US08182740B2
High-strength steel sheet excellent in hole-expandability and ductility, characterized by; comprising, in mass %, C: not less than 0.01% and not more than 0.20%, Si: not more than 1.5%, Al: not more than 1.5%, Mn: not less than 0.5% and not more than 3.5%, P: not more than 0.2%, S: not less than 0.0005% and not more than 0.009%, N: not more than 0.009%, Mg: not less than 0.0006% and not more than 0.01%, O: not more than 0.005% and Ti: not less than 0.01% and not more than 0.20% and/or Nb: not less than 0.01% and not more than 0.10%, with the balance consisting iron and unavoidable impurities, having Mn %, Mg %, S % and O % satisfying equations (1) to (3), and having the structure primarily comprising one or more of ferrite, bainite and martensite. [Mg %]≧([O %]/16×0.8)×24 (1) [S %]≦([Mg %]/24−[O %]/16×0.8+0.00012)×32 (2) [S %]≦0.0075/[Mn %] (3)
US08182738B2
Process for producing bodies from ceramic materials using silicon carbide, comprising the steps: configuration of fiber-reinforced porous bodies (1, 5) that consist of carbon on a base (2) that is inert relative to liquid silicon, the bodies having cavities (3) that are accessible from the exterior or surface recesses (3′), and the cavities (3) being closed at the bottom in the porous bodies or the surface recesses (3′) together with the base (2) forming a reservoir that is sealed at the bottom; heating the configuration by introduction of energy to melt the silicon (6) that is present in the reservoir; and infiltrating the melted silicon in the bodies (1, 5) and reaction of the silicon with the carbon to form silicon carbide; and use of the thus produced bodies as brake disks and as clutch driving disks.
US08182737B2
Formed film, apparatus and methods for manufacturing formed film, and articles of manufacture are disclosed. Methods include controlled introduction of melt foldovers through modifying the surface area of a polymer melt curtain. Apparatus for same is also shown as are articles of formed film with melt foldovers.
US08182736B2
An apparatus for forming air-laid absorbent cores, having a first and second mat-forming wheel. Means are also provided for applying a first and second web of casing material onto the peripheral surface of the first and second mat-forming wheel, respectively, for providing a third web of casing material into the nip between the first and second mat-forming wheel, for applying an adhesive coating on both sides of the third web, the mat-forming wheels being so positioned that the formed core elements on the respective first and second mat-forming wheels will abut the third web when passing the nip between the first and second mat-forming wheel, and for pressing together the portions of the three webs located outside the contour of the core element, containing the first and second core element, whereby the air-laid core elements will encapsulated in casing material. Also, a method for forming air-laid absorbent cores.
US08182735B2
An apparatus for forming air-laid absorbent cores, having a first and second mat-forming wheel, each of the mat-forming wheels having a series of moulds along its peripheral surface, air-laying means for supplying air-entrained fibrous material to the moulds, suction means maintaining the formed core elements in their moulds during a part of the path of the moulds on the respective mat-forming wheel and means for transferring a core element on the second mat-forming wheel onto a core element on the first mat-forming wheel while the latter core element still is maintained in its mould, at least the air-laying means associated with the second mat-forming wheel having means for supplying a mixture of air-entrained fibrous material and discrete particles. The two mat-forming wheels form a nip between each other that the second core element will abut the first core element before transfer.
US08182732B2
Here is disclosed a composite sheet comprising substantially non-stretchable nonwoven fabric sheets and a plurality of elastic members extending in a transverse direction and spaced one from another in a longitudinal direction by a given spacing wherein the elastic members are secured in a stretched state to the nonwoven fabric sheets. The composite sheet has a plurality of gathers formed by slightly undulated surface of the nonwoven fabric sheets and the elastic members and these gathers are substantially continuous in the longitudinal direction and arranged at substantially regular intervals in the transverse direction.
US08182729B2
In a method of making a multilayer wiring board having a substrate and a wiring pattern formed in the substrate, base films are stacked in a predetermined direction to form a stacked film structure. Each base film includes thermoplastic resin. Pressure and heat are applied to the stacked film structure from its both sides in the stacked direction so that the base films are joined together to form the substrate. At least one of the base films is a combined film including a fiber sheet. Both sides of the fiber sheet are covered with the thermoplastic resin in such a manner that air space remains in the fiber sheet.
US08182728B2
A method of thermo-mechanically forming macrotextures in a microtextured film wherein a heat shield is utilized to thermally insulate the microtexture during the forming process.
US08182723B2
The present invention discloses a multi-cavity injection molding method for fabricating solar lenses, which comprises steps: providing a mold set including a female mold and a male mold corresponding to the female mold, wherein the female mold has a receiving recess, and wherein the male mold has several lens cavities each having a lens pattern and connected with a cold runner; placing a glass substrate inside the receiving recess; injecting a silica gel to all the lens cavities via the cold runners; and heating the mold set to cure the silica gel, whereby to form several silica-gel lenses on the glass substrate in a single fabrication process. The present invention can effectively shorten the fabrication time and increase lens alignment.
US08182721B2
An ink for forming CIGS photovoltaic cell active layers is disclosed along with methods for making the ink, methods for making the active layers and a solar cell made with the active layer. The ink contains a mixture of nanoparticles of elements of groups IB, IIIA and (optionally) VIA. The particles are in a desired particle size range of between about 1 nm and about 500 nm in diameter, where a majority of the mass of the particles comprises particles ranging in size from no more than about 40% above or below an average particle size or, if the average particle size is less than about 5 nanometers, from no more than about 2 nanometers above or below the average particle size. The use of such ink avoids the need to expose the material to an H2Se gas during the construction of a photovoltaic cell and allows more uniform melting during film annealing, more uniform intermixing of nanoparticles, and allows higher quality absorber films to be formed.
US08182719B2
A novel pyroelectric compound is presented. The compound is inorganic, quasi-amorphous oxide compound of a metal, mixture of metals or semiconducting element.
US08182715B2
This invention comprises a lightweight, portable chemical combination of reagents for sterilizing or disinfecting objects in the absence of electrical power or fire. The chemical combination includes a chemical oxidant with the capacity to liberate a biocidal intermediate, a chemical reductant of the oxidant with the capacity to react with the oxidant, and an effector to induce a reaction between the oxidant and reductant. In one embodiment, the oxidant comprises chlorite, the reductant comprises sulfite, and the effector comprises ascorbate. In another embodiment, the chemical combination comprises the oxidant, reductant, effector and iron-activated magnesium. When water or water solutions are added to either embodiment, the chemical combination generates heat, steam and a biocidal intermediate that can destroy contaminating microorganisms. In one embodiment, the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-based biocidal intermediate, such as chlorine dioxide. In another embodiment, the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-free biocidal intermediate.
US08182712B1
Techniques for dyeing material are disclosed, including providing a magnetorheological fluid containing a coloring agent onto a contacting surface, applying a magnetic field to the magnetorheological fluid to increase viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid, and contacting the material with the magnetorheological fluid on the contacting surface to dye the material with the coloring agent.
US08182710B2
A method of structuring multicrystalline silicon surfaces comprises the provision of a texturing solution, the application of the texturing solution to a surface of a semiconductor substrate to be structured and the heating of the texturing solution to a texturing temperature, wherein the texturing solution comprises at least a portion of phosphoric acid.
US08182701B2
A feed structure may be used in conjunction with a sedimentation vessel in order to separate solids and liquids, which may be in a slurry, from each other. The feed structure comprises a feed chamber housing a central wall. At least one port is positioned at the base of the chamber. A feedwell that is substantially concentric with the feed chamber is also used. The feed chamber is in communication with the feedwell, wherein slurry flows through the said port to access the feedwell. An outlet is positioned on the feedwell (such as near the bottom of the feedwell). Slurry may flow through the outlet into the sedimentation vessel.
US08182700B2
A method and exhaust arrangement in the removal of surface scum. An exhaust arrangement is used existing in connection with a liquid basin. The exhaust arrangement includes a first surface chute arrangement for removal of surface scum utilizing an overflow arrangement, belonging to the first chute arrangement and being based on a continuous flow for overflowing the surface scum in at least two successive phases, from the fluid basin into a primary space in the fluid basin and from the primary space into a secondary space in the fluid basin, from where overflow is finally exhausted from the liquid basin utilizing an exhaust assembly for the surface scum. A second surface chute arrangement removes liquid processed in the liquid basin. Overflow of the surface scum in the primary space to the secondary space is controlled to minimize the amount of liquid drifting together therewith by adjusting a level of the liquid in the primary space utilizing a flow balancing assembly that connects the primary space and the second surface chute arrangement and/or by using an adjusting device existing in the wall defining the primary space and the secondary space. Passage of the surface scum in the primary space towards the secondary space is made more efficient by using a guiding arrangement for achieving a liquid flow in the primary space towards the secondary space to direct the surface scum.
US08182699B2
A filter assembly for filtering water from an external source, the filter assembly having a manifold assembly and a filter cartridge. The filter cartridge includes a cartridge engagement means while the manifold includes a manifold engagement means. The cartridge engagement means and manifold engagement means cooperatively interfacing for removable attachment of the filter cartridge to the manifold assembly. The cartridge engagement means and manifold engagement means oriented in a retaining relation during removal of the cartridge filter from the manifold assembly such that any entrained pressure within the cartridge filter is vented while the cartridge engagement means and manifold engagement means are in the retaining relation.
US08182694B2
The present application discloses a membrane stack comprising a first and second membrane layers, and a spacer layer disposed between said first and second membrane layers, said membrane stack configured such that fluid passes through said membrane stack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of said membrane layers and said spacer layer. The application also discloses a module comprising a membrane as described above, said module having a fluid flow path that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the major surface of the membrane and spacer layers in said membrane stack.
US08182683B1
A portable fluid dispenser for transporting and optionally filtering a stored quantity of fluid as it is expelled from the dispenser is provided herein as having a dispenser body with a port and an aperture in communication with a fluid storage chamber with the aperture being disposed in a substantially rigid region of the dispenser body and at least partially covered by a depressable region that may be depressed to at least partially reduce the volume in the fluid storage chamber to force fluid stored in the fluid storage chamber out the port.
US08182675B2
A filter apparatus may be provided. The filter apparatus may include a multi-port valve; a strainer coupled in flow communication to the multi-port valve, wherein the strainer may include a conical portion and an attachment portion extending away therefrom; a diffusing column coupled to the strainer and coupled in flow communication to the multi-port valve; and an equalizer column coupled in flow communication to the strainer.
US08182674B2
The device (100) serves to separate solid particles from the water of a flow (E) feeding a hydraulic machine of the turbine, pump, or turbine-pump type. The device has flow inlet and outlet zones (104, 105) for the flow that are spaced apart along an advance axis (X100) of flow advance through the device (100). The device (100) comprises a plurality of ducts (110) placed in parallel, each having a mouth and a downstream end between the inlet zone (104) and the outlet zone (105). In section perpendicular to the advance axis (X100), each duct presents a section in the form of a spiral with a radius of curvature that increases from the mouth towards the downstream end or from the downstream end towards the mouth, with each duct (110) presenting a thickness measured in a generally radial direction relative to the advance axis that is less than 10% of the width (l110) of said duct, measured parallel to said axis (X100).
US08182663B2
A BUN (blood urea nitrogen) sensor containing immobilized carbonic anhydrase and immobilized urease for the in vitro detection of urea nitrogen in blood and biological samples with improved performance and precision characteristics.
US08182656B2
An electrolyzing device is capable of removing scales adhered to a cathode in an electrolyzing mode without deteriorating an electrode forming an anode.An electrolyzing device includes a first main electrode 3, a second main electrode 4, an auxiliary electrode 5, and control means C for controlling current supply to the electrodes, the control means C includes an electrolyzing mode in which treated water is electrochemically treated by using the first main electrode 3 as an anode and the second main electrode 4 as a cathode, a scale removal mode of the second main electrode in which scales adhered to the second main electrode 4 are removed by using the second main electrode 4 as the anode and the auxiliary electrode 5 as the cathode, and a scale removal mode of the auxiliary electrode in which scales adhered to the auxiliary electrode 5 are removed by using the auxiliary electrode 5 as the anode and the second main electrode 4 as the cathode.
US08182655B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to plating systems configured to strip plate a selected portion of a workpiece (e.g., a lead frame) and methods of plating. In one embodiment, a plating system is configured to plate a selected portion of a workpiece and at least partially compensate for wheel run out. As an alternative, or in addition, to the plating system being configured to at least partially compensate for wheel run out, in another embodiment, a plating system is configured to plate the selected portion of the workpiece and provide for controllably adjusting plating dimensions on the selected portion to be plated.
US08182650B2
A method of producing a modified pulp comprising treating wood chips in an extraction process to remove hemicellose to form treated wood chips; and subjecting said treated wood chips to chemical or semichemical pulping to form a modified Kraft pulp wherein the amount of hemicellulose contained in the modified Kraft pulp is from about 5 to about 10% by dry weight of the modified pulp.
US08182634B2
There is provided a belt member producing method including forming a strip piece 17 of a predetermined width W by cutting a strip material 12 including a plurality of reinforcement cords 11 to a regular size, conveying the strip piece 17 to a transfer conveyor 22 in such a manner that cut sides 19 of the strip piece 17 are in parallel with a traveling direction B of the transfer conveyor 22 and overlapping continuously an integral number Nint of strip pieces 17 on each other on the transfer conveyor 22 in such a manner that the strip pieces 17 are overlapped on each other by an overlapping amount P along non-cut sides 18 thereof, so as to produce a belt member 30 having a desired length equal to a predetermined length L of a belt layer of a pneumatic radial tire, the belt member producing method being characterized by including selecting a desired cutting angle θpre relative to a traveling direction A of the strip material 17 when the strip material 12 is cut to the regular size, calculating a number Ncal of strip pieces 17 necessary for forming a belt member 30 by the following equation (1), rounding up the number Ncal so calculated to the integral number Nint and calculating an overlapping amount P of the strip pieces 17 by the following equation (2), so as to determine the integral number Nint and the overlapping amount P. Ncal=(L/W)×sin θpre (1) P=W−L×sin θpre/Nint (2)
US08182631B2
An image-forming method, containing: providing a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet having at least one heat insulation layer containing hollow polymer particles and at least one receptor layer containing at least one latex polymer, in this order on a support, and a heat-sensitive transfer sheet having a thermal transfer layer containing a thermal transferable dye; feeding the sheets through, between a rotatable platen roller and a thermal head having heating elements aligned in a main scan direction, to move the sheets in a sub scan direction approximately perpendicular to the main scan direction, to form an image on the image-receiving sheet, in which the thermal head has a glaze provided with the heating elements and formed in a convex shape, and the glaze's convex vertex is shifted to an upstream side in the sub scan direction, with respect to the center's position of the heating elements.
US08182629B2
Apparatus for orienting containers which have at least one ear on a side of the container is disclosed. Such apparatus is especially suited for use in combination with labeling equipment for applying a label to the oriented container so that at least one opening in a label registers with the at least one ear on the container. The apparatus comprises a star wheel with pockets which permit relatively free rotation of containers positioned within the pockets, an ear bump associated with each pocket in the star wheel and a releasable container hold down to prevent containers in the star wheel pockets from tilting while they are being oriented.
US08182622B1
The invention provides for a perchlorate-free pyrotechnic composition. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pyrotechnic composition includes from approximately sixty-seven percent (67%) to approximately seventy-eight percent (78%) of strontium nitrate [Sr(NO3)2], from approximately two percent (2%) to approximately eleven percent (11%) of potassium nitrate [KNO3], from approximately six percent (6%) to approximately fifteen percent (15%) of sulfur [S], from approximately one percent (1%) to approximately ten percent (10%) of polyvinyl chloride, from approximately one percent (1.0%) to approximately four percent (4%) of paraffin oil, and from approximately zero percent (0%) to approximately two percent (2%) of sawdust mixture.
US08182620B2
A magnetic alloy having a composition represented by the general formula of Fe100-x-yCuxBy(atomic %), wherein x and y are numbers meeting the conditions of 0.1≦x≦3, and 10≦y≦20, or the general formula of Fe100-x-y-zCuxByXz(atomic %), wherein X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, S, C, P, Al, Ge, Ga and Be, and x, y and z are numbers meeting the conditions of 0.1≦x≦3, 10≦y≦20, 0
US08182615B2
A dosing device for the addition of an additive to a treatment chamber (8) is described, wherein the additive can be added to the treatment chamber (8) by means of a conveying device (5, 6, 7), characterized in that the dosing device (1) has at least one actuator (9, 10, 11) which has at least one transmission means each having two electrodes and a polymer electrically operatively connected thereto, in which a first section of the polymer can be deflected depending on an electric field generated by the two electrodes.
US08182607B2
There is provided a method and apparatus for assessing in-situ crystal formation in a test sample. Both optical imaging and X-ray diffraction techniques are utilized, with the results of these processes being combined in such a way as to produce an overall score relating to the aptness of crystalline material for harvesting and subsequent X-ray crystallography.
US08182605B2
A cementitious veneer and laminate composition is provided. The cementitious laminate composition includes a substrate, a primer layer applied to the substrate, the primer layer comprising a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol catalyst, Portland cement, and sand; and a cementitious veneer layer applied to the primer layer, the cementitious veneer layer comprising a mixture of magnesium sulfate, filler, magnesium oxide, gypsum cement or bassanite, cellulose ethers, and polyvinyl alcohol catalyst. The polyvinyl alcohol catalyst comprises a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol fibers dissolved in water and mixed with butylene carbonate. The veneer layer is applied to the substrate and primer layer by means including spraying and manual spreading, and can be ornamentally manipulated either before or after curing of the veneer layer. The veneer composition can be formed into laminated tiles or panels for use in building applications.
US08182604B2
A method of forming a high strength cement in a permeable starting material, the method comprising the step of combining the starting material with effective amounts of (i) a urease producing micro-organism; (ii) urea; and (iii) calcium ions and wherein the effective amount of the urease producing organism provides a urea hydrolysis rate, under standard conditions, of 0.5-50 mM urea hydrolysed.min−1.
US08182599B2
A configuration in which particles of pitch 2 having a softening point in the range of 70 to 200° C. and a diameter equal to or smaller than 30 μm are held on the surfaces of particles of a refractory raw material 3 having a diameter equal to or smaller than 50 μm is employed. This pitch-containing refractory raw material 1 can be used with the pitch being in a fine-particle form without any aggregation even after the long-term storage. Using it as a part of a raw material formulation allows the fine particles of pitch to be uniformly dispersed during the mixing or kneading process. The resulting carbon-containing refractory has an excellent corrosion resistance. It also provides suppressed increase in the Young's modulus while maintaining the level of strength, thereby being excellent in thermal spalling resistance even with the carbon content ratio being low.
US08182598B2
The invention relates to the use of a pigment preparation comprising a) a dioxazine compound of the formula (I) as base pigment and b) a dioxazine compound of the formula (II) as pigment dispersant Q-[Y—X]M (II) in which Q is an m-valent radical of the base pigment of the formula (I), Y is a bridging moiety, X is in particular a heterocycle, and m indicates a numerical value between 1 and 4 as a colorant in color filters, ink-jet inks, electrophotographic toners and developers, and electronic inks.
US08182597B2
A solvent-based inkjet ink composition for inkjet printing includes at least 50 weight percent solvent, a colorant, a humectant, from 0.3 weight % to 8 weight % of a binder resin, and not more than 5 weight percent water. The ink composition is compatible with components of a thermal ink jet printer.
US08182583B1
A method, system, and computer readable storage medium for managing powdered activated carbon (PAC) injections for controlling mercury emissions from coal-fired boilers. A mercury concentration value received from a mercury continuous emissions monitor is stored in the plant control system database. A PAC injection rate from an activated carbon injection system also is stored in the plant control system database. If the mercury concentration value is greater than the mercury setpoint, a signal is sent to the activated carbon injection system to increase PAC injection by a predetermined value. If the mercury concentration value is less than the mercury setpoint, a signal is sent to the activated carbon injection system to decrease PAC injection by a predetermined value.
US08182581B2
The present invention relates to diionic liquid salts of dicationic or dianionic molecules, as well as solvents comprising diionic liquids and the use of diionic liquids as the stationary phase in a gas chromatographic column.
US08182575B2
A producing method of direct reduced iron includes the steps of: drying an oxidized iron raw material selected from a group including iron ore and iron-making dust generated in an iron-making process to have a predetermined moisture content; mixing the oxidized iron raw material subjected to the drying step and a reducing material having a predetermined moisture content to obtain a mixture; pulverizing the mixture obtained in the mixing step for 80% minus-sieve to have a particle diameter of 70 μm to 500 μm; kneading the mixture after the moisture content of the mixture subjected to the pulverizing step is adjusted; agglomerating the mixture subjected to the kneading step to be agglomerate; and reducing the agglomerate obtained in the agglomerating step by a rotary hearth furnace to generate direct reduced iron.
US08182569B2
A serviceable gas/liquid separator is provided. The gas/liquid separator has a cross-section with one long axis and one short axis, with an aspect ratio of at least 1.3. A preferred cross-section, is an elliptical cross-section. Assemblies in which the separator unit can be used, are provided. In addition methods of use and construction are provided.
US08182566B2
A feed gas conditioner includes a pressure vessel that encloses at least part of a pre-heater. The pre-heater has an inlet for connection to a source of feed gas and an outlet for delivering the feed gas into the interior of the pressure vessel. An electrical heater element located within the pre-heater increases the temperature of the feed gas as it flows through the pre-heater. An expansion valve reduces the pressure of the feed gas as it flows from the pre-heater so as to initiate condensation. A super heater is at least partially located within the pressure vessel and has an inlet within the interior of the pressure vessel. A filter is in a flow path in the pressure vessel leading from the pre-heater heater to the super heater for removing condensate from the feed gas. An electrical heater element is in the super heater for heating the feed gas.
US08182560B2
A process for gasifying hydrocarbon-containing materials and separating the resultant stream into hydrogen gas and other useful products.
US08182552B2
In a process for dyeing a textile web having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, dye is applied to the textile web and the web is then moved in an open configuration thereof over a contact surface of an ultrasonic vibration system with the textile web in direct contact with the contact surface of the ultrasonic vibration system. The ultrasonic vibration system is operated to impart ultrasonic energy to the textile web to facilitate the distribution of dye throughout the web. The web is then moved further in its open configuration through a microwave application chamber of a microwave system and the microwave system is operated to impart microwave energy to the web in the microwave application chamber to facilitate binding of the dye to the web.
US08182548B2
An electronic device security and tracking system. A system includes one or more clients, wherein the clients are electronic devices; and a server computer system connected to each of the clients, wherein the server computer system is capable of tracking and locating each of the clients. In one aspect, the server computer system includes one or more web servers coupled to each of the clients, wherein the web servers include a website for the electronic device security and tracking system; one or more file transfer protocol servers coupled to each of the web servers; and one or more database servers connected to each of the web servers.
US08182530B2
Methods and systems for endovascular, endocardiac, or endoluminal approaches to a patient's heart to perform surgical procedures that may be performed or used without requiring extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass. Furthermore, these procedures can be performed through a relatively small number of small incisions. These procedures may illustratively include heart valve implantation, heart valve repair, resection of a diseased heart valve, replacement of a heart valve, repair of a ventricular aneurysm, repair of an arrhythmia, repair of an aortic dissection, etc. Such minimally invasive procedures are preferably performed transapically (i.e., through the heart muscle at its left or right ventricular apex).
US08182520B2
Apparatus for altering the body temperature of a patient includes an enclosure defining an interior space for receiving at least a portion of a patient's body therein. The enclosure is constructed to conduct a heat transfer liquid into direct contact with the portion of the patient's body received in the interior space to promote heat transfer between the patient's body and the heat transfer liquid. A reservoir for holding a supply of heat transfer liquid is disposed on the enclosure.
US08182516B2
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.
US08182512B2
The present disclosure provides prosthesis, methods, and kits for replacing a facet joint, in particular prosthesis, methods, and kits for replacing a spinal motion segment comprising a facet joint. The prosthesis includes a first and second member that interlock to form a sliding joint.
US08182511B2
A spinal stabilization system that may be used to fix craniocervical junction. The system includes a cranial spinal attachment system that anchors one or more surgical instruments to a cranial surface using at least one cranial clamp and cranial fastener. The cranial spinal attachment system may be positioned along a perimeter of a cranial defect.
US08182504B2
A mechanical nasal dilator includes a frame provided with support plates (6,6′) at its ends, the frame including a central extranasal portion (1) and two intranasal portions (2,2′), wherein the extranasal portion (2) of the frame is globally U-shaped, whereof the central portion is elastic and spaces apart the nose wings by spring effect, the end of each of the branches of the U being itself U-shaped whereof one branch forms one part of the extranasal portion of the frame and the other branch, located between the branches of the extranasal portion of the frame, forms the intranasal portions (2,2′).
US08182503B2
An apparatus for massaging a prostate includes a body having a substantially ellipsoid shape and sized to fit in a rectum through a sphincter, wherein the body comprises a head portion and a neck portion, wherein the head portion is configured to contact the prostate through the rectum wall when inserted in the rectum, and wherein the neck portion has a tapered section with gradually reducing diameters distal to the head portion; and a retainer bar joined the body at one end of the neck portion to form a substantially T-shaped structure, wherein the retainer bar comprises two contact points for contacting a first acupressure point, which is located in the perineum region between the anus and the scrotum, and a second acupressure point, which is located about midway between the anus and the lower end of the coccyx.
US08182497B2
A clip for engaging tissue includes a generally annular-shaped body defining a plane and disposed about a central axis extending normal to the plane. The body includes alternating inner and outer curved regions, defining a zigzag pattern about a periphery of the clip. The body is biased towards a planar configuration lying in the plane and deflectable towards a transverse configuration extending out of the plane. Tines extend from the inner curved regions, the tines being oriented towards the central axis in the planar configuration, and parallel to the central axis in the transverse configuration. The tines include primary tines and secondary tines that are shorter than the primary tines. The primary tines may be disposed on opposing inner curved regions and oriented towards one another. The primary tines are configured such that they are offset from the axes of symmetry of the curved regions from which they extend and are connected to the curved regions by curved or linear regions or are connected directly to the curved regions. The primary tines may overlap the body and may be of different lengths.
US08182496B2
A degradable composite comprising a degradable matrix, a first fiber type and a second fiber type, wherein the first fiber type has a different rate of degradation to that of the second fiber type.
US08182495B2
A tensioner for a tightening a surgical knot has a squeeze handle and a pair of jaw arms that pivot from a common point behind the handle. The jaw arms have a jaw clamp at the distal tip to clamp onto the suture material, and a release handle at the proximal or butt end. A spreader or distractor mechanism may be a pantographic arrangement of struts joined to anchor points on the jaw arms. This converts axial motion of an actuator rod into a lateral distractive force. A tension gauge in the handle indicates the amount of tension being applied to the suture material.
US08182492B2
A medical instrument, especially a uterus manipulator, comprises a shaft, an actuator movable relative to said shaft in order to move a tool and a locking device to lock the actuator relative to the shaft. It is now proposed that the locking device comprises a clamping element which is slidably arranged therein.
US08182488B2
An improved patella resection guide and a method for applying the patella resection guide during the performance of knee arthroplasty. The patella resection guide includes a plurality of gripping handles having a corresponding plurality of pivotally interconnected crossover members at distal ends of said gripping handles, an opening in each pivotally interconnecting crossover member wherein one crossover member is position inside another crossover member, a stem having a proximal end connected to each gripping handle and each pivotally interconnected crossover member wherein the members are intertwined at a crossing point and are adjoined by fastening means to said stem, and further having a distal end comprised of a female receptor, a clamp having a top flange and side flange, and adjustable locking means for fixing a distance between the teeth of the top flange.
US08182483B2
The present invention regards an orthopedic device to be associated with the outside of a bone and of the type comprising a support rail, extended along a central longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the bone, at least two clamps mounted slidably along the axis on the support rail and supporting endosseous screws insertable into the bone, and a distractor/compressor device removably attachable to the two clamps by means of respective connection pins inserted into corresponding holes of each clamp, wherein each clamp comprises a clamp body having a base or lower jaw and a lid, or upper jaw as well as two screws for fixing the upper jaw to the lower jaw Advantageously the holes for the connection pins are aligned along a line that is extended substantially parallel to the axis with at least one hole for the connection pins of the remaining clamp also being aligned along the line, thus making the overall structure of the clamps mounted on the orthopedic device particularly compact.
US08182481B2
A PFO closing device includes a suction and hold portion at a distal portion of a catheter for sucking and holding biological tissue of a foramen ovale valve and an atrial septum secundum from one side, an electrode portion on the side contacting the biological tissue; a negative pressure supply unit for applying negative pressure to the suctional portion and hold portion, a hold mechanism adapted to protrude from the distal tip of the catheter, and be inserted into the foramen ovale to hold the foramen ovale valve while pressing it from the other side and an energy supply unit for supplying energy to the electrode portion. Energy is supplied from the energy supply unit to the electrode portion, and the foramen ovale valve and the atrial septum secundum are mutually fused together.
US08182480B2
An electrosurgical suction coagulator includes a housing having proximal and distal ends and a substantially malleable elongated tube-like shaft extending longitudinally from a distal end thereof. The elongated tube-like shaft includes a tube-like outer wall having a tube-like dielectric sheath at least partially disposed thereon. A tube-like electrode is disposed coaxially through the tube-like outer wall and is configured to operably couple to a source of electrosurgical energy. A distal end of the tube-like electrode protrudes at least partially from a distal end of the tube-like outer wall and the tube-like electrode has at the distal end thereof at least one aspiration port defined therein. The tube-like electrode is adapted at the proximal end thereof to operably couple to a source of suction. A vacuum space is disposed concentrically between the tube-like electrode and the tube-like outer wall to impede the propagation of thermal energy along the tube-like shaft.
US08182473B2
Photocosmetic device for use in medical or non-medical environments (e.g., a home, barbershop, or spa), which can be used for a variety of tissue treatments. Radiation is delivered to the tissue via optical systems designed to pattern the radiation and project the radiation to a particular depth. The device has a variety of cooling systems including phase change cooling solids and liquids to cool treated skin and the radiation sources. Contact sensors and motion sensor may be used to enhance treatment. The device may be modular to facilitate manufacture and replacement of parts.
US08182472B2
Devices, systems, and methods for laser eye surgery selectively ablate tissues within the cornea of an eye along one or more target surfaces, so that corneal tissue bordered by the laser incision surface(s) can be mechanically removed. An appropriate tissue-shaping surface can be selected based on the regular refractive error of the eye, and a shape of the target laser surface(s) can be calculated so as to correct irregular refractive errors of the eye, impose desired additional sphero-cylindrical and/or irregular alterations.
US08182469B2
A surgical accessory clamp, method of use, and a robotic surgical system including the clamp are disclosed. A surgical accessory may be attached and removed from a manipulator arm during a surgical procedure without requiring the use of an intermediate sterile accessory clamp, thus removing the need for a detachable accessory mount or adaptor that needs cleaning and sterilization and allowing for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The accessory clamp further allows for easy removal and attachment of instruments, tools, or accessories to the robotic surgical system without breach of sterility. In one embodiment, an accessory clamp includes a base for coupling to a distal end of a manipulator arm; two clamp jaws adapted to receive a surgical accessory, each of the clamp jaws rotatably coupled to the base and configured to pivot relative to one another; a sterile drape portion over the two clamp jaws; and a lever portion capable of actuating the two clamp jaws into an open position or a closed position.
US08182464B2
Implant devices for intravesical administration and local drug delivery. The device has a body which includes a hollow tube formed of a biocompatible material; at least one reservoir in the tube which contains a drug; and one or more apertures through which the drug can be released. The device is configured for minimally invasive insertion into a body cavity, such as the bladder. The hollow tube may be elastomeric to permit the device to be elastically deformed from its initial shape into an elongated shape for passage through a catheter, where following such passage the device can return to or toward its initial shape to facilitate retention of the device in the body cavity. The body may have a narrow, elongated shape effective to permit insertion of the drug delivery device through a catheter without necessarily deforming the body, yet include flexible projections which effect retention within the body cavity.
US08182461B2
An apparatus, method and program product detects an occlusion in a fluid line by determining if a relationship between force measurements departs from an expected relationship.
US08182460B2
A fluid infusion device and a method of using the same. The device includes an outer, flexible guide catheter having a distal end for introduction beneath the skull of a patient and a proximal end remaining external of the patient. A flexible infusion fiber is located within the guide catheter and has a distal end extending outwardly from the guide catheter to be located in a target area within the patient's brain. The infusion fiber can be fixed or axially movable within the guide catheter. In the latter embodiment, the proximal end of the infusion fiber extending outwardly from the guide catheter can be manipulated to locate the distal end of the infusion fiber in the target area. An infusion pump is connected to the proximal end of the infusion fiber to infuse a minute quantity of fluid at an extremely low flow rate into the brain of the patient.
US08182457B2
A disposable garment includes a chassis defining one or more openings for the legs, arms, waist or the like on a wearer. An apparent elastic band is located in the vicinity of at least one of the openings. The apparent elastic band looks and functions like an elastic band, but is not an elastic band, and is less expensive to implement than an elastic band.
US08182444B2
A system for delivering a fluid comprising cells to tissue of a patient includes a container holding an injection fluid and a powered drive. A sensor system provides a measurement indicative of at least shear forces on the cells to a control system. Based at least in part on this measurement, the control system is adapted to transmit a control signal to the powered drive for pressurizing the contents of the container to deposit cells within the tissue of a patient via a fluid path and a patient interface. As an example, the cells can be pregenitor or stem cells.
US08182443B1
A drug administration controller has a sensor that generates a sensor signal to a physiological measurement device, which measures a physiological parameter in response. A control output responsive to the physiological parameter or a metric derived from the physiological parameter causes a drug administration device to affect the treatment of a person, such as by initiating, pausing, halting or adjusting the dosage of drugs administered to the person.
US08182442B2
A pyloric valve is provided for inhibiting the flow of chyme through the pyloric region of the gastrointestinal tract. The pyloric valve includes a blocking portion having a plurality of disc-shaped flanges connected in series. The blocking portion may be disposed in a contracted position wherein the plurality of disc-shaped flanges is disposed in a stacked configuration and a resting position wherein the plurality of disc-shaped flanges is disposed in a linear configuration. The pyloric valve may further include a sleeve that may have a beveled distal end. The pyloric valve may be constructed of silicon. Also provided are methods of inserting and removing the pyloric valve, which each include a step of manipulating the support between its resting and contracted positions. Insertion and removal systems are also provided for use with the pyloric valve.
US08182439B2
A body support system having a frame with a vertical section that couples with a shoulder section and a hip section that are flexible and configured to fit over the shoulders and around a user's hips. The hip elements are coupled to the vertical section and allow limited pelvic rotation around vertical axis orthogonal to the vertical section. The hip elements are configured to use a latching hip strap to couple hip padding to the hip elements. The vertical section may have spinal padding for the thoracic portion of the spine. The shoulder section has shoulder elements are curved and coupled to form a yoke that fits over the shoulders. The yoke may couple to lifting straps. The vertical section may be curved to conform to the shape of a user's back.
US08182438B2
One embodiment the device described herein relates to orthotic devices, and more particularly to a modular type body brace worn about a portion of the body, and one or more removably attached body panels associated with the body brace for supporting the portion of the body. The body panels are preferably contoured to the physiology of the portion of the body and have a relatively thicker core and progressively thinner peripheral region to provide dynamic flex response when supporting the portion of the body.
US08182435B2
An implantable intraocular pressure sensor system has a sealed geometric shape with an internal pressure at a first value. A strain gauge wire is embedded in a surface of the sealed geometric shape. When the surface is deflected by intraocular pressure, a measured resistance of the strain gauge wire indicates the intraocular pressure. The system also has a processor coupled to a power source and memory. The processor is configured to read the measured resistance and write values corresponding to intraocular pressure to the memory.
US08182430B2
A thermocromatic device for detecting body temperature includes a substrate treated with a thermocromatic composition. The thermocromatic composition includes a thermocromatic agent that changes color at a predetermined temperature indicative of a condition to be detected.
US08182424B2
An indirect calorimeter estimates nutritional caloric intake by periodically monitoring weight and sensing physical exercise (i.e., physiological data and/or motion data related to physical exertion), which can then be used in a calorimetry model derived from regression analysis of a population (e.g., linear regression, feed-forward neural network, Gaussian process, boosted regression tree, etc.). A strap-on user device for tracking exercise can detect one or more of heart rate, body temperature, skin resistance, motion/acceleration sensing (e.g., pedometer, accelerometer), velocity sensing (e.g., global positioning system (GPS)), and an intelligent, integrated exercise machine (e.g., treadmill, exercise bike, etc.). To gain further fidelity, the user can fine-tune the estimate by undergoing a journal-based routine for a relatively short period of time or clinical calorimetry measurement (e.g., respiratory calorimeter), thereby providing a baseline for resting or exercising metabolic rate.
US08182416B1
An endoscope includes an insert portion, a display portion, a manipulation portion, a casing that houses the display portion and the manipulation portion at a front side, and to which the insert portion is connected at a back side, and a battery. The casing has an upper portion in which the display portion is housed and a lower portion in which the manipulation portion is housed. At least a portion of a back side of the lower portion is convex. The insert portion is connected to the convex portion of the back side of the lower portion at a position such that the insert portion extends between fingers of a single hand when a user holds the lower portion. And an opening for inserting and removing the battery is provided in a back side of the upper portion.
US08182415B2
A surgical instrument is inserted through a guide tube. A telemanipulation system moves the distal end of the surgical instrument in all six Cartesian degrees of freedom independently of any guide tube movements.
US08182408B2
A centrifugal separator includes a rotating centrifuge rotor having a casing which defines an inner separation space. A set of separation discs is provided in the inner separation space. The centrifugal separator includes a torque transmitting part connected to the centrifuge rotor. A drive motor drives the torque transmitting part for rotation of the centrifuge rotor. The drive motor has a first axial end turned towards the centrifuge rotor and a second axial end turned away from the centrifuge rotor. The centrifugal separator includes a stationary frame and a first bearing and a second bearing, which are connected to the frame. The torque transmitting part is rotatably journalled in the first bearing and the second bearing. The first bearing is provided between the drive motor and the centrifuge rotor. The second bearing is provided outside the second axial end of the drive motor.
US08182405B2
A developing roller is provided which supplies a toner to a photosensitive member to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member. The developing roller has a surface layer which includes carbon black and a polyurethane resin. The polyurethane resin has a specific structure. The surface layer has a specific ester group concentration and a specific urethane group concentration.
US08182401B2
Embodiments herein include an impact-receiving member to receive an impact force imparted by a mass exerted by an exercise device user during a physical exercise workout session, a shock-absorbing mechanism to dissipate energy transferred from the mass exerted by the exercise device user, and a platform assembly to support the impact-receiving member and the shock-absorbing mechanism in a spatial orientation consistent with objectives of the physical exercise workout session.
US08182390B2
A method of clutch control includes engaging a first holding clutch to place the transmission in a first neutral mode and predicting a first EVT mode. The method begins tracking a first output clutch and predicts a second EVT mode. Tracking the first output clutch ends and tracking a second holding clutch begins. The method engages the second holding clutch to place the transmission in a second neutral mode, ending tracking of the second holding clutch. The first holding clutch is disengaged to place the transmission in a third neutral mode and the method begins tracking a second output clutch. Engaging the second output clutch places the transmission in the second EVT mode and ends tracking of the second output clutch. The engine may be placed into a speed control mode and the transmission placed into a full hydraulic neutral mode.
US08182375B2
A sports stick exhibiting a superior strength to weight ratio. The sports stick design allows for decreased flexure, increased rigidity and increased durability, which lend to greater generation of force, accuracy, reliability and longer life expectancy. The sports stick utilizes aerodynamic features in order to achieve an exposed truss like structure which permits airflow through the internal sections of the shaft which creates greater shaft acceleration and velocity. The sports stick also affords enhanced strength in the direction of a shot and receipt of a pass. The sports stick also provides for channeling away of fluids throughout the length of the stick. The sports stick also provides a system wherein weight can be regulated in multiple regions throughout by utilizing removable or fixed weighted elements or by sizing of cutaways strategically designed to be placed in a certain area of the stick, depending on player handling preference.
US08182374B1
A portable ping pong set having a net assembly comprising a first post having a first base member, a second post having a second base member, and a net fixedly secured within each of the first and second posts and extendible therebetween, the first and second base members operatively arranged to form an assembly base when the first and second base members are proximate one another, the assembly base having a first shape when the first and second base members are proximate one another; and, a paddle having a blade and retractable handle, the blade having a second shape, wherein the first shape and the second shape are substantially similar when the handle is retracted into the blade.
US08182369B2
A golf ball including a thermoplastic inner core and a thermoset outer core layer is described. The inner core has a surface hardness of 43 to about 65 Shore D and a center hardness of about 30 to 43 Shore D that is less than the surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. A cover includes an inner and outer cover layer. The thermoplastic inner core is formed from a highly-neutralized ionomer comprising a copolymer of ethylene and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to fully-neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The outer core layer includes a polybutadiene rubber and has a surface hardness greater than an interior hardness by about 6 to 11 Shore D points to define a shallow positive hardness gradient.
US08182364B2
Embodiments of golf clubs with one or more cavities described herein.Related examples and methods are also disclosed herein.
US08182349B2
A coupling assembly includes a first coupling end operably connectable to a first shaft and a second coupling end operably connectable to a second shaft. A coupling body of a plastic material is located between and operably connected to the first coupling end and to the second coupling end. The coupling body includes at least one spring segment allowing relative motion between the first coupling end and the second coupling end along a coupling assembly axis. Also disclosed is a vehicle steering system utilizing the coupling assembly.
US08182339B2
Systems and methods provide three-dimensional transformations on graphical images. The transformations may vary in accordance with various wagering game functions.
US08182337B2
A method of processing a jackpot win in a gaming network comprising: providing a jackpot server: receiving jackpot claim data at the jackpot server; locking a jackpot record corresponding to the jackpot claim data; aggregating any outstanding jackpot contributions for the jackpot record from contributing parts of the gaming network to form a prize; and communicating prize data corresponding to the prize to a network destination identified by the jackpot claim data.
US08182330B2
A method of gaming comprising: selecting in each game round a plurality of symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions; superimposing a distorting element over one or more of the display positions so that one or more of the symbols can be modified, in response to determining that the distorting element should appear; and determining an outcome for each game round based on the selected symbols as modified by the distorting element.
US08182325B2
A gaming system (10, 100) implementing a base game and a feature game. A game controller (101) controls play of the game. The gaming system has at least one display (14, 106) and a player interface (107). The feature game comprises at least one series of game events, in which a plurality of symbols from at least one predetermined symbol set that includes at least first and second symbols, are randomly selected and displayed on the at least one display (14, 106). The feature game is a challenge feature and during play of the feature game, the game controller (101) maintains in computer memory (103) counters for said at least first and second symbols, varies the value of said counters on the occurrence of the at least first and second symbols and causes the at least one display to show a value of the counters. The values of the counters are evaluated against predetermined competitive criteria to determine the outcome of the series of game events.
US08182320B2
This disclosure generally describes a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) or, more specifically, a card-based MMORPG that enables characters in a virtual world to collect cards representing specified actions or powers and presents three-dimensional (3D) elements to players representing one or more aspects associated with the characters and environment. This 3D display can, in one implementation, offer a real-time combat engine that processes the card-based events. The 3D display may also offer hanging effects that dynamically present state information associated with the respective character. Further, the MMORPG may offer a real-time responsive and flexible chat management system.
US08182317B1
A handheld sanding implement includes an elongated handle resembling a toothbrush handle upon a first end is mounted a sanding pad. The sanding pad is attached to said handle via an affixing means. The sanding pad may be replaced with a spinning head that includes a plurality of sanding pads containing a sanding surface having the same or differing grits.
US08182315B2
The present invention discloses a Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) pad dresser used in lapping and polishing silicon wafers in either single or double sided polishing machines.
US08182300B2
An improved canine flotation apparatus that uses a segmented panel construction and varying densities of foam within the panels of the apparatus to comfortably and evenly float canines of a wide variety of weights and dimensions. The chest yoke panel and belly panel cradles the canine in the apparatus, helping to keep the head above water. The chest yoke panel further provides a measure of insulation around the heart and lungs, permits easier lifting of the canine due to the more secure fit and facilitates more natural movement by the canine in the water.
US08182297B2
A latched connector assembly includes a first connecting device and a second connecting device latched to each other. The first connecting device has a first casing and two terminal connectors received in the first casing. The first casing has first and second side walls. The first side walls have first engaging structures protruding outward. The second side walls each have an extending arm that has a second engaging structure. The second connecting device has a second casing and at least two terminal connectors received in the second casing. The second casing has third and fourth side walls. The third side walls have first engaging structures protruding outward. The fourth side walls each have a locking portion protruding outward for receiving the second engaging structures of the first connecting device. The terminal connectors are received, in opposite directions, in the first casing and the second casing, respectively.
US08182291B2
An electrical connector assembly having shielded cage assembly with at least one port for receiving modules, and methods of manufacture and use thereof. In one embodiment, the modules comprise SFP-type (small form-factor pluggable) modules, and the shielded cage assembly comprises an EMI shield member that is disposed at a port opening for the electrical connector assembly. In one variant, the EMI shield member can be disposed on the electrical connector cage assembly without the need for secondary processing techniques such as soldering, or resistance welding. This is accomplished via for example the utilization of mechanical snap features.
US08182289B2
An interconnection system that includes a daughter card and backplane electrical connectors mounted to printed circuit boards at connector footprints. The spring rate of beam-shaped contacts in the daughter card connector increases while mating with the backplane connector so that the retention force may be greater than the insertion force. Such a change in spring rate may be achieved by positioning the beam-shaped contacts adjacent a surface of a connector housing. That surface may include a projection that aligns with the beam-shaped contact. When the connectors are unmated, the beam-shaped contact may be spaced from the projection. As the connectors begin to mate, a central portion of the beam-shaped contact may be pressed against the projection, which has the effect of shortening the beam length and increasing its stiffness.
US08182284B2
An electrical connector includes a housing including a mating portion defining a mating direction and located on the front portion thereof and a supporting portion rearward extending from the mating portion, a plurality of contacts receiving in the housing, a cover assembled on the housing, a plurality of cables electrically connected to the contacts. The housing further includes a pair of wing portions extending from an rear wall of the mating portion and defining substantially a Z-like configuration in a top view.
US08182280B1
A socket connector includes a mating portion with a plurality of contacts received therein, a sidewall extending upwardly form the mating portion; and a movable supporting member mounted with the sidewall. The supporting member has a seating plane that is higher than a plane defined by utmost tips of the contacts when in a free position and does not extend over the contact field in the mating portion from a top view.
US08182269B2
An assembly provided for the practice of a gliding, rolling, or walking sport, such as snowboarding, skateboarding, or snowshoeing, for example, the assembly including a device for receiving a foot or a boot, as well as a board. The assembly includes a system for marking the position of the receiving device with respect to the board (3), the marking system including a first marking arrangement associated with the receiving device, as well as a second marking arrangement associated with the board, the first and second marking arrangements being provided to cooperate with one another.
US08182268B2
The present invention comprises a game apparatus and method for teaching and providing practice in core replacement behaviors, such as Asking the Question (i.e., Manding), Accepting “No”, Waiting and Sharing, to individuals with behavior challenges, including individuals with special needs. Grounded in principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis, the invention allow a trainer, through discrete trial training in an entertaining game format, to manipulate motivating operations in order to teach in a positive fashion these core replacement behaviors to a player. The method also incorporates the use of other procedural components, such as interspersing easy and difficult tasks and demand fading. Data as to a player's performance and progress in carrying out these core replacement behaviors may be collected and recorded both by trainers with respect to game sessions and by direct care providers in the natural environment.
US08182265B2
A multi-tapered endodontic file is provided, formed from shaft of material having a shaft. The shaft includes a working portion having one or more tissue-removing edges, points and/or surfaces. The working portion includes at least a first flute and a second flute. The first flute is tapered along its length in accordance with a first predetermined taper function. The second flute is tapered along its length in accordance with a second predetermined taper function.
US08182260B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming molded tapered products, such as masonry blocks, whereby high quality finished products are removed from their mold without the need for complex machinery for demolding. The mold may include one or more mold cavities having one or more movable cavity walls. The movable cavity walls may include an end liner having a planar product forming surface capable of moving from a vertical position to an angled position. Tapered products may be formed by moving the mold towards a pallet so that the pallet engages with the end liner and causes the end liner to move from the vertical position to the angled position. Moldable material may then be introduced into the mold cavity and may be allowed to remain in the mold cavity until it is self-sustaining. The mold may then be moved away from the pallet such that a molded product remains on the pallet, thereby allowing the end liner to move from the angled position to the vertical position.
US08182259B2
A molding apparatus comprises an upper molding box, a lower mold box, an upper flexible membrane covering an opening of the upper mold box, a lower flexible membrane covering an opening of the lower mold box, a heating system located in the upper mold box, a set of ports located between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane capable of being used to draw a vacuum between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane, and a displacement system located in the lower mold box under the lower flexible membrane.
US08182255B2
Device and apparatus for selective deposition of molten plastic material and method of manufacture by selective deposition. The device and the apparatus include a melting chamber communicated with a portion of a sonotrode of an ultrasonic transducer, a passage for feeding plastic material, and at least one outlet opening for supplying molten plastic material dropwise or continuously. A feeding of plastic material to the melting chamber is provided. The method includes feeding plastic material to the melting chamber configured in a device for selective deposition installed in a head of a piece of industrial manufacturing equipment, which is moved according to a strategy of its path defined by numerical control on a deposition area, and pouring plastic material melted by ultrasound through the outlet opening.
US08182243B2
A condensate pump for an HVAC system includes a reservoir, a solenoid pump assembly with a solenoid pump, and a solenoid pump electronic control module for limiting the amount of energy delivered to the solenoid pump during one half cycle from an AC current source. The solenoid pump is mounted in the solenoid pump assembly by means of shock absorbing material, and the solenoid pump assembly is mounted on a support member with shock absorbing material interposed between the solenoid pump assembly and the support member.
US08182237B2
ROTARY SYSTEM FOR SUBMERGED PUMPS. The rotary system (2), object of the present invention, is composed of a motoreducer assembly, which is coupled to a rotating shaft (5), through a pulley transmission system. At the lower part of the rotating shaft (5) the submerged pump (1) will be set.
US08182234B2
A wind turbine that includes a spaceframe mounted atop a support structure is provided. The spaceframe houses and is integrated with a wind turbine drivetrain. The spaceframe transfers primary rotor loads and drivetrain torque to the support structure.
US08182227B2
A wind turbine blade having two shell portions bonded together to form a wind turbine blade having an interior space having an axial length. A web disposed between the shell portions in the interior space and extending substantially the axial length thereof. Lightning receptors are disposed on the shell portions and a conductor is disposed in the interior space. The conductor is configured to contact the lightning receptors. One shell portion of the two shell portions has a removable section, e.g. a plug, receptor or panel, to provide access to the opposite conductor. A cable mounted on the web is configured to extend substantially the axial length of the wind turbine blade and is in electrical contact with the conductor.
US08182226B2
The present invention provides an improved built-in swing mechanism of a rotary fan. The mechanism includes a ball-and-socket support frame, arranged onto front wall of the main casing corresponding to the axle center of a drive motor and provided with a spherical supporting surface and a through-hole. A spherical abut seat is fastened at a front end of the drive motor is provided with a spherical abut surface that couples with the spherical supporting surface. A punch hole is placed at the center of spherical abut surface for the penetration of the axle center. A crank linkage element is assembled between rear end of the drive motor and the rear wall of the main casing. The first end of the crank linkage element can be driven to enable the oscillation of the second end. The second end is assembled at a rotary pivot corresponding to the main casing.
US08182224B1
A turbine blade with an array of cells arranged along the pressure side and suction side of the airfoil to provide near wall cooling to a thin thermal skin that forms the airfoil surface of the airfoil. The blade includes a main spar that forms the support for the thin thermal skin and includes a number of cooling air supply cavities and cooling air discharge cavities formed in an alternating manner along the chordwise length of the airfoil. A row of cells extend along the spanwise direction of the airfoil and includes a mini serpentine flow passage with an inlet hole connected to the adjacent supply cavity and a discharge hole connected to the adjacent collector cavity. The cooling air flow and pressure can be controlled for each of the cells by sizing the metering inlet hole to control the metal temperature of the airfoil as selected locations.
US08182220B2
A kinetically modulated fan structure is provided. The fan structure comprises a housing, a plurality of blades and an equilibrating structure, wherein the equilibrating structure is disposed on the inner side of the housing, and formed integrally with the housing and the blades. Thereby, the fan structure is adapted to be kinetically equilibrated during the manufacturing process. As a result, the modulation of the kinetic equilibrium with respect to the fan structure is eliminated since all of the yielded fan structures are uniform in quality. The simplified production is both time efficient and cost efficient, while producing a durable product.
US08182210B2
A gas turbine includes a turbine housing; a rotatable turbine rotor with turbine blades; and at least one heat shield segment for a stator. The heat shield segment is disposed radially between the rotor and the housing and attached to the housing and has a profile with a curved section in at least one region in an axial direction of the gas turbine and a radial outer surface. The heat shield segment includes a rib, a first boss, and a second boss disposed on the radial outer surface.
US08182206B2
A connection device for connecting two turbine housings (1, 2) of a two-stage turbocharging system includes a male/female joint for joining the two turbine housings; a cylindrical ring seal (3) installed under compression inside the male/female joint for sealing exhaust gas; and a vibration damper (4) in a shape of a flat washer and placed between the two housings. The cylindrical ring seal can be made of stainless steel mesh impregnated with vermiculite or graphite. The vibration damper can be made of stainless steel mesh but not impregnated.
US08182193B2
A trailer for transporting a freight container is comprised of a frame having a front frame section which is adapted to be coupled to a suitable road vehicle. A pair of displaceable horizontal side beams are secured to the front frame section and are provided with a hingeable rear gate formed by a pair of hinge arms. Each of the side beams has a suspension assembly to support a tandem wheel arrangement. Retractable vertical lifting piston cylinders are secured to a portion of the front frame and to the pair of hinge arms and are actuable to lift the pair of horizontal side beams and its wheels above a ground surface. Laterally extendable piston cylinders are also secured to the front frame and the hinge arms to displace the horizontal side beams outwardly and inwardly with respect to one another when lifted off the ground surface. Container lifting posts are secured to opposed ends of the front frame section and the hinge arms for removable connection to a container positioned between the side beams to lift and lower the container therebetween. Container connectors are secured to each of the side beams for securing a container thereto for transportation.
US08182192B2
A substrate processing apparatus has a frame and a load port connected to the frame and adapted to mate a substrate transport container to the frame. The apparatus has transportable storage that is adapted to be removably connected to the frame and fit beneath the load port. The storage may be an enclosure housing electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical devices of the substrate processing apparatus.
US08182179B2
The present invention relates to a support structure including a plurality of mats, each mat including a substantially fixed matrix of spaced tubular rings. The mats are vertically stacked such that the tubular rings are co-extensive and form a matrix of tubular columns. Materials may be poured into the columns and into the void region between the columns, and geotextile or geomembrane-type fabric may wrap the mats and materials to form a block. The blocks may be arranged in one or more horizontal layers, and may be stacked and staggered with respect to blocks in a lower layer. A method of installing the structure is also disclosed.
US08182178B2
A directional fracture grouting method with polymer for seepage control of dikes and dams includes the steps of: arranging a plurality of directional fracture grouting holes at a predetermined distance along the axis of the dike or dam; forming the directional fracture grouting holes by pushing a special drilling tool; placing a hole-sealing grouting pipe and a fracture grouting pipe into each of the directional fracture holes; and injecting including the steps of firstly injecting a small amount of polymer material into the sealing-hole pipe, and secondly injecting predetermined amount of material into the fracture grouting pipe. Under the chemical reaction, the mixed material expands, fractures the soil along the guided directions, and forms a super thin polymer segment. Finally, the polymer segments are overlapped each other, and the seepage control system is constructed inside the dike or dam.
US08182167B2
A lamp pen includes a pen body, a refill, a conductive rotating slide, a lamp, and a cartridge holding a battery. The rotating slide is electrically connected to the battery. A conductive bar on a surface of the slide abuts an end of the cartridge, which comprises a helical surface forming higher and auxiliary higher slots disposed at a highest point of the surface. A first lead of the lamp is connected to the battery, and a second lead is affixed within the higher slot. Rotating the slide causes the conductive bar to engage either the higher slot or auxiliary higher slot, pushing the cartridge downward so that the refill extends out of the pen tip. When the higher slot is engaged, the second lead of the lamp connects to the conductive bar, the electric circuit completes, and the lamp illuminates.
US08182159B2
An optical device includes a first retaining sleeve having a first capillary tube retained therein, the first capillary tube having an optical fiber inserted therein; a second retaining sleeve having a second capillary tube retained therein, the second capillary tube having an optical fiber inserted therein; and a lens assembly. The lens assembly includes a first lens and a second lens each of which has one end surface provided with a spherical surface portion, an optical functional portion, and an accommodation sleeve for accommodating the optical functional component. An end surface of the first retaining sleeve is fixed to one end surface of the accommodation sleeve, and an end surface of the second retaining sleeve is fixed to the other end surface of the accommodation sleeve.
US08182148B2
An X-ray detector system includes a detector and a mounting apparatus for mounting the detector, the detector comprising a cable comprising a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the detector and the second end coupled to the mounting apparatus, the cable configured to transmit a signal detected by the detector to an imaging processor located in the mounting apparatus, the second end of the cable comprises a plug, the mounting apparatus comprises a socket matching with the plug on the cable such that the plug is configured to be removed from the socket, the X-ray detector system further comprising a jumper wire comprising two ends that are respectively provided with plugs that are configured to be selectively matched with or detached from the plug on the cable and the socket on the mounting apparatus.
US08182145B2
A temperature sensor including a temperature sensing element (102) having a temperature sensing unit (103) and a pair of device electrode wires (104) extending from the temperature sensing unit; a sheath member (106) including a sheath wire (108) connected at a junction (110) to one of the device electrode wires and a sheath outer pipe (107) retaining the sheath wire in an insulating material (114); an inner tube (112) which has a bottomed cylindrical shape, the inner tube accommodating the temperature sensing element and the junction in a bottom portion side of the inner tube serving as a leading end of the temperature sensor, and extending in an extension direction of the device electrode wire and the sheath wire; and an outer tube (120) which has a bottomed cylindrical shape including a gas inlet hole (122a, 122b, 122c), the outer tube covering the inner tube, and being spaced, from the inner tube on a leading end side of the junction when viewed in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the inner tube.
US08182141B1
In one embodiment, an integrated circuit for providing distributed temperature sensing is disclosed. For example, the integrated circuit comprises a plurality of circuit components, an internal temperature sensing device deployed among the plurality of circuit components; and a plurality of ring-oscillators deployed among the plurality of circuit components, wherein at least one of the plurality of ring-oscillators is deployed adjacent to the internal temperature sensing device, where the plurality of ring-oscillators is used to provide one or more temperature measurements, e.g., a temperature gradient, for the integrated circuit.
US08182137B2
A vessel receives and agitates a fluid using an internal fluid-agitating element driven by an external motive device. In one aspect, the vessel is a bag including a first receiver for receiving and holding a fluid-agitating element at a home location. The first receiver may be in the form of an inwardly-projecting post having an oversized portion for capturing the fluid-agitating element, but various other forms are disclosed. Use of this feature in completely rigid vessels where the fluid-agitating element is free of direct attachment from a first receiver having an oversized portion is also disclosed. In another aspect, the vessel or bag further includes a second receiver for receiving a portion of an external structure, such as a motive device, and aligning the vessel relative thereto.
US08182133B1
A mixing apparatus and method mixes constituents of a feedstock in a vessel, utilizing a mixing blade assembly rotated within the vessel in forward and reverse directions. The feedstock engages walls of the vessel, and scraper blades are carried by the mixing blade assembly to scrape feedstock from the walls of the vessel and direct scraped feedstock to feedstock being circulated within the vessel during rotation of the mixing blade assembly in either the forward direction or the reverse direction. The scraper blades each include scraper edges and are coupled to the mixing blade assembly for pivotal movement in response to engagement with feedstock during mixing, so as to juxtapose one or the other of opposite scraper edges of each scraper blade with the vessel wall for scraping feedstock during rotation of the mixing blade assembly in both the forward and reverse directions.
US08182129B2
A light guide unit including a light guide plate and a plurality of rod lenses is provided. The light guide plate has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a light incident surface connecting the first surface and the second surface. The light guide plate further has a plurality of diffusion net points located at the second surface. The rod lenses are disposed on the first surface. Each of the rod lenses extends along a first direction and has a curved surface curving in a second direction. The rod lenses are arranged along the second direction. Pitches of the adjacent diffusion net points in the first direction are smaller than pitches of the adjacent diffusion net points in the second direction. A backlight module using the light guide unit is also provided.
US08182106B2
There is provided a surface light source using white light emitting diodes including: a plurality of white light emitting diodes arranged at a predetermined distance from one another, wherein the white light emitting diodes are arranged such that a light emitting diode unit defined by each of the white light emitting diodes and corresponding ones of the white light emitting diodes disposed at a closest distance from the each white light emitting diode has a central light amount ranging from 80% to 120% with respect to an average light amount of the white light emitting diodes.
US08182096B2
Systems and methods for a cooling system of a display device are provided herein. One exemplary image display device includes a light source and an image-generation device for receiving light from the light source and generating an image. The image display device also includes a projection lens for projecting the image from the image-generation device. The image display device also includes a body for housing the light source, the image generation device, and the projection lens. The image display device also includes a cooling system coupled to the body. The cooling system may be positionable in a first position and a second position based on a configuration of the body.
US08182093B2
An image projection apparatus according to the present invention includes a light source for outputting laser light and a mirror section for reflecting and projecting the laser light having been output from the light source, and displays an image with at least a portion of the projected laser light. The image projection apparatus includes a detection section for detecting at least a portion of the laser light returning from a projection direction of the laser light, and a calculation section for determining an image displayable region based on the detected light. The mirror section reflects at least a portion of the laser light returning from the projection direction of the laser light so as to be led into the detection section.
US08182091B2
A system and method for automatic visual acuity screening, including: a vision self testing kiosk for performing a visual acuity test. The vision kiosk has a stimulus and multiple mirrors. An image is projected from the stimulus and reflects off of each of the mirrors before exiting the vision kiosk. The mirrors are mounted on a mirror box to define an optical path from the stimulus to a user using the vision kiosk. A microprocessor connected to vision kiosk is able to receive input from the user and report results of vision testing.
US08182090B2
Device for measuring wave fronts generated by a lens (4) for an eye, with a radiation source (14) for emitting test radiation (12) to be directed at the lens (4) and a sensor device (26) for detecting wave fronts of incident test radiation after interaction with the lens, wherein the sensor device scans the test radiation (20) after interaction with the lens (4) at a scanning frequency which is at least equal in size to the frequency at which changes in wave fronts occur in the test radiation (20) after interaction with the lens (4).
US08182088B2
A system for providing an intraocular lens includes a processor and a computer readable memory. The computer readable memory is configured to communicate with the processor, the memory having stored therein at least one of: one or more ocular dimensions, and at least one predetermined refractive outcome. The memory further includes a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to select an intraocular lens, select a power of an intraocular lens, or provide an intraocular lens. The sequence of instructions includes determining one or more dimensions of an eye. The instructions also include calculating, based on a mathematical relationship, a distance from an apex of a cornea of the eye to an apex or plane of the intraocular lens after insertion into the eye. The instructions further calculating an optical power of the intraocular lens suitable for providing a predetermined refractive outcome. The mathematical relationship includes an axial length of the eye, an anterior chamber depth of the natural crystalline lens, and a corneal radius of the eye, but is independent of a thickness of the natural crystalline lens.
US08182082B2
A printer accessory module for coupling to a printer to increase its printing capacity. The printer accessory module includes an auxiliary media module for storing and supplying printer media; and an auxiliary ink supply station for storing and supplying ink to the printer. The auxiliary ink supply station is connected to the printer by a ink delivery conduit system.
US08182078B2
There is provided a printing device that includes an ink applicator and a shaping fluid outlet adapted to dispense a shaping fluid onto curable ink applied by the applicator. The printing device may further include energy emitting source used to at least partially cure the applied ink. There is further provided a curable ink mixture, the mixture includes a colorant at a concentration higher than 4%. There is further provided, a method for printing that includes applying curable ink on a substrate and shaping the ink by dispensing a shaping fluid.
US08182077B2
An ink cartridge includes an ink tank defining an ink chamber therein, in which the ink chamber is configured to store ink therein, and an adapter configured to be coupled to the ink tank. The adapter and the ink tank are separate members, and the adapter includes a main body, and an operation portion extending from the main body in a particular direction. When the adapter is coupled to the ink tank, the operation portion extends toward the ink tank and extends further in the particular direction than the ink tank.
US08182074B2
In order to provide a liquid ejection head which enables ejection of a droplet at a higher frequency, according to the invention, a piezoelectric vibrator has a multilayer structure. In the multilayer structure, an upper piezoelectric layer and a lower piezoelectric layer are laminated one on another. A drive electrode is formed at a boundary between the upper piezoelectric layer and the lower piezoelectric layer and is electrically connected to a source for supplying a drive signal. An upper common electrode is formed on the surface of the upper piezoelectric layer. A lower common electrode is formed on the surface of the lower piezoelectric layer. An inertance of a nozzle orifice and an inertance of an ink supply port are set so as to become greater than an inertance of a pressure generating portion.
US08182071B2
Provided are an inkjet printhead and a method of driving the inkjet printhead. The inkjet printhead includes a heater configured to heat ink to produce ink bubbles, an electrode configured to apply or provide the current to the heater, and a resistor connected to the electrode and separated by a distance from the heater. The resistor having a negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTC) that can be used to compensate for the effects that temperature has on the ejection speed and mass of ejected ink droplets produced by the inkjet printhead and that result from temperature changes that occur during the operation of the inkjet printhead.
US08182066B2
A liquid body discharge device includes a plurality of nozzles for discharging a liquid body to a liquid body discharged region of a substrate, and a plurality of heads moving along a moving path and each including the plurality of nozzles. Among the plurality of heads, at least one of the plurality of heads includes the plurality of nozzles aligned in a first alignment direction, while a rest of the plurality of heads includes the plurality of nozzles aligned in a second alignment direction that is different from the first alignment direction. The liquid body is discharged to the liquid body discharged region of the substrate by moving one of the substrate and at least one of the plurality of heads.
US08182064B2
A waste liquid treatment device includes a storage unit configured to store waste liquid which is cured upon reception of an ultraviolet ray and an irradiating unit configured to irradiate a liquid surface of the waste liquid in the storage unit in an uncured state with an ultraviolet ray, and the irradiating unit performs a spot irradiation of the ultraviolet ray so that the surface area of the liquid surface which is irradiated with the ultraviolet ray is smaller than the surface area of the liquid surface.
US08182050B2
A system for adjusting a brake force to be applied by a brake includes a module for estimating a weight of a vehicle to which a brake is fitted, a module for determining an angle of incline upon which the vehicle is positioned, and a control unit for calculating a sufficient brake force to be applied according to predetermined criteria based upon the estimated weight and the incline to maintain the vehicle in a stationary state. The control unit is configured to signal the brake to apply the calculated amount of force.
US08182044B2
An energy absorption apparatus for protecting occupants of different body weights from the effects of excessive G-force by absorbing energy imparted on a vehicle during an explosion occurring below the vehicle. The apparatus has a first mounting member attached to the vehicle, a second mounting member attached to the occupant's seat, and an absorption mechanism attached between the first and second mounting members. The absorption mechanism utilizes an attenuation strip provided on one of the mounting members, and anvils provided on the other of the mounting members such that when the vehicle is subjected to excessive G-force, the attenuation strip is bent and pulled through the anvils thereby producing a frictional attenuation force which controls movement of the seat relative to the vehicle. An absorption adjustment mechanism is provided. Methods of protecting a vehicle occupant from the effects of excessive G-force are also provided.
US08182031B1
A poker kit comprising a plurality of chairs; a cushion attached to the seat panel of the chair and a plurality of legs attached to the seat panel; a first armrest and second armrest extending from the back panel of the chair; an ashtray attached to the first armrest and a cup holder attached to the second armrest; a storage pouch attached to the arm near the ashtray; a table having an octagon shape and a felt panel attached the top; a plurality of legs attached to the table; wherein the cushions of the chair are decorated with a design of one of the four top poker hands; wherein markers are labeled on the felt on the table.
US08182023B2
In one embodiment, an energy management system can comprise: a support structure; a covering; and a plastically deformable compression spring located between the support structure and the covering. In one embodiment, a method of absorbing energy can comprise: impacting a portion of a vehicle comprising an energy management system and plastically deforming the compression spring. A method for energy management in a vehicle comprises installing the energy management system in a vehicle.
US08182020B2
An transformable, aerodynamic cover assembly for pickup trucks which is user switchable between a closed aerodynamic configuration and a fully deployed truck cap configuration. The aerodynamic configuration reduces vehicle wind resistance and drag, thus increasing fuel efficiency. The cover assembly, constructed of rigid materials, comprises a fiberglass aerodynamic cover supporting flexible fabric widows supported by sleeve tubes, and a flexible rear hatch supported by a hanger. Internal stanchions can be deployed to elevate and support the aerodynamic cover in the elevated position. The aerodynamic cover assembly side walls and hatch provide a space for human habitation and increased cargo hauling capacity. The aerodynamic cover is detachable from the body of the assembly for hauling oversized cargo.
US08182000B2
A latch mechanism is provided for securing a storage compartment door within a vehicle. The latch mechanism includes a mounting bracket, a handle, and an undivided, one piece latching member. The latching member includes a main body portion, a first pliable leg portion, a second pliable leg portion, a first post portion, and a second post portion. The latching member is in a relaxed position when the handle is in the latched position and a flexed position when the handle is in the unlatched position. The handle includes at least one abutment member for displacing the main body portion of the latching member as the handle is pivoted from the latched position to the unlatched position. Displacement of the main body portion causes the first and second pliable leg portions to resiliently retract which retracts the first post member and the second post member from extended post positions to retracted post positions.
US08181990B2
An airbag for use within a motor vehicle, which includes a gas generator for supplying inflation gas; a lower chamber configured to be inflated directly by the gas generator; an upper chamber located above and proximate to the lower chamber; and a diffusing panel configured to separate the lower and upper chambers and allows inflation gas to pass through. The upper chamber is to be indirectly inflated by the gas generator through the diffusing panel, and upon completed deployment will have an internal pressure lower than the deployed internal pressure of the lower chamber.
US08181983B2
A jack assembly for adjusting the height of a trailer is provided. The jack assembly is moveable between an operable and a stowed position. The assembly includes a tube having a slot portion and a slide block moveable within the slot portion. A post connected to the slide block protrudes through an opening in the slot portion to engage a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism is movable between a clamped position where the slide block is clamped to the tube to prevent the jack from moving, and an unclamped position where the slide block is movable within the slot portion to allow the jack assembly to be moved between an operable position and a stowed position.
US08181970B2
A seal assembly is provided including a pair of end rings axially spaced from one another. A pair of annular seals are each engaged with a respective one of the pair of end rings. A locking ring is engaged with each of the pair of annular seals to connect the opposing end rings and annular seals in a unitized bi-directional seal assembly.
US08181964B2
A game apparatus and method of playing a game is disclosed herein. The game apparatus having: a central area that is configured to be rotated in a first direction; an outer member surrounding the central area, the outer member being configured to be rotated in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; a wall member separating an outer periphery of the central area from an inner periphery of the outer member; and a plurality of grabbing devices disposed about the outer member, each of the plurality of grabbing devices being configured to grab an object from the outer member and move it to the central area by tossing it over the wall member.
US08181961B1
A self-contained three-dimensional puzzle game that has a plurality of free-floating individual puzzle pieces (6) enclosed within a transparent enclosure (8). Puzzle is solved by using a wand (1) to move the individual puzzle pieces and forming the three dimensional solution. Wand is comprised of a rod, which extends through a small hole (4) in the enclosure. One embodiment has the three-dimensional subject solution covered with image graphics (10) so that when the individual pieces are manipulated into the correct positions they bring about an overall composition.
US08181959B2
A method and apparatus for the processing of print products. The method may include conveying individually the print products with a feeding device along a feeding section, transferring individually the print products from the feeding section to a further processing section, and generating control signals from a control unit. The control signals may correspond to further treatment of each individual print product and to the transfer of a print product to the further processing section such that it can be processed further. The apparatus may include a feeding device configured to convey the print products individually along a feeding section, a transfer device configured to individually transfer the print products from the feeding device to a further processing device, and a control unit configured to generate control signals to control the transfer of the print products from the feeding device to the further processing device.
US08181952B2
A paper sheet handling mechanism and method includes a loop-shaped part configured to hold a paper sheet (W1). Once a paper sheet (W2) present on the upstream side of a transport path relative to the loop-shaped part is fed to the loop-shaped part, the paper sheet (W2) present on the upstream side and the paper sheet (W1) present on the loop-shaped part are respectively moved, such that the paper sheet (W2) can be stacked with paper sheet (W1) circulated along the loop-shaped part. A paper sheet length detector determines whether the length of the paper sheet (W2) in the transport direction, which is fed to the loop-shaped part from the upstream side relative to the loop-shaped part along the transport path, is longer than a predetermined length. If the length is longer than the predetermined length, the paper sheet (W2) is ejected from the loop-shaped part.
US08181934B2
The invention relates to a shut-off device comprising a housing which is to be connected to an adjacent conduit in a pressure-tight manner. A tubular passage is defined in the housing for a medium flowing through the conduit. Said device also comprises at least one sealing body which can be displaced by an articulated mechanism, by means of an adjusting drive that can be moved vertically in relation to the direction of flow, from an open position into a closed position in which the sealing contour of the at least one sealing body comes into contact with the tubular passage in a radially sealing manner. The articulated mechanism is guided parallel to the direction of displacement of the adjusting drive and comprises a bearing body to which the at least one sealing body is pivotably applied. The inventive shut-off device is characterized in that the bearing body comprises two diametrically opposed ribs and two corresponding grooves are formed in the wall of the housing or in an insert at least partially lining the housing, the ribs forming a span extending transversally to the direction of flow of the medium.
US08181921B2
Disclosed are various embodiments of a platform telescoping system which comprises a platform, a first supporting arm, a second supporting arm, a telescopic driving mechanism which comprises a first power output, end and a rotational driving mechanism which comprises a second power output end. The first power output end is integrated with the second supporting arm and causes the second supporting arm to move in a first direction, and the second power output end is integrated with the platform and causes the platform to pivot between a first position and a second position. The second supporting arm telescopes with respect to the first supporting arm for adjusting the position of the platform. The space occupied by the platform telescoping system may be reduced while its functions enhanced.
US08181909B2
A pressure bulkhead assembly adapted for installation in an aircraft fuselage includes a bulkhead web and a reinforcing structure. The bulkhead web has a first side facing the pressurized compartment and a second side opposite the first side. The reinforcing structure, which is formed from a series of primary beam members, secondary beam members, and connecting elements, is provided on the second side of the bulkhead web.
US08181903B2
Aircraft having two, preferably four or more, rotors (20) in wing hatches (10) which can be closed. The closure mechanism has, at the top, individually curved elements on a rollshutter (scroll/roller blind) (40) and, at the bottom, a set of longitudinal fins (30). One or more propeller/impeller drives are firmly connected to the stabilator (60), which can be pivoted over a wide extent. In hovering flight, the wing hatches (10) are opened and the impeller drives (60), together with the stabilator, are pivoted largely vertically downwards. During the transition to cruise flight, the large flaperons (100) are lowered, and the propeller/impeller drives (60), together with the stabilator, are slowly pivoted to the horizontal. When the forward speed is sufficient, the wing hatches (10) are closed, the rotors (20) are stopped, and the flaperons (100) are raised somewhat again. The pilot has unobstructed visibility through the gap between the wingtips (70).
US08181898B2
A winding plant for use in plastic film production lines comprises a plurality of reels (11-14) connected to a star-like reel carrier (15) rotatable around its own axis. According to the invention, said reels (11-14) are arranged around said star-like reel carrier (15) in a manner such that at least a first reel (12) of said plurality of reels is situated in an operative winding position of a film (20) to form a complete roll (21). Said reels (11-14) each comprise a mandrel (26) supported by a tailstock associated with a flange element (16) comprising at least a first and a second notch (23,24), wherein said flange element (16) is rotatable around its own axis in a manner independent from said star-like reel carrier (15) when said tails tocks are released from said mandrels (26), so to bring said first notch (23) to a second unloaded reel (13) and said second notch (24) to a third reel (14) loaded with a roll (21) of film (20).
US08181884B2
The present invention provides machine-readable features for objects, both physical and electronic. One claim recites an object including a substrate and a machine-readable code provided on the substrate, the object further includes a material deposited on or incorporated in the substrate, where the material is alterable to change the machine-readable code. Another claim recites a method including: obtaining an object including a machine-readable code; reading the machine-readable code; and changing the machine-readable code in response to said act of reading. Of course, other claims are provided as well.
US08181876B2
A method aligns a second image of an object taken at a second time with a first image taken at a first time, wherein the object experiences motion relative to an imager between the first and second times. The images are formed of sets of pixels arranged horizontally and vertically in a pattern. The method operates on the pixels of the second image by performing a series of operations to affect an affine transformation without performing matrix arithmetic, preferably by table look-up. The method shifts the pixels of the second image vertically by a constant vertical offset, shifts the pixels of the second image horizontally by a constant horizontal offset, shears the second image horizontally by a skew factor, shears the second image vertically by a skew factor, scales the second image horizontally by a horizontal scale factor; and scale the second image vertically by a vertical scale factor.
US08181870B2
A magnetic character recognition (MICR) encoding device has a treatment station that applies a chemical treatment to the blank region as the sheets pass along the sheet path that compensates for a fuser release agent that a marking station uses. If blank region was not treated, the fuser release agent might detrimentally affect the printing of the additional magnetic ink markings. In order to properly align the blank region with the treatment station, the embodiments herein include at least one read head that is positioned before the treatment station along the sheet path. A controller analyzes the signals from the read head to determine whether the magnetic ink markings are aligned with the treatment station.
US08181866B2
A method and system is provided to deter purchases of recalled products. An inventory control system is provided with an identification code corresponding to a recalled product. The identification code of the recalled product is identified when it is scanned or otherwise determined to be part of a sale at a retail establishment and/or an e-commerce establishment. The purchase of the recalled product corresponding to the identification code identified is automatically denied.
US08181860B2
Apparatus and methods for identifying and counting objects having identifiers entering and exiting a surgical field are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus has an entry scanner, a hand held scanner and an exit scanner for generating a detection field and for receiving data which identifies said objects. In another embodiment, the apparatus has a plurality of lower antennas and an upper antenna for generating a detection field and for receiving data which identifies said objects. Various surgical devices with identifiers and methods for preventing electromagnetic coupling between and protecting objects and identifiers are also provided. The invention further provides apparatus and methods comprising a handheld scanner and a mat adapted to underlie a patient during a surgical procedure.
US08181857B1
An automated banking machine is operated responsive to data read from data bearing records. The automated banking machine operates responsive to the card data read from user cards to carry out financial transfers for authorized users. The banking machine includes a top housing, a fascia assembly, a support, a card reader, a display, a cash dispenser, and a chest portion. An automated banking machine includes a processor case in horizontally pivotally supported connection with the housing, and which may be released from supported connection with the housing.
US08181856B1
A cash recycler or other currency handling device includes a cash handling device alert system. Upon occurrence of one or more triggering events, a notification will be sent to one or more responsible entities. The responsible entity may be specified by a user. In addition, a user may specify the frequency of transmission of the notification or alert. In some arrangements, the alert may include a request for acknowledgement from the responsible entity.
US08181837B2
A surgical stapler which includes or onto which a tool assembly can be mounted for deforming a plurality of surgical fasteners through and fastening tissue includes a housing having a fixed handle and a clamping handle mountable to the housing. The clamping handle is selectively movable relative to the fixed handle from a first position in spaced relation relative to the fixed handle to a second position closer to the fixed handle to actuate the clamping of tissue. An adapter yoke is included which translates within the housing upon actuation of the clamping handle. The adapter yoke mechanically cooperates with a lead screw to actuate the tool assembly to clamp tissue. A drive assembly is also included for rotating a shaft which mechanically engages the lead screw. Upon selective activation of the drive assembly, the shaft rotates the lead screw to advance a roll nut and force a firing piston into the tool assembly to deform the surgical fasteners through and fasten the tissue.
US08181835B2
A resilient strap mount allowing for increased flexibility and movement of a user's shoulders and arms while wearing an athletic pack is presented. The resilient strap mount is constructed having a flexible body member consisting of two body member arms and a body member base. Shoulder harness straps, attaching to shoulder harnesses of the athletic pack, are each respectively threaded through one of the body member arms. An athletic pack strap, attaching to the base of the body of the athletic pack, is threaded through the body member base. In a preferred embodiment, each body member arm is constructed with a body member neck having a thinner width and thickness than the remainder of the flexible body member and each member neck has a pair of slot holes to allow for increased flexibility and stretching of the resilient strap mount.
US08181819B2
A lid for a container is disclosed that has a series of seals. The first seal is a cork seal mechanism that is forced against the container interior at a top portion of the container. The second seal is created by at least two ribs that produce a spring-like force against the container. An additional stretch fit seal can be incorporated into the lid. A tear strip can also be incorporated into the lid with windows immediately above the tear strip, thereby forming slits in the skirt to aid in removal of the lid.
US08181813B2
The invention relates to a device (10) for transporting and/or storing products, particularly of cryostat type, having an external packaging structure (14) comprising walls defining an internal volume (16) within which is a double-walled insulating bulb (12) whose body (32) is formed by an outer wall (34) and an inner wall (36) defining an internal volume (38), bulb (12) comprising an upper neck (40) defining an upper filling opening (42), and the device (10) comprising bulb (12) supporting means (46) that comprise attachment means (48) capable of engaging with the inner wall (36) only of bulb (12) in order to suspend the bulb (12) vertically by its neck (40) in such a way that the bulb (12) hangs freely in the empty space inside the internal volume (16) defined by the packaging structure (14, 18, 22), with no contact between the outer wall (34) of the bulb (12) and the walls (24, 22) of the packaging structure (14), said device being characterized in that the means (46) for the suspended support of the bulb (12) consist of at least one (20) of the walls of the packaging (14).
US08181810B2
A container and a lid for a container or container is provided. The container includes a lid and container body to which the lid is attached. The container may further include a storage compartment attached to the end of the container body. The lid includes a lid body defining a drinking aperture providing access to a central cavity of the container. The lid includes a snap closure pivoting relative to the lid body between an open position permitting fluid to pass through the drinking aperture, a first closed position with a portion of the snap closure is only biased against, but not engaged with, the lid body to prevent fluid to pass through the drinking aperture and a second closed position wherein the snap closure is engaged with the lid body.
US08181808B2
A container for operating media of motor vehicles which is chemically stable both in respect of the fuel carried and in respect of additives.
US08181790B2
A flotation apparatus F includes a tank 1 for receiving a liquid raw material, and introduces air into the tank 1 to generate bubbles for adsorbing print ink in the liquid raw material to the bubbles, thereby floating and separating the print ink. The flotation apparatus F includes a circulating device for circulating the liquid raw material by raising and then lowering the liquid raw material in the tank 1, an air supply tube 4 for supplying air into the tank 1, and an agitating member 5 provided in the tank 1 for taking the air from the air supply tube 4 and agitating the air for forming the air into fine bubbles. The agitating member 5 has a rotary shaft 51 held horizontally and a plurality of members 52 horizontally separately provided around an outer periphery. On a cross section transverse to a longitudinal direction of the tank 1, an outer periphery of the agitating member 5 is arranged on a lower side of the tank 1 and in a position at a downstream side of the liquid raw material relative to a vertical line V passing through a center of the tank 1.
US08181787B2
A packaging assembly is disclosed. The packaging assembly is easily assembled and disassembled for convenient use and provides suspension of an enclosed article by way of an arched structure providing protection from impact, shock and vibration. This suspension package and method is called KLOS Pak.
US08181786B1
A dental care promotional kit includes a housing, a dental care set, and a promotion tool. The housing has a receiving cavity, a reflective windows formed on one of the front promotional panel and the rear promotional panel, and at least one promotional zone formed on the housing. The promotion tool is retrievably disposed in the receiving cavity of the housing, and comprises a promotional member and a reflective element attached on the promotional member, wherein the promotional member further has a promotional section formed thereon for allowing promotional materials to be printed on the promotional section, and is capable of being taken out from the receiving cavity, such that a user is able to freely retrieve the dental care set for performing basic dental care while being imparted with business goodwill shown on the promotion tool and the promotional zone.
US08181783B2
The present invention relates to a wet sheet flexible package 1, including a plurality of wet sheets 2 impregnated with a liquid; a film bag 3 that is a flexible film bag packaging the plurality of wet sheets 2 and including a dispensing opening 31; and a label 5 attached to a surface of the film bag 3, covering the dispensing opening 31, and being able to be peeled off. In the wet sheet flexible package 1, when the label 5 is peeled off from the film bag 3, the dispensing opening 31 is unsealed and an adhesive layer 53 is exposed around the dispensing opening 51 on the surface of the film bag 3. A substrate 54 is provided between the adhesive layer 53 and the surface of the film bag 3, and the substrate 54 is composed of a film having a higher compression strength than a film composing the film bag 53.
US08181780B1
A socket holding device has a plurality of posts extending from a base. The base may be arranged so that shallow wells are linearly arranged in front of deeper wells with the posts extending from the center of the wells. The posts have arms with a radial bead connected thereto receivable within receivers in the shafts of sockets. A socket may be securely retained to the base thereby preventing undesired disengagement from the well if inverted or “knocked over”, while preferably allowing free rotation of an installed socket thus enabling one to read the sizing information on the exterior surface of the socket. This design is believed to provide an ability to be installed and uninstalled from the post multiple times without a loss of grip function and also preferably requires no secondary motion to remove or release the socket, and can consist of a one-piece design.
US08181769B2
A workpiece transfer mechanism 76 transfers workpieces W to a workpiece boat 40 having ringlike tables 86. The transfer mechanism 76 includes a fork main body 78 being movable forward and rearward with the workpiece W placed thereon; stopper members 94 provided at the end portion of the fork main body 78; clamp means 96 provided on the proximal end side of the fork main body 78 and having a pressing portion 102 coming into contact with the circumferential edge of the workpiece W and pressing the workpiece W toward the stopper member 94 for clamping; and fork elevating means 80 for lifting and lowering the fork main body 78. When the workpieces W are transferred to a workpiece boat 40, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 is controlled so as not to be inserted into a gap between tables 86. Thus, although the pitch between the tables 86 is small, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 does not interfere with the workpiece boat 40.
US08181764B2
Provided is a media deposit apparatus including: a deposit transfer portion providing a deposit circulation path of media deposited via a media deposit portion; a temporary transfer portion providing a temporary circulation path that contacts with the deposit circulation path to transfer the media to a temporary stack portion, and including a temporary stack gate, provided between the deposit circulation path and the temporary circulation path, to selectively convert a path of media to the temporary circulation path; and a media transfer portion providing a media transfer path that contacts with the temporary circulation path to transfer the media to a media storage portion, and including a media storage gate, provided between the temporary circulation path and the media transfer path, to selectively convert the path of media to the media transfer path. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify a media transfer structure and to enhance a media transfer efficiency.
US08181762B2
An annular frictional engaging piston includes an annular pressure apply portion which pushes a frictional engagement element in an axial direction against urging force of a return spring that urges in a direction opposite the frictional engagement element, and which has a cutout portion where a portion in the circumferential direction has been removed to avoid interference between the piston and another member. A partially removed region is provided, and a mounting hole for mounting the return spring on the piston is provided in a region other than the partially removed region.
US08181751B2
A brake apparatus includes a motor-based braking unit driven by control of an ECU and equipped with a BIR operating unit, that is, a BIR-equipped braking unit having a BIR (Ball In Ramp) function of generating straight movement force using changes in path of balls disposed between ramps rotating, such that it can achieve F-S (Fail-Safe) and generate emergency braking force for safety by operating the BIR operating unit using a pedal-coupled cable only by operating a brake pedal even if a motor of the motor-based braking unit fails.
US08181743B2
A pole or tree mounted device having a platform assembly at a lower position, and a seat assembly at an upper position. The seat assembly includes a seat brace, seat, and armrests and a leveler for assisting in securing and leveling the seat in a desired position, and the platform assembly includes a platform positioned substantially perpendicular to an outer surface of the tree or pole, and at least two braces positioned beneath the platform, wherein a first brace is secured in a substantially vertical position along an outer surface of the tree and is secured to an inner edge of the platform. The second brace is secured at some angle relative to the outer surface of the tree to extend from a lower position of the first brace to an outer edge of the platform. A leveler is provided to effectively level the platform as desired by the user.
US08181733B2
An exhaust pipe includes a catalyst housing portion arranged to be at least partially positioned in a space disposed between a shock absorber and a rear wheel, and a catalyst is disposed in the catalyst housing portion.
US08181724B2
A wind-powered pneumatic engine including one or more impeller chambers and one or more impellers disposed in the impeller chambers is provided. One or more air inlets for receiving external wind resistance airflow are disposed on the impeller chambers, and the external wind resistance airflow entering the air inlets drives the impellers to operate to generate power output. The wind-powered pneumatic engine further includes an air-jet system for jetting HPCA into the impeller chambers, and the internal high-pressure compressed air jetted by the air-jet system in conjunction with the external wind resistance airflow entering the air inlets drives the impellers to operate to generate power output. In the present invention, the external resistance airflow around a motor vehicle moving at a speed is converted into power for use, which greatly reduces energy consumption and improves the moving speed of a motor vehicle. A motor vehicle equipped with wind-powered pneumatic engine is also provided.
US08181721B1
A top drive track and slide assembly for use in drilling wells having a torque track slide assembly configured to connect to a top drive, and a modular torque track assembly configured to engage the torque track slide assembly. The modular torque track assembly can connect on a drilling rig. The modular torque track assembly can have a top track, one or more middle tracks, and a bottom track. One of the middle tracks can connect to the top track, and one of the middle tracks can connect to the bottom track using locking devices and connecting pins. The modular torque track assembly can be configured to be various lengths for various applications. The torque track slide assembly can have inserts retained therein without fasteners, allowing the inserts to be completely worn down before requiring replacement.
US08181714B2
A reversible, pneumatic ground piercing tool has a tail assembly with exhaust passages therethrough. At least a portion of each exhaust passage angles radially inwardly and ends in discharge ports that communicate with a central hole at the rear end of the tail assembly, whereby exhaust escapes through the central hole. A tail cone has a radially inwardly extending flange on the inner periphery of the central hole, which flange is rearwardly spaced from and covers the discharge ports.
US08181707B2
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for protecting tubular connections. In one aspect, an expandable tubular connection for use in a wellbore is provided. The tubular connection includes a tubular pin member. The tubular connection also includes a tubular box member having an end portion, wherein the tubular pin member is matable with the tubular box member to form the tubular connection. Additionally, the tubular connection includes a sleeve member disposed on the tubular pin member, wherein the sleeve member is configured to substantially protect the end portion of the tubular box member as the tubular connection is lowered into the wellbore. In yet a further aspect, a method for utilizing a tubular connection in a wellbore is provided.
US08181703B2
Methods that include a method comprising: providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a relative permeability modifier, wherein the relative permeability comprises a water-soluble polymer having hydrophobic or hydrophilic modification; introducing the treatment fluid into an interval of a well bore penetrating the subterranean formation; creating one or more perforations through a hydrajetting tool in the interval of the well bore, wherein the perforations extend from the well bore and into the subterranean formation; and allowing the treatment fluid to contact a portion of the subterranean formation.
US08181697B2
A multi-function multi-hole rig is disclosed which, in certain aspects, includes multiple machines for accomplishing rig functions, e.g. drilling machine(s), tripping machine(s), casing machine(s), and/or cementing machine(s), for producing multiple usable wellbores one after the other. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).
US08181695B2
A reinforcing element for a heat exchanger of the type having nested dish plates with inclined, peripheral, overlapping walls, where at least one of the nested dish plates is attached to a mounting plate, the mounting plate extending beyond the outer periphery of the walls of the nested dish plates. The reinforcing element has a base flange attached to the mounting plate extending beyond the outer periphery of the walls of the nested dish plates. The reinforcing element also has a peripheral flange located in parallel, overlapping engagement with the inclined peripheral wall of the at least one dish plate attached to the mounting plate.
US08181694B2
The present disclosure relates to automotive heat exchangers, and, heat exchanger tanks with headers. The heat exchanger eliminates the need for use of an inner flange on the header using a collar that also acts as a rib, thereby providing a compact foot plus header tank arrangement with lower stress on the gasket mating surface of the header and tank. The present disclosure also provides a method for providing improved headering for automotive heat exchangers with plastic tanks and headers.
US08181691B1
A dual temperature mold assembly for maintaining a mold cavity used in a cast on strap process at two different temperatures facilitates the removal of the solidified strap after the molten metal is solidified. The mold assembly includes a mold cavity having walls attached to different mold assembly segments that are heated or cooled by thermal energy input and coolant processes which can maintain the mold cavities at different temperatures, so that molten metal around the battery plate lugs in a mold cavity segment is solidified while the sides of the mold cavity are exposed to at least one adjacent heated segment to provide thermal energy thereinto, resulting in a reduction of the amount of molten metal necessary for a cast on strap, and reducing the amount of thermal energy input into the process for manufacturing the straps.
US08181687B2
To provide a transfer tool that can be preferably used without a table such as a desk and can easily carry out the transfer operation in any places, the transfer tool includes a transfer tool main body (1) and a transferred object receiver (2) that is accompanied by the transfer tool main body (1), wherein an insertion space (AS) in which a paper slip (P) can be inserted is formed between the transfer tool main body (1) and the transferred object receiver (2); a transfer head (H) is positioned so that at least a transfer face (RTa) of the transfer head (H) is exposed in the insertion space (AS); and a tape glue (T) is transferred on the paper slip (P) by slidably moving the transfer face (RTa) in a predetermined transfer direction while bringing the transfer face (RTa) into contact with the paper slip (P) with the paper slip (P) inserted in the insertion space (AS) and the paper slip (P) sandwiched between the transfer tool main body (1) and the transferred object receiver (2).
US08181683B2
A pneumatic tire has a plurality of upper surface sipes formed on an upper surface of the block and arranged in parallel so as to be spaced in a sipe width direction, and a wall surface sipe extending along a tire diametrical direction in a wall surface positioned in a longitudinal direction of the upper surface sipe. The wall surface sipe is arranged between a pair of adjacent the upper surface sipes.
US08181673B2
A woven fabric band having a first and a second woven fabric layer having second longitudinal and second transverse threads, the outer side of the second woven fabric layer being formed by floats of longitudinal threads, wherein the longitudinal threads form a first longitudinal thread group with outer longitudinal threads and a second longitudinal thread group with inner longitudinal threads and that the outer longitudinal threads form the outer side of the second layer and the inner longitudinal threads extend within the band.
US08181671B2
An elongate flow tube having an interior cross-section surrounding a long axis, an inlet end for receiving a fluid flow and an outlet end for discharging the fluid flow, and a diffuser plate spanning the interior cross-section to separate the flow tube into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. The diffuser plate includes a plurality of apertures formed therein for directing the fluid flow from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber. Furthermore, the diffuser plate is orientated longitudinally at a shallow angle with respect to the long axis of the flow tube to provide an indeterminate pulsation reflective surface, with the inlet chamber gradually decreasing in cross-sectional area and the outlet chamber gradually increasing in cross-sectional area across the length of the flow tube.
US08181669B2
A check valve (10) includes a valve housing (14) having at least one valve opening (16). At least one petal (12) is located in the valve housing (14) and is configured to substantially cover the at least one valve opening (16) when the at least one petal (12) is in a closed position. The at least one petal (12) is rotable about a hinge axis (22) toward an open position thereby allowing fluid to flow through the at least one valve opening (16). The check valve (10) includes at least one compliant petal stop (24), (36) to prevent rotation of the at least one petal (12) beyond the open position.
US08181661B2
An easy to use, universal, simple, lightweight, compact, portable, dynamically configurable and modular system of concealment and shelter. An operator configures a number of concealment blinds or shelters using brackets, supports, segmented shafts, covers, curtains, and skirts, and more complex modules. The segmented shafts have both the ability to make an attachment to retain a particular configuration while being able to break down the shafts for transportation or storage. The brackets and supports are used to secure a configuration to a tree, the ground, or a hand held device. Advanced modules include user adjustable domes and cylindrical arches. The system can be configured for placement on a hillside or over rough terrain and obstacles. Multiple modules can be carried by separate members of a group and combined together to form a more complex structure to meet the needs of the group. The system provides a novel star window with independently opening sections. The window openings are configured in a number of configurations to meet the needs of the user. The configuration of the structure is changed by the user to quickly provide cover, increase cover, and to adapt to terrain or changing weather. The system includes a low cost method of tightening the skin on a cover to reduce wind movement and noise.
US08181660B2
A treatment liquid permeation unit comprises: at least one vibration unit; and a vibration transmission unit for transmitting a vibration from the vibration unit. The vibration transmission unit is positioned between an adhesive with which a wafer is combined to a supporting plate or an adhesive adhered to a surface of the wafer and the vibration unit. A vibration from the vibration unit is transmitted via the vibration transmission unit. This promotes the treatment liquid for dissolving the adhesive to permeate the adhesive to which the treatment liquid is supplied. Therefore, the treatment liquid can more uniformly permeate the adhesive in a shorter time. This allows the treatment liquid for dissolving the adhesive to permeate the adhesive with which the wafer is combined to the supporting plate or to permeate the adhesive adhered to the surface of the wafer in a shorter time.
US08181658B2
The present invention provides a plastic hairclip features in enabling to open and close by plastic resilience intrinsically. The plastic hairclip comprises a mount retainer, a lever retainer with a pair of releasing tabs, a hinged pivotal root and a pair of open-able jaws, which functions to accommodate, hold and release a hair bundle by intrinsic plastic resilience thereof. The plastic hairclip is made of a polymerized plastic mixture by 55% of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), 30% of ethylene glycol (EG), 10% of phosphotungstic acid (PTA), 1% of optical brightener and 4% of polypropylene (PP) or butadiene-styrene copolymers sold under the trademark, K-Resin with 5% tolerance for each individual component respectively. Thereby, the plastic hairclip product features in good malleability, re-plasticization ability and tenacity as well as good artistic effect in shining brightness and eco-friendly effect.
US08181657B2
A placement method includes inserting an endoscope into a body, blocking a tubular tissue in the body with a distal end of the endoscope, pressurizing a detection target space between a placement member which is placed in the tubular tissue and blocks the tubular tissue and the distal end of the endoscope via a channel of the endoscope, and detecting a pressure state in the detection target space.
US08181655B2
A dental device has a U-shaped carrier with at least one channel for embracing an arch of teeth. The carrier has recessed insets in the channel. Discrete inserts carrying a beneficial agent can fit into the insets and release the agent gradually. The device may be used in a therapeutic application and as an athletic mouthguard. Temporary blanks may be initially fitted in the insets while a portion of the mouthguard is softened before an arch of teeth is pressed into the channel to make a custom impression. The inserts possess different physical properties than the carrier and may be positioned and shaped to mechanically buffer teeth of the arch from mechanical shocks as well as release beneficial agents. The inserts may be replaced or refreshed to maintain the beneficial agent. A dental device having a core carrying a beneficial agent inside a liquid-permeable shell functions as an infant's teething device.
US08181654B2
A ring structure for rolling a tubular region of a condom. A condom held and rolled on a ring includes a rigid ring, a lubricant layer, and a rotor. As an opening in the tubular region of the condom is expanded, the rigid ring is sheathed via the lubricant layer with the rubber tube. The rubber tube rotates in the ring and the ring is removable after placement of the condom.
US08181652B2
The invention relates to an infant tracheal device used with a source of air that provides transmission of continuous positive pressure into the lungs of an infant breathing spontaneously using a single tube inspiratory line. The invention serves as an interface with an open trachea. A one-way air valve placed within the tube will not allow pressure to return through the inspiratory line. The internal pressure within the line is measured with a monitor line which is connected to the source and the tracheal device as the pressure enters the infant lungs via a cuffless tracheal tube. A minimal amount of pressure will now be necessary to keep the lungs open. Voluntary exhalation occurs as the pressure of the exhaled air exiting the lungs goes around both the cuffless tracheal tube and out through the nose and mouth of the infant. A pressure release port located on the tracheal device facilitates monitoring and emergency pressure release as necessary. A dispenser port allows use of medication.
US08181648B2
A breathing assistance system for providing breathing assistance to a patient is provided. The breathing assistance system may include a ventilation system for supplying a gas flow, a conduit operatively coupled to the ventilation system, and a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of the gas flow through the conduit. The pressure sensor may include a structure configured to create a localized pressure drop in the gas flow proximate the pressure sensor structure.
US08181637B2
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, includes: a crankshaft; a crank angle detection unit; a generator; and a control unit to which alternating voltage signals are input, that ascertains ignition timings based on crank signals, performs ignition control so as to spark the internal combustion engine at the ignition timings, performs polarity determination processing in which the control unit determines a polarity of the alternating voltage signal each predetermined cycle and determines a current polarity determination result, and performs reverse rotation detection processing in which the control unit obtains the current polarity determination result each time the crank signal is detected so that the control unit ascertains a polarity cycle of the alternating voltage signals and in which the control unit determines that the crankshaft is in reverse rotation and stops the ignition control.
US08181635B2
In a breather device for engine, in which an inlet of a breather chamber communicates with a crank chamber through a reed valve, the reed valve being formed of: a fixed stopper plate arranged so as to be opposed to a valve seat formed on an end face of the inlet facing the breather chamber; and an elastic valve plate fixed at one end thereof to the stopper plate and capable of bending elastically to change its position from a closed position in which the elastic valve plate closes the inlet by seating on the valve seat to an opening limit position in which the elastic valve plate opens the inlet and abuts against the stopper plate, the stopper plate is provided at a center part thereof with an oil discharge hole through which oil present between the elastic valve plate and the stopper plate is pushed out when the elastic valve plate is pushed toward the opening limit position in which the elastic valve plate abuts against the stopper plate by pressure in the crank chamber. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the elastic valve plate from sticking to the stopper plate even if oil mist adheres to the elastic valve plate or the stopper plate of the reed valve.
US08181631B2
A hydrocarbon canister purge system includes a hydrocarbon storage canister, a fuel tank disposed in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon storage canister, an engine disposed in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon storage canister, a hydrocarbon sensor provided in the hydrocarbon storage canister and a controller disposed in signal-receiving communication with the hydrocarbon sensor and in signal-transmitting communication with the engine.
US08181629B2
A method for controlling a vehicle engine having a plurality of cylinders and an electric motor configured to rotate the engine is provided. The method includes, during engine idling, advancing spark timing of at least one cylinder to substantially before a peak torque timing. The method further includes adjusting motor torque output of the electric motor to maintain engine idle speed.
US08181628B2
A throttle valve controller for an internal combustion engine has a throttle valve driven by a motor. The target opening of the throttle valve is determined based on the operating state of the vehicle or internal combustion engine. A first lower limit is determined beforehand as the minimum target opening, and a second lower limit is set which is smaller than the first lower limit if the determined target opening is smaller than a predetermined opening and/or if the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine is lower than a predetermined speed.
US08181623B2
A piston for an internal combustion engine has at least two hub bores for holding a piston pin. The hub bores are formed with a cylindrical inner contour and are provided with a coating comprising a resin with solid lubricant particles embedded therein. The coating forms at least one geometric deviation from the cylindrical inner contour of the hub bores. A method for producing a piston of the type, includes producing bores with a cylindrical inner contour and applying a coating medium comprising a resin with solid lubricant particles embedded therein to the inner faces of the bores by a coating tool, such that the resulting coating forms at least one geometric deviation from the cylindrical inner contour of the hub bores.
US08181621B2
An internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and first and second balance shafts which are gear driven from one to the other, as a unilateral tensioning system applied to a flexible drive extending between the engine's crankshaft and a first one of the balance shafts, with the unilateral tensioning system being applied to the tension side alone of the flexible and inextensible drive element.
US08181618B2
An induction driven ignition system with an electrode projecting into the combustion chamber of a reciprocating internal combustion engine. The electrode is adjacent to but electrically insulated from an electrical conductor which receives current at frequencies between 100 kHz to 500 kHz. Thermal insulation is also provided between the electrode and adjacent structure of the head. The induction driven ignition system causes the electrodes to rapidly and accurately heat up to very high temperatures. The electrodes may be formed in elongated edges throughout the combustion chamber to provide combustion initiation over a wide area.
US08181611B2
Provided is a laminar-scavenging two-cycle engine, which can have a higher laminar-scavenging effect than that of the laminar-scavenging two-cycle engine of the prior art and which can expect drastically excellent effects on the stabilization of combustion and on the blow-by prevention. The laminar-scavenging two-cycle engine is characterized in that a scavenging passage (4) is constituted to include a portion (or a crankcase side portion (4a)) extending along a crankcase (9) and a portion (or a cylinder side portion (4b)) extending along a cylinder (10) and to have a length larger than the sum of the diameter and stroke of the cylinder (10), in that an ambient air introducing passage (11) for introducing the leading air into the scavenging passage (4) is connected to an intermediate portion of the scavenging passage (4), and in that a notch (8a) for opening a scavenging port (7) to the side of the crankcase (9) when a piston (8) is near the top dead center is formed in the piston (8).
US08181609B2
A protective animal collar having a collar body for forming a barrier for an area from the base of the neck to the head of the animal, a member having openings therein covering one end of the collar body.
US08181593B2
An apparatus for applying a layer to a hydrophobic surface. The apparatus including: a chuck having a top surface and rotatable about a axis perpendicular to the top surface and passing through a center point of the top surface; and hollow first and second dispense nozzles having respective first and second bores, the first and second dispense nozzles mounted on a application head disposed above the top surface of the chuck, the application head moveable in a direction parallel to the top surface of the chuck, the first dispense nozzle alignable over the center point when the application head is in a first position and the second dispense nozzle alignable over the center point when the application head is in a second position, at least a portion of the bore of second dispense tube having a maximum cross-sectional dimension of between about 0.5 millimeters and about 2.0 millimeters.
US08181592B2
An apparatus and method for coating products is disclosed herein. An exemplary apparatus comprises a vibration generating portion and a product coating portion. The product coating portion can include a coating application portion, a sifting portion, and an aligning portion. The exemplary apparatus can include a coating recycle portion as well. The vibration generation portion further comprises a motor vibration assembly secured to a frame wherein the frame is in communication with the product coating portion, such as a pan assembly, by springs that move the pan assembly with a vibratory motion. The product coating portion includes a series of angled steps that guide the coating and vibrating product upwards and forward, while simultaneously allowing the product to be agitated against the coating resting on the step surface. Additionally, the product coating portion can include a moveable wire belt conveyor assembly.
US08181578B2
A method, system and devices for reconditioning, repair and replacement of railroad track components including direct fixation fasteners includes the use of temporary direct fixation fasteners which serve as temporary rail support and fastening and as guides for installation of permanent anchor inserts for installation and anchoring of new permanent direct fixation fasteners. The method of use of the temporary direct fixation fasteners enables operational use of the railroad line at various stages throughout reconditioning, repair and replacement processes.
US08181574B2
A device is described for displaying data (13) during process sequences in machines (2) which process printing material. The device is provided for the purpose of graphically superimposing the data (13) to be displayed on the printing material (14).
US08181573B2
In an apparatus for feeding printing plates to a plate cylinder of a printing press, the printing plate is prealigned on stops outside the plate cylinder with a lateral offset and with an oblique skew. Then the printing plate is fed, in the thusly aligned position to the register pins of the plate cylinder, wherein the printing plate is finally aligned by lateral displacement and by a pivoting movement about the first register pin, until the printing plate bears with its receptacles against both register pins.
US08181562B2
Device for launching missiles from a ship, includes at least one missile launch ramp, includes a ditch delimited by side walls of which at least two constitute bulwarks which extend around the periphery of the ship, the ditch being open above the exterior deck of the ship, in that the launch ramp is positioned in the ditch so it can be used to launch a missile over a lateral bulwark of the ditch extending around the periphery of the ship. It includes an element for discharging the missile propulsion gases including a duct opening onto an orifice in a lateral bulwark of the ditch extending around the periphery of the ship, and the lateral bulwarks of the ditch are of a height tailored to conceal the missiles in place on the ramp, for angles of incidence of between 0 and −5° with respect to the deck of the ship.
US08181557B2
This specification discloses a mechanism that alters the cutting angle of a motorized miter saw. The cutting angle is altered by a mechanism that deploys a member from underneath the cutting material resting surface to above the cutting material resting surface. When deployed above the cutting material resting surface, the angle between the blade and cutting material is altered.
US08181550B2
A rotary actuator incorporating a force relationship includes a twistably-deformable structure having a first and a second end plate and a helical spring with a first and a second terminal end secured on the first and the second end plate, respectively, and wherein the first and the second end plate have a first and a second notch, respectively, and wherein the first and the second notch have a first and a second contact zone, respectively. The rotary actuator further includes an outlet shaft and a motor assembly having an outlet gear configured to drive the twistably-deformable structure so as to drive the outlet shaft in rotation, wherein the motor assembly, the twistably-deformable structure and the outlet shaft are disposed in succession. The rotary actuator has a first finger constrained to rotate with the outlet gear and a second finger constrained to rotate with the outlet shaft.
US08181548B2
A power transmission apparatus includes a rotating electric device including a rotor and a stator; a speed reducer; and a case. The speed reducer includes a first drive gear provided on a first shaft connected to the rotating electric device; a first driven gear that engages with the first drive gear, and that is provided on a second shaft that is parallel to the first shaft; a second drive gear provided on the second shaft; and a second driven gear that engages with the second drive gear, and that rotates coaxially with the first shaft. The lower end of the stator, the lower end of the second driven gear, the lower end of the first driven gear, and the lower end of the rotor are disposed in a stated order in a direction from a lower position to an upper position, in the case.
US08181539B2
A fluid parameter measuring instrument relies upon a torque transmitting member comprising an integrally joined and substantially concentric shaft within a tube to transfer torsional stress across a pressure differential barrier without a penetration aperture seal. On one environmental side of the barrier, a pair of thin wall beams having strain gauges secured thereto are secured proximate of the beam mid-points to the torque transmitting member and the opposite ends to barrier structure. The strain gauges are connected in an electrical balance circuit to measure torque as a function of stress on the beams.
US08181537B2
A fluid flow meter is responsive to measured torque force imposed by fluid flow over a static impeller. Exponential torque relationships imposed upon a static torque shaft by fluid flow over a static impeller are linearized by a resilient torque shaft restraint and translated to flow rate values by torque measuring means.
US08181535B2
Methods of measuring flow properties and flowmeters having an upstream transceiver and a downstream wave transceiver, each positioned with a wave emitting surface exposed to a fluid flowing in a conduit are described, the transceiver being separated by a length L along the conduit and adapted to receive wave signals traveling in flow direction and opposite to the flow direction, respectively, and an electronic processor for extracting from travel time measurements of the wave signals flow characterizing parameters, the transceivers being adapted to generate tube waves, particularly in the audible frequency range, in the conduit and used to determine the travel time of the tube waves between the upstream transceiver and the downstream wave transceiver.
US08181532B2
The present invention provides a structural deflection and load measuring device for mounting on an axle. The device includes at least one light beam emitting device connected to the axle and able to emit at least one light beam and at least one light position sensing device connected to the axle. The sensing device is located relative to the light beam emitting device for receiving at least one light beam from the light beam emitting device thereon and is operable to calculate the position of the light beam received on its surface.
US08181528B2
A method and system for ultrasonically inspecting a ring gear of a gearbox is provided. The method and system can be used for the detection, characterization and/or sizing of defects in the ring gear. The ring gear has a plurality of teeth, which extend radially inward with respect to an outer surface of the gearbox. The method includes the steps of selecting an ultrasonic transducer productive of a test signal, positioning the ultrasonic transducer at an outer surface of the ring gear, orienting the ultrasonic transducer so as to direct the test signal to propagate through the ring gear, and activating the ultrasonic transducer so as to test the ring gear for defects therein.
US08181527B2
An apparatus for pass/fail determination of bonding used in a bonding apparatus, includes: an ultrasonic horn configured to vibrate longitudinally in resonance with the vibration of an ultrasonic vibrator; a capillary attached at an anti-node of the vibration of the ultrasonic horn; a flange provided at a node of the vibration of the ultrasonic horn; a bonding arm; and a load sensor attached between the center of rotation of the bonding arm and a flange mounting surface in an offset manner from a longitudinal central axis of the ultrasonic horn, in which a load on the capillary in the direction toward and away from the bonding target is continuously detected by using the load sensor during bonding operation and the maximum value of the detected load is defined as an impact load to determine pass/fail of the bonding based on the impact load, thereby allowing a mid-bonding pass/fail determination.
US08181525B2
A universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device includes a radial positioning mechanism, supporting mechanisms, bases, acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms, and parallelism adjusting members, in which the supporting mechanism includes a main supporting arm and an auxiliary supporting arm, with one end of the auxiliary supporting arm fixedly connected to or hinged with the main supporting arm and the other end being provided with a ball head, and a parallelism adjusting member mounting mechanism is provided at the joint of the main supporting arm and the auxiliary supporting arm, and the base is provided with a spherical hole.
US08181518B1
A magnetic float is provided for a level indicator system that is suitable for low density liquids at high pressure, such as C3-liquids. The float comprises a hollow tube, first and second endcaps, and a magnet assembly. The hollow tube comprises a carbon fiber reinforced cured resin matrix and has a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the ends. The first and second endcaps are formed from polymer and dome-shaped. They seal the first and second ends of the hollow tube, respectively, to hermetically seal the inside of the float the outside. At least one polymeric reinforcing ring is mounted inside of a midsection of the hollow tube between the first end and the second end to resist radial inward collapse of the tube. The magnet assembly is mounted in the tube near the first endcap and comprises a plurality of longitudinally elongated magnets positioned adjacent the inside wall of the hollow tube. Each magnet has a longitudinal axis positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow tube and is circumferentially spaced from the other magnets.
US08181517B2
Disclosed herein is a system for use in a tank containing a contaminative fluid. The system includes an electrically conductive resistive material in fluid communication with the contents of the tank, a controller configured to periodically generate a control signal, and a variable power supply coupled to the electrically conductive material to provide a current within a normal operating range and to supply current at an elevated level in response to a control signal, wherein the elevated level is selected to heat the electrically conductive material to a temperature sufficient to remove contamination building thereon.
US08181507B2
A control system comprising a wind condition determination module that determines a wind condition and a leak detection test control module that selectively diagnoses a vapor leak associated with a vehicle based on the wind condition. A method comprising determining a wind condition and selectively diagnosing a vapor leak associated with a vehicle based on the wind condition.
US08181504B2
A smoke evaluation device includes a manifold in fluid communication with a source of smoke, and a first sampling line and a second sampling line in fluid communication with the manifold. The first sampling line and the second sampling line are arranged to convey parallel smoke flows. A first filter station is located in the first sampling line, and is adapted to support a filter paper in fluid communication with the smoke. A first circuit board station is located in the second sampling line, and is adapted to support a circuit board in fluid communication with the smoke.
US08181492B2
Disclosed herein is a washing machine that is capable of generating hot air and steam to be supplied into a rotary tub using a single heater. The washing machine includes a rotary tub to receive laundry, a heating duct defining a channel to supply hot air to the rotary tub, a heater mounted in the heating duct, and a steam generating part heated by the heater to generate steam to be supplied to the rotary tub. The steam generating part includes an object heated by contacting the heater. The object includes a tubular member having an outer surface contacting the heater and a hollow part for steam generation defined therein. The object may include a steam generating plate having one surface contacting the heater.
US08181489B2
The present invention relates to a knitting tool 1 in which a knitting point 2 is joined to a flexible cord 3 for holding the knitted product, wherein the knitting point 2 and the flexible cord 3 are joined to one another by means of a coupling device 4 and the coupling device 4 has at least two elements 5, 6 that can be releasably coupled to one another by means of a bayonet catch.
US08181486B2
In the method for manufacturing preforms for press molding, a glass melt gob is separated from glass melt flow flowing out of a pipe and the glass melt gob is molded into a preform for press molding on a glass gob casting mold. The method comprises a viscosity-increasing step to increase viscosity of the glass melt.
US08181482B2
A gemstone including a substantially rectangular girdle, a crown extending in a first direction from the girdle, and a pavilion extending in a second direction from the girdle opposite the first direction. The gemstone has 65 uniquely arranged and angled facets, 25 of which are in the crown, and 40 of which are in the pavilion. The height of the crown is preferably between 9½ to 13½% of the width of the stone, the total depth of the stone is preferably between 63-70.9% of the width of the stone, and the width of the table is preferably between 60-68% of the width of the stone. The crown has four sides, a table, and four bezel facets each positioned at a respective corner of the crown. Each of the four sides of the crown have a first break extending from the girdle toward the table, a second break extending from the first break toward the table, a third break extending from the second break to the table, and a pair of star facets provided between the third break and the bezel facets at each corner of respective side of the crown. Preferably, and relative to a plane parallel to a surface of the table, the first break is cut at an angle of approximately 35-45°, the second break is cut at an angle of approximately 30-40°, the third break is cut at an angle of approximately 25-35°, and the bezel facets are cut at an angle of approximately 20-30°.
US08181481B2
Method and apparatus for cooling a stream in a heat exchanger against a refrigerant fluid being cycled in a refrigerant circuit. The cycling of the refrigerant fluid includes feeding a first refrigerant fluid into an axial compressor and compressing it to obtain a compressed first refrigerant fluid. The compressed first refrigerant fluid is then fed into a centrifugal compressor, with a second refrigerant fluid. The compressed first refrigerant fluid and the second refrigerant fluid are compressed in the centrifugal compressor, thereby obtaining a compressed refrigerant fluid mixture. The compressed refrigerant fluid mixture is cooled in a heat exchanger and subsequently separated into at least two streams. The at least two streams are evaporated at different pressure levels of a heat exchanger in heat exchanging contact with the stream to be cooled, and from the at least two evaporated streams the first and second refrigerant fluids are retrieved.
US08181473B2
In a refrigeration cycle device in which a compressor is driven by power transmitted from an engine, a torque limiter is adapted to interrupt a transmission of the power from the engine to the compressor when a torque transmitted from the engine to the compressor becomes a predetermined value. A control unit is adapted to determine whether the transmission of the power from the engine to the compressor is interrupted by the torque limiter by determining whether a deviation of a refrigerant discharge pressure of the compressor is below a predetermined pressure when the control unit commands the compressor to change the refrigerant discharge flow amount of the compressor. Thus, the control unit can determine whether the torque limiter interrupts the transmission of power from the engine to the compressor without, using a compressor revolution sensor.
US08181470B2
Disclosed is a method and device for a refrigerant-based thermal energy storage and cooling system with multiple condensing units utilizing a common evaporator coil. The disclosed embodiments provide a refrigerant-based ice storage system with increased reliability, lower cost components, and reduced power consumption and ease of installation.
US08181463B2
The present invention provides an organic Rankine cycle power system, which comprises means for superheating vaporized organic motive fluid, an organic turbine module coupled to a generator, and a first pipe through which superheated organic motive fluid is supplied to the turbine, wherein the superheating means is a set of coils through which the vaporized organic motive fluid flows and which is in direct heat exchanger relation with waste heat gases.
US08181462B2
A single-shaft exhaust gas-driven turbocharger includes two parallel-flow first-stage centrifugal compressors in series with a single second-stage centrifugal compressor, and a one-stage turbine arranged to drive both the first- and second-stage centrifugal compressors via a single shaft on which the compressors and turbine are fixedly mounted. The compressor housing defines from one to a plurality of circumferentially spaced inlet ducts for the second wheel of the first stage, and from one to a plurality of circumferentially spaced interstage ducts leading from a vaneless diffuser of the first stage into the inlet of the second stage.
US08181447B2
An ECU corrects a fuel addition interval, based on an amount of change between an exhaust gas temperature at present and a basic exhaust gas temperature obtained when a basic addition interval is set, to reduce the fuel addition interval with an increase in the amount of change in the exhaust gas temperature. With such correction of the addition interval, when the exhaust gas temperature is increased in a highland region or the like, the fuel addition interval is corrected to be reduced and an fuel addition amount is corrected to be increased according to the increase in the exhaust gas temperature. Thereby, an increase in a temperature at a tip portion of a fuel addition valve can be suppressed, and thus clogging of an ejection hole of the fuel addition valve with deposits can be avoided.
US08181440B2
An igniter plug arrangement is disclosed. The arrangement includes an igniter plug of the semiconductor in shell type, a duct secured to a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine, a floating sleeve via which the igniter plug is mounted in the duct, and a system for guiding air to cool the semiconductor of the igniter plug. The shell and the semiconductor define, at their combustion-chamber end, an annular igniter plug cavity. The shell includes orifices in the region of the igniter plug annular cavity that communicate with the annular cavity of the sleeve and orifices on its planar surface.
US08181426B2
A Closing apparatus (1) for closing packaging elements, in particular cardboard boxes, comprises conveying device (2) for conveying the packaging elements, a folding device (4) for folding down at least one section of the packaging element concerned, a first closing device (6) for closing at least one section of the packaging element concerned, arranged on a first longitudinal side of the conveying device (2), wherein the closing apparatus further comprises a second closing device (8) for closing at least a section of the packaging elements concerned that is mounted on a second longitudinal side of the conveying device (2) opposite the first longitudinal side of the conveying device (2).
US08181423B2
A hollow flange channel beam has a planar web with a pair of narrow rectangular cross-section flanges extending along opposite sides of said web and extending perpendicular to a face of said web in the same direction. The section capacity is optimized when Wf=(0.3)Db, Wf=(3.0)Df and WF=(30)t.
US08181422B2
A structural, energy absorbing composite element for aircraft structures includes a metallic or nonmetallic skin shell with a porous filler material insert positioned within the skin shell. The porous filler material is a material having ligaments that collapse resulting in a densification of the porous filler material in response to impact loading or a compression force sufficient to cause failure of the combined assembly.
US08181421B2
An edge-wrapped panel and methods for edge-wrapping a panel. The panel comprises a substrate layer, a laminate layer, and at least one retainer. The laminate wraps around the substrate first edge and around the retainer first edge and sandwiches the substrate and the retainer between a first portion of the laminate and a second portion of the laminate. A method for edge-wrapping the panel includes the steps of securing the retainer to the laminate and then snap-wrapping the laminate flap around the edge of the panel. A stiffness and curvature in the retainer facilitates the swift snap-wrap movement.
US08181417B2
An improved acoustical damping wall (ceiling or floor) or door material comprises a laminar structure having as an integral part thereof one or more layers of viscoelastic material which also functions as a glue and one or more constraining layers, such as metal, cellulose, wood, or petroleum-based products such as plastic, vinyl, plastic or rubber. In one embodiment, standard wallboard, typically gypsum, comprises the external surfaces of the laminar structure; and one or more constraining layers are fabricated between the gypsum exterior. The resulting structure improves the attenuation of sound transmitted through the structure.
US08181414B2
An insulating concrete form block adapted to be interlocked with other insulating concrete blocks to form an insulating concrete form for casting concrete. The insulating concrete block including a first foam panel and a second foam panel supported in a spaced apart, parallel relationship to form a concrete receiving cavity. Each of the first panel and the second panel having a top end, a bottom end, a first end, and a second end. The top end and the bottom end of each of the first and second panels having an outside row of a plurality of projections and an inside row of a plurality of projections. The projections of the outside row being spaced apart to define a plurality of recesses and the projections of the inside row being spaced apart to define a plurality of recesses with the projections of the outside row being adjacent to the recesses of the inside row and the recesses of the outside row being adjacent projections of the inside row. At least some of the projections of the inner row are set back from an inner edge of the panel such that when one panel is interconnected with a like panel, a plurality of spaced apart recesses are formed along an inner face defined by the interconnected panels.
US08181405B2
A system for mounting a partition, the system including a shoe with a slot for receiving an edge of the partition and an isolator that fits within the slot between the partition and a portion of the slot. A clamp assembly fits within the slot opposite the first isolator. The clamp assembly includes upper and lower blocks and a center block. The clamp assembly and the isolator are configured to permit the angling of the partition within the slot to place the partition in a desired position. Surfaces of the blocks are angled with respect to each other so that drawing the upper and lower blocks toward each other will urge the center block in one direction so that the partition is held within the slot.
US08181404B2
Fireblock devices, wall assemblies and related methods useful for retarding the spread of smoke and fire through dynamic head-of-wall construction joints and gaps are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the fireblock device is characterized by an elongated angled channel member having an elongated intumescent material strip, wherein the angled channel member is defined by an elongated top flange member connected to an elongated side flange member along a lengthwise edge, and wherein the top and side flange members define a right angle and a lengthwise interior corner region, and wherein the top and side flange members each have inner flange member surfaces that face inwardly with respect to the interior corner region, and outer flange member surfaces that face outwardly with respect to the interior corner region, and wherein the intumescent material strip is affixed on the outer flange member surface of the side flange member.
US08181403B1
A roof vent has a base member adapted to be mounted on a roof, and a cover member for excluding water. The base member has a generally planar base having an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter, the inner perimeter defining a vent aperture. A water barrier wall extends upwardly from the base around the vent aperture for excluding water. A ventilated dome extends from the water barrier wall at least partially over the vent aperture. Generally triangular wedges extending outwardly from the water barrier wall, shaped to direct water flow away from the water barrier wall. The cover member has a top cover element with a perimeter flange extending downwardly, and is adapted to be mounted over the base member.
US08181402B2
A building-integrated photovoltaic power unit comprising: a solar cell module including a solar panel, a functional member, and a frame body including a first frame formed with an installation part extending outward and holding the functional member and the opposing edges of the solar panel facing each other; a processed rafter including a supporting member, the processed rafters including processed rafters configured as a structure of a roof, each having a width to allow installation parts of different solar cell modules facing each other to be installed thereon in a state where supporting members are successively installed stepwise in a longitudinal direction; and a cap member fixed to the processed rafter including a ceiling part covering upper surfaces of the first frames of the solar cell modules installed such that the respective installation parts face each other on an upper surface of the processed rafter.
US08181399B2
A support structure for elevating a building surface above a fixed surface having stability bracing to provide increased stability to the structure. The support structure includes a plurality of support pedestals that are disposed in spaced-apart relation on a fixed surface. A plurality of braces are attached to adjacent support pedestals to interconnect the support pedestals. Interconnecting the support pedestals in such a manner creates a stable support structure that can be utilized in unstable environments, such as seismically active geographic areas. The support pedestals can be adjustable-height support pedestals.
US08181398B2
A roof mounting system can include a roof substrate and flashing supportable on the substrate and including an outwardly extending projection having a concave interior side and an aperture extending through the projection between top and bottom surfaces of the flashing. A seal can extend through the aperture and contact at least a portion of the top surface and at least a portion of the bottom surface. The seal can be conformable with the concave interior side and can define a seal aperture substantially aligned with the flashing aperture. A mounting bracket can be supportable on the flashing and can define an aperture sized to receive at least a portion of each of the seal and the projection. A fastener can extend through the mounting bracket aperture, seal aperture, and flashing aperture to inhibit fluid flow through the flashing aperture.
US08181396B1
A counterbalance system for counterbalancing the weight of a window sash in a window frame and the structure of the springs that provide the counterbalance force. Guide tracks are provided on a window frame to guide the movement of the window sash. Mounting slots are formed through the guide tracks at various points. Coil springs are provided to create the counterbalance force. Each coil spring is a coil of wound steel ribbon that has one end bent into an anchor configuration. The anchor configuration passes into, and is retained by, one of the mounting slots. This anchors one end of the coil spring to the guide track.
US08181391B1
Embodiments of a vertical aquaponic micro farm are described. The vertical aquaponic micro farm is designed to support and incorporate a variety of food growing and alternative energy devices, and can be used to grow plants, fish, and other similar organisms. The system incorporates a biologically active grow mat and filter system and combines a biological filter system with aquaculture, hydroponics, solar, wind, and battery technologies. The vertical aquaponic garden/farm represents a self-sustaining micro farm that can be set up in any area with exposure to sunlight and/or wind. It can be used in exterior locations, or interior applications with the addition of appropriate lighting systems. Depending on application, the system uses significantly less water that required for traditional farming. Water is recycled through the grow mat media bed (bio-mat) and a biologic filter, which can be inoculated with a culture of nitrifying bacteria in combination with the plant roots. This system eliminates nitrogen waste by metabolizing ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. If fish are present, the system converts the effluent from the fish pond into plant mass. The overall system then returns clean water back to the fish pond.
US08181387B2
Disclosed is a rack for growing plants, including mounting means and a plurality of shelve means spaced vertically. Each of the plurality of shelve means is configured to slide generally horizontally in and out of said mounting means and includes a carrier element; and at least substantially planar light emitting element disposed under the carrier element and formed by at least one OLED. Positions of each of the plurality of shelve means are interchangeable relative to the mounting means.
US08181386B1
Cylindrical type encasement devices and method for planting mangrove propagules or seedlings along high-energy shorelines and in non-native environments. The devices can use interior (or exterior) longitudinal grooves or thinned channels or lines of holes that hinge the device along the longitudinal axis to facilitate increases in the displacement. This displacement results in acceleration of both plant development and the adaptation process, thereby improving long-term survivability and promoting reproductive maturity in order to establish self-sustaining mangrove trees and forests. The device facilitates forced adaptation, that is, induced changes in morphology and structure in order to habituate the developing mangrove tree to environments where natural recruitment cannot occur. A manufacturing process enables control of the structure, color and opacity, to facilitate optimization of the device for applications in habitat creation, restoration, shoreline stabilization, erosion control, and environmental remediation. Safe and easy removal of the device from the environment occurs at the completion of the adaptation process without harm and damage to the tree.
US08181380B2
An electronic fishing device for facilitating trolling a fish-catching element in water and a related system, method, and use, the fishing device including: a first sensing element for obtaining a first indication relating to water temperature, a second sensing element for obtaining a second indication relating to the depth of the device, a steering member for adjusting the depth of the device, a processing unit for controlling, via the first and/or second indication provided by the first and second sensing elements, the steering member so as to guide the device relative to at least one element selected from the group consisting of: the position of the thermocline layer, a predetermined depth, and a predetermined temperature. In addition to fishing the disclosed device may be utilized in marine or other underwater research.
US08181377B2
A display device includes (a) a first mounting member containing a first film-mounting surface, wherein the first film-mounting surface demarcates a first opening in the first mounting member; (b) a second mounting member containing a second film-mounting surface, wherein the second film-mounting surface demarcates a second opening in the second mounting member; (c) a first elastomeric film mounted to the first film-mounting surface and extending across the first opening; (d) a second elastomeric film mounted to the second film-mounting surface and extending across the second opening; and (e) a chassis configured for supporting the first mounting member and the second mounting member. The first opening and the second opening are configured for oppositional alignment in the chassis, and the first elastomeric film and the second elastomeric film are configured to retain a display object in a region defined by an oppositional alignment of the first opening and the second opening.
US08181375B2
Frontal panel display with assembly and disassembly automatic system where a display receives, in the rear side (4) of its frontal panel, (1) two pairs (5) of cardboard to form the two hinges that, under the assembly unit (16) claw effect, allow the articulable boards (9) to lock perpendicularly to such panel (1) and, parallelly between them, form two supports to maintain the display straight while by the panel grooves (3) and boards grooves (12) and again under the assembly units (16) action, the display shall be folded and compacted. In another version, the frontal panel receives just one board, maintaining the same assembly and disassembly system as well as in other version, where the parallel boards pair is equally maintained locked in the perpendicular position in respect to the frontal panel so as to maintain the display assembled.
US08181366B2
A ski boot for ski mountaineering or telemark skiing including a shell of plastic material and a sole. A first longitudinal cut in the shell defines two sides which allow the entry of the foot of the skier. A second cut in the shell, transverse to, and opening into the first cut, is formed in the front section of the shell. The first and second cuts form a longitudinal slot in the shell; stops are located at opposite ends of the slot. In the preferred embodiment, a peg with an enlarged head is slit within the slot to adjust the flexibility of the boot in the longitudinal direction. In the alternative embodiment, a gaiter and a profiled element are located in the area of the first cut and the second cut in the shell. A peg with an enlarged head is slid with aligned slots in the shell, gaiter, and profiled element, to adjust the flexibility of the shell in the longitudinal direction.
US08181363B2
A modular shoe is provided by a two part shoe design. A first part is an internal support structure that includes a midsole portion and a heel counter. A second part is a removable cover that is configured to accept a specific size internal support structure to provide internal support to the soft material and outsole which comprise the cover. Various cover designs are configured to accept a single size internal support structure thereby providing for interchangeable cover and a plurality of shoe designs all sharing a single internal support structure. The removable cover takes substantially less packing space that supported shoe, thereby requiring reduced storage for a traveler packing several shoe designs all sharing a single internal support.
US08181361B2
A sole structure 1 for a shoe comprises an upper plate 2 having a heel region and disposed on the upper side of the structure 1, a first C-shaped portion 3 and a second C-shaped portion 4 each having a longitudinally flat, generally C-shape with an upwardly opening portion 3A, 4A, disposed alongside in the longitudinal direction under the upper plate 2, and each opening end of the upwardly opening portions 3A, 4A directly fixed to the upper plate 2, and a connecting portion 5 interposed between and connecting the first and second C-shaped portions 3. The C-shaped portions 3, 4 are formed of downwardly convexly curved surfaces 30, 40 and diagonally upwardly convexly curved surfaces 31, 41, respectively, which extend diagonally upwardly from the downwardly convexly curved surfaces 30, 40 toward the upper plate 2.
US08181358B2
An energy management apparatus manages energy consumption of a machine, which has a supply part (14) for supplying energy and a consume part (10) for consuming the energy supplied by the supply part, so that the energy consumed by the consume part is positively saved. An operating part operates the consume part by using the energy supplied by the supply part. An acquisition part acquires an energy conversion characteristic, as an energy efficiency, from an input energy (40), (42) supplied to the consume part into an output energy output (44), (46) from the consume part. A change part changes an operating condition of the consume part based on the acquired energy efficiency so as to improve an actual value of the energy efficiency.
US08181341B2
A method of forming a circuit board which includes generating laser light with a carbon dioxide laser and making a hole through an insulating substrate by irradiating the insulating substrate with the laser light. The hole includes a top opening in a top surface of the insulating substrate, a bottom opening in a bottom surface of the insulating substrate, and an inner wall extending from the top opening to the bottom opening along a thickness direction of the insulating substrate, the inner wall including a bulge which extends in a direction generally orthogonal to the thickness direction. A via hole is formed in the insulating substrate by providing metal in the hole such that the metal extends from the top opening to the bottom opening along the inner wall, and completely closes each of the top and bottom openings.
US08181339B2
A printed circuit board and a method of manufacturing the printed circuit board are disclosed. The method of manufacturing the printed circuit board can include forming a first protective layer over one surface of a core substrate, forming a first circuit pattern over the other surface of the core substrate by a first process, removing the first protective layer, forming a second protective layer over the other surface of the core substrate, and forming a second circuit pattern over the one surface of the core substrate by a second process.
US08181331B2
The invention relates to a method for producing hardened structural parts from sheet steel. The method includes shaping at least one shaped part made of sheet steel provided with a cathodic corrosion protection coating, performing any required final trim of the shaped part and possibly any required punching, or the creation of a perforation pattern, subsequently heating the shaped part, at least over partial areas, under the admission of atmospheric oxygen to a temperature which permits austenizing of the steel material, and thereafter transferring the structural part to a mold-hardening tool and performing mold-hardening in the mold-hardening tool, wherein the structural part is cooled by the contact with and pressing by the mold-hardening tool and is hardened thereby.
US08181330B2
A member for a push button switch that has a small thickness, high durability, and excellent click feeling and can be manufactured at low cost. The member for the push button switch includes one or more key tops, a metal sheet including at least holes that correspond to positions of the key tops, and an elastic sheet that is provided on the metal sheet so as to be positioned on the same side as or opposite side to the key tops. The elastic sheet is fitted into the holes and comes in contact with the key tops at positions of the holes. The elastic sheet includes a urethane film or polycarbonate, and a silicone rubber, which are laminated in a thickness direction of the metal sheet.
US08181324B2
A catheter section comprising an elongate tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a passageway defining a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends. The elongate tubular member includes a knit tubular member and an inner tubular liner in coaxial relationship with the knit tubular member. The catheter section is for use as a distal section in a catheter having a relatively stiff proximal section.
US08181323B2
A guide (2) for inserting a fold of fabric into the batten of a Roman blind comprising a leading end (12) and a trailing end (4). A slot (10) runs from trailing end (12) to leading end (4). The slot (10) has a T-section which opens into a countersunk central area (14) towards the leading end (12) and into a bore (6) towards the trailing end (4). The bore (6) is adapted to receive a leading end of the batten (8) and a screw (18) projects from the sidewall into the bore (6) in order to engage the batten (8).
US08181317B2
Disclosed herein is a clamping device which can resiliency clamp an item. The claming device comprises a W-shaped metallic member to impart resilience for clamping an item, and a casing member having the metallic member embedded therein. The casing member is formed of a polymeric material through injection-molding to prevent corrosion of the metallic member while enhancing an appearance of the clamping device. A mold for the clamping device, and a method for manufacturing the same are also disclosed. Since the metallic member for imparting resilience is embedded in the casing member, the clamping device can be easily manufactured as a single component, remarkably reducing manufacturing costs. Additionally, the metallic member is prevented from being corroded, whereby the clamping device has a remarkably enhanced endurance as well as a compact structure and a high quality.
US08181312B2
An end-connector for fastening a flat-belt type suspension device of an elevator system comprises a housing with two side walls and a first and a second wrapping element each of which extends between the two side walls and is wrappable by the flat-belt type suspension device in a specified arrangement so as to hold the suspension means fast in the end-connector by frictional engagement. Marked on at least one of the two side walls on the outside that faces away from the wrapping elements is the specified arrangement of the suspension device.
US08181308B2
A wiper for a vehicle including: a wiper stripe; a plurality of supports combined with the wiper strip; first and second yokes slidably supporting the plurality of supports; a first auxiliary lever having one end combined with a middle portion of the first yoke; a second auxiliary lever having one end combined with a middle portion of the second yoke; and a primary lever having one end combined with the first auxiliary lever and another end combined with the second auxiliary lever and including an arm combination hole in which a wiper arm is combined with a center of the primary lever, wherein the primary lever is combined with the first auxiliary lever and the second auxiliary lever, the first auxiliary lever and the first yoke are combined with each other, and the second auxiliary lever and the second yoke are combined with each other.
US08181301B2
An electric toothbrush with a removable brush section having a transponder communicating with a handle portion of the toothbrush via a non-contacting inductive coupling.
US08181288B1
A tile-ready shower basin, and methods of manufacturing and installing the same. A sloped structural core is provided having a topside and a bottom side. A first waterproof panel or coating is applied to the topside and a second waterproof panel or coating is applied to the bottom side. A thin fiberglass flange is provided about at least a portion of the perimeter of the core to create a lip. The basin further includes a first hole or recess formed into the basin, which does not extend through the basin, and a second hole, axially aligned with the first, which does extend through the basin, for directly receiving and coupling a drain therein.
US08181278B2
The invention relates to a waist protection garment. The waist protection garment may include: a length corresponding to the waist circumference of a wearer and the length defining two longitudinal sides; a width in a direction perpendicular to the length and the width defining two lateral sides; an outer cover including a fluid impermeable material; a liner in superposed relation to the outer cover and the liner defining a bodyfacing surface and including a liquid permeable material; and a fastener for attaching one lateral side to the other lateral side.
US08181274B1
A novelty shirt with a chest section and long sleeves. The long sleeves in a first position extend downwardly adjacent the sides of the shirt and have shoulder and cuff portions spaced from each other along the vertical axes with elbow portions therebetween. Upper and lower, complementary mouth patterns are then provided on the outsides of the sleeves. The patterns on the downwardly extending sleeves face outwardly and it is not readily apparent that they are part of any overall design. However, when the sleeves are crossed laterally in front of the chest section of the shirt with the elbow portions adjacent one another, the complementary upper and lower mouth patterns on the sleeves then reveal the overall mouth design formed by them. Thereafter, the sleeves can be manipulated to separate the elbow portions to simulate the opening of the mouth.
US08181272B2
A method and apparatus for an environmentally-friendly disposable product and method that permits a caretaker to easily deploy and accurately position the product with confidence that the product is hygienic, effective in efficiently protecting the caretaker's clothing, and resistant to repositioning. The apparatus for overlaying a shoulder of a user includes a generally elongate absorbent soak-resistant body element including a front portion, a rear portion and an intermediate portion joining the front portion to the rear portion, the body element shaped for deployment over the shoulder with the intermediate portion generally disposed on top of the shoulder having the front portion overlaying a portion of a chest of the user and having the rear portion overlaying a portion of a back of the user; and a retentive element coupled to the body element, the retentive element interacting with the user to resist displacement of the body element after the body element is deployed over the shoulder.
US08181270B2
An anti-glare protection device for a welding mask includes a transmission control circuit for determining a darkening signal from a control signal, a welding activity detection circuit (6) for detecting a welding activity, based on the output of a first sensor circuit. The welding activity detection circuit is arranged to control, via an activation switch, whether either the darkening signal or a signal corresponding to an undarkened optical filter is input to a filter drive circuit. The filter drive circuit drives a controllable optical filter to a transmission value according to the signal input to the filter drive circuit. A manual input device allows a user to manually adjust a user selected signal. A second sensor circuit determines a sensed signal. A manually operable mode selection switch for selecting either, in a manual mode, the user selected signal or, in an automatic mode, the sensed signal to be used as the control signal to the transmission control circuit.
US08185965B1
A key-sharing scheme is used to control distribution and use of video and audio content in personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other wireless devices. A private key is split into key-shares using a Blakley-Shamir key splitting technique and the key-shares are distributed to various network entities including a finance server and security server. Key-shares are also stored in a user's subscriber identity module (SIM) and a security processor of the PDA. The key-shares from the network entities are provided to the PDA after the user requests specific video or audio content and credit verification is performed. The PDA's security processor combines the key-shares to form the decryption key for use in playing the content by the PDA's communications processor. When a service limit is reached, the PDA's security processor purges the key-shares to prevent further use of the content.
US08185964B2
A digital video system including a computer connected via a network to a number of video servers and cameras. The computer includes a program that provides a grid of display windows, each of which displays an image received from the camera associated with that window. The program sequentially polls each camera, accessing and displaying an image from the camera in its associated window. The program can access the cameras at different frame rates. The program stores image streams in a single file, concatenating each successive image onto the end of the file. The file is then indexed using SOI and EOI markers to permit fast access to individual images within the file. The program can monitor received video and automatically start recording upon detecting motion within the video stream. Motion detection is implemented by comparing color component values for pixels from different images.
US08185953B2
System and Method for detecting anomalous network application behavior. Network traffic between at least one client and one or more servers may be monitored. The client and the one or more servers may communicate using one or more application protocols. The network traffic may be analyzed at the application-protocol level to determine anomalous network application behavior. Analyzing the network traffic may include determining, for one or more communications involving the client, if the client has previously stored or received an identifier corresponding to the one or more communications. If no such identifier has been observed in a previous communication, then the one or more communications involving the client may be determined to be anomalous. A network monitoring device may perform one or more of the network monitoring, the information extraction, or the information analysis.
US08185951B2
An embodiment of the present invention is a method that effectuates the handling of user group membership information in a heterogeneous information technology environment having multiple authentication sources. The method including creating a plurality of first user groups in a security model used by an application, adding an attribute to each of said plurality of first user groups and setting the value of each of the attributes to a name corresponding to each of a plurality of second user groups in a plurality of heterogeneous authentication sources, granting a plurality of privileges to said plurality of first user groups as required by said application, causing said user to inherit a plurality of privileges for each of said plurality of second user groups identified in a plurality of user group names list based on said security module authentication and allowing a user to log into said application using said security module.
US08185943B1
A network adapter system and associated method are provided. Included is a network adapter having a plurality of designated trusted and untrusted ports. The network adapter includes a processor coupled to a computer. Such processor is further coupled to a network via the ports. In use, the processor is configured for conditionally preventing network traffic from accessing the computer from the network via the untrusted ports and/or preventing unauthorized software from accessing the network in an untrusted manner from the computer.
US08185934B2
A data protection device for an interconnect network on chip (NoC) includes a header encoder that receives input requests for generating network packets. The encoder routes the input requests to a destination address. An access control unit controls and allows access to the destination address. The access control unit uses a memory to store access rules for controlling access to the network as a function of the destination address and of a source of the input request.
US08185933B1
In general, the principles of this invention are directed to techniques of locally caching endpoint security information. In particular, a local access module caches endpoint security information maintained by a remote server. When a user attempts to access a network resource through an endpoint device, the endpoint device sends authentication information and health information to the local access module. When the local access module receives the authentication information and the health information, the local access module controls access to the network resource based on the cached endpoint security information, the authentication information, and a security state of the endpoint device described by the health information.
US08185923B2
A method for displaying interactive advertisements on a television having a controller connected thereto and configured for receiving input from a viewer of the television is disclosed. The controller has a receiver operable to receive advertisements and a processor operable to modify the advertisements. The method generally comprises requesting action by the viewer of the television, modifying an advertisement based on the action of the viewer, and displaying the modified advertisement on the television.
US08185922B1
A system and method for distributing requested content includes a content management system 12 and a device 14 such as a set top box that selects a selection corresponding to content in the content management system 12 and transmits a first material identification to the content management system. The content management system 12 transmits the content to the device with a second material identification associated therewith. The device 14 receives the content and the second material identification and compares the first material identification to the second material identification. When the second material identification corresponds to the content, the device continues downloading the content. When the second material identification does not correspond to the content, downloading of the file is discontinued. A content prefix may also be used alone or in combination with the material identification. The content is prevented from being transmitted if the content prefix does not correspond to the content type.
US08185921B2
According to one embodiment, a method for blocking scenes with objectionable content comprises receiving incoming content, namely a scene of a program. Thereafter, using closed captioning information, a determination is made if the scene of the program includes objectionable content, and if so, blocking the scene from being displayed.
US08185920B2
An ejecting mechanism capable of preventing an accidental touch is disposed in a housing having a tray and used for ejecting the tray out of the housing. The ejecting mechanism includes a tray ejecting button and a front cover. The front cover is disposed at the housing and located at the ejecting direction of the tray. The front cover has a sliding key including a pressing body and a triggering body connected to one end of the pressing body. When the pressing body drives the triggering body to slide until the triggering body aligns to the tray ejecting button, the pressing body is capable of being forced to drive one end of the triggering body to trigger the tray ejecting button to eject the tray.
US08185919B2
An optical disk device which highly precisely positions a disk tray in an ejection position is provided. A controller of an optical disk device drives the disk tray from a storage position toward an exposed position. When a position immediately before the ejection position is detected by a detecting switch, the velocity is reduced, to allow the disk tray to contact a mechanical stopper, for positioning. The controller measures a movement time to the position immediately before the ejection position, and adjusts the drive voltage to increase or decrease the drive voltage for contact with the mechanical stopper according to the measured time.
US08185914B2
A method and a computer program product for managing user-configurable variables are provided. The method and the computer program product provide for defining a plurality of user-configurable variables in a computer program, providing an interface operable to be utilized in the computer program for each of the plurality of user-configurable variables, creating an instance of the interface in the computer program for each of the plurality of user-configurable variables, incorporating code for implementing each of the plurality of user-configurable variables into at least one method in the instance of the interface created for the user-configurable variable, and defining a function in the computer program operable to configure any of the plurality of user-configurable variables according to a provided user specification.
US08185909B2
A preemptive neural network database load balancer configured to observe, learn and predict the resource utilization that given incoming tasks utilize. Allows for efficient execution and use of system resources. Preemptively assigns incoming tasks to particular servers based on predicted CPU, memory, disk and network utilization for the incoming tasks. Direct write-based tasks to a master server and utilizes slave servers to handle read-based tasks. Read-base tasks are analyzed with a neural network to learn and predict the amount of resources that tasks will utilize. Tasks are assigned to a database server based on the predicted utilization of the incoming task and the predicted and observed resource utilization on each database server. The predicted resource utilization may be updated over time as the number of records, lookups, images, PDFs, fields, BLOBs and width of fields in the database change over time.
US08185908B2
A method and system is provided for assigning programs in a workflow to one or more nodes for execution. Prior to the assignment, a priority of execution of each program is calculated in relation to its dependency upon data received and transmitted data. Based upon the calculated priority and the state of each of the nodes, the programs in the workflow are dynamically assigned to one or more nodes for execution. In addition to the node assignment based upon priority, preemptive execution of the programs in the workflow is determined so that the programs in the workflow may not preemptively be executed at a selected node in response to the determination.
US08185906B2
Methods and apparatuses enable dynamic thread pool management. A system with a thread pool is monitored, and performance data gathered. The performance data can be combined with historical thread performance data to generate cumulative thread performance data. Based on the cumulative thread performance data, the number of threads in the thread pool can be dynamically adjusted. In one embodiment, the data is persisted in nonvolatile memory. In one embodiment, the dynamic thread pool management works in conjunction with dynamic and static system configurations.
US08185904B2
In a method, system, computer-readable medium and watchdog module to control a number of medical technology processes that are executed in multiple computerized pipelines according to a predetermined organizational structure, a priority is associated with an incoming process, with a high priority and multiple low priorities being provided. A process with a high priority is executed in a priority pipeline among the multiple pipelines.
US08185903B2
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for system management. The process schedules a set of application tasks to form a schedule of tasks in response to receiving the set of application tasks from a registration module. The process then performs a feasibility analysis on the schedule of tasks to identify periods of decreased system activity. Thereafter, the process schedules a set of system management tasks during the periods of decreased system activity to form a prioritized schedule of tasks.
US08185901B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for executing an application on a parallel computer having a plurality of nodes. Executing an application on a parallel computer includes: booting up a first subset of a plurality of nodes in a serial processing mode; booting up a second subset of the plurality of nodes in a parallel processing mode; profiling, prior to application execution, an application to identify serial segments of the application, parallel segments of the application, and application data utilized by each of the serial segments and the parallel segments; and executing the application on the plurality of nodes, including migrating, in dependence upon the profile for the application upon encountering the parallel segments during execution, only specific portions of the application and the application data from the nodes booted up in the serial processing mode to the nodes booted up in the parallel processing mode.
US08185892B2
Graphical display support is provided within a process plant configuration, monitoring and simulation system to enable graphical displays to be created in a manner in which they are associated with one another in the runtime environment. In particular, a single graphic display editor may be used to create interrelated graphic displays that may be accessed from one another in the runtime environment to provide further information about a process entity within one of the graphic displays, to scroll through adjacent sections of a process plant or to provide different displays for different functions within the process plant, such as for an operator viewing function, a simulation function and a maintenance function. Because the same graphic editor is used to create the graphic displays, the resultant graphic displays may have the same look and feel and may be bound to the runtime environment within the plant in generally the same manner.
US08185876B2
Method and system for constructing corrected Java native code are provided. Native source code that interfaces or integrates with Java code is analyzed and validated before the source code is compiled. One or more checks are performed on the native source code to verify that the native source correctly interfaces with the Java code, and the verification results from said one or more checks are reported. The method and system for constructing corrected Java native code can be implemented as a plug-in to a program development environment, wherein a developer may invoke the method and system while developing said native source code.
US08185861B2
The logic cells (HLEs) of a structured application-specific integrated circuit (structured ASIC) can be used to provide memory blocks of various sizes. Any one or more of several techniques may be employed to facilitate doing this for various user designs that may have different requirements (e.g., in terms of size) for such memory blocks. For example, pre-designed macros of memory blocks may be provided and then combined as needed to provide memory blocks of various sizes. Placement constraints may be observed for certain portions of the memory circuitry (e.g., the memory core), while other portions (e.g., address predecoder circuitry, write and read data registers, etc.) may be located relatively freely.
US08185859B2
Improving semiconductor chip yield and reliability by connecting adjacent metal traces that are on a same network with metal shorts. This reduces and/or eliminates the need for redundant vias formerly employed in semiconductor chip design. Additionally, the metal shorts are placed in conformance with one or more pre-determined design rules. Once placed, the metal shorts are checked to ensure that each metal short connects groundrule clean, thereby ensuring the placement is correct-by-construction.
US08185857B2
A signal converter device has a programmable logic circuit, wherein a number of binary input signals are being transmitted from the outside of the signal converter unit. The programmable logic circuit is programmed by a programming in such a way, as to detect binary output signals from a number of logic functions. The output signals are output by the signal converter device to the outside. The logic functions are designed in such a manner, that the output signals are determined exclusively by logic associations of the input signals. The output signals are at least partially transmitted to drives. Programming is in such a way, that for at least two drives, output signals to be emitted to the drives are determined uniformly.
US08185847B2
A pre-bias optical proximity correction (OPC) method allows faster convergence during OPC iterations, providing an initial set of conditions to edge fragments of a layout based on density conditions near the edge fragments.
US08185839B2
User interfaces for browsing and/or searching are described. In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first display area for display representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder, and displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area. Other embodiments are also described, and computer readable media and apparatuses are also described.
US08185834B2
One embodiment of the invention comprises a system and method for enabling a graphical program to dynamically register one or more events during execution of the graphical program. An event registration node may be displayed in the block diagram of the graphical program. One or more events may be associated with the event registration node. The event registration node may be operable to dynamically register the one or more events during execution of the graphical program. Another embodiment of the invention comprises a system and method for enabling a graphical program to programmatically generate and respond to a user-defined event. The user may desire to define custom, i.e., user-defined, events for use in a graphical program.
US08185828B2
In one embodiment, a presenter device may determine displayed windows of applications, and may provide individual window sharing selectability (e.g., shared or unshared), as well as entire application sharing selectability (shared, unshared, or neither). In particular, the entire application sharing selectability takes priority over individual window sharing selections (i.e., all windows of shared applications are shared and all windows of unshared applications are unshared). Based on individual window sharing selections and entire application sharing selections, a set of presenter device windows that are to be shared with the attendee devices may be determined, as well as a set of unshared windows that are not to be shared with the attendee devices, and the presenter device may share the set of shared windows with the attendee devices, without sharing the set of unshared windows.
US08185827B2
The disclosed solution provides a tailored user experience available through a Web portal that addresses the multiple-view, multiple-data needs of operations, supervisory, policy making, and executive personnel of an organization. These various roles can all be concerned with measurement/assessment of an organization's compliance with performance targets, for which real-time, near real-time or other metrics are gathered. The metrics can be presented in a role tailored fashion to the portal users in near real-time along with federation of analysis and trend calculation output. Business logic can be applied to the federated data and near real-time metrics to automatically effectuate actions and/or to suggest responses when received metrics exceed previously established boundaries. Collaboration tools and Web 2.0 information sharing technologies can be integrated in the portal to facilitate rapid coordinated responses and to share information across the organization.
US08185823B2
A computer-implemented method for zoom indication for stabilizing unstable video clips is described. To indicate zoom, a zoom value associated with an unstable segment of a video clip is received. The zoom value represents a value by which frames of the video clip in the unstable segment need to be zoomed to stabilize the unstable segment. An indicia is displayed representing the zoom value in a thumbnail in a user interface. The thumbnail represents the video clip. The indicia displayed over a region in the thumbnail corresponding to the unstable segment in the video clip.
US08185819B2
A computer readable medium, an electronic document or a system that uses one of these that includes particular code that specifies a first module selectively designated for inclusion in a personalized container document and additional code that specifies a second module selectively designated for inclusion in the personalized container document. The container document designates a plurality of modules included in the container document. Each module in the plurality of modules is adapted for rendering module data for presenting in the container document. The first module is adapted to render module data based at least in part on the particular code, the particular code including a first content type element, a first content element, and one or more preference elements. The second module is adapted for rendering module data for presenting in the container document based at least in part on the additional code, the additional code including a second content type element, a second content element and one or more preference elements. The first content type element is different than the second content type element.
US08185816B2
Methods and systems provide a computer markup language, referred to as Reusable Data Markup Language (“RDML”), and a data viewer for retrieving, manipulating and viewing documents and files in the RDML format that may be stored locally or over a network (e.g., the Internet). Generally, RDML permits the browsing and manipulation of numbers, as opposed to text and images like in HTML, and does so by including attributes describing the meaning of the numbers to be attached to the numbers. Documents compliant with the markup language encapsulate machine-readable documentation with numbers and data, and permit the data viewer to act as a combination web browser and spreadsheet to automatically read, interpret and manipulate the numbers and data. Furthermore, the methods and systems merge or combine RDML documents that have different data formats to produce a single data set for display.
US08185810B1
A method of obtaining a Viterbi decoded value is disclosed. A decision output is stored to one of a plurality of buffer elements, wherein at least one other buffer element in the plurality is not changing; and data is exposed in the buffer element. A plurality of stored decision outputs is obtained from the plurality of buffers elements. The obtained plurality of stored decision outputs is processed to obtain a Viterbi decoded value.
US08185802B2
A data memory system includes a nonvolatile memory cell array which includes a plurality of memory cells, a page adjacently formed by the plurality of memory cells being collectively erased in the nonvolatile memory cell, at least binary pieces of digital data of “1” and “0” being stored as charges of a charge accumulation layer in the memory cell, a programming bit and an erasing bit being formed by a difference between the charges of the charge accumulation layer. And the system includes an error correcting code generation circuit, an error correcting code decoding circuit, and a code conversion circuit.
US08185795B1
A system for error correction processing includes methods, software and/or devices for generating and using correction packets that may provide for the rebuilding of a lost data packet or other information packet. A correction packet may be generated at a transmitting device that corresponds to a plurality of packets transmitted to a destination device. The correction packet may be transmitted to the destination device separately from the transmitting of the plurality of packets. The correction packet may be received at the destination device, and a determination may be made as to whether at least one of the plurality of packets transmitted to the destination device is a lost packet that has not been received at the destination device. If the lost packet of the plurality of packets is determined, the lost packet may be rebuilt using the correction packet.
US08185787B1
A technique for blind channel estimation is disclosed herein. A read value that is read from a multi-level storage device is received, as are a set of bins having bin ranges and (for each of the bins in the set) a corresponding portion of read values which fall into that particular bin. One or more of the bin ranges is adjusted such that the received portions of read values remain substantially the same after adjustment and after assignment of the read value to one of the set of bins after adjustment.
US08185771B2
A method of accessing electronic memory is provided in electronic circuits where it is desired to lower power consumption and hence there is no active oscillator at the time when access to data within the electronic memory is required. The invention provides a method therefore for accessing the electronic memory from a controller, which generates its own clock signals from a data, communications bus electrically coupled to the controller. Advantageously the method allows for memory access to be continued in integrated circuits where a subset of circuits are powered down to reduce power consumption, and one of the subset of circuits is an oscillator.
US08185768B2
A recording medium, method and apparatus for managing data are discussed. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method of reproducing main data and additional data. The method includes receiving the additional data associated with the main data, the additional data being divided into a plurality of segment units; and reproducing the additional data in a synchronous manner with the main data using time information if indication information indicates a presence of the time information. The time information indicates a presentation time of the additional data with respect to the main data. The main data and the additional data are reproduced according to management data, the management data including link information for linking the main data and the additional data.
US08185764B2
A power delivery technique which involves connecting power sourcing equipment (PSE) with a powered device (PD) through data communications cabling (e.g., an Ethernet cable). The technique further involves negotiating an acceptable power level for the PD and a data rate for the PD, and enforcing delivery of power to the PD using only wire pairs of the data communications cabling which carry data between the PSE and the PD. As a result, the PSE does not deliver any power to the PD through wire pairs which are not data-active.
US08185760B2
A memory controller device coupled to a memory device equipment including a plurality of memory devices, includes a memory controller configured to instruct read-out of data in the memory device and a physical part configured to terminate a read-out signal for a certain period containing an arrival time of data read out from one memory device of the memory device equipment in accordance with a read-out instruction from the memory controller and excludes a part of a delay time from the read-out instruction until the data read-out of at least one other memory device.
US08185755B2
A wireless communication apparatus according to the present invention includes a user terminal information acquiring unit that acquires user terminal information related to user terminals, which are connected through a wireless communication network to enable communication, from the user terminals; a wireless power transmitting circuit that wirelessly supplies power to the user terminals; a control unit that determines whether or not to supply the power to the user terminals based on the user terminal information; a user terminal location acquiring unit that acquires location information of the user terminals where the power is supplied; and a transmission power direction instructing unit that controls directivity of power supply based on the location information of the user terminals.
US08185754B2
The invention provides a method and system for time-based storage access, the method includes associating a plurality of storage volumes with specific periods of time during which they can be accessed, adjusting user fees based on access time periods of storage volumes, packing the plurality of storage volumes in available storage bins in the system based on periods of access for the plurality of storage volumes, wherein volumes with overlapping or similar periods of access are packed into a same storage bin if possible, and switching a storage bin to off or a reduced power state during periods when the storage volumes placed in the storage bin are not required, to reduce power consumption.
US08185751B2
A data storage architecture for networked access by clients includes a file server capable of communication with the clients via the network, physical storage organized as a plurality of logical volumes, and an encryption device in communication with both the file server and the physical storage. The encryption device is operable in response to signaling from the file server, including an indication of a range of blocks of data, to cause encryption of the range of blocks with an encryption key that is unique within the physical storage. The encryption device includes nested tables mapping block ranges to encryption keys. Consequently, undesirable key sharing across files, file systems, and other units can be avoided down to the block level.
US08185750B2
A method, system and computer program product for enhancing the functionality of the existing core root of trust measurement (CRTM). The CRTM is extended to allow platform manufacturer controlled and certified code to be incorporated into the function of the CRTM, wherein the manufacturer may define the policy for accepting a new function into the CRTM. When a firmware or software module image is compiled, the build process generates a hash value of the compiled firmware or software image, wherein the hash value reflects a fingerprint (or short hand) representation of the compiled image. A determination is made as to whether the hash value of the firmware or software image is to be a CRTM extension. If so, a digital signature of the module is created using the CRTM extension private key. This signature value is added to the firmware or software module.
US08185749B2
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, computer readable media and special purpose processors for obfuscating code. The method includes extracting an operation within program code, selecting a formula to perform the equivalent computation as the extracted operation, and replacing the extracted operation with the selected formula. The formula can be selected randomly or deterministically. The extracted operation can be an arithmetic operation or a Boolean operation.
US08185748B2
A processor and associated local memory are capable of operative connection to a main memory such that data may be read from the main memory for use in the local memory, and the processor is operable to carry out actions, including: entering a secure mode of operation where externally initiated requests to read data from or write data into the processor are not serviced but internally initiated data transfers are serviced; reading a decryption program from a storage medium into the local memory of the processor; reading an encrypted authentication program into the local memory of the processor; decrypting the encrypted authentication program using a decryption program; and transitioning functionality of the processor from the decryption program to the authentication program.
US08185747B2
Methods for pre-registering a participant in a program database using a participant smart card and biometric data in a verification process to manage fraud and enhance security and privacy protection are disclosed. The methods include pre-registering, or alternatively registering, individual information including biometric data in the program database, forming a secured registered account for the participant, and assigning the participant smart card to the participant with the secured registered account. The methods continue by determining risk factors for the participant, assigning at least one program with program risk factors to the participant, authenticating identity of the participant at a program access point, receiving eligibility verification or denial of the participant to access and use assigned programs, and updating the database data for exit verification. Cardless and contactless methods for identity authentication, eligibility verification, and exit verification include using biometric data or biometric data and assigned risk factors for accessing programs.
US08185744B2
An authenticated RFID system is provided that uses elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) to reduce the signature size and read/write times when compared to traditional public key implementations such as RSA. Either ECDSA or ECPVS can be used to reduce the signature size and ECPVS can be used to hide a portion of the RFID tag that contains sensitive product identifying information. As a result, smaller tags can be used or multiple signatures can be written at different stages in a manufacturing or supply chain. A key management system is used to distribute the verification keys and aggregate signature schemes are also provided for adding multiple signatures to the RFID tags, for example in a supply chain.
US08185735B2
System and method for lost data destruction of electronic data stored on portable electronic devices
A data security system and method protects stored data from unauthorized access. According to one aspect of the invention, a client computing device communicates periodically with a server. If communications is note established between the client and the server for a selected activation interval and a subsequent grace period, the data is determined to be lost, and programmed security rules are automatically executed. Rules relating to encryption, as well as other security procedures, can be defined and entered by an administrator with access to the server, and then disseminated to each of a plurality of clients that access the server.
US08185734B2
A method and apparatus for initiating secure operations in a microprocessor system is described. In one embodiment, one initiating logical processor initiates the process by halting the execution of the other logical processors, and then loading initialization and secure virtual machine monitor software into memory. The initiating processor then loads the initialization software into secure memory for authentication and execution. The initialization software then authenticates and registers the secure virtual machine monitor software prior to secure system operations.
US08185728B2
A system and method are provided for booting a computing device using a NAND flash memory. Boot code stored in the NAND flash memory is transferred to a RAM for execution by the CPU. Operating system program stored in the NAND flash memory is transferred to a system memory for execution therefrom by the CPU after system boot.
US08185723B2
A method is presented including decomposing a first value into many parts. Decomposing includes shifting (310) a rounded integer portion of the first value to generate a second value. Generating (320) a third value. Extracting (330) a plurality of significand bits from the second value to generate a fourth value. Extracting (340) a portion of bits from the fourth value to generate an integer component. Generating (350) a fifth value. Also the third value, the fifth value, and the integer component are either stored (360, 380) in a memory or transmitted to an arithmetic logical unit (ALU).
US08185722B2
The invention provides a processor comprising an execution unit and a thread scheduler configured to schedule a plurality of threads for execution by the execution unit in dependence on a respective status for each thread. The execution unit is configured to execute thread scheduling instructions which manage said statuses, the thread scheduling instructions including at least: a thread event enable instruction which sets a status to event-enabled to allow a thread to accept events, a wait instruction which sets the status to suspended pending at least one event upon which continued execution of the thread depends, and a thread event disable instruction which sets the status to event-disabled to stop the thread from accepting events. The continued execution comprises retrieval of a continuation point vector for the thread.
US08185704B2
A technique for reducing reader overhead when referencing a shared data element while facilitating realtime-safe detection of a grace period for deferring destruction of the shared data element. The grace period is determined by a condition in which all readers that are capable of referencing the shared data element have reached a quiescent state subsequent to a request for a quiescent state. Common case local quiescent state tracking may be performed using only local per-reader state information for all readers that have not blocked while in a read-side critical section in which the data element is referenced. Uncommon case non-local quiescent state tracking may be performed using non-local multi-reader state information for all readers that have blocked while in their read-side critical section. The common case local quiescent state tracking requires less processing overhead than the uncommon case non-local quiescent state tracking.
US08185699B2
In a separating device that separates a processor configured to perform process by using data recorded in a cache memory connected to the processor, a stopping unit, upon receiving a processor separation request, stops the processor from performing a new process; and a separation executing unit, upon completion of process being performed by the processor, separates the processor after invalidating the data recorded in the cache memory.
US08185693B2
Target data is allocated into caches of a shared-memory multiprocessor system during a runtime environment. The target data includes a plurality of data items that are allocated onto separate cache lines. Each data item is allocated on a separate cache line regardless of the size of the cache line of the system. The data items become members of a wrapper types when data items are value types. The runtime environment maintains a set of wrapper types of various sizes that are of typical cache line sizes. Garbage data is inserted into the cache line in cases where data items are reference types and data is stored on a managed heap. The allocation also configures garbage collectors in the runtime environment not to slide multiple data items onto the same cache line. Other examples are included where a developer can augment the runtime environment to be aware of cache line sizes.
US08185692B2
One embodiment provides a system that includes a processor with a unified cache structure that facilitates accessing translation table entries (TTEs). This unified cache structure can simultaneously store program instructions, program data, and TTEs. During a memory access, the system receives a virtual memory address. The system then uses this virtual memory address to identify one or more cache lines in the unified cache structure which are associated with the virtual memory address. Next, the system compares a tag portion of the virtual memory address with the tags for the identified cache line(s) to identify a cache line that matches the virtual memory address. The system then loads a translation table entry that corresponds to the virtual memory address from the identified cache line.
US08185684B1
A method and apparatus for resolving volumes identifiers and drive letters associated with a virtual machine is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises correlating system registry information with at least one virtual drive configuration associated with a virtual machine image to produce a correlation result and mapping a volume identifier to at least one virtual drive based on the correlation result.
US08185679B2
An apparatus that controls access by multiple IP cores to a bus is provided. The apparatus includes a main controller and multiple sub controllers, each of the sub controllers being associated with each IP cores. The main controller switches connection between each of the IP cores and the bus according to a schedule predetermined based on predetermined time slices. Each of the sub controllers controls access by the IP core to the bus according to a schedule under the control of the main controller. Embodiments of the present invention provide method and apparatus to ensure real-time accessibility to a bus shared by multiple IP cores and improve bus use efficiency.
US08185675B1
An interface system which is adapted to a portable device is provided. The interface system includes a control chip, a first peripheral device, an external interface port, a first, a second, a third bus driver and a control unit. The control chip provides at least a first and a second interface port. The first bus driver has a first, a second input port and an output port. The first bus driver is used to interface the first input port with the output port or interface the second input port with the output port according to a first control signal. The second bus driver is used to interface the first interface port with the external interface port or interface the output port with the external interface port according to a second control signal. The third bus driver is used to interface the first peripheral device with the second input port or interface the second interface port with the first peripheral device according to the first control signal. The control unit is used to determine the first and the second control signal status.
US08185661B2
A packet compressor 12 operates under a reliable mode or an optimistic mode. A mode determination unit 31 counts the number of ACK packets or NACK packets received by a unit time X by an ACK/NACK packet receiver 14. When the counted number of NACK packets is larger than a predetermined value Y, the mode determination unit 31 switches the operation mode of the packet compressor 12 to the reliable mode. When the counted number of ACK packets is larger than a predetermined value Z, the mode determination unit 31 switches the operation mode of the packet compressor 12 to the optimistic mode.
US08185658B2
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are supported in which customers may use popular internet gateway protocol (IGPs) without the need to convert such IGPs, running on customer devices to a single protocol, such as the border gateway protocol (BGP). Scaling problems, which might otherwise occur when multiple instances of an IGP flood link state information, are avoided by using a flooding topology which is smaller than a forwarding topology. The flooding topology may be a fully connected sub-set of the forwarding topology.
US08185651B2
A system, method and computer program product are provided for network and network application monitoring. Accordingly, one or more media modules are each coupled to an associated network segment. In the case of network application monitoring, each media module is coupled to a network segment on which a network application is running. Each media module monitors and collects data relating to traffic on the associated network segment corresponding to the network application, wherein each media module is tailored for network analysis. An application server module is coupled to the at least one media module and receives the data and analyzes the data for helping to improve the performance of the network and/or network application.
US08185648B2
An adapter device for providing the user a remote access point for supporting interaction between the device and one or more target devices supporting one or more of several communication protocols for automotive and industrial automation applications employing user-selectable protocols, such as multiplexed communication networks.
US08185643B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing security for a communities framework in a collaborative computing environment. A community can be provided for maintaining user membership during collaboration. The community can contain various collaboration resources, community services and members having access to the resources and services. A first layer of security can be implemented via membership and functional capabilities. Members can be assigned to various membership capabilities and these membership capabilities can be mapped to functional capabilities in order to control access to the resources by the various members. A second layer of security can be implemented via entitlements and security policies applied to the content repository. Entitlements can be applied at a node level of a content repository. Each node can be evaluated when operations are requested for it.
US08185640B2
A graphical user interface (GUI) is disclosed that allows a user to identify routers, communities, residents and media aggregation managers existing on a network. The user may interactively select a path that includes two media aggregation managers and at least one router. The GUI predicts scheduled bandwidth utilization along the selected path for a variety of residents wishing to communicate across the path. The GUI may be utilized for initializing all media aggregation managers on the network along with provisioning each of the routers on the selected path. The GUI provisions all of the routers and initializes all of the media aggregation managers on the selected path simultaneously in order to accomplish the predicted schedule of usage provided by the GUI to the user and force all communication packets communicated between the residents to travel along the selected path.
US08185639B2
Described are techniques for providing a host identifier for a host. A first portion including a first identifier associated with a system for the host is received. A second portion including a second identifier generated in accordance with a hardware property of the host is received. The host identifier is formed using the first and second portions. The host identifier is used to uniquely identify the host in a storage area network.
US08185633B1
A system and method for offloading network processes from main processors of a storage system and performing them on parallel processing modules. Embodiments of the present invention improve performance of a clustered storage system by performing certain network processes in an accelerator module of a storage system node. The accelerator module receives multi-protocol protocol data units (PDUs) from a network interface, performs protocol operations on the PDUs to form file system requests and passes the file system requests to a local D-module. If a file system request is directed to a non-local D-module in the cluster, the accelerator module repackages the request for transmission to the appropriate D-module and passes it back to the network without using local D-module processing resources or passing data over the system bus.
US08185628B2
A system and method for a mobile data access network to make policy control and charging decisions based on domain name queries. A mobile device sends a query about a domain name associated with a service a user of the mobile device wishes to engage. The access network carries the domain name query from a mobile device to a domain name server. The access network detects the domain name query and copies the queried domain name. The access network uses the queried domain name to make an incomplete policy decision. The policy decision is incomplete because one or more service data flow filters in the decision lack addresses for providers of the service. The access network detects a response to the domain name query and copies a service provider address from the response. The access network uses the service provider address to complete the policy decision.
US08185625B2
The invention is directed to a method of transmitting a file having an advertising portion and a requested portion different from the advertising portion. The method includes receiving a request to transmit the file, via a streaming protocol allowing non-sequential access, transmitting the advertising portion of the file, receiving a request to transmit a portion of the requested portion of the file prior to completing transmitting the advertising portion of the file, completing the transmission of the advertising portion of the file, and transmitting the requested portion of the file.
US08185619B1
An agentless software data collector in a customer computer network collects metrics data from managed devices on the network to provide to a remote data center accessed via a public wide area network (WAN) interface. The software data collector collects metrics data, as well as receives real-time queries, such as from a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) initiated from a hosted web interface.
US08185618B2
A technique dynamically responds to non-network events at a network device in a computer network. According to the novel technique, one or more sensors automatically detect (sense) one or more non-network events, and notifications of the non-network events are then transmitted over the network. One or more network devices (e.g., data centers, servers, routers, etc.) detect the notifications of the network events, and dynamically respond to the non-network events based on one or more associated policies. For example, one or more network-based policies may be defined that modify one or more network configuration parameters in response to the non-network events. Alternatively or in addition, one or more physical-based policies may be defined that instruct one or more network-attached physical control devices to modify one or more physical parameters.
US08185609B2
A method, apparatus, and program code for processing commands in a network. A process creates a set of commands for an aircraft. The commands are in queues in a library in the network. Responsive to an event, the stored set of commands is sent to a proxy server application executing on the network data processing system. A connection is established between the proxy server application and an onboard electronic distribution system on an aircraft data processing system on the aircraft. The commands are requested by the onboard electronic distribution system. The distributed commands are received from the proxy server application by the onboard electronic distribution system. The received commands are processed by the onboard electronic distribution system and a set of aircraft software parts is forwarded to a set of target data processing systems on the aircraft using the processed set of commands if the commands are uplink commands.
US08185607B1
A request is received at an emulation system configured to communicate over a wireless network. The request indicates content to be retrieved from over the wireless network. A content request for the content to be retrieved over the wireless network is generated at the emulation system. The content request emulates a content request from a particular wireless device. The generated content request is sent from the emulation system over the wireless network to a server that is configured to retrieve the content and return the content to the emulation system. The content is received at the emulation system from the wireless network in a first format. The content is converted from the first format to a second, different format to generate converted content.
US08185605B2
In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses display an application that is accessible on a target device; select content associated within the application wherein the content is located on the target device; and remotely access the content on the target device on a local device.
US08185601B2
A system configured for facilitating the sharing of information between apparatuses. An apparatus may include one or more applications that, for example, upon configuration and execution, may yield information that may also be stored in the apparatus. At some point a determination may be made that stored information is to be shared with other users. In order to enable the sharing of this information, global identification information may be assigned by, and obtained from, a remote resource. The global identification information may be used to modify identification information corresponding to the information to be shared so that other apparatuses may locate, and/or request access to, the shared information. Further, the other apparatuses may request transmission of shared information stored in the remote resource using the global identifier, or may receive shared information from the apparatus without explicitly requesting it.
US08185596B2
A method for providing location-based messages comprises locating a suitable placeholder for a message within a physical surrounding using a handheld device provided with image acquisition apparatus, and associating a written or visual or audio message, or a combination of two or more of them, with an image that identifies said placeholder, said association being carried out in a server adapted to communicate with said handheld device.
US08185591B1
A method of displaying attachments associated with an electronic message includes, in response to a single user selection of a link to an electronic message, fetching from a document storage system an electronic message and attachment information associated with the electronic message. The attachment information includes one or more images, each image corresponding to at least a predefined portion of a respective attachment associated with the electronic message. The electronic message and the attachment information are displayed in an instance of a client application (e.g., a web browser window). From the images associated with the attachments, a user can have a quick preview of the contents of the attachments without having to download anyone of them.
US08185590B2
A facility for replicating offline scheduling transactions directed to a server is provided. The facility is implemented as a client-side application that integrates with and utilizes components of a store-and-forward application, which is operable to execute on a client to guarantee that transactions submitted on the client are replicated and carried out on a service hosted on a remote server even in light of intermittent connectivity between the client, the server, and networks. Records describing transactions intended remote service are written to an outbox of the store-and-forward application on the client. When online, the store-and-forward application first invokes the facility, which processes the items in the outbox by iteratively retrieving the items from the outbox and, for each item, determining whether the item is a transaction intended for the scheduling application. If the item is intended for the scheduling application, the facility sends the item to the scheduling application. Otherwise, if the item is not intended for the scheduling application, the facility returns the item to the outbox for processing by other components of the store-and-forward application.
US08185586B2
In one aspect a method based on a system, according to which a first connection is established between a terminal of a mailbox owner and a message storage system and a second connection can be established by the terminal of the mailbox owner to a terminal of the subscriber, if a message has been stored by the subscriber for the mailbox owner. The second connection is established by the set up of a three-way conference connection between the message storage system, the terminal of the mailbox owner and the terminal of the subscriber.
US08185563B2
A data visualization system and method are provided herein.
US08185562B2
A method and graphical user interface, the graphical user interface includes a search tool to search for and retrieve specific business object (BO) data located in a business object (BO) database; a business query language (BQL) statement creation tool to create a BQL statement based on the specified BO data; and a BQL execution engine to execute the BQL statement created by the BQL statement creation tool of the graphical user interface. The method includes specifying a BO to search for using a search tool of the graphical user interface; retrieving, from a BO database, BO data associated with the specified BO; creating a business query language (BQL) statement using a BQL creation tool of the graphical user interface based on the specified BO; and executing the BQL statement using a BQL execution engine of the graphical user interface.
US08185558B1
In one embodiment, a method includes maintaining a data store of nodes and edges and for each of one or more users: scanning items of content associated with the corresponding user node; identifying a candidate item of content; searching for matches between the candidate item of content and existing nodes; determining whether or not a match between the candidate item of content and an existing node exists; and when it is determined that at least one match exists, generating an edge from the user node to the existing node for which the best match is determined; and when it is determined that no match exists, generating a new node based on the candidate item of content, and generating an edge from the user node to the new node.
US08185556B2
A computer-implemented method for a computing environment employing a matrix-based mathematical programming language includes: generating a heterogeneous dataset in the computing environment, where the heterogeneous dataset embodies a plurality of variables for a plurality of subjects, where each element of a respective variable has a same data type, where the variables comprise at least two data types; accessing contents of the heterogeneous dataset with a single command in the computing environment, where the single command is a brace command, a dot command, or a parentheses command; and providing in the computing environment a portion of the heterogeneous dataset based on the single command.
US08185550B1
Methods and systems for providing elevated system access to users based on an alert from a monitoring tool or a request for change (RFC). Using the alert or RFC information, a provisioning server may reference the name of an impacted system against a database of privileges needed to allow elevated access to that system. The provisioning server may then initiate a task to provision a user's existing ID or a new ID with the necessary elevated privileges. Once the person closes the alert or RFC, the provisioning server may then remove access for that person, thus providing indirect and temporary access to a company's IT infrastructure and business applications without the use of a group ID or other mechanism to affect repairs on the impacted system(s).
US08185544B2
A server system accesses, respectively, historical query information for queries that have search results corresponding to first information items and second information items and classification data of the first information items. Initially, the first information items are classified and the second information items are unclassified. Based on the classification data of the first information items and the historical query information, the server system generates classification data for the second information items and stores the generated classification data therein. In response to requests for service from client devices, the server system provides customized services to the client devices using the second information items and the corresponding classification data generated for the second information items.
US08185533B2
A system and method to navigate through a media item catalog and generate recommendations using behavioral metrics such as correlation metrics (FIGS. 1,2) from a knowledge base (400) of mediasets (FIG. 4, 1-7). One implementation uses a knowledge base comprising a collection of mediasets such as groupings of selected video items. Various metrics (Metric 1-Metric m) among media items (m1 . . . ) are considered by analyzing how the media items are grouped to form the sets in the knowledge base (400). Such metrics preferably are stored in a matrix (100) that allows the system to dynamically build appropriate navigation lists (FIG. 3) from media items that a user selects (FIG. 5).
US08185531B2
A method and apparatus for partitioning high-dimension vectors for use in a massive index have been disclosed. Using an initial guess on a collection of vectors, the vectors are examined. If the collection is not empty then dividing the collection until a collection contains a single vector or contains two vectors then transforming the two vectors into a majorize result and transforming the result into a graphical representation for a user.
US08185528B2
Methods and systems that label a web page by collecting a set of inbound labels for the web page, estimating a language model for the web page, computing the likelihood of generating each inbound label given the language model and assigning a score to each inbound label based on this likelihood, and assigning a label to the web page based on the score assigned to each of the set of inbound labels. Inbound labels are preferably collected from the set of web documents linking to the web page. Labels assigned are useful in providing labeled links to web pages from top hosts in search results pages.
US08185519B2
An exact cardinality query optimization system and method for optimizing a query having a plurality of expressions to obtain a cardinality-optimal query execution plan for the query. Embodiments of the system and method use various techniques to shorten the time necessary to obtain the cardinality-optimal query execution plan, which contains the query execution plan when all cardinalities are exact. Embodiments of the system and method include a covering queries technique that leverages query execution feedback to obtain an unordered subset of relevant expressions for the query, an early termination technique that bounds the cardinality to determine whether the processing can be terminate before each of the expressions are executed, and an expressions ordering technique that finds an ordering of expressions that yields the greatest reduction in time to obtain the cardinality-optimal query execution plan.
US08185518B2
Under the present invention, a SQL statement having search criteria is received. Upon receipt, a table that lists all possible combinations of the search criteria is created. From the table, a set of patterns among the possible combinations is identified. Based on these patterns, the table is then sorted. Once sorted, the table is divided into a set of temporary tables based on the set of patterns/sorting operation. The set of temporary tables are then individually joined with the SQL statement and separate searches are conducted. A new set of temporary tables is then generated and populated with results of the separate searches. These result tables are then unioned/combined into a single result table.
US08185511B2
Optimizing example-based computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) is accomplished by clustering volumes-of-interest (VOIs) (116) in a database (120) into respective clusters according to subjective assessment of similarity (S220). An optimal set of volume-of-interest (VOI) features is then selected for fetching examples such that objective assessment of similarity, based on the selected features, clusters, in a feature space, the database VOIs so as to conform to the subjectively-based clustering (S230). The fetched examples are displayed alongside the VOI to be diagnosed for comparison by the clinician. Preferably, the displayed example is user-selectable for further display of prognosis, therapy information, follow up information, current status, and/or clinical information retrieved from an electronic medical record (S260).
US08185506B2
A mobile terminal includes a display and a controller. The display outputs a first input window configured to receive a first message. When input data is received into at least one message field of the first input window, the controller determines whether or not the input data conforms to a format of the first input window corresponding to the first message. The controller also outputs a notification after the input is determined not to conform to the format corresponding to the first input window corresponding to the first message. The display outputs a second input window to receive a second message. The second input window has at least one message field different from the message fields in the first input window.
US08185501B1
A computer implemented method for providing enhanced customer support is provided. The method comprises a replication server selecting a plurality of first entries in a source lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) data store based on at least one attribute of the selected entries matching a predefined criteria, wherein a structure of the first entries is defined by a first schema. The method also comprises the replication server copying a plurality of attributes of each of the selected entries into a target lightweight directory access protocol data store, wherein the target lightweight directory access protocol data store contains a plurality of second entries, wherein a structure of the second entries is defined by a second schema, wherein the first schema is different from the second schema, and wherein the plurality of attributes copied do not include all of the attributes defined by the first schema.
US08185496B2
Systems, methods, and computer products for separating file data streams for improved progressive incremental processing are provided. The method comprises identifying data in a file, prior to transmission of the data in a data stream to a second system, such that the second system can distinguish first data from second data in the file. The method further comprises processing the first and second data to determine whether the first or second data has changed, and transmitting the first data to the second system in response to determining the first data has changed, so that the first data is stored in a data storage medium in association with third and fourth data previously stored without replacing the third data and fourth data, wherein the third and fourth data comprise older versions of the first and second data, respectively.
US08185491B2
A method of organizing received decision instances based on reference architecture, including determining a respective particular project phase attribute for each of the decision instances, classifying the decision instances, determining a respective scope attribute for each of the decision instances, categorizing the decision instances in accordance with each of the respective scope attributes thereof, for all decision instances with the same categorization and with the same classification, ordering the corresponding decision instances by model elements, modeling directed links between apparently dependent decision instances, analyzing the dependent decision instances to confirm that the decision instances satisfy the apparent dependencies represented by the directed links and producing an error message if a result of the analysis is negative, and generating a real-time updateable and/or modifiable to-do list interface.
US08185489B2
Devices, methods and computer-readable media for providing calendar-based communication system services. Data for providing calendar-based communication system services is stored. The data is classified. Policy rules are applied to identify candidate actions. the identified candidate actions are checked for feasibility. The identified candidate actions verified as being feasible are implemented. The candidate actions may include suggestions for the user, marketing material tailored to the user, and network actions selected for the user.
US08185481B2
A general model is provided which provides collective factorization on related matrices, for multi-type relational data clustering. The model is applicable to relational data with various structures. Under this model, a spectral relational clustering algorithm is provided to cluster multiple types of interrelated data objects simultaneously. The algorithm iteratively embeds each type of data objects into low dimensional spaces and benefits from the interactions among the hidden structures of different types of data objects.
US08185477B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and apparatus for tagging a segment of media content. In various embodiments, a beginning location and an ending location indicating the segment are recorded and are used to retrieve the segment from the media content. Various embodiments provide systems and methods for communicating the segment with a user. In various embodiments, the user requests the segment and the position of the segment in the media content and the storage location of the media content are used to extract the segment from the media content. In addition, various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a license to the user to observe the segment. In various embodiments, a request for the license includes a player identifier and a user identifier that are used to verified the player is associated with the user and the user has rights to observe the segment.
US08185474B2
In order to enable a still image to be checked while preventing leakage of confidential information contained in the still image, an MFP includes: an image acquiring portion to acquire a still image; an encoding portion to generate encoded data by encoding the acquired still image using an encoding key stored in advance; a decoding portion to decode the encoded data using the encoding key or a decoding key corresponding to the encoding key; and a transmitting portion to externally output the decoded still image in an electronically non-recordable form.
US08185472B1
A method and system employed to enroll a customer into an online banking system. In one example, a customer may submit enrollment information and may request a customer identification name and passcode. In response, an online banking profile may be created and logged into for the customer, and a demonstration on how to use the features of the online banking service may be launched. After completing the demonstration, the customer's online banking session may be logged off.
US08185469B2
A computer-based method for combining investment recommendations of individual research providers such as stock analysts. The method includes providing a server running a research team management module. A list of individual research providers is displayed on a client node linked to the server network. A research team is generated based on user input including a number of the research providers. Team rules are assigned to the team defining an algorithm for processing recommendations from the members of the team. Recommendations for securities are retrieved for the research providers on the team, and team recommendations are generated by applying the team rules to the recommendations. Team recommendations are reported to the client node for guiding investments. Processing of the individual recommendations may include applying differing weights to the positive and negative recommendations and combining the weighted recommendations, with the weights being user-selected differentiating strengths of members of the research team.
US08185468B2
A system and associated methods are provided for smart hedging in an electronic trading environment. According to one example method, a first order for a first tradeable object and a second order for a second tradeable object are placed based on a spread strategy. Upon receiving an indication that a quantity of the first order is filled, the method involves determining if the second order can be used to offset the quantity filled of the first order by determining if a price of the second order would result in achieving a desired spread price defined for the spread strategy. If the price results in the desired price, the second order is used to offset the quantity filled for the first order in an attempt to achieve the desired spread price. Other tools are provided as well.
US08185467B2
A user interface for an electronic trading exchange is provided which allows a remote trader to view in real time bid orders, offer orders, and trades for an item, and optionally one or more sources of contextual data. Individual traders place orders on remote client terminals, and this information is routed to a transaction server. The transaction server receives order information from the remote terminals, matches a bid for an item to an offer for an item responsive to the bid corresponding with the offer, and communicates outstanding bid and offer information, and additional information (such as trades and contextual data) back to the client terminals. Each client terminal displays all of the outstanding bids and offers for an item, allowing the trader to view trends in orders for an item. A priority view is provided in which orders are displayed as tokens at locations corresponding to the values of the orders. The size of the tokens reflects the quantity of the orders. An alternate view positions order icons at a location which reflects the value and quantity of the order. Additionally, contextual data for the item is also displayed to allow the trader to consider as much information as possible while making transaction decisions. A pit panel view is also provided in which traders connected to the pit are represented by icons, and are displayed corresponding to an activity level of the trader.
US08185466B2
Disclosed is a an electronic system for equities securities lending and financing. In particular, the disclosed system provides a hub for electronic financial transactions such as securities borrowing and lending and facilitates the ability of borrowers and lenders to locate suitable counterparties and engage in direct negotiations in a securities lending transaction.
US08185465B2
A computer-implemented method and system for trading of debt securities (bonds), where multiple dealers participate and compete on a single platform (100). Dealers and investors have respective interfaces (250, 230) for communicating. In one aspect, dealers announce new debt security issues (400), the investors communicate an indication of interest (IOI) (500) in purchasing the new debt security issues, and the issues are allocated to the investors. In another aspect, issues from multiple dealers are made available to investors on a secondary trading market in a searchable format (1000). In response to price inquires sent by the investors (1200), the dealers provide offers (1300) which are briefly held and released to the investor concurrently to allow the investor to consider all offers together. In another aspect, the dealers post bid and offer terms for actively traded issues (1700) that are updated in real-time to avoid the need for the inquiry procedure.
US08185462B2
The present invention relates to dynamic optimization of system control over time. The need for dynamic optimization arises in many settings, as diverse as solar car power consumption during a multi-day race and retirement portfolio management. We disclose a reformulation of the control problem that overcomes the so-called “curse of dimensionality” and allows formulation of optimal control policies multiple period planning horizons. One optimal control policy is for power consumption by a solar car during a race, which involves many course segments, as course conditions vary through a day. Another is for risk in and consumption from a portfolio intended to support retirement. Both multi-period control policies take into account future uncertainty. Particular aspects of the present invention are described in the claims, specification and drawings.
US08185461B2
A method, software, database and system for determining modifiable lifestyle attributes which when altered, can increase the longevity of an individual is presented. Based on an individual's pangenetic (genetic and epigenetic) attributes and by comparison with databases of attributes and longevity data, specific modifiable attributes which increase longevity, based on the individual's specific pangenetic makeup, can be identified.
US08185456B2
Methods and systems are configured to structure a collateralized loan such that a borrower's future income is factored into the determination of payment amounts due to a lender. The methods and systems disclosed herein provide benefits to both lenders and borrowers and, regarding real estate purchases, may expand the pool of buyers that qualify for certain mortgage amounts.
US08185439B2
A method of doing business in a retail environment employs a patronage incentive system incorporating a rounding up saving software program which provides a customer making a purchase at a point-of-sale terminal of participating retailers with an option to round up the price of purchase to the nearest dollar (or higher), to credit the difference between the rounded and the retail price to an account once the purchase is made, and to invest the savings into a single predetermined mutual fund. The rounding up program establishes a personal account for each customer, establishes a cumulative account with the single mutual fund, interacts with the customer, and, upon the request of customer, provides the customer with the information regarding his/her account current and/or prospective.
US08185438B2
A system is described for separating mobile search traffic from web search traffic. The system may include a processor, a memory and an interface. The memory may store a keyword, mobile data related to the keyword, web data related to the keyword, and a search request. The interface may communicate with a user. The processor may be operatively connected to the interface and the memory and may store the mobile data and web data in the memory. The processor may receive a search request from a user via the interface and may determine if the search request is mobile traffic or web traffic. The processor may then retrieve and serve the mobile data to the user if the search request is mobile traffic, or may retrieve and serve the web data to the user if the search request is web traffic.
US08185423B2
Disclosed are arrangements, referred to as just-in-time workflow (JITW) arrangements, which provide a decentralised process (900) for performing a sequence of tasks, in which individual network services successively identify (961), assemble (960) and execute (962) a chain of subsequent network services on the basis of their suitability to communicate over a network and to perform their associated tasks.
US08185417B1
A method and system for providing multiple real-time pricing quotes based on optional consumer variables is disclosed. A user accesses a web site and is provided with a web page enabling the user to choose a product with multiple optional features. Upon selection of the product and desired features, the user is provided with pricing information for the selected products and features and provided with the option to modify the product be selecting different features. Upon selection of the modification, the user is provided with a web page simultaneously displaying the original selection and associated feature prices and the modification and associated feature prices.
US08185408B2
A system and computer implemented method for determining eligibility of a patient to receive financial assistance. The method utilizes health care financial assistance information associated with a plurality of potential health care financial assistance plans, wherein the patient is not enrolled in any of the health care financial assistance plans at the time of the determination of the eligibility. Each of the health care financial assistance plans includes qualification criteria that is compared to patient data to determine eligibility and notification of same. The health care financial assistance plans offer defrayment of at least a portion of a health care expense incurred by the patient if the patient qualifies for the respective health care financial assistance plan.
US08185393B2
A speech recognition apparatus generates a feature vector series corresponding to a speech signal, and recognizes a phoneme series corresponding to the feature vector series using sounds corresponding to phonemes and a phoneme language model. In addition, the speech recognition apparatus recognizes vocabulary that corresponds to the recognized phoneme series. At this time, the phoneme language model represents connection relationships between the phonemes, and is modeled according to time-variant characteristics of the phonemes.
US08185389B2
Described is noise reduction technology generally for speech input in which a noise-suppression related gain value for the frame is determined based upon a noise level associated with that frame in addition to the signal to noise ratios (SNRs). In one implementation, a noise reduction mechanism is based upon minimum mean square error, Mel-frequency cepstra noise reduction technology. A high gain value (e.g., one) is set to accomplish little or no noise suppression when the noise level is below a threshold low level, and a low gain value set or computed to accomplish large noise suppression above a threshold high noise level. A noise-power dependent function, e.g., a log-linear interpolation, is used to compute the gain between the thresholds. Smoothing may be performed by modifying the gain value based upon a prior frame's gain value. Also described is learning parameters used in noise reduction via a step-adaptive discriminative learning algorithm.
US08185384B2
A method and apparatus for estimating the pitch period of a signal. The method includes identifying a first candidate pitch period by performing a search only over a first range of potential pitch periods. The method further includes determining a second candidate pitch period by dividing the first candidate pitch period by an integer, wherein the second candidate pitch period is outside the first range of potential pitch periods. The method further includes selecting as the estimate of the pitch period of the signal the smaller of the candidate pitch periods that is such that portions of the signal separated by that candidate pitch period are well correlated.
US08185380B2
A system is provided with a conversation support means. A conversation support means creates a conversation response, and outputs it in a sound, a character, etc. A conversation response is created in a manner that combines words by inserting a reference keyword as a leading keyword in the response sentence model prepared separately. A conversation support means retrieves the reference keyword beforehand provided in conversation support by dictionary collation from the conversation entry content made by a sound, a manual entry, etc. by a user. Furthermore, the retrieved reference keyword themselves or another reference keyword associated with the retrieved reference keyword are handled as a leading keyword. A series of user conversation contents inputted by the conversation support are accumulated as a base data for determining a user interest. The base data is analyzed to determine a user interest for providing suitable information service.
US08185372B2
An apparatus includes a first search unit that searches a storage unit for a first example of a first language based on a sentence in the first language; a second search unit that searches for a second example of a second language corresponding to the first example, the second language containing the same meaning as the first example; a determining unit that determines whether a plurality of the second examples exist; a first acquisition unit that acquires the first example corresponding to each of the second example from the storage unit; a second acquisition unit that acquires the second example corresponding to the first example acquired from the storage unit; and a choice generating unit that generates the first example acquired associated with the least number of the second examples acquired as a choice of the first example to be output.
US08185371B2
A modeling system includes a processor with software that performs static timing analysis (STA) on a design model. STA software executes a static timing analysis (STA) run with shortened clock cycles to model full cycle clock variability. Designers or other entities interpret the results of the shortened STA run data by performing modeling on the output data to generate slack data for design model data paths. STA software executes an STA run with an extended clock cycle to automatically separate half cycle data path (HCDP) slack data from full cycle data path (FCDP) slack data. The full and half cycle clock variability method may automatically adjust slack data for all half cycle data paths (HCDP)s to account for the additional half cycle variation (AHCV) and half cycle clock edge variability that may penalize the design model results in a real hardware implementation.
US08185369B2
A system and method for obtaining information about an electronic device includes the steps of providing a criterion for a property of the electronic device depending on at least one device parameter, and determining a relationship between variations of the at least one device parameter and variations of the property.
US08185368B2
A simulation environment is disclosed wherein both analog and RF signals are simulated in a single flow by a mixed-domain simulator. The simulator includes a simulator kernel with an analog solver and an RF solver to allow both analog- and RF-type of signals to be solved in an interrelated fashion. The simulator may also include a partitioner that divides the circuit into various RF and analog modules to be solved. User input may control the partitioning process, but the simulator may refine the partitions or generate sub-partitions to provide a higher probability of convergence.
US08185366B2
In one aspect, the invention provides a method for modeling the performance of a fixed cutter bit drilling an earth formation. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a drill bit and an earth formation to be represented as drilled, simulating the bit drilling the earth formation, displaying the simulating, and adjusting at least one parameter affecting the performance. The method of design is used to make a fixed cutter drill bit. In another embodiment the method includes numerically rotating the bit, calculating bit interaction with the earth formation during the rotating, and determining the forces on the cutters during the rotation based on the calculated interaction with earth formation and empirical data.
US08185363B2
The invention concerns a size-determining system and method of size grading type, used in particular to determine sizes, and a method to produce the system for a product to be worn on parts of the body. The method to produce the system includes selecting principal morphological parameters from among parameters corresponding to the distance between two morphological markers characteristic of the body part and selecting product parameters, determining an arithmetical relationship between each product parameter and the principal morphological parameters, and determining sizes defined by particular variation intervals of the principle morphological parameters or product parameters. The system stores values of the morphological parameters and product parameters and includes a module to calculate the value of the product parameters in relation to the value of the principal morphological parameters.
US08185348B2
Systems and methods for detecting an interesting event in a data stream. More specifically, a monitoring system is configured to monitor a data stream and establish a sensitivity parameter based on sequences generated from values in a first portion of the data stream. A detector may be trained using the sensitivity parameter to detect the occurrence of an interesting event in the data stream.
US08185347B2
A method and apparatus, including computer program products, for determining characteristic parameters on the basis of a series of m values, H_1, H_2, . . . , H_m, over time. The values are descriptive for a predetermined process, and the series has linear characteristics. Differences, denoted as Δ_i, between pairs of values of points of the historical time series, the points having a predetermined time distance to each other, denoted as p are computed. The median value, denoted as Δ_i_M, of the computed differences Δ_i is determined. On the basis of the determined median value Δ_i_M, a trend parameter, denoted as T, T being defined as T=Δ_1_M/p is computed.
US08185336B2
Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test, including a vector expanding section that sequentially generates a plurality of test vectors; a predicting section that calculates a predicted value for each test vector by simulating an operation of the device under test, the predicted value indicating a prescribed characteristic value of the device under test to be measured while the device under test is supplied with a test signal corresponding to the test vector; a measuring section that obtains a measured value for each test vector by measuring the prescribed characteristic value of the device under test each time the device under test is supplied with a test vector; and a judging section that judges whether the device under test is defective based on a ratio between the predicted value and the measured value corresponding to each test vector.
US08185333B2
A device for automatically assessing the nature of an electrical load includes electrical transducers.
US08185322B2
A method and system is disclosed for operating a medical device with or without a cassette in place. A method is disclosed for adding additional VTBI to an ongoing infusion without stopping the infusion and with maintaining the infusion parameters. A method and system is disclosed for changing the CCA without having to interrupt or completely stop an ongoing infusion. Quick titration buttons are provided to allow improved navigation between various delivery display screens.
US08185315B2
A method for estimating a distribution of pore sizes of a fluid filled rock formation penetrated by a borehole, the method includes: processing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data to determine a distribution of diffusion coefficients and a distribution of relaxation time constants for at least one depth in the borehole; plotting the distribution of diffusion coefficients and the distribution of relaxation time constants as a cross-plot for the at least one depth; identifying a water line on the cross-plot, each point on the water line having substantially the same value for the diffusion coefficient; and estimating the distribution of pore sizes from the distribution of relaxation time constants plotted along the water line.
US08185312B2
Systems and methods for controlling a drill string are provided. A method comprises receiving one or more first signals from a first sensor package mounted in a first portion of the drill string at a first position within a wellbore. The first signals may be indicative of an orientation of the first portion of the drill string. The method also includes receiving one or more second signals from a second sensor package mounted in a second portion of the drill string at a second position within the wellbore. In certain embodiments, the second signals indicative of an orientation of the second portion of the drill string. The drill string may be adapted to bend between the first portion and the second portion and certain embodiments include calculating a first amount of bend between the first portion and the second portion in response to the first signals and the second signals.
US08185310B2
A navigation device and the like capable of appropriately alleviating an amount of communicating information between the navigation server and a navigation device, from the viewpoint of guiding a user to a destination point via the navigation device, on the basis of a support route which is set by the navigation server. Of the links constituting a support route R which connects the current position p1 and the destination position p2 of the user, the links satisfying an extraction condition set according to a changing pattern of a road type are extracted as target links. Also, the target links, that is, the link having high necessity from the viewpoint of guiding the user, with regard to the changing pattern of the road type, is recognized by the navigation device 200 on the basis of communication between the navigation server 100 and the navigation device 200.
US08185309B2
An inertial system is provided. The system includes at least one inertial sensor, a processing unit and a plurality of Kalman filters implemented in the processing unit. The Kalman filters receive information from the at least one inertial sensor. At most one of the plurality of Kalman filters has processed zero velocity updates on the last cycle.
US08185303B1
A system and method for determining a position of a center pivot irrigation system includes positioning a tower unit on the rotatable arm of the irrigation system, determining a distance between the arm's rotation center and the tower unit, calculating coordinates of the tower unit along a path of the tower unit as the arm rotates, and associating an action of the irrigation system with coordinates of the tower unit location that correspond to the position of the arm where the action is to occur. Optionally, the action of the irrigation system and the coordinates of the location of the tower unit are downloaded to a remote unit located adjacent to the irrigation system. Optionally, current location coordinates of the tower unit are determined using a GPS receiver at the tower unit. Optionally, the current location coordinates are transmitted from the tower unit to the remote unit. Optionally, the current location coordinates are compared to the coordinates of the location of the action. If a substantial match of the current location coordinates with the location coordinates associated with an action is detected, the action may be initiated by the remote unit through controls of the irrigation system.
US08185301B1
The invention provides, in some aspects, aviation navigational systems and methods for cockpit display of traffic information that generate intuitive three-dimensional graphical representations of air traffic (and/or other potential conflicts) in the vicinity of an aircraft in flight, as well as during take-off and landing. These systems and methods provide improved awareness of potential conflicts, offering in the cockpit an immediate understanding of the significance of potential conflicts, e.g., vis-à-vis their nature, direction, and time to visual contact. Thus, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an aviation navigational system that generates a 3D representation of the airspace in the vicinity of an aircraft and, relative to that representation, a representation of air traffic in that airspace. In related aspects of the invention, the 3D representation of the airspace is relative to the aircraft position in that airspace, the representation of the air traffic in that airspace is relative to a viewer on that aircraft.
US08185300B2
Systems, methods, and programs input a current drive condition of a vehicle at a predetermined location before a predetermined temporary stop position, determine whether there is a possibility that the vehicle will not be able to safely stop at the temporary stop position based on the input current drive condition, and execute a wake-up call to a driver if it is determined that there is a possibility that the vehicle will not be able to stop safely at the temporary stop position. The systems, methods, and programs calculate a wake-up call ratio as a ratio of the total number of wake-up calls executed to the total number of temporary stop positions passed, and then acquire evaluation information based on the calculated wake-up call ratio.
US08185289B2
A vehicle driving support apparatus includes: a tire type determination element determining a tire type of a vehicle; a memory storing a curvature threshold data showing a relationship between the tire type and a curvature threshold such that the curvature threshold is inversely related to a grip performance of the tire; a curve determination element determining based on a current position of the vehicle and a road data whether a curve is disposed on a road ahead of the vehicle; a curvature threshold determination element specifying the curvature threshold corresponding to the tire based on the tire type and the curvature threshold data; and a warning guidance performing element performing warning guidance when a curvature of the curve ahead of the vehicle is smaller than the curvature threshold corresponding to the tire.
US08185288B2
A brake system for a vehicle having a sensor device for providing a first and second sensor signal, a first and a second brake control device, which are directly connected to the sensor device and to provide a corresponding control signal for the first and/or second sensor signal, and a first and a second signal line for transmitting the control signal, the first signal line directly connecting the first brake control device to a first and second wheel actuator device and the second signal line directly connecting the second brake control device to a third and fourth wheel actuator device, the four wheel actuator devices exerting a braking torque corresponding to the control signal on the associated wheel, and the first wheel actuator device being directly connected to the second brake control device and/or the sensor device. A method for operating a brake system for a vehicle is also provided.
US08185279B2
A control system (100) for traction transmission has at least two multi capacity motors (M1, M2), which are adapted to rotate a vehicle's wheels (J1, J2) and which multi capacity motor (M1) is arranged to rotate a traction wheel (J2), and the multi capacity motor (M2) is arranged to rotate another traction wheel (J1), whereby motor parts (M1a and M2a) of partial rotational volumes of the multi capacity motors (M1, M2) can be connected in series, whereby the anti-slip is on.
US08185268B2
A radio communication device (100) for use in a public safety vehicle is provided with a user interface that combines tactile landmarks in the form of global tactile landmarks and local tactile landmarks along with affordances to orient a user's hand and fingers in conjunction with a sequential task flow interface) for mission critical tasks. Communication device (100) comprises a housing (102) having mission critical controls (116) comprising a pursuit dial (122) mounted on a circular platform (206) with siren controls (124) and light controls (126) grouped on either side of the platform. The mission critical controls (116) are laid out in a manner that provides a sequential user flow across escalating urgency. Ridges (208, 210), chamfered edges (402, 404) and edge reliefs (502) provide further affordances so that a user can intuitively position hand and fingers to locate various controls without having to visually focus on the communication device, thus allowing the user to focus on the current mission.
US08185264B2
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for determining whether first and second components of a vehicle are physically coupled together, the method comprising: transmitting a first signal from the first component of the vehicle; receiving a second signal from the second component of the vehicle; processing the second signal to determine whether the first and second components of the vehicle are coupled.
US08185257B2
The invention relates to an automated system, for example an aircraft flight management system (FMS). If proposes harmonizing the response times of the FMS system between the various scenarios of one and the same family, as and when the product, and its usage context, changes.The system according to the invention comprises several subsystems, the external instruction processing time of which is variable, its response time to one and the same command being independent of the volume of internal and external data manipulated and of the future functional changes, and it is characterized in that it comprises, in each of its subsystems that have variable processing times and/or are likely to change (FPLN, NavDB, TRAJ/PRED, etc.), an explicit resource consuming subsystem (SPARE) simulating a processing time, the duration of which is at least equal to the difference between the maximum processing duration predictable at the end of life of the subsystem that incorporates it and the current processing duration, and a timer subsystem (TIMER) triggered by a processing instruction for which the timer duration is at least equal to the current processing time of said instruction plus the time determined by the explicit resource consuming subsystem.
US08185255B2
Method and apparatus is disclosed which allocates the execution of a commanded vehicle maneuver among the vehicle's control effectors capable of affecting such maneuver, with consideration given to the possible nonlinear and/or non-monotonic effects each control effector's displacement may have on the vehicle and on each other's performance.
US08185254B2
A method and system for updating navigation information are disclosed. The method includes the steps of connecting to a navigation information update system, determining if at least one navigation information update is available from the navigation information update system, if the at least one navigation information update is available from the navigation information update system, determining if an intended recipient of the at least one navigation information update is available or unavailable for an update. If the intended recipient of the at least one navigation information update is determined to be unavailable for an update, the method downloads the at least one navigation information update to a navigation information cache onboard the intended recipient or a processing unit not onboard the intended recipient, and if the intended recipient of the at least one navigation information update is determined to be available for the update, the method downloads the at least one navigation information update to the navigation information cache onboard the intended recipient, and installs the at least one navigation information update in a navigation information system onboard the intended recipient.
US08185252B2
A system for reducing the peak power consumption in an electromechanically controlled refrigerator is provided. The system comprises a cold control device including a housing and a counter spring having at least one spring tension position corresponding to a temperature set point, a bourdon tube having a first end comprising an elastomeric diaphragm operatively associated with the counter spring, and a second end, opposite the first end, located in the compartment, wherein the counter spring is capable of providing a force against the diaphragm, and a DSM switching device operatively controlled by an associated DSM module. The DSM module is configured to receive a signal indicative of at least one of a peak or non-peak demand period of an associated utility.
US08185246B2
Sensing, actuation of apparatus, and a control algorithm for use in automatically controlling an air-conditioning system by sensing multiple conditions and responding by actuating the mechanical components of the air-conditioning system to optimize the temperature of the coolant fluid, provide improved zone temperature control, provide status of system components, and provide an alert if there is overheating of a supply side system mechanical component.
US08185239B2
The present invention disclosed a moving route planning method for mobile robot device, which provides the moving route on a physical site for the mobile robot device. The method includes a first and a second steps; in which, the first step is to generate a relative mesh grid diagram based on a physical site, and the mesh grid map comprises a plurality of map grids containing hindrance parameter values, wherein the hindrance parameter values for each map grid are determined by the locations of hindrances within the physical site at relative locations; and, the second step is to continuously expand the map grid from the start point and the target point toward the neighbored map grids until the expanded map grids meet with each other, and to define each map grid in the expansion traces for meeting with each other as the moving route.
US08185238B2
A system of automatic drilling/riveting of pieces for aeronautical assembly, includes a robot governed by a numerical control device containing drilling/riveting information. A module allows for introduction of data by the operator. A piece checking module detects a piece starting from the data input by the operator. A converter module receives from the numerical control device the information input by the operator and information on the detected piece along with the drilling/riveting to be done and converts that information into information that can be read by a governing and graphic representation module, which transforms the information into geometric information to permit graphic representation on a screen.
US08185236B2
Disclosed is a medicine discharge device of an automatic medicine packing machine, which is used to discharge a medicine, fed from a medicine cassette based on a medical prescription, into a medicine packing device. The medicine discharge device includes a medicine input unit installed under a medicine cassette mount to receive the medicine fed from the medicine cassette, a frame provided with a gate unit, the gate unit including gate members to be opened or closed by a drive unit so as to control movement of the medicine discharged from the medicine input unit, a plate installed under the frame and having an accommodation portion to receive the medicine and a recess to allow the medicine to be moved from the gate members to a discharge passage, a vibrator to vibrate the plate, and a medicine transfer unit to discharge the medicine, having passed through the recess, into a hopper.
US08185232B2
The present invention provides a learning method of rolling load prediction which uses a prediction error of a rolling load at an actual pass of a stock in hot rolling to correct a predicted value of rolling load at a subsequent rolling pass. The method comprises changing a gain for multiplying with the prediction error of the rolling load at the actual pass in accordance with a thickness of the stock to thereby set the learning coefficient of the rolling load prediction and improve the precision of the prediction.
US08185231B2
Computer-aided design and manufacture software and hardware automate garment and fashion definition and production. Configurable garment includes ornamental element, pattern display, and personal identifier and wireless sensor electronics.
US08185230B2
A method includes providing a set of initial characteristic values associated with the semiconductor device. A first fabrication process is performed on the semiconductor device. Fabrication data associated with the first fabrication process is collected. At least one of the initial characteristic values is replaced with the fabrication data collected for the first fabrication process to generate a first modified set of characteristic values. A first value for at least one electrical characteristic of the semiconductor device is predicted based on the modified set of characteristic values. A system includes a first process tool, a first data collection unit, and a prediction unit. The first process tool is configured to perform a first fabrication process on the semiconductor device. The first data collection unit is configured to collect fabrication data associated with the first fabrication process. The prediction unit is configured to provide a set of initial characteristic values associated with the semiconductor device, replace at least one of the initial characteristic values with the fabrication data collected for the first fabrication process to generate a first modified set of characteristic values, and predict a first value for at least one electrical characteristic of the semiconductor device based on the modified set of characteristic values.
US08185223B2
A multimedia playing method is provided. First, N audio files selected by a user are received, wherein N>0. Then, the memory space required for playing each of the N audio files for a predetermined time is respectively detected. Next, whether total memory space required by the N audio files is not smaller than a predetermined value is determined. If the total memory space required by the N audio files is not smaller than the predetermined value, the predetermined time is reduced and the step of respectively detecting the memory space required for playing each of the N audio files for the predetermined time is executed again. If the total memory space required by the N audio files is smaller than the predetermined value, an initial part of each of the N audio files to be played for the predetermined time is stored into the memory.
US08185220B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates utilizing a human machine interface (HMI). An interface component can facilitate receipt of data. A human machine interface (HMI) component communicatively coupled to the interface component can include a device with a pre-programmed primitive; the device employs a user-defined functionality via the received data.
US08185219B2
Smart graphic elements are provided for use as portions or components of one or more graphic displays, which may be executed in a process plant to display information to users about the process plant environment, such as the current state of devices within the process plant. Each of the graphic elements is an executable object that includes a property or a variable that may be bound to an associated process entity, like a field device, and that includes multiple visualizations, each of which may be used to graphically depict the associated process entity on a user interface when the graphic element is executed as part of the graphic display. Any of the graphic element visualizations may be used in any particular graphic display and the same graphic display may use different ones of the visualizations at different times. The different visualizations associated with a graphic element make the graphic element more versatile, at they allow the same graphic element to be used in different displays using different graphical styles or norms. These visualizations also enable the same graphic element to be used in displays designed for different types of display devices, such as display devices having large display screens, standard computer screens and very small display screens, such as PDA and telephone display screens.
US08185215B2
An electronic device is provided with at least one functional unit (HB) performing a processing, wherein the functional unit (HB) receives a supply current (Isupply). A supply current monitor (SCM) is provided for monitoring the supply current (Isupply) to determine an average supply current (Iavg). A characterization unit (CU) is provided for determining a first relation between the averaged supply current (Iavg) and an operation frequency of the functional unit and/or for determining a second relation between a workload of the functional unit (HB) and the average supply current (Iavg) of the functional unit (HB). Furthermore, a slope calculation unit (SCU) is provided for determining the slope of the first and/or second relation. The operation of the functional unit (HB) is controlled according to the results of the slope calculation unit (SCU).
US08185211B2
The present invention relates to a device for generating a signal and method for controlling operation of the same. The present invention provides a device for generating a signal, which includes an electrode (110), if connected to an external power source (200), supplied with a voltage from the external power source (200), a signal generating unit (130) having a plurality of terminals, the signal generating unit (130) deciding whether to operate the device according to a size of a voltage applied to a first terminal among a plurality of the terminals, the signal generating unit (130) outputting a prescribed signal according to the decision, and a control circuit (120), if the electrode (110) is connected to a plurality of the terminals, controlling a voltage applied to a plurality of the terminals. Accordingly, the present invention is able to control whether to operate a signal generating device (100) using an external power source (200).
US08185208B2
A medical kit and method for treating an ailment, such as chronic pain is provided. The kit comprises first and second medical leads, e.g., stimulation leads. Each lead comprises an elongated body and at least one operative element. The first medical lead comprises a coupling mechanism, such as a slot, and the second medical lead comprises a complementary mechanism, such as a rail, that slidably engages the coupling mechanism of the first medical lead. The method may comprise delivering the first medical lead into a patient's body, e.g., into the epidural space of the patient, and delivering the second medical lead into the patient's body by sliding the complementary coupling mechanism of the second medical lead along the coupling mechanism of the first medical lead.
US08185205B2
A catheter switch comprising a first electrical connector for connection to a first medical device, a second electrical connector for connection to a second medical device, and a third electrical connector for connection to a signal source. The catheter switch further includes an electrical switch coupled to the first, second, and third electrical connectors. The electrical switch is configured to include at least two selectable positions, a first position in which the first electrical connector is electrically coupled to the third electrical connector and a second position in which the second electrical connector is electrically coupled to the third electrical connector. A catheter switch assembly system is also provided. The catheter switch assembly system is for selectively coupling a nerve stimulator to a needle assembly or to a catheter assembly to deliver electrical pulses thereto.
US08185200B2
An apparatus comprises an electrical stimulation circuit, a ventricular sensing circuit, a ventricular sensing timer, and an atrial pacing timer. The ventricular sensing circuit detects an intrinsic ventricular tachyarrhythmia depolarization. The ventricular sensing timer initiates timing of a lowest tachy rate (LTR) zone interval and also a ventricular pace interval that is calculated using a lower rate limit (LRL). The atrial pacing timer calculates an atrial pace interval to follow the intrinsic ventricular depolarization using the ventricular pace interval less a paced atrioventricular (AV) delay interval, delays generation of the atrial pace until after expiration of the LTR zone interval by decreasing the paced AV delay interval when the calculated atrial pace interval is within the LTR zone interval, and disables decreasing of the paced AV delay interval when the LRL interval less the paced AV delay interval at the LRL is less than the LTR zone interval.
US08185193B2
An electroencephalogram interface system includes a biological signal detection section for detecting an electroencephalogram signal from a user and a control section for distinguishing a component of an event-related potential and causing a device to operate based on the distinguished event-related potential. An activation apparatus activates the control section and an output section for presenting a visual stimulation which flickers with a predetermined frequency based on a signal from the activation apparatus. The activation apparatus includes: a frequency analysis section for analyzing a frequency component of the electroencephalogram signal and detecting an intensity corresponding to the predetermined frequency; and a determination section for comparing the detected intensity of the predetermined frequency and a predetermined threshold, and if the intensity of the predetermined frequency is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, activating the control section.
US08185188B2
In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging on the basis of a gradient echo sequence by excitation of nuclear spins and measurement of radio-frequency signals indicating the excited nuclear spins, a) the pulse frequency of the person to be examined is determined, b) the magnetization of the spins is prepared by means of an RF pulse block, c) a number of steps of the spin excitation as well as measurement of an RF response signal are implemented, with the measurement data along a trajectory established by projection gradients being acquired along a first slice established by a slice-selection gradient, d) items b) through c) are repeated multiple times for the first slice, with each repetition of the steps b) through c) ensuing within a time interval that is fixed in duration, and the interval is temporally displaced relative to the determined pulse frequency for at least one portion of the repetitions, and e) items b) through d) are repeated for various slices.
US08185187B2
In the acquisition of magnetic resonance imaging or spectroscopic data, 2D PACE is employed to identify an acceptance or shimming window within which the magnetic resonance data are acquired, and to trigger the acquisition of the magnetic resonance data at the same position of the patient's diaphragm in each respiratory cycle. The patient is thereby allowed to freely breath during the data acquisition procedure, but the acquisition of the magnetic resonance data is always able to take place with the patient's diaphragm in the same physical position in each respiratory cycle.
US08185186B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for monitoring tissue regions. In particular, the present invention provides systems and methods for detecting changes in tissue regions over a period of time. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the present invention are used to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular treatment of a tissue region. In some embodiments, the systems and methods employ functional diffusion map algorithms for imaging changes in tissue regions over time and/or in response to therapeutic interventions.
US08185185B2
A system and method are disclosed, which combine image data of a patient, such as images of the patient's GI tract, with rating mucosal damage. According to some embodiments of the present invention the system and method are able to assess a patient's GI tract condition, to monitor mucosal healing in a patient's GI tract, preferably, the small bowel (SB) mucosa and/or to differentiate between different pathological conditions. The system and method of the invention can provide a value or score arrived at by assigning a grade relating to one or more predetermined parameters.
US08185184B2
This document discusses, among other things, fiducial marker devices, tools, and methods. One example illustrates a combined computed tomography (CT) imagable fiducial locator head, an integral bone screw, and an integral divot for receiving a positioning wand of an image-guided surgical (IGS) workstation. A further example includes a fluid/gel-absorbing coating or cover into which a magnetic resonance (MR) imagable fluid is introduced, thereby permitting both CT and MR imaging. Protective caps and collars may be used to protect the fiducial marker from mechanical impact and/or to guide the fiducial marker during affixation. A bull's-eye or other template is used to select a center of a substantially spherical fiducial marker head on an image, such as for use during patient registration.
US08185182B1
An apparatus and method for measuring the blood glucose level of a diabetic using insulin is noninvasive. The apparatus includes two plethysmographs that sense the blood in two fingers simultaneously. The electrodes in the plethysmographs are immersed in conductive liquids. One liquid has electric conductivity equal to blood. The other liquid is more conductive than blood. Signals from the fingers are compared to signals obtained earlier when glucose levels were known from conventional measurements. An alternative embodiment employs a single plethysmograph with one set of electrodes in a surrounding chamber and a second set of electrodes against the skin surface.
US08185180B2
A method and an apparatus measure blood oxygenation in a subject. A light source is activated to cause a first emission at a first wavelength and a second emission at a second wavelength. A detector detects a composite signal indicative of an attenuation of the first and second wavelengths by tissue of a patient. The composite signal is demodulated into a first intensity signal and a second intensity signal. Blood oxygenation in the subject is determined from the first and second intensity signals. In one embodiment, demodulation is based at least in part on a period when at least one of the wavelengths is not activated. In one embodiment, a modulation of the first and second wavelengths is determined in order to avoid frequencies of ambient noise. In one embodiment, the composite signal's sampling rate is reduced before and/or after demodulation.
US08185179B2
There is provided a fingertip oximeter that has a plurality of display modes which are presented sequentially in a circulating way, allowing users to easily observe a measurement result from any of surrounding directions. The present invention makes users to be able to observe a measurement result of the fingertip oximeter from any of surrounding directions, without the need of bending his/her finger. Thus, any partial occlusion of the arterial blood capillary can be avoided, so that strength of the pulse will not decrease, and strength of the signal will not be affected. As a result, the precision of the measurement is improved.
US08185177B2
The present invention is to present a noninvasive living body measuring device that is capable of simplifying the structure and performing the analysis with accuracy in a short time. The noninvasive living body measuring device comprises: a light source for illuminating a living body which includes a blood vessel; an imaging part for imaging the illuminated living body to obtain a living body image; and an analyzing part for obtaining a density of a component contained in blood of the living body based on an image of the blood vessel in the living body image, and correcting the density of the component based on an image of a peripheral tissue of the blood vessel in the living body image.
US08185166B2
Electronic devices and other apparatuses adapted to receive electromagnetic wave communications are disclosed. An outer housing encloses various device components, including at least an internal antenna located fully therewithin and adapted to receive/send communications from/to an outside source via RF or other electromagnetic waves. A ceramic coating can be a thermal spray coating that covers at least a portion of the outer surface proximate to the internal antenna, and can be “RF transparent”—adapted to allow communications to/from the internal antenna via electromagnetic waves. The outer housing can be plastic, metal or a combination thereof. For metal or other non-RF transparent housings, an RF-transparent insert can be fitted into a window in the housing to permit communications to the internal antenna. The ceramic coating covers some or all of the metal, plastic and/or insert that comprise the outer housing and surface for a final aesthetic finish to the device.
US08185163B2
A mobile communication device, method and computer program product for generating a first signal upon manipulation of a first input key that can be manipulated in at least two directions, generating a second signal upon manipulation of a second input key which enables at least two direction inputs, and controlling a predetermined operation in response to at least one of the first and second signals.
US08185160B1
Wireless communication techniques for cellular deployment of wireless communication systems with transmitters in each cell to have partially overlapped transmission patterns between two adjacent transmitters. Implementations of the described techniques can provide transmit diversity with intentional partial beam pattern overlays to improve cell sectorization or frequency re-use factor, at the same time, reduce intra-cell and inter-cell interference. Various modulations may be used in the described systems, including FDMA, TDMA, and OFDMA modulation schemes.
US08185152B1
An access network discovery and selection (ANDSF) module includes a first transceiver that receives an service continuity signal from a service centralization and continuity application server (SCC AS). A first control module generates a preference and policy information signal based on the service continuity signal. The preference and policy information signal includes a list of access networks available for selection by a service request device (SRD). The first transceiver transmits the preference and policy information signal from the ANDSF module to the SRD.
US08185151B2
A method of handling Service Data initiated by a wireless network for a mobile station, the mobile station configured to operate in a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network, includes registering a Circuit Switched Access Adaptation Function in the mobile station for Supplementary Service, and sending a Service Data message initiated by the wireless network to applications registered in the mobile station.
US08185135B2
A system for capturing and delivering location-based information and services captures wireless landmark information sent by mobile devices to build a map of locations based on the relationship between wireless landmarks that are visible to the mobile device at the same time. A wireless landmark may be a cellular telephone base site or local network (WiFi/Bluetooth) access point. The mobile device may capture a location signature using identifiers for all wireless local area networks in range as well as one or more cellular telephone transmitters. A location service resolves the location signature into a relative location that an application service may use to record incoming information or to send location-specific information such as traveler comments, reviews, or advertisements. The distance between two mobile devices may be calculated using weighted edge values, representing a number of ‘hops’ between location signatures.
US08185131B2
The method of providing location-based information from portable devices allows for the tracking of the location of portable devices (14), such as cellular telephones, for example, for the recordation and subsequent analysis of demographic, location-based information. The method includes the steps of: determining (200) a geographic location of at least one portable device (14); recording geographic location coordinates (250) of the portable device (14) in computer readable memory (140); establishing a set of public geographic regions (20) and a set of non-public geographic regions (30) within a geographic area in which the portable device (14) is located; and dividing each non-public geographic region (30) into a plurality of geographic non-public zones (52), where if the portable device (14) is located within a non-public geographic region (30), the geographic location coordinates are replaced (260) with a generalized set of geographic coordinates associated with the non-public geographical region (30).
US08185127B1
A method and system are provided for allocating usage of network resources in a communication network. In an embodiment, a quality of service profile assigned to a user account is established where the user account comprises user information for a first wireless device and a second wireless device. A first usage request from the first wireless device is received and registered for access to the communication network. Use of the communication network is allocated to the first wireless device based upon the quality of service profile. A second usage request is received and registered from the second wireless device for access to the communication network. Use of the communications network is allocated to the second wireless device based upon the quality of service profile and the use of the communication network by the first wireless device.
US08185116B2
A method and system to configure proximity detection and reporting in a wireless device during a transition of the wireless device from one cell state to another cell state in a third generation (3G) wireless communication system. In a first cell state, the wireless device is configured for proximity indication. The wireless device is transitioned from using the first cell state to using a second cell state. Upon the transition from the first cell state, the wireless device receives information from a base transceiver to reconfigure the proximity indication configuration based on the second cell state. The reconfiguration allows the mobile device to retain the existing proximity indication configuration, remove the proximity indication configuration, or stop reporting proximity indication. Additionally, the base transceiver also adjusts proximity configuration stored at the base station based on the second cell state.
US08185102B2
A wireless communications device in a first network with contention-based access may send a special frame to one or more other devices in the first network, informing them that it will not be available to receive any transmissions during a specified time period. The frame may also specify a delay period, indicating when the period of unavailability will start. When the device sending the special frame also has a co-located radio that operates in a second network that uses centrally-controlled scheduling, this special frame may be used to prevent other devices in the first network from sending it any transmissions while the co-located radio is communicating in the second network, thereby reducing the chance of interference between the two co-located radios.
US08185101B1
Portable handheld real-time tracking and communications devices include; a controller module, communications module including global positioning and mesh network radio module, data transfer and storage module, and a user interface module enclosed in a water-resistant enclosure. Real-time tracking and communications devices can be used by protective force, security and first responder personnel to provide situational awareness allowing for enhance coordination and effectiveness in rapid response situations. Such devices communicate to other authorized devices via mobile ad-hoc wireless networks, and do not require fixed infrastructure for their operation.
US08185099B2
A service aggregator allocates network resources to a plurality of multiservice communication devices capable of communicating via a plurality of networks. The service aggregator includes a communication device interface for facilitating a bidirectional data communication with the plurality of multiservice communication devices via a wireless control channel, the bidirectional data communication including outbound control data sent to at least one of the plurality of multiservice communication devices and inbound control data received from at least one of the plurality of multiservice communication devices, wherein the wireless control channel is separate from the communication between the plurality of multiservice communication devices and the plurality of networks. A network interface receives network resource data from the plurality of networks. A management processing unit processes the inbound control data and the network resource data and that generates the outbound control data in response thereto, wherein the inbound control data includes at least one transaction request and the service aggregator allocates at least one resource of at least one of the plurality of networks based on the inbound control data and the network resource data.
US08185090B2
The provisioning content in a device management system facilitates provisioning of mobile devices with contents of non-applicable formats for provisioning in a module therein in a device management system in a mobile network infrastructure. The system has a device management application and repositories. Capabilities of a mobile device are checked from one or more repositories of the device management system. The provisioning content is retrieved from a module in a mobile device and converted into an applicable format for provisioning the device.
US08185089B2
A WEP key is generated from predetermined binary data and stored in an access point. The binary data is converted into an SSID using a predetermined conversion algorithm. The access point transmits the SSID in a beacon. A mobile game apparatus receives the SSID and recovers the binary data from the SSID using the predetermined conversion algorithm. Using the same algorithm as used for generating the WEP key, a WEP key is generated from the recovered binary data. Encrypted communication is performed between the access point and the mobile game apparatus using the WEP key.
US08185088B2
System(s), device(s), and method(s) are provided to supply a device that accesses and utilizes resources in a wireless network under a lease agreement. A system generates service unit bank(s) that enable service utilization and provides a customized operational profile that enables custom configuration of service in the device. The device can receive lessee-specific operational profile(s) and lease agreement term(s), and can regulate a lease agreement. If the lease agreement expires, the device can lock at least a portion of the functionality of the device and provide an environment to renew the lease agreement. If the device is not returned, the system pursues various asset protection mechanism(s), such as assessment of recovery fees and tracking location of the device. Returned device is commissioned for a new lease. Synchronization of lessee-specific operational profiles amongst device and the system, or network external thereto, can be accomplished through a femtocell network or a macrocell network.
US08185086B2
After an emergency call from a communication terminal has been received by an emergency call center, the position of the communication terminal is determined by querying a database. An area around the position of the communication terminal is defined as danger area and other communication terminals located in the danger area are identified. Communication terminals of rescue workers in the danger area who are to be informed are then selected. Finally, emergency information is generated, which can, for example, contain information about escape routes for potentially imperiled persons or access route information for rescue workers. This emergency information is then communicated to each of the selected communication terminals of potentially imperiled persons and/or rescue workers.
US08185083B2
GPS navigation devices or GPS receivers can consume less power by using a temperature recorder circuit and/or a power manager in maintaining the accuracies of the GPS receiver time and reference frequency to improve battery life. A representative receiver includes a time reference device and the temperature recorder circuit that operate while the receiver hibernates. The time reference device generates clock signals and the temperature recorder circuit receives and operates using the clock signals from the time reference device. The temperature recorder senses the temperature of the time reference device. The temperature recorder circuit is designed to send a wake-up signal to at least one electrical component of the receiver to wake up the electrical component of the receiver. The electrical component of the receiver includes at least one of the following: a GPS signal processing system and a frequency reference device.
US08185081B2
A tunable bandpass filter (10) is provided. An RF signal is provided at an input of the tunable bandpass filter, and a level shifted control signal (V1, V2) inputted to the tunable bandpass filter (10) switches a first arrangement and a second arrangement of one or more tuning portions (15, 17-1, 17-2, 17-3) in or out of the tunable bandpass filter using a GaAs FET switch. The first arrangement is coupled to the second arrangement using an inductor (13). An RF signal having a desired predetermined frequency at an output of the tunable bandpass filter (10) is produced by the switching. The tuning portions include the GaAs FET switch (15), a first capacitor (17-1) connected at a first signal terminal of the GaAs FET switch and a second capacitor (17-2) connected between a second signal terminal of the GaAs FET switch and ground. Each of the tuning portions can be arranged in parallel with one another.
US08185069B1
A method for receiving and processing in a wireless mobile unit a cable connected signal and Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) in a 4G or a 3G wireless system. Transmitting in a mobile cellular unit a wire connected received and processed signal in a wireless transmitter and transmitting in a cable connection of a mobile unit a wireless received signal. Receiving and processing a RFID signal and a data signal into a ultra narrowband (UNB) and a processed ultra wideband (UWB) signal. A Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna system. Processing a signal into a TDMA and a CDMA, Time Constrained Signal (TCS) waveform shaped and Long Response (LR) filtered signal. Receiving and processing a Fiber Optic Communication (FOC) network provided signal and processing a UNB processed signal into a processed spread spectrum signal in a mobile unit.
US08185056B2
In a load testing system, a transmission device measures a bandwidth of user data transmitted from a user terminal in real time, calculates a calculation bandwidth by subtracting the bandwidth of the user data from an evaluation bandwidth preset to evaluate the performance of a network, and transmits test data corresponding to the calculation bandwidth with the user data corresponding to the bandwidth of the user data. A reception device receives the user data and the test data transmitted with the user data, and evaluates the performance of the network based on the user data and test data.
US08185054B2
There is provided an information processing apparatus according to the present invention performing a bidirectional communication with another information processing apparatus through a plurality of channels in a predetermined frequency band, and including a selecting portion for selecting an identifier from a plurality of identifiers to use for connection with the another information processing apparatus; a radio wave state monitoring portion for monitoring a radio wave state of the plurality of channels; and a channel controlling portion for setting the channel having satisfactory radio wave state as the channel to use in the bidirectional communication based on a monitoring result of the radio wave state.
US08185049B2
A device configured to communicate with a second device may register a second device using one of multiple registration modes including a domain-registration mode, a device-registration mode, and a no-registration mode. The domain-registration mode allows the second device to register with the device and at least one other device registered with the device, the device-registration mode allows the second device to register with the device and with no other devices, and the no-registration mode does not allow any device to register with the device. The device receives a selection of one of the multiple registration modes and places the device in the selected registration mode.
US08185037B2
A sheet feeding device including a sheet feed cassette. The sheet feed cassette includes a tray extendable and contractible in a direction of sheet feed; a guide member having a long groove provided on a bottom plate of the sheet feed cassette in the direction of sheet feed; a pressing member having a shaft in a lower portion thereof loosely inserted into the guide member, the pressing member movable along the guide member and contacting a rear edge of a sheet stored in the sheet feed cassette; a link cam plate having a long guide groove into which the shaft of the pressing member is movably inserted, the link cam plate being swingably provided on the bottom plate of the sheet feed cassette; and a sheet size detector including a convex portion and a size detector to detect a size of the sheet stored in the sheet feed cassette.
US08185034B2
A storage container includes: a container body that is detachably disposed on a predetermined container receiver, wherein powder to be supplied or recovered powder is stored in the container body; and a powder driving transmitting mechanism that is disposed in the container body, and that transmits a transportable driving force to the powder to be supplied or recovered powder, and, when the container body is mounted on the container receiver, the powder driving transmitting mechanism couples a powder conveying mechanism that is disposed on a side of the container receiver, and that, outside the container body, conveys the powder to be supplied or recovered powder, with a driving mechanism that is disposed on a side of the container receiver, and that drives the powder conveying mechanism.
US08185030B2
A fixer includes a fixing member with a rotary heat generator, a pressure member, an excitation coil disposed facing a heat generation layer of the rotary heat generator to generate magnetic flux that inductively heats the heat generation layer, a loop-shaped demagnetization coil unit disposed facing the heat generation layer to generate magnetic flux that partly counteracts the magnetic flux generated by the excitation coil, a first magnetic core disposed in a first area that is enclosed by both the excitation coil and the demagnetization coil unit, and a second magnetic core disposed in a second area that is outside a loop of the demagnetization coil unit and enclosed by the excitation coil. The first magnetic core and the second magnetic core are magnetically continuous in a rotary axial direction of the rotary heat generator. A fixing method fixes an image on the sheet used in a fixer.
US08185028B2
An image forming apparatus and an auto color registration method thereof, the auto color registration (ACR) method including: transferring test patterns respectively corresponding to a plurality of colors; detecting the transferred test patterns; cleaning the transferred test patterns; transferring patterns respectively corresponding to the plurality of colors by reducing a width of a pattern corresponding to a color, from among the plurality of colors, according to the detected test patterns; and performing ACR on the basis of the transferred pattern. Accordingly, at least one pattern width is reduced in consideration of deviation in a detected pattern width between a plurality of colors, and ACR is performed on the basis of the reduced pattern width, thereby decreasing an error and increasing reliability in the ACR.
US08185026B2
An electric charge elimination needle for eliminating an electric charge of an intermediate transfer belt is disposed on the side more downstream than an opposite sheet metal which restricts an electric potential on the belt, in a direction of rotation of the intermediate transfer belt, thereby preventing a toner image on the intermediate transfer belt carried with tension by a plurality of tension rollers, from disorder when the intermediate transfer belt contacts and is detached from the tension roller.
US08185021B2
A developing device includes a developing unit, a developer agitating unit, a developer conveying unit, and a toner supplementing unit. The developing unit develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier with a developer containing toner and carrier. The developer agitating unit agitates the developer. The developer conveying unit connects the developing unit and the developer agitating unit, and conveys the developer from the developing unit to the developer agitating unit. The toner supplementing unit is connected to the developer conveying unit, and supplements toner to the developer conveyed from the developing unit to the developer agitating unit.
US08185020B2
An image forming apparatus employing nonvolatile liquid developers is provided, which image forming apparatus exhibits high transfer efficiency in transferring images on an image carrier to a recording media and enables formation of images with sufficient fixing strength. An image forming apparatus which incorporates a squeezing mechanism which removes a part of carrier liquid from the liquid developer incorporating image visualizing particles, fine thermoplastic resin particles, and nonvolatile carrier liquid, and incorporates a transferring mechanism which transfers a visible image, in which a part of carrier liquid is removed, onto the recording medium.
US08185012B2
To a lower part of a housing 20 of a development unit 3a, a cover 21 is detachably fitted by using snap fittings 40. To a fitting surface 41a of the housing 20 and a fitting surface 41b of the cover 21, sponges 43a and 43b, respectively, are attached and fixed all around them. In a state in which the snap fittings 40 are engaged and thereby the housing 20 and the cover 21 are fixed to each other, the sponges 43a and 43b are in contact with each other and compressed, whereby air-tightness of a fitting part 45 is secured.
US08185011B2
A first roll brush is formed from material having the positive triboelectric charge polarity against toner. A positive bias is applied to the first roll brush through a first collection roller by a first bias application device. A second roll brush is formed from material having the negative triboelectric charge polarity against toner. A negative bias is applied to the second roll brush through a second collection roller by a second bias application device. Thus, the first and second roll brushes are applied by each of biases having polarity identical to the triboelectric charge polarity of material of the roll brush against toner. This enhances cleaning performance of both the roll brushes and prevents degradation of the cleaning performance.
US08185007B2
A transfer device includes: a transfer section for transferring a toner image on an image carrier onto a sheet passing through a nip portion which is formed between the transfer section and the image carrier; an application section for applying a voltage to the transfer section; and a control section for controlling the application section, wherein the control section controls the application section to apply a voltage having an opposite polarity to a transfer polarity to the transfer section since a leading edge of the sheet in a conveyance direction advances into the nip portion until a predetermined non image area of the sheet has passed through the nip portion, and then switch to apply a voltage having the transfer polarity from the voltage having the opposite polarity to the transfer section while a non image area of the sheet passes through the nip portion.
US08185003B2
There is provided an image forming apparatus including a rotation member used for image forming and a detector for detecting light from the rotation member. First waveform data of an image-formed surface used to form an image on the rotation member is acquired by the detector. Second waveform data of the image-formed surface used to form an image on the rotation member is acquired. The second waveform data includes at least part of a detected section of the first waveform data. Information on the actual circumference of the rotation member is calculated based on matching between the acquired first and second waveform data. The acquired first waveform data and second waveform data are compared to determine whether or not to use the calculated information on the circumference. When it is determined not to use the calculated information on the circumference, information on the circumference of the rotation member is recalculated.
US08185001B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member to bear an electrostatic latent image on its surface, a developing device to develop the electrostatic latent image using toner to form a toner image, a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium, a fixing device to fix the toner image, a first detector to detect at least glossiness of a surface of the recording medium, a second detector to detect at least a space between asperities on the surface of the recording medium, and a controller to control an amount of toner when forming the toner image. The controller adjusts the amount of toner based on the glossiness of the recording medium detected by the first detector and the space between the asperities detected by the second detector.
US08184998B2
An image forming apparatus includes a toner replenishing device that supplies toner, based on a detection result from a sensor that detects a toner density in a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image based on an image signal with toner, so that the toner density takes a given value, a memory portion that counts a time for toner replenishment actually carried out by the toner replenishing device to accumulate count results as an accumulated actual toner replenishment time, a memory portion that calculates an expected required time for toner replenishment based on the image signal to accumulate calculation results as an accumulated expected toner replenishment time, and a determining portion that determines in given timing whether or not to execute the image quality adjusting processing, based on a difference between the accumulated actual toner replenishment time and the accumulated expected toner replenishment time.
US08184985B2
A control circuit for an optical transmitter/receiver that transmits/receives an optical signal, comprises: a memory having a digital value storage area and an area that stores limit values; a register; an analog/digital conversion circuit that receives analog signals indicating operating parameters of the optical transmitter/receiver, converts the analog signals to respective digital values, and stores the digital values in the memory; a comparison logical circuit that compares the digital values with the limit values, generates flag values, and stores the flag values in the register; and an outside interface that allows an outside host apparatus to access the memory and the register to read the flag values and monitor an operating condition of the optical transmitter/receiver from outside.
US08184970B2
Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to an analyzer device configured to interface with an optical transceiver module having a diagnostic communications port, wherein the port is configured to access diagnostic and other data contained within the transceiver controller via a backdoor interface. Controller data, including operational parameter values and module setup values, is accessible while the transceiver operates in conjunction with an external host and may be retrieved, and sometimes modified, in real time without interrupting normal transceiver operation or suspending the transmission of data over optical fibers. The analyzer device accesses the data via the diagnostic communications port on the outside of the transceiver module.
US08184967B2
A lens barrel assembly for a camera is disclosed. The lens barrel assembly comprises a lens barrel, at least one optical element disposed within the lens barrel, and an actuator configured to move the optical element. The actuator can be disposed entirely or partially within the lens barrel. The actuator can be a MEMS actuator, such as a MEMS actuator that is formed at least partially of silicon. The optical element can be a lens.
US08184966B2
There is provided an image blur correction device including: a correction optical element; a first movable frame; a second movable frame; a fixed frame; a first main guide shaft and a first auxiliary guide shaft; a second main guide shaft and a second auxiliary guide shaft; a first driving part; and a second driving part. The first auxiliary guide shaft is shorter than the first main guide shaft and the second driving part is placed between the first auxiliary guide shaft and the correction optical element. The second auxiliary guide shaft is shorter than the second main guide shaft and the first driving part is placed between the second auxiliary guide shaft and the correction optical element.
US08184961B2
An optical disk for recording stereoscopic videos and high-quality video signals and a system for reproducing the videos and signals from the optical disk are made compatible with the conventional video reproducing system. A reproducing device which is used for reproducing stereoscopic videos and high-quality videos obtains stereoscopic video or high-quality videos by reproducing both first and second interleaved blocks on the optical disk in which first and second video signals are alternately recorded on the left and right sides by dividing the first and second video signals into frame groups of one GOP or more and a reproducing device which is not used for reproducing the stereoscopic videos and high-quality videos obtains ordinary videos by only reproducing either the first or second interleaved block by jumping tracks.
US08184960B2
One or more methods and systems to efficiently process MPEG video in order to perform a reverse play or slow rewind function are presented. The method reduces system bandwidth required to implement the reverse play function when SD MPEG video is received by the MPEG decoder. Furthermore, the method maximizes the use of memory resources when one or more video frame buffers are implemented. The system comprises a first subsystem feeding one or more sequences of frames (e.g., feeding sessions) to a second subsystem. The first subsystem defines a set of parameters that is used to determine the one or more feeding sessions provided to the second subsystem. The second subsystem subsequently decodes the one or more feeding sessions using the set of parameters such that the video may be displayed.
US08184947B2
An electronic apparatus includes a detecting unit and a categorizing unit. The detecting unit compares each of a plurality of frames that constitute each of a plurality of video contents with one another, and detects a video feature generated by one of a camera operation and video editing from each of the plurality of video contents. The categorizing unit judges, based on the detected video feature, a visual activity level of a video contained in each of the plurality of video contents, and categorizes each of the plurality of video contents based on the judged activity level.
US08184942B2
A title record method to be used with a digital broadcast recorder including recording a received digital broadcast signal, and, substantially simultaneously, reading broadcast information contained in the digital broadcast signal, determining the presence or absence of a program title in the broadcast information, continuously reading the broadcast information of the next digital broadcast signal following the digital broadcast signal if no title is present in the broadcast information, and, substantially simultaneously, determining the presence or absence of the title in the next digital broadcast signal, and recording the title as a title of the recorded broadcast signal if the title is present in the broadcast information.
US08184938B2
Fiber optic equipment that supports one or more rear-installable fiber optic modules is disclosed. The fiber optic equipment is comprised of a chassis defining a front end and a rear section. At least one guide system is disposed in the chassis and configured to receive at least one fiber optic module. The guide system may be provided in the form of a rail guide system. The at least one guide system receives the at least one fiber optic module from the rear section on the chassis and is configured to guide the fiber optic module toward the front end of the chassis. In this manner, a technician can make fiber optic connections to fiber optic modules and also install the fiber optic modules into the fiber optic equipment from the rear section of the chassis to reduce time and/or labor in making fiber optic connections.
US08184934B2
A fiber optic cable having a jacket, at least one tube and at least two fibers within the tube in a loose tube arrangement. The fibers within the tube have a fiber length differential substantially in the range of 0.01%-0.04%.
US08184928B2
A method for resizing an input digital image to form an output digital image with an output aspect ratio, comprising: determining a number of rows or columns that need to be reduced from the input digital image; determining an image energy map for the input digital image; repeatedly determining a seam path responsive to the image energy map and removing pixels along the determined seam path to determine the output digital image, wherein the determined seam path satisfies a constraint that a directional image gradient is less than a gradient threshold for each pixel in the seam path, until either the determined number of rows or columns has been reduced or no valid seam path can be found; and cropping or scaling the output digital image to the output aspect ratio if the determined number of rows or columns was not reduced.
US08184927B2
The present invention includes methods for the reduction of speckle noise in an image and methods for segmenting an image. Each of the methods disclosed herein includes steps for analyzing the uniformity of a pixel within a plurality of pixels forming a portion of the image and, based on the uniformity of the intensity of the plurality of pixels, adjusting and/or replacing the pixel in order to produce a speckle-noise reduced image, a segmented image, or a segmented and speckle-noise reduced image. The methods of the present invention can employ for example conditional probability density functions, nonlinear estimator functions, convex energy functions and simulated annealing algorithms in the performance of their respective steps.
US08184921B2
A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for basis selection is described. A plurality of sub-bands of digital data is generated and a basis function for the digital data in one of the plurality of sub-bands is determined at a rate that provides a substantially peak signal-to-noise ratio for the digital data. The basis function is added to a codebook and the digital data is compressed using the codebook.
