US08292093B2
A rack frame assembly includes a first frame pole, a second frame pole, a linking member, linking post, and a support pole. A first frame pole includes a first support wall and a first through hole. The second frame pole includes a second support wall. The second frame pole is assembled with the first frame pole with the first support wall and the second support wall located on the same plane. The linking member is located on the first support wall and the second support wall. The linking member includes a second through hole in alignment with the first through hole, and an insert portion. The linking post is located in the first through hole and the second through hole to secure the linking member to the first frame pole. The support pole includes an insert hole with the insert portion located therein.
US08292088B2
A water supply system in accordance with the invention includes pumping in which there is a mechanical co-dependency between the generations of liquid-draw pressure and filtration-drive pressure, but a hydraulic dependency of the application of the filtration-drive pressure upon release of water from the liquid-draw pressure. In one preferred embodiment, the system is enabled by a retrofit assembly in which a second, filtration-drive pump is mechanically connected to the pump handle of a water intake pump. The retrofit assembly may include multiple arms and hinge points for coupling the second pump to the pump handle, as well as a flow path from the output of the water intake pump to the input of the second pump and a flow path from the second pump to a filtration system. The flow path between the two pumps typically includes an unfiltered water outlet.
US08292087B2
An object of the invention is to provide a bill handling machine in which a machine main body is made compact by moving a plate as occasion demands so as to adjust a space facing to a money input and output port, and a temporary storage portion temporarily storing a bill in a money input account is arranged near a first accommodating portion for the input bill sectionalized by the plate, in the bill handling machine.
US08292078B2
A container includes a base and a plurality of walls extending upward from a periphery of the base. A pair of supports are movable between a nesting position and at least one stack position. In one embodiment, the container includes projections outwardly from opposed walls that can be supported on the supports of an identical container.
US08292076B2
A sealed foil pouch has a textured opening flange and includes first and second foil sheets having opposing inner surfaces joined together by a seal for defining a sealed area of the pouch located inside the seal and an unsealed area of the pouch located outside the seal. The sealed pouch includes a textured opening flange located adjacent an edge of the pouch for peeling the first and second foil sheets away from one another for breaking the seal and opening the sealed pouch. The textured opening flange is located within the unsealed area of the pouch and includes at least one roughened surface formed on at least one of the first and second sheets. A leg of the seal passes through the textured opening flange. The roughened surface makes it easier to break the leg of the seal for pulling the sheets apart.
US08292074B2
The invention relates to a stabilizer suitable for stabilizing disks of a heat pack, wherein the stabilizer includes at least two elongate parallel pushers of height compatible with the height of the heat pack, each movable in a direction perpendicular to the pushers, the pushers being associated with an irreversible driver system enabling the pushers to be moved apart or towards each other, the pushers extending in service so as to face an inside diameter of the disks.
US08292072B2
A secure carrier assembly for media devices. The assembly includes a carrier having a front panel, a rear panel, and an intermediate panel. At least one panel of the carrier comprises a durable polymeric material, such as a lens sheet assembly including a lens sheet, and an image layer. The carrier with lens sheet assembly provides enhanced security features, increased durability, and eye-catching features compared to traditional carrier or packaging assemblies.
US08292070B2
A package of sheet media and method of loading the package are presented in which a stack of sheet media is wrapped in a multi-layer strap, the multi-layer strap is operative to allow a user to load the package of sheet media into a media supply tray of an associated print engine, the multi-layer strap includes a third layer disposed between a first layer and a second layer, and the third layer is operative to allow the user to remove the multi-layer strap from the stack of sheet media while the stack of sheet media is positioned within the media supply tray.
US08292062B2
A method and a device for the conveyance of planar products (10, 10′, 20, 20′), in particular printed products, are provided wherein a product group (100) composed of at least two products (10, 10′, 20, 20′) is gripped by a gripper (42) in the area of a product edge (12, 12′, 22, 22′) and conveyed in a direction of conveyance (F2). At least one of the products (10, 10′, 20, 20′) is displaced relative to the other product or products (10, 10′, 20, 20′) in the product group (100) in a direction of displacement (A) defined by the gripped product edge (12, 12′, 22, 22′), such that in each case a projection (14, 24) is formed in the direction of displacement (A). Thus a first projection (14) is associated with at least one displaced product (10, 10′, 20, 20′) and a second projection (24) is associated with the remaining product or products (10, 10′, 20, 20′) of the product group (100). Thus, it is easy to increase the carrying capacity of a gripper conveyor and, when applicable, to easily separate the products that are gripped in groups.
US08292050B2
Disclosed herein is an electronic mechanical drum brake. In the electronic mechanical drum brake including a drum rotated together with a wheel, a pair of brake shoes respectively including rims provided with linings, which rub against the inner circumferential surface of the drum and generate braking power, attached thereto and webs provided on the inner circumferential surfaces of the rims to reinforce rigidity of the rims, and an actuator provided between the webs of the pair of brake shoes, the actuator includes a screw shaft provided with a driven gear formed integrally therewith and a left-handed thread at one side thereof and a right-handed thread at the other side thereof, a driving motor to rotate the screw shaft in a regular direction and its reverse direction, a booster unit to increase rotary force of the driving motor and then to transmit the increased rotary force to the driven gear, and nuts screw-connected to both ends of the screw shaft and fixed to the webs. Thereby, the electronic mechanical drum brake has a large braking power and improved space efficiency.
US08292047B2
The control valve is applied to a shock absorber, which comprises: a pressure tube (10); a piston (14) dividing the pressure tube (10) in compression and traction chambers (CC, CT) communicating with each other through the piston (14); a hydraulic fluid reservoir (20) provided with a selective bidirectional fluid communication with the compressor chamber (CC). The control valve (VC) communicates the traction chamber (CT) with the reservoir (20) and comprises a tubular body (40) provided with at least one radial passage (41) opened to the interior of the tubular body (40) and to the reservoir (20); a shutter pin (60) to be axially displaced within the tubular body (40), between a closing position and different open positions of the control valve (VC) for communicating the traction chamber (CT) with the reservoir (20); and an actuator means (A) for axially displace the shutter pin within the tubular body (40).
US08292046B2
A wheel carrier for providing a rotary connection between a wheel and the vehicle suspension. The wheel carrier includes a support member for supporting a braking band, a connection flange for supporting the wheel of the vehicle, a first connector for connecting the support member to the vehicle suspension and second connector for rotatably connecting the connection flange to the support member.
US08292038B2
The device for controlling movement of a plurality of elevator cars in a single hoistway includes a door monitor module (46) that facilitates controlling movement of elevator cars (22, 24). The door monitor module (46) is configured to determine when at least one door (30) along a hoistway (26) is open. The door monitor module (46) places a first relay (52) in a selected operative state if a first elevator car (22) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) places a second relay (56) in a selected operative state if a second elevator car (24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) is also configured to place both relays (52, 56) into the selected operative state if neither of the elevator cars (22, 24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to an open door (30) along a hoistway (26).
US08292033B2
The tree stand includes a column permanently or semi-permanently secured to a tree or other support by one or more circumferential cables or bands and/or one or more threaded fasteners driven into the tree. The ends of the band are captured in a slot on the column, the threaded fastener, or optionally an unthreaded pin, capturing the ends of the band in the slot. Access to the pin is blocked by a lock that may only be removed by a person having the proper key, thus assuring that the column can be safely left in place. A platform and seat are removably attached to the column when use of the stand is desired. The user of the stand may install several columns in various locations and transport only a single platform and seat to one of the previously installed columns when the stand is to be used.
US08292031B2
A platform lift apparatus enables the safe movement of objects to and from an attic storage space. The platform lift apparatus includes a frame, a drive mechanism, and a platform. The frame includes internal and external mounting surfaces. The drive mechanism is substantially disposed within the frame and is coupled to the internal mounting surfaces. The drive mechanism includes a plurality of rotatable, parallel shafts with each shaft further including at least one lift drum having an associated lift tether at least partially wound thereon and having an end hanging therefrom. The platform is coupled to each lift tether end and is thereby suspended from the frame. The platform is selectively movable by operation of the drive mechanism within in a vertical dimension between raised and lowered positions. The drive mechanism further comprises an electric motor operatively coupled to the plurality of parallel shafts.
US08292026B2
A silencer for an exhaust system of a combustion engine, more preferably of a motor vehicle, has two end face bottoms facing away from each other, a closed circumferential jacket, at least one silencer insert, at least one inlet pipe and at least one outlet pipe. At least one of the pipes extends through the jacket into the silencer interior and is fastened to the jacket. The manufacture can be simplified if the pipe extending through the jacket has a cone, if the silencer insert on an intermediate pipe has a mating cone which engages in the cone.
US08292022B2
An improved system and method for generating and controlling conducted acoustic waves for geophysical exploration are provided. A plurality of overpressure waves are generated by at least one overpressure wave generator comprising at least one detonation tube having an open end. The at least one overpressure wave generator is oriented so the plurality of overpressure waves are not directed directly towards a target media. The recoil force of the at least one overpressure wave generator occurring during generation of the plurality of overpressure waves is coupled to the target media to generate conducted acoustic waves. The timing of the generation of the plurality of overpressure waves can be in accordance with a timing code and can be used to steer the conducted acoustic waves to a location of interest in the target media.
US08292015B2
A device for controllably supporting a battery includes an arm, a first protrusion, a second protrusion, and a cylinder actuator. The arm has a compartment formed in the arm and an opening extending through the arm at a base of the compartment. The cylinder actuator includes a piston connected to a rod, and is positioned substantially in the compartment of the arm. The rod extends toward the opening of the arm, and the rod moves through the opening during operation of the cylinder actuator. Also, the first protrusion extends from the arm in a first direction and the second protrusion extends from the arm in a second direction.
US08292006B2
Cutting elements for use in earth-boring applications include a substrate, a transition layer, and a working layer. The transition layer and the working layer comprise a continuous matrix phase and a discontinuous diamond phase dispersed throughout the matrix phase. The concentration of diamond in the working layer is higher than in the transition layer. Earth-boring tools include at least one such cutting element. Methods of making cutting elements and earth-boring tools include mixing diamond crystals with matrix particles to form a mixture. The mixture is formulated in such a manner as cause the diamond crystals to comprise about 50% or more by volume of the solid matter in the mixture. The mixture is sintered to form a working layer of a cutting element that is at least substantially free of polycrystalline diamond material and that includes the diamond crystals dispersed within a continuous matrix phase formed from the matrix particles.
US08291989B2
A method is provided which releases and retrieves an opposed slip downhole tool by reducing the compressive forces on the sealing elements prior to unsetting the slip assemblies. Further, the method does so without damaging the slip assemblies. The method provides for the retrieval of the entire downhole tool including all of its component parts, requiring but a single trip within the wellbore. When the tool is to be retrieved, the sealing element is disengaged from the casing by relaxing the compression forces on the sealing element. Then the slip assemblies are disengaged from the casing such that the slip assemblies are no longer in gripping engagement with the casing. The tool is then retrieved from the wellbore. The step of disengaging the sealing assembly can be performed by radially contracting the sealing element with or without longitudinally expanding the sealing element.
US08291988B2
A tubular actuating system includes, a tubular, a plurality of same plugs runnable within the tubular, a sleeve disposed at the tubular, and at least one slide that is movably disposed at the sleeve between at least a first position and a second position, the at least one slide is configured to be seatingly engagable with a first of the plurality of same plugs when in the first position and seatingly engagable with a second of the plurality of same plugs when in the second position.
US08291986B2
A downhole expandable liner hanger apparatus for extending the length of an existing tubular such as a casing or liner string is described. The apparatus comprises a tubular portion and a securing and/or sealing means for securing the tubular portion to the existing tubular such as a casing string to thereby extend the length of the existing tubular and preferably simultaneously provide a sealed coupling between the tubular portion and the existing tubular. A first part or a length of the tubular portion preferably comprises a first sidewall thickness and a second part or length of the tubular portion is located adjacent the first part, where the second part comprises a second sidewall thickness, said first sidewall thickness being less than the second sidewall thickness.
US08291970B2
A downhole tool having a body or structural component comprises a material that is at least partially consumed when exposed to heat and a source of oxygen. The material may comprise a metal, such as magnesium, which is converted to magnesium oxide when exposed to heat and a source of oxygen. The downhole tool may further comprise a torch with a fuel load that produces the heat and source of oxygen when burned. The fuel load may comprise a flammable, non-explosive solid, such as thermite.
US08291964B2
An exemplary heat sink includes elongated fins stacked together. Each of the fins includes a first dissipating portion and a second dissipating portion arranged in turn along a longitudinal axis of the fin. The first dissipating portion and the second dissipating portion of each fin are offset from each other along a stacked axis of the fins. An opening is defined in each fin between the first dissipating portion and the second dissipating portion thereof.
US08291960B2
A bottom bar apparatus for a door curtain includes a bottom bar mountable on a lower end of the curtain and two bar connectors for slidably connecting opposite ends of the bar to guide members mounted along sides of the door opening. The apparatus includes two pivot mechanisms each joining a respective one of the bar connectors to a respective end of the bar. Each mechanism includes a pivot shaft and a shaft receiver into which the shaft extends. One of the shaft and the receiver is connected to a respective one of the bar connectors and the other is mounted on the bottom bar. At least one stop device is arranged to limit pivotal movement of the bar and each is mounted on one of the group consisting of the pivot mechanism and the bar connector. Pivotal movement of the shaft is restricted when the curtain is subject to windload.
US08291959B2
A Roman shade includes an upper rail, a Roman shade assembly attached to a lower side of the upper rail that is pendent and foldable, and a rolling shade retractable in the upper rail and retained at the backside of the Roman shade assembly. The Roman shade assembly includes a fabric shade, and the fabric shade has at least one pressing rod on the backside and a positioning means at a distal end. The rolling shade includes a main shaft in the upper rail with a winding means and a shade surface. The shade surface has one end fastened to the main shaft and another end running through the pressing rods and anchored on the positioning means. The winding means can be used to reduce a holding space and retraction and extension of the Roman shade can be controlled by the rolling shade. Operation is simpler with less effort.
US08291951B2
A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one ply to the other, forming angles of between 10° and 45° with the circumferential direction, which itself is topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls and the axially widest working crown layer being radially internal to the other working crown layers. The tire additionally comprises in each shoulder at least one layer of reinforcement elements which are parallel to each other in the layer and are oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the reinforcement elements of the working layer radially adjacent to said additional layer, the axially inner end of said additional layer being radially adjacent to the edge of the radially outer working crown layer, and at least part of said additional layer being radially and/or axially adjacent to the edge of the axially widest working crown layer.
US08291950B2
A tire assembly includes a tire carcass body and an air tube body extending between an outward facing tire body surface and an inward tire body surface. The air tube body has an enclosed hollow enclosed outlet end at a first end and an enclosed hollow inlet end at an opposite second end. An air passageway extends through the air tube body from the inlet end to the outlet end. The outlet end is positioned to face exposed from the outward tire body surface and the inlet end is positioned to face exposed from the inward tire body surface. The air tube body is integrally formed of resilient flexible material composition and includes a hollow outer casing and one or more hollow air cables positioned within the casing for regulating the rate of air flow from the inlet end to the outlet end. The air tube body may follow a non-linear U-shaped path that surrounds a tire body bead core between the outward tire body surface and the inward tire body surface and be incorporated into the green tire build without disrupting the tire building and curing process or compromising the structural integrity or form of any of the green tire building components.
US08291949B2
A spoke wheel including an assembly of spokes and corresponding nipples for connecting a wheel hub and a rim to each other, wherein the nipples are held axially in corresponding seats of the rim by an axial locking assembly including a belt closed in a ring on the rim behind the nipples so as to hold them in the respective seats.
US08291948B1
The centering guide for automated bottling machinery is secured to its filler unit by a central saddle. Two laterally opposed posts slide in holes through the saddle. A bridge extends across the upper ends of the posts. The bridge provides attachment for a cam roller traveling on a cam as the bottling unit and guide rotate with its filler unit. The lower ends of the posts are threaded into a base plate holding a single piece guide bell removably therein. The bell has a resilient seal removably installed therein. As the cam roller is reciprocated by the stationary cam during rotation of the bottling unit, the bridge, posts, and base are also actuated to raise and lower the guide bell over the bottle mouth in concert with the filling operation. Springs are installed between saddle and base plate to assure proper operation when the bell is lowered.
US08291947B2
A system and method for supplying bottled water to an appliance is provided, where the water bottle is opened as it is positioned on the appliance. The appliance includes an operational portion and a bottle receiving portion. The operational portion can be any appliance which utilizes water in its operations, such as humidifiers, vaporizers, coffeemakers, tea makers, dental water jets, and the like. The bottle receiving portion includes a conduit defining a fluid path, where the conduit is in fluid communication with the operational portion. The conduit has a first end with a piercing member for piercing the bottle, and a second end in fluid communication with the operational portion. When a water bottle is positioned in the bottle receiving portion, the piercing member pierces the bottle, allowing the water to exit the bottle along the fluid path to the operational portion of the appliance.
US08291945B2
The invention relates to a cleaning device for a receptacle filling machine comprising a plurality of filling spouts, and a corresponding machine. In an embodiment, the cleaning device comprises a plurality of cleaning agent recovery tubes, each recovery tube being movable between a service position in which the tube is able to recover a cleaning agent delivered by a spout, and a retracted position in which the tube is at a distance from the spout, collection apparatus to which the tubes are connected, displacement apparatus for moving the tubes between their service position and their retracted position, and sealing apparatus comprising tubular adaptors designed to fit between the spouts and the upper ends of the tubes in their service position, and to reduce axially in length, in an elastic manner, to absorb the height differences between the spouts.
US08291940B2
A flexible conduit pipe for transporting fluids is specified, which consists of two corrugated metallic tubes, an inner tube (1) and an outer tube (2), which are arranged concentrically to one another and are separated from one another by an encircling annular space in which a spacing means is arranged. The spacing means consists of a plurality of rings (4,5) which bear with a basic body (6) against inner tube (1) and outer tube (2) and are arranged at an axial distance from one another in the annular space (3). The rings (4,5) have on their inner circumferential surface a rib (7) which extends in the circumferential direction, corresponds to the corrugation of the inner tube (1) and engages in a respective corrugation trough of the inner tube (1). At least three projections (8) are provided at least on one part of the rings (4) on their basic body (6), which projections (8) are offset from one another in the circumferential direction, protrude radially outwards and engage in the corrugation of the outer tube (2).
US08291939B2
A sturdy electrical power circuit and grounding circuit for an electrically-heated hose is formed by electrically connecting a grounding wire extending along the length of the hose to a pair of fluid couplings fitted on opposite ends of the hose. The grounding wire is mechanically clamped against the inner wall of the hose by radially-outwardly expanding a tube on each coupling against the grounding wire to secure the grounding wire in place while simultaneously forming an electrical connection between the grounding wire and the fluid couplings.
US08291935B1
Each of plurality of gas sources flows to a different one of a plurality of separate source gas flow paths. Then, a source gas is distributed directly from each of plurality of separate source gas flow paths to a plurality of separate gas mixture flow paths, thereby distributing a plurality of source gases to each of different flow paths. A plurality of separate gas mixture streams is generated by flowing a plurality of source gases in each of a plurality of separate gas mixture flow paths. In some embodiments, each of a plurality of separate source gas flow paths comprises a gas distribution duct, and each of a plurality of gas mixture flow paths comprises a gas mixing conduit. In some embodiments, a gas distribution duct includes a plurality of gas distribution ports and a gas source port connectable to a gas source. In some embodiments, a gas mixing conduit comprises a plurality of gas inlet holes, a gas mixing region, and a gas outlet hole. Each of the gas inlet holes is connectable to a gas distribution duct and is operable to conduct a source gas into the gas mixing region. A plurality of gases is mixed in the mixing region to form a gas mixture. A gas manifold is operable to mix a plurality of source gases in a plurality of gas mixing conduits to generate a plurality of gas mixtures having different gas compositions and flow rates.
US08291934B2
A valve assembly includes a valve housing defining a service passage, a first bore in fluid communication with the service passage, a first passage, a second bore in communication with the service passage and a second passage. The first bore has an inlet portion, a first service portion in communication with the service passage, and a first load holding portion. The first passage is in communication with the first load holding portion and the service passage. The second bore has a return portion, a second service portion in fluid communication with the first service passage, and a second load holding portion. The second passage is in selective communication with the second load holding portion of the second bore and the return passage. A valve is disposed in the second passage. The valve allows fluid to flow only in a direction from the second load holding portion to the return passage.
US08291933B2
A hand piece for a surgical instrument is provided. The handpiece has an inlet, a chamber (with upstream and downstream portions), a flow control member, a pulse engine, and an outlet. The inlet communicates with the upstream portion of the chamber. The downstream portion of the chamber communicates with the engine. The engine communicates with the outlet. In a closed position of the member, flow from the inlet moves the member to the open position thereby allowing flow through the flow path. In the open position, pulses from the engine move the member to the closed position before pulses from the pulse engine can flow through the flow path, thereby preventing flow through the flow path.
US08291931B2
A flow control valve (11) for a hydraulic line, having an outlet opening (18a) for hydraulic fluid, an inlet opening (18) for hydraulic fluid and a differential pressure regulator (17) for the pressure independent provision of a constant volumetric flow of the hydraulic fluid, and having a setting part (15a) for setting the control behavior of the differential pressure regulator (17), the setting part (15a) having an operating section (27) which is provided so as to be accessible outside the hydraulic line for setting the setting part (15a).
US08291921B2
In an example embodiment, a top proximity head for depositing fluids on a semiconductor wafer includes a delivery bore which receives fluid. The top proximity head includes a plenum that is connected to the delivery bore by numerous input channels into which fluid flows from the delivery bore. Each input channel has an inverted V-shaped opening which urges the upward flow of any air bubbles. From the plenum, the fluid flows through output channels out of the top proximity head to form a meniscus. The fluid is suctioned from the meniscus back into the top proximity head through return channels that lead to a return bore. A passage connects the delivery bore with the return bore, allowing air bubbles to escape from the delivery bore into the return bore. The passage allows a negligible amount of fluid to flow directly between the two bores rather than through the plenum.
US08291916B2
Apparatus and method for forming cigarette filters comprise a single or multiple hopper system for forming filter components of single or multiple sizes. The filter components with spaces therebetween are partially wrapped and then conveyed to at least one media applying wheel where media is deposited into the spaces between the filter components. A cover cap is formed and placed over the partially wrapped filter components downstream of the media wheel to thereby completely wrap the filter components. Subsequently, the completely wrapped filter components are joined to tobacco rods with tipping paper.
US08291906B2
A patient interface system for delivering a flow of breathable gas to a patient includes a patient interface structure configured to sealingly engage the patient's nares; a pair of strips configured to be connected to opposite sides of the patient interface structure; and adhesive configured to secure the patient interface structure in sealing engagement with the patient's nares. The adhesive may be provided on the strips, and the strips are configured to be adhered to sides of the patient's nose by the adhesive. Another patient interface system includes a first component including adhesive on a first side and hook or loop fastener material on a second side, wherein the adhesive is configured to adhere the component to the face of the patient; and a patient interface structure configured to sealingly engage the patient's airways. The patient interface structure includes a second component including a corresponding loop or hook fastener material configured to engage the corresponding hook or loop fastener material of the first strip to secure the patient interface structure in sealing engagement with the patient's face. A patient interface system for delivering a flow of breathable gas to a patient includes a patient interface structure including a pair of nasal prongs or pillows configured to sealingly engage the patient's nares; and at least one spring configured to bias the nasal prongs or pillows outwards into engagement with the nares of the patient.
US08291902B2
A conventional respiratory nebulizer has an emergency medication dose storage system delivering the stored medication dose directly to the nebulizing chamber with a single impulse of force to a simple mechanical delivery system, thereby making the nebulizer useable in two steps: (a) opening the medication capsule with a simple opening action; and (b) inhaling the nebulized medication. The delivery system includes a plunger assembly having a pair of converging blades coming to a point for piercing a medication capsule held within a docking chamber adjacent to a nebulizing mixing chamber and a hollow needle connected to an air power source directing air through said needle, to force liquid medication from said pierced medication capsule into said nebulizing mixing chamber of said nebulizer.
US08291897B2
A material feed system for melter kettles which provides an area for a tender to load material to be charged into a melter kettle at a location which is safely remote from a flame conductor assembly that allows any flames or gasses that build up in melter kettle to be released. The material feed system also includes an air intake duct through which free air is allowed to enter into the melter kettle so as to equalize pressure with the atmosphere and/or burn off any superheated material.
US08291894B2
Loading pellets into a pellet gun, whether it is of breech or break barrel design, is often a frustrating and difficult procedure, especially when done with the fingers. The pellets are small and hard to handle. Various embodiments of a dispenser for dispensing pellets to a breech design or a break barrel design pellet gun without touching them are described. The frustration and other difficulties usually encountered by pellet gun users are avoided by the dispensers delivering the pellets directly to pellet guns.
US08291889B2
A pressure relief valve includes a valve body having a valve seat fluidly positioned between an inlet and an outlet. A valve member is movable among a first position, a second position, and a third position. The valve member is in contact with the valve seat and fluidly blocks the inlet from the outlet at the first position. At the second position of the valve member, the inlet is fluidly connected to the outlet via a small flow area. The inlet is fluidly connected to the outlet via a large flow area when the valve member is at the third position. An electrical actuator is attached to the valve body and is operably coupled to move the valve member when energized. The valve member includes an opening hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in the inlet when at the first position. A spring is operably positioned to bias the valve member toward the second position when the valve member is at the third position.
US08291883B2
A device for interrupting an automobile ignition in the event of a stuck throttle comprising a multifunction accelerator pedal adapted to engage an interruption means for grounding the ignition in response to an undesirable throttle status, such that the pedal communicates an undesirable throttle status to the interruption means.
US08291881B2
A piston for a compression ignition internal combustion engine includes a crown portion, torroidal portion, and a reentrant portion. The piston further has a recess portion about a central axis of the piston designed to reduce temperatures near a tip portion of the fuel injector.
US08291878B2
A 4-stroke cycle internal combustion engine includes a breather chamber for separating blow-by gas and oil mist produced in the internal combustion engine. A vehicle-carried 4-stroke cycle internal combustion engine includes a valve chamber wherein a valve motion is accommodated between a cylinder head and a head cover, a cam chain chamber formed from the cylinder head and the cylinder head cover for accommodating a cam chain, a driven sprocket wheel around which the cam chain is wrapped, and a breather chamber formed between an upper portion of the head cover and the valve chamber. A barrier is formed in an arcuate shape opposing to and extending along an outer circumference of the driven sprocket wheel. The barrier is provided sidewardly of the driven sprocket wheel on the breather chamber side.
US08291876B2
A variable timing limiting device for mounting to a camshaft variable timing mechanism includes a flange having a central opening and a travel limiter extending from the flange, wherein the camshaft variable timing mechanism has a hub and a sprocket having a recessed portion, the travel limiter being matably receivable in the recessed portion of the sprocket. In another aspect of the disclosure, a variable timing limiting device for a camshaft variable timing mechanism includes a free floating travel limiter inserted into a chamber portion of the camshaft variable timing mechanism. In another aspect of the disclosure, a camshaft variable timing mechanism for securing to a camshaft includes a hub, a vane lobe extending from the hub, a sprocket portion having a recess configured to receive an end of the vane lobe, the vane lobe being capable of travel within the recess, and a variable timing limiting device.
US08291875B2
A continuously variable valve lift device for a vehicle is provided, which includes a drive shaft rotating in association with a crank shaft and having a drive cam formed on an outer periphery thereof, a locker arm shaft provided apart from the drive shaft and having one end that supports a rocker arm rotating and rocking in association with the drive cam, output cams rotatably installed on the drive shaft to interlock with the other end of the rocker arm, and a variable drive part straightly moving the rocker arm shaft in a vertical direction of the rocker arm shaft to vary a valve lift. When a valve is shifted from the high-lift state to the low-lift state, a pumping loss is reduced to improve the fuel consumption ratio. Also, since an advance function is provided, an exhaust-side CVVT can be deleted to greatly reduce the manufacturing cost.
US08291862B2
A top-fill hummingbird feeder has a liquid container with a a lower bottom opening which can be screw-threaded into a central collar of a feeding basin. An insert is received within the central collar and is configured to be vertically movable between a first position in which fluid is allowed to flow from the liquid container to the basin, and a second position in which fluid flow from the container to the basin is prevented. Movement of the insert between the two positions is effected by pushing the liquid container toward the basin (the closed position) and by pulling the liquid container away from the basin (the open position). Each movement of the insert has an associated “snap” or gives positive physical feedback which the user can feel that assures the user that the desired fluid flow or fluid sealed position has been achieved.
US08291860B2
An apparatus and method for locating a teat cup for use in a milking parlor. The apparatus includes a milking stall (7) provided on a rotatable platform (9) and a system (19, 245, 23, 25) for controlling movement of a teat cup magazine (20) relative to the stall (7). The movement control system permits movement of the magazine (20) between first and second predefined positions relative to the milking stall (7).
US08291855B2
A system for automatically reproducing an image on a large surface, such as the surface of an outdoor or indoor athletic field or athletic court. The system includes a computer, a microcontroller, a mobile robotic platform, a plurality of distance sensors, a plurality of boundary markers, and image reproduction machinery. The computer takes the image input by the user and translates for use by the microcontroller. The distance sensors use the boundary markers to provide positioning information to the microcontroller. The microcontroller is used to control motors and sensors on the mobile robotic platform and image reproduction machinery. The mobile robotic platform propels and steers the system along the surface. The image production machinery comprises a guide rail, a carriage, and a paint head assembly which reproduce the image onto a large surface. The movement of the image production machinery is decoupled from the movement of the mobile robotic platform.
US08291849B2
A floating vessel is equipped with perforated plates which exhibit both an added-mass effect and a damping effect. The addition of porosity to an added mass plate phase-shifts the added mass force so that it becomes at least partially a damping force which does not depend on large velocities to develop a large damping force. Preferred porosity is in the range of about 5% to about 15% of total plate area. A semi-submersible drilling rig may have damper plates fitted between its surface-piercing columns and/or extending from the sides of its pontoons. A truss spar offshore platform may have damper plates installed within its truss structure intermediate its hull and ballast tank. Drill ships and similar vessels may be equipped with damper plates extending from the sides of their hulls to reduce both heave and roll. In certain embodiments, the damper plates are retractable so as not to interfere with docking and to reduce drag while the vessel is underway.
US08291848B2
A traction system for operating lines, in particular mooring lines and/or production lines, of a floating production unit has a number of work stations distributed along the unit, at least at two ends of the unit, and engaged by respective operating lines; a main winch; and a cable transmission device having a duty cable connected to the main winch, and guide means for selectively routing the duty cable to each work station for attachment to a respective operating line; at least one auxiliary winch, having an auxiliary cable connectable to the duty cable, is used to unwind the duty cable off the main winch and run the duty cable, along paths defined by the guide members, into a number of positions close to respective work stations.
US08291842B2
A method controls mass and heat loading of sludge feed into a fluidized bed combustor (FBC) controlled via regulation of a polymer dosage or a sludge feed rate including: continuously monitoring at least one performance characteristic of the FBC; producing an input signal characteristic; analyzing the input signal and determining a first rate of change of the characteristic; generating an output signal based on the first rate of change to control addition of polymer to the FBC; generating a second output signal to control addition of sludge feed to the FBC; and determining a transition point between the addition of polymer and addition of sludge, which transition point is an upper limit of a first rate change to maintain flow so that the value of the characteristic is maintained proximate at the upper limit.
US08291840B2
Table, screwed on the floor by a sliding helix telescopic base itself screwed to the table-top in eccentric position, characterized by raising phase, lowering phase and simultaneously twisting of 180 degrees that allows the table-top to reduce the distance from seating during the raising phase and increment the distance during the lowering phase.Table is characterized by the presence of two elements that work at same time: the base and the table-top. The base is composed by two concentric Cylinders, “A Cylinder” and “B Cylinder”. The first Cylinder is screwed on the floor bolts using own flange interface while the “B Cylinder”, screwed on the table-top in eccentric position by bolts using own top flange interface. The table-top is the deck able to support different seating configurations(dining-table and couch-table).
US08291832B2
A portable table apparatus which can be releaseably attached to a vehicle is disclosed. The portable table assembly comprises a horizontal assembly having a tubular member and a second member, wherein the second member is slidingly and rotatably disposed within the tubular member, and a fixturing means capable of releaseably attaching the second member to the tubular member. The portable table assembly further comprises a tubular vertical assembly attached to the second member and a table that can be releaseably attached to the vertical assembly, wherein by rotating the second member within the tubular member the vertical assembly is rotated with respect to the horizontal assembly and wherein the top surface of the table can be placed in a gravitationally level orientation by rotating the second member within the first member. The portable table assembly further comprises a shield assembly that can be releaseably attached to the table.
US08291831B2
A feeding station system for organizing and preventing bowls and the like from being turned over or moved about as a person or an animal eats. The system includes a mat having an upper surface with planar fastening areas, where each planar fastening area is fitted with a hook or loop planar fastener. The system includes a vessel having a floor with a lower surface appropriately fitted with a layer of hook or loop fasteners which will fasten to complementary hook or loop fasteners on the mat. In the system a reversible bond between the mat and the vessel is attained when the vessel's layer of hook or loop fasteners is pressed against the mat's hook or loop planar fasteners, causing complementary fasteners to form a reversible bond. The reversible bond can be broken by peeling the vessel away from the mat.
US08291823B2
A printing surface includes a substrate having latching electrodes on a first surface, a spacer layer on the first surface of the substrate, the spacer layer patterned to form wells such that the latching electrodes reside in the wells, a deformable membrane, the membrane having conductive regions, on the spacer layer to enclose the wells, each enclosed well and its associated region of the membrane forming a pixel membrane, and actuation circuitry to actuate the electrodes to cause selected ones of the pixel membranes to remain in a deflected state when the pixel membranes receive an impulse to return to an undeflected state.
US08291817B2
There is described a potato peeling device comprising a container provided with an in the operational position at least partly open top, a releasable lid arranged to close the top of the container, a rotatable peeling plate disposed in the container and connected to a drive, and an outlet arranged for draining the container, where an inlet opening arranged for receiving a water jet, is disposed in or above the top of the container.
US08291815B2
An fully automatic egg roll making machine includes a machine bed, a loading device, a loading device disposed on the machine bed, a material-pouring unit for pouring a dough material onto a lower frying tray, a baking unit for baking the dough material on the lower frying tray to form a baked dough sheet on the lower frying tray, and a wrapping unit operable to allow the sheet to form an egg roll product. The baking unit includes two upper frying trays positioned such that, when one of the upper frying trays is moved to a working position for baking the dough material, the other one of the upper frying trays is moved to a non-working position whereat it can be cleaned easily and conveniently.
US08291814B2
The present invention is a mat that drapes over a transom or other barbeque area on a boat. The primary objective of the current invention is to keep transom, caulk, and upholstery on boats clean from splats and splatter caused during on board barbequing. Another objective of the invention is to provide a place to securely store barbeque accoutrements when using barbeque on a boat. The mat is placed over the barbeque area prior to barbequing. The mat can easily be folded and stowed.
US08291811B2
A machine for preparing brewed drinks is provided and includes a brewing compartment for receiving drink substrate portions and a water supply for supplying a pressurized supply of water into the brewing compartment. The water supply is oriented in the brewing compartment in such that it would spray into a user region of the machine if the brewing compartment opens prematurely. However, a safety valve prevents the supplied water from entering into the brewing compartment when the brewing compartment is open.
US08291807B1
Devices, apparatus, systems and methods of mounting ammunition holders for side loading machine guns and weapons that downwardly eject spent cartridges. The ammunition holders include adjustable hinges attached side plates that both moves the center of gravity of the left side supported ammunition holder to move in a right direction underneath the machine gun until the ammunition holder is balanced relative to the machine gun. The side plate further deflects the spent cartridges from being directly ejected downward from the machine gun and instead deflect the spent cartridges to one side of the machine gun away from both the machine gun and an operator of the gun. The ammunition containers can be ammunition belt boxes. The ammunition containers can be ammunition pouch bags. Frames can allow for bags to be inserted therein and be pre-shaped to form a deflection surface by a built on side wall which functions as a deflection plate to deflect spent cartridges and shells sideways away from the gun.
US08291804B2
Drive unit with a rotating saw blade which is hinged inside of a protective hood, for connection to a robot, shaped by an enclosure that can be connected to the robot in which a shaft is positioned, by means of which the saw can be powered under intermediate connection to a gearbox. The saw blade is held between two firmly connected internal rings which are arranged on both sides of the saw blade and contain it, as well as being connected to each other. The rings are rotatably mounted within non-rotating external rings that are connected to the protective hood. The device that is formed by the saw blade, the internal rings and the external rings is fastened in a removable way to a drive hub that is powered by the gearbox.
US08291798B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for producing small, thin sheets from an active-ingredient film (2), in which the latter is produced by casting the film material onto a substrate material or by coating a substrate material, storing it with or without substrate material on a reel, pulling it off the reel and cutting it. It achieves the object of designing a method of this type in such a way that with this method small sheets can be produced as exactly as possible in predetermined sizes. To do this, the active-ingredient film (2) is pulled off automatically, is separated from a substrate material which, if present, and in tensioned form, is fed to a cutting station and is cut, in the feed direction, into long, narrow strips (7) of predeterminable width, and the long strips (7) are brought together in the feed direction and together are fed by a further feed device (10) to a transverse cutter (11), which cuts through the combined long strips (7) at predetermined intervals.
US08291790B2
A sharpening device for manually sharpening the cutting teeth of saw chains for chain saws has a frame, which has two head parts (spaced apart from one another and two pairs of guide rods which are, in each case, arranged parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis and rigidly connect the head parts to one another. Parallel to the longitudinal axis, round files and two file faces are held without play, but exchangeably in the head parts. The pairs of guide rods and the respective associated round files and the respective file faces are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis.
US08291787B1
A rotation generating system comprises a base disk defined by a rim, top and bottom surfaces; a ball bearing engaged on and along the disk rim, said ball bearing comprising balls, a ring rotatably engaging the balls to the disk rim, and side supports propping the balls between the disk rim and the ring; and a shaft having first and second ends, wherein the first end is fixed to an eccentric portion of the disk top surface, wherein the shaft is angled with the disk top surface by forty-five (45) degrees.
US08291784B2
A transmission system including first and second shafts (4, 2; 104, 102), a plurality of gear trains arranged to transfer drive between the first and second shafts, an instantaneous selector mechanism (46; 146), and at least one non-instantaneous selector mechanism (40, 44; 140, 144, 153, 157), wherein the instantaneous selector mechanism (46; 146) and the or each non-instantaneous selector mechanism (40, 44; 140, 144, 153, 157) are arranged to create torque paths between the first and second shafts (4, 2; 104, 102) via the gear trains, wherein each gear train is selectable when one other gear train is transmitting torque.
US08291783B2
A powerless helical locking mechanism for a door includes a screw with a variable lead angle connected with a power source, and a self-adaptive nut connected to the door. The helical slot of the screw is divided into a working segment with the helical lead angle greater than the friction angle, a closing segment with the helical lead angle smaller than the friction angle, and a transition segment between the closing and working segments. The power source actuates the screw to rotate bidirectionally.
US08291779B2
According to the present invention there is provided a system for detecting movement, for example and without limitation, for detecting movement of a part of a person such as their limb or a section of their limb or deformable surface. The system preferably includes: a) an electrical power source; two or more than two contactors that can be mounted directly or indirectly to parts of a person or object that move relative to each other; and c) an electrical element that, when in use, conducts an electrical current and is in electrical connection with the contactors, wherein the element is substantially un-extendable along its longitudinal axis and the element is either i) at least in part resiliently deformable in a direction transverse to its longitudinal axis and/or ii) supported directly or indirectly by a guide structure having elastic properties that is configured to minimize deformation of the element in a direction transverse to its longitudinal axis such that the effective length of the element that defines a path of least electrical resistance between the contactors is minimized, and wherein relative movement of the contactors can cause the effective length of the element between the contactors to change such that movement can be measured or detected as a change in electrical resistance between the contactors.
US08291777B2
A method of sampling and confining chemical contaminations intended for the chemical analysis of contaminations in particulate and/or molecular form with prior adsorption by a support or trapping in a liquid. The adsorbent support or the contaminated liquid is then held in position in a closed box or sealed container having chemically inert walls. The outside of the closed box or sealed container is brought into contact with a gas at a higher pressure than the pressure inside the box or container and then the temperature inside the closed box or sealed container is regulated from an environment external to the gas.
US08291768B2
A syringe having an internal pressure gauge comprises a syringe barrel; a piston within the barrel; a spring coupled to the piston at a first position of the spring, the spring having a second portion that is movable in response to fluid pressure within a syringe cavity; and a pressure gauge having an indicator correlated to a plurality of positions of the second portion of the spring to indicate a pressure of a fluid. The spring can be a bellows. The fluid chamber can be in fluid communication with a cuff of an inflatable medical device, such as an endotracheal tube, such that the measured pressure comprises the fluid pressure within the cuff.
US08291762B2
A portable work capacities testing apparatus comprising a portable computer, a hub releaseably interconnected with the portable computer, a dynamic strength and lifting device releaseably interconnected with the hub, a hand grip strength device releaseably interconnected with the hub, a finger pinch strength device releaseably interconnected with the hub, a forearm/wrist strength device releaseably interconnected with the hub, a handling/proprioception device releaseably interconnected with the hub, a finger flexion device releaseably interconnected with the hub, a whole body coordination device releaseably interconnected with the hub, and a strength push/pull/lift device releaseably interconnected with the hub.
US08291761B2
A sensor system for sensing liquid level in a bilge, for use in automatic bilge pump actuation. First and second field effect sensors are potted or sealed within a container or the bilge wall and are aligned in a vertical array and each comprise a substantially planar pattern of “electrodes” or conductive traces disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) along with integrated circuits used to create a loop or arc-shaped electric field. As bilge liquid rises to the proximity or level of the field effect sensors, a change in the arc-shaped electric field is sensed and, in response, a bilge pump is automatically actuated to pump liquid out of the bilge. Optionally, the pump control can be programmed by use of a microprocessor to permit control of on-off timing and prevent undesirable effects of “sloshing.”
US08291758B2
The masthead wind direction indicator illuminator of the present invention provides three significant improvements over the prior art including elimination of wiring and switches, greatly extended lighting element life and automatic on/off control. Elimination of wiring and switches greatly reduces the complexity of the illuminator system, use of LED light source elements greatly increases the life of the illuminator, and use of a light sensitive switching element provides automatic control of the illuminator.
US08291757B2
A device and apparatus for determining wind conditions around a sailboat. The device includes means for receiving a measured wind angle and wind speed readings from a wind sensor attached to the sailboat and readings of boat heading and boat speed through the water, means for storing wind angle correction data, a computing unit for computing a corrected wind angle reading using the measured wind angle reading, the boat speed reading and the wind angle correction data and for computing a wind direction using the corrected wind angle reading and the boat heading reading, and means for displaying the wind direction. The device additionally includes input means for receiving a wind direction error tack to tack, means for determining the current tack state of the sailboat using the measured wind angle reading, and means for modifying the correction data. Thus, powerful and intuitive correction of wind direction readings is possible.
US08291749B2
An immersion probe for water analysis includes at least one electrode configured to detect an analyte in water, a probe head with a probe head end side on which the at least one electrode is disposed, and a separate protective cap attached to the probe head so as to be removable in a distal direction. The separate protective cap includes a protective cap end side with an electrode opening and an air discharge nozzle. The air discharge nozzle is configured so as to cause air exiting the air discharge nozzle to sweep over the at least one electrode.
US08291742B2
A method for producing a structured sheet-metal strip includes feeding a smooth sheet-metal strip to a shaping apparatus along a guiding direction. A primary structure is produced in the smooth sheet-metal strip through the use of the shaping apparatus, during which a number of separate shaping tools act upon the sheet-metal strip in a manner that is substantially perpendicular to the guiding direction. An apparatus for producing a structured sheet-metal strip can produce the structured sheet-metal strips with a particularly low ratio of corrugation length to corrugation height. Such structured sheet-metal strips are used, in particular, for producing purification components in mobile exhaust gas systems.
US08291739B2
A trimming press working apparatus 1 includes a trimming means 6 for cutting a plate material 2 along a trimming line 5 which divides a product portion 3 from a non-product portion 4 in the plate material 2; a scrap cutting means 9 for cutting the non-product portion 4 along scrap severing lines 7 each intersecting the trimming line 5 to make the non-product portion 4 into a plurality of scrap pieces 8; and a pad 10 for pressurizing and restraining the product portion 3 of the plate material 2.
US08291735B1
A rekeyable lock cylinder includes a lock cylinder body having an interior void and a plug assembly rotatably disposed in the lock cylinder body. The plug assembly includes a plug body having a keyway. A plurality of racks is movably disposed relative to the plug body. A plurality of key followers is positioned across the keyway and is moveably disposed relative to the plug body. Each key follower is configured to engage a respective rack of the plurality of racks. A key follower rotation member is drivably engaged with each key follower of the plurality of key followers. The key follower rotation member is selectively movable to rotate each key follower of the plurality of key followers to thereby disengage each key follower of the plurality of key followers from the respective rack of the plurality of racks to facilitate a keying of the rekeyable lock cylinder.
US08291732B2
A retractable hand lever actuator which can be locked in a trough for driving a latch for a switch cabinet or the like is described. The hand lever is articulated at a drive shaft supported in the trough. According to the invention, the hand lever actuator comprises a handle such as a T-handle or L-handle having two connection levers which are arranged relative to one another in a parallelogram configuration and which are articulated by one end at the drive shaft and by the other end in a similar manner at the handle in such a way that, on the one hand, they hold the handle in its direction parallel to the extension of the trough when the handle is folded out of the trough and, on the other hand, are able to transmit a rotational movement of the handle to the drive shaft in the folded out position.
US08291729B2
Disclosed is a method for fabricating glass bump standoff structures of precise height, the method comprising providing oversized glass bumps on a glass substrate, providing a heat source to heat the bumps, positioning a substrate to be aligned on the oversized bumps, and reducing the height of the oversized bumps by a combination of manipulations comprising (1) softening the bumps by heating the bumps and (2) applying pressure to the substrate to be aligned.
US08291727B2
A method and apparatus for manufacturing ceramic microspheres from industrial slag. The microspheres have a particle size of about 38 microns to about 150 microns. The microspheres are used to create a cement slurry having a density of at least about 11 lbs/g. The resultant cement slurry may then be used to treat subterranean wells.
US08291723B1
A refrigeration system having a main circuit including a main compressor thermally coupled with a secondary or subcooling circuit. The main circuit uses a R125/R143A blend as a refrigerant and the subcooling circuit uses an R32 blend. The combined system of differing refrigerants provides increased efficiencies and reduced Global Warming Potential (GWP) over single refrigerant systems for low and medium temperature refrigeration applications.
US08291722B2
The present invention is an apparatus that includes a chamber rotor with a chamber and an extension rotor with an extension. The rotors are housed in a rotor case. A pressure cavity is at least transiently formed by the extension rotor and the chamber rotor. The present invention also includes a compressor that includes a chamber rotor with a chamber and an extension rotor with an extension where the extension is adapted to be received in the chamber when the rotors are synchronously rotated. The compressor also includes a power input shaft attached to the extension rotor and a gear assembly attached to the rotors that is adapted to insure the synchronous rotation of the rotors. A rotor case houses the rotors and has an intake port and an exhaust port. The present invention also includes an engine that is similar to the compressor and includes a spark plug. Methods of compressing, pumping and generating electricity and mechanical power are also part of the present invention.
US08291719B2
A system for improving the thermal efficiency of a thermal control loop in which refrigerant after compression and condensation is applied to an evaporator employs a subsidiary counter-current heat exchange intercepting refrigerant flow to maintain the quality of the refrigerant by exchanging thermal energy between the input flow and the output flow from the evaporator. The same principle is effective, with particular advantage when small connections have to be made, in systems using mixed phase media and using the concept of direct energy transfer with saturated fluid.
US08291702B2
A hydrostatic transmission includes a closed fluid circuit, a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic pump fluidly connected to the hydraulic motor via the closed fluid circuit, and a fluid charging mechanism which supplies fluid delivered from the hydraulic pump to the closed fluid circuit during driving of the hydraulic pump.
US08291698B2
The sound insulation cover includes: a cover member 21 that is externally mounted on an exhaust manifold and that insulates transmission of noises to the outside; and a fixing means 22 that is combined with an opening 21a formed in the cover member 21 in correspondence to a fixing portion 18a of the exhaust manifold and that fixes the cover member 21 to the fixing portion 18a of the exhaust manifold. The fixing means 22 has: a ring-shaped cover holding plate 23 fixed to the cover member 21 along the edge portion of the opening 21a of the cover member 21; and a disk-shaped plate 24 fixed to the fixing portion 18a of the exhaust manifold. The inner peripheral portion of the cover holding plate 23 and the outer peripheral portion of the fixing plate 24 are formed into a ring-shaped depressed-projected fit portion 25.
US08291694B2
An exhaust system that processes exhaust generated by an engine is provided. The system generally includes a particulate filter (PF) that filters particulates from the exhaust wherein an upstream end of the PF receives exhaust from the engine. A grid of electrically resistive material is applied to an exterior upstream surface of the PF and selectively heats exhaust passing through the grid to initiate combustion of particulates within the PF. A catalyst coating applied to at least one of the PF and the grid. A control module estimates a temperature of the grid and controls the engine to produce a desired exhaust product to increase the temperature of the grid.
US08291693B2
A method for setting a predetermined oxygen filling value of an oxygen storage reservoir of a catalytic converter for a motor vehicle, the oxygen filling value being set with consideration of a combustion air ratio which has been determined depending on the raw emission values which have been determined or which are to be determined for the exhaust gas components which are to be oxidized and reduced by the catalytic converter.
US08291691B2
A multi-pulse rocket is equipped with a thermally insulating barrier that serves as a rupture disk or a movable plug or plate separating staged propellant grains. When a rupture disk it used, the disk can be equipped with a pyrotechnic actuator to weaken the disk upon command, enabling the propellant grain on the fore side of the disk to burst the disk at a relatively low pressure when ignition of the propellant grain is needed for additional thrust. Rupturing of the disk can also be controlled by attitude maneuvering ports on the fore side of the barrier whose open or closed conditions are controlled by independently operable closures. When a movable plug is used, the plug is movable between a closed position separating rocket chamber into subchambers isolating the propellant grains from each other and an open position allowing the flow of combustion gas between the two subchambers to achieve additional axial thrust. In all cases, the barrier when intact serves to contain both propellant grains regardless of whether one or both is ignited. The propellant grain on the fore side of the barrier can thus be used for either axial thrust augmentation or for attitude maneuvering.
US08291686B1
A crop harvesting header with a cutter bar and a draper assembly has a draper canvas with an edge portion across a front edge to cooperate with a rearwardly projecting element of the cutter bar extending over the upper run of the draper canvas to engage the upper surface of the edge portion to form a seal to inhibit entry of dirt or crop between the cutter bar and the draper canvas. The edge portion of the canvas is thicker and is canted upwardly at an angle of the order of 10 to 20 degrees. There is also provided a bead on the canvas on the surface opposite the strip within the width of the strip. The arrangement can be symmetrical with a strip at each of the front and rear edges spanned by the slats extending between them.
US08291685B2
In an example embodiment, a harvesting header includes a helper roll having at auger flighting configured to move crop material laterally inward. The auger flighting may be outboard of a crop receiving area. The helper roll may be placed rearward of a cutter mechanism and forward of a conditioning roll of the header. The axis of rotation of the helper roll may be positioned slightly above a cutting plane of a cutting bed so that the auger flighting extends vertically past the cutting plane. In an example embodiment, at least a portion of the auger flights are positioning outboard of a conditioning roll of the header.
US08291684B2
In a swather formed by a tractor and attached heeder for cutting standing crop to form a swath, reel speed and optionally draper speed are controlled relative to ground speed by a control system including a manually operable input and display available to the operator. The control system can be used in an automatic mode to set an index value for an actual difference in reel speed relative to ground speed and to vary reel speed accordingly. In this mode a manually operable control varies the index. The control system can be switched by the operator to manual in which case the same control varies the actual reel speed. Minimum reel speed can be set by the same control and when operative the automatic system does not allow reel speed to fall below the minimum set value despite the values of index and ground speed. A crop-lodged switch is also provided which when operated acts to move the header to a lowered position and the move the reel to a forward most and lowermost position in a single operation controlled by the single switch.
US08291679B2
A pill receptacle has a number of recessed pill compartments formed therein. The method comprises the steps of providing a cover sheet member that has a sealing sheet with a top identification surface on which information can be printed and a bottom adhesive surface provided with an adhesive. The cover sheet member further has a protective sheet that removably overlays the sealing sheet on its adhesive surface. First weakness zones are provided on the cover sheet member, that extend transversely through the sealing sheet and the protective sheet in a registering fashion to define first cutaway lines on the cover sheet member. A fraction of the cover sheet member is separated from the rest of the cover sheet member along at least some of the first cutaway lines, including concurrently separating corresponding fractions of the sealing sheet and the protective sheet in registering fashion. The protective sheet fraction is peeled away from the sealing sheet fraction on the cover sheet member fraction. The selected pill compartments are covered and individually sealed by applying the adhesive surface of the sealing sheet fraction on the pill receptacle whereby the adhesive surface of the sealing sheet fraction adheres to the pill receptacle about the pill compartments.
US08291678B2
A modular construction system includes an elongate construction element. The element has an elongate body including a longitudinal web, defining opposite first and second edges and a longitudinal first centerline, and a longitudinal first flange transverse to the web along the first edge, the elongate body defining opposite first and second ends. At the first end, a first end plate is provided that is orthogonal to the first centerline. Defined through the first end plate are a first hole on the first centerline, a second hole intermediate the first hole and the first edge, and a third hole intermediate the first hole and the second edge. The holes are preferably equispaced. For each of the holes, a cut-out is provided in the web. The cut-out allows insertion of a shaft of a bolt through the hole while accommodating the head of the bolt. First and second types of jointing element for coupling a number of elongate construction elements thereto to form a permanent or temporary structure are also described.
US08291673B2
A novel dust cover is formed to overlie horizontal structural surfaces such as a channel or web of an I-beam, H-beam, conduit or channel member. The dust cover includes an elongated spanning section and a pair of longitudinal leg members extending from the spanning section to lie flush against the adjacent structural element to prevent dust accumulation. The cover is held to the structural member by a plurality of magnets spaced along the length of the member.
US08291672B2
Anchoring systems for use in cavity wall structures having an inner wythe constructed of interengaged composite panels and a veneer outer wythe are disclosed. The wall anchor is disposed within the juncture of the interengaged composite panels and fastened to the frame. The wall anchor maintains a strong interlock with the composite panels and backup wall, maintains insulation integrity and limits thermal transfer, without obstructing the juncture of the composite panels. The anchoring system interlocks with varied veneer ties, allowing vertical and horizontal adjustment for alignment with the bed joints. The anchoring system for composite panels provides an economical, high strength, low weight, insulated backup wall construction for interengagement with a veneer outer wythe.
US08291662B2
According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a continuous pour concrete slip dowel is disclosed configured for use across a joint between adjacent concrete slabs. The continuous pour concrete slip dowel of the invention includes a slip sleeve configured to be positioned within a first concrete slab, and a main dowel rod having i) a first rod end portion configured to be received within the slip sleeve, ii) a second opposed rod end configured to be received within a second concrete slab which is adjacent the first slab and spaced from the first slab by a intervening joint, and iii) an intermediate coupling rod portion connecting the first rod end with the second rod end, wherein the coupling rod portion defines an offset therein whereby the coupling rod portion is configured to extend around the joint.
US08291652B2
The invention relates to a device for holding at least one photovoltaic panel on a roof, characterised in that it comprises: a base plane extending between two fixation wings; holding means for said photovoltaic panel(s) extending vertically relative to said base plane in order to define an air volume between said base plane and said photovoltaic panel(s), said holding means including air inlet/outlet means that permit air circulation in said air volume.
US08291648B1
The portable structure will generally have a pod from which a suite frame and suite may be deployed. The suite will allow personnel to administer to many critical demands and activities. The portable structure may be deployed upon any terrain, whether level or uneven, rigid or soft, and both the pod and the suite may be leveled independently. Additionally, the portable structure may incorporate at least one cocoon section wherein the cocoon section comprises at least one interior layer contacting a mesh covering placed over the suite frame, at least one thermal layer affixed to the interior layer, wherein the thermal layer includes heat adding and heat removal members capable of removing or adding heat to the mesh covering or a substance adjacent the at least one thermal layer and at least one exterior layer affixed to the thermal layer.
US08291625B2
A method for transmitting and receiving inter-radio access technology (RAT) information for inter-RAT handover between a mobile station and a base station in a radio access system. A method for transmitting inter-RAT information for inter-RAT handover comprises: receiving a super frame header (SFH) including a flag indicating whether the inter-RAT information is transmitted in a current superframe and a start frame number field indicating a predetermined frame at which the inter-RAT information is transmitted, and if the flag is set, acquiring the inter-RAT information at a predetermined frame indicated by the start frame number field.
US08291618B2
Devices with internal flexibility sipes, such as slits, provide improved flexibility, improved cushioning to absorb shock and/or shear forces, and improved stability of support. Siped devices can be used in any existing product that provides or utilizes cushioning and stability. These products include human and other footwear, both soles and uppers, as well as orthotics; athletic, occupational and medical equipment and apparel; padding or cushioning, such as for equipment or tool handles, as well as furniture; balls; tires; and any other structural or support elements in a mechanical, architectural, or any other product.
US08291614B2
This invention relates generally to footwear such as a shoe, including an athletic shoe, with a shoe sole, including at least one removable midsole section formed by a midsole portion, wherein the removable midsole section is non-orthotic. The removable midsole section is inserted within the shoe upper, the sides of which hold it in position. The shoe sole includes a concavely rounded side or underneath portion, which may be formed in part by the removable midsole section. The removable midsole section may extend the length of the shoe sole or may form only a part of the shoe sole and can incorporate cushioning or structural compartments or components. The removable midsole section provides the capability to permit replacement of midsole material which has degraded or has worn out in order to maintain optimal characteristics of the shoe sole. The shoe sole can, in another embodiment, include at least one compartment containing a fluid, a flow regulator, a pressure sensor to monitor the compartment pressure, and a control system such as a computer processor capable of automatically adjusting the pressure in the compartment(s) in response to the impact of the shoe sole with the ground surface.
US08291613B2
A cleated sandal for use in athletic activities comprising a flexible sole and plural attachment straps for mounting the sandal on a foot or footwear of a wearer. A plurality of cleats for contacting a ground surface extend from a bottom side of the flexible sole at its toe and heel ends. The plural attachment straps include two vertical and two horizontal attachment straps each having a bottom surface and a top surface. The bottom and top surfaces of each of the attachment straps are covered with suction mesh hairs which cling to each other when overlaid; hence, allowing portions of each strap to connect to each other to form secure loops and to tighten the sandal on the foot or footwear of the wearer. The attachment straps also are additionally connected to the sole through respective aligned buckles.
US08291611B2
A wood kiln system and method that sequentially cures and dries layers of stacked wood during which each layer of wood is heated to 125 to 170 deg. F. as the kiln container is evacuated to approximately 13 inches of Hg for 8 to 12 hrs. After the wood has been cured, drying stage is commenced as the wood is continuously heated by evacuating the kiln container to 0.35 to 3 inches of Hg for 6 to 12 hrs. During the drying stage, a cold water bath is formed in the bottom of the kiln container. A condensation tank located between the vacuum pump and the kiln is used to continuously remove the water and water vapor from the kiln container. In one embodiment, the vacuum pump includes a primary vacuum pump serially connected to an auxiliary vacuum pump that allows the air to be continuously and gradually reduced in the kiln container.
US08291609B2
An apparatus is disclosed for drying grain in a storage bin as well as the method of drying the grain. The apparatus includes an air blower positioned outwardly of the storage bin which has an air inlet end and an air discharge end. The air discharge end of the air blower is in communication with the interior of the storage bin. A heat exchanger is positioned in a spaced relationship with respect to the air blower and has an air passageway with an inlet end and an outlet end. The outlet end of the heat exchanger is spaced from the inlet end of the air blower. An infrared heater is spaced from the inlet end of the heat exchanger so that infrared rays from the infrared heater will be directed into the air passageway of the heat exchanger so that the heat exchanger will heat the air being drawn through the heat exchanger by the air blower with the air blower sucking heated air from the air passageway and blowing the same into the storage bin to dry the grain therein.
US08291608B2
A locking cap for closing the oil fill opening of the crank case in a motorcycle engine. The cap has only three major members. A first member has an upper grip portion and a lower portion with openings located in the lower portion for holding ball bearings. A second member is located within the first member and is rotatably coupled to the first member. A lock mechanism attached to the first and second members rotates the second member relative to the first member as the lock mechanism is operated to urge the ball bearings to move through the openings in the first member as the second member is rotated in a first direction relative to the first member. A third member attached to the second member provides support for a dip stick.
US08291605B2
A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A central vial is within a topnotch formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. An integral inner vertical wall extends between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length. The inventive level further preferably includes an external brace reinforcing a central frame portion weakened by forming the topnotch. The external brace includes first and second plate members each against one of the sidewalls about the notch-defining bottom and side edges and each substantially spanning a respective one of the sidewalls. A fastening member extending through the sidewalls and pulling the plate members toward each other to sandwich the sidewalls therebetween, thereby reinforcing a central frame portion weakened by forming the topnotch.
US08291595B2
A link rod with a U-shaped profile made from a one-piece sheet metal shell including two part shells and a back connecting said part shells. Bearing eyes are formed from a pair of aligned holes in the part shells. To obtain outer collars having inner bearing support surfaces for the bearing eyes with a slim-shaped construction of the link rod, the forming is performed stepwise by firstly producing the holes and bending the edges thereof to form the collars on one of the part shells which have not yet been brought parallel to each other by bending. Only then is what is to become the second part shell bent such as to be parallel to the first part shell. The holing and the bending of the edges of the holes on the second part shell is then carried out through the holes of the first part shell.
US08291590B2
A method for assembling a fins-type heat sink includes providing a heat sink, a presser and a plurality of caps, the heat sink having a heat pipe and a plurality of fins disposed on the heat pipe, the presser being provided with through-holes allowing the distal ends of the heat pipe to be inserted therein, a periphery of each through-hole being provided with an annular neck, the presser being provided with notches that are arranged circumferentially outside the annular neck; (b) covering the caps on the annular necks of the presser respectively, each caps extending downwards to form protruding flaps penetrating the notches; (c) disposing a plate-like die on the topmost fin of the heat sink; (d) inserting a distal end of the heat pipe through the through-hole of the presser to abut inside the cap, while folding the flaps outwards via the plate-like die.
US08291589B2
A method for use in repairing gas turbine engine components includes applying a stress to a first gas turbine engine component to cause surface cracking on the first gas turbine engine component and establishing a location of an elevated stress region of a second gas turbine engine component based upon the location of the surface cracking on the first gas turbine engine component.
US08291586B2
A method for bonding two electronic components includes inserting hollow and open inserts into full convex elements of a lower hardness than that of the inserts, where, when an insert is inserted into a full element at least one surface of the open end of the insert is left free from the full element so as to create an outlet passage for gases contained in the insert.
US08291581B2
A plurality of reference holes are formed in the surface of a first substrate made of a first material, and a plurality of columnar members are each fitted in the reference holes in such a manner that at least a part of each of the columnar members projects from the surface of the first substrate. Subsequently, an electrode surface layer made of a second material is formed on the surface of the first substrate in such a manner that an end portion of each of the columnar members are exposed at the surface and then the columnar members are removed. Thus obtained is a substrate-like electrode including at least an electrode surface layer provided with through holes having a cross section matching a sectional shape of the projecting portion of the columnar members.
US08291574B2
A BLDC electric motor assembly (24) includes a rotor (42) having a plurality of magnet segments (50) securely retained thereabout by an annular ring (68) which is shrunk in situ in an electromagnetic forming operation. The magnet segments (50) are formed with tongues (62, 64) on their upper and lower ends (56, 58). One tongue (64) seats in a retaining pocket (48) molded on the rotor shaft (40), whereas the other tongue (62) provides a ledge into which the ring (68) seats. After the magnet forming operation, wherein the ring (68) is shrunk, the outer surface of the ring (68) is flush with the outer surfaces (54) of the magnet segments (50).
US08291571B2
A pocket-sizing method for a device that inserts staple drivers into pockets aligned to form a slot in a surgical staple cartridge. A fin extends from a driver guide fixture for insertion into the slot. The fin increases the size of the slot, thereby aiding in inserting drivers into the pockets. Preferably a second fin extends from the driver guide fixture adjacent the fixture passage and aligned with the first fin. A gap is formed between the first and second fins, extending from a first edge to an opposite edge of the fixture passage. The driver is driven through the gap. The fins are substantially equal to the thickness of the driver. The fins have tapered leading edges to aid cartridge insertion and removal, and a lip extends from the driver guide fixture for preventing the fins from widening the slot too much and for narrowing an overly wide slot.
US08291549B2
The embodiment includes a hinge, a pivot shaft, a cam, and a cam follower. The pivot shaft includes an engaging portion bound by two curved surfaces and two non-rotatable surfaces. The cam is non-rotatably sleeved on the engaging portion of the pivot shaft and defines a noncircular hole and two cutouts. The noncircular hole is bound by two first contact surfaces and two second contact surfaces. The second contact surfaces are tangent to the curved surfaces of the engaging portion of the pivot shaft. The cam follower is rotatably sleeved on the engaging portion of the pivot shaft and resists the cam. The cam follower forms two peaks engaging with the cutouts in the cam.
US08291546B2
An extractor cleaning machine includes a base having a distribution nozzle and a suction nozzle, a suction source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle, a recovery tank removably coupled to the base and having a recovery tank handle, an extractor handle pivotally coupled to the base, and a supply tank coupled to the extractor handle for pivotal movement with the extractor handle with respect to the base. At least a portion of the supply tank is positioned above and over the recovery tank in a direction normal to a surface to be cleaned when the extractor handle is in an upright storage position. The supply tank is in fluid communication with the distribution nozzle to supply cleaning fluid to the distribution nozzle. The extractor cleaning machine is liftable by the recovery tank handle when the extractor handle is in the upright storage position.
US08291541B2
The invention relates, on the one hand, to a brush (1) for a scrubbing, sweeping and/or polishing machine for mechanical cleaning of several surfaces that are separated from each other by means of grooves and/or joints, such as, inter alia, paving stones, tiles, Bangkirai and/or building bricks, wherein the scrubbing, sweeping and/or polishing machine is provided so as to move the brush in a plane that is substantially parallel to the said surfaces that are separated from each other, and a scrubbing, sweeping and/or polishing machine provided with one or more brushes (1), the brush (1) being provided with at least one set of polishing bristles (2) for cleaning or polishing the surfaces; at least one set of joint bristles (3) for cleaning the grooves and/or joints between the surfaces; and the polishing bristles (2) having a length that is shorter than the length of the joint bristles (3). Additionally, the invention relates to a spraying device (10) for spraying several surfaces that are separated from each other by means of grooves and/or joints, such as, inter alia, paving stones, tiles, Bangkirai and/or building bricks, wherein the spraying device (10) comprises two or more spray heads (11), each of which produces a water jet (12).
US08291539B2
The invention relates to a toothbrush with a neck piece and a brush body, comprising a head piece connected thereto, conventional bristles and at least one soft elastic cleaning element. According to the invention, the conventional bristles are mounted on a support element made from hard plastic. The above is connected to the brush body by means of a recess on the head piece which matches the support element. The at least one cleaning element is arranged on the head piece and directly connected to the brush body. The invention further relates to a method for production of such a toothbrush.
US08291538B2
A mop structure of converting vertical linear displacement into unidirectional rotation for dewatering a mop comprises: a lower pipe with the bottom coupled to a mop head and the internal side fixed to a spiral rod; a driving pipe, having an interconnecting hole engaged with the spiral rod for passing the spiral rod and disposed at the internal side of the lower pipe, and a circular upwardly facing ratchet disposed at the top of the driving pipe; a fixing pipe, having a penetrating hole formed at the middle of the fixing pipe for passing the spiral rod and disposed at the top of the driving pipe, a circular downwardly facing ratchet installed at the top inside the fixing pipe and corresponding to the circular upwardly facing ratchet of the driving pipe, such that after the spiral rod is passed out from the penetrating hole, a fixing mechanism is provided for limiting the fixing pipe and the driving pipe on the spiral rod; and an upper pipe, with the bottom fixed to the fixing pipe after the bottom of the upper pipe is extended into the lower pipe, and a fixing mechanism for adjusting an extending/contracting length being installed between the upper pipe and the lower pipe. The upper pipe can be driven for a linear displacement to drive and rotate the mop head.
US08291535B2
A body support apparatus, system, and method of reducing pressure on the pelvic structure of a non-ambulatory or semi-ambulatory individual. According to the invention, a body support apparatus provides pressure relief and a level base of pelvic support for wheelchair users. The body support apparatus provides enhanced pressure relief via layers of tissue density-specific pressure relieving layers of foam. In addition, the apparatus provides further pressure relief via gender specific pressure relief zones. The body support apparatus can be used in combination with a wheelchair to provide pressure relief and a pelvic postural support.
US08291533B2
A patient treatment device includes an upper cantilever member and a lower cantilever member pivotally coupled to a platform, a bracket pivotally coupled to the front portions of the cantilever members for forming a parallelogrammic device, an elevating transmission device for pivoting the cantilever members up and down relative to the platform, a patient supporting table including a front portion pivotally attached to the bracket, and a tilting transmission device for tilting the patient supporting table between the horizontal position and the tilted working position and for preventing the patient from falling down from the patient supporting table inadvertently.
US08291532B2
A lifting device for a patient support apparatus is provided. The patient support apparatus includes a frame and a lifting device coupled to the frame. The lifting device is configured to move the frame between a raised position and a lowered position. The lifting device includes a motor and at least two canisters. The motor is operably coupled to at least one of the canisters to rotate the canister.
US08291530B2
A child containment system has a child containment structure with a bottom, a perimeter side wall surrounding the bottom, and a connector part carried on each of two opposed inward facing surfaces of the perimeter wall. The system has an infant sleeping apparatus with a fabric panel having a top surface, a perimeter edge, a frame structure carrier near the perimeter edge, and an exposed portion of the frame structure positioned near each opposed end of the fabric panel. The infant sleeping apparatus is removably mounted to the child containment structure with the fabric panel suspended above the bottom of the child containment structure by connecting each exposed portion of the frame structure to a corresponding one of the connector parts of the child containment structure.
US08291527B2
Apparatus for driving a nozzle of a bidet toilet, has a base 1; a nozzle 2; a guide device 11, 12 formed on the base for guiding linear movement of the nozzle; a motion output device 7 having an output shaft 71; a driving wheel 3 attached to the output shaft and being rotatably driven with the output shaft; a pair of guide wheels 4,5 rotatably fixed relative to the base, and a non-toothed conveyer 6 wound around the driving wheel 3 and the guide wheels 4, 5 and fastened to the nozzle 2. Rotation of the driving wheel 3 causes linear movement of the nozzle 2.
US08291525B2
A vacuum waste system for use in a vehicle, such as a aircraft. The vacuum waste system includes a lightweight base assembly and a lightweight toilet bowl assembly mounted to the top of the base assembly. The toilet bowl assembly has downwardly extending members that engage in a sliding manner with horizontally extending members at the top of the base assembly to thus secure the toilet bowl assembly to the base assembly. A fastener, such as a nut and bolt assembly, can be coupled to the toilet bowl assembly and base assembly using a tool to thus secure the toilet bowl assembly to the base assembly.
US08291516B2
A glove has a body, a side mirror pad and a side mirror. The body has a palm segment having a palm back surface and a wrist segment connected to the palm segment. The side mirror pad is connected to the palm back surface of the palm segment of the body and has a mirror face, a securing end and a connecting end. The securing end is connected to the palm back surface of the palm segment of the body. The connecting end is selectively connected detachably to the securing end and the palm back surface of the palm segment. The side mirror is mounted on the mirror face of the side mirror pad.
US08296856B2
A control system (32, 75) is for use with a scanning probe microscope of a type in which measurement data is collected at positions within a scan pattern described as a probe and sample are moved relative to each other. The control system is used in conjunction with a position detection system (34) that measures the position of at least one of the probe and sample such that their relative spatial location (x, y) is determined. Measurement data may then be correlated with empirically-determined spatial locations in constructing an image. The use of empirical location data means that image quality is not limited by the ability of a microscope scanning system to control mechanically the relative location of probe and sample.
US08296851B1
A system and method for using a host electronic computing device to prevent access to data in a preselected memory portion of an electronic computing device remote from the host electronic computing device. Each of the electronic computing devices is adapted for selective electronic communication with the other. The system and method comprises a first software program for the remote device, the first software program comprising a unique identifier, a current expiration time value, a comparator for comparing the current expiration time value against a time-based parameter of the remote device, and a security trigger. The system and method further comprises a second software program for the host device, where the second software program includes means for identifying the remote device, means for accessing an expiration time reset schedule, and means for resetting the current expiration time value.
US08296842B2
Network worms or viruses are a growing threat to the security of public and private networks and the individual computers that make up those networks. A content sifting method if provided that automatically generates a precise signature for a worm or virus that can then be used to significantly reduce the propagation of the worm elsewhere in the network or eradicate the worm altogether. The content sifting method is complemented by a value sampling method that increases the throughput of network traffic that can be monitored. Together, the methods track the number of times invariant strings appear in packets and the network address dispersion of those packets including variant strings. When an invariant string reaches a particular threshold of appearances and address dispersion, the string is reported as a signature for suspected worm.
US08296833B2
This disclosure relates to methods and systems to allow, in one embodiment, automatic access from one system to other systems which include an operating system that includes a user login process. In one embodiment, a method includes logging into, automatically in response to starting a first data processing system, a second data processing system at least as a guest user of the second data processing system which has a storage volume storing data and displaying a user interface object on a display device of the first data processing system, the user interface object corresponding to at least one of the second data processing system and the storage volume to allow at least one of a search to be performed or a browsing to be performed of the data stored on the storage volume.
US08296828B2
Claim based identities are transformed to a set of credentials and securely stored in a secure data store using a number of encryption schemes. The credentials are then used to authenticate applications requiring specific credential types. For each call to the secure store system, a client application may provide a claims token issued by a trusted source, which is used to search for corresponding credentials in the secure data store if the credentials have been created previously for the user.
US08296826B1
Disclosed are various systems, methods, and other embodiments for the secure storage of files and the like. In one example, a determination is made in a server as to whether an entity indicated in a request received in the server is authorized to transfer a file from a client to a mass storage system over a network. A plurality of instructions are obtained in the server to send to the client, where the instructions are configured to control activity of the client in transferring the file from the client to the mass storage system over the network. The instructions are sent to the client in order to implement the transfer of the file from the client to the mass storage system.
US08296825B2
A system for enabling a user to communicate on a virtual private network through a public communication network, the possibility of communicating on the private network depending on the availability to the user of at least one enabling credential sent to the user in encrypted form. The system includes at least one SIM type module available to the user and bearing an encryption mechanism and it is configured to decrypt the enabling credential at the user exploiting the encryption mechanism home by the SIM type module, the SIM type module being able to interact with at least one additional communication network to activate the encryption mechanism.
US08296813B2
Methods and apparatus for optimizing quality of streaming data transmitted between a first node and a second node over a network, the streaming data including one or more frame groups is disclosed. A processor-readable medium having embodied therein processor readably instructions for implementing a method for optimizing quality of streaming data transmitted between a first node and a second node over a network is also disclosed.
US08296809B2
Where an instruction for a scheduled recording has been received from a remoter controller, a control unit starts the processing for display control (step S1). When the time has reached a predetermined period of time counted by a timer, for example, two minutes, before the start of the scheduled recording (step S2), the control unit determines whether or not a display unit currently displays two or more screen, and if the display unit is displaying two or more screens, the processing proceeds to step S4, and before the time for starting the scheduled recording, the controls unit makes a screen other than the screen for a program scheduled to be recorded disappear, that is, one of the screens, which displays a channel not selected for a scheduled recording, remain, and makes one screen in a multi-screen go into non-display. For example, on a TV screen, the display of a program on a BS channel for which a recording is scheduled disappears, and only the remaining BS display is provided. Next, if it is determined at step S5 that the time has reached the time for starting the scheduled recording (Yes), the processing proceeds to step S6, and the scheduled recording is started. At this time, a message to inform a user of the start of the scheduled recording can also be displayed on the display area.
US08296808B2
A method of acquiring data associated with a television program consistent with certain embodiments involves acquiring information that identifies a currently playing television program; receiving a command from a user interface that selects an image forming a portion of a frame of video displayed on the television, wherein said frame of video is a portion of the television program; accessing a specified web site that contains a database of metadata associated with television programs via the Internet; querying the specified web site for metadata associated with the image by providing the image along with the information that identifies the currently playing television program; receiving a response from the specified web site that provides metadata associated with the image; and displaying at least a portion of the metadata. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08296792B2
A method and system are disclosed to provided interactivity using an interactive channel bug. The interactive channel bug (e.g., an “interactive broadcast channel branding logo”) allows a television user to access a variety of interactive services. The interactive broadcast channel branding logo may be configured to launch a functionality determined by a broadcaster. This functionality may change over time. The form of the interactive broadcast channel branding logo may also change over time in which the availability of new interactive services is indicated.
US08296785B2
Links are established between data elements common to different application programs to make it easier for a user to perform an action in one application program using data available in another application program. Data elements are identified in a first data set for a first application program. One or more performable actions is associated with each identified data element. Common or matching data elements in a second data set for a second application are identified. When a user selects one of the matching data elements in the second data set, a selectable list of actions is presented to enable performance of a selected action from within the first application program in relation to the data element selected in the second application program.
US08296784B1
Disclosed in one example is a method for interfacing with multiple social networks. The method includes receiving a call from a social networking service agnostic social networking application for one of a plurality of social networking functions in a first format, translating the call in the first format to a call in a second format, the second format being one of a plurality of heterogeneous social networking service application programming interface formats, and passing the call in the second format to a first social networking service by utilizing a first social networking service application programming interface.
US08296776B2
An efficient mechanism for terminating applications of a data processing system is described herein. In one embodiment, in response to a request for exiting from an operating environment of a data processing system, an operating system examines an operating state associated with an application running within the operating environment, where the operating state is stored at a predetermined memory location shared between the operating system and the application. The operating system immediately terminates the application if the operating state associated with the application indicates that the application is safe for a sudden termination. Otherwise, the operating system defers terminating the application if the operating state associated with the application indicates that the application is unsafe for the sudden termination.
US08296772B2
The invention provides for customer information control system (CICS) workload management in performance of computer processing tasks based upon “target” processors requesting work from “routers”, by providing for a target process(or) to first initiate a request to a router seeking distribution of processing task(s) before a new task is assigned by the router to that target for completion.
US08296771B2
A system and method for allocating system resources is described herein. In one embodiment, the method comprises creating, in a computer system, a resource consumer and assigning the resource consumer one of a set of flavors. The method further includes determining whether the resource consumer is limited to receiving resources from a certain one of a set of resource providers, wherein each of the set of resource providers has one of the set of flavors. The method further includes marking a field to indicate that the resource consumer is limited to receiving resources from the certain one of the set of resource providers, if the resource consumer is limited to receiving resources from the certain one of the set of resource providers. The method further includes allocating a resource to the resource consumer from one of the set of resource providers whose flavor matches the flavor assigned to the resource consumer.
US08296769B2
An order-relation analyzing apparatus collects assigned destination processor information, a synchronization process order and synchronization information, determines a corresponding element associated with a program among a plurality of elements indicating an ordinal value of the program based on the assigned destination processor information, when an execution of the program is started, and calculates the ordinal value indicated by the corresponding element for each segment based on the synchronization information, when the synchronization process occurs while executing the program. When a first corresponding element associated with a second program, of which the execution starts after the execution of a first program associated with the first corresponding element finishes, is determined, the ordinal value of the second program is calculated by calculating the ordinal value indicated by the first corresponding element.
US08296768B2
In a method for switching to a spare processor during runtime, a processing system determines that execution should be migrated off of an active processor. An operating system (OS) scheduler and at least one device are then paused, and the active processor is put into an idle state. State data from writable and substantial non-writable stores in the active processor is loaded into the spare processor. Interrupt routing table logic for the processing system is dynamically reprogrammed to direct external interrupts to the spare processor. The active processor may then be off-lined, and the device and OS scheduler may be unpaused or resumed. Threads may then be dispatched to the spare processor for execution. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08296763B1
A system and method for providing Personal Cloud computing and for hosting applications and/or content may employ a network attached storage device on which virtual machine monitors (T-cups) and logical devices (Ts) are instantiated in memory. Each T may include hosted content, application modules, a server module configured to host the modules and/or content, and an interface module configured to provide access to the modules and/or content in response to detecting an authorized key. Detecting an authorized key may include communicating with a name server to determine if a T instantiated on a storage device coupled to the system is associated with a device identifier on a list of device identifiers authorized to access the module(s). The storage device may be a computer, camera, frame, phone, audio/video player, or portable storage device. The name server may be configured to authenticate Ts, define T ownership, and/or establish friend-to-friend networks between Ts.
US08296751B2
A software application program interface system and method is provided. A call message may be received that specifies a type of application program to be called from a calling application program that is executing on a computer system. It may be determined whether the computer system has any application programs of the specified type available for execution. If an application program of the specified type is available for execution on the computer system, an application call message may be provided in a format recognized by a particular available application programs of the specified type, and the particular available application program may be called using the application call message.
US08296748B2
A method to provide effective control and data flow information in an Intermediate Representation (IR) form. A Path Sensitive single Assignment (PSA) IR form with effective and explicit control and data path information supports control flow sensitive optimizations such as path sensitive symbolic substitution, array privatization and speculative multi threading. In the definition of PSA form, besides defining new versioned variables, the gamma functions keep control path information. The gamma function in PSA form keeps the basic attribute of SSA IR form and only one definition exists for each use. Therefore, all existing Single Static Assignment (SSA) IR form based analysis can be applied in PSA form. The gamma function in PSA form keeps all essential control flow information and eliminates unnecessary predicates at the same time.
US08296743B2
Presented are embodiments of methods and systems for library-based compilation and dispatch to automatically spread computations of a program across heterogeneous cores in a processing system. The source program contains a parallel-programming keyword, such as mapreduce, from a high-level, library-oriented parallel programming language. The compiler inserts one or more calls for a generic function, associated with the parallel-programming keyword, into the compiled code. A runtime library provides a predicate-based library system that includes multiple hardware specific implementations (“variants”) of the generic function. A runtime dispatch engine dynamically selects the best-available (e.g., most specific) variant, from a bundle of hardware-specific variants, for a given input and machine configuration. That is, the dispatch engine may take into account run-time availability of processing elements, choose one of them, and then select for dispatch an appropriate variant to be executed on the selected processing element. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08296738B1
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a system that allows a software developer to perform shader debugging and performance tuning. The system includes an interception layer between the software application and the application programming interface (API). The interception layer is configured to intercept and store source code versions of the original shaders included in the application. For each object in the frame, the interception layer makes shader source code available to the developer, so that the developer can modify the source code as needed, re-compile only the modified shader source code, and run the application. Consequently, shader debugging and performance tuning may be carried out in a manner that is more efficient and effective relative to prior art approaches.
US08296734B2
A system for testing at least one software product comprising a requirement loader and a test specification loader. The requirement loader is adapted for loading a plurality of requirements on the software product into a database. The test specification loader is adapted for loading a plurality of test specifications for the software product into the database, each test specification being related to one or more of the requirements. The test specification loader is further adapted for generating during loading of a test specification a virtual test specification in the database for each of the one or more related requirements, the virtual test specification comprising all test specifications for the respective requirement on the software product stored in the database.
US08296732B2
Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for analyzing configuration data associated with a plurality of software applications. For example a system and method can be configured to receive configuration data about the software applications, wherein the configuration data about the software applications includes configuration items that have relationships with other configuration items. An interface display screen is provided to the user, wherein the user interface display screen is configured to display an evaluation of the retrieved configuration data.
US08296724B2
According to one embodiment, a software defect forecasting system comprises a software forecasting tool operable to receive a number of attributes associated with a software development project from a user interface. The attributes are associated with a software development project in which a software product is developed over a period of time. The attributes are received prior to the beginning of the software development project such that an anticipated quantity of defects may be estimated prior to the beginning of the software development project. Moreover, the software defect forecasting system may estimate the anticipated quantity of defects for some, most, or all of the various development phases of the software development project.
US08296722B2
A transformation tree for an object model (OM) is defined. The transformation tree has nodes interconnected by edges, where each node is connected to at most one other tree node. Each node corresponds to a state of the OM; each edge corresponds to an event causing the OM to transition from the state of one node to the state of another node. A transformation graph for the OM is constructed by simulating the transformation tree. The transformation graph has nodes interconnected by edges, and is a directed graph in which each node is connected to one or more other nodes. Each node corresponds to a state of the OM; each edge corresponds to an event causing the OM to transition from the state of one node to the state of another node. Crawling-oriented actions are performed in relation to the OM by being performed in relation to the transformation graph.
US08296720B2
For use in an integrated development environment, such as Eclipse, a common connection registry of connections to remote systems is presented. The connection registry contains objects and subsystem objects. The connection objects have attribute information for the remote system whereas the subsystem objects contain information specific to a particular tool and connection. The framework further presents a common user interface by which tools can be registered within a connection, or by which a new connection can be created. The common user interface presents application program interfaces by which connection objects and subsystem objects can be created, retrieved, maintained, updated, modified, stored in the registry, and/or deleted, etc. The framework is capable of maintaining connections and tools within an integrated development environment independent of the type and/or operating system of the remote systems, the programming language of the tools, etc.
US08296713B2
A method and apparatus for synthesizing pipelined input/output in a circuit design from high level synthesis is described. In one example, an operation is selected to be performed by a circuit, the operation including a plurality of partial operations of different types. The partial operations are ordered based on the ordering of the variables. A plurality of hardware components for performing the operations are represented with a data flow graph having edges and nodes, the edges and nodes being connected based on the ordering of partial operations. A plurality of solutions are simulated for performing the operations as hardware component combinations represented as paths on the data flow graph. For each solution, a cost including a number of edges and nodes traversed on the data flow graph is determined, and a solution is selected with the lowest cost as a hardware component combination for a circuit.
US08296709B2
A method for designing a system to be implemented on a target device includes generating bounding boxes on the target device for nets in the system where a bounding box identifies routing resources available for routing its corresponding net. The nets in the system are assigned to a plurality of threads to be routed. The threads are executed so that a plurality of the nets are routed in parallel within their corresponding bounding box.
US08296703B1
A method for modeling state-retention logic includes: specifying a circuit that includes an arrangement of circuit elements, wherein a portion of the circuit is organized into a power domain with a power-domain control for effecting power variations within the power domain, and the power domain includes a state-retention cell that includes a retention element with a retention-element control for saving state-retention-cell values in the retention element during power variations in the power domain; determining one or more pattern faults for detecting defects in state-retention operation of the circuit by associating circuit element values with values for the power-domain control or the retention-element control; and saving one or more values for the one or more pattern faults.
US08296702B2
A method for creating a rectilinear non-convex polygonal output representative of a component used to build a VLSI circuit chip from a plurality of points corresponding to a plurality of components of the chip includes: covering the plurality of points with a set of rectangles; creating a Voronoi diagram for the set of rectangles; forming a nearest neighbor tree for the Voronoi diagram; connecting a selected set of the rectangles corresponding to the nearest neighbor tree into a non-convex rectilinear polygon; and applying the non-convex rectilinear polygon to build the VLSI chip.
US08296700B2
A design supporting apparatus of a semiconductor device, includes sections to perform: setting an impurity concentration with respect to a channel direction and a depth direction to node points arranged discretely in a channel region of a model transistor based on a predetermined concentration distribution rule; calculating an electric characteristic of the model transistor by using the impurity concentration; and storing the impurity concentration as a model parameter of the model transistor in a storage unit, when the calculated electric characteristic and an electric characteristic prepared previously are coincident with each other within a predetermined range. The device characteristic calculating section calculates a surface potential to each of the node points by reducing a dimension of the impurity concentration in the depth direction, corrects the surface potential based on interaction between the node points adjacent to each other, and calculates the electric characteristic by using the corrected surface potential.
US08296699B1
A system, method, and computer program product is disclosed for utilizing dual-value signals, such as hierarchical dual-value signals, for mixed-signal simulation. Such dual-value signals can hold both analog and digital representations of a signal and use the appropriate representations based on which block (analog or digital) for which there is an interaction.
US08296696B1
A method for designing a system on a target device includes synthesizing the system. The system is mapped. The system is placed on the target device. Physical synthesis is performed on the system by identifying a plurality of register retiming solutions for each register in the system, performing combinational resynthesis on each of the register retiming solutions, and selecting a combinational resynthesis solution for the system.
US08296695B1
A method for designing a system on a target device is disclosed. A first netlist with a first set of functionally invariant boundaries (FIBs) is generated after performing extraction during synthesis of a first version of the system in a first compilation. One or more of the FIBs is invalidated from the first set after performing optimizations during synthesis in the first compilation resulting in a second netlist with a second set of FIBs. A third netlist with a third set of FIBs is generated after performing extraction during synthesis of a second version of the system having a changed portion in a second compilation. Connectivity of matching nodes from the first netlist and the third netlist reaching FIBs is traversed to identify equivalent nodes associated with identical regions. The identical region in the third netlist is replaced with an optimized synthesized region from the second netlist.
US08296691B2
A system and method for modeling a semiconductor transistor device structure having a conductive line feature of a designed length connected to a gate of a transistor device in a circuit to be modeled, the transistor including an active device (RX) area over which the gate is formed and over which the conductive line feature extends. The method includes providing an analytical model representation including a function for modeling a lithographic flare effect impacting the active device area width; and, from the modeling function, relating an effective change in active device area width (deltaW adder) as a function of a distance from a defined edge of the RX area. Then, transistor model parameter values in a transistor compact model for the device are updated to include deltaW adder values to be added to a built-in deltaW value. A netlist used in a simulation includes the deltaW adder values to more accurately describe the characteristics of the transistor device being modeled including modeling of lithographic corner rounding effect on transistor device parametrics.
US08296678B2
A method and system is provided for analyzing potential repeatable values for placement into a data field based on user-defined criteria and includes analyzing relationships between documents for the purpose of correlating sender and receiver information into a context to more accurately populate type-ahead functions in repeatable data fields. Threaded messages are typically limited to those messages that are responses to responses or responses to an original message and are usually denoted by terms such as, for example, “forwarded” or “reply to” and where the history of the previous related message is included in the most recent message. However, the invention now expands correlation into non-thread related documents to achieve a higher correlation rate. The expanded documents may be any previous email or associated documents of a sender or receiver, including any documents defined by user criteria. In the case of stand-alone applications such as word processors, any user associated document, as defined by user criteria may be included in a contextual association for purposes of type-ahead analysis.
US08296666B2
This application relates to information analysis and more particularly to a system and method for interactive visual representation of information content and relationships using layouts and gestures. A visualization tool is provided which facilitates both ad-hoc and more formal analytical tasks as a flexible and expressive thinking environment. The tool provides a space focused on ‘Human Interaction with Information’ and enabling evidence marshalling. Capabilities of the tool include put-this-there cognition, automatic analysis templates, and gestures for the fluid expression of thought and scalability mechanisms to support large analysis tasks.
US08296664B2
A system, method, and computer program product comprise presenting a plurality of search results within a graphical user interface. Further, an indicia of risk associated with the search results is presented, in real-time, within the graphical user interface.
US08296662B2
The image display includes a bandwidth calculating means that calculates bandwidth of image data transmitted from a plurality of computer devices, based on at least any one piece of information about the position and movement of a cursor displayed in a display image and a transmission amount control means that controls data transmission amounts of the plurality of computer devices, based on the bandwidth of the image data. Incidentally, the bandwidth calculating means calculates a priority level from the number of cursors existing in a display frame of each of the computer devices, and determines the bandwidth based on the priority level.
US08296651B2
A method, apparatus and computer program element are disclosed for selecting a term for inclusion in a glossary in a document handling or processing system in which a set of functions or rules are applied to the term in order to provide a probability measure for the terms being suitable for inclusion in said glossary.
US08296641B2
A circuit outputs, upon receipt of data and a parity of the data, count information on the number of bits in the data represented as a base-n number (n: a natural number equal to or larger than 2) and the parity of the count information. The circuit includes a determining unit and an inverting unit. The determining unit determines that the number of bits in the data represented as a base-n number is a specific value. The inverting unit outputs, as the parity of the count information, any one of a value of the parity of the data and an inverted value of the parity depending on a result of determination by the determining unit.
US08296636B2
A Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) encoding apparatus and method are provided. The LDPC encoding apparatus includes a controller for determining a number of zeros b to be inserted in an input information vector when a length of the input information vector is less than a length of a use information vector of a parity-check matrix, for selecting b stopping sets Sd using the parity-check matrix, for selecting one variable node from each of the b stopping sets Sd using a selection scheme, and for determining positions corresponding to the selected variable node from each of the b stopping sets Sd as positions where zeros are to be inserted.
US08296634B2
An error correction decoder includes a syndrome generator and an error correction value generator. The syndrome generator is operable to generate a plurality of syndromes based upon a received signal generated according to a generator polynomial. The error correction value generator is operable to generate a plurality of product values. Each of the product values is generated for one of the syndromes based upon a respective power of the roots of the generator polynomial. The respective power is determined based upon a respective index corresponding to one of the syndromes to be considered and unit positions of the received signal. The error correction value generator is further operable to generate an error correction value according to the product values, and to provide an error correcting device coupled thereto with the error correction value for correcting an error of the received signal.
US08296628B2
A solid-state memory such as a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) with multiplexed internal data bus and reduced power consumption on data transfer. The memory stores data in the form of multi-byte data words with error correction coding (ECC). In a page mode read/write operation, data states stored in memory cells of the selected row are sensed by sense amplifiers arranged in first and second banks, which are associated with first and second groups of columns. The first bank of sense amplifiers, associated with the first group of columns and containing the ECC value, are coupled to to the internal bus, followed by coupling the second bank of sense amplifiers associated with the second group of columns to the internal bus. The internal bus is then placed in tri-state, following which the internal data bus is driven with data to be written into the second group of columns in that same row, that data latched into the second bank of sense amplifiers. The internal bus is then driven with the data to be written to the first group of columns in the row, and latched into the first bank of sense amplifiers. To the extent that the data in the second group of columns does not change from the read to write operations, power consumption otherwise necessary for switching the internal bus is avoided.
US08296615B2
A system and method for generating a migration plan for migrating data from a first electronic medium to a second electronic medium is provided. The system comprises a migration readiness assessment module for determining a migration recommendation; an effort estimation module for determining a total effort required for migrating data from a first electronic medium to a second electronic medium; and a migration plan generator module for generating a migration plan based on the determined migration recommendation and the total estimated effort.
US08296609B2
A service framework uses importance ranking information in making call decisions and/or wait-time decisions in connection with service requests. Each of the service requests has an importance ranking which reflects the importance of the information provided by the service to a task being performed. The health of a service may be controlled by permitting fewer (or more) service requests to be made to the service when the service is less (or more) healthy. The likelihood of a service request being made to the service may depend on the importance ranking of the service request. When waiting for a response, a determination whether to continue waiting may be made based on the likelihood that the service has failed and based on the importance of the information to the task being performed.
US08296606B2
A block repair device is used in a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) having a primary array with a defective cell and a redundant array with a redundant row. The block repair device stores a block repair configuration that determines the dimensions (e.g., the number of rows and columns spanned) of a repair block. Routing circuitry is configured by the stored block repair configuration to output some row and column address bits from received row and column addresses in a selected ratio. Comparison circuitry compares the row and column address bits output by the routing circuitry with the address of the defective cell that defines the repair block. When a match occurs, the comparison circuitry implements a block repair by activating the redundant row and by causing data to be written to or read from the activated redundant row instead of the primary array.
US08296603B2
A load test method for a computer and apparatus are provided. The method includes acquiring control information indicating a type of a hardware resources required for executing a load test program and quantitative conditions determined for each type of the hardware resources, acquiring an assignment rule table specifying a set of rules for each of the various hardware resources to assign the hardware resources of the computer to a load test program, selecting a rule for each of the hardware resources from the acquired assignment rule table in such a manner that a load is imposed on a predetermined part of the computer, developing the load test programs by assigning the hardware resources of the computer to the load test programs based on the acquired control information and the selected rule for each of the various hardware resources, and executing in parallel the developed load test programs.
US08296599B1
A system and method for implementing clustered network file system lock management is provided. A failure of a first server node among a collection of nodes is detected. The first server node includes lock status data. The lock status data grants a first client exclusive access to data stored on a server storage device. The server storage device is coupled to the collection of server nodes. The lock status data is transferred to a second server node among the collection of server nodes. The first client is granted exclusive access to data stored on the server storage device, based on the lock status data transferred to the second server node from the first server node, in response to the transferring. Lock requests from the collection of clients are accepted, in response to the transferring.
US08296596B2
A computer system capable of dynamically modulating a core-voltage and a clock frequency of a CPU is provided. The computer system includes a CPU capable of receiving a voltage and then generating a feedback voltage; a PWM controller capable of modulating and outputting the voltage in response to a compensated-feedback voltage, and capable of monitoring a real-time load of CPU and then generating a power monitor signal; an embedded controller for determining a power consumption of the CPU in response to the power monitor signal and then generating a control signal and a system interrupt notify signal; a voltage modulation unit capable of generating a compensate voltage in response to the control signal; a clock-frequency generator for generating a clock with a first frequency to the central processing unit; and, a BIOS for modulating the first frequency of the clock based on the system interrupt notify signal; wherein the compensated-feedback voltage is equal to the feedback voltage added to the compensate voltage.
US08296590B2
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for budget-based power consumption for application execution on a plurality of compute nodes that include: assigning an execution priority to each of one or more applications; executing, on the plurality of compute nodes, the applications according to the execution priorities assigned to the applications at an initial power level provided to the compute nodes until a predetermined power consumption threshold is reached; and applying, upon reaching the predetermined power consumption threshold, one or more power conservation actions to reduce power consumption of the plurality of compute nodes during execution of the applications.
US08296588B2
Provided is a microcontroller including: a first low-voltage detection circuit to detect that a power supply voltage is equal to or lower than a first voltage value; a second low-voltage detection circuit to detect that the power supply voltage is equal to or lower than a second voltage value, the second voltage value being lower than the first voltage value; a CPU to stop operating when the first low-voltage detection circuit detects that the power supply voltage is equal to or lower than the first voltage value; and a real-time clock to continue operating unless the second low-voltage detection circuit detects that the power supply voltage is equal to or lower than the second voltage value, in which the first low-voltage detection circuit, the second low-voltage detection circuit, the CPU, and the real-time clock are formed on a single chip.
US08296586B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes: a switch which switches between connection and disconnection of a sideband signal transmitted by a device attached to the electronic device; a power switch circuit which switches between supply and interrupt of power to the device; a nonvolatile memory which holds a setting; and a control section which controls the switch and the power switch circuit based on the setting.
US08296582B2
In a method for providing copy-protection services on a storage medium (for instance a solid state memory module), the data are arranged in sectors to which a field (S4T) is associated, where said field contains a random value Ri which is changed randomly when writing data to said sector. By encrypting the data stored on the medium using a key which depends critically on said random numbers, bit-by-bit copies (apart from said random numbers, which can not be deterministically changed by an application) to a second storage medium or recopies from some intermediate storage medium, can not be decrypted because the values of said random numbers will have changed, thus preventing unauthorized duplication and replay attacks.
US08296577B2
An apparatus and method for preventing information leakage attacks through a polarized cryptographic bus architecture. The polarized cryptographic bus architecture randomly changes the polarity of the target bit such that the leaked information cannot be consistently averaged to yield statistical key material. Further, to increase the prevention of information leakage attacks, a set of dual rails is used to write data to a given register bit.
US08296574B2
A method of detecting abnormality of an information processing apparatus to be started by biometric authentication without being started when the apparatus is inoperable. The information processing apparatus performs the biometric authentication using obtained biometric data of a user and pre-registered reference biometric data of the user in order to allow the apparatus to be used. When the apparatus cannot be started, the information processing apparatus outputs the reference biometric data, a detecting apparatus capable of obtaining the reference biometric data obtains the reference biometric data, the detecting apparatus obtains biometric data of the user and detects abnormality of the information processing apparatus by comparing the biometric data of the user obtained by the information processing apparatus and the obtained reference biometric data for authentication determination.
US08296559B2
A method and apparatus for sending a self-asserted certificate is described. A mail client of a sender is configured to generate a public and private key pair, to create a self-signed certificate, and to form an introduction message addressed to a recipient to enable use of the self-signed certificate prior to corresponding with the recipient. A mail client of a recipient is configured to display an indicator of a receipt of the introduction message from the sender. The indicator comprises a user interface query to the recipient to verify and accept the sender-signed certificate in response to receiving the introduction message from the sender.
US08296556B2
A method for processing booting failure of a computer system is adapted for being performed at a computer. The method includes the following steps. First, a parameter selecting signal is generated according to a triggering signal by a control module. Second, a driving parameter is chosen from a look-up table according to the parameter selecting signal by a basic input output system (BIOS), and the driving parameter is loaded into the BIOS and provided to a driving module. Third, a memory is driven according to the driving parameter by the driving module. Fourth, the driving parameter is stored by BIOS.
US08296553B2
A method and system to perform a fast reset or restart of a platform by minimizing the hardware initialization of IO devices in the platform during a restart of the platform. The basic input/output system (BIOS) of the platform traps any software initiated reset request (SIRR) or warm reset. The BIOS restores the input/output (IO) devices coupled with the platform to their previous hardware state to avoid the full platform initialization when the SIRR is trapped. The restart of the platform can be performed in a fast manner as the full platform initialization is minimized.
US08296548B2
A method for locating an extreme value data chunk within a data block, the method includes: fetching, by a processor, an instruction; fetching, in response to a content of the instruction, a data unit that comprises multiple data chunks; selectively masking the fetched data chunks in response to a value of a mask; comparing, by a hardware accelerator, between values of valid data chunks to provide a extreme value data chunk; wherein valid data chunks include un-masked data chunks that belong to the data block; updating the value of the mask and jumping to the stage of fetching a new data unit, until the whole data block is fetched.
US08296545B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory device is disclosed to include memory organized into blocks, each block having a status associated therewith and all of the blocks of the nonvolatile memory having collectively a capacity status associated therewith and a display for showing the capacity status even when no power is being applied to the display.
US08296543B2
Provided is a computer system including a plurality of storage apparatuses, in which, if the storage apparatuses employ an external mapping/connection system, the plurality of storage apparatuses can efficiently use each other's storage resources. The computer system includes a plurality of storage apparatuses and a management computer for managing the storage apparatuses. The management computer determines whether or not it is possible to perform external connection between the plurality of storage apparatuses and whether or not it is possible to divert the use of a storage device in one storage apparatus to another storage apparatus, on the basis of a criteria table, and if it is possible to perform external connection between the plurality of storage apparatuses, it is carried out and, if it is not possible, the management computer diverts the use of a storage device in one storage apparatus to another storage apparatus.
US08296535B2
A method of generating a delta file, the delta file including update instructions for causing a target processing device to transform a current memory image module into an updated memory image module. The method includes: incorporating a parametric representation of a first memory address in the delta file, the parametric representation being parametric with respect to at least one parameter; and incorporating parameter resolution instructions in the delta file, wherein the parameter resolution instructions are adapted to cause the target processing device to determine a value of said at least one parameter and to determine an address value of the first memory address from the parametric representation and the determined value of said at least one parameter.
US08296530B1
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for optimizing the number of data writes to virtually provisioned logical units of a physical data storage array. The method is performed at a virtual provisioning layer associated with a physical storage array and includes receiving, from a client, a first write request for writing data to a first portion of a first data block of a virtually provisioned logical unit (VLUN) of the physical data storage array, wherein the size of the first portion is less than the size of the first data block. In response to receiving the first write request, a combined write request is generated from the virtual provisioning layer, where the combined write request is for writing the first portion of the data from the received write request and a second portion of fill data such that a size of the first portion and the second portion is equal to a size of the first data block. The second write request is then forwarded to the physical layer associated with the data storage array.
US08296527B2
A method for implementing a high-availability system that includes a plurality of controllers that each includes a shared memory. The method includes storing in the shared memory, by each controller, status data related to each of a plurality of failure modes, and calculating, by each controller, an availability score based on the status data. The method also includes determining, by each controller, one of the plurality of controllers having a highest availability score, and identifying the one of the plurality of controllers having the highest availability score as a master controller.
US08296524B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that acquires a lock in a shared memory multiprocessor system. During operation, the system loads the lock into a cache associated with the thread and then reads a value of the lock. If the value indicates that the lock is currently held by another thread, the system periodically executes an instruction that tests a status of the lock. If the status indicates the lock is valid, the system continues to test the status of the lock. Otherwise, if the status indicates that the lock was invalidated by a store, the system attempts to acquire the lock by executing an atomic operation. On the other hand, if the status indicates that the lock was invalidated by an atomic operation, or that the lock is not present in the cache, the system repeats the loading and reading operations.
US08296523B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for dual timer fragment caching. In an embodiment of the invention, a dual timer fragment caching method can include establishing both a soft timeout and also a hard timeout for each fragment in a fragment cache. The method further can include managing the fragment cache by evicting fragments in the fragment cache subsequent to a lapsing of a corresponding hard timeout. The management of the fragment cache also can include responding to multiple requests by multiple requestors for a stale fragment in the fragment cache with a lapsed corresponding soft timeout by returning the stale fragment from the fragment cache to some of the requestors, by retrieving and returning a new form of the stale fragment to others of the requestors, and by replacing the stale fragment in the fragment cache with the new form of the stale fragment with a reset soft timeout and hard timeout.
US08296521B2
A system, method and machine-readable medium are provided to configure a non-volatile memory (NVM) including a plurality of NVM modules, in a system having a hard disk drive (HDD) and an operating system (O/S). In response to a user selection of a hybrid drive mode for the NVM, the plurality of NVM modules are ranked according to speed performance. Boot portions of the O/S are copied to a highly ranked NVM module, or a plurality of highly ranked NVM modules, and the HDD and the highly ranked NVM modules are assigned as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system. Ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules can include carrying out a speed performance test. This approach can provide hybrid disk performance using conventional hardware, or enhance performance of an existing hybrid drive, while taking into account relative performance of available NVM modules.
US08296513B1
A method and system are provided for controlling SAS/SATA disk spin up when a disk enters an inactive mode, such as standby mode, in a near line storage system. A routing table entry is modified for a selected hard disk drive in an expander routing table to redirect and reroute to a spinup control virtual target any access requests intended for the selected hard disk drive, in response to the selected hard disk drive being in standby mode. In response to the selected hard disk drive exiting standby mode, the routing table entry is modified to direct and route requests for access to the selected hard disk drive back to the drive itself. A SAS expander device can control spin up for standby disk drives in a disk array. Alternatively, spin up control can be performed for disks in other power modes, such as idle, in a disk array.
US08296509B2
A method of executing an erasing instruction to erase host data from a flash memory device is provided. The method initiates with receiving from a host device an erase instruction to erase host data from an array of NAND flash memory cells grouped into separately-erasable device blocks, each device block including multiple device pages, the host data being a portion of device data that is stored in a device block. The host data is marked as erased, and a message is sent to the host device indicating that the host data has been erased.
US08296508B1
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to an erasable memory device, and more particularly to a securely erasable flash memory device.
US08296505B2
Disclosed are a system and method for controlling a flash memory using a descriptor array, which may maximize a performance of a flash memory based-storage system. The system includes a descriptor array receipt unit for receiving, from a processor, a descriptor array including, at least one descriptor corresponding to at least one operation; and a flash memory control unit for verifying the descriptor included in the descriptor array and executing a flash memory control command included in the verified descriptor, wherein the flash memory control unit executes the flash memory control command independent from the operation of the processor.
US08296504B2
A data management method for a flash memory storage system having a cache memory is provided. The data management method includes writing data into a flash memory when a write command is executed, and determining currently a state of all the writing data which is temporarily stored in the cache memory. Wherein, if the state indicates that a time for writing all the writing data temporarily stored in the cache memory into a flash memory may exceed an upper limit processing time, a portion of the writing data temporarily stored in the cache memory is first written into the flash memory. Accordingly, the data management method may effectively avoid a delay caused by a flush command issued from the host for flushing the cache memory.
US08296499B2
A flash memory device includes a memory cell array, a peri circuit unit, an I/O controller, and a controller. The memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells respectively connected to a plurality of bit line pairs and a plurality word lines. The peri circuit unit is configured to program data into the memory cell array or read data stored in the memory cell array in response to a command input through a control bus. The I/O controller is configured to receive data for programming and supply the data to the peri circuit unit in response to a command provided through a data input/output (I/O) bus. The controller is configured to control the I/O controller to perform a voltage setup operation for a program while the data for program is received.
US08296492B2
A power supply circuit for IEEE 1394 interface includes an IEEE 1394 interface control chip, an interface circuit, and a power circuit. The IEEE 1394 interface control chip outputs transmission protocol signals. The interface circuit is electrically connected to the IEEE 1394 interface control chip by a number of differential signal transmission lines. The interface circuit receives the transmission protocol signals and exchanges data with a peripheral device according to the received transmission protocol signals. The power circuit has a voltage decreasing circuit and provides working voltage to the interface circuit. The voltage decreasing circuit receives a DC voltage and converts the received DC voltage to the working voltage.
US08296484B2
A method and apparatus for predicting the desired alphanumeric character of a depressed multi-character key of a reduced-key keypad based upon the previous selection of characters. Rule trees defining the prediction associated with a depressed key based upon the previous selection of characters are dynamically built upon use to readily function with all language styles and vocabularies. Moreover, the rule trees are weighted to increase the probability of predicting the desired character and to be quickly adaptable to different users having different language styles or vocabularies.
US08296472B2
System and methods for safely sharing universal serial bus (USB) devices are provided. A request is received to switch from a state in which user mode drivers are not enabled to a state in which user mode drivers are enabled. For each kernel mode USB driver in the system, an I/O control (IOCTL) is called in each kernel mode USB driver. The IOCTL requests that the kernel mode USB driver yield devices on which it has a claim. Also, for each kernel mode USB driver in the system, it is determined if the kernel mode USB driver will yield one or more devices on which it has a claim. For each kernel mode USB driver that will yield and for each device claimed by the kernel mode USB driver for which the kernel mode USB driver respects a request to unclaim the device, a process is executed as if there had been a hot unplug event on the device.
US08296466B2
A system, a controller, and a method thereof for transmitting data stream from a host to a peripheral device with a chip are provided. At least a part of a data stream is transmitted from the host to the peripheral device. Then, the host inerrably receives a response message generated by the chip by executing a plurality of read commands. The data stream and the response message have corresponding write tokens, and the write token of the data stream is compared with the write token of the response message to verify the accuracy of the response message.
US08296464B2
A split deployment model is enabled for a telecommunication service access gateway. The services of the gateway are segregated into a set of core services that provide container-based functionality and a set of exposure services that enable network integration and translation of protocols. The core services are executed as part of the application server, while the exposure services are deployed in separate archive files. This isolation of services allows single or groups of services to be independently upgraded, patched or removed and reduces the impact of one service on others. Furthermore, the services can scale independently, allowing additional hardware resources to be added to a particular service. Multiple versions of a single service can also be deployed in a single cluster or server.
US08296463B2
A globalization management system (200) for managing resources of multiple interrelated data sources (1021, 1022, 1041, 1042, 1000, 1200, 1002, 1202) corresponding to a plurality of sites (102, 104, 106) accessed through a communications network (20) is provided. The globalization management system (200) includes a plurality of target application interfaces (222) respectively coupled to the interrelated data sources through the communications network. Each target application interface (222) includes systems (212,214,216,218) for converting a protocol of the respective data source to a predetermined protocol, and the predetermined protocol to the protocol of the respective data source. The globalization management system (200) further includes a global management engine (100) coupled to the plurality of target application interfaces (222). The global management engine (100) includes a site-to-site relationship manager, a system for reading data representing current content from the interrelated data sources, a system for comparing the data representing current content with data representing prior content, and a project manager for transferring the data identified as a content change to at least one of the interrelated data sources that has been identified as a subscriber site.
US08296456B2
Systems and methods for generating and/or displaying personalized video content are provided. In some embodiments, a video asset made up of a set of frames, including a preliminary frame with an object region, is received at user equipment. A media element is identified and transmitted to a remote server, where it is processed to produce a modified version of the media element and then transmitted back to the user equipment. The video asset is displayed at the user equipment, except that a modified frame incorporating the modified version of the media element is displayed in place of the preliminary frame. The modified version of the media element is incorporated in an area of the modified frame corresponding to the object region of the preliminary frame.
US08296448B2
A first phone obtains an identifier of a second phone from a phone list, and sends a request for the second phone's Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) type to a remote server. The first phone receives the second phone's SIP type from the remote server, and sends a message to one or more nodes in a network, based on the received second phone's SIP type, for a SIP session between the first phone and the second phone.
US08296445B1
A computer-implemented method includes instantiating a process on a mobile device. The method includes injecting instrumentation code to the process from a device external to the mobile device. The method includes injecting application code into the process and the application code and instrumentation code are written in the same language. The method includes monitoring the application in run time using the instrumentation code by intercepting requests from the application, sending simulated data to the application, and capturing screen shots of the mobile device. The method includes reporting on the application corresponding to the application code to a sub-system outside the process.
US08296440B2
An optical reader for accessing a remote location on a network includes an optical scanning system, a memory system, an output circuit for interfacing to a first computer disposed on the network, and a switching device for switching between a scan mode, a record mode and a playback mode. The optical reader further includes a transmitter for transmitting code information representative of a code to the first computer. In the scan mode, the code information is indicative of information representative of an encoded indicia scanned by the optical scanning system. In the playback mode the code information is indicative of information retrieved from a user-selectable memory in the memory system. The code information is configured to cause the first computer to determine routing information to the remote location, and access the remote location on the network in accordance with the determined routing information.
US08296438B2
Provided is a method for assigning a domain host configuration protocol (DHCP) server from a list of available DHCP servers based upon user selected criteria. When a network router receives a request for an IP address from a computer, or “client,” connected to a network, the request is analyzed for information related to both the client and the available DHCP servers. The analysis may be based upon a number of factors such as the number of previous requests to a particular DHCP server and the proximity of the servers to the computer requesting the IP address. Once the router determines an appropriate DHCP server for a particular IP address request, the client request is forwarded to that DHCP server. The process is completely transparent to both the requesting client and to the selected DHCP server.
US08296434B1
Techniques are described for providing load balancing functionality among multiple computing nodes. In some situations, the provided load balancing functionality includes dynamically scaling a group of multiple computing nodes for which the load balancing is performed, such as to dynamically expand and/or shrink the quantity of computing nodes in the group based on predefined criteria. At least some of the computing nodes of a group may be part of one or more physical computer networks in one or more geographical locations under control of a user or other entity, and at least some of the dynamic scaling of the group may use one or more other computing nodes that are part of a remote computer network (e.g., a virtual computer network provided under the control of a network-accessible service). The defined criteria used for the dynamic scaling may be determined in various manners and based on various factors.
US08296433B2
A method and apparatus is provided for integrating an application into a network of computing resources. Applications using this integration have a virtualized access to one or more computing resources associated with the network. Virtualization is generally assured through at least one network connection between the virtual layer and the native network. Together, the virtual access is used to generate a virtual application network capable of providing the application access to the network of computing resources. The application is created into an orchestration of operations to manipulate the one or more computing resources according to a business process. As needed, the application and orchestration can be further partitioning into components to be distributed and executed over the virtual application network using the virtualized access.
US08296430B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for administering an epoch initiated for remote memory access that include: initiating, by an origin application messaging module on an origin compute node, one or more data transfers to a target compute node for the epoch; initiating, by the origin application messaging module after initiating the data transfers, a closing stage for the epoch, including rejecting any new data transfers after initiating the closing stage for the epoch; determining, by the origin application messaging module, whether the data transfers have completed; and closing, by the origin application messaging module, the epoch if the data transfers have completed.
US08296425B2
In a lawful interception system including an interception unit, an application service providing unit, and an Internet access service providing unit, the application service providing unit may receive, from the interception unit, an interception request including interception target information of an interception target. Next, the application service providing unit may transfer a user code corresponding to the received interception target information to the interception unit, and may insert user related information into a packet to be provided to the interception target corresponding to the user code, enabling the packet to be lawfully intercepted. The interception unit may request the Internet access service providing unit for an interception of the packet with respect to the interception target by including the user code.
US08296424B2
Data representing application deployment attributes, network topology, and network performance attributes based on a reduced set of element attributes is utilized to simulate application deployment. The data may be received from a user directly, a program that models a network topology or application behavior, and a wizard that implies the data based on an interview process. The simulation may be based on application deployment attributes including application traffic pattern, application message sizes, network topology, and network performance attributes. The element attributes may be determined from a lookup table of element operating characteristics that may contain element maximum and minimum boundary operating values utilized to interpolate other operating conditions. Application response time may be derived using an iterative analysis based on multiple instances of one or more applications wherein a predetermined number of iterations is used or until a substantially steady state of network performance is achieved.
US08296421B1
Apparatuses, methods, systems, and circuits for controlling a network connection status indicator (such as a light-emitting diode) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of controlling a status indicator includes receiving a data unit of fixed or predetermined length in a device coupled to the network, detecting whether the received data unit is a protocol control unit (e.g., a timing protocol frame), restricting activity of the status indicator in response to the received data unit being detected as the protocol control unit, and allowing the activity of the status indicator in response to the received data unit being detected as a unit type other than the protocol control unit.
US08296404B2
An external processor for a network access system having a programmable access device includes a service controller that provides at least one service for network traffic, a message processor that processes network messages for service processing by the service controller, and a programmable access device controller that programs the programmable access device in response to service controller processing. It is advantageous for the external processor to include primary and secondary service controllers for a particular service so that, if the primary service controller fails, the secondary service controller can provide the particular service for message received from the programmable access device. In preferred embodiments, the service controller further includes a reporting processor that provides an interface through which reporting messages received from the programmable access device can be communicated to the service controller and a signaling controller that transmits signals to configure network hardware to establish requested network connections. The external processor preferably further supports a service policy interface through which the service controller can request policy decisions from a possibly remote policy server.
US08296401B2
For use in a communication system, a method of testing communications between at least one enterprise server and at least one handheld mobile communication device, the method comprising automatically sending a plurality of test messages from the enterprise server to the handheld mobile communication device. Also set forth is a method for verifying correct receipt of the test messages and reporting the verification results.
US08296388B2
A facility for cross-application encoding of geographical location information is described. In various embodiments, the facility receives a first document containing information relating to a geographical area, displays an image representing the geographical area, receives input from a user identifying at least a geographical location that is located in the geographical area, encodes a portion of the input to create an encoded link to the geographical location, and causes the link to be added to a second document such that when the link is selected, the first application displays the geographical area and identifies the identified geographical location. In various embodiments, the facility includes a correlating server that correlates geographical locations identified in documents of a first document type with documents containing mapping information.
US08296386B1
A method for writing information to a first memory location controlled by a first computing system from a second memory location controlled by a second computing system that interfaces with the first computing system via a network connection is provided.
US08296383B2
An electronic device may capture a voice command from a user. The electronic device may store contextual information about the state of the electronic device when the voice command is received. The electronic device may transmit the voice command and the contextual information to computing equipment such as a desktop computer or a remote server. The computing equipment may perform a speech recognition operation on the voice command and may process the contextual information. The computing equipment may respond to the voice command. The computing equipment may also transmit information to the electronic device that allows the electronic device to respond to the voice command.
US08296380B1
A method of message distribution, the method performed in a computer system having one or more processors accessing one or more databases comprising user account records, the one or more databases being stored in at least one storage device accessible by the one or more processors, the method including receiving a first message from a sender of a first client system, retrieving a first user credential of a first social media user account and a second user credential of a second social media user account stored in the one or more databases, packaging the first message and the first user credential into a first message package and the first message and the second user credential into a second message package, transmitting the first message package to a first social media system, the first social media system automatically distributing the first message to predetermined recipients of the first social media user account, and transmitting the second message package to the first social media system, the first social media system automatically distributing the first message to predetermined recipients of the second social media user account.
US08296375B1
A system of content delivery is provided. The system comprises cache servers, data loaders, and content feed servers. The cache servers store content. The data loaders communicate with the content cache servers, and each data loader writes updated content to each of the content cache servers. The data loaders schedule the retrieval of the updated content from content sources based on a refresh period. The data loaders arbitrate periodically to prevent duplication of file entries. The content feed servers are in communication with the content cache servers and each of the data loaders. Each feed server receives a request for content from an electronic device and requests the content from one of the content cache servers. When the content cache server replies that the requested content is not available, the feed server sends the request for the content to one of the data loaders.
US08296366B2
A system for efficient routing of real-time multimedia information is provided. The system efficiently routes messages containing real-time multimedia information by configuring and using multi-control unit connectors (“connectors”), which are special-purpose components optimized to route messages. A computing device may use multiple connectors to dynamically create connections with resources of the computing device or other computing devices simultaneously. An application can dynamically configure a connector to operate as client, server, or client-servers. The connector may also have a mode in which it operates, such as mixer, reflector, or selector. These modes may define how a connector is to process received messages before forwarding them. By using the various modes and roles, the system can be used to combine and efficiently route multimedia information for meaningful presentation to users of disparate computing devices.
US08296363B2
A discussion support apparatus includes a holding unit, an accepting unit and a generating unit. The holding unit holds pieces of discussion state information each indicating a state of a discussion at a corresponding one of points in time included in a period of time during which discussions are performed. The accepting unit accepts a discussion start operation indicating a start of discussion on a topic for which discussion has been started. The generating unit generates, based on one or more of the pieces of discussion state information indicating states of discussions at points in time before a point in time when the accepting unit accepts a discussion start operation for a certain topic, topic-related information indicating at least one piece of discussion state information which is related to the certain topic and which is specified from among the one or more of the pieces of discussion state information.
US08296362B2
In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect a first participant wherein the first participant corresponds with a primary group name; identify a profile based on the primary group name; detect a second participant; identify a secondary group name based on the second participant; select a privilege within the profile based on the secondary group name; and apply the privilege to the first participant and the second participant.
US08296360B2
An aggregation machine, including: a computer, an output device controlled by the computer, and networking hardware connecting the computer to a network, the computer programmed so that the aggregation apparatus: connects to a plurality of sites on the Internet; and authenticates itself with each of the plurality of sites; and retrieves information from each of the plurality of sites; and parses the information from each of the plurality of sites; and provides user-enabled content management to users, and subject to said content management, produces an aggregation of the parsed information; and renders the aggregation as output.
US08296359B2
Systems and methods are provided for viewing portions of an image in high resolution and in context with a full image, which is displayed at a base resolution that is lower resolution than the resolution of the high-resolution image. A user can select an area of interest from the base-resolution image for viewing at a higher resolution on the client device. The server, or in some implementations the client device, can generate a high-resolution image representing the area of interest and the client device can display a portion of the high-resolution image in a virtual lens overlaid on the base-resolution image.
US08296353B2
Flow control is applied to increasing the performance of a browser while pre-fetching Web objects while operating over bandwidth constrained links to increase the level of concurrency, thus reducing contention for limited bandwidth resources with increased levels of concurrency. Using an agent or a gateway to speed up its Internet transactions over bandwidth constrained connections to source servers. Assisting a browser in the fetching of objects in such a way that an object is ready and available locally before the browser requires it, without suffering congestion on any bandwidth constrained link. Providing seemingly instantaneous availability of objects to a browser enabling it to complete processing the object to request the next object without much wait.
US08296350B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for QR-factorizing matrix on a multiprocessor system, wherein the multiprocessor system comprises at least one core processor and a plurality of accelerators, the method comprises the steps of: iteratively factorizing each panel in the matrix until the whole matrix is factorized; wherein in each iteration, the method comprises: partitioning an unprocessed matrix part in the matrix into a plurality of blocks according to a predetermined block size; partitioning a current processed panel in the unprocessed matrix part into at least two sub panels, wherein the current processed panel is composed of a plurality of blocks; and performing QR factorization one by one on the at least two sub panels with the plurality of accelerators, and updating the data of the sub panel(s) on which no QR factorization has been performed among the at least two sub panels by using the factorization result. The present invention enables a multiprocessor system having a high computing capability to be applied to the matrix QR factorization having a large amount of computation tasks.
US08296338B2
A system and process that establish a singular shared file system among devices in order to create a virtual representation of data on all of the devices via metadata indexing. This virtual representation of data means that the files are not actually stored on all devices and thus, with the exception of a single physical location, they do not need to take up any space (i.e. storage) on any additional device's hard drive. This allows for significant amounts of data to be virtually stored on each device, even if there is no physical storage room available for the data on each device. The system and process do not require data to be stored on a provider server, but instead stores only lightweight metadata, i.e., a small fraction of information about the files, online.
US08296335B2
Methods for advertising information include: displaying user-selectable category and geographic vicinity information at a port; and, at a database that is not at the same location as the port; responding to user input at the port to display, at the port, advertising information that is associated with a user-selected category and geographic vicinity. Methods for updating advertising information in a database include: storing advertising information about a plurality of places in the database; updating the advertising information from a first port connected to the database through the Internet; and responding, at the database, to user inputs at a second port connected to the database through the Internet, to display updated advertising information at the second port. Advertisements can be tagged to items of interest and displayed.
US08296334B2
Documents having a structured nature such as contracts, legislation, etc. can be graphically depicted to emphasize their logical structure. A document map may graphically show clauses of a document as nodes with the requirements of the clause as branch structures from the nodes. The requirement elements of a clause may be logically linked by a logical operator for the clause, such as AND, OR, NOT etc. Each requirement element may include a validation field that allows a user to indicate whether a requirement has been validated. Validation of the clause can be calculated based on the validation field values, typically Boolean values, and based on the logical operator. The validation map may be used to determine compliance with a document, costs of compliance, etc.
US08296331B2
Creating and executing a distributed stream processing operator graph based on a query. The operator graph includes movable stream algebra operators for processing events received from high volume data streams. The operators are partially compiled and distributed to computing devices for completion of the compilation and subsequent execution. During execution, the operators maintain minimal state information associated with received events via an expiration time assigned to each of the event instances. Additional events are generated and aggregated by the operators for communication to a service responsible for the query.
US08296329B1
In an information management system, a controller implements a heuristic bundle optimizer to facilitate a migration or other type of transition of at least a portion of a data center from a first configuration to a second configuration. The controller identifies a plurality of component bundling scenarios each specifying a separation of a given set of components associated with the first and second configurations into bundles for transitioning on a per-bundle basis from the first configuration to the second configuration. The controller also evaluates the component bundling scenarios, and determines an optimal one of the component bundling scenarios. The portion of the data center is then transitioned from the first configuration to the second configuration with the components being transitioned in the bundles specified by the optimal component bundling scenario.
US08296318B2
A Human Resource Networking System, which is a novel Method establishing a business system for locating, identifying, promoting and assisting in the employing of career project workers in the non-career workforce, includes a Relational Database comprising an Industry Credit Inductive Lineage Construct Matrix containing People Elements, Places Elements, Projects Elements, and Things Elements derived from People Information, Places Information, Project Elements, and Things Elements; a plurality of Credit Constructs each of which is formed by associating two or more of the People Elements, the Places Elements, the Projects Elements, and the Things Elements and stored in the Industry Credit Inductive Lineage Construct Matrix of the Relational Database; and a Display Device for outputting Credit Bytes generated by combining the Credit Constructs upon query.
US08296317B2
Methods and systems for preparing data for searching and performing searches are provided. Searchable data definitions describe the location and format of searchable data within enterprise applications. Documents may be created from the searchable data definitions and indexed by a search engine, while preserving semantic information available within the enterprise application. Search results can include an indication of objects that are semantically related to each search result, providing more information and increased navigation and search options.
US08296303B2
Indexing and routing to event data is described. Event data is assigned an identifier that identifies the data type and the contents of event data within an enterprise system. The event data may be real-time event data. With the identifier, a source of the event data is determined, and the source can be queried for the event data in real-time. The identifier is indexed along with other event data identifiers. Based on the location of the event data, the system sends out a query toward the data source to obtain the information, but also to route the query to the data source, rather than attempting to pull data towards the query source and process it at the query source.
US08296302B2
The present invention provides a method and system for extending content based on the semantic meaning of content. It divides content into multiple content regions and finds words and/or phrases that are semantically relevant to the current content region and appends these words and/or phrases to the current content region as extended content. The extended content matches semantically with the original content in such a seamless way that users may think it is a part of the content.
US08296285B2
Ambiguities with respect to a user topic interest may be resolved so that useful topic-relevant ads can be presented. Such ambiguities may be resolved by monitoring user behavior, determining a user topic interest (e.g., from a plurality of different candidate topics) based on the monitored behavior, and serving ads relevant to the determined user topic interest.
US08296273B2
A filtering method and apparatus for an electronic device. The operating system's program registry is copied and then modified to direct all application data to a filter program such as a virus scanning filter program. If the filter program determines that the object is virus free, the copy of the program registry (filter registry) is queried by the filter program to determine the application program associated with the data object. The data object is then forwarded to the appropriate application program.
US08296265B2
Method and apparatus for synchronizing applications for data recovery using storage based journaling
Disclosed is a method to synchronize the state of an application and an application's objects with data stored on the storage system. The storage system provides API's to create special data, called a marker journal, and stores it on a journal volume. The marker contains application information, e.g. file name, operation on the file, timestamp, etc. Since the journal volume contains markers as well as any changed data in the chronological order, IO activities to the storage system and application activities can be synchronized.
US08296263B2
Systems and methods which provide a hybrid network based solution for digital data file backup are shown. Embodiments utilize a transport mass storage system to provide transmission of digital data files between user equipment and a network based mass storage system. A manifest may be used to manage transporting and/or storage of digital data files. User equipment may then access the digital data files stored to the network mass storage system for various purposes using a network link. Subsequent, incremental backups and other transfers of relatively small amounts of digital data files are preferably accomplished using a network link for the transfer.
US08296259B1
The present invention relates to inventory management solutions, and in particular, to methods and systems for inventorying items over wireless and data networks, using digital imaging, positioning, and data terminals. The user experience in performing inventory management is simplified and enhanced over existing methods.
US08296249B2
A rule learning method for making a computer perform rule learning processing in machine learning includes firstly calculating an evaluation value of respective features in a training example by using data and weights of the training examples; selecting a given number of features in descending order of the evaluation values; secondly calculating a confidence value for one of the given number of selected features; updating the weights of training example, by using the data and weights of the training examples, and the confidence value corresponding to the one feature; firstly repeating the updating for the remaining features of the given number of features; and secondly repeating, for a given number of times, the firstly calculating, the selecting, the secondly calculating, the updating, and the firstly repeating.
US08296247B2
A method of reviewing medical images and clinical data to generate a diagnosis or treatment decision is provided. The method includes receiving, at a computer-aided detection (CAD) system, the medical images and clinical data, processing the medical images and clinical data; to generate initial finding candidates and clustering the initial finding candidates into a plurality of groups. The method further includes classifying the initial finding candidates using machine learning algorithms integrated into the CAD system into one or more categories one or more categories of the initial finding candidates using type 2 fuzz logic, and determining detection and assessment statistics based on at least the assessed categories and classified findings using Bayesian probability analysis. The method also includes modifying the classified findings and assessed categories based on additional interactive input, and generating the diagnosis or treatment decision based on the determined detection, assessment statistics, and the additional interactive input.
US08296244B1
A method and system for guiding end-users with respect to payment card data security standards. The system uses guidance questions that are worded simply and intelligibly so that end-users, regardless of their technical background or expertise, can understand the underlying issues and provide the proper answer. The guidance questions are generated from the PCI DSS SAQ and related guidance documents, to generate a list of positive, negative or non-applicable SAQ answers at the end of the process. The system generates action items with applicable policy statements for negative answers, if necessary, such that a completed questionnaire can be generated with all positive answers and sent to the authoritative entity. The system also generates vulnerability level reports based on the end-user's answers to assist the end-user and the host in assessing PCI DSS compliance readiness. The host can process the generated information, for example, to do risk analysis or risk management.
US08296233B2
Methods and systems provide and utilize a transceiver-based electronic payment device to consumers in an arrangement which allows for convenient carrying of the device and payment using the device.
US08296231B2
A network-accessible funds transfer system is disclosed that is capable of controlling a funds transfer transaction in which a funds transfer service collects funds from a payer and transfers collected funds to a payee. In one embodiment, the funds transfer service uses credit card information specified by the payer via the service's user interface to collect funds from the payer (through interactions with a third party fulfillment service), and uses bank account information specified by the payee via the service's user interface to transfer collected funds to a bank account of the payee.
US08296230B2
Described is a method and system for a remote deposit system. The method comprises receiving facsimile data corresponding to facsimile of a plurality of checks, constructing digitized images of the checks as a function of the facsimile data, gathering check data from each of the digitized images, and processing the check data according to a check processing procedure to settle transactions referenced by each of the checks.
US08296229B1
A system and method for associating consumers with their purchases so that consumer transactions can be tied back to a particular consumer is described. More particularly, a central transaction entity as part of a larger network collects, aggregates, manages and mines consumer transaction data from at least consumer and merchant members of the network for the purpose of routing electronic purchase history to consumers and allowing merchant analysis of consumer behavior in order to create consumer profiles to better service consumers and provide more personalized offers.
US08296228B1
A general feature of the present invention is to provide a dual authorizing system and method to prevent fraudulent use of credit cards and E-signature. To do so, a third party verifier is provided to ensure that the rightful owner of the credit card or E-signature approves of the transaction before the purchase is completed between the merchant and the credit card user. This is accomplished by linking the owner's Internet address or addresses or other communication device address to the credit card number, and storing this information with the third party verifier, such as an Authorization agent. Once the card is used to make a purchase, the Authorization agent is notified of the purchase. The Authorization agent then pulls the corresponding Internet address or communication address for the credit card number, then sends an approval request message to the owner at the owner's Internet address or communication device. This way, only the owner who had previously registered the credit card number with the Authorization agent is notified of the pending purchase and can approve or deny the purchase and, thereby preventing unauthorized user from making purchase using the owner's credit card.
US08296226B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for an asset backed purchase card. The present invention includes a house account comprising one or more assets, each of the one or more assets having a substantially continually updated spot purchase price. The invention receives funds from a consumer in exchange for a portion of the one or more assets from the house account based on an internal spot price of the asset, increasing a balance in a purchase account of the consumer. The purchase account is debited by selling a quantity of the asset backing the purchase account balance to the house account based on the internal spot price of the asset in response to a transaction based on a purchase card purchase by the consumer.
US08296225B2
A system and method for maintaining a pre-defined score distribution for financial transactions are disclosed. A number of memory spaces are defined for a memory structure. Transaction data for the financial transactions is received by the system. Each of the financial transactions is scored based on the transaction data to generate a batch of scores for the financial transactions. A score range is divided into k bins, where each of the k bins representing one memory space of the memory spaces of the memory structure. The batch of scores are aggregated by storing a count of each score of the batch of scores in an associated memory space of the plurality of memory spaces, and a percentile is computed for each score in the batch of scores based on a set of values associated with the count of each score. Each new financial transaction is scored to generate a new score, and a new percentile is assigned to the new score according to the set of values. The percentile of the new score is translated to a calibration score with fixed percentile characteristics according to a fixed reference curve.
US08296223B2
Processing duplicate items in image cash letter (“ICL”) reversal files for efficient handling. A duplicate item processing module can receive ICL reversal files comprising items representing duplicate electronic checks. The duplicate item processing module can determine whether the processing entity erroneously presented the item more than once. The duplicate item processing module can also determine whether the depositing institution erroneously deposited the item more than once for processing. Based on the determination of the source of the error, the duplicate item processing module can make a correction in its own records and/or forward the ICL reversal file with the duplicate item to the receiving institution.
US08296222B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for a sponsoring organization to: (1) utilize a rules-based computer system to capture trade orders from sub-advisors (money management firms) in order to implement a pre trade compliance review process, thereby enabling the sponsoring organization to prevent the execution of trade orders by a sub advisor that violates securities laws and/or account restrictions; and (2) determine and assign, based on expected market impact of a trade order to buy or sell securities, whether responsibility (discretion over the decisions related to how, when and with whom a trade order is executed) for executing the trade order is assigned to the money management firm for an investment portfolio or to the sponsoring organization of that portfolio. Trade orders are categorized in real-time as “high touch” (significant effort and market impact) or “low touch” (insignificant effort and market impact).
US08296217B1
Order flow information is used to provide traders with an enhanced market data feed. The external market data are overlaid with detailed internal customer order flow data to produce an enhanced virtual order book that more accurately reflects the best price and quantity available to traders at the receiving location and also the market liquidity behind that current best price. If a market impact overlay processor at a particular location closer to the exchange has access to customer order flow data from other more remote locations, the resultant enhanced virtual order book may not only be shared with traders at the closer location but also may be broadcast to market impact overlay processors at the remote locations, which may further enhance the shared data with more recent customer order flow data that would have not been received at the closer location at the time the enhanced data was broadcast.
US08296209B2
Described herein are methods and apparatus for the processing of electronic invoices. A server for processing invoices communicates with computing systems such as a supplier system (used by a supplier), a buyer system (used by a buyer), and finance systems (which manage bank accounts of the supplier and buyer). The server communicates with the supplier system and the buyer system regarding an electronic invoice that relates to a transaction between the supplier and the buyer, and that includes an identification code. When the buyer has approved the electronic invoice, the supplier system and/or the server is able to settle the invoice using the identification code.
US08296207B2
The present disclosure is directed to a method of approximating prices in a private property market. First, REIT return data is compiled from each REIT of a plurality of REITs at a predetermined frequency. Then, the REIT return data is processed according to exposures to each of a plurality of target characteristics to obtain coefficients reflecting each REIT's weight in an index. Then, an index is generated according to the REITs, the obtained coefficients, and the weights. Finally, a second index is derived from the generated index that approximates prices in the private property market.
US08296206B1
A method and system for providing intelligent targeted budget analysis and recommendations based on financial data from similarly situated individuals whereby financial data associated with multiple individuals is obtained and analyzed to identify financial profile elements associated with each individual. Data indicating the financial profile elements associated with the each of the individuals is stored in a financial profile database. The financial data associated with a given individual is then also obtained and analyzed to identify financial profile elements associated with the given individual. The financial profile elements associated with the given individual are then used to search the financial profile database to find one or more individuals that are financial peers of the given individual. The financial data associated with the identified one or more financial peers of the given individual is then analyzed, aggregated, averaged, and/or otherwise processed, to provide the given individual one or more budget recommendations.
US08296195B2
A portable device is used to capture, in real time, data sufficient to identify a product or service promoted, or a music track played, on a broadcast medium such as radio or television. The capture device can be a standalone implementation, or an application program executable on a personal communication device such as a cell phone or Blackberry. The capture device communicates the captured data to a remote server via a selected wired or wireless channel, or the internet, and the server provides services to support the user in responding to the radio or television broadcast item that corresponds to the captured data.
US08296184B2
A system and method for targeted delivery of advertising of a first or second sponsor to a plurality of cellular phones of a first or second type by way of a competitive bid auction process includes (a) receiving a credit card datum from a credit card provider; (b) presenting to the first and second sponsor data corresponding to (1) the credit card datum and (2) the first type and the second type of cellular phone; (c) receiving from each sponsor advertising associated with credit card characteristic relating to the credit card datum, wherein each advertising has a different rendering capability associated therewith; (d) attributing a priority to the delivery of the advertising based upon a resultant yield determination; and (e) transmitting the appropriate advertising to the types of cellular phones having the corresponding rendering capabilities of the advertising.
US08296179B1
A targeted advertisement placement system allows an advertiser to place an ad in front of an audience based on specific interests of the users in that audience, and based on the advertiser's own specific interests in users who should view the ad. The ad placement system collects information about a population of users and a population of advertisers to create profiles that can include both explicit and implicit criteria defining the user's/advertiser's interest. The explicit criteria can be explicitly provided to the ad placement system, can be extracted from documents provided by the user and/or the advertiser, etc. The implicit criteria include information learned by the system about the interests of both advertisers and users based on preferences implicitly expressed when providing feedback on search results. Using these criteria collected from advertisers and users to build profiles, the system can compare the profiles for matches to determine the best audience before which to place an advertisement.
US08296167B2
A system certifying a business process includes a business process associated with a user, and a process certification manager for associating a certification status with the business process and for communicating a certification request to the user. The process certification manager receives messages from the user and modifies the certification status in response. The process certification manager displays the business process and its associated certification status. The business process may include a number of subprocesses each associated with a different users. The process certification manager associates a certification status with each of the subprocesses and communicates a certification request to each of the users, and modifies the certification status of the subprocesses in response to messages from the users. The process certification manager displays the business process and its associated certification status in a first view and the subprocesses and their associated approval statuses in a second view.
US08296166B2
Family protection insurance provides for a flexible and adjustable insurance policy that can be adjustable to be consistent with changes in the adult's insurance needs. The insurance policy is a term policy where, at predefined intervals, the policy owner may increase the policy value without requiring additional underwriting. The policy owner may also, at any time, convert all or a portion of the term policy to permanent insurance, while still maintaining the term policy and replenish the death benefit amounts of the term policy through the intermittent value increments. Thus, adults may adjust the death benefits of the term policy and convert the term policy death benefits to permanent insurance consistent with changing insurance needs.
US08296165B2
A computer-implemented method for profiling medical claims to assist health care managers in determining the cost-efficiency and service quality of health care providers. The method allows an objective means for measuring and quantifying health care services. An episode treatment group (ETG) is a patient classification unit, which defines groups that are clinically homogenous (similar cause of illness and treatment) and statistically stable. The ETG grouper methodology uses service or segment-level claim data as input data and assigns each service to the appropriate episode. The program identifies concurrent and recurrent episodes, flags records, creates new groupings, shifts groupings for changed conditions, selects the most recent claims, resets windows, makes a determination if the provider is an independent lab and continues to collect information until an absence of treatment is detected.
US08296156B2
An encoding method and apparatus and a decoding method and apparatus are provided. The decoding method includes extracting a compatible down-mix signal optimized for a first multi-channel decoder from the input bitstream, converting the compatible down-mix signal to be optimized for a second multi-channel signal by performing a compatibility processing operation on the compatible down-mix signal, and generating a three-dimensional (3D) down-mix signal by performing a 3D rendering operation on the converted down-mix signal. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently encode multi-channel signals with 3D effects and to adaptively restore and reproduce audio signals with optimum sound quality according to the characteristics of an audio reproduction environment.
US08296148B1
A Mobile Voice Self Service (MVSS) mobile device and method thereof. A VoiceXML browser that is implemented directly on the MVSS mobile device may request a VoiceXML application from a VoiceXML application server and process it. A call data manager may also be implemented on the MVSS mobile device and may provide call data that, in conjunction with data from the VoiceXML application server, may authorize access to advanced Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) services, such as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) or Text-To-Speech (TTS). A media resource gateway may then provide the advanced MRCP services to the VoiceXML application processed by the VoiceXML application browser. Hotkey navigations and bookmarked application points to VoiceXML applications may be created and applied through application analysis and state tracking. Therein, VoiceXML document transitions and user input are stored to maintain application state changes until the user requests creation of an application bookmark.
US08296143B2
An audio waveform processing not imparting any feeling of strangeness and high in definition, in which time stretch and pitch shift are performed by a vocoder method, and the variation of phase over the whole waveform caused by the vocoder method at all times is reduced. An audio input waveform is handled as one band as it is or subjected to frequency band division into bands. While performing time stretch and pitch shift of each band waveform like conventional vocoder methods, the waveforms are combined. The combined waveform of the band is phase-synchronized at regular intervals to reduce the variation of phase. The phase-synchronized waveforms of the band are added, thus obtaining the final output waveform.
US08296140B2
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an automated method of and system for generating a response to a text-based natural language message is disclosed. The method includes identifying a first selected input clause in a sentence in the text-based natural language message. Also, assigning a semantic tag to the first selected input clause and matching the semantic tag to a historical input tag. The historical input tag associated with a first previously generated response clause. Further; generating an output response message based on the historical response clause, the output response message derived from the historical input tag and a second previously generated response clause. The system includes means for performing the method steps.
US08296138B2
A system and method of updating automatic speech recognition parameters on a mobile device are disclosed. The method comprises storing user account-specific adaptation data associated with ASR on a computing device associated with a wireless network, generating new ASR adaptation parameters based on transmitted information from the mobile device when a communication channel between the computing device and the mobile device becomes available and transmitting the new ASR adaptation data to the mobile device when a communication channel between the computing device and the mobile device becomes available. The new ASR adaptation data on the mobile device more accurately recognizes user utterances.
US08296133B2
A voice activity detection method and apparatus, and an electronic device are provided. The method includes: obtaining a time domain parameter and a frequency domain parameter from an audio frame; obtaining a first distance between the time domain parameter and a long-term sliding mean of the time domain parameter in a history background noise frame, and obtaining a second distance between the frequency domain parameter and a long-term sliding mean of the frequency domain parameter in the history background noise frame; and judging whether the audio frame is a foreground voice frame or a background noise frame according to the first distance, the second distance and a set of decision inequalities based on the first distance and the second distance. The above technical solutions enable the judgment criterion to have an adaptive adjustment capability, thus improving the performance of the voice activity detection.
US08296125B2
A dictionary mapping source locale strings to target locale strings is constructed. A tree is constructed from the dictionary. The tree has nodes including a start node, end nodes, and string nodes. The nodes form node chains of the tree that correspond to the source locale strings. Each node chain links a collection of the nodes from the start node to a string node. Each node other than the start node has a parent node and corresponds to a character of the source locale strings. Each node other than the end nodes has one or more child nodes. Each string node ends a node chain, and corresponds to a mapping within the dictionary of a source locale string to a target locale string. An input string having the source locale is processed against the tree to generate an output string having the target locale.
US08296123B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus for accessing distributed models in automated machine processing, including using large language models in machine translation, speech recognition and other applications.
US08296121B2
Method and apparatus for controlling power in an emulation system are described. In one example, a first interface is configured to receive requirement information for a logic module to be emulated from a host computer system. The requirement information includes at least one of a power requirement or a thermal requirement. A second interface is configured to receive measurement data from sensors in the emulation system. A controller is configured to control at least one of a synchronization system, a power regulation system, or a thermal system in the emulation system in response to the requirement information and the measurement data to reduce power load of the emulation system.
US08296119B2
Method, system, and computer program product for saving and restarting discrete event simulations are provided. A discrete event simulation of a scenario is performed via a process executing on a system. The process includes one or more application threads. A checkpoint of the process is created at a point in time when a command to save the discrete event simulation of the scenario is received. The checkpoint includes data elements of the process and the one or more application threads of the process that are stored in components of the system at the point in time. These data elements reflect a state of the process and the one or more application threads of the process at the point in time. The checkpoint is saved to one or more files in the system that are usable to later restart the discrete event simulation of the scenario from the point in time.
US08296112B2
A system for a flow simulation using Moving Particle Semi-implicit method, includes a processor representing a target incompressible fluid by a plurality of particles grouped according to different particle sizes depending on a spatial resolution required at positions in a simulation domain; temporarily updating a velocity and a position coordinate of each particle to a first velocity and a first position coordinate by implicitly calculating a variation of the velocity of each particle due to a viscosity of the incompressible fluid in each of a plurality of time steps having a predetermined time interval; and updating the first velocity and the first position coordinate to a second velocity and a second position coordinate of each particle at a next time step of each time step by calculating a velocity correction of the first velocity due to a pressure gradient of the incompressible fluid using the first velocity.
US08296109B2
Methods and systems for enabling simulation of material aging effect of chrono-rheological materials in computer aided engineering (CAE) analysis are disclosed. According to one aspect, a set of material property tests is conducted for a chrono-rheological material of interest. Each test obtains a series of material properties such as relaxation test data at different age. The relaxation test data are measured by maintaining a specimen of the chrono-rheological material at a predetermined strain. A set of first and second time-dependent material aging effect parameters is determined by shifting and matching the series of relaxation test data between each pair of the tests. The set of first and second time-dependent material aging effect parameters in conjunction with a CAE analysis application module with a chrono-rheological material constitutive equation configured therein are then used for simulating material aging effect by performing a CAE analysis of an engineering structure containing at least in part the chrono-rheological material.
US08296107B2
A constrained non-linear approximator for empirical process control is disclosed. The approximator constrains the behavior of the derivative of a subject empirical model without adversely affecting the ability of the model to represent generic non-linear relationships. There are three stages to developing the constrained non-linear approximator. The first stage is the specification of the general shape of the gain trajectory or base non-linear function which is specified graphically, algebraically or generically and is used as the basis for transfer functions used in the second stage. The second stage of the invention is the interconnection of the transfer functions to allow non-linear approximation. The final stage of the invention is the constrained optimization of the model coefficients such that the general shape of the input/output mappings (and their corresponding derivatives) are conserved.
US08296106B2
A method is provided that includes receiving and processing a sample signal scan. Processing the sample signal scan includes applying an inner-product operation on the sample signal scan and each of a plurality of eigenvectors to generate a plurality of corresponding coefficients, and subtracting the sample signal scan from a linear combination of the eigenvectors and corresponding coefficients to thereby produce a corrected sample signal scan. In this regard, the eigenvectors have been generated by decomposing a plurality of background reference signal scans according to a singular value decomposition technique. The signal scans include a plurality of electromagnetic signal measurements at a discrete set of frequencies, where each measurement has been taken by a spectrometer system passing an electromagnetic signal through a sample cell including just a base medium (for the background reference signal scans), or both a base medium and a sample medium (for the sample signal scan).
US08296105B2
A system for remotely diagnosing and repairing a computer controlled asset, includes an access point connected to a computer controlled asset thereby allowing electronic access to the computer system of the computer controlled asset. A service center remotely connected to the access point provides diagnostic review and repair of the computer controlled asset. An interface linking the access point to the service center allows the service center to communicate with the computer controlled asset via the access point.
US08296100B2
A method and system is provided for managing well assets. The method includes the steps of determining “first tier” statuses corresponding to pre-defined well attributes, mapping the first tier statuses to one or more well performance classifications, determining “second tier” statuses corresponding to the well classifications, and combining the second tier statuses to determine an overall well surveillance status. The method and corresponding system can be used to manage wells by exception, to readily identify “under-performing” wells, and to prioritize actions to be taken by well operators.
US08296098B2
A metrological instrument determines a surface profile or form of a surface (61) of a workpiece (60) by effecting relative movement between a probe (11, 12) and the surface (61) so that the probe follows and is displaced by changes in the surface topography. A measure of the displacement of the probe as it follows the surface is obtained by a displacement provider which may be an interferometric gauge (35). Instead of making a measurement along a single measurement path over the surface (61), respective measurements are made on sections (61d and 61e or 61g and 61h) of that measurement path to obtain corresponding measurement data sets and these measurement data sets are independently positioned or aligned to a reference data set. The reference data set may be obtained by a measurement made on another section (61c) of the measurement path (61), on another measurement path (61f) over another surface (62a and 62b) of the component or on another measurement path over a surface on which the component is located. The aligned measurement data sets are then merged together to form a profile of the surface.
US08296095B2
An electronic device includes a cover, a main body, a plurality of components, each has an on working state and an off working state respectively corresponding to an angle range, an angle measuring apparatus, a presetting unit to preset a relationship between the on and of working states of each component and corresponding angle ranges; a memory for storing the relationship as a table, an angle measuring unit to detect current angle value between the main body and the cover; a state determining unit to determine the angle range which the detected current angle value is in; a determining unit to determine whether a current working state of the components is same as the determined working state; and an updating unit to record the determined working state as an updated working state when they are not same.
US08296094B2
A method of determining the positions and orientations of the base (8) and platform (10) of a parallel manipulator using an iterative calculation in which successive iterations calculate estimates of said positions and orientations, each estimate being determined from the previous estimate using an inverse of a derivative of an error function (F), that function also being used to determine error values for each estimate, wherein if the error values are deemed unacceptable a new derivative is calculated and the iteration is repeated, whereas if the error values are deemed acceptable the same derivative is used in a subsequent iteration. Thus the derivative need not be re-calculate for each iteration, whereby the process can operate more rapidly, e.g. in real time.
US08296072B2
The present invention provides techniques of recording signals. In one aspect of the invention, a method of recording a signal comprises the following steps. One or more errors are selectively introduced during synthesis of a polymer in response to the signal. The one or more occurrences of the one or more errors in the synthesized polymer are recorded. The synthesis of the polymer may comprise a polymer synthetase that can selectively introduce the one or more errors in response to the signal. A method for analyzing signals is also provided.
US08296066B2
Traffic notification systems include a location determination system that is configured to determine a geographic location of a subscriber and an automated traffic notification system that is configured to automatically transmit a traffic notification message that is based on the geographic location of the subscriber to a wireless.
US08296064B2
A path search method of a mobile object in a grid map having a plurality of cells, each having an identical size, is provided. The path search method includes: generating a block map having a plurality of blocks by merging a specific number of cells in the grid map; obtaining a block path by finding a path from a starting position to a destination position in the block map; and obtaining a final path of the mobile object by performing a cell-based path search on cells in the blocks on the block path.
US08296059B2
In navigation systems and methods thereof and, more particularly, navigation systems and methods for vehicles and, even more particularly, navigation systems and methods that reduce/minimize the incidence criminal activity during transport of cargo along a route a method is provided for determining a trip route for travel including the following steps: (i) obtaining start point data for a start point; (ii) obtaining end point data for an end point; (iii) obtaining crime risk data for at least one point along a possible trip route between said start point and said end point; (iv) determining a portion of a safe trip route between said start point and said endpoint based on said crime risk data; and, (v) communicating said portion of said safe trip route via a navigation device.
US08296055B2
Methods and systems for positional communication are described. In one embodiment, a plurality of electronic communications for a user may be accessed. Positional information associated with the user may be accessed. User interface data for the plurality of electronic communications may be provided based on the positional information.
US08296050B2
A navigation device (100) has a position detection section (7), an interface (4), a touch panel (62), and a computer (1). The computer (1) has timekeeper means for clocking a current time, estimated arrival time calculation means for calculating the estimated time of arrival at a destination by using the touch panel (62), mail creation instruction means for causing, through the interface, (4) a portable telephone (200) to create mail containing text that informs arrival at the calculated estimated time of arrival, and mail transmission instruction means for causing the portable telephone (200) to transmit the created mail. The estimated time of arrival is transmitted to the other party without operation of a portable telephone by a driver.
US08296044B2
In a method for localizing a fault location within a fuel injection system, when a critical fault is detected by the diagnostic function, a pulse or a series of pulses to the injectors is triggered by a control unit. By observing the voltage value and/or charge value at the injector, it is possible to localize the fault location within the fuel injection system.
US08296039B2
In a method for estimating at least one control parameter of an injection system in an internal combustion engine for a target injection quantity, the estimation of the control parameter is based on linear regression, which is determined between predefined grid points and calculated test points in an operating range of the injection system.
US08296036B2
An electric power management system of a vehicle may interconnect a power plant, a propeller drive unit, and a battery via a bus. A controller may direct the operation of the power plant and the propeller drive unit. In a slow control mode, the propeller drive unit may react slowly to small throttle change requests. In the slow control mode, the propeller drive unit may draw power completely or substantially from the power plant. Upon a throttle request to rapidly change propeller drive unit speed more than a threshold amount, the controller may direct that the propeller drive unit quickly obtain the requested speed by drawing power required from the battery in excess of that being generated from the power plant. Subsequently, the controller may direct that the power plant increase power generation to maintain the propeller drive unit at the new speed, and recharge or float the battery.
US08296035B2
A power balancing system includes a vehicle communication device connected to a data link connector of a vehicle, and a scan tool connected to the vehicle communication device, the scan tool including a handset and a vehicle connector interface (VCI), wherein power can be received from one or more of an external power source being external from the VCI, the vehicle, and an internal power supply of the scan tool, and wherein the system balances the received power.
US08296030B2
A system for controlling an engine of a vehicle. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one monitoring device mounted on the vehicle, a controller in electronic communication with the at least one monitoring device, and a computer readable memory storing instructions executed by the controller. The instructions cause the controller to determine a current driving path of the vehicle based on data received from the at least one monitoring device, to detect a traffic congestion ahead of the vehicle in the current driving path based on data received from the at least one monitoring device, and to determine an alternative driving path of the vehicle based on data received from the at least one monitoring device. The instructions further cause the controller to calculate, using a first statistical model, a first probability that the traffic congestion will not move within a defined time period, and to stop the engine before the vehicle comes to a full stop when the first probability is greater than a first threshold.
US08296027B2
A method for controlling an electro-mechanical transmission through an unlocking state of a clutch, the transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member includes decreasing a reactive torque acting upon the clutch, including overriding torque commands to the engine and to the electric machine, and simultaneously decreasing a clutch torque capacity, including, during a lead period selected according to an engine command reaction time, commanding an intermediate clutch torque command maintaining sufficient clutch torque capacity to exceed an initial reactive torque calculated at an initiation of the unlocking state, and following the lead period, decreasing through a ramp down the clutch torque capacity, maintaining sufficient clutch torque capacity to exceed the decreasing reactive torque.
US08296019B2
A control system for a mobile excavation machine is disclosed. The control system may include a ground engaging work tool, a sensor, and a controller. The sensor may be configured to sense a parameter indicative of a current travel speed of the mobile excavation machine and generate a speed signal in response thereto. The controller may be in communication with the ground engaging work tool and the sensor, and configured to receive the signal. The controller may also be configured to determine a cutting depth of the ground engaging work tool into a material and calculate a current productivity value associated with removal of the material based on the speed signal and the determined cutting depth. The controller may be further configured to control the ground engaging work tool to vary the amount of material currently being removed in response to the current productivity value.
US08296010B2
A suspension control apparatus enabling a driver to obtain an excellent driving feeling. The suspension control apparatus controls an actuator disposed between a vehicle body and a wheel of a vehicle. The suspension control apparatus includes a lateral acceleration detector operable to detect a lateral acceleration, a lateral jerk detector operable to detect a lateral jerk, and a suspension controller operable to control the actuator to change a pitch of the vehicle based the detected lateral acceleration and lateral jerk.
US08296008B2
A vehicle diagnostic device is provided that includes a programmable function to control a function on an emission computer workstation. The function key can be programmed to interact and manipulate with the workstation. The vehicle diagnostic device allows a user to wirelessly communicate with the workstation while located in the vehicle.
US08296005B2
Even when a first moving condition is not satisfied, when it is determined that a second moving condition is satisfied and at the same time an object belongs to a first classification, an operation of a robot is controlled so as to prompt the object to move according to a first pattern or an arbitrary pattern. The second moving condition is a condition that the robot is capable of moving in according to a current target position trajectory without being obstructed by the object when the object is displaced according to the first pattern. The first classification is a classification of the object as an object capable of recognizing an action pattern of the robot and capable of moving autonomously.
US08296003B2
Electronic control systems and related control methods for controlling electric auxiliary motors for performing work, such as electric deck motors for mower blades. The apparatus is shown in use with a vehicle that includes a mowing deck. Features of the control systems allow for safe and efficient use of the vehicle.
US08295988B2
Voltage of a utility grid is reliably and swiftly restored, which decreased due to a utility grid failure or the like, to reference voltage. A generator is connected to a utility grid. A voltage detecting section detects voltage of a utility grid. A control section determines reactive current corresponding to the voltage obtained from the voltage detecting section based on voltage current correlation information in which the voltage of the utility grid and the reactive current to be supplied to the utility grid are correlated with each other. An electric power converting section regulates the reactive current to be supplied to or absorbed from the utility grid. An information changing section changes the voltage current correlation information to increase an amount of the reactive current with respect to a variation in the voltage in the voltage current correlation information, in the case where the voltage of the utility grid is not in a predetermined range set in advance after a predetermined time period has passed since the voltage of the utility grid varied by a predetermined amount.
US08295980B2
A deployment apparatus (1) adapted to remove articles (14) located on a support surface (5), the articles (14) being located in a plurality of orientations and positions on the support surface (5). The deployment apparatus (1) includes; an article detector (2) capable of determining an orientation and position of at least one article located on the support surface (5), a removal system (4) capable of engaging with and removing an article (14) from the support surface (5), a maneuvering system (3) capable of positioning the removal system (4) to engage with a selected article and deploying an engaged article to a predetermined position and/or orientation.
US08295973B2
A control arrangement for an electric drive with a control which processes desired values and actual values of the electric drive in relation to a desired-actual control is provided. A determination device determines a derived variable in an iterative manner in accordance with the actual values and the derived variable is fed to an evaluation device. The evaluation device associates the derived variables with position values of the drive and determines, after accumulating several derived variables, characteristic values of a systematic error in the desired values and/or the actual values. In accordance with the determined characteristic values, the evaluation device determines correction values and switches the correction values to the desired values, the actual values or the difference of desired and actual values.
US08295967B2
A computer-implemented method includes polishing substrates simultaneously in a polishing apparatus. Each substrate has a polishing rate independently controllable by an independently variable polishing parameter. Measurement data that varies with the thickness of each of the substrates is acquired from each of the substrates during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system. A projected thickness that each substrate will have at a target time is determined based on the measurement data. The polishing parameter for at least one substrate is adjusted to adjust the polishing rate of the at least one substrate such that the substrates have closer to the same thickness at the target time than without the adjustment.
US08295963B2
A computer-implemented method for performing data management in a plasma processing system is provided. The method includes providing a recipe-and component control module (RACCM). The RACCM is a server that includes a plurality of intelligent agents, which are configured to interact with the plurality of components. The RACCM also includes a coordinating agent, which is configured to receive processed data from the plurality of intelligent agents. The RACCM further includes a set of provisional agents, which is configured to perform recipe management by distributing at least part of a recipe to at least one of the plurality of intelligent agents and the coordinating agent.
US08295961B2
An ordering terminal (10) installed on an order side of a spectacle lens has a correction function concerning a measurement error measured by a spectacle frame shape measurement device (13), and transmits information necessary for machining the spectacle lens including the spectacle frame shape information to a spectacle lens manufacture control device (20) in a factory. When correcting the measurement error, the circumference of a reference frame (30) for which a reference circumference as a reference is determined in advance is measured by the spectacle frame shape measurement device (13). A measurement circumference obtained on the basis of a measurement value of the circumference is compared with the reference circumference, and a correction value which corrects the spectacle frame shape information such that the measurement circumference approaches the reference circumference is employed as the correction value of the spectacle frame shape measurement device (13). A measurement error of the lens frame of a spectacle frame (4) in which the spectacle lens is to be actually mounted is corrected using the correction value. Hence, the measurement error of the spectacle frame shape measurement device (13) need not be corrected on the factory.
US08295960B2
This invention relates to a load management controller for a household electrical installation comprising a plurality of electrical sub-circuits. The electrical sub-circuits may each comprise a plurality of components, a single component or a part of a single component. A plurality of the electrical sub-circuits have electricity usage profiles containing rules determining the supply of electricity to the electrical sub-circuit. The load management controller has access to the electricity usage profiles of the electrical sub-circuits and controls the supply of electricity to the electrical sub-circuit in accordance with the electricity usage profile related to that electrical sub-circuit. The household electrical installation may comprise a rechargeable battery bank or supply that may be used to provide power to the household electrical installation.
US08295947B2
Methods and devices for implanting pacing electrodes or other apparatus, or for delivering substances, to the heart of other tissues within the body. A guided tissue penetrating catheter is inserted into a body lumen (e.g., blood vessel) or into a body cavity or space (e.g., the pericardial space) and a penetrator is advanced from the catheter to a target location. In some embodiments, a substance or an apparatus (such as an electrode) may be delivered through a lumen in the penetrator. In other embodiments, a guidewire may be advanced through the penetrator, the penetrating catheter may then be removed and an apparatus (e.g., electrode) may then be advanced over that guidewire. Also disclosed are various implantable electrodes and electrode anchoring apparatus.
US08295943B2
This disclosure describes implantable medical leads that include a lead body and an electrode. A width of the electrode as measured along a longitudinal direction of the lead varies about the perimeter of the lead. The uneven width of the electrode may bias a stimulation field in a particular direction, e.g., a radial or transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the lead. Electrodes with an uneven width may be useful for controlling the direction of propagation of the stimulation field in order to, for example, avoid phrenic nerve stimulation during LV pacing or neck muscle stimulation during vagal neurostimulation.
US08295941B2
Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems configured to power at least one device disposed in a living subject, apparatuses configured to be disposed in a living subject and export power stored in an energy-storage device, and related methods of powering at least one device disposed in the living subject.
US08295939B2
A biostimulator system comprises one or more implantable devices and an external programmer configured for communicating with the implantable device or devices via bidirectional communication pathways comprising a receiving pathway that decodes information encoded on stimulation pulses generated by ones of the implantable device or devices and conducted through body tissue to the external programmer.
US08295924B2
A transdermal system for the delivery of an anesthetic or other active therapeutic agent directly to a selected site of injured skin tissue by iontophoresis is disclosed, which utilizes a transdermal skin-worn patch including a donor electrode chamber containing a donor electrode and an amount of an active agent in a form suitable for transdermal delivery in electrical communication with the donor electrode and a return electrode. The patch also contains a source of electric current connected in a circuit with the donor and return electrode, a current regulating device is optionally provided in the circuit for controlling the electrical output of the patch and at least the donor electrode chamber includes a provision for absorbing a quantity of fluid associated with weepage from adjacent injured skin tissue.
US08295918B2
Techniques are provided for use with implantable medical devices for addressing encapsulation effects, particularly in the detection of cardiac decompensation events such as heart failure (HF) or cardiogenic pulmonary edema (PE.) In one example, during an acute interval following device implant, cardiac decompensation is detected using heart rate variability (HRV), ventricular evoked response (ER) or various other non-impedance-based parameters that are insensitive to component encapsulation effects. During the subsequent chronic interval, decompensation is detected using intracardiac or transthoracic impedance signals. In another example, the degree of maturation of encapsulation of implanted components is assessed using impedance frequency-response measurements or based on the frequency bandwidth of heart sounds or other physiological signals. In this manner, impedance-based HF/PE detection systems can be activated as soon as component encapsulation has matured, without necessarily waiting until completion of a preset post-implant maturation interval, often set to forty-five days or more.
US08295916B2
The strontium-rubidium infusion system has a container with eluent, a strontium-rubidium generator with a filter and pressure sensor, an eluate infusion unit, which are connected via a transporting system having pipes and two three-way valves, radioactivity measuring means and a control and operating unit. An eluent container is connected to a syringe pump via the first and second ports of the first three-way valve, the first port of the second three-way valve is connected with pipes via the second filter to the eluate infusion unit, the second port is connected to a waste receptacle. The third and fourth three-way valves, the first and second air bubbles detectors are connected to the control and operating unit connected with a computer. The third three-way valve is connected with its first and second ports via pipes to the third port of the first three-way valve and the input of the generator, respectively.
US08295908B2
The present invention is directed to a device and method for opening obstructed body internal passages and for sensing and characterizing tissues and substances being in contact with the device of the invention. In general, the device of the present invention comprises a catheter tube capable of inducing vibrations in a guidewire contained therein, wherein said vibrations of the guidewire are utilized for opening a passage through an occlusion. The in-vivo vibrations may be induced by means of a magnetic field actuating means (5) and a guidewire (2) comprising magnetic coupling means (3), or by means of transducers, which may be also used for the sensing.
US08295895B2
One embodiment of the portable electronic device according to the present invention includes a housing provided with a camera 6 to enable image capture. In the housing, arranged are a pressure sensor 5 for detecting that the housing is in a submerged state, a speaker 3 for emitting shutter sound at the time of photographing using the camera 6, and a control circuit 1 for controlling an operation of the speaker 3. When the pressure sensor 5 detects that the housing is in the submerged state, the control circuit 1 increases volume of the shutter sound emitted from the speaker 3.
US08295894B2
A portable wireless communications device to be carried by a holster includes a portable housing carrying a wireless transceiver, a holster sensor, a local alert indicator, a user authentication input device, and a controller. The controller may store data and is connected to the wireless transceiver, the holster sensor, the local alert indicator, and the user authentication input device. The controller may be switchable to a pickpocket mode for activating the local alert indicator, wirelessly sending at least one remote alert message, and rendering unusable at least a portion of the stored data upon removal from the holster unless a user authentication is input before expiration of a predetermined time.
US08295893B2
Systems and methods for managing power consumption in a device include toggling an ON-OFF setting of apparatus, which controls a carrier detector. The toggling is carried out according to a first duty cycle having a fixed OFF-time duration and a first dwell time having a first dwell time duration during which the carrier detector performs radio frequency carrier detection function. The device receives at least one input that affects the radio frequency carrier detection function, and the first duty cycle is changed to a second duty cycle. The toggling is carried out according to the second duty cycle, which has the same fixed OFF-time duration of the first duty cycle and a second dwell time having a second dwell time duration that is longer than the first dwell time duration, during which the radio frequency carrier detection function is performed.
US08295887B2
Disclosed is a method for adjusting a ring tone volume in a mobile communication terminal. The method implements a function by which a user can directly adjust the ring tone volume in a mobile communication terminal in consideration of circumstances. To this end, the present invention includes a user interface screen by which a user can adjust the output volume level of the ring tone which rings according to the passage of time. Thus, the present invention provides a user interface screen by which a user can adjust the output volume level of a ring tone which rings according to the passage of time, and enables the user to set the output level of the ring tone and the output time of the ring tone at a corresponding level according to predetermined intervals through the screen.
US08295883B2
Methods and systems for managing and/or tracking use of SIM smart cards with integrated or external SIM module systems that are utilized with information handling systems. A SIM module system may be locked with a generic locking code to lock a SIM module system of a given information handling system for use with a designated SIM smart card that is programmed with a matching generic locking code. The locked SIM module system of the information handling system may be further configured so that it may be unlocked using an unlocking code so as to allow use of the information handling system with SIM smart cards other than the designated SIM smart card. To allow tracking of the disposition of the designated SIM smart card, notification of the non-activation, de-activation and/or activation of the designated SIM smart card (e.g., to an activation tracking agent) may be required before obtaining the unlocking code, for example, from an activation tracking agent.
US08295872B2
Improved power control methods and power control systems are described wherein received RSSI values are processed to generate a power control signal which may be used by a link manager, or other element in a receiving station, to determine whether to send a power control message to the transmitting station. The method used to process the received RSSI values is dependent upon a value of the power measurement, for example, the method may involve a comparison between the value of the power measurement and a value of the power control signal. In another embodiment, the received RSSI values may be converted to power values and then smoothed using a filter.
US08295870B2
A communication system for calling a plurality of terminal devices in response to a single request of call connection, assigning, for a single terminal device which answered the call, a communication band to be occupied in a communication band which can be used, and establishing the call connection in the assigned communication band, the communication system includes a deriving section that derives a communication band required for the call connection of each of the terminal devices to be called when the request of call connection is received, a securing section that secures a communication band including the maximum width in each of the derived communication bands in the communication band which can be used; and an assigning section that assigns a communication band to be occupied in the secured communication band to the terminal device which answered the call.
US08295867B2
Handheld electronic device including automatic mobile phone number management, and associated method
A method of updating information included in a handheld device user's contact entry included in a global address list wherein the device stores information of a first type, such as a mobile phone, SMS or MMS number or a PIN. The method includes determining whether the information of a first type has been modified from a first stored piece of information to a second stored piece of information, and generating a message including the second stored piece of information and sending the message to a computer system of the organization if it is determined that the information of a first type has been modified. The computer system stores the second stored piece of information in response to receipt of the message by the computer system for subsequent access by a requesting party. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device having one or more routines adapted to implement the method.
US08295859B1
The present invention provides a system and method for exploiting location awareness to improve the communication performance in a wireless cognitive radio system. The invention includes determining the absolute position information for the cognitive radio system, receiving digital topographical data related to the absolute position information, classifying the environment of the cognitive radio system based on the absolute position and the topographical data, matching the classified environment with corresponding statistical parameters and improving the communication performance of the cognitive radio system by adapting the cognitive radio system according to the corresponding statistical parameters.
US08295858B2
A method and apparatus for temporarily disabling a mobile terminal which is associable with a mobile telecommunications network for obtaining communication services therefrom is described. A base station simulator (20) is provided which transmits a signal for causing the mobile terminal (1) to register with the base station simulator (20). For example, this signal may be transmitted at a power higher than the base stations (3,4,5) of PLMNs in the area around the mobile terminal. The base station simulator (20) then transmits a message to cause the mobile terminal (1) to be temporarily disabled from communicating with the network. For example, the message may force the mobile terminal to perform a Location Area Update and/or a Routing Area Update. The base station simulator (20) then rejects inappropriately the Location/Routing Area Update Request from the mobile terminal (1) and causes the mobile terminal (1) to deem its SIM/USIM to be invalid until the mobile terminal is power cycled or the SIM/USIM is removed. The invention may advantageously be used onboard aircraft. The base station simulator (20) may provide a pico cell to allow wireless telecommunication services to be provided to mobile terminals during aircraft flight.
US08295849B2
A broadband wireless communication system using a fixed allocation scheme is provided. The system includes a controller for configuring change report information to report occurrences of resource release or change when resources are released or changed in a fixed allocation region, a generator for generating a fixed allocation Information Element (IE) including the change report information and history information regarding the resource release or change, and a transmitter for transmitting the fixed allocation IE.
US08295842B2
Call connection processing is performed and a message is processed in a different subnet without UATI reassignment and takeover of a wireless session. RANs that belong to different subnets and are adjacent to each other use messages to exchange ColorCode, IP addresses of base station controllers, wireless resource information of base station transceiver subsystems and the like. When the RAN receives, from an AT, a message having ColorCode that is different from ColorCode of the RAN, the RAN transfers the message to a base station controller included in the RAN having ColorCode that matches the ColorCode included in the message.
US08295840B2
The present invention provides a mobile station for communicating with a radio base station wherein a closed loop transmit diversity for transmission with use of a plurality of antennas is applied to the radio base station, comprising: a feedback information control unit controlling a feedback information control process based on the number of radio base stations simultaneously communicating with the mobile station. The mobile station can generate feedback information suitable for a shared physical channel in an intra-cell handover. On the other hand, the mobile station can generate feedback information suitable for a dedicated physical channel in an inter-cell handover.
US08295838B2
A mobile wireless device for use in a wireless network, wherein the wireless network includes regular access points and border access points. The border access points are those access points situated at the edge of the campus or other physical facility associated with the wireless network and they define the edge of the coverage area of the wireless network. The mobile wireless device predicts a possible drop of an active service due to loss of coverage by recognizing when it has connected with a border access point. A warning is output to the user of the mobile wireless device. The mobile wireless device may further recognize if it is located on the exterior side of the border access point away from the interior of the wireless network.
US08295837B2
Techniques are provided to allow more than a fixed number of radio access point devices to be deployed within a macro cell. At a controller apparatus, a registration request is received from a radio access point device configured to operate in a wireless network to serve one or more wireless client devices in the wireless network in respective relatively small coverage areas. The registration request comprises a macro cell identifier associated with a macro cell base station configured to operate in the wireless network to serve one or more wireless client devices in a relatively large coverage area, a radio access point cell identifier associated with the radio access point device, and a particular primary scrambling code selected for use by the radio access point device. When the particular primary scrambling code is not available for use, methods are provided to allocate it in a shared manner but without degrading handover service.
US08295836B2
A mobile exchange (300) comprising a mobile station information management unit (302) which manages mobile station information including a temporary mobile subscriber identity (TMSI) for identifying the each mobile station uniquely in a first mobile management area and a notification unit which notifies a destination wireless base station (200) to which a mobile station (100) is connected in the first mobile management area of the temporary mobile subscriber identity (TMSI) assigned to the mobile station (100) when the mobile station (100) performing communication in a second mobile management area moves from the second mobile management area to the first mobile management area.
US08295817B2
In one illustrative example, a technique in a server to facilitate a re-establishing of communication over a data connection between an application server and a wireless communication device which communicates via a base station of a wireless communication network is described. In response to a communication loss between the wireless device and the wireless network which causes the data connection to be terminated, the server receives from the application server a plurality of connection requests which are intended for receipt by the wireless device for re-establishing the data connection. The server operates to limit the number or a rate of the connection requests allowed to pass from the server to the base station of the wireless network during the communication loss between the wireless device and the wireless network.
US08295816B2
A system and method for making vehicle originated calls to a telematics service provider or other call center. The method includes identifying a call type associated with a desired wireless communication of speech or data to the call center, and then carrying out one of a number of different call connection processes depending on the call type. For voice channel cellular connections, an in-band modem cellular connection is preferably established in most instances using a connection retry strategy that includes primary, secondary, and possibly tertiary connection attempts. The system and method can be carried out in connection with various cellular system technologies, but is especially suited for use with GSM systems.
US08295803B2
A wireless communication device includes conventional components to permit a network communication link to be established with a wireless communication network. In addition, the wireless communication device includes a non-network transceiver that detects the presence of a wireless access point. When two such equipped devices come within proximity of the access point, a non-network wireless communication link is established. The two devices exchange portions of profile data which is analyzed to determine if a match exists. If a match occurs, a contact notification is generated. This permits the wireless communication device to act as an auto-detecting social network device that detects the proximity of other devices whose owners have a profile that matches the stored user preference data. Subsequent communication may occur in a conventional manner using the wireless network communication channels and web applications may also be used to gain additional information.
US08295793B2
A configuration controller generates one or more control signals based on channel data. The channel data includes requirements data received via the stream of inbound data, wherein the requirements data includes at least one of: a quality of service requirement, and a signal latency limit. A receiver includes an RF receiver section and a receiver processing module that are configured in response to the control signal.
US08295790B2
A method and an apparatus. The apparatus includes: a non-linear amplifier for generating an amplified signal, wherein a non-linearity of the non-linear amplifier, unless compensated by a provision of a pre-distorted signal, broadens a spectrum of the amplified signal from a desired spectrum to a broadened spectrum; a partial signature receiver, for receiving the amplified signal and for generating a sensed partial signature that represents spectral components of the amplified signal that belong only to a sampled spectrum that is narrower than the broadened spectrum; a configuration module, for receiving the sensed partial signature and for selecting, based on the sensed partial signature, a selected set of pre-distortion coefficient values that once applied by a signal processing module provides a best compensation to the non-linearity of the non-linear amplifier out of multiple sets of pre-distortion coefficient values that are available to the configuration module; and a signal processing module, for receiving an input signal and the selected set of pre-distortion coefficient values, and for generating a pre-distorted signal by pre-distorting the input signal by utilizing the selected set of pre-distortion coefficient values and for providing the pre-distorted signal to the non-linear amplifier.
US08295789B2
A lookup table type predistorter for reading out distortion compensation data by using a difference signal between a power amplifier input signal and an output signal as a reference signal; wherein N input side variable band signal extractors extract transmitting signals in N frequency bands from the input signal, N output side variable band signal extractors extract signals in N frequency bands from the output of power amplifier, and N difference detectors detect differences between N frequency band signals respectively detected at the input side and the output side as N reference signals, which are used to read out N compensation data from N lookup tables, the N compensation data are added to the transmitting signals in N frequency bands, and N results of addition are combined to produce an output of the predistorter.
US08295788B2
Methods and systems for an n-phase transmitter utilizing a leaky wave antenna (LWA) are disclosed and may include transmitting an n-phase wireless signal at a first frequency via the LWA utilizing a plurality of second frequency signals from one or more signal sources, and the second frequency may be lower than the first frequency. Each of the second frequency signals may be configured with a phase difference and may be communicated to the LWA utilizing one or more power amplifiers (PAs). The PAs may be operated in switching mode, thereby generating a square wave. The LWAs may be integrated on the chip, on a package to which the chip is affixed, and/or on a printed circuit board to which the chip is affixed. Square wave signals may be generated utilizing the signal sources. The transmitted wireless signal may be amplitude modulated utilizing a bias voltage applied to the LWAs.
US08295777B1
Methods and systems are disclosed for testing radio-frequency handoffs between two radio-frequency sources by a wireless communication device within an enclosed test chamber. The test chamber may include at least two radio-frequency antennas defining at least two radio-frequency coverage areas that are partially separated by a radio-frequency barrier wall. A wireless communication device may be moved within the test chamber while radio-frequency conditions and handoff status may be monitored by a control system.
US08295775B2
A method and apparatus of determining a hand-off metric is disclosed. One method includes a subscriber receiving identifications of a neighboring set of base stations from a serving base station. From the neighboring set, the subscriber determines an active set of base stations. The active set is determined by the subscriber measuring received signal power from each of the base stations of the neighboring set at first discrete points in time, averaging the received signal power for each of the base stations of the neighboring set, and selecting the active set based on the average received signal power of the base stations of the neighboring set. Determining the at least one hand-off metric further includes the subscriber measuring at second discrete points in time an excess received signal power for each base station of the active set, wherein the excess received signal power includes signal power received by the subscriber in excess of power received from the base station. The subscriber averages the excess received signal power. The subscriber calculates the hand-off metric by calculating a ratio of average receive signal power to average excess received signal power, for each base station of the active set.
US08295774B1
Methods and apparatuses for determining uplink receive signal path characteristics in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a tower-top noise source (TTNS) is provided such that it is permanently affixed in close proximity to a receive antenna. The TTNS preferably has an output that includes a wideband noise signal having predetermined characteristics. The TTNS output is selectively connected to a receive signal path that includes a tower-top low-noise amplifier (TTLNA). An altered version of the wideband noise signal is received at the output of the receive signal path, and a characteristic of the altered wideband noise signal is measured.
US08295768B2
Aspects of a method and system for selective equalization enablement based on modulation type may be found in a method for processing radio frequency (RF) signals received via a RF channel, detecting a modulation type of at least a portion of the received RF signals, and determining whether to enable or disable an equalization circuit for processing at least a subsequent portion of the received RF signals based on the detected modulation type; and selecting one of a plurality of inputs to a selector based on the detected modulation type, wherein the plurality of inputs comprise the at least a subsequent portion of the received signals and an output signal generated by the equalization circuit.
US08295765B2
An apparatus and method of controlling an apparatus, the apparatus including: a near field communication transceiver configured to enable a near field communication link to be established with a remote apparatus; a user interface configured to enable a user to input information into the apparatus wherein the input information enables control of the remote apparatus and the user interface is also configured to provide an indication of how the input information may be used to control the remote apparatus; and a transmitter configured to send data dependent upon the input information to the remote apparatus to enable the input information to be used to control the remote apparatus.
US08295720B2
An image forming apparatus includes a controller that starts a forced drive stop sequence for stopping image formation at least by stopping rotation of a developer carrier in a first direction when a number of printed sheets reach a threshold. The forced drive stop sequence rotates the developer carrier in a second direction for a prescribed time period when the image formation is stopped. The forced drive stop sequence stops the rotation of the developer carrier in the second direction and resumes the image formation after the prescribed time has elapsed.
US08295719B2
An image processing apparatus having a collected toner container in which residual toner is accumulated is controlled by: obtaining a supplied toner amount, obtaining a total number of printed sheets, calculating an average number of printed sheets per image forming job, calculating an average printing ratio based on the supplied toner amount, the total number of printed sheets, and the average number of printed sheets per image forming job, calculating a collected toner amount based on the average number of printed sheets per image forming job and the average printing ratio, and comparing the collected toner amount with a threshold value to generate a comparison result.
US08295718B2
A concentration detection apparatus includes: a light-emitting element that emits light; a light-emitting-element holding unit that holds the light-emitting element; a light-receiving element that receives light emitted from the light-emitting element; a light-receiving-element holding unit that holds the light-receiving element and is provided opposite to the light-emitting-element holding unit with a gap therebetween; a moving unit that can move through or at the gap between the light-emitting-element holding unit and the light-receiving-element holding unit; and a gap adjusting unit that adjusts a value of the gap as a distance between the light-emitting-element holding unit and the light-receiving-element holding unit.
US08295716B2
A sheet processing device including a safety unit to prevent accidental operation of the sheet processing device. The sheet processing device can include a body to receive a processing unit to process a sheet of paper and a door provided at the body to be opened from or closed to the body. The sheet processing device can further include a sensing unit to sense the presence of the sheet of paper fed into the body, and a safety unit linked with the door, the safety unit being adapted to restrict the sensing unit or release the restricted sensing unit to control operation of the sheet processing device.
US08295712B2
An optical device comprising an optical device comprising a Mach-Zehnder interferometer having a first 2×2 optical coupler, a second 2×2 optical coupler, a first optical arm, and a second optical arm. The first and second arms connecting corresponding pairs of optical ports of the first and second 2×2 optical couplers. The second optical arm has a longer optical path than the first arm. The device also comprises one or more optical resonators optically coupled to the first optical arm and an optical splitter. The optical splitter is coupled to deliver a portion of an input optical signal to one port of the first 2×2 optical coupler and to deliver a remaining portion of the input optical signal to one port of the second optical coupler.
US08295707B2
The electronic device includes a device housing, an emitter, a receiver, and a reflection structure. The emitter is separated from the device housing and emits an optical signal. The receiver is disposed on the device housing for receiving the optical signal. The reflection structure is formed on the device housing and neighboring to the receiver. When the emitter is disposed in front of the device housing, the optical signal transmitted from the emitter directly reaches the reflection structure and is reflected by the reflection structure, and then the optical signal travels toward the receiver.
US08295704B2
A laser unit, usable in a network interface unit (NIU), that includes a laser adapted to generate an optical signal having a wavelength, a temperature control system for establishing a temperature of the laser and a controller functionally connected to the temperature control system for setting the temperature, the controller configured to automatically vary the temperature between a high temperature and a low temperature different than the high temperature. Also an NIU and a system of NIU's including the laser and an associated method of controlling the laser.
US08295694B2
A vibration reduction device includes: an optical system that comprises a vibration reduction optical system; a first driving unit that moves the vibration reduction optical system in a first direction; a second driving unit that moves the vibration reduction optical system in a second direction that differs from the first direction. An optical axis of the vibration reduction optical system is located between the first driving unit and the second driving unit.
US08295680B2
A recording and reproducing apparatus (1) includes: an AV recording medium (26) recording an AV data item; a transmitting and receiving unit (21) transmitting and receiving the item and information on the item to and from an other apparatus connected to the apparatus (1) via a network; a retrieving unit (28) retrieving AV data items that indicate a same program and are recorded on the AV recording medium and in the other apparatus; a comparing unit (29) comparing image qualities of the items; and a restriction value control unit (30) moving use restriction values through the transmitting and receiving unit so that, based on a result of the comparison, (i) a use restriction value of one of the items having a lower image quality is decreased by a predetermined value and (ii) a use restriction value of an other one of the items having a higher image quality is increased by the predetermined value.
US08295672B2
A video recorder includes a sound occurrence detection system to detect a sound occurrence in an area. A detection method can detect the sound occurrence by using the video recorder. The detection method establishes relationships between rotation angles of the video recorder and sound output orientations of a sound source in the area. Furthermore, the detection method determines a rotation angle according to the relationships once the sound occurrence occurs, and rotates the video recorder according to the rotation angle, to record videos and sounds of a sound source that causes the sound occurrence.
US08295665B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a downhole cable, the method including, forming a helical shape in an outer circumferential surface of a metal tube, the metal tube having a fiber element housed therein, and stranding a copper element in a helical space formed by the metallic tube. Also provided is a downhole cable including, a metallic tube having a helical space in an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein the metallic tube has a fiber element housed therein, and a copper element disposed in a helical space formed by the steel tube. Double-tube and multi-tube configurations of the downhole cable are also provided.
US08295656B2
The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for compensating the polarization-dependent shift of the center frequency in an optical filter comprising an interferometer by way of compensating the birefringence in at least one waveguide of the interferometer, wherein at least one half-wave plate is arranged into the optical path of the interferometer and at least a section of the waveguide (16, 17) on the right and on the left of the half-wave plate (11) is brought to a pre-selectable temperature, and wherein at least one section on the right of the half-wave plate (11) is brought to a first temperature T1, and at least one section on the left of the half-wave plate (11) is brought to a second temperature T2.
US08295652B1
An ergonomic laptop for permitting a user to adjust a viewing angle or height as needed may include a base member preferably having a keyboard displayed on a top surface thereof. A mechanism for linearly biasing the display screen along a y-axis defined above the base member, for adjusting a spatial distance between the display screen and the base member, may also be included. Further, the laptop preferably has a mechanism for pivoting the display screen about a fulcrum axis oriented along an x-axis defined subjacent to the y-axis. The base member preferably remains statically positioned at a fixed location while the display screen is linearly displaced along the y-axis. Additionally, a plurality of telescopic shafts and sleeves may be included along with a worm gear centrally disposed between the sleeves to linearly bias the display screen in a vertical direction.
US08295650B2
An information processing apparatus may include the following elements: an image information obtaining unit which obtains image information having at least position information added thereto as additional information, a map information storage unit which stores map information, a template information storage unit which stores template information including a template of content information, a map information obtaining unit which obtains map information corresponding to the position information added to the image information obtained by the image information obtaining unit from the map information stored in the map information storage unit, and a content information creating unit which creates content information using at least the map information obtained by the map information obtaining unit on the basis of the template information.
US08295643B2
While a view angle is switched between wide and narrow view angles, images with the wide view angle and images with the narrow view angle are alternately taken. Based on images taken with the narrow view angle, movements of corresponding points in images in correspondence between the narrow-angle images are detected. Based on the images taken with the wide view angle, a translational vector and a rotation matrix that represent changes in the position and posture between the wide-angle images are calculated. By linearly interpolating the translational vector and the rotation matrix between the wide-angle images, a translational vector and a rotation matrix that represent changes in the position and posture between the narrow-angle images are estimated. Based on movements of corresponding points in the images and the translational vector and the rotational matrix between the narrow-angle images, three-dimensional coordinates of the corresponding points on the measurement object are highly accurately measured.
US08295641B2
A reflectance image that represents a reflectance distribution, and an illuminance component image that represents an illuminance distribution are generated from an input image. A plurality of small regions, which are divided based on illuminance components of the generated illuminance component image, are specified. A quantized image is generated from the reflectance image for respective specified small regions. Regions having equal quantized pixel values are acquired in the quantized image. Representative pixel values for the respective acquired regions are acquired based on the illuminance component image. Quantized pixel values of the respective acquired regions are corrected using the acquired representative pixel values.
US08295633B2
A system and method that adjusts the strength of a de-blocking filter to remove block artifacts in compressed video is disclosed. Block artifacts are associated with the block-based image/video compression techniques. The block artifacts deteriorate the quality of compressed image and video, especially at low bit rates. A de-blocking method estimates the strength of the block artifacts at each block boundary either directly from the MPEG decoder or from a measurement process or both, and adjusts the de-blocking parameters accordingly. An additional block content analysis improves the performance of the overall de-blocking process.
US08295631B2
A method for reducing noise in a color image captured using a digital image sensor having pixels being arranged in a rectangular minimal repeating unit. The method comprises, for a first color channel, determining noise reduced-pixel values using a first noise reducing process that includes computing weighted pixel differences by combining the pixel differences with corresponding local edge-responsive weighting values. The method further comprises a second noise reducing process that includes computing weighted chroma differences by combining chroma differences with corresponding local edge-responsive weighting values.
US08295625B2
Enhanced dynamic range requires more than 8 bit representation for single color components of pixels. For this purpose, normal color resolution images and high color resolution images are available. Backward compatibility can be achieved by a layered approach using a color enhancement layer, and a conventional image as color base layer. Both have same spatial and temporal resolution. Encoding of the color enhancement layer uses prediction and residual. A methods for optimized color enhancement prediction is disclosed. Color bit depth prediction is done by constructing a polynomial that approximates for all pixels of one color component of a block the color enhancement layer from the color base layer. A predicted version of the high color resolution image and a residual are generated and updated by a residual. The coefficients are compressed and added as metadata to the data stream.
US08295613B1
Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image.
US08295611B2
Techniques for determining if two video signals match by extracting features from a first and second video signal, and cross-correlating the features thereby providing a cross-correlation score at each of a number of time lags, then determining a mean magnitude of a difference of average values at each of the lags, and finally determining the similarity score based on both the cross-correlation scores and the mean magnitude difference scores, and optionally then outputting an indication of a degree of match between the first and second video signals.
US08295608B2
There are provided a device and method for detecting joint parts of a steel strip in an endless hot rolling process. The device for detecting joint parts of a steel strip in an endless hot rolling process includes an image signal collection block receiving image signals, each having information on gray level pixels of a steel strip, from a charge coupled device (CCD) camera; an edge line detection block receiving the image signals from the image signal collection block to detect an edge line of the steel strip; a profile calculation block receiving information on the detection of the edge line from the edge line detection block to calculate the sum of gray levels up to an edge line of the steel strip in a traverse direction of the steel strip when the edge line is detected by the edge line detection block; a joint part judgement block receiving information on the sum of the gray levels, which shows a current profile value, from the profile calculation block to judge the edge line as a joint part when a ratio of a mean value of the current profile and a mean value of the previous profile is less than a predetermined value; and an output block receiving information on the judgement of the edge line as the joint part from the joint part judgement block to output a joint part-detecting signal when the edge line is judged to be a joint part.
US08295603B2
In an image processing apparatus for determining whether input image data is identical with image data of a reference image or not and performing a process according to the result of the determination, input image data whose similarity to a reference image is not less than a predetermined first threshold value or encoded image data obtained by encoding the input image data is stored in an access limitation storage section to which only a specific user is accessible. This allows an administrator to easily check whether the result of the determination is appropriate or not, without requiring a larger and more complex structure.
US08295601B2
There is described an image reading terminal having an image sensor array including a plurality of pixels, a first optical assembly for focusing imaging light rays onto a first set of pixels of an image sensor array and a second optical assembly for focusing imaging light rays onto a second set of pixels of the image sensor array. The first set of pixels and the second set of pixels of the image sensor array can have different exposure settings in a single exposure period for the image sensor array. In one embodiment, the indicia reading terminal can be adapted to process image data corresponding to pixels of the image sensor array for attempting to decode a decodable indicia.
US08295597B1
The present invention is a method and system for segmenting a plurality of persons in a physical space based on automatic behavior analysis of the persons in a preferred embodiment. The behavior analysis can comprise a path analysis as one of the characterization methods. The present invention applies segmentation criteria to the output of the video-based behavior analysis and assigns segmentation label to each of the persons during a predefined window of time. In addition to the behavioral characteristics, the present invention can also utilize other types of visual characterization, such as demographic analysis, or additional input sources, such as sales data, to segment the plurality of persons in another exemplary embodiment. The present invention captures a plurality of input images of the persons in the physical space by a plurality of means for capturing images. The present invention processes the plurality of input images in order to understand the behavioral characteristics, such as shopping behavior, of the persons for the segmentation purpose. The processes are based on a novel usage of a plurality of computer vision technologies to analyze the visual characterization of the persons from the plurality of input images. The physical space may be a retail space, and the persons may be customers in the retail space.
US08295595B2
A method and apparatus to remove color noise included in raw data while effectively preventing image quality degradation. For interest pixels serially set onto a mosaic image formed of raw data, conversion is executed into a pixel value for noise removal based on a processing reference pixel value having a unified color signal component in each interest pixel, noise is removed from the pixel value for noise removal, and the pixel value for noise removal with noise removed is converted into the source pixel value, whereby only color noise can be removed without affecting a luminance signal.
US08295594B2
Local contrasts within segments of an image are maintained even as the image is gamut mapped to a new gamut space where the remapping, if done straight forward, may result in loss of local contrasts. Display systems described herein use a selective compression unit that first surveys segments of the image to determine which might lose local contrast due to gamut mapping and gamut clamping. Selective compression amounts are determined for respective segments so as to substantially maintain local contrast of the image data within the respective segments.
US08295590B2
A method and system for creating a form template for a form are disclosed. The method comprises analyzing an image of a form to detect object demarcations in the form. The method also comprises classifying the object demarcations into one of a plurality of predefined object categories and processing each object demarcation based on the object category into which it has been classified, thereby to create the form template automatically.
US08295581B2
A method is disclosed for detecting defects in an optical component to be tested, such as a lens comprising the steps of: providing a structured pattern, recording the reflected or transmitted image of the pattern on the optical component to be tested, phase shifting the pattern and recording again similarly the reflected or transmitted image, calculating the local phase and amplitude images of the optical component to be tested, calculating a model image of a defect free optical component and determining corresponding phase and amplitude images of the defect free model optical component, comparing phase and amplitude images of both optical component to be tested and defect free model optical component, determining suspect zones in the optical component to be tested, and applying a metrics to separate dust and noise from other defects.
US08295573B2
Diagnostic angiograms only provide the projected lumen of a coronary, which is only an indirect measure of blood flow and pressure decline. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a motion compensated determination of a flow dynamics and a pressure decline for stenosis grading is provided, in which the motion compensation is performed on the basis of a tracking of a first position of a first marker and a second position of a second marker in the projection data set. This may provide for a robust and precise flow dynamics and pressure decline determination.
US08295571B2
Image data of a three-dimensional region of a medical device placed in a subject body is stored in an image data storage section. An image creating section extracts pixels corresponding to an image of a medical device on the basis of the distribution of pixel values along a plurality of radial rays, which spreads from the axis side of the medical device on a plurality of sectional images perpendicular to the axis of the medical device, using the image data stored in the image data storage section and creates image data, in which the medical device spreads, by distributing the extracted pixels in a flat surface region corresponding to the axis direction and the angular direction of the radial ray.
US08295570B2
Methods and apparatus for measuring body circumference are provided. One method includes acquiring dual-energy two-dimensional (2D) scan information from a dual-energy x-ray scan of a body and generating a dual-energy image of the body using the 2D scan information. The method further includes determining a circumference of at least one portion of the body based on the dual-energy scan information and the generated dual-energy image.
US08295565B2
Automated image quality assessment methods, which include locating a region of interest, region assessment, contrast assessment, blur assessment, and contaminant detection, on video data and high-resolution imagery. Where the blur assessment is performed without a reference image by dividing the region into non-overlapping block, measuring the wavenumber frequency of the blocks and calculating the ratio of the low frequency to high frequency areas.
US08295560B2
A biometric information sensing apparatus, including a width detection device that detects a width of a biometric part in a biometric information image collected by a collection device that collects the biometric information image of the biometric part; a narrowing position detection device that detects a narrowing position of the biometric part in the biometric information image on the basis of the width; an orientation information obtainment device that obtains orientation information related to the biometric part in the biometric information image; and a determination device that determines a collection status of the biometric information image on the basis of the orientation information near the narrowing position.
US08295543B2
A device and method for detecting targets of interest in an image, such as people or objects of a certain type. Targets are detected based on an optimized strong classifier descriptor that can be based on a combination of weak classifier descriptors. The weak classifier descriptors can include a user-defined weak classifier descriptor that is defined by a user to represent a shape or appearance attribute that is characteristic of parts of the target of interest. The strong classifier descriptor can be optimized by selecting a subset of weak classifier descriptors that exhibit improved performance in detecting targets in training images.
US08295539B2
An immersive sensation enhancement method and system for video sequence displaying is provided. An immersive sensation enhancement system, the system including: a foreground image identification unit to identify a foreground image for each frame of an input image; a foreground image characteristic extraction unit to extract a characteristic of the foreground image; a contrast threshold identification unit to identify a contrast threshold based on the characteristic of the foreground image; and an immersive sensation enhancement processing unit to process an immersive sensation enhancement of the input image based on at least one of the characteristic of the foreground image and the contrast threshold.
US08295534B2
A flat panel display device includes a cabinet with front and rear cabinet parts, a flat panel display component, a holder, a speaker, and a pair of retaining members. The front cabinet part includes a speaker mount and a pair of support tubes. The holder includes an annular main body, a pair of arm, and a pair of engagement portions. The annular main body is disposed on the speaker mount. The engagement portions are disposed at distal end portions of the arms, respectively. The engagement portions engage with lower faces of the support tubes, respectively. The speaker is disposed on the annular main body of the holder. The retaining members are disposed at distal end portions of the support tubes, respectively. The retaining members have a diameter that is larger than that of support tubes.
US08295533B1
A lanyard system for retaining a wireless headset has a strap and a slide affixed at a first end of the strap. The slide engages a portion of a length of the strap and forms a loop. The slide is adjustable along the length of the strap to adjust the size of the loop. An elastomeric retainer is affixed at a second end of the strap for selective attachment to a wireless headset for removably securing the wireless headset to the lanyard system.
US08295530B2
Headphones comprising a headband (10) having a first and second end. A first and second earpiece (20) is attached to the first and second end of the headband (10), respectively. The headband comprises a first and second spring layer (11, 12) and an intermediate dampening layer (13) arranged between the first and second spring layer (11, 12).
US08295529B2
A gaming headset adapted for precise delivery of chemical substances capable of olfactory stimulation, such as odorants, fragrances, pheromones, etc. The headset includes at least one earpiece containing a speaker, a feature for securing the earpiece to the person's head while positioning the speaker over one of the person's ears when the headset is worn, an armature disposed relative to the earpiece so as to extend toward the person's mouth, a microphone located on the armature so as to be located in front of the person's mouth, and a feature supported by and extending along the armature for delivering at least one chemical substance to the person's nostril's when the headset is worn.
US08295527B2
A microphone boot for a portable electronic device and a portable electronic device having such a microphone boot are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a portable electronic device, comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB); a microphone attached to the PCB and defining an aperture therein; a frame enclosing the microphone and PCB and defining an opening therein; a cap attached to the frame and defining an aperture therein; and a microphone boot received in the opening in the frame and defining an acoustic channel between the aperture in the microphone and the aperture in the cap.
US08295522B2
A hearing aid (1) comprises a receiver (19), an output port (6), a conduit (13) for conveying sound to the port and a barrier element (39) adapted for baffling entry of ear wax and moisture and for being acoustically transparent. The invention further provides a barrier element (39) for a hearing aid comprising a slab having an exterior surface and through openings for transverse transmission of sound, wherein the exterior surface is super-hydrophobic.
US08295512B2
An integrated circuit configured to provide a microphone output signal, comprising: a preamplifier coupled to receive an input signal, generated by either a first microphone member or a second microphone member, where one of the members is movable relative to the other microphone member; a voltage pump to output a pumped voltage; and a low-pass filter coupled to filter the pumped voltage from the voltage pump and to provide a bias voltage to either microphone member.
US08295500B2
Sound can be listened to only in a listening area by maximizing a sound energy difference between a listening area and a non-listening area while maximizing sound radiation efficiency of each sound source. Accordingly, realistic sound can be provided to listeners without causing auditory disturbance to third parties, and maximal sound effects can be obtained with only minimal control.
US08295499B2
An audio information processing apparatus and method include dividing an audio signal, determining a time period having a power change ratio of an audio signal larger than a first threshold value as an attack candidate, searching the time period of the attack candidate and a time period immediately before the time period of the attack candidate for an attack starting point, correcting a power of an audio signal included in the time period, and determining whether a power change ratio of the audio signal included in the time period is larger than a second threshold value for attack detection which is larger than the first threshold value.
US08295497B2
A hearing system and a method for operating a binaural hearing system include at least two hearing devices to be at least partly inserted into or to be worn behind the left and right ear of a user. Each hearing device includes at least one microphone to generate an electrical signal corresponding to an acoustic signal. The method includes determining contra-lateral information based on an acoustic signal recorded by a microphone of the contra-lateral hearing device, and determining ipsi-lateral information based on an acoustic signal recorded by a microphone of the ipsi-lateral hearing device. The method includes providing a coordination level, the coordination level being indicative of a degree of synchronization of the two hearing devices, and adjusting processes in the ipsi-lateral hearing device in accordance with the coordination level. The coordination level can be determined from the contra-lateral information and/or from the ipsi-lateral information, or be obtained from an external device.
US08295496B2
An audio system for processing two channels of audio input to provide more than two output channels. The input may be conventional stereo material or compressed audio signal data. The audio processing includes separating the input signals into frequency bands and processing the frequency bands according to processes which may differ from band to band. The audio processing includes no processing of L−R signals.
US08295495B1
An FM audio receiver can include a mono/stereo detector that causes the audio receiver to output either a monophonic or a stereophonic signal based on a received pilot tone energy. An accurate operation of the receiver, including but not limited to correct decoding of monophonic/stereophonic reception, can be based on the receiver operating with the same rated maximum system deviation (RMSD) as the received signal itself. Aspects of the disclosure describe a system and method of detecting and matching a receiver's RMSD to that of a received signal by demodulating a carrier bearing a an input signal over a first bandwidth, extracting a pilot energy signal from the input signal, and demodulating the carrier bearing the input signal over a second bandwidth if the pilot energy signal is within a pilot energy range for a first predetermined amount of time.
US08295494B2
One or more attributes (e.g., pan, gain, etc.) associated with one or more objects (e.g., an instrument) of a stereo or multi-channel audio signal can be modified to provide remix capability. An audio decoding apparatus obtains an audio signal having a set of objects and side information. The apparatus obtains a set of mix parameters from a user input and an attenuation factor from the set of mix parameters. The apparatus then generates a plural-channel audio signal using at least one of the side information, the attenuation factor or the set of mix parameters.
US08295492B2
A system for automated cryptographic key management comprises a key control system, a key management agent system, and a key system application program interface. A method for automated cryptographic key management is also disclosed. The method comprises the automatic generation of cryptographic keys by the key control system and distribution of such keys by the key control system to the key management agent system.
US08295489B2
A communication system and method for securely and efficiently sharing a link key for security and authentication in a ZigBee network. Upon receipt of an access request from an end device, a trust center sends a public key to the end device, and upon receipt of the public key, the end device encrypts an arbitrary key using the public key, and sends the encrypted arbitrary key to the trust center. The trust center generates a link key using the arbitrary key, and sends the link key to the end device.
US08295487B2
A method and apparatus for establishing a cryptographic relationship between a first node and a second node in a communications network. The first node receives at least part of a cryptographic attribute of the second node, uses the received at least part of the cryptographic attribute to generate an identifier for the first node. The cryptographic attribute may a public key belonging to the second node, and the identifier may be a Cryptographically Generated IP address. The cryptographic relationship allows the second node to establish with a third node that it is entitled to act on behalf of the first node.
US08295486B2
Systems, devices, and methods for outputting an alert on a mobile device to indicate the use of a weak hash function are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, the method comprises receiving data (e.g. from a server) that identifies at least one first hash function, identifying a hash digest generated using a second hash function, determining if the second hash function is weak using the received data, and outputting an alert indicating that the second hash function is weak if it is determined that the second hash function is weak.
US08295483B2
A mobile terminal device, a wireless communication unit, a wireless communication system, and a wireless communication method by which 1:N communication can be realized at low power consumption and a CH occupation time can be shortened. After each terminal transmits an authorization request, it performs a carrier sense with the pattern corresponding to the transmission timing and waits for authorization response from a key unit (200). The key unit (200) transmits the authorization response at the timing when the carrier sense timings of a plurality of terminals which are authenticated in response to the authorization request from the terminal are coincident with each other. Accordingly, the key unit (200) performs transmission only to the authenticated terminals at one time, and 1:N communication can be realized at low power consumption.
US08295482B2
An image scanning system includes an image scanner and a terminal device connected with the image scanner. The terminal device accepts a password, stores an image encryption key, encrypts the image encryption key with the password, sends the encrypted image encryption key to the image scanner, receives image data encrypted from the image scanner, and decrypts the image data encrypted using one of the image encryption key and an image decryption key corresponding to the image encryption key. The image scanner receives the encrypted image encryption key from the terminal device, accepts a password, decrypts the encrypted image encryption key with the password, performs document scanning to create image data, encrypts the image data using the image encryption key decrypted, and sends the image data encrypted to the terminal device.
US08295480B1
A recursive based approach to key generation produces keys for encrypted communication. Simple mathematical operations are utilized with the inherent uncertainty of an interactive process between two endpoints to establish a common secret key. The uncertainty-based key cipher starts with some public information and some private information. The public information includes a vocabulary (alphabet) and keypad, and the private information can include an authentication code. The keypad is an abstraction that represents, for example, a set of “buttons.” These buttons will be used to translate a working key into a text that could be used to evaluate coincidences in a generated working key. Each keypad button can have more than one possible value. The number of options inside the button is the so called “uncertainty level.”
US08295477B2
A cryptanalysis method comprising: (A) Performing a ciphertext-only direct cryptanalysis of A5/1 and (B) Using results of Step (A) to facilitate the decryption and/or encryption of further communications that are consistent with encryption using the session key and/or decryption using the session key, wherein the cryptanalysis considers part of the bits of the session key to have a known fixed value, and wherein the cryptanalysis finds the session key. An efficient known plaintext attack on AS/2 comprises trying all the possible values for R4, and for each such value solving the linearized system of equations that describe the output; The solution of the equations gives the internal state of RI, R2, and R3; Together with R4, this gives the full internal state which gives a suggestion for the key.
US08295471B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center, along with an intelligent routing system. An exemplary method includes mapping a first portion of callers to agents according to a performance and/or pattern matching algorithm based on comparing caller data associated with the callers and agent data associated with the agents and mapping a second portion of the callers (e.g., the remaining portion callers) to agents differently than the first portion of the callers (e.g., mapping based on queue order), which may provide a control group for monitoring or analyzing the effect and/or training of the pattern matching algorithm. The first and second portion may be varied separately for each agent within the contact center. The method may further include displaying the effect of the routing on at least one outcome variable, which may include revenue generation, cost, customer satisfaction, first call resolution, cancellation, or other variable outputs from the pattern matching algorithm of the system.
US08295466B2
A user may want to search for relevant information and/or conduct a transaction through an information assistance service. During an information assistance call, the user may return to an information assistance provider multiple times to accomplish the task at hand. To continually serve the user effectively, certain search results by previous information assistance providers are retained for the benefit of a future information assistance provider interacting with the user during the same call.
US08295464B2
A method for implementing the ringback tone (RBT) service based on the next generation network (NGN) includes: an application server (AS) receives from a softswitch (SX) a call request initiated by a ring-to-me subscriber, which carries a ring-to-me access code; the AS obtains the ring-to-me tone ID from the RBT platform according to the ring-to-me access code and instructs a media resource server (MRS) to play the tone indicated by the ring-to-me tone ID to the calling party. Various embodiments disclose a system, an AS and an MRS for implementing RBT based on NGN. The present disclosure enables a calling party to listen to a ring-to-me tone while the called party is alerted and further, it enables the calling party to choose to listen to a ring-to-me tone or a ring-to-you tone according to the calling party's precedence setting.
US08295460B2
A communication apparatus includes an obtaining unit, an image data receiving unit, an extracting unit and a first display control unit. The obtaining unit is configured to obtain a caller identification information through a caller identification via a communication line when an incoming call is received from a caller. The image data receiving unit is configured to receive an image data transmitted from the caller via the communication line. The extracting unit is configured to extract caller information from the image data to specify the caller. The first display control unit is configured to display the caller information on a display screen when the obtaining unit does not obtain the caller identification information at the incoming call.
US08295457B2
A method of controlling free phone calls placed from within a secured premises through an institutional phone system generally includes assigning a unique access identifier to an individual caller upon entry into the secured premises; receiving a destination number from the individual caller within the secured premises, the destination number being associated with a telephone located outside the secured premises; determining if the destination number is a per se free number, and, if the destination number is not determined to be a per se free number: receiving the unique access identifier from the individual caller; validating the unique access identifier; and, if the unique access identifier is valid, processing a telephone call to the destination number.
US08295451B2
A communication apparatus includes at least two communication units that are mutually communicable; an incoming call detection device that is configured to detect presence or absence of an incoming call signal; a notification device that is configured to provide a user, when an incoming call signal is detected by the incoming call detection device, with a notification indicating the detection of the incoming call signal; and a first transfer device that is configured to transfer, when a voice communication is started by a first communication unit out of the at least two communication units after the notification by the notification device is provided, a first connection information indicating a connection condition, when the voice communication is started, of a data communication which has been performed by the first communication unit to a second communication unit other than the first communication unit out of the at least two communication units.
US08295448B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a communication method comprising the steps of making a determination in respect of at least initiating a first call between first and second communication devices having first and second contact numbers respectively; said making the determination comprising identifying at least one of the first and second contact numbers associated with said initiating, accessing a database comprising at least a first monitored contact number and at least one associated third party number corresponding to a third communication device, determining whether or not at least one of a first contact number and the second contact number match the first monitored contact number; and establishing, in response to the determination, a third party call to the third communication device.
US08295447B2
The invention relates to a method for storing and passing on multimedia messages for a multimedia call in a packet-switching telecommunication network (TN), with the called subscriber (B subscriber) having network access with a known and predetermined bandwidth to the telecommunication network (TN). In the situation where it is found (1) during the setting up of a multimedia call that the available bandwidth is too narrow (2, 3) because the called subscriber (B subscriber) is currently using a further multimedia service, the multimedia call is diverted (4) to a recording device (ABZ) which is available in the telecommunication network (TN). A calling subscriber (A subscriber) can then leave a multimedia message on the recording device (ABZ), which is then passed (5) to a local recording device (ABL) for the called subscriber (B subscriber) via the network access and using the bandwidth that is still available. The arrival of the new multimedia message is then indicated (6) to the called subscriber (B subscriber) after complete transmission. The method according to the invention results in the subscriber (B subscriber) in a packet-switching telecommunication network (TN) being informed (6) that a multimedia call has arrived, with the recording device (ABZ) that is available in the telecommunication network (TN) advantageously carrying out a form of buffer function. This buffer function makes it possible to use time expansion to make use of the bandwidth that is still available for transmission of the multimedia message (5).
US08295443B2
The x-ray system with a superconducting anode includes an anode of x-ray machine made from a material capable of superconductivity, which is then cooled to be in superconducting state while being bombarded by an electron beam to generate x-rays. If a non-superconducting heat island is formed, then a magnetic field is used to penetrate this region and spread the heat in the form of hot electrons over the target material.
US08295439B2
Provided is a radiation image capturing system wherein image capturing conditions can be appropriately set up for a radiation generating apparatus associated with a bucky device in an environment ready for capturing images by inserting either a CR cassette or an FPD cassette into the bucky device which can accept both a CR cassette and an FPD cassette. The radiation image capturing system is equipped with a radiation generating apparatus, a bucky device a portable FPD cassette, a CR cassette, and a console having a display section for displaying icons corresponding to the usable bucky device and the portable FPD cassette.
US08295438B2
A radiation image capturing system includes a plurality of image capturing apparatus for acquiring radiation image information of a subject by controlling radiation sources according to predetermined image capturing conditions, a controller for controlling the image capturing apparatus according to the image capturing conditions set therein, and a plurality of display devices associated respectively with the image capturing apparatus, for displaying radiation image information acquired from the image capturing apparatus.
US08295437B2
A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments.
US08295430B2
Radiation therapy of a lesion in a part of a patient is carried out by maintaining the patient on a patient support table in fixed position using an immobilization device while the table is rotated between a magnetic resonance imaging system, a CT imaging system for generating a 360 degree scanned image of the patient at the location of the lesion and the radiation therapy system for generating a beam of radiation for treatment of the lesion and for scanning the beam 360 degrees around the lesion. The MR image locates the lesion and the CT system is used to calculate the treatment. Registration between the MR image, the CT image and the radiation treatment is provided by the fixed position of the part of the patient on the table which is held fixed using an immobilization system suitable for the part concerned which may include a molded head mask where the head is involved.
US08295417B2
Methods and apparatus for determining an impairment covariance matrix for use in an interference-suppressing CDMA receiver are disclosed. In several of the disclosed embodiments, precise information regarding signal propagation delays is not needed. An exemplary method includes the selection of a plurality of processing delays for processing a received CDMA signal. Net channel coefficients for the processing delays are estimated and used to calculate an impairment covariance matrix. The impairment covariance matrix is calculated as a function of the estimated net channel coefficients and the processing delays, without estimating a propagation medium channel response for the received signal.
US08295411B2
Embodiments of the present technology recite a method and system for maintaining integrity of a binary offset carrier (BOC) signal. In one embodiment, a first correlator is configured for multiplying a timing signal with an internally generated pseudo-random noise (PRN) signal to create a reference signal. The first correlator is further configured for combining the reference signal with a received PRN signal and outputting a first correlation function based upon the combining. A second correlator is configured for multiplying the internally generated PRN signal with the received PRN signal and for outputting an integrity correlation function. A comparison component is configured for determining the offset of the reference signal relative to the received PRN signal based upon a comparison of the integrity correlation function with the first correlation function.
US08295410B2
A method and system of decoding a convolutionally encoded data block having known padding bits. A Viterbi decoder is constrained to a state corresponding to k−1 padding bits immediately adjacent to data bits of the data block, where k is a constraint length of a convolution encoder used to encode the data block. Symbols of the encoded data block that have influence only from the padding bits are discarded.
US08295409B1
A multi-sensor signal fusion apparatus is provided for automatic modulation classification of weak unknown signals in non-cooperative communication environment with a more accurate description of the signal. The multi-sensor non-cooperative demodulation device combines a group of sensors, a signal fusion sensor, a means for signal demodulation, and a means for automatic modulation classification. An output of the signal fusion sensor is sent to a means for modulation scheme classification to select the appropriate demodulation technique for demodulating the unknown signal and provide the necessary intelligence about the monitored signals to the user and allow the user to simulate the unknown non-cooperative signal. The present invention also contemplates a multi-sensor signal fusion article of manufacture with a storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for more accurate descriptions of monitored signals and methods for achieving higher accuracy descriptions of monitored signals in a non-cooperative environment with multi-sensor non-cooperative demodulation.
US08295404B1
One embodiment of a DPSK receiver includes an ADC, a down-sampler, and a timing tracker. The ADC samples a received DPSK signal providing sub-samples of a digital signal. The timing tracker examines differences between amplitudes of currently selected sub-samples and sub-samples before and after the currently selected sub-samples. The differences may indicate a timing adjustment may be made to the digital signal. The timing tracker may change the timing of the digital signal by modifying the configuration of the down-sampler. Additionally, the timing tracker may also correct phase errors introduced by configuration changes of the down-sampler.
US08295397B2
Various embodiments described herein relate to a power management block and an amplification block used in the transmitter of a communication subsystem. The power management block provides improved control for the gain control signal provided to a pre-amplifier and the supply voltage provided to a power amplifier which are both in the amplification block. The power expended by the power amplifier is optimized by employing a continuous control method in which one or more feedback loops are employed to take into account various characteristics of the transmitter components and control values.
US08295394B1
A performance monitor for generating a digital error signal based upon an RF input signal and an amplified RF output signal is provided. The monitor includes: a first analog-to-digital converter operable to digitize an in-phase (I) and a quadrature-phase (Q) version of the RF input signal responsive to a first clock signal to provide a first digital I signal and a first digital Q signal; a second analog-to-digital converter operable to digitize an in-phase (I) and a quadrature-phase version of the amplified RF output signal responsive to a second clock signal to provide a second digital I signal and a second digital Q signal; a first adaptive delay filter to delay the first digital I signal and the first digital Q signal to provide a first delayed complex signal according to a first delay; a second adaptive filter to delay the second digital I signal and the second digital Q signals to provide a second delayed complex signal according to a second delay; a complex gain matching adder operable to add a complex gain matching factor to a selected one of the delayed complex signals to provide a gain matched complex signal; and an adder to add the gain matched complex signal to a remaining one of the first and second delayed complex signals to provide the digital error signal.
US08295376B2
The invention relates to a method of estimating symbols carried by a digital signal that is received by a receiver over a communication channel (5), said symbols being multiplexed or orthogonal frequency sub-carriers. The inventive method comprises the following steps in relation to each symbol carried by the digital signal, consisting in: performing at least two transforms towards the frequency domain (8,9) on a portion of the received signal essentially corresponding to the symbol, said transforms being performed with a determined time lag (10) therebetween: estimating the parameters (r0, r1, . . . , rn, r′0, r′1, . . . , r′n) of the communication channel from pre-determined binary information contained in the digital signal; and estimating the symbol from a combination of the result of each of the transforms performed and the estimated communication channel parameters.
US08295375B2
A method of transmitting data symbols via Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, that includes forming data symbols into pairs, generating a first pair of modulation symbols for each of the pairs of data symbols, forming a first version of the OFDM symbols by modulating the sub-carriers allocated for carrying the data with the first and second modulation symbols, and modulating the one or more pilot carriers of the first version of the OFDM symbol. The method also includes generating a second pair of modulation symbols for each of the pairs of data symbols, forming a second version of the OFDM symbol by modulating the sub-carriers allocated for carrying the data with the third and fourth modulation symbols, modulating the one or more pilot carriers of the second version of the OFDM symbols and transmitting the first version of the OFDM symbol, and the second version of the OFDM symbol.
US08295362B2
Aspects of a method and system for redundancy-based decoding of video content are provided. A bit sequence comprising video content may be decoded in a multilayer process based on a decoding algorithm and at least one physical constraint. The decoding algorithm may be based on the Viterbi algorithm. Whether the bit sequence comprises video content may be determined based on information provided by a portion of a packet header or by packet priority information necessary for enabling quality of service applications. The physical constraint may be based on border, DC component, and/or low frequency continuity between neighboring discrete cosine transform (DCT) blocks. The physical constraint may also be based on the consistency of video data coded by a variable length coding (VLC) operation. At least one physical constraint test may be performed on selected estimated video bit sequences to select a decoded output video bit sequence.
US08295361B2
A video compression circuit including a video pre-processor, a macroblock data storage unit and a video processor is provided. When fulfilled by an input video signal, the video pre-processor converts the input video signal to generate a macroblock data. The macroblock data storage unit alternatively and temporally stores the macroblock data generated from the video pre-processor. The video processor alternatively reads the macroblock data stored in the macroblock data storage unit, and compresses the readout macroblock data to an output video signal.
US08295360B1
Method of efficiently implementing a MPEG-4 AVC deblocking filter on an array of parallel processors
A method for implementing a deblocking filter comprising the steps of (A) providing an input buffer storing an unfiltered video frame, (B) providing an output buffer configured to store a filtered video frame, (C) reading pixel values for a plurality of macroblocks from the input buffer into a working buffer, (D) sequentially processing the pixel values in the working buffer through a plurality of filter stages using an array of parallel processors, where each of the plurality of filter stages operates on a different set of pixel values in the working buffer and (E) writing pixel values from a final output region of the working buffer to a respective filter output region of the output buffer.
US08295343B2
This invention is directed to a video bit rate control method for encoding a video sequence based on a decoder buffer condition and a group of picture (GOP) size limitation of the encoded video sequence. The method includes iteratively adjusting a quantization parameter and/or a masking strength parameter and encoding the video sequence at the adjusted parameters until the buffer condition and GOP size limitation are satisfied. The method makes the above adjustments to avoid buffer underflow and GOP oversizing.
US08295335B2
Techniques are described that provide uplink power control techniques that can support different uplink multi-input multi-output (MIMO) transmission schemes. A mobile station determines a Signal to Interference-plus-Noise Ratio based on base and offset values transmitted from a base station. The base station can transmit the base and offset values using seven bits total. The mobile station determines an uplink transmitter power level based on the Signal to Interference-plus-Noise Ratio.
US08295325B2
A signature sequence employed in a wireless transmission over a channel is detected and utilized. The signature sequence is selected from a set of sequences formed by delay-Doppler shifts of a base sequence. Preferably but not exclusively, the set of sequences is formed by circular delay-Doppler shifts of the base sequence. The base sequence can be, for example, an m-sequence. A received signal is obtained from a received wireless transmission. A candidate sequence selector (90) selects a candidate sequence from among a set of sequences for evaluation as the signature sequence, the set of sequences having been formed by sequence set generator (88) as delay-Doppler shifts of a base sequence. An image former (82) uses the base sequence and the received signal to form a delay-Doppler image with respect to an image area pertinent to the candidate sequence. A metric analyzer (84) computes a metric over the image area pertinent to the candidate sequence and uses the metric to determine if the signature sequence is the candidate sequence. A sequence utilization device (76) can use the signature sequence to identify another transceiver unit which sent the wireless transmission, and/or use the signature sequence for synchronization with another transceiver unit which sent the wireless transmission.
US08295315B2
The present invention concerns tunable distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) semiconductor lasers, in particular a DBR laser with a branched optical waveguide 5 within which a plurality of differently shaped lasing cavities may be formed, and a method of operation of such a laser. The laser may comprise a phase control section (418), gain section (420, 422), a sampled grating DBR (412) giving a comb-line spectrum and two tunable, chirped DBRs (414, 416) for broadband frequency training and a coupling section (410).
US08295301B2
Communication systems that use different physical layer (PHY) protocols can coexist on a communication medium (e.g., a powerline medium) by using an Inter-PHY Protocol (IPP). The different protocols may use different signal modulation schemes but still may have some features in common. The IPP includes a resource sharing mechanism that regulates access to the communication medium by devices functioning as communication devices (for example, devices communicating over a power line). A subset of devices that communicate among each other form a logical network that shares the medium with other logical networks that use either the same PHY protocol or a different PHY protocol.
US08295294B2
A method for managing bandwidth to a user. A selection of a profile is received from a plurality of profiles. The profile is selected to allocate bandwidth to a user. The selection of the profile for allocating bandwidth to the user through a connection is determined. The bandwidth is allocated to the connection in response to determining the profile provides for a bandwidth reconfiguration.
US08295279B2
Disclosed is a routing method and apparatus for providing a different path by service. The routing method includes determining a service identification (ID) indicating a service requested by a packet by using a header in the packet; and searching for a service forwarding table corresponding to the service ID from a plurality of service forwarding tables storing different next hops by service and determining the packet's next hop.
US08295273B2
Sensitive, Standard Telephone Equipment (STE) data is encapsulated into IP packets in a remotely deployed, secure communication system. The IP packets are addressed to a matching IP encapsulator/decapsulator device over the public Internet or other IP protocol network, that then passes it to a similar STE device over an ISDN link for decryption. The present invention is embodied in a system that provides secure Voice-Over-IP (VOIP), video and data network functionality in a single, small size deployable case, to a remote user. Most importantly, the embodiment allows for the routing of bulk encrypted (i.e., secure) data over a public network, e.g., the Internet.
US08295268B2
An IP device (for example, network cameras 3a, 3b, and 3c) connectable to a router (for example, a router 2) makes a request to the router for assignment of a port number when a predetermined operation is performed, and notifies a management server 6 connected to a wide area network of address data containing an assigned port number when the port number is assigned from the router, wherein address data containing the port number can be registered in the management server 6 on the wide area network, so that, even when access is made from the terminal 4 on the wide area network side with a port number that is locally updated, access is made possible by transmitting address data of the IP device to the terminal 4.
US08295267B2
When the synchronization information, transmitted from a synchronization information output unit of a clock master side device, is detected by a synchronization information detection unit, the clock slave side device associates the synchronization information with the timestamp information at the time of detection of the synchronization information. Based on the timestamp information associated with the currently received synchronization information, the timestamp information associated with at least one synchronization information up to the synchronization information received last time and transmission period information of the synchronization information, a calculation/decision unit decides whether or not a predetermined condition is met. When the condition is met, the calculation/decision unit supplies the currently received synchronization information to a clock synchronization technique function unit. The clock synchronization technique function unit performs clock correction using the synchronization information. When the condition is not met, the calculation/decision unit discards the synchronization information currently received. The clock synchronization technique function unit performs clock correction based on the previously received synchronization information (FIG. 1).
US08295260B2
A first plurality of characteristics are received from a first client device relating to transmissions received by the first client device from both an access point and a second client device. A second plurality of characteristics are received from the second client device relating to transmissions received by the second client device from both the access point and the first client device. The first plurality of characteristics and the second plurality of characteristics are both assessed. Based on the assessment, a least one of a plurality of customized power levels is selected for transmissions by the access point to the first client device and the second client device.
US08295254B2
A method and apparatus for grouping wireless access points and re-grouping access points separated from a group in order to construct a clear and efficient transmission connection channel in an extended wireless LAN architecture are provided. Accordingly, a grouped mobile node determines disconnection of a connection channel to the group, and if the connection channel is disconnected, the mobile node searches for a connection channel to the existing group or a new group to re-subscribe thereto, so that all the mobile nodes can always be in a grouped state. As a result, it is possible to prevent broadcast storm in which broadcasted frames are repetitively transmitted along a loop in an extended wireless LAN architecture.
US08295249B2
A data transmission includes a sequence of information symbols followed by zero or more non-information symbols, which carry no power. A receiver determines the size of a data block, i.e., the number of information symbols in the transmission, by calculating a series of transition indicators. Each transition indicator represents a likelihood that a particular symbol position corresponds to a transition between the information symbols and non-information symbols of the transmission.
US08295241B2
An apparatus and method for supporting Peer to Peer (P2P) communication in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. A P2P zone within a frame used for the P2P communication includes at least one channel, each channel includes a broadcasting zone and a contention zone, and a P2P-mode transmit Mobile Station (MS) transmits a reference signal through a broadcasting zone of a channel to which itself belongs. The method MS includes determining an interference sum for each channel within the P2P zone, comparing the determined interference sums with each other, selecting a channel having the least interference sum, and transmitting information regarding the selected channel to a Base Station (BS).
US08295238B2
A method for transmitting control messages is disclosed. The method includes grouping a plurality of control messages for at least one user equipment based on at least one criteria of whether or not uplink ACK/NACK channel indexes are allowed to be implicitly used in the control messages, whether or not the user equipment corresponding to the control messages is able to implicitly use the uplink ACK/NACK channel indexes, sizes of Information Elements (IEs) of the control messages, whether or not the control messages are segmented into a predetermined number of subblocks, MCS levels applied to the control messages, sizes of allocated IEs of the control messages after applying the MCS levels, and frequency partitions in which the IEs of the control messages are present, and transmitting the grouped control messages. The control messages included in each of the groups generated by grouping are equal in at said least one criteria.
US08295224B1
A wireless signal transceiver system for allowing wireless distribution of cable/satellite television and internet signals to a plurality of transceivers. The wireless signal transceiver system generally includes a primary unit and one or more secondary units. The primary unit of the present invention will generally be connected to a cable and/or satellite source via a wired connection. The primary unit will generally manipulate, filter and transfer television and/or internet signals to the one or more secondary units. Each secondary unit may be connected to a display device such as a television or a secondary device such as a personal computer or VOIP phone. Utilizing a primary transceiver on the primary unit and secondary transceivers on each secondary unit, a single primary unit may fulfill the functionality of a cable modem, wireless router and wireless television distributor without the need for multiple electronic devices or wires.
US08295219B2
A system including a wireless transceiver receives multi-destination packets. The received multi-destination packets are sent either as multicast packets, replicated and sent as unicast packets to each member of a multicast group or both. Control logic of the system determines whether to send the received multi-destination packets as multicast packets or as replicated unicast packets based on which technique achieves higher throughput and/or lower latency.
US08295218B2
Provided is a compact and low power consumption wireless communication system, including a base station and communication terminals, in which power consumption of the communication terminal is reduced. The base station alternately sets an active interval during which predetermined data communication is performed, and an inactive interval during which the predetermined data communication is not performed. During the active interval, a beacon including information indicating a start timing of a subsequent active interval is transmitted and received. During the inactive interval, a sub-beacon including information providing notice of a transmission timing of a subsequent beacon is transmitted and received. When receiving the sub-beacon, the communication terminal obtains the transmission timing of the subsequent beacon and stops a supply of power to an unit related to a wireless communication function until the transmission timing.
US08295216B2
Various embodiments are described relating to determining delivery intervals in a wireless network, such as an 802.11 infrastructure network. In an example embodiment, a first negotiated delivery interval for a first wireless node may be negotiated by a transmitting wireless node in a wireless network based on a multicast service setup operation and a Delivery Traffic Indication Map (DTIM) interval. Information may be sent from the transmitting wireless node to the first wireless node based on the first negotiated delivery interval. According to an example embodiment, the first negotiated delivery interval may include an integer multiple number of DTIM intervals.
US08295210B2
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes performing, at a mobile station UE which establishes a first connection in a first cell, a cell selection process at the time of detecting a failure in the first connection and transmitting, from the mobile station UE to a second cell selected in the cell selection process, a connection re-establishment request signal. The method includes determining, at a radio base station that manages the second cell, whether or not to store context information of the mobile station UE in response to the connection re-establishment request signal and acquiring, at the radio base station, the context information of the mobile station UE from a radio base station that manages the first cell, and establishing a second connection in the second cell for the mobile station UE, based on the context information of the mobile station UE.
US08295194B2
A wired network connection establishing method includes the steps of: configuring two network devices to exchange connection capacity information with each other through first and second twisted pair cables of a network cable, the connection capacity information including at least a first connection mode using four of the twisted pair cables, a second connection mode using three of the twisted pair cables, and a third connection mode using two of the twisted pair cables; configuring the two network devices to detect a number of the twisted pair cables in the network cable capable of supporting a normal connection; and configuring the two network devices to determine which one of the first, second, and third connection modes is to be used for establishing a connection based on the number of the twisted pair cables capable of supporting a normal connection.
US08295193B2
A method for efficiently transmitting and receiving feedback information is disclosed. A cluster size as a unit for computing the feedback information and a reporting period of the feedback information are not uniformly determined by a base station. Information about a downlink channel status of each user equipment is reported, the cluster size and feedback period for computing and reporting the feedback information are determined using the information about the downlink channel status of each user equipment, and the feedback information is transmitted/received, thereby improving system capability.
US08295191B2
User quality of experience in a real time communication system is determined by analyzing endpoint performance metric reports correlated with performance factors of each endpoint in an endpoint profile for a more complete view of an audio/video quality of experience. Reports may include endpoint profile reports, which may be sent once at the beginning and then again only if an endpoint attribute changes; session reports, which include measured metric information and are sent at the conclusion of each session; and session interval reports, which also include metric information, but are sent during the session based on a period or a predefined threshold.
US08295182B2
An efficient automated test system and method are presented. In one embodiment, an automated test system is implemented in a routed event distribution architecture. In one exemplary implementation, an automated test system includes a plurality of test instruments, a switched event bus, and a test controller component. The plurality of test instruments perform testing. The switched event bus communicatively couples the plurality of instruments. The switched event bus comprises an event distribution switch that flexibly routes event information across event lines of the switched event bus. The test controller controls the testing and the switched event bus.
US08295181B2
In an embodiment, a method is provided for transferring network traffic for multi-homed devices. In this method, capacity information is received from a network device. This capacity information identifies a network capacity of the network device. Upon detection of network traffic to exceed a threshold, an excess capacity of the network device is identified based on the capacity information. A portion of the network traffic is then transferred to the network device by way of a link aggregation protocol, and the portion of network traffic is transferred based on the identified excess capacity of the network device.
US08295173B2
By introducing a novel parameter common to all links along the entire multihop route it is possible to more flexibly allocate, for each of a number of the links, a set of three interdependent link transmit parameters representative of link transmit energy, link transmit time or link transmit bandwidth or link code word consumption, and link transmit power. Basically, the common parameter is determined based on a given end-to-end (ETE) transmit parameter constraint for the entire multihop route. The idea is then to assign or allocate, for each considered link, the three interdependent link transmit parameters based on the common parameter and local link characteristics. In this way, all three link transmit parameters may (and generally will) be different between at least two links on the route when the links have different link characteristics, assuming that each link transmit parameter is also dependent on the local link characteristics. Preferably, the common parameter is determined in the process of optimizing a given objective ETE function.
US08295168B2
Methods and devices are provided for implementing security groups in an enterprise network. The security groups include first network nodes that are subject to rules governing communications between the first network nodes and second network nodes. An indicator, referred to as a security group tag (SGT), identifies members of a security group. In some embodiments, the SGT is provided in a field of a data packet reserved for layer 3 information or a field reserved for higher layers. However, in other embodiments, the SGT is provided in a field reserved for layer 1 or layer 2. In some embodiments, the SGT is not provided in a field used by interswitch links or other network fabric devices for the purpose of making forwarding decisions.
US08295167B2
An edge device for controlling provisioning of data streams to a network includes a primary channel for receiving a primary stream and a secondary channel for receiving a secondary stream. A scheduler selects between the primary stream and the secondary stream. Timers quantify an elapsed time between a triggering event and a previous switch by the scheduler from the secondary stream to the primary stream and quantify a wait time. When the primary stream does not meet the predetermined criteria and the secondary stream does meet the predetermined criteria, the scheduler switches to the secondary stream. The scheduler and switches back to the primary stream after an exponentially increasing wait time has elapsed and the primary stream meets the predetermined criteria.
US08295163B1
Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated assigning signals to cable channels are described. One example device includes a networking device that includes a transceiver to connect to a cable and communicate signal over the cable to a remote terminal. The cable can include two or more cable channels to carry signals. If a cable channel fails to operate, a switching logic reassigns signals initially carried on the failed cable channel to another cable channel.
US08295154B2
A method for reducing the peak-to-average ratio in an OFDM communication signal is provided. The method includes defining a constellation having a plurality of symbols, defining a symbol duration for the OFDM communication signal, and defining a plurality of time instants in the symbol duration. A plurality of tones are allocated to a particular communication device, and a discrete signal is constructed in the time domain by mapping symbols from the constellation to the time instants. A continuous signal is generated by applying an interpolation function to the discrete signal such that the continuous signal only includes sinusoids having frequencies which are equal to the allocated tones.
US08295153B2
An apparatus includes a controller configured to be coupled with a radio interface of a first wireless network node. The controller is further configured to respond to a spectrum emission mask that includes indications of both desirable emissions and undesirable emissions over a plurality of radio resource allocation units and to estimate a signal to noise ratio in individual ones of radio resource allocation units at at least one second node, to select an appropriate modulation-and-coding scheme per radio resource allocation unit and to schedule transmissions for the radio interface on the radio resource allocation units using the selected modulation-and-coding scheme. The controller is further configured to receive via the radio interface a beacon transmission from a second node, where the beacon transmission indicates a receiver sensitivity of the second node. The controller estimates a path loss to the second node that transmitted the beacon in accordance with knowledge of a transmission power with which the beacon was transmitted and considers distortion characteristics associated with the radio interface, the estimated path loss and the estimated signal to noise ratio so as to allocate transmit signal energy such that a sum of the desirable emissions and the undesirable emissions is less than limits imposed by the spectrum emission mask.
US08295151B2
A method, central unit, and modem for reducing crosstalk in a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) system. A virtual line referred to as a ghost line is introduced in the system as a substitution for all of the lines except a first line to induce crosstalk to the first line. The Power Spectral Density (PSD) on the first line is allocated to optimize against the ghost line. A modem on the first line reports to a central Spectrum Management Center (SMC), a measure indicating crosstalk impact from the ghost line. This process is repeated for each line. The SMC calculates updated ghost line parameters for each line, which reflect current crosstalk characteristics between each modem and the remaining modems, and sends the updated parameters to the modems. The modems then reallocate PSDs with respect to the updated ghost line parameters to either maximize the rate or minimize the power on their respective lines.
US08295141B2
The present invention provides a method for forming a pattern, containing: stacking a master having at least a two-dimensional pattern or a three-dimensional pattern formed thereon and a pattern-transferring material containing at least a recording layer which changes a state thereof as light is transmitted thereto; and transmitting light to the recording layer so as to transfer the pattern of the master onto the recording layer.
US08295135B2
An optical disc includes a reflective film formed on concave and convex marks after the concave and convex marks are synchronized with the integral multiple of a channel bit length and formed in accordance with modulated main information. Thereafter, continuous or intermittent laser light synchronized with the integral multiple of the channel bit length is irradiated at intervals longer than the longest one of the concave and convex marks in accordance with a spiral track formed in a circumferential direction of the concave and convex marks, whereby an optical characteristic of the reflective film is changed to form a recordable mark and sub-information necessary to reproduce the main information is recorded in a superimposition manner.
US08295133B2
An optic disc writer device is an embedded type independent system. It has a host controller, a disc writer assembly, and a printer assembly. The disc writer assembly is electrically connected to the host controller and has a robotic arm, at least one disc writer, and an optic disc deposition zone. The robotic arm is operated to move to the optic disc deposition zone for picking and/or depositing an optic disc and to move the optic disc to the disc writer by which a writing operation is performed on the disc to provide a writing-completed disc. The printer assembly is electrically connected to the host controller. The printer assembly includes a disc tray that is controlled by the host controller for extension and withdrawal for receiving the writing-completed disc therein. The printer assembly is operated to form printing of patterns on a surface of the writing-completed disc.
US08295131B2
In a chronograph timepiece in which the chronograph hands are electrically rotated by a motor drive pulse and are mechanically zero-restoring-controlled, a basic drive control unit controls a motor so as to drive the chronograph hands when it is detected by a contact portion and a setting releasing detection portion that the setting of the chronograph hands by a setting mechanism has been released.
US08295122B2
An input buffer circuit includes a logic unit, a clock enable buffer, and a clock buffer. The logic unit is configured to receive a clock signal and a clock enable signal, and to output a decision signal indicative of whether the clock signal is normally input, where the decision signal is activated when the clock signal is normally input. The clock enable buffer is configured to buffer the clock enable signal and to activate an internal clock enable signal, in response to an activation of the decision signal. The clock buffer is configured to buffer the clock signal and to output an internal clock signal, in response to an activation of the internal clock enable signal.
US08295120B2
A system having a processor, a memory controller coupled to said processor, a plurality of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips coupled to said memory controller and at least one of said DRAM chips comprising a clock synchronization circuit to receive a reference clock signal and to output a synchronized clock output signal. The system has a plurality of signal buses coupling the processor to the memory controller and the memory controller to said DRAM chips. The signal line conveys signals from said memory controller to said clock synchronization circuit to turn on and off the clock synchronization circuit according to control logic. A memory READ command triggered clock synchronization mode turns on a clock synchronization circuit only for memory READ operations. The clock synchronization circuit achieves a signal lock with the reference clock signal in less time than the column address strobe latency. Precise memory READ operations are thus possible without wasting power when such operations are not performed by allowing the clock synchronization circuitry to be turned off.
US08295116B2
Some embodiments regard a method comprising: during a leakage sampling phase, recognizing a voltage level dropped due to a leakage current associated with a signal linestoring the voltage level; and during a reading phase, using the voltage level to provide an amount of compensation current to the signal line.
US08295106B2
A delay locked loop and method and electronic device including the delay locked loop are provided. In one embodiment, the delay locked loop includes a first delay locked loop and a second delay locked loop. The first delay locked loop receives a data signal and a plurality of first clock signals, generates a plurality of second clock signals based on interpolation on the plurality of first clock signals, selects and outputs one of the second clock signals from among the plurality of second clock signals based on a locking operation on the plurality of second clock signals and the data signal, and generates a plurality of phase resolution control signals. The second delay locked loop receives the data signal, the selected second clock signal, and the plurality of phase resolution control signals, generates a plurality of third clock signals having variable phase resolution based on the selected second clock signal and at least one of the plurality of phase resolution control signals, and performs a locking operation on the plurality of third clock signals and the data signal.
US08295101B2
A semiconductor device includes a sense amplifier, transistors selectively establishing electrical connection between the sense amplifier and a data bus, depending on address; a write amplifier connected to the data bus, an external terminal outputting data from a memory cell to outside via the sense amplifier, the transistors, and the data bus in a first operation mode and supplying data from outside to the sense amplifier via the write amplifier, the data bus, and the transistors in a second operation mode, and a control circuit supplying an electric potential to gate electrodes of first transistors that establish the electrical connection depending on the address, wherein in a first operation mode, the control circuit supplies a first electric potential to the gate electrodes of the first transistors, so that the first transistors exhibit a first impedance value and in the second operation mode, the control circuit supplies a second electric potential to gate electrodes of the first transistors, so that the first transistors exhibit a second impedance value, an absolute value thereof being lower than that of the first impedance value.
US08295100B2
A pipe latch circuit includes a division unit configured to output a division signal, a multiplexing unit configured to multiplex a plurality of source signals according to periods determined by the division signal and generate a plurality of pipe input control signals, and a pipe latch unit configured to sequentially latch a plurality of data signals in response to the pipe input control signals, wherein the source signals are sequentially activated in response to an input/output (I/O) strobe signal.
US08295098B2
Methods for sensing, memory devices, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such memory device, a local sense circuit provides sensing of an upper group of memory cells while a global sense circuit provides sensing of a lower group of memory cells. Data sensed by the local sense circuit is transferred to the global sense circuit over local data lines or a global transfer line that is multiplexed to the local data lines. An alternate embodiment uses the local sense circuit to sense both upper and lower groups of memory cells.
US08295096B2
A method of programming a differential flash memory cell having a first and a second memory cell is disclosed. The first memory cell includes a first transistor associated with a first threshold voltage and the second memory cell includes a second transistor associated with a second threshold voltage. The method includes reading the first and second memory cells to determine a current associated with the first and second threshold voltages. The first threshold voltage is equal to a first value and the second threshold voltage is equal to a second value. The method further includes determining if the first current corresponds to a predetermined logic state. If the current does not correspond to the predetermined logic state, the first and second memory cells are programmed. The programming includes changing the first threshold voltage from the first value to a third value and the second threshold voltage from the second value to a fourth value.
US08295094B2
A method of operating a memory cell for 3D array of this invention is described as follows. Carriers of a first type are injected into a charge storage layer of the memory cell by applying a double-side biased (DSB) voltage to double sides of the memory cell. Carriers of a second type are injected into the charge storage layer by applying FN voltages.
US08295092B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells connected to a wordline and arranged in a row direction, bitlines connected to the plurality of memory cells, respectively, and a bitline bias circuit configured to separately control bias voltages provided to the bitlines according to positions of the memory cells along the row direction.
US08295091B2
According to one embodiment, in the case of performing an operation for increasing a threshold voltage of a first transistor or a third transistor, a control circuit is configured to apply a first voltage to a bit line, and apply a second voltage greater than the first voltage to a gate of a second transistor, thereby rendering the second transistor in a conductive state to transfer the first voltage to a second semiconductor layer, and then apply a program voltage to a gate of the first transistor or the third transistor to store a charge in a second charge storage layer.
US08295083B2
A method of writing to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) of a magnetic memory array includes an access transistor coupled to the MTJ for reading of and writing to the MTJ, where when the MTJ is written to, at times, by switching its magnetic orientation from an anti-parallel to a parallel magnetic orientation, a bit line that is coupled to one end of the MTJ is raised to Vcc and a voltage that is the sum of Vcc and Vx is applied to the gate of the access transistor, with Vx being approximately the voltage at an opposite end of the MTJ. Further, the voltage of a Source Line (SL), which is coupled to the MTJ using a first transistor of a write driver that is also coupled to the SL, is regulated such that SL remains sufficiently above 0 volts to avoid violation of Vgs exceeding Vcc where Vgs is the gate to source voltage of the access transistor.
US08295064B2
A disclosed operation control method of a charge pump circuit for boosting an input voltage to a desired magnitude in the range between the input voltage and twice the input voltage and outputting the boosted voltage. The method includes the steps of (a) during a charging period, charging, with the input voltage, one or more of the capacitors connected in series by selectively turning on one or more of the first switches in accordance with the desired voltage magnitude, turning on the third switch, and selectively turning on the second switch or one of the fourth switches; and (b) during a discharging period, turning off the third switch and the second switch or the fourth switch having been turned on; selectively turning on one or more of the first switches; and turning on one or more fourth and the fifth switches.
US08295058B2
An apparatus is provided that comprises a plurality of signaling planes providing signal pathways and at least one internal reference plane providing either a voltage or a ground connection. The at least one internal reference plane are provided between at least two of the signaling planes. The apparatus further comprises a signal blind/buried via coupling a signal pathway of a first one of the at least two signaling planes with a signal pathway of a second one of the at least two signaling planes. The blind/buried via runs through the at least one internal reference plane. The apparatus also comprises at least one first conductive feature in the first one of the at least two signaling planes. The at least one first conductive feature is in close proximity to the signal blind/buried via and increases the capacitive coupling of currents in the reference planes of the apparatus.
US08295042B2
An electrical connector assembly electrically connecting a CPU and a printed circuit board includes an electrical connector mounted on the printed circuit board, and a heat dissipating device mounted upon the CPU. The heat dissipating device includes a load plate, a heat pipe, and a heat plate. The load plate is mounted upon the CPU under condition that heat generated from the CPU is absorbed by the heat pipe and the heat plate. The load plate is sandwiched between the heat plate and the heat pipe. The load plate has two clips each of which has two cantilever arms extending toward and engaging with the other clip.
US08295039B2
An electronic device includes a main body, and a connecting component. The connecting component comprises at least one interface. The connecting component is capable of rotating with respect to the main body to switch between a first state in which the at least one interface is hidden under the main body and a second state in which the at least one interface exposes out of the main body.
US08295038B2
A variable form handheld computer may be configurable either as a short form handheld computer or as long form handheld computer. The variable form handheld computer comprises a variable form housing frame configurable as either a short form housing frame or a long form housing frame. The variable form housing frame comprises a plurality of handheld computing modules comprising a display module, a circuitry module, a battery module and a variable form keyboard, the variable form keyboard configurable either as a short form keyboard or a long form keyboard. The long form housing frame securely frames the handheld computing modules when the variable form keyboard is configured as the long form keyboard, and the short form housing frame securely frames the plurality of computing modules when the variable form keyboard is configured as the short form keyboard. The variable form handheld computer is configurable as the long form handheld computer using the long form housing frame, and is configurable as the short form handheld computer using the short form housing frame.
US08295036B2
An expandable power and data center (300) is adapted to be mounted within a slot (304) of a work surface (302). The power and data center (300) includes a stationary housing (306) and a carriage (328). The carriage (328) includes socket areas where power receptacles (338) and data ports (340) can be inserted. A top surface (330) of the carriage (328) and a top surface (350) of a frontal cover (348) form a pressure area (360). With the carriage in a closed position (328), a user can exert a downward pressure on the pressure area (360), causing the carriage (328) to move to an open position. A damper (368) restricts the speed at which the carriage (328) moves between the closed position and an open position.
US08295034B2
An electric power distribution arrangement having an electric conductor for carrying a high voltage, a first pair of bodies provided on opposite sides of the conductor as seen in a first direction cross-wise to a longitudinal axis of the conductor, and a second pair of bodies provided on opposite sides of the conductor as seen in a second direction cross-wise to the longitudinal axis. The bodies of the first and second pair of bodies are arranged to be electrically disconnected from the conductor, and the spacing between the bodies of the first pair is larger than the spacing between the bodies of the second pair. At least one of the bodies of at least one of the first and second pair comprises a second current conductor, and at least one of the bodies of at least one of the first and second pair comprises a wall element of an encapsulation inside which the conductor is arranged. In a region in which the conductor is surrounded by the first pair and second pair, the conductor has a substantially oval or substantially elliptical shaped outer periphery, and the cross section of the conductor has a larger dimension in the first direction than in the second direction.
US08295028B2
Capacitive coupling devices and methods of fabricating a capacitive coupling device are disclosed. The coupling device could include a stack of layers forming electrodes and at least one insulator. The insulator could include a region of doped silicon. The silicon could be doped with a species selected from Ce, Cr, Co, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Ho, Ir, Li, Lu, Mn, Pr, Rb, Sm, Sr, Tb, Tm, Yb, Y, Ac, Am, Ba, Be, Cd, Gd, Fe, La, Pb, Ni, Ra, Sc, Th, Hf, Tl, Sn, Np, Rh, U, Zn, Ag, and Yb in relief and forming roughnesses relative to the neighboring regions of the same level in the stack. The electrodes and the insulator form conformal layers above the doped silicon region.
US08295024B2
A surge energy transfer circuit comprises a surge protection device, gas tube, inductor and high voltage capacitor for significantly reducing surge energy entering a power facility, lowering a remnant surge voltage to convert the surge energy in a voltage form. The converted voltage is superimposed to an operating power to slightly cause a rise of a peak value of the operating voltage. After the surge energy is converted in tens of mS, the operating power returns to a normal voltage value. Accordingly, the lifetime of the surge protection device can be extended and the surge immunity of the power facility can be improved to normal under surge interference situations.
US08295017B2
The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a plurality of line terminals including a line hot terminal and a line neutral terminal, and a plurality of load terminals including a load hot terminal and a load neutral terminal. An interrupting contact assembly includes four sets of interrupting contacts configured to provide electrical continuity at least between the line hot terminal and the load hot terminal and the line neutral terminal and the load neutral terminal in a reset state. The four sets of interrupting contacts are open in a tripped state. A miswire prevention arrangement is configured to prevent the interrupting contact assembly from maintaining the reset state when the load hot terminal and the load neutral terminal are connected to a source of AC power.
US08295009B2
An example magnetic recording head includes: a main magnetic pole; a laminated body; and a pair of electrodes. The laminated body includes a first magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, a second magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than the magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, and an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The pair of electrodes is operable to pass a current through the laminated body.
US08295003B2
A curved waveguide is a curved waveguide that propagates laser light entering from the laser diode as propagating light. The curved waveguide includes a core that is curved in one direction where the propagating light can be propagated and that includes outer surfaces along a propagating direction of the propagating light defined by four surfaces including first and second planar surfaces that curve in respective planar surfaces and that are positioned to face each other, and inside and outside curved surfaces that connect the first and second planar surfaces: an outside metal cladding that is positioned in a direction orthogonal to an oscillation direction of an electric field of the propagating light in a cross section orthogonal to the propagating direction of the propagating light and along the outside curved surface of the core, that is made of gold, silver, copper or aluminum, or that is primarily composed of one component of these materials; and a cladding layer that covers the first and second planar surfaces and the outside metal clad.
US08294999B2
An optical imaging assembly having cylindrical symmetry, comprising a plurality of lenses having surfaces with curvatures and spacings between the surfaces, such that an optical image formed by the plurality of lenses has a defocus aberration coefficient greater than 0.1 at a focal plane of the assembly.
US08294998B1
A system to support at least one magnification device on a readable digital display screen upon a base that is interchangeable with a clamp, and that is further capable of omni-directionally orienting the supported magnification device about at least two axes.
US08294989B2
An optical apparatus includes an optical diffraction device configured for diffracting a predetermined wavelength of incident light onto adjacent optical focal points, and a photon detector for detecting a spectral characteristic of the predetermined wavelength. One of the optical focal points is a constructive interference point and the other optical focal point is a destructive interference point. The diffraction device, which may be a micro-zone plate (MZP) of micro-ring gratings or an optical lens, generates a constructive ray point using phase-contrasting of the destructive interference point. The ray point is located between adjacent optical focal points. A method of generating a densely-accumulated ray point includes directing incident light onto the optical diffraction device, diffracting the selected wavelength onto the constructive interference focal point and the destructive interference focal point, and generating the densely-accumulated ray point in a narrow region.
US08294977B2
Methods, systems and apparatus for manipulating electromagnetic radiation such as laser beams. A method and apparatus for correcting magnification chromatic aberration utilizes one or more dispersive lenses such that long wavelength components are magnified less than short wavelength components. A telecentric relay is preferred to achieve this aim. Further, the use of polarizers to block the undesired zeroth order components of diffraction emanating from acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) is disclosed. Furthermore, specific designs of AOD including narrow transducer AODs which produce a diverging acoustic wave and AODs having two transducers and a selection switch are disclosed. Further, the invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for allowing the wavelength of radiation to be changed, for providing a user selectable degree of compensation, for providing a scanning and/or a pointing system and for providing a compact system that does not require telecentric relays between adjacent acousto-optic deflectors.
US08294974B2
Disclosed is an electrochromic material including a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 and an electrochromic device including the electrochromic material. In Chemical Formula 1, R1, R2, L1, and L2 are as defined in the detailed description.
US08294956B2
The present application discloses a system, method and device for placing substantially invisible marks comprising alphanumeric characters, symbols, or bar codes, on a page using clear ink or toner, which may then be read by a spectrophotometer. Such substantially invisible marks are not viewable to the unaided eye of a human observer, do not distract a viewer, and allow the viewer to focus their attention on the printed matter and text of interest to the viewer.
