US08287091B2

An inkjet printing apparatus and an inkjet printing method are provided which can minimize air current disturbances that occur between the print head and the print medium and also minimize density unevenness caused by mask patterns. For this purpose, the 2-pass printing is performed such that the high printing ratio region and the low printing ratio region are alternated every pixel in the nozzle-arrayed direction and that adjoining groups of high printing ratio regions are separated from one another by a group of low printing ratio regions that forms a passage wide enough for air currents to pass through.
US08287088B2

An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance control unit that controls conveyance of a recording unit. The conveyance control unit switches a conveyance direction of the recording unit at return points on both sides of a scanning direction to reciprocate the recording unit, and controls a speed of the recording unit to a target speed until the recording unit reaches a control changeover point from the return point upstream in the conveyance direction. The target speed is set to be symmetrical in a zone in which the recording unit is shifted to a constant speed state from a start point of an image forming area and in a zone in which the recording unit reaches the end point of the image forming area from a deceleration start point.
US08287085B2

A printer is provided which has at least one pagewidth printhead arranged to print on print media transported therepast and a capping member of a flexible sheet-like material arranged to move between a spaced apart position relative to the printhead during printing and a capping position in which the material caps the printhead.
US08287083B2

A position detecting device for detecting a position of an object, includes a light emitting portion that emits light, a light receiving portion that receives the light from the light emitting portion, and a scale that is arranged between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion, and includes a position detecting pattern and a smear detecting pattern. The position detecting pattern has a first light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a first light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged in a detection range of the object. The smear detecting pattern for detecting smear of the scale has a second light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a second light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged.
US08287077B2

A printhead IC is provided having an array of ejection nozzles, sensing circuitry for sensing temperatures of regions of the nozzle array, and drive circuitry for providing drive pulses to the nozzles to cause ejection. The drive circuitry is configured to set a different profile of the drive pulses for each region of the nozzle array in accordance with the sensed temperatures.
US08287064B2

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a first liquid containing unit containing a liquid therein and a second detachable liquid containing unit containing a liquid therein and having a liquid containing volume smaller than that of the first liquid containing unit. A communication passage communicates the first liquid containing unit with the second liquid containing unit. The first and second liquid containing units are reciprocally replenished with the liquid by a liquid replenishing unit through the communication passage. When the liquid is replenished from the first or second liquid containing units to the other, a control unit controls the liquid replenishing unit to replenish the liquid from the one liquid containing unit to the other liquid containing unit, until the liquid contained in the one liquid containing unit reaches a predetermined amount smaller than the liquid containing volume of the second liquid containing unit.
US08287051B2

A method of quarrying dimensional stone and a line drilling apparatus used therein. The drilling apparatus is frameless and comprises a first boom and a second boom, between which is arranged a joint mechanism, allowing the booms to be moved relative to each other. Furthermore, in connection with the joint mechanism is arranged a stone support adaptable against the stone once the drilling apparatus is coarse-positioned in the vicinity of a drill hole line. Fine positioning of the drilling apparatus in the direction of the drill hole line is performed by joints comprised by the joint mechanism. Positioning at drill holes takes place by turning the second boom along an arched motion path and by turning the drilling unit towards the stone to be drilled.
US08287039B2

A vehicle seat includes a cushion plate mounted on seat springs, a seat cushion provided in front of the cushion plate; and an auxiliary plate provided between the seat cushion and the cushion plate for pushing out the seat cushion forward. The auxiliary plate is provided at its upper portion with a plurality of hooks to be engaged in a plurality of engagement holes formed in the cushion plate. The hooks are engaged in the engagement holes so that they can rotate around a lateral direction but do not move in back-and-forth direction and in a vertical direction.
US08287038B2

A stroller or carseat shade is formed from a fabric having a middle section tapered on two sides. Rod tunnels run from a first taper across the middle section to a second taper. An elastic section is formed to wrap around and cling to an existing canopy on a stroller or car seat. The shade is symmetrical relative to a front to back axis. Fasteners are positioned at a series of overlapping stop positions parallel to the front to back axis.
US08287036B2

A front body structure of a vehicle comprises a pair of front side frames, a bumper reinforcement, a bumper face, a leg-part sweeping-away member which is provided below the bumper reinforcement and extends in a vehicle width direction, a front end of which is positioned in front of the bumper reinforcement, and a support member which supports the leg-part sweeping-away member at the front side frame. The support member has a specified length in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and comprises beads which absorb an impact load inputted in the vehicle longitudinal direction through their deformation in the longitudinal direction.
US08287027B2

A folding top apparatus for a vehicle includes a movable folding top and a support arm assembly. The folding top has front and rear roof parts and a corner bow. The support arm assembly includes a drive arm pivotably connected to the front roof part and pivotably connected to a main bearing, a coupling arm connected to the corner bow and pivotably connected to the drive arm, and a control arm pivotably connected to the main bearing and displaceably connected to the coupling arm whereby swivel motion of the corner bow is influenced by the coupling arm and the control arm.
US08287009B2

The system contains a latch mechanism for a container having a first container portion and a second container portion comprising a guide part attached to the first container portion. A slide part is carried by the guide part, shiftable relative to the guide part between a closed position restraining the second container portion and an open position releasing the slide part from the second container portion. A guide catch part is integral with said guide part and a slide part including a depressible flap. A slide catch part is integral with said depressible flap. Interaction between said guide catch part and said slide catch part restrains said slide part against movement from said closed position into said open position. Actuating said depressible flap releases said slide catch part from being restrained by said guide catch part and frees the slide part to move from the closed to open position.
US08287008B2

A liquid and gas tight threaded tubular connection includes a first axial abutment surface formed at the free end of an annular lip of a threaded male element and a second axial abutment surface formed at the end of a housing of a threaded female element. The first and second axial abutment surfaces have the same axial half-sections, the inclination of which varies progressively in the radial direction.
US08287004B2

A reusable mailing envelope includes a plurality of panels which, in combination, define a pocket for receipt of internal content material. One of the panels includes a window adapted to receive printed information to facilitate routing of the mailing envelope during the initial mail delivery. The reusable envelope also includes a means for preventing the readability of the printed information on the window during a subsequent mail delivery such that the routing instructions associated with the initial mail delivery are not interpreted and executed by the automated scanning equipment during the subsequent mail delivery.
US08286992B2

An airbag device is provided for a motor vehicle. The airbag device includes, but is not limited to a carrying part on the motor vehicle side and an airbag module of an inflatable, folded gas bag fastened to the carrying part and a gas generator for inflating the gas bag. The carrying part includes, but is not limited to a fastening section to which the airbag module is detachably mounted. The airbag module is fastened to the fastening section of the carrying part via a link guide.
US08286990B2

There is provided a stroller which has armrests that are attachable and detachable to and from a stroller body, and which is capable of attaching a child seat to the stroller body without using particular attachments. The stroller includes: a pair of front legs; a pair of handles pivotably mounted to the pair of front legs; a pair of rear legs pivotably mounted to the pair of handles; and an X-shaped hinge, coupled to the pair of front legs and the pair of rear legs, for converting the pair of front legs and the pair of rear legs from an unfolded state to a folded state, wherein a pair of armrests is provided, each between each handle and the front leg corresponding to the handle, such that each armrest is attachable and detachable to and from the handle and the front leg.
US08286989B2

A snowboard includes an elongate board member having an upper surface, a bottom surface and a pair of lateral edges. A footbrake is pivotally mounted to the upper surface of the board member by a pivot rod and is pivotable between a raised and undeployed position and a lowered and deployed position. A footbrake retractor attached to the footbrake urges the foot brake toward the raised and undeployed position. A pair of lateral brake paddles are operatively connected to the footbrake and extend beyond the lateral edges of the board member. When the footbrake is in the lowered and deployed position, the pair of lateral brake paddles extend below the bottom surface of the board member. A footbrake conversion kit and method for converting a conventional snowboard into a snowboard with a footbrake are also provided.
US08286980B2

A trailing arm type suspension improves the handling (driving stability) and the response (driving response) of an automobile by increasing the installation rigidity of a suspension member to a vehicle body frame. In the trailing arm type suspension including a pair of right and left trailing arms which extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction, a reinforcing bar for connecting a suspension member in the vehicle rear side of the trailing arm to a connecting part of a vehicle body frame in the vehicle front side of the suspension member, is disposed between a fuel tank and the trailing arm, and the reinforcing bar and the trailing arm overlap each other as viewed from the side of the vehicle.
US08286974B2

An easy-to-assemble multipurpose pushbike includes a frame having a handlebar at one end, a through hole on the middle and a locating member disposed in the through hole, a front wheel pivotally coupled to the other end of the frame, two arched boards each having a mounting portion disposed at one end and inserted into the through hole of the frame, a pivot holder disposed at the other end and two positioning matching means disposed at the mounting portion and selectively attached to the locating member, a rear wheel set pivotally coupled to the pivot holder of each arched board, and a seat having a seat pad and a seat stem supporting the seat pad and fixedly mounted between the arched boards.
US08286966B2

A series of games are disclosed which test the ability of players to ascertain and identify the existence of relationships between topics in a structured fashion. Players can play against each other or against pre-established standards.
US08286962B2

A sheet member feeder device includes: a sheet member housing section that houses a sheet member for feeding; a guide member, provided so as to be movable in approach-separation directions that approach towards, or separate away from, an edge of the sheet member housed in the sheet member housing section, the guide member guiding the edge of the sheet member; a restricting member that is provided to the guide member, the restricting member engaging with an engaged portion provided to the sheet member housing section and restricting movement of the guide member in the approach-separation directions; and a pressing member that, when the restricting member is engaged with the engaged portion, presses the guide member towards the sheet member by the pressing member inserting further into a gap between the restricting member and the guide member.
US08286961B2

When image formation processing is in progress using sheets stacked on a given stacking unit and sheets are supplied to another stacking unit, image formation processing continues using the sheets stacked on the other stacking unit. To accomplish this, at the timing when the closing of a feeding source is detected, a control unit (205) determines in step S1001 whether a printer (1000) is executing print processing. In step S1002, the control unit (205) displays a display screen (611) serving as a feeding source selection screen on an operation unit (204). In step S1005, the control unit (205) executes switching processing to the feeding source selected via the display screen (611).
US08286949B2

A steel rope safety system includes at least one steel rope having at least one strand, and the at least one rope or at least one strand is compacted. Further, a method is provided for making a steel rope safety system comprising the step of providing at least two wires, the step of stranding the wires thereby forming a strand for a rope and the step of compacting the strand. There is likewise provided the use of compacted steel ropes as impact reducing material.
US08286947B2

A pulley apparatus (10), includes a dram (12) having a central axis mounted between two side plates (14, 16) for receiving a rope (120) passing around the drum. The dram (12) defines a cylindrical surface for receiving a rope or line. The pulley apparatus includes holes (14a, 16a) for hanging or supporting the pulley from a hook karabiner or the like. A rope guide means (30, 32) is defined on the underside of the pulley adjacent the dram and passing over the cylindrical surface of the dram for guiding the line to wrap around the central part of the dram and inhibiting overran of ropes. The guide means comprise two curved blades (30, 32) which extend from the side plates and bow out towards the center of the dram to define a convergent-divergent wasp-waisted passage for the line to pass through. A second single, freely rotatable sheave (40) is mounted to the apparatus between the lower ends of two plates (42, 44) whose upper ends are pivotally mounted to the side plates, and hangs below the guide means in use.
US08286946B2

A modular lift assembly includes a frame, at least one head block connected to the frame, a drum rotatably connected to the frame about an axis of rotation and having at least one winding section, and a drive mechanism operatively connected to the drum for rotating the drum. In various examples, the lift assembly includes at least one loft block internal or external relative to the frame. The loft block is configured to guide a cable from the at least one head block to a load. The lift assembly can further include a load brake positioned along the axis of drum rotation to reduce risks associated with a drive or motor failure.
US08286934B2

A flush valve diaphragm is provided. The diaphragm includes at least two by-passes orifices. Each by-pass orifice in the diaphragm has a by-pass associated therewith. Each by-pass having a passage therethrough, allows communication with the control chamber above the diaphragm with an inlet chamber below the diaphragm. The diaphragm also integrates the function of locating and providing sealing means to the flush valve system's aux valve mechanism.
US08286933B2

A valve includes a valve body (1, 2), a tube (3) made of an elastomer extending through the inside of the valve body, and a roller (23) and a pressing surface (14) disposed facing each other across the tube (3). The roller (23) can be brought close to the pressing surface (14) to collapse the tube (3) between the roller (23) and pressing surface (14) and close the flow passage in the tube (3), and the roller (23) can be moved along the tube (3) to make a collapsed position where the tube (3) is collapsed by the roller (23) and the pressing surface (14) move along the flow passage axis of the tube (3) while maintaining the flow passage in the closed state.
US08286930B2

The invention provides an angle-adjustable display with an adjusting unit related to a body of the display in shape. The angle-adjustable display comprises a display body, a connecting rod and an adjusting unit. The connecting rod, at each of its two ends, respectively connects to the display and the adjusting unit. As the adjusting unit rotates along a rotating axis of the connecting rod as a rotation shaft, the adjusting unit contacts a surface in a contact position. A distance between the rotating axis and the surface is variable by rotating the adjusting unit along the rotating axis, and would change in the rotation of the display body, and the inclination of the display can be adjusted by rotating the adjusting unit along the rotating axis to change the contact position in opposition to the surface.
US08286910B2

Unmanned aircraft for telecommunicative or other scientific purposes, which is stationed at a determined height, in particular in the stratosphere. The aircraft includes a gas-filled balloon carrying a platform and equipment that maintains the platform in a position relative to the ground. The balloon carrying the platform is disposed in the interior of an external balloon of aerodynamical shape, particularly in the stratosphere. At least one low or high pressure insulation chamber filled with a medium is arranged between them and encircles the inner balloon. The medium used in the insulation chamber is a gas having a low thermal conductivity. The negative effects of the temperature differences are largely compensated so that the inner balloon can be produced from a lighter and cheaper material, thereby increasing durably its longevity.
US08286905B1

A thread spool holding device has a plastic base plate that holds a series of preferably soft plastic spindles that can be introduced or removed from the base and can be arranged as needed by sliding along a slotted track of the base. Each spindle can hold a threaded spool and has a cross sectional configuration for gripping the center hole of the spool. The spindle ends can also hold a bobbin in tandem with a thread spool.
US08286903B2

A retractor includes a slide nut that is caused to slide toward a tread head while rotating by a mesh between a first male screw groove and a female screw groove when the tread head is locked and a spindle rotates in a direction for unreeling a webbing, and a slider that is caused to slide toward the slide nut by a mesh between the female screw groove and a second male screw groove. A torsional rigidity of a second shaft part of a torsion bar is larger than that of a first shaft part, and a play is eliminated before a gap such that the slide nut and the slider are integrated.
US08286902B2

A grinding machine has a shearing chamber that includes one or more edges that provide fulcrum points against which frozen block of material, such as frozen blocks of meat, can be held against during a reduction or shearing process. The edges may be arranged to limit the advancement of reduced blocks of material to provide more control on the size of the ground material that is ultimately output by the grinding machine. The grinding machine may also include an expansion zone into which reduced blocks can be temporarily held to accommodate volume increases during the reduction process. A feed screw advances the frozen blocks through the shearing chamber and includes pressure fighting to help shear material from the frozen blocks. The feed screw may include a knife holder that provides support for a knife held therein against the lateral forces experienced by the knife as the knife shears material adjacent the orifice plate.
US08286900B2

A method of estimating the hydration reactivity of coal ash with high precision and determining the amount of milling water for obtaining a milling product in funicular form at the stage of milling; and a molding method being free from the problem of adhesion to a pressurization board at the stage of molding after the milling. When any collected coal ash exhibits a corrected basicity ((CaO+Fe2O3+MgO)/SiO2 (weight ratio)) of 0.1 or higher and a reactivity index (corrected basicity/(R2O/Al2O3) (weight ratio)) of 10 or higher, the coal ash as a raw ash is transferred to raw ash silo (2). Otherwise, the coal ash is transferred to waste ash silo (3). The raw ash within the raw ash silo (2) is poured in mill (8), and lime and gypsum are added and further milling water is charged thereto and milled. The amount of milling water is regulated so that with respect to agitator power per weight of material milled by the mill, the ratio of (average of power during 30 to 40 sec after completion of water charging)/(power at idling) ranges from 3 to 4, and so that with respect to agitator power per weight of material milled during 30 to 90 sec after completion of water charging, the ratio of (width of power fluctuation)/(average of power) ranges from 0.1 to 0.3.
US08286897B2

Electromagnetic fuel injector for gaseous fuels comprising: an injection nozzle controlled by an injection valve; a movable shutter to regulate the flow of fuel through the injection valve; an electromagnetic actuator, which is suitable to move the shutter between a closed position and an open position of the injection valve and comprises a fixed magnetic pole, a coil suitable to induce a magnetic flux in the magnetic pole, and a movable anchor suitable to be magnetically attracted by the magnetic pole; an absorption element, which is made of an amagnetic elastic material and is arranged between the magnetic pole and the anchor; and a protective element, which is made of a magnetic metal material having high surface hardness and is interposed between the absorption element and the anchor.
US08286895B2

A high bandwidth multi-stage microjet actuator. The actuator can produce relatively large amplitude flow disturbances over a broad range of frequencies. The disturbance frequency can be varied by altering the geometry of the device, altering the pressure ratio(s) within the device, and combinations of the two. The actuator has many potential applications, including noise abatement for jet aircraft, and flow control over a moving airfoil.
US08286894B2

A thermoformed container is provided for evaporating volatile substances, which is provided with means enabling such container to withstand high temperatures without experiencing deformations which deteriorate its functionality or appearance. The container has a reinforcing film having a deformation temperature exceeding the plastic material sheet with which the container is obtained. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing said container.
US08286893B2

A fuel injector (10) has a housing (12) with a central longitudinal axis (L) having a fluid inlet portion (18) being adapted to be coupled to a fuel rail at a first axial end area (20). The housing (12) has a recess (24) and enables a fluid flow through a fluid outlet portion (26) at a second axial end area (28) facing away from the first axial end area (20). The fluid inlet portion (18) communicates with the fluid outlet portion (26) via the recess (24). Furthermore, the fuel injector (10) has a safety component (30), which is arranged at the central longitudinal axis (L) within the recess (24) and adapted to reduce and arranged for reducing a velocity regarding the central longitudinal axis (L) at the fluid inlet portion (18) of the fluid flowing from the recess (24) through the fluid inlet portion (18).
US08286890B2

A substrate having a coding pattern disposed on a surface thereof. The coding pattern encodes a plurality of Reed-Solomon symbols. Each Reed-Solomon symbol has a respective Reed-Solomon symbol value represented by a set of m macrodots. Each of the m macrodots occupies a respective position from a plurality p of predetermined possible positions. The positions of the m macrodots represents one of a plurality of different Reed-Solomon symbol values, wherein each of the different Reed-Solomon symbol values is represented by the same number of macrodots.
US08286882B2

A tag with a hook for securing a tag to a pair of eyeglasses having a frame and two hinged legs is provided. The eyeglasses tag includes a body, a foldable member, a hook, an adhesive area and, optionally, a bend line, a panel with identification information, an adhesive portion, a radio frequency identification (REID) device or electronic article surveillance (EAS) device and an aperture. An adhesive strip of the foldable member is foldably attached to the first leg of the eyeglasses and the first and second sections of the body are folded together and affixed by the adhesive area so that the first leg of the eyeglasses is disposed between the first and second sections of the body. The eyeglasses tag can include an adhesive portion on the front side of the tag for affixing the panel with identification information, the radio frequency identification (RFID) device or the electronic article surveillance (EAS) device secured to the body.
US08286877B2

The present disclosure provides systems of and methods for reading optical codes located on multiple sides of an item that is being moved through a read volume. In one method, optical symbols are read using a high speed raster laser beam and non-retrodirective collection optics including the steps of moving an item containing an optical code along an item direction past a window disposed in a surface of a scanner housing or platter; via a first scan mechanism, repeatedly scanning through the window at a first slant and/or tilt angle to the surface in a first direction and along a single line to acquire scanned data over two dimensions of one or more sides of the item; via a second scan mechanism, repeatedly scanning through the window at a second slant and/or tilt angle to the surface in a second direction and along a single line to acquire scanned data over two dimensions of one or more other sides of the item; and processing the scanned data acquired. The window may be formed in the shape of a slot, the slot being oriented generally transverse to the item direction A preferred construction is a completely solid state implementation using either a linear imager or an area (2-D) imager in the Scheimpflug condition to image a plane with a depth of field.
US08286872B2

A remote weapon system (10) includes: a fire control unit (12); and a mechanical support (14) to which a weapon (18) capable of firing airburst ammunition is mountable, the mechanical support being adapted to move the weapon in azimuth and elevation directions. The fire control unit is adapted to receive input parameters including at least one area parameter related to a geographical area to be covered by the airburst ammunition from the weapon. Further, the fire control unit is configured to automatically calculate a number of shots of the weapon as well as azimuth and elevation directions of the mechanical support for each shot based on the input parameters such that substantially the entire geographical area is covered by the airburst ammunition when the weapon is fired.
US08286871B2

An archery sighting system and method for placing a reticule on a display. The system includes a housing mounted in fixed relation to a bow. The housing includes a rangefinder to generate a target distance signal indicative of a target distance between the bow and a target. A display is configured to depict a reticule. A chronograph generates a bow speed indicating a bow speed at which an arrow leaves the bow. A processor receives a bow speed signal from the chronograph, a range signal from the rangefinder. In response to the signals, the processor generates a reticule pattern on the display, the reticule is positioned to indicate an attitude of the bow necessary for an arrow released from the bow at the bow speed to strike a target at the target distance.
US08286862B2

In accordance with some embodiments, a method comprises transmitting at least one signal, via a wireless interface, from an identification token issued to an account holder to a communication device issued to the account holder; receiving at least one signal from the communication device via the wireless interface; and resetting a security parameter in the identification token in response at least in part to receiving the at least one signal from the communication device. In accordance with some embodiments, apparatus comprises an identification token issued to an account holder, the identification token to transmit at least one signal, via a wireless interface, to a communication device issued to the account holder, to receive at least one signal from the communication device via the wireless interface, and to reset a security parameter in the identification token in response at least in part to receiving the at least one signal from the communication device.
US08286840B2

A fluid dispenser valve for mounting on a neck (2) of a receptacle (1) containing the fluid, said valve comprising a valve body (10) including a metering chamber (15) and a valve member (20) movable in said metering chamber (15) between a rest position and a dispensing position, said metering chamber (15) having a top gasket (30) and a bottom gasket (40) co-operating in leaktight manner with said valve member (20), said valve including a neck gasket (50) co-operating in leaktight manner with said valve body (10) and with said receptacle neck (2), said neck gasket (50) being made integrally as a single piece with one of said top and bottom gaskets (30, 40) of the metering chamber (15).
US08286834B2

A flexible, body attached device is disclosed for dispensing skin treatment and topically-absorbed medicinal treatments. The device comprises a dispensing reservoir that is caused to dispense treatment through a slit-based diaphragm valve upon the application of simple pressure to the device. Various embodiments of the invention include variations in the structure of the valve, reservoir, and body attachment.
US08286829B2

A security closure system for terminating the hose-connector connected to the outlet of a storage tank whose contents are to be periodically pumped out. A first male-outlet component is provided with an outer, circumferential annual groove for reception therein of camming elements of camming arms, and has a terminal projecting tongue provided with an opening or hole for receiving a locking device, such as a padlock. The male-component is further provided with an enlarged mounting flange for mounting the male-component to a wall of the storage tank or to a bulkhead adjacent the storage tank. The security closure system also comprises a second female part, which is a female closure cap that matingly receives therein the first male-component. The closure cap has a slot for passing therethrough the tongue of the first male-component, whereby a padlock or other lock may be used for locking the cap in place over the first male-component. The closure cap is also provided with a pair of parallel, upstanding partitions or walls sandwiching therebetween the projecting tongue of the first male-component protruding through the slot of the closure cap. These partitions project a sufficient height above, and extend a sufficient length along, the protruding tongue so as to prevent access thereto and to the locking device inserted through the opening of the tongue, whereby access thereto is denied and the tampering thereof via saws, and the like, is prevented.
US08286825B2

A hand-held paint tray including a body portion and a generally u-shaped handle. The handle includes first and second side portions and a connecting portion extending between the first and second side portions. The first and second side portions arc upwardly from the connecting portion and are connected to opposed side walls of the body.
US08286809B2

A self-expanding foldable structure for a display has a structure that includes a pair of side walls (2) hinged at respective connection edges (2a) to opposing edges of a back wall (1) and a shelf (3) linked to the back and side walls (1, 2) such that they can adopt a flat position in which the back wall, side walls and shelf (1, 2, 3) are substantially coplanar and an expanded position in which the back wall, side walls and shelf (1, 2, 3) form respective dihedrons. An elastic element is arranged to push the structure to the expanded position. The side walls (2) comprise a transverse fold line (14) having one or more scored sections (14a) wherein an inner structure of the wall material is crushed, in combination with one or more cut sections (14b) wherein said inner structure of the wall material has flat edges that can mutually face and support one another in the expanded position.
US08286807B2

The present invention includes an apparatus and method for restraining a tool that includes a base with at least one first restraint extending from the base and at least one second movable restraint extending from the base to slidably engage a tool disposed between the first restraint and the second movable restraint.
US08286802B2

A fuel delivery module includes a fuel filter housing and a cover. The fuel filter housing defines a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of a fuel filter. A first end portion of the fuel filter housing includes a flange configured to be disposed outside of and coupled to a fuel tank. A second end portion of the fuel filter housing is configured to be disposed within the fuel tank and includes an inlet connector configured to fluidically couple the cavity to a fuel pump. The cover is configured to be removably coupled to the first end portion of the fuel filter housing. The cover defines a first lumen and a second lumen. The first lumen is configured to fluidically couple the cavity to a fuel outlet line. The second lumen is configured to fluidically couple the cavity to a regulator.
US08286795B2

A process of fabricating an extremely durable graphic decal for a toolbox of a customer, and a kit of components for applying the decal to a toolbox
US08286793B2

An individual package of tampon that has a bag body capable of easily accommodating an applicator after use. The individual package of tampon comprises a vertically long, flat bag body (2) consisting of a sheet member and, individually enclosed therein, a tampon with applicator. The bag body (2) has a first face (21) and a second face (22); a first side junction area (23) and second side junction area (24) joining the first face (21) and second face (22) together at both sides in the width direction thereof; a bottom junction area (26) provided so as to tie the first side junction area (23) and second side junction area (24) together at a bottom portion (25) being one of the edges in the longitudinal direction thereof; and a slack area (28) provided on the first face (21) and/or second face (22) so that the length between the first side junction area (23) and second side junction area (24) on the first face (21) and/or second face (22) is longer than the distance between the first side junction area (23) and second side junction area (24).
US08286787B2

A chain (30) for a conveyor of an apparatus (10) for accumulating and arranging products or packs (P) into groups, is made loop-closed by means of a series of links articulated to each other through connection of pins (32) connected by plates (33), each link is provided with a driving portion (34) and a drawing portion (35) of sliding blocks (50) provided for accommodating the products or packs (P), such drawing portion (35) is provided with guide plates (37, 37′) of the sliding blocks (50).
US08286781B2

The invention relates to a device (1) for forming product groups from a flow of a plurality of identical piece goods fed by means of conveying devices, having an infeed track (16) and dividing elements engaging in the product flow in a synchronized manner transverse to the transport plane on at least one pair of driven, endlessly circulating flexible drive elements (7, 11, 12), wherein at least one crossbar (8) is disposed on each of said pairs of flexible drive elements, dividing elements (9) being held thereon, wherein at least three pairs of flexible drive elements (7, 11, 12) are provided within a device, wherein each of said pairs can be operated with a unique velocity profile.
US08286770B2

A drive device with override function for a moving device in motor vehicles includes a drive element, an output element with a rotationally symmetrical surface connected to the moving device, and a connecting device, which under a drive-side load transmits a drive torque to the output element and in the absence of the drive-side load releases the output element. The drive device further includes a carrier wrap spring, which is operatively connected to the drive element and can be brought into engagement with the rotationally symmetrical surface of the output element, together with a control element, which under a drive-side load braces the carrier wrap spring with the rotationally symmetrical surface of the output element and in the absence of the drive-side load releases the bracing of the carrier element with the rotationally symmetrical surface of the output element.
US08286767B2

A combination suitcase and baby carrier having a housing and a handle movable between a storage position and an extended position. The handle is also pivotal between a first position in which the handle is coplanar with the bottom and a second position in which the handle lies in a plane oblique to the plane of the housing bottom. A rear wheel support bracket having at least one rear wheel is pivotally mounted to the housing adjacent the end of the housing between a collapsed position in which the rear wheel is contained within the housing, and an operational position in which the rear wheel protrudes outwardly and downwardly from the housing bottom. A front wheel also extends outwardly from the bottom of the housing so that the housing can be supported by both the rear and front wheel. A housing top may then be open and movable against the handle to form a seat back for a baby carrier.
US08286765B2

A mechanical device including an elongated structural element provided for absorbing, at least in part, certain shocks by deformation. The structural element or piece has a selected right sectional profile, the profile being provided with localized alterations, shapes, and with selected respective positions for approximately satisfying a given law of deformation under the combined effort of compression in an axis of the piece and of the moment of the axis perpendicular to a plane passing through the axis. The law includes an energy absorption phase followed by a retraction of the piece.
US08286762B2

A drum brake backplate having a vibration damping mass secured thereto. One or more portions of the mass are secured to the backplate and the remainder of the mass is spaced from the backplate and defines one or more further portions which are tuned to vibrate relative to the backplate at a frequency which reduces the noise generated by one or more a target frequencies (or range of frequencies) of the backplate. The mass may be in the form of an elongate rod or strip member of arcuate form which is secured to the backplate at one or more locations adjacent the rim of the backplate. This can be effective in reducing noise which emanates from the vibration of the backplate in a region adjacent a hydraulic actuating cylinder of the brake.
US08286758B2

A disk brake capable of improving fabrication efficiency and having a transmission member. The transmission member (101) includes: an anti-rotation locking portion (130) formed on an outer circumferential portion of the transmission member, the anti-rotation locking portion being slidably fitted into a fitting area (72) on a cylinder (35) side so as to restrict rotation relative to the cylinder; and a seal groove (109) formed in an inserted portion (105). The seal groove stores a sealing member (118) for defining an internal space in the cylinder (35) and a cam chamber (62). The anti-rotation locking portion is fitted into the fitting area (72) on the cylinder side before the sealing member is positioned inside a hole (59) when the inserted portion (105) of the transmission member (101) is inserted into the hole.
US08286757B2

A wheel restraint for restraining a vehicle at a loading dock includes various features such as, a wheel chock supported by a spring loaded articulated arm with a spring that can be selectively tightened or released, a sensor that detects whether the chock is solidly against a base plate or floor, a bi-directional pivotal joint between the articulated arm and the wheel chock to ensure that the chock can sit squarely on a mating base plate, a wheel chock that meshes with a hydraulically actuated base plate, pivotal or otherwise movable backstops that prevent a wheel chock from sliding out of position, and a base plate cleaning system. The wheel restraint also includes a first vertical resistance feature that is coupled to the base and a second vertical resistance feature that is coupled to the wheel chock to limit vertical movement between the wheel chock and the base when the first vertical resistance feature engages the second vertical resistance feature.
US08286754B2

A vertical lift platform assembly 100 has a lift platform 140, which is translatable in a vertical direction between at least a raised position and a lowered position by at least one actuator 200. The lift platform 140 may be surrounded on all sides by vertically extending walls 112 and one or more doors 110 to provide access to the lift platform 140. A control panel 113 enables an operator to control the vertical travel of the lift platform 140.
US08286753B2

An upper shackle assembly for a steel pump jack for a wood pole includes a u-shaped shackle component to receive the wood pole. The assembly includes a crank handle that extends through the shackle component and engages the pole to lower the pump jack down the pole. The assembly includes a brake attached to the shackle component to engage with the pole if the crank handle fails. A method for installing a steel pump jack to a wood pole includes the steps of placing a u-shaped shackle component about the wood pole. There is the step of closing a brake with the shackle component to engage with the pole if a crank handle fails. There is the step of extending the crank handle through the shackle component to engage the pole. A steel pump jack.
US08286747B2

A double shield exterior airbag device accommodated in an airbag housing mounted to a bumper of a vehicle, and deployed by gas supplied from an inflator may include an outer air cushion filled with the gas supplied from the inflator, and formed with a single cushion layer, an inner air cushion disposed in an internal space of the outer air cushion, and defining an inner chamber therein to receive the gas, and a plurality of partitioned chambers formed by a plurality of internal partitions that connect the outer air cushion with the inner air cushion, the partitioned chambers communicating with the inner chamber via a gas hole formed in the inner air cushion.
US08286740B2

In a hybrid excavator, a generator motor and a hydraulic pump are driven by using an engine as a power source. A battery is charged with power generated by the generator motor. A rotation motor is driven by the generator motor and the battery. The voltage of a DC bus is detected by a voltage sensor, and whether the battery is unusable is determined by a breakdown detector. When the battery becomes unusable, emergency evacuation control is performed so that the power consumption of the rotation motor will be suppressed to be less than or equal to the power generation of the generator motor while maintaining the DC bus voltage greater than or equal to the normal operation voltage of the system.
US08286717B2

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to tools and methods for hanging and/or expanding liner strings. In one embodiment, a method of hanging a liner assembly from a previously installed tubular in a wellbore includes running the liner assembly and a setting tool into the wellbore using a run-in string. The setting tool includes an isolation valve and the liner assembly includes a liner hanger and a liner string. The method further includes sending an instruction signal from the surface to the isolation valve, wherein the isolation valve closes in response to the instruction signal and isolates a setting pressure in the setting tool from the liner string; and increasing fluid pressure in the setting tool, thereby setting the liner hanger.
US08286707B2

A system for treating a subterranean zone includes a combustion driven compressor in communication with a supply of a component of a combustion mixture. The compressor is configured to compress the component of the combustion mixture and has a combustion exhaust. A source of treatment fluid for treating the subterranean zone is coupled to the combustion exhaust to supply the treatment fluid in heat transfer communication with the combustion exhaust. In certain instances, compressor is driven by combusting the combustion mixture. In certain instances, the combustion mixture is combusted in separate combustor.
US08286704B2

Methods and systems of hydrocarbon production where wellbore stimulation and production is achieved in a single wellbore run-in, and inflow control devices are installed in an existing wellbore completion. A coiled tubing string is conveyed into a substantially horizontal portion of a wellbore, where the coiled tubing string has a production tubular configured to execute both stimulation and recovery operations. The production tubular can include an inflow control device to be installed in an existing wellbore.
US08286696B2

A method of controlling thermal transfer between a first structure and a second structure includes sending a command signal to a thermal switch and actuating an electric motor in response to receiving the signal. The electric motor may move a first thermally conductive member toward and/or in contact with a second thermally conductive member. The first and second thermally conductive member may be in thermally conductive contact with respective ones of the first and second structure.
US08286694B2

The present invention provides an apparatus including aluminum alloy vessel, the vessel including aluminum in combination with a gettering metal and a method for making such apparatus.
US08286685B2

A limit mechanism for door machine for controlling the door curtain in such a manner that it stops accurately at an upper stop level and a lower stop level, the door machine including an output pulley driving a reel of the door curtain. The limit mechanism comprises: a screw rod both ends of which are rotatably supported on a frame, the end portion of one end of the screw rod being provided with a driven pulley which interlinks with the reel of the door curtain; a pair of nut blocks each having a threaded hole centrally arranged for joining with the screw rod so as to slide thereon; a pair of lock devices for locking relative positions between the pair of nut blocks; and a pair of buffer devices arranged respectively at both ends of the screw rod for limiting the sliding stroke of the nut blocks.
US08286684B2

A handle assembly for adjusting a window treatment is disclosed. A wand is included and is configured and arranged to adjust a window treatment. The handle includes a grip on the wand, and has at least one engagement surface thereon. Further, the handle includes a cleat having at least one reciprocal mating surface configured and arranged to selectively interlock with the at least one engagement surface of the grip.
US08286683B2

Device for automatically separating the tire and the rim in a vehicle wheel. The feed-in device feeds in vehicle wheels and a press-in device is located in an inactive position at a distance from the rim edge and is shifted to an active position. Press-in members are adjusted in the direction of the rim in order to press in the rim edge, whereafter the rim can be pressed out. The press-in device with a number of press-in elements forms a unit, which is movably suspended from a frame in which the wheel is placed in position to separate the tire and the rim. Feed-out devices feed out the separated rims to a first collection point and the separated tires to a second collection point.
US08286681B2

The present invention relates to a fluid-activated drywall tape applicator. The applicator includes a roll of fluid-activated drywall tape, a container, a lid and at least two slits. In operation the roll of tape is affixed to the applicator and a lead end of the tape is fed through a first slit. Once in the first slit the tape enters the container where the container is filled with a fluid. The fluid saturates the tape and the tape leaves the container through the second slit. After leaving the container via the slit, the tape's adhesive properties are activated and a user may apply the tape to a working surface.
US08286677B2

A fuel dispensing nozzle includes a main body that receives fuel from a fuel source for dispensing the fuel into a fuel tank, an operating lever associated with the main body, a locking device, and a locking device release mechanism. The operating lever is adapted to be actuated by an operator to dispense fuel from the nozzle. The locking device is associated with the operating lever for maintaining the operating lever in a hold open position such that the nozzle continues to dispense fuel without continued actuation of the operating lever by the operator. The locking device release mechanism is associated with the locking device and is adapted to release the operating lever from the hold open position upon the nozzle being stowed in an associated fuel pump cradle.
US08286658B2

A tank venting system is configured to regulate air and fuel vapor flow between a fuel tank and a fuel vapor recovery canister. A roll-over valve is included in the tank venting system.
US08286657B2

Featured is a vascular access device such as an IV catheter device including a housing, a tubular member and a seal member, and a securing mechanism. The housing includes a proximal and distal portion and a chamber that extends between the proximal and distal portions. The tubular member is coupled to the housing distal portion so it is fluidly coupled to the chamber. The seal member is disposed within the chamber and the securing mechanism secures the seal member distal end to the housing proximal portion so the seal member is sealingly and compressibly retained between a chamber proximal end and the securing mechanism. Such a seal member also is constituted so a portion of the seal member moves axially responsive to an axial force applied to the proximal end.
US08286645B2

Disclosed is a hair iron having a modified heating plate. A surface of the heating plate making contact with hair is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to a horizontal plane of a handle, and a far-infrared ray device is installed on the surface of the heating plate. The hair iron includes an upper body and a lower body coupled with the upper body by a hinge section. Each of the upper and lower bodies includes a handle formed at one end thereof with the hinge section, a supporter extending from the handle, and a heating plate attached to the supporter and provided with a far-infrared ray device that emits far-infrared rays. A horizontal plane of the heating plate is inclined relative to a horizontal plane of the handle by a predetermined angle.
US08286635B2

A mask system for use between a patient and a structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient includes a mask assembly including a frame, a cushion provided to the frame, and optionally an elbow provided to the frame. Headgear is removably attached to the mask assembly to maintain the mask assembly in a desired position on a patient's face. The headgear includes a back headgear section providing a top strap, a pair of side straps attached to the back headgear section, and an elastic strap attached between the back headgear section and the pair of side straps.
US08286623B2

The present invention is a band saw cutting apparatus including: a cutting table on which an ingot is horizontally placed; an endless-belt blade provided in a tensioned state between pulleys, the blade having a blade-abrasive-grain portion and a blade base; and a coolant spraying opening for spraying a coolant on the blade, the band saw cutting apparatus cutting the ingot by relatively feeding the blade from above to below, the blade being driven to rotate by rotating the pulleys, wherein the pulleys is configured to be rotatable about an axis thereof in both directions, and a direction of driving to rotate the blade can be changed to cut the ingot. As a result, there is provided a band saw cutting apparatus and an ingot cutting method that can stably secure the quality of the ingot to be cut, increase the lifetime of the blade, and improve the productivity.
US08286619B2

A ball projecting and training apparatus and method of use having a base, a throwing arm, an adjustable ball mount on said throwing arm, and one or more energy storage elements connected between an end of the throwing arm and an accelerator. The ball mount pivots in a direction parallel with, perpendicular to, or a combination thereof relative to the throwing arm and also locks to provide repeatable trajectories and spins. The accelerator provides additional energy to the ball when depressed by a user. A release holds the throwing arm when the apparatus is cocked and allows a user to launch a ball when desired.
US08286611B1

The invention includes a very fast voice coil actuator, in the range of 2-5 millisecond full stroke response with high force, a circuit board located in the enclosure, a pressure sensor sensing pressure internal to the system which in the preferred embodiment is located in the actuator cap assembly but could be located in other locations, a diaphragm, a link plate, a mating ring, and a mechanical pressure regulator. An electronic pressure regulator receives pressure commands from the engine control module in a manner similar to receiving pulse width from an engine control module to an injector and calculates the required new pressure command. A novel feature of the present invention includes the Delta P control and the control of the regulator based on direct feedback of pressure.
US08286610B2

In an internal combustion engine control device having an air-fuel ratio control device that controls the fuel injection amount so that the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine approaches a target stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the control device further includes a device that calculates the lower calorific value of fuel, and a device that sets the target stoichiometric air-fuel ratio from the calculated lower calorific value based on a known relationship between the lower calorific value and the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. It becomes possible to perform the air-fuel ratio control according to the fuel property by utilizing the relationship between the calorific value and the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
US08286600B2

A rocker arm may include a first arm defining a first longitudinal bore and a second arm defining a second longitudinal bore. The rocker arm may house a locking assembly including a first actuation pin extending through a first radial passage in the rocker arm, a second actuation pin extending through a second radial passage in the rocker arm, and a first lock pin located in the first longitudinal bore between the first and second actuation pins. An actuation assembly may be engaged with the first and second actuation pins and may be linearly displaceable between first and second actuation positions. The first and second arms may be rotatable relative to one another when the actuation assembly is in the first actuation position and may be fixed for rotation with one another when the actuation assembly is in the second actuation position.
US08286595B2

An integrated water coil air heater and economizer arrangement for a boiler has a feedwater inlet for supplying feedwater to the boiler, and conduits and a valve for splitting the feedwater from the inlet into a first partial lower temperature, lower mass flow stream, and a second partial higher temperature, higher flow stream. A water coil air heater for passage of air to be heated for the boiler contains at least one heat transfer loop in heat transfer relationship with the air, the heat transfer loop of the water coil air heater being connected to receive the first partial stream. An economizer for passage of flue gas to be cooled for the boiler contains at least one heat transfer loop in heat transfer relationship with the flue gas, the heat transfer loop of the economizer being connected to the heat transfer loop of the water coil air heater for receiving the first partial stream from the water coil air heater. A mixing location downstream of the economizer receives and reunites the first and second partial streams and a conduit carries the second partial stream from the feedwater inlet to the to the mixing location.
US08286593B2

A restraint for an animal in the form of a collar that is capable of closely conforming to the skeletal structure of the animal at a number of different locations in order to limit physical movement of the head of the animal. The restraint collar includes a body having an upper member adapted to be situated below a jaw of the animal in a region of an upper portion of the animal's neck, and a lower member adapted to be situated in a region of a lower portion of the animal's neck. The body upper member includes a jaw guide located between two upper member crests and having a portion extending downwardly and below the crest towards the lower member. It is adapted to be situated at a central area of the animal's neck. The crests are adapted to fit below the sides of the animal's jaw to provide for a desired restraint.
US08286591B2

Assemblies that allow pet access through a panel and enclosures having multiple functions. More specifically the enclosures include pet doors that allow for selective entry, whereby one or more designated animals are allowed to enter into the enclosures while other non-designated animals can be easily excluded, without owner supervision. The enclosures herein are useful for multiple purposes, non-exclusively including the isolation of pets so they can eat, eliminate waste, whelp, queen, nurse their young, or sleep without being bothered by other non-designated pets. Preferred embodiments are directed to barriers positioned near the pet door to deter other non-designated pets from interfering with the designated pets entering into the enclosures.
US08286587B2

A sectional animal feeder including an external frame assembly having a base, a series of adjustable spaced openings, and a series of panels. The sectional feeder further includes a movable internal frame assembly having a series of spaced openings, a series of panels and a drive system adapted to engage and move the internal frame assembly relative to the external frame assembly between a closed and opened position. A safety gating assembly may be mounted to the external frame assembly and may include a biased gate adapted to engage the animal during the moving of the movable internal frame assembly to a closed position. The sectional feeder also includes a Pavlovian response signal system having a timed auditory signal. The activation of the drive assembly moves the movable internal frame assembly whereby the series of spaced openings align with the series of adjustable space opening of the external panel and coincides with the timed auditory signal allowing access to the feeder.
US08286581B2

In a high-frequency power source, a malfunction is prevented by precisely removing harmonic components or a modulated wave component which develops while producing a plasma, and a proper high frequency power can be impressed on a plasma processing apparatus. The high-frequency power source includes a power monitor constituted of a directional coupler, a mixer, a 100 kHz low-pass filter, a low-frequency detector, and an oscillator. A 100 MHz high-frequency wave including modulated wave components and the like extracted by the directional coupler and 99.9 MHz high-frequency wave oscillated by the oscillator are added by the mixer. An output of the addition is converted by the low-frequency detector into 100 kHz, resulting in detection.
US08286580B2

The present invention provides a method that can maintain the temperature of a wafer at a process temperature before a coating process is performed by supplying a photoresist. According to the present invention, a thinner which helps a diffusion of the photoresist is supplied onto the wafer before the photoresist is supplied. The thinner is supplied in a temperature-controlled state such that the wafer has the process temperature by the thinner.
US08286578B2

A coating device for coating a peripheral surface of a sleeve body with a coating formulation includes a vertical support column for supporting a sleeve body in a vertical position coaxial with a coating axis, a carriage slideable along the vertical support column, and an annular coating stage attached to the carriage and moveable therewith for containing the coating formulation and for coating a layer of the coating formulation onto the peripheral surface of the sleeve body during a sliding movement of the carriage along the vertical support column. The coating device includes an irradiation stage that is arranged to be moveable with the annular coating stage and to provide radiation to at least partially cure the layer of coating formulation onto the peripheral surface so as to prevent flow off of the coating formulation.
US08286576B2

A thermal processing unit of a thermal processor for anti-reflection films includes: a covering nozzle for covering a substrate from above supported by a thermal processing plate and discharging an adhesion enhancing agent to a periphery of a substrate supported by the thermal processing plate; and a vaporization processor for supplying an adhesion enhancing agent in the vapor phase to the covering nozzle. While a substrate placed over the thermal processing plate is being subjected to thermal process, a control part causes the covering nozzle to discharge an adhesion enhancing agent in the vapor phase onto a periphery of a substrate to realize adhesion enhancement process. Thus, the adhesion between a resist coating film and a substrate surface in the periphery of a substrate is enhanced. Further, parallel implementation of thermal process and adhesion enhancement process exerts no influence on throughput.
US08286571B2

A guide apparatus for supports (20) for sensors (30) able to move by translation in fixed guides (10) integral with the sail (Ia) of submarines (1) and the like upon activation of an actuator (40), where the fixed guide (10) has a polygonal cross-section, at each vertex (10b) of the guide (10) there being at least one structure with the shape of a prism (11) extending in the vertical direction (Z-Z) along the entire body of the guide, the prismatic elements (11) extending towards the inside of the guide (10) in such a way as to form at least two sliding surfaces (12) for corresponding sliding blocks (22) belonging to the tube (20) to be moved by translation.
US08286570B2

A hull (1) for a marine vessel (10) comprising an elongate body (2) that tapers outwardly from a foremost location, the bow (3), and tapers inwardly toward the aft (4) such that the aft (4) of the body (2) is significantly reduced in profile with respect to a point in the hull at which the inward taper commences.
US08286566B2

A down pressure adjustment assembly for a disc opener of an agricultural implement includes a rockshaft to which one or more disc opener units are mounted and an actuator that rotates the rockshaft. Rotation of the rockshaft causes the disc opener units to be raised or lowered. When the disc opener units are lowered into a field engagement position, further rotation of the rockshaft will cause compression of down pressure springs for each of the disc opener units.
US08286563B2

A pallet comprises a plurality of side rails, each side rail including upper and lower runners; a multiplicity of boards, each board being adapted to extend between a runner of two of the rails; a spine member extending parallel to the rails, the spine member including upper and lower spine runners, each board including a spine engaging portion adapted for sliding engagement with a spine runner; and locking member adapted when locked to prevent sliding disengagement of the boards from the slide runner.
US08286562B2

A transportable load carrying platform (10) comprising: a base frame (11); a pair of end walls (12) mounted one at each of two opposed ends of the base frame (11), said end walls being adjustable between operative positions in which the end walls (12) extend upwardly from the base frame (11) and inoperative positions in which the end walls (12) extend generally parallel to the base frame (11); a pivot mounting (18) on the base frame (11) defining a pivot axis (19) about which one of said end walls (12) is mounted for pivotal movement from the inoperative position and towards the operative position; cooperating abutment faces (23, 24) on the base frame (11) and said one end wall (12) which inter-engage, when the end wall takes up its operative position; and means for displacing the pivot axis (19) laterally whereby the movement of the end wall from its inoperative position to its operative position is a 2-part movement comprising initial pivotal movement about the pivot axis (19) followed by lateral displacement of the pivot axis (19) to bring cooperative abutment faces (23, 24) into engagement.
US08286557B2

Projectiles containing a fluorophore composition comprising a fluorophore compound and an activator composition comprising an activator compound for marking targets are disclosed. Some embodiments include a nose structure with a cavity radially segmented into a plurality of radially isolated compartments by at least one laterally and radially extending internal wall. Additional embodiments include a fore compartment and an aft compartment sealed by a septum. Yet additional embodiments include at least one pressurized cavity and may further include a plunger positioned and configured to pierce each pressurized cavity. Methods of manufacturing target marking projectiles and methods of marking targets are also disclosed.
US08286551B2

The printing machine comprises at least one transfer system for conveying a substrate onto an impression cylinder and at least one screen of cylindrical or flat shape, with a doctor blade, said screen collaborating with the impression cylinder and intended to print the substrate with an ink containing pigments that can be orientated by a magnetic field and an unloading system for carrying the substrate away. The impression cylinder comprises at least one magnetic element on its impression surface, said magnetic element being positioned at a point corresponding to said impression performed by said screen on said substrate.
US08286550B2

One embodiment of a cutting apparatus for edibles may include a base member. The cutting apparatus may also include a pair of sliding assemblies mounted on opposite edges of a top surface of the base member. The cutting apparatus may further include a cutting assembly slidably carried by the pair of sliding assemblies. The cutting assembly may include a pair of side plates mounted on the pair of sliding assemblies. The cutting assembly may also include a plurality of spacers mounted between the pair of side plates in a spaced apart relation. Further, the cutting assembly may include a plurality of blades held by the plurality of spacers, press-fitted between the pair of side plates. The cutting apparatus may also include a handle assembly mounted between the cutting assembly and the pair of sliding assemblies and adapted for slidably moving the cutting assembly over the base member.
US08286548B2

A cooking appliance is provided which includes a lower heating assembly and an upper heating assembly. The lower heating assembly includes a lower cooking surface, and the upper heating assembly includes an upper cooking surface. The upper cooking surface is translatable relative to the lower cooking surface in at least a substantially vertical manner, wherein the upper cooking surface and lower cooking surface remain substantially parallel to one another when the upper cooking surface translates relative to the lower cooking surface.
US08286536B2

A method of manufacturing a milling cutter having a cutting head and a coaxial integral shank including grinding, in a first grinding operation, a plurality of helical flutes into the outer periphery of a cutter blank from a lead end using a peripheral area of a first grinding wheel generally of frusto-conical profile and rotatable about an axis generally transversely of the milling cutter axis, which peripheral area produces, simultaneously, the following three features: a leading face of a trailing tooth; a rear face on an adjacent preceding tooth; and a swarf removal gullet having divergent sides, grinding, in a second grinding operation, and using a peripheral edge of a second grinding wheel, a relief face, which extends rearwardly from a leading end of a tooth tip, resulting in a minimum tooth wedge angle of approximately 60°, and grinding, in a third grinding operation, a radius on the end of each flute.
US08286532B2

A transmission control having an electronic control unit (17), at least one mechatronic component (19, 20, 21), and a housing (2) comprising an upper housing part (3), a lower housing part (5), and a central housing part (4). These housing parts together form at least one receiving space (8, 10, 11, 12) for the control unit (17) and/or the mechatronic component (19, 20, 21) which is arranged between the upper housing part (3) and the lower housing part (5). The control unit (17) and/or the at least one mechatronic component (19, 20, 21) are fastened on the upper housing part (3). A process for installation of a transmission control (1) is also disclosed.
US08286523B2

In a transmission for a vehicle including a shift drum rotatably supported by an engine case for selectively establishing multiple gear trains of respective speed steps in accordance with the rotational position of the shift drum, a shift-position changing-driving member is interlocked with and connected to an end portion of the shift drum so as to drive the shift drum to rotate. A shift-position sensor detects which of the multiple gear trains is established. The maintainability of the shift-position sensor is achieved by a transmitting mechanism that transmits the amount of rotational movement of a shift drum. The shift-position sensor is interlocked with and connected to an end portion of the shift drum. A shift-position sensor is disposed at and fixed to the outside of an engine case so as to detect the acting amount that is transmitted by the transmitting mechanism.
US08286521B2

An actuator assembly for remote actuation of control panel components in an environment that restricts human access is contemplated. The actuator assembly includes one or more remotely controllable linear drive mechanisms for imparting a rotation motion on one or more cams to remotely press a control panel component such as a button or switch. While disengaged, the cams are rotated to a position where they minimally obstruct an operator's view. The actuator assembly also allows the force and throw of actuation to be accurately controlled.
US08286515B2

A method and a device for verifying mass inside a quilt is provided. A top of a box of a write-through device is placed with the quilt, which is unfolded and paved, and which is then put with a transparent platen. The quilt is next gently pressed and fixed by a semi-transparent board of the box, and the box rotates twice and stops at a vertical position. When the quilt is photographed under a write-through condition, one photo which is put in a transparent bag, and the other photo which is a locally exploded picture of the quilt, are attached on proper positions of the quilt.
US08286506B2

An airflow sensor apparatus for measuring flow rate includes a pitot tube with a bypass channel wherein the pitot tube extends halfway into a flow channel in order to reduce a pressure drop. One or more upstream taps can be spaced along the pitot tube facing into a direction of a flow stream which directs the flow to the bypass channel. At least one or more downstream taps can be located to face perpendicular to the direction of flow, such that the fluid after passing over a flow sensor passes through the downstream tap(s). The upstream tap senses stagnation pressure and the down stream tap senses static pressure which is exerted in all directions in the flow channel in order to determine a velocity pressure based on a difference between pressures.
US08286493B2

An apparatus and a method that achieve physical separation of sound sources by pointing directly a beam of coherent electromagnetic waves (i.e. laser). Analyzing the physical properties of a beam reflected from the vibrations generating sound source enable the reconstruction of the sound signal generated by the sound source, eliminating the noise component added to the original sound signal. In addition, the use of multiple electromagnetic waves beams or a beam that rapidly skips from one sound source to another allows the physical separation of these sound sources. Aiming each beam to a different sound source ensures the independence of the sound signals sources and therefore provides full sources separation.
US08286490B2

Systems and related methods for structural health monitoring are provided. In this regard, a representative array system includes: a component to be monitored; and an array system mounted to the component, the array system has multiple array components exhibiting spatial periodicity, the array components being operative to produce waves with frequency dependent directional characteristics, which propagate through the component, responsive to simultaneous activation of the array components.
US08286487B2

An ultrasonic aperture scanning system includes a transducer insert having an insert plug, an ultrasonic transducer carried by the transducer insert and an indicator unit having at least one indicator interfacing with the ultrasonic transducer.
US08286485B2

A gravimeter that utilizes an electromagnetic launcher for enabling a free-fall of a test mass is disclosed. The electromagnetic launcher propels the test mass upward such that the test mass begins to free-fall once it has reached the apex of its flight. In addition, in some embodiments, the test mass comprises only non-ferromagnetic materials so that the free-fall of the test mass is unperturbed by magnetically induced influences.
US08286483B2

A multiphase-liquid level sensing system for sensing a layer depth and thickness of a liquid of a first phase that floats on a liquid of a different second phase includes an elongated stem that defines an elongated cavity. A float, which exhibits a sensible property, is disposed coaxially around the elongated stem and has negative buoyancy relative to the liquid of the first phase and positive buoyancy relative to the liquid of the second phase. A level sensor senses the sensible property and indicates a second phase liquid distance from the float to the bottom of the stem. An overburden sensor extends downwardly from the stem senses total liquid thickness of the liquid above the overburden sensor. A computational circuit calculates a layer depth and thickness of the liquid of the first phase, based on input from the level sensor and the overburden sensor.
US08286476B2

A method of installing a sensor system for making pressure measurements in downhole formations surrounding a wellbore includes placing a sensor in direct pressure communication with the formations from a predetermined position in the wellbore; and isolating the sensor with an elastomeric sealing means placed against the formation wall in order to prevent hydraulic pressure communication between the sensor and the inside of the wellbore.
US08286473B2

A sensor system for obtaining data from an air spring having elastomeric body with a plurality of wireless sensors embedded therein. The sensor length-scales range from nano- to micro-scale devices that are small enough to avoid becoming occlusions within the elastomeric body. The air spring may include a spring wall having an internally reinforced elastomeric body portion with the sensors embedded within. The air spring may include a spring wall having an unreinforced elastomeric body portion with the sensors embedded within. The sensors may be configured to provide data related to one or more of temperature, pressure, sidewall flex, stress, strain and other parameters. The sensors may be LCD sensors, and/or conductive polymer sensors, and/or bio-polymer sensors and/or polymer diodes suitable for sensing data during the operation of the air spring.
US08286466B2

An apparatus and method for determining the water cut value of a multiphase fluid flowing within a pipe is provided. The device includes a sequestering structure disposed within the pipe, a transmitting device, a receiving device, and a processing device. The sequestering structure at least partially defines a sensing passage within the pipe, which passage has a gap extending substantially normal to a direction of fluid flow within the pipe. The sensing passage is oriented to sequester an amount of a liquid component of the multi-phase fluid sufficient to form a continuous liquid body extending across the gap of the sensing passage. The transmitting device is operable to transmit a signal through the liquid across the gap of the sensing passage. The receiving device is operable to receive the signal after it has traversed the liquid within the sensing passage, and create sensor data. The processing device is in communication with at least the receiving device to receive and process the sensor data to determine the water cut value of the liquid.
US08286461B2

The invention relates to a pair of hand-operated pliers (1), in particular pressing pliers, with jaws (6, 7) and hand levers (4, 5), wherein the jaws (6, 7) are pivotable around a preferably common rotational axis (x). Furthermore, one hand lever (5) is connected by a joint to one of the jaws (7), and a pressure support is located between the hand levers (4, 5) for the formation of a toggle (K). In order to further improve a tool of this type, particularly with respect to the design of the pressure support, it is proposed that the pressure support consist of a support roller (18) arranged on one hand lever (4), and of a curved section (19) which is attached to the other hand lever (5) and which works together with the support roller (18).
US08286459B2

In a method for producing a two-piece can, a circular disk of a laminated steel sheet having a thermoplastic resin coating layer is subjected to multistage forming to produce a final formed body having a height h, a maximum radius r, and a minimum radius d (the case where r is equal to d is also included). Forming is performed so that the height h, maximum radius r, and minimum radius d of the final formed body satisfy the relationships 0.1≦d/R≦0.25 and 1.5≦h/(R−r)≦4 with respect to a radius R of a circular disk before forming whose weight is equal to that the final formed body. At an intermediate stage of forming, a formed body is subjected to heat treatment at a temperature of not less than a melting point of a thermoplastic resin but not more than a temperature 30° C. higher than the melting point.
US08286455B2

A method of metal surface hardening treatment inducing transformation, in which transformation is induced in a surface interior of material as hardening treatment object by simple, rapid treatment utilizing a frictional heat under pressure without the occurrence of melt loss, quench crack, soft spot, deformation, etc. to thereby reform the structure of surface interior of material as hardening treatment object into a miniaturized martensitic structure. The method of surface hardening treatment comprised the steps of while rotating nearly cylindrical pressurization tool (2) at high velocity, pressing the bottom face thereof slightly into the surface of material as hardening treatment object (1) so as to attain application of given pressure, thereby generating a local frictional hear between the pressurization tool and the material as hardening treatment object; inducing transformation in the material as hardening treatment object at the locality having been exposed to the frictional heat; and when the surface of material as hardening treatment objent positioned in the vicinity of the pressurization tool starts to soften by the frictional heat, moving the pressurization tool.
US08286449B2

A neck ring for a glass container forming machine includes two neck ring sections each consisting essentially of a neck ring body and an insert on the body. The inserts have opposed surfaces for forming closure attachment features on a container neck finish molded in the neck ring. Each neck ring body is of die-formed powder metal construction and is set around the associated insert. The inserts preferably form the entire glass-contacting portion of the neck ring. The neck ring bodies preferably are of sintered bronze or steel construction, and the inserts preferably are of nickel, bronze or steel construction. The body and insert preferably are sintered together for a metallurgical bond.
US08286446B2

Method and apparatus of separating an oxygen and nitrogen containing feed stream, for example, air, in higher and lower pressure columns. A crude liquid oxygen stream condenses nitrogen vapor in the higher pressure column for reflux purposes and results in the partial vaporization of the crude liquid oxygen stream to produce vapor and liquid fractions thereof. The liquid fraction condenses a lower pressure part of the feed stream and results in the liquid fraction being at least partially vaporized. Both the vapor fraction of the crude liquid oxygen stream and the liquid fraction after having been at least partially vaporized are introduced into the lower pressure column. Boil-up is produced within a bottom region of the lower pressure column by partially vaporizing an oxygen-rich liquid column bottoms against condensing a higher pressure part of the feed stream and then utilizing vapor or residual liquid as an oxygen product.
US08286445B2

A water-cooled air conditioning system includes an indoor unit having a first heat exchanger where air and refrigerant are heat-exchanged with each other, an outdoor unit having a second heat exchanger where water and the refrigerant are heat-exchanged with each other, a cooling tower for cooling the water directed to the second heat exchanger, a discharge duct for guiding the air conditioned in the indoor unit to an indoor space for an air conditioning, and an intake duct for guiding the air in the indoor space to the indoor unit. The second heat exchanger is a plate type heat exchanger having a space that is divided into a plurality of sections along which the refrigerant and the cooling water separately flow.
US08286439B2

A drive system for a compressor of a chiller system includes a variable speed drive. The variable speed drive is arranged to receive an input AC power at a fixed AC input voltage and fixed input frequency and provide an output AC power at a variable voltage and variable frequency. The variable speed drive includes a converter connected to an AC power source providing the input AC voltage. The converter is arranged to convert the input AC voltage to a DC voltage. A DC link is connected to the converter. The DC link is arranged to filter and store the DC voltage from the converter. A first inverter and a second inverter are each connected to the DC link. A motor includes stator windings connected between the first inverter and the second inverter to power the motor by the output AC power from the first inverter and the second inverter. The motor is connectable to a compressor of the chiller system to power the compressor. The motor may be a permanent magnet synchronous motor.
US08286437B2

A transport unit including a container defining a cargo space. The transport unit includes position detection apparatus coupled to the container, and adapted to determine a geographic location of the container and to generate a signal indicative of the geographic location. The transport unit also includes a refrigeration system in communication with the cargo space, and a control system including route data that defines a plurality of potential destinations of the container. The control system is programmed to predict a container route defined by at least two potential destinations of the container based on the geographic location and the route data, and to determine a proximity of the container relative to at least one potential destination of the route. The control system is in communication with the refrigeration system to control the refrigeration system based on the proximity of the container relative to the at least one potential destination.
US08286436B2

This is an enhanced thermoelectric cooler with superconductive heat-dissipative coolers for use in air-conditioner. This invention is comprised of a thermoelectric cooling chip sandwiched between two superconductive unidirectional heat-dissipative cooling devices. Each device consists of special superconductive pipes, heat-dissipative plates, and a fan. The cooling devices are to dissipate heat quickly from the thermoelectric cooling chip and to maintain constant hot to cold air flow.
US08286427B2

In a master cylinder, a supply passage for supplying operating liquid from a reservoir (2) to a pressure chamber (6) is provided in a cylinder body (3) coupled with the reservoir. A bypass passage (37) for bypassing the supply passage and connecting the reservoir and the pressure chamber is further provided, and a check valve (34) adapted to open when a pressure in the pressure chamber is lower than that in the reservoir is disposed in the bypass passage. A valve case (38) containing a valve body (41) of the check valve includes a valve seat (40) and a cylindrical wall (45) for slidably guiding the valve body which are integrally formed as a single member.
US08286425B2

An energy conversion system, including a wave chamber, and a turbine wheel coupled to a shaft and fluidly coupled with the wave chamber. The energy conversion system may also include a first radial flow passage fluidly coupled with the wave chamber and the turbine wheel, and first vanes disposed at least partially in the first radial flow passage, each of the first vanes being compliantly mounted and pivotal between first and second positions, the first vanes being configured to allow a motive fluid to flow in a first radial direction through the first radial flow passage when the first vanes are in the first position, and the first vanes being configured to substantially prevent the motive fluid from flowing through the first radial flow passage in a second radial direction when the second vanes are in the second position.
US08286422B2

An apparatus for cooling overheated gas generated from a diesel particulate filter which is connected between a diesel engine and an exhaust pipe of the diesel engine is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tail pipe for discharging outwardly the overheated gas discharged from the diesel particulate filter, a cooling fan, provided at one side of an engine room, for generating an air stream by sucking ambient air, and a diffuser enclosing an outer circumference of the tail pipe in such a way a space is formed between the diffuser and the tail pipe to prevent the diffuser from directly contacting the tail pipe. The engine room is provided with a through-hole penetrating one side of the engine room, and the tail pipe has one end connected to the diesel particulate filter, and the other end extended outwardly from the engine room through the through-hole.
US08286416B2

A valve system intermediate a secondary flow path and a primary flow path to selectively communicate secondary airflow into the primary gas flow path and control airflow injected from a higher pressure plenum into a lower pressure flowpath.
US08286410B2

The non-row sensitive corn harvesting unit utilizes a tine wheel tilted to have tines that extend forwardly and downwardly into a side region of a stalk receiving area bounded by a row divider and which move along an upward and rearward trajectory toward a moving stalk handling element bounding an inlet of a stalk processing or picking channel, for pushing stalks toward the path of the handling element, such that the stalk will be grasped and carried into the channel, providing enhanced non-row sensitivity as well as handling of downed stalks. A companion tine wheel can be provided on the opposite side of the receiving area and function in the same manner.
US08286396B2

A plastic profile for window, door and facade elements includes a plastic profile body, which extends in a longitudinal direction (z), and at least one outer side, which is located outside in a transverse direction (x) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (z) as viewed in a cross-section (x-y) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (z). The outer side includes two roll-in protrusions configured such that a reinforcement element is connectable with the plastic profile body by a rolled-in connection. The reinforcement element has at least one of a hollow profile, a partially-open profile and a receptacle portion configured to accommodate a corner connector, wherein at least one of the hollow profile, the partially-open profile and the receptacle portion is disposed between the roll-in protrusions in the rolled-in state.
US08286391B2

This invention reveals a type of portable building, which includes a box which forms the main body of the building, the box being cubic in shape, at least one movable top plate that forms the roof of the building, one side of such movable top plate connecting to and pivoting on one side of the top panel of the box, and such top plate rotating around the pivot downwards to lean against the side panel of the box, at least one movable bottom panel that is provided for the bottom panel of the building, one side of the movable bottom panel connecting to and pivoting on one side of the bottom panel, and such bottom panel rotating around the pivot downwards to lean against the side panel of the box, the pivots of the bottom panel and the top plate are located on the same side panel of the box, at least one side plate is provided for the side wall of the building, the side plate that supports between the edge of the bottom plate and the edge of the top plate being vertical and knock-down. The building becomes a standard shipping container when it has been folded which adapts to land and sea transport and so is readily transported.
US08286384B2

A method for aiming a projectile weapon may utilize an aiming device having a primary aiming mark adapted to be sighted-in at a first selected range and one or more secondary aiming marks spaced below the primary aiming mark, and includes identifying, from at least two different groups of projectiles, a projectile group corresponding to a selected projectile. An aiming adjustment for the projectile weapon is determined and effected based on the range to the target and the nominal ballistic characteristics of the identified projectile group corresponding to the selected projectile. Other methods of aiming include identifying one projectile group from two or more predetermined projectile groups based on a selected projectile. Each predetermined projectile group preferably includes two or more different projectiles, preferably of different calibers, and a projectile having ballistic characteristics that are approximately median for each such projectile group.
US08286381B2

The firearm stock and support device includes one or more “beanbags” directly mounted to a butt stock that can be moved between a secured transportation position held against the butt stock and a support position suspended beneath the butt stock. The firearm stock and support device includes a stock attachment and one or more beanbags pivotally connected to the stock attachment.
US08286378B2

A photoluminescent device and a photoluminescent exit sign. The photoluminescent device includes a polymer matrix having a light-emitting exterior surface for emission of photoluminescent light therefrom. The photoluminescent device has a plurality of UV or visible-light excited phosphor particles included in the polymer matrix. The phosphor particles have a concentration greater in an exterior region of the polymer matrix proximate the light-emitting exterior surface than in an interior region of the polymer matrix. The exit sign includes at least two plates interlocked together with at least one typographical character disposed on the plates. The typographical character is formed from the polymer matrix containing the phosphor particles.
US08286376B2

A tray-tag that can be mounted on a tray and display information about items on the tray is provided. A tray-tag of the present invention includes a face plate having front and back surfaces. The front surface of the face plate is adapted to have indicia thereon that display information about the items on the tray. The tray-tag also includes a mounting assembly capable of selectively and securely coupling the tray-tag to a tray. The mounting assembly includes an engagement flap and first and second support tabs. The engagement flap and the support tabs securely couple the tray-tag to the tray. The engagement flap extends over a rim of the tray, while the support tabs extend underneath the rim to couple the tray-tag to the tray. Additionally, the support tabs maintain the face plate in a generally vertical orientation.
US08286372B2

Footwear with energy accumulation is presented. In a first version, the footwear comprises a sole, back, associated therewith, and fixation means coupled with the sole and back for securing a user's foot on the sole. The sole and back are disposed at an initial angle exceeding 90° therebetween, and form a leaf spring, while being arms of the spring. Alternatively, the leaf spring is made separate from the sole and back, having two arms respectively coupled with them. In a second version, the footwear comprises a sole including a frontal portion and a rear portion, the frontal portion is formed as a console spring downwardly bent out and cantileveredly secured to the rear portion, and fixation means for securing the user's foot on the sole, coupled therewith and depressing the front part of the foot against the spring. The portions are disposed at an initial angle therebetween less than 180°.
US08286371B2

An article of footwear including three cleat member sets is disclosed. A first cleat member set is tuned to provide maximum traction on soft natural grass. A second cleat member set is tuned to provide maximum traction on firm natural grass. A third cleat member set is tuned to provide maximum traction on artificial turf. The sizes, material properties and arrangement of each cleat member set is varied.
US08286365B2

A cooling apparatus for cooling objects from a painting device is disclosed. The cooling apparatus comprises a housing enclosing a cooling zone, a transport device for transporting workpieces through the cooling apparatus along a transport direction from an entry region through the cooling zone and through an exit region. A heat exchanger is configured for cooling air from the cooling zone and to redirect cooled air into the cooling zone.
US08286363B1

A screw mount placement device uses a gear assembly mounted in a housing to allow an item to be hung levelly and further allow the item to be hung in a desired position relative to at least one other already mounted object.
US08286361B2

An apparatus for checking the diameter of crankpins (18) of a crankshaft (34) in the course of the machining in a grinding machine comprises a first arm (9) rotating with respect to a support (5) arranged on the grinding-wheel slide (1) of the grinding machine, a second arm (12) rotating with respect to the first, a reference device (20) carried by the second arm and a measuring device (16, 17, 40-45) associated with a reference device. A guide device (21), fixed to the reference device (20), enables the apparatus to engage a crankpin, in the course of the orbital motion of the crankpin, and limit the displacements of the first arm and those of the second arm when a control device (28-30) displaces the apparatus to a rest position.
US08286358B2

The portable cutting tool includes a housing that rotatably supports a cutting blade, a base to be connected with the housing and having an opening through which the cutting blade is protrudable, and a protrusion amount changing mechanism. The protrusion amount changing mechanism has a link part extending from the base, and a fixing part which is provided at the housing, comes to a fixed state with respect to the link part when moved in one direction in a direction orthogonal to a rotational shaft of the cutting blade, and comes to a moving state to be movable with respect to the link part when moved in an other direction in the direction orthogonal to the rotational shaft, whereby a protrusion amount of the cutting blade from the second side of the opening is changed as the fixing part is moved with respect to the link part.
US08286357B2

A locking mechanism for a folding knife includes a thumb post which longitudinally moves along slots in the handle of the knife. The thumb post is urged by a spring loaded locking lever into a notch in the base of the blade of the knife. When so positioned the thumb post retains the blade in an extended position. When the user pushes the thumb post out of the notch, the blade can be folded into the handle of the knife. In another embodiment the thumb post is an integral part of the locking lever, and it is a tab on the locking lever rather than the thumb post engages the notch in the base of the blade.
US08286340B2

A printed circuit board for mounting an electronic part includes a mounting surface configured so that the electronic part is mounted. A warpage correcting metal pattern is provided on a back surface of the printed circuit board opposite to the mounting surface. The warpage correcting metal pattern may be formed of a metal film or a metal layer joinable with a thermally meltable joining material.
US08286333B2

A method of fabricating a recording head includes depositing an insulator material onto at least a portion of a first member, wherein the insulator material forms an insulator film having a film thickness. The method further includes depositing a writer pole material onto the insulator film, wherein the writer pole material forms a writer pole member, and wherein the insulator film is between the writer pole member and a contact layer. Further, in some embodiments, the film thickness determines the distance between the writer pole member and the first contact member and also determines the distance between the writer pole member and the second contact member.
US08286330B2

Provided is a method of producing a vibrating body for a vibration wave drive device using a vibrator in which an electromechanical energy conversion element is joined to a vibrating body having a plurality of protruding portions, the method including a first step and a second step. In the first step, an elastic material having a plurality of protruding portions is produced. In the second step, a pressure in a direction opposite to a protruding direction of the protruding portions of the elastic material is applied to press at least parts of the protruding portions to reduce slits between the protruding portions adjacent to each other.
US08286311B2

The present invention relates to a buckle that includes a male latch having an improved shape. An object of the present invention is to provide the buckle that includes a projected part formed on a hook of the male latch, where the projected part has three projected surfaces projected from three side surfaces of the arm. The buckle comprises: the male latch including a pair of hooks each of which has three projected surfaces; and a female receptacle coupled to the male latch by holding the projected surfaces formed on the each hook of the male latch, where the male latch is inserted into the female receptacle.
US08286308B2

A clamp is formed from a band with overlapping end portions. The clamp includes closing means including an aperture in one of the band end portions and a projection on the other band end portion to engage the aperture in a closed condition of the clamp and hold the mutually overlapping band end portions upon one another. The clamp also includes tightening means for tightening the clamp by reducing the circumferential length from the closed condition and a tightened condition. The clamp has force transmitting means for positively transmitting tensile force between the mutually overlapping band end portions in the tightened condition of the clamp. The force transmitting means includes a first cup-shaped embossment formed in one of the band end portions and a second cup-shaped embossment formed in the other band end portion and adapted to engage the first cup-shaped embossment in the closed condition of the clamp.
US08286305B2

There is described a hinge element (16), (18) for pivotally mounting a gate (14) to a fence post (12) comprising: a plurality of rods (20), (30) configured to pass at least partially through the post (12) so as to be securable thereto. A mounting member (21), (32) is attachable to an end of one or more of the rods (20), (30) so as to project beyond the post (12). The mounting member (21), (32) being configured to engage with the gate (14) so as to secure the gate (14) with respect to the post (12). One or more plates (26), (34) is slidingly receivable on the rods (20), (30) and positionable so as to abut with a surface of the post (12) when the rods (20), (30) are secured to the post (12).
US08286303B2

A vacuum cleaner with wet scrubber includes a housing containing a scrubbing liquid, which defines a level of liquid having a free surface; an inflow opening conveying the air streams to be scrubbed under the free surface of the liquid; an outflow opening of the scrubbed air streams; a dynamic separator disposed in the proximity of the outflow opening; and cleaning means disposed in the housing and acting on the dynamic separator.
US08286300B2

Disclosed is a system and method for controlling current in a switched reluctance motor by changing a dwell state including starting the motor in a normal mode, measuring current in the motor, comparing the measured current to a first threshold, triggering an interrupt if the measured current exceeds the first threshold, keeping a count of consecutive readings exceeding the first threshold, changing the dwell state from a first state to a second state if the measured current exceeds the first threshold and the count equals a set value, changing the dwell state from a second state to a third state if the measured current exceeds a second threshold, and triggering a fault condition if the measured current in the third state exceeds a third threshold.
US08286298B2

Various embodiments of a device for connecting a flat wiper blade to various wiper arms are provided. In one embodiment, the connecting device includes: a joint fixed to a frame of a flat wiper blade; a bracket snap-mounted on the joint; and an adaptor mounted to the bracket. The bracket has a pivot shaft extending perpendicular to a length direction of the frame and having a pivot bore therethrough. The adaptor has a pair of side wall portions. Fitting apertures are perforated in the side wall portions. The adaptor is mounted to the bracket in such a manner that both ends of the pivot shaft are fitted to the fitting apertures. The adaptor is configured to be suitable for differently-configured distal ends of the wiper arms. The connecting device connects a single flat wiper blade to various wiper arms.
US08286286B2

A prayer cushion for use during Islamic ritual prayers to reduce pain and black marks on an individual's knees and ankles comprises a generally rectangular pad of hollow polyester fibers with a soft cotton layer on top of the hollow polyester fibers. The pad has a width of about 50 cm, a length of 25 to about 50 cm and an thickness of about 14 cm. The pad also defines two relatively short longitudinally extending floor engaging channels extending from a rear edge of the cushion and is adapted to receive a portion of an individual's foot therein. The channels also have a height of about 8 cm and width of about 12 cm and extend for a length that will accommodate a portion of an individual's foot.
US08286284B2

Emergency drag stretcher devices are provided that include a combination of a base panel formed of a flexible sheet material, and a unitary harness device coupled to the base panel, wherein the unitary harness system is adapted to securely restrain an individual and hold the base panel against the individual, and allow the individual to be dragged or vertically lifted using the emergency stretcher device.
US08286279B2

A pumped waste (10) for a shower comprises a sump (12), a waste water inlet (14) through which waste water enters the sump (12), a waste water outlet (16) for connection to a pump for drawing at least a portion of the waste water from the sump (12) through the waste water outlet (16), and a switch device (24) for controlling the pump. The switch device (24) includes a first part (26) which is located on the sump (12), and a second part (28) which is provided externally of the sump (12) in spaced relationship with the first part (26). The second part (28) is spaced from, and positioned at a level below, the waste water inlet (14). The in use first and second parts (26, 28) of the switch device cooperate without physical contact with each other to control the pump based on the level of water in the waste.
US08286275B2

Drain clean-out assemblies that can be used to drain the contents of a drain line prior to removing a clean-out plug mounted to the assembly or to which the assembly is mounted. The drain clean-out assembly includes clean-out plug and a device for selectively preventing and permitting drainage of a fluid through the assembly. The assembly may include a housing having oppositely-disposed first and second ends and a drain between the first and second ends and in fluidic communication with an interior of the housing, wherein the first end of the housing is configured to attach to a drain line, the preventing and permitting device is within the housing, and the clean-out plug is removably attached to the housing. Alternatively, the preventing and permitting device may be permanently mounted to the clean-out plug.
US08286272B2

In a toilet seat having suctioning of air from the toilet bowl, an advantageous air flow is achieved in the toilet seat by means of the arrangement of elongated suction ports on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the seat.
US08286271B2

Swimming goggles include a frame body, lenses received in the frame body, and buckles assembled on left and right sides of the frame body. Each buckle has a first cover and a second cover assembled together, and a manipulation element assembled between the first cover and the second cover. The manipulation element has a base bar, a pressing plate formed on an end of the base bar, and two control arms integrally formed on an opposite end of the base bar. Flexible branches respectively extend from the two control arms, and further connect with the base bar. When the free ends of the two control arms are pressed, the branches are pressed and deformed, the base bar being forced to move the pressing plate to a side with an end of the pressing plate as a fulcrum, whereby the pressing plate disengages from the groove of the head strap.
US08286270B2

A helmet for receiving a compatible visor comprises a shell and two guiding mechanisms. Each guiding mechanisms is located on a different side of the shell and is adapted to receive the compatible visor. The guiding mechanisms guide the compatible visor along a confined path extending from a retracted position, where the compatible visor is proximate a frontal portion of the shell and substantially outside a field of view of the wearer, to a deployed position where the compatible visor is substantially below a frontal lower edge and within the field of view of the wearer. The guiding mechanisms guide at least a lower portion of the compatible visor substantially towards a rear portion of the shell when the compatible visor is in the deployed position. The compatible visor has a lens, a face seal and one mounting interface on each side of the lens.
US08291501B2

Embodiments for validating protected data paths for digital rights management of digital objects are disclosed. Some embodiments disclosed herein may comprise processes or apparatus for transferring data from one or more peripherals to one or more computers or digital data processing systems for the latter to process, store, and/or further transfer and/or for transferring data from the computers or digital data processing systems to the peripherals. Some embodiments disclosed herein may comprise processes or apparatus for interconnecting or communicating between two or more components connected to an interconnection medium within a single computer or digital data processing system.
US08291494B1

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for detecting unwanted activity associated with an object, based on an attribute associated with the object. In use, an object is labeled with an attribute of a predetermined behavior based on detection of the predetermined behavior in association with the object. Additionally, unwanted activity associated with the object is detected, utilizing the attribute.
US08291491B2

A password system includes a user interface, a password generating unit, and a password checking unit. The password generating unit generates a password including multiple frames, generates an integrity check code associated with the generated password, and scrambles the generated password and provides the scrambled password to the user interface. The password checking unit stores the integrity check code, frame number information and scramble information which are provided from the password generating unit, descrambles a scrambled password that is input from the user interface based on the stored scramble information, and authenticates the user interface by comparing an integrity check code generated from the descrambled password and the stored integrity check code.
US08291483B2

A remote network device having a network security policy, includes: a firewall component embedded within the network device to filter data flow with a network; a user-defined network security policy for the firewall component to define constraints on data flows permitted by the network device; and a failsafe protocol to enable remote control of the device independent of the user-defined network security policy and the firewall filter.
US08291481B2

Embodiments described herein are directed to establishing a terminal services (TS) session between a TS server and the client without creating a temporary session. In one embodiment, a computer system receives a user request indicating that a TS session with a first TS server is to be initiated. The request includes an indication that the user is authenticated and authorized to use the first TS server. The computer system searches for any prior TS sessions previously initiated by the user with other TS servers and determines, based on the search, that at least one prior TS session was initiated with a second TS server. The computer system also sends redirection data to the user indicating that the user request is to be redirected to the second TS server to reestablish the prior TS session with the second TS server.
US08291480B2

A method and an apparatus for configuring a key stored within a secure storage area (e.g., ROM) of a device including one of enabling and disabling the key according to a predetermined condition to execute a code image are described. The key may uniquely identify the device. The code image may be loaded from a provider satisfying a predetermined condition to set up at least one component of an operating environment of the device. Verification of the code image may be optional according to the configuration of the key. Secure execution of an unverified code image may be based on a configuration that disables the key.
US08291476B2

There is provided an identifier authenticating system in which information requesting users can share all the predetermined information held in a plurality of information providing servers. In the identifier authentication system, when an identifier holding user 18 presents an identifier to an information requesting server 16, the information requesting server 16 asks a location management server 14 about a location of the information providing server 15, the location management server 14 returns confirmed IP address of the information providing server 15 to the information requesting server 16 based on the location information, and the information requesting server 16 utilizes the confirmed IP address to access the information providing server 15 corresponding to the confirmed IP address, and receives predetermined information corresponding to the presented identifier and a disclosure level from the accessed information providing server 15.
US08291475B2

A secure cross-domain communication system and method for facilitating secure communication between a website having a web mashup and websites having content that is to be placed on the web mashup. Embodiments of the system and method set the document domain variable of the mashup website and the websites to facilitate the secure communication. Mediator frames are used as an intermediary between a top frame (containing the web mashup) and untrusted frames (containing the website content to be included in the mashup). The type of setup technique used is dependent on the number of websites being used in the mashup. Once the secure communication is established, data exchange between the top frame and the untrusted frame is dependent on the types of services that that the browser supports.
US08291467B2

An image forming apparatus capable of flexibly setting a security policy for a modified file. A client terminal generates a print job added with a new security policy for a second file generated from a first file, and delivers the print job added with the new security policy to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus generates intermediate data based on the print job delivered from the client terminal, and causes a second policy server to register the security policy. The second policy server registers the security policy, while items of the security policy being appropriately assigned to the first and second policy servers. The second policy server generates an encryption key. The image forming apparatus encrypts the intermediate data using the encryption key, and stores the encrypted intermediate data.
US08291465B2

A television advertisement system whereby a viewer retrieves advertisement teletext contact information of an advertisement that has been displayed on the viewer's television by using a wireless remote control device. The invention provides the means for a viewer to easily obtain ad′ contact information, in-hand, which can then be used at will. Teletext data is associated with an advertisement video signal, which is then decoded and stored in the television's or TV's set-top box's page memory. The viewer can retrieve, on demand, the advertisement's teletext data stored in the television's, or set-top box's page memory by using a wireless remote control. The advertisement data is transferred to and stored in the remote control's memory. The data is displayed on the remote's screen. The data stored in the remote control can be used to automatically contact an advertiser for further information, or to purchase an advertised product or service. This is achieved by wirelessly transferring pertinent contact information from the remote control to various communication devices, such as a computer, a telephone, a PDA, etc.
US08291457B2

A method for a client module to provide a channel selection request in a multimedia system begins by receiving an input signal from a client. The method continues by interpreting the input signal to determine type of signal. The method continues, when the type of signal is control information, by determining whether the control information relates to a local command or a system-level command. The method continues, when the control information relates to a system-level command, by processing the control information for conveyance to a multimedia server to produce a control message. The method continues by transmitting the control message to the multimedia server.
US08291440B2

A window manager process hosts proxy window objects created by an application in a window manager display structure. A process in a device creates a local proxy view object within a window manager display structure for the window manager process. The process registers an identifier for a remote proxy window object which corresponds to an application display structure. The application controls processing of data used by the application. The process assigns the identifier for the remote proxy window object to the local proxy view object in the window manager display structure to create a composite display structure and renders the composite display structure to display an image on a display device. The image corresponds to the objects of the application display structure represented by the remote proxy window object. The window manager process controls rendering of the composite display structure.
US08291430B2

A mechanism for optimizing system performance using spare processing cores in a virtualized environment. When detecting a workload partition needs to run on a virtual processor in the virtualized system, a state of the virtual processor is changed to a wait state. A first node comprising memory that is local to the workload partition is determined. A determination is also made as to whether a non-spare processor core in the first node is available to run the workload partition. If no non-spare processor core is available, a free non-spare processor core in a second node is located, and the state of the free non-spare processor core in the second node is changed to an inactive state. The state of a spare processor core in the first node is changed to an active state, and the workload partition is dispatched to the spare processor core in the first node for execution.
US08291427B2

Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for scheduling applications for execution on a plurality of compute nodes of a parallel computer to manage temperature of the plurality of compute nodes during execution that include: identifying one or more applications for execution on the plurality of compute nodes; creating a plurality of physically discontiguous node partitions in dependence upon temperature characteristics for the compute nodes and a physical topology for the compute nodes, each discontiguous node partition specifying a collection of physically adjacent compute nodes; and assigning, for each application, that application to one or more of the discontiguous node partitions for execution on the compute nodes specified by the assigned discontiguous node partitions.
US08291425B2

A computer in which functions of its resources are divided to realize a plurality of virtual computers 12 and which includes a plurality of physical devices. A managing unit of the computer, when usage of a virtual device has changed, selects a physical device compatible with the virtual device from physical devices usable for a control scheme and makes the physical device be associated with the virtual device and changes the control scheme of the virtual device, thereby achieving the control of devices in the virtual computers, where a plurality of control schemes including a shared scheme and a dedicated scheme are switched.
US08291422B2

A method includes receiving a process request, identifying a current state of a device in which the process request is to be executed, calculating a power consumption associated with an execution of the process request, and assigning an urgency for the process request, where the urgency corresponds to a time-variant parameter to indicate a measure of necessity for the execution of the process request. The method further includes determining whether the execution of the process request can be delayed to a future time or not based on the current state, the power consumption, and the urgency, and causing the execution of the process request, or causing a delay of the execution of the process request to the future time, based on a result of the determining.
US08291421B2

A system and method are provided for determining processor usable idle time in a system employing a software instruction processor. The method establishes an idle task with a lowest processor priority for a processor executing application software instructions, and uses the processor to execute an idle task. The method ceases to execute the idle task in response to the processor executing application software instructions. The amount of periodic idle task execution is determined and stored in a tangible memory medium. For example, idle time amounts can be determined per a unit of time, i.e. a percentage per second. In one aspect, the method generates an idle task report. The report can be a periodic report expressing the duration of idle task execution per time period, or a course of execution report expressing idle task start times, idle task stop times, and durations between the corresponding start and stop times.
US08291419B2

The present invention provides a fault tolerant system and method for parallel job execution. In the proposed solution the job state and the state transition control are decoupled. The job execution infrastructure maintains the state information for all the executing jobs, and the job control units, one per-job, control the state transitions of their jobs. Due to the stateless nature of the control units, the system and method allow jobs to continue uninterrupted execution even when the corresponding control units fail.
US08291416B2

A host recommendation service identifies a virtual machine. An analysis engine retrieves a plurality of metrics for each of a plurality of physical hosts available for executing the virtual machine. The plurality of metrics includes a current level of load on each of the plurality of physical hosts and a level of load on each of the plurality of physical hosts during a prior time period. The analysis engine also identifies a level of load placed on a physical host by the virtual machine during a prior time period. The analysis engine determines a level of priority associated with the metrics and assigns a score to each of the plurality of physical hosts. The host recommendation service transmits an identification of one of the plurality of physical hosts on which to execute the virtual machine.
US08291409B2

Each of a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) is stored in a halted form in a library for retrieval from the library and re-starting on a host. Each re-started VM includes a plurality of software constructs, each of which is at least potentially non-current and requires a software update. To update a non-current VM, such VM is retrieved and re-started on a maintenance host, and each non-current software construct is allowed to be updated by obtaining the required software update from a corresponding update source as a patch. Alternatively, the VM is mounted to a computing device, constituent components of the mounted VM are examined to determine whether each software construct thereof is current, and each non-current software construct is updated by obtaining the required software update from the corresponding update source as a patch and applying same to the mounted VM.
US08291396B1

Various high-level languages are used to specify hardware designs on programmable chips. The high-level language programs include pointer operations that may have same iteration and future iteration dependencies. Single loop iteration pointer dependencies are considered when memory accesses are assigned to clock cycles. Multiple loop iteration pointer dependencies are considered when determining how often new data can be entered into the generated hardware pipeline without causing memory corruption. A buffer can be used to forward data from a memory write to a future read.
US08291395B2

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for locating a function call site in a code segment of a running application, the code segment including a plurality of instructions. The call site is the location of an invocation of a function and includes a first reference, the first reference being a reference to a first dispatcher. The call site in the code segment is modified by replacing the first reference with a second reference, the second reference being a reference to second dispatcher, the second dispatcher different from the first dispatcher.
US08291384B2

A method, system, and article are provided for evaluating software test comprehensiveness of an application. A subset of the software-under-test basic blocks is identified for emphasized and/or deemphasized testing. During test, execution of the basic blocks is monitored, and then aggregated into a weighted code coverage result which factors in the prioritization assignments of the subset of basic blocks.
US08291379B2

Runtime analysis of a computer program can be performed. An improper memory access to a memory location can be detected during runtime of the computer program. A record of the improper memory access can be stored during runtime. A subsequent error condition in the computer program can be detected during runtime. The error condition can be compared with the record corresponding to the improper memory access. Based upon the comparison, an indication that the error condition is related to the improper memory access can be provided.
US08291378B2

A deployment modeling platform enables a user to model application characteristics of target software and to associate application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics. A user may also model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment and to associate environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics. Still further, a user may create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment, and to verify that each parameter that relates to a requirement is mapped to and is fulfilled by an associated parameter that relates to a corresponding capability to determine whether validation problems exist in order to deploy the target software in the associated deployment environment.
US08291373B2

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for generating LoadRunner scripts. In some implementations, a method for generating a LoadRunner script includes receiving a request to execute one or more transactions with a COBOL application of a mainframe to evaluate one or more mainframe services. In response to at least the service request, a script executable by a LoadRunner application is automatically generated. The LoadRunner script generates one or more MQSeries transactions that execute transactions with the COBOL application of the mainframe.
US08291372B2

A class diagram can be created for an application. The application can use a modeling language. The application can be configured for creation of the class diagram. The class diagram can comprise classes and relationships. The application can also be configured for creating flow diagrams comprising actions, relationships, and definitions of model element types. The application can also be configured to create new model elements in the class diagram and flow diagrams. A program new model element type can be applied to relevant class operations in the class diagram and a resource new model element type to relevant data classes of the class diagram. A flow diagram can be created per program of the application. The flow diagrams can be applied as many new model element types as different types of actions exist in the flow diagrams. These actions can represent the operations on resources.
US08291370B2

A pad layout method for surface mount circuit board and a surface mount circuit board are described. The layout method includes the following steps. Firstly, coefficients of thermal expansion of a circuit board and a surface mounted component are obtained, and the circuit board is supplied with a plurality of predetermined layout positions in advance. Then, an operating temperature for combining the surface mounted component with the circuit board is determined, and a room temperature is measured. A plurality of actual layout positions on the circuit board is determined according to d=(CTEa−CTEb)×(Ts−Tr), where d is an offset distance between the actual layout position and the predetermined layout position. Finally, a plurality of pads is laid out on the actual layout positions, such that the pads are formed on the circuit board.
US08291366B2

A routing system is improved by performing three steps sequentially to complete an execution process. The first step estimates a normalized criticality score for each design net. The second step arranges the scores for each design net in descending order. Third step rips up and reroutes the design so as to make it more feasible.
US08291359B2

Mechanisms are provided in a design environment for array concatenation. The design environment comprises one mechanism to concatenate arrays with enable- and address-compatible ports, thereby reducing the number of arrays in a netlist. The design environment comprises another mechanism to migrate read ports from one array to another based upon compatible enable-, address-, and data-compatible write ports, thereby reducing the number of arrays in a netlist. The design environment comprises yet another mechanism to eliminate unnecessary arrays.
US08291354B2

Merging sub-resolution assist features includes receiving a mask pattern that includes the sub-resolution assist features. A first sub-resolution assist feature is selected to merge with a second sub-resolution assist feature. A merge bar width of a merge bar is established. A distance between the first sub-resolution assist feature and the second sub-resolution assist feature is determined. A merging technique is determined in accordance with the distance and the merge bar width. The first sub-resolution assist feature and the second sub-resolution assist feature are merged according to the identified merging technique.
US08291349B1

In general, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to techniques for quickly displaying metadata of media objects (e.g., music files) using gestures. In one example a method includes, generating for display a browsing view including browsing content, wherein the browsing content includes one or more media objects; receiving user input including one or more gestures to select at least one media object; determining an input operation that selects a quantity of metadata associated with the selected media object, wherein the metadata includes information that describes the selected media object, and wherein the quantity of the metadata is proportional to a magnitude of the one or more gestures to select the media object; and generating for display in an expanded view, the metadata associated with the at least one selected media object, wherein the expanded view is generated for display without changing the browsing content.
US08291344B2

A method includes displaying a first application view. A first input is detected, and an application view selection mode is entered for selecting one of concurrently open applications for display in a corresponding application view. An initial group of open application icons in a first predefined area and at least a portion of the first application view adjacent to the first predefined area are concurrently displayed. The initial group of open application icons corresponds to at least some of the concurrently open applications. A gesture is detected on a respective open application icon in the first predefined area, and a respective application view for a corresponding application is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the concurrently open applications. The open application icons in the first predefined area cease to be displayed, and the application view selection mode is exited.
US08291341B2

A computer-implemented user interface method includes displaying on a touch screen a portion of a large scale graphical space that is at least multiples larger than the device display, receiving from a user of the device an input to pan within the graphical space, automatically generating a pop up graphical panning control in response to receiving the user input, and receiving a user input to the panning control and providing panning in the graphical space, wherein movement of the panning control in a single selection is able to pan the display across a substantial portion of the large scale graphical space.
US08291321B2

A display device has a plurality of video inputs and a video selection switch for switching between video inputs based on user inputted commands. An input select menu containing a list of the available video inputs can be displayed on the device. A remote control or input key is used to retrieve the input select menu and enter commands. The list of video inputs can be sorted in the input select menu using an automatic sorting function or a manual sorting function. A storage device keeps track of the number of times each video input is selected. The automatic sorting function uses the information in the storage device and a sorting algorithm to sort the list of video inputs in order of most frequently used to least frequently used. The manual sort function can be used to manually move the video inputs up or down in the input select menu.
US08291317B2

A document retrieving apparatus includes a document retrieving unit adapted to retrieve document data which include images that match an input retrieval condition, a retrieval result list display unit adapted to display, on a display unit, a list display of document data that match the retrieval condition based on the retrieval results of the document retrieving unit, and a thumbnail display unit adapted to display, in the list display by the retrieval result list display unit, a first thumbnail image associated with a page or an image element which matches the retrieval condition, and a second thumbnail image associated with another page or another image element which forms the document data that includes the page or the image element which match the retrieval condition.
US08291314B2

A method performed by a physical computing system for arranging a plurality of graphic objects on a page includes receiving the plurality of graphic objects in the physical computing system, the plurality of graphic objects including a number of variable graphic objects and a number of fixed graphic objects. The method further includes, for each of the fixed graphic objects, creating a number of discrete dimension sets, generating a number of binary trees, each of the binary trees representing a unique layout for the plurality of graphic objects in which each of the fixed graphic object exhibits one of the discrete dimension sets, assigning a score to each of the binary trees, and arranging the graphic objects according to the layout represented by a binary tree selected from the number of generated binary trees based on the score.
US08291310B2

Techniques for incrementally saving documents are provided. A document processor reads a document that is represented by a tree of nodes. The document processor, in response to an instruction to make a change to the tree, determines a set of nodes from the tree that are affected by the change. The document processor sends an instruction to transfer and store only the set of nodes without causing nodes outside of the set to be stored.
US08291307B2

In order to generate a parity of output data from a priority encoder without increasing processing time or making the circuitry complex, the present invention a first level generator having a plurality of first component circuits arranged in parallel, into each of which one of a plurality of sets of a specific number of bits of the binary data in sequence from the most significant bit is input and each of which generates and outputs a first signal for parity generation of bit data of the specific number of bits and a second signal representing whether or not the entire bit data of the specific number of bits is “0s” or “1s”; and a second level generator generating the parity of the binary data based on the first signal and the second signal from each of said first component circuits of said first level generator.
US08291305B2

A method includes providing a cache; and providing a plurality of cache lines within the cache, wherein a first one of the plurality of cache lines has a tag entry and a data entry, wherein the tag entry has a parity field for storing one or more parity bits associated with a first portion of the tag entry, wherein the tag entry has an EDC field for storing one or more EDC check bits associated with a second portion of the tag entry and wherein the EDC check bits are used for detecting multiple bit errors, and wherein both the first parity field and the EDC field are stored in the tag entry of said first one of the plurality of cache lines.
US08291301B2

A data transfer method is utilized for saving memory for storing packet in USB protocol. When a transmitter is to send a payload, the protocol layer of the transmitter writes the payload into a shared payload memory. The protocol layer generates a corresponding header according to the payload, and writes the corresponding header into a shared header memory. The data-link layer of the transmitter generates a packet by means of directly combining the payload saving in the shared payload memory and the header saving in the shared header memory, and sends the packet. Hence, when the transmitter is to send the payload, the transmitter only requires a memory of which the size is equal to a packet. In this way, the memory can be saved, reducing the cost.
US08291300B2

Transmission techniques are provided that improve service continuity and reduce interruptions in delivery of content that can be caused by transitions that occur when the User Equipment (UE) moves from one cell to the other, or when the delivery of content changes from a Point-to-Point (PTP) connection to a Point-to-Multipoint (PTM) connection in the same serving cell, and vice-versa. Such transmission techniques enable seamless delivery of content across cell borders and/or between different transmission schemes such as Point-to-Multipoint (PTM) and Point-to-Point (PIP). Mechanisms for adjusting different streams and for recovering content from each data block during such transitions are also provided so that data is not lost during a transition. In addition, mechanisms for realigning data during decoding at a receiving terminal are also provided.
US08291295B2

A NAND controller for interfacing between a host device and a flash memory device (e.g., a NAND flash memory device) fabricated on a flash die is disclosed. In some embodiments, the presently disclosed NAND controller includes electronic circuitry fabricated on a controller die, the controller die being distinct from the flash die, a first interface (e.g. a host-type interface, for example, a NAND interface) for interfacing between the electronic circuitry and the flash memory device, and a second interface (e.g. a flash-type interface) for interfacing between the controller and the host device, wherein the second interface is a NAND interface. According to some embodiments, the first interface is an inter-die interface. According to some embodiments, the first interface is a NAND interface. Systems including the presently disclosed NAND controller are also disclosed. Methods for assembling the aforementioned systems, and for reading and writing data using NAND controllers are also disclosed.
US08291290B1

Circuits, architectures, methods and algorithms for joint channel-code decoding of linear block codes, and more particularly, for identifying and correcting one or more errors in a code word and/or for encoding CRC (or parity) information. In one aspect, the invention focuses on use of (i) remainders, syndromes or other polynomials and (ii) Gaussian elimination to determine and correct errors. Although this approach may be suboptimal, the present error checking and/or detection scheme involves simpler computations and/or manipulations than conventional schemes, and is generally easier to implement logically. Since the complexity of parity-based error correction schemes increases disproportionately to the number of potential error events, the present invention meets a long-felt need for a scheme to manage error detection and/or correction in systems (such as magnetic recording applications) where there may be a relatively large number of likely error events, thereby advantageously improving reliability and/or performance in channel communications.
US08291289B2

Low density parity check code (LDPC) base parity check matrices and the method for use thereof in communication systems. The method of expanding the base check parity matrix is described. Examples of expanded LDPC codes with different code lengths and expansion factors are also shown.
US08291288B2

A method and system for encoding the low density generator matrix code are disclosed. The encoding method includes the following steps: S102, constructing a generator matrix Gldgc with L rows and N+L−K columns, wherein a phalanx Gldgc(1:L, 1:L) which consists of L rows and the first L columns of the generator matrix Gldgc is an upper triangular matrix or a lower triangular matrix, the K, L and N being positive integers, and K
US08291286B2

In a decoding system and method for a high-density recording medium, a high protective codeword decoder decodes a burst indicator subcode (BIS) while a low protective codeword decoder decodes a long distance code, so as to eliminate the waiting time required for completely decoding all burst indicator subcodes (BISs) and starting the long-distance code (LDC) decoding. In addition, a first memory having a high access speed is implemented to store the BISs and corresponding BIS erasure indicators, and the access to a second memory have a lower access speed relative to the first memory is relatively reduced such that the bandwidth can be effectively used to thereby increase the decoding efficiency on the high-density recording medium.
US08291285B1

Systems and methods for decoding low density parity check (LDPC) codes are provided. An input message, representing a codeword encoded using a parity check matrix, is processed and data associated with each of the layers of the parity check matrix is computed. A first layer of the parity check matrix includes a first circulant configured to be updated using the data associated with a second layer of the parity check matrix. A second circulant in the first layer of the parity check matrix, configured to be updated using the data associated with the second layer of the parity check matrix, is identified. The first and second circulants are updated using the data associated with the first and second layers of the parity check matrix.
US08291282B2

An apparatus and method for generating a parity-check matrix of a Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) code are provided. Parameters for designing the LDPC code are determined, and a first parity-check matrix of a quasi-cyclic LDPC code is formed according to the determined parameters. A second parity-check matrix is created through the elimination of a predetermined portion of a parity part in the first parity-check matrix, and a third parity-check matrix is created by rearranging the second parity-check matrix.
US08291276B2

Disclosed is an interaction method between an automatic repeat request (ARQ) and a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) in a system having a long roundtrip delay. A transmission window for the ARQ is operated using inner feedback information from the HARQ, and a waiting window is operated using ARQ status information.
US08291273B2

In a transmitter (2001), when generating a transmission frame having no limitation to a window size, a batch-transmission-end flag generating circuit (2004) and a sequence number generating circuit (2005) respectively adds a batch-transmission-end flag and a sequence number to the transmission frame. In a receiver, if an omission of a sequence number is detected as a result of analyzing sequence numbers of frames having received from the transmitter (2001), retransmission request is made when receiving a frame whose batch-transmission-end flag indicates the end. In this way, retransmission is possible in data transmission using UI frames, and the communication efficiency can be improved.
US08291272B2

Methods and apparatus for executing internal operations of memory devices utilizing instructions stored in the memory array of the memory device are disclosed. Decode blocks adapted to interpret instructions and data stored in the memory device are also disclosed. Methods can be used to perform internal self-test operations of the memory device by executing test procedures stored in the memory array of the memory device performing a self-test operation.
US08291268B2

A method to provide an alert notification and a reconcile action to a client computing system, the alert notification being responsive to an error condition in a target computing system, and the reconcile action being responsive to the alert notification, wherein the method supplies a client computing system and a target computing system, wherein the target computing system is in communication with the client computing system. The method further forms an alert notification responsive to an error condition detected in the target computing system, and generates a reconcile action responsive to the alert notification. The method provides the alert notification and the reconcile action to the client computing system. The client computing system returns a selected reconcile action, which is implemented by the target computing system, wherein that implementing step is performed without logging into said target computing system.
US08291261B2

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to computer-management tools and utilities that allow computer users to save and restore current application-level runtime states of computational environments created by users on computer systems. Certain embodiments of the present invention are particularly directed to time-and-memory efficient state-saving and state-restoring tools and utilities that allow a user to save snapshots of the user's application-level runtime environment, to manage and review stored snapshots, and to subsequently restore the application-level runtime state of a computer system from a previously saved snapshot.
US08291259B2

A processing unit includes a processor core and a cache memory coupled to the processor core. The cache memory includes a data array, a directory of the data array, error detection logic that sequentially detects a first, second and third correctable errors in the data array of the cache memory and provides indications of detection of the first, second and third correctable errors, and control circuitry that, responsive to the indication of the third correctable error and an indication that the first and second correctable errors occurred at too high a frequency, marks an entry of the data array containing a cache line having the third correctable error as deleted in the directory of the cache memory regardless of which entry of the data array contains a cache line having the second correctable error.
US08291258B2

In one example, a backup intrusion detection and prevention (IDP) device includes one or more network interfaces to receive a state update message from a primary IDP device, wherein the state update message indicates a network session being inspected by the primary IDP device and an identified application-layer protocol for the device, to receive an indication that the primary device has switched over or failed over to the backup device, and to receive a plurality of packets of the network session after receiving the indication, each of the plurality of packets comprising a respective payload including application-layer data, a protocol decoder to detect a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of one of the plurality of packets, and a control unit to statefully process only the application-layer data of the network session that include and follow the beginning of the new transaction.
US08291246B2

A power management circuit for managing power of a network interface is provided. The network interface includes a medium interface unit coupled to a network media supporting at least a high speed protocol and a lower speed protocol. The power management logic includes logic to determine that an event signalling entry of the medium interface unit into the lower speed protocol has occurred; and logic to force the medium interface unit into the lower speed protocol in response to a determination that the event has occurred.
US08291242B2

The disclosure is related to a method for transforming voltage identification codes of a microprocessor. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a first voltage identification code of a first voltage regulation standard, wherein the first voltage identification code is in correspondence with a first voltage; and transforming the first voltage identification code into a second voltage identification code of a second voltage regulation standard, wherein the second voltage identification code is in correspondence with a second voltage, and the second voltage is the same as the first voltage.
US08291239B2

Methods and systems for authenticating senders and recipients in a carrier system and providing receipt of specified content by a recipient are provided. A one-time recipient identification code is generated that can be entered into the delivery agent's portable terminal. Data is protected against eavesdropping by encryption and by splitting cipher text and an encryption key into two parts that are not accessible to any single party except at the moment of the mail unit delivery.
US08291234B2

Systems and methods consistent with the present invention encode a list so users of the list may make inquiries to the coded list without the entire content of the list being revealed to the users. Once each item in the list has been encoded by an encoder, a bit array with high and low values may be used to represent the items in the list. The bit array may be embodied in a validation system for allowing users to query the list to determine whether an inquiry item is on the list. The validation system determines which bits to check by executing the same coding process executed by the encoder. If all the bits are high, then the inquiry item is determined to be part of the list, if at least one bit is low, then the inquiry item is determined not to be part of the original list.
US08291228B2

Modular authentication and session management involves the use of discrete modules to perform specific tasks in a networked computing environment. There may be a separate authentication server that verifies the identity of the user and an authorization client that grants various levels of access to users. There may also be an authentication client that receives an initial request from a requesting application and forwards the request to the authentication server to verify the identity of the use. The authorization client may then be invoked to provide the necessary level of access. The use of discrete modules allows multiple business applications to use the same modules to perform user authentication tasks, thus alleviating the unnecessary multiplication of code.
US08291227B2

In a device, method and/or computer-readable medium for secure communication between a client device and a server, the client device includes a browser for accessing a website provided by the server, the client device generates a key according to a key generating cryptographic routine; tags the key with a marker associating the key with the website; and stores the tagged key in a memory associated with the browser.
US08291219B2

A system and method for enhancing the protection of digital properties while also increasing the flexibility of distribution of the digital properties. In one embodiment, the digital property is protected through the binding of at least one unique client device identifier with the digital property prior to distribution. Decryption at a client device would therefore be dependent on a comparison of the unique client device identifier that is extracted from the encrypted digital property with a unique client device identifier of the device that is seeking to access the digital property.
US08291217B2

A management device configured to communicate with at least one second management device and at least one terminal device via a network includes an acquiring system configured to acquire first management information managed by the management device, a receiving system configured to receive second management information managed by each of the at least one second management device from each of the at least one second management device, a management information request receiving system configured to receive a management information request for the first management information and the second management information from the at least one terminal device, and a sending system configured to send, to the at least one terminal device, the first management information acquired by the acquiring system and the second management information received by the receiving system in response to the management information request being received by the management information request receiving system.
US08291211B2

An embedded memory card system includes a first CPU, a second CPU, a nonvolatile memory storing data, and a device busy state machine selecting one of the first CPU and the second CPU to access the nonvolatile memory. The nonvolatile memory is accessed by the one of the first CPU and the second CPU selected by the device busy state machine.
US08291187B2

Mechanisms for memory management in a scoped memory system are provided. The scoped memory system includes a scoped memory area for the allocation of objects therein for access by one or more software threads in execution. The scoped memory area has an associated thread count for indicating that the scoped memory area is discardable. The mechanisms identify a set of root references for objects allocated in the scoped memory area and recursively traverses and marks objects that are referenced from the set of root references and that are allocated in the scoped memory area. The mechanisms further identify objects in the scoped memory area that are not so marked and discards the identified objects.
US08291184B2

A copy control apparatus for controlling a copy process between disks includes a copy process execution unit, a data capacity measuring unit, and a changing unit. The copy process execution unit executes the copy process between disks by securing a storage area on a cache. The data capacity measuring unit measures a data capacity contained in a write request accepted from a host system during execution of the copy process between disks by the copy process execution unit. The changing unit changes a capacity of the storage area secured by the copy process execution unit in accordance with the data capacity measured by the data capacity measuring unit.
US08291181B2

The present disclosure includes methods and devices for operating a solid state drive. One method embodiment includes mirroring programming operations such that data associated with a programming operation is programmed to two or more locations in memory of the solid state drive. The method also includes ceasing to mirror programming operations upon an occurrence of a particular event.
US08291179B2

Embodiments of archival storage system are disclosed. The archival storage system includes one or more removable disk drives that provide random access and are readily expandable. In embodiments, some or all of the data within the removable disk drive(s) is immutable. The archiving system creates a designation for the data representing the data as having Write Once Read Many (WORM) protection. Actions associated with the data may be received and determined to be read accesses. If the actions are something other than a read access, the archiving system, in embodiments, prevents the action on the data.
US08291178B2

A machine-implemented method, which is for categorizing a plurality of to-be-categorized storage units of a storage medium, includes: a) using a processor to write categorizing data for filling each of the to-be-categorized storage units of the storage medium; b) using a processor to determine a data access time of each of at least some of the to-be-categorized storage units by reading the categorizing data therein and to record the data access times of said at least some of the to-be-categorized storage units; and c) using a processor to categorize the to-be-categorized storage units into a plurality of groups that respectively correspond to a plurality of data access speed categories with reference to the recorded data access times.
US08291173B2

A memory hub includes first and second link interfaces for coupling to respective data busses, a data path coupled to the first and second link interfaces and through which data is transferred between the first and second link interfaces, and further includes a write bypass circuit coupled to the data path to couple write data on the data path and temporarily store the write data to allow read data to be transferred through the data path while the write data is temporarily stored. A method for writing data to a memory location in a memory system is provided which includes accessing read data in the memory system, providing write data to the memory system, and coupling the write data to a register for temporary storage. The write data is recoupled to the memory bus and written to the memory location following provision of the read data.
US08291170B1

A system and method for writing data segments to a backup storage medium. Data segments are sent from multiple clients to a shared backup server. The backup server writes the data segments for each client into separate container files and then flushes the data from the container files into the backup storage medium. After backing up all of the data segments from a single client, the server commits the transaction which includes flushing newly written data from any open files, closing the open files, and updating metadata for the newly written data. To reduce the amount of time needed to commit the transaction, the backup server flushes and closes container files prior to transaction commit time.
US08291158B2

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for enforcing policy controls for non-system managed tape media. The apparatus includes an operating system configured to communicate with a tape media drive, and an identification module configured to identify a tape media type of a tape media cartridge. The apparatus may also include a policy module configured to maintain control policies for tape media types, and a media control module configured to enforce the control policies. The system includes a computing system having a processor, a cache, an operating system, and a plurality of input/output interfaces, a tape media drive coupled to the computing system, and the apparatus. The method includes communicating with a tape media drive, identifying a tape media type of a tape media cartridge, maintaining a plurality of control policies for tape media types, and enforcing the plurality of control policies.
US08291156B2

The present invention discloses a memory system having a hybrid density memory. The memory system includes a plurality of storage spaces whereby the storage spaces have respective levels of endurance and each storage space has a plurality of blocks and pre-determined weighting factors corresponding to the levels of endurance of the storage spaces. After executing a command of erasing a specific block, the system records the erase in accordance with the weighting factor of the storage space to which the specific block belongs. Whereby, the erase counts of all the blocks of different storage spaces are able to reach respective levels of endurance as simultaneously as possible.
US08291143B1

A system and method for communication over a single communication line. The system includes an interface logic component for sending and receiving information for a processing component. The system further includes a single line interface module for sending and receiving data over a single communication line. The single line interface module uses a preamble for sending and recovering a clock signal for sending and receiving data over the single communication line.
US08291141B2

A method and apparatus for supporting multiple device numbers on point-to-point interconnect upstream ports. In one embodiment, the method includes a downstream component (DC) that performs discovery of internal device components of the DC during initialization of the DC. Subsequent to the discovery of internal devices of the DC, the DC may issue a multiple device number (MDN) request to an upstream component (UC) of the DC. In one embodiment, the MDN request may include an indication that the DC supports a “multiple device number capability,” as well as a quantity of the internal device components of the DC. The DC may receive an acknowledgement MDN from the UC to indicate a quantity of device numbers allocated to the DC. Subsequently, the DC may assign device numbers to the internal device components of the DC according to configuration requests received from the UC. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08291140B2

A computing module includes an interface to asynchronously, serially exchange parallel system bus data with one or more other modules of a computer system that includes the computing module. The computing module can asynchronously, serially transfer first parallel bus data to another module of the computer system, and can asynchronously, serially receive second parallel bus data from another module of the computer system.
US08291139B2

The use of asymmetric signalling over channels is disclosed. Pursuant to one or more embodiments of the invention, the channels in the parallel bus operate as standard non-differential interconnects for data travelling in one direction through the bus, and operate as differential interconnects for data travelling in the other direction through the bus. So that data capacity of the bus remains the same in both directions, the data rate during differential transmission can be twice that of the data rate during standard transmissions. Asymmetric signalling can also occur over two unidirectional busses of channels to the same effect.
US08291138B2

Skip based control logic for first in first out buffer is disclosed. In one embodiment, a host controller interface (HCI) device includes an isochronous receive first in first out (IRFIFO) buffer. The IRFIFO buffer includes a storage for storing an isochronous data packet received from a guest device. Further, the IRFIFO buffer includes a write pointer for pointing to a write address of the storage for a write operation. Furthermore, the IRFIFO buffer includes a read pointer for pointing to a read address of the storage for a read operation. In addition, the IRFIFO includes a control logic for incrementing the read pointer by a value of a skip parameter of a skip register if the isochronous data packet is not valid for the read operation.
US08291136B2

A computer implemented method for writing to a software bound ring buffer. A network adapter may determine that data is available to write to the software bound ring buffer. The network adapter determines that a read index is not equal to a write index, responsive to a determination that data is available to write to the software bound ring buffer. The network adapter writes the data to memory referenced by the hardware write index, wherein memory referenced by the write index is offset according to an offset, and the memory contents comprise a data portion and a valid bit. The network adapter writes an epoch value of the write index to the valid bit. The network adapter increments the write index, responsive to writing the data to memory referenced by the write index. Further disclosed is method to access a hardware bound ring buffer.
US08291133B2

Skip based control logic for first in first out buffer is disclosed. In one embodiment, an isochronous data packet placed in an isochronous receive first in first out (IRFIFO) buffer coupled to an isochronous receive direct memory access (IRDMA) is detected. Further, a header of the isochronous data packet is read. Furthermore, a validity of the isochronous data packet is determined. Also, a read operation of remaining data of the isochronous data packet is skipped if the isochronous data packet is determined as invalid.
US08291130B2

An apparatus for receiving one or more protocol data units (PDUs) from a word aligned queue including a media access control (MAC) physical-layer (PHY) coprocessor (MPC) logically residing between a physical-layer controller and a media access controller (MAC) processor. The MPC is configured to access a reception physical-layer queue storing a burst, such that the reception physical-layer queue includes a plurality of word lines. The burst includes one or more PDUs that each occupy one or more word lines of the reception physical-layer queue, such that a particular word line stores a portion of a first PDU and a portion of second PDU. The MPC is also configured to receive from the reception physical-layer queue the first PDU including the portion of the first PDU stored in the selected word line.
US08291129B2

It is assumed that the image data inputted are subjected to run-length compression and compressed encoding based on Huffman encoding. The first step configuration configured on a reconfigurable circuit includes run-length compression circuits 102a and 102b of two ways for parallel processing and FIFOs 108a and 108b which hold the output data from the circuits, respectively. For example, the data of odd pages are supplied to the run-length compression circuit 102a and the data of even pages are supplied to the run-length compression circuit 102b. After the compression processing proceeds, when at least one of the FIFOs 108a and 108b becomes full, the reconfigurable circuit is reconfigured into the second step configuration. In this configuration, the FIFOs 108a and 108b holding the compression results are left and two Huffman encoding circuits for encoding the data supplied from these FIFOs are included.
US08291128B2

Systems having a host computer system, a memory device coupled to the host computer system, and identification circuitry. The identification circuitry is configured to identify an operating mode of the host computer system from comparing applied signals to sensed signals.
US08291125B2

Systems and methods for a mass storage device attached to a host device use speculation about the host command likely to be received next from the host device based on a previously received command to improve throughput of accesses to the mass storage device. Host commands are used to speculatively produce commands for data storage devices of the mass storage device, such that host commands speculated as being likely next can be started during idle time of the data storage devices, based upon the probability that the speculation will be correct some of the time, and otherwise wasted idle time will be more efficiently used. Time taken by the host device to produce successive commands to the mass storage system is monitored, and future speculatively produced commands are parameterized to complete within the observed host time to produce new commands, making more efficient use of the data storage devices.
US08291117B1

A method or system for transferring information during the domain name service (DNS) lookup to more effectively utilizing the content delivery network (CDN) is disclosed. Information gathered from DNS request is used to identify information on how to serve the content with a chosen IP address returned from the DNS lookup. The DNS server selects from a number of possible IP addresses after analyzing information from the DNS request and popularity of associated content. The different IP addresses will result in different edge servers providing content. An IP address could be provided for popular content in a way that will tend to populate more content caches from the pool of edge servers in one embodiment.
US08291116B2

A method of performing a multimedia communication session over a communication link using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and over a communication link using User Datagram Protocol (UDP), including the acts of: receiving a request, over the TCP link, to register from a client terminal located within a private network; a probe data packet to the client terminal, over the TCP link, requesting to send a data packet over the UDP link; and receiving a data packet from the client terminal that contains information relating to an address of the client terminal and a dynamic port over which the multimedia communication session is to be established.
US08291105B2

The present invention relates to a method for identifying inaccurate time measurements in a local area network. The local area network comprises a sending device (2), such as a time client, a destination device (3), such as a timeserver, and a switching device and/or a store-and-forward device (6). A time request packet (4) is rejected if it arrives at the time client or timeserver within a given or calculated minimum distance from the preceding network packet. The time request packet (4) is also rejected if it falls outside a set of calculated error limits based on a set of estimates. Those estimates are kept in the time client memory and updated according to a given set of rules.
US08291101B1

Techniques are described for resynchronizing mutually shared data stored on network devices of a computer network. Upon receiving change instruction and globally unique identifier (GUID) messages, each of the network devices records the change instructions and GUIDs in a journal of the network device. When communication is lost for a period of time between a first network device and a second network device, the mutually shared data of the first network device may need to be resynchronized with the mutually shared data of the second network device. The techniques described herein allow resynchronization of the mutually shared data of the first network device based on a common GUID recorded in the journals of both first and second network devices, the journal of the first network device, and the journal of the second network device.
US08291095B2

A method for content insertion is provided. In this method, a first media data is received from a server and a placement request is transmitted to a content provider service. As a result, a placement response is received from the content provider service. The placement response includes data identifying a second media data associated with the first media data. The second media data is retrieved and merged with the first media data. After the merge, the first and second media data are transmitted to the server.
US08291093B2

A network in which peer-to-peer remediation is provided to keep clients in the network up-to-date. As network clients establish peer-to-peer connections, they exchange status information. The status information allows the clients to mutually identify whether one client is more out-of-date than another. The more up-to-date client provides update information to the more out-of-date client. To preserve the integrity of the update process, updates are provided as signed binary files and are only applied by the client receiving the update if the binary file may be authenticated by the recipient.
US08291089B2

An image processing device communicable with an information processing device, includes: a first management unit for managing at least one service provided by the image processing device based on a first protocol; a second management unit for managing the at least one service provided by the image processing device based on a second protocol; a reception unit for receiving a search request for searching for a service managed by the second management unit, the search request being transmitted from the information processing device based on the first protocol; and a transmission unit for transmitting, in response to the search request received by the reception unit, an address of a service satisfying the search request and managed by the second management unit to the information processing device.
US08291086B2

Systems and methods for requesting and receiving data from an enterprise information system are described. In accordance with one embodiment, the connector system includes an application server managed connection factory for receiving a data request, and a load balancer for assigning an enterprise information system server connection to the request.
US08291084B2

A mediation server 200 mediates a print demand from a client device 100 to a printing device 300. In order to elude a firewall F/W set between the mediation server 200 and the printing device 300, the printing device 300 first sends an HTTP request to the mediation server 200. The mediation server 200 sends back an HTTP response including a print demand to the printing device 300. Encrypted communication may be established between the client device 100 and the printing device 300 according to the following procedure. The mediation server 200 decrypts cipher data, which is encrypted with a public key by the client device, with a private key, re-encrypts the decrypted data with another private key, and mediates the encrypted data to the printing device 300. The printing device 300 decrypts the encrypted data with the public key and carries out printing. This arrangement enables the printing device to carry out printing in response to a demand from the client device via respective secure network environments.
US08291076B2

Systems and methods for application and network-based long poll request detection and cacheability assessment therefore are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a distributed proxy and cache system, including, determining relative timings between a first request initiated by the application, a response received responsive to the first request, and a second request initiated subsequent to the first request also by the application, and/or using the relative timings to determine whether requests generated by the application are long poll requests. The relative timings can be used to determine whether the second request is immediately or near-immediately re-requested after the response to the first request is received. The relative timings can also be compared to request-response timing characteristics for other applications to determine whether the requests of the application are long poll requests.
US08291067B2

An approach is described for maintaining multiple presence objects associated with a single entity. The different presence objects correspond to different respective aspects of the entity's presence. Each presence object includes subscriber information and permission information associated therewith. The subscriber information identifies the subscribers that subscribe to receive notifications for a particular presence object. The permission information identifies the users who are entitled to receive notifications for the particular presence object. By virtue of the use of multiple objects, the entity can control access to its presence information with a high degree of granularity.
US08291066B2

The invention provides a method for learning and identification of message types in a network in which the learning and identification is based solely upon information contained in messages in the network. In one embodiment, the method includes comparing a current message with one or more previously defined message structures and applying a comparison method in order to infer whether the structure of the current message conforms to any one of the previously defined message structures. The invention also provides a method for classifying a collection of messages input or output from a computational node in which the set of messages is portioned into subsets of similar messages, and a structure of the messages of each subset is characterized. The invention further provides a method for inferring causal relations between a message type input to a computational node in a network and message type output from the computational node in the network using one or more statistical tests. The invention further provides a system for monitoring transactions within a distributed information network. The system includes collection servers that execute a classification module and a correlation module. A management server analyzes data from the collection servers in order to determine a performance of the transactions in the system.
US08291064B2

Under the present invention indications of an event are monitored based upon a comparison of a computer system metric to a corresponding metric threshold over time. It is then determined whether a predetermined probability is reached that the indications will persist at least as long as a minimum detection and repair time for the event. Determining whether the predetermined probability is reached is typically accomplished based upon the monitoring of the indications over time and historical data for past instances of the event. The present invention will then optimize the filter setting for the event to minimize false positives and optimize the metric threshold so that indications are more accurately monitored.
US08291062B2

Access to content may be enabled by receiving an instruction indicating a client request to access content, accessing a list of content sources capable of rendering the content for which access is requested by the client, determining a performance metric for at least two of the content sources, and selecting among the content sources based on the performance metric to identify a content source to be accessed by the client.
US08291056B2

One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for performance and policy analysis in distributed computing systems includes representing a distributed computing system as a state transition model. A queuing network is then superimposed upon the state transition model, and the effects of one or more policies on the distributed computing system performance are identified in accordance with a solution to the queuing network.
US08291049B2

Buffering data associated with a spatial publishing object data store at a buffer distance proximate a user presence in a spatial publishing object space. The buffer distance comprises a measure based at least in part on: capacity of a communications path between the data store and the user platform; availability of memory at the user platform; movement of a user presence through the space; traffic in the communications path; processing resources available; amount of objects within a distance of the user presence; amount of objects in the space; type of objects; proximity of objects to the user presence; and rate of the user presence movement in the space. Movement of the user presence in the space buffers data such that data for a proximate object is available in the buffer for presenting to the user when the user's presence is a predetermined distance from the proximate object.
US08291045B2

Configuration of an application module to utilize branded content is described. In an implementation, a method includes identifying one of a plurality of business relationships which correspond to a request sent by a client over a network. A configuration file is the formed for communication to the client and for configuration of an application module of the client to utilize branded content which corresponds to the identified business relationship.
US08291042B2

The collaborative sharing of resources on demand based on proximity, within a group or network of computers. Broadly contemplated herein the “tiling” of a collection of logically adjacent individual graphical desktops in a virtual desktop. In such a setting, the action of dragging a window or icon off of one desktop and onto another would effectively transfer user interactability, and/or perceived ownership of the object, to the desktop where the window or icon graphically “lands”.
US08291034B1

There is a constant battle to break even between continuing improvements in DRAM capacities and the growing memory demands of large-memory high-performance applications. Performance of such applications degrades quickly once the system hits the physical memory limit and starts swapping to the local disk. We present the design, implementation and evaluation of Anemone—an Adaptive Network Memory Engine—that virtualizes the collective unused memory of multiple machines across a gigabit Ethernet LAN, without requiring any modifications to the either the large memory applications or the Linux kernel. We have implemented a working prototype of Anemone and evaluated it using real-world unmodified applications such as ray-tracing and large in-memory sorting. Our results with the Anemone prototype show that unmodified single-process applications execute 2 to 3 times faster and multiple concurrent processes execute 6 to 7.7 times faster, when compared to disk based paging. The Anemone prototype reduces page-fault latencies by a factor of 19.6—from an average of 9.8 ms with disk based paging to 500 μs with Anemone. Most importantly, Anemone provides a virtualized low-latency access to potentially “unlimited” network memory resources.
US08291017B1

A system and method are provided for creating communities based on a semantic understanding of content requested by a number of user devices. More specifically, a mediating server operates to interconnect a number of user devices to destination servers. In operation, the mediating server routes requests from the user devices to the appropriate destination servers. The mediating server examines the responses from the destination servers to gain a semantic understanding of the content requested by the user devices. Thereafter, the mediating server establishes communities for the user devices based on the semantic understanding of the content requested by the user devices. For example, the mediating server may invite users of the user devices that have requested semantically similar content to join a chat session around a common topic.
US08291012B2

In an address updating scheme, a server accesses clients with intermittent connectivity by using addresses specified in a local client address list. The clients are responsible for updating the list whenever the address of the client changes as a result of intermittent client connectivity or other conditions.
US08291007B2

As part of the system and method of the present invention, either a Client Agent and/or a Predictive Server intercept a request from a client to a server, and a response from the server to the client. Based on information derived from the client/server communication, either the Client Agent or the Predictive Server generates a predictive request for data. The server's response to the predictive request is stored at either the Client Agent or the Predictive Server, and is forward to the client when the client generates a request for the data contained in the response.
US08290996B2

A method, system, and computer program product for creating and implementing file clones using reverse ditto references. A clone inode is created as a copy of an original inode. The clone inode and the original inode are indistinguishable to an end user. Each additional file clone created spawns a clone inode. An immutable clone-parent inode is created that contains the disk block addresses, while writable clones inode instead contain dittos linking the clone inode to data blocks referenced in the clone-parent inode. Data block address links in the original inode are moved to the new clone-parent inode and dittos replace the original data block address links in the original inode. When a clone file is updated, the new data is written to a new disk location and a corresponding ditto in the clone inode is replaced with a data block link address, keeping the data of the clone-parent inode intact.
US08290989B2

A name of one or more entity classes of the data model may be refined to conform to a naming convention. A semantic meaning of each of the names and one or more attributes of each entity class may be determined. It may be determined that the name of a first entity class is semantically similar to the name of a second entity class based on a semantic distance between the semantic meaning of the names, where a substantial similarity may be determined between the first entity class and the second entity class by comparing the semantic meaning of the one or more attributes of the first entity class to the semantic meaning of the one or more attributes of the second entity class. The data model may be normalized based on the substantial similarity.
US08290987B2

A data structure maintained in a computational device stores how many control areas splits have occurred to store a data set, wherein each control area split causes an addition of a single new control area. A command is received to add a new data record to the data set. A determination is made as to whether adding the new data record to the data set will result in a threshold for control area splits to be exceeded. In response to determining that adding the new data record to the data set will result in the threshold for control area splits to be exceeded, creating at least two new control areas in addition to continuing to use one existing control area for storing the data set.
US08290983B2

A computer system is disclosed. The computer system includes one or more processors, and a memory storage storing one or more instructions for implementing a search tool. The instructions, when executed, instruct the computer system to perform a set of steps. The steps include receiving a search query from a user computer, the search query including one or more search terms to use to perform a first search. The steps further include, based on the one or more search terms, performing the first search, and providing for display at the user computer a list of one or more law-related documents responsive to the search query, a list of one or more recommended sources in which to perform a second search for documents, and a list of legal topics associated with the responsive documents.
US08290974B2

A primary user interface is configured to receive uploaded data sets stored in a primary memory means each describing a 3D graphics data structure in a respective source format. A secondary user interface receives request messages from user clients and in response, provides the clients access to specified data sets. Upon receipt of a request message, an examining entity identifies a graphics rendering capability of the client originating the message, and investigates whether or not the client is equipped with a viewer capable of visualizing the requested data set. A viewer database contains software modules adapted to implement at least two different viewers, where each viewer is configured to visualize the stored data sets on at least one type of client. If the examining entity finds that the client is incapable of visualizing the requested data set, a controller entity forwards an adequate software module to the user client that is adapted to implement a viewer configured to visualize the requested data set on this client.
US08290968B2

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for extracting a feature of an entity. A data record that includes the feature may be received. The feature may be characterized. Data related to the feature may be retrieved from a data source. The feature may be recharacterized based on the retrieved data. The data source may be updated with an association between the recharacterized feature and the retrieved data.
US08290964B1

One embodiment of the present invention comprises a system that provides recommendations to a user. During operation, the system performs a computer-based lookup operation to identify trusted entities that the user trusts (or is likely to trust) to make recommendations. Next, the system performs another computer-based lookup operation to obtain recommendations associated with the identified trusted entities. The system then uses the obtained recommendations to provide recommendations to the user. In a variation on this embodiment, the system additionally receives information indicating that the user trusts recommendations associated with an entity. The system then stores a corresponding record for the trust relationship between the user and the trusted entity in a computer-based lookup structure to facilitate subsequently identifying trusted entities that the user trusts to make recommendations.
US08290960B2

An approach is provided for selecting a trust factor from trust factors that are included in a trust index repository. A trust metaphor is associated with the selected trust factor. The trust metaphor includes various context values. Range values are received and the trust metaphor, context values, and range values are associated with the selected trust factor. A request is received from a data consumer, the request corresponding to a trust factor metadata score that is associated with the selected trust factor. The trust factor metadata score is retrieved and matched with the range values. The matching results in one of the context values being selected based on the retrieved trust factor metadata score. The selected context value is then provided to the data consumer.
US08290952B2

An approach is provided for retrieving nearby data from two-dimensional datasets. A two-dimensional data retrieving platform receives data objects of a two-dimensional dataset, and recursively divides the two-dimensional dataset into S×S number of subdivisions until reaching a data object level and an initial data object. S is a positive integer that is equal to or greater than 2. The two-dimensional data retrieving platform then selects and stores the initial data object into a memory, and sequentially fetches data objects which are near-by the initial data object on a two-dimensional plane in a spiral order in an initial subdivision, and stores the fetched data objects in a linear order into the memory.
US08290951B1

Techniques for bridging data from business support units, e.g., call centers and marketing operations, with a data warehouse to augment and enrich pre-existing customer information. Unstructured data is received with incomplete integration information. A data key is created from the unstructured data, and the unstructured data is integrated with the structured data in a data warehouse based on the data key. Unstructured data can assume different forms of data, including recorded audio data, facial image data, and iris image data. At least one customer identifier is extracted from the unstructured data by data mining. A data key is subsequently created from the at least one customer identifier. Incomplete integration may include partial integration information or may not include any integration information.
US08290941B2

A user interface aids in creation of customized pre-defined queries that can be used for identifying particular search results relevant to a topic. Provision can be made to allow express inclusion or exclusion of certain results. Metrics relating to how much the pre-defined query focuses the search can be provided. A pre-defined query can be referenced by a URL, which can be distributed or referenced in content available in any number of locations. When results of the pre-defined search change, a contact associated with the search query can be notified. When a URL is activated, a redirect to the search engine with the customized query can occur, and the contact associated with the query can be notified of the usage of the pre-defined query. Metrics concerning sources of query usage can be produced, based on data gathered while serving the pre-defined query requests.
US08290929B2

A method to provide additional media objects for data objects containing one or more existing media objects is described. The existing media object is analyzed to determine additional related media available on the network, and the data object description is augmented with metadata to identify the additional media in an enhanced data object description. When the enhanced data object is rendered, the metadata facilitates incorporation of additional media objects in the displayed page.
US08290926B2

Data items of various data feeds (such as articles posted to a website or entries in an RSS feed) may be associated with various topics, but a user may be unable to monitor a large number of data feeds, and to avoid previously reviewed data items while searching for new data items. An aggregation service may monitor many data feeds, perform an automated topical evaluation of the data items, and generate a set of topical data feeds. Additional services may also be applied, such as filtering the topical data feeds by various criteria, translating data items from a native language into another language, and removing equivalent data items, such as articles redundantly covering the same news story. A centralized or cooperatively distributed service may scale for improved efficiency and value, since each data feed may be monitored and each data item received and evaluated on behalf of many users.
US08290918B1

A robust hashing method is applied to media data (e.g., video, image, and/or audio data), producing a hash output that is robust with respect to at least one attribute of the media data. A histogram is generated for the media data and the histogram is hashed using a weighted hashing procedure. The histogram can be derived from a plurality of randomized versions of the media file, each randomized version of the media file altered to a random extent with respect to the attribute. The histogram can also be derived from a plurality of feature descriptors computed for the media data that are coarsely encoded with respect to the attribute. The weighted hashing procedure includes assigning a weight to components of the histogram and applying a plurality of hash functions to a number of versions of each component, the number of versions based on the assigned weight.
US08290907B2

The present invention improves the performance of distributed systems by reducing the amount of graphical data transmitted between an application server and a thin client. The encoding technique used for graphical data is adapted in response to the repetitiveness of the graphical data during a particular client-server session. Indexes are maintained that are indicative of this repetitiveness and which identify a particular location in the client's cache memory storing the graphical data. Where the index is not found, but a fuzzy key indicates a strong likelihood that the graphical object is located at the client, the client's persistent storage memory is searched for a file name corresponding to the fuzzy key and which stores the graphical object therein.
US08290905B1

A method and system for indexing design elements. The method, when performed by a special purpose computer executing a design repository application, comprises creating one or more metadata entries, linking the metadata entries to one or more design elements, and providing an interface to access the design elements. The metadata entries comprise data describing the design elements located within a design repository. The interface displays the design elements in accordance with their associated metadata.
US08290902B1

In various embodiments, a computerized method includes presenting an electronic document to one user out of multiple users that have edit access to the electronic document as part of a collaborative editing of the electronic document. The computerized method may include receiving an input from the user to edit the electronic document, as well as invoking a lock to prevent edit access by the other users responsive to receiving the input from the user to edit the electronic document.
US08290894B2

A visualization system that generates visual mash-ups for industrial automation includes a mash-up component that combines output from a subset of disparate sources into a common interface. The disparate sources include at least one of equipment, computers, or devices within an industrial automation environment. A visualization component generates and displays a mash-up visualization that includes information associated with the common interface.
US08290891B2

An approach is provided for dynamic modification of inference rules and deduction engines in an information base. Authorized agents are allowed to insert, delete or modify inference rules and deduction engines dynamically by signing their input using an authorized signature. Additionally, the functionalities of dynamic modification of inference rules and deduction engines can be provided through a direct application programming interface (API).
US08290890B2

A system and method for automating proactive communication. The information for the desired contacts may be accepted from a user. A selection of contact communication frequency preferences may be received from a user. An automatic communication to one of the desired contacts may be initiated. The user may be allowed to cancel the automatic communication, in response to receiving a notification that the communication is about to begin. A response indicative of the communication status may be received. Rules and preferences may be optimized based upon the received response.
US08290888B1

The present invention provides systems and methods for guiding user development and documentation of thinking about an arbitrary problem according to exemplary approaches used by expert problem solvers.
US08290880B2

There is provided a system and method for estimating a parameter that represents data describing a physical system. An exemplary method comprises randomizing data representative of a population of items for which the parameter is known. The method may additionally comprise generating data representative of a pseudo population of items using a known perturbation, the data representative of the pseudo population of items being included with the data representative of the population of items for which the parameter is known to form a revised population and selecting a bootstrap sample of a minimum sample size of the revised population. A sensitivity study is performed on the parameters of the items comprising the bootstrap sample to determine a level of change of a predicted parameter value relative to a parameter value of the sample. At least one of a range, a probability distribution or the minimum sample size is revised based on the parameter for items comprising the bootstrap sample to produce at least one of a revised range, a revised probability distribution or a revised minimum sample size, taking into account an effect of the known perturbation applied to the pseudo population. The steps of selecting, performing and revising are repeated until the sensitivity study indicates that the level of change of the parameter is acceptably small. A value of the parameter is estimated for the population based on a parameter corresponding to the acceptably small level of change.
US08290878B2

There is provided a rental item return apparatus including an opening to receive returned rental items, a store area for returned items and a chute arranged to connect the opening to the store area. The apparatus further includes a device arranged within the chute to uniquely identify and log each returned rental item.
US08290876B1

A method and system are provided for securing a third-party payment electronic transaction, allowing a customer to seal a self-issued electronic voucher and thereby finalize a payment amount; such electronic voucher is then transmitted to a vendor and then forwarded to a payor for approval and payment or to a creditor in satisfaction of a debt.
US08290874B2

A computing device segregates licenses for corresponding content according to relatively short lived licenses for relatively short lived content and relatively long lived licenses for relatively long lived content. The computing device stores the relatively short lived licenses in a more temporary and volatile license store, and the relatively long lived licenses in a more permanent and non-volatile license store. Thus, the relatively short lived licenses are deleted when the temporary license store is turned off and do not create disorder in the permanent license store.
US08290855B2

In one aspect, the present invention provides an order slicer that receives an order that to trade a financial instrument. The order associates a trading strategy with said order. The trading strategy is replaceable. In another aspect, an interface accepts a trading strategy of an order to trade a financial instrument. A transmitter transmits the trading strategy to an order slicer.
US08290850B1

A system and method for optimizing the frequency of market information updates in an electronic trading environment are described herein. According to one example embodiment, by optimizing the frequency of market information updates, the burden on the client device to update the graphical user interface may be reduced, while still providing an accurate portrayal of the market to the user. An example method includes associating different precedence levels with messages comprising market information. Messages containing market information related to the inside market may be associated to a higher precedence level. Whereas messages containing market information relating to the quantities at prices outside the inside market may be associated with a lower precedence level. Based on the precedence level associated with a message, a client device may update the graphical user interface or the message may be stored in a data structure until a pre-defined condition is satisfied.
US08290848B2

Disclosed are a system, a computer readable medium and a method for determining a spectrum index value as a function of financial data for a plurality of selected publically traded companies and spectrum-related data for the selected companies.
US08290840B2

Methods for obtaining credit life insurance for an individual via a service organization are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: 1) registering the individual with the service organization via a computer system in a computer network; 2) accessing credit information on the individual via the computer system in the computer network and determining the total debt of the individual; 3) determining the amount of debt to be covered by credit life insurance benefits; 4) creating a data base including insurance companies that provide credit life insurance benefits, the data base further including the premiums that the insurance companies charge for issuing their credit life insurance; 5) selecting specific coverage with required specific premiums; 6) obtaining the individual's approval of the required specific premiums via the computer system in the computer network; and 7) obtaining credit life insurance benefits for the individual.
US08290838B1

A system and method for preventing fraud in an online transaction is shown. Requests for financial transactions between on-line account holders are detected as well as relationships between the accounts. A fraud value related to a likelihood that a fraud is occurring in the transactions is determined based on the relationship. An indication of a likelihood of fraud is provided if the fraud value exceeds a predetermined amount. Thus the transaction is terminated and the appropriate parties are automatically notified.
US08290835B2

Systems, methods, and apparatus for establishing payees based on cleared items posted to a financial account are provided. Information associated with a cleared item posted to a financial account of a consumer may be obtained. Based at least in part on the obtained information, a payee associated with the cleared item may be identified. A form may be generated for activating, at a service provider, at least one of online payment functionality for payments made to the payee by the service provider on behalf of the consumer or electronic bill presentment of billing information of the payee to the consumer through the service provider. The form may be transmitted to a network entity for presentation to the consumer.
US08290832B2

A method and system for handling returned prepaid device in a payment system. In one embodiment, upon receipt of a returned prepaid device corresponding to a consumer's account, a method indicates in the consumer's account that an address of the consumer is invalid; and determines whether the device should be stored in order to possibly re-send the device to the consumer if a new valid consumer address is received, or to destroy the device and refund the purchaser.
US08290830B2

A PLM system, method, and computer readable medium. A method includes receiving a persistence model of a physical assembly and transforming the persistence model to a bill of materials (BOM) window that includes a plurality of BOM lines each corresponding to a physical part. The method includes constructing an engineering design structure corresponding to the physical assembly and creating a hybrid BOM window by combining the engineering design structure with the BOM window. The hybrid BOM window includes a plurality of hybrid BOM lines. The method includes displaying a BOM window view based on the hybrid BOM window.
US08290824B1

A system and method that facilitates e-commerce volume pricing is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, the system includes an offers and orders component that receives and aggregates orders for a product from a plurality of buyers. The system also includes a logistics component that determines a shipping price for the product for a subset of the plurality of buyers. The shipping price is determined at least in part upon the subset of buyers sharing a shipping method. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which buyers within an aggregated purchasing group may be subject to different pricing structures for the same product.
US08290823B1

Techniques described enable an entity, such as a company employing an e-commerce website, to leverage user-provided content, such as customer reviews of an item, to better customers' shopping experiences. To do so, customer reviews pertaining to an item may be examined to determine if the reviews contain links to other items. These links within the customer reviews may then be aggregated and sorted (e.g., ranked) according to certain criteria. The links may be sorted based on a number of times that the links are used in the reviews and/or on ratings of the items associated with the links. One or more of the links may then be displayed on the website. For instance, these links may appear on an item review page adjacent the customer reviews. Customers navigating to the item review page may then peruse the customer reviews as well as the displayed links that customers have used within the reviews.
US08290821B2

An online integrated shopping mall service system registers manufacturing/enterprises, SOHO distribution enterprises, and SOHO trade enterprises as enterprise members, provides the shopping mall with commodities, sells the commodities, and manages the sales record of the commodities. If a member is a shopping-mall founder, a sideline-person, a SOHO distribution enterprise, or a SOHO trade enterprise, the system assigns a free retail-client shopping mall to the member, such that the member sells commodities at retail in the client shopping mall, performs the shopping mall management, registers commodities as regular commodities to be sold in the client shopping mall, and assigns lower client shopping malls to others. The system assigns a specific administrator who satisfies a predetermined condition to a wholesale-qualified member capable of managing the wholesale shopping mall, assigns the wholesale shopping mall to the qualified member, and sells the commodities at wholesale.
US08290816B2

A lottery sales method and related system utilizes a computing device interfaced to a printer. The device is configured to track inventory of activated instant tickets and access sales reporting data, the sales reporting data indicating total sales of at least one lottery product of interest. For each lottery product of interest, a machine-readable indicator is generated corresponding to the total sales of the lottery product of interest. A report is printed that includes each generated machine-readable indicator.
US08290814B2

A self-checkout system, particularly for retail areas of constrained floor space, has a small to zero footprint while being fully functional. In one form, the self-checkout comprises a unit mountable to a wall, pillar, or other support. In another form, the self-checkout has or is part of a columnar support. The self-checkout system has security in the form of video and weight verification. A visual and/or audio indicator provides indicia of modes of use of the self-checkout. The self-checkout further includes an interactive customer interface terminal, a scanner, and a scale. The self-checkout provides an open visual area that allows easy viewing by store personnel of transactions being performed on the self-checkout system.
US08290812B2

A result for a task may be provided in response to receiving a request from, for example, a user for the result. The request specifies a desired accuracy level for the result. The accuracy of the result is determined using the individual accuracies of one or more persons that have selected the result. Each person's individual accuracy is determined based on results for prior tasks previously performed by that person. The person's individual accuracy is proportional to the number of that person's prior results that are with a consensus of other persons that have performed the same prior task. The result is provided if the accuracy of the result is equal to or greater than the desired accuracy level.
US08290811B1

A computing system for searching for and identifying data repository deficits includes an interactive database of items, a data repository that stores a first type of information related to items, a search engine configured to identify items that do not have an amount of the first type of information that meets a first threshold, a candidate selection interface that provides functionality for the user to select an item from recommended candidate items needing the first type of information, a user interface via which the user can provide the first type of information for an item selected by the user, a game system configured to calculate for a game scores and rankings based at least in part on data stored in the data repository.
US08290805B2

A project management system having executable program modules, including a first module to create a requirement by a requestor. A second module receives an identity of a first receiver and sends the requirement to the first receiver. A third module sends an acceptance of the requirement to the requestor, and a fourth module sends a rejection to the requestor as specified by the first receiver. A fifth module sends a notification of completion of the requirement from the first receiver to the requester. A sixth module partitions the requirement into sub requirements as specified by the first receiver. The first receiver uses the second module to send the selectable number of sub requirements to at least one second receiver. The second receivers use the third, fourth, and fifth modules to respond to the first receiver, and also use the sixth module to further partition the sub requirements.
US08290800B2

A demographic attribute value of a sink online document (such as Websites or Web pages) may be determined given a set of users who have visited at least one of the source documents and the sink document, by (a) accepting a value(s) of the demographic attribute, each of which values is associated with a source online document (where each of the source online documents has a value for the demographic attribute and has been visited by at least one user of the given set), (b) determining an estimate of the demographic attribute value of each of the users of the given set using the accepted demographic attribute value of each of the source online documents visited by the user, and (c) determining the demographic attribute value of the sink online document using the determined estimate of the demographic attribute value of each of the users of the given set.
US08290786B2

Disclosed herein is a computer implemented method and system for improving the quality of health care in a health plan. The members of the health plan eligible for undergoing predetermined measures of health care are identified. The primary care physicians (PCPs) for the identified members are notified to ensure implementation of the predetermined measures. The health plan staff is notified to ensure coordination between the identified members and PCPs. The status of the identified members is updated based on the implemented predetermined measures. Quality indexes for the PCPs are calculated for the implemented predetermined measures. A performance score of the health plan is calculated to indicate the quality of health care. Identifying and notifying the members, the PCPs and the health plan staff reduces the level of clinical chart review by the health plan staff and improves the quality of health care in a health plan.
US08290784B2

The present invention provides a signal processing apparatus, a signal processing method and a program for outputting a high-quality coded string. A signal processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a normalization coefficient information increasing/decreasing circuit 12 for modifying normalization coefficient information of a signal component of a frame and normalization coefficient information of a primary additional signal component according to a normalization coefficient information primary increase/decrease amount, and an additional signal component normalization coefficient information increasing/decreasing circuit 14 for modifying normalization coefficient information of a secondary additional signal component, which is a copy of the primary additional signal component, according to a normalization coefficient information secondary increase/decrease amount.
US08290774B1

An improved -removal method is disclosed that computes for any input weighted automaton A with -transitions an equivalent weighted automaton B with no -transitions. The method comprises two main steps. The first step comprises computing for each state “p” of the automaton A its -closure. The second step in the method comprises modifying the outgoing transitions of each state “p” by removing those labeled with . The method next comprises adding to the set of transitions leaving the state “p” non--transitions leaving each state “q” in the set of states reachable from “p” via a path labeled with with their weights pre--multiplied by the -distance from state “p” to state “q” in the automaton A. State “p” is a final state if some state “q” within the set of states reachable from “p” via a path labeled with is final and the final weight ρ ⁢ [ p ] = ⊕ q ⁢ ⁢ ε ⁢ ⁢ e ⁡ [ p ] ⋒ F ⁢ ( d ⁡ [ p , q ] ⁢ ⁢ ρ ⁡ [ q ] ) .
US08290773B2

An information processing apparatus for speech recognition includes a first speech dataset storing speech data uttered by low recognition rate speakers; a second speech dataset storing speech data uttered by a plurality of speakers; a third speech dataset storing speech data to be mixed with the speech data of the second speech dataset; a similarity calculating part obtaining, for each piece of the speech data in the second speech dataset, a degree of similarity to a given average voice in the first speech dataset; a speech data selecting part recording the speech data, the degree of similarity of which is within a given selection range, as selected speech data in the third speech dataset; and an acoustic model generating part generating a first acoustic model using the speech data recorded in the second speech dataset and the third speech dataset.
US08290772B1

A method for providing suggestions includes capturing audio that includes speech and receiving textual content from a speech recognition engine. The speech recognition engine performs speech recognition on the audio signal to obtain the textual content, which includes one or more passages. The method also includes receiving a selection of a portion of a first word in a passage in the textual content, wherein the passage includes multiple words, and retrieving a set of suggestions that can potentially replace the first word. At least one suggestion from the set of suggestions provides a multi-word suggestion for potentially replacing the first word. The method further includes displaying, on a display device, the set of suggestions, and highlighting a portion of the textual content, as displayed on the display device, for potentially changing to one of the suggestions from the set of suggestions.
US08290764B2

A virtualization program for being able to execute a simulation at high speed, allows a native code simulator to have a stack specific to each task that is managed by a multitask OS. Processes of creation, save, restoration and erasure of a context that a target CPU executes by means of a special control register operation is executed by an API provided by the native code simulator. When porting the multitask OS, the source code is altered so as to call the API. A stack specific to a task is assigned at the API and the stack is switched for switching the task to make context switching possible.
US08290754B1

A technique for coarsening a finite element mesh (“FEM”) is described. This technique includes identifying a coarsening region within the FEM to be coarsened. Perimeter chords running along perimeter boundaries of the coarsening region are identified. The perimeter chords are redirected to create an adaptive chord separating the coarsening region from a remainder of the FEM. The adaptive chord runs through mesh elements residing along the perimeter boundaries of the coarsening region. The adaptive chord is then extracted to coarsen the FEM.
US08290747B2

A system for electronically recording an event that provides mechanical energy to a structure includes the structure and an event sensing and recording node. The event sensing and recording node is mounted on the structure and includes a sensor and a first electronic memory. The sensor includes a device for converting the mechanical energy into an electrical signal. The first electronic memory uses energy derived from the electrical signal for electronically recording the event. All energy for sensing the event and recording the event in the first electronic memory is derived from the mechanical energy.
US08290739B2

A method for determining a mobility of an object includes the steps of measuring at least a portion of a shape of an object under an initial increment of a weight load of a plurality of increments of a total weight load using a device and measuring at least a portion of the shape of the object under a next increment of a total weight load of a plurality of increments of a weight load using the device. Repeating the measurements until a total weight load is achieved and comparing the measurements from the device under the plurality of incremental weight loads, thereby determining a mobility of at least the portion of said object under the plurality of increments of weight loads. The method further includes adjusting the elevation and angular orientation of a support surface for the object to achieve further measurements and a device for obtaining such measurements. The method further includes comparing the mobility of a present object to a normal-object to determine a deviation. The normal-object is a statistical sample of a prior normal-object mobility.
US08290735B2

A test apparatus for testing USB interfaces of an electronic device. The test apparatus includes a number of USB interfaces connected to the USB interfaces of the electronic device via cables respectively, to communicate with the electronic device. A memory stores a special file, to note phrases generated during test. A single-chip is connected to the number of USB interfaces, a power switch, and the memory, and stores a preset phrase. When the power switch is turned on, the single-chip writes a ready phrase in the special file, when one of the USB interfaces of the electronic device passes test, the single-chip reads a test phrase from the special file and writes a test finish phrase in the special file and controls the test apparatus to test a next USB interface of the USB interfaces of the electronic device.
US08290726B2

A Built-In Test (BIT) for a photoconductive photodiode is performed using the health or characteristics of the photodiode's parasitic capacitance as a “proxy” for the health or characteristics of the photodiode itself. A failure or degradation of the photodiode manifests as a similar failure or degradation of the parasitic capacitance. Under normal operating conditions, the photoconductive photodiode responds to incident photons from a target by generating a photocurrent signal at its cathode. A processor processes the signals from one or more photodiodes to evaluate characteristics of the target. To perform the BIT, a time-varying voltage signal is applied at the photodiode's anode. This signal is coupled through the parasitic capacitance to produce a test current signal at the photodiode's anode. The processor processes the signal to evaluate the health or characteristics of the parasitic capacitance and thus the photodiode.
US08290722B2

A method for determining the adequacy of the refrigerant charge in an air conditioning system based upon both the instantaneous degree of subcooling present in the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant line at a location whereat only liquid refrigerant is present and a calculated average subcooling value based upon accumulated instantaneous subcooling values. The adequacy of the refrigerant charge in the system may be indicated by an alert indicating “check charge” or by a series of lights including a first indicator light indicating that the refrigerant charge is low, a second indicator light indicating that the refrigerant charge is high, and a third indicator light indicating that the refrigerant charge is correct.
US08290720B2

An ultrasonic probe issues an ultrasonic wave to an object, receives a reflected wave from an object, and is provided with multiple piezoelectric elements. A three-dimensional display section displays three-dimensional flaw detection data superimposed on three-dimensional shape data of an object. The computer acquires a reflected ultrasonic wave signal from a reference object (reference). Based on the acquired signal, the computer corrects a reflected ultrasonic wave signal acquired from another object having the same material and shape as the reference. The computer allows the three-dimensional display section to display three-dimensional flaw detection data generated from a reflected ultrasonic wave signal resulting from a difference between a reference and an object.
US08290710B2

Methods and apparatus associated with monitoring and controlling streetlights include monitoring light levels and voltage levels at corresponding streetlights and controlling the streetlights to set or maintain a particular light output at the respective streetlights or providing power consumption estimates for respective streetlights (streetlight specific metering) based on the voltage levels and light levels. A streetlight controller for a streetlight includes a microcontroller; a first sensor to sense a light level from a lamp within the streetlight; a second sensor operative to sense a voltage level on a power supply for the streetlight; and a switching network coupled with the microcontroller and operative to adjust the light level of the lamp. Methods includes monitoring a light level and voltage level and adjusting a light level, estimating power consumption, or facilitating maintenance in accordance with the light level and voltage level. The methods may be performed all or in part at a streetlight, a local gateway or a central controller and database.
US08290707B2

A mobile computing device, including a main body, a processor and associated memory housed within the main body, a display screen housed within the main body and responsive to signals from the processor, an optical sensor fixed to the main body for capturing successive images and providing image signals representative of the captured images to the processor, and a navigation module associated with the processor for determining, based on the image signals, a relative movement between the main body and a reference surface and moving a pointer on the display screen based on the determined relative movement.
US08290701B2

Vehicle management systems and associated processes can consider energy consumption when selecting routes for fleet vehicles. Vehicle management systems and associated processes are described that, in certain embodiments, evaluate vehicle energy usage based on factors such as terrain or elevation, vehicle characteristics, driver characteristics, road conditions, traffic, speed limits, stop time, turn information, traffic information, and weather information, and the like. The features described herein may also be implemented for non-fleet vehicles, such as in personal vehicle navigation systems.
US08290699B2

A method for geographic interpolation of traffic data in a vehicle navigation system in which the navigation system includes a map database divided into geographic meshes. Each mesh includes a plurality of road links of different types. That data also includes a first set of meshes containing traffic flow data while a mutually exclusive second set of meshes contains no such traffic flow data. A border between the first and second set of meshes is first identified and thereafter a blend zone of blend meshes is created by selecting at least one mesh adjacent the border so that the blend mesh is interposed between the first and second set of meshes. Thereafter, the traffic data for each type of road link in the blend mesh is adjusted to a value intermediate the first and second set of adjacent meshes for each type of road link and the blend mesh data is then stored.
US08290698B2

A vehicle travel control apparatus including an object detector, a yaw-rate detector, a vehicle speed detector, a movement path estimator, a preceding vehicle assignment device, a travel controller, a still object determination device, and a stable-movement-state determination device, wherein the preceding vehicle assignment device avoids assigning the object as the preceding vehicle, or assigns the object as the preceding vehicle after waiting for a predetermined time, when: the present vehicle performs the follow-travel control targeting the preceding vehicle; the object detected at a position between the preceding vehicle and the present vehicle is determined to be the still object by the still object determination device; and the present vehicle is determined to be in the stable-movement-state by the stable-movement-state determination device.
US08290694B2

Disclosed is a method for sensing a traveling state based on a speed. The method for sensing the traveling state based on the speed includes outputting a mean speed C for each link with respect to a number of total traversing times of a predetermined path, and updating a reference speed B with the outputted mean speed C, and measuring a speed A while traversing the predetermined path, and comparing the measured speed A with the updated reference speed B, thereby displaying the traveling state.
US08290670B2

A clutch control device includes: a plurality of hydraulic clutches built into a transmission; a clutch switching pattern storage device in which a plurality of clutch switching patterns, each defining engage/release changeover timing with which the plurality of hydraulic clutches are engaged/released are stored in correspondence to individual speed change patterns adopted by the transmission; a clutch switching pattern selection device that selects a clutch switching pattern stored in the clutch switching pattern storage device in correspondence to a speed change pattern for the transmission at a time of speed change; and a hydraulic control device that executes hydraulic control for the plurality of hydraulic clutches in correspondence to the clutch switching pattern selected by the clutch switching pattern selection device.
US08290668B2

A control apparatus includes a shift-pressure learning correction controlling section configured to perform a shift-pressure learning correction in which a physical quantity representing a progress of shift is measured at a time of a current downshift, and in which an engagement command pressure for a friction element is corrected at a time of a next downshift on the basis of a divergence between the measured physical quantity and a target physical quantity; a shift-torque increase controlling section configured to perform a torque increase control in which a command for temporarily increasing torque of a drive source starts to be outputted when a start estimation timing of torque phase has just come during a transition period given between start and end of the downshift; and a learning convergence judging section configured to judge whether the shift-pressure learning correction has converged.
US08290667B2

A method for the operation of a traveling power take-off shaft clutch connected to a drive motor, in a case of known wheel or vehicle speed, the speed of rotation of the power take-off shaft, electronically evaluated through the speed of rotation of the motor, can be made to agree in ratio with the wheel speed.
US08290660B2

To provide external access to a specification file stored in at least one memory unit, which is associated with at least one electronic control unit which may be in a vehicle, a computer is connected to a first communication bus in the vehicle. A first module in the computer is adapted to communicate with the at least one electronic control unit over the first communication bus. Provided that a user-unique key is connected to a port of the computer and a software component of this key is set to an active authorization state, the computer is enabled to communicate with the at least one electronic control unit. Thus, the computer may read out the specification file as well as update the specification file.
US08290652B2

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, which outputs motive power to a drive shaft from an internal combustion engine and motor generators as motive power sources, including: a recirculating gas control portion that performs valve opening control on a recirculation valve so that an amount of recirculating exhaust reaches a control target valve, and that closes the recirculation valve completely when a deceleration request by a driver is detected; a throttle control portion that performs valve closing control on a throttle valve so that the amount of air circulating through an intake pipe decreases at a predetermined speed when the deceleration request issued by the driver is detected; and a braking control portion that controls regenerative braking forces of the motor generators so that at least one of the motor generators absorbs the motive power generated by the engine while valve closing control is executed on the throttle valve.
US08290646B2

The present invention is directed to a remote control system for controlling a railway vehicle. The remote control system including a remote control device provided with haptic technology for transmitting signals to a first controller module. The first controller is mounted to the railway vehicle and controls and monitors the functions of the railway vehicle. The first controller module also relays information to the remote control device. The remote control system can also include a portable safety switch allowing any individual in proximity to the railway vehicle to send a stop signal to the first controller module to stop the railway vehicle if any unsafe conditions exist.
US08290645B2

A method for determining a mission plan for a powered system having at least one primary power generating unit when a desired parameter of the mission plan unobtainable and/or exceeds a predefined limit, the method includes identifying a desired parameter prior to creating a mission plan which may be unobtainable and/or in violation of a predefined limit, and notifying an operator of the powered system and/or a remote monitoring facility of the desired parameter.
US08290643B2

Methods and systems for handling aircraft control information are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a display medium coupleable to a flight manager, with the flight manager configured to receive and direct instructions for automatically controlling aircraft functions at a future time during flight of the aircraft. The system can further include a display controller coupled to the display medium to present at least one operator activatable element at the display medium and update information presented at the display medium when the operator activates the operator activatable element. For example, the operator activatable element can include an icon presented at a computer display screen, and can be activated by a keystroke.
US08290641B2

Aircraft attitude systems are provided. A representative aircraft attitude system includes: a detection system operative to determine an attitude of an aircraft in which the detection system is mounted; a warning system operative to alert a pilot when the attitude of the aircraft corresponds to at least one predefined attitude parameter from a set of predefined attitude parameters, the predefined attitude parameters including pitch, bank and yaw; and a recovery system operative to provide progressive flight control positioning directives to the pilot for returning the aircraft to a flight attitude within the predefined attitude parameters.
US08290637B2

A method for operating a vehicle includes estimating expected states and probable ranges for influence factors associated with stochastic parameters over a time horizon. A preferred control state and a candidate control state for an objective function are determined. The objective function is controlled using the preferred control state for the objective function over the time horizon.
US08290635B2

An apparatus, system and methods system for reducing power consumption in a network including electrical appliances connected via electrical outlets to an electricity supplier and/or a system managing power consumption. The system comprises a management system and apparatuses, each comprising a measurement unit, a processing unit, an optional communications unit and a control unit, such that each apparatus is connected to an electrical outlet and is associated with an appliance or a group of appliances. Control units inject electrical signals via the associated electrical outlet to the electrical appliance. The measurement unit measures electrical parameters at the outlet, and the processing unit analyzes the electrical parameters measured in view of the electrical signal and detects the electrical signature of the associated electrical appliance therefrom. The electrical signature is utilized to characterize various characteristics of the electrical appliances and manage power consumption of the network.
US08290623B2

A sensing escape device of an automatic cleaner includes a control module, a motion module and an inclination limitation sensing module. The control module controls the motion module to drive the movement of the automatic cleaner in mode between a forward mode with head portion as a head and a backward mode with tail portion as a head. The inclination limitation sensing module coupled to the control module includes a critical inclination angle sensing unit outward disposed on a rear bottom of the main body. When the critical inclination angle sensing unit is externally contacted, the inclination limitation sensing module generates a signal and transfers the signal to the control module, to make the control module drive the motion module to switch into the backward mode. The automatic cleaner moves backward immediately when climbing a ramp, to avoid misjudging actions such as a suspension of the motor-driven wheel unit.
US08290621B2

Motion information of a robot arm stored in a motion information database is acquired. A person manipulates the robot arm, and correction motion information at the time of the motion correction is acquired. An acquiring unit acquires environment information. A motion correction unit corrects the motion information while the robot arm is in motion. A control rule generating unit generates a control rule for allowing the robot arm to automatically operate based on the corrected motion information and the acquired environment information. The motion of the robot arm is controlled based on the generated control rule.
US08290618B2

The position of a movable element such as the end of a robot arm (10) which has several degrees of freedom, being mounted on a base (11) and including a wrist mechanism, is determined by installing a multiplicity of base targets (32, 74) around the base of the robot, and a multiplicity of arm targets (42, 74) around the base (14) of the wrist mechanism (15), and an optical means (90) that moves with the movable element to determine the positions of at least some of the base targets and of at least some of the arm targets. The optical means may be a laser tracker or a camera system (90), and it may be mounted on the part (13) of the robot arm to which the base (14) of the wrist mechanism (15) is connected. This enables existing robots (10) to achieve absolute positional accuracy relative to a fixed external frame of reference.
US08290612B2

In an automated data storage library having a plurality of multi-cartridge deep slot cells, each configured to store a plurality of data storage cartridges arranged in sequential order of tiers from front to rear, and having accessor(s) configured to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells; operating the accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport data storage cartridges with respect to the multi-cartridge deep slot cells and with respect to other elements of the automated data storage library; filling at least the frontmost tier of vacant at least selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells in the selectively extracting, placing and transporting step in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, while leaving other tiers vacant. If the frontmost tier is full, a data storage cartridge is placed into the one of the selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells having the factored greatest number of tiers available to place a data storage cartridge.
US08290610B2

The present disclosure discloses a method of manufacturing an article. According to at least one embodiment, a set of manufacturing instructions is stored for a machine, and at least one of the manufacturing instructions is imputed into the machine. In addition, an article is manufactured with the machine in accordance with the input manufacturing instructions, and a realisation log which is indicative of the operations that the machine has actually performed in manufacturing the article is generated. Further, a report by comparing the realisation log with the stored set of manufacturing instructions is generated.
US08290608B2

The present teaching is intended to observe the delivery date of a product and decrease the number of workpieces in a merger process. A treatment sequence calculator included in manufacturing instruction equipment identifies an in-process part being worked in each process, and calculates the delivery-date allowance of the in-process part. In-process parts whose delivery-date allowances fall below a predetermined threshold are inputted to each process in ascending order of delivery-date allowances. In-process parts whose delivery-date allowances are equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold are inputted to each process in ascending order by a minimum value of remaining treatment times which the in-process parts take to reach the merger process.
US08290606B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for controlling cancelled orders in a manufacturing environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling cancelled orders in a manufacturing environment can be provided. The method can include receiving a cancellation of an order in the manufacturing environment, reading a list of work units associated with the order, obtaining at least one identifying attribute of each work unit in the list of work units associated with the order, reading a space maximum value associated with at least one identifying attribute of each work unit in the list of work units associated with the order, reading a stock maximum value associated with the at least one identifying attribute of each work unit in the list of work units associated with the order, determining a current stock value associated with at least one identifying attribute of a first work unit in the list of work units associated with the order, and if the current stock value is less than the space maximum value and the stock maximum value, setting a valid cancel optimization status indicator of the first work unit. The method can further include retrieving a cancel optimization model record matching the at least one identifying attribute of the first work unit, and can include applying the retrieved optimization model record to the first work unit to modify a process routing map of the first work unit.
US08290604B2

Methods and systems for audience-based media selection are provided. A media player may play a first media file, which may be viewed by one or more audience members. The audience around the media player may be monitored, and audience members having a line-of-sight to the media player are identified. Information concerning various conditions of such audience members determined. Media file play may be adjusted based on the detected audience condition.
US08290592B2

Disclosed herein, among other things, is an implantable medical device header assembly with an optical interface. The header assembly can include a housing defining a cavity; an electrical contact disposed along the cavity; an electrical conductor configured to electrically couple the electrical contact with the implantable medical device; and an optical conductor. The header assembly can include a housing defining a first cavity for receiving a proximal end of an electrical lead; and a second cavity for receiving a proximal end of an optical lead. The header assembly can include a housing configured to be coupled to the implantable medical device, the housing defining a lead port for receiving a proximal end of a lead, the port configured to be in electrical and optical communication with the lead; a transducer disposed within the housing, and an electrical conductor disposed within the housing. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
US08290588B2

With a method and apparatus for detecting cardiac arrhythmias during overdrive pacing, a maximum paced rate and a reduced paced rate for a heart are determined, the maximum paced rate being higher than the reduced paced rate. The heart is paced at the maximum paced rate. After the heart is paced at the maximum paced rate for a predetermined amount of time, the heart is paced at the reduced paced rate.
US08290586B2

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems, methods and devices for cardiac applications including those relating to pacing devices. One such device is directed to a cardiac rhythm therapy (CRT) device designed for dual chamber pacing using two pacing signals each having a positive and negative component that has been modified for single chamber pacing. The device comprises a first output that connects to a pacing lead; a second output that connects to the pacing lead; a third output that connects to a reference point; and electrical circuitry connecting the second electrical connection to the first output, the third electrical connection to the second output, and the first and fourth electrical connections to the third output.
US08290579B2

Disclosed are devices and methods for administration of charged drugs to tissues of the oral cavity and for intra-tissue administration.The disclosed drug applicator for intra-tissue use includes an introducer such as a needle or catheter that is adapted to penetrate into a living tissue. The introducer has a drug-providing portion, and the applicator has current-generating element to pass through it an electrical current. Passing an electrical current through the drug-providing portion causes the drug to eject into treated tissue.Also disclosed are charged drugs suitable for iontophoretic administration, which include a bioactive agent encapsulated in charged nano-particles.
US08290577B2

Methods and apparatus for utilizing multiple sources of physiologic data to enhance measurement robustness and accuracy. In one embodiment, phonocardiography or “heart sounds” data is used in combination with one or more other techniques (for example, impedance cardiography or ICG waveforms, and/or electrocardiography or ECG waveforms) to provide more accurate and robust physiological and/or hemodynamic assessment of living subjects. In one variant, the aforementioned methods and apparatus are used to improve ICG fiducial point (e.g., B, C and X point) detection and identification accuracy. Moreover, the new ICG fiducial points that may be clinically important may be identified using the disclosed methods and apparatus. In a further aspect, the invention discloses methods and apparatus for utilization of ICG and/or ECG waveform information to improve the identification and characterization of heart sounds (such as e.g., S1, S2, S3, or S4 heart sounds), murmurs, and other such artifacts or phenomena.
US08290576B2

A method is provided which relates to the identification of the electrical activity in the heart in terms of a single dipole, which may be considered moving or non-moving, based on measurements from a body surface electrocardiogram (ECG), concurrently estimating subject and measurement related conditions. The invention further relates to computer program for performing said method, a data carrier containing said program as well a computer device for performing said program. A device for performing said method is also disclosed.
US08290572B2

A system for and method of determining and compensating for the effect of a field influencing object on a field sensor, preferably a coil, that is within a navigational domain. The navigational domain contains navigational magnetic energy and disturbing magnetic energy, and the field influencing object produces the disturbing magnetic energy in response to the navigational magnetic energy. The correction system includes a first transmitter for projecting into the navigational domain field energy in a first waveform sufficient to induce a first signal value in the sensing coil. The system also includes a second transmitter for projecting into the navigational domain field energy in a second waveform sufficient to induce a second signal value in the sensing coil. The system further includes a signal processor for receiving the first signal value and for receiving the second signal value to determine the effect of the electrically conductive object on the field sensor. In other embodiments, the correction system may utilize a second sensing coil to receive and process an alternate aspect of the field energy from a position that is different from the first field sensor, or the system may utilize a storage device that contains information relating to the effect of the field influencing device within the navigational domain.
US08290567B2

Cardiac information of a patient is displayed by obtaining a plurality of MRI cine loops of the heart of the patient at a plurality of heart rates, the plurality of cine loops including both wall motion cine loops and at least one perfusion cine loops and simultaneously displaying both the wall motion cine loops and the at least one perfusion cine loop.
US08290564B2

Described herein are methods for analyzing bone structure and/or bone density, methods for estimating fracture risk in a subject as well as methods for monitoring the efficacy of an agent on bone structure and/or bone density.
US08290556B2

A device, system and method of in-vivo analysis. An in-vivo device may include a chromatography unit to interact in-vivo with a body lumen substance, and a sensor to sense in-vivo a property of the chromatography unit.
US08290555B2

A superconducting wire having at least a superconducting thin film and a stabilizing film formed one on top of another in order on a substrate having a predetermined width and a predetermined length, the superconducting wire having at least one cut made along a direction of the length of the superconducting wire, the superconducting wire being bendable at the cut in a width direction.
US08290547B2

A case for holding an audio device having a female audio jack. The case has a removable cover including a male audio jack for electronically connecting the cover to the female audio jack of the audio device. The cartridge includes a spool and houses an ear bud cable. The ear bud cable has a first end with at least one ear bud, and a second end attached to the spool. The cartridge has a rotatable spool for selectively retracting and dispensing the ear bud cable. The spool electronically connects with the male audio jack to enable audio communication between the audio device and the ear bud. In one embodiment, the spool electronically connects with the male audio jack via a jumper wire. In another embodiment, the spool electronically connects with the male audio jack via an electrical contact pad integrated into the case.
US08290537B2

A portable telephony device has a mobile phone housing. Integrated in the housing are memory to store a telephony module, an earphone type detect module, a headphone port, and a processor. The headphone port may be a wired headset jack to receive a mating wired headset plug, or it may be a communications subsystem that makes a wireless connection with a wireless headset. The earphone type detect module, when executed by the processor, is to determine what type of earphone or headset is connected to the headphone port. The telephony module when executed by the processor is to adjust a sidetone function of the device as a function of the determined type of earphone, and apply sidetone in accordance with said adjusted sidetone function. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08290534B2

A method and apparatus for subscribing to a digital broadcasting service using mobile network subscription information in a system where a 3G (third generation) mobile communication network interacts with a DBS (digital broadcasting system) are provided. When a user requests subscription to the digital broadcasting service through a digital broadcasting-enabled mobile equipment, a DBS-CSCF (call session control function) in the 3G network transmits to an SAS (subscription agent server) of the DBS a service subscription request including the mobile subscription information or additional user personal information. The SAS processes the subscription and transmits information required for reception of the digital broadcasting to the mobile equipment. The mobile equipment changes its digital broadcasting reception setting.
US08290533B2

A wireless communication network system including: a command station for allocating a frequency band, broadcasting a backup station and periodic measurement periods in which a terminal should measure a reception quality, and stopping the allocation of the frequency band to the terminal during the measurement period; one or a plurality of backup stations for synchronizing with the command station and transmitting a measurement signal by using the same frequency channel as that of the command station; and one or a plurality of terminals for measuring a reception quality for each backup station by using the measurement signal.
US08290520B2

The disclosure provides a mobile phone with function to acquire targeted message and method thereof. The method includes steps: recording sub-actions of the mobile phone in response to input signals from a user in a predetermined time period in a coverage area of the base station, acquiring a defined key phrase of each sub-action and grouping all sub-actions associated with a same key phrase into a same action, counting the number of times of the action is performed in the predetermined time period in the coverage area of the base station, judging whether the number of times of the action reaches a preset value, if yes, sending a wireless signal including the key phrase of the action to the base station, and receiving a message including the key phrase within the text body of the message from the base station and displaying the message.
US08290519B2

Methods and systems are described for providing a presence service that is useful for mobile telecommunications devices. A plurality of outgoing presence updates are sent to a presence client. The system monitors the level of network traffic and determines whether the client is in a region of high network load, and if so, the system throttles the outgoing presence updates during the condition of high network load. The level of throttling may depend at least in part on the amount of time that has elapsed since the presence client began a presence session, and/or the amount of time that has elapsed since an incoming presence update was received from the presence client. In determining the latter amount of elapsed time, the system may consider only the amount of time elapsed since an incoming non-automatic presence update was received from the presence client.
US08290509B2

Methods and systems for deactivation of one or more applications operating on a transferable device are provided.
US08290507B2

A computer-implemented method for determining the location of a wireless device includes dividing an area into a grid and assigning the wireless device to a first portion of the grid. The method continues with calculating a first difference between a signal strength expected when the wireless device is at the first portion of the grid and a measured signal strength and assigning the wireless device to a second portion of the grid. The method also includes calculating a second difference between a signal strength expected when the wireless device at a second portion of the grid and a second measured signal strength and concludes with selecting the least one of the first and second differences to determine the location of the wireless device.
US08290506B1

Disclosed is a wireless communication system that is used with a wireless communication device and a position location system, the wireless communication device being capable of communicating with the position location system. The wireless communication system includes a memory device for storing position locations of the wireless communication device and for storing transactions made relating to the wireless communication device, a processor for determining trends by recalling stored information from the memory device and processing the recalled information, and a transmitter for transmitting targeted broadcasts to the wireless communication device based on the current location of the communication device.
US08290502B2

Provided is a sequence allocation method capable of reducing inter-cell interference of a reference signal when a ZC sequence is used as the reference signal in a mobile communication system. In the sequence allocation method divides R×M sequences specified by a ZC sequence number r (r=1 to R) and a cyclic shift sequence number m (m=1 to M) into a plurality of sequence groups X (X=1 to R) in accordance with the transmission band width of the reference signal, so that the ZC sequence is allocated to each cell in each sequence group unit. When it is assumed that R=9 and M=6, the number of sequence is 54. Each of the sequence groups is formed by two sequences. Accordingly, the number of sequence groups is 27. The 27 types of sequence groups are allocated to each cell.
US08290496B2

For Wireless Communications Networks (WCNs) that support soft handover, cooperator receiver selection for a TDOA, AOA, TDOA/AOA, or hybrid network-based or network-overlay Wireless Location System (WLS) must contend with one or more network base stations as a serving cell. When the active set contains more than one member, two techniques for determining a set of cooperating and demodulating receivers to use in the signal collection for location estimation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the active set members are constructively reduced to a single member that is used as a proxy serving cell. In another embodiment, the information contained in the active set membership is retained and a new set of demodulating and cooperator receivers are generated based on the entire membership of the active set.
US08290494B2

A communication path between base stations connected via a network is switched so that data received by a mobile station that is during handover is not interrupted. A mobile station (14-1) which has started a radio communication with a handover destination base station (12-2) switches a acquisition destination of data transmitted from a mobile station (14-2) with which the mobile station (14-1) communicates from a handover source base station (12-1) to the handover destination base station (12-2). After this, the mobile station (14-1) transmits a communication path switching request to a base station (12-3) which performs a radio communication with the mobile station (14-2). In response to the communication path switching request transmitted from the mobile station (14-1), the base station (12-3) releases an RTP session established with respect to the handover source base station (12-1).
US08290493B2

An apparatus and method for data transmission in a base station (BS) of a wireless communication system are provided, storing data to be transmitted to a mobile station which performing handover to a target base station; confirming a quantity of stored data; determining whether to transmit the stored data to the target based at least partly on the confirmed quantity of the stored data; transmitting the stored data to the target base station when the base station determines to transmit the stored data to the target base station.
US08290489B2

This application pertains to methods and apparatus to perform time zone determination by a mobile station. One example method for use in a communication device includes determining a geographical location and universal time for the device; determining a time zone for the device based on the geographical location; determining a time for the device based on the universal time and the time zone; using the determined time in applications operable on the device, wherein the applications operable on the device comprise applications other than the application used to determine the geographical location. Other examples are shown and described.
US08290484B2

A method of recovering a useful signal received by a satellite includes a step of reception by the satellite of a composite signal comprising said useful signal and collision signals, all of these signals being received simultaneously by the satellite, interfering with each other, and respectively being transmitted by transmitters. The method includes the steps of: direct reception, by at least one station of a terrestrial network, of signals corresponding to at least a non-zero portion of said collision signals and referred to as collected collision signals; for each collected collision signal, estimation, by a processing unit connected to the terrestrial network and to the satellite, of the collision signal received by the satellite as a function of (i) the collected collision signal received directly by the terrestrial station, (ii) the position of the transmitter at the time of transmission of this collision signal, and (iii) the position of the satellite during the reception of the composite signal; and extraction of the collected and estimated collision signals, from the composite signal, in order to allow recovery of the useful signal.
US08290483B2

A hub unit is configured to receive wireless analog downlink radio frequency signals from a plurality of base stations from more than one wireless service provider. The hub unit is configured to digitize each analog downlink radio frequency signal in order to generate respective downlink digital data. The hub unit comprises a reconfigurable interconnect to selectively provide, to each of the plurality of radio access nodes using a shared transport medium, the downlink digital data associated with a respective two or more of the analog downlink radio frequency signals. Each of the plurality of radio access nodes is configured to reconstruct, from the downlink digital data provided to that radio access node, an analog radio frequency version of each of the associated two or more analog downlink radio frequency signals and radiate each reconstructed analog radio frequency version in a respective coverage area associated with that radio access node.
US08290482B1

The wireless communication device with dual cameras which implements the digital mirror mode and the non-digital mirror mode, wherein an inverted first video output is displayed when the processor is in the digital mirror mode and a non-inverted second video output is displayed when the processor is in the non-digital mirror mode.
US08290481B2

A panel has been provided to a wireless device that turns off all RF capability of the wireless device (including, but not limited to notifications, wireless web clipping, instant messaging, email sending/receiving, phone calls, etc.). The panel is brought up on a screen of the wireless device by pressing a programmed hard button for more than 1 second. Once the RF capability has been turned off, if the user attempts to access a program or other device that requires the RF capabilities, a notification is displayed that identifies the RF capabilities as being disabled and prompts the user whether to continue. If the user continues, the RF device is automatically enabled, otherwise the RF device remains disabled.
US08290479B2

A method for managing appointments using a wireless device includes receiving scheduling data for a future appointment including a time associated with the future appointment. A current location of the wireless device is determined, and a reminder for the future appointment is provided at a time prior to the future appointment based on the current location of the wireless device. For example, the reminder may be provided at a time that varies based on the current location of the wireless device, a location associated with the future appointment, and an estimated travel time between the current location of the device and the location associated with the future appointment. Related methods, devices, and computer program products are also discussed.
US08290476B2

Methods and devices enable scheduling the transmission of messages based upon date, time and/or location transmission criteria. Text and multimedia messages may be drafted and scheduled for automatic transmission at a later time and date or when the mobile device is in a particular location. Alternatively, methods and systems enable the message to be sent automatically from a remote server.
US08290472B2

The described embodiments of the present invention outline two solutions to the problems described above regarding simple IP data access for pre-paid subscribers. The first solutions includes a method for providing pre-paid simple IP data service to a subscriber in a network, including: sending an access request from a point of attachment in an access network capable of providing an IP network access to a home network remote authentication server which deploys a Pre-Paid Client (PPC) and receiving in the point of attachment an access request response from the home network remote authentication server. The second solution includes a method for providing pre-paid simple IP data service to a subscriber in a network, including: sending an access request from a Mobile Station (MS) which deploys a Pre-Paid Client (PPC) to a home network remote authentication server and receiving in the MS an access request response from the home network remote authentication server.
US08290468B2

An interface unit receives a scheduled timing with which to execute a handover and a transmission delay time present in a communication with a terminal apparatus, from the terminal apparatus via a source base station apparatus. A switching control unit sorts out original data, to be transmitted to the terminal apparatus, into first data to be transmitted via the source base station apparatus and second data to be transmitted via a destination base station apparatus, based on the scheduled timing and the transmission delay time received. The interface unit outputs the sorted-out first data to the source base station apparatus and outputs the sorted-out second data to the destination base station apparatus.
US08290462B2

In one embodiment, a receiver is provided for use in a multiple-input system that includes a receiving antenna receiving a time-domain signal corresponding to a plurality of signals transmitted from a plurality of transmitting antennas. The receiver includes: (a) a transform unit adapted to transform the time-domain signal into a frequency-domain signal; (b) a channel estimation unit adapted to estimate, based on the frequency-domain signal and a frequency-domain pilot signal, a combined transfer function corresponding to a plurality of transfer functions of respective channels between the plurality of transmitting antennas and the receiving antenna; and (c) a channel separation unit including a plurality of frequency-domain convolution units that separate the combined transfer function into a plurality of estimated channel transfer functions.
US08290452B2

A Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter and a signal amplification method therefor are provided, in which a signal source generates a signal of a predetermined Intermediate Frequency (IF) band, a local oscillator generates a signal of a predetermined high frequency band as a carrier signal, a power amplifier amplifies the signal received from the local oscillator to a predetermined transmission level, and a parametric mixer module receives the signals from the signal source and the power amplifier and outputs the received signals as a radio signal for transmission. The signal output from the parametric mixer module is transmitted as the radio signal without additional amplification.
US08290450B2

Methods and systems for calibrating a transmitter with I/Q imbalance and local oscillator feed-through include generating a test tone, frequency up-converting the test tone, monitoring one or more features of the up-converted test tone, and adjusting one or more features of the transmitter in response to the monitoring. The monitoring optionally includes monitoring a beating of the envelope of the up-converted test tone. In an embodiment, a first harmonic of the up-converted test tone is monitored for local oscillator feed-through (LOFT). Alternatively, baseband data inputs to the transmitter are disabled, and LOFT is measured by measuring power at the transmitter output. A second harmonic of the up-converted test tone is monitored for gain and phase imbalances. The adjusting optionally includes adjusting a gain imbalance, adjusting a phase imbalance, and/or adjusting a DC offset. The adjusting optionally includes an iterative refinement process.
US08290443B2

The present invention relates to a method for determining the best transmitter and receiver beams with a reduced number of calculations for the best antenna beam arrangement between a transmitter and a receiver. The iterative routine within this method comprises a transmitter beam determination sequence, a feedback sequence and a receiver beam determination sequence. While calculating the best possible antenna beam arrangement, the antenna beam width does not require to be reduced.
US08290439B2

Embodiments include systems and methods for RFI mitigation in a wireless computing environment. In one embodiment, a platform determines RFI information of the platform by listening with a receiver of a transceiver of the platform when the transmitter of the transceiver is quiescent. The platform derives Frequency Domain Weights from the RFI information and transmits the Frequency Domain Weights to a Wireless Access Point (WAP). In the transmitter and receiver of the WAP, the Frequency Domain Weights are applied to signals received and to be transmitted.
US08290429B2

A relayed communication system including a supervising station and a plurality of communication stations, transmits data from the supervising station to the communication stations by relay transmission. Each of the plurality of communication stations determines the quality of communication with the supervising station, and notifies the determined communication quality to the supervising station. If the communication quality is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the supervising station allocates one or more communication stations as relay stations to respective time slots in descending order of the communication quality, and transmits the allocation result to the plurality of communication stations. As a result, each communication station can perform relayed communication using the time slot that is allocated thereto.
US08290427B2

A system and method for providing video surveillance may include providing digital television services to a customer via middleware. The middleware may include digital rights management services. Digital surveillance services may be provided to the customer via the middleware. In providing digital surveillance services to the customer, the customer may be enabled to access surveillance equipment via the middleware from a remote location using a telecommunications device, where the telecommunications device is authorized to access the surveillance equipment by the digital rights management services.
US08290423B2

A user (102) hears an audio program being broadcast and can record a sample of the audio. The sample is then conveyed to an analyzing means (106) to determine to which broadcast station the user is listening. The analyzing means monitors many broadcast channels. Thus, characteristics of the audio sample and samples taken from the broadcast channels can be compared to find a match. Broadcast information pertaining to the broadcast channel from which the match was found may then be reported back to the user, combined with an advertisement of a promotion, prize notification, discount offers, and other information specific for a certain radio station for example.
US08290417B2

A belt device includes a belt member and a pressurizing member. The belt member is rotated with rotation of a rotation member, and the pressurizing member includes a pressing portion pressing an inner circumferential surface of the belt member. The pressing portion includes a surface layer having a solid lubricating agent and a fine particle.
US08290411B2

An image forming apparatus including a latent image bearing member, a charger to evenly charge a surface of the latent image bearing member, an electrostatic latent image forming device to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the latent image bearing member, a developing device to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image using toner, a transfer bias application device to apply a transfer bias to an image transfer area where the latent image bearing member faces a recording medium, a pre-transfer neutralizing device to reduce an electric potential at a portion on the surface of the latent image bearing member, a surface electric potential detector to detect an electric potential at the surface of the latent image bearing member, and a radiation amount control device to control an amount of radiation from the pre-transfer neutralizing device based on a detection result obtained by the surface electric potential detector.
US08290409B2

A developer station and method for an electrographic printer is provided that reduces developer agitation. The developer station includes a sump of magnetic developer, and a magnetic brush roller mounted above sump and having a rotatable magnetic core surrounded by a substantially cylindrical toning shell rotatably mounted with respect to the core. The toning shell defines a nip at its closest point to the photoconductor element. A tangent line tangent to the cylindrical toning shell at the nip is oriented substantially vertically, and the magnetic developer is applied to the toning shell at an angular distance of no more than about 120° from the nip. The toning shell may be eccentrically mounted with respect to the magnetic core and is substantially closest to the rotatable magnetic core within about +30° and −30° from the nip. Such a configuration advantageously reduces the residence time of the developer on the toning shell.
US08290406B2

An aspect of the invention is a powder conveying device including a conveying passage where powder is conveyed from a first powder accommodating chamber toward a second powder accommodating chamber, in the conveying passage, a conveying member including a rotating shaft rotatable, and a blade member spirally provided around the rotating shaft and enable to convey the powder by rotation of the rotating shaft, an intake region including an intake port through which the powder is taken in from the first powder accommodating chamber, a first conveying region arranged on a downstream side of the intake region in a conveying direction of the powder, and a second conveying region arranged on a downstream side of the first conveying region in the conveying direction, a conveyable volume of the powder per one revolution of the conveying member at the second conveying region being lower than that at the first conveying region.
US08290397B2

A process cartridge is configured to be mounted in an apparatus main body along a predetermined mounting direction. The process cartridge may include a photosensitive drum; a drum drive input member into which a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum is configured to be inputted; and a frame which holds the photosensitive drum and the drum drive input member. The frame includes a substantially cylindrical first protecting member which is formed on the frame. The first protecting member is configured to accommodate the drum drive input member, and project in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, wherein a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at a downstream side in the mounting direction is smaller than a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at an upstream side in the mounting direction.
US08290393B2

An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit including a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; a conveyor belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to convey a recording sheet; and a cleaning unit including a cleaning member positioned in contact with the conveyor belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the conveyor belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member. The cleaning member is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the conveyor belt and upstream from the image forming unit as viewed in a sheet conveyance direction along which the recording sheet is conveyed on the conveyor belt, and the image forming unit and the cleaning unit are pulled out together from a main body of the image forming apparatus toward an upstream side of the sheet conveyance direction.
US08290378B2

An image forming apparatus is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a toner supplying device, a toner container, and a developing device. The toner supplying device supplies toners stored in the toner container to the developing device. The toner supplying device includes a toner tank which stores toners discharged from the toner container, a toner carrying section which carries the toners stored in the toner tank in an obliquely upward direction, and a toner dropping route which causes the toners carried by the toner carrying section to drop into the developing device by toner own weight. The toner carrying section controls an amount of the toners to flow into the toner dropping route.
US08290375B2

An optical spectrum analyzer and a method of spectrally analyzing an optical signal. The optical spectrum analyzer includes a wave shaper such as an optical modulator that shapes an optical signal, a dispersive element such as a dispersive fiber in which the shaped optical signal is dispersed, a detector that provides an output signal indicative of the dispersed shaped optical signal, and a signal processor that analyzes the output signal, for example by calculating a transform such as an inverse Fourier transform or a Fourier transform of the output signal, to provide a frequency spectrum of the optical signal.
US08290372B2

An optical transceiver includes an optical transmission section that transmits an optical signal, an optical reception section that receives an optical signal, and a control section that controls the optical transmission section and the optical reception section. The control section optically communicates with an external device through the optical transmission section and the optical reception section.
US08290371B2

A high data rate optical signal is inverse multiplexed into a multitude of lower-rate tributaries, each of which is coded by its unique OCDM code, and the combined coded tributaries are injected into a common phase scrambler. Coherent summation of these optically encoded tributaries pass through a shared phase or phase and frequency scrambler before exiting the secure location. The setting of the scrambler acts as the key. The authorized recipient with the correct key retrieves the ones and zeros of the several decoded signals.
US08290362B2

A system and method is disclosed that allows for the monitoring, analyzing and reporting on performance, availability and quality of optical network paths. The correlation of PM parameter metrics to client connections, coupled with threshold-based alarm generation provides a proactive and predictive management, reporting and analyzing of the health and effectiveness of individual path connections to alert Operational Support (OS) staff and/or customers to signal degradation and impending Network Element (NE) failures. The system and method performs in real-time processing intervals required for alarm surveillance in a telecommunications network.
US08290361B2

In a transmission path monitoring system, a first add section adds a first add signal to a first wavelength division multiplexing signal. A first drop section separates a first drop signal from the first wavelength division multiplexing signal. A first loopback section transfers a monitor signal on a first drop optical transmission path onto a second add optical transmission path. A second add section adds a second add signal to a second wavelength division multiple signal. A second drop section separates a second drop signal from the second wavelength division multiplexing signal. A first communication section transmits the first add signal and the monitor signal and receive the second drop signal and the monitor signal.
US08290359B2

An optical finder unit includes: light guide means for guiding an optical image of a subject to a finder window through an internal space formed in the optical finder unit; and a display unit capable of displaying information on the finder window through the internal space when the display unit is in a set state in which the display unit is set in a predetermined position, wherein the display unit in the set state blocks an opening communicating with the internal space, and the display unit can transit from the set state to a non-set state in which the display unit is not set in the predetermined position but unblocks the internal space.
US08290354B2

A deicing system includes a heating element configured to impart heat to water within a water-retaining structure, a guard configured to prevent the heating element from abutting surfaces of the water-retaining structure, and a securing spring that securely fastens the heating element to the guard.
US08290352B2

A method for recovering video data in a disk when a reading error occurs is provided. First, the disk is scanned to obtain a next writable address (NWA) of a last video chapter previously recorded into the disk. An end address of a successfully recorded video chapter is then read from a specific area of the disk and stored into a memory. Next, when a disk player/recorder is requested to read content of data according to the NWA, the disk player/recorder determines whether the content of the data is a file system. If the content of the data is not a file system, the NWA obtained by scanning the disk is replaced with the end address read from the specific area to read the file system, so as to recover the video data in the disk. Thereby, the video data in the disk can be protected.
US08290346B2

A method for storing a video on a storage device includes formatting each image in a plurality of images into a plurality of tiles, the plurality of images being captured as a temporal sequence of images at successive points in time; and generating a plurality of video segments from the temporal sequence of images by: selecting a tile from each image in the sequence of images to obtain a sequence of tiles to generate a video segment; selecting another tile from each image in the sequence of images to obtain another sequence of tiles to generate another video segment; and repeating the selecting a tile from each image in the sequence of images to obtain a plurality of sequences of tiles to generate the plurality of video segments. The method further includes storing the obtained plurality of video segments in a file on the storage device.
US08290336B2

A keyboard for recording a video and an audio is disclosed. The keyboard having a video and an audio recording function includes a universal serial bus hub coupling with a computer system, a keyboard controller, coupled with the universal serial bus hub, for controlling a keypad matrix, and a video and audio processing module coupling with the universal serial bus hub. The video and audio processing module comprises an analog to digital converter for receiving an analog video signal and an analog audio signal and converting the analog video signal and the analog audio signal to a digital video signal and a digital audio signal, and an encoding controller for encoding the digital video signal and the digital audio signal into a formatted file according to a recording signal from the computer system and transmitting the formatted file to the computer system via the universal serial bus hub.
US08290333B2

Fiber optic cable assemblies having furcation bodies with features that are advantageous for manufacturing are disclosed along with methods of making the same. The furcation body include at least one anti-rotation feature for mounting the furcation body and a viewing portion and/or weep hole. The viewing portion is advantageous since it allows the observation during filling of the cavity with an epoxy, adhesive, or the like to strain relieve components of the fiber optic cable assembly within the furcation body. Simply stated, the viewing portion is translucent or clear for observing the filling of the furcation body and detecting if an air bubbles/air pockets are formed so that they can be reduced and/or eliminated. The furcation body may also have a weep hole for allowing air bubbles/air pockets to escape. Additionally, the furcation body of the fiber optic cable assembly may be secured within a clip or other suitable structure for mounting the same.
US08290320B2

An example fiber optic cable includes an outer jacket having an elongated transverse cross-sectional profile defining a major axis and a minor axis. The transverse cross-sectional profile has a maximum width that extends along the major axis and a maximum thickness that extends along the minor axis. The maximum width of the transverse cross-sectional profile is longer than the maximum thickness of the transverse cross-sectional profile. The outer jacket also defines first and second separate passages that extend through the outer jacket along a lengthwise axis of the outer jacket. The second passage has a transverse cross-sectional profile that is elongated in an orientation extending along the major axis of the outer jacket. The fiber optic cable also includes a plurality of optical fibers positioned within the first passage a tensile strength member positioned within the second passage.
US08290319B2

A ramp-stack chip package is described. This chip package includes a vertical stack of semiconductor dies or chips that are offset from each other in a horizontal direction, thereby defining a stepped terrace. A high-bandwidth ramp component, which is positioned approximately parallel to the stepped terrace, is mechanically coupled to the semiconductor dies. Furthermore, the ramp component includes an optical waveguide that conveys the optical signal, and an optical coupling component that optically couples the optical signal to one of the semiconductor dies, thereby facilitating high-bandwidth communication of the optical signal between the semiconductor die and the ramp component.
US08290305B2

Method and system for registration of a two dimensional image data set and a three-dimensional image comprising point cloud data. The method begins by cropping a three-dimensional volume of point cloud data comprising a three-dimensional image data to remove a portion of the point cloud data comprising a ground surface within a scene, and dividing the three-dimensional volume into a plurality of m sub-volumes. Thereafter, the method continues by edge-enhancing a two-dimensional image data. Then, for each qualifying sub-volume, creating a filtered density image, calculating a two-dimensional correlation surface based on the filtered density image and the two-dimensional image data that has been edge enhanced, finding a peak of the two-dimensional correlation surface, determining a corresponding location of the peak within the two-dimensional image, defining a correspondence point set; and storing the correspondence point set in a point set list. Finally, a transformation is determined that minimizes the error between a plurality of the correspondence point sets contained in the point set list.
US08290304B2

The present invention presents a technique for use in registering two images. In a first aspect, the invention includes a computer-implemented method for use in registering a first image to a second image, comprising: generating a base transform between the first and second image; generating a plurality of candidate control points from the first and second images; generating a plurality of meshed regions from the base control points and the actual control points from which the first image may be mapped to the second image. In other aspects, the includes a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device, will perform the method; a computing apparatus programmed to perform the method; a data product produced by the method; a program storage medium encoded with a data product produced by the method; and a computing apparatus on which resides a data product produced by the above method.
US08290303B2

A method for volume based registration of images is presented. The method includes receiving a first image data set and at least one other image data set. Further the method includes identifying a first image slice in the at least one other image data set corresponding to the first image data set. The method also includes selecting a first point of interest on at least one of the first image data set or the first image slice in the at least one other image data set. In addition, the method includes selecting a second point of interest on the other of the first image data set or the first image slice in the at least one other image data set, wherein the second point of interest corresponds to the first point of interest. Moreover, the method includes translating one of the first image data set, the first image slice, or both, in a first direction, a second direction and a third direction to align the first point of interest with the second point of interest. Also, the method includes registering the first image data set and the at least one other image data set. Systems and computer-readable medium that afford functionality of the type defined by this method is also contemplated in conjunction with the present technique.
US08290299B2

In order to display the image included in the original one on a display part together with outputting the object, a key in a keypad on an operation part by a user. Thereby, the key operated by the user is specified in both of the mask image creation part 32 and data notification part 35. Subsequently, it is judged whether there is the object inherently assigned to the specified key or not. When the judge result is affirmative, the object that corresponds to the operation of the key is output together with displaying the image included in the original one. As a result, a changing of output object when an image included in an original one is displayed together with outputting an object is able to perform simply for the user.
US08290294B2

An image may be dehazed using a three-dimensional reference model. In an example embodiment, a device-implemented method for dehazing includes acts of registering, estimating, and producing. An image that includes haze is registered to a reference model. A haze curve is estimated for the image based on a relationship between colors in the image and colors and depths of the reference model. A dehazed image is produced by using the estimated haze curve to reduce the haze of the image.
US08290270B2

A system 10 and method for searching image text documents includes a content repository 12 storing image documents having text images therein. An image text transformer 14 performs optical character recognition on the image documents to form optical character recognition results and creates a reflection repository 22 having reflection files therein corresponding to the image documents from the optical character recognition results. A search engine 38 searches the reflection files and a user device 30 displays a first reflection file from the reflection files or a first image document from the image documents in response to searching. The files are displayed on a display 32 associated with a user device 30.
US08290269B2

A headline-region initial processing section clips a headline-region image in an image document, divides the image into individual character images, and extracts features of the individual character images. Based on the features, a candidate-character-sequence generating section selects N (N is an integer more than 1) character images as candidate characters in the order of degree of matching from a font-feature dictionary for storing features of individual character images, and generates M×N index matrix where M is the number of characters in an extracted character sequence. Based on the index matrix, a document-name generating section generates a meaningful document name according to the image document. An image-document-DB management section manages accumulated image documents using the document name. This provides an image document processing device and an image document processing method each allowing automatically generating and managing the meaningful document name that represents the contents of the image document, without user's operation.
US08290259B2

The present invention provides an image processing device which adaptively switches between emphasis of a specified color in an image and emphasis of the entire image. The image processing device of the present invention includes: a storage unit storing a plurality of color emphasis tables for emphasizing a specified color; a calculation unit calculating magnitudes of respective color emphasis effects when the plurality of color emphasis tables stored by the storage unit is applied to the image; a selection unit selecting one or more color emphasis tables according to the magnitudes of the color emphasis effects; and a correction unit correcting the specified color in the image by applying the color emphasis tables selected by the selection unit to the image.
US08290258B1

A method for performing a color based white balance of a digital image, the method includes: generating or receiving multiple chromaticity value pairs of multiple pixel areas of the digital image; finding selected candidates; wherein a selected candidate represents a pixel area and has a chromaticity value pair that falls within at least one color gamut out of a group of color gamut of different colors; wherein the different colors comprise at least one color that differs from gray; calculating at least one white balance compensation parameter in response to pixel information of pixels areas that have selected chromaticity values; and providing a compensated digital image by applying at least one white balance compensated image.
US08290255B2

A clustering unit first calculates a distance between a feature vector of a processing object pixel and a representative feature vector of a cluster to which a pixel with a high probability of belonging to the same cluster as the processing object pixel such as a nearby pixel of the processing object pixel belongs. When the calculated distance is less than or equal to a first threshold, the processing object pixel is allocated to a cluster to which the nearby pixel or a background image belongs.
US08290252B2

In accordance with one or more aspects of the image-based backgrounds for images, an image is analyzed in order to identify a color that represents the image. An enhanced background is generated based at least in part on the identified color, and both the image and the enhanced background are output on a screen. In addition, or alternatively, the identified color can be saved as being associated with the image in order to be used to generate an enhanced background for the image when the image is displayed.
US08290247B2

A method and system for segmenting tubular structures in 3D images is disclosed. User inputs identifying a first region on the image inside of a tubular structure and a second region of the image outside of the tubular structure are received. Based on this information, an ordered series of pearls are generated along the tubular structure. Pearls are spheres, each having a center location and a radius determined based on the center locations and radii of previous pearls and on local voxel intensities in the image. A continuous model of the tubular structure can be generated by interpolating the center locations and radii of the ordered series of pearls. The ordered series of pearls can be displayed and easily edited in response to user input, thus providing an efficient and flexible method for interactive segmentation of a potion of interest in a tubular structure.
US08290244B2

An apparatus and method for controlling the depth of a three-dimensional image. The apparatus includes: a disparity measuring unit which measures the disparity between a left eye image and a right eye image; a physical distance calculating unit which calculates the physical distance between the left eye image and the right eye image based on the measured disparity and the physical characteristics of a display; and a depth controlling unit which controls the depth depending on the calculated physical distance. It is possible to adaptively control the disparity to control the depth when a user uses a stereoscopic three-dimensional display having a different screen size than a display used in a manufacturing environment.
US08290242B2

A defect inspection method includes: acquiring an image of an inspection pattern obtained by an imaging device, detecting an edge of the inspection pattern in the image, dividing the image into an inspection region and a non-inspection region, using the detected edge as a boundary thereof, performing image processing only on the inspection region to determine the intensity value distribution in the image, and detecting a defect in the inspection pattern based on the obtained intensity value distribution.
US08290233B2

According to one embodiment, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus includes an X-ray generating unit and an area detector. The reconstruction processing unit reconstructs first and second volume data including an overlap region. The extraction unit extracts first and second slice images from the first and the second volume data respectively. The calculation unit calculates the difference value between a sum of pixel values in the first slice images and the sum of pixel values in the second slice images. The determination unit determines whether the difference value falls within a predetermined range. The combining unit combines the first and second volume data and sets a pixel value in the overlap region to a pixel value of the first volume data, a pixel value of the second volume data, or a value derived from pixel values of the first and second volume data.
US08290228B2

Apparatus and methods are provided, including displaying an image of one or more lumens of a subject. A processor includes lumen-identification functionality configured to automatically identify one or more lumens in the image. Envelope-designation functionality of the processor designates as lumen envelopes, portions of the image in vicinities of respective lumens. In response to the user designating a location inside a lumen envelope of a given lumen, via an input device, the location corresponding to a given longitudinal location within the given lumen, feature-generation functionality of the processor generates a feature on the image that corresponds to the given longitudinal location. An output is displayed in response to the generated feature. Other embodiments are also described.
US08290195B2

A loudspeaker having an omnidirectional radiation pattern at high frequencies. The loudspeaker includes an acoustic device that includes an acoustic enclosure; an acoustic driver, mounted in the acoustic enclosure; and a sheet of compliant material with a aperture therethrough, mounted in the enclosure, between the acoustic driver and the environment.
US08290193B2

A headphone having reduced tendency to tangle comprises an input portion for receiving electrical signals from an output device, an output portion for providing audio signals to a user in response to the electrical signals, a plurality of wires coupled to the input portion and the output portion for providing the electrical signals to the output portion, and a restraint mechanism coupled to the plurality of wires and cable of being repositioned along the plurality of wire, wherein the restraint mechanism is for physically receiving insertion of at least a portion of the input portion and for physically restraining movement of the portion of input portion with respect to output portion when the portion of the input portion is physically inserted into the restraint mechanism, wherein a temporary and removable closed loop of wire is formed from the plurality of wires, until a sufficient separation force is applied.
US08290186B2

A method to control a portable audio device in a power-saving mode using a wireless headset includes transmitting a host wake-up signal (HOST_WAKEUP) according to a signal requesting reproduction of music transmitted from the wireless headset, transmitting a control signal corresponding to the host wake-up signal, and controlling the portable audio device according to the control signal to switch the portable audio device out of the power-saving mode and to supply power to at least one component in the portable audio device used to reproduce music.
US08290180B2

A signal processing device includes a bass signal extractor, a harmonic wave generator, a level detector, and an adjustment controller. The bass signal extractor first extracts a bass signal from an input audio signal. Natural-sounding bass enhancement is achieved as a result of the adjustment controller boosting the bass signal level until the level detector detects the bass signal level at a set level. For input bass signal levels higher than the set level, bass is enhanced virtually using a harmonic signal generated from the bass signal by the harmonic wave generator. As a result, the disadvantages of the boost method and the virtual signal enhancement method are mutually compensated for, and synergistic advantages for bass enhancement are obtained.
US08290178B2

There is provided a sound source characteristic determining device (10) capable of being applied in an environmental where the type of a sound source is unknown. The device includes a plurality of beamformers (21-1 to 21-M) used when a sound source signal generated from a sound source at an arbitrary position in a space is inputted to a plurality of microphones (14-1 to 14-N), for weighting the acoustic signal detected by each of the microphones by using a function for correcting the difference of the sound source signals generated between the microphones and outputting a totaled signal. Each of the beamformers (21-1 to 21-M) contains a function having a unit directivity characteristic corresponding to one arbitrary direction in the space and is arranged for each of the directions corresponding to an arbitrary position in the space and the unit directivity characteristic. The sound source characteristic determining device (10) further includes means (23) for estimating the position and the direction in the space corresponding to the beamformer outputting a maximum value as the position and the direction of the sound source when the microphone (14) detects a sound source signal.
US08290174B1

A wireless device and method may comprise a receiver and method for receiving wireless transmissions including locating data, authorization data and program data, and for determining its location from the locating data and a stored representation of a venue. Authorization data and locating data are used to authorize reproduction and/or controlling of received program data. The device and method may determine a delay time to its location for delaying the received program data to be substantially in time alignment with natural sound, and to be so reproduced and/or recorded. Optionally, a binaural microphone may pick up ambient sound which is mixed or combined with the delayed program data for producing a combined stereo audio signal.
US08290173B2

A wireless audio distribution system may include a wireless transmitter, responsive to a plurality of audio input channels, for transmitting an encoded digital bitstream serially combining each of the audio input channels with control data a receiver responsive to the transmitted encoded digital bitstream for decoding a preselected one of the plurality of the audio input channels from the digital bitstream for reproduction and at least one speaker for reproducing the preselected audio input channel in accordance with the control data. A wireless speaker system may include a receiver, responsive to a wirelessly transmitted, encoded digital bitstream serially combining each of a plurality of the audio input channels with control data disbursed therein, for decoding a preselected one of said audio input channels and a speaker system responsive to the receiver for reproducing the decoded, preselected audio input channel.
US08290171B1

In an example embodiment a headset includes a phone jack, a speaker connected to the phone jack, a microphone coupled to the phone jack and a resistive switch string coupled to the phone jack to the same ring of the phone jack as the microphone. In another example an integrated circuit device includes a charge pump, a multi-voltage LDO having an input which is capable of being coupled to an output of the charge pump, an ADC; and a pull-up resistor coupled between an output of the LDO and an input of the ADC. In another example embodiment, a method for headset signal multiplexing includes providing a headset with a plurality of signal sources and voltage division multiplexing the plurality of signal sources on a common wire.
US08290163B2

An approach is provided that allows an administrator to set a new password at a wireless access point, such as a traditional WAP or a wireless router. The wireless access point creates a message that includes the new password. The message is encrypted using the old password that was previously set for the wireless network. The encrypted message is wirelessly transmitted from the wireless access point to the active client devices (those clients currently accessing the wireless network). The clients decrypt the message using the old password that was previously provided to the clients. The clients retrieve the new password from the message. The clients construct a new message that is encrypted using the new password. The new message is wirelessly transmitted from the clients to the wireless access device and serves as an acknowledgement.
US08290157B2

A system and method for identifying the player that leaked content encryption keys by loading a set of player keys into individual content players and determining the number of encryptions and the number of encryption keys to use in multiple encrypting critical content. The method produces copies of critical data content packets, each copy of which is separately encrypted using any one of a set of encryption keys that are related to one another through a mathematical algorithm. The related set of encryption keys and data describing key relationship and content player identity are transmitted to a previously determined license management agency. The transmitted encrypted content is written to a receiving device or file, or streamed to an individual player for non-synchronous playback. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08290149B2

Obscuring cryptographic computations may be accomplished by performing modular exponentiation of an exponent in a cryptographic computation such that memory accesses are independent of the exponent bit pattern, thereby deterring timing attacks.
US08290144B1

A communications device including power collection unit and a communications unit. The power collection unit may be configured to collect a portion of power being delivered to the communications unit to enable communications. The power collection unit may be separable from the communications unit. The power collection unit may include a battery. Additionally, the power collection unit may include a light source, such as one or more LEDs, and be configured in a flashlight configuration.
US08290139B2

In one embodiment, a method includes connecting on a call with a caller and determining if social network information associated with the caller is available. If it is determined that social network information associated with the caller is available, the social network information is obtained and utilized to identify at least a first agent suitable for participating on the call with the caller. The first agent is associated with a call center. The method also includes providing the caller with information that identifies the first agent as being suitable for participating on the call with the caller.
US08290134B2

A method of and system for managing a conference call among participants and a moderator provides a control mode in which only one participant can speak at time. All participants other than the speaker are muted. The system maintains a talk queue. When a participant requests to speak, the system places the participant in the talk queue. The system may announce to the moderator that the participant has registered to speak. The system may also announce to the moderator the participant's position in the talk queue. When a speaking participant relinquishes, or is preempted from, the speaking position, the system mutes the speaking participant. The system informs the participant at the top of the talk queue that it is his or her turn to speak and unmutes that participant, whereby that participant becomes the new speaking participant. The system removes the new speaking participant from the talk queue. The system may announce their respective positions to the other participants in the talk queue. The system may include priority codes. If a participant enters a priority code when he or she requests to speak, the system places the participant at the top of the talk queue. If the participant does not enter a priority code, the system places the participant at the bottom of the talk queue.
US08290127B2

A system and method are disclosed for broadcasting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) messages. A method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include receiving an indication that a message should be delivered to a plurality of recipients. In response, contact information for the plurality of recipients may be identified, and an outbound packetized call to each of the recipients may be launched. In practice, the packetized call may be in a VoIP form or some other appropriate packetized form. If a call is answered, the call may be connected to a multicast server capable of playing the to-be-delivered message.
US08290126B2

A system and method for receiving information for voicemail. A call is received from a caller. A voicemail message from the caller is recorded. A caller identifier is received from the caller in response to recording the voicemail message. The caller identifier is associated with one or more profiles. The voicemail message is filed utilizing the associated profile in response to receiving the caller identifier.
US08290125B2

A system, method and program product for providing voice response unit (VRU) shortcuts. A system is provided that includes: a user interface for allowing a user to input a targeted VRU, a goal, and call-specific information; a data mapping system for mapping the call specific information and user information pre-stored in a database to a VRU map associated with VRU; a VRU interface system for initiating a call with the targeted VRU and navigating the targeted VRU to an option associated with the goal; and a system for telephonically connecting the user with the targeted VRU when the option associated with the goal is reached.
US08290115B2

A driver comprises odd-numbered stages configured to be driven by first and second clock signals and even-numbered stages configured to be driven by the second and third clock signals. Each stage is coupled to a corresponding emission control line, and includes a first driver, a second driver, and a third driver. In a first stage, the first and second drivers receive first and second start pulses and output first and second output signals, respectively. In each stage except the first stage, the first and second driver receives first and second output signals of a previous stage and outputs first and second output signals of each stage, respectively. In each stage, a third driver receives the first and second output signals of each stage and outputs an emission control signal to be transmitted to an emission control line coupled to each stage.
US08290113B2

Various apparatuses, methods and systems for frequency dividing a clock signal are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus including a plurality of multiplexers connected in series with the clock signal, each having a plurality of inputs of different phase delays. The apparatus also includes a delta sigma modulator connected to control inputs on the plurality of multiplexers. The delta sigma modulator is adapted to repeatedly select different ones of the pluralities of inputs of different phase delays in the plurality of multiplexers to change a divide ratio between the clock signal and an output of the plurality of multiplexers. The apparatus also includes a multiplexer usage accumulator connected to the delta sigma modulator to track usage of the plurality of multiplexers. The apparatus also includes a scrambler circuit connected between the delta sigma modulator and the control inputs on the plurality of multiplexers, adapted to control settings in the plurality of multiplexers based at least in part on the multiplexer usage accumulator.
US08290111B1

The invention provides at least two electrochemical sensors positioned in a nuclear reactor or in a system adjacent to the nuclear reactor, wherein at least one of the at least two electrochemical sensors has a heated zirconium electrode, and the at least two electrochemical sensors produce voltages proportional to an electrochemical corrosion potential for a surface that each of the at least two electrochemical sensors are installed upon. The invention also provides an arrangement configured to accept the voltages produced by the at least two electrochemical sensors, wherein the arrangement is configured to determine an electrochemical corrosion potential of a zirconium fuel rod in the nuclear reactor based upon the voltages of the at least two electrochemical sensors.
US08290107B2

A clock data recovery circuit that supplies stable reference clocks to the object respectively by shortening the time of bit synchronization with each received burst data signal regardless of jittering components included in the received burst data signal, includes an interpolator that generates a reference clock having the same frequency as that of a received burst data signal and two types of determination clocks having a phase that is different from that of the reference clock respectively; and a phase adjustment control circuit that can change the phase of the reference clock in units of M/2π. After beginning receiving of a burst data signal, the clock data recovery circuit sets a large phase change value at the first phase adjustment timing and reduces the change value in the second and subsequent phase adjustment timings, thereby realizing quick bit synchronization with the received burst data signal to generate a reference clock.
US08290105B2

A signal reception device is disclosed that is capable of detecting symbol synchronization timing with high precision in accordance with a condition of a propagation path even in an environment involving multi-path interference. The signal reception device adopts an OFCDM transmission scheme or a multi-carrier transmission scheme. The signal reception device includes a received signal information calculation unit to calculate received signal information representing a signal reception condition of a received signal; an output combination unit to combine correlation values in a predetermined section obtained by correlation detection based on the received signal information; and a symbol timing detection unit to detect a symbol synchronization timing based on the combined value.
US08290100B2

Techniques for detecting and mitigating interference are described. A device (e.g., a cellular phone) senses interference levels and digitally reconstructs the expected interference in the received signal. The device may correlate the reconstructed interference with the received signal and determine interference in the received signal based on correlation results. The device may adjust the operation of one or more circuit blocks (e.g., a mixer, an LNA, etc.) in a receiver based on the detected interference in the received signal. Alternatively or additionally, the device may condition the digital interference to obtain conditioned reconstructed interference matching the interference in the received signal and may then subtract the conditioned interference from the received signal.
US08290096B2

Method and apparatus for decoding code words received over a communication channel are disclosed. A radius-adaptive sphere decoding methodology reduces the number of operations in sphere-constrained search. Imposing probabilistic noise constraint on top of sphere constraint, particularly at an early stage, provides a more stringent necessary condition. Hence, many branches that are unlikely to be selected are removed in the early stage of sphere search. The trade-off between computational complexity and performance can be controlled by adjusting the pruning probability.
US08290091B2

Teachings presented herein offer a technique for using a demodulator to improve a demodulation process. For example, a demodulation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a multi-stage demodulator and may include: a demodulator configured to receive a baseband signal and configured to produce modem bit likelihood values based on the received baseband signal; a decoder configured to receive and process the modem bit likelihood values to produce improved modem bit likelihood values; a candidate value generator configured to produce, based on the improved modem bit likelihood values, candidate symbol values for a group of one or more symbols; and a detector configured to receive the baseband signal and the candidate symbol values and configured to produce one of (a) final modem bit estimates and (b) candidate symbol values for a group of symbols.
US08290078B2

A method of encoding a stream of data elements is provided which involves splitting the stream of data elements into a first stream and a second stream; encoding the first stream to produce a first encoded stream; performing a constellation mapping using a combination of the first encoded stream and a third stream which is based on the second stream. This may involve defining a signal constellation; defining a plurality of co-sets within the constellation such that a minimum distance between constellation points within each co-set is larger than a minimum distance between any constellation points within the signal constellation; performing said constellation mapping by using the first encoded stream to identify a sequence of co-sets of said plurality of co-sets, and by using the third stream to identify a sequence of constellation points within respective co-sets of the sequence of co-sets identified by said first encoded stream.
US08290077B1

A method for communication includes defining a signal constellation including multiple constellation points in a signal space, such that each constellation point corresponds to a signal representing a respective combination of values of at least three bits, wherein three or more subsets of the bits in each of the constellation points are respectively allocated to three or more data streams. A sequence of signals is received, each signal selected from the signal constellation. The received sequence of the signals is demodulated, and one of the three or more data streams is reconstructed based on the demodulated signals.
US08290076B2

A receiver for receiving a signal including a series of symbols, the signal being performed Time Window processing at portions including a boundary of adjacent symbols by a transmitter so as to eliminate a discontinuity between the symbols, the receiver includes: a receiving unit that receives the signal; and a processor extracts the series of symbols and performing an inverse processing of the Time Window processing at the portions performed the Time Window processing by the transmitter.
US08290063B2

In distributing moving image data, it is an object to make it possible to start reproduction, not only from the head of the moving image data, but also from any desired position and to minimize an increase in the amount of the processing. A moving image data conversion device (1) comprises moving image data receiving means (2) for receiving moving image data (6), decoder configuration information saving means (3) for retrieving and holding decoder configuration information included in the moving image data (6) to define a condition for decoding the moving image data (6), decoder configuration information inserting means (4) for inserting the decoder configuration information into a plurality of predetermined positions in the moving image data (6) to generate moving image data, and moving image data output means (5) for outputting the generated moving image data as moving image data (8).
US08290060B2

8VSB digital television signals employing serially concatenated convolutional coding (SCCC) are transmitted twice in an SCCC staggercasting procedure. In the receiver for such signal “soft” decisions concerning the initial and final transmissions are compared as a basis for synthesizing a set of “soft” decisions for implementing turbo decoding procedures.In a “punctured” variant of the SCCC staggercasting procedure, SCCC using one type of outer convolutional coding is transmitted at a relatively early time and after a prescribed interval SCCC using another type of outer convolutional coding of the same data is transmitted at a relatively late time. In the receiver for such signal “soft” decisions concerning data bits the initial and final transmissions are compared as a basis for synthesizing a set of “soft” decisions for implementing turbo decoding procedures.
US08290057B2

A method for decoding a digital video sequence includes decoding a first picture in the sequence; reducing a data size of the decoded first picture by vector quantizing at least one component of the first picture, the quantized component selected from the luminance and chrominance components of the first picture; storing a reduced data size representation of the decoded first picture to a memory; reading a region of interest of the reduced data size representation of the decoded first picture; and decoding a region of interest of a second picture in the sequence according to the region of interest of the reduced data size representation of the decoded first picture.
US08290052B2

A video decoder, encoder, and corresponding methods for processing video data for an image block and a particular reference picture index to predict the image block are disclosed that utilize adaptive weighting of reference pictures to enhance video compression, where a decoder includes a reference picture weighting factor unit for determining a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; an encoder includes a reference picture weighting factor assignor for assigning a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; and a method for decoding includes receiving a reference picture index with the data that corresponds to the image block, determining a weighting factor for each received reference picture index, retrieving a reference picture for each index, motion compensating the retrieved reference picture, and multiplying the motion compensated reference picture by the corresponding weighting factor to form a weighted motion compensated reference picture.
US08290046B2

A motion vector coding unit executes processing including a neighboring block specification step of specifying a neighboring block which is located in the neighborhood of a current block; a judgment step of judging whether or not the neighboring block has been coded using a motion vector of another block; a prediction step of deriving a predictive motion vector of the current block using a motion vector calculated from the motion vector of the other block as a motion vector of the neighboring block; and a coding step of coding the motion vector of the current block using the predictive motion vector.
US08290045B2

A motion compensation module can be used in a video encoder for encoding a video input signal that includes a sequence of images that are segmented into a plurality of macroblocks. The motion compensation module includes a motion search module, that generates a motion search motion vector for a plurality of subblocks for a plurality of partitionings of a macroblock of a plurality of macroblocks. A motion refinement module generates a refined motion vector for the plurality of subblocks for the plurality of partitionings of the macroblock of the plurality of macroblocks, based on the motion search motion vector for each of the plurality of subblocks of the macroblock of the plurality of macroblocks. The motion search module and the motion refinement module can operate in a plurality of selected modes including a first mode corresponding to a first compression standard, a second mode corresponding to a second compression standard and a third mode corresponding to a third compression standard, and wherein the plurality of partitionings are based on the selected mode.
US08290042B2

A method of compressing data representing a sequence of images in dependence upon data defining at least one region of particular interest within at least one image in the sequence includes causing data representing an image region that is not of particular interest to be more highly compressed than data representing an image regions that is of particular interest.
US08290029B2

A super-regenerative transceiver that has an antenna interface for an antenna is self-tuned with a self-tuning unit configured. The self-tuning unit makes the transceiver to repeatedly perform a self-tuning cycle until the amplitude meets a predetermined detection condition or a predetermined criterion is met. The self-tuning cycle involves the following: transmitting to the antenna a probe signal with one or more pulses; receiving from the antenna a ringing detection signal; determining if the ringing detection signal reflects tails of the probe signal with amplitude meeting a predetermined detection condition; and adjusting of the tuning of the super-regenerative transceiver if the amplitude does not meet the predetermined detection condition.
US08290028B2

Disclosed is a SERDES circuit including a clock and data recovery circuit that allows operational margin in temporal and voltage directions to be measured, using a phase offset signal and a threshold voltage control signal, a pre-emphasis driver circuit and an equalizer circuit in order to reduce ISI on a transmission line, and an optimization control circuit for controlling the overall circuit. The optimization control circuit controls an equalizer control signal that is for adjusting characteristics of the equalizer circuit and a driver control signal that is for adjusting characteristics of the pre-emphasis driver circuit and sets the equalizer control signal and driver control signal so that the operational margin of the clock and data recovery circuit is maximized.
US08290022B2

The present invention relates to a transmission method for a transmitter having Nt transmit antennas. The method (1) spreads symbols in two dimensions by means of a spreading code, the symbols coming from a signal for transmission over Nfft sub-carriers via the Nt transmit antennas. The signal is transmitted with a power pem(k) that is determined per symbol m, per user k=1, . . . , Nu, and per transmit antenna. The principle of the method (1) is to determine (2) a set of powers pem(k) that is constant over a symbol frame, with the distribution of power amongst the users minimizing an overall error criterion under the constraint that the sum of the powers pem(k) in the set is equal to the product of the number of users multiplied by the average power emitted per symbol over the users.
US08290019B2

A technique is provided that can avoid radio zone interference in a radio controlled model apparatus which employs a frequency hopping system in the spread spectrum radio techniques. In a controller for maneuvering, for example, model airplanes, a process for detecting whether or not a radio zone is in an occupied state is initiated, with an initial radio zone represented by information stored in a nonvolatile memory acting as a starting point. Until an unoccupied radio zone is detected, the process of detecting the occupation of radio zones continues according to a predetermined sequence. Thus, an available radio zone can be detected. Moreover, information representing an initial radio zone, stored in a nonvolatile memory, is updated immediately after power-on of the controller.
US08290018B2

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting data Di in a telecommunication system SYST including a first transceiver TXi and a second transceiver RX linked together by means of a communication channel Chi, one of which transceivers being mobile, which method includes: a spreading step for spreading said data Di over a plurality of components Ctj (for j=1 to M), and an equalization step during which each component Ctj (for j=1 to M) is multiplied by an equalization value Wi(j)* representative of communication conditions within the communication channel Chi. According to the invention, the equalization values Wi(j)* are also representative of a Doppler effect generated by movement of the mobile transceiver.The invention enables to significantly compensate for alterations caused to the communication channel Chi by movement of the mobile transceiver.
US08290011B2

A gain medium and an interband cascade laser, having the gain medium are presented. The gain medium can have one or both of the following features: (1) the thicknesses of the one or more hole quantum wells in the hole injector region are reduced commensurate with the thickness of the active hole quantum well in the active quantum well region, so as to place the valence band maximum in the hole injector region at least about 100 meV lower than the valence band maximum in the active hole quantum well; and (2) the thickness of the last well of the electron injector region is between 85 and 110% of the thickness of the first active electron quantum well in the active gain region of the next stage of the medium. A laser incorporating a gain medium in accordance with the present invention can emit in the mid-IR range from about 2.5 to 8 μm at high temperatures with room-temperature continuous wave operation to wavelengths of at least 4.6 μm, threshold current density of about 400 A/cm2 and threshold power density of about 900 W/cm2.
US08290005B2

An ultrashort pulse/ultra-high power laser diode with a simple structure and configuration is provided. In a method of driving a laser diode, the laser diode is driven by a pulse current which is 10 or more times higher than a threshold current value. The width of the pulse current is preferably 10 nanoseconds or less, and the value of the pulse current is specifically 0.4 amperes or over.
US08290002B2

A coarse timing synchronization acquisition method in a mobile communication system is applied to the timing synchronization acquisition of a mobile communication system that transmits the same signal blocks repeatedly, which comprises: starting from the beginning time instant of timing synchronization acquisition, iteratively calculating the delay correlation accumulation (DCA) values at K samples, when K is the number of DCA values at each time slot; M time slots are searched in each frame, the position corresponding to the maximum DCA value is taken as the estimate of timing synchronization position; M timing synchronization position estimates are obtained, and among these, one timing synchronization position estimate is selected as the candidate for the current frame timing synchronization position, and it is decided whether the candidate is reliable; after L frames are searched, a predicted timing synchronization position of the next frame is obtained by using the L timing synchronization positions.
US08289997B2

A system and method for bandwidth sharing in a distributed wireless client application using inverse multiplexing termination. The system includes: a group of collocated client playback devices having wide area network (WAN) and local area network (LAN) connectivity, and a centralized inverse multiplexing (IMUX) server which optimizes shared bandwidth of both the WAN via inverse multiplexing and the LAN using either broadcast or multicast of all virtual multiplexing paths to all other client playback devices of the group of collocated client playback devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08289979B2

A method, system and program for routing a data stream amongst a plurality of network nodes including at least a plurality of end-user nodes. The method comprises: establishing a plurality of routes for the stream to a plurality of consuming end-user nodes, including at least one route via one or more relaying nodes; at each of a plurality of optimizing nodes, executing an optimization algorithm to determine a respective routing modification by evaluating a routing criterion with respect to a collection of end-user nodes which share information with the respective optimizing node and determining a change in the routing criterion that would result from one or more potential routing modifications. The different optimizing nodes' collections of end-user nodes are at least partially coincident such that each optimizing node can determine a different routing modification with respect to at least some of the same end-user nodes.
US08289970B2

Described are embodiments directed to negotiating an encapsulation mode between an initiator and a responder. As part of the negotiation of the security association, an encapsulation mode is negotiated that allows packets to be sent between the initiator and responder without encapsulation. The ability to send packets without encapsulation allows intermediaries, such as a firewall, at the responder to easily inspect the packets and implement additional features such as security filtering.
US08289966B1

Packet ingress/egress block and logic and system and method for receiving, transmitting, and managing packetized data. System including a line port; a computing resource output port; a host interface; a memory, and a block that: receives information on the line port, creates a context including information for managing computation derived from the received information, and sends context out on computing resource output port. Device comprising first circuit component including line port that receives information, second circuit component that generates context information including an information for managing computation derived from the received unit of information; and third circuit component that communicates the generated context out to a computing resource output port. Method comprising receiving information, generating context information including an information for managing computation derived from the received unit of information; and communicating the generated context information out to an external receiver via a computing resource output port.
US08289958B1

A clearinghouse is used to determine caller location for VoIP calls. The clearinghouse maintains (i) a first correlation between a first IP address and a first ISP and (ii) a second correlation between a second IP address and a second ISP. The clearinghouse receives the first IP address from a VoIP service provider (VSP). The first IP address is a source address of a request from a VoIP telephone to set up a call, received by the VSP from the first ISP. The clearinghouse references the first correlation and queries the first ISP with the first IP address. The clearinghouse then receives from the first ISP a location associated with the first IP address. The clearinghouse transmits this location to an entity such as the VSP or, for a 911 call, perhaps a PSAP. The clearinghouse may select the PSAP based at least in part on the location.
US08289957B2

An internet packet comprises a header field, the header field including a field identifying a source address of the internet packet, a field identifying the destination address of the internet packet and a next header field identifying whether an extension header follows the header and a type of the extension header. The extension header indicates a hop-by-hop option header, the hop-by-hop extension header including a router alert option header type indicating that the extension field is optional for a router to read, and a field providing information for a gateway support node of a packet radio system network. A gateway support node is thereby provided with information, which may be required for example to support a mobile internet protocol (IP). However, by providing the router alert option field, a router is not required to read the remainder of the hop-by-hop option field. As a result, a reduction in the performance of the router in routing internet packets, which may have been incurred if the router was required to read all the hop-by-hop extension field can be limited.
US08289953B2

A system and method for providing location information to a public safety answering point from a softphone may include receiving, at a network access point, an emergency 911 call from the softphone. The emergency 911 call may be communicated to a public safety answering point. In response to a call connection message being received, an address location of the network access point to which the softphone is in communication in placing the emergency 911 call to the public safety answering point may be communicated in a type II caller ID data packet. The softphone may generate the type II caller ID data packet with the address location in a data field, such as a data field typically used for name information of a caller.
US08289951B2

Methods and devices are disclosed which provide for a communications gateway to be operatively coupled to a messaging system. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, communications are established via the gateway responsive at least to messaging communications involving the communications gateway.
US08289949B2

A method of transmitting a data stream to end-user nodes of a network, and a corresponding communication system, program, and distribution system for distributing the program. The method comprises: for each of a plurality of possible combinations of routes of the stream to a plurality of consuming end-user nodes, evaluating a utility function for each of the consuming end-user nodes, the utility function being dependent on route and defining a quantitative measure of end-user benefit that would be experienced at the respective end-user node by consumption of the stream; for each of the plurality of possible combinations of routes, determining an overall utility value based on the respective evaluation of the utility functions of each of the plurality of consuming end-user nodes; and selecting a preferred combination of routes for the stream based on the overall utility values of the different possible combinations.
US08289947B2

A method is proposed for synchronizing a data stream transmitted on a communications network, the data stream being transmitted from an emitter device to a receiver device in the form of data packets of predefined size, a data packet being filled up with a padding synchronization symbol if an amount of applications data to be transmitted in the data packet is below the predefined size of the data packet. The receiver device performs the following steps: obtaining an indication of a recurrence of filling of the data packets with padding synchronization symbols; upon detection, at a position in the data stream, of a data loss symbol representative of a lost data in a given data packet, predicting whether the lost data corresponds to an applications data or a padding synchronization symbol, as a function of a position of the given data packets in the recurrence; and marking that the data stream contains, at the data loss symbol position, an erroneous applications data, if the result of the predicting step is that the lost data corresponds to an applications data; or replacing the data loss symbol by a padding synchronization symbol, if the result of the predicting step is that the lost data corresponds to a padding synchronization symbol.
US08289946B2

Techniques for generating reference signals in a wireless communication system are described. A set of Q reference signal sequences may be generated based on G pseudo-random sequences and L scrambling sequences, where Q=G·L, G>1 and L>1. The Q reference signal sequences may be used for Q cell identities (IDs), one reference signal sequence for each cell ID. In one design, a Node B may determine first and second indices based on a cell ID of a cell. The Node B may generate a pseudo-random sequence based on the first index, generate a scrambling sequence based on the second index, and generate a reference signal sequence based on the pseudo-random sequence and the scrambling sequence. The Node B may then generate a reference signal for the cell based on the reference signal sequence, e.g., by generating an OFDM symbol with the reference signal sequence mapped to a set of subcarriers.
US08289942B2

The invention relates to a method of communication in a wireless communication system comprising a first station and at least a second station wherein each of the station for at least a part of the time controls the communication within the system. The first station encodes and transmits messages having a first format in a first mode using at least one communication channel or having a second format in a second mode using one communication channel. The first and second formats have a common part. The second station receives and decodes at least the common part of messages transmitted either the first mode or the second mode. The common part comprises information on one or more upcoming transmissions of the first station.
US08289940B2

A system and method for wireless communication over multi-rate channels are disclosed. One embodiment of the system includes source and destination devices that use first and second channels under a contention-based protocol. The first channel is directional with a first frequency and a first range. The second channel is omni-directional with a second frequency and a second range. The second frequency is lower than the first frequency, and the second range is greater than the first range. The source device may send the destination device a request for data transmission via the first channel over the second channel. The destination device may send the source device an approval for the data transmission over the second channel. The source device may further transmit an acknowledgment (ACK) of the approval over the second channel upon receiving the approval to prevent other devices in the system from contending for data transmission.
US08289933B2

A method is described for transmitting information in a communication channel of a wireless communication system in which the communication channel is divided into a plurality of time slots of equal duration and each of the time slots is further sub-divided into multiple sub-slots or resource units. In one illustrative embodiment, the communication channel is divided into time slots according to a time division multiple access scheme. Each time slot is then further code-multiplexed into one or more sub-slots according to a code division multiple access scheme. Each of the sub-slots is therefore capable of carrying a separately coded transmission within the communication channel so that multiple simultaneous transmissions can occur in any given time slot.
US08289916B2

A wireless communication device (and its related method of operation) includes, if invoked, password protected access to data stored therewithin and/or to normal device operations and further includes duress password checking logic that automatically causes a duress message to be sent if a duress password has been entered. The duress message is preferably sent without maintaining any user accessible indication of such sending. It is also preferred that the password checking logic automatically cause an end-of-duress message to be sent if a normal password is entered after a duress password has been entered. A plurality of different duress passwords may be entered into a duress password portion of data memory in the device.
US08289908B2

A method and apparatus for processing simultaneous assignment, the method comprising receiving multiple Forward Link Assignment Blocks (FLABs), determining if ChIDs are set to ChIDDEASSIGN for one of the FLABs and discarding all FLABs except the FLABs having a ChIDs set to ChIDDEASSIGN if one of the received FLABs has a ChIDs set to ChIDDEASSIGN.
US08289906B2

An interrogating state machine for use in a wireless network comprising a plurality of wireless communication devices is provided that includes a server status store and a server assigner. The server status store is operable to store server status information for each of a plurality of servers. The server assigner is operable to collect server status information from the servers, to store the server status information in the server status store, and to assign one of the servers to host one of the wireless communication devices.
US08289896B2

In a mobile communication system which includes a base station controller (20), a plurality of radio base stations (30-1, 30-2) connected to the base station controller, and a mobile station (40) simultaneously communicable with the plurality of radio base stations, the base station controller transfers a packet through the plurality of radio base stations to the mobile station. The mobile station receives the packet as a plurality of reception packets as a plurality of reception packets through the plurality of radio base stations. The mobile station includes a processor (46) and a controller (45). The controller selects, among the plurality of reception packets supplied from the plurality of radio base stations, a best-quality packet as a selected packet. The controller sends, if the selected packet includes an error portion, a retransmission request to one of the plurality of base stations in order to request retransmission of a correct portion corresponding to the error portion. The above-mentioned one of the plurality of base stations is a sender of the selected packet. Subsequently, the controller makes the processor execute a data processing operation for the selected packet if the selected packet includes no error portion.
US08289891B2

A base station capable of wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber stations within a coverage area of a network, where the base station is capable of transmitting, to a subscriber station, a traffic indication message with an indicator value, wherein the indicator value is used by both the base station and the subscriber station to dynamically adjust the length of the next discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle in an absence of an explicit signaling message from the base station.
US08289890B2

A communication apparatus capable of being connected to another communication apparatus generates temporary connection information used in making a wireless connection. The apparatus presents this temporary connection information and makes a wireless connection to another communication apparatus based upon this temporary connection information.
US08289888B2

Inventions relate to a field of radio communications and may be used for a creation of systems for cellular communications. The achieved technical result —an extension of a coverage area of a communication network. A system for cellular communication comprises a switch subsystem, a base station subsystem which are interconnected with a controller of base stations, mobile stations, K groups of line repeaters, a retransmission unit of radio channels. The base station comprises an antenna-feeder module of operating frequencies, a module of digital transceivers of operating frequencies, a digital unit of distribution and switching of messages, the retransmission unit of radio channels. The line repeater comprises an antenna module of incoming radio channels of retransmission, a module of line transceivers of retransmission, a module of line converters of radio channels of retransmission to a band of operating frequencies, a module of line transceivers of operating frequencies and an output antenna module of operating frequencies.
US08289887B2

A late call forwarding method in the IMS centralized service. During a call setting up, an ICCF receives a call request from the CSCF serving the called user, called session A, and the ICCF acquires a called user's roaming number and initiates a call to the called user. After receiving the call request, the VMSC serving the called user triggers the late call forwarding service according its determination. A CAMEL service is triggered when the VMSC initiates a call to the forwarding target. The VMSC exchanges messages with the ICCF and informs the ICCE about session associated information and the forwarding reason. When the ICCF determines that the forwarding is needed, it sends a response to the session A does not send the response message, after a telecom application server (TAS) receives the indication, the TAS initiates a regular forwarding service.
US08289885B2

Communication networks and associated methods are disclosed that provide third party charging for SIP sessions. A communication network of the invention comprises a session control function (e.g., an IMS CSCF), a network node (e.g., an IMS application server), and a charging system. The session control function serves a SIP session initiated between a first and second party. The network node identifies a third party to charge for the session. The network node includes a third party identifier for the third party in a SIP message for the session, and transmits the SIP message to the session control function. The session control function generates a charging message, maps the third party identifier to the charging message, and transmits the charging message that includes the third party identifier to the charging system. The charging system then initiates charging of the session to the third party based on the third party identifier.
US08289881B2

An overlay network of connection ID (called CID) processing nodes, called C-nodes, is deployed to solve joint IP mobility, NAT traversal, and path identity problems, in a unified framework. The CIDs can either be globally unique or unique at local C-nodes. CIDs can be modified along a path, and each connection is enabled to send packets in multiple paths via multiple IP networks. It is also possible to direct a path to traverse through a particular node. Double-sided/single-sided mobility, with double-sided/single-sided NAT traversal problems are solved using C-nodes deployed as terminal software, gateways, or relays.
US08289868B2

A network device measures upstream bandwidth of a communication network. The communication network includes a server and a plurality of communication nodes. The network device transmits a sequence of Internet control message protocol (ICMP) request datagrams corresponding to a sequence of time to live (TTL) increased from a first value to a second value to the server via the communication nodes. The network device designates the communication node that transmits an overtime datagram first as the best communication node, transmits a plurality of ICMP detection datagrams to the best communication node, receives response datagrams and records receiving time thereof, and calculates the upstream bandwidth according to size of the plurality of ICMP detection datagrams and the recorded receiving time of the response datagrams.
US08289866B2

A method for wireless communications is provided. The method includes generating at least one adjustable power parameter for an acquisition indicator channel (AICH) and generating at least one adjustable power parameter for an extended acquisition indicator channel (E-AICH). The method also includes generating at least one power offset representing differences between the AICH and the E-AICH.
US08289856B2

Methods and systems are described that improve the alarming logic for Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) flapping events. Embodiments provide an alarm threshold on BGP flapping conditions and alert on BGP related events. A reduction in silent failures and network outage minutes is achieved.
US08289854B1

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for analyzing a protocol utilizing a state machine, based on a token determined utilizing another state machine. In use, a state of a protocol used within a data stream is identified. Additionally, at least one taken capable of initiating a change in the state of the protocol used within the data stream is determined utilizing a first state machine. Furthermore, the protocol is analyzed based on the at least one token, utilizing a second state machine.
US08289847B2

A method of transmitting voice frames, via a transmission channel reserved for voice data, by a transmitting terminal generating voice frames using a voice signal is proposed. Such a method includes steps of: obtaining non-voice data; selecting voice data from the voice frame according to configuration data obtained beforehand relative to the transmission of non-voice data on the reserved channel; constructing of a degraded voice frame by replacing selected voice data with non-voice data; transmitting the degraded voice frame via the reserved channel to a receiving terminal. On the receiving terminal side, a method of managing voice frames coming from the transmitting terminal is proposed including the steps of: detecting a non-voice data header included in the voice frame; extracting, from the voice frame, of non-voice data, according to configuration data read in the header; transmitting of extracted non-voice data to a processor of non-voice data.
US08289839B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a physical port and a plurality of logical sub-interfaces under the physical port. The physical port and the logical sub-interfaces are configured as a Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) neighbor group. The physical port being configured to run BFD sessions to detect failures at a first rate that is substantially faster as compared to a second rate of BFD sessions to detect failures on the logical sub-interfaces. The physical port notifies the logical sub-interfaces of a BFD failure at the physical port, with the logical sub-interfaces shutting down responsive to the notification.
US08289838B2

There is disclosed a source messaging system having a queue for receiving messages. The source messaging system has means for determining whether a message should be permitted to become INDOUBT. This is done by retrieving a value denoting the maximum number of messages that may be permitted to become INDOUBT at any one time; determining whether the message falls within the range denoted by the value; and responsive to determining that the message falls within the range, permitting the message to become INDOUBT.
US08289836B2

An apparatus and associated methods to improve diversity gain while preserving channel throughput in a multicarrier communication channel are generally presented.
US08289828B2

The relation between the cover layer thickness of a data recording surface and ratio α of SCO to SCD is previously calculated and stored in a storage unit, where SCD denotes coma aberration which occurs when the data recording medium is tilted by unit angle and SCO denotes coma aberration which occurs when the objective lens is tilted by unit angle. When α1 denotes ratio α for a data recording surface corresponding to the smallest cover layer thickness, tilting angle θ1 of the objective lens is determined based on the α1 and a tilt adjustment of the objective lens is made. Also, when α2 denotes ratio α for a target data recording surface, tilting angle θ2 of the objective lens is estimated based on the ratio of α2 to α1 and a tilt correction of the objective lens is made.
US08289817B1

A touch lock guarantees reliable alarm activation comprises: a) an upright front display screen; b) a keypad, haying three separated groups of keys: a choice of alarm-time set function keys; a ten numeric key group positioned centrally on the keypad; and a AM-PM/Set function key. The clock can be fully operated by a single finger, using a maximum of six touches, providing assurance of entry of each touch, without the need to hold or grasp the clock, and without the need for a user to reorient himself from a position facing the clock, or to reorient the clock from its operable, optimally viewed orientation. After a user has easily and quickly set an alarm time by utilizing each of the three groups of keys, he then can at any time review his entries with a glance.
US08289815B2

The timepiece includes a stationary outer case (1) in which a pivoting inner case (10) is hinged in an inclined position via the action of a spring. The locking/unlocking mechanism is characterized in that it is formed by a mobile element of the external part that can be manipulated in the plane of the timepiece such as a rotating bezel (20) of the inner case (10) including a lug (22) that is engaged in a groove (2) of the outer case (1).
US08289813B2

The present invention can permit an electronic device to output contextual information about an event when an alarm stored within the electronic device goes off. In one embodiment, an electronic device can permit a user to select an alarm template from a plurality of alarm templates and associate the selected alarm template with an alarm. When the alarm goes off at a later date, the electronic device can output the contextual information of the user-selected alarm template, thereby providing the user with contextual information relevant to the event for which the alarm was created. In another embodiment of the present invention, a receiving electronic device can automatically match alarm templates with alarms transferred from a transmitting electronic device. The present invention also can permit a user to create an alarm template, and customize alarm templates pre-populated by the manufacturer of an electronic device.
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