US08297963B2
A mold apparatus with replaceable mold plates comprises mold bases, and positioning units used to position mold plates on the respective mold bases. If the positioning units are removed, the mold plates can be easily replaced in such a manner that the mold plates are made to slide along the positioning units, facilitating the replacement of the mold plates. Since the mold plates can be quickly replaced, when different products are going to be produced, it only needs to redesign new mold plates with new forming blocks, and the new mold plates can also be applied to the original mold bases as long as they are formed with the guide grooves for cooperating with the positioning portions of the positioning units, greatly reducing the production cost while producing high economic benefits.
US08297962B2
A molding machine for manufacturing an optical film includes a hopper, a first cylindrical roller, a second cylindrical roller, and an ultraviolet light source. The hopper defines a narrow outlet. The first cylindrical roller is rotatable around its central axis parallel to the narrow outlet. The second cylindrical roller is a transparent hollow structure rotatable around its second central axis. The first central axis is parallel to the second central axis at the same level. The first and second cylindrical rollers are located at two opposite sides of the narrow outlet and below the narrow outlet, and define a gap therebetween to feed the raw material. The ultraviolet light source is located in the second cylindrical roller. An emission direction of the ultraviolet light source is orientated toward a space between the narrow outlet and the second cylindrical roller.
US08297959B2
Capsules and particles with at least one encapsulated and/or entrapped agent, such as therapeutic agent, imaging agents, and other constituents may be produced by electrohydrodynamic processes. More particularly, the agent encapsulated in a vehicle, capsule, particle, vector, or carrier may maximize treatment and/or imaging of malignant cancers while minimizing the adverse effects of treatment and/or imaging.
US08297958B2
A scroll compressor having a first compressor body with a first base, a first rib that projects from the first base, and a discharge port. A second compressor body has a second base and a second rib projecting from the second base. The first and second ribs are mutually received in each other to define at least one compression chamber between an intake and discharge port. The relative movement between the first and second compressor bodies is adapted to compress fluid from the intake to the discharge port. The scroll compressor further includes a tip seal projecting axially from the second rib. The tip seal is adapted to engage the first base to seal the compression chamber. The discharge port includes an inward-facing radius, which enables the length of the tip seal in the vicinity of the discharge port to be greater than it would be without the inward-facing radius.
US08297956B2
A peristaltic pumping system comprises a flexible tube, a substantially cylindrical rotating roller unit containing a series of rollers which are freely rotating around their axes and freely moving along a radial segment, holding mechanism for commonly holding the rollers, a central spreader element for pushing the rollers against the flexible tube and a driving unit comprising a driving coupling element, and the holding mechanism is made of at least one planar element having retaining and guiding means for rollers, and the planar element is furthermore adapted to be directly coupled to the coupling element in such a way that rollers are driven through the planar element.
US08297950B2
A fan has a housing with a wire-guiding slot. One of plural connecting members is taken as a line fixed portion having a linking end facing the wire-guiding slot, with the linking end connecting to a section of a peripheral wall of the housing and the section axially aligned with the wire-guiding slot of the housing. A base is coupled to the housing. A power line has one end connected with the connection port and the other end extended beyond the housing via the wire-guiding slot. An impeller is rotatably mounted inside of the housing. Therefore, the line fixed portion can be close to the wire-guiding slot. Thus, the power line can be extended straight through the wire-guiding slot. A distance between the connection port and the wire-guiding slot is shortened to enhance assembling convenience of the power line.
US08297941B2
A housing has a compression chamber and a first passage, through which the compression chamber communicates with an accumulation chamber. A discharge valve is provided in the first passage and configured to open to supply fuel from the compression chamber to the accumulation chamber in response to increase in pressure in the compression chamber. A second passage is configured to communicate the accumulation chamber with the compression chamber via the discharge valve. A valve element allows fuel flow from the accumulation chamber to the compression chamber. A biasing unit biases the valve element to seat the valve element on a valve seat of the second passage. The sidewall of the valve element and the inner wall defining the second passage therebetween define a throttle midway through the second passage for restricting fuel flow from the accumulation chamber to the compression chamber.
US08297933B2
A wind turbine blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge and includes an upper shell member and a lower shell member. The shell members include transversely spaced attachment edge that are spaced rearward of the leading edge. A preformed bond cap having opposite legs with rearward edges is mounted to the attachment edges of the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap is preformed into an aerodynamic parabolic shape and size so as to define the leading edge of said blade and lie essentially flush with the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap defines a primary external bonding bridge between the upper and lower shell members and defines at least a portion of the leading edge of the blade.
US08297931B2
An annulus filler (101) is provided for mounting to a rotor disc (102) of a gas turbine engine and for bridging the gap between two adjacent blades attached to the rotor disc (102). The annulus filler (101) has an outer part (106) which defines an airflow surface for air being drawn through the engine, and a separate, support part (105) which is connectable to the outer part (106) and to the rotor disc (102) to support the outer part (106) on the rotor disc (102). The outer (106) and support parts (105) are configured to allow a procedure for mounting the annulus filler (101) to the rotor disc (102). In a first step the support part (105) is connected to the rotor disc (102) without the outer part (106), and in a subsequent second step the outer part (106) is connected to the support part (105).
US08297929B2
Mounting arrangement of the blades on the hub (5) of a wind power turbine comprising a bearing (11) between each blade root (13) and the corresponding hub connection (15) having an inner ring (25) and an outer ring (23) with a stiffening plate (33) attached at least on a part of the outer ring (23), preferably in a perpendicular plane to the blade axis, on the opposed side (29) to the side (37) joined to the hub connection (15).
US08297919B2
An assembly of airfoils in a turbine engine, the assembly comprising: at least three successive axially stacked rows of airfoils in one of a compressor and a turbine: a first airfoil row, a second airfoil row, and a third airfoil row; wherein the first airfoil row and the third airfoil row each comprise one of a row of rotor blades and a row of stator blades, and the second airfoil row comprises the other; and wherein at least a majority of the mid-channel points of the airfoils in the third airfoil row are positioned circumferentially within +/−25% pitch of the third airfoil row with respect to the location at which a wake flow during a selected operating condition from the first airfoil row is determined to enter the third airfoil row.
US08297916B1
A geared architecture with a flex mount for a Fan Drive Gear System defined by a lateral stiffness relationship.
US08297907B2
An industrial robot for conveying a conveying object may include a hand having a mounting part, an articulated arm part having at least a hand holding arm which is extended and folded when the conveying object is conveyed, a main body part which turnably holds the articulated arm part, and a cam member which is provided in the hand holding arm and which is formed with a cam face with which the holding part is abutted and which is relatively turned with respect to the hand around a turning center of the hand with an extending and folding operation of the articulated arm part. The cam face is formed so that the holding part is retreated from the conveying object before the conveying object is conveyed and, when the conveying object is conveyed, the holding part is moved in a direction to hold the conveying object.
US08297904B1
A container carrier provided with longitudinal extension and retraction capability such that loads may be shifted forward in order to achieve optimal front-to-rear weight distribution on the supporting vehicle. Two hydraulic cylinders having the same rod and bore size are provided in an over and under configuration and act in unison and enable the fork structure to tilt as well as telescopically extend and retract about a mast assembly. The upper cylinder directly controls the angle of the forks while the lower cylinder acts on a mast assembly to extend and retract. A third cylinder is provided for vertically raising and lowering the fork structure so that containers may be picked up from and/or lowered onto elevated surfaces, as well as tilted up and raised toward the truck.
US08297902B2
The invention relates to an eccentric adjustment element (10) having a rod (12) provided on both ends with exterior threads (14, 16) of a smaller diameter to each of which unthreaded, inwardly profiled sections (18, 20) are fastened, wherein the shortest distance between a profile and a rotational axis of the rod is greater than the outer radius of the exterior threads (14, 16) and eccentric discs (24, 26) are fitted on each of the profiled sections (18, 20).
US08297889B2
A loading and unloading device for cargo containers, such as sea containers, silos and other vessels, of mobile design, whereby a container, one end face of which can be opened or closed and can and can be connected flush to a cargo container for bulk goods to be loaded or unloaded, whereby the device container is equipped with least one telescoping tube that can be inserted or withdrawn from the cargo container to be loaded or unloaded, an associated motive power aggregate and a connector for the conveyance of bulk goods into or out of the cargo container to be loaded or unloaded, a suction unit with propelling air outlet, a motor-compressor unit with propelling air inlet for propelling air supply into the cargo container to be loaded or unloaded, a vacuum and filter system and an operating and control unit.
US08297884B1
A floating security barrier and method of use includes a plurality of buoys that are placed on a water surface and about a marine structure or platform to be protected. A plurality of trusses are provided, each truss spanning between a pair of buoys. A connection joins each truss at its end portion to a buoy. In one embodiment, the connection is above the center of gravity of the truss. A curtain depends downwardly from each truss, spanning between the truss and the water surface area. The curtain can extend below the surface of the water. The method includes encircling a structure to be protected with a plurality of buoys, each buoy connected with a truss that spans between a pair of buoys. Each truss preferably connects to a buoy at a position that is above the center of gravity of the truss. The method includes hanging a curtain downwardly from its truss, the curtain spanning between the truss and the water surface area. The method includes using the curtain and buoys to disallow any vessel from traveling from a position outside the perimeter to a position within the perimeter.
US08297882B2
Examples of splitter systems and methods are shown. In some examples, a splitter system includes a splitter body. A plurality of blades is attached at different angular locations around a perimeter of the splitter body. In some examples, the plurality of blades have a cutting depth that is less than a thickness of a wall thickness of a pipe to be split. Configurations are further shown that provide lubrication to splitting operations in a number of locations along a splitter system. Configurations are also shown that provide electrical isolation to cutting blades.
US08297881B2
A saltwater intrusion prevention system for use at an interface between a fresh water body and a saltwater body includes a water recovery subsystem for recovering fresh water from a fresh water body. A retention reservoir in fluid communication with the water recovery subsystem receives and redirects the recovered fresh water. A saltwater intrusion barrier subsystem in fluid communication with the retention reservoir is positioned at an interface of the fresh water body and the saltwater body. The saltwater intrusion barrier subsystem includes a plurality of submerged return discharge ports for vertically ejecting the recovered fresh water for providing hydraulic mounding zone, and a fine air bubbler header for creating a mixing zone. The hydraulic mounding zone and the mixing zone increase the density of the fresh water for offsetting saltwater from the saltwater body.
US08297879B1
An apparatus for attachment to dump trucks having a dump bed and a chute for discharging material onto a road shoulder and/or roadway. The apparatus allows the truck with a single operator to perform shoulder and/or roadway surfacing and/or repair by receiving and grading repair material into place. The attachment being adjustable as to pitch, width and depth of the repair material. The attachment being adjustable to allow a greater or lesser amount of material to be applied to a shoulder closer to the roadway surface if a deeper fill is required. The apparatus allows for rotational movement between the apparatus and the dump truck in a direction parallel to the roadways length and perpendicular to the roadways surface. The tires of the dump truck being utilized to compact the repair material. The apparatus being stored in a vertical position when not in use.
US08297875B1
A system and method to control heating of a screed assembly in a paving machine is disclosed. The system and method includes providing a plurality of screed elements in communication with a respective one of a plurality of circuit breakers through a respective one of a plurality of relays. The system and method additionally includes providing a control system in communication with the plurality of screed elements and the plurality of relays and, receiving inputs by the control system to generate an output signal based upon the inputs. Heating of each of the plurality of screed elements is accomplished in response to the output signal.
US08297873B1
A bollard assembly having a post and a sleeve. The post has a cylindrical post wall forming a cavity, an insert included with in the cavity and a longitudinal passage in the post wall. The insert has a helical wedge at its lower end with a gap in the wedge. The sleeve has a cylindrical sleeve wall forming a cavity and a latch pin that is attached to the sleeve wall and extends into the cavity. The sleeve is adapted to receive the post such that the latch pin travels through the passage in the post wall and the gap in the wedge of the insert wherein the insert can then be rotated such that the latch pin and gap are no longer aligned and the latch pin prevents upward movement of the insert and post.
US08297865B2
A media transport comprises: a media entrance for receiving a length of media (such as a receipt); an arcuate media store for storing the length of media in a coiled configuration; a media exit (such as a receipt aperture) through which the length of media can be presented (for example, to a customer); and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is operable in a first direction to drive the length of media from the entrance into the arcuate media store. The drive mechanism is also operable in a second direction to drive the length of media from the entrance through the media exit for presentation to a customer.
US08297863B2
A printing roll release and retainer mechanism to facilitate the insertion of a printing roller into a printing head of a thermal printer and to facilitate the locking thereof to the printing head and to facilitate the removal of the printing roller from the printing head wherein a holder is provided for receiving and permitting withdrawal of the printing roller and a pair of oppositely spaced members is provided for to hold the shaft roller.A locking-release member is provided for the holder to facilitate locking of the roller to the printing head and removal therefrom, the oppositely spaced members have an arcuate configuration for receiving the shaft and is provided with a pair of portions extending from the ends of the arcuate configuration, the locking release member include spaced members with an arcuate configuration for receiving the shaft when the roller is inserted into the head, and a pair of members are provided for locking the roller to the printing head in one position of the locking-release member and for releasing the roller from the head in another position of the locking-release member.
US08297860B2
A printing system is provided that dynamically adjusts the method of printing an image based on the lightness or darkness of the medium upon which the image will be printed. The reflectivity of the medium upon which an image is to be printed is determined, and the way in which the image will be printed is adjusted based on the determined reflectivity of the medium. For lighter colored mediums, on which sufficient contrast will be provided, the image can be printed directly onto the medium. For darker colored mediums, on which the ink used to print the image will not provide enough contrast with respect to the medium to produce a reliably readable image, the method of printing the image is modified to ensure that sufficient contrast is always provided to produce a reliably readable image.
US08297858B1
A hand-propelled printer/scanner is disclosed for use in updating a project document, such as any diagram, schematic, floor plan, or other document. The project document is updated with revision drawings and/or notes printed by the hand-propelled printer/scanner directly on an existing project document. The hand-propelled printer/scanner is sized for single hand use and is moved about on the project document for printing the revisions and notes. A position module provides absolute position data so that the revisions and notes are printed at the correct locations on the existing document. Use of the hand-propelled printer/scanner allows project documents to be updated on the job site, as an example.
US08297852B2
An exemplary optical fiber coupling assembly includes a first optical connector, a second optical connector, and a coupling lens. The first optical connector is configured for receiving a first optical fiber. The second optical connector is configured for receiving a second optical fiber. The coupling lens is positioned in the second optical connector. The coupling lens includes a first optical portion and a second optical portion integrally formed with the first optical portion. The coupling lens is configured for transmitting optical signals between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber through the first optical portion and the second optical portion.
US08297837B1
This invention generally relates to sensors made of granular thin films in the discontinuous phase. More particularly, the invention relates to microbolometers and displacement sensors fabricated from thin films that are close to the metal insulator transition (MIT) or metal semiconductor transition (MST) regime. Sensors of various designs have been fabricated according to the invention and may be used for deflection measurements, nano-indentation, visco-elastic measurements, topographical scanning, explosive detection, low abundance biomolecular detection, electromagnetic radiation detection and other similar detection and measurement systems.
US08297829B2
A mobile device is provided comprising a light guide modified at a plurality of locations to let light guided in the light guide at least partially escape. Furthermore, methods and apparatuses for manufacturing such mobile devices are provided.
US08297826B2
Provided is a backlight unit capable of reducing luminance unevenness. The backlight unit includes a plurality of dot light sources and a light guide plate in which a predetermined side surface serves as a light incident surface for introducing light from the plurality of dot light sources. The plurality of dot light sources are classified into a first light source group and a second light source group. A mount point of the first light source group and a mount point of the second light source group are displaced from each other in a thickness direction of the light guide plate. A total luminance of the first light source group is higher than a total luminance of the second light source group.
US08297822B2
A scanner module and an image scanning apparatus employ an illuminator that includes at least one light emitting diode, a light guide to change the direction of the light from the light emitting diode, and a light source holder to which the light emitting diode is mounted, the light source holder being positioned in relation to the light guide such that the light source holder covers an incidence face of the light guide, on which the light from the light source is incident, the surface of light source holder facing the incidence face reflecting light incident thereupon. The reflection of light by the light source holder reduces the possibility of leakage of light, and can enhance luminous intensity of light of the illuminator.
US08297818B2
An optical system utilizing a light pipe in which light travels by total internal reflection (TIR) accurately controls the light exiting the pipe. The system achieves accurate control of the reflected light by selectively extracting light from a limited area of the light pipe. The configuration of the reflectors used for the selective extraction of the light determines the nature of the output light. The reflectors are preferably located on an output side of the light pipe. All light output by the system is directed by the reflectors.
US08297816B2
A vehicle headlamp includes: a light-emitting module; a control circuit section for controlling a lighting of the light-emitting module; and a reflector including a reflecting face configured to reflect and collect light emitted from the light-emitting module. The control circuit section includes an opposing portion that is opposed to the reflecting face. The opposing portion is disposed at a position away from an optical path of light to be collected by the reflector.
US08297813B2
A vehicular lamp includes: a lamp outer housing composed of a lamp housing with an opening on one side and a cover attached to the lamp housing to close the opening; a light source disposed inside the lamp outer housing; a reflector that is disposed inside the lamp outer housing, reflects light emitted from the light source, and is formed with an optical path notch or an optical path hole which serves as a path for a part of the light emitted from the light source; and a control optical section having a lens member attached to the reflector so as to close the optical path notch or the optical path hole, and controlling light emitted from the light source toward the optical path notch or the optical path hole to guide the light in a predetermined direction for radiation.
US08297802B2
An optical film includes a body and a plurality of first linear protrusions. The body has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first linear protrusions are disposed on the first surface, and each first linear protrusion is extended along a first direction and has a first curvy ridge line departing from the first surface, wherein the first curvy ridge lines are concave towards a fixed direction. When the first curvy ridge line is located on a suppositional plan, the suppositional plan is not parallel to the first surface. A ratio of a maximum distance between each of the first curvy ridge line and the first surface over a minimum distance between the corresponding first curvy ridge line and the first surface is greater than 1 but less than 8.
US08297800B1
A decorative oversized key-shaped Christmas/holiday novelty item has a plastic shell having the form of an oversized key. The shell defines a completely encapsulated interior space. An electrically induced lighting system is disposed within the interior space. A recording device can be included within the holiday key such that the children can record a holiday message for Santa. The novelty item enables children living in homes absent a chimney, fireplace or other structure typically considered to provide access by Santa Claus to the home, to practice a Christmas holiday tradition relying upon such a structural access means. The light or recording device is provided to indicate that Santa has used the key to access the residence. A story presentation media depicting the scenario is provided creating an entertainment system. The holiday key is stored in an integrated storing section within the presentation media packaging.
US08297799B2
An omnidirectional LED lamp is designed with a complex lens covering a light source. The light source is a light emitted diode chip or a light emitted diode lamp or package. The complex lens is composed of a top center lens, a wing lens, and a tube lens. The top center lens modifies the light beams to shed lights above the lamp, the wing lens surrounds and connects with the top center lens to modify the light beams to shed lights on side bottom of the lamp, and the tube lens is configured under the wind lens and connects to the wing lens to modify the light beams to shed lights on side top of the lamp. The complex lens modifies light beams from a light source to shed light on full directions.
US08297779B2
A device for power supply of a portable electric lighting lamp by batteries or a storage battery unit, said device being composed of a front case housing a system of electric contacts connected to the lighting module, of a rear case in the form of a cover, and of a fixing system comprising first articulation means and first clip-fastening means to assemble the rear case to the front case. A storage battery unit is housed in an insulating enclosure to constitute a single intercalated part able to be inserted between the front case and the rear case, said enclosure comprising second articulation means and second clip-fastening means designed to operate in conjunction with said first means of the fixing system when the storage battery unit is fitted instead of and in place of the batteries.
US08297778B2
A party balloon (10) includes an expansible membrane with an inlet port (15) to allow entry of gas upon inflation and an illumination device having a light emitting diode (LED) (50) powered by at least one battery (54) and mounted inside the balloon (10). The illumination device (50) has a projection (58) that is attached to the expansible membrane, inside the balloon, by a clip or O-ring (59), fitted onto the projection (58) from outside the balloon. A strip of insulating material (53) is initially located between the battery or batteries (54) and the LED (50) and is capable of being withdrawn, prior to or upon inflation of the balloon (10), to light up the illumination device and the balloon.
US08297775B2
A utility light is provided. The utility light comprises a first array of light sources having a first color facing in a first direction, a second array of light sources having a second color facing in a second direction that substantially opposes the first direction, a motion sensor, and an electronic controller to determine a first state based on an input received from the motion sensor, to operate the first array of light sources in the first state, to determine a second state based on the input received from the motion sensor, and to operate the second array of light sources in the second state.
US08297773B2
The backlight device 12 of the present invention includes a plurality of tubular light sources 17 provided in a parallel arrangement and a light reflecting member 20 arranged on a opposite side from an illuminating side that is illuminated with light from the light sources 17. The arrangement of the tubular includes a narrow pitch area 17a in which an arrangement interval is relatively small and a wide pitch area 17b in which an arrangement interval is relatively large. A dot pattern including a plurality of dots 22 is formed on the light reflecting member 20. Light reflectivity of the dots 22 is different from that of the light reflecting member 20. Light reflectivity of a light reflecting surface including surfaces of the light reflecting member and the dot pattern is low in the narrow pitch area 17a than in the wide pitch area 17b.
US08297770B2
Discharge tubes, each of which includes a glass tube and a ferrule that has a substantially cylindrical shape and is fitted to each end portion of the glass tube, are supported by a plurality of pairs of relay connectors (or supporting members) provided on the front side of a chassis having substantially a plate-shaped configuration. When a discharge tube is supported by relay connectors, stoppers provided on the relay connectors lock the ferrules so that axial movement of the discharge tube relative to the relay connectors is restricted.
US08297768B2
A dishwasher includes a cleaning compartment having a front portion that can be closed by a door. The door is configured to pivot at a bottom section thereof around a horizontally running axis. An illuminating device is configured to illuminate at least one of the cleaning compartment and the front portion of the cleaning compartment. A control device switches the illuminating device on or off based on a opening position of the door. The control device includes a switching element that is actuated by a Bowden cable arranged on the door in order to compensate for the weight of the door.
US08297759B2
A display system comprising a light source and a plurality of switchable elements, wherein each element is switchable at an element switching frequency in accordance with an element control signal between an “on” state in which light is directed from the light source onto a display, and an “off” state in which light is not directed onto a display. The light source being configured to generate a pulsed light source output at a light source pulse frequency.
US08297752B2
An eyeball infraduction value Indih is measured, and then ΔE is determined from an equation ΔE=Indih−(Fh+SPh+Nh) based on the eyeball infraduction value Indih, a distance portion eyepoint height Fh, a progressive corridor length SPh, and a reading portion eyepoint height Nh, and Oh is determined from an equation of Oh=Bh−(Fh+SPh+Nh+ΔE+Uh) based on the ΔE, a lens portion height Bh, the distance portion eyepoint height Fh, the progressive corridor length SPh, the reading portion eyepoint height Nh, and a lower frame height Uh. A spectacle lens that satisfies conditions of 0 mm≦ΔE≦2 mm and 0 mm
US08297746B2
An ink cartridge accommodating device is provided. The ink cartridge accommodating device includes: an accommodating portion which is configured to accommodate a plurality of ink cartridges arranged in an arrangement direction; and a plurality of sensors which are provided correspondingly to the plurality of ink cartridges, and which optically detect information related to the plurality of ink cartridges, respectively. Each of the sensors includes a light-emitting element which emits light and a light-receiving element which receives light. The light-emitting elements or the light-receiving elements of adjacent sensors are arranged adjacent to each other.
US08297743B2
According to one embodiment, a droplet ejection head includes a liquid room, chambers, piezo elements, restrictors, movable pieces, and actuators. The liquid room stores a liquid. The chambers are supplied with the liquid from the liquid room and include nozzles for ejecting the supplied liquid in a droplet state. The piezo elements can be displaced in directions so as to change contents of the chambers. The restrictors bring the liquid room and the chambers in communication with each other. The movable pieces are movable in directions so as to change flow-path areas of the restrictors. The actuators move the movable pieces in the directions so as to change the plow-path areas of the restrictors.
US08297732B2
A cleaner unit to clean an inkjet head, ejecting ink onto a recording medium, and an ink conveyer tube, conveying the ink to the inkjet head, of an inkjet printer in cleaning liquid, is provided. The cleaner unit includes an air-liquid two-phased cleaner conveyer tube, which conveys air-liquid two-phased cleaner, and a cleaner spout, which is connected to an upstream-side end of the ink conveyer tube and to a downstream-side end of the air-liquid two-phased cleaner conveyer tube with respect to a fluid flow, and through which the air-liquid two-phased cleaner is supplied to the ink conveyer tube.
US08297731B2
A recording apparatus includes a carriage, ink containers mounted in the carriage and including respective light emitters, a driving unit for moving the ink tanks, a light receiver receiving light from the light emitters, a light control unit controlling lighting the light emitter of a predetermined ink container, and a determining unit for determining whether the predetermined ink container is mounted at a correct position, based on the light emitted from the light emitter of the predetermined ink container at positions. When the driving unit does not move the carriage to a position where at least one of the ink containers is facing the light receiver, the determining unit determines whether the at least one of the ink containers is mounted at the correct position, based on the light received from the light emitters at a position adjacent to the facing position.
US08297725B2
A refrigerator equipped with a door opening device opening doors by driving a motor and a method of controlling the same. In the method of controlling the refrigerator includes a door opening device including a plurality of sliding bars selectively opening first and second doors, a motor opening the first door or the second door by moving back and forth the sliding bars in directions opposite to each other, a plurality of position detectors detecting at least one protrusion provided at one side of the sliding bar, a switch unit inputting door opening signals, and a controller controlling operation of the first door and the second door according to the door opening signals. If door opening signals used to open the first and second doors, the door opening device is controlled so that the first and second doors are easily open/closed.
US08297713B2
A tractor protection valve includes a trailer service brake portion, a trailer parking brake portion, and a stability control portion that are each formed within a common valve body. In one example, the trailer service brake portion includes three inlets that can be used to apply a trailer service brake. The three inlets cooperate with a service brake blocking piston, a service brake relay piston, and double check valves to apply the trailer service brakes as needed. The stability control portion includes a solenoid that can direct air to apply the trailer service brakes in response to a stability control signal. The trailer parking brake portion also includes multiple ports that cooperate with a parking brake piston and valve to control application and release of the trailer parking brakes.
US08297690B2
A motor vehicle body has at least two sills running laterally in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. An auxiliary frame is provided in a region of a front axle and at least one strut is provided, the strut running between the auxiliary frame of the front axle and one of the two lateral sills. This makes it possible in particular to increase the natural frequency of a vehicle front end by structurally simple and also cost-effective measures.
US08297686B2
An inflatable electric and hybrid vehicle system, that has the features and accoutrements of traditional automotive vehicles, that is extremely safe, lightweight, inexpensive, compact and energy efficient. The system designed to be shipped by common carrier and then assembled in a few hours with a minimal amount of tools or effort. The vehicle has either an inflatable body or membrane skin with a hybrid-type or electric motor drive train as well as heating and cooling system and inflatable seats. The battery power supply utilizes banks of commonly available batteries charged by a mobile onboard charger, configured to be easily removed with agnostic software and hardware to manage the power source They are also networked via wireless communication to various base stations to allow for monitoring and exchange of battery banks quickly and efficiently.
US08297683B2
A mounting frame member is provided for framing and sealing a frameless window pane of an after-market motor vehicle tailgate intended to replace a tailgate having a different structure. The mounting frame member includes a mounting frame body mounted to the motor vehicle, the mounting frame body including an integrally formed sealing weatherstrip at an inner peripheral region thereof. A supplemental sealing weatherstrip may be provided adjacent the sealing weatherstrip of the mounting frame body and over the frameless window pane. Accordingly, a single, unitary BIW structure may be utilized when effectuating after-market structural changes or replacements to an existing tailgate.
US08297680B2
A device for the reinforcement of large-surface-area lateral sections of a rear bumper covering is effected by a supporting holder which is arranged pivotably on a load-bearing structure, is folded-in in a delivery position, is folded up in an assembly position and can be fastened with its free end to the vehicle body.
US08297671B2
A clamp grip for a container transport system including rare earth permanent magnets encapsulated in non-magnetic material such as high quality steel. Flexible positioning of the magnets allow for adapting to varied design specifications. A rotatable control cam or cams may be used to adjust grip arms between a grip and a release position. Air gap distances between permanent magnets may be designed to maximize repelling force to assist in the functioning of clamp grip mechanism.
US08297664B2
A flange for fastening a line to a pump casing, includes: a pump casing passage; and a plurality of stop members protruding in the passage and angularly distributed around the passage, the position of the flange being angularly adjustable by the stop members. A pump may include the fastening flange. A method for adjusting the position of the flange in relation to the pump is also disclosed. This method makes it possible to avoid the position of the pump casing being imposed by the orientation of the fastening flange of the pump casing.
US08297658B2
A coupling device comprising a tubular body defining a channel and axially subdivided into an anchor section provided on the outside with an anchor member associated with a cover mounted on the body to have both an actuator end for actuating the anchor member and a drive end, and so as to be movable between an inactivation position and an activation position, a resilient return member urging the cover towards the activation position being mounted in a chamber defined by the cover and the body, the cover having a holder device for holding it in the inactivation position, which holder device is arranged to be declutchable when the cover is moved into a declutching position beyond its inactivation position in a direction away from the activation position, and the device including a passage for putting the chamber into communication with the well.
US08297655B2
A fuel tank mounting mechanism which enhances backward visibility of an operator and performs the loading/unloading work of a fuel tank by a single motion to improve replacement workability. In the mechanism for mounting a fuel tank (30) on a counterweight (8) provided in the rear of an industrial vehicle, the front upper surface of the counterweight (8) is dented to form a recess (9) for receiving the fuel tank (30) in the width direction of the body. The recess (9) is provided with an arm (14) having a member (15) for fixing the fuel tank (30), and the arm (14) is supported rotatably for the body fixing portion through an arm rotating shaft (13) and arranged to rotate about the shaft (13) as the center of rotation to the right or left side in a vertical plane. The arm (14) hangs down from the body side when it rotates.
US08297652B2
A gas generating system includes a housing defining an interior, a housing partition dividing the interior into a first portion and a second portion, and at least one opening to enable fluid communication between the second portion and an exterior of the second portion after activation of the gas generating system. The partition is movable within the interior such that a movement of the partition in a first direction causes a flowable material positioned within the second portion to flow through the at least one opening.
US08297651B2
A pre-crash side airbag device includes a side collision detection sensor, a pre-crash sensor, a main airbag, an auxiliary airbag, and a control unit. The side collision detection sensor detects a collision occurring at the side of a vehicle. The pre-crash sensor detects physical quantities related to the speed of an approaching object. The main airbag is deployed when a control signal is input. The auxiliary airbag is coupled to one side of the main airbag. The control unit controls the deployment of the main airbag and the auxiliary airbag depending on a pre-crash case where a high-speed side collision is expected and a normal case where a low-speed side collision is expected or the measurement value is erroneous.
US08297647B2
A housing (4) for receiving an airbag is fixed to a support member (2) by at least one fixing element (18) which extends through a hole (20) of the member and which is fixed to the housing (4). The fixing element (18) is retained in the hole (20) with play so that the fixing element (18) is capable of pivoting, in a plane which contains the axis of the hole (20), inside the hole (20) under the action of the deformation of the housing (4) so as to absorb the deformation brought about by the deployment of the airbag.
US08297645B2
A vehicle interior trim panel is provided with a rigid trim portion and a first flexible trim portion. The rigid trim portion includes a first assist grip opening. The first flexible trim portion is attached to the rigid trim portion along an edge of the first assist grip opening with the first flexible trim portion at least partially covering the first assist grip opening of the rigid trim portion.
US08297644B2
The present invention is directed to a trash cart, namely an enclosed trash cart having a top and front doors that swing open on a hinged system. The enclosed trash cart is connected to at least one wheel axle having wheels that allow the cart to be transported from a storage area to the curb for garbage pickup. The trash cart can also have an attachment system that gives the owner the option of overlaying a number of different external decorative panels to the trash cart making the cart both functional and decorative. The trash cart of the present invention enables a homeowner to store daily garbage outside the home or garage in a decorative enclosure that keeps the garbage protected from animals and makes it easy to transport garbage to the curb on pick-up day.
US08297629B2
The invention relates to a shopping basket in self service stores and/or supermarkets, of the type of those which can be stacked and incorporate rolling means (5) at their base and a drive handle (4) for transporting them in an inclined manner on the floor in which said drive handle (4) is located on a plane different from the load application plane, and further having its corners reinforced by means of bends (3) defining a plane (6) on which the side branches (7) of said handle (4) slide with the aid of guide means.
US08297628B2
A bucket comprises generally vertical sidewalls and a bottom portion, defining together a bucket interior. The bucket further comprises a back face, constituting one of the sidewalls, which extends substantially above the height of the bucket interior. The bucket still further comprises at least two wheels mounted to the bucket at the back face about an axis at a bottom area thereof.
US08297627B2
A blade for a skate includes a holder, a runner, and an attachment device. The holder includes a front section and a rear section where at least one of the front section and the rear section includes at least two, separate hollow regions and an aperture. The aperture extends through the holder between the at least two, separate hollow regions. The attachment device extends through a substantially solid portion of the holder between the two, separate hollow regions into the aperture and secures the runner to the holder. At least a portion of the attachment device used to secure the runner to the holder is accessible in the aperture.
US08297621B1
A card game for teaching skills to players for the models of behavioral and financial success includes a financial center; simulated life event cards; different variable element cards; a plurality of different energy element cards; a plurality of different self energy element cards; and a plurality of different game recordation and learning reports wherein the player can declare a qualifier by reaching a qualified target, any qualifier who self-confident become the winner can declare a state of entering the final decisive contest to challenge the champion and announce how many cycles the competition ended Simultaneously, the final competition period should not be less than three times cycling trough the financial center and the game will be finished after these cycles. Scores of all players will be calculated after end with a genuine winner being declared thereafter. The winner is not only a qualifier but also the genuine victor.
US08297612B2
A media picking device for an image forming apparatus having a sensing mechanism for detecting the leading and trailing edge of a sheet of media being picked from a media input tray. The device includes a pick mechanism for picking the top-most media sheet; and a sensing mechanism including a sensor and a flag positioned adjacent the pick tire and moveable between at least two positions, the flag having a first end contacting the surface of a picked sheet; the flag moving from a first position to a second position when the leading edge of the picked sheet passes by and moving from the second position to the first position when the trailing edge of the picked sheet passes by. The sensing mechanism providing an output signal corresponding to the movement of the flag. The sensor is one of a photointerrupter, a proximity sensor, a potentiometer, and a switch.
US08297611B2
An image recording apparatus including first and second bodies that are removably connected to each other. The first body includes (i-a) a pair of first box portions (i-b) a connector interconnecting the first box portions, (i-c) at least one first foot portion provided on a bottom surface of each of the first box portions so as to be in contact with an installed surface, and (i-d) at least one first support portion extending upwardly from the at least one first foot portion. The second body includes (ii-a) a pair of second box portions, (ii-b) a connector interconnecting second box portions, and (ii-c) at least one second foot portion provided on a bottom surface of each of the second box portions. The second foot portion is located in a position aligned with the first support portion, so as to be in contact with a distal end of the first support portion. A sheet conveying device is held by a frame member which bridges between the second box portions.
US08297606B2
The apparatus according to the present invention relates generally to a cutting board that can be used during food preparation. In particular the present invention relates to multi-layered cutting boards which are used for the preparation of food that are constructed to prevent bacterial contamination build-up between each stacked cutting layer of the cutting board. Prevention of bacterial contamination is achieved by sealing the perimeter surface of the cutting board using any method of sealing such as laser, heat and chemical processes. Sealing advantageously eliminates seams, crevices and gaps that naturally occur between stacked layers of the cutting board.
US08297585B2
A load suspension stand includes a first stand member, a second stand member, a joint pivotably connecting the first with the second stand member, a cam plate rotatably fixed to the first stand member, a load transmission lever, an abutment pivotably supporting the load transmission lever at the second stand member, a load reservoir, acting on the second stand member and on the load transmission lever in order to exert a force F1 on the cam plate by means of the load transmission lever, and a drive for displacing the abutment relative to the load transmission lever.
US08297584B2
A motor vehicle has an exterior rearview mirror, which is fixed to a vehicle door by a mirror baseplate. An opening, through which the mirror baseplate engages, is provided in an outer skin of the vehicle door, and the mirror baseplate is secured by a multi-point support and a central attachment screw. The mirror baseplate contains, at its free end, a conical attachment which engages in an opening of a door shaft reinforcement, formed as an extruded profile part, a hollow profile part, or a profiled sheet-stamped part, of the vehicle door, as a result of which the exterior rearview mirror is pre-positioned in a positionally correct fashion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The mirror baseplate is additionally supported on the door shaft reinforcement by a five-point support.
US08297580B2
The present embodiment of the subject inventive matter in one embodiment generally comprises of a corner protector containing at least 2 sides and made out of a clear plastic material. The corner protector of the subject inventive matter may also consist of at least one tab to assist in securing the corner protector to the item. Each side of the corner protect of the subject inventive matter may also include protrusions and corresponding receiving grooves that allow corner protector to be securely affixed to the item.
US08297574B2
A mounting apparatus includes a bracket defining a clamping hole, a receiving rack, a connecting member fixed to the receiving rack, a receiving member fixed to the connecting member, and a latching unit. The latching unit includes a pivoting member pivotably mounted to the receiving member, a first resilient member, a second resilient member, a rotating member pivotably mounted to the pivoting member, a contact member abutting against the rotating member, and a hooking member clamped to the rotating member. The contact member and the hooking member are slidably mounted to opposite ends of the pivoting member, respectively, and can be moved towards each other. The first resilient member resists against the pivoting member and the hooking member to return the hooking member back. The second member resists against the pivoting member and the contact member to return the contact member back.
US08297571B2
A display hanging structure hangs a display on the wall. The display has a rear portion, and the display hanging structure includes at least two hangers, a shaft and at least one fixing block. The hangers are disposed at the rear portion, and each hanger has a hole disposed at an identical altitude comparative to the other hole. The shaft is axial shaped and is disposed in the holes. The fixing block is disposed on the wall and contains a slot for receiving the shaft. Whereby, the display may be firmly stuck on the wall by placing the shaft in the slots.
US08297561B1
A pipe support for supporting a horizontally extending pipe in combination with a vertical hanger. The pipe support comprises a U-shaped body being opened at a top end thereof. The pipe support also comprises a pair of transversal vertical ribs, located on the outer surface of the body and extending transversally to an axis formed between the extremities of the body. The pair of transversal vertical ribs forms a space to receive the hanger therebetween, the space being positioned between the first and second extremities of the body. The pipe support further comprises a shock detection mechanism attachable to the pipe support. The shock detection mechanism comprises a shock indicator movable between a hold position and an alert position indicative that the pipe support was subjected to a shock exceeding a predetermined threshold force. A pipe support kit is also provided according to the present invention.
US08297558B2
A method and apparatus for controlling a grade crossing warning system employs a track occupancy circuit or other device to detect the presence of a train in the approach to a grade crossing and an indirect indication of a maximum authorized speed of the train in order to determine an amount of time to delay activation of the grade crossing warning system after the train has been detected. The indirect indication is preferably encoded onto a signal associated with the track occupancy circuit, preferably using a frequency shift technique. The indirect indication may be supplied by a wayside signal device.
US08297554B2
An arrangement, includes a first furnishing and a second furnishing, at least one part of the first furnishing being movable in the direction of the second furnishing, and at least one part of the second furnishing being movable to free a space for receiving the at least one part of the first furnishing.
US08297552B2
A mobile helicopter landing pad comprises a platform with one or more elongate, concave guiding channels for aligning a helicopter on the landing pad by forcing the helicopter's skates into a specific alignment upon landing. The guiding channels may have laterally disposed rollers or else be made of slick material to allow the helicopter to slide towards the base of the guiding channel under the helicopter's own weight. Additional crosswise rollers at the bottom of the guiding channel(s) may be provided to allow the helicopter to be moved forward or backward after landing. A blade locking arm swings upward and secures the top rotor. The pad may include a foldable enclosure that protects the helicopter after landing, and an electronic guidance system that assists the pilot during landing by providing instructions to the pilot or visual indications of the prevailing wind direction and velocity, through illuminated signals on the platform.
US08297548B2
A surface covering installation tool and method of use to provide improved safety and efficiency for surface covering installation. The surface covering installation tool is a tool that includes a handle, a mandrel, and a support member. A user inserts the mandrel into rolled surface covering and then pulls the rolled surfaced covering using the handle causing the surface covering to unroll.
US08297545B1
A grinder (30) has a toolessly attached ingredient hopper assembly (50) overlying a toolessly attached fixed grinding burr (134) defining the top of a grind chamber (158) within which is received a mating rotary grinding burr (150) that is slidably mounted to a rotary drive motor (154) for adjustment relative to the fixed grinding burr (134). Adjustment is achieved automatically by control of a stepper motor (168) that pushes on the end of an elongate member (151) passing through a hollow rotary drive axle (152) and carrying the rotary grinding burr (150) at an opposite end. Start of a grinding cycle in response to actuation of a start switch is inhibited if a pair of photosensors (81, 82) do not detect location of a ground ingredient container (68) in a correct position for receipt of the ground food ingredient, if an automatically closable hopper cover lid (57) is not in a closed position or if grinding parameters, such as the fineness of the grind and the amount of ingredient to be ground has not been detected.
US08297544B2
True zero-clearance cutting on a commercial scale is provided via a cutting area including a sacrifice material that is relatively softer than the cutter. One example is a cutting system which is capable of cutting a material such as, for example, tape or paper, into a fiber or powder. Destruction of the material is further enhanced by advantageous strategic patterning of cutting edges on a rotary cutter, and further by secondary shredding features. For example, on the same axis as the rotary cutter, may be disposed, one on each end, rotating secondary shredders that receive material that has been cut by the rotary cutter as well as material that has escaped cutting by the rotary cutter. A variety of materials, of different thicknesses and types, may be reduced to a dust or powder-size. A single destruction machine advantageously may receive (with minimal operator intervention) a mixed input load, such as a mixture of a combination of paper (including paper that is folded, ripped, stapled, or otherwise irregular), CDs, DVDs, polyester, plastic cards, SMART cards, wood, and/or other generally-planar materials.
US08297543B2
A method for individualizing a trichome from an epidermis of a non-seed portion of a trichome-bearing plant in the Stachys genus to form a fibrous structure is provided. The method comprises contacting the plant with a device to separate the trichome from the epidermis and incorporating the separated trichome into a fibrous structure.
US08297537B2
An atomization system for fuels, particularly for charging a chemical reformer for obtaining hydrogen, includes at least one metering device for metering fuel at at least one metering point into a connecting tube capable of receiving a temperature-adjusted substance stream. The connecting tube features at least one atomization point located downstream of the at least one metering point.
US08297526B2
A system and method for detecting low levels of humidity (i.e. less than 10%) inside an automotive vehicle is provided whereby the total absolute humidity inside the vehicle is determined by multiplying the number of occupants in the vehicle by an absolute humidity factor to obtain a total absolute humidity expelled by the vehicle occupants. The absolute humidity outside the vehicle is added to the total absolute humidity expelled by the vehicle occupants to arrive at a total vehicle cabin absolute humidity.
US08297521B2
A code system for associating data with articles having codes each code having a uniquely created, non-informational first part and a second part wherein each code is associated with an article and the first part may be transformed and thereby uniquely associated with an individual article and a second part may be associated with the first part, such that a relationship between the parts, or lack thereof may be discerned by reading both parts of the code, in order to verify the authenticity of the code.
US08297517B2
Provided are an antenna circuit constituent body for an IC card/tag, which enhances a Q value by reducing a permittivity of a resin film of which a base material is made; and an IC card. The antenna circuit constituent body includes the base material made of resin film; and circuit pattern layers formed on each of both sides of the base material and made of aluminum foil. The circuit pattern layer includes a coiled pattern layer. Parts of the circuit pattern layers, which mutually face each other; and a part of the base material, which is interposed between the parts of the circuit pattern layers, constitute a capacitor. The circuit pattern layers are electrically connected by crimping parts. The base material includes a plurality of void-state-air layers. A relative density of the base material with respect to a density of a resin is less than or equal to 0.9.
US08297512B2
A scanner module is constructed for use in a high impact, high usage environment. The industrial scanner employs a substantially box-like enclosure with an integral handle extending from a bottom portion forming an elongated slot. A scanner window is located in one panel of the enclosure and cushioning materials disposed in the enclosure for providing heavy-duty impact resistance. An externally accessible keyboard display window and a display assembly is employed at a frontal portion of the enclosure.
US08297500B2
A display unit displays information in a fitting room. An operation input unit receives operation input of information in the fitting room. An RFID reader writer performs radio communication with an RFID tag, which is attached to a commodity and stores data of a commodity ID for identifying the commodity, and sets a radio communication range in the inside of the fitting room. A control unit that (i) acquires data of a commodity ID from an RFID tag attached to a commodity in the fitting room via the RFID reader writer, (ii) acquires, according to the acquisition of the data of the commodity ID, data of questionnaire information including a question and plural answers to the question from a questionnaire information file that stores the data of the questionnaire information, and (iii) causes the display unit to display the acquired questionnaire information, waits for selection of one or two or more answers, which are included in the questionnaire information displayed by the display unit, by operation input in the operation input unit, and causes a storage area to store the answers selected by the operation input in the operation input unit.
US08297496B2
A coding for a medical disposable item is proposed comprising at least one information component in encoded form. Associated encoding methods and devices, and associated decoding methods and devices, are also proposed. The coding generally comprises an optical information component comprising one or more fields filled with a gray-scale value up to a certain degree of filling. Each gray-scale value and degree of filling are associated as a value pair determined as part of a code generated to correlate to an information component desired to be applied to and conveyed from a medical disposable item to an associated device that utilizes such items.
US08297494B1
Apparatus that includes alarms with indicators to prevent burglary and theft includes a depository (10) operative to receive deposit containers (20) from authorized persons who open a lock (24). The apparatus includes a depository head (12) and a chest (14). A security curtain assembly (36) comprising a plurality of movable plate members is operative to selectively block an opening in the top of the chest that communicates with the head in response to an actuator. The actuator operates responsive to at least one circuit to cause the security curtain to close responsive to sensing conditions that may correspond to an attack through one or more sensors. Alarms are given locally or remotely when the at least one circuit senses conditions that may correspond to an attack.
US08297488B2
A method for forming bumps 19 on electrodes 32 of a wiring board 31 includes the steps of: (a) supplying a fluid 14 containing conductive particles 16 and a gas bubble generating agent onto a first region 17 including the electrodes 32 on the wiring board 31; (b) disposing a substrate 40 having a wall surface 45 formed near the electrodes 32 for forming a meniscus 55 of the fluid 14, so that the substrate 40 faces the wiring board 31; and (c) heating the fluid 14 to generate gas bubbles 30 from the gas bubble generating agent contained in the fluid 14.
US08297486B2
There is provided a bump printing apparatus and a method of controlling the same that can increase the printability of solder bumps being printed on a board. The bump printing apparatus may include a printing table onto which a board is mounted; a mask making close contact with the board and printing solder bumps on the board by separating the mask from the board after a printing operation; and air nozzles provided within the printing table and providing air suction to bring the board into close contact with the printing table and spraying air to separate the mask from the board.
US08297482B2
A combination manifold and nozzle closure system is disclosed. The closure system limits exposure of the nozzle outlets to air between dispenses or between uses. Manifold accommodates a plurality of nozzles. Each nozzle includes a nozzle outlet extending beyond an end of the manifold. An actuator shaft passes through the manifold and is connected to a plate at its distal end with a film disposed between the plate and the nozzle outlets. An actuator moves the actuator shaft from a closed position where the film engages the nozzle outlets and the plate is disposed just below the nozzles to an open position where the film and plate have been pulled upward beyond the nozzle outlets. The plate includes a plurality of openings and the film includes a plurality of valves each opening in the plate is in alignment with a valve and each valve is in alignment with one of the nozzle outlets. By moving the plate and film upward past the nozzle outlets, the valves and the film open and the nozzle outlets extend through the openings in the plate and are therefore free to dispense. To close the system, the actuator moves the shaft, plate and film downward where the valves and the film close and engage the nozzle outlets to keep the nozzle outlets relatively isolated from air between dispenses.
US08297477B2
A dosing device for dispensing small-particulate pharmaceutical preparations has at least one chamber for receiving a larger amount of the preparation and a dosing unit. A rotary valve has at least one dosing chamber for receiving a defined dose of the preparation. The dosing chamber is moveable between a filling position and a dispensing position. The rotary valve rotates about a substantially horizontal axis, and has an adjustment device for setting the volume in the dosing chamber and a twisting device. The twisting device constitutes the actuator for the adjustment device. The device is made of a plastic material carefully selected to assure that no softening agents or other volatile components will be released, which prevents drug contamination.
US08297471B2
A use-activated cup dispenser capable of sensing the manual removal of individual cups therefrom is provided. Manual removal is understood to include physical contact between a hand and a cup and extraction of the cup from the cup dispenser by the user. The invention includes a decorative cover including a housing disposed between first and second covers, at least one switch mechanism, a control circuit, and at least one active element including light elements, motor elements, scent dispensers, and/or audio elements. The decorative cover further includes an opening along one end. One or more switch mechanisms are provided along the first cover adjacent to the opening. The functionality of switch mechanisms includes direct contact, indirect contact, and non-contact between the cup and an optical or mechanical switch. The control circuit could be disposed on a circuit board and controls the functionality of the active elements. Active elements are attached to the decorative cover and are actuated when a cup interacts with at least one switch mechanism. Active elements enhance the entertainment and interactive properties of the cup dispenser.
US08297460B2
The vapor barrier for flammable liquid storage tanks provides a gas impermeable layer for covering the surface of a flammable liquid stored within a conventional flammable liquid storage tank, a tanker, a vessel or the like. The vapor barrier is formed from a plurality of spherical buoyant members. Each spherical buoyant member has a heat-resistant core or shell, a heat-reactive intumescent or flame retardant layer formed on an outer surface of the heat-resistant core, and an antistatic and oil-phobic layer formed on an outer surface of the heat-reactive intumescent layer. The vapor barrier may further be used with liquid storage tanks in which separation between the liquid and vapor phases is beneficial to prevent oxidation or other undesirable reactions.
US08297459B2
The present invention relates to a tank container (1) having a tank (2) and a framework which receives the tank (2) via end frames (3). Here, the end frames (3) are connected to one another in the lower region via a longitudinal frame structure (5), wherein at least two lateral longitudinal carriers (12) are provided which, in their end regions, have in each case one lateral diagonal member (14) which extends between the longitudinal carrier (12) and a corner support (18) and one base diagonal member (16) which extends between the longitudinal carrier (12) and a lower transverse spar (26, 26′), wherein the base diagonal member (16) and/or the lateral diagonal member (14) have/has an open cross-sectional profile.
US08297455B2
A knuckle for a railway coupler system is made without internal voids or cores. Instead, external pockets are formed on the front face and tail portion surface to reduce weight. The knuckle is formed by investment casting, which permits a pulling face to be provided without a draft angle or parting line typical of a cast part. As a result of these innovations, the knuckle according to the invention has an improved fatigue life.
US08297444B2
The present disclosure generally describes techniques for separating semiconducting carbon nanotubes from metallic carbon nanotubes in a carbon nanotube dispersion. The semiconducting carbon nanotubes and metallic carbon nanotubes may be provided and dispersed in a fluid. Once the semiconducting carbon nanotubes attach to the amine-coated magnetic particles, a magnetic field may be applied to the amine coated magnetic particles and attached semiconducting carbon nanotubes to attract and hold at least a portion of the semiconducting carbon nanotubes, so that the semiconducting carbon nanotubes may be separated from the fluid and/or metallic carbon nanotubes.
US08297440B2
A case for use with an electronic device having a screen has a base and a support mechanism. The support mechanism has a flexible body that is movable relative to the base between a first (substantially flat) position and a second position. The flexible body is configured to bend into a convex configuration and extend in a direction away from the outer surface of the base in the second position. The body in the second position can be used to engage a flat surface and to support the electronic device in an at least partially vertical viewing position to display the screen on the electronic device. The support mechanism may include a single piece or two arms configured to move relative to each other. The support mechanism may move in a longitudinal or a lateral direction relative to the base.
US08297438B2
A multipack carrier for packaging containers is an apparatus that is used to hold, bundle, and transport packaging containers together. The packaging containers is any kind of bottle, can, or jar that is used to store consumer goods. The apparatus comprises of a plurality of plastic braces, a paper board carrier, a grasping mechanism, and a printed graphic. The plastic braces allows the apparatus to clutch each individual packing containers, and the paper board carrier allows the apparatus to simultaneous support all of the plastic braces. In the preferred embodiment, the plastic braces are created by injecting recyclable resin into a plastic injection mold and onto the paper board carrier. The printed graphic can be illustrated on the apparatus because of the material of the paper board carrier. The grasping mechanism allows a person to pick up and carry the apparatus with the packing containers.
US08297437B2
A carrier for holding a plurality of containers. The carrier comprises at least one bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least two side panels. The interior of the carrier is divided into a front portion and a back portion by a first and second central panel. A first divider flap is foldably attached to the first central panel and extends to the front panel to divide the front portion into at least two container-receiving spaces. A second divider flap is foldably attached to the second central panel and extends to the back panel to divide the back portion into at least two container-receiving spaces. The first central panel has features for facilitating positioning of the second divider flap relative to the second central panel. The second central panel has features for facilitating positioning of the first divider flap relative to the first central panel.
US08297435B2
A germicidal irradiation approach to killing germs on conveyors and other check out surfaces in stores, such as grocery stores, which sell articles such as food items where possible contamination from leaks and the like is a concern. An adaptable, portable ultraviolet light apparatus is provided to irradiate surfaces such as conveyor belts.
US08297433B2
The invention relates to a handler for electronic components, in particular IC's, having a plurality of circulating carriages (10) that are guided along their circulating track by means of a stationary, annular guide device (9) consisting of at least one circulating guide rail. Retaining units (12) are provided on the circulating carriages (10), said units retaining the components (43) to be tested.
US08297432B2
A method and to a device for conveying planar products (12), particularly folded printed products. At a transfer point (A), the products (12) are inserted with the leading edges (14) thereof ahead into compartments (22) of a revolving system (20) in the form of a paddle wheel, the compartments moving along a closed revolving path (U), and removed from the compartments (22) at a transfer point (B) by way of grippers (32) of a gripper conveyor (30) and conveyed away. The products are seized by the grippers (32) at the trailing edges (16). The seizing of the trailing edge (16), which preferably is not the folded open product edge, has the advantage that it can be implemented without a complicated engagement of the revolving system (20) and gripper conveyor (30) and that the further conveyance and further processing of the products (12) are simplified.
US08297426B2
In an embodiment of the present invention, a piston apparatus of an automatic transmission includes a piston member capable of moving in the axial direction of the rotation shaft, and a hydraulic chamber, and has been configured so that the piston member moves in the axial direction due to pressure in the hydraulic chamber. The piston member includes a cylinder part that extends in the axial direction and to which pressure in the hydraulic chamber is transmitted, a pressing part that extends in the radial direction and presses against a friction engaging element of the automatic transmission, and a connecting part that connects the cylinder part and the pressing part and, with respect to the axial direction, is offset from the pressing part in a direction of separation from the friction engaging element. Also, the axial direction offset amount of the connecting part from the pressing part of the piston member has been set larger than the stroke amount of the piston member.
US08297423B2
This twin-clutch apparatus for use in a transmission of an engine, including: a hydraulic first disk clutch and second disk clutch that exert a predetermined engagement force by pressure members displaced in an axial direction by the pressure of a supply oil from outside, the first disk clutch and the second disk clutch being coaxially arranged adjacent to each other, in which: clutch plates of the first disk clutch and clutch plates of the second disk clutch are different in thickness from each other.
US08297419B2
The present invention relates to an energy-absorbing unit, including a UIC buffer or a side buffer, which provides an additional irreversible shock-absorbing stage for e.g., a UIC buffer which can be retroactively installed, an energy-absorbing unit, is proposed which is mountable to the support frame or undercarriage, of e.g., a railborne vehicle as one complete exchangeable unit. The energy-absorbing unit hereto includes a base plate for preferably detachable connecting of the energy-absorbing unit to the support frame or undercarriage of a car body, a connecting plate, to which e.g., the UIC buffer can be connected, and a destructively-configured energy-absorbing element which is braced between the base plate and the connecting plate without play.
US08297417B2
A front bicycle suspension assembly having an inertia valve is described. The front bicycle suspension assembly may include at least upper and lower telescoping tubes and include a damping tube containing an inertia valve. The inertia valve may include an inertia mass movable along the outer surface of a valve shaft as the inertia valve moves between first and second positions.
US08297404B2
The soundproofed exhaust duct for a turbine engine comprises a perforated inner shell defining a flow passage, and a solid outer shell, the inner and outer shells defining between them a space that is closed at the upstream and downstream ends of said space. A core extends between the inner and outer shells at a distance therefrom, and contains at least one sound energy dissipating layer made up of hollow beads that are held against one another. A frame with upstream and downstream portions connected together by longitudinal members supports the core and partitions it into a plurality of boxes that are filled with hollow beads that are held between perforated textures, the frame being secured to the outer shell and/or to the inner shell via at least one of its upstream and downstream portions.
US08297403B2
A panel mounting structure for a vehicle is provided having a substrate; a panel; and a separable sound reduction member disposed between the panel and the substrate and being configured to separate into at least two pieces that each remain in substantially fixed relation to a different one of the panel and the substrate, and having a material selected so that the impact of the pieces with each other causes relatively little sound. The material can be configured to separate to form the at least two pieces due to relative motion between the substrate and panel. In specific embodiments, the sound reduction member can be comprised of a sound reduction member, such as felt, or a sound reduction member layer and an adherent backing layer.
US08297401B1
A vehicle steering system transmission comprising a housing, an input shaft journalled to the housing, an electric motor connected to the housing and coupled to the input shaft, an output shaft journalled to the housing, the input shaft and the output shaft coupled by a first pair of sprockets having a first belt trained therebetween and having a first ratio, the first belt and first pair of sprockets comprising a helical tooth configuration, the input shaft and the output shaft coupled by a second pair of sprockets having a second belt trained therebetween and having a second ratio, and the input shaft and the output shaft coupled by a third pair of sprockets having a third belt trained therebetween and having a third ratio.
US08297398B2
A two-wheeled motor vehicle provided with a drive shaft (32) rotatably supported by a swing arm (28) rockable on a pivot shaft (27). The longitudinal center axis (32J) of the drive shaft (32) is located below a line (28C) interconnecting the pivot shaft (27) and an axle (40). The drive shaft (32) is surrounded by the swing arm (28).
US08297397B2
A servo motor is positioned in a place except the downside of a seat to inhibit the length and the curvature of a cable in servo motor layout structure of a saddle-ride type vehicle provided with the servo motor for driving an exhaust valve. A swing arm a front end of which is swingably supported by at least either a body frame or an engine and a rear end of which journals a rear wheel is provided and an exhaust valve and a servo motor are arranged on the downside of the swing arm in a side view.
US08297396B2
To provide a vehicle body frame structure of a saddle-riding type vehicle that can increase the capacity of an air cleaner and enhance the bending stiffness of the vehicle body frame. The vehicle body frame structure includes a pair of left and right main frames that extend rearwardly from a head pipe, an engine disposed downwardly of the left and right main frames, a fuel tank disposed upwardly of the engine and between the left and right main frames, a pair of left and right engine hangers that extend downwardly from front portions of the left and right main frames and support the engine, and a cross member that connects the left and right engine hangers in a vehicle width direction.
US08297390B2
A vehicular system includes a battery, an engine, an electric generator that is driven by the engine to generate electric power and thereby charge the battery, a first control apparatus that controls the battery and electric generator, a drive shaft, a CVT that transmits rotation of the engine to the drive shaft, and a second control apparatus that controls the engine and CVT. Further, the first control apparatus is configured to: (1) detect charge/discharge current of the battery; (2) monitor the SOC of the battery; (3) inform, when there is a decrease in the SOC of the battery, the second control apparatus of the decrease in the SOC; (4) set a target charge current of the battery for recovering the decreased SOC; and (5) control the electric generator to increase the amount of the electric power, thereby supplying the battery with the target charge current.
US08297381B2
An expandable reamer apparatus and stabilizer sub having at least one rib thereon attached thereto for drilling a subterranean formation.
US08297376B2
A coring apparatus including an outer core barrel associated with a drill bit; an inner core barrel adapted to accept a core sample; and at least one strain sensor adapted to measure strain experienced by the inner core barrel selected from the group consisting of tension and compression, wherein an output of the at least one strain sensor is indicative of entry of the core sample into the inner core barrel.
US08297373B2
An impact device includes a housing, a motor supported by the housing, a stationary shaft, and a rotating transmission member supported on the stationary shaft for rotation. The rotating transmission member includes a hub having a first cam surface. The impact device also includes a rotating impact member carried by the transmission member and rotatable relative to the transmission member. The rotating impact member includes a lug protruding from an outer periphery of the rotating impact member and a second cam surface. The impact device further includes a spherical element engaged with the first and second cam surfaces on the hub of the rotating transmission member and the rotating impact member, respectively, an energy-absorbing member exerting a biasing force against the rotating impact member, and a reciprocating impact member oriented substantially normal to the stationary shaft and impacted by the lug of the rotating impact member.
US08297369B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a fire-extinguishing system for injecting foamant into a stream of water. The system can include a flow meter determining a flow rate of the stream of water and a foam pump having an inlet coupled to a supply of foamant and an outlet coupled to the stream of water. The system includes a servo motor driving the foam pump. The servo motor includes a sensor used to determine a rotor shaft speed and/or a rotor shaft torque. A controller can control an operating speed of the servo motor using closed-loop control depending on the flow rate and the rotor shaft speed and/or the rotor shaft torque.
US08297363B2
The present invention is used in conjunction with a multi-channel system of a production string for deployment in gas, condensate or oil wells. An end-piece is placed at the entrance to such multi-channel system. It includes a semi-enclosed space helping to increase the proportion of gas phase entering the system at its bottom entrance. Increased proportion of gas allows lifting liquids and/or solids from the wellbore with greater efficiency. Examples of using the invention include wellbore water removal for gas wells with liquid loading problems, for solution gas drive or gas cap driven oils wells during their initial “natural flowing phase”, or during gas re-injection or gas-lift recovery operations for oil wells. It can also be used for gas-lifting water in water wells.
US08297350B2
Improved method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface that substantially eliminates or reduces the disadvantages and problems associated with previous systems and methods. In particular, the present invention provides an articulated well with a drainage pattern that intersects a horizontal cavity well. The drainage patterns provide access to a large subterranean area from the surface while the vertical cavity well allows entrained water, hydrocarbons, and other deposits to be efficiently removed and/or produced.
US08297349B2
An openable port includes a body, a sleeve movable relative to the body, and a plug disposed at the sleeve that is extrudable through the sleeve. And the sleeve is substantially occluded to flow therethrough by the plug prior to extrusion of the plug and is open to flow therethrough after extrusion of the plug.
US08297345B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an effective seal and connector that maintain a removable mechanical and electrical connection between any two down hole power cables, despite cable movement and well pressure. The connector preferably includes a fluid seal comprised an encasing material that surrounds and/or adheres to protective tubing encapsulating an electrical cable's conductor wires. The encasing material may also surround and/or adhere to the conductive wire's insulation to prevent its outward expansion during well pressure events. The connector's fluid seal also comprises a relatively rigid connection between the connector's protective outer sleeve and the protective tubing encapsulating the conductor wire.
US08297341B2
A forming method for a heat dissipating structure is provided. According to the method, an extrudate is formed by extrution molding, wherein the extrudate includes protruding bending portions extending in parallel. Fins are extruded monolithically on the bending portions. One or more cut channels are formed by cutting the fins and the extrudate with a cutting tool. The cutting tool cuts the fins for forming a notch on each fin at first, and then cuts the bending portions for forming a cut-through slot on each bending portion, wherein each cut-through slot is formed for cooling air flowing through two side of the extrudate. By cutting the bending portions and the fins by the cutting tool at the same time, a large number of cut-through slots are formed in despite of the existence of the fins, and the performance of heat dissipation is enhanced.
US08297339B2
A semi-molten or semi-solid molding method is used to cast a scroll member having a tabular panel, a spiral section and a columnar part. The method includes filling a cavity formed inside of the molding die with semi-molten or semi-solid metal from a section for forming the columnar part via a runner that forms a channel. The cavity forms a space for casting the scroll member. An angle of intersection θ1 between the runner and the section for forming the columnar part is set such that to 97°≦θ1≦135°, and/or a ratio R/√S is set such that 0.12≦R/√S≦0.96. R is a radius of curvature of a chamfered section in which the runner intersects the section for forming the columnar part, and √S is the square root of a cross-sectional area S of the section for forming the columnar part.
US08297327B2
A hand held adhesive tape dispensing machine for joining tape strips originating from two tape rolls to form one tape strip of a desired length with partially exposed adhesive on both sides, which has an offset frame structure supporting guide members to maintain tape positions; roller that tape strips join on; spools that can accommodate varying widths of tape; cutting blade for severing tape; and handle for grasping.
US08297308B2
The invention relates to a cartridge (1) for insertion into a receptacle of a motor vehicle handling facility having an interior chamber (2) which receives a liquid or pasty medium, an outlet (7), that can be opened so that the cartridge (1) can be used, and a data carrier (8) set up for touch-free electromagnetic signal transmission and positioned at a distance (5) to the interior chamber (2) of the cartridge (1) that is greater than a wall-thickness of the cartridge (1). Conventional cartridges of this kind are not sufficiently secure against confusion and resistant to outside influences. The task of making a cartridge available that cannot be confused, is reliable, space saving and resistant to outside influences, especially when in motor vehicle handling facilities, is solved by running an interior chamber floor (4) parallel and at a distance (5) to the floor of the cartridge (6) to which the data carrier (8) is allocated, or that the interior floor of the chamber (4) runs partially inclined to the floor of the cartridge (6) and the data carrier (8) is situated in the area of the greatest distance (11) between the interior floor of the chamber (4) and the cartridge floor (6).
US08297307B2
To provide a relief valve structure for an oil pump, which is capable of appropriately controlling/switching the discharge pressure and flow rate of oil to an optimum condition in low, middle and high speed regions of an engine. The relief valve structure has: a relief valve having formed therein a valve flow path for communicating between a valve head part and an outer circumferential side part; a valve housing in which a valve passage accommodating the relief valve is formed; a relief flow-in part formed on an axial direction one end side of the valve passage and communicating with the valve passage; a first discharge part formed in the valve housing and communicating with the valve flow path by the movement of the relief valve; and a second discharge part that is opened by allowing the valve head part to pass therethrough. The second discharge part is positioned nearer to the relief flow-in part than the first discharge part. The shortest gap between an outer circumferential side part opening of the valve flow path and the first discharge part is the same as or shorter than the shortest gap between the valve head part and the second discharge part during an initial state of the relief valve.
US08297302B2
A flow cell device for observing a fluid includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet, a first viewing member, and a second viewing member. The first viewing member, which is disposed in and coupled to the housing, includes a first window and a spray ring. The spray ring includes cleaning ports in fluid communication with a cleaning fluid inlet port. The second viewing member includes a second window and is disposed in and coupled to the housing opposite the first viewing member such that an aperture that is in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet is defined between the first window and the second window. The spray ring does not extend past a surface of the first window facing the aperture and each of the cleaning ports is oriented such that a fluid provided under pressure to the cleaning ports is ejected toward the second window.
US08297298B2
In a vent control valve for a fuel tank, a housing receiving a float assembly therein is provided with a communication hole passed across a wall of the housing, and an opening of the communication hole facing an interior of the housing is directly exposed to an interior of the housing when the float assembly is in a low position and overlaps with a peripheral wall of the float assembly when the float assembly is in a high position. By suitably selecting the size of the communication hole and/or the number thereof, a desired delay in the dropping of the liquid fuel level in the housing following the filling up of the fuel tank can be achieved. Thereby, overfilling of the fuel tank can be avoided.
US08297295B2
A thin plastic, fold-up umbrella with thin structural supports which fits within a writing implement case, a personal care product case or case for other products normally carried by a user. The case becomes the handle for the umbrella stored in the case with the personal use product to insure that the umbrella will always be carried by the person.
US08297294B2
A rechargeable power source, which is detachably coupled with a shading device to electrically connect with an electrical arrangement thereof, includes a rechargeable battery unit having a battery terminal arranged to contact with the electrical terminal of the electrical arrangement, and a locking arrangement which contains a releasable locker to detachably couple the rechargeable battery unit with the shading device and to ensure the battery terminal being contact with an electrical terminal of the electrical arrangement so as to electrically connect the rechargeable battery unit with the electrical arrangement. Therefore, the electrical arrangement of the shading device is powered by the rechargeable battery unit to eliminate the power extension to the external power source.
US08297289B2
The present invention provides a hair accessory, comprising an infant or baby headband, artificial hair attached to the headband, and one or more ribbons attached to the headband or the artificial hair. In some embodiments, the artificial hair comprises ponytails or pigtails attached to the headband to provide the illusion of real ponytails or pigtails.
US08297284B2
An auxiliary device for an aerosol therapy unit includes a main body and a delivery tube. The main body includes a nose mask portion having a tube connector with an inlet hole, and a nipple-connecting portion connected integrally to and disposed below the nose mask portion. The delivery tube has one end connected to the inlet hole, and the other end adapted to be connected to a source of medication or gas.
US08297279B2
A portable ventilator uses a ROOTS-type blower as a compressor to reduce both the size and power consumption of the ventilator. Various functional aspects of the ventilator are delegated to multiple subassemblies having dedicated controllers and software that interact with a ventilator processor to provide user interface functions, exhalation control and flow control servos, and monitoring of patient status. The ventilator overcomes noise problems through the use of noise reducing pressure compensating orifices on the ROOTS-type blower housing and multiple baffling chambers. The ventilator is configured with a highly portable form factor, and may be used as a stand-alone device or as a docked device having a docking cradle with enhanced interface and monitoring capabilities.
US08297277B2
A dispensing device, a storage device and a method for dispensing a medical formulation are proposed. Multiple doses of the formulation are stored in a carrier having multiple inserts, each insert containing a single dose. Preferably, each insert has at least one duct or nozzle for dispensing the respective dose. Each insert is located in a separate and sealed cavity in the carrier. The cavities can be individually opened for dispensing the respective dose from the respective insert.
US08297275B2
Some embodiments include adjustable oral airway devices. The devices may contain a bite block, a tongue deflector extending through the bite block, and at least one locking mechanism configured for releasably retaining the tongue deflector in one of two or more predetermined positions within the bite block. Some embodiments include adjustable oral airway kits. Such kits may contain a bite block, a tongue deflector configured to extend within an opening in the bite block, and at least one locking mechanism configured for releasably retaining the tongue deflector in one of two or more predetermined positions within the bite block.
US08297274B2
A solar collector includes a solar absorbing tube containing an elongate tube that extends out of one end of the solar absorbing tube and into an end fitting. An annular outer passageway of the elongate tube communicates with a cold fluid inlet conduit within the end fitting. An inner passageway of the elongate tube communicates with a hot water outlet conduit within the end fitting. Each end fitting 15 is provided with a receiving portion extending orthogonally to the tubular passage for receiving an end of the concentric elongated tube. The end fittings are interconnected to provide fluid flow paths without the need for a manifold. Any number of solar collector tubes can be interconnected in this way.
US08297266B2
Provided is a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which is capable of estimating a single composition concentration based on an air-fuel ratio correction amount obtained by using an output of an air-fuel ratio sensor in exhaust gas and optimizing a fuel injection amount by using a concentration estimation value. When fueling is performed again during alcohol concentration change after the fueling, an alcohol concentration estimation period or a start determination period for the alcohol concentration change is extended by an integrated fuel injection amount from initial fueling until refueling, whereby alcohol concentration estimation accuracy is improved with respect to the alcohol concentration change due to the initial fueling and the refueling.
US08297265B2
The present disclosure is directed to various embodiments of systems and methods for cooling a combustion chamber of an engine. One method includes introducing fuel into the combustion chamber of an engine having an energy transfer device that moves through an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke, and an exhaust stroke. The method further includes monitoring a temperature of the combustion chamber. When the temperature reaches a predetermined value, the method also includes introducing coolant into the combustion chamber only during at least one of the power stroke and the exhaust stroke of the energy transfer device.
US08297263B2
A method of operating a boosted engine system is described in which an ejector coupled with a fuel vapor purging system can generate vacuum during both purging and non-purging conditions, and during both boosted and non-boosted conditions. The vacuum can therefore be used to power vacuum actuated brakes, and/or other vacuum actuators, irrespective of the purging conditions, and irrespective of boost levels.
US08297261B2
In a method for controlling a fuel-supply system, a first supply unit supplies fuel from a storage container to a second supply unit. At least a partial quantity of the fuel quantity supplied by the first supply unit returns to the storage container as return quantity via a return line. The return quantity is determined as a function of the operating state of the fuel-supply system. The first supply unit is controlled at least as a function of the return quantity.
US08297260B2
A fuel supply system includes a covering member, a subtank, a first housing on the covering member to project toward the subtank, terminals in the first housing, a second housing fitted to the first housing, and lead wires in the second housing connected respectively to the terminals. The first housing includes a fitting recess opening toward the subtank, and a partition wall dividing the recess into spaces, each of which receives a corresponding terminal. The second housing includes a fitting projection fitted into the recess, a slit dividing the projection into blocks, each of which receives a corresponding terminal, the partition wall being inserted in the slit, and axial holes, each of which accommodates a corresponding wire. Each wire includes a corresponding one of elastic seal members. Each seal member seals a gap between a corresponding wire and a wall surface of a corresponding axial hole.
US08297258B2
A method for operating an internal combustion engine (2) having multiple cylinders (3); fuel may be injected into the multiple cylinders (3) via corresponding injectors, and air may be let in via corresponding intake valves (9) in order to form an air-fuel mixture in the cylinders (3) for providing a drive torque, and combustion exhaust gas may be discharged from the cylinders (3) via a catalytic converter (6); having the following steps: operating the internal combustion engine (2) in a first engine operating mode in which no fuel is injected into at least one first cylinder (3), so that the at least one first cylinder (3) does not contribute to the drive torque, and fuel is only injected into at least one second cylinder (3) in order to provide the drive torque; and switching to a second engine operating mode in which fuel is injected into the at least one first cylinder (3) and into the at least one second cylinder (3), so that the at least one first cylinder (3) and the at least one second cylinder (3) contribute to providing the drive torque; wherein in switching to the second engine operating mode the combustion is carried out using excess air in the at least one second cylinder (3), so that a portion of the air let into the at least one second cylinder (3), together with the combustion exhaust gas, passes into the catalytic converter (6).
US08297256B2
An ignition control system for a spark ignition internal combustion engine has: over-advancing means for over-advancing an ignition time for a cylinder of the internal combustion engine beyond an MBT; obtaining means for obtaining an adhering fuel amount that is the amount of fuel that adheres to the inner face of the cylinder of the internal combustion engine; and controlling means for controlling the over-advancing means to execute the ignition time over-advancement when the adhering fuel amount obtained by the obtaining means is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount.
US08297246B2
An adjustable camshaft sprocket assembly includes a hub and a sprocket body secured to the hub. A stud-receiving opening is defined in one of the hub flange and the sprocket body, and a tool-receiving opening is defined in the other of the hub flange and the sprocket body. The tool-receiving opening is aligned with the stud-receiving opening and is adapted to receive a body portion of an adjustment tool, and the stud-receiving opening is adapted to receive an eccentric stud of the adjustment tool. Either the stud-receiving opening or the tool-receiving opening is elongated. Rotation of the adjustment tool when its body is located in the tool-receiving opening and its eccentric stud is located in the stud-receiving opening causes relative angular movement between the hub and the sprocket body. One or more fasteners are used to immovably secure the sprocket body to the hub after adjustment. A tool includes cylindrical base, a driving head, and an eccentric stud. The stud comprises a spring pin press-fit into a bore.
US08297242B2
In an exhaust valve mechanism for an internal combustion engine the main rocker arm is mounted on a rocker arm shaft for normal valve operation via a cam element. A secondary rocker arm is mounted on the shaft for activation of an exhaust brake mode. The activation is achieved through supply of hydraulic pressure to a piston cylinder arrangement acting between the main and secondary rocker arms. A master piston and a slave piston are connected by a hydraulic-link allowing activation by increased hydraulic pressure. When activating the exhaust gas temperature increasing mode, the master piston is moved to an active position for part of its stroke against the force of a first resilient member. When activating the exhaust brake mode, the master piston is moved the full movement of its stroke against the combined forces of the first resilient member and a second resilient member as active position. The end of the first stroke length defines a position for the master piston allowing activation of an extra valve event.
US08297238B2
An apparatus is provided that includes an engine, an exhaust system, and a thermoelectric generator (TEG) operatively connected to the exhaust system and configured to allow exhaust gas flow therethrough. A first radiator is operatively connected to the engine. An openable and closable engine valve is configured to open to permit coolant to circulate through the engine and the first radiator when coolant temperature is greater than a predetermined minimum coolant temperature. A first and a second valve are controllable to route cooling fluid from the TEG to the engine through coolant passages under a first set of operating conditions to establish a first cooling circuit, and from the TEG to a second radiator through at least some other coolant passages under a second set of operating conditions to establish a second cooling circuit. A method of controlling a cooling circuit is also provided.
US08297229B1
A feed container for storing hardened livestock feed is disclosed. The feed container has a storage area defined by a bottom wall and a sidewall for retaining animal feed within the storage area when the feed is in a solid phase and the feed container is in a non-upward resting position or is on its sidewall. Also disclosed is a method for utilizing a feed container, having said storage area, for retaining animal feed within the storage area when the feed is in a solid phase and the feed container is in a non-upward resting position or is on its sidewall.
US08297228B2
A feed support for use with a bale ring, a system for feeding animals, and systems and methods for moving bale rings are disclosed. The feed support has a generally vertical support member, an attachment plate, and a plurality of telescoping arm assemblies that are mounted on the attachment plate for rotation. As mounted, the telescoping arm assemblies can rotate between an operational position in which they are generally horizontal and radiate outwardly from the attachment plate and a stored position, in which they extend perpendicular to the attachment plate. The arm assemblies have primary sections and secondary sections that are mounted within the primary sections for sliding, telescoping movement. Ends of the secondary arm sections may carry engaging structure for attaching to the bale ring. The feed support may allow the bale ring to be picked up and moved with a tractor or other equipment.
US08297226B2
A movable deposition box (02) for silicon-based thin film solar cell comprises an electrode array composed of at least a group of cathode plates (203) and a piece of anode plate (208) which are set in movable chamber, wherein a feeding socket (203-1) is positioned on a circular or semicircular concave surface in the center area on the backside of the cathode plates (203), a circular or semicircular end face (201-1) of a feeding component (201) which has a flat middle part contacts the signal feeding socket (203-1) and feeds in RF/VHF power signal, the anode plate (208) is grounded, and a shield cover (204) of the cathode plate has through-hole (204-1) and is insulated from the cathode plate (203).
US08297224B2
An ALD apparatus includes: a process chamber that accommodates a boat charged with a plurality of wafers; gas supply systems that supplies process gases to the wafers; a pair of electrodes arranged in a stacked direction of the wafers; a high-frequency power source that supplies a high-frequency power to the pair of the electrodes; a variable impedance element connected to a front end opposite to the high-frequency power of the pair of the electrodes; and a control unit that changes an output frequency of the high-frequency power source. By moving the local minimum point of the voltage distribution through the change of the output frequency of the high-frequency power source during the plasma discharge, the plasma generation amount within a pair of discharge electrodes is uniformized. Thus, the processing non-uniformity between the wafers stacked in the boat is suppressed, and the processing is uniformized over the total boat length.
US08297219B2
An exemplary spray apparatus includes a first nozzle assembly and a second nozzle assembly, which are parallel to each other. The first nozzle assembly includes a plurality of feed inlets and a feed outlet in communication with the feed inlets. The first nozzle assembly configured for spraying a liquid coating material on a substrate. The feed inlets are aligned along a first imaginary straight line. The second nozzle assembly includes a plurality of air inlets and an air outlet in communication with the air inlets. The second nozzle assembly is configured for spraying air with uniform air toward the liquid coating material applied on the substrate. The air inlets are aligned along a second imaginary straight line parallel with the first imaginary straight line.
US08297215B1
A folding boarding ladder, integrated with, and stored within, a sailboat's gate stanchion. Designed for dock-to-deck access, the invention is unobtrusive and presents a minimal wind profile. Permanently mounted at the lifeline gate, the ladder is always accessible, and may be used while docking and casting off.
US08297206B2
A furniture module having a support surface and at least three legs extending therefrom. A first leg is placed adjacent a first edge of the support surface; while two second legs are placed adjacent a second edge of the support surface that is opposite to the first surface edge. The two legs are spaced apart by a distance that is substantially equal to the width of the first leg, and the first leg is spaced apart from the two second legs by a distance that is substantially the same as or greater than the width of the support surface. The outside edges of the first leg are configured for parallel alignment with the inside edges of the second legs to facilitate interlocking of the second legs of one module around the first leg of another module. Multiple modules may be combined to form various furniture designs.
US08297197B2
A device for connecting the gangway bellows cover and the chassis of articulated vehicles includes a connecting element (2) having a hooking portion (3) which can be connected to an end edge (101a) of a gangway bellows cover (101), and an engagement portion (4) which can be inserted in a compartment (400) formed by a rigid support (300) belonging to the vehicle chassis and abutted to at least a first inner wall (310) of the compartment (400). The device also includes an elastically deformable insertion element (10) which is also positioned in the compartment (400) between the connecting element (2) and a second inner wall (320), so as to stably engage the engagement portion (4) against the first inner wall (310).
US08297196B2
An apparatus for transferring substrates includes a carrier to which substrates are loaded, an upper transfer unit transferring the carrier horizontally by applying thrust to the carrier, a lower transfer unit maintaining the lower body of the carrier at the horizontal in a non-contact status, a magnetic levitation module levitating the carrier magnetically, and a lower damper unit maintaining the lower center of gravity of the carrier levitated by the magnetic levitation module.
US08297187B2
A marking projectile comprises separate compartments that break during launch due to rotation of the projectile as it leaves the barrel of a weapon. Metal pellets contained within the compartments are pressed outward and pierce the compartment walls. This allows for mixing of chemical materials contained within the compartments, so that the materials substantially react by the time the projectile strikes a target. The chemical materials may be a pair of chemi-luminescent components, or components that create heat for thermal marking.
US08297182B2
A machine for producing ice cream shop products comprises a whipping and freezing unit (2) with a horizontal axis (A) and a removable head (10) forming an end wall (11) of the whipping and freezing unit (2), there being in the wall (11) an inlet (12) for ingredients intended to constitute the ice cream shop products, and an outlet (13) for the ice cream shop product prepared.
US08297179B2
A process for hardening an annular groove of a piston head of a piston of an internal combustion engine by means of laser beams, in which, at least the annular groove to be hardened is provided before or directly during the hardening process with a coating which absorbs the energy of laser beams. The coating is subsequently irradiated by the laser beams. The absorbing layer can be a manganese phosphate coating or is formed in situ by treating the component surface with a process gas comprising oxygen and inert gas. Furthermore, the laser beams are directed at the piston during hardening at an oblique angle to the direction of rotation. The advantages achieved are avoidance of reflections and undesirable hardening of the bottom of the groove, an increased degree of absorption and reduced distortion of the piston.
US08297174B1
A weapon may include a translatable recoil mass and two translatable counterweights disposed on opposite sides of the recoil mass. Each counterweight may have a mass that is substantially one-half a mass of the recoil mass. A pair of racks may be fixed to respective ones of the counterweights and a second pair of racks may be fixed to opposites sides of the recoil mass. Pinions may engage the counterweight and recoil mass racks. A receiver may be fixed with respect to the recoil mass and the pair of counterweights. The directions of translation of the recoil mass are substantially opposite directions of translation of the two counterweights.
US08297158B2
Turrets (11, 12), which can rotate about a common axis (y-y) and on the outer peripheral surfaces of which a plurality of tools (15) are radially installed, are disposed along the axis (y-y) in a turret housing (100). Respective turrets (11, 12) can be dividedly rotated by separate turret driving motors (13, 14).
US08297133B2
A pressure sensor has a multiplicity of piezoelectric converter elements which are arranged such that they are essentially parallel to a force-applying or pressure-applying direction. The converter elements can be arranged at a distance from one another by an insulating material and/or are at least partially embedded in the material.A support material having greater mechanical rigidity than the converter elements, in particular in the force-applying or pressure-applying direction, is assigned to at least a number of piezoelectric converter elements, or the piezoelectric converter element is applied, in the form of a layer, to a supporting body made from this support material and is electrically contact-connected, for example, by a bottom electrode, which is arranged between the converter element layer and the supporting body, and a cover electrode which is applied to an outer side of the converter element layer.
US08297127B2
A pressure sensor is disclosed that may include a minimum amount of fluid coupling packaging. In one illustrative embodiment, a pressure sensor assembly may include a pressure sensor die having a front side and a back side, and a pressure sensing diaphragm. The pressure sensor assembly may further include a housing having a mounting side and a sensing side. The sensing side may define a pressure port. The pressure sensor die may be secured to the housing such that the pressure sensing diaphragm is exposed to the pressure port, and such that front side of the pressure sense die is accessible from outside of the housing.
US08297122B2
A method for processing ultrasonic response signals collected from a plurality of measurement locations along a weld of a test sample to determine the presence of defects in the weld may include filtering an ultrasonic response signal from each measurement location to produce a plurality of filtered response signals for each measurement location, wherein each filtered response signal corresponds to specific types of defects. Thereafter, a plurality of energy distributions may be calculated for the weld based on the plurality of filtered response signals for each measurement location. The plurality of energy distributions may be compared to corresponding baseline energy distributions to determine the presence of defects in the weld.
US08297119B2
The present invention relates to a liquid sensor for locating in a liquid. The liquid sensor includes a level sensor including one or more sensing stations located between a head and a tail of the liquid sensor. The liquid sensor is suitable for sensing the liquid level. The liquid sensor further includes a depth sensor for sensing the depth of the tail in the liquid. The liquid sensor is particularly suited to pumping station applications.
US08297116B2
In a quick removable position sensor installed onto a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, a transmission mechanism is sheathed onto a steering wheel axle, such that the transmission mechanism and the steering wheel axle can perform a turning movement, and an end of an angular sensor is connected to the steering wheel axle, and another end of the angular sensor is connected to the transmission mechanism, for receiving a turning signal generated and outputted by a turning of the transmission mechanism, and a casing is provided for covering the steering wheel axle, the transmission mechanism and the angular sensor, such that the components in the casing can perform the turning movement and receive the turning signal.
US08297109B2
For leak testing, a tracer gas is advanced to the outer wall (11) of the hollow test object (10) while the test object (10) is in an evacuated state. The tracer gas is discharged from a blower device (14) in the form of soap bubbles (21). When contacting the outer wall (11), the soap bubbles will burst, thus forming a cloud (27) of tracer gas immediately on the outer wall (11). By the invention, it is made easier to localize the invisible tracer gas in the ambient air. Further, the tracer gas can be used more effectively so that the costs for performing the testing process are reduced.
US08297105B2
An impact testing device for a test subject includes a supporting member, a suspending arm with an end fixed on the supporting member, and the other end of the suspending arm being a free end, and a fixing mechanism fixed on the suspending arm adjacent to the free end of the suspending arm to fix the test subject.
US08297096B2
The object is to raise the yield by greatly eliminating the disposed amounts of the tube ends, prevent wrinkles due to closing the mold while applying internal pressure, cutting the plurality of steps of hydroforming and pre-processing of the tube ends, cutting the mold costs by simplifying the mold mechanism, and obtaining a hydroformed product formed with a flange along its entire length.For this reason, the present invention provides a hydroforming method which places a metal tube to a lower mold in the state with the tube ends sticking out from it and injects a pressurizing fluid into the metal tube through the inside of a seal punch and gradually presses seal punches against tube ends of the metal tube to apply a predetermined pressing force and fill the inside of the metal tube with the pressurizing fluid to apply a predetermined internal pressure, next, in the state with the internal pressure and pressing force applied, lowers the upper mold and closes the mold so as to deform the tube and end the processing in the state with the tube ends sticking out from the mold, and, further, boosting the internal pressure in the metal tube after closing the mold and ending the forming operation and a hydroformed product processed using these methods and having a flange across the entire length in the longitudinal direction.
US08297089B2
A theft deterrent enclosure that eliminates unauthorized access is disclosed. The enclosure includes a door assembly having three sides and a wrapper assembly having three sides that mate to form a lockable enclosure. A key lock cylinder is mounted in a lock opening of the door assembly such that it blocks the lock opening in a locked position. A keyed interface operates a fastener, such as a compression latch, threaded coupling or lock plate, which is mounted on the door assembly such that the fastener secures the door assembly and the wrapper assembly in a closed position. The keyed interface is positioned on an interior side of the enclosure that is opposite and aligned with the lock opening. A guide sleeve is positioned inside the enclosure that guides a security keyed tool inserted through the lock opening toward the keyed interface. The theft deterrent enclosure can only be opened from a locked position by engaging the key lock cylinder with a key, removing the key lock cylinder tumbler, inserting the security keyed tool adapted to engage the keyed interface through the lock opening and disengaging the fastener.
US08297088B1
An enclosure includes a main body, a cover for covering the main body, a movable member movably attached to an inner surface of the main body, and a latch member. The main body defines a through hole. The cover defines a through hole aligning with the through hole of the main body. The movable member defines a locking hole. The locking hole includes a small part and a large part communicating with the small part. The movable member is moved to align the large part of the locking hole with the through hole of the second sidewall. The latch member extends through the through hole of the cover, the through hole of the second sidewall, and the large part of the locking hole. The movable member then is restored, thereby the latch portion engaging in the small part of the locking hole.
US08297081B2
A staple fiber yarn having at least one twisted thread. The twisted thread includes a mixture of first staple fibers and second staple fibers. The first staple fibers are produced from high-strength filaments and the second staple fibers have a shrinkage in the range from 5% to 50%. The weight ratio of the first to second staple fibers lies in the range of 5:95 to 45:55. A method for producing a textile article wherein shrinkage is implemented either on the staple fiber yarn, after which the article is produced from the shrunken staple fiber yarn, or on the article containing the non-shrunken staple fiber yarn. The textile article has a wear resistance that is similarly high or indeed even higher than that of a correspondingly produced textile article, the staple fiber yarn of which consists exclusively of first staple fibers that are produced from high-strength filaments.
US08297077B2
In order to provide a particularly homogeneous pressure and temperature profile in a gas cushion for the levitating support of glass or glass ceramic, the invention provides a device (19) for transporting or supporting glass ceramic or glass, which comprises at least one diaphragm (1, 2) that has at least one continuous bearing surface (3) and at least one gas feed chamber (51-55) and at least one gas discharge chamber (71-75), the gas feed chamber (51-55) and the gas discharge chamber (71-75) having a gas-permeable connection to the bearing surface (3).
US08297076B2
A jewelry piece is formed with a jewelry body made of epoxy material, defining an outer surface and cast in the shape of a piece of jewelry in the form of a ring, pendant, earring, brooch, bracelet, anklet, necklace, and the like. The epoxy has a material density approximating that of gold and the decorative metal layer made of precious metal is affixed to the outer surface of the jewelry body in a thickness greater than 0.125 μm. The decorative body may be surface mounted to the jewelry or it may be inlaid or affixed in other similar fashion.
US08297073B2
An outdoor unit (20) including a compressor (21) and an outdoor heat exchanger (22) and an indoor unit (30) including an indoor heat exchanger (31) are provided. The outdoor unit (20) and the indoor unit (30) constitute a main circuit (43) of a refrigerant circuit (40). A sub-circuit (70) whose one end is connected to a liquid line (4a) of the main circuit (43) and another end is connected to a low-pressure gas line (4b) of the main circuit (43), and which stores refrigerant in the main circuit (43) is also provided. The sub-circuit (70) is located on a sub-passageway (71), and includes: a refrigerant regulator (72) for storing refrigerant in the main circuit (43); and a switch mechanism (73) for establishing and blocking communication between the refrigerant regulator (72) and each of the liquid line (4a) and the low-pressure gas line (4b). When the amount of refrigerant in the main circuit (43) is excessive, redundant refrigerant in the main circuit (43) is stored in the refrigerant regulator (72).
US08297069B2
An equipment cooling system and method employing modular scalable coolant distribution units that interface with each other to provide liquid cooling for computer data centers. The coolant distribution unit (CDU) permits the use of elevated water temperatures without increasing the load on the computer room air conditioning. A control unit processes environment data to control pump and valve components supporting redundancy and multiple primary and secondary coolant loops.
US08297065B2
A vapor compression cycle system is combined with a Rankine cycle system, with the two systems having a common suction accumulator from which the compressor draws refrigerant vapor for the vapor compression cycle system and from which a pump draws liquid refrigerant for circulation within the Rankine cycle system. The vapor from the Rankine cycle system expander is passed to the compressor discharge to provide a mixture which is circulated within the vapor compression cycle system to obtain improved performance. The heat exchangers are sized so as to obtain a non-complete evaporation, with the resulting two-phase fluid passing to the suction accumulator to provide liquid refrigerant to the Rankine cycle system and vapor refrigerant to the vapor compression cycle system.
US08297058B2
A diverterless hypersonic inlet (DHI) for a high speed, air-breathing propulsion system reduces the ingested boundary layer flow, drag, and weight, and maintains a high capture area for hypersonic applications. The design enables high vehicle fineness ratios, low-observable features, and enhances ramjet operability limits. The DHI is optimized for a particular design flight Mach number. A forebody segment generates and focuses a system of multiple upstream shock waves at desired strengths and angles to facilitate required inlet and engine airflow conditions. The forebody contour diverts boundary layer flow to the inlet sides, effectively reducing the thickness of the boundary layer that is ingested by the inlet, while maintaining the capture area required by the hypersonic propulsion system. The cowl assembly is shaped to integrate with the forebody shock system and the thinned boundary layer region.
US08297053B2
An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine, and a first turbocharger driven by exhaust from the first exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a second exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine in parallel with the first exhaust manifold, and a second turbocharger driven by exhaust from the second exhaust manifold and having a different flow capacity than the first turbocharger. The exhaust system may further have an exhaust gas recirculation circuit in fluid communication with the second exhaust manifold.
US08297051B2
The invention relates to a hydrodynamic machine, in particular a retarder, having an external working medium circuit, comprising: a bladed primary wheel and a bladed secondary wheel which together form a toroidal working chamber which can be filled with working medium from the external working medium circuit, which is fed back into the external working medium circuit; an annular channel disposed outside the working chamber, which is connected in a working-medium conducting manner to the working chamber via outlet holes in the primary wheel or secondary wheel, and is in flow-conducting communication with the external working medium circuit in order to collect working medium leaving the working chamber through the outlet holes and supply this to the external working medium circuit. The invention is characterized by the following features: having at least one tapping opening disposed on or outside the working chamber which is in flow-conducting communication with the working chamber of the hydrodynamic machine and at least one filling channel which opens into a region of relatively low working medium pressure inside the hydrodynamic machine and which is in flow-conducting communication with the working chamber; wherein the at least one tapping opening and the filling channel are interconnected in a working-medium conducting manner by means of a return line outside the external working medium circuit in such a manner that working medium flows from the at least one tapping opening into the filling channel and from there back into the working chamber.
US08297039B2
A propulsion engine (100) for an aircraft, the propulsion engine comprising: one or more fans (110, 120); driving means (132) arranged to drive the one or more fans; and power transfer means (134) connected to the one or more fans and arranged to selectively transfer a variable amount of power to or from the one or more fans so as to control the rotational speed of the one or more fans.
US08297038B2
An aircraft propulsion arrangement including a gas turbine aircraft engine having a compressor, an oil system configured to route engine oil through a heat exchanger mounted to an external surface of an aircraft component so as to define part of an aerodynamic surface to a flow of ambient air, and a duct arrangement fluidly connecting the compressor to the heat exchanger. A method of operating the gas turbine aircraft engine, the method involving the steps of: (a) flowing engine oil through the heat exchanger and thus into heat-exchange relationship with the ambient air; and (b) directing a bleed flow of compressor gas drawn from the compressor along the duct arrangement and into heat-exchange relationship with the engine oil in the heat exchanger, wherein the directing step (b) is performed selectively.
US08297027B2
A fiberboard panel is formed from at least one corrugated sheet of molded cellulose fiber material having alternating ribs and grooves. Spaced slits are cut through the ribs on one face of the sheet and terminate short of the opposite face so as to form at least one slotted portion of more flexibility which may be bent to form a curve. The corrugated sheet is sandwiched between two flat sheets of the same material to form a composite panel. The corrugated sheet or panel is formed by a wet processing method including successive cold and hot press steps in which a wet mat is pressed between an opposing perforated platen and non-perforated, elastomeric material platen of cross-sectional shape substantially matching the desired panel shape and dimensions.
US08297022B2
A portable vapor containment structure has a support frame, at least three wheels to roll the support frame about the ground and wheel retractors for retracting each of the wheels so as to allow the frame to be lowered to the ground. Typically, the apparatus further includes an enclosed vapor containment compartment mounted upon the support frame attached to the support frame. The vapor containment compartment has a bottom opening located within the perimeter of the support frame.
US08297020B1
A top down trap lock shingle system that includes a plurality of identical shingles, each shingle having a bottom layer and a top layer permanently attached to said top edge of said bottom layer forming an extended area along the top of the shingle that includes strips of adhesive and said bottom layer having an enlarged nailing or stapling zone that extends beyond the bottom edge of the top layer. The shingles are trapped locked together by inserting the top tab portion of the top area in a top down manner onto an above shingle row staggered to protect the seams and fastening the bottom edge of the shingle to the plywood roof thus trap locking each of the shingle rows in place. The laminated shingle system is especially durable and provides protection against high winds preventing wind damage and water intrusion.
US08297019B2
Disclosed is a mounting bracket for mounting wall insulation to an exterior wall. The mounting bracket is a unitary piece constructed of plastic, having a vertical wall plate, a horizontal support plate that extends orthogonal to the wall plate, and a vertical reinforcing plate that extends orthogonal to the vertical wall plate and the horizontal support plate. A bore is provided in the wall plate, for fastening the mounting bracket to the exterior wall. The reinforcing plate extends beyond the length of the horizontal support plate, to provide a mounting flange that may be fastened to a vertical wall support, such as a roof batten. The area formed by the horizontal support plate and an upper portion of the wall plate provides an unobstructed support area for supporting the wall insulation.
US08297017B2
A composite floor panel includes a frame assembly having a base plate, a plurality of first lateral supports secured to the base plate, and a plurality of second lateral supports secured to the base plate. The first lateral supports lie in a first plane and the second lateral supports lie in a second plane. The first plane and the second plane each intersect the base plate and the first plane is disposed at an angle relative to the second plane. The composite floor panel also includes a concrete portion coupled to and supported by the first lateral supports and the second lateral supports.
US08297012B2
A prefabricated building module made of multiple layers of plastic blocks or hollow plastic forms aligned between upper and lower sheet steel channels which are held together with circular steel bars extending vertically between and connected to the top and bottom channels, through guide conduit orifices in the plastic blocks or the hollow plastic forms.
US08297011B2
An apparatus for securing a protective panel over a window includes at least one telescoping retainer bar that is tightly fixed within a window frame, adjacent the panel. Spring-biased locking buttons removably seat within one or more longitudinally-disposed apertures to fix the retainer bar at a desired length. At each end of the bar is a resilient pad that firmly engages one of two opposing sides of a window or door frame. One of the pads is movable relative to the bar to further tighten the bar within the frame once the telescoping bar has been extended as far as possible. The pad at the opposing end includes a biasing means for further anchoring the bar within the frame.
US08297009B2
To provide a solar cell module capable of discharging rain water or the like even when the solar cell module is installed outdoor such as on the roof, and rain water or the like flows into the solar cell module.A solar cell module 1 includes a solar cell panel 9 having a primary side and a secondary side adjacent to the primary side, a primary frame member 10 disposed along the primary side, and a secondary frame member 20a disposed along the secondary side. The primary frame member 10 and the secondary frame member 20a include a holding unit that holds the solar cell panel 9. The primary frame member 10 includes, below the holding unit of the primary frame member 10, an end face 17a that is open at an end portion in a lengthwise direction of the primary frame member 10 and a primary interior space 17 communicating with the interior from the end face 17a. The secondary frame member 20a includes, below the holding unit of the secondary frame member 20a, a contact face 25a with which the end face 17a comes into contact and a recessed portion 28 that is spaced apart from the end face 17a such that the recessed portion 28 is recessed from the contact face 25a. A gap is formed between the end face 17a and the recessed portion 28, and the primary interior space 17 is in communication with the exterior via the gap.
US08297008B2
A spacer used to secure a solar module to a substrate having surface irregularities or unevenness includes a spacer layer located between two adhesive layers. The spacer has a thickness greater than any anticipated irregularities or unevenness on the surface of the substrate. The spacer is comprised of materials that provide sufficient strength and weatherability.
US08297007B2
Frames for mounting windows within the walls of enclosures for isolating or sealing substances such as radioactive or other hazardous substances from the surrounding environment. In a first embodiment of the present invention, a window assembly includes a two-piece frame that is welded into the wall of an enclosure. In a second embodiment of the present invention, a window assembly includes a three-piece frame that is clamped to the wall of an enclosure. The frame assemblies may also be used to mount structures other than windows to enclosure walls, such as ducts or pipes intended for passing power, gas, vacuum, or other utilities into the interior of an enclosure.
US08296996B2
A device for delivery of water and at least one further compound which comprises at least one first part containing at least one first compound; at least one second part substantially surrounding said first part, the or each second part being at least partially permeable to water and to the or at least one first compound; and at least one third part substantially surrounding said second part, the or each third part including a water absorbent material.
US08296992B1
A stripping basket for use in fly fishing from surf or a jetty having a smooth interior surface free of protrusions and having a converging lower end and adapted to be mounted to one side of an angler below the waistline slightly tilted forward for facilitating line stripping and casting during use.
US08296991B1
A digital machinegun optic (DMO) is discussed, which includes a digital module having a camera to obtain an image, a bullet drop compensation mount receiving the digital module in a detachable manner, and having a mounting solution, a caliber adjustment knob configured to enable a user to select a caliber that matches firearms of different calibers, and a dual bullet drop compensation wheel to allow the user to accurately hit a target by selecting a right distance to the target; a head mounted display module having a display portion to receive the image from the camera; and a control box module configured to control a display of the image on the display portion.
US08296988B2
Firearm supporting devices (e.g., firearm vises), methods of assembling firearm supporting devices, and methods of packaging firearm supporting devices are disclosed herein. One aspect is directed to a firearm supporting device for supporting a firearm having a first section and a second section spaced apart from the first section. In one such embodiment, a firearm supporting device includes a base, a first support for carrying the first section of the firearm, and a second support for carrying the second section of the firearm. The base includes a first portion and a second portion configured to be attached to the first portion. The first portion is fixed relative to the second portion when the first and second portions are attached. The first support is configured to project from the first portion of the base. The second support is configured to project from the second portion of the base.
US08296986B1
A firearm stock having an internal cavity, a buttplate assembly and an engaging lever. The buttplate assembly has a base member including a locking leg. The locking leg includes a locking notch and the base member includes an attachment leg. The attachment leg includes an attachment aperture. The buttplate assembly is pivotally coupled, via an attachment pin, to a rear portion of the stock. The engaging lever is positioned through an aperture in an upper portion of the stock and comprises a body extending from a head to a locking tab. The body also includes a release notch in a central portion. The body is positioned within the locking notch when the buttplate assembly is in a closed position and the body is removed from the locking notch when the engaging lever is rotated into a release position.
US08296985B2
A firearm with a tilting barrel (1) with the possibility of setting a change of the tilting direction of the barrel (1) containing a breech block (5) for securing the barrel, the breach block containing on a part of its perimeter a locking surface (11) for securing the firearm against its tilting in the direction opposite the locking surface (11). The locking surface can be rotated around the longitudinal axis of the breech block (5) for setting the change of the tilting direction of the barrel (1).
US08296982B2
An improved identification band such as a wristband is provided with preprinted adhesive labels having a correlated unique identification code on the identification band and each of the labels. A label portion is separable from the wristband portion such that the wristband may be applied to a person or object to be identified. The label portion may be affixed to a specimen vial or other object to be identified as having a correlation with the person or object wearing the wristband. Individual labels are separable from the label portion, and the band portion in certain embodiments, so as to be applicable to other objects to be correlated to the person or object.
US08296972B2
A shoe 1 of the present invention includes an upper 2 made of a stretchable fabric. The stretchable fabric is integrated with a sole 3 in a state of being stretched. Further, a method of manufacturing the shoe 1 of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a shoe using a stretchable fabric for the upper 2. The method includes steps of: producing an upper pattern using a last having a size smaller than that of the sole 3 as a base; producing the upper 2 with the stretchable fabric being stretched by stretching the upper pattern and fitting the upper pattern onto a last having a size that matches the sole 3; and integrating the upper 2 with the stretchable fabric being stretched with the sole 3.
US08296968B2
An apparatus and method for quickly and effectively drying ground surfaces are disclosed and claimed. The invention has particular utility in the drying of a race track surface. The invention consists of a means for blowing air upon the surface, a means for heating the air and a means for moving the apparatus with respect to the surface to provide flexibility and control in the degree of drying/heating performed. The apparatus and method may be applied to a variety of surfaces including earthen (dirt) surfaces, concrete and asphalt. One of the objectives of the device is to enable the drying of a track surface such that the surface will not be damaged by overheating which can otherwise occur with other track drying devices applied to an asphalt surface in particular. The design of the invention makes specific use of enhanced turbulent air flow at the surface in order to improve performance over a purely laminar air flow.
US08296964B2
A measurement apparatus (10) for the absolute value determination of lengths or of angles, said apparatus having at least one reading head (14) and a physical scale (12) is provided, which has at least a partial section (18) with a connection (28) for another partial section (18) in a sequential arrangement. In this respect the partial section (18) includes a control unit (30) for the active determination of the position of the reading head (14) proximal to the partial section (18) as well as a storage element (32) in which an own position information of the partial section (18) within the physical scale (12) can be stored.
US08296963B1
A blade gap setting device for attachment to a blade holder of a blade cutter assembly has an elongate body with an upper surface and a lower surface and at least one mounting for a depth micrometer having a displaceable spindle. The depth micrometer is installed through a channel of the mounting, with a free end of the displaceable spindle being exposed beneath the mounting. The device also has a first rounded front reference surface located at a position in front of the mounting, a second front reference surface extending downwardly from the body, and a third lower reference surface below the mounting or spindle. The reference surfaces serve as contact points to bear against interior portions of the blade cutter assembly; in particular, the blade holder and a top surface of the blade.
US08296962B2
A method and system of aligning a probe to wells includes holding the probe at one potential and holding the wells at a different potential, moving the probe to an estimated center position above a selected well, lowering the probe into the selected target well, moving the probe in positive and negative directions along first and second axial dimensions until changes in potential are detected at the probe to indicate electrical contact between the probe and the selected well, and calculating a center location of the selected well along the first and second axial dimensions as mid-points between the points of contact for the respective axial dimensions. The method and system further include lowering the probe into contact with a floor of the selected well and calculating a center location along a third axial dimension as a predetermined distance above the position of the probe. The method and system determine center locations for other wells based on known spacing between wells and the calculated center locations of one or more selected wells.
US08296949B2
An apparatus for designing a tubing configuration comprising modules that receive tube design input, interpret a tube design input, calculate a final tube design, and display a final tube design. The tube design input may include point locations, bend criteria and end conditions, among others. The apparatus may further include modules that determine whether the tube design input exceeds a complexity threshold, comprises a minimum set of information, and comprises a conflicting or erroneous design. The apparatus may further include modules that determine and optimize the manufacturing cost as well as determine the manufacturability of the tube. The apparatus may further include modules that store operational challenges corresponding to emissions reduction features and secondary components.
US08296945B2
A method for repairing a turbine nozzle segment includes providing a turbine nozzle segment having an enclosure with an integral discourager, removing the enclosure and/or the discourager from the turbine nozzle segment and attaching a new enclosure ad/or discourager to the turbine nozzle segment.
US08296934B2
A bonding apparatus includes a frame, a first feeding mechanism, a second feeding mechanism, and a bonding mechanism. The first feeding mechanism is mounted on the frame and includes a turntable capable of rotating relative to the frame. A plurality of workpiece seats are arranged on the turntable. Each workpiece seat defines a plurality of first air holes. The second feeding mechanism is mounted on the frame and includes a first carrier and a second carrier. The first carrier includes a plurality of holding seats and the second carrier including a plurality of temporary holding seats. The first carrier is capable of rotating to stack on the second carrier. Each of the holding seats defines a plurality of second air holes. The bonding mechanism is movably mounted on the frame to correspond to the workpiece seats or the second carrier.
US08296930B2
A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive sensor that results in the sensor having a very flat top magnetic shield. The process involves depositing a plurality of sensor layers and then depositing a thin high density carbon CMP stop layer over the sensor layers and forming a mask over the CMP stop layer. An ion milling is performed to define the sensor. Then a thin insulating layer and magnetic hard bias layer are deposited. A chemical mechanical polishing is performed to remove the mask and a reactive ion etching is performed to remove the remaining carbon CMP stop layer. Because the CMP stop layer is very dense and hard, it can be made very thin. This means that when it is removed by reactive ion etching, there is very little notching over the sensor, thereby allowing the upper shield to be very thin.
US08296925B2
A battery assembly for use in an electronic device is provided. The battery assembly may include a battery cell (e.g., a rechargeable battery cell), a battery connector for providing power from the battery cell to the electronic device, and a flex circuit electrically coupling the battery cell to the electronic device. The battery connector may be located adjacent the battery cell, and may include one or more alignment mechanisms for ensuring that conductive pads of the battery connector align properly with corresponding conductive elements of the electronic device. The battery cell may be fixed to the electronic device using an adhesive layer (e.g., double sided tape) placed between the cell and the electronic device. A tab may extend beyond the periphery of the battery cell to allow a user to pull or peal the battery cell from the electronic device for replacement or repair. In some embodiments, a tool may be used to grasp the tab.
US08296903B1
A system and method for supporting and operating a heavy window sash includes a spring assembly, a balance guide connected to the spring assembly, and a sash clip adapted to mate with the balance guide, wherein the sash clip and balance guide have mating guide surfaces and retention elements so that the sash clip is received in a fixed position relative to the balance guide when installed.
US08296899B2
A robotic vacuum cleaner comprising sensor means for detecting physical contact with stationary objects in the environment of the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner comprises a handle (1) for carrying the vacuum cleaner by hand (3). The handle (1) can be in a second position whereby the handle (1) is located close to the body (4) of the vacuum cleaner, whereby the sensor means detect forces exerted on the handle (1) during operation of the vacuum cleaner.
US08296887B2
A fluid bladder system has a conventional fluid bladder and a resilient member in the fluid bladder. The resilient member is of a size that it allows the fluid in the fluid bladder to be the principal support applied to the patient. The resilient member only applies a force to the patient only after the patient displaces the fluid in the fluid bladder so the resilient structure is the only entity that inhibits the patient from bottoming out.
US08296879B2
A foldable bed includes a plurality of connecting bars, a plurality of support bars, and a plurality of stand units. Each of the stand units includes two pivotally connected support legs each having a first end provided with an upper support portion, a second end provided with a lower support portion, and a middle section provided with a pivot portion. Each of the stand units further includes two clamping brackets each mounted on the respective support leg, and two vibration absorbers each mounted in the respective clamping bracket. Thus, when the two support legs are expanded, each of the vibration absorbers on one of the support legs abuts the pivot portion of the other one of the support legs so that the support legs are combined solidly and stably so as to enhance the structural strength of each of the stand units.
US08296875B2
A lavatory system is disclosed to include one or more integrated hand washing stations. Each hand washing station includes a basin, a faucet, a solenoid valve configured to control water flow to the faucet, and a electric hand dryer located adjacent the basin and the faucet so that the user of the washing station may use the faucet and the electric hand dryer without leaving the washing station. The electric hand dryer preferably includes an outlet to direct air across the associated basin so that any water that drips from the user's hands will fall within the basin. A control system may be provided to control activation of the fixtures such as the solenoid valve, the electric hand dryer, and/or soap dispenser. The control system may be configured, for example, to inhibit simultaneous activation of the solenoid valve and the hand dryer. A photovoltaic system may be provided to provide power to one or more of electrical fixtures.
US08296865B2
An apparatus for stiffening the folded collar of a dress or collared shirt is provided. A collared shirt includes a placket and a folded collar including an interior fold. The apparatus includes a circular, semi-rigid element for surrounding the interior fold of the folded collar, wherein the semi-rigid element is coextensive with the folded collar and includes a gap located at a placket of the shirt. The apparatus further includes a first elongated element that projects downwards at an acute angle from a left side of the semi-rigid element such that a tip of the first elongated element contacts a left shoulder of the shirt. The apparatus further includes a second elongated element that projects downwards at an acute angle from a right side of the semi-rigid element such that a tip of the second elongated element contacts a right shoulder of the shirt, wherein the semi-rigid element and the first and second elongated elements are integrally formed of a single piece of material.
US08296862B2
A protective covering with a hard outer layer and a soft inner layer. The hard outer layer comprises a plurality of substantially rigid shape-retaining and interworking tiles anatomically conformed to a contoured object. The outer layer has sufficient flexibility to adjust its conformity to the object as the object's contour changes. The soft inner layer comprises a plurality of impact absorbing units. The protective covering provides impact resistance and is designed to remain securely in place and protective of the object even when the contour of the object changes.
US08302204B2
A method and a system for a secure distributed item-level discovery service using secret sharing. The discovery service publishes a plurality of uniform resource locators that correspond to a resource identification key on a plurality of servers in a P2P ring. A uniform resource locator (URL) is split in a plurality of shares applying a secret sharing algorithm. For each share of the URL is generated share identifier by applying a hash function to the resource identification key. A share identifier is sent to a target node through a first proxy node applying Peer-to-Peer (P2P) routing. A share of the URL, corresponding to the share identifier is sent to the target node through a second proxy using a network address of the target node. Access rights for reading the share of the URL from the target node are published in an access control node.
US08302203B2
In a CP server, when a copyright determination unit determines that requested content is copyrighted content, a set up unit sets up a copyrighted content public URL comprising information that can specify a memory region where copyrighted content is stored, and corresponding to a content delivery request by a cellular phone, a transmission unit transmits the copyrighted content public URL together with the copyrighted content, to the cellular phone. Then, a cellular phone acquires the copyrighted content public URL together with the copyrighted content, and attaches the copyrighted content public URL to an electronic mail message which is transmitted to another cellular phone. The other cellular phone can use the received copyrighted content public URL to request the CP server to deliver the copyrighted content.
US08302201B1
Described are techniques for processing a data storage configuration request for an application. The data storage configuration request is received from a requester. A first user level of a plurality of user levels at which the data storage configuration request is made by the requester is determined. Each user level is associated with a different level of abstraction with respect to processing performed in the data storage system for implementing the data storage configuration request. The data storage configuration request is serviced. Servicing the request includes determining whether to perform the data storage configuration request in accordance with security criteria defining, for each of the plurality of user levels, permitted operations that may be performed for different requesters in connection with the data storage configuration request.
US08302188B2
A tampering-prevention-process generation apparatus generates an output process instruction group to be executed by an execution processing apparatus in order to protect a first process instruction which causes the execution processing apparatus to assign a value to an assign-target variable. The tampering-prevention-process generation apparatus includes a branch-process-instruction-group generating unit configured to generate, as a part of the output process instruction group, a branch process instruction group which causes a processing route to branch to the first process instruction. The tampering-prevention-process generation apparatus also includes a dependent-process-instruction-group generating unit configured to generate, as a part of the output process instruction group, a dependent process instruction group which causes the execution processing apparatus to execute a process dependent on the value of the assign-target variable.
US08302183B2
A method and apparatus that establish secure communications between two stations. The apparatus includes a low power communication processor and a host processor in a sleep mode. The low power communication processor receives a protocol message to initiate a communication. The protocol message includes an encrypted cryptographic identity token and triggers a wake-up event in order to wake up the host processor according to a result of identity a freshness checks performed by the low power communication processor.
US08302170B2
A method for securing communications between a server and an application downloaded over a network onto a client of the server is disclosed. A first request is received from the client, and in response a session credential security token is generated and sent to the client. A second request is received from the client to download the application and includes the value of the session credential security token. The server verifies that the value of the session credential security token is valid and, if so, generates a second security token that is tied to the session credential security token. The second token is embedded in application code and then the application code is sent to the client. A subsequent request for data from the application running on the client includes the value of the session credential security token and the value of the embedded security token. Verification of validity of the values of the session credential security token and the second security token received with the data request then occurs at least in part by determining that the values are cryptographically tied to one another. Upon verification, the requested data is sent to the client.
US08302165B2
An offline trust system establishes a trust relationship between a trust authority computer system and a target computer system without relying on an active network connection between the computer systems. The offline trust system separates the trust establishment operation into a provisioning phase and a configuration phase. The provisioning phase can be performed entirely on the trust authority, while the configuration phase can be performed entirely on the target computer system requesting trust. The two phases can be performed at different times and do not assume any connection between the two computer systems. An administrator may perform the provisioning phase for many target computer systems at the same time. Thus, the offline trust system provides a way to establish trust between computer systems that is more reliable and less prone to failure.
US08302161B2
Techniques are presented for anonymous Internet access. Internet requests are intercepted within a firewalled environment before being routed over the Internet to destination sites. Each Internet requests is evaluated in view of policy and one or more anonymizers are selected in response to that evaluation. The Internet requests are then routed through the appropriate anonymizers for processing to the destination sites. A relationship between an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the firewalled environment and IP addresses of the destination sites is masked and hidden via the anonymizers from Internet observers. Moreover, a secure communication between the firewalled environment and the anonymizers is maintained.
US08302157B2
A method and apparatus for generating user group identifiers using a permissions matrix is disclosed. The permissions matrix includes an entry that is associated with a row and a column of the permissions matrix. The row of the permissions matrix is indexed with a first role and the column of the permissions matrix is indexed with a second role. A data structure implementing such a method can include, for example, a user group identifier matrix. Alternatively, a method is disclosed in which the expiration of a user group identifier is detected. In such a case, the user group identifier is updated by accessing a user group identifier matrix.
US08302149B2
A distributed security system is provided. The distributed security system uses a security policy that is written in a policy language that is transport and security protocol independent as well as independent of cryptographic technologies. This security policy can be expressed using the language to create different security components allowing for greater scalability and flexibility. By abstracting underlying protocols and technologies, multiple environments and platforms can be supported.
US08302143B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to manage a library of pointers to altered media content, and enable a network element of an interactive media network to access additional media content responsive to detecting a selection of the watermark at the network element. The altered media content is created by embedding a watermark in media content presentable at the network element. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08302132B2
A system for preparing data and video sequences to enable a viewer to scroll content in a plurality of directions including a first and second direction, the content including at least one element in motion, the system including a video sequence preparation module to prepare the video sequences including a first and second video sequence, each video sequence including still images, each still image including at least part of the content, at least some of the still images including the at least one element, the video sequences being prepared such that playing the first and second video sequence effects scrolling the content in the first and second direction, respectively, and a switchover determination module to prepare the data including corresponding switchover points in the video sequences for switching between the video sequences and therefore for switching the direction of scrolling by the viewer. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US08302125B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for providing en electronic program guide (EPG) and a terminal and method for displaying the EPG. The apparatus includes an information extracting unit extracting the information about the electronic program guide, which specifies broadcasts according to time and channel, from a broadcast signal, a document creating unit converting the extracted information about the electronic program guide into a document in a data format permitted in a user's terminal, and a command processor processing a service command regarding a broadcast selected based on the converted document. Accordingly, it is possible to make an EPG based on a user's favorite broadcasts and provide the EPG to the user's terminal.
US08302121B2
An interceptor detects command signals from a TV remote control and logs the signals. The signals can be correlated not just to channel number but also to programs by accessing a program/channel database. A log of channels/programs that have been viewed by, e.g., a child can thus be obtained and viewed by a parent.
US08302120B2
Methods and apparatus to monitor advertisement exposure are disclosed. An example method includes determining via a meter that a media content segment was presented at a media content presentation device and determining via an activity monitor different than the meter that a computing resource related to the media content segment was accessed by outputting an indication of an association between the computing resource access and the media content presentation after the presentation of the media content segment.
US08302119B2
The recording/reproducing quality of a multilayer optical information recording medium deteriorate not only due to interference from other layers caused by light converging on other information layers but also due to stray light converging on the surface of a protective layer and stray light that does not converge on other information layers but rather returns to an optical head through the same optical path as the reproducing signal. The thickness composition of intermediate layers (106, 107, and 108) and the protective layer (109) in a four-layer optical information recording medium are set so as to eliminate the influence of interference caused by stray light from other layers reflected up to three times.
US08302110B2
To simplify the structure and improve the performance of virtualization software. There is provided virtualization unit for capturing a configuration access to a physical device from a virtual CPU, identifying a partition to which the physical device belongs from a device address of the physical device accessed by the virtual CPU, and if the physical device does not belong to the virtual CPU's own partition, replacing a content of a configuration register that identifies the physical device with information on a nonexistent dummy device, and notifying the resultant to the virtual CPU. The physical device not belonging to the virtual CPU's own partition is recognized as a named valid device by using a dummy device driver corresponding to the dummy device. The dummy device driver rejects execution of processing common to all physical devices that is requested by the virtual CPU and disturbs operation of a physical device belonging to another partition.
US08302109B2
A synchronization optimized queuing method and device to minimize software/hardware interaction in network interface hardware during an end-of-initiative process, including network adapter queue implementations for network interface hardware for optimized communication in a computer system. An end-of-initiative procedure to ensure that the network interface hardware has received an interrupt enable and to recheck the interrupt queue is unnecessary in the present invention.
US08302103B2
A method of managing resources related to a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and an application executed in the JVM is provided. The method includes defining a resource identifier uniquely identifying an arbitrary resource to be; generating a resource consumer for each thread, wherein the resource consumer uses a resource; generating at least one resource manager per resource identifier, wherein the resource manager manages a resource, and storing the at least one resource manager in a resource manager registry; calculating a quantity of resource usage by resource managers generated for all applications and threads in the applications, and storing the calculated quantity of resource usage, wherein the calculating and storing of the quantity are performed by each of the resource managers; and informing about the quantity of resource usage.
US08302101B2
In a method for accessing, by application programs, resources provided by an operating system, a process receives a request for a resource and an identifier associated with the resource. It is determined that the requested resource resides in a location outside the application isolation environment. The request for the resource and the identifier associated with the resource is redirected to the determined location. The request for the resource is responded to using an instance of the resource residing in the determined location.
US08302100B2
A system for distributing incoming client requests across multiple servers in a networked client-server computer environment processes all requests as a set that occur within a given time interval and collects information on the attributes of the requests and the resource capability of the servers to dynamically allocate requests in a set to the appropriate servers upon completion of the time interval. Preferably, a request table collects at least two requests incoming within a predetermined time interval, a request examiner routine analyzes each collected request with respect to at least one attribute, a system status monitor collects resource capability information of each server in a resource table and an optimization and allocation process distributes collected requests in the request table across the multiple servers upon completion of said time interval based on an optimization of potential pairings of the requests in the request table with servers in the resource table.
US08302095B2
The present invention allows for storing new document data immediately after the details of processing associated with a box are changed. The present invention provides a workflow processing apparatus executing processing procedures in sequence for data existing in a storage location based on setting information, where the workflow processing apparatus includes a data registration unit changing the setting information, a data acquisition unit determining whether or not data exists in the first storage location when the setting information is changed, and a box operation unit that changes the original name of the first storage location to a new name and that generates the second storage location having the original name when it is determined that the data exists in the first storage location.
US08302094B2
One embodiment is a virtualized mobile device including virtualization software that supports one or more virtual machines and further includes: (a) device emulation software that communicates with device driver software in the one or more virtual machines; (b) device driver software that communicates with one or more physical devices of the mobile device; and (c) transformer stack software that interacts with the device emulation software and the device driver software.
US08302092B2
Systems and methods that facilitate deployment of server applications via employing a deployment system that declaratively defines deployment actions. Such system is extensible to enable user customization, and includes a deployment document that declaratively defines deployment terms. The deployment document can further describe what the tasks accomplish, and also what tasks are to be forwarded to the task handler at execution time.
US08302090B2
An apparatus for monitoring and/or controlling a fluid system includes a housing having at least one display mounted thereon and a sensor interface that includes at least one sensor configured to output signals corresponding to a sensed fluid characteristic. A computer readable memory is disposed within the housing and stores user configurable program parameters in a stored menu configuration partitioning the program parameters among a plurality of discrete menus. The apparatus further includes a user interface having an input device configured via outputting a menu reconfiguration command to adjust the stored menu configuration, and a processor disposed within the housing and configured to display the program parameters in the plurality of discrete menus according to the stored menu configuration. In an exemplary application, the apparatus is a differential pressure indicator having optional control/output features, internally or externally sourced 4-20 mA current output and infrared communication for uploading and/or downloading programming and data.
US08302086B2
A method for demand-driven symbolic analysis involves obtaining a section of code comprising an instruction from a source code file and determining a critical variable in the section of code and data dependencies related to the critical variable. The method further involves iteratively computing a symbolic value representing a range of values of the critical variable according to the data dependencies, determining a set of control predicates relevant to the critical variable at the instruction, refining the range of values according to the set of control predicates to generate a second range of values for the symbolic value, and reporting an error when the second range of values exceeds a predetermined value.
US08302085B2
A method (1) of developing software code for executing on a target digital processor uses a memory in which it maintains data structures having elements, each of the elements storing data which is represented by a label, and at least some links between the elements are created by the target processor as data is being processed. The method comprises the step (3) of writing the software code with data structure processing operations which comply with random structure preservation rules (2). A static analysis timing tool automatically parses (4) the code developed in step (2) to identify all operations. It determines (7) from an operation and all possible input states for that operation an average time value for execution of the operation by a target data processor, and stores (9) said average time value. It determines (8) from the operation and all possible input states all possible output states for that operation. The timing tool repeats steps (7 and 8) for each next operation, using the all possible output states determined in step (8) as all possible input states. It generates (11) an output total average time which is a sum of all average times stored in step (9).
US08302082B2
Apparatus and methods of managed runtime in an embedded partition are disclosed. An example processor system has a general partition having a central processing unit (CPU) to run a first operating system. An embedded partition has a second central processing unit (CPU) to run a second operating system. An inter-partition bridge exchanges an instruction between the general partition and the embedded partition. The first operating system includes a managed runtime environment filter to evaluate the instruction and determine whether the embedded partition can process the instruction.
US08302078B2
This description provides tools for lazy evaluation of geometric definitions of objects within procedural programming environments. Computer-based methods provided by these tools may parse input program code that includes statements that are syntactically consistent with a procedural programming language. These statements may also include defined functions that are not syntactically consistent with the procedural programming language. The defined functions may be associated with a given function that is defined according to the procedural programming language. The given function may relate to a geometric design of an object. The methods may identify inputs and outputs to this given function, and may build a dependency graph that relates this given function to other functions, based on the inputs and/or outputs of the given function. The methods may delay evaluating the given function until a triggering event occurs, at which time the methods may evaluate the given function to produce the output.
US08302068B2
The present invention provides a method and computer program product for designing an on-wafer target for use by a model-based design tool such as OPC or OPC verification. The on-wafer target is modified by modifying a critical dimension so as to improve or optimize an electrical characteristic, while also ensuring that one or more yield constraints are satisfied. The use of an electrically optimized target can result in cost-effective mask designs that better meet the designers' intent.
US08302067B2
A pin out designation method for package board codesign has steps of defining pin characteristics and requirements, generating multiple pin patterns, pin blocks construction and grouping and pin blocks floorplanning. Designers may use an EDA tool to generate multiple pin patterns and may use the pin patterns to construct multiple pin blocks, to group the pin blocks around four sides of a chip and to adjust the pin blocks into a minimized package size of the chip.
US08302064B1
Device features, such as gate lengths and channel widths, are selectively altered by first identifying those devices within a semiconductor die that exhibit physical attributes, e.g., leakage current and threshold voltage magnitude, that are different than previously verified by a design/simulation tool used to design the devices. The identified, non-conforming devices are then further identified by the amount of deviation from the original design goal that is exhibited by each non-conforming device. The non-conforming devices are then mathematically categorized into bins, where each bin is tagged with a magnitude of deviation from a design goal. The mask layers defining the features of the non-conforming devices are then selectively modified by an amount that is commensurate with the tagged deviation. The selectively modified mask layers are then used to generate a new semiconductor die that exhibits improved performance.
US08302056B2
The invention relates to a method and a system for placing macros of a multilevel hierarchical description of a design unit on a chip. The method starts off by repartitioning the macro structure of the design unit into a set of latch macros and a set of combinatorial macros. By definition, a combinatorial macro is constructed in such a way that it contains no latches, and a latch macro contains latches and is constructed in such a way that each primary input/output of the latch macro coincides with an input or an output of a latch within said latch macro. After repartitioning the macro structure, the latch macros are synthesized within temporary boundaries and placed on the chip. Subsequently, the combinatorial macros are sequentially placed within a temporary boundary and synthesized one by one.
US08302054B2
Methods and apparatuses for retiming of multirate system for clock period minimization with a polynomial time without sub-optimality. In an embodiment, a normalized factor vector for the nodes of multirate graph is introduced, allowing the formulation of the multirate graph retiming constraints to a form similar to a single rate graph. In an aspect, the retiming constraints are formulated to allowed the usage of linear programming methodology instead of integer linear programming, thus significantly reducing the complexity of the solving algorithm. The present methodology also uses multirate constraints, avoiding unfolding to single rate equivalent, thus avoiding graph size increase. In a preferred embodiment, the parameters of the multirate system are normalized to the normalized factor vector, providing efficient algorithm in term of computational time and memory usage, without any sub-optimality.
US08302052B2
Disclosed are a method, a system, and a computer program product for implementing hotspot detection, repair, and optimization of an electronic circuit design, which, in some embodiments, defines, identifies criteria for hotspots/metrics or optimization objective function; performs the initial hotspot or metric prediction; identifies correction candidate(s); applies a correction candidate to the electronic circuit design; and determines whether the outcome of applying the correction candidate is acceptable. The method or the system identifies custom correction candidate(s) or custom command(s) and identifies one or more hints for the predicted hotspots or metrics; provides a single architecture to use a first model for hotspot identification/correction and a second model for design check; and provides the capability to apply a correction for a hotspot or metric, evaluate the effectiveness of the correction on the fly, and revert any changes made to the electronic circuit design by the correction.
US08302051B2
A parasitic element extracting system includes: a classifying section configured to classify each of interconnection layers of a layout structure of a semiconductor device into one of an upper interconnection layer and an lower interconnection layer based on a predetermined criterion; and a marker producing section configured to generate a marker to indicate a via-contact connecting the upper interconnection layers and the lower interconnection layers. An upper layer parasitic element list producing section is configured to generate an upper layer parasitic element list by extracting parasitic elements in the upper interconnection layers based on a first criterion, and a lower layer parasitic element list producing section is configured to generate a lower layer parasitic element list by extracting parasitic elements in the lower interconnection layers based on a second criterion which is different from the first criterion. A parasitic element list producing section is configured to generate a parasitic element list of the layout by combining the upper layer parasitic element list and the lower layer parasitic element list by using the markers.
US08302050B1
A computerized method of characterizing a DUV includes executing in a verification environment (VE) a set of verification tests to stimulate the DUV to collect test results from the DUV. The method further includes collecting a set of failure data for the test results; and generating sets of common failures based on clusters of features of interest in the set of failure data. The method further includes generating a set of hints from the common failures; wherein the hints indicate a potential failure mode or a potential root cause failure of the DUV for the test results for the simplified set of tests; and generating a set of debug data from the clusters of features of interest. The method further includes transferring the set of hints and the set of debug data to a user computer for storage, display, and use in an interactive debug session of the DUV.
US08302046B1
Systems, apparatus, and methods of timing analysis with a multi-operating region gate model are disclosed, including modeling a logic gate with a constant direct current (DC) voltage source during a steady state region of operation; in response to a transition from the steady state region of operation, modeling the logic gate with a time-varying voltage dependent current source during a varying current region of operation; and, in response to a transition from the variable current region of operation, modeling the logic gate with a time-invariant voltage dependent current source during an asymptotic region of operation. Instantaneous output current provided by the time varying voltage dependent current source in the VCR region is responsive to time and the instantaneous output voltage of the logic gate. Instantaneous output current provided by the time-invariant voltage dependent current source in the AR region is responsive to the instantaneous output voltage of the logic gate.
US08302044B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide systems and techniques for checking a livelock in a circuit design. During operation, the system can identify a finite state machine (FSM) in the circuit design, wherein the FSM comprises a first set of state variables. The system can then construct an abstract machine of the circuit design, wherein the abstract machine includes the FSM and a second set of state variables. Next, the system can search for one or more livelocks in the abstract machine. If a livelock is found in the abstract machine, the system can verify that the livelock is a livelock in a concrete machine of the circuit design, wherein the concrete machine includes the FSM and a third set of state variables, wherein the second set of state variables is a subset of the third set of state variables.
US08302043B2
A method and system for verifying a logic circuit design using dynamic clock gating is disclosed. The method comprises choosing at least one master seed to determine initial values as initialization for said logic circuit and/or stimuli data for at least one interface of said logic circuit, choosing at least two different dynamic clock gating configurations for every chosen master seed, executing a functional simulation with said logic circuit for every chosen dynamic clock gating configuration by using said determined initialization and/or stimuli data based on a corresponding master seed, comparing simulation results of functional simulations against each other executed with said logic circuit for at least two different chosen dynamic clock gating configurations, and reporting an error if said at least two simulation results are not identical.
US08302041B1
A computer-implemented method of implementing a circuit design that includes an initial network within a programmable logic device can include generating a first choice network from the circuit design according to a first synthesis technique and determining a placement for the first choice network. At least a second choice network can be generated from the first choice network according to a second synthesis technique. A placement for the second choice network can be determined. The placement for the first choice network can be compared with the placement for the second choice network. A placement and corresponding choice network can be selected according to the comparison, and output.
US08302032B2
A touch screen device and operating method thereof are provided. The touch screen device includes a screen including a display configured to display images thereon and a detector configured to detect a user touch and movement thereof, a storage device configured to store image information corresponding to the movement, and a controller configured to retrieve and display an image corresponding to the detected drag. The image may include at least one of a trace image representing a moving trajectory, an icon image, or a text image.
US08302024B2
Certain exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relate to paging systems and methods that help users navigate through large or small datasets. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, paging control elements are provided according to either a binary subdivision approach or a serial progressive approach. Paging control elements are displayed according to either the binary subdivision approach or the serial progressive approach in dependence on a determination as to which approach is more advantageous based at least in part on factors such as, for example, total number of pages, current page location, distance to end points, screen size, etc.
US08302014B2
An application displays a user interface (UI) component. A client can apply customizations to this UI component. After the client applies customizations to the UI component, the client modifies a solution set containing solutions that modify the UI component. After the client modifies the solution set, the application displays a new version of the UI component. Modifications provided by the solutions in the solution set are applied to the new version of the UI component. In addition, the customizations remain applied to the UI component without the client manually re-applying the customizations to the UI component.
US08302012B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer-program products, for providing a portal-based desktop. A computer-implemented method for providing status of portal content includes identifying at least one element of portal content to which a user is subscribed. The method includes monitoring a state of the one element of portal content. The method includes indicating status of the one element of portal content, the indication being included as portal content. A computer program product, for providing status of portal content, includes instructions operable to cause a processor to identify at least one element of portal content to which a user is subscribed. The product includes instructions to monitor a state of the one element of portal content. The product includes instructions to indicate status of the one element of portal content, the indication being included as portal content. The product is tangibly stored on machine-readable medium.
US08302010B2
A transcript editor enables text-based editing of time-based media that includes spoken dialog. It involves an augmented transcript that includes timing metadata that associates words and phrases within the transcript with corresponding temporal locations within the time-based media where the text is spoken, and editing the augmented transcript without the need for playback of the time-based media. After editing, the augmented transcript is processed by a media editing system to automatically generate an edited version of the time-based media that only includes the segments of the time-based media that include the speech corresponding to the edited augmented transcript.
US08302009B2
A method of assigning tasks is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes displaying, on a user interface, one or more representations of tasks and a calendar of dates, each representation being indicative of a task to be completed. The method also includes receiving a user input indicative of a selected date from the calendar of dates and receiving a user input indicative of a selected representation of the one or more representations. The selected representation corresponds to a selected task. The selected date is assigned to the selected task. Further, the method also includes displaying on the user interface a list of constituents as a function of the selected date, receiving a user input indicative of a selected one or more constituents from the list, and assigning the selected one or more constituents to the selected task.
US08302005B2
A computer-readable storage medium stores media content in one or more formats and a media engine. The media engine includes a media player and a plurality of execution modules. Each execution module is specific to a different platform of multimedia device, such that the computer-readable storage medium is usable in a plurality of different multimedia device platforms.
US08302000B2
A document processor includes a unit which receives document information including plural document elements as a target document, a unit which detects each of the document elements from the received target document, a unit which generates an element image enlarged by a specified ratio, of each image of the detected document elements, and a display control unit which controls display so that an element image of the corresponding document element is displayed in a range occupied by the document element in the target document.
US08301999B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products which enhance the use of digitized content by users are described. The methods, systems, and computer program products include causing portions of the content to be adjusted in size according to dimensions which would best facilitate electronic review of the content. The methods, systems, and computer program products include preparing illustrated content for navigation, specifying dimensions for areas within content collections such as pages and orders for viewing the areas, and correlating the specified dimensions and the specified order with instructions for rendering an enhanced view of the content areas. In some embodiments, the illustrated content comprises a digitized comic book.
US08301997B2
Disclosed is a novel framework by which the sources of data objects and/or formatting functions can be easily requested and managed. More specifically, the invention provides a system for and method of serving multiple data objects and/or formatting functions to a subscribing client via a single request. The system comprises a catalog with entries referencing components used to generate data objects and formatting functions, each of which has a unique identifier; and an engine for receiving requests from the subscribing client, wherein each request includes one or more catalog identifiers. This engine, for each identifier in each received request, executes any prerequisite components, sets the appropriate parameters, and executes the component referenced by said component identifier to obtain the requested data object or formatting function. The engine aggregates the data objects and/or formatting functions into a script library, which is returned to the subscribing client.
US08301987B2
A decoder is disclosed that can reduce power consumption at different stages of a decoding process. At a first stage where the decoder calculates residual values, the decoder can reduce power consumption by calculating residual values using less than a full set of division circuits. A reduced number of division circuits may be sufficient to successfully calculate residuals associated with the codeword to complete the decoding process. Division circuits that are not used may be disabled to reduce power consumption. At another stage of the decoding process where the decoder generates coefficients that are used to identify locations of errors in the codeword, the decoding process can limit power consumption by reducing the number of iterations of a polynomial generator by incorporating termination decision circuitry.
US08301985B2
A DTV transmitter includes a pre-processor pre-processing enhanced data, a data formatter generating enhanced data packets including the pre-processed enhanced data, and a multiplexer multiplexing the enhanced data packets with main data packets. The transmitter further includes an RS encoder RS-coding the multiplexed packets by adding systematic RS parity data to each main data packet and by adding non-systematic RS parity place holders to each enhanced data packet, and a data interleaver interleaving the RS-coded packets. The non-systematic RS parity place holders are placed after the enhanced data within each interleaved enhanced data packet, and a sequence of known data place holders is periodically included in the interleaved enhanced data packets.
US08301980B2
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for protecting data with an error correction code (ECC). The data is accessed by a processing unit and stored in an external memory, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Application data and related ECC data are advantageously stored in a common page within a common DRAM device. Application data and ECC data are transmitted between the processor and the external common DRAM device over a common set of input/output (I/O) pins. Eliminating I/O pins and DRAM devices conventionally associated with transmitting and storing ECC data advantageously reduces system complexity and cost.
US08301979B2
Low density parity code (LDPC) decoding for memory with multiple log likelihood ratio (LLR) decoders
Data stored in memory is decoded using iterative probabilistic decoding and multiple decoders. A first decoder attempts to decode a representation of a codeword. If the attempt is unsuccessful, a second decoder attempts to decode the representation of a codeword. The second decoder may have a lower resolution than the first decoder. Probability values such as logarithmic likelihood ratio (LLR) values may be clipped in the second decoder. This approach can overcome trapping sets while exhibiting low complexity and high performance. Further, it can be implemented on existing decoders such as those used in current memory devices.
US08301957B2
Incremental redundancy retransmission method suited to the transmissions of packets that can be fragmented into N packets of index i.
US08301954B2
A method and an arrangement enables an efficient radio resources utilization in a communication network system comprising a communication network node communicating with one or more user equipments over a radio interface on uplink and downlink channels. The user equipment provides the communication network node with information about a power shortage problem in the user equipment by using a pre-determined field, such as the E-TFCI field, of the uplink channel, whereby the communication network node is allowed to take a pre-determined action regarding available radio resources.
US08301944B2
A TAP linking module (21, 51) permits plural TAPs (TAPs 1-4) to be controlled and accessed from a test bus (13) via a single TAP interface (20).
US08301943B2
In an embodiment, a clocked storage device such as a pulse flop is provided. The pulse flop includes a latch coupled to receive a scan data input to the pulse flop. The latch receives the scan data input during one of the phases of the clock, and retains the received input during the other phase. The other phase is the phase in which the pulse to the pulse flop occurs. Thus, when scan data is captured in the pulse flop, the latch at the next pulse flop in the chain may be closed and may prevent a race condition in propagating the scan data.
US08301933B2
Methods, systems, and circuits for implementing multi-clock designs in asynchronous logic circuits are described. A method may include associating one or more data tokens with a clock domain of a multi-clock domain netlist. A durational relationship between a clock period associated with the clock domain and one or more other clock domains of the multi-clock domain netlist may be determined. Data tokens used in other clock domains may be transformed based on the determined relationship.
US08301916B2
A method is described that involves storing active sleep mode software instructions to be executed by a low end central processing unit into an on chip cache that caches normal active mode software instructions executed by a high end central processing unit. The active sleep mode software instructions are to be executed by the low end central processing unit during an active sleep mode. The normal active mode software instructions are executed by the high end central processing unit during a normal active mode. The active sleep mode consumes less power than the normal active mode.
US08301915B2
The present invention enables a power-supply voltage terminal and an internal circuit to be isolated from each other in a noncontact operation without largely increasing a chip area in a semiconductor integrated circuit device for an IC card. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprises: a first power supply circuit for rectifying and smoothing an AC signal supplied from an antenna to an antenna terminal, thereby obtaining a DC voltage in a first power-supply line; a second power supply circuit comprising a voltage control circuit for controlling gate terminal voltage of a first MOS transistor disposed between a power supply terminal to which power is input from the outside and the first power supply line; a substrate potential control circuit for forming source voltage of the first MOS transistor as a substrate voltage; and a second MOS transistor which makes substrate voltage and gate voltage of the first MOS transistor conductive in the case of using the voltage generated by the first power supply circuit as a power supply, and which makes the substrate voltage and the gate voltage nonconductive in the case of using a power supply from an external terminal.
US08301912B2
Data scrambling techniques implemented externally to a flash memory device are disclosed which can be used in concert with flash memory on-chip copy functionality operating internally to the flash device, thus supporting high performance copying operations. All the data stored in the flash may be scrambled, including headers and control structures. Robust file system operation may be achieved, including the capability to tolerate a power loss at any time, and yet be able to relocate data internally within the flash without having to de-scramble and then re-scramble the data. An exemplary hardware based solution has little or no impact on overall system performance, and may be implemented at very low incremental cost to increase overall system reliability. The data scrambling technique preferably uses a logical address, such as logical block address or logical page address, rather than a physical address, to determine a seed scrambling key.
US08301895B2
Enhanced network data transmission security and individualized data transmission processing can be implemented by intermediaries in a communication path between two endpoint peers individually having the capability to identify and authenticate one or both of the endpoint peers. Communication session establishment, endpoint peer identity processing and authentication and data traffic encryption protocols are modified to allow intermediaries to track the communications between endpoint peers for a particular communication session and obtain information to authenticate the endpoint peers and identify data traffic transmitted between them. Intermediaries can use the identities of one or both of the endpoint peers to enforce identity based rules for processing data traffic between the endpoint peers for a communication session.
US08301892B2
A secure instant messaging (IM) system integrates secure instant messaging into existing instant messaging systems. A certificate authority (CA) issues security certificates to users binding the user's IM screen name to a public key, used by sending users to encrypt messages and files for the user. The CA uses a subscriber database to keep track of valid users and associated information, e.g. user screen names, user subscription expiration dates, and enrollment agent information. A user sends his certificate to an instant messaging server which publishes the user's certificate to other users. Users encrypt instant messages and files using an encryption algorithm and the recipient's certificate. A sending user can sign instant messages using his private signing key. The security status of received messages is displayed to recipients.
US08301882B2
A method and apparatus for ingress filtering using security group information are disclosed. The method includes performing access control processing on a packet and sending access control information to an ingress node of the packet in response to the access control processing. The access control information includes security group information and an address of a network node. The security group information identifies a security group. The network node is a member of the security group and is a destination of the packet.
US08301877B2
A method and system for configuring a valid duration period for a digital certificate. The method includes assigning a positive numeric value for each certificate term. The positive numeric value assigned to each certificate term is representative of the valid duration period. The method continues by prompting a user of the client device to request one certificate term. The method may include transmitting the requested certificate term to a server. The certificate term requested is sent via a certificate request. The server is configured to convert the positive numeric value associated with the requested certificate term into a duration counter. The method may also include a certificate server receiving from the server, the certificate request including the duration counter. The certificate server is configured to digitally sign the certificate request. The method may conclude with the client device generating the digital certificate having the valid duration period correspond to the positive numeric value associated with the requested certificate term.
US08301876B2
Techniques for secure network communication are provided. Credentials for a user along with a transparently generated secret are sent to a resource that the user desires to establish a secure communication session with. After successful authentication of the user, an initial sequence number for a first transaction of the session is set on a client of the user. Thereafter, with each transaction of the session the client supplies a new and unique sequence number to a server of the resource and uses the secret to encode and validate that transaction. The server of the resource does not permit any transaction that includes an invalid or previously used sequence number.
US08301875B2
There is provided an IPsec setting server apparatus capable of preventing inconsistency of setting among communicating apparatuses. An IPsec processing section subjects a data communication packet received from an interface section to IPsec processing. An SPD is referred to from the IPsec processing section and records policies for applying the IPsec. An SAD is referred to from the IPsec processing section and records an SA necessary for subjecting an individual kind of communication to the IPsec processing. A request processing section receives a setting request message from the IPsec processing apparatus and returns a distribution message. IPsec policies necessary for determining a requested setting are stored in a distribution policy storage section. Information on respective kinds of SA communication requested to be set is stored in a management table.
US08301873B2
An automatic thermal throttling protection method is described. a computer system executes a main BIOS for initializing an embedded controller when the computer system is power on or boots. And the sub BIOS of the embedded controller is also executed. The sub BIOS of the embedded controller obtains an upper temperature limit and a lower temperature limit set by the main BIOS, and obtains a temperature of the CPU through a thermal sensor. The sub BIOS of the embedded controller compares the temperature of the CPU with the upper temperature limit. When the temperature of the CPU is higher than the upper temperature limit, the sub BIOS sends a system control interrupt event to the main BIOS through the embedded controller. When receiving the SCI event, the main BIOS enables a throttling function to perform a throttling operation on the CPU or shuts down the computer system.
US08301868B2
Method, apparatus, and system for monitoring performance within a processing resource, which may be used to modify user-level software. Some embodiments of the invention pertain to an architecture to allow a user to improve software running on a processing resources on a per-thread basis in real-time and without incurring significant processing overhead.
US08301860B2
Mechanisms are provided for detecting changes in virtual storage device configurations. The mechanisms detect an event corresponding to a change in configuration of a virtual storage device. The virtual storage device is comprised of a plurality of portions of a plurality of physical storage devices. The mechanisms further, in response to detecting the event, determine if the change in configuration of the virtual storage device results in a change in the types of physical storage devices that are part of the virtual storage device. Moreover, the mechanisms further transmit a notification, in response to a determination that the change in configuration of the virtual storage device results in a change in the types of physical storage devices that are part of the virtual storage device, of the results of the change in configuration of the virtual storage device to one or more registered recipients registered to receive such notifications.
US08301859B2
Techniques for launching a VM with memory automatically adjusted based on a memory configuration of a client hosting the VM are described herein. According to one embodiment, a control server dynamically determines an amount of memory in view of a memory configuration of a client at the point in time, in response to a request for launching a VM for the client over a network. The amount of memory is allocated to be associated with the VM. Thereafter, the control server launches the VM for the client having the determined amount of memory allocated to the VM, where the VM is to be hosted by the client. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US08301857B2
Multiple application threads write to the same file in parallel. The file is written to on a file cluster-by-file cluster basis. For each file cluster of a number of file clusters of the file, a block of a memory cluster is allocated to an application thread, where the memory cluster corresponds to the file cluster, and the block is written to by the application thread until the block is finished, until all the blocks of the memory cluster are finished. A block may be finished where the application thread has completely written to the block, or the application thread has no further data to write to the block. Thereafter, the memory cluster is registered within a queue, from which it is read by a file writer thread, which writes the memory cluster to the file cluster. Each application thread that is to write to the file performs this process.
US08301855B2
A method for data storage, including configuring a first logical volume on a first storage system and a second logical volume on a second storage system. The second logical volume is configured as a mirror of the first logical volume, so that the first and second logical volumes form a single logical mirrored volume. The method also includes receiving at the second storage system a command submitted by a host to write data to the logical mirrored volume, and transferring the command from the second storage system to the first storage system without writing the data to the second logical volume. On receipt of the command at the first storage system, the data is written to the first logical volume. Subsequent to writing the data to the first logical volume, the data is mirrored on the second logical volume.
US08301836B2
A redundant array of independent disk (RAID) stack determines a first number of processor cycles to reload first data from a first memory address of a main memory into a processor of a data processing system. The RAID stack loads second data from a second memory address of the main memory into the processor, where the second memory address is configured to be an address offset from the first memory address. The RAID stack reloads the first data from the first memory address of the main memory and determines a second number of processor cycles to reload the first data from the first memory address of the main memory. An alias offset of a cache memory associated with the processor of the data processing system is determined based on the first number of processor cycles and the second number of processor cycle.
US08301834B2
A system is provided to ensure a timely secure data erase by determining whether allocating an additional tape drive would improve secure data erase performance by evaluating a quantity of physical volumes to be secure data erased, a maximum queued threshold, an average time to an erasure deadline and a minimum expiration threshold. An additional tape drive is allocated for the secure data erase process when it is determined that allocating an additional tape drive would improve secure data erase performance.
US08301824B2
A storage device with a memory, a controller, a storage device interface and a host interface, and a method of data transfer to and from a storage device are provided. The storage device is operative to connect with a host device and the storage device interface is operative to couple with an add-on memory. When the host interface is connected to a host device, the controller is configured to receive a data transfer command specifying a memory address from the host interface; and if the memory address is beyond the address space of the memory, to route the data transfer command to the storage device interface for access to the add-on memory. The address space of the memory and an address space of the add-on memory are addressed as one integral address space transparently to the host.
US08301822B2
A bridge includes a host interface via which data/commands are received from and transferred to a host, and a storage device interface via which data/commands are received from and transferred to a storage device. The bridge also includes one SDPC, a controller and a switching system that is configurable by the controller to connect the protocol converter to the host interface and the storage device interface if the storage device protocol used by the host device differs from the storage device protocol used by the storage device, and to connect the host device interface to the storage device interface, not via the bi-directional protocol converter, if the two storage device protocols are the same. The bridge may include two SDPCs, each for converting a different protocol to the host protocol and vice versa, with the switching system being configurable to switch between the two SDPCs. The bridge may omit the SDPC altogether, with the switching system being configurable to switch between connecting (1) the host device interface to the storage device interface, and (2) bypassing the storage device interface.
US08301815B2
In a logically partitioned host computer system comprising host processors (host CPUs) partitioned into a plurality of guest processors (guest CPUs) of a guest configuration, a perform topology function instruction is executed by a guest processor specifying a topology change of the guest configuration. The topology change preferably changes the polarization of quest CPUs, the polarization related to the amount of a host CPU resource is provided to a guest CPU.
US08301794B2
Media content improved playback quality is described. In embodiments, a media content playback system stores segments of a media asset in a memory device, where the segments are stored as non-consecutive data that correlates to at least some of the media asset when the segments are downloaded from one or more media content sources. A data load manager is implemented to project when a content navigation input will be received that causes non-linear playback of the media asset. The data load manager can then estimate, for each segment of the media asset, when each segment will be played back based on the projected content navigation input. The data load manager determines a next segment of the media asset to download and store based on estimates of when each segment will be played back.
US08301792B2
An embodiment is a method and apparatus to provide a network-attached media plug-in. A network interface interfaces with a client and a server. The network interface receives an input from the client requesting content from the server. The client has a network plug-in interface. A network processor extracts a media stream from the requested content. A multimedia processor dynamically modifies the media stream according to the input from the client.
US08301785B2
In a method of transferring data in a data interoperable environment, a secure authenticated channel is established with a receiving entity corresponding to receiver information included in a received control message, when the control message is received form a control entity, a plurality of data designated by the control entity are transmitted to the receiving entity through the established secure authenticated channel, and an event message for representing a transmission status of the transmitted data is transmitted to the control entity. Accordingly, it is possible to transmit the plurality of data through a single transmission session and provide a transmission status of each data through an event.
US08301775B2
Methods, systems, and machine readable media are disclosed for managing bandwidth usage of a content provider. According to one embodiment, a system for managing bandwidth usage of a content provider can comprise a content provider system adapted to maintain and provide content and a first affiliate system comprising an affiliate network, an affiliate server communicatively coupled with the affiliate network, and a client. The client can be adapted to selectively request the content from either the content provider system or the affiliate server of the first affiliate system based on bandwidth costs for the content provider system.
US08301774B2
A method for delivering resources to clients in a distributed computing environment. At least a first resource associated with a first content provider and maintained on an origin server references a second resource. The second resource is associated with a network formed by a plurality of repeater servers operable to serve the second resource to clients on behalf of the first content provider, the origin server being distinct from the plurality of repeater servers. Responsive to a request that causes the first resource to be served to a client from the origin server, at least one of the plurality of repeater servers is selected to serve the second resource to the client. If a copy of the second resource is available on the selected repeater server, the copy of the second resource is served to the client from the selected repeater server; otherwise, if a copy of the second resource is not available on the selected repeater server, the second resource is replicated on the selected repeater server.
US08301771B2
Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for identifying sensitive application-layer data and controlling transmission of the data in a network. According to one method, sensitive data in a system resource is identified at an application layer. A packetization of the identified sensitive data is detected. A flag indicative of the presence of sensitive data is inserted in a packet having at least a portion of the identified sensitive data in response to identifying the sensitive data and detecting the packetization. The flag is inserted in a portion of the packet corresponding to a layer other than the application layer. Transmission of the packet is controlled in a network based on the flag.
US08301764B2
A method for providing automatic, personalized information services to a computer user includes the following steps: transparently monitoring user interactions with data during normal use of the computer; updating user-specific data files including a set of user-related documents; estimating parameters of a learning machine that define a User Model specific to the user, using the user-specific data files; analyzing a document to identify its properties; estimating the probability that the user is interested in the document by applying the document properties to the parameters of the User Model; and providing personalized services based on the estimated probability. Personalized services include personalized searches that return only documents of interest to the user, personalized crawling for maintaining an index of documents of interest to the user; personalized navigation that recommends interesting documents that are hyperlinked to documents currently being viewed; and personalized news, in which a third party server customized its interaction with the user. The User Model includes continually-updated measures of user interest in words or phrases, web sites, topics, products, and product features. The measures are updated based on both positive examples, such as documents the user bookmarks, and negative examples, such as search results that the user does not follow. Users are clustered into groups of similar users by calculating the distance between User Models.
US08301763B2
An air conditioning system includes one or plural device group monitoring targets including one or plural indoor units and an outdoor unit, one or plural connection devices configured to be communicably connected to the indoor unit/units and the outdoor unit and have a unique ID, and a monitoring device configured to be communicably connected to the connection device/devices and have a monitoring memory that stores data received from the connection device/devices. When power supply is started respectively, the connection device/devices respectively performs communication with the indoor unit/units and the outdoor unit to collect configuration type information representing at least the configuration and the type of the device group monitoring target corresponding to the connection device, and respectively transmits the configuration type information to the monitoring device together with the ID of the connection device corresponding to the configuration type information.
US08301762B1
A system provides service grouping in network reporting. A data retriever retrieves router configuration data from data stores for routers in a service provider network. A data analysis tool parses the router configuration data to create port data for each port on each router in the service provider network and integrates the port data with customer data to create an integrated database. The data analysis tool identifies ports associated with a customer, identifies the ports associated with the customer which are bundled into bundled logical ports, and identifies the ports associated with the customer which are partitioned into partitioned logical ports. The data analysis tool creates a hierarchy of port information based on the ports associated with the customer, the bundled logical ports, the partitioned logical ports, and a service provided to the customer. A user interface displays the hierarchy of port information to promote troubleshooting ports.
US08301761B2
A method, computer program product, and system for determining a number of users corresponding to a server load including simulating one or more virtual users on a test computer system on coupled to network. One or more client requests are sent from each of the one or more virtual users to a server application executed on a server computer system coupled to the network. A metric indicative of a load on the server computer system is measured. The metric is compared to a predetermined value; and the number of the one or more virtual users is changed based on the difference between the metric and the predetermined value until the metric is within a predetermined range of the predetermined value.
US08301753B1
The ability to identify a specific machine associated with activity taking place on the Internet is provided. This involves recording the association between MAC addresses, which are uniquely associated with endpoints, and local IP addresses, the recording of the association between local IP addresses and port numbers with public IP addresses and port numbers, and the recording of public IP addresses and source port numbers associated with public activity. By recording this information and correlating it, in real-time or in a post-processing step, the specific machine associated with public activity can be determined.
US08301749B1
Real time provisioning and management of fabric-backplane enterprise servers includes monitoring system status and configuration, displaying monitoring results, accepting user commands, and providing hardware and software management and configuration commands to the system. In one embodiment, an event is generated when a pluggable module is inserted into the system. In response to the event, the availability of the pluggable module is displayed to a system operator, and the operator enters a command to provision a server that includes the pluggable module. The server provisioning command is processed, resulting in a hardware configuration command being issued to the system, and an event indicating a status associated with processing the command is returned. The recognition of the inserted module, the display to the operator, and the processing of the server provisioning command occur in real time.
US08301746B2
A system and method for allocating resources in a cloud environment includes providing an abstraction layer between a cloud environment and one or more data centers by generating a virtual hypervisor as an application programming interface. Responsive to a workload request by the one or more data centers, resources are partitioned and virtual machines are instantiated in the one or more data centers using the virtual hypervisor such that non-functional requirements of the workload are addressed at the abstraction level using the virtual hypervisor.
US08301743B2
Methods of the present inventions allow for generating and providing an enhanced domain name. An exemplary method may comprise providing an enhanced domain to a second party. The enhanced domain may comprise a domain name, a web space automatically enabled and associated with the domain name, and at least one application automatically enabled and associated with the domain name.
US08301742B2
Systems and methods are provided for dynamically controlling application placement and server resource allocation in a distributed system wherein a performance manager and power manager collaborate during run-time execution of data processing tasks to coordinate management and control of workload placement and server usage and dynamically determine a tradeoff between performance level and power usage that meets power and performance objectives.
US08301735B1
A packet data serving node (PDSN) may manage sessions between mobile devices and a packet-based network. The PDSN may send requests to and receive responses from an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server. The PDSN may include a packet session manager configured to create, maintain, and terminate the sessions between the mobile devices and the packet-based network. The PDSN may include a global AAA manager. The global AAA manager may be configured to determine a latency in communication between the PDSN and the AAA server based on latencies in responses from the AAA server to at least two requests which the PDSN sends to the AAA server. The global AAA manager may be configured to determine an adjustment in a load which may be imposed on the AAA sever based on the determined latency and to cause the determined adjustment in the load which may be imposed on the AAA server to be implemented.
US08301734B1
A client-based solution for seamless access to applications across networks is agnostic to the inter-network mix of application architectures with or without IMS. In one embodiment, an application client registers in either an integrated mode or a standalone mode based whether an application availability notification is received within a predetermined period of time.
US08301733B2
Systems and methods for dynamically chunking for delivery instances are provided that automatically implement chunking strategies based on one or more chunking considerations related to a request for a media file. These systems and methods may be part of a larger media servicing network that can be used to, among other things, process uploaded media content, provide it for streaming/downloading, and collect metric information regarding the streaming/downloading. The disclosed systems and methods provide for receiving a request having a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and providing an index file to implement chunking strategies based on chunking considerations associated with the request.
US08301732B2
In general, this disclosure describes techniques of determining a backset for client devices attempting to download data of a live transmission. A backset is an amount of temporal delay that the client devices are delayed by when viewing the live transmission. As described herein, a media content provider may determine a recommended backset for each client devices based characteristics of the client device. Each client device may then be backset by the determined value, or may calculate its own backset based on the recommended backset. Establishing a backset for each client device may avoid rebuffering of live transmission data.
US08301726B2
The present invention utilizes the main Java package (javax.jcr.binary) for saving the node property path and other relevant retrieving information within the serialized XML node files so that the intended large binary data remains inside the content repository while the corresponding node is being serialized. A data centric application which requires processing of the serialized XML node file can then deal with a much reduced sized XML file. This can improve the performance greatly in terms of memory usage and processing speed for XML processors such as DOM. During the consuming phase of the data centric applications, the binary data property is streamed from its source JCR repository into the target repository by looking up its original property path and other retrieving information.
US08301719B2
A network device and method are directed towards detecting and blocking image spam within a message by performing statistical analysis on differences in edge pixel distribution patterns. An image spam detection component receives a message with an image attachment. Physical characteristics of the image are examined to determine whether the image is a candidate for further analysis. If so, then the image may be converted to a grayscale image, and then performing edge detection, followed by the elimination of non-maxima and thresholding of weak edges. Edge pixels and then employed to determine a normalized pixel density distribution (PDD). Various statistical analyses are applied to the resulting normalized PDD to determine a likelihood that the image is spam. A signature based exemption may be applied to images improperly identified as spam, based on trusted user feedback.
US08301711B2
An electronic mail (email) communications system may include a mobile wireless communications device, a wireless communications network connected to the Internet, and an Internet Service Provider (ISP) server connected to the Internet for receiving emails for a given user. The system may further include an email proxy server connected to the Internet for pushing emails from the ISP server to the mobile wireless communications device via the wireless communications network. A user computer may be connected to the Internet and may include a client email application for periodically polling the ISP server to detect new emails. The client email application may also send new email notifications to the email proxy server upon detection of new emails to cause the email proxy server to push the new emails to the mobile wireless communications device.
US08301708B2
In a communication system (1), a communication server (20) determines whether to allow or disallow each of communication apparatuses (10) to send message data and send the communication apparatuses (10) a notice indicating the determination result. A communication apparatus (10) that is allowed to send accepts an input of message data from a user and sends the message data to the communication server (20), and the other communication apparatuses (10) that are disallowed do not accept the message data. When all the communication apparatuses (10) are allowed to send message data, the communication server (20) receives message data from all of them and sends the message data thereto. When some of the communication apparatuses (10) are allowed to send message data, the communication apparatus (20) receives message data only from the allowed communication apparatuses (10) and send the message data to all the communication apparatuses (10).
US08301690B2
A web service is correlated. One implementation involves correlating requests for Web services in an information technology network by automatically correlating a request to a Web service by: searching in said network for Web services that can satisfy the request, selecting among the Web services a Web service satisfying the request and providing the selected Web service in response to the request.
US08301683B2
A method of enhancing multimedia data contained on an information carrier includes reading the carrier and communicating with a remote unit via a network. The information carrier contains additional data. The method includes reading from the information carrier a user file containing user data defining user's previous actions in a storage unit of a recording and/or reproducing device, providing the additional data as a function of the user data, and updating the user data to reflect the user's latest actions.
US08301674B2
A random signal generator includes a differential noise generation circuit, an amplification circuit and a single-ended amplifier. The differential noise generation circuit includes a pair of input nodes and a pair of output nodes, and is configured to receive noise signals at the pair of input nodes and to generate differential noise signals at the pair of output nodes. The differential noise generation circuit is self-biased such that the pair of input nodes is coupled to the pair of output nodes. The amplification circuit is configured to amplify the differential noise signals output from the differential noise generation circuit to generate amplified differential signals. The single-ended amplifier is configured to generate a random signal based on the amplified differential signals, the random signal having irregular transition time points.
US08301668B1
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, methods and apparatus for providing information for use in generating or modifying an expression are disclosed. Input from a user is received within an expression. A list of one or more suggestions is provided in response to the input. A selection of one of the suggestions in the list is received. The expression is then built to include the selection.
US08301663B2
There are provided a storage device and a computer-readable medium capable of efficiently storing keywords contained in description information and efficiently retrieving the keyword. A list producing portion (6) extracts the keywords from the description information and produces a keyword list correlating the keywords with the scene information containing the keywords. A description information converter (8) converts the keywords contained in the keyword list received from the list producing portion (6) among the keywords contained in the externally received description information into reference information for specifying the keywords in the keyword list received from the list producing portion (6). A storage (10) stores the converted description information provided from the description information converter (8) and the keyword list provided from the list producing portion (6).
US08301648B2
Techniques described herein enable searching for multimedia content and for downloading or scheduling the recording of the multimedia content. The multimedia content may have been previously stored on one or more databases. The client device may download or schedule the recording of multimedia content in one step, for example, in one touch. When desired multimedia content is not available, the multimedia content is added to the client device's wish list. When the client device's does not have a wish list, the client device's wish list may be created on the spot. During the scheduling of the recording, a tag associated with the multimedia content is checked to determine whether the multimedia content is live or delayed. When the tag indicates the multimedia content is live or delayed, the client device prompts with a suggestion to add extra time to the end of the recording of the multimedia content.
US08301647B2
Embodiments of the invention allow structured data to be transferred between a source application and target applications that process structured data in different formats. For example, structured data may have associated rules which transform the structured data based on some variables. The source application may register variable definitions for each variable in a registry. Each target application may read the registry and register values for the variables. Once values are registered, the source application transfers the structured data to a transformation engine that applies the rules, using the registered values for the variables, to transform the structured data into a format compatible with the target applications. The transformation engine may also determine distinct sets of variable values and transform structured data based on each distinct set. In doing so, the number of transformed data generated is limited to the number of distinct sets, thereby avoiding generating duplicate transformed data.
US08301644B2
An apparatus for driving a loadable device component, the apparatus including: the loadable device component providing an application with a loading mechanism that is classified according to a load type property; a core framework module component defining a kind of the load type property; at least one eXtensible Markup Language (XML) data component containing configuration information and generation information of the loadable device component; and a device manager component driving a corresponding loadable device component after parsing the XML data component.
US08301642B2
The present invention can include a data processing system-implemented method or a data processing system readable media having software code for carrying out the method. The method can comprise formulating queries, searching for a plurality of information objects, or a combination thereof. In a specific embodiment, an original query with at least one keyword can be automatically expanded to an expanded query that includes at least one keyword that is not in the original query. The expanded query may be used to search for information objects that are relevant to the expanded query.
US08301640B2
A system and method for rating an essay writing using a statistical system so it can be applied on any language with very few changes. The system comprising multiple modules capable of providing a style score, a punctuation score, a spelling score, a quotation score, an enrichment score, a syntax analysis score, a focus score, an idea score and a cohesion score. The scores are then combined to provide a final overall rating of the essay.
US08301639B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for suggesting search queries based on location. One of the methods includes determining a current location of the user. A selection of the user's past search queries is generated, where each past search query in the selection is associated with a query location related to the query. A respective score is assigned to each past search query in the selection. The score for each query is based at least in part on the proximity of the current location to the query location of the query. One or more of the past search queries in the selection are provided for presentation to the user on the user's electronic device based on the assigned scores.
US08301634B2
A distributed, object-oriented database engine utilizing independent, intelligent processing nodes as a cooperative, massively parallel system with redundancy and fault tolerance. Instead of using traditional methods of parallelism as found in most distributed databases, the invention utilizes a messaging system and a series of message processing nodes to determine where objects and data associated with objects are stored. The architecture is loosely coupled, each node independently determining if it manages or routes storage and retrieval requests.
US08301624B2
A set of item-item affinities for a plurality of items is determined based on collaborative-filtering techniques. A set of an item's nearest neighbor items based on the set of item-item affinities is determined. A set of user feature-item affinities for the plurality of items and a set of user features is determined based on least squared regression. A set of a user feature's nearest neighbor items is determined based in part on the set of user feature-item affinities. Compatible affinity weights for nearest neighbor items of each item and each user feature are determined and stored. Based on user features of a particular user and items a particular user has consumed, a set of nearest neighbor items comprising nearest neighbor items for user features of the user and items the user has consumed are identified as a set of candidate items, and affinity scores of candidate items are determined. Based at least in part on the affinity scores, a candidate item from the set of candidate items is recommended to the user.
US08301623B2
A recommendations system uses probabilistic methods to select, from a candidate set of items, a set of items to recommend to a target user. The methods can effectively introduce noise into the recommendations process, causing the recommendations presented to the target user to vary in a controlled manner from one visit to the next. The methods may increase the likelihood that at least some of the items recommended over a sequence of visits will be useful to the target user. Some embodiments of the methods are stateless such that the system need not keep track of which items have been recommended to which users.
US08301618B2
Content and metadata associated with the content may be provided to a number of users. The content may be displayed on a display device while the metadata may be transmitted to a remote device corresponding to a receiving user. The user may further request desired information or metadata pertaining to the content and the requested information or metadata may be transmitted to the user's remote device. Different users may request different information on the same or different objects being displayed or presented on a display device. Each requesting user may receive requested information on the same or different objects via corresponding remote devices.
US08301608B1
Opportunistically locked files are accessed in real-time from a kernel mode file system filter driver without breaking opportunistic locks. A file system is monitored, and the granting of an opportunistic lock to a specific file object referring to a specific underlying file is detected. The granting of the detected opportunistic lock results in both the file object and the underlying file being opportunistically locked. A reference to the opportunistically locked file object is cached. The file system filter driver filters a request to access the opportunistically locked file via a second file object which is not opportunistically locked. The kernel mode file system filter driver uses the cached reference to access the opportunistically locked underlying file. This enables access of the opportunistically locked file from the kernel mode file system filter driver without breaking the opportunistic lock.
US08301603B2
Disclosed is a system in which an index registration unit registers an index, which will be used for search processing, as a partitioned index which is partitioned on a time series basis, and a search means reads indexes older than a specified point in time, which is used as a search base point, to perform search processing, thereby searching for information based on a point in time in the past.
US08301602B1
Described are techniques for correcting at least some inconsistencies in a file system accessed by at least one client, while maintaining the file system online. A file system checking utility is executed on the file system to detect and create corrections for inconsistencies in the file system. The file system is updated to include at least some corrections. Also described is a computer system comprising a file system accessed by a client. A file system checking utility is executed on the file system to detect at least some inconsistencies in the file system, and to create a corrected version of the file system that includes corrections to correct for at least some of the detected inconsistencies. A report is created. The file system is not updated with the corrected version unless the proposed corrections are approved. The file system checking utility may be periodically scheduled for execution.
US08301578B2
Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable storage media for tagging a known signal of interest. Initially, the system classifies the data from an input signal using a short-term classifier, wherein there are at least two classifications available, a first classification of the data as having no identified outputs and a second classification of the data as at least one potential signal of interest, wherein the short-term classifier also bypasses data that is known to be of no interest. After the short-term classifier classifies the inputs, it collapses the input data that is classified as having no identified outputs. This allows the short-term classifier to create time-variant data. Finally, the system will tag a known signal of interest in the time-variant data that was classified as having at least one potential signal of interest. Therefore, a system for tagging a known signal of interest is described.
US08301567B2
A system and method of processing paper checks that divides into two independent paths the processing of a data file representing a check and the digital image of the check. The data files and image files are separated both in time and in space, with the data files being used to promptly initiate the transfer of funds to and from appropriate accounts, while the paper checks, at a remote location and typically lagging in time, are scanned to create digital image files and deposited as an image or substitute check if deemed ACH ineligible. The method provides for the comparison of data files to image files, based on MICR information, to find any unmatching or mismatched items for exception processing and a process to manage ACH-ineligible items as an image or substitute check. The system and method further provides for sorting exceptions according to transaction type (ACH eligible versus ACH-ineligible) and prioritizing the further processing of the exceptions based on transaction type.
US08301562B2
A method and system for structuring a life settlement with a paid-up policy transaction. An existing insurance policy holder exchanges an existing insurance policy for a paid-up insurance policy or life insurance group certificate purchased by a buyer on a secondary market. The policy could also exchange their policy for being named as a beneficiary of a second insurance policy purchased by a buyer on a secondary market.
US08301561B2
A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment.
US08301560B2
A control center receives, from the first bank, a first request with a first set of requirements for placement of reciprocal deposits. A second request with a second set of requirements is received from a second bank. The control center determines whether the first set of requirements matches the second set of requirements, which include maturity and interest rate. In response to a match, the control center performs an exchange of on-balance sheet deposits meeting the first set of requirements from the first bank to off-balance sheet deposits to the second bank. The first bank receives reciprocal deposits meeting the second set of requirements as new on-balance sheet deposits.
US08301553B1
Electronic documents corresponding to executed paper documents are certified. A certifying agent receives an electronic document and a corresponding paper document that had been executed pursuant to some transaction. The certifying agent compares the information contained in the paper to that in the electronic mortgage document. If the paper adequately corresponds to the electronic document and is otherwise sufficient, then the certifying agent certifies the electronic document so that other parties can reliably engage in transactions involving the electronic document without having to possess or otherwise inspect the executed paper document. Certification involves application of some form of indicia of certification to the electronic document, such as updating the value of a field corresponding to certification in the electronic document and/or applying a digital or electronic signature corresponding to the certifying agent to the electronic document.
US08301546B2
A system and method are provided for modifying how market updates are provided in an electronic trading environment upon detecting one or more triggering events. One example method includes defining an event to be used to trigger modification of how market updates are provided to a client entity, receiving a market update from an electronic exchange, and, when the event is detected, modifying how the market update is provided to the client entity. As an example, the modification of how the market update is provided to the client entity may include providing less data in relation to market updates, and sending the market updates less frequently.
US08301542B2
A reprice-to-block order and related market center and process are disclosed which automatically reprice a posted limit order to the price of a block trade executed at an inferior price on a market away from the market center that posted the limit order.
US08301541B1
Market depth information pertaining to the hedging side is utilized to intelligently break a non-hedging order into multiple orders, such that the orders rest at cascading price levels. This way, the trader can benefit from sweeps in the book and still properly account for the market depth on the hedging side. Further, there is a greater probability of receiving “partials” on the spread order. In addition, hedge orders may be sent at multiple price levels, or sent to the market in pieces over time. By applying a more intelligent process to hedge orders (as opposed to “fire and forget”) an alternative beyond limit orders that can be leged or market orders is provided.
US08301531B2
A manually-assisted computer and communications apparatus is provided for periodically fixing a price of a currency or commodity. Successive rate samples of said currency/stock/commodity are received from a plurality of sources (80) over a period of time, recorded and filtered automatically (90) by reference to said historical record and predetermined validation criteria so as to categorize certain samples as valid or erroneous. The received & filtered samples are combined periodically (105-115) so as to derive a fixed rate, which is then released (120) to users. The filtering means distinguishes between rate samples of different contributors within the samples received from a given source, and also receives (OTR1) trading rates generated by an online trading system, in addition to rates quoted by other contributors. Trading rates are applied in said fixed rate in preference to quoted rates. Traders and clients contract (450, 455) to buy and sell currency at rates to be fixed by the apparatus at a future time.
US08301524B2
An accounting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes an accounting unit, an occupancy time counting unit and a charge discounting unit. The accounting unit is configured to impose a charge for use of a device that is an object of accounting on the basis of the number of operations and/or an operation time of the device. The occupancy time counting unit is configured to count an occupancy time that the device has been exclusively used by a user. The charge discounting unit is configured to discount the charge for use of the device on the basis of the occupancy time.
US08301511B2
A system and method in which a buyer registers for a buyer's shipping account and uses the shipping account to pay shipping costs associated with purchases made over the Internet. When a buyer purchases merchandise over the Internet from either a retailer's website or from an individual through an online auction, the buyer is capable of controlling the shipping process by logging on to their buyer's shipping account. Among other things, the buyer can use their shipping account to select the desired type of shipping service (overnight air or ground) and populate a shipping label with shipping information such as delivery address, return address, and preferred delivery time windows. Once the shipping label has been populated and verified, the shipping label is electronically transferred to the seller for use in shipping the package. The system and methods of the present invention allow the buyer greater control over the shipping process. In many cases, the present invention will also help buyers/receivers control costs by eliminating the shipper's shipping and handling fee.
US08301509B2
A computer system and method carried out by the system for assisting parties in negotiation the sale price of real estate or personal property is disclosed wherein a web server receives a property listing from a seller at an asking price, receives a bid from a buyer at an offer price, compares the asking price to the offer price and determines whether the difference between the offer price and asking price is within a first, second, or third predetermined % value and notifies the parties whether they are cold, warm, hot, or matched. If there is a match, an agreement of sale may be generated.
US08301507B2
An aspect of the present invention includes a protocol for conveying data during an e-commerce session with a polymorphic response, comprising initiating a session with a message from a buyer application to a broker application and a session identifier assigned by the broker application; conducting the session between the buyer application and a supplier application; and concluding the session with a additional message which includes a schema identifier for the additional message, resolvable in a context of a system identifier; and a polymorphic response comprising a type and a version, wherein the polymorphic response includes additional data elements corresponding to values assigned to the type and version.
US08301505B2
A content purchaser can freely and fluidly zoom into and out of content at a continuous range of resolutions. The price for the viewed content is calculated using a price function, such as a binary price function, a discrete price function, or a continuous price function. Payment can be made automatically without interrupting the process of viewing the content. If payment cannot be made automatically, various user interfaces may be provided that are integrated with the viewing process for allowing a would-be purchaser to buy the content at any desired resolution.
US08301492B2
A personalized consumer to business matchmaking apparatus and its related method correlate and quantify a personalized match between a business offering products or services to a searching consumer looking for the reviewed products or services. In one embodiment of the invention, the personalized consumer to business matchmaking is based on requirements, traits, and profiles of the business, the searching consumer, and business evaluators who have reviewed the business. Whereas conventional consumer reviews such as star-ratings merely give an average rating based on inputs from the business evaluators, the personalized consumer to business matchmaking apparatus and its related method generate a personalized match score based on individual traits, requirements, and profiles of the business, the searching consumer, and the business evaluators.
US08301489B2
A method and system of generating an analytical tool for use in assessing a state of an entity is described. The method comprises retrieving source data relating to a state of a community of which the entity forms a part, the source data resulting from a data collecting and analysis mechanism and the source data relating to at least one variable and the, or each, variable comprising a plurality of drivers; performing cluster analysis on the source data to produce an array of reference data; and organizing the array of reference data into a form to be used in analyzing data collected from the community. An analytical tool for use in assessing the state of an entity is also described and comprises an array of cells, each cell containing a subset of reference data which provides a measure of each driver related to the state of a community of which the entity forms a part, and the positioning of the cells relative to one another being governed by the inter-relationship of the reference data contained in the cells.
US08301486B1
A system and method for modeling demand for a configurable product or service and then forecasting demand for said product or service based on the statistical associations of options across features within said product or service. By use of this method a manufacturer, for example, would be able to produce product combinations in advance with an increased probability that they would meet customer demand or project parts inventory needs and build fewer unwanted combinations.
US08301472B2
The invention discloses a system and method for collecting over time significant amounts of low-level data about automated devices used by the users, and for analyzing these data over time in order to achieve insight into what improves the users' ability to perform their activity and what hinders their performance. Such analysis may relate to a single user, to a group of users, to the effect of a user's habits on his/her performance, to the effect of one user's actions on other users' performance, etc. The results of such analysis can help users, managers and organizations to improve their competitive position in their respective fields.
US08301471B2
A system and method in accordance with exemplary embodiments may include storing telephone number inventory data using a database associated with a network, receiving, from a user system, a request for telephone number forecast data, forecasting future telephone number usage based on at least a history of telephone number inventory data, and providing, to the user system, telephone number forecast data based on at least the forecast of future telephone number usage.
US08301470B1
Method and computer-readable medium for administering an insurance policy premium payment deferral plan are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a method for administering an insurance policy premium payment deferral plan that maintains an insurance policy in effect while permitting deferment of premium payments owed under the policy includes determining whether a policy is eligible for a premium deferral. The method also includes automatically producing a notification for the policy if the policy is eligible for the premium deferral. The method further includes determining whether the premium deferral has been selected if the insurance policy is eligible for the premium deferral. The method also includes automatically deferring an insurance premium payment if the insurance policy is eligible for the premium deferral and the premium deferral is selected.
US08301465B2
A medical support system and method for performing at least one medical support process relating to diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition and that includes or employs medical records relating to patients and medical support databases including medical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition. A medical support process includes one or more process phases. Each process phase includes one or more process operations wherein each of the process operations of a process phase includes one or more process forms providing interfaces between a user and the process operations. The medical records and the guidelines are to execute an interactive dialogue between the medical support process and the user to provide guidance to the user in performing the medical support process according to the guidelines and dependent upon the user inputs and the medical record.
US08301462B2
A method of formulating a medical order for a patient includes transmitting a medical order interface to a healthcare provider interface device. The medical order interface includes a plurality of selectable medical order items. The method further includes, in response to receiving a selection of a medical order item of the plurality of selectable medical order items, transmitting an authorization request interface to the healthcare provider interface device. The authorization request interface includes a set of selectable findings controls. Each selectable findings control of the set of selectable findings controls is associated with a set of medical findings associated with the patient. The authorization request interface includes a send control. In addition, the method includes, in response to receiving a selection of a select findings control and receiving selection of the send control, sending an electronic authorization request. The electronic authorization request includes the set of medical finding associated with the select findings control and order data associated with the medical order item.
US08301460B2
Associated information is prepared and stored in a support information DB, the information being such that elements belonging to a plurality of element items respectively forming medical information on at least one patient are associated with each other between the items. Then, on a medical-support-information presenting screen displayed at a display unit, a selecting condition selecting one or more elements and an output target item are specified and input in response to user control. As a result, with respect to information that satisfies the selecting condition out of the associated information, the display unit visibly outputs statistical information about the output target item.
US08301450B2
An apparatus, method, and medium for dialogue speech recognition using topic domain detection are disclosed. An apparatus includes a forward search module performing a forward search in order to create a word lattice similar to a feature vector, which is extracted from an input voice signal, with reference to a global language model database, a pronunciation dictionary database and an acoustic model database, which have been previously established, a topic-domain-detection module detecting a topic domain by inferring a topic based on meanings of vocabularies contained in the word lattice using information of the word lattice created as a result of the forward search, and a backward-decoding module performing a backward decoding of the detected topic domain with reference to a specific topic domain language model database, which has been previously established, thereby outputting a speech recognition result for an input voice signal in text form. Accuracy and efficiency for a dialogue sentence are improved.
US08301449B2
Hidden Markov Model (HMM) parameters are updated using update equations based on growth transformation optimization of a minimum classification error objective function. Using the list of N-best competitor word sequences obtained by decoding the training data with the current-iteration HMM parameters, the current HMM parameters are updated iteratively. The updating procedure involves using weights for each competitor word sequence that can take any positive real value. The updating procedure is further extended to the case where a decoded lattice of competitors is used. In this case, updating the model parameters relies on determining the probability for a state at a time point based on the word that spans the time point instead of the entire word sequence. This word-bound span of time is shorter than the duration of the entire word sequence and thus reduces the computing time.
US08301448B2
The invention involves the loading and unloading of dynamic section grammars and language models in a speech recognition system. The values of the sections of the structured document are either determined in advance from a collection of documents of the same domain, document type, and speaker; or collected incrementally from documents of the same domain, document type, and speaker; or added incrementally to an already existing set of values. Speech recognition in the context of the given field is constrained to the contents of these dynamic values. If speech recognition fails or produces a poor match within this grammar or section language model, speech recognition against a larger, more general vocabulary that is not constrained to the given section is performed.
US08301447B2
The present invention relates to creating a phonetic index of phonemes from an audio segment that includes speech content from multiple sources. The phonemes in the phonetic index are directly or indirectly associated with the corresponding source of the speech from which the phonemes were derived. By associating the phonemes with a corresponding source, the phonetic index of speech content from multiple sources may be searched based on phonetic content as well as the corresponding source.
US08301437B2
A tokenization platform and method is described for accurately tokenizing character strings, including but not limited to non-delimited character strings of the type commonly used in Internet domain names and computer filenames, to accurately identify words and phrases occurring therein. In one embodiment, a phased tokenization approach is used in which the final phase is a lexical analysis-based tokenization using a dictionary. The dictionary may be advantageously created and updated based upon one or more query logs associated with respective information retrieval systems, thereby ensuring that the dictionary accurately reflects currently-used terminology and captures alternative spellings and presentations of words and phrases submitted by users.
US08301434B2
A instructions of a Guest program to be emulated by a Host computer occupy one or more Guest cells of Guest memory, each Guest cell having a corresponding Host cell in Host memory. The emulator selects a Host cell for emulating a Guest instruction. When the Host cell corresponds to a Guest cell other than a cell aligned with the beginning of the Guest instruction, a wild branch handling routine is executed.
US08301433B2
A software behavior modeling apparatus includes: a stack information recording unit, a termination information recording unit, a stack difference information generating unit configured to generate, as stack difference information, information formed by combining information being located from an uppermost stack frame until the termination information is detected, by using the termination information recorded by the termination information recording unit, and a model generating unit configured to generate a software behavior model based on the stack difference information.
US08301427B2
A method of representing and using fractures in a model of a subterranean reservoir is described including the partitioning the fracture network into a discretely modeled part and a remaining statistically described part from a statistical description of all fractures, the determination of the correlation effects caused by fractures with dimensions exceeding dimension of the local grid cells and the determination of petrophysical properties while allowing for arbitrary distribution of fracture orientations, with all three aspects being combinable to improve the modeling of fractures and the simulation of fractured reservoirs.
US08301426B2
Systems and methods for dynamically developing a wellbore plan with a reservoir simulator. The systems and methods develop a plan for multiple wellbores with a reservoir simulator based on actual and potential reservoir performance.
US08301425B2
A method and apparatus for producing hydrocarbons is described. In the method, a failure mode for a well completion is identified. A numerical engineering model to describe an event that results in the failure mode is constructed. The numerical engineering model is converted into a response surface. Then, the response surface is associated with a user tool configured to provide the response surface for analysis of another well.
US08301424B2
Control points needed to generate a curve becoming the route of a deformable linear structure from respective pieces of passing point information defined at two passing points are arranged and the initial arrangement of control points needed to generate a curve is determined by performing re-arrangement of the control points, on the basis of a positional relation between the control points thus arranged. The curve between two points is re-generated from the initial arrangement thus determined while modifying the arrangement of one or more control points, the re-generated curves are then evaluated and a curve meeting a predetermined condition is extracted from among the curves.
US08301419B1
A method and apparatus are present for managing information for parts. Information for a part is identified. The information comprises a plurality of features for the part, a number of levels of details for each of the plurality of features, and a history associated with the plurality of features. The plurality of features for the part, the number of levels of detail for each of the plurality of features, and the history associated with the plurality of features are associated with each other to form a plurality of associations. The information and the plurality of associations are stored in a repository.
US08301416B2
A method is for calculating an optical noise index of a signal light extraction apparatus that extracts signal light in a polarization plane by inputting signal light and a sampling pulse, different from the signal light in polarization plane by a given angle, to a nonlinear optical medium, and by passing light output from the nonlinear optical medium through an orthogonal polarizer having a polarization plane orthogonal to that of the signal light. The method includes calculating an output optical noise of the signal light extraction apparatus using a parametric gain of the nonlinear optical medium, a power of a quantum noise of the light having passed through the orthogonal polarizer, and a ratio of a power of the signal light and a power of the signal light sampled by the sampling pulse; and calculating an optical noise index using the output optical noise.
US08301415B2
A system is used to test a 3D image processing capability of a video card. The system includes a 3D model engine module, a 3D model module, a test parameter module, and a check module. The 3D model module is capable of building a 3D model engine. The test parameter module is capable of setting test parameters. The check module is capable of checking a test result. The 3D model is processed by the video card within the test parameters and a running environment which is set by the 3D model engine under the test parameters, and the check module checks if the video card processes the 3D model properly.
US08301412B2
A method includes defining a hierarchy associated with a test system including a plurality of test units for testing integrated circuit devices. At least some of the test units have a plurality of sockets. The hierarchy includes a first level including a first plurality of entities each associated with one of the sockets and at least a second level including a second plurality of entities each associated with a grouping of the sockets. State data associated with operational states of the sockets is received. A set of state metrics is generated for each entity at each level of the hierarchy based on the state data. Each set of state metrics identifies time spent in the operational states.
US08301409B2
A method includes supplying current to at least one photovoltaic device via a current source and detecting emitted photon radiations from the at least one photovoltaic device via a radiation detector. The method also includes outputting a signal corresponding to the detected emitted photon radiations from the radiation detector to a processor device, and processing the signal corresponding to the detected emitted photon radiations via the processor device to generate one or more two-dimensional photon images. The method further includes analyzing the one or more two-dimensional photon images to determine at least one defect in the at least one photovoltaic device.
US08301402B2
An in-plane compressive strength evaluation device (10) provided with a memory unit (21) into which, when an in-plane compressive strength evaluation is actually performed using a test piece, an evaluation result is stored as first information; a first analysis unit (22) that obtains second information that is an evaluation result related to the load and a displacement of the structural model; an adjustment unit (23) that adjusts an elemental factor of the structural model that influences the in-plane compressive strength such that the second information approaches the first information; and a second analysis unit (24) that, in a state where the elemental factor used when the second information approaches the first information most closely expands the structural model into the structural form of the actual tube support plate, and that performs the in-plane compressive strength evaluation using the expanded structural model.
US08301400B2
A method for determining optimal locations of a plurality of sensors for damage detection in a structural health monitoring system includes providing a one or more signal performance characteristics, spatial parameters describing a layout of a structure, and generating a layout for the plurality of sensors according to the signal performance characteristics and the spatial parameters. An estimated largest critical damage size that may not be detected by sensors arranged according to the first layout is determined. The layout is edited so as to reduce the estimated largest critical damage size to be less than or equal to a selected maximum size requirement.
US08301399B2
In a method for predicting the lifetime of a photo-semiconductor device that has a maximum light output value restricted by thermal saturation, the maximum light output value is extracted by measuring the characteristic of light output from the photo-semiconductor device with respect to drive current. The decrease tendency of the maximum output values with respect to drive time is predicted to predict the lifetime of the photo-semiconductor. Further, the predicted lifetime is updated as time passes. Therefore, in this method, even if drive condition changes, or an individual difference of the photo-semiconductor per se is present, it is possible to substantially accurately predict the lifetime of the photo-semiconductor.
US08301396B1
Theory and design of a new electrical-mobility based instrument for measurement of aerosol particle size distributions in real time is presented. Miniature Electrical Aerosol Spectrometer has a rectangular cross-section with two main regions: the Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) and Classifier sections. The ESP section enables charged particle injection into the classifier section in a narrow range of streamlines at the desired location. The injected charged particles are then segregated based on their electrical mobility in the classifier section and collected on a series of plates that are connected to electrometers. Real-time particle size distribution measurements can be inferred from the electrometer signal strengths with the knowledge of the instrument transfer function. A theoretical approach is developed to calculate Miniature Electrical Aerosol Spectrometer transfer function considering the non-uniformity in the electric and flow fields inside the instrument, and accounting for the instrument dimensions and its operating conditions. The theoretical predictions of size classification characteristics are seen to compare well with numerical results. The modeling results suggest that an optimal operational domain exists for Miniature Electrical Aerosol Spectrometer.
US08301389B2
Processes, systems and databases are provided for plant selection. The processes may include providing a database of plant species and eliminating a portion of the plant species based on at least two search criteria including a user's desired climate zone or location plant cultivation, plant size, plant type, plant leaf type/shape, plant form/habit, plant primary attributes, parcel growing conditions, and desired characteristics. At least one image of the plant species meeting the search criteria may be displayed wherein the image has sufficient resolution to distinguish among different plant species.
US08301388B2
This application pertains to construction of pooled biological material such as DNA, RNA, proteins and the like that are able to be screened by a wide variety of methods such as PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), DNA/DNA hybridization, DNA/RNA hybridization, RNA/RNA hybridization, single strand DNA probing, protein/protein hybridization and a wide variety of additional methods. Our new method for construction of pools and superpools for screening differs in that the complete set is systematically divided into a variety of smaller subsets which are then re-pooled to make the final screening pools. This pooled material can be from individual samples or a population of samples. In order to reduce the analysis time, materials and expense, the pooling of high resolution small pools in a matrix allows for a lower number of user experiments to have higher resolution (as if the researcher had analyzed the complete set of small pools).
US08301386B1
Disclosed are techniques for acquiring, processing and presenting data produced by one or more devices and meters in the field. One or more servers, such as Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) servers, gather and store data from one or more field devices. Remote polling interfaces (RPI) provide a secure transport from the SCADA servers to processing and storage elements of the present embodiments. Data gathered from a plurality of heterogeneous SCADA servers are normalized and consolidated into one or more databases for subsequent processing and presentation, thereby collecting and unifying data from a plurality of heterogeneous sources into a device-agnostic and unified presentation for user viewing and interaction.
US08301376B2
A method and apparatus for locating position of a GPS device is described. In one example, a method for provisioning a mobile device with a model for determining a position of the mobile device in at least one geographic area is provided. The method includes obtaining an estimate of the position of the mobile device, forming one or more satellite orbit models from the estimate and a wide area model, and sending the at least one satellite orbit model to the mobile device. The wide area model is formed from measurements from a plurality of satellites of a Global Positioning System, and the measurements are obtained by a plurality of reference stations.
US08301362B2
A method and a control module for diagnosing an engine component function includes a comparison module comparing an in-cylinder pressure signal to a threshold and a fault indication module generating a diagnostic signal for an engine component in response to comparing.
US08301359B1
A microprocessor controlled automated, multi-fuel apparatus to blend hydrogen, bio-fuel and/or natural or propane gases. This novel multi-stage apparatus first converts cooking oils into bio-fuel. The system automatically blends the bio-fuel with at least one of or both hydrogen gas, generated by a self-contained on-board hydrogen electrolyzer, and/or natural or propane gases. This blended “Hyenrich” gaseous fuel drives various processes including, but not limited to, cogeneration systems and electrical generators to produce “green” electricity by utilizing an adaptive and predictive learning algorithms to significantly reduce cost per kilowatt and lessen dependency on the over taxed utility grid, while simultaneously reducing emissions of CO, CO2 and NOx, making the method and apparatus an environmentally-friendly energy device.
US08301356B2
A Method for estimating NOx creation in a combustion process of a four-stroke internal combustion engine includes monitoring engine sensor inputs, modeling parameters descriptive of said combustion process based upon said engine sensor inputs, and estimating NOx creation with an artificial neural network based upon said parameters.
US08301349B2
A control method and system for a vehicle transmission that incorporates gradient road resistance in selecting an appropriate gear ratio for an automatic manual transmission or an automatic transmission are disclosed. The traction resistance of a vehicle is calculated in order to determine the traction force required for maintaining, increasing, or decreasing vehicle speed in response to operator input. Traction resistance may be a function of rolling resistance, air resistance, and the component of the gravitational force acting parallel to the road surface. The change in traction resistance is also determined. The calculated traction resistance and change in traction resistance may advantageously be used to calculate an offset to a shift point motor speed in order to delay or advance a transmission upshift when climbing a grade.
US08301348B2
In vehicular control method and apparatus for a shift-by-wire device, a selected shift position is modified to at least one of a vehicular parking position, a neutral position, and a traveling position, the selected shift position is modified to the vehicular parking position when a power switch is switched to an OFF position, and the modification of the shift position to the vehicular parking position is inhibited when an operation pattern of an operation input section while the power switch is in the ON position is made coincident with the operation pattern prescribed as a cipher code which inhibits the shift position modification to the vehicular parking position, the operation patterns being constituted by a combination of operation patterns which would not be carried out in the operation section during an ordinary traveling.
US08301345B2
A device and a method for transmitting an activation decision for an actuator system from a first to at least one second control unit is provided, the second control unit activating the actuator system as a function of at least two messages from the first control unit.
US08301336B2
A method and a device for warning following vehicles in a group of several sequential vehicles, including at least a leading vehicle, a middle vehicle and a following vehicle, wherein a warning is transmitted from the middle vehicle to the following vehicle. A total distance and a total relative speed between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle are calculated based on measurements made by the middle vehicle. The total distance and total relative speed are used to determine whether a critical approach of the following vehicle to the leading vehicle is occurring, and if so, an automatic warning is transmitted from the middle vehicle to the following vehicle.
US08301334B2
A system using a number of portable or wrist-worn remote controller units that communicate with a number of sensor units or sensor head sets for vehicle or automotive testing. An optional central communications controller can coordinate communications between the wrist-worn units and the sensor sets. A particular remote unit can associate with particular sensors or a particular sensor set and thus receive and transmit data only with that sensor set. Mechanics or technicians can run tests and take data completely from the remote units. The remote units generally contain a display screen that can show all parts and results of any vehicle test procedure. Various wireless communications techniques can be used to establish this communication.
US08301322B2
Until a vehicle system is activated, a switching circuit outputs a pilot signal to an OR circuit. As a result, lowering of the potential of the pilot signal caused by a resistance circuit is avoided, and the pilot signal is provided in a non-pulsed manner. A power supply CPU is activated in accordance with any one of a connector signal and the non-pulsed pilot signal. When the vehicle system is activated, the switching circuit switches an output destination of the pilot signal to the resistance circuit.
US08301321B2
A control device corrects the alignment of wheels of a vehicle during travel to improve fuel consumption performance. Operating conditions of a suspension device (alignment adjustment device) are controlled by alignment control while the vehicle is traveling, and when the alignment of the wheels is adjusted, travel resistance of the vehicle increases or decreases. The control device detects the travel resistance of the vehicle based on the value of an electric current supplied to a wheel drive device (electric motor), and the alignment of the wheels is adjusted so that the travel resistance of the vehicle decreases. As a result, the alignment of the wheels during travel is adjusted to a correct state to improve fuel consumption performance.
US08301303B2
Disclosed is a method of defining control angles to use a limit cycle in order to balance a biped walking robot on a three-dimensional space. In order to balance an FSM-based biped walking robot right and left on a three-dimensional space, limit cycle control angles to balance the robot according to states of the FSM-based robot are set on the three-dimensional space, and the limit cycle control angles on the three-dimensional space are controlled using a sinusoidal function to allow relations between the control angles and control angular velocities to form a stable closed loop within a limit cycle.
US08301302B2
A fully automated method is performed on a structure having a confined space. The structure has a location that is identifiable from within the confined space and from outside the confined space. A first robotic system moves a first end effector inside the confined space such that the first end effector is positioned over the location. A first vector corresponding to the location is generated. A second robotic system moves a second end effector outside the confined space such that the second end effector is positioned over the location. A second vector corresponding to the location is generated. The first and second vectors are used to move the first and second end effectors to a new location such that the first and second end effectors are in working opposition. The first and second end effectors perform a synchronous operation at the new location.
US08301296B2
A method of identifying transportation items which are physically different from one another, particularly for identifying automatically sortable passenger luggage in air, rail, or ocean travel, using electronically readable information associated with the transportation item. To be able to automatically identify transportation items, particularly luggage items, even when information storage media fitted to them cannot be read or can be read only imperfectly, it is proposed that, before or when the transportation item is surrendered to a transport and/or sorting system, special sensors be used to ascertain specific physical features of the respective transportation item and that these specific physical features be stored in a database as an electronic feature data record (signature) together with an identification code associated with the transportation item, the stored feature data records being compared with a subsequently produced feature data record for a transportation item as required, in order to identify the transportation item using its associated identification code when there is at least a sufficient match between the subsequently produced feature data record and one of the feature data records stored in the database.
US08301294B1
Method and apparatus for multi-destination pick using motes. In embodiments, each receptacle may be assigned to a destination and may have a sensor that detects when an item is placed in the receptacle to deactivate the indicator and/or to verify that the item was placed in the correct receptacle. The sensor may be coupled via a wired or wireless connection to a mote that may include a communication interface for communicating with a control system and with other motes in an ad-hoc network. In some embodiments, each mote may also include an indicator that may be activated by a control system to indicate to the agent that the receptacle is the destination receptacle for a picked item. The agent may then place the item in the indicated destination receptacle. In one embodiment, the mote on the destination receptacle may be activated when the picked item is scanned by the agent.
US08301292B2
A sewing machine that includes a body, an embroidery frame moving mechanism, an image capture device, a specifying device, a determining device, a setting device, a positioning device, and an acquiring device. The image capture device is provided with a function to capture a plurality of images of the sewing object under a plurality of image capture conditions, respectively. The plurality of the image capture conditions correspond to different effective image capture ranges. The specifying device specifies, as a specific range, a range on the sewing object. The determining device determines a combination of a specific image capture condition and a positioning condition. The setting device sets the specific image capture condition as an actual image capture condition. The positioning device positions the embroidery frame in accordance with the positioning condition. The acquiring device acquires image data that corresponds to a specific effective image capture range.
US08301274B2
An effective method for managing product segments of product production rules within a manufacturing execution system adapted for providing a final product includes the following steps: a) each one of a plurality of sets of product segments are associated within one of a set of product production rules which are stored in a database under a reference standard product production rule (like a simple “manufacture of a car”); b) a command (e.g. from an operator) is inputted to the database for performing one of following selectable operations: i) add a new product segment; ii) remove one of previous product segment; iii) replace a previous product segment by a new one; c) a further set of new product production rules comprising previous product segments and a further product segment (related to the selectable operation and automatically detected in each product production rule) are introduced in the database; d) an indicator related to the selected operation (i, ii, iii) is inserted in said new product production rule. Finally, e) an algebraic operation is performed on all product segments of both the reference standard product production rule and the new product production rules (for example it performs an addition of the product segments), so that the algebraic operation delivers a final standard product production rule resulting from one of the selected operations of adding i), removing ii), replacing iii).
US08301262B2
Systems and methods for communicating with or powering implantable medical devices using a direct inductive/acoustic telemetry link are disclosed. An illustrative system includes an interrogator device located outside of the patient's body, an implantable medical device including an energy translator circuit adapted to convert inductive or RF signals received from the interrogator device into an acoustic signal for driving an acoustic transducer, and a remote device adapted to sense one or more parameters within the body.
US08301260B2
In one embodiment, a method of treating hearing loss in a patient, comprises: creating a first channel in osseous tissue at or immediately adjacent to the promontory of the patient; creating a second channel through the first channel to the scala tympani or the scala vestibuli; and implanting a hearing device in the first channel, the hearing device being in fluid communication with cochlear fluid through the second channel, the hearing device being adapted to drive cochlear fluid to activate auditory receptor cells in the cochlea of the patient.
US08301256B2
A method is provided, including physically contacting a gastric implantation site of a stomach via a transluminal approach, physically contacting the site via a transabdominal approach, stabilizing the site, and implanting an electrode at the site based on the physical contact provided by the transluminal and transabdominal approach. Other embodiments are also described.
US08301254B2
An ambulatory monitoring device includes a sensor to monitor a physiological signal and a battery power source. The device also includes a wireless receiver adapted to monitor a first frequency band having frequencies below 1 MHz and configured to detect and receive, using less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when operating, wireless communications within the first frequency band from a remote device at least one meter away. The device further includes a wireless transmitter adapted to transmit—after receipt from the remote device of a first wireless communication within the first frequency band that includes an invitation for further communication—a second wireless communication in a second frequency band having frequencies above 10 MHz, the second wireless communication comprising data indicative of the physiological signal as sensed by the sensor.
US08301253B2
A cardiac rhythm management system selects one of multiple electrodes associated with a particular heart chamber based on a relative timing between detection of a depolarization fiducial point at the multiple electrodes, or based on a delay between detection of a depolarization fiducial point at the multiple electrodes and detection of a reference depolarization fiducial point at another electrode associated with the same or a different heart chamber. Subsequent contraction-evoking stimulation therapy is delivered from the selected electrode.
US08301252B2
Systems, devices and methods for defining, identifying and utilizing composite parameter indices from health-related parameters are disclosed. One aspect is a programmable device having machine executable instructions for performing a method to assist with managing a patient's health. In various embodiments, a first set of at least two health-related parameters is acquired. A first composite parameter is generated using the first set of at least two health-related parameters. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
US08301249B2
Systems and methods are provided for reducing heating within pacing/sensing leads of a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator that occurs due to induced radio frequency (RF) currents during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure, or in the presence of other sources of strong RF fields. For example, bipolar coaxial leads are described wherein the ring conductor of the lead is disconnected from the ring electrode via a switch in response to detection of MRI fields to convert the ring conductor into an RF shield for shielding the inner tip conductor of the lead so as to reduce the strength of RF currents induced therein and hence reduce tip heating. Other exemplary leads are described wherein a band stop filter is instead used to block RF signals to likewise convert the ring conductor into an RF shield. The switches and band stop filters also help to prevent MRI-induced stimulation.
US08301248B1
A patient's ejection fraction is maximized through simultaneous sensing and stimulating across multiple electrodes. In one exemplary embodiment, a catheter or lead having multiple electrodes connected to a pulse generator is used. The pulse generator provides individual current control of the stimulus applied to each electrode, and further includes the ability to sense intrinsic and evoked depolarization through multiple electrodes. In another exemplary embodiment, a multiplicity of individual implantable microstimulators, each having its own current source and/or sensor and electrodes, cooperate in concert to provide multi-site stimulation and sensing.
US08301242B2
One example includes a battery that includes a stack of at least one substantially planar anode and at least one substantially planar cathode, wherein the stack defines a contoured exterior, and a battery housing enclosing the stack, the battery housing defining a battery housing exterior, wherein the contoured exterior of the stack is shaped to conform to a contoured interior of the battery housing that approximately conforms to the battery housing exterior, the battery produced by the process of modeling, using fluid dynamics, an exterior of a biocompatible housing and shaping the battery housing to conform to at least some of the exterior of the biocompatible housing.
US08301238B2
A switch operated therapeutic agent delivery device is described. The device comprises two parts, which are assembled by a user prior to use. A first part contains a power supply and circuitry for the device; and a second part comprises electrodes and reservoirs containing the therapeutic agent to be delivered. The action of combining the two parts of the device causes the two parts to be irreversibly coupled together, completes an electrical connection between the two parts, and closes one or more switches, thereby connecting a power source, such as a battery, into the device's circuitry, thereby powering the device on so that it is ready for use. The device can then be attached to a patient, who can operate the device by pressing a button in a proper sequence.
US08301231B2
Alarm tests are disclosed which use alarm test signals to assess alarms provided by medical devices. Especially relevant are implanted devices that monitor cardiac activity and provide notification in response to medically relevant events. Alarm tests can occur periodically, or in response to a patient, doctor, or remote party initiating the alarm test. Alarm tests can also occur during the actual alarms issued to detected medical events. Alarm tests lead to pass or fail results, which in turn may cause operations to contingently occur. Alarm test failure in the auditory, visual, or tactile modality, may cause an alternatively defined alarm signal to be used as back-up. Alarm test logs can store alarm test results, including quantification of the measured alarm signal. Rapid alarm tests are described, as are various methods of accurately measuring characteristics of the test signal in ambulatory patients, which are especially relevant to a vibration alarm.
US08301221B2
A system, apparatus, and method for determining a position of an orthopedic prosthesis includes a patient support platform, a sensor array coupled to the patient support platform, and a controller electrically coupled to the sensor array. The sensor array is configured to generate data signals in response to an output signal of a signal source(s) coupled to the orthopedic prosthesis and/or a bone of the patient. The controller is configured to determine a position of the orthopedic prosthesis and/or the bone of the patient based on the data signals.
US08301217B2
A physiological sensor is adapted to removably attach an emitter assembly and a detector assembly to a fingertip. The emitter assembly is adapted to transmit optical radiation having multiple wavelengths into fingertip tissue. The detector assembly is adapted to receive the optical radiation after attenuation by the fingertip tissue. The sensor has a first shell and a second shell hinged to the first shell. A spring is disposed between the shells and urges the shells together.
US08301213B2
An electronic device includes an outer case having a sound hole, an acoustic unit included in the outer case in a position corresponding to a position of the sound hole, a sheet member provided between the acoustic unit and the outer case in a position corresponding to the position of the sound hole, and placed over the acoustic unit to cover an outside of an outer edge of the acoustic unit, a mounting portion circumferentially provided on an outer peripheral portion of the sheet member and mounted to the outer case, and an extension portion that extends the mounting portion toward an inner periphery thereof on a side of the sheet member facing the acoustic unit and to which the acoustic unit is mounted.
US08301212B2
A portable wireless apparatus includes a casing, an antenna and another electronic component. The antenna is contained in an end portion of the casing. The antenna includes a first and second antenna element, an antenna board and a antenna connector. The antenna board has a mounting face on which the first and second antenna elements are mounted. The antenna connector is formed on the antenna board and connects the first antenna element to the second antenna element. A predetermined space is provided between the first and second antenna elements. The other electronic component is disposed so as not to overlap the antenna connector in a direction orthogonal to the mounting face of the antenna board, and at least part of the other electronic component is disposed in the predetermined space.
US08301206B2
An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus establishes concurrent connection between a BT interface device and a cellular phone with respect to a handsfree profile (HFP) for realizing a handsfree phone call, a message access profile (MAP) for realizing a mail transfer, and an audio video profile (AVP) for realizing an audio data transfer. During a duration of the concurrent connection being established, a disconnection request of HFP or MAP occurs. In such a case, MAP is disconnected in conjunction with having disconnected HFP, or HFP is disconnected in conjunction with having disconnected MAP.
US08301197B2
A mobile handset includes a processor configured with software to automatically synchronize the phone book records stored on a smart card and internally in memory. The synchronization process determines if duplicate contact records exist in the target phone book, and whether the synchronization copies records from the smart card to internal memory, or vice versa, before copying contact records. If a duplicate contact record exists, then the copying process is cancelled. The synchronization process may be automatically initiated any time the contact records in the internal memory and the smart card differ.
US08301196B2
A reconfigurable wireless modem adapter is provided. The reconfigurable wireless modem adapter includes a control board and a radio frequency switch. The control board includes at least two user-data interfaces for respective at least two modems, the modems including at least one diversity/multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) modem. The control board is configured to communicatively couple to at least one onboard system in a vehicle and to activate one of the at least one diversity/MIMO modem interfaced to one of the at least two user-data interfaces. The radio frequency switch is communicatively coupled to the control board via a modem-select interface and the selected one of the at least one diversity/MIMO modem. The radio frequency switch communicatively couples one of at least one diversity/MIMO antenna on the vehicle to the selected one of the at least one diversity/MIMO modem based on a control signal.
US08301194B1
The communication device comprising a voice communication implementer, an auto time adjusting implementer, a camera image displaying implementer, a calculation implementer, a bold font displaying implementer, an italic font displaying implementer, a stereo audio data output implementer, a photo quality setting implementer, a multiple language implementer, a caller's information displaying implementer, and an icon displaying implementer.
US08301185B2
Whenever, there occurs a predetermined event which occurs periodically, a host section which includes a host processor 31, makes a judgment of whether or not it is an engine-mode state in which an engine section 40 is executing an engine application, and whether or not it is estimated that the engine-mode state will be continued. When this judgment result is affirmative, the host section notifies to the engine section 40, information which the host section has collected after the previous notification, and which is to be notified periodically to the engine section. As a result of this, at a periodic timing called as an occurrence of a predetermined event, periodic notification data is notified from the host section to the engine section 40. Therefore, in a configuration which includes a host section including a host processor, and an engine section including an engine processor, which executes a predetermined function under a control of the host section, an increase in a load on the engine section 40 is suppressed.
US08301183B2
Provided is a power control method and resource management method of a femtocell base station in a wideband wireless access system. A macrocell base station receives received signal strength from a femtocell base station in a macrocell of the macrocell base station, compares it with received signal strength reported by a terminal in the macrocell, and when a difference between the two received signal strength is less than a threshold value, it receives received signal strength on a signal received by the terminals in the macrocell from the corresponding femtocell base station. Further, the macrocell base station determines whether the corresponding macrocell terminal is located in the coverage of the femtocell base station based on the reported received signal strength of the femtocell base station, and transmits information for controlling power of the femtocell base station or managing a radio resource to the femtocell base station according to the determination result.
US08301176B1
The present disclosure describes a wireless user equipment (UE) device that can receive a communication signal that may be transmitted along a wireless channel. The wireless user equipment device can include a sleep deactivator that periodically activates wireless user equipment from a sleep mode periodically in advance of a periodically transmitted message, such as a paging indicator or a control message that is expected to be received within a slot of time. The wireless user equipment device can also include an element that can extract the message during multiple sub-intervals, a signal quality assessor that can a) assess the quality of the indicator in the sub-intervals and b) assign a signal quality metric for the sub-intervals. The wireless UE device can also include a channel estimator that can estimate a physical channel over which the communication signal is transmitted. The wireless UE device can also assign a quality metric to the extracted message at each sub-interval to select a sub-interval that is most consistent with timing of the paging indicator or control message.
US08301175B2
A method of controlling paging flow in a network for cellular communications is described, which comprises the steps of: at a control node, receiving a request for paging a mobile station; determining a location area in which the paging shall be performed; checking whether the number of paging transactions which are ongoing for the location area is lower than at least one maximum number of ongoing paging transactions allowed for the location area; after a determination that the number of ongoing paging transactions is lower than the maximum number, updating the number of ongoing paging transactions for the location area and processing the paging request. Preferably, if the number of ongoing paging transactions is not lower than the maximum number, it is checked whether the paging request is a particular LCS transaction and, if so, the request is placed in a buffer and served with priority as soon as the number of ongoing paging transactions returns to be lower than the maximum number.
US08301166B2
A multimedia message service method and a server therefor are disclosed. In one embodiment, the server i) allows a broadcast transmitting server to receive a request of transmitting a position-based multimedia message from a content providing server, ii) collects information related to a base station covering an area to which the requested position-based multimedia message is desired to be transmitted, iii) transfers the position-based multimedia message to a multimedia transmitting equipment, iv) collects address information of the position-based multimedia message from the multimedia transmitting equipment and v) transmits the collected address information in a form of a cell broadcast service message to a receiving mobile communication terminal according to the information related to the base station. According to one embodiment, a large-sized multimedia message can be easily provided to a plurality of mobile communication terminals located in an area by using a cell broadcasting service.
US08301165B2
The invention provides a method, device, and system for obtaining user equipment (UE) location information. The method includes: an interworking entity (IWF) receives UE location information reported by a mobility management entity (MME); the IWF determines trusted UE location information according to the UE location information reported by the MME; and the IWF interacts with a UE or a mobile switching center (MSC) according to the trusted UE location information. With the method, device, and system, it is ensured that the MSC can obtain trusted and accurate UE location information in a circuit switched over packet switched (CSoPS) architecture.
US08301163B2
There is provided a method for locating a terminal device in a network system, at least one network having several cells that are combined to form one or more tracking areas. The one or more tracking areas are combined to form an equivalent area. An exemplary method comprises transmitting a locating message from the terminal device to a network when the terminal device enters an equivalent area. Locating messages are also transmitted from the terminal device to the network at predetermined time intervals. The method also comprises indicating via the locating messages a sub-area of an equivalent area in which the terminal device is located during the transmission of a locating message. The method additionally comprises storing at least the sub-area indicated in a most recently received locating message by the network. The method further comprises transmitting at least a first terminal device tracking call by the network within the stored sub-area in order to locate the terminal device.
US08301157B2
A method, system and device for reducing volume of data transmitted between a base station and a control unit in a mobile communications network in which there is inserted into a communication channel between the base station and the control unit a device are provided. Voice data transmitted in each communication channel and associated with a plurality of connections is analyzed. Each connection also includes signaling data a signaling channel, and the connections originating from a base station and terminated in the same or a different base station connected to the device are identified and interconnected, and following the interconnection of the voice channels the transmission of the associated voice data to the control unit is prevented. Thereby, the data volumes transmitted on the voice channels are no longer forwarded to the rest of the mobile communications system and consequently the data volumes transmitted are reduced.
US08301154B2
In a radio communication system, a common channel is provided which is allocated to a plurality of subscribers at the same time for data transmission between a base station and a subscriber station. Measurements regarding the transmission quality are carried out on the common channel and their results are available in the base station. If the transmission quality does not meet a defined criterion, the base station transmits a first message to a controlling radio network controller associated therewith, the first message containing information about the transmission quality and about subscriber stations for which a bad transmission quality was measured. The controlling radio network controller sends a second message which informs serving radio network controllers, associated with the subscriber stations having bad transmission quality and responsible for the configuration of the subscriber stations, about the bad transmission quality.
US08301149B2
Technologies are described herein for improving call quality and coverage of cells within a mobile wireless communication network. Such improvements can be accomplished by adjusting various radio access network parameters. The adjustments may be made at the cell level or at the neighbor level. An iterative process can periodically collect key performance indicator (KPI) statistics from the mobile wireless network. System improvements may derive from one or more rules applied in parallel. Each rule can have a unique combination of minimum or maximum KPI thresholds. System issues may be identified when a cell correlates with one or more of the rules which may then suggest one or more parameter changes to reduce the identified system issue. System capacity policies may be provided as limits to the coverage and call quality triggers.
US08301143B2
A mobile station according to the present invention includes: a dedicated signaling reception unit (12) configured to receive a dedicated signaling including a priority for a frequency or a group of frequencies of each radio access network; and a camp-on processing unit (13) configured to select a camp-on cell based on the priority or a radio quality in each cell, wherein when a predetermined flag is set to the dedicated signaling received by the dedicated signaling reception unit (12), the camp-on processing unit (13) is configured to select the camp-on cell based on the radio quality in each cell, from a plurality of cells that use a different frequency but reside within an identical radio access network, and to select the camp-on cell based on the priority included in the dedicated signaling, from a plurality of cells within a different radio access network.
US08301136B2
A method for performing roaming in a dual mode terminal, which includes a first wireless communication module corresponding to a first communication network and a second wireless communication module corresponding to a second communication network, is disclosed. The method comprises acquiring a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier by camping on the first communication network; determining whether connection to the first communication network is roaming by comparing roaming decision information included in the PLMN identifier with roaming decision information stored in the dual mode terminal; turning off the second wireless communication module if it is determined that connection to the first communication network is roaming; and transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the first communication network.
US08301133B2
Embodiments relate to a system for conducting hearing aid compatibility testing of a mobile communication device. The system comprises: a simulated hand for supporting the mobile communication device during the testing; a probe; and a processor. The processor is configured to cause the probe to be positioned in a sequence of positions in proximity to the mobile communication device relative to an audio output component of the mobile communication device during the testing and to determine a field strength of a field radiated by the mobile communication device at the sequence of positions based on an output of the probe at each position.
US08301127B2
Provided are a method, a device, and a system for displaying at least one character for identifying a caller, together with the caller's phone number, on a recipient's mobile phone when an incoming call is received. The system includes a caller's mobile phone for allowing the caller to input a recipient's phone number and at least one character desired to be added after the phone number, generating an outgoing call message including the caller's phone number, recipient's phone number and input word or phrase for an outgoing call, and sending the generated message; a base station for receiving the outgoing call message, and changing the outgoing call message to an incoming call message which will be sent to the recipient's mobile phone; and the recipient's mobile phone for receiving the incoming call message and outputting any word or phrase included in the incoming call message.
US08301122B2
The invention relates to means of communication between drivers and vehicle users, namely, to establishing connection between drivers and users going in the same direction.The objective of the invention is to establish a voice connection between the driver and vehicle user, taking into account their relative position, relative routes, as well as other reasons for the driver and the user to share additional information with the aim of jointly going along the route.The goal is reached in the following way: the driver's coordinates are registered, messages from users are received; together with receiving and recording the user's message the coordinates of the user are recorded; the driver individually receives messages from the list prepared for them, with the list of messages broadcasted to the driver being formed using the driver and the user's location coordinates and the voice communication is established between the driver and the user selected by the driver from the broadcast list. There are other differences from the prototype. The method allows receiving, storing and sending voice messages based on an individual list. The method allows to automatically establish a selective connection between the driver and the user, located within the reach area. The method saves both the user's and the driver's time, also it reduces the costs of transportation for the users.
US08301117B2
Aspects relate to authorizing mobile devices for PBX-based voice services. A mobile device calls a PBX over a voice channel, and phone number identifier information is obtained and matched to identifier information for devices that known (authorizeable) to use the PBX. If there is one incoming call that matches to a given device, and an authentication token provided over a data channel matches an authentication token associated with that device, then the device is authorized for voice services. Where there are multiple matching calls, those devices are instructed to provide authentication tokens over their voice channels. The devices can detect absence of a data channel and provide authentication tokens over the voice channels; the devices also can wait to receive a call connected response and in the absence of such provide their authentication tokens over the voice channel. Tokens can be requested and downloaded for storage at the devices.
US08301116B2
Spoofing is prevented in an authentication technique using a portable terminal and the like. A portable telephone includes an authentication unit for performing personal authentication of the user, a moving distance calculating unit for calculating a linear moving distance the portable telephone has moved from a position of the portable telephone at the time the authentication unit succeeds in the personal authentication of the user; and a post-authentication communication control unit for disabling the settlement process communication if the linear moving distance calculated by the moving distance calculating unit exceeds a predetermined distance.
US08301109B2
A system and method for determining the historical density of 911 calls from wireless devices. This determination is made over a certain geographical area for a statistically significant amount of time. Once the historical density of these wireless 911 calls has been determined, further determining the most efficient routing of future 911 calls in order to improve the delivery of the wireless 911 call to the responding emergency service provider. The system and the method further provides a method for use by public safety officials, communication providers and other governmental or private entities to manage and control approval and actual changes to the routing of wireless 911 calls.
US08301107B2
The primitives between an upper management layer and the MAC layer within a mobile station and a base station are defined in order to specify and clarify the operations within the protocol stack layers in a broadband wireless access system to allow a mobile station to perform a method of connecting to the network. Media Independent Handover (MIH) procedures can be achieved because the NCMS and MIH layer can communicate through use of these primitives.
US08301105B2
A low-power receiver front-end includes a transconductance amplifier that produces a single-ended current signal in response to a single-ended voltage signal. An output of the transconductance amplifier is provided to an LC tuned circuit. At resonance, the LC tuned circuit generates a differential current signal in response to the single-ended current signal. Single-ended current signals corresponding to the resonant frequency of the LC tuned circuit are converted into differential signals. Further, the LC tuned circuit amplifies the differential current signals by an associated quality factor. Further, a mixer is coupled to an output of the LC tuned circuit. The mixer generates IF signals in response to the differential current signals.
US08301100B2
A plurality of directional patterns are classified into groups and stored in a directional pattern memory, such that among the plurality of directional patterns, the directional patterns strongly correlated with each other are classified into the same group, while the directional patterns weakly correlated with each other are classified into the different groups. One directional pattern is selected from each group in the directional pattern memory. One directional pattern is determined from the selected directional patterns, in accordance with a communication quality of signals each received when each one of the selected directional patterns is set for steerable antenna element. The determined directional pattern is set for the steerable antenna element.
US08301099B2
Circuits, systems, and methods are disclosed for controlling multiple antenna receive paths in a wireless communication device. In some embodiments, the circuit may include a pair of receiving antennas, a first receive path including a VCO coupled to receive a PLL signal and a first mixer coupled to receive a first signal from the VCO and a signal from one of the antennas, and a second receive path integrated separately from the first receive path including a second mixer coupled to receive a second signal from the VCO and a signal from the other antenna. By utilizing the output of the VCO to tune the first and second mixers in the first and second receive paths to the same phase and frequency, control of the multiple antenna receive paths may be optimized.
US08301098B2
A system comprises a first clock module configured to generate a first clock reference that is not corrected using automatic frequency correction (AFC). A global position system (GPS) module is configured to receive the first clock reference. An integrated circuit for a cellular transceiver includes a system phase lock loop configured to receive the first clock reference, to perform AFC, and to generate a second clock reference that is AFC corrected.
US08301094B2
A mobile terminal having multiple antennas and an antenna information display method of the mobile terminal are disclosed. Downlink signals are received through the multiple antennas, a channel state of each antenna is measured, and whether or not each antenna needs to be adjusted or an actual channel measurement value are displayed based on the measured channel state information and an antenna setting mode. Thus, a user can check an antenna with a poor reception performance by using the antenna adjustment information or the actual channel measurement value for antenna adjustment, and easily adjust the direction of the antennas.
US08301091B2
A device for interfacing with multiple different types of network access points includes multiple power amplifiers, a switch and a power detecting circuit. The power amplifiers are configured to provide corresponding signals associated with the different types of network access points, each signal having at least one parameter different than a corresponding parameter in another signal. The switch is configured to select one of the signals to provide an output signal. The power detecting circuit is configured to detect power of the output signal, and includes multiple states corresponding to the multiple different types of network access points. The power detecting circuit outputs a voltage level within the same voltage range for the signals in response to the multiple states corresponding to the different types of network access points with which the signals are associated.
US08301090B2
A digital pre-distortion system which can provide the flexibility to model the highly non-linear distortion associated with High Efficiency RF Power Amplifiers while through a novel implementation of a least squares estimation process allows an implementation well suited for an FPGA application where limited resources and in particular memory resources are available.
US08301085B2
A mobile station communicates with an access point (AP). The mobile station includes a low noise amplifier (LNA) path, a power amplifier (PA) path, a switch to select the LNA path or the PA path, and a controller directing the switch. The controller estimates amplifying power of the LNA, transmitting power and a sensitivity threshold of the PA. The controller receives a current received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the AP. The controller determines whether amplifying power of the LNA path exceeds the PA sensitivity threshold. The controller transmits a selection signal directing the switch to select the LNA path if the amplifying power of the LNA path exceeds the sensitivity threshold of the PA.
US08301082B2
A wireless transceiver includes: (a) a low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver; and (b) a second receiver that is configured to screen a radio frequency broadcast and provide, on the basis of specific data identified therein, the electronic signal to the LPRF communications component in order to power up the LPRF communications component. The second receiver is adapted to draw less current than the LPRF communications component while awaiting receipt of and listening for a radio frequency broadcast.
US08301062B2
Systems and methods of producing image products using printing are provided. The printed image products can include stereoscopic and/or color shifting images. These images can be formed by a sequential application of a base image, a clear toner layer and a barrier image layer in a single pass through a printer. The barrier image layer can include opaque barriers (for stereoscopic or color shifting images) or can include translucent or transparent barriers (for color shifting images).
US08301052B2
An image forming apparatus includes plural image holders that hold an image; plural development devices that produce an image on the plural image holders; an intermediate transfer body supported by plural support members; plural first transfer devices that transfer images that are present on the plural image holders to the intermediate transfer body; a second transfer device that transfers a composite image from the intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium; a fixing device that fixes the composite image onto the recording medium; an ejection device that ejects the recording medium having the composite image transferred thereto out of the image forming apparatus main body; and a recording medium stacking part where ejected recording media are stacked.
US08301050B2
An image forming apparatus having a fixing unit fixing a developer image formed based on image data received onto a medium includes a target fixing temperature determination unit, a fixable temperature range computing unit, and a fixing temperature control unit. The target fixing temperature determination unit determines fixing temperature arranged based on the medium as target fixing temperature. The fixable temperature range computing unit computes a fixing temperature range fixable the developer image on the medium by using medium information of the medium while using the target fixing temperature as reference temperature. The fixing temperature control unit controls the fixing unit based on the fixable temperature range computed by the fixable temperature range computing unit.
US08301048B1
The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling the circumferential register in a digital multi-color printing machine for printing sheets during a printing process, whereby, for each sheet, at least one register mark per color printing unit of the multi-color printing machine is produced, assigned to said sheet and defined with respect to its position, and whereby, based on the determination of the position of the register marks of a sheet, the circumferential register of at least one sheet, which follows the sheet associated with said determined register marks downstream of the printing process, is controlled. In duplex printing a sheet by recto and verso printing with the invention, register marks are applied for each side and, in order to control recto and verso printing of at least one subsequent sheet, said register marks are analyzed.
US08301047B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developer carrier, a runout measurement information storage unit to store runout measurement information of the image carrier and the developer carrier, including runout amounts on the circumference of the image and developer carriers in a development area, a development gap measurement information storage unit to store information obtained by measuring a development gap when runout measurement points of the image and developer carriers face each other, and a development electric field strength control unit to obtain each development electric field strength based on the runout measurement information and the development gap measurement information, and determine control contents of development electric field strength control to cause the entire development electric field strengths to fall within an acceptable range of a target electric field strength to perform the control contents.
US08301046B2
Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming section forming images on image forming faces of a recording medium, a condition setting section individually setting an operating condition of the image forming section for forming the image on a first image forming face of a recording medium and another operating condition of the image forming section for forming the image on a second image forming face of the recording medium opposite to the first image forming face in the manual duplex mode, and a control section controlling the image forming section on the basis of each operating condition set by the condition setting section.
US08301045B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a developer carrier configured to supply developer to the image carrier; a power supply unit configured to apply a voltage to the developer carrier; a drive unit configured to rotationally drive the image carrier and developer carrier; a rotation amount determiner configured to determine the amount of rotation of the image carrier or the developer carrier in a predetermined time period; and a drive control unit configured to instruct the drive unit to rotate the image carrier and the developer carrier in a non-printing state, when it is determined that the rotation amount in a printing operation in the predetermined time period was equal to or greater than a threshold.
US08301042B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to receive an image forming agent from a cartridge having a state indicating element to form an image, a state setting unit to open the state indicating element, and a controller to determine a usage amount of the image forming agent used to form the image by recognizing identification information of the cartridge, and to control the state setting unit to open the state indicating element of the cartridge if the usage amount of the image forming agent is equal to or greater than a preset value.
US08301041B2
A first power source unit supplies power to a first control unit accessing a storage unit. An image forming unit controlled by a second control unit is provided with a load for forming an image. A second power source unit supplies power to the load and the storage unit. A switch unit is operated to power on or off an image forming apparatus. The first control unit, upon receiving the status signal instructing power-off, causes the storage unit to shut down and transmits an instruction to cause the load to shut down to the second control unit. The second control unit, if a shutdown instruction is not received even when the status signal instructing power-off has been detected, performs control to stop the load and then stop the supply of power from the second power source unit.
US08301034B2
The present invention discloses an optical modulation device, which comprises an electric signal generator generating an electric signal carrying a data signal; a first sinusoidal signal generator generating a first sinusoidal signal; an optical signal generator generating an input source optical signal; and an optoelectronic modulator (Mach-Zehnder modulator) receiving the input source optical signal, the electric signal and the first sinusoidal signal, biased to modify a transmission performance of the input source optical signal, modulating the input source optical signal with the electric signal and the first sinusoidal signal, and then sending out an output source optical signal carrying the electric signal and the first sinusoidal signal. The present invention realizes frequency multiplication, enables an optical signal to carry vector signals, and promotes the efficiency of broadband systems.
US08301025B2
An optical noise signal is added to an optical data signal on the receiver side, and a signal quality of the data signal is determined. The magnitude of the added noise signal is varied, and a function of the signal quality of the data signal is determined in dependence on the added noise signal. Subsequently, a first straight line is approximated to the previously determined function for smaller values of the added noise signal, and a second straight line for larger values of the added noise signal. The optical signal-to-noise ratio is read from the intersecting point of the first straight line with the second straight line. Thus, the ASE present is derived from the controlled addition of additional ASEs, and the optical signal-to-noise ratio is determined. The process is particularly suited for DWDM systems because it works even with very narrow channel separations, or with narrowband optical filtration along the separation.
US08301020B2
The invention relates to a tank withdrawal system for a vehicle tank filled with a frozen liquid. The tank withdrawal system comprises a heating system comprising at least one electric heating element as primary heating device and a conduit system provided with at least one withdrawal conduit with a withdrawal opening arranged in the vehicle tank. The cold start volume of the frozen liquid extending around the withdrawal opening can be melted by the primary heating device. To quickly melt a cold start volume while melting off the remaining frozen liquid consuming as minimal amount of energy, the heating system comprises a secondary heating device supplied with a heating fluid and the conduit system comprises at least one heating conduit through which the heating fluid can flow and which is arranged in the liquid in the vehicle tank.
US08301016B2
A method for implementing trick mode functionality includes storing a video stream and information related to the video stream in memory, receiving a request for a trick mode operation, decoding a plurality of undecoded dependent frames to create a decoded frame, and outputting the decoded frame.
US08301010B2
On an optical disk, video object sets (VTST_VOBS) to be reproduced and video title set information (VTSI) serving as management information on the video object sets have been stored. In each video object set (VTST_VOBS), many data cells, each containing video, audio, and sub-picture data, are arranged. Management information on programs chains, which are combinations of programs to be reproduced one after another, has been written in a video title set PGC table (VTS_PGCIT). By referring to the program chain table (VTS_PGCIT) according to the user's input, the playback order of program chains can be changed, enabling the program chains to be reproduced one after another in various modes.
US08301006B2
An image displaying apparatus, an image editing apparatus, an image editing system, an image displaying method and an image editing method are disclosed. The image displaying apparatus includes an image processing unit which captures a still image, a communication module which communicates with an external device, and a control unit which controls an edited image to be displayed.
US08301004B2
A fiber optic cable assembly including a fiber optic cable and a furcation body is disclosed. An attachment feature can be provided to mount the furcation body to a mounting surface of fiber optic equipment for securing a portion of the fiber optic cable assembly to the fiber optic equipment. The attachment feature may include an integrated anti-rotation feature to inhibit rotation of the furcation body with respect to a mounting surface. The anti-rotation feature is provided by one or more generally planar surfaces of the furcation body for abutting with at least one complementary planar mounting surface.
US08300993B2
A sample can be illuminated for analysis using apparatus including a light source, a planar waveguide, and a refractive volume. The light source provides light along a propagation vector. The planar waveguide is oriented such that the propagation vector is perpendicular to the normal vector of the planar waveguide and offset from the planar waveguide in a direction parallel to the normal vector of the planar waveguide. The refractive volume is positioned proximate to the planar waveguide and can optically coupling light provided by the light source to the planar waveguide.
US08300992B2
A semiconductor optical modulator with the Mach-Zender type is disclosed. The optical modulator of the invention cab driven by a single phase signal and reduce the chirping of the modulated light. Two waveguides of the Mach-Zender modulator each including an active layer showing the exciton resonance in the refractive index are connected with a resistor. The driving signal is applied to one of the waveguides, while, the signal is applied to the other waveguide through the resistor where the other waveguide is grounded through a resistor. Adjusting the resistance of two resistors and the amplitude of the applied signal, the Mach-Zender modulator shows a substantial modulation degree with substantially no chirping characteristic.
US08300988B2
An example embodiment includes a processor module, a pipe analyzer and a central processing unit. The processor module extracts a plurality of components from an input bit stream by extracting predetermined n-bits at a time from the input bit stream and analyzing the n-bits for components. The central processing unit has at least two pipelines for receiving the components derived from the input bit stream. The pipe analyzer is coupled between the processor module and the central processing unit for analyzing the components of the input bit stream and directing each of the components into a suitable pipeline of the central processing unit based on the analysis the pipe analyzer.
US08300986B2
A measurement processing block obtains a plurality of first images of the object to be measured, taken with very small movements in the imaging area. A feature extraction processing block extracts an approximate feature portion of the object from the first images obtained by the measurement processing block. A partial-image creation processing block creates a plurality of first partial images by grouping the plurality of first images obtained by the measurement processing block in the vicinity of the approximate feature portion extracted by the feature extraction processing block. A super-resolution-image creation processing block creates a super-resolution image from the plurality of first partial images created by the partial-image creation processing block. Thus, detailed features of the object are measured precisely and easily even when the object is located far away.
US08300983B2
Method of determining the position of a target drill hole to be drilled in a target corrective lens having an expected target outline after shaping, the position being determined from a reference lens having a reference outline and at least one reference drill hole, the method includes: acquiring an image and at least one characteristic of the curvature of the reference lens; determining, in the acquisition plane, the reference distance in projection between the projection of a reference anchor point of the associated reference lens and the reference lens and the projection of a reference drilling point of the reference drill hole calculating the three-dimensional reference distance between the reference anchor point and the reference drilling point as a function of the characteristic of the curvature of the reference lens (100) and of the determined reference distance; and determining the position of the target drilling point for the target drill hole of the target corrective lens as a function of the calculated three-dimensional reference distance (R2; R5).
US08300973B2
A method of pre-processing an image to identify processes for subsequent processing of the image, comprising the steps of: a) investigating portions of the image using a spatial filter; b) calculating for a first plurality of regions within a portion of the image under investigation respective metrics as a function of intensity within those regions; c) selecting combinations of regions within the portion of the image under investigation and processing them to obtain a second plurality of filter values, where the second plurality is greater than the first plurality; and d) comparing the filter values with process thresholds for subsequent processes so as to identify subsequent processes that can be skipped.
US08300970B2
A video enhancement method is disclosed. An input image is retrieved and it is determined whether an enhancement mode is implemented to the input image. If so, motion detection is implemented to the input image that only enhancement coefficients of varied pixels of the input image are recalculated and the enhancement coefficients are updated to an enhancement coefficient table. Based on the enhancement coefficient table, pixel colors of the input image are adjusted and the adjusted image is output.
US08300965B2
Example methods and apparatus to perform multi-focal plane image acquisition and compression are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes capturing a first image of a portion of an object at a first focal plane and at a first resolution, computing a contrast metric for the captured first image, comparing the contrast metric to a threshold to determine whether to capture a second image of the portion of the object at the first focal plane and at a second resolution, wherein the second resolution is different from the first resolution, capturing the second image of the portion of the object at the first focal plane and at the second resolution, and storing a first representation of the second image in a file, the file containing a second representation of the portion of the object at a second focal plane, wherein the second representation is at the first resolution.
US08300963B2
An apparatus of a text image coding and decoding system includes a matching unit to compute a first distance between a symbol of a text image with a reference symbol of a symbol dictionary, to determine whether the symbol matches with the reference symbol according to the first distance and a first reference, and to compute a second distance between the one of the symbols with the reference symbol if the symbol does not match with the reference symbol according to the first distance and the first reference, and to determine whether the symbol matches with the reference symbol according to the second distance and a second reference.
US08300960B2
A method and apparatus for encoding video data, a method and apparatus for decoding video data, and a program recording medium are provided. The apparatus for encoding video data includes an encoding processor generating encoded raw image data by encoding raw image data that is output from an image pickup device in frame units; an encoding information generator generating encoding information that is required to decode the encoded raw image data; an image pickup device information generator generating information about an image pickup device and which is required to develop the encoded raw image data; and a data generator generating video data including the encoded raw image data, the encoding information, and the image pickup device information.
US08300959B2
Provided are a transport stream structure of image data, a transmitting and receiving apparatus and method thereof. A transport stream structure of image data includes a header compressed by a lossless compression algorithm; an additional information field for additional information of image data, the additional information field being generated based on compressing the header by using the lossless compression algorithm; and a payload including the image data. The transport stream structure of the image data, the transmitting and receiving apparatus and method thereof enables inserting the additional information without changing the size of the related art transport stream structure of the image data.
US08300957B2
When an original image containing a code image is lossy-compressed, the image quality of the code image is deteriorated. Thus, due to the deterioration of the image quality of the code image, information contained in the code image cannot be acquired. Thus, a portion corresponding to the code image is not lossy compressed, and the portion corresponding to the code image, which has not been subjected to lossy compression, is stored in a storage unit.
US08300956B2
A method compresses a digital continuous tone image of pixels situated on scan lines. The method includes the steps of, for a current pixel to be encoded, said current pixel having an actual pixel value, predicting a predicted pixel value based on pixel values of at least one previously processed pixel from the same image, using a fixed rule, determining a difference parameter based on a difference value of said predicted pixel value and the actual pixel value of said current pixel to be encoded, and inspecting the difference parameter for existence of an uninterrupted series of highest order bits having a value equal to zero, removing at least part of said highest order zero bits, and, if a number of bits within predetermined limits remains, generating a compression code having a predetermined fixed length, said code indicating the number of remaining bits.
US08300955B2
A plurality of images inputted in an image signal input portion are divided into a plurality of regions by an image dividing portion, and a feature value in each of the plurality of regions is calculated by a feature value calculation portion and divided into a plurality of subsets by a subset generation portion. On the other hand, a cluster classifying portion classifies a plurality of clusters generated in a feature space into any one of a plurality of classes on the basis of the feature value and occurrence frequency of the feature value. And a classification criterion calculation portion calculates a criterion of classification for classifying images included in one subset on the basis of a distribution state of the feature value in the feature space of each of the images included in the one subset.
US08300943B2
Embodiments include an article of manufacture, apparatus, device, system, computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, an article of manufacture includes a display surface that includes a machine-distinguishable form identifier keyed to an electronic version of the form and at least two fields. Each field of the at least two fields respectively includes a unique machine-distinguishable field identifier keyed to a field of the electronic version of a form, a content area that accepts a hand-formed entry, and a unique user-understandable field identifier.
US08300939B2
Every time clustering processing for a predetermined number of pixels is complete, a small cluster having the number of allocated pixels, which is equal to or smaller than a pixel count threshold, is discriminated. The small cluster, which is discriminated to have the number of allocated pixels equal to or smaller than the pixel count threshold, is merged to a cluster having the nearest representative feature vector. With this arrangement, the number of clusters which are to undergo distance calculations of feature vectors is reduced. According to this arrangement, region segmentation of an image can be executed faster by the clustering processing.
US08300925B2
An image processing apparatus that superimposes additional information on image data, the apparatus sets, in the image data, a main region in which the superimposing intensity for superimposing the additional information is constant, and a superimposing intensity change region in which the superimposing intensity for superimposing the additional information is not constant, sets, the superimposing intensity according to the target pixel in the superimposing intensity change region, and superimposes the additional information on image data using the set superimposing intensity.
US08300913B2
A radiation image processing apparatus includes a radiation source for irradiating the subject with the radiation, the subject being applied with a fixation material, a radiation source controller for controlling the radiation source in accordance with different image capturing conditions, a radiation converting panel for converting the radiation into one of the pieces of radiation image information, a processing condition memory for storing a plurality of processing conditions, each including the image capturing conditions that correspond to a type of the fixation material, a processing condition selector for selecting one of the processing conditions, the selected one of the processing conditions corresponding to the type of the fixation material, and an image processor for processing in accordance with the selected processing condition the plurality of pieces of radiation image information that are provided by the radiation converting panel under the different image capturing conditions, respectively.
US08300911B1
Methods and apparatus for measuring visceral fat mass 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 identifying a region of interest using the dual-energy image and determining a subcutaneous fat mass for each of a plurality of sections of the region of interest. The method also includes determining a visceral fat mass for the region of interest based on the determined subcutaneous fat mass for each of the plurality of sections.
US08300910B2
A method for the analysis of three dimensional scan data representing an articular cartilage is provided to extract a quantitative parameter indicative of joint pathology. A measure representative of cartilage homogeneity is derived from this three dimensional image data. The measured value is compared with similar measured values previously established in respect of healthy joints and/or joints characterised by a pathology.
US08300908B2
A device for the computer-assisted analysis of mammograms. Said device comprises means for detecting a contour line that surrounds an object area of the mammogram, which is defined by an object. The device also comprises a means for positioning and scaling the mammogram. The device is configured to determine the contour line of the object area of the mammogram and to automatically position and scale the mammogram based on the contour line. A method for the computer-assisted analysis of mammograms is also disclosed. The disclosed device and method make it easier for a doctor to comparatively analyze and diagnose mammograms.
US08300903B2
The imaging apparatus for recognizing an image of the present invention determines for recognition a user by imaging a recognition pattern of a palm or a finger. The imaging apparatus for recognizing an image comprising a palm guide unit for guiding an imaging area of a palm, a finger guide unit for guiding an imaging area of a finger, and an imaging unit for imaging biometric data of the imaging areas of the palm and finger.
US08300901B2
A similarity analyzing device includes: an image acquisition section which acquires picked-up images with which image pick-up dates and/or times are associated; and an image registration section which registers a face image showing a picked-up face and with which an image pick-up date and/or time is associated. The device further includes: a degree of similarity calculation section which detects a face in each of picked-up images acquired by the image acquisition section and calculates the degree of similarity between the detected face and the face in the face image registered in the image registration section; and a degree of similarity reduction section in which the larger the difference between the image pick-up date and/or time associated with the picked-up image and that associated with the face image is, the more the degree of similarity of the face calculated by the degree of similarity calculation section is reduced.
US08300900B2
The invention discloses a face recognition method that reconstructs a 3D face model from a single face image, synthesizes a set of face images under different conditions (such as pose, light . . . ) via the 3D face model, feeds the set of face images under different conditions to the face recognition classifier for training, and making intermediate decisions whether to-be identified individual from a series of video frames is a legal system user by the face recognition classifier. Moreover, the method not only recognizes legal system users, but also rejects imposters, a function inspired by the idea of LLE. Finally, better reliability can be achieved by fusing temporal intermediate decisions.
US08300891B2
A facial image recognition system for a driver of a vehicle includes an image capturing unit, an image processing unit, and a warning unit. The image capturing unit is used for capturing facial images of the driver. The image processing unit is electrically coupled to the image capturing unit, has installed therein a facial frame selecting and position correcting method and an identification comparison algorithm, and receives the facial images of the driver from the image capturing unit. The warning unit is electrically coupled to the image processing unit, and emits a warning signal when the image processing unit determines that an identification of the driver has changed.
US08300889B2
Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for detecting a target parking position by using two reference points, and a parking assist system using the same. The apparatus includes: a first unit for receiving an input image obtained by photographing a parking space and the two reference points in the input image; a second unit for detecting a target pattern of parking slot markings by using each of the two reference points; and a third unit for detecting the target parking position by using the detected target patterns.
US08300887B2
An object detection apparatus and method for accurately detecting a movable object in a region around a vehicle from a time series of images obtained through a camera mounted on the vehicle by eliminating the influence of the movement of the camera through simple processing, and a program for making a computer execute processing in the apparatus. The object detection apparatus has a feature point extraction unit which extracts a feature point contained in a feature region of each image in the time series of images obtained through a camera mounted on the vehicle, a correspondence degree computation unit which computes the degree of correspondence for each pair of the feature points, wherein one of the feature points in the each pair is each of one or more of the feature points extracted by the feature point extraction unit from one of two images taken by the camera at different times, and another of the feature points in the each pair is each of a plurality of the feature points extracted by the feature point extraction unit from another of the two images, and a detection unit which detects the movable object on the basis of the degree of correspondence computed by the correspondence degree computation unit.
US08300886B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for determining an object property of an object with the aid of images that have been recorded with the aid of a camera. Further, the invention relates to a method for determining a calibration parameter for a stereo camera. For determining the object property of an object, the object is defined in a first image recorded with the aid of the camera. Further, the brightness of a defined object is determined. Each time after a preset time interval, a further image is recorded with the aid of the camera. The object is defined in each of the further images and each time, the brightness of the defined object of each image is determined. Dependent on the brightness curve, an object property is assigned to the object.
US08300884B2
Content fingerprints and watermarks are combined in various ways for content identification applications. Fingerprints are used to identify content generally while watermarks provide more detailed localization of parts within the content, and vice versa. Fingerprint techniques are further used for signal synchronization and other pre-processing steps to assist in digital watermark decoding. A variety of fingerprint/watermark techniques identify characteristics of the channel of content from content samples.
US08300872B2
A system for adjusting a response of a loudspeaker system. The system includes a woofer installed in a housing. The woofer includes a woofer cone. A transmitter for transmitting an ultrasonic audio signal towards the woofer cone. A receiver for receiving the ultrasonic audio signal. A detection unit for determining the position of the woofer cone on the basis of a difference between the phase of the reflected ultrasonic audio signal with respect to the ultrasonic audio signal transmitted from the transmitter. A control unit for adjusting a spring constant of the membrane of the loudspeaker system on the basis of the determined position. A method for adjusting a response of a loudspeaker system, to a module to be used in the system. A computer program product including computer code for adjusting a response of the loudspeaker system.
US08300865B2
A method and system to optimize the relative position of an inductive field of a hearing aid compatible device and a telecoil of a hearing assistive device, are provided. A Steerable Hearing Aid Compatible Device (SHAD) has a steerable inductive field for locating an inductive field in accordance with the location of a telecoil in the hearing assistive device. A Telecoil Hearing Assistive Device (THAD) has a telecoil and telecoil orientation tag. The location of the telecoil of the THAD is determined with respect to a reference system and this telecoil location information is stored on the telecoil orientation tag as Telecoil Location Information (TLI) and provided to the SHAD. In an exemplary embodiment the telecoil orientation tag may be an RFID tag that is read by a tag reader of the SHAD. The SHAD receives the TLI and generates an inductive field in accordance with the TLI, such as a position that is parallel to the telecoil of the THAD.
US08300864B2
The invention relates to wireless communication between listening devices, in particular to a hearing aid system comprising a hearing instrument and a telephone apparatus. The invention further relates to a method of receiving a telephone call and to the use of a hearing aid system. The object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple, reliable scheme for receiving a telephone call in a hearing instrument. The problem is solved in that the telephone apparatus comprises a transmitter for establishing a short range digital, low-power link to a hearing instrument comprising a corresponding receiver. This has the advantage of providing a relatively simple and low power solution, where at least the incoming part of a telephone conversation is wirelessly transmitted via a low-power link. The invention may e.g. be used for the communication between a hearing instrument and a telephone, where a standard wireless interface for local connectivity, such as a Bluetooth interface, is not technically feasible or not available for other reasons.
