a plurality of optical transponders (OTs) connected via one or more optical links and adapted to communicate with one another using respective rate-adaptive forward-error-correction (FEC) codes. In one embodiment, the OTS has a rate control unit (RCU) adapted to configure the OTs to dynamically adjust the rates of the FEC codes based on an estimated performance margin for each link between two respective communicating OTs to optimize the overall capacity of the OTS while maintaining an adequate, but not excessive, overall system margin.
US08122322B2
Systems and methods of storing error correction data are provided. A method may include storing data at a first memory having a first non-volatile memory type. The method may also include determining error correction data related to the stored data. The method may further include storing the error correction data at a second memory having a second non-volatile memory type. The first non-volatile memory may have a slower random access capability than the second non-volatile memory.
US08122321B2
Methods of data handling include receiving data having a previously-generated error correction code and generating one or more error correction codes for the data, with each error correction code corresponding to the data having one or more particular bits of the data in differing data states. Such methods further include comparing the generated one or more error correction codes to the previously-generated error correction code, and if a particular one of the generated one or more error correction codes matches the previously-generated error correction code, transmitting the data having its one or more particular bits in the data states corresponding to that particular one of the generated one or more error correction codes. Methods of data handling may further include prioritizing the error correction in response to at least locations of known bad or questionable bits of the data.
US08122318B2
A decoding apparatus includes a decoder register for receiving data having a codeword including null data bits, and decoding the received data while shifting Bit Under Decoding (BUD) by one bit. A connection unit outputs a check result by applying a predetermined check equation to the data output from the decoder register. A majority logic unit for determines if an error is detected according to the check result output from the connection unit, and outputs the determination result. An error information unit determines if there is an error in the received data and if there is an uncorrectable error in the decoded data.
US08122315B2
Provided is a low-density parity-check (LDPC) decoding apparatus and method using a type-classified index. The apparatus includes: a memory allocating unit for multiplying reception data by an estimated channel value and storing a multiplied value in a memory including a plurality of memory block; an index storing unit for storing a Read Only Memory (ROM) index, an address index and a permutation index for the stored data; a check node updating unit for bring the stored data in parallel based on the ROM index, the address index, and the permutation index and updating a check node; and a bit node updating unit for updating a bit node based on the data stored in the memory and check node information updated in the check node updating unit.
US08122312B2
A mechanism is provided for internally controlling and enhancing logic built-in self test in a multiple core microprocessor. The control core may use architectural support for scan and external scan communication (XSCOM) to independently test the other cores while adjusting their frequency and/or voltage. A program loaded onto the control core may adjust the frequency and configure the LBIST to run on each of the cores under test. Once LBIST has completed on a core under test, the control core's program may evaluate the results and decide a next test to run for that core. For isolating failing latch positions, the control core may iteratively configure the LBIST mask and sequence registers on the core under test to determine the location of the failing latch. The control core may control the LBIST stump masks to isolate the failure to a particular latch scan ring and then position within that ring.
US08122303B2
A data structure for a flash memory and data reading/writing method thereof are disclosed. A 512 bytes data and a redundant code derived from the data encoded with a 6-bit error correcting code scheme are stored in a first sector and a second sector with sequential address in a block of the flash memory respectively. A logic block address information of this block is divided into two parts that are stored in the first sector and the second sector respectively.
US08122302B2
In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes at least one circuit element configured to generate output data. At least one control circuit is configured to adaptively control a power of the output data based on feedback from a receiving semiconductor device, which receives the output data.
US08122298B2
Methods and systems for capturing error information regarding a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA). An initiator device is enhanced in accordance with features and aspects hereof to detect an error condition in operation of the system and to transmit error information to the SATA target device during a soft reset condition applied to the SATA target device. The SATA target device discards all such frames received during the soft reset condition until the initiator device clears the soft reset condition. The error information may be captured for further analysis and debug of the error condition by suitable error analyzer equipment such as a SATA bus analyzer. The initiator device may be a SATA initiator or a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) initiator using the SATA Tunneling Protocol (STP). Features and aspects hereof may also include a SAS/SATA bridge device coupling a SAS initiator to the SATA target device.
US08122281B2
A system and method for allocating distributed processing systems includes inputting component descriptions in a distributed processing system and determining importance of each component. Capacity and failure characteristics of resource groups representing units of available processing capacity are also input. Components are assigned to a plurality of resource groups based on the capacity. Each resource group includes components where the failure characteristics permit simultaneous failures, such that in the event of such failures, an output value of the application is maximized.
US08122279B2
Systems and methods for transferring data using a ring bus architecture in a system that implements multi-phase clocking. In one embodiment, the system is a multiprocessor having multiple processor cores coupled to the ring bus. The bus may be a bidirectional bus having a first data path on which data is transferred in a clockwise direction and a second data path on which data is transferred in a counterclockwise direction. Controllers within the processor cores provide phase-shifted signals to the latches to clock data into them. Data transfers on the bus may be controlled by an arbiter which is coupled to the processor cores' controllers. The arbiter may schedule data transfers on the bus based on data transfer speeds associated with left-to-right and right-to-left data transfer directions. The arbiter may cause the phases of the clock signals to be selectively varied, or may cause the clock signals to be gated.
US08122278B2
Systems and methods (“utility”) for providing more accurate clock skew measurements between multiple CPUs in a multiprocessor computer system by utilizing the cache control or management protocols of the CPUs in the multiprocessor system. The utility may utilize a time stamp counter (TSC) register of the CPUs in the multiprocessor computer system to detect the clock skew between the various CPUs in the system. Further, the delay between measurements of the TSC registers of the CPUs may be minimized by utilizing the features of the hardware cache control or management protocols of the computer system, thereby providing more accurate clock skew measurements.
US08122266B2
A powered communications interface in a power-over-Ethernet (POE) system has a non-powered operating mode in which it withholds operating power from a powered device and applies relatively low signaling voltages and currents to the conductors of the Ethernet cable which include (a) first signaling voltages and currents of a detection/classification operation, and (b) second signaling voltages and currents of a low-speed communications operation by which the power-sourcing equipment and the powered device exchange operational information. The low-speed communications from the power-sourcing equipment to the powered device are conveyed by values and sequencing of the second signaling voltages, and low-speed communications from the powered device to the power-sourcing equipment are conveyed by values and sequencing of the second signaling currents conducted by the powered device in response to the second signaling voltages from the power-sourcing equipment. Frame-based communications protocols or lookup-table-based communications may be used.
US08122262B2
A secure LSI device 1 includes an encryption section 2 for encrypting a program, and an external I/F 50 for inputting/outputting a program or data from/to an external memory 100. In the encryption section 2, the operation of a private key arithmetic processing section 20 is prohibited with respect to a sequence whose execution is determined by a key-generation/update sequencer 30 to be impermissible. In the external I/F 50, a program processing section 51 and a data processing section 55 are structured independently from each other.
US08122245B2
Methods and systems for anonymity revocation, enabling a trusted entity to identify a user computer within an anonymous system. A system comprises an attester computer providing attestation value cert from a security module public key and an identifying value. The user computer having a module providing the module public key and a security module attestation value, the user computer providing a user public key, a user attestation-signature value derived from the attestation value cert, and an encryption computable under use of a trusted-entity public key and a module-generated-identifier value, the module-generated-identifier value relating to the identifying value; a verification computer verifying validity of received user attestation-signature value and the encryption; and a trusted entity having a trusted entity secret key, wherein the trusted entity is able to derive the module-generated-identifier value from the encryption, the module-generated-identifier value being usable to identify the user computer with the security module.
US08122239B1
Method and apparatus for initializing a system configured in a programmable logic device (PLD) is described. In some examples, the method includes: initializing memory elements in the system with first data; executing a first iteration of the system to process the first data; partially reconfiguring the PLD, during execution of the first iteration, to initialize shadow memory elements in the PLD with second data, the shadow memory elements respectively shadowing the memory elements in the system; transferring the second data from the shadow memory elements to the memory elements; and executing a second iteration of the system to process the second data.
US08122229B2
A dispatch mechanism is provided for dispatching instructions of an executable from a host processor to a heterogeneous co-processor. According to certain embodiments, cache coherency is maintained between the host processor and the heterogeneous co-processor, and such cache coherency is leveraged for dispatching instructions of an executable that are to be processed by the co-processor. For instance, in certain embodiments, a designated portion of memory (e.g., “UCB”) is utilized, wherein a host processor may place information in such UCB and the co-processor can retrieve information from the UCB (and vice-versa). The UCB may thus be used to dispatch instructions of an executable for processing by the co-processor. In certain embodiments, the co-processor may comprise dynamically reconfigurable logic which enables the co-processor's instruction set to be dynamically changed, and the dispatching operation may identify one of a plurality of predefined instruction sets to be loaded onto the co-processor.
US08122227B2
A data processing circuit contains an instruction execution circuit that has an instruction set that comprises a SIMD instruction. The instruction execution circuit comprises a plurality of arithmetic circuits, arranged to perform N respective identical operations in parallel in response to the SIMD instruction. The SIMD instruction defines selects a first one and a second one of the registers. The SIMD instruction defines a first and second series of N respective SIMD instruction operands of the SIMD instruction from the addressed registers. Each arithmetic circuit receives a respective first operand and a respective second operand from the first and second series respectively, when executing the SIMD instruction. The instruction execution circuit is arranged for selecting the first and second series so that they partially overlap. Preferably, the position of the operands of at least one the series is under program control, preferably under control of operand data. Preferably the program control selects the start of a series with respect to the start of the first register, the series running on into the second register if the series does not start at the start of the first register.
US08122222B2
An access speculation predictor may predict whether to perform speculative retrieval of data for a data request from a main memory based on whether a scope predictor indicates whether a local or global request is predicted to be necessary to obtain the data for the data request. In particular, a first address and a scope predictor may be extracted from a first data request. A determination may be made as to whether a memory controller receiving the first data request is local to a source of the first data request or not. Speculative retrieval of the data for the first data request from a main memory may be controlled based on whether the memory controller is local to the source of the first data request and whether the scope predictor identifies whether a local or a global request is predicted to be necessary.
US08122221B2
A method of combining scattered buffer addresses into a contiguous virtual address space comprises; receiving a plurality of read completion data portions corresponding to a single read request, storing the plurality of read completion data portions in a memory device such that an individual read completion data portion is stored in an individual address of the memory device, storing a valid indicator for a memory device address which contains the individual read completion data portion in an external storage location, storing a tag indicator associated with the read request for the individual read completion portion in an external storage location associated with the memory device address containing the individual read completion data portion, storing a sequence number associated with an individual read completion data portion in an external storage location associated with the memory device address containing the individual read completion data portion; and outputting an individual read completion data portion from the memory device to an external device.
US08122214B2
System managing a plurality of virtual volumes and a virtual volume management method for the system
This invention provides a control technique of a data processing system, in which functions of a highly-functional high-performance storage system are achieved in an inexpensive storage system so as to effectively use the existing system and reduce the cost of its entire system. This system has a RAID system, an external subsystem, a management server, a management client and the like. The management server includes an information management table for storing mapping information of the RAID system and the external subsystem. When performing copy process, the pair creation in which a logical volume of the RAID system is set as a primary volume of copy source and a logical volume of a mapping object of the RAID system mapped from the logical volume of the external subsystem is set as a secondary volume of copy destination is executed from the management client by using the information management table.
US08122212B2
Logical volume management for storage subsystem in virtual machine environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, a storage system comprises a storage subsystem including a processor, a memory, one or more virtual disks, and one or more logical disks each corresponding to a physical storage area in the storage subsystem; and a host computer connected with the storage subsystem via a network, the host computer including virtual machines running thereon, the virtual machines each being connected to at least one of the virtual disks or logical disks in the storage subsystem. In the storage subsystem, abstract disks each represent one of the virtual disks or logical disks. An abstract disk management table is stored in the memory of the storage subsystem to manage a relationship between the abstract disks and the one or more virtual disks and between the abstract disks and the one or more logical disks.
US08122208B2
Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with physically asymmetrical memory structures are disclosed. A method for configuring memories in an information handling system having a plurality of memories, each memory local to one of a plurality of nodes, and wherein at least one memory of the plurality of memories has a different memory capacity than at least one other memory of the plurality of memories is provided. The method may include determining a smallest memory capacity of the plurality of memories. The method may also include allocating a node-interleaved memory using a portion of each memory equal to the smallest memory capacity. For each particular memory not fully allocated to the node-interleaved memory, each portion of each particular memory not allocated to the node-interleaved memory may be associated with a node local to the particular memory.
US08122207B2
An apparatus and method are provided for communicating with a plurality of physical memory circuits. In use, at least one virtual memory circuit is simulated where at least one aspect (e.g. power-related aspect, etc.) of such virtual memory circuit(s) is different from at least one aspect of at least one of the physical memory circuits. Further, in various embodiments, such simulation may be carried out by a system (or component thereof), an interface circuit, etc.
US08122198B2
The updating of only some memory locations in a multiple computer environment in which at least one applications program (50) executes simultaneously on a plurality of computers M1, M2 . . . Mn each of which has a local memory, is disclosed. Memory locations (A, B, D, E, X) in said local memory are categorized into two groups. The first group of memory locations (X1, X2, . . . Xn, A1, A2 . . . An) are each accessible by other computers. The second group of memory locations (B, E) are each accessible only by the computer having the local memory including the memory location. Changes to the values of memory locations in the first group only are transmitted to all other computers. A promotion mechanism is disclosed to promote memory locations in the second group into the first group in the event that application program execution means that a memory location in said second group is referred to by a memory location in the first group (ie the first group location now points to the second group location).
US08122196B2
A procedure and system reduces latency in restoring encrypted or compressed and encrypted data through a security appliance. The security appliance is coupled to a sequential access device and is configured to encrypt or compress and encrypt data provided by an initiator for secure storage on a sequential access device. To that end, the security appliance intercepts a read request issued by an initiator to access the data stored on the device, and forward the request to the device. Upon return of the requested data from the device, the security appliance restores (decrypts or decrypts and decompresses) the data prior to returning it to the initiator. The appliance also issues a “read ahead” (retrieve beyond the request) request to the device for predetermined amount of additional data for caching on the appliance. The appliance restores the read ahead data that is returned from the device and caches that additional data in memory in anticipation of one or more subsequent read requests for the data from the initiator.
US08122190B1
Memory-based permutation methods and systems are provided for the permutation of data. The memory-based permutation methods and systems provide flexibility and reconfigurability while reducing size and increasing speed. They provide the ability to program a memory, such as a Random Access Memory (RAM), to implement a permutation of source data. The RAM may be reprogrammed to change the permutation pattern thereby providing the flexibility to implement any pattern of permutation from source data to output data and the reconfigurability to change that implementation as desired. Also, the size of the RAM is greatly reduced, and as the input and output data width and number of input and output data bits increase, the size and complexity of the RAM does not increase greatly or exponentially, as with typical conventional systems.
US08122188B2
A multi-port memory system includes a shared memory bank, and a refresh controller coupled to the shared memory bank, and configured to selectively apply refresh commands from multiple processors to the shared memory bank.
US08122182B2
An operating system on a computer system can comprise a user space, which can comprise a persistent data store, and a kernel space, which can be extended by loading kernel modules. As provided herein, the kernel space can utilize kernel designated electronically addressed non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory) to cache data from the user space persistent store, for example, upon a boot event. The kernel space can further comprise a cache controller that can be used to populate the kernel electronically addressed non-volatile memory with kernel in-memory data caches that comprise user space persistently stored data. In one embodiment, the kernel space can further comprise kernel designated volatile main memory (e.g., RAM), which can be used in conjunction with the kernel electronically addressed non-volatile memory to cache user space persistently stored data. In this way, kernel modules may access user space persistent store data from the RAM and/or electronically addressed non-volatile kernel cache.
US08122166B2
A redundancy manager manages commands to peripheral devices in a computer system. These peripheral devices have multiple pathways connecting it to the computer system. The redundancy manager determines the number of independent pathways connected to the peripheral device, presents only one logical device to the operating system and any device driver and any other command or device processing logic in the command path before the redundancy manager. For each incoming command, the redundancy manager determines which pathways are properly functioning and selects the best pathway for the command based at least partly upon a penalty model where a path may be temporarily penalized by not including the pathway in the path selection process for a predetermined time. The redundancy manager further reroutes the command to an alternate path and resets the device for an alternate path that is not penalized or has otherwise failed.
US08122162B2
An apparatus and method for displaying information using a mobile terminal connectable to peripheral devices through corresponding wireless communication is provided. The method includes receiving profile information from one or more of the peripheral devices connected through the corresponding wireless communication, each received profile information having identification information identifying the corresponding one or more peripheral devices and content information on the corresponding one or more peripheral devices, and listing the received profile information organized according to signal strength of the one or more peripheral devices from which the profile information is received.
US08122156B2
A method is provided for processing operation command in a computer that has a display and a host which includes a first display processing unit for local displaying and a second display processing unit for remote displaying. The operation command is from a remote data processing terminal. The method includes: receiving a first operation command from the data processing terminal, the first operation command being a power-on command; performing power-on of the computer, shielding the first display processing unit and loading only a driver of the second display processing unit according to first operation command; receiving a second operation command from the data processing terminal, the second operation command being not a power-on command; executing the second operation command to obtain operation results, the operation results being image data processed by the second display processing unit, and sending the operation results to the remote data processing terminal, for remote displaying.
US08122153B2
A method for managing data associated with a data profile involves providing a web server hosting facility, providing a set of remote-hosted second.top domains, storing, on the web server hosting facility, a set of web-accessible data profiles for a third level domain name of the set of remote-hosted second.top domains with any file suffixes, and searching and extracting data from the set of web-accessible data profiles to obtain extracted data.
US08122150B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium for optimizing throughput of a stream processing system are disclosed. The method comprises analyzing a set of input streams and creating, based on the analyzing, an input profile for at least one input stream in the set of input streams. The input profile comprises at least a set of processing requirements associated with the input stream. The method also comprises generating a search space, based on an initial configuration, comprising a plurality of configurations associated with the input stream. A configuration in the plurality of configurations is identified that increases throughput more than the other configurations in the plurality of configurations based on at least one of the input profile and system resources.
US08122143B2
One aspect of the invention is a method for playing a stored content providing a plurality of segments which collectively contains the stored content, each segment has using first terminus and a second terminus with the content having a temporal flow from the first terminus to the second terminus. At least one segment is associated with a plurality of links to other segments. The method includes playing at least one segment with the temporal flow, determining whether a content expansion is desired prior to reaching the second terminus. If the content expansion is desired, then linking to an expansion segment and playing the expansion segment. If the content expansion is not desired, then linking to a continuing segment and playing the continuing segment. The method includes an additional link from the expansion segment to the continuing segment such that the continuing segment is played after the expansion segment has been played. Other aspects of the invention include other methods for playing stored content, for capturing and playing content, capturing segment and linkage descriptions, storage devices of the segment content, storage mechanisms referencing the continuous media content by segments and linkages and apparatus for capturing and playing continuous media content.
US08122140B2
A communication apparatus for remote communication may include a local transparent proxy module configured to intercept a first stream destined to a remote destination and configured to make a first determination whether to accelerate communication associated with the first stream. The communication apparatus may include a local proxy module configured to receive the first stream based on the first determination and configured to make a second determination whether a connection to a remote proxy module is established. If the connection is established, then the local proxy module may receive one or more additional streams and may direct the one or more additional streams to the remote proxy module utilizing an accelerated mode. If the connection is not established, then the local transparent proxy module may direct the first stream to the remote destination utilizing a non-accelerated mode. A machine-readable medium and a method are also disclosed.
US08122136B2
When establishing a communications channel to a wireless network, through a wireless connection, a computerized device receives an Internet protocol (IP) address from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server associated with the wireless network. The computerized device is configured with a table or list of IP addresses associated with wireless networks requiring a VPN or secure connection. The computerized device compares the IP address received from the DHCP server with the IP address entries of the table stored by the computerized device. If the computerized device detects a correspondence between the IP address received from the DHCP server and an IP address entry within the table, the computerized device automatically initiates a secure or VPN connection with the wireless network associated with the DHCP server. The computerized device therefore actively establishes a secure connection with the wireless network, prior to user login and without user intervention, based upon the computerized device being a client of the wireless network.
US08122135B2
A system method and computer program product for setting up a wireless electronic device to join a wireless local area network (LAN). The method upon which the system and computer program product is based includes sending a setup request from the wireless electronic device to a control device, the setup request including a request to be added to the wireless LAN, and receiving at the wireless device a data package from the control device, the data package including network information necessary for the wireless device to join the wireless LAN. The network information are then executed at the wireless device to establish a wireless connection to an access point of the wireless LAN. The setup request may be sent at a low power to ensure that only the control device in close proximity can receive the request. After the wireless connection to the LAN is established, the wireless electronic device resumes full power communications.
US08122132B2
A technique for operating a high performance computing cluster (HPC) having multiple nodes (each of which include multiple processors) includes periodically broadcasting information, related to processor utilization and network utilization at each of the multiple nodes, from each of the multiple nodes to remaining ones of the multiple nodes. Respective local job tables maintained in each of the multiple nodes are updated based on the broadcast information. One or more threads are then moved from one or more of the multiple processors to a different one of the multiple processors (based on the broadcast information in the respective local job tables).
US08122131B2
An integrated security system is described comprising a gateway located at a first location. The gateway includes a takeover component that establishes a coupling with a first controller of a security system installed at the first location. The security system includes security system components coupled to the first controller. The takeover component automatically extracts security data of the security system from the first controller. The gateway automatically transfers the security data extracted from the controller to a second controller. The second controller is coupled to the security system components and replaces the first controller.
US08122126B2
There is provided a device status notification device that notifies a notification destination, which is connected to a network, of a status change in a device connected to the network through the network. The device status notification device includes a notification destination information table in which a notification destination, to which the status change in the device is notified in a case where there is the status change in the device, is registered, a notification destination validity checking unit that checks whether the notification destination registered in the notification destination information table exists with validity, and a registration deleting unit that deletes the notification destination, of which valid existence cannot be checked by the notification destination validity checking unit, from the notification destination information table.
US08122125B2
Illustrated is a system for performing Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) that includes a core to prepare a data packet for transmission. Further, the system includes a memory controller to direct the data packet to a DPI core. Additionally, the system includes a Network Interface Card to receive the data packet for transmission after DPI is performed on the data packet by the DPI core. The system includes a Direct Memory Management module to update a descriptor that references a received data packet stored in an Operating System buffer. Moreover, the system includes an Input/Output Memory Management Unit to direct the descriptor to be stored in a DPI memory. Additionally, the system includes an interrupt controller to transmit an interrupt to the DPI core to such that the DPI core retrieves the descriptor from the DPI memory and performs DPI on the data packet stored in the OS buffer.
US08122121B2
One or more users of a present state are notified of at least one property of an entity. A request message is received from a user over a first communications channel, the message containing information indicative of at least one property of an entity in which the user is interested. The present state of the at least one property is determined, as is an identifier of a second communications channel onto which future messages containing information relating to future changes of state of the at least one property of the entity will be transmitted. A reply message is transmitted to the user, the reply message containing information indicative of the present state of the at least one property and of the identifier of the second communications channel.
US08122116B2
A method for moving a virtual machine is provided which considers an input/output between array groups and virtual machines after being moved. The computer system includes a physical server executing the virtual machines, a storage device having array groups, and a management server that manages a link between the virtual machines and the array groups. The computer system is characterized in that an estimated I/O volume of the virtual machine after being moved is calculated and that, if the estimated I/O volume exceeds the maximum I/O volume of the array group connected to the moved virtual machine, a search is made to find an array group whose maximum I/O volume is smaller than the estimated I/O volume.
US08122115B2
Systems, methods and media for providing communication profiles for an integrated database messaging system are disclosed. Embodiments of the method may include receiving from a user of the database messaging system a request for one or more profiles and determining one or more profiles associated based on the attributes of each profile request by accessing a profile database. The one or more profiles may include an indication of a user of the database messaging system and an Internet Protocol (IP) address. Embodiments may also include providing the one or more determined profiles to the requesting user. Further embodiments may include receiving an indication of one or more changes to the profile database and modifying the profile database. The user may include a database administrator (DBA) or user of a database. Each profile may contain personal, organizational, contact, group or other types of information.
US08122114B1
A client-server based Storage Area Network (SAN) management system provides easy to use and uniform multiple user interfaces such as web interface and windows interface to the administrators to manage the SAN consisting of various types of devices. The integrated object-oriented management agent consists of several components such as object manager, UI module, web server, user interface modules, error and status handler and device handler. The agent functionality can be dynamically expanded to handle new device types without stopping the existing agent, installing new agent and restarting it. The management system uses conglomerate methods to automatically discover SAN devices and their topology. The error and status from SAN devices are handled in a hybrid method consisting of distributed, hierarchical and centralized schemes. A simple and easy device independent user interface is provided to download firmware to various types of devices hiding complex device dependent processes from the administrator. The system can manage multiple SANs. It can run on various environments such as an appliance, host, in a cluster, or on a client station. Where reliability is required, it can run on a fault tolerant system as well as multiple copies can be run simultaneously.
US08122112B2
A method and apparatus for updating the system configuration settings of a computer system. Embodiments include a remote system configuration system that enables a user to update the system configuration of a target machine from a server machine over a network or similar communications system. Another embodiment includes a system configuration method using a bus master device to write system configuration data into a target computer system.
US08122105B2
A method for communication between a plurality of devices connected to each other through a network. Each device includes at least one service that provides a set of functions for controlling and/or monitoring the device. A service of a first device detects the presence of a second device, detects the presence of a service of the second device, retrieves information about the functions of the service of the second device, and invokes a function of the service of the second device. A system architecture for communication between the devices includes a communication module configured to enable a service of a first device to detect the presence of a second device, to detect the presence of a service of the second device, to retrieve information about the functions of the service of the second device and to invoke a function of the service of the second device.
US08122104B2
A system for providing XML-based asynchronous and interactive feeds for Web applications that provides a highly efficient and extensible XML Javascript framework allowing easy insertion of a comment/news feed control into any Web page. The framework allows for reading of any XML format and provides a new and easy way for modifying the look-and-feel of the control via HTML templates with familiar XPath bindings. The rendering performed through the system supports both flat and indented (“threaded”) views for a comment thread. The system improves the parsing speed of incoming XML, and supports a flexible event model for others to develop plug-ins and mashups in the spirit of Web 2.0.
US08122101B2
Systems and methods consistent with the invention relate to the distribution of software. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for distributing software from a first system to a second system comprises determining a software object to be transported. The method stores the software object in a storage device and creates, on the first system, a transport request which comprises an object list. The method defines, on the first system, a transport container and includes a reference to the stored software object in the transport container. The method also includes the transport container in the object list of the transport request and provides the transport request to the second system.
US08122099B2
When a user inputs a URL character string indicating data for an order document, the CPU receives data for the order document indicated by the URL and reading method data from the web server at the URL destination and prints the order document on a recording unit. The user then fills in circles on the order document to indicate desired content and feeds the order document into the manual-feed paper tray on the facsimile device. At this time, the facsimile device reads a user number and data regarding printing details and scrapbook entry details and transmits order data described as a URL to the web server.
US08122094B1
A method for performing an action relating to the scheduling of an event includes sending a message regarding an event from a remote site to a user device. Additionally, the method includes receiving a response to the message from the user device. Furthermore, the method includes performing one or more actions based on the response, where the actions are selected from a group consisting of purchasing a pay-per-view show, scheduling a recording of a user-selected show, and sending a reminder of the event to the user device. A method for scheduling events includes sending a message to a client regarding an event from a remote site, receiving a response at the remote site from the client. Further, the method includes sending a scheduling request or command to the client. Further still, a reminder for the event appears on the client. Additional systems, methods and products are also disclosed.
US08122093B2
An instant messaging interaction system and method work by: analyzing communicative information sent by a remote user to create emotional messages and analyzing information about the remote user's identity; storage in a storage module behavior weight value preset and corresponding to the information about the remote user's identity; determining, by a learning module, interactive responses according to the emotional messages and the behavior weight values; outputting, by an output module, the interactive responses; detecting if receiving a feedback signal from an local user; if the feedback signal is not received, the learning module stores the behavior weight value in the storage module; if the feedback signal is received, the feedback module generates a modification value corresponding to different levels of the feedback signal; generating, by the learning module and according to a detection result, modification values for modifying the behavior weight values. As a result, the messaging interaction system is capable of presenting rated interactive responses in a personalized, artificial intelligence-based manner that meets the local user's expectation.
US08122092B2
In embodiments, mobile devices request and utilize recipient caches. Recipient caches store information regarding previous recipients of communications. The information on recipients includes when the recipient was last contacted and the frequency with which a recipient is contacted. In embodiments, a mobile device requests a recipient cache from a server. When a user types a string of text, the mobile device then uses the recipient cache as well as the contacts and emails on the mobile device and resolves a recipient list. In other embodiments, a recipient cache on a server is updated when a mobile device sends a message with new recipient information. In another embodiment, a server resolves conflicting messages by using recipient information.
US08122089B2
A system provides high availability electronic message forwarding. When an electronic message is communicated to a first server, a copy of the electronic message is maintained at a second server. The electronic message is maintained on both servers until the electronic message is successfully communicated to a third server. After the message is delivered to the third server, the electronic message is removed from both the first server and the second server. If the first server fails to communicate the electronic message to the third server, the second server does so.
US08122085B2
The present invention provides a method and a system in which, a determination is made in order to determine whether a destination mail server is able to process a number of emails associated with a distribution list. By requesting performance metrics for each destination server, analysis is performed to understand the processing capacity of the destination server. In response to the determined processing capacity of the destination mail server, and the time in which the emails must be sent by, the emails are either sent, or a negotiation is performed with each of the destination servers, to determine an available time. Therefore, each destination server can control the time in which it receives and processes the emails. Therefore, avoiding large amounts of emails ‘hitting’ the destination servers, at a time when the destination servers are already very busy and available processing capacity is of a premium.
US08122080B2
Machine, method for use and method for making, and corresponding products produced thereby, as well as data structures, computer-readable media tangibly embodying program instructions, manufactures, and necessary intermediates of the foregoing, each pertaining to digital aspects of a computerized aggregation system. The system can include a user computer system interposed between a segment of a network allowing communication between the user computer system and at least one server system, and other segments allowing communication between the user computer system and a plurality of third party server systems. The one server system enables the user computer system to access the plurality of other servers. The access permits forming an aggregation of information obtained from the third party server systems.
US08122079B2
A counting method and a counter using an integrated circuit memory area, including at least one step of storage of partial values in several words of identical memory sizes, the result of the counting being obtained by arithmetically adding the values contained in the different words.
US08122077B2
Methods, apparatus and systems are disclosed for the generation of range-constrained test cases for verification of designs of arithmetic floating point units. Given three ranges of floating point numbers Rx, Ry, Rz, a floating point operation (op), and a rounding-mode (round), three floating point numbers x, y, z are generated such that x ε Rx, y ε Ry, z ε Rz, and z=round ( x op y). Solutions are provided for add and subtract operations. Range constraints are imposed on the input operands and on the result operand of floating point add and subtract instructions to target corner cases when generating test cases for use in verification of floating point hardware.
US08122076B2
Digital-signal-processing apparatus has a ringing-suppression-coefficient-generating device that generates a ringing suppression coefficient according to an amount of ringing occurred at an input signal, and a ringing suppression device that generates a ringing suppression signal based on high-frequency component of the input signal and the ringing suppression coefficient and suppresses the ringing by giving the ringing suppression signal to the input signal.
US08122075B2
A pseudorandom number generator reduced in size while maintaining high security is disclosed. The generator has a state storage unit of 2 blocks (n bits per block) and a buffer of plurality of blocks, and mixes their contents to obtain a random number sequence. The mixing is done by a nonlinear transformation unit for inputting the stored content of the buffer to output data of the same size as the input data, a first linear transformation unit for inputting the content of the state storage unit and the output of the nonlinear transformation unit to store an output into the state storage unit, and a second linear transformation unit for inputting the stored content of the buffer and the stored content of the state storage unit to store an output into the buffer. The mixed content of the state storage unit is output as a random number sequence.
US08122074B2
A binary rotator which includes an array of n cascaded 2-input multiplexer banks and received at an input 2n-bit binary data words can be used not only for rotation but also for selective reversal, without the necessity of the addition of a further multiplex bank dedicated to the reversal. This is achieved by making groups of multiplexers of at least all but one of the n banks of multiplexers separately controllable by words from control logic, rather than feeding the multiplexer banks with single control bits. The control bits are appropriately selected to provide the desired rotation-cum-reversal with just the 2n×n array of multiplexers, and can themselves be generated by appropriate logic gates.
US08122073B2
Methods, apparatuses, computer program products, devices and systems are described that accepting an input identifying a treatment target in search of an agent, the input associated with at least one query parameter; determining, based on the input, at least one subset of study data for which at least one adverse event profile associated with administration of at least one agent is acceptable within a defined limit relative to a population for which the at least one adverse event profile is unacceptable with respect to the defined limit; and presenting the agent, based on the at least one subset and the at least one query parameter.
US08122069B2
A method collects user interface events and file system events to capture text snippets in focus on an output device. The method then pairs the text snippets with related files to build a context graph and discover files associated with a task.
US08122063B2
A design-time status schema model describes the progress of a data object through a computing process. The status schema model includes status variables, processing actions and constraints for performing actions. The status schema model also may describe permitted changes to a status variable in response to performing an action. At runtime, the status schema model is used to control processing performed by, or on, an instance of a data object corresponding to the status schema model.
US08122061B1
The present invention allows for an easy-to-use, web-based, schema-less database system that provides organizations the ability to organically model, store, and access information in an iterative and evolutionary manner. Users are encouraged to grow and explore the information domain intuitively. One embodiment is a method of collaboratively managing an entity-relationship database, including: displaying an entity-relationship graph to a first user, and creating a new relationship in the database in response to an input from said first user. Then, displaying an updated entity-relationship graph to a second user, and creating a second new relationship in the database in response to an input from the second user. Finally, assigning a voting weight to one or more relationships in the database in response to an input from a voting user, and disambiguating two or more relationships based on the voting weight from the voting user.
US08122059B2
Methods and apparatus for constructing objects within a cache system thereby allowing the cache system to respond to requested objects that are not initially available within the cache system. One embodiment of the invention caches image files, where the images are divided into components and stored in a format that allows identification and access to the components. The cache system determines that an object, such as an image file, is missing from the cache memory, locates sufficient components from the cache memory and/or external storage, and constructs the object from the located components.
US08122050B2
A query processing visualization system comprises a visualization module. The visualization module visualizes logging information of query processing events occurring during processing of a client query requesting data from one or more data sources by analyzing the logging information to identify dependency of the query processing events, formatting visual presentation components representing the logging information in a hierarchy to reflect the dependency of the query processing events, and presenting the visual presentation components in the context of the hierarchy of the visual components as formatted.
US08122048B2
Methods, articles of manufacture and systems for searching collections of data using context sensitive expanded term searching using dynamic term expansion are provided. The collection of data may be a relational database, text document, or any other type of searchable collection of data. In either case, a query including a search condition based on a specified search term may be modified to include additional conditions based on a set of expanded (e.g., conceptually-related) search terms dynamically linked with the query. For some embodiments, a user may be given the ability to choose whether the set of expanded search terms are dynamically linked with the query or not.
US08122045B2
The invention relates to a method for mapping at least one data column from a database source to at least one data column of a data target, the method comprising: defining at least one reference column of the data target and at least one database source column; performing a comparison of data contained in the data column(s) with the reference column(s); and determining mapping candidates between the data column(s) and the reference column(s).
US08122042B2
In a method for a direct answer for search, a search query is received over a network, one or more answer entities are determined from one or more answer candidate snippets, with an answer candidate snippet having at least a portion of content available over the network for an answer candidate, a content identifier is determined for an answer candidate, a title is tokenized for the content identifier, a comparison is performed between a vector of tokens for the title and a vector of the one or more answer entities, an indicator of the relevance is adjusted for the content identifier in accordance with the comparison, and at least one answer candidate snippet is sent for a response to the search query.
US08122040B2
A method for bi-directional data replication between a Web Service application and a relational database are provided. Techniques of Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) and Extract Transform Load (ETL) technology are employed to create a relational database schema, load the schema, synchronize the structure and the content of the schema, and replicate changes in the content of the schema to the web services application. Optional advanced techniques to support reporting, legacy data migration, and integration with other applications are also provided.
US08122038B2
A system for extending a Time Intelligence language to provide support for period-to-date functions and for generating member sets in response to data queries is provided. The system may apply member aggregation functions and queries across a plurality of heterogeneous data sources. Each data source is aligned to a reference dimension and is said to organize data according to at least one level of granularity. In some embodiments, a member aggregation function specifies a period (e.g., year, quarter, month) and retrieves data from a data source starting with the current specified period and ending with the most recently completed period equal to the granularity of the data source. The system may allow a user to further customize a member aggregation function by specifying a granularity, a period offset, or a granularity end offset. Additionally, the system may generate a caption to display in association with the retrieved data.
US08122029B2
Systems and methods for processing an index are described. To insure that the most updated index is available without having to update the index after every change (which can consume enormous resources), a specially marked postings list is generated for a changed item. During retrieval, the specially marked postings list supplements the existing content of an inverted index referencing the changed item. In this manner, the retrieval result for items containing the term under which the changed item was originally indexed is updated in accordance with the specially marked postings list to insure the most accurate retrieval result.
US08122018B2
Attribute data regarding an entity, such as a business entity, are identified. Thereafter, one or more creative templates are selected based on the attribute data related to the entity. Creatives for the entity are then generated from the creative templates and the entity attribute data.
US08122014B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods (and corresponding systems and computer program products) that augment content in web pages with resources and provide the resources based on user interaction with the augmented content in the web pages. The disclosed embodiments analyzes a web page to identify a keyword, locates a piece of reference data matching the identified keyword, generates an association of the located piece of reference data and the keyword, and embeds the association in an augmented web page. Upon receiving a request from a client computer corresponding to a pointer being positioned over the keyword in the augmented web page, the disclosed embodiments determines relevant resources, and transmits the resources to the client computer for display in a multi-layered dialog box, such that a viewer can access the plurality of resources by interacting with the multi-layered dialog box without leaving the augmented web page.
US08122011B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, in which one or more search query suggestions can be identified based upon the intersection of predicate search groups. A first predicate search group can be compared to a second predicate search group to derive a query map value associated with the intersection of the predicate search groups. The query map value can be compared to a threshold to determine whether to identify different search queries as suggestions for one another.
US08122001B2
To allow a user to use an appropriate search engine, this invention provides a computer system including: a client computer; a search engine; and a management computer, in which the management computer is configured to: collect logs of access; specify a parameter transferred from the client computer to an access destination of the client computer by analyzing the collected logs of access; judge that an access including a parameter judged as a search query is an access to the search engine; select a log of access to the search engine from the collected logs of access; extract an address of the search engine and the search query from the selected log of access to the search engine; and store a correspondence between the extracted address of the search engine and the extracted search query in a search engine profile.
US08121998B2
An improved method and system for managing the traceability of numerical, alphabetical, alphanumeric, character, or string entities such as critical constants or key calculations, equations, functions, and procedures that automatically enables the traceability of information entities without requiring significant manual intervention by a system user. The system allows a user to enter critical information such a critical constant or key calculation into a first document. When the user copies/exports the critical information from the first document and pastes/imports the information to a second document, the system automatically generates meta-data describing the provenance of the information, and propagates the provenance meta-data from the first document to the second document. By accessing provenance meta-data contained within respective documents, the user can track where critical information within a document originally came from, and which intermediary document or documents the critical information came from last.
US08121993B2
A data sharing method using fingerprinted data objects for sharing data among untrusted network devices. Each peer device is adapted for storing a plurality of data objects, and a fingerprint generator is used to generate a fingerprint for each stored data object available for sharing or for recovery. The fingerprints are stored in a local data store, and a data manager running on one of the computer devices retrieves from another of the computer devices a copy of one of its data objects through the use of the associated fingerprints. The fingerprints include a hash value output from a strong hashing algorithm. The retrieving includes transmitting query messages with the fingerprints of the needed data objects to the networked, peer devices and then verifying the integrity of received data objects by generating a fingerprint of the received data objects that can be compared with the ones provided in the queries.
US08121988B2
An index advice record engine generates and stores index advice records. An index advice policy mechanism allows a user to define an index advice policy that specifies criteria for autonomic index creation, modification and deletion. An autonomic index mechanism reads the index advice records, compares this information with the criteria in the user-defined index advice policies, and determines whether an index should be created, modified or deleted based on the information in the index advice records and the index advice policies. By automating the process of creating, modifying and deleting indexes according to user-defined policies, the preferred embodiments alleviate human users from most of the work of manually creating, modifying and deleting indexes.
US08121983B2
Performing data management operations on replicated data in a computer network. Log entries are generated for data management operations of an application executing on a source system. Consistency point entries are used to indicate a time of a known good, or recoverable, state of the application. A destination system is configured to process a copy of the log and consistency point entries to replicate data in a replication volume, the replicated data being a copy of the application data on the source system. When the replicated data represents a known good state of the application, as determined by the consistency point entries, the destination system(s) may perform a storage operation (e.g., snapshot, backup) to copy the replicated data and to logically associate the copied data with a time information (e.g., time stamp) indicative of the source system time when the application was in the known good state.
US08121979B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a replication and synchronization mechanism that is peer to peer and multi-threaded. Embodiments of the invention may further enable a useable alternative service in the event of a loss of communications between replicas and a fully automated recovery upon the recovery of communications between the replicas. A replication and synchronization mechanism may further provide entry level synchronization and support for transactions. The replication and synchronization mechanism merges changes that have been made independently as a result of the loss of communication between peers.
US08121978B2
A system providing improved methods for data replication is described. A method for replicating a transaction from a primary database to a replicate database while the replicate database remains available for use comprises: recording information about a transaction being performed at a primary database in a transaction log; synchronously copying the information about the transaction in the transaction log to a mirrored transaction log; generating a reconstructed transaction based on the information about the transaction copied to the mirrored transaction log; and applying the reconstructed transaction at the replicate database while the replicate database remains available for use.
