US08298277B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to devices for allowing a user to deploy a stent in an anatomical lumen of a patient. For example, one embodiment is directed to a device including a longitudinally extending inner tubular member and a longitudinally extending outer tubular member that are longitudinally and axially displaceable relative to one another. The outer tubular member includes at least one longitudinally extending channel formed between the exterior and interior diameter of the outer tubular member. In addition, the device includes a handle configured to displace the outer tubular member and inner tubular member relative to each other in response to user intervention and a stop configured to coaxially engage the handle to form a safety mechanism. Displaceability of the outer tubular member and inner tubular member relative to each other is limited by the safety mechanism to a predetermined threshold.
US08298274B2
A bottom-loading multi-axial bone anchor apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a receiver member, a crown member, a bone anchor and a retaining member. The receiver member defines an upper opening and a lower opening, which may form part of the same opening, a channel, and a groove. The crown member and bone anchor are loaded into the lower opening of the receiver member, and the retaining member fits around the bone anchor and into the groove in the receiver member. The bone anchor is capable of multi-axial positioning with respect to the receiver member. An elongated member is placed in the channel of the receiver member, contacting the crown member, and a compression member is applied via the upper opening. The compression member presses down on the elongated member, which presses down on the crown member and locks the bone anchor between the crown member and the retaining member.
US08298266B2
The present application relates to connectors for coupling together two surgical members of different materials while inhibiting galvanic corrosion. The connector may include a first coupling element composed of a material with a similar galvanic potential to one of the surgical members, and a second coupling element composed of a material with a similar galvanic potential to the second surgical member. Each of the first and second coupling elements may be configured to connect to the respective surgical member. The connector may also include a coupling medium disposed between the first and second coupling elements. The coupling medium may function to connect together the two coupling elements, and isolate the coupling elements to inhibit galvanic corrosion.
US08298258B2
The invention provides an embolic filter, a support structure therefor, and methods for preparing said filter for deployment and retrieval.
US08298255B2
A medical lancing device including a replaceable multi-lancet cartridge. The lancing device includes an advancing mechanism that advances lancets within the cartridge into an active position, separates a protective cap from the active lancet, and energize a drive mechanism of the lancing device. A cap displacement mechanism moves the separated cap out of the travel path of the active lancet. In a first example embodiment, the cap displacement mechanism includes a cantilevered spring arm that displaces the detached cap of the active lancet. In a second example embodiment, the cap displacement mechanism includes a spring-biased cam-driven plunger that displaces the detached cap of the active lancet. Then an activation mechanism releases the energized active lancet to traverse the unobstructed lancing stroke path to pierce the subject's skin at a desired lancing site.
US08298248B2
A medical ligating apparatus includes a medical ligating device having a member which is made of a flexible line and ligates living tissues, and a fixing member which is movably provided at the ligating member and fixes the living tissues in a ligated state, a manipulating device having a flexible sheath and a proximal manipulating section, and a cutting member for cutting the ligating member. The cutting member is provided on the manipulating device and is movably provided on the ligating member.
US08298236B2
Disclosed herein are various tools and devices for use in spinal surgery. In one embodiment, a spinal guide device is provided having a guide member with a positioning element that is adapted to engage a portion of a vertebra to position the guide member relative to the vertebra. The guide member can also include a retractor guide that is adapted to guide a retractor therethrough to retract tissue adjacent to the distal end of the guide member. Various tissue retractors, bone preparation tools, and spinal implants are also disclosed.
US08298206B2
An absorbent article includes a belt and an absorbent structure. The absorbent structure is fastened to the belt via an article fastening means having a form such that the article fastening means does not fold or bend upwards under the forces present when the diaper is assembled.
US08298203B2
A multi-presentational package for disposable diapers such that the package may be presented in a multi-package form or an individual-package form. One exemplary embodiment of the package may include a plurality of disposable diaper products, a plurality of stabilizers, and a wrapping layer. The multi-presentational package may be marketed as a single unit such that a substantial portion of said plurality of disposable diaper products is visible to the consumer and/or the plurality of disposable diaper products and plurality of stabilizers may be removed from said multi-presentation package and subsequently marketable as multiple units.
US08298200B2
A system for subatmospheric pressure therapy in connection with healing a wound is provided. The system includes a wound dressing cover dimensioned for positioning relative to a wound bed of a subject to establish a reservoir over the wound bed in which subatmospheric pressure may be maintained, a subatmospheric pressure mechanism including, a housing, a vacuum source disposed in the housing, and a collection canister in fluid communication with the vacuum source. The system further includes an exudate conduit in fluid communication with the wound dressing and the collection canister for collecting exudate removed from the reservoir and deposited in the collection canister under influence of the vacuum source and a vent conduit in fluid communication with the collection canister and the wound dressing for introducing air into the reservoir to facilitate flow of exudate through the exudate conduit.
US08298188B2
An apparatus may serve as a surgical portal for the reception of surgical instruments for use in laparoscopic or similar surgery. The apparatus may include inner and outer tubular elongate members adapted for a longitudinal translation relative to one another to effect a length adjustment of the apparatus. An interface between the two elongate members includes a helical thread providing a mechanism for the translation of the elongate members, and indentations in one of the members provides a locking mechanism for affixing the length.
US08298187B2
A medical device is provided. The device includes a cannula with a lumen and a plurality of apertures and a visually perceptible indicator that is configured to allow the cannula to be positioned at an appropriate rotational position within the patient. A plurality of injection needles are disposed within the lumen and a first handle is fixed with respect to the cannula and a second handle is disposed in conjunction with the first handle and fixed to the proximal portion of each of the plurality of needles, the first handle is translatable with respect to the second handle to translate the plurality of needles from a first position where the distal portions of each of the plurality of needles are disposed within the lumen of the cannula, and a second position where the distal portion of each of the plurality of needles extends out of the lumen through their respective aperture.
US08298180B2
A needle guard is disclosed. The needle guard includes a binding plate defining a multi-slot aperture adapted to receive a needle cannula therethrough. The needle guard also includes a biasing member for biasing the needle cannula within the multi-slot aperture, and a sensing arm connected to the binding plate. The sensing arm is adapted to contact a portion of the needle cannula, and is positionable for restricting movement of the needle cannula. The multi-slot aperture may include a first region having a first dimension, a second region having a second dimension, and optionally, a third region having a third dimension with the third dimension being smaller than the second dimension and the second dimension being smaller than the first dimension.
US08298179B2
A catheter assembly comprises at least one catheter shaft and a balloon. The catheter shaft comprises a substantially cylindrical portion and at least one tapered portion. The tapered portion forms an angle with the cylindrical portion of about 1 degree to about 25 degrees. At least one of the waists of the balloon is sealingly engaged to the tapered portion.
US08298173B2
A method of producing a particle cassette for a needleless syringe device which alleviates problems of providing a chamber for the confinement of particles which is hermetically sealed from the environment. A predetermined force is applied in the longitudinal direction to push first and second cassette parts together so as to cause plastic deformation of a portion of the first cassette part so as to create said hermetically sealed chamber. The cassette parts are preferably made of PETG and have bonded thereto rupturable membranes preferably made of PET. The sealing is preferably achieved at the end of a protrusion on the first cassette part which is tapered and which interacts with the membrane of the second cassette part.
US08298167B2
An apparatus for carrying out selected fluid management and/or renal replacement patient therapy is characterized by an interactive operator control system having operator inputs for selectively changing a panel kit, replacing a filter cartridge, and/or changing to a different patient therapy during a currently running patient therapy, and providing operator instructions for carrying out tasks for completing same. In one embodiment, the interactive operator control system is also characterized by automatically serially identifying different setup steps to be carried out during system setup, displaying the successive steps substantially throughout the system setup as well as displaying on the operator interface screen sequential tasks to be carried out for each of the different setup steps.
US08298161B2
The present invention is directed to a novel shape-transferring cannula system, which provides access to tortuous and unsupported paths. The shape-transferring cannula system and method enables exploration of hollow body structures, and creates a custom-contoured access port for insertion and removal of, for example, diagnostic, surgical, or interventional instruments to and from a site within the body to which the physician does not have line-of-sight access.
US08298157B2
An introducer cannula configured for receiving a medical instrument includes a cannula tube having a side wall surrounding a central lumen, a proximal end, and a distal end. An elongate tissue anchor is positioned in the central lumen of the cannula tube. The elongate tissue anchor has a mounting end and an anchoring free end. The elongate tissue anchor is movable in the central lumen such that the anchoring free end is movable between a retracted position and a deployed position. An actuator is coupled to the proximal end of the cannula tube. The actuator is coupled to the mounting end of the elongate tissue anchor. The actuator is operatively configured to selectively position the anchoring free end of the elongate tissue anchor in one of the retracted position and the deployed position.
US08298145B2
Uterine fibroids and other tissue masses are treated using an electrode or other treatment element introduced into a potential or peri-capsular space surrounding the fibroid under ultrasonic imaging. A therapy is delivered into the potential space by the treatment element in order to reduce or eliminate blood supply to the fibroid or other tissue mass.
US08298143B2
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a transmitting section that generates a drive signal to drive a probe in order to transmit an ultrasonic wave toward a subject to be deformed periodically under stress. A receiving section receives an echo, produced when the ultrasonic wave is reflected from the subject, at the probe to generate a received echo signal. A computing section determines a thickness change waveform, representing a variation in distance between two arbitrary measuring points on the subject, based on the received echo signal. A reference waveform generating section outputs a reference waveform. The apparatus obtains a subject's internal information by comparing the thickness change waveform and the reference waveform to each other.
US08298141B2
A method for measuring physiological parameters uses statistical properties, spectrum analysis and feedback mechanisms to remove the signal noise generated by human body movement from a detected physiological signal.
US08298136B2
An in-vivo examination system includes a body-insertable apparatus that moves in a subject; and an external device that acquires information about an inside of the subject. The external device includes a location acquiring unit that acquires a plurality of first locations of the body-insertable apparatus in the subject; a trajectory generating unit that generates a first movement trajectory of the body-insertable apparatus in the subject, based on the plurality of first locations; a trajectory storage unit that stores a second movement trajectory; and a scale adjusting unit that adjusts the first movement trajectory to the second movement trajectory.
US08298133B2
A gastric band has a balloon shaped and dimensioned to circumscribe the stomach at a predetermined location and a belt extending about the balloon. Further, a linking layer is positioned between the balloon and the belt, wherein the linking layer is harder than either the balloon or the belt. Additionally, the belt includes a first latching member at a first end of the gastric band and second latching member at a second end of the gastric band, the first latching member and the second latching member being shaped and dimensioned for selective engagement to secure the gastric band about a stomach of a patient, wherein the first latching member and second latching member are composed of different materials.
US08298128B2
A centrifuge includes a rotator comprising a receiving unit receiving materials and guiding the materials to move upward by centrifugal force to an upper portion of the receiving unit, and a rotator cover covering the upper portion of the receiving unit. The centrifuge also includes a container that is coupled to the rotator cover to be connected to the receiving unit and that receives the materials moved upward along the receiving unit. The centrifuge and a centrifuging method as disclosed herein are used for separating a fluid to which a large centrifugal force is applied and a fluid to which a smaller centrifugal force is applied by adjusting the rotation speed using the principle that centrifugal force during rotation varies according to specific components of a fluid. Thus, using the centrifuge and the centrifugal method, materials can be centrifuged and layers of the materials can be classified and collected accurately and easily.
US08298117B2
A method for operating a hybrid drive system, in particular of a motor vehicle, having at least one electric machine and one internal combustion engine, a disconnecting clutch being provided between the electric machine and the internal combustion engine and a torque converter having a turbine wheel being provided between the electric machine and a hybrid drive output, the disconnecting clutch being engaged for starting the internal combustion engine. It is provided that, as a function of the rotational speed of the turbine wheel of the torque converter, a rotational speed is predefined for the electric machine such that no sudden torque change occurs at the hybrid drive output when the internal combustion engine is started.
US08298106B2
An infinitely variable hydromechanical crossdrive steering transmission having a multiple of forward and reverse ratio ranges and a separately selectable low ratio range in both forward and reverse. The forward and reverse ratio ranges are enabled to shift between ratio ranges in a synchronous manner in both speed and torque, thus smoothly propelling the vehicle from rest through the multiple transmission ranges to maximum speed in a stepless manner.
US08298104B2
In a timing chain drive, a hybrid driving sprocket, having roller-engaging teeth and side sprocket teeth, cooperates with a hybrid chain having rollers that mesh with the roller-engaging teeth and toothed link plates that mesh with the side sprocket teeth. A driven sprocket from which the chain travels toward the driving sprocket has a cyclically varying tooth pitch that compensates for tension variations due to cyclic variations in the rotational speed of the driving sprocket or to cyclic variations in the load applied to the driven sprocket. The driven sprocket can be a roller sprocket or a hybrid sprocket having roller-engaging teeth and side sprocket teeth for engagement with the teeth on the link plates of the chain.
US08298086B2
A mechanism is provided in a networked multiplayer game for use by playable characters. When operated by a player's character, this mechanism causes the game to send a request for contact to an external contact center. The contact request is queued and allocated to an agent, optionally with the assistance of information provided by the game. When a contact center agent answers the contact request, a communications channel is opened from the agent directly into the game where the game system directs the communication to the local environment of the player's character enabling the player to communicate with the agent of a contact center without leaving the game environment. The agent or contact center may additionally have a representation in the game so that the player can interact with the agent or contact center. The agent representation may be a character in the game controlled by an agent who is logged into the game, or by the contact center manipulating a game client or API, or by the game engine itself. A representation of the contact center may be a telephone graphic, portal, door, sign, lever, button or any other manipulable game object, and optionally a multimedia representation of the contact queuing system. Payments can be made to or from the player using in-game currency which is credited or debited to an account held by the contact center.
US08298085B2
A method of dynamically linking abstracted hardware devices, which are used in association with gaining machines, to gaming software is disclosed. The game machine has a central processing unit (“CPU”), a resource manager, driver pools, and a communication link that connect a plurality of intelligent Input/Output controller boards (“IOCB”) to hardware devices interfaced to the game. The resource manager's functional blocks are: a resource manager control task, a plurality of Input/Output (“I/O”) communication drivers to connect to the IOCBs, a low level and high level driver manager, a low level and high level driver pool, and a plurality of resource repositories that interface to the gaming software. The resource manager starts an I/O communication driver to scan for the primary IOCB on the I/O memory bus, Universal Serial Bus, or Firewire. Once the primary IOCB is found, the resource control task will load more I/O communication drivers for any secondary IOCBs. The resource control task starts the driver managers, and requests the IOCB(s) to send the list of attached hardware. The driver managers load the drivers required for the type and version of hardware attached to the game. The gaming software interfaces to the hardware through the high level drivers loaded in the resource repositories. The high level drivers can be software or hardware drivers. Software drivers can simulate hardware, connect to other parts of the gaming software, or combine functions by calling other software and hardware drivers. New drivers can be added easily, allowing gaming software to use new hardware with little or no changes.
US08298083B2
In a game, a user competes for accuracy of user's operation of a controller depending on whether a user can swing a controller at a target point in time. In a game device (401), for accurately determining the accuracy of user's operation, a measurement unit (402) measures acceleration of the controller, an extraction unit (403) extracts a time point at which a first threshold is reached by an increasing acceleration and a time point at which the first threshold is reached by a decreasing acceleration, wherein the increasing and decreasing accelerations are measured by the measurement unit, and a determination unit (404) selects, from the time points extracted, a time point closest to the target point in time, and determines the accuracy of the user operation based on the difference between the target point in time and the time point selected.
US08298078B2
A computerized wagering game system includes a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable when executed on to conduct a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and a biofeedback module operable to track at least one biometric characteristic of a game player. The wagering game is further operable to alter presentation of the wagering game based on changes in the at least one biometric characteristic. A mood enhancement module is operable to provide energy to a wagering game player at a frequency designed to provide a mood enhancing effect.
US08298075B2
A method, system, and computer readable storage medium to provide a variation of a casino poker game that combines games of blackjack and poker into a single game. An optional card is available for use by the player in both the blackjack game and the poker game, but in order to use the optional card the player must make an additional wager.
US08298070B2
A gaming machine is arranged as follows: on condition that a game medium is betted, plural symbols including a specific symbol are rearranged based on a symbol randomly selected from the plural symbols; a base game in which a game medium with an amount determined in accordance with the rearranged symbols is run; if in the base game the specific symbol is rearranged with a first predetermined condition, a special game in which a free game is repeated plural times, in the free game a special status in which the specific symbol is added to the plural symbols being established and a game medium with an amount determined in accordance with the rearranged symbols; and another free game is added and made runnable if in the special game the specific symbol is rearranged with a second predetermined condition.
US08298069B2
An electromechanical wager-based gaming machine includes a plurality of reels that are aligned as they are spun so that the reels can be rapidly stopped in response to a player's input. One reel is selected as a reference reel and other reels are brought into alignment using feedback from reel position sensors.
US08298066B2
The claimed embodiments contemplate methods, systems and apparatuses directed to gaming machines that include a community spin mechanism that, when activated, causes reel displays, at two or more player stations, to spin. Certain embodiments provide for one or more community reels that are utilized to determine an outcome of a community gaming session. The community reels are “community” in that they are formed by combining reels of individual play stations in order to increase the odds, and payouts, of potential wins via various line combinations of the combined set of reels, once they stop spinning. Re-stated, by way of non-limiting example, each play station has its own set of reels and when community play is started, one or more community reels are spun along with each player's set of reels. Any potential winning combinations are then based on resulting combinations of the individual play station reels in combination with the community reels. In one embodiment, one or more dedicated reels are specifically reserved as community reels that may be used in various combinations with a player's reels and other player reels to determine potential awards. The addition of community play, via community reels, advantageously adds to the excitement and enjoyment.
US08298059B2
The present invention provides a method, system, and program product for creating a custom tutorial comprising the controller inputs associated with the controller manipulations that cause an action observed by a player during game play. Controller inputs are saved during game play. In response to a first player performing an action to create a tutorial, controller inputs from a tagged player are captured. A custom tutorial is created for performing game actions performed by the tagged player's avatar comprising the captured controller inputs. The tutorial is sent to a memory device accessible by the first player.
US08298052B2
A device for sorting disks or disk-like members of different identities (e.g., roulette chips) that ejects the disks from a receptacle by means of a rotating wheel with numerous wells, such as multi-chip storage compartments. Ejection of an article from the numerous wells is achieved by an ejector lever making contact with an activated solenoid thus forcing the article at the bottom of the well, in conjunction with the momentum of the rotating wheel, into a receiving space. The disks in the receiving spaces are continually replaced by newly arriving disks, which force the previously positioned disks upward into a column.
US08298050B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for filleting beheaded and gutted fish, comprising a cutting unit for filleting the fish, wherein the cutting unit has at least one pair of circular blades, an endlessly rotating transport conveyor having at least one saddle-shaped supporting body for receiving the fish and conveying them through the cutting unit tail first, wherein each supporting body has a supporting edge for making a form-locking connection with the center bone of the fish to be processed, and a device for centering the center bone in relation to the supporting body, which is distinguished in that a means for lifting the center bone of the fish off the supporting edge of the supporting body is provided, which is arranged in the region of the device for centering the center bone. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding method.
US08298048B2
CMP pad dressers with superabrasive particles oriented into an attitude that controls CMP pad performance, and methods associated therewith are disclosed and described. The controlled CMP pad performance may be selected to optimize CMP pad dressing rate and dresser wear.
US08298047B2
A retainer is used with an apparatus for polishing a substrate. The substrate has upper and lower surfaces and a lateral, substantially circular, perimeter. The apparatus has a polishing pad with an upper polishing surface for contacting and polishing the lower face of the substrate. The retainer has an inward facing retaining face for engaging and retaining the substrate against lateral movement during polishing of the substrate. The retaining face engages a substrate perimeter at more than substantially a single discrete circumferential location along the perimeter.
US08298042B2
A sawing device for sawing silicon blocks comprises at least one cutting element for sawing silicon blocks, the cutting element being drivable by means of a drive device, at least one guide device, with the at least one cutting element being alignable along a predetermined path by means of the at least one guide device, and at least one monitoring device for monitoring the position of the at least one cutting element.
US08298039B2
A two-wheel toy car includes a car body, a chassis for supporting the car body, a wheel assembly, and two balancing assemblies fixed to the chassis. The chassis includes an inner surface facing the car body and symmetrically defines two through holes. The wheel assembly includes two wheels symmetrically positioned on the chassis and two driving members corresponding to the wheels, respectively. The balancing assemblies correspond to the through holes, respectively. Each balancing assembly includes a guiding member fixed to the inner surface corresponding to the through hole, a contacting member extending from the through hole, and at least one elastic member positioned between the guiding member and the contacting member. The contacting member faces the guiding member and is slidably connected to the guiding member. One end of the elastic member abuts against the guiding member, and the other end of the elastic member abuts against the contacting member.
US08298033B2
A display panel assembly includes a first substrate having an effective display region for displaying an image and a non-effective display region positioned at a peripheral region outside of the effective display region, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a sealing member disposed along a boundary between the effective display region and the non-effective display region between the first and second substrates, the sealing member including a thermosetting material, and an exothermic member interposed between the sealing member and the first substrate to generate heat for curing the sealing member.
US08298016B2
A connector to be disposed within a housing of an electronic device includes a main body and a conduction member. The conduction member includes a connecting portion and a resilient portion. The resilient portion is formed on the connecting portion and configured to abut against the housing. An EMI shield being formed on the housing, which includes at least one spring arm in the lengthwise direction and at least one spring arm in the crosswise direction on the EMI shield are sited to fixate the connection between the connector and the electronic device.
US08298014B2
An eSATA connector includes a connector plug and a mated connector receptacle. The connector plug includes a plug member, a plug metal housing, plug data terminals and a terminal holding part, in which the plug data terminals are held, and further includes plug power terminals held in the terminal holding part, wherein the plug power terminals and the data terminals each other electrically insulated.
US08298009B2
The cable assembly may include a plug connector, a cable, and a connector. The plug connector may include a housing and a board assembly. The board assembly may include a printed circuit board. The edge of the printed circuit board may be enclosed with a material. The material may be an overmolded plastic or a coating of a material. In order to reduce the crosstalk in the areas where the cable shield is removed, a shielding assembly may be used. The shielding assembly may provide 360 degrees of shielding for the wire pair at the location where the cable shield is removed. The printed circuit board may have a trace layer, a core layer, and a ground plane layer. The ground plane layer may have a portion which is a solid layer and another portion which is a non-solid layer.
US08298002B2
A pair manager for use in securing a twin-axial cable to a printed circuit board is described. The pair manager comprises a generally block-shaped portion containing a pair of channels. The channels extend from the front face to the rear face of the block-shaped portion. An integral flange and a pair of integral fingers extend perpendicularly from the front face of the block-shaped portion. The flange extends generally from the center of the front face and the fingers extend from opposite edges of the front face. The fingers and flange function as a partial shield cavity around each pair of conductors. This design helps to maintain better impedance matching when connecting twin-axial cables to a printed circuit board.
US08298001B2
For connecting a board member inserted in a board insertion direction, a board connector includes a contact with a first and a second beam portion, a housing holding the contact, and an actuator integral with the first beam portion. The first and the second beam portions include a first and a second clamping portion, respectively, for clamping therebetween the board member. The actuator includes an effort point portion formed forward with respect to the first clamping portion in the board insertion direction. When an operator inserts the board member into the board connector, the board member pushes and moves the effort point portion.
US08297997B2
A connector (10, 30, 40) is provided for coupling an electronic circuit (11) of an electronic device to sensor and/or actuation elements (12) of the electronic device. The connector (10, 30, 40) comprises at least one connection surface (21) with i connection points (13), the i connection points (13) comprise j primary connection points (13) for coupling the electronic circuit (11) to j corresponding ones of the elements (12), and k redundant connection points (13) for redundantly coupling the electronic circuit (11) to at least one of the elements (12). The primary and the redundant connection points (13) for the at least one of the elements (12) are distributed over the connection surface (21).
US08297996B2
A safety socket includes a first conductive clamp seat and a second conductive clamp seat in alignment with a first insertion hole and a second insertion hole. In normal state, the first and second conductive clamp seats are spaced from a first power terminal and a second power terminal in an open state. When a plug is plugged into the safety socket, the prongs of the plug outward bias spring limbs of the first and second conductive clamp seats into contact with the corresponding first and second power terminals respectively. Only under such circumstance, the first and second conductive clamp seats electrically contact the first and second power terminals to close the circuit and provide power for an electric appliance. If a child inserts a conductive article into the first or second insertion hole, the danger of electrical shock can be avoided to ensure safety in use of electricity.
US08297994B2
A multi-functional polarity-correcting plugging-coupling switching device includes a rotary component, which is rotatable and has at least one inspection element that is electrically connected to a touch control resistor and a live connection of a power plug. With a user using a hand to touch the touch control resistor, a closed circuit is formed with the human body for identifying correct position of polarization of the power plug. Further, through rotation of the rotary component, correct polarization and voltage level can be selected. Further, a resistive indicator is provided for indicating correct connection of earth line.
US08297993B2
The present application relates to a connector arrangement, including a first connector housing and a complementary second connector housing and a mate assist device. The mate assist device includes an actuating arm movably mountable to the first connector housing, wherein the actuating arm includes at least one cam slot and the second connector housing includes at least one corresponding cam peg to engage the cam slot, such that upon actuating of the mate assist device the cam slot can draw the cam peg towards the first connector housing to move the second connector housing towards the first connector housing. The actuating arm is provided with at least one blocking wing, which arranged movable with respect to the actuating arm and prevents from actuating the mate assist device, when the second connector housing is not at least partially mated with the first connector housing.
US08297987B2
An extended universal serial bus (USB) storage device is described herein. According to one embodiment, an extended USB storage device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a flash memory device and a flash controller mounted thereon, and an extended USB connector plug coupled to the PCBA for providing a USB compatible interface between an external device and the flash memory device and the flash controller, wherein the extended USB connector plug includes a first end used to couple to the external device and a second end coupled to the flash memory device and the flash controller. The extended USB connector plug includes multiple communication interfaces. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US08297985B1
In various embodiments, a coaxial radio frequency (RF) connector has a circuit board surface mount signal pin that forms no sharp angles (and especially no sharp right angles) as it leads down from an axis of the connector to the level of a printed circuit board 44 to which the signal pin 18 is to be surface mounted. The signal pin is flat and has a first section, a second section and a third section. The first section extends axially from the first end of the signal pin housing. The second section is a transition from the first section to the third section and has a filleted interior corner and a corresponding rounded exterior corner providing a gradual transition between a direction in which the first section extends to a different direction in which the third section extends. The third section then forms a downward curve around an axis that is substantially parallel to an axis of the first section.
US08297984B2
An aspect of the present invention relates to an online test platform adapted to facilitate the development, delivery, and management of educational tests with interactive participation by students, teachers, proctors, and administrators even when some or all of them are remotely located. The platform may include administrator interfaces, test proctor interfaces, and test taker (e.g. student) interfaces to allow each participant to view, navigate, and interact with aspects of the online test platform that are intended to meet their needs.
US08297983B2
An ultrasound training system having a data capture module, a digital asset management module, a validation module, didactic content, a media asset production module, an integration layer, an internet-based portal, a software client, and a peripheral probe. The combination of the disclosed elements creates a system that enables the creation and delivery of high-quality ultrasound education and training in a low-cost, widely deployable, and scalable manner, with a facilitated method for processing orders and financial transactions between customers and content providers.
US08297974B1
A dental implant having two distinct regions, a coronal region and a bone fixation region. The coronal region has a smooth transgingival section and an interface for connecting to a dental component. The bone fixation region has an elongated cylindrical shape and is formed as a porous structure that extends completely through the bone fixation region.
US08297953B2
A mini pump has a head including a connective end, a nozzle and an air channel communicating the connective end with the nozzle. A cylinder assembly is removably engaged with the connective end of the head. A tube is selectively received in the cylinder assembly and has an end connected to the connective end. The head is locked to the cylinder assembly and the tube is concealed in the cylinder assembly when the head is in a first position. The head is disengaged from the cylinder assembly and the tube extends out of the cylinder assembly when the head is in a second position.
US08297951B2
A fan (20) has: a motor having a stator (40) and having a rotor (60) with at least one fan blade; at least one air inlet having an air entrance opening (102) for the inlet of air; at least one air outlet having an air exit opening (32) for the outlet of air; a circuit board (80) having at least one recess, which circuit board (80) is arranged in the region of the air inlet in such a way that air can enter the fan (20) through the recess, motor electronics (88) being arranged on the circuit board (80). In a preferred embodiment, a Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) resistor (84) is surface-mounted on a PC board portion (83) extending into the air passage, to thereby sense air temperature. This facilitates compact, automated construction.
US08297946B2
An oil sealing structure of a motor includes a cover and at least one sealing element. The motor has a shaft, a fluid bearing and a bushing. The fluid bearing mounts to the shaft and is accommodated in the bushing. The cover is disposed around the shaft and is connected with an opening of the bushing. The sealing element is disposed around the shaft and between the fluid bearing and the cover. A fan and a motor including the above-mentioned oil sealing structure are also disclosed.
US08297945B2
In an axial fan (1), equipped with a frame (13), a motor (2) and an impeller (3) whose hub (15) is rotationally driven by the motor (2) and where the hub (15) is cup-shaped, with an end wall (16) and an annular side wall (17) to partially contain the motor (2), the motor (2) protrudes from the hub (15) with its longitudinal end (23) which is supported and laterally surrounded by a crown (12) of the frame (13) and the crown (12) has an annular end strip (21) facing the hub (15) and laterally surrounding an annular end strip (22) of the hub (15) which faces the crown (12).
US08297942B2
A controllable coolant pump for internal combustion engines is driven by a belt pulley. The controllable coolant pump has a hydraulically actuated gate valve connected to a ring piston. An axial piston pump is disposed in the pump housing and is driven and “operated” by means of a swashplate having a suction groove and disposed on the back side of the flywheel. The “pumped volume flow” of the pump is controlled in a defined manner by means of a solenoid valve such that precise displacement of the hydraulically actuated gate valve is ensured.
US08297940B2
A downhole pumping assembly has a tubing string with plural barrels which are arranged in-line with the tubing. The tubing string has a seating location adjacent to each barrel. A standing valve arrangement, which includes a standing valve and a seating device, is located with the standing valve adjacent to the lower end of one of the barrels. A plunger has a traveling valve that is located for reciprocation within the one barrel. The plunger has a clearance with each of the barrels so as to form a fluid seal. The plunger reciprocates inside the barrel so as to lift fluid to the surface. Over time, the barrel will exhibit wear. Instead of pulling the entire tubing string to replace the barrel, the standing valve and the plunger are relocated to one of the other barrels located in the tubing string and reciprocation is resumed to resume pumping.
US08297937B2
An apparatus, system and method for more accurately monitoring and determining pump failure. The apparatus and system include at least a power circuit, a current sensing circuit, alarm circuit and a controller. The controller is connectable to and receives an input from the current sensing circuit. The controller is configured to calculate a baseline operating current, current thresholds and operating conditions affecting the operation of the pump. The alarm circuit is connectable to and receives outputs from the controller, and provides alarm indications corresponding to operating conditions determined by the controller.
US08297935B2
Turbine blades and methods of forming modified turbine blades and turbine rotors for use in an engine are provided. In an embodiment, by way of example only, a turbine blade includes a platform and an airfoil. The platform includes a surface configured to define a portion of a flowpath, and the surface includes an initial contour configured to plastically deform into an intended final contour after an initial exposure of the blade to an operation of the engine. The airfoil extends from the platform.
US08297928B2
A blade (10) extending longitudinally from a root (11) of the blade (10) to a free end (12) of the blade (10), the blade (10) having a resonator (13) incorporated therein to reduce the drag movements (F1, F2) of the blade (10), the resonator (13) being provided with a solid and movable heavy element (30) and with resilient retaining element (20) secured to the heavy element (30) and to the blade (10). Furthermore, the resonator (13) includes guide element (40) in which the heavy element (30) is capable of oscillating (F1′, F2′) longitudinally, the guide element (40) being arranged in a longitudinal direction (D1) of the blade.
US08297915B2
Disclosed herein are a turbo-machinery blade breakage monitoring unit and a turbo-apparatus having the same. The blade breakage monitoring unit includes a pressure sensor disposed near a rotor having a plurality of blades to be rotated at a predetermined speed, the pressure sensor functioning to measure total pressures of the respective blades. The blade breakage monitoring unit further includes a controller electrically connected to the pressure sensor and functioning to judge whether or not each measured total pressure value, transmitted from the pressure sensor, is within a preset criterion total pressure range. With the use of the blade breakage monitoring unit, total pressures of the respective blades are monitored in real time at a position downstream of the blades when the blades are rotated at a high speed within the turbo-apparatus, such as a turbine, compressor and fan, enabling real-time monitoring of breakage of the blades.
US08297913B2
A fuel pump has a casing and an impeller. The impeller is substantially disk shaped having an upper surface and a lower surface The impeller is rotatable within the casing around a rotational axis. A plurality of impeller depressions is formed in at least the lower surface of the impeller. The plurality of impeller depressions is located on at least one of the inside and the outside of a group of concavities. The plurality of impeller depressions is arranged on a circle around the rotational axis of the impeller. Each of the impeller depressions has its deepest portion in a rear half thereof with respect to the rotational direction of the impeller.
US08297909B2
A wind turbine that is mounted on a corner of a building and has a shaft that extends upward and outward from the corner, where the turbine blades are located, and the resulting rotation of the shaft is used for some power consumption purpose in our outside the building.
US08297903B2
A nut for screw connections has two substantially identically sized nut segments of a half-shell shape, wherein the nut segments each have an inner side provided with an inner thread segment defining together an inner thread. The nut segments are connected to each other so as to be moveable toward each other until the nut segments reach a closed position. The nut segments are maintained in the closed position by springs or a locking device. An actuating device is moveably arranged on at least one of the two nut segments for releasing the closed position, wherein the actuating device is adapted to manually actuated.
US08297900B2
A composite member 12, which is formed by integrating an OCV housing 14 and a cylinder head cover 13, is fixed to a cam cap 15 by a bolt 20. The bolt 20 is passed through a bolt insertion hole 16 of the composite member 12 and fastened to the cam cap 15. A step portion 20d is formed in a shank 20c between a head 20a and a threaded rod 20b of the bolt 20. A circumferential groove 21 is formed in the shank 20c between the step portion 20d and the head 20a of the bolt 20. The circumferential groove 21 extends along the outer circumferential surface of the shank 20c. An annular sealing member 22 is fitted in the groove 21. The threaded rod 20b of the bolt 20 is then screwed into the internal thread 19 of the cam cap 15, which is a coupled member. At this time, the step portion 20d of the bolt 20 contacts a contacting portion 16c in the bolt insertion hole 16 of the OCV housing 14. Also, the sealing member 22 contacts the inner circumferential surface of the bolt insertion hole 16 of the cylinder head cover 13.
US08297895B2
The invention relates to an air cargo net; that is to a net that is applied to restrain cargo that has been placed on a pallet and to prevent shifting of the cargo in an aircraft during transport, which net comprises a plurality of ropes made from polymer fibers, which ropes are joined at intervals to form meshes, the net having a central part and a plurality of lobes projecting there from, the peripheral meshes of each lobe being formed by a border rope, each border rope having a plurality of attachment fittings that are connected to the border rope by replaceable connecting ropes. The invention also relates to a method of connecting an attachment fitting to a rope of an air cargo net with an auxiliary connecting rope.
US08297891B2
The invention relates to a drill-and-hole detector tool consisting of at least two plates (1a and 1b) having the first plate (1a) at least three passing holes (2b) at one end, and a chimney (3) used as a drilling guide at the other end and having the second plate (1b) at least three pins (2a) at one end and a positioning rivet or stub (4) at the other end, in such a way that when the two plates (1a and 1b) are superimposed, the three passing holes (2b) of the first plate (1a) coincide with the three pins (2a) of the second plate (1b), and the chimney (3) of the first plate (1a) coincides with the positioning rivet or stub (4) of the second plate (1b).
US08297888B2
A hydraulic prop 1 is provided for use in underground mining and tunnel construction and is to be used above all in the shield support. In this shield support or in the hydraulic prop 1, the exterior pipe 15 having the foot connection part 16 and the handle 17 and the interior pipe 19 having the head plate 20 are effectively connected together via spring steel wire ties 35 which are disposed or are to be disposed in corresponding connecting grooves 36, 37, 38 or 39, 40 41 such that in the transition region 42 sufficiently high forces can be transferred so as to ensure a connection between the components which is effective and remains effective. A setting pressure of 600 t can be realized at about 700 bar with the corresponding equipment. The connecting technique permits the use of high-strength thinner-walled pipes.
US08297887B2
A block having a top surface, a bottom surface opposing the top surface, a front surface, a rear surface opposing the front surface, the front and rear surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces, a first side surface, a second side surface opposing the first side surface, the first and second side surfaces extending between the front and rear surfaces, and a set of at least three leveling pads extending from the rear surface.
US08297880B2
A method for treating wastewater in a leaching field comprises forming and burying in soil a continuous curve arch shape cross section injection molded thermoplastic leaching chamber. The chamber has inwardly curving sidewalls perforated with closely spaced horizontal slots and peak corrugations which are closely spaced apart on about 8 inch center-to-center distance or less. The chamber configuration in combination with certain plastic material properties and thickness provide strength sufficient to meet regulatory requirements when the soil above the buried chamber is subjected to load.
US08297878B2
A curb forming machine for use by a single operator to form curved curbing includes a single rotatable curb-forming roller, a handle assembly for pulling and maneuvering the roller, and a motor for rotating the roller. The roller includes a generally cylindrical body, a neck at one end of the body, and a shaping surface, all of which are coaxial. The motor rotates the roller so that the lower periphery of the roller moves toward the direction of pulling to shape and smooth wet concrete into curbing. An overflow guard prevents wet concrete from flowing over the roller onto the finished curb, and an alignment device extends outwardly from the roller to contact a form member. A curb forming method includes pulling and steering such a roller around a curved form, including around tight curves in the form.
US08297874B2
A traffic bearing structure with a permeable pavement includes a subgrade, a base positioned on top of the subgrade, and a wear surface positioned on top of the base. The base includes aggregate compacted in a single lift, where the aggregate in the base includes different sized particles mixed together. The wear surface includes a permeable pavement. The particle size distribution of the aggregate in the base is selected to provide adequate stability and permeability for the permeable pavement.
US08297872B2
A fastening device includes a lower engaging hook adapted to be provided on a first article and including a push portion, and at least one first hook portion spaced apart from and disposed below the push portion. Fixing plates are adapted to be provided on a second article disposed above the first article. At least one upper engaging hook is connected pivotally to and disposed between the fixing plates, and includes first and second arms formed as an inverted L-shaped configuration. The first arm extends downwardly from the second arm, and has a second hook portion to engage detachably the first hook portion. The second arm is engageable with the push portion. The upper engaging hook is pivotal to move the second hook portion to engage and move away from the first hook portion when the push portion engages and disengages from the second arm, respectively.
US08297861B2
An electronic device and a keypad structure thereof are disclosed. The keypad structure includes a first key group, a second key group and a third key group. The second key group is disposed on the left side of the first key group, and the third key group is disposed on the right side of the first key group. Each key area of the second key group is smaller than that of the first key group, and each key area of the third key group is also smaller than that of the first key group.
US08297857B2
An adjustable locking camera support assembly is provided. The assembly includes a camera support assembly and a ground engaging assembly. The camera support assembly includes a first support in telescopic communication with a second support, a camera mount pivotally connected to the first support, and a support plate connected to the second support, the support plate includes a first aperture forming a passage to a hollow portion of the second support, and a second aperture. The ground engaging assembly includes a retention plate having a first side opposing a second side, an orifice carried by the retention plate, a first member connected to the first side of the retention plate, the first member being removably received by the first aperture and hollow portion of the second support of the camera support assembly, and a second member connected to the second side of the retention plate, the second member carrying an auger. An anchor member is removably received by the retention plate orifice and adapted to removably engage a passage carried by the first member. A locking mount is carried by the retention plate, the locking mount being removably received by the second aperture of the support plate of the camera support assembly.
US08297855B2
An optical connector 1 is for connecting a connection object 10 to an optical module 21. A slider 3 is slidably held by a housing 2 adapted for positioning the connection object and the optical module. The housing has a first positioning portion for receiving the connection object. The slider has a first pressing portion 3a for elastically pressing the connection object in a first direction toward the first positioning portion and a second pressing portion 3e that elastically acts in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
US08297843B2
A ball retainer chain includes a flat belt with axially arranged holes defined thereon. A separating portion is disposed between every two holes; upper/lower spacers combine with the separating portion. The surface between the separating portion and the adjacent hole is formed by a smooth surface. Partial spacer is formed by a spherical surface that smoothly connected to the hole surface. The spherical surfaces interlacedly arranged at a right side a left side include an opening with a vertical direction and a lateral directions corresponding to the flat belt, so that a mold pair reliant on a slantwise opening and closing manner would complete an injection molding. A smooth cylindrical form at two ends of the flat belt connects to an indentation at an inner or a mold surface of the flat belt. Thereby, while applying the belt to a linear guide apparatus, the cylindrical form could adjustably bend inward or outward for achieving a fluent traveling.
US08297842B2
An air guide includes a slide member and a guide track. The guide track defines a guide hole slidably receiving the slide member. The guide track defines an air intake in an outer surface, a plurality of air outlets in an inner surface opposite to the sliding member, and a plurality of guide holes therein. The guide holes communicates the air intake with the air outlets. The guide track further defines a plurality of guide grooves in the inner surface, communicating with the air outlets.
US08297838B2
An ear cap supplying device, an ear cap and an ear cap set are provided. The ear cap supplying device includes a movable containing device and an output device. The movable containing device is used for containing at least one ear cap. The output device is used for exporting the ear cap(s). When the movable containing device is moved to a predetermined position, the movable containing device activizes the output device to export the ear cap(s). Whereby, problem that the ear cap(s) is/are obstructed during exporting process can be improved.
US08297835B2
A regulation system for a compressor comprises a fiber-optic lattice sensor which makes it possible to determine a flow temperature of a fluid to be compressed by means of the compressor. Another aspect of the invention relates to a use of a fiber-optic Bragg lattice sensor as a temperature sensor in a regulation system.
US08297834B2
An indication apparatus for indicating temperature status of a motherboard includes a detection module, a comparison module, a switch module, and an indication module. The detection module detects temperatures of the motherboard, and converts the detected temperatures to voltage signals. The comparison module receives the voltage signals, compares the voltage signals with a first reference voltage, and outputs control signals according to a comparison result. The switch module receives the control signals, and turns on or off according to the control signals. The indication module indicates temperature states of the motherboard when the switch module turns on or off.
US08297823B2
A backlight assembly includes a plurality of point light sources, a light guide plate (“LGP”) and a printed circuit board (“PCB”). The LGP has a light incident face in which light is incident, a side surface extending from an edge portion of the light incident face, and a fixing groove which is formed from the side surface toward an inner portion thereof. The PCB includes a point light source disposing portion in which the point light sources are disposed along a first direction, an extending portion extending from the point light disposing portion along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a protrusion which is fixed at an end portion of the extending portion. The protrusion of the PCB is coupled with the fixing groove of the LGP.
US08297820B2
A signaling light source facilitates locating personnel under adverse conditions such as in a smoky environment and resists damage from exposure to a harsh user environment A lighting unit includes at least one, and preferably two, of the signaling light sources also includes at least one personnel identifying red-green-blue (“RGB”) light emitting diode (“LED”) Disclosed methods for operating the signaling light source include energizing operation of a LED light source by supplying a sequence of electrical current pulses which repeat at a rate which causes emitted light to pulse visually, supplying electrical current to a pair of LEDs alternatively connected either in series or in parallel depending upon battery operating condition, and monitoring smoke density in environment around the signaling light source and modulating the intensity of emitted light responsive to smoke density.
US08297817B2
A lamp installation structure 1 includes a lamp installation portion 3, a clip member 10, a lamp body 21 and a screw member 30. The clip member is attached to the lamp body 21 in a way that the screw member 30 is inserted into a screw insertion hole 14, and that a tip 31 of the screw member 30 is meshed with a meshing portion 27. A turn lamp 20 is installed in the lamp installation portion 3 in a way that one end 11a of a base portion 11 of the clip member 10 is inserted into an attachment hole 4, and that an engagement portion 12 and a flange portion 13 are respectively engaged with the back surface side and the front surface side of the lamp installation portion 3.
US08297815B2
A vehicle lamp including a main lamp unit that forms a main light distribution pattern for a headlamp, and an additional lamp unit that emits blue light or mixed light including blue light to form a lane marker irradiation light distribution pattern, wherein the lane marker irradiation light distribution pattern is superimposed onto the main light distribution pattern.
US08297812B2
A vehicle lighting system having a plurality of lighting apparatuses disposed so as to make a vehicle front surface reminiscent of a “face,” wherein an outline of a light-emitting surface of each of the lighting apparatuses from blurring to be fused. A glare area G has a width y as expressed in an expression “y=a+b·ln(x) (ln is a natural logarithm),” “a=−107,” and “b=39.6” when a main lighting apparatus has a luminous intensity of x is defined outside an outline OL of a main light-emitting surface in a vehicle front view, and an auxiliary lighting apparatus disposition area, in which an auxiliary lighting apparatus of a steadily lighting type different from a flashing type lighting apparatus is disposed, is set upwardly of the main lighting apparatus and outside the glare area G.
US08297807B1
An elevation adjustable window candle includes a candlestick having axial sliding grooves axially disposed between stop portions and an inside shoulder therein, a candle shaft having springy retaining blocks equiangularly suspending in the bottom side thereof and respectively axially slidably coupled to the sliding grooves in the candlestick to secure the candle shaft to the candlestick at the desired elevation by means of friction resistance, and a lampshell mounted on the top end of the candle shaft and holding a LED lamp module therein.
US08297806B2
A searchlight is provided featuring a bezel pull-in retention assembly having a frame and a housing. The frame has a back plate configured with at least one opening to receive a fastening device. The housing is configured with a front end opening for receiving the frame, configured with a back end opening having an outer rim for receiving a seal plate, the seal plate configured to be adapted in the rim of the back end opening, to receive the fastening device and to fixedly couple the frame to the housing.
US08297803B2
The present invention discloses a conveniently demountable assembled lamp. It is mainly composed of stand columns and clapboards, and multiple clapboards divide the stand columns into up and down multiple layers. At least one layer of the lamp is provided with a fixing frame, and a lampshade is connected between the fixing frame and the clapboard at the bottom of the layer; the lampshade is composed of a lampshade top frame, a soft outside cover and a lampshade bottom frame; locating pins extend from the lampshade top frame, and the fixing frame is provided with corresponding locating pin grooves; a central ring is additionally arranged at the central part of the lampshade bottom frame, and at least three support bars are connected between the central ring and the lampshade bottom frame; the lampshade bottom frame is arranged at the clapboard at the bottom of the layer, and the lampshade top frame is located at the inner side of the fixing frame; the locating pins of the lampshade top frame are jammed into the corresponding locating pin grooves of the fixing frame; the center of the clapboard at the bottom of the layer is further provided with a clapboard center hole corresponding to the central ring; a lampholder is mounted to the clapboard center hole and passes through the central ring. The assembled lamp is conveniently demountable, is convenient for daily cleaning, storage and maintenance, can improve the assembly efficiency and be convenient for transportation, and concurrently has multiple functions and strong aesthetic appearance.
US08297795B2
An illuminating apparatus includes a lamp shade, a light source and a plurality of light shelters. The lamp shade includes a tubular sidewall, a receiving space and an opening. The light source is received in the receiving space. The plurality of light shelters is mechanically pivoted on the tubular sidewall. The plurality of light shelters is capable of being respectively and selectively rotated to cover the opening, thereby sheltering light passing through the opening.
US08297794B2
The method is for directing light in a fluorescent piece. Sequentially placed wedge-shaped pieces form a multiple-piece arrangement. Each piece has a base surface and a sloping top surface so that there is a first pointed end at one end and a short end surface at a second opposite end thereof. The pieces are exposed to light beams that hit fluorescent particles disposed inside the pieces. As a result, the particles emit a fluorescent light that are reflected off the inner surfaces of each piece as long as the light beams do not hit the surface at a perpendicular angle. The light beams are directed to penetrate the short end of each piece to form a continuous illuminated surface.
US08297786B2
In various embodiments, an illumination structure includes a discrete light source disposed proximate a bottom surface of a waveguide and below a depression in a top surface thereof. A top mirror may be disposed above the discrete light source to convert modes of light emitted from the discrete light source into trapped modes, thereby increasing the coupling efficiency of the illumination structure.
US08297781B2
In an embodiment, the invention provides a multi-color illuminating back light structure comprising a light guide, a reflector, at least one LED and a wavelength converter material. Micro-structures are formed on a first surface of the light guide. The reflector is attached to the first surface of the light guide. A wavelength converter material is deposited on a second surface of the light guide. At least one LED is optically coupled to at least one side of the light guide. A portion of light reflected from the micro-structures and the reflector is converted into light having at least one wavelength different from the wavelength of the reflected light. The light leaving the wavelength converter material comprises light with at least first and second wavelengths.
US08297777B1
A railing is provided with a pair of adjacent upright posts. Substantially parallel and spatially disposed opposing rails are supported by the posts. A plurality of balusters span the rails between the adjacent pair of posts, with the plurality of balusters defining first spaces between adjacent balusters and defining second spaces between each post and the respective adjacent baluster. One or more groups of one or more illuminating members are supported by each of a predetermined number of lighted balusters of the plurality of balusters.
US08297776B2
A lighting device for helmet comprises a helmet including an arm to which are fixed a microphone and a lamp, called “lip light”, lighting with at least one lighting level. The device comprises a head tracking system comprising a computer for measuring and collecting data concerning the attitude of the helmet in motion and its position in space. Lamp activation means are automatically controlled by positions calculated by the computer so that the lip light lights, with one of its lighting levels, when it is oriented in a direction contained within a predefined area.
US08297769B2
An illumination device for a display device has cold cathode tube lamps capable of being driven in parallel, a first holding member having holders equivalent in number to the number of the cold cathode tube lamps and each holding one end of each lamp, a second holding member having holders equivalent in number to the number of the cold cathode tube lamps and each holding the other end of each lamp and an electric power source device. Harness lines connected to one end of the electric power source device and the first holding member are interconnected at multiple points, and harness lines connected to the other end of the electric power source device and the second holding member are interconnected at multiple points. This reduces uneven brightness. The illumination device for a display device can be used as backlight for a liquid crystal TV.
US08297767B2
An illumination module includes a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and a light conversion sub-assembly mounted near but physically separated from the LEDs. The light conversion sub-assembly includes at least a portion that is a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material that also includes a wavelength converting material. Despite being less reflective than other materials that may be used in the light conversion sub-assembly, the PTFE material unexpectedly produces an increase in luminous output, compared to other more reflective materials, when the PTFE material includes a wavelength converting material.
US08297765B2
A microstructural polarized light-guide device comprises an unpolarized light source module, a subwavelength polarization beam splitter structure and a polarization conversion module, the unpolarized light source module comprises a light-guide plate and a light source at the edge of the light-guide plate, the material of the light-guide plate is PMMA with the characteristic of high transparency, the surface of the light-guide plate has a plurality of extraction patterns, the polarization beam splitter structure is a nano-scale structure and comprises a dielectric nanograting layer and a metallic nanograting layer, and the dielectric nanograting layer and the metallic nanograting layer are vertically stacked with each other, the dielectric nanograting layer is integrated with a surface opposite to the surface with the plurality of extraction patterns, the polarization conversion module is disposed on the surface with the plurality of extraction patterns of the light-guide plate.
US08297755B2
A projector with a laser light source projects an image. In order to reduce the risk for a person to be exposed to harmful levels of laser light, the projector also projects a time-variant alerting image into an alerting region. Alerting region is arranged outside of the projection region. The alerting image is of a wave length visible to the human eye, and of an intensity of eye-safe level.
US08297751B2
The invention provides multi-focal segmented lenses with boundaries that include at least one blended portion and at least one sharp portion. The lenses may possess, for example, the aesthetic advantage of blended multi-segment or progressive lenses while largely retaining the functional advantage of multi-segment lenses with sharp segment boundaries.
US08297738B1
A cartridge comprises an ink supply structure, a terminal bearing structure, and a first restriction portion. The terminal bearing structure has terminals arranged in a terminal plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to a plane defined by a mounting direction leading edge of the ink supply structure, so that the contact portions of the terminals receive a force in a direction opposite from the mounting direction. An engagement portion of the first restriction portion is provided at a position adjacent to the terminal bearing structure.
US08297723B2
An interlock device includes an outer rail, an inner rail, an intermediate rail, a base, a driving member, a stop and a locking member. The base is connected to one end of the outer rail and includes a top room and a bottom room. The driving member is movable and includes a driving portion, an engaging portion and a co-moving portion. The driving portion is located in the top room and partially exposed from the top room. The engaging portion is located in the bottom room. The stop is connected to the inner rail or the intermediate rail. The locking member is connected to the co-moving portion. When the inner rail and the intermediate rail are pulled out, the driving portion is pushed by the intermediate rail and retracted into the top room. The co-moving portion is moved to shift the locking member, and the engaging portion extends from the bottom room of the base.
US08297722B2
A cabinet slide assembly permits the soft-close action and/or a soft-open action of a drawer. The cabinet slide assembly includes a cabinet, a drawer, and at least one slide mechanism coupling the drawer to the cabinet to permit movement of the drawer between a fully open position and a fully closed position. A gas spring is also included in the assembly having a first end coupled to a portion of the cabinet assembly and a second end coupled to a portion of the drawer assembly. The gas spring is permitted to swing through an arc along a vertical plane as the drawer moves between the fully open position and the fully closed position. An adjustable bracket can also be included in the assembly and is configured for a top mount drawer assembly having a concealed drawer slide mechanism. The bracket is also configured for face frame or frameless cabinet construction.
US08297720B2
A device housing with latching mechanism includes a base, a cover and a latching mechanism. The cover includes a first edge and an opposite second edge. The first edge is rotatably connected to the base, and the second edge is connected to the cover by the latching mechanism. The cover defines an opening. The latching mechanism includes a support secured to the base, a button, and a resilient member arranged between the support and the button. The button includes a button body with a side surface and at least one flexible arm protruding from the side surface. Each at least one flexible arm forms a protrusion thereon. The button body extends through the opening and abuts against edges of the opening to connect the cover to the base.
US08297719B2
A computer enclosure includes a chassis and a frame. The chassis includes a chassis bottom wall and two chassis sidewalls located on the chassis bottom wall. A positioning post is located on each chassis sidewall. Each chassis sidewall defines a positioning hole. The frame includes a mounting bracket and a retaining bracket integrated with the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket defines a through opening, and includes two mounting bracket sidewalls. Each mounting bracket sidewall defines a slot and a fastening hole. Fasteners are engaged in the positioning holes and the fastening holes, to secure the frame to the chassis. The retaining bracket defines a holding space, configured for receiving a disk drive. The holding space communicates the through opening. When the positioning posts of the chassis are engaged in the slots of the mounting bracket, the positioning holes are aligned with the fastening holes of the mounting bracket.
US08297710B2
A toothbrush including a brush main body of a synthetic resin and having a bristle base and bristles of a thermoplastic resin which have been fusion-bonded to the bristle base to constitute a bristled part, the bristles constituting the bristled part at least partly comprise: tapered bristles which are bristles having split free ends, the split free ends having been tapered beforehand; tapered bristles which have a sectional shape having a core-sheath structure or islands in a sea structure; or tapered bristles in each of which a core bristle comprising a core or island part has been formed beforehand so as to be exposed at the free end. The toothbrush has excellent suitability for bristle insertion into narrow parts. It is highly effective in removing dental plaque and cleaning the teeth. It is highly easy to use in the oral cavity. It further has a highly attractive appearance.
US08297708B2
An assembling structure for a vehicle seat includes: an assembly frame having a frame shape and configured to be detachably attached to a seat main body of the vehicle seat, the seat main body having a backbone frame having a frame shape; a planar elastic body configured to elastically support a body of an occupant and is stretched on the assembly frame; an elastic latching unit configured to be detachably attached to a part of the backbone frame, the elastic latching unit formed on a part of a periphery of the assembly frame, wherein the assembly frame further includes a hook portion, the backbone frame further includes a portion to be hooked, and the planar elastic body is prevented from moving in an out-of-plane direction of the planar elastic body when the hook portion of the assembly frame is hooked on the portion to be hooked of the backbone frame.
US08297705B2
A head restraint system for an automotive vehicle seat includes a post having first and second end portions, a support member fixedly attached to the second end portion of the post, and a head rest assembly. The support member includes a locking feature. The head rest assembly includes a housing supported by the support member, a locking member, and an actuator configured to move the locking member from a locked position with the locking feature to an unlocked position from the locking feature to permit the headrest assembly to move relative to the post and support member.
US08297704B2
A connector for a vehicle seat includes a ratchet, a guide, and engagement pieces. The engagement pieces are supported so as to be movable only in the radial direction of the guide, and prevent relative rotation between the ratchet and the guide when engaged with an inner peripheral toothed face of the ratchet. The inner peripheral toothed face is formed in the inner peripheral face of an annular wall that extends from the outer peripheral portion of a disc portion of the ratchet in its axial direction. The inner peripheral face is in contact with and supported by outer peripheral faces of guide walls that project in the axial direction from the inner disc face of the guide. Thus, the ratchet and the guide are coaxially fitted together so as to be rotatable relative to each other.
US08297702B2
This invention is directed to a two-position, at rest, seat angle adjustment assembly that locks the seat in two distinct positions. In a first position, the seat is generally horizontal, while in a second position, the seat is inclined at an angle relative to horizontal. The assembly includes left and right adjustment mechanisms, a rod, and a lever. The left and right adjustment mechanisms are mounted to the seat and the back assembly on each side thereof. Each of the mechanisms includes a housing, and a cam. The cam is received in the housing and the rod is fixably received within the cam. The lever is attached to the rod proximate the right adjustment mechanism. The lever is utilized to rotate the cams within their respective housings thereby moving the seat with respect to the back assembly.
US08297701B2
An adjustable reclining chair including a seat configured to support a user, a chair back, a base and a control mechanism mounted on the base. The control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat with the chair back located generally adjacent to the user's back when the user is seated upon the seat. The control mechanism including a resistance adjustment mechanism for varying the control mechanism's resistance to a reclining force applied by the user to the chair back in order to move the chair back rearward from an upright position. The resistance adjustment mechanism activated by the weight of the user when seated in the chair, such that easy adjustment of the resistance is facilitated with the chair in an upright position. The resistance adjustment mechanism including a resilient member placed under a load during reclining of the chair to provide resistance to the reclining force.
US08297700B2
Improved child and infant safety seats for automotive vehicles. In one embodiment, a safety seat apparatus includes a base unit that may be secured to a vehicle seat, a coupling unit extendably and retractably coupled to the base unit, and a safety seat pivotally and removably coupled to the coupling unit.
US08297696B2
A bicycle saddle includes front and rear portions; an elastic member disposed between the front and rear portions; and a valve assembly installed to the bottom of the saddle between the front and middle portions and including an air pump and an air escape valve communicating with the elastic member.
US08297695B1
A cooling system which having a body section which includes a flexible material; at least two mist dispensing fans connected to the body section; and control circuitry having at least a first switch controlling fan speed and a second switch controlling mist dispensing.
US08297692B2
A vehicle sun roof device includes a panel for covering an opening in a roof of the vehicle. The panel can be moved horizontally to uncover the opening or tilted to raise its rear end section to a venting position. A drive system for tilting the panel includes front and rear shoes. The rear shoe tilts the panel by applying a force to the rear end section of the panel. The front shoe includes an upwardly facing support surface and a downwardly facing support surface. A bracket fixed to the panel and extending in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle includes an upwardly facing bearing surface and a downwardly facing bearing surface arranged to slidably engage the downwardly facing support surface and the upwardly facing support surface, respectively, of the front shoe. The support surfaces and the bearing surfaces are configured to define a virtual pivot axis for the panel as the panel tilts.
US08297689B2
A door of a vehicle is moveable between a closed position, an intermediate position and an open position. When moving between the closed position and the intermediate position, a first vertical edge of the door moves parallel with a body of the vehicle and a second rearward vertical edge of the door moves laterally away from the body of the vehicle. A striker assembly for the door is attached to the body and includes a striker that is moveable between a first position and a second position. A latch mechanism selectively engages the striker when the door is disposed in or moving between the closed position and the intermediate position, with the striker moving with the first edge of the door between the closed position and the intermediate position to prevent lateral movement of the door.
US08297687B2
In a vehicle body for a motor vehicle, a crossbeam is situated between two longitudinal girders of a front frame. The crossbeam is formed from the vehicle front wall, the cover plate and the bulkhead plate. The bulkhead plate is led up to a plate of a wheel arch laterally outside the longitudinal girders. The vehicle body thus has a particularly high stability at a low weight.
US08297681B2
A glass run 5 fit on a door sash 2 of an automobile has: a cross-section roughly U-shape comprising an outer-cabin side wall 6, an inner-cabin side wall 7 and a connecting wall 18 which connects the outer-cabin side wall 6 and the inner-cabin side wall 7 for guiding a door glass 3 lifting or lowering into a ditch part 4; and an outer lip 9 and an inner lip 10 respectively formed on inner surfaces of both of the side walls 6, 7, which extend toward a connecting wall 18 side and are slidably brought into contact with the door glass 3, wherein: the connecting wall 18 has a part thereof swelled and curved toward an inner surface side thereof, which faces a position on the connecting wall 18 where the door glass 3 collides; the connecting wall 18 swelled and curved has two projections 21, 22 formed on an outer surface thereof, which come into contact with the door sash 2 and of which an interval 50 therebetween is not more than thickness 60 of the door glass 3; and a position surrounded by the two projections 21, 22, the connecting wall 18 and the door sash 2 is formed into a space 40 having a cross-section roughly semicylindrical shape.
US08297676B2
A vehicle interior trim panel is provided with a main trim body and a tab extending from the bottom end of the main trim body. The main trim body is configured to releasably cover at least a portion of a pillar of a vehicle, and includes a pillar facing surface, a passenger compartment facing surface, a top end and a bottom end. The tab extends from the bottom end of the main trim body to a free end that is configured to be received in a vehicle component. The tab includes a first face, a second face and a peripheral edge surrounding the first and second faces, and further includes a retention member protruding from the first face of the tab, with the retention member being configured to retain the tab to the vehicle component while the main trim body is released from the pillar.
US08297673B2
A gripper assembly including at least one gripper jaw and an actuator head linked with the at least one gripper jaw. An actuator selectively operates to move the actuator head between a plurality of positions. A support is fixed relative to the actuator and includes a guide slot that guides the actuator head. One of the actuator head or the guide slot includes a channel and the other of the actuator head or the guide slot includes a guide member extending there from at least partially into the channel.
US08297659B2
The quick connector assembly includes an insertion member that is inserted along a longitudinal axis into a receiving member. A retaining member is disposed in the receiving member for movement in a direction of insertion that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A positioning member is disposed in the receiving member and includes a biasing portion that extends angularly from a base portion to a pair of blocking portions. The blocking portions move between an extended position and a retracted position and are oriented opposite the direction of insertion of the retaining member to block the retaining member from moving into a fully inserted position when the biasing portion is in the extended position. An annular collar of the insertion member engages the blocking portions when the insertion member is axially inserted in the receiving member to move the blocking portions into the retracted position. As a result, the retaining member is free to be moved into the fully inserted position to secure the insertion member relative to receiving member.
US08297640B2
Snow-ski board, especially a ski, having at least one trimming mechanism with at least one trimming rod with its axis oriented in the longitudinal direction of the snow-ski board, including at least one damping element and at least one adjusting or tensioning mechanism for supporting the trimming rod on both ends by adjustable mechanical tension.
US08297638B2
An external line connection for a semitrailer of a semitrailer truck, comprising a frame structure having a skid plate closing off the underside, on which plate a king pin is arranged, and a connector bracket, arranged to be swivelable about the king pin, at least one line section being led out of said bracket and being connectable to a power supply system of the semitrailer. The aim of the invention is to provide a low-wear external line connection from the connector bracket to the semitrailer. For this purpose, the connector bracket of the external line connection acts upon a turntable which is swivelably received on the skid plate. At least one line section is led out from the top of the turntable and rests on both sides of the turntable in subsections, the subsections being maintained under tensile stress via a prestressing device.
US08297632B2
A steering knuckle for a vehicle includes a metal body having a first portion defining a bore therethrough and a second portion extending longitudinally from said first portion. The steering knuckle also includes a ceramic insert disposed with the first portion and the second portion and surrounding the bore. A method of forming the steering knuckle includes disposing the ceramic insert within a cavity of a mold, sufficiently filling the cavity with a molten metal to contact and envelop the ceramic insert with the molten metal, and solidifying the molten metal so as to surround the ceramic insert with the metal body to thereby form the steering knuckle.
US08297630B2
A bidirectional propulsion caster assembly is disclosed for enabling a rider to generate bi-directional motion from a ride-on device. A mounting bracket is attachable to the bottom of the device and defines a pivot axis extending in a generally transverse direction across the bottom of the device. A rocker bracket and caster shaft having a caster shaft axis are attached to the mounting bracket and pivot about the pivot axis along an arc between first and second positions. A wheel bracket is mounted to and rotates about the caster shaft. A wheel is mounted to the wheel bracket for rotation about a wheel axis angularly offset from the caster shaft axis. One or more changeable pivot stops may be attached to the rocker bracket or the mounting bracket and effective to further define the available arc of rotation.
US08297610B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms images on sheets; a stack portion on which the sheets with the images are stacked as a bundle of the sheets with first end parts of the sheets aligned; a first binding unit that binds the first end parts; a second binding unit that binds the first end parts, by a binding method that requires a binding region larger than that of the first binding unit; and a distance reducing unit that changes a position of the bundle when bound by the first binding unit, from a position of the bundle when bound by the second binding unit, and reduces a distance between a part bound by the second binding unit and the first end parts as compared with a distance between a part bound by the first binding unit and the first end parts.
US08297607B2
According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a reinforce roller to further reinforce the fold of a sheet which has been folded by a fold roller pair, a support portion to move the reinforce roller in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, a sensor to sense a position of the support portion, a distance sensing portion to sense a distance to a first position and a distance to a second position from a stop position of the support portion, when the sensor senses an abnormal stop of the support portion, and a control unit to compare the distance to the first position and the distance to the second position sensed by the distance sensing portion and to control the support portion to move in a direction where a moving distance is shorter.
US08297605B2
A ball joint assembly that is a movable mount for a work holding device for holding an item, such as a rifle or pistol, where the ball joint assembly is for seating on, or mounting onto, a table top, bench, or like surface. The ball joint assembly includes a cylindrical housing slotted on opposite sides thereof from a center opening in the housing top and contains a ball that rests on a plunger top end of a jacking screw that is turned in a round nut by a lever arm, and the ball joint assembly is fitted into the housing. Turning of the lever arm that is fitted through a housing lateral slot extends the plunger top into the ball, lifting the ball to lock it against a housing top concave surface, and which ball includes a stem extending through the housing top to tilt between the slots and pivot when the ball in unlocked, and the ball stem end includes a tool mounting for connection to the work holding devices.
US08297603B2
A spring retainer is made from an iron-based material to improve the strength and abrasion resistance of the spring retainer and reduce the thickness and weight thereof. The spring retainer includes a retainer body having a tapered support hole to be supported with a valve stem and a flange-like spring seat circumferentially formed on a periphery at a first side of the retainer body to receive and support a valve spring. The retainer body and spring seat are integrally formed from resilient steel with grain flows continuously formed from the retainer body to the spring seat.
US08297602B2
A vibration isolator having a pair of pressure receiving fluid chambers between an outer cylinder and a mounting member, at two end sides along a main amplitude direction. A rubber elastic body changes the internal volumes of the pair of pressure receiving fluid chambers in directions opposite to each other, and fluid flows from the pressure receiving fluid chambers to an auxiliary fluid chamber through one of two orifices and flows from the auxiliary fluid chamber to the pressure receiving fluid chambers through the other orifice. Since a fluid pressure in the auxiliary fluid chamber is kept approximately constant, the fluid in the pair of pressure receiving fluid chambers smoothly flows, with a low resistance, into the auxiliary fluid chamber through the orifices. Therefore, any rise of the fluid pressure in the pressure receiving fluid chambers may be suppressed, such that rise of the dynamic spring constant may be suppressed.
US08297599B2
A submersible aerator has an impeller which includes blades having partition walls which separate liquid passages and air passages and which is accommodated within a guide casing for rotation between a lower surface of an intermediate plate having an air suction opening and an upper surface of a suction cover having a liquid suction opening. The liquid passages and the air passages meet through communication portions at radially outer ends of rear-side blade partition walls. Intermediate blades are provided at radially outer ends of the liquid passages. A conical space is defined between the blade lower end surfaces and the suction cover upper surface such that the space, which is wide at a portion adjacent to the liquid suction opening, becomes narrower toward a radially outward region including guide vane tongues. A plurality of support legs and a plurality of straining projections are integrally formed on the lower surface of a peripheral portion of a bottom wall of the guide casing. Sloping surfaces are provided on the top wall upper surface between air-liquid discharge passages such that the sloping surfaces are inclined downward and increase in width in the radially outward direction.
US08297594B1
A tool for disconnecting the air and electrical connections between a motor vehicle and a trailer or a utility hookup station includes a handle and a forked member. The trailer connection includes an electrical socket with pins covered by a hinged cover plate; the motor vehicle connection includes a plug member. The forked member of the tool includes a pair of parallel hooks, one at the end of each of two linear elements of the forked member. A sloped interface portion on the forked member of the tool lifts the hinged cover plate away from the trailer's socket. The forked member is placed around the electrical connection adjacent the plug member and is pushed forward to lift the hinged cover plate. Once the hinged cover plate is lifted, the handle is pushed towards the motor vehicle, where the hooks engage lugs on the plug member, thus causing the plug member to separate from the electrical socket. Gripping grooves on the linear elements help to facilitate engagement between the tool and the lugs. Projections extending from the forked portion of the tool can be used to engage the air line connectors between a motor vehicle and a trailer or a utility hookup station to separate the air lines. A kingpin pulling slot may also be included on the tool.
US08297590B2
A non-ported expanding gate valve and method of use, including an expanding gate assembly and a slotted guide, is fixedly positioned on the valve body and slidably coupled with a gate assembly. The guide has slots of varying widths that are used with a pivoting rocker arm coupled with the gate assembly to adjust the thickness of the gate assembly at the proper timing. The guides perform multiple functions, including: centralizing a rocker arm during opening between seats; collapsing the gate assembly when opening; allowing and controlling expansion when closing; guiding lateral movement during operation of the gate assembly between opposing guides on the sides of a flow passageway; guiding axial movement during operation of the gate assembly between opposing guide side flanges; retaining seats in position when the valve is open; and/or stiffening the guide in a lateral direction to control movement of the gate assembly.
US08297589B2
A valve including a linear positioning component operatively connected to a valve body and an actuating element.
US08297563B2
A lifting device for a chair includes an upright support post, a tapered locking sleeve adjustably mounted on the support post, a tapered pressing sleeve mounted on the locking sleeve, a stepping ring having a mounting tube which is mounted on the pressing sleeve, and a dustproof cover abutting a top of the mounting tube of the stepping ring and secured on a top of the pressing sleeve. Thus, the pressing sleeve surrounds the locking sleeve to distribute the pressing force evenly, and the locking sleeve surrounds the support post to distribute the pressing force evenly so as to prevent the pressing sleeve and the locking sleeve from being worn out or broken due to a stress concentration and to enhance the lifetime of the lifting device.
US08297559B1
A hand throw mechanism for an in-tie switch machine having a drive element which serves to move switch points from a first end point to a second end point. The mechanism includes an elongated hand throw arm having a first coupling element that includes a first lower mating surface and a first upper mating surface. The mechanism also includes a gear set having an output shaft for moving the drive element. The gear set additionally includes a second coupling element having a second lower mating surface for engaging the first upper mating surface and a second upper mating surface for engaging the first lower mating surface to thus couple the first and second coupling elements. Rotation of the hand throw arm through an angle of approximately 180 degrees then causes rotation of the output shaft to thus move the driving element and ultimately the switch points. The mechanism also includes a thrust element having a raised portion wherein rotation of the thrust element urges the raised portion against the first coupling element to separate the first and second coupling elements and disengage the throw arm.
US08297553B2
An equipment element for transportation means, in particular an airplane, includes, but is not limited to a retractable line, the length of which can be set using a retraction mechanism.
US08297547B2
A roller storage system (1) for sheet-type media has at least one film drum (5) driveable by a motor with at least one strip-type film (5) and at least one winding drum (4) with a central drive spindle (8) driveable by a motor, wherein the strip-type film (5) can be wound onto the winding drum (4), where the winding drum (4) is carried floating on the drive spindle (8).
US08297546B2
A device for locking the micrometric adjustment of the degree of grinding in coffee grinders includes a hollow cylindrical casing for housing a lower grinding wheel carrier, which is connected to a motion transmission shaft, and for housing an upper grinding wheel carrier, which is axially movable; and a threaded ring nut engagable in the casing to adjust the position of the upper grinding wheel carrier, wherein the ring nut has at least one seat for inserting a peg for locking its rotation, and the casing has an undercut slot in which a slider cooperating with the peg is housed, the thickness of the slider being less than the thickness of the slot. A member engages the slider and causes it to rise and to interfere by friction with the upper wall of the slot.
US08297525B1
A digital control system for a tankless water heater assembly designed to heat water on a continuous basis as it passes from a conventional water source and through a heating system. The digital control system comprises a display capable of displaying at least three display modes. The first display mode displays a power setting in the form of a bar graph, and real-time voltage used and efficiency in percentage form. The second display mode displays kilowatt usage and percentage draw. The second display mode is defined as a “generator mode” because a generator unit displays actual kilowatts the tankless water heater assembly is using. While in the second display mode, a user can manually adjust the kilowatts to be used. The third display mode displays amperage draw and actual power usage in percentage form.
US08297514B2
A printed electronic tag (2) for packaging comprising a first set of spaced, electrically-conductive lines (4) overlying a substrate (5), an electrically-insulating layer (6) overlying at least a portion of the first set of lines, a second set of spaced, electrically-conductive lines (8) overlying the insulating layer, arranged to cross the first set of lines, the insulating layer configured to provide at least one region (10) for providing electrical contact between a line in the first set of the conductive lines and a line in the second set of lines.
US08297506B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for conducting an election. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method for ensuring integrity of an electronic ballot. The method can include creating electronic ballots for voters based on votes received from the voters; digitally signing the electronic ballots; storing the signed electronic ballots; retrieving the signed electronic ballots from storage; verifying the digital signatures on the retrieved electronic ballots; and presenting the voters with validation pages derived from the retrieved electronic ballots, the validation pages including a user interface element for the voters to confirm that the retrieved electronic ballots accurately reflect their vote.
US08297497B2
A screen frame transmission system includes a receiving device and a transmitting device. The receiving device includes a display unit or an external display device for displaying a 2D bar code containing connection information. The transmitting device includes an image capturing unit for capturing an image of the 2D bar code. The transmitting device decodes the 2D bar code to obtain the connection information and establishes a communication connection with the receiving device therewith to transmit a screen frame, thereby simplifying operations of a user.
US08297495B2
A method includes, but is not limited to: obtaining information associated with one or more changes in one or more sequences of two or more conformations of one or more portions of one or more regions of the flexible interface and coordinating the one or more changes in one or more sequences of two or more conformations of one or more portions of one or more regions of the flexible interface with one or more commands. In addition to the foregoing, other related method/system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08297490B2
A method of manufacturing containers, the resulting containers therefrom and the associated pre-assemblies and blanks used in the method and in the resulting containers. The method includes cutting a primary blank and at least one supplementary blank, affixing them together to form a pre-assembly, and assembly the container from the pre-assembly.
US08297489B2
A packaging container includes a body plate defined into front and back faces by a first folding line. The front face includes second and third folding lines. The second and third folding lines define two connection portions. The body plate further includes an enclosing plate. A fourth folding line is located between the front face and the enclosing plate. The back face is folded upwards along the first folding line, and the connection portions are folded inwards along the second and third folding lines. The connection portions are stuck to the back face. A first pre-folding line and a second pre-folding line are located between the second and third folding lines. A fifth pre-folding line and a sixth pre-folding line are located on the back face. Two seventh pre-folding lines and two eighth pre-folding lines are defined.
US08297483B2
Liquid dispenser for dispensing a carbonated liquid from a container, the liquid dispenser including a compartment, a container sealing region, a compartment sealing region, and a valve, the compartment extending upwardly from a neck portion of the container, the neck portion and the compartment defining an opening to the atmosphere between the compartment and the neck portion, the container sealing region being located between the neck portion and the opening, the compartment sealing region being located between the compartment and the opening, the valve being movable within the compartment, from a closed position pressed toward the neck portion, to an open position away from the neck portion, the valve including a first surface facing the compartment, a second surface facing the opening, a first valve sealing region, a second valve sealing region, and a channel extending from the neck portion to the compartment, the first valve sealing region matching the container sealing region, for preventing passage of fluids between the neck portion and the opening, when the valve is in the closed position, the second valve sealing region matching the compartment sealing region, for preventing passage of fluids between the compartment and the opening, when the valve is in the closed position, the channel enabling passage of fluid from the neck portion to the compartment.
US08297472B2
A pellet loading apparatus includes a tablet pusher including a support surfaces including a pusher mechanism coupled thereto for vertical movement upon actuation. A tablet holder on the tablet pusher includes locations framed by sidewall members aligned in the vertical direction that form columns having open tops for holding a pellet stacks of mold component pellets. A pellet separator having a solid portion and apertures is sized to fit around a portion of a top mold pellet in the pellet stacks. The pellet separator includes a pellet drive for lateral moving the top mold pellets relative to under pellets so that after lateral movement the top mold pellets are laterally offset from the under pellets. A tablet lifter includes a pellet stopper having receiving positions for receiving top mold pellets upon receipt after a transfer actuation of the pusher mechanism.
US08297463B2
A closure is shown for an equipment sub. A closure door is carried by a sub body and movable thereto between open and closed positions for providing access to a pressure vessel. Various improvements are disclosed including a new mechanism for positioning wedge shaped arcuate segments between the door and the sub body, a retainer mechanism for guiding movement of cross bars, a split hinge adjustment mechanism for adjusting planarity and concentricity between the closure door and the sub body, an increased annular wall body thickness region surrounding the sealing surface for reducing warpage during welding, a pressure lock rod member which also engages a combination of cross bars and a crank for driving the cross bars, and a pry bar that can facilitate better manually operated leveraging of the closure door.
US08297462B1
An apparatus and method for allowing a user to use the same mechanism to connect a container to another object and to open a normally-closed opening in the container. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a closure body having an opening therein; a stopper that closes the opening; and a carabiner that comprises a spine that is fixed to said body and a gate that is operably connected to said stopper. In use, this embodiment of the invention is operated by moving the gate to a full open position, which causes the stopper to move away from the opening.
US08297461B2
Provided is a moisture retention seal for use with a package. The moisture retention seal includes an opened-ended canister having a plurality of canister sealing surfaces. Snap-fitted with spatial interference to the canister at its opened-end, is a moisture retention closure having a plurality of closure sealing surfaces. Each canister sealing surface cooperates with a corresponding one of the closure sealing surfaces to form a plurality of partial seals. At least one of the partial seals includes a micro-bead surface comprising one or more small, inwardly directed, narrowly spaced-apart, micro-bead elements. The package that includes a moisture retention seal of the present invention employs only molded parts and does not require gaskets or secondary seals.
US08297457B2
A closure for a container including a downwardly depending skirt having an upper end and a bottom end and a periphery defining a perimeter of the closure for sealable connection to the mouth of said container. Each of two side edges of the lid has a proximal end adjacent a different side of the hinge on the skirt and angling outwardly from the hinge at increasing distances from the opposing side edge to a distal end defining a different end of the outer edge. The end wall has shoulders integrally formed with the end wall and skirt proximate the upper end of the skirt on opposite sides of the lid hinge. The shoulders extend across portions of the end wall such that the thickness of the end wall in the regions of said shoulders is thicker than a thickness of said end wall free of the shoulders.
US08297453B2
A platform assembly can be used in a motor vehicle, such as a truck, to support a person or objects. The platform assembly can have a frame with pivotal attachments to allow the frame to be at least partially collapsible. The platform can pivotally and removably attach to the frame.
US08297450B2
A modular rack for mounting avionics equipment comprises an upper rectangular frame, a lower rectangular frame, and a plurality of struts interconnecting the upper rectangular frame and the lower rectangular frame. Each strut is at least partially formed of an electrically conductive carbon fiber composite material and includes at least one flange extending substantially orthogonal to the strut. The flange includes a plurality of mounting holes to allow avionics equipment to be mounted to the rack. A method of mounting avionics equipment in an aircraft is also provided.
US08297431B2
An apparatus (1) for unscrambling and aligning bulk plastic containers (2) includes a plurality of pick-up element (3) for picking up containers (2), which are mounted to one or more pull-out turrets (50) of rotary type (4), located at each aperture (5a) the pick-up element (3) being of the type adapted to pull out the container (2) from the pocket (7) at the corresponding aperture (5a) and rotate it neck up; the pull-out action being substantially radial to the position of the container (2) in the ring (7a) of pockets (7). Each pick-up unit (3) has element (14, 40) for adjusting its rotation in a first axis (AA) and its height in one more axis (BB), to change both the pick-up position and the release location according to the type of container (2).
US08297424B2
A self-adjusting twin or dual dry clutch assembly for a dual clutch transmission includes a single actuator. The clutch assembly includes one center and two outer clutch drive plates or discs which independently engage a pair of interleaved driven clutch plates or discs which are coupled to and drive a respective pair of transmission countershafts or layshafts. The single actuator translates an internal clutch carrier which acts upon the outer clutch plates through respective pluralities of linear one way clutches. Self-adjustment of the dual clutch assembly is achieved by additional linear one way clutches acting through pairs of spring biased control rods.
US08297418B2
A shock absorber has a compression valve assembly which functions during a compression stroke, a rebound valve assembly which functions during a rebound stroke and a velocity sensitive valve which is in series with one or both of the compression valve assembly and the rebound valve assembly. The compression valve assembly, the rebound valve assembly and the velocity sensitive valve can be incorporated into a piston assembly, a base valve assembly or both.
US08297413B2
In a safety system for an elevator, a safety gear is mounted to a car, the safety gear being electrically operated by an actuator to cause the car to make an emergency stop regardless of whether a running direction of the car is upward or downward. A safety gear controller cuts power supply to a hoisting machine motor and causes the safety gear to make a braking operation upon detection of the slip between the drive sheave and the main rope based on a drive sheave acceleration exceeding a predetermined value.
US08297407B2
An oil pan is provided with an oil pan separator that partitions a first chamber that communicates with a moving part inside a cylinder block and a second chamber outside the first chamber. A communicating hole is provided to a bottom panel of the oil pan separator. The communicating hole is shielded from a strainer.
US08297406B2
A device capable of extending a foot end of a ladder includes a box tube section with an elongated hole, a long engaging plate with an elongated hole and a plurality of inserting teeth, a short engaging plate with a central fixing hole, two pairs of engaging slots and an engaging nut, and a knob head bolt. The knob head bolt passes through the elongated holes, and the central fixing hole to be tightened to the engaging bolt via a rail of the ladder. The long and short engaging plates are disposed in the box tube section to face to each other. The knob head bolt is loosened or tightened to cause two pairs of the inserting teeth disengaging or inserting into the engaging slots for the box tube section being operated to extend a distance outward the rail stably and safely.
US08297400B2
An arrangement is utilized for reducing the manual steering force associated with steering a motorcycle. A steering assist for a vehicle includes a handlebar, and the handlebar being rotatable around a center of rotation. The steering assist further includes a damping device that includes a damping chamber, and a hydraulic valve being in fluid communication with the damping chamber and includes a first shaft section and a second shaft section. The hydraulic valve also includes a bearing mounting, and a bearing mounted in the bearing mounting. The steering assist further includes an upper fork crown attached to the first shaft section of the hydraulic valve, and a lower handlebar mounting attached to the second shaft section via the bearing arranged in the bearing mounting of the hydraulic valve. The handlebar being attached to the lower handlebar mounting, and the damping device being attached to the bearing mounting and the upper fork.
US08297385B2
A dual wheelend for an axle assembly having a rotatable axle shaft. The wheelend comprises a spindle defining a first axis. An intermediate hub is supported on the spindle for rotation about the first axis during rotation of the axle shaft. An inner wheel hub and an outer wheel hub are adjacent one another and are each supported on the intermediate hub for rotation about the first axis. A differential mechanism interconnects the inner and outer wheel hubs. A pin is disposed through a pinion along a second axis and couples the differential mechanism to the intermediate hub for driving the wheel hubs during rotation of the intermediate hub and permitting relative rotation between the wheel hubs relative to the intermediate hub. The pin includes proximal end with a head disposed on the proximal end for engaging the pinion and sandwiching the pinion between the head and the intermediate hub.
US08297378B2
A hammer assembly comprises a jack element substantially coaxial with an axis of rotation of a drill bit. The jack element includes a distal end extending beyond a working face of the drill bit. A porting mechanism within the bore comprises a first and second disc substantially contacting along a flat interface that is substantially normal to the axis of rotation. The first disc is attached to a turbine which is adapted to rotate the first disc with respect to the second disc. The first disc comprises a first set of ports adapted to align and misalign with a second and third set of ports in the second disc. As the first disc rotates, the sets of ports are adapted to route a drilling fluid into a piston chamber where a porting mechanism causes the jack element to repeatedly extend further beyond the working surface of the drill bit and then retract at a constant frequency.
US08297375B2
In one aspect of the present invention, a drill bit has a jack element that is substantially coaxial with an axis of rotation of the drill bit and the jack element has an asymmetrical distal end that extends beyond a working face of the drill bit. A turbine is located within a bore formed in the drill bit and a flow valve is actuated by the turbine. The flow valve is adapted to route a drilling fluid in the bore into a porting mechanism adapted to extend the jack element farther beyond the working surface of the drill bit. The turbine is also adapted to rotate the jack element at variable speeds.
US08297366B2
A system for supporting tubing with an installable load shoulder. The system includes a wellhead formed with an enlarged first circumferential groove in the wall of the vertical bore of the wellhead, and a second circumferential groove extending upwardly or downwardly from the first circumferential groove. At least one opening is formed in communication with the second circumferential groove. An annular load shoulder is received within the first circumferential groove, and has an inner surface adapted to support a tubing hanger. The load shoulder is formed from at least three arc-shaped shoulder segments adapted to be received within the first circumferential groove. At least one of the shoulder segments has an engagement member configured to pass through the opening to be received within the second circumferential groove. Rotating the load shoulder such that the engagement member is out of alignment with the opening secures the load shoulder within the wellhead.
US08297365B2
A back-off sub apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a connection connecting a rotational section and a non-rotational section. The rotational section is designed to be rotated via a ball dropped into the well under sufficient pressure to cause the rotational section to rotate relative to the non-rotational section supplying a controlled and sufficient torque to the connection to break the connection. The connection then is unthreaded by normal surface action. The disconnected or upper section of the apparatus and the drill string section associated with it can be withdrawn from the well leaving the lower portion and the drill string section associated with it in the well.
US08297358B2
Fracturing tools for use in oil and gas wells comprise an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, a run-in position, and two operational positions. The inner sleeve comprises two ports and two positions. The first port is aligned with a first port of the housing when the tool and sleeve are in the first operational position and is closed when the tool and sleeve are in the run-in position. After performing the first operation, the inner sleeve is returned to its initial position and the outer sleeve is moved placing the tool in the second operational position in which the second port in the inner sleeve is in fluid communication with a second port in the housing. Movement of the tool from the first operational position to the second operational position so that a second operation can be performed is done without the need for an additional well intervention step.
US08297354B2
An apparatus and method of measuring a parameter characteristic of a rock formation in an oil well is provided with a device for generating a sensing field within a volume of the rock formation and a device for causing a flow through the volume in the presence of the sensing field, further including sensors responsive to changes in the volume, wherein a sensor response is indicative of the amounts of fluid, particularly hydrocarbon and water saturations and irreducible hydrocarbon and water saturations. Measurements can be made before the flow affects the measuring volume and after onset of the flow through the measuring volume.
US08297335B2
An interchangeable window treatment system has a plurality of independent fabric components including, but not limited to, a base drape panel, a valance, strap members and at least one overlay drape panel. The strap members are positioned at spaced intervals along a top of the base drape panel, forming loops to support the window treatment system on a horizontal rod. In one embodiment, the valance, one or more overlay panels and strap members are removably secured to the base drape panel with dumbbell shaped button links having enlarged button heads on opposite ends that fit through openings in the fabric (eyelets, buttonholes, etc.) on each of the attached fabric components. Any of the fabric components can be removed, reversed, interchanged and replaced to change the overall appearance of the window treatment system according to a desired style, color scheme, or theme. Medallions or other decorative elements are removably attachable at spaced intervals along the valance, button links or strap members. In another embodiment, the straps and valance are sewn to the base panel, as one piece, and the overlay drape panels and decorative elements are attached by snaps, magnets or other releasable fastening devices.
US08297333B2
Overhead door assemblies having both interlocking and releasable guide assemblies, and guide track assemblies for use with same are disclosed herein. An overhead door track configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a first side portion spaced apart from a second side portion to define a channel or gap region therebetween. The first side portion has a first guide surface and a first retention surface. Similarly, the second side portion has a second guide surface and a second retention surface. In this embodiment, the first and second guide surfaces diverge outwardly from the gap region in a first direction, and the first and second retention surfaces diverge inwardly from the gap region in a second direction, opposite the first direction. An overhead door configured in accordance with another embodiment of the invention can include a first guide member configured to extend through the gap region and movably engage the first and second retention surfaces, and a second guide member configured to be removably engaged with the first and second guide surfaces.
US08297326B2
The present invention relates to a composite ball-bouncing tire, comprising a subtire and an inner tube inside it, wherein the subtire includes a space between a ring-shaped base and its side walls, and the space includes a plurality of rails and fastening grooves that are arranged at intervals on its inner walls. A slope part that converges against the rolling-forward direction is established atop on both sides of the plurality of the rails, and at the bottom of the fastening grooves, there is a plurality of fixing grooves. One or more resilient balls are established in each rail and the inner tube includes a plurality of fixing parts on top of outer walls of a base component. When the subtire and inner tube rolls, the resilient balls will be pushed into the rails along the slope part and be pressed to bounce, thus producing supplementary force to drive the tire to move forward. Besides, when the inner tube is inflated, its fixing parts can be combined with the fastening grooves of the subtire, while the inner tube is deflated, it can be disengaged from the subtire, thus allowing the subtire or inner tube to be replaced independently.
US08297313B1
A fluid control assembly configured to isolate a pressurized fluid, including an under pressure abatement assembly having a collapsible member and an energy storage member for exerting a collapsing force on the collapsible member while contactingly engaging a pivotal valve member. A conduit path directs pressurized fluid to exert a force in opposition to the collapsing force so that when the fluid pressure falls below a low pressure threshold, the collapsing force will collapse the collapsible member and release the valve member. An over pressure abatement assembly can be included having a second collapsible member and a second valve member, a conduit path directing pressurized fluid to exert a force in a direction to collapse the second collapsible member and release the second valve member when the fluid pressure exceeds an upper pressure threshold.
US08297301B2
A nozzle device includes a body, a controller and a core set. The controller is pivotally mounted on the body and is pivotable with respect to the body between a first position and a second position. The core set is slideably received in the body. While the controller is in the first position, the core set is slideable in the chamber and is adapted for coupling with a French type valve. While the controller is in the second position, the core set is fixed and is adapted for coupling with an American type valve.
US08297292B2
Provided are a cleaning device and a cleaning method of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, capable of performing a cleaning process more effectively as compared to conventional cases and obtaining a high cleaning effect. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus cleaning device 100 includes a pure water steam generating vessel 2 for generating pure water steam from pure water; a supply port 5 for supplying the pure water steam to a cleaning target portion; a supply line 4 for connecting the pure water steam generating vessel with the supply port; a collection port 6 for collecting steam used in cleaning from the cleaning target portion; a collection vessel 8 for condensing and collecting the used steam; and a collection line 7 for connecting the collection port 6 with the collection vessel 8.
US08297286B2
The present embodiment relates to the use of a musculoskeletal repositioning device in physical rehabilitation and athletic training by causing increased muscular strength and power and decreased muscular tension especially during the physical rehabilitation and athletic training. The device guides the condyles and articulating discs of the temporomandibular joint from a neutral or passive position into an active power position.
US08297283B2
Cushions for respiratory face masks have a frame-connecting portion, a face-contacting portion, and a gusset portion disposed between and joining the frame-connecting and face-contacting portions. The gusset portion preferably includes at least one perimetrical region which having a laterally projecting exterior gusset section and a laterally projecting interior gusset section. According to one aspect, the laterally projecting exterior and interior gusset sections are disposed about the entire perimeter to the gusset portion so as to establish a substantially constant widthwise dimension thereof about the gusset's entire perimeter.
US08297280B2
An object of the present invention is to enhance the inhalation efficiency by causing liquid droplets to be borne on an air flow in an early stage of inhalation in an inhaler. According to one embodiment, from an operation in which the user lets out a breath before the start of inhalation (that is, from exhalation), a positive pressure B produced by the exhalation is detected by a pressure detecting unit, and is compared with a standard pattern stored in a storage unit, and in this way the exhalation profile of the user is prepared. A time difference t between the exhalation finish time and the start time of the next inhalation is estimated, followed by the determination of the ejection start time T1 based on these pieces of information.
US08297259B2
It is equipped with an injector body 4z which has formed therein high-pressure paths 6az, 6bz, and 6cz through which high-pressure fuel flows to a spray hole and stores therein a piezo-actuator 2z (i.e., an opening/closing mechanism) and a back-pressure control mechanism 3z (i.e., an opening/closing mechanism) which open or close the spray hole, and a fuel pressure sensor 50z installed in the body 4z to measure the pressure of the high-pressure fuel. The body 4z has formed therein a branch path 6ez diverging from the high-pressure paths 6bz and 6cz to deliver the high-pressure fuel to the fuel pressure sensor 50z.
US08297254B2
A system for safe storage and efficient utilization of a variety of fuel selections that range in composition and phase from cryogenic mixtures of solids and liquids to elevated temperature gases is provided for unique applications with various types of heat engines and fuel cells including hybridized combinations.
US08297251B2
A lubricant structure of an engine capable of easily and compactly attaching and detaching primary oil filters connected to oil intake sides of two oil pumps to and from a crank case. A power transmission chamber in the crank case dually divided in a crankshaft direction is an oil reserving portion. The lubricant structure includes a first oil pump for pressure-feeding oil of the oil reserving portion to a lubricant point, a second oil pump for returning the oil returned to the crank chamber to the oil reserving portion, and first and second oil filters connected to the oil intake sides of the oil pumps. The first oil filter is inserted from one of left and right crank case members, the second oil filter is inserted from the other crank case member, and both the oil filters are closed by oil filter caps.
US08297236B2
The invention relates to a steam generator wherein a continuous heating panel of a generator, which is formed from a number of evaporator tubes, and an overheating panel, which is formed from a number of over-heating tubes which are arranged downstream from the evaporator tubes and on the flow side, are arranged in a heating gas channel. According to the invention, a water separating element is integrated into a number of over-flow tubes which are connected on the flow side of one of several evaporator tubes to one or several overheating tubes.
US08297227B2
Method and device for injecting at least one product in an egg for treating the embryo. The method includes perforating a shell and an outer shell membrane on a large end of the egg, and injecting the product into an air chamber of the egg under pressure sufficient for the product to reach the amniotic fluid after passing with pressure through an inner shell membrane.
US08297218B2
A coating apparatus for conducting coating by discharging liquid droplets onto a substrate, is provided with a discharging head having an external terminal to receive control signals and a plurality of nozzles to discharge liquid droplets in response to the control signals; a drive control board to output the control signals to the discharging head; a cable to transmit the control signals from the drive control board to the discharging head; a relay board having a first terminal to form a first joint section to joint with the external terminal of the discharging head and a second terminal to form a second joint section to joint with the cable; and an intercepting member to intercept contact between the first joint section and outside air and to intercept contact between the second joint section and outside air.
US08297217B2
A control box includes a shell, a display hole, an active member, an indicating member and an interlinking member. The display hole is formed in the shell. The active member has a turn-on end and a turn-off end and is pivotally connected with the shell so as to seesaw. The indicating member is movably disposed in the shell and has a first identifiable portion and a second identifiable portion. The interlinking member is connected between the active member and the indicating member to drive the indicating member to move. Accordingly, when the active member seesaws under the effect of an external force, the indicating member is driven by the interlinking member to show the first identifiable portion or the second identifiable portion in the display hole.
US08297212B2
A travel beginning/end adjusting positioning structure for a sewing machine motor drive mechanism comprises a fixed holder, a positioning holder and an adjusting apparatus. By adjusting the relative position of the center of the rotating element of the motor and the control shaft using the adjusting apparatus, the control element on one end of the control shaft will rotate synchronously, and a mechanism connected to the other end of the control shaft will also rotate to a beginning and an end points of a different travel. By such arrangements, when the control element is driven by the motor, the mechanism connected to the control shaft will operate according to different travels, thus achieving the objective of adjusting travel.
US08297211B2
A stitcher is provided that includes a needle to stitch a workpiece, a motor to operate the needle, and a stitch regulator in communication with and capable of controlling a speed of the motor. A controller is in communication with the stitch regulator. The stitcher also includes at least one accelerometer in communication with the controller to determine an acceleration of the stitcher with respect to the workpiece. A signal representing the acceleration of the stitcher with respect to the workpiece is utilized to adjust the operation of the needle as necessary.
US08297210B2
A single-grain sowing machine having a sowing disc (3) forming a front wall of a seed hopper (2) is described, which comprises a fixed disc body (4) suctioned on the side facing away from the seed hopper (2) having at least one guide slot (5), and a conveyor disc (6), pressing against the disc body (4) on the side of the seed hopper (2) and drivable around a horizontal axis, having driver slots (7) distributed around the circumference and extending over the radial extension area of the guide slot (5), which form intake openings (8) for the seed grains dispensable from the seed hopper (2) along the guide slot (5) in the overlap area with the guide slot (5). In order to be able to perform simple residual emptying of the seed hopper (2), it is proposed that the seed hopper (2) have a floor in the form of an emptying flap (17), which is pivotable coaxially to the sowing disc (3) between a closed position and an open position.
US08297208B2
An article of furniture has been developed having a tilting tabletop mechanism, which securely maintains a tabletop in either a generally horizontal or generally vertical position while permitting a user to tilt the tabletop easily. The article of furniture includes a first component, a second component, a first member, a second member, a first lock element, and a second lock element. The second component is pivotally coupled to the first component. The first and second members are connectable to a first secured component. The first secured component is one of the first and second components. The first lock element is mounted to engage the first member when the first component is in a first position relative to the second component. The second lock element is mounted to engage the second member when the first component is in a second position relative to the second component.
US08297207B2
A rapidly assembled office desk is provided, wherein a leg and a front guard board of the office desk are respectively fixed through a hinge, so that the leg of the office desk is linked with the front guard board. An inner side of the front guard board of the office desk and a back face of the desk board of the office desk are respectively fixed through a slide rail device, so that the front guard board of the office desk is linked with the desk board. In this way, the front guard board can be unfolded or be folded for storage at the back face of the desk board, and the two legs can also be unfolded or be folded for storage at the inner side of the front guard board.
US08297201B2
The invention aims at increasing the availability of doors systems without affecting the reliability of control systems. For this purpose, the invention provides to take advantage of the alternating operation of door systems positioned on either side of the same car.An on-board panel system according to the invention includes associated control panels control means for transmitting authorization signals for the exclusive opening of side doors. The control means combine a low speed signal and a validation side selection signal to carry out, in each environment, opening/closing authorizations of the motor control of its environment and the motor control of the associated environment.Applications to the accessories and the mechanical part of the railway door systems (motors, latch fittings, loudspeakers, etc) as well as their door environment (interface with the communication network).
US08297200B2
An axlebox retainer key (50) is disclosed for fitting to a pedestal leg (24) of a sideframe of a rail wagon bogie. The key (50) comprises a body which has a basal projection (52) which extends in use into a cavity or hole (42) which is formed in the pedestal leg (24). The key (50) also has an upper surface recess (60) which is arranged to receive a locking pin (66) which can be axially inserted to maintain the key (50) at the pedestal leg (24). The locking pin (66) is also inserted via the pedestal leg side wall (30) which incorporates a through-hole (82) through which the locking pin (66) is passed. To install the key (50), an operator first positions the basal projection (52) of the key (50) in the cavity or a hole (42) that is formed in the pedestal leg (24), and then moves the locking pin 66 across the key (50) via the through-hole (82) in the side wall (30) so as to secure the key (50) to the pedestal (24).
US08297195B2
A method for operation of a magnetic levitation railway which contains vehicles with a plurality of supporting magnets (20a . . . 20j) and supporting runners (26) associated with them. In the event of a malfunction, the braking of the vehicle with the drive and braking systems switched off is brought about or assisted until a preselected destination stopping point is reached solely in that, even before the destination stopping point is reached, at least one of the supporting magnets (for example 20f, 20g) is switched off, and the magnetic levitation vehicle is placed on the track path (3) by means of the associated supporting runner (26), and is brought to rest at the destination stopping point by making use of the friction forces that occur as a result. A magnetic levitation vehicle is provided and operated in this way.
US08297188B2
A detonating fuse includes at least one CNT wire shaped structure. The at least one CNT wire shaped structure includes a plurality of CNTs and an oxidizing material. The oxidizing material is coated on an outer surface of each of the CNTs.
US08297177B2
Ballistic projectile armour includes a hard shell, kinetic energy absorption material and an energy diffusing backing layer. The hard shell is made from a material capable of deforming a projectile and slowing a velocity of the projectile. The kinetic energy absorption material is capable of deforming to further slow and capture the projectile after it has pierced the hard shell. The energy diffusing backing layer is capable of diffusing energy transferred from the projectile into the kinetic energy absorption material. Elastic containment keeps the kinetic energy absorption material sandwiched between the hard shell and the energy diffusing backing, while accommodating expansion of the kinetic energy absorption material during energy absorption.
US08297176B2
An improved semiautomatic firearm is provided comprising as assembly which reduces the effort of cocking the firearm or loading a first cartridge. A spring tube contains an inner recoil spring which is employed only during cycling of the firearm when firing. For initial cocking purposes, the inner recoil spring is bypassed in favor of a lighter outer spring which is selectively engaged by the user. When the inner recoil spring is engaged, both inner and outer springs are employed without adversely affecting the recoil dynamics of the firearm.
US08297169B2
A ballistic resistant through insert with floating capability for stopping a ballistic projectile, comprising at least one of a bullet, a ballistic fragment, and a particle fragment, may comprise a stud, a floating nut, and a cap. The stud may have a flat base portion and a cylindrical stud portion mounted thereon. The cylindrical stud portion may comprise a stud cylinder aperture. The floating nut may be located inside the stud cylinder aperture such that the floating nut floats within the stud cylinder aperture. The cap may have a flat cap portion and a cylindrical cap portion mounted thereon. The cylindrical cap portion may mate with the cylindrical stud portion. The stud may be made of a material for stopping a ballistic projectile. The flat base portion of the stud may have a minimum thickness for stopping a ballistic projectile.
US08297166B2
The foldable ramp is intended to store, carry and launch relatively large size tube-launched missiles typically on board of relatively small sized naval surface ships. Accordingly, the foldable ramp comprises a frame suitable for carrying one or more canisters for launching rockets or missiles and support elements, which are pivotably attached to the frame and which are adapted to pivotably connect to the launching platform so as to allow rotary movement of the frame with respect to the launching platform. A lifting device lifts the front end of the frame whereby the rear end of the canisters displace a horizontal distance towards the rear of the ramp as said lifting device lifts the frame. Adverse effects of the aft flame of the launched rocket or missile is securely displaced to the outside of the vehicle while foldability of the ramp enables to prevent or reduce radar and eye visibility of the launcher, particularly when mounted on a naval surface ship.
US08297159B2
A power tool in one embodiment is a table saw which includes a latch hold mechanism, a swing arm movable along a swing arm path between a first position adjacent the latch hold mechanism and a second position spaced apart from the latch hold mechanism, a latch movable between a first position whereat the swing arm is maintained at the first position and a second position whereat the swing arm is not maintained at the first position, an actuating device configured to transfer a force to the swing arm when the swing arm is maintained at the first position, and a control system configured to control the actuating device to transfer a force to the swing arm when the swing arm is maintained at the first position sufficient to move the latch from the first position to the second position.
US08297155B2
A wrench includes a handle having first and second ends spaced along a longitudinal axis. The second end of the handle includes a receptacle extending in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The handle further includes an annular groove intermediate the first and second ends along the longitudinal axis. The second end of the handle is slideably received in an extension. A positioning hole extends from an inner periphery through an outer periphery of the extension. A positioning member is mounted in the receptacle and biased by a spring to extend through the positioning hole, with a portion of the positioning member pressing against the inner periphery of the extension. A resilient retaining member is mounted in the annular groove. An exposed portion of the retaining member outside of the annular groove presses against the inner periphery of the extension when the extension is engaged with the handle.
US08297151B1
A lid actuator for opening and closing a specimen vial is provided. The lid actuator is generally adapted for use with automated laboratory equipment, for example, specimen auto sampling equipment, laboratory analytical testing equipment, food and product filling equipment and the like. The lid actuator generally includes an enclosure for maintaining a vial in an upright orientation, and a linkage assembly for rotationally engaging and mechanically opening the lid of the specimen vial. Additional features of the lid-actuator may further include a specimen vial ejection member, a vial catch tray, and an input tray.
US08297150B2
A gearbox for a gear (14) to be connected to an electric motor (36) comprises a box body (10) and a box cover (12). Arranged internally of the box cover (12) is a holding portion for an output shaft bearing (24). According to the invention, electric connectors (46) for electric connection of the electric motor (36) are provided within the box body (10), and the electric feed lines (48) connected to the electric connectors (46) are injection-molded into the box body (10).
US08297147B2
A guiding-wire controlling rod device for chair adjustment is pivotally attached inside a housing by a rotation plate of a pivoting rod. The rotation plate has two sides each with a guiding-wire retaining notch and has multiple abutting flat surfaces formed at a front end of the rotation plate to abut with a resilient sheet to position the rotation plate at different angles. Moreover, a rear end of a controlling rod of the pivoting rod has a pivotal hole to pivotally engage with another controlling rod to drive other guiding-wires. Thereby, the controlling rods are aligned and control respectively multiple guiding-wires for different functions.
US08297137B2
A hollow body of plastics material for placing around a motor vehicle steering column, the body including two half-bodies (2, 4) assembled to each other by tabs (22) and snap-fastener elements (24), each tab (22) including a portion in relief (28) provided with a first catch bearing surface. The snap-fastener elements (24) include a housing for each tab, the housing presenting at least one constriction, the portions in relief (28) being retained in the housings by the constrictions, the bearing surfaces of the tabs coming into contact with the complementary bearing surfaces of the constrictions on planes inclined at an angle (α) selected to enable the portions in relief (28) to go past the constrictions by elastic deformation when the two half-bodies (2, 4) are pulled apart from each other with a predetermined force.
US08297136B2
An instrumentation arrangement for a component includes a number of measurement devices mounted on a baseplate. The baseplate is shaped to correspond to the surface of the component in use, and has attachment features engageable with features of the component, so that the rake can be easily installed and removed without modification of the component.
US08297132B2
A device for recognizing a mechanical defect in a wire of an overhead line. A device for determining the tension in the wire is connected to the wire and a support. The device is connected to an analytical device for comparing the tension with a set value and for indicating a mechanical defect when the value drops below the set value.
US08297129B2
Provided is a strain gage mount, including an instrument carrier mount configured to secure a strain gage during use, a specimen mount configured to couple to a specimen during use, and a thermal insulating layer configured to be disposed between the instrument carrier mount and the specimen mount during use.
US08297128B2
A device for determining a physical value of a liquid flowing in a pipe, without contact with the liquid. The device includes: a sensor for the physical value; a connector to insert into the pipe and including: an internal passage extending between two apertures, a flexible membrane for a pressure sensor, forming a wall of the internal passage; and a fastening mechanism for fastening the sensor onto the connector. The sensor is a temperature sensor fastened to the connector with the sensitive part of the sensor turned towards the membrane.
US08297124B2
A pressure sensor includes: a housing; a pressure receiver which seals an opening of the housing and transmits pressure from outside the housing to the inside of the housing; and a pressure sensing element having a pressure sensing portion and a pair of base portions which are respectively coupled to both ends of the pressure sensing portion. In the pressure sensor, a force detecting direction is set to be a detection axis, a line connecting the pair of base portions and a displacement direction of the pressure receiver are arranged in parallel, one of the base portions is coupled to a central region, which is displaced by the pressure, of the pressure receiver, and the other of the base portions is coupled to a marginal region, which is at a fixing side, of the pressure receiver through a connecting member.
US08297115B2
A piezoresistive pressure-measuring plug for a combustion engine for measuring a pressure. The piezoresistive pressure-measuring plug: includes a plug body for insertion into a cylinder of the combustion engine, a rod that is arranged in the plug body, a sensing structure comprising a piezoresistive element, that is arranged between the rod and the plug body such that the sensing structure is acted upon, when in use, by the pressure prevailing in the combustion chamber of the cylinder. The sensing structure is arranged in the plug body and, when in use, is compressed in an axial direction by the force applied to the sensing structure and a piezoresistive element mounted on the sensing structure. A PWB is also arranged in the plug body. Such a pressure-measuring plug provides improved bandwidth and reduced build-in height.
US08297114B2
Device for measuring cylinder pressure of an internal combustion engine includes a pressure sensor that includes a piezoelectric element associated with a capacitive element, and an output generating a first voltage representative of the cylinder pressure. A filtering module of the device filters parasitic low-frequency voltages and generates a second voltage free of these parasitic voltages. A control module delivers a control signal that is dependent on a switching parameter correlated with a stroke. A switching module, in response to the control signal, disconnects the input of the filtering module from the output of the pressure sensor during the first stroke and connects the input of the filtering module to the output of the pressure sensor during the second stroke. The first stroke corresponds to a compression stroke or to a combustion-expansion stroke, and the second stroke corresponds to an intake stroke or to an exhaust stroke.
US08297112B2
An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium. The apparatus includes: at least one mechanically oscillatable unit; a driving/receiving unit, which, starting with an electric, excitation signal, excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations, and which receives the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit and converts them into an electric, received signal; and an electronics unit, which, starting with the electric, received signal, generates the electric, excitation signal and sends it to the driving/receiving unit. The electronics unit is embodied in such a way that it generates the excitation signal, such that a predeterminable phase difference exists between the excitation signal and the received signal. Present in the electronics unit is at least one all-pass filter for tuning the phase difference.
US08297111B2
An arrangement and method for determining a characteristic variable of a fluid having a movably suspended measuring element, a restraining element, an advancing element and a control device. The control device is designed to actuate the restraining element and/or the advancing element in order to move the measuring element between the first measuring point and the second measuring point, to determine a time period which the measuring element requires in order to be moved between the first measuring point and the second measuring point, and to determine a characteristic variable of the fluid on the basis of the determined time period, a predetermined force and a known geometry.
US08297107B2
Disclosed are systems and methods that include a sampling device, a chromatographic column, and a transfer line through which a fluid containing analytes to be measured are communicated from the sampling device to the column. The pressure at which the fluid containing the analytes is applied at the inlet of the transfer line is adjusted as the temperature of the column increases in accordance with certain relationships in order to maintain a substantially constant flow rate or velocity for the fluid exiting the column. In this way, the system compensates for changes in the viscosity of the fluid flowing through the column that result from changes in the column temperature.
US08297103B2
The invention concerns a method of and apparatus for measurement and/or calibration of the position of an object in space in such embodiment where the apparatus contains at least one moving arm fitted to the frame on one end and on the other end fitted to a platform, where the platform can be attached to the object to be measured or calibrated; during the motion of the object with the platform attached the relative positions of individual members of at least one moving arm, frame and platform are read and the measured data is used for determination of the position of the object or for its calibration. Upon attaching the platform of the measurement and/or calibration apparatus to the measured or calibrated object, these joined parts perform an arbitrary motion within object's operating space actuated by the drives of the object, while the quantities corresponding to relative positions of individual members of the apparatus are collected and used for determination or calibration of position of the object in space. The number of measured quantities during the motion of the platform with the measured or calibrated object is higher than the number of degrees of freedom of the apparatus by at least one.
US08297100B2
An exemplary apparatus for making metallic casing, the apparatus includes a first mold and a second mold, the first mold is opposite and movable relative to the second mold, the first mold defines a rectangular depression opposite to the second mold. The rectangular depression forms a plurality of side surfaces interconnecting to each other. Each side surface has a sharp edge. The second mold includes a plurality of cutting edges corresponding to the sharp edges respectively, one of the cutting edges has a secondary-cutting edge.
US08297094B2
An article includes a titanium substrate, a metallic layer diffusion bonded with the titanium substrate and a residual stress region that extends through the metallic layer and at least partially into the titanium substrate.
US08297092B2
The reflection portion of the reflection member is moved along the inner surface in the hole of the pipe from the entrance opening of the hole of the pipe to the exit opening of the hole thereof. In this case, the reflection portion is guided by the guide portion provided at both sides of the reflection portion. The shots, which are projected toward the inner surface in the hole of the pipe, reach the reflection portion through the holes of the guide portion of the entrance side, and they are reflected toward the inner surface in the hole of the pipe. Since the shots can be reflected toward the inner surface inside in the hole of the pipe, the tendency that shots may be moved toward the inner surface outside in the hole of the curved portion can be small.
US08297090B2
A theft prevention device includes a base having body with a pair of side walls; a base protrusion protruding from an edge of the body, the base protrusion having a base protrusion opening; and a fastener opening configured to receive a fastener for coupling the base to an external device; and a sleeve adapted to mate with the base, the sleeve having a bottom wall; a pair of side walls extending from the bottom wall; an end wall extending from the bottom wall and between the side walls, the end wall having an end wall slot adapted to receive the base protrusion; and a sleeve protrusion protruding from an edge of the sleeve and having a sleeve protrusion opening configured to be substantially aligned with the base protrusion opening when the base protrusion is inserted through the end wall slot.
US08297084B2
A drum washing machine is provided. The drum washing machine includes a tub that stores wash water therein, a drum rotatably mounted within the tub, a motor mounted in a rear of the tub, the motor having a shaft to rotate the drum, a bearing housing inserted into the tub having a hollow portion, which allows the shaft of the motor to pass therethrough, formed in a center thereof, a bearing secured to the hollow of the bearing housing, and an outlet hole that discharges gas or moisture generated in the bearing and a portion adjacent to the bearing outside of the bearing housing. The drum washing machine so constructed has enhanced durability, because it includes the outlet hole provided in the bearing housing where the shaft rotates that prevents moisture or water from remaining in the bearing housing.
US08297080B2
A method for producing a single-mode fiber for submarine cables including washing and flame polishing of a preform, fiber drawing, coating with a first coating layer and curing therein using an UV-curing device, coating with a second coating layer and curing therein using the UV-curing device, fiber selection with a 2% screening strain, and testing the properties of the fiber. The fiber has a high strength and long coiling length exceeding 100 km and the method is easy to practice with low production cost and parameters involved therein are highly controllable.
US08297074B2
A coiled heat exchanger having a plurality of tubes which are wound around a core tube is disclosed. The coiled heat exchanger having a casing which delimits an outer space around the tubes, and wherein a first and a second component of the coiled heat exchanger are composed of different materials.
US08297068B2
A motor control device controls a fan motor, and controls a motor speed so as to maintain a predetermined airflow value. For this, the motor control device includes an input terminal for inputting a first operation parameter indicating the motor speed or a second operation parameter indicating a motor torque. Moreover, the motor control device includes a motor-speed target value arithmetically-operating unit that calculates, using a predetermined airflow value and the motor torque, a necessary modified value for the motor speed at the predetermined time intervals. Further, the motor control device includes an output terminal that outputs an instruction speed of the motor based on the necessary modified value.
US08297066B2
A refrigeration unit and a respective control and management assembly, comprising a refrigeration assembly and at least one power input for its electrical power supply. The refrigeration unit comprising at least one signal input and at least one control switch, which is arranged along a power line which corresponds to the power input. The control switch controlling the power line and the data that arrive from the respective signal input being suitable for driving the control switch for consequently determining the presence/absence of electrical power supply for said refrigeration assembly.
US08297063B2
A method for servicing a refrigeration system is disclosed. The refrigeration system contains a refrigerant and has a compressor, a high-side section and a low-side section. The method includes the steps of releasing the refrigerant from the refrigeration system from the high-side section; collecting the released refrigerant with a recovery container containing a refrigerant adsorptive substance; charging the refrigeration system with inert gas from the low-side section; and discharging the inert gas from the refrigeration system from the high-side section.
US08297062B2
A heat-dissipating device (1) including a casing (10), a thermal insulation plate (20), a thermoelectric cooling chip (30), a heat-dissipating body (40), super heat pipes (52), a cooler (53), a first fan (54) and a second fan (60). The thermal insulation plate (20) divides the interior of the casing (10) into a hot air zone (ZH) and a cold air zone (ZC). The thermoelectric cooling chip (30) is disposed on the thermal insulation plate (20) with its hot-end surface (32) facing the hot air zone (ZH). The heat-dissipating body (40) is disposed in the hot air zone (ZH) to contact the hot-end surface (32). The super heat pipes (52) and the cooler (53) thermally contact a cold-end surface (31) of the thermoelectric cooling chip (30). Thus, the cold generated by the cold-end surface (31) can be rapidly and uniformly conducted to other places to form a cold airflow.
US08297059B2
A turbomachine includes a compressor, a combustor operatively connected to the compressor, and an injection nozzle operatively connected to the combustor. The injection nozzle includes a main body having a first end section that extends to a second end section to define an inner flow path. The injection nozzle further includes an outlet arranged at the second end section of the main body, at least one passage that extends within the main body and is fluidly connected to the outlet, and at least one conduit extending between the inner flow path and the at least one passage.
US08297055B2
A water motor which includes a tubular tipping lever arm open on both ends and a central water fill port, and a central fulcrum pivotally supporting the lever arm for seesaw tipping thereabout. Temporary containment vessels Containers are positioned under each open end of the lever arm to receive water flowing from a respective one of the open ends of the lever arm. Water is drained from each vessel when a respective one of the lever arm ends is in an up position. A float is positioned in each of the containers and each float is provided with an upwardly extending rigid lifting vertical rod of predetermined length for engaging respective of the opposed lever arm ends for thereby cyclically reversing the seesaw tipping of the tipping lever arm and providing also resultant draining of a respective of the containers with the buoyancy force of the floats.
US08297040B2
An internal combustion engine has an exhaust gas catalyst, a first exhaust gas sensor that is arranged in such a manner that it can be used in lambda control, and a second exhaust gas sensor that is arranged in such a manner that it can be used in trim control. A HC quality value (EFF_CAT_HC) which is representative of an oxygen storage capacity of the exhaust gas catalyst is determined depending on a measuring signal (VLS_DOWN) of the second exhaust gas sensor. A NOx correction factor (COR_NOX) is determined depending on the measuring signal (VLS_DOWN) of the second exhaust gas sensor, namely depending on signal portions that are representative of the residual oxygen. A NOx quality value (EFF_CAT_DIAL_NOX) is determined depending on the HC quality value (EFF_CAT_HC) and the NOx correction factor (COR_NOX).
US08297037B2
A gas turbine includes a combustor, a combustor casing formed in a cylindrical shape to house the combustor therein, and a combustor insertion hole, which is a hole formed on a side periphery of the combustor casing, where a size thereof in a direction orthogonal to a circumferential direction of the combustor casing is formed larger than that in the circumferential direction of the combustor casing, and when the combustor inserted into the hole, a member moved together with the combustor, and the hole are viewed from a moving direction of the combustor, the hole includes an entire external form of the combustor and the member moved together with the combustor.
US08297018B2
Protected prefinished fiber cement products are manufactured by applying a protective layer on the finished surface of a fiber cement product. The protective layer protects the finish layer of the prefinished fiber cement product during handling, storage, and transport. Removing the protective layer leaves no adhesive residue on the finish layer, does not damage the finish layer, and does not substantially tear the protective layer. Protected prefinished fiber cement products are typically stacked on pallets for storage and transport. Optionally, spacers may be placed between the stacked protected prefinished fiber cement products.
US08297016B2
A floor support for a grain bin floor made from a sheet of galvanized steel having a top surface, a bottom surface and flat ends. The floor support has a plurality of flanges and notches disposed within the top surface and a plurality of openings disposed through the sheet of galvanized steel. Positioned between each opening is a first bend. Positioned on either side of selected first bends is a second bend thereby forming a z-shaped floor support.
US08297015B2
A permanently installed wall cavity and filtration system provides molded base dry block members that install along the base of a wall between the floor and a bottom edge of drywall, gypsum board or other conventional interior wall construction material. The base block members have connection ports at opposite ends that communicate with an interior airflow channel on an inner facing side of the block members. The air flow channel communicates with the wall interior. A forced flow of dry air is directed through one of the ports, thereby allowing the forced dry air to circulate into the interior wall cavities in order to remove moisture and dampness. The damp, contaminated air can also be pulled out through any one of the connection ports by vacuum force, and filtered to avoid contamination of the surrounding interior living environment.
US08297014B2
An architectural structure comprises a core column structure (1), a plurality of recessed platform structures (2) vertically spaced apart from each other and supported by the column structure, and landfill filled in the recessed platform structures form plots. A water reticulation system moves through all the plots from a central water supply system. Dwellings (4) are built on the plots.
US08297006B2
The present invention is a foundational cistern. The present invention is an evolutionary panelized foundation system that uses known pre-casting technologies, functions structurally in similar ways to traditional systems, yet provides building designers with a multitude of new benefits in combination with the objectives of reduced construction time, energy, and water conservation. Stored rainwater in the cistern provides thermal mass for heating for a supported structure, and may be used for nonpotable uses. Given appropriate on-site water treatment, potable uses of stored rainwater may be contemplated as well. The foundational cistern of the present invention may be coupled to other foundational cisterns and structural elements of the supported structure. The present invention offers a multitude of advantages not currently known in the art of foundation products.
US08297004B2
A method and device for supporting a structure above a fixed surface. The device can include a support pedestal whose height is adjustable through a range of heights without a substantial gap in the obtainable heights.
US08296994B2
A film sheet for area-focusing of sunlight and a greenhouse provided with the same are provided. A film sheet includes i) a film having a rectangular shape, and ii) a plurality of prism assemblies formed on one surface of the film to extend in one direction. At least one prism assembly of the plurality of prism assemblies includes i) at least one first prism unit including a plurality of first prisms with slanted angles that are substantially the same as each other, and ii) at least one second prism unit neighboring the first prism unit and including a plurality of second prisms with slanted angles that are substantially the same as each other. The width of the first prism unit is substantially the same as the width of the second prism unit and a slanted angle of one first prism among the plurality of first prisms is different from a slanted angle of one second prism among the plurality of second prisms, and light entering the prism assembly is configured to be area-focused.
US08296990B2
A firearm has a frame, a slide mounted to the frame, and a configurable sight that is removably connected to the slide using a combined transverse dovetail- and longitudinal lap-shaped protrusion and slot engagement. The configurable sight can be quickly and easily installed by hand without the use of tools.
US08296989B1
A rifle barrel adapter that ensures adequate mounting overlap for muzzle mounted grenades for proper firing alignment is described, which adapter is formed of only four parts: (1) an elongated unitary body with a narrowed cylindrical front section upon which the muzzle mounted grenade is mounted, which elongated unitary body has an enlarged rear section that is mounted about the muzzle end of the rifle barrel over the flash suppressor; (2) a unitary locking mechanism to secure the elongated unitary body to the muzzle end of the rifle; (3) a bias spring to maintain the unitary locking mechanism in place, and (4) a locking pin to hold the unitary locking mechanism in place within the unitary body.
US08296987B1
A shotgun includes a first barrel having a first barrel muzzle end and a second barrel having a second barrel muzzle end. The shotgun includes an expansion joint provided adjacent the first barrel muzzle end and the second barrel muzzle end to connect together the first barrel muzzle end to the second barrel muzzle end. The expansion joint is operative to allow movement of one of the first and second barrels relative to the other one of the first and second barrels to prevent bowing thereof.
US08296983B2
A wearable band with an adjustable size or length. The band includes a base band element with an elongated, thin body extending a first length from a first sidewall to a second sidewall. The body may include a user identification member that stores user ID information for a wearer of the band. The band includes a band sizing assembly with one, two, three, or more band sizing segments that are detachable linked together such as via a tongue and groove interlocking mechanism. The band sizing assembly extends a second length from first sidewall to a second sidewall, and these sidewalls are configured for coupling or linking with the sidewalls of the base band element body so as to form a closed loop or bracelet with a third length. A user may size the band by selecting the number and size of the sizing segments used in the band sizing assembly.
US08296979B2
A banner apparatus comprising a base having a substantially symmetrical central core formed in an upper end of the base and a banner-insert sub-assembly removably installed within the core from either open end. The core has a substantially symmetrical and central stepped inner surface that is accessible from each open end. The banner-insert sub-assembly comprises an insert having at least one passage therethrough and a windsock banner installed over the insert so as to be pinched between the insert and the core when the banner-insert sub-assembly is removably installed within the core during use, the banner having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one airflow channel in communication therebetween and with the passage and the core so as to allow airflow through the base and the banner to aid its substantially horizontal flight during use.
US08296978B2
The invention provides systems for removably attaching flexible signage to transportable containers, including systems adapted for attaching advertising banners to truck trailers. An aspect of the invention is a support line length adjustment mechanism adapted to be actuated to alternatively shorten and tension a signage sheet support line, and to lengthen and thereby untension the support line, to release the support line and the signage from the container.
US08296973B2
Described are embodiments of multi-functional footwear. In one example, an article of footwear includes a climbing arch configured to receive at least a portion of a climbing surface. The climbing arch also includes a plurality of engagement members extending from the arch and configured to engage a climbing surface. The article of footwear may also include a protective plate, a plurality of outwardly extending protrusions that form a receiving area configured to receive a portion of a second body, a drainage system configured to drain liquid from within the article of footwear, and/or an anti-rope burn upper. The described, multi-functional footwear may be designed with significantly less mass than known footwear.
US08296966B2
A micrometer includes: a body; a fixed sleeve that is fixed to the body; a spindle that is screwed to the fixed sleeve; a thimble that is rotatably fitted to an outer circumference of the fixed sleeve and has an outer end connected to the spindle; an operation sleeve fitted over a range from an outer circumference of the thimble to an outer end of the spindle and being rotatable relative to the thimble; and a constant pressure mechanism that is disposed between the operation sleeve and the spindle, the constant pressure mechanism transmitting a rotation of the operation sleeve to the spindle and allowing a free rotation of the operation sleeve against the spindle when a predetermined or more amount of load is applied on the spindle. Ball bearings are disposed between the thimble and the operation sleeve.
US08296961B2
A polishing pad thickness measuring method measures the thickness of a polishing pad attached to an upper surface of a surface plate. The polishing pad thickness measuring method measures a first distance between an upper surface of the polishing pad and a reference position on a vertical line perpendicular to the surface of the polishing pad and a second distance between an upper surface of the surface plate and the reference position on the vertical line, and calculates the thickness of the polishing pad from the difference between the first and second distances.
US08296957B2
A stackable cutlery element having a handle and a functional element shaped onto the handle. To achieve maximum stability, the handle of the cutlery element is designed as a wall with longitudinal ribs arranged on the edge of both sides, so that an essentially H-shaped cross-section is formed. For additional stabilization, an end rib is arranged on the longitudinal end of the handle opposing the functional element on both sides of the wall. The end rib and the two longitudinal ribs on both sides are designed so that when the cutlery elements of this invention are stacked, the end rib and the longitudinal ribs of the first side of a cutlery element engage positively in the end rib and longitudinal ribs of the second side of the further cutlery element to connecting to them in the stacking direction.
US08296956B2
The present invention relates to pliers for removing an insulating layer of an electrical cable, in particular a coaxial cable. The inventive pliers comprise a cutting element. The distance of the cutting element from a seat for the cable is adjustable. Furthermore, the cutting element has a degree of freedom in a circumferential direction of the coaxial cable relative to the seat.
US08296944B2
A method for manufacturing a printed circuit board includes the steps of: providing a base board having a first surface layer; performing a first patterning process to the base board to form a bottom circuit on the first surface layer; forming a metal protection layer on the bottom circuit; performing a second patterning process to the metal protection layer to form a patterned metal protection layer; performing a build-up process to the base board to form a first built-up layer on the bottom circuit and the patterned metal protection layer; performing a third patterning process to the first built-up layer to form a first built-up layer circuit; performing a laser manufacturing process to the first built-up layer to form a cavity structure; and clearing the patterned metal protection layer.
US08296943B2
The present invention relates to surveillance and/or identification devices having capacitors connected in parallel or in series, and methods of making and using such devices. Devices with capacitors connected in parallel, where one capacitor is fabricated with a relatively thick capacitor dielectric and another is fabricated with a relatively thin capacitor dielectric achieve both a high-precision capacitance and a low breakdown voltage for relatively easy surveillance tag deactivation. Devices with capacitors connected in series result in increased lateral dimensions of a small capacitor. This makes the capacitor easier to fabricate using techniques that may have relatively limited resolution capabilities.
US08296940B2
A micro pin hybrid interconnect array includes a crystal anode array and a ceramic substrate. The array and substrate are joined together using an interconnect geometry having a large aspect ratio of height to width. The joint affixing the interconnect to the crystal anode array is devoid of solder.
US08296936B2
A phone cable crimping tool is disclosed. The phone cable crimping tool comprises a body part, a first crimping head, a second crimping head, and a rotary unit. The body part comprises a first end and a second end; the first crimping head is connected to the first end of the body part; the second crimping head is connected to the second end of the body part; the rotary unit is pivotally connected to the body part, and the rotary unit is located externally to either the first crimping head or the second crimping head through rotary movements.
US08296933B2
The present invention relates to a fastening apparatus for fastening a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) to a printhead assembly. The printhead assembly includes a printhead carrier and an ink ejection printhead carried by the carrier. The fastening apparatus includes a support assembly. An authentication system is arranged on the support assembly and is configured to authenticate the printhead assembly. At least one bonding assembly is configured to bond the PCB to the printhead assembly. A controller is configured to control the bonding assembly to bond the PCB to the printhead assembly subsequent to the authentication of the printhead assembly.
US08296932B2
Manufacturing equipment of electric resistance welding pipes having excellent characterization of welded seams, includes an apparatus that supplies a strip, an apparatus that reforms a shape, an apparatus that performs roll forming, an induction heater, and a contacting apparatus of strip edges by pressing, and having a finpass forming apparatus incorporating a fin having at least two stages of tapering in a middle portion of the roll forming, wherein tapering of the strip immediately before electric resistance welding is conducted such that an angle from a surface of a strip edge toward a vertical direction is in a range of 25 degrees to 50 degrees, and length of a perpendicular angle from a starting position to an end position of the tapering at one side is 20% to 45% of strip thickness, and by shaping the tapering with a fin, having at least two stages of tapering, incorporated in a finpass forming end stand.
US08296931B2
According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method for manufacturing a storage medium includes providing a medium plate member for forming the storage medium and a guide member; and aligning the medium plate member and the guide member so that the medium plate member and the guide member are placed adjacently and the surfaces of the medium plate member and the guide member form a substantially common plane. The method further includes guiding a burnishing member for burnishing the medium plate member onto the surface of the guide member; and sliding the burnishing member on the guide member onto the medium plate member so as to burnish the surface of the medium plate member.
US08296926B2
A method for making a wound stator of an automotive generator is provided for replacing the conventional winding technique. The method includes: forming a stator ring provided with a plurality of annularly arranged radial through slots; cutting a copper wire into a plurality of wire units each having a rectangular cross section; inserting the wire units into the through slots in an interlacing manner; and soldering wire ends of the wire units sequentially so as to form a connected loop.
US08296922B2
A method for producing low-springback half shells made of a metal, in particular steel or a steel alloy, includes drawing in at least one drawing die a blank, such that the blanks have flange regions on the deep drawn body after the deep drawing. The flange regions are shaped by upsetting a corner substantially perpendicularly to a wall of the deep drawn region of the blank and the flange regions are subsequently trimmed in a shearing die, such that half shells without margins are produced.
US08296921B2
A method of insulating a space including the steps of: forming an insulation piece using at least one base material that are interlocked so as to produce a body with a predetermined starting shape; and placing the insulation piece in a space to define an insulating barrier between first and second regions between which the space resides.
US08296916B2
A method for enabling removal and replacement of a failed actuator module of a brake assembly that includes multiple actuators (27) for compressing a brake disk stack (12), wherein the failed actuator has failed in an extended position applying compressive force to the brake disk stack and at least one of the other actuators remains operative. The method comprises the steps of causing one or more of the operative actuators to apply to the brake disk stack a compressive force greater than the compressive force exerted by the failed actuator whereby the reactionary force acting on the failed actuator will be reduced, and removing the failed actuator after the reactionary load on the failed actuator has been reduced.
US08296911B1
An apparatus and method for producing a shifted angle fabric and the product produced thereby. The apparatus includes a supply of fabric and a differential tenter frame. The differential tenter frame includes a frame, a pair of opposed, constant path rails and a differential drive. The differential tenter frame is located downstream from the supply of fabric for receiving the opposing edges of the fabric and advancing the opposing edges at different speeds to shift the weft angle of the fabric as the fabric travels the length of the differential tenter frame. A high velocity, low heat drying range adjacent to the differential tenter frame simultaneously dries the fabric as the fabric travels the length of the differential tenter frame. A take-up roll downstream from the differential tenter frame then takes up the dried fabric.
US08296909B2
Mobile power generator apparatus includes: upper and lower pivoting links vertically pivotably connected at their one end portions to a frame; and a handle mounted to the frame for pulling the generator apparatus and connected at its proximal end portion to other end portions of the links. The handle is expandable, in a direction where a grip moves away from the links, in interlocked relation to upward pivotal movement of the links responsive to a pulling force, and is collapsable, in a direction where the grip moves toward the links, in interlocked relation to downward pivotal movement of the links responsive to a pushing force.
US08296907B2
A light weight flexible hand grip and method of making with a single piece precursor grip member having a tubular sleeve portion connected with a tubular grip portion with a wall situated therebetween. An alternate embodiment includes the tubular grip portion attached proximate an open end of the tubular sleeve portion. A core portion is disposed on an outer surface of the tubular sleeve portion and the tubular grip portion is positioned back over the tubular sleeve portion securing the core portion within an annular cavity to form the light weight hand grip.
US08296906B2
A four bar hinge for mounting a door on an enclosure, the hinge including a first mounting bracket adapted to secure the hinge to the enclosure, a second mounting bracket adapted to secure the hinge to the door, a first link rotationally connected to the first mounting bracket at a first location and rotationally connected to the second mounting bracket at a second location, a second link rotationally connected to the first mounting bracket at a third location and rotationally connected to the second mounting bracket at a fourth location, a first shield fixedly connected at the second and the fourth locations and a second shield slidably connected to the first link and rotationally connected at the third location, wherein throughout an entire range of motion of the first mounting bracket relative to the second mounting bracket at least a portion of one of the first or second shields overlaps at least a portion of the other of the first and second shields whereby access to a volume formed between the first and second links is precluded.
US08296890B2
The invention relates to a method for providing a shoe having the steps of providing an upper, a sole, and a stitching; washing the upper for achieving a weathered appearance of the upper without subjecting the stitching and sole to the washing; and softening the sole. The method also comprises stitching the sole and the upper together with the stitching; working the sole to weather an appearance of the sole; drying the upper and sole together for disfiguring the upper and sole and for achieving a generally uniform weathered appearance; cyclically working the sole to match the appearance of the upper; and cyclically working the upper to match the appearance of the sole. The invention also includes the shoe.
US08296884B2
A gap-filler for a patient-support apparatus comprises a barrier panel, a first coupler coupled to the barrier panel and a second coupler coupled to the barrier panel and configured to engage a siderail of the patient-support apparatus such that the gap-filler is movable relative to the siderail as the siderail moves between a raised position and a lowered position.
US08296882B1
A plurality of angled members that are positionable between a bed's mattress and box spring to prevent a pet from falling off or of being accidentally pushed off a bed. The angled member positioned at the foot of the bed extends from one side to the other whether twin, queen or king sized mattress with the side angled members positioned on opposing sides of the bed with each adjacently fastened to the foot member by means of at least one bracket. The vertical portion of the angled members sufficiently extends above the planar top surface of the mattress to form a barrier to prevent the aforementioned accidents.
US08296880B1
A hammock having a self-closing bottom entrance slit is constructed with the slit substantially offset to one side of the center line of the hammock. This improves comfort by enabling one to lie in the hammock out of contact with the slit, and facilitates the addition of an insulating panel to the hammock.
US08296867B2
A helmet for receiving the head of a hockey or lacrosse player, the helmet having an outer shell and an inner lining covering at least partially the inner surface of the outer shell. In one embodiment, the helmet comprises a skeleton at least partially covered by the inner lining, a movable occipital pad and movable temple pads. The inner lining can be made of an absorptive material such as foam, expanded polypropylene or expanded polyethylene and can be overmolded onto the skeleton. The occipital pad and the temple pads may be arranged with an inward bias so as to help the helmet self-adjust to provide an advantageous fit on the player's head. In some embodiments, the outer shell and skeleton, or the outer shell and the inner lining, cooperate to define a ventilation system.
US08296864B2
The present invention relates to a garment with enhanced knee support.
US08302196B2
Described is a technology for managing network security by having network clients that are capable of self-assessment assess themselves for security risks and/or security vulnerabilities. Other clients may be remotely assessed for security risks and/or security vulnerabilities. Assessments may include antimalware scans, vulnerability assessment, and/or port scans. The results of the self-assessments and remote assessments are combined into a data set (e.g., a view) indicative of the network security state. In this manner, for example, significant network resources are conserved by allowing those clients capable of self-assessment to assess themselves and thereafter only provide their self-assessment results. Clients capable of self-assessment may also be remotely assessed, to determine whether any discrepancies exist between their remote assessments and self-assessments. Clients may be discovered, along with their self-assessment capabilities, by network communication.
US08302191B1
A submission filtering component filters malware related content received for analysis. The submission filtering component determines an analysis priority rating for each source from which malware related content is received. An analysis priority ratings is based on various factors indicative of how likely the source is to transmit malware related content that is important to analyze. The malware filtering component transforms the received stream of malware related content into a subset to be analyzed, based on the analysis priority ratings associated with sources from which malware related content is received. A malware analysis component analyzes the subset of malware related content.
US08302180B1
Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for detection of network attacks on a protected computer. In one example, the system comprises a proxy device configured to redirect and mirror traffic directed to the protected computer; a traffic sensor configured to collect statistical information about the mirrored traffic; a data collector configured to aggregate information collected by the traffic sensor and to generate traffic filtering rules based on the aggregated statistical information; a filtering center configured to, in parallel with collection of statistical information, filter redirected traffic based on the traffic filtering rules provided by the data collector.
US08302175B2
The present invention relates to a method for electronic reauthentication of a communication party (12, 22). The method further relates to a device for electronic reauthentication of a communication party. A basic idea of the present invention is to have a communication party, which employs a service, state two different communication addresses, one being a telephone number, via which the communicating party may authenticate herself to a provider (11, 21) of the service.
US08302172B2
A method and system for securely logging onto a banking system authentication server so that a user credential never appears in the clear during interaction with the system in which a user's credential is DES encrypted, and the DES key is PKI encrypted with the public key of an application server by an encryption applet before being transmitted to the application server. Within the HSM of the application server, the HSM decrypts and re-encrypts the credential under a new DES key known to the authentication server, the re-encrypted credential is forwarded to the authentication server, decrypted with the new DES key known to the authentication server, and verified by the authentication server.
US08302171B2
This invention provides a privilege delegation mechanism, which allows a privilege and associated control attributes to be delegated from a security token to another security token or an intelligent device such as a computer system. The privilege may be in the form of an attribute certificate, a key component of a cryptographic key, a complete cryptographic key, digital certificate, digital right, license or loyalty credits. The purpose of the delegation is to allow another security token or computer system to act as a surrogate for the security token or to access a resource which requires components from both units before access is permitted. Attributes associated with the delegated privilege control the scope and use of the privilege. The delegation may allow the surrogate to perform authentications, access data or resources included on another security token or computer system. Authentications are performed prior to transferring of the delegable privileges.
US08302162B1
A system and method for the backup and archival of online content. In one embodiment, an archival manager receives user authentication information corresponding to a user account, wherein the user account corresponds to a website hosted by at least one content server, the website enables a user to create and store online content associated with the user account, and the online content associated with the user account is stored on a memory accessible by the at least one content server. The archival manager receives an archival schedule, wherein the archival schedule specifies at least one parameter for archiving the online content. According to the archival schedule, the archival schedule periodically archives the online content to an archive server.
US08302152B1
A portable electronic device implements a location-dependent security protocol. Without requiring that the user enter any location information, the device determines one or more familiar areas. When a user attempts to access the device or an application of the device. The device will implement a first authentication process if the device is in one of the familiar areas, or a different authentication process if the device is not in one of the familiar areas. The second security rule may be more complex, or require more time, than the first security rule.
US08302151B2
In a software environment wherein one or more subjects respectively seek to access one or more objects, and wherein a security policy having rules is associated with the environment, a method is provided for use in connection with an effort by a particular subject to access a particular object. The method comprises identifying a domain to which the particular subject belongs, and identifying a type that includes or characterizes the particular object. One or more rules of the security policy are then used to decide whether to permit the particular subject to access the particular object. The method further comprises providing one or more distinct audible sounds for a user associated with the particular subject, wherein each audible sound represents specified information pertaining to the decision of whether or not to permit access to the particular object.
US08302130B2
Optimized scanning for EPG data in the streams is provided by performing interim scans based on user data. The user data is gathered based on services accessed by one or more users of the device. The streams are then ranked according to the data and a scan threshold of a subset of streams to scan is defined. A interim scan occurs on a subset of streams up to the threshold streams after a first time interval after which scanning may end.
US08302128B2
In certain embodiments, a method of receiving digital television signals involves tuning a radio frequency tuner to receive a radio frequency modulated channel containing a transport stream; demodulating the channel to produce an output transport stream; the output transport stream containing an Internet Protocol (IP) stream of packets containing non-real time content, a FLUTE file description table (FDT), NRT service metadata and NRT content metadata; demultiplexing the IP stream of packets to produce: NRT content that is stored in an electronic storage medium, the FLUTE FDT, NRT service metadata, and NRT content metadata; parsing the metadata to produces NRT service metadata; NRT content description text and NRT content metadata; and processing the NRT content description text derived from a Text Fragment Table (TFT). This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08302114B2
A carrying section of a disk apparatus includes a pair of arms disposed in a substantially symmetrical relationship with respect to the carrying direction of a disk in the proximity of the opposite ends of an opening formed in a housing such that the arms pivot around end portions thereof adjacent the opening in synchronism with each other in directions toward and away from each other, and a biasing element which biases the arms in a direction in which ends of the arms remote from the opening approach each other. The arms individually have rollers provided thereon which grip and carry the disk to a predetermined position. At least one of the rollers is rotated by the driving member to carry the disk.
US08302099B2
A example method disclosed herein comprises initiating a first optimistically balanced synchronization to acquire a lock of an object, the first optimistically balanced synchronization comprising a first optimistically balanced acquisition and a first optimistically balanced release to be performed on the lock by a same thread and at a same nesting level, releasing the lock after execution of program code covered by the lock if a stored state of the first optimistically balanced release indicates that the first optimistically balanced release is still valid, the stored state of the first optimistically balanced release being initialized prior to execution of the program code to indicate that the first optimistically balanced release is valid, and throwing an exception after execution of the program code covered by the lock if the stored state of the first optimistically balanced release indicates that the first optimistically balanced release is no longer valid.
US08302097B2
The present invention relates to the problem of scheduling work for employees and/or other resources in a help desk or similar environment. The employees have different levels of training and availabilities. The jobs, which occur as a result of dynamically occurring events, consist of multiple tasks ordered by chain precedence. Each job and/or task carries with it a penalty which is a step function of the time taken to complete it, the deadlines and penalties having been negotiated as part of one or more service level agreement contracts. The goal is to minimize the total amount of penalties paid. The invention consists of a pair of heuristic schemes for this difficult scheduling problem, one greedy and one randomized. The greedy scheme is used to provide a quick initial solution, while the greedy and randomized schemes are combined in order to think more deeply about particular problem instances. The invention also includes a scheme for determining how much time to allocate to thinking about each of several potential problem instance variants.
US08302073B2
Moving dependencies along with source code is provided. A set of dependencies are identified for the source code in response to a user moving the source code from an origin project to a destination project. A determination is made whether a number of dependencies from the set of dependencies are present in the destination project. The number of dependencies are added to the destination project in response to the number of dependencies being absent in the destination project.
US08302066B2
A value held in storage elements coupled to a clock buffer and variably set with a threshold voltage is read out in a state where an analyzing target circuit within an IC operates. An analyzing process specifies an impact of noise in a power supply or ground voltage of the clock buffer and a location where the impact is large, based on the threshold voltage and position information of the storage element from which the read out value has an inverted relationship to the set logic value and each storage element that is a read target. A constraint condition for placement of constituent elements of the IC and routing therein is created from results of the analyzing process, and a re-placement or re-routing process re-places or re-routes the constraint condition to reduce the noise.
US08302063B2
A method of integrated circuit design and, more particularly, a method and system to optimize semiconductor products for power, performance, noise, die area, and cost through use of variable power supply voltage compression. The method is implemented in a computer-based tool and includes: embedding relationships in an optimization tool running on a computing device, wherein the relationships are based at least partly on performance, power-supply noise, die area, and power; inputting a set of product data and a set of technology data in the optimization tool running on the computing device; and determining product design parameters including power supply voltage, switching-noise-induced power supply voltage variation, and decap area. The determining is based on the relationships, the product data, and the technology data and is performed using the computing device running the optimization tool.
US08302060B2
A system includes a computer readable storage medium and a processor. The computer readable storage includes data representing an input/output (“I/O”) cell of a first type for modeling and/or fabricating a semiconductor device. The I/O cell of the first type includes circuitry for providing a first plurality of functions. The processor is in communication with the computer readable storage medium and is configured to select the I/O cell of the first type, arrange a plurality of the I/O cells of the first type on a model of an semiconductor device, and store the model of the semiconductor device including the plurality of the I/O cells of the first type in the computer readable storage medium.
US08302057B2
A standard cell library is used in design of a semiconductor integrated circuit. A driving force sequence of cells for a single function is in the form of geometric progression with a geometric ratio of the “pth root of 2,” where p is a natural number of 2 or more. A transistor in an output signal driving section of each of the cell is laid out using only layout devices which are limited to p types of sizes. Even if p is small, the driving force sequence can be formed in geometric progression with an extremely low increasing rate. At the same time, sizes of layout devices are discrete and limited, thereby easily securing accuracy of a performance model of a cell. As a result, the standard cell library allows a high-performance circuit to be designed in a highly reliable model.
US08302048B2
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for detecting timing constraint conflicts, the method comprising: receiving a timing constraint file; taking all test points in the timing constraint file as nodes, determining directed edges between the nodes and weights of the directed edges according to timing constraints relevant to the test points in the timing constraint file to establish a directed graph; searching for all directed cycles of the directed graph; and for each directed cycle, if the sum of the weights of the directed edges constituting the directed cycle satisfies a required condition, determining that a timing constraint conflict exists among the test points and the timing constraints constituting the directed cycle. The method and apparatus can automatically detect timing constraint conflicts with one hundred percent to reduce design turnaround time and engineer resources in ASIC projects.
US08302047B2
A method is described for simulating the f-sigma timing path delay of an integrated circuit design when local transistor variations determine the stochastic delay. This is achieved by determining an estimated delay time for a first timing path using non-linear operating point analysis of local variations (NLOPALV). An operating point is calculated for each cell that is included in a timing path in the integrated circuit design. The f-sigma operating point of a cell-arc is a point on the cell-arc delay function (CADF). An f-sigma delay value is determined for each cell using the selected operating point on the CADF of the cell. The determined delay values of the plurality of cells in the timing path may then be combined to predict the estimated delay for the entire timing path. The method may be extended to deal with slew rate, predict hold time statistics, prune paths, and deal with convergent paths.
US08302037B2
A differential system producing differential signals with offset cancellation utilizing a double differential input pair system is disclosed. It uses two parallel differential transistor pairs which are intentionally skewed. Nominally, the differential pairs are skewed in opposite direction from each, but with equal magnitude, so that the combination of the two differential pairs is nominally balanced. The current through each differential pair is then increased or decreased until any offset is sufficiently cancelled, using a selection means for providing an equi-potential value to first and second differential inputs in a calibration mode of the system and a comparison means for comparing first and second differential outputs in a calibration mode to determine the offset of the system.
US08302035B2
A method for verifying an optical proximity correction includes: performing an optical proximity correction on a target pattern layout; performing a primary verification on the target pattern layout which has undergone the optical proximity correction; performing a secondary verification on defect weak points detected in the primary verification; and performing an additional optical proximity correction on hot spot points which are detected in the secondary verification and which may be generated as defects when transferred to a real wafer.
US08302033B2
A device, method, and graphical user interface for providing maps, directions, and location-based information on a touch screen display are disclosed.
US08302026B2
A user interface and techniques for presenting content in a panel-based layout are described. The user interface has one or more demarcation bars to define multiple panels on a screen area. Different subject matter (e.g., data, content, programs, etc.) may be placed in the various panels. A bar navigation element facilitates navigation of the bar(s) among preset positions. With the bar navigation element, a user can intuitively resize the panels using just a single actuation (e.g., a single click of a mouse, or a stylus tap). The panels remain in their original orientation and relative positioning, and remain visible in the user interface so that the user can track their location.
US08302019B2
A method and system for visualizing process flows for business and manufacturing processes are described that includes a first view of the process as a tree showing the process elements and their interconnections, and a second view of the process in the form of a zoomable interface that displays selected nodes at magnifications that are continuously variable at the user's option. A selected node in the tree view opens the same node in the zoomable node view. When a second node is selected in the tree view, the zoomable node view zooms from the first selected node to the second selected node through each node intermediate between the first and second selected nodes. This enables a process analyst to view the content of selected process nodes in the context of nodes with which the selected nodes are associated and thus to have a thorough understanding of the process.
US08302015B2
An embodiment is directed to displaying information to a user of a communications device. The communications device receives a query including a social parameter, a temporal parameter and a spatial parameter relative to the user that are indicative of a desired visual representation of a set of data objects. The communications device determines degrees to which the social, temporal and spatial parameters of the query are related to each of the set of data objects in social, temporal and spatial dimensions, respectively. The communications device displaying a first visual representation of at least a portion of the set of data objects to the user based on whether the determined degrees of relation in the social dimension, temporal dimension and spatial dimension satisfy the respective parameters of the query.
US08302008B2
A system for presenting FLASH presentations contained in a storage medium. Such a system can include a FLASH presentation (FLAPRE) markup language (FLML) document, a FLASH-based FLAPRE player, and a launching application. The FLML document can textually represent a user-created FLASH presentation using the FLAPRE markup language (FLML). The FLAPRE player can be configured to visually render the user-created FLASH presentation contained within the FLML document. The launching application can be configured to display the FLAPRE player and can support the use of FLASH animation.
US08301993B2
Disclosed are a method, information processing system, and computer readable medium for graphically representing data in a spreadsheet. The method includes displaying a set of tabular data visually arranged at least in rows and columns. A user selection of a first dimension and second dimension of data in a series of a first column and second column, respectively, in the set of tabular data is received. A user selection of at least one series identifier in a third column is received. Each distinct set of data entries within the third column is found automatically and without manual intervention. A graphical representation of the user selected tabular data is automatically created without manual intervention. The graphical representation is based on the selected first dimension of data in the series, the selected second dimension of data in the series, and the selected series identifier.
US08301992B2
A method, system and computer program product for enabling a register file to recover from detection of a parity error. A first register file and a second register file are associated with a parallel file structure. When the parity error is detected, the system determines whether the first register file or second register file is associated with the parity error. The register file determined to have the parity error is associated with an offending register and a non-offending register is associated with the “good” register file. Subsequent to the detection of the parity error, the system executes a repair sequence, whereby the register file associated with the offending register receives data from the register file associated with the non-offending register. The offending register file recovers from the parity error with or without the use of a parity interrupt.
US08301988B1
An apparatus for error checking is described. The apparatus includes a matrix having a plurality of bit position columns and rows, where the bit position columns are equal in number to data bits of a word length, the word length for a word serial transmission of a data vector, where the bit position columns are one each for each data bit. The bit position rows are equal in number to syndrome bits, and the bit position rows are one each for each syndrome bit. A portion of the bit position columns are allocated to parity bits for a selected word of the data vector, where the portion of the bit position columns for the selected word are one each for each parity bit allocated to the selected word.
US08301977B2
In a phase change memory, the memory array may be written in relatively small chunks. The writing of data to the array and, particularly, the writing of set data, may be accelerated using a hardware accelerator. The hardware accelerator may include an edge detector which detects a short duration signal pulse to trigger the writing of the set data to a cell. As a result, the writing of data may be accelerated, reducing the time to write in some cases.
US08301971B2
A digital broadcasting system comprising of a digital broadcasting station, a set of digital broadcast receivers, and a switched network, wherein the digital broadcasting station transmits a digital signal to the set of digital broadcast receivers, and the digital broadcast receivers exchange error correction information with each other using the network to compensate errors in local receptions of the digital signal at each digital broadcast receiver location.
US08301968B2
Methods and apparatus for encoding data in a communication network. In an aspect, a method is provided for coding data. The method includes generating one or more permutations of the data, determining weights associated with each permutation, calculating one or more code packets from each permutation based on the associated weights, and multiplexing the data and the one or more code packets into a code packet stream. In an aspect, an apparatus is provided for coding data. The apparatus includes permutation logic configured to generate one or more permutations of the data, and weight logic configured to determine weights associated with each permutation. The apparatus also includes processing logic configured to calculate one or more code packets from each permutation based on the associated weights, and a multiplexer configured to multiplex the data and the one or more code packets into a code packet stream.
US08301965B2
A cascade encoding method and apparatus are applied to a handheld television system or other fields. The method includes the following: A. Reed-Solomon (RS) encoding is performed on inputted Medium Access Control (MAC) packets, and coded MAC packets are outputted; and B. Low density parity check code (LDPC) encoding is performed on the coded MAC packets, and LDPC encoding blocks are outputted. The apparatus includes an RS coder and an LDPC coder. The RS encoding and LDPC encoding are cascaded to encode an inputted code flow, so as to reduce an error rate. Meanwhile, bytes in one RS encoding data block are dispersed into different LDPC blocks to be encoded through byte interleaving, thereby sufficiently utilizing error code characteristics of the RS encoding and the LDPC encoding for decoding, and improving error correction capability of a system.
US08301955B2
A method, apparatus and computer program product for the express forwarding are presented. A node attempts to transmit a frame designated as a Time Sensitive Quality of Service (TSQ) frame to be express forwarded from a first node to a second node of a plurality of nodes. A collision is detected involving the TSQ frame while attempting to transmit the TSQ frame. A retransmission of the TSQ frame is attempted without waiting a predetermined back off period.
US08301951B2
A base station includes a control unit configured to avoid contention between a radio resource allocated to a transmission packet or a retransmission packet by a channel-condition-based scheduling unit and a radio resource allocated to a transmission packet or a retransmission packet by a persistent scheduling unit.
US08301935B2
Method and systems for allocating test scripts across a plurality of test machines is described. A set of test scripts may be maintained where the set of test scripts includes a plurality of test scripts for allocation to a plurality of test machines. A first request for a first test script task may be received from a first test machine of a plurality of test machines. A determination may be made as to whether each test script within the set of test scripts has been allocated. If not, a first unallocated test script to allocate to the first test machine may be determined, and a first test script task may be allocated to the first test machine where the first test script task includes the first unallocated test script. The first unallocated test script then may be identified as an allocated test script in the set of test scripts.
US08301928B2
A hardware based wake-up scheme initiates memory power-up upon a normal access to a powered down memory. The access that triggered the power-up is buffered. Further accesses are stalled until the memory is completely powered up. The buffered access then proceeds to the memory and the processor is brought out of stall. In cases where the software does not directly control access to the memory, such as on a cache miss, this scheme avoids undesirable conditions due to access to powered down memories.
US08301926B2
A data processing apparatus is switchable between a power saving mode and a normal operating mode. A transition triggering event determining section determines an event (e.g., detection of a document or operation of a power saving key) that causes the data processing apparatus to shift from the power saving mode to the normal operating mode, and a transition triggering event holding section stores the event. Then, a mode switching section causes the data processing apparatus to shift from the power saving mode to the normal operating mode in accordance with the event. An execution priority determining section determines based on the event, an execution priority level and/or an order of precedence in which a plurality of programs are executed during the normal operating mode. A program controlling section executes the plurality of programs in accordance with the execution priority level and/or an order of precedence.
US08301921B2
The invention generally relates to the utilization of electric power, and more particularly to systems and methods for selectively utilizing secondary power sources during peak power times. A method includes receiving a notification of a peak power time, and discontinuing use of a primary power supply and beginning use of a secondary power supply based upon the notification.
US08301920B2
The advanced management module services in a data processing system are configured to determine the system load and provide an input to the early power off warning detection logic that evaluates the power system state to detect a condition when power resources are insufficient to maintain the write caching storage system power within defined acceptable limits. The early power off warning detection logic generates a notification based on the system load and the available power supply resources to maintain maximum availability and reliability characteristics.
US08301913B2
A system and method for dynamic power provisioning for a wireless access point. Various types of power management information (e.g., number of users, connection speed, etc.) can be used in a process for determining a power request/priority for a wireless access point (WAP). The determined power request/priority can then be used in a dynamic allocation process by which the WAP's allocated power budget can seek to match its current power needs.
US08301910B2
A method and system that enables cross-border compliance with export restrictions of particular computer technology, including software loaded on a computing device. The computing device is loaded with software, and has a country location device, such as a low-end GPS device. The country location device (country locator) stores the present geographic location of the device in a location register. When the computing device is turned on or the software is activated for operation on the computing device, a security utility of the software compares the value in the register against a list of pre-established locations that are export-restricted. When the value matches (or falls within a range) of one of pre-established locations, the features of the software that are export restricted are automatically disabled.
US08301908B2
A device and method for data protection of inputted and stored publicly encrypted data. Publicly encrypted data can be received by a data receiver module and stored in a storage module and be decrypted by a decryption module using a first encryption key. A deciding device can determine whether or not the data needs protection. If necessary, the data can be re-encrypted by an encryption module based on a second and different internal private encryption key generated from the encryption module and stored in the storage module.
US08301905B2
A system and method for encrypting data. The system includes a controller and a processing element (PE) array coupled to the controller. The PE array is operative to perform one or more of encryption functions and decryption functions using an encryption algorithm. According to the system and method disclosed herein, by utilizing the PE array, the system encrypts and decrypts data efficiently and flexibly.
US08301893B2
The present invention relates generally to digital watermarking and steganographic encoding. One claim recites a method including: receiving data corresponding to at least a portion of digital data; separating the data into a plurality of portions; determining a measure relative to a predetermined measure for each of the portions, wherein the measure comprises a measure related to a predetermined digital watermark signal; based at least in part on the measure, identifying which out of the plurality of portions are likely to host digital watermarking therein. Of course, other combinations are provided as well.
US08301885B2
A method for transmitting messages via a time-controlled communication system (ZK) between a number of IP cores is provided. Each IP core has an information-processing subsystem (IVS) and a network controller (NK). Each NK has at least two interfaces, one for the ZK and a one for the IVS, wherein a distinction is drawn between privileged and non-privileged messages of the ZK, and where the transmission parameters relating to the ZK of a port of the NK, such as the periodically recurring transmission time of a message and the maximum transmission duration after each transmission time, can be set by a privileged message via the ZK or directly by a privileged entity. Each NK intending to transmit a message starts to transmit the message autonomously exactly at the time of the next set transmission time and interrupts the transmission process no later than the assigned maximum transmission duration has elapsed.
US08301884B2
Managing metadata in a metadata transmission server by generating a plurality of metadata fragment data by partitioning metadata to be transmitted based upon predetermined segment units, selecting predetermined metadata fragment data from among the plurality of the metadata fragment data, generating metadata-related authentication information using the selected metadata fragment data, and transmitting the selected metadata fragment data and the metadata-related authentication information including data format information indicating type of the selected metadata fragment data. A metadata receiving client uses the transmitted metadata fragment data, the metadata-related authentication information and the metadata format type information to authenticate the received metadata.
US08301869B2
A programmable controller which executes a plurality of independent sequence programs in parallel is provided with an ASIC, including a plurality of arithmetic-logic units and a plurality of arbitration circuits, and MPUs as many as the arbitration circuits. The entire execution time of the programmable controller is shortened by changing combinations (groups of arithmetic-logic units) of the MPUs (and the arbitration circuits as many as the MPUs) and the arithmetic-logic units, based on the ratios of MPU execution instructions and ASIC execution instructions included in those instructions which constitute the programs to be executed in parallel.
US08301864B2
A method for performing rapid memory management unit emulation of a computer program in a computer system, wherein address injection space of predefined size is allocated in the computer system and a virtual page number and a corresponding physical page number are stored in said address injection space, said method comprising steps of: comparing the virtual page number of the virtual address of a load/store instruction in a code segment in said computer program with the virtual address page number stored in said address injection space; if the two virtual page numbers are the same, then obtaining the corresponding physical address according to the physical page number stored in said address injection space; otherwise, performing address translation lookaside buffer search, that is, TLB search to obtain the corresponding physical address; and reading/writing data from/to said obtained corresponding physical address. The present invention also provides an apparatus and computer program product for implementing the method described above.
US08301863B2
A recursive logical partition real memory map mechanism is provided for use in address translation. The mechanism, which is provided in a data processing system, receives a first address based on an address submitted from a process of a currently active logical partition. The first address is translated into a second address using a recursive logical partition real memory (RLPRM) map data structure for the currently active logical partition. The memory is accessed using the second address. The RLPRM map data structure provides a plurality of translation table pointers, each translation table pointer pointing to a separate page table for a separate level of virtualization in the data processing system with the data processing system supporting multiple levels of virtualization.
US08301862B2
A formatting device (200) which formats a memory module in such a manner that delay in updating management information is prevented is a formatting device that formats a memory card (100) including a first recording area (110) and a second recording area (120) having different characteristics, the formatting device including: a use determination unit (210) configured to hold a ratio of recording areas to be allocated to each of directories that are to be created when the memory card (100) is formatted; and a management information generation unit (220) configured to allocate, to each directory, a recording area having a size determined for the directory according to the ratio held by the use determination unit (210), the recording area being included in the first recording area (110) of the memory card (100).
US08301835B2
A controller may include a RAID controller and an access controller. The RAID controller exchanges data with a host and select ones of a plurality of RAID levels responsive to RAID level information. The access controller is connected to the RAID controller and to a plurality of channels that are each connected to a plurality of non-volatile memory chips. The access controller accesses data in at least one of the non-volatile memory chips connected to each of the channels according to the selected RAID level. The controller may alternatively or additionally include a storage device and a main processor. The main processor is configured to logically partition a plurality of non-volatile memory chips that are connected to each of a plurality of channels into a normal partition region and a RAID level partition region, where data access is performed according to a selected RAID level, in response partition information that is stored in the storage device.
US08301832B1
A method for writing data to persistent storage. The method includes receiving a first request to write a first datum to persistent storage including NAND dies, identifying a first NAND die in which to write a first copy of the first datum and a second NAND die in which to write a second copy, generating a second request to write the first copy of the first datum to the first NAND die and a third request to write the second copy to the second NAND die, and waiting until the first NAND die and second NAND die not are busy. Based on a determination that the first NAND die and the second NAND die are not busy: issuing the second request to the first NAND die, and issuing the third request to the second NAND die after the second request is complete.
US08301830B2
A method for managing wear levels in a storage device having a plurality of data blocks, the method comprising moving data to data blocks having higher erasure counts based on a constraint on static wear levelness that tightens over at least a portion of the lives of the plurality of data blocks.
US08301826B2
In a non-volatile memory storage system such as a flash EEPROM system, a controller switches the manner in which data sectors are mapped into blocks and metablocks of the memory in response to host programming and controller data consolidation patterns, in order to improve performance and reduce wear. Data are programmed into the memory with different degrees of parallelism.
US08301823B2
A bus controller includes: a data receiving section for receiving output status information from other bus controllers on transmission routes available; a route load detecting section for calculating uniformity of distribution index indicating the degree of non-uniformity in transmission flow rate between the routes based on the output status information; a routing section for determining transmission routes, of which the transmission flow rates have been adjusted by reference to the index; a packet assembling section for generating a packet; a data output section for outputting the packet through one of output ports; a header analyzing section for determining which output port is connected to a transmission route chosen by reference to information about the packet receiving end; and a data output section for outputting the packet through the output port.
US08301820B2
A memory system for use with a master-slave type bus such as an AHB bus has a memory, a bus interface to allow memory access from the bus, and a direct memory access interface to allow memory access from a DMA controller without occupying the bus. The system can reduce occupancy of the bus, it can allow dedicated DMA access protocols faster than the bus protocol to be used, and can remove or reduce the need for bus arbitration and associated circuitry and delays. An arbiter can arbitrate between the memory accesses and give priority to DMA accesses.
US08301818B2
A device list is created for an operating system and/or a virtualized operating system. A bus node is created for each bus. Interface nodes are created as child nodes of the respective bus and a status indicator indicates whether a device connected to the interface is accessible. A device node is created for the device connected to the interface. Virtualized interface nodes are created as child nodes of the device node for each virtual device included in the device and a status indicator indicates whether the respective virtual device is accessible. Then, devices and/or virtual devices may be added and/or removed utilizing the list. After a device and/or virtualized device has been removed for one operating system and/or virtualized operating system, it may then be added to another. In this way, devices and/or virtualized devices can be virtually hot plugged without physically connecting and/or disconnecting devices.
US08301813B2
A method and a device for disabling a lower version of a computer bus and interconnection protocol (e.g., Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) 2.0 or higher) for interoperability with a receiver compliant to a lower version of the protocol are disclosed. The device detects a presence of a receiver, and starts link training. During the link training, the number of link training failures or the elapsed time is counted. The device transmits a training sequence including symbols set in accordance with a higher version of the protocol that the device supports on each lane that the receiver is detected as long as the number of link training failures or the elapsed time is below a predetermined threshold. If the number of link training failures or the elapsed time reaches a predetermined threshold, the device transmits a training sequence including symbols set in accordance with a lower version of the protocol.
US08301812B1
Described are techniques for verifying host path detection. First information from a first data storage system is received indicating a first set of one or more hosts and, for each host in the first set, which one or more devices of a first device set of the first data storage system are accessible to said each host in the first set over one or more associated paths to the first data storage system. Second information and the first information are received at a second data storage system. First processing is performed at the second data system to determine whether each host included in the first information has successfully completed path detection with respect to a second device set for the second data storage system.
US08301802B2
A method for processing network traffic data includes receiving a packet, and determining whether the packet is a previously dropped packet that is being retransmitted. A method for processing network traffic content includes receiving a plurality of headers, the plurality of headers having respective first field values, and determining whether the first field values of the respective headers form a first prescribed pattern. A method for processing network traffic content includes receiving a plurality of packets, and determining an existence of a flooding attack without tracking each of the plurality of packets with a SYN bit.
US08301801B2
A blade system and method establishes a shortest path to transmit packets in blade servers of the blade system. The blade system reads status information of each blade server using a shelf manager and connection information among the blade servers. A shortest path among the blade servers is calculated by a depth-first search (DFS) algorithm according to the connection information. The blade system sets a configuration file of the each blade server to transmit the packets among the blade servers according to the calculated shortest path.
US08301799B2
A communication device is arranged to transmit data segments over an interface, wherein the communication device comprises transmission management logic. In response to receipt of a data segment for transmission over the interface, the transmission management logic is arranged to determine a sequence number of a data segment to be transmitted and compare the sequence number of the data segment to be transmitted with at least one pending sequence number of a previous data segment. Based on the comparison, the transmission management logic either discards the data segment to be transmitted if the sequence number of the data segment to be transmitted matches the at least one pending sequence number of the previous data segment; or adds the sequence number of the data segment to be transmitted to the at least one pending sequence number and transmits the data segment over the interface if the sequence number of the data segment to be transmitted does not match the at least one pending sequence number.
US08301797B1
A method and system for providing content in a virtual environment. A host computer hosting a region in a virtual environment provides an event stream including a plurality of event data segments identifying activity occurring in the virtual environment to a client computer participating in the virtual environment. The host computer receives a request to provide virtual environment content including imagery data associated with the virtual environment to the client computer, and provides a content stream including a plurality of content data segments containing virtual environment content at a content stream bandwidth based on an event stream bandwidth associated with the event stream to the client computer.
US08301795B1
A method for streaming multimedia content in a wireless communication system. The exemplary method includes receiving, in a data network, a request from a mobile device to stream multimedia content to the mobile device from the data network, where the request is transmitted over a wireless connection. The method further includes streaming a portion of the requested multimedia content from the data network to the mobile device. The method also includes detecting termination of the wireless connection during the streaming and retaining information in at least one of a device in the data network and the mobile device, where the information indicates a point in the multimedia content stream where the termination of the wireless connection occurred. The method still further includes re-establishing the wireless connection and resuming streaming of the multimedia content based on the retained information.
US08301784B2
Embodiments are directed towards providing a switch proxy service (SPS) to transcode content from a native format into a format optimized for play at a switch enabled consumer electronic device (SED). In one embodiment, the SPS may receive a set of capabilities for a SED that includes at least a minimum, a maximum, and at least one other set of content characteristics. The SPS may associate the capability set with a device identifier that uniquely identifies the SED. When a request for content is received, the SPS examines the request to determine if it valid and authorized. If the request is valid and authorized, the SPS provides content transcoded based on the capability set for the SED, where the SPS provides the content as much as possible to satisfy the SED's best quality set of content characteristics, but at least within the SED's minimum/maximum sets of content characteristics.
US08301782B2
Gateway apparatus for facilitating communications using a stateful protocol (e.g., SIP or SIP/SIMPLE protocol). The gateway apparatus includes a plurality of gateway devices and a remote dialog store, wherein each of the plurality of gateway devices comprises export logic for causing dialog information associated with a first received message (e.g., a request or response) to be communicated to the dialog store, and retrieval logic for causing a lookup of the dialog information in response to a second received message, the second received message associated with the first received message. In one example the gateway devices are stateless, thereby relying on the dialog store for validating and routing messages. In another example, the gateway devices are stateful and rely on the dialog store for backup (e.g., if a gateway device crashes). The gateway devices may be configured for receiving and processing messages according to SIP protocol or SIP/SIMPLE protocol.
US08301781B1
The present invention relates to transferring files between browsers and other browsers or peer-to-peer (P2P) clients. In an embodiment, a system for transferring files includes a first browser and a second browser. The system may have a first client coupled to the first browser and a second client coupled to the second browser. The system may have a relay server coupled to the first and second clients configured to receive data from the first client, send the data to the second client, and send an acknowledgement to the first client upon completion.
US08301779B2
Providing access to a shared resource in a computing environment involves maintaining a timestamp for each shared resource, the timestamp representing the time the resource was last accessed. Then, detecting if the resource is reserved before obtaining access to the resource, by reading the resource timestamp, and if the timestamp represents a future time relative to the current time, indicating that the resource is reserved and delaying access to the resource. If the resource is unreserved, then accessing the resource by reading the resource timestamp to detect any changes in the timestamp since the last reading; if unchanged, then accessing the resource. If the resource is unreserved, then obtaining exclusive access to the resource by reserving the resource by incrementing its timestamp by a reservation period; accessing the resource; and resetting the resource timestamp to the current time.
US08301777B1
A networked object delivery system for a personal computing device includes a network, a personal computing device at least part time coupled to the network, and a service agent server at least part time coupled to the network. The personal computing device is preferably a PDA or the like, but can also include personal computers, laptop computers, notebook computers, etc. The personal computing device locally operates on a requested document with at least one downloaded application module from the network. The service agent server will download a requested document and at least one application module to the personal computing device over the network in response to a request for the document and in response to a desired action to be performed on that document.
US08301769B2
Systems and techniques are provided for controlling requests for resources from remote computers. A remote computer's ability to access a resource is determined based upon the computer's operating environment. The computer or computers responsible for controlling access to a resource will interrogate the remote computer to ascertain its operating environment. The computer or computers responsible for controlling access to a resource may, for example, download one or more interrogator agents onto the remote computer to determine its operating environment. Based upon the interrogation results, the computer or computers responsible for controlling access to a resource will control the remote computer's access to the requested resource.
US08301760B1
Method for coordinating the use of a physical layer between a first network and a second network sharing the physical layer, the first network including at least one device operating using a first network protocol, the second network including at least one device operating using a second network protocol different from the first network protocol, a device in the first network not communicating with a device in the second network, including the procedures of determining required resources of the first network, determining required resources of the second network, requesting the required resources of the first network from a master device of the second network, requesting the required resources of the second network from a master device of the first network, allocating resources to the first network, by the master device of the second network, and allocating resources to the second network by the master of the first network.
US08301758B2
An improved interactive network system is provided that allows the Network Operator to control the transfer of information to and from the network end users, the system preferably using triggers or markers embedded within the programming broadcast to users via the network. As a consequence of this system, the Network Operator is able to efficiently garner revenues from third parties transacting business over the network and to control the look and feel of programming offered to network users. Additionally the system can be used as a means of limiting network access, filtering programming, providing on-screen graphics or audible signals for particular programming types or providers, bookmarking programming, profiling network users, targeting advertising, and simplifying network transactions.
US08301754B1
A publisher web page is rendered at a client device from a publisher and the client device issues a request for traffic statistics data related to traffic content in the web page. The client device receives the traffic statistics data and overlays the traffic statistics data on the web page, e.g., proximate to the related traffic content in the web page.
US08301744B2
Systems and methods for efficiently provisioning and assuring Quality of Service (QoS) between user networks communicating over a DiffServ-enabled network, with QoS management transparency to SIP user agents. The system comprises user networks communicating via a core network, each user network having a source and destination SIP user agent respectively, a SIP proxy server between the source SIP user agent and destination SIP user agent, a Bandwidth Manager to provision a pipe between the source user network and the destination user network, wherein the pipe has a specified bandwidth, and a QoS Agent for accepting and/or rejecting a SIP session based on availability of bandwidth in the pipe; wherein the SIP proxy server is configured to forward an incoming SIP request to the QoS Agent. The method comprises provisioning a pipe between the SIP user agents or their respective user networks, and allowing/rejecting incoming SIP sessions based on the available bandwidth in the pipe.
US08301741B2
A method for creating a newly configured policy comprises a plurality of operations. An operation is performed for receiving a policy creation request including identification information corresponding to a template policy, override information corresponding to the template policy and override information corresponding to a policy referenced by the template policy. An operation is performed for facilitating cloning of a new referenced policy in accordance with the override information corresponding to the referenced policy. An operation is performed for assigning the new referenced policy to a configuration of the template policy. An operation is performed for facilitating cloning of a new policy in accordance with the override information corresponding to the template policy, the template policy configuration and the assigned new referenced policy.
US08301730B2
A method for collecting transcripts each storing an order in which portions of an application file were accessed by the file when the file was executed on one of a plurality of computing devices. The method includes receiving requests to download the file from directing processes each executing on a different one of the computing devices, and in response to those requests, downloading the file to the computing devices and instructing the directing processes to profile usage of the file. Then, transcripts created by the directing processes are received therefrom. A streaming model may be created based on the transcripts received. The file may be divided into a plurality of smaller files based on the streaming model. The streaming model may be used to download the file by downloading at least a portion of the smaller files using a conventional download protocol without using a specialized streaming protocol.
US08301717B2
Several methods and a system of an extended virtual memory system in a computer cluster are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of computer network is disclosed. The method of a computer network includes generating a virtual address space associated with a data of a local computer, translating the virtual address space to a local physical address space with a page table entry of the local computer, and declaring, with a remote memory management module of a remote computer, a set of remote kernel data structures to a local memory management module. The method also includes translating the virtual address space to a remote address of a remote memory with the local memory management module. The method may also include communicating a piece of data to the remote memory management module according to a protocol. The piece of data may be any data available on the remote computer.
US08301705B2
One or more conditions associated with personalizing a subject line of a message for each of one or more target recipients may be determined. One or more conditions may be evaluated to determine which of conditional text is included in and which of conditional variables are included with the subject line. One or more values may be determined, for each of the one or more target recipients, corresponding to each of universal variables and the conditional variables for inclusion with the subject line. The subject line of the message may be personalized for each of the one or more target recipients based on the evaluation of the one or more conditions, the subject line including text and values corresponding to the variables for inclusion with the subject line as determined based on the evaluation.
US08301695B2
A terminal, server and method for determining and processing contents as spams are discussed. According to an embodiment, the includes a method for controlling a content by using a terminal, comprising receiving a first content and a first content ID associated with the first content; transmitting the first content ID and spam information related to the first content ID to a content managing server, the spam information includes information indicating that the first content is to be considered as a spam; receiving the first content ID and indication information indicating that the first content is a spam from the content managing server; receiving a second content and a second content ID associated with the second content; comparing the second content ID, with the first content ID and the indication information; and processing the second content based on the comparison result.
US08301694B2
A host device is provided comprising an interface configured to communicate with a storage device having a public memory area and a private memory area, wherein the public memory area stores a virtual file that is associated with content stored in the private memory area. The host device also comprises a cache, a host application, and a server. The server is configured to receive a request for the virtual file from the host application, send a request to the storage device for the virtual file, receive the content associated with the virtual file from the private memory area of the storage device, wherein the content is received by bypassing the cache, generate a response to the request from the host application, the response including the content, and send the response to the host application. In one embodiment, the server is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) server.
US08301687B2
The example embodiments disclosed herein relate to application integration techniques built around the publish-and-subscribe model (or one of its variants). In certain example embodiments, a first standards-based messaging protocol (e.g., the JMS messaging protocol) may be used to create a trigger so that a message envelope according to a second standards-based messaging protocol (e.g., SOAP) may be communicated over the first standards-based messaging transport layer. In other words, in certain example embodiments, a trigger according to a first protocol (e.g., JMS) may have a message according to a second protocol (e.g., SOAP) associated therewith so as to enable the message to be communicated over the first protocol's transport layer. The trigger may be configured to receive a message from a web service consumer via the JMS messaging protocol and pass it to the web service stack for dispatch to the web service provider. Similarly, for a request-reply web service exchange pattern, the trigger may be configured to send the reply message from the web service provider, as returned by the web service layer, to the web service consumer via the JMS messaging protocol.
US08301673B2
A system and method for performing a distributed consistency check of a clustered file system. File system functions for loading an inode and/or buffer tree are modified so that in response to either of these functions being invoked, a consistency check is performed. The consistency check verifies both local consistency on a node of the clustered file and a distributed check across the nodes of the storage system.
US08301671B1
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing removal of replicated objects based on garbage collection is presented. Data objects are replicated from a primary source to a backup device. A notification is received from a garbage collection process for at least one data object replicated from the primary source to the backup device, the notification indicating that the data object should be deleted. The data object having the notification is deleted from the backup destination.
US08301667B2
Disclosed are improved methods, systems, and media for cursor sharing and cursor pruning. According to some approaches, existing child cursors are distinguished using a cursor sharing criteria node structure. A sharing criteria node (also referred to as a “diagnostic” node) is created when a sharing criteria mismatch/failure happens. The node contains information about why the child cursor could not be shared and also information that can be used to quickly re-evaluate this sharing criterion in the future.
US08301659B2
An apparatus for determining media item privacy settings may include a processor. The processor may be configured to receive media item capture data associated with a media item. The media item capture data may include at least a capture location. The processor may also be configured to identify a privacy context that corresponds to the media item capture data. In this regard, the capture location of the media item capture data may be within a geographic zone of the privacy context. The processor may be further configured to determine a privacy setting for the media item based on the corresponding privacy context, and, in some embodiments, control access to the media item in accordance with the determined privacy setting. Associated methods and computer program products may also be provided.
US08301658B2
A system, method and various software tools enable a video hosting website to automatically identified unlicensed audio content in video files uploaded by users, and initiate a process by which the user can replace the unlicensed content with licensed audio content. An audio replacement tool is provided that enables the user to permanently mute the original, unlicensed audio content of a video file, or select a licensed audio file from a collection of licensed audio, and insert the selected in place of the original audio.
US08301632B2
The present invention relates to an interactive media guidance application that provides improved searching functionality for media information, such as media program listings, media programming information, celebrity information, and other related media information. Search objects may be defined in the entertainment context and applied to media information to enable efficient searching. Different types of media information may be categorized to enable proper organization of search results. A search object query may be performed based on a user entered search expression and the results may be a vertical slice through the organized categories of media information. User submitted tags may also be applied to the media information and used to search the media information. Atomic searching may be enabled for more generic search expressions, whereby an atomic search object is associated with a personalized atomic search algorithm comprised of individual searches. The search algorithm is determined by receiving both user metrics and editorial input. Context sensitive searching may also be provided by defining search objects with different context settings and determining a context setting of the user initiated search.
US08301630B2
A method includes receiving input at a user equipment that designates a particular entity recorded in a user equipment contacts database as being an entity to be contacted in case of an emergency and setting an indication in a first field of a corresponding contacts database entry, where the first field is separate from a second field of the contacts database entry that stores a name of the entity.
US08301629B2
In order to provide an improved tagging-based search method, the method includes one-click actions for searching as well as an “one view” indicator telling the user which search would be the most effective or most important search—by displaying a “search cloud”, called search bag.
US08301628B2
A computerized project management analytical system and method that develops and manages an ontology that links objects and is capable of being mined. The ontology is comprised of a project ontology framework, a matching engine and a project status matrix that illustrates a multi-relational view of the project status, of confidence levels, or interdiction points and/or positions on project timelines.
US08301627B2
Systems and methods are provided for selectively cache trading partner transaction messages in a trading partner collaboration environment. At least one trading partner transaction message is received. A determination is made as to whether at least one trading partner business rule requires data from the transaction message. If at least one trading partner business rule requires data from the transaction message, at least a portion of the transaction message in a transaction history cache is selectively cached. Another determination is made as to whether the transaction message is associated with a trading partner business rule. If the transaction message is associated with a trading partner business rule the transaction message is processed based on the associated trading partner business rule and previous transaction message data residing in the transaction history cache.
US08301620B2
The approaches described herein provide an efficient way for a database server to process certain kinds of queries that require the evaluation of an aggregation function over XML data stored in an object-relational database. An aggregation function takes multiple inputs and generates a single output. A database server first determines whether the query qualifies for this particular kind of optimization, then creates a query execution plan that specifies the use of an enhanced path-based row source, eliminating the need for a second path-based row source for computing the aggregation function. The enhanced path-based row source specified in the query execution plan computes an aggregation function and stores the result of that function computation in a column of each row. The XPath evaluation results that are the individual inputs to the aggregation function are only stored temporarily until they are used to compute the aggregation function.
US08301615B1
The present invention relates to systems and methods for customizing search engine (CSE) behavior. In an embodiment of the present invention, a system customizes a query search of a plurality of search engines. The system includes a search executor configured to receive a search specification having a query modification description, a results modification description, and a specification of sections. The specification of sections includes a first section identifying a first search engine in the plurality of search engines and a second section identifying a second search engine different from the first search engine in the plurality of search engines. The specification of sections also includes a connecting section coupled to the first section and the second section. The connecting section has an associated condition controlling results combined from the first and second sections.
US08301604B1
An apparatus having a content-addressable memory (CAM) that stores a plurality of entries comprising portions of a plurality of patterns; a memory that stores a shift value corresponding to each of the entries; and a controller that generates a first key based on a received string, applies the first key to the CAM to select an entry of the CAM, retrieves the shift value from the memory corresponding to the selected entry, in response to the shift value being equal to a predetermined value, identifies an initial match, and in response to the initial match corresponding to a first pattern of the plurality of patterns that is larger than the entries of the CAM, applies adjacent keys based on the received string to the CAM, and declares a complete match when each of the corresponding shift values from the memory is equal to the predetermined value.
US08301600B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for failover recovery in a distributed data store. A computing device determines whether it is a master data store in a distributed data store. New data item updates are assigned the next transaction identifier in a gapless numbering scheme relative to the most durably persisted entry. New data item updates are also associated with a data store identifier that identifies the new master data store.
US08301598B2
Methods and apparatus for content based notification using hierarchical groups. In an aspect, a method is provided that operates to provide an event notification. The method includes maintaining an event description dictionary comprising one or more event descriptors, and associating content with a selected event descriptor. The method also includes compressing the selected event descriptor to generate a compressed event descriptor, and transmitting the compressed event descriptor on a notification channel.
US08301597B1
The system and method described herein may use reverse path lookup to build mappings between file handles that represent network file system objects and full path names associated therewith and distinguish hard links between different file system objects having the same identifier with different parents or file names. The mappings and information distinguishing the hard links may then be cached to enable replicating changes to the file system. For example, a server may search the cached information using a file handle associated with a changed file system object to obtain the file name and full path name associated therewith. The server may then send the file name and full path name and metadata describing how the file system object was changed to a replica host, which may then replicate the change to the file system object.
US08301596B2
A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for providing supplemental video content for third party websites is disclosed. In one embodiment, coded instructions are transmitted from a content enhancement server to a host server, for incorporation into the webpage source code. The host server is controlled by a first entity and the content enhancement server is controlled by a second entity commercially distinct from the first entity. Keywords are obtained by executing of the coded instructions in the webpage received in the client computer from the host server to send the address of the requested webpage to the content enhancement server, which generates supplemental substantive video content information for transmission to the client.
US08301590B2
Methods and systems are presented for custom caching. Application threads define caches. The caches may be accessed through multiple index keys, which are mapped to multiple application thread-defined keys. Methods provide for the each index key and each application thread-defined key to be symmetrical. The index keys are used for loading data from one or more data sources into the cache stores on behalf of the application threads. Application threads access the data from the cache store by providing references to the caches and the application-supplied keys. Some data associated with some caches may be shared from the cache store by multiple application threads. Additionally, some caches are exclusively accessed by specific application threads.
US08301589B2
System and method for assignment of unique identifiers in a distributed environment. In a distributed system having a plurality of nodes, a method for allocating identifiers comprises steps of: allocating a pool of identifiers for use; maintaining lists of free identifiers in the pool at participating nodes; obtaining at a first node permission to update the lists of free identifiers; upon receiving permission to update the lists, allocating for the first node a set of identifiers from the lists; updating the lists of free identifiers to reflect allocation of the set of identifiers for the first node; sending the updated lists from the first node to other participating nodes; upon receiving the updated lists of free identifiers at each other participating node, updating each other participating node's respective copy of the lists of free identifiers; and relinquishing the first node's permission to update the lists of free identifiers.
US08301588B2
A storage system according to one embodiment for managing a first file includes a blob storage and a handler. The blob storage may be configured to store data related to the first file temporarily. The handler may be configured to store in the blob storage any data related to the first file and received from an application. The handler also may be configured to transfer at least a portion of the data from the blob storage to persistent storage in response to a commit instruction received from an application or generated by the handler. The handler also may be configured to retrieve any portion of the data stored in the blob storage and to send the same to a requesting application in response to an access request.
US08301584B2
Disclosed in a method and structure for searching data in databases using an ensemble of models. First the invention performs training. This training orders models within the ensemble in order of prediction accuracy and joins different numbers of models together to form sub-ensembles. The models are joined together in the sub-ensemble in the order of prediction accuracy. Next in the training process, the invention calculates confidence values of each of the sub-ensembles. The confidence is a measure of how closely results form the sub-ensemble will match results from the ensemble. The size of each of the sub-ensembles is variable depending upon the level of confidence, while, to the contrary, the size of the ensemble is fixed. After the training, the invention can make a prediction. First, the invention selects a sub-ensemble that meets a given level of confidence. As the level of confidence is raised, a sub-ensemble that has more models will be selected and as the level of confidence is lowered, a sub-ensemble that has fewer models will be selected. Finally, the invention applies the selected sub-ensemble, in place of the ensemble, to an example to make a prediction.
US08301579B2
A method of maximizing a concave log-likelihood function comprises: selecting a pair of parameters from a plurality of adjustable parameters of a concave log-likelihood function; maximizing a value of the concave log-likelihood function respective to an adjustment value to generate an optimal adjustment value, wherein the value of one member of the selected pair of parameters is increased by the adjustment value and the value of the other member of the selected pair of parameters is decreased by the adjustment value; updating values of the plurality of adjustable parameters by increasing the value of the one member of the selected pair of parameters by the optimized adjustment value and decreasing the value of the other member of the selected pair of parameters by the optimized adjustment value; and repeating the selecting, maximizing, and updating for different pairs of parameters to identify optimized values of the plurality of adjustable parameters.
US08301576B2
A method of training a neural net includes receiving a plurality of sets of data, each set representative of a plurality of inputs to the neural net and a resulting at least one output from the neural net and calculating a plurality of network weights for the neural network based on the received plurality of sets of data. Calculating the plurality of network weights including attributing greater weight in the calculation to at least one set of the plurality of sets of data than at least one other set of the plurality of sets of data.
US08301574B2
A media engagement system determines engagement scores for media vehicles across multiple media channels. The engagements scores for a media vehicle comprise multiple dimension scores indicating various aspects of engagement for that particular media vehicle. The dimension scores may be related to inspirational, trustworthy, life enhancing, social interaction, personal timeout, and ad attention/receptivity engagement dimensions, for example. The dimensions scores associated with respective engagement dimensions are based on responses to specific statements in engagement surveys completed by multiple media consumers. Thus, each statement in the engagement survey is associated with at least one engagement dimension and the engagement dimension score is then calculated based on media consumer responses to the statements associated with the respective engagement dimension.
US08301572B2
An on-line value bearing item (VBI) printing system that includes one or more cryptographic modules and a central database is disclosed. The cryptographic modules are capable of implementing the USPS Information Based Indicia Program Postal Security Device Performance Criteria and other required VBI standards. The modules encipher the information stored in the central database for all of the on-line VBI system customers and are capable of preventing access to the database by unauthorized users. Additionally, the cryptographic module is capable of preventing unauthorized and undetected modification, including the unauthorized modification, substitution, insertion, and deletion of VBI related data and cryptographically critical security parameters.
US08301566B2
Authorization limits on the use of a financial transaction instrument, such as a credit card and the like, may be set by an owner of a financial account corresponding to the financial transaction instrument. The owner provides information identifying the owner, the financial account, and the financial transaction instrument corresponding to the financial account to a computer, and also provides an owner-defined authorization limit on use of the financial transaction instrument to the computer. The authorization limit is stored in a database, which is accessed when there is a request to authorize a purchase to be made with the financial transaction instrument. The owner may communicate with the computer via a Web site, an automated call program, a kiosk, or the like.
US08301564B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatuses, methods, and computer program products that allow for interaction with a user at an automated teller machine (ATM) based on pre-established user preferences. For example, an ATM is provided having: (1) a user interface configured to receive user identifying information from a user; and (2) a processing device operatively coupled to the user interface and configured to use the user identifying information to determine a pre-established user preference, wherein the processing device is further configured to use the user interface to interact with the user based at least partially on the pre-established user preference.
US08301558B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for implementing, in connection with a HELOC account, a loan management tool. In some embodiments, the method includes: storing information relating to a loan account associated with a borrower, segmenting the loan account into one or more spend categories, and allocating purchases and payments, or portions thereof, made by the borrower to at least one of the one or more spend categories. In addition, the method may further include receiving from the borrower an input and calculating, based on the input, an output, wherein the output comprises at least one of the anticipated payoff date, the monthly payment amount, and the total saved interest.
US08301557B1
A line of credit optimized for a retailer and attached to a customer account at a financial institution is established for a customer of the retailer. A financial institution computer determines whether to advance funds through the line of credit for a transaction, then advances funds in one or more preselected loan increments to the customer account, up to a total available line of credit for the customer. The financial institution computer decrements the total available line of credit by the amount provided for the customer transaction and by a predetermined customer fee for each of the loan increments. The computer determines a value of a retailer foe to be paid by the retailer, involving a predetermined amount for each of the loan increments. The customer fee amount can be zero or discounted for customer transactions with the retailer. The retailer fee can be a rebate to the customer.
US08301556B2
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting a code to a user in which the user transmits his or her financial account identifier information to a code allocation unit 3, the code allocation unit 3 transfers an amount of money to the financial institution 5 specified by the user and/or transfers an amount of money from the financial institution 5 specified by the user, thereby submitting the account identifier information and the code to be transmitted as additional information with this transfer and/or this debit, and the financial institution 5 forwards a receipt for the transfer and/or debit together with the additional information to the user.
US08301552B2
A method of and system for terminating or assigning outstanding OTC derivative transactions between a plurality of financial institutions (banks). The system comprises: a processing station arranged to receive transaction data describing a plurality of transactions from a plurality of banks via the Internet. The processing station comprises: a linking module for linking different versions of the same transaction received from different parties to that transaction; an analysis module for determining a set of linked transactions between a plurality of different banks, wherein each bank has debts and claims towards other banks in the set; a calculation module arranged to calculate an aggregated value of each set of linked transactions and select the set of linked transactions which has an aggregated value within bank-specified tolerance limits acceptable for executing a termination; and an execution module for executing a termination or assignment of the selected set of linked transactions.
US08301544B2
An improved seller automated engine architecture methodology particularly (though not exclusively) for use in automated real-time iterative reverse auctions over the Internet and the like for purchase and sale of goods and services, providing a choice of architectural implementations while enabling price optimization on market share-directed considerations, specific sales target-directed implementations, seller utility derivative-following implementations, model optimizer implementations and explorations, mathematical optimization-oriented and rules-based implementations.
US08301539B2
An electronic market for trading of securities includes a plurality of client stations for entering quotes for securities and a server process that receives quotes from the clients, aggregates the quotes and causes a total of all aggregated quotes to be displayed for a plurality of price levels on the client systems. The market uses a graphical user that depicts aggregated quotes in an aggregate window a plurality of price levels of a product traded in the market. The market also includes processes to handle lock/cross market conditions, match-off of order flow and provides a central quote/order collector that interfaces to disparate order delivery systems to minimize dual liability of market makers.
US08301536B2
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for guiding a user through a transaction to change a contribution configuration in a defined contribution plan. A request is received by an application from a client device. The application processes the request and plan data associated with a user is retrieved. User interface data is generated by the application and the data is transmitted to the client device. A user interface is displayed which initiates, reviews and executes a transaction to change a current contribution configuration to a suggested contribution configuration without requiring the user to enter any additional information.
US08301530B2
A computer implemented method of processing a financial transaction executed by first person includes determining an automatic savings amount from the financial transaction by rounding up the amount of the financial transaction to the nearest dollar. The method further includes debiting the calculated savings amount from an account of the first person and crediting the savings amount to an account of a second person.
US08301522B2
A configuration and quotation processing method and system, a configuration and quotation device, and a configuration conversion device are provided. The method includes: acquiring a sales bill of material (SBOM) configuration rule of a product; calculating a configuration bill of material (BOM) of the product according to the SBOM configuration rule, a product price, and received quotation configuration parameters; filtering the configuration BOM according to a preset output content and structure rule to generate an SBOM of the product; and converting the SBOM into a base bill of material (BBOM) according to an SBOM to BBOM (S2B) conversion rule. As such, a client-oriented SBOM can be automatically generated, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the SBOM, and improving the work efficiency.
US08301518B1
A system and method for inventory management is provided. An indication of a removal of a first resource at a first location is received, and a risk value associated with the first resource at the location is calculated. A determination is made if the risk value is less than a predetermined threshold, and a request to transfer a second resource from a second location to the first location is generated.
US08301517B1
A cargo management system receives parcel data associated with cargo on a vessel. The parcel data may include bill of lading date, successor and predecessor data, cargo type data, and the like. The cargo management system identifies parcels that may be related, performs a parcel validation on the identified parcels, and receives or determines a relationship between the parcels. Then, the cargo management system performs voyage validation on the related parcels to create a voyage. The cargo management system then calculates a loss associated with each parcel, between parcels, and the entire voyage.
US08301506B2
Managing categories in an electronic commerce system, includes obtaining transaction information pertaining to a set of back-end categories, the transaction information includes user information of users in the system who completed transactions in the set of back-end categories during a preset period, determining, based on the user information, a set of front-end categories that were selected by users in the system during the preset period, determining number of times a front-end category in the set of front-end categories was selected by the users in the system during the preset period, and adjusting the front-end category according to the transaction information and the number of times the front-end category was selected during the preset period.
US08301504B2
A system and method for allowing a user to schedule pickup of an ordered item provides a user interface having user interface elements for allowing a user to specify a frequency with which an order is it to be picked up, for informing a user as to availability of the item for pickup, and/or for allowing a user to request that an item be held in reserve for pickup within a given period of time, such as 24 hours. Frequency options provided to the user for selection when scheduling an order for pickup may include a one-time frequency, a daily frequency, a weekly frequency, a monthly frequency, and user specified dates. The information as to availability of the item for pickup is determined considering a time of order and real-time stocking information for the item.
US08301500B2
Techniques are disclosed for a mobile telephone, in conjunction with a payment transaction server, to be used directly as a payment device for a variety of financial transactions. Further, the transaction systems and methods for mobile telephone devices described herein allow a mobile telephone to participate in payment transactions in a manner that helps prevent identify theft and without relying on transferring amounts to/from one stored value account to another.
US08301495B2
A system and methods to mutually satisfy a consumer with a discount and a vendor with a minimum number of sales by establishing a tipping point associated with an offer for a good or service. If the tipping point is met, the sale of the good or service is executed and the consumer is charged and receives an indication of the discounted sale, such as a certificate. If the tipping point is not met, the discount offer is abandoned and the consumer is not charged. Once the tipping point is established, the vendor receives a payment, even before the consumer uses the certificate.
US08301494B2
Provided is a method and system for the management of inventory and/or promotional campaigns associated with electronic distribution of secure money saving or discount incentives, including coupons and other marketing incentives and, in particular, to modifying a promotional campaign and/or modifying inventory levels and product ordering based on transaction data relating to coupons distributed as part of an online computer system for interactively distributing such incentives to remotely connected consumer computers.
US08301484B1
Disclosed are various embodiments of systems, methods, and programs embodied in computer readable mediums for generating item purchase recommendations. To provide such a recommendation, first data is accessed using a server, the first data comprising an interaction history of an entity with respect to at least one network site. Also, second data is accessed using the server, the second data comprising a record of use of media by the entity on at least one media device remote to the server. An item recommendation is generated in the server for the entity based on the first and second data.
US08301482B2
A method and system is disclosed that provides: (a) a theoretical framework for designing psychological research that uncovers individual decision-making networks, both in terms of sampling requirements and questioning methods, (b) an implementation interface to schedule and administer the appropriate question sequences between an interviewer and a given individual, in real-time, via a web-based system, and (c) a coding and analysis system to summarize and quantify the potential of alternative decision structures to be used to optimize the development of marketing and communication strategies.
US08301475B2
Approaches are provided for monitoring, analyzing, and influencing organizational behaviors through multi-modal communication systems. Desired and undesired behaviors and applicable organizational contexts are defined and action plans developed. The behaviors are then monitored through communication sessions between members and analyzed for comparison to the action plans such that feedback may be provided at individual and/or organizational levels to influence the behaviors.
US08301469B1
Described is a system for offering financing to a couple seeking financing for the purchase of real estate, the improvement comprising gathering information from the couple regarding the couple and the piece of residential real estate; calculating, with computerized software, a divorce insurance policy premium for the couple based upon this and other information; determining the insurance policy premium's price with the mortgage financing; offering the mortgage financing, coupled with the insurance premium, to the couple; if the couple accepts, creating a legally binding document memorializing the mortgage insurance policy, wherein the legally binding document sets forth terms and conditions of the mortgage insurance policy; transmitting the completed, legally binding document to the couple; periodically and regularly charging the calculated periodic amount to the couple; and administering the mortgage insurance policy in such a manner that, upon divorce or legal separation of the couple, paying damages arising from the piece of real estate and associated with the divorce or legal separation.
US08301458B2
Embodiments include systems and methods of delivery DVDs, games, other electronically or computer readable media, or other high value items through the mail or via any other delivery service for return and redelivery to a second customer. For example, in one embodiment, items returned by a first customer are identified during processing of a container or mailer containing the item, the second customer is determined, a new address label is affixed to the container, and the item is delivered to the second customer.
US08301445B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to methods for generating a multilingual acoustic model. A main acoustic model comprising a main acoustic model having probability distribution functions and a probabilistic state sequence model including first states is provided to a processor. At least one second acoustic model including probability distribution functions and a probabilistic state sequence model including states is also provided to the processor. The processor replaces each of the probability distribution functions of the at least one second acoustic model by one of the probability distribution functions and/or each of the states of the probabilistic state sequence model of the at least one second acoustic model with the state of the probabilistic state sequence model of the main acoustic model based on a criteria set to obtain at least one modified second acoustic model. The criteria set may be a distance measurement. The processor then combines the main acoustic model and the at least one modified second acoustic model to obtain the multilingual acoustic model.
US08301440B2
A bit error concealment (BEC) system and method is described herein that detects and conceals the presence of click-like artifacts in an audio signal caused by bit errors introduced during transmission of the audio signal within an audio communications system. A particular embodiment of the present invention utilizes a low-complexity design that introduces no added delay and that is particularly well-suited for applications such as Bluetooth® wireless audio devices which have low cost and low power dissipation requirements.
US08301431B2
A method of accelerating a Monte Carlo (MC) simulation for a system including a first component having a first input parameter and a second component having a second input parameter. The simulation model provided includes a first component model including a first model parameter corresponding to the first input parameter and a second component model having a second model parameter corresponding to the second input parameter. A first acceleration factor for the first component and a second acceleration factor for the second component are calculated based on at least the respective number of instances. A first scaled distribution is computed from the first distribution and a second scaled distribution is computed from the second distribution based on the respective acceleration factors. The MC simulation for the system is run, wherein values for the first model parameter value and second model parameter value are obtained based on the respective scaled distributions.
US08301428B2
A method of modeling a nonlinear hysteresis response of reservoir media involves obtaining measurements of core samples from the reservoir to generate a multitude of bounding curves representing primary drainage and primary imbibition characteristics of a reservoir, generating, using a processor, a plurality of constitutive equations based on the multitude of bounding curves and a multitude of material functions, the multitude of material functions determined based on material properties associated with the reservoir, generating, using the processor, an output in a form of capillary-pressure scanning curves based on the multitude of constitutive equations, the capillary-pressure scanning curves representing drainage and imbibition behaviors of the reservoir during an oilfield operation, and storing the output.
US08301422B2
A process for creating a semi-equipment library for a computerized simulator that simulates an electronic system having plural pieces of semi-equipment. The process includes creation of an algorithm representing the respective piece of semi-equipment, the algorithm being in the form of blocks compatible with a simulation language for the simulator. The process includes listing standards that define the piece of semi-equipment and coding the listed standards. The coding includes generating computer code suitable for the simulator and placing the generated computer code in respective ones of the blocks, which are integrated into the semi-equipment library.
US08301418B2
A golf ball 2 has a large number of craters 8. A rugged pattern is formed on the golf ball 2 by the craters 8. A process for designing the rugged pattern includes the steps of: assuming a plurality of states; assuming a large number of cells on a spherical surface; assigning any one of the plurality of states to each cell; assigning, as an attribute, any one of INSIDE, OUTSIDE and BOUNDARY to the each cell based on the state of the each cell and states of a plurality of cells located adjacent to the each cell; assuming craters based on the attributes of the large number of cells; and updating the attribute of the each cell so as to enlarge the areas of the craters, based on the attribute of said each cell and the attributes of the plurality of cells located adjacent to the each cell.
US08301417B2
According to a preferred embodiment, a method for identifying the analytical transitional cross-sections of a rigid transport element is disclosed. The method includes providing a 3D model of a rigid transport element, a list of total edges from the 3D model, a list of total faces from the 3D model, and a list of connecting edges from the 3D model, identifying all edges from said list of total edges which have connectivity with any edge in the list of connecting edges and are part of a cross-section, placing the identified edges into a list of cross-section edges, and identifying the analytical cross-section that lies on the plane defined by the edges in said list of cross-section edges.
US08301406B2
A method of prognosing a mechanical system to predict when a failure may occur is disclosed. Measurement data corresponding to the mechanical system is used to extract one or more features by decomposing the measurement data into a feature space. A prediction model is then selected from a plurality of prediction models for the one or more features based at least on part on a degradation status of the mechanical system and a reinforcement learning model. A predicted feature space is generated by applying the selective prediction model to the feature space as well as a confidence value by comparing the predicted feature space with a normal baseline distribution, a faulty baseline distribution, or a combination thereof. A status of mechanical system based at least in part on the confidence value is then provided.
US08301404B2
An energy monitoring and management system and method are provided herein. The system and method centralize load metering by utilizing at least one sensor for observing load characteristics (e.g., Volts, Amperes, Watts, active energy . . . ) communicatively coupled via a backplane to a waveform analyzer component of a control component. The waveform analyzer component generates metered data values after receiving input from the at least one sensor. Subsequently and if so desired, the control component can send a control signal to the load to alter the state of the load or simply reduce the power to a load. Such input, output, and processing functionality, according to an aspect of the present invention, are employed using a backplane to facilitate high-speed communication among components and to allow metered data to be centrally stored, manipulated, analyzed or communicated to other components or sub-components.
US08301393B2
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the construction, analysis, and characterization of dynamical states of biological networks at the cellular level. Methods are provided for analyzing the dynamical states by constructing matrices using high-throughput data types, such as fluxomic, metabolomic, and proteomic data. Some embodiments relate to an individual, while others relate to a plurality of individuals.
US08301390B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide, among other things, methods, apparatus, and systems for tuning a semiempirical process for predicting energy for different molecular configurations. In an example method, an energy value and an energy gradient are determined for each of a plurality of molecular configurations using an accurate method. A functional form of the semiempirical process is optimized using the determined energy values and energy gradients via multiobjective optimization. The functional form relates one or more parameters to energy values and energy gradients.
US08301387B2
A scheme is provided for selecting the regulatory DNA sequences to exert combinatorial control of gene transcription in vivo by multiple regulatory proteins, i.e., transcription factors (TFs). The method provides the ability to implement a wide range of complex logic functions through the manipulation of the regulatory DNA sequences, typically several hundred bases in length. The method includes procedures for selecting the strengths of the binding sites of different TFs and their relative positioning in order to implement a plurality of different logic functions.
US08301382B2
A continuous geomechanically stable trajectory in a subterranean formation is found by calculating at least one reachable stable position relative to a starting position based on geological data indicative of characteristics of the subterranean formation, and iteratively utilizing the calculated reachable stable position as a new starting position. The calculation may be constrained by a boundary including selected distance and direction relative to the starting position, and selected rate of angle change. Within the constraints of the boundary, the possible new trajectories considered may be discretized. The result of the calculations is a three dimensional tree which defines a stability volume. Pruning of at least some branches of the tree may be employed so that not all stable positions have the preselected number of branches, thereby helping to elongate the tree. Either or both of the tree and stability volume are used to select at least one trajectory. For example, the trajectory may be selected from sets of interconnected stable wellbore positions, or based on some other criteria constrained by the stability volume. The trajectory is then used as the basis for drilling a borehole.
US08301379B2
A method of interpolation between a plurality of field gradient tensors including the steps of: accessing a plurality of field gradient data; formatting said plurality of field gradient data into 3-dimensional tensors of rank 2; determining a rotational matrix and a structural matrix for each tensor; interpolating said structural matrices; detecting errors in the raw data only apparent using the rotational component. interpolating said rotational matrices as quaternions on the surface of a unit 4-sphere; reconstructing said structural matrices and said rotational matrices to yield field gradient tensors at the interpolation points, wherein the interpolation is between two said field gradient tensors, the field gradient tensors being expressed as 3×3 matrices of values, each resolved into a rotational matrix and a structural matrix with three diagonal components.
US08301375B2
A protocol independent interface for processing, within a mobile device, protocol aiding data received at a call processor with a Global Positioning System (“GPS”) interface, where the protocol aiding data is produced according to a Geolocation Server Station protocol is disclosed. The protocol independent interface may include a means for receiving, at the GPS interface, the protocol aiding data received at the call processor, means for converting the received protocol aiding data to interface data that is transparent to the Geolocation Server Station protocol, and means for passing the interface data to a GPS module.
US08301370B2
A method and apparatus for computing position using a regional-terrain model is provided. The method includes obtaining from at least three satellites pseudorange measurements, computing a transitional position by using a default altitude with a large uncertainty, using this transitional position to obtain from a terrain model altitude information associated with a region, and computing an accurate three-dimensional position as a function of the pseudorange measurements and the altitude information. The region defines a boundary, and the boundary includes the transitional position.
US08301367B2
The present invention relates to a method of providing a content in real time and a navigation system for providing a content in real time which recognizes an allowance time for providing the content by considering a time, a distance, a road straightness from a current guide point to a subsequent guide point, receives the content from a predetermined content providing server in real time, and provides the content during the allowance time. A navigation system for providing a content in real time, the navigation system including: an allowance time recognition unit recognizing an existence of an allowance time for providing the content while navigating; a server connection unit connecting to a predetermined content providing server via a communication network; a content receiving unit receiving the content from the content providing server; and a content providing unit providing the received content during the allowance time.
US08301366B2
A portable navigation device displaying map information and navigation instructions for use in a vehicle is disclosed. The portable navigation device includes a memory, a display for displaying the map information and navigation instructions, and a microphone for inputting sound signals to the portable navigation device. A processor is used for controlling operation of the portable navigation device and for determining the speed of the vehicle. To determine the speed, the processor receives the sound signals input by the microphone, analyzes the sound signals, determines a speed at which the vehicle is moving according to characteristics of the analyzed received sound signals when not receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) signals with the portable navigation device, and estimates a current location of the vehicle based on the determined speed of the vehicle.
US08301364B2
A computer implemented method of operating a navigation system to provide geographic location information is provided. The method comprises receiving a query text string representing a query for a geographic location from a user and obtaining data records that represent a plurality of candidate geographic locations. The method computes a text matching score that indicates how much of the query text string matches a record text string of the candidate geographic location and applies a usage pattern weight to the text matching score to obtain an overall score value for the candidate geographic location. The candidate geographic locations are ranked based on the overall score values.
US08301360B2
An output signal of a knock sensor is filtered with a plurality of band-pass filters to extract vibration waveform components of a plurality of frequency bands (f1-f4). Weighting coefficients (G1-G4) which multiply the vibration waveform component of each frequency band are established in such a manner as to be a small value as a noise intensity of each frequency band becomes larger. Thereby, the vibration waveform component of a plurality of frequency bands is synthesized by weighting according to an influence of a noise intensity of each frequency band. Even when the noise is superimposed on the vibration waveform component of any of the frequency bands, it becomes possible to reduce the influence of the noise and to synthesize the vibration waveform component of each frequency band, and an accurate knock determination can be performed based on the composite vibration waveform.
US08301358B2
An engine starting method is disclosed. In one example, engine operation is adjusted to reduce catalyst light off time. Exhaust temperatures may be increased until a threshold engine temperature is reached.
US08301357B2
The present invention relates to a variable operation angle mechanism that can improve engine performance at transient operation by optimally setting a ratio between change amounts of opening and closing timings accompanying a variation in valve operation angle of intake valve, and relates to an apparatus for and a method of controlling an engine including the variable operation angle mechanism. In the variable operation angle mechanism, ratio RIVO of change amount of opening timing IVO of intake valve to change amount of valve operation angle is set to be 20% or more and 40% or less, and preferably, to be 30%. In engine including a variable valve timing mechanism varying a rotating phase of intake camshaft relative to crankshaft and the variable operation angle mechanism, a target phase change amount varied by the variable valve timing mechanism is corrected for phase change amount accompanying the variation in the valve operation angle.
US08301355B2
A cruise control system comprises a passing detection module and a speed regulator module. The passing detection module selectively detects execution of a passing maneuver based on an accelerator pedal position (APP) measured by an APP sensor and actuation of a Set/Coast input to the cruise control system when a vehicle speed is greater than a target speed. The speed regulator module regulates the vehicle speed based on the target speed and updates the target speed to the vehicle speed when the passing maneuver is detected.
US08301340B2
A method is provided for jointly controlling a plurality n, n being an integer greater than 1, of devices connected to a same communication channel, each of said devices Dl, l=1, . . . , n, being capable of assuming a number ml of states. The method includes, but is not limited to unambiguously assigning to each combination of states of said n devices an integer code number M, wherein M ∈ [ x , x + ∏ l = 1 n m l [ , x being an arbitrary number, for a combination of states to be set in the devices, selecting the code number M assigned to said combination (m5), broadcasting (m2) said code number M to all devices Dl, l=1, . . . , n via said communication channel; decoding (s2), in each device, the state to be set in that device from said code number M; setting (s3) the decoded state in each device.
US08301339B2
A method is aimed at controlling a steer-by-wire steering system of a vehicle having at least one steering axle having at least two steer wheels electronically controlled by a control member. In the case of asymmetric adhesion conditions, the method anticipates steering into the skid for the first steer wheel that is on the surface exhibiting the higher coefficient of adhesion—for example asphalt—so as to counter a moment applied to the Z-axis. At the same time, the second steer wheel which is on the surface having the lower coefficient of adhesion—for example a sheet of black ice—remains in the vehicle direction of travel or is oriented towards the second steer wheel in a snow plough mode. The vehicle stability is vastly improved when the vehicle regains an area of uniform adhesion.
US08301333B2
Systems and methods for capturing and analyzing significant parameter data from vehicle systems whenever a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is triggered. A multi-dimensional matrix is constructed, with vehicles, DTCs, and parameter data comprising three dimensions of the matrix. The data matrix is populated with DTC and parameter data from many different vehicles, either when vehicles are taken to a dealer for service, or via wireless data download. Time can be added as a fourth dimension of the matrix, providing an indication of whether a particular system or component is temporally degrading. When sufficient data is accumulated, the data matrix is pre-processed, features are extracted from the data, and the features are classified, using a variety of mathematical techniques. Trained classifiers are then used to diagnose the root cause of any particular fault signal, and also to provide a prognosis of system health and remaining useful life.
US08301331B2
A method for the calibration or diagnosis of a motor vehicle brake system having a cyclically operated pump. At least one parameter (URPOff), representing the electromotor force of the reference pump, is repeatedly ascertained during operation of a reference pump under defined guidelines. A statistical characteristic variable (URPOff) is derived from the values of parameter (URPOff) ascertained for the reference pump. Parameter (UBPOff) is ascertained under a corresponding guideline during operation of an operating pump. Corresponding statistical characteristic variable (UBPOff) is derived from the values of parameter (UBPOff) ascertained for the operating pump. At least one ratio number is calculated as a measure of the deviation of the operating behavior of the operating pump from the operating behavior of the reference pump from the characteristic variable (URPOff) calculated for the reference pump and the characteristic variable (UBPOff) calculated for the operating pump.
US08301329B2
A scan tool is provided which comprises a housing which houses a display and six mode buttons. The scan tool is communicable with an OBD of an automobile and provides information retrieved therefrom to a user of the scan tool in an efficient and effective manner. In particular, the display displays a plurality of information on one screen. For example, the display may display information related to I/M Monitor Status simultaneously with MIL status, stored, pending or historical codes. Further, the scan tool allows the user to switch between modes by depressing the mode button of the desired mode without having to manually exit the current mode and manually enter the desired mode.
US08301326B2
A system for localizing an autonomous vehicle to a target area can include a position indicator adapted for association with the vehicle in a three dimensional configuration, a detection device configured to detect the position indicator, a computation device configured to compute a position of the vehicle based on the detected position indicator and the relationship of the configuration to the vehicle orientation, a transmitter configured to receive information from the computation device and produce a signal carrying the information, a receiver configured to receive the signal from the transmitter and filter the information therefrom, and a control system configured for association with and control of one or more directional control components of the vehicle, the control being based on the information received from the receiver relating to localizing the vehicle to the target area. A method of for localizing a vehicle to a target area is also disclosed.
US08301318B2
A control system for a remotely operated vehicle is disclosed. The control system includes a sensor tracking system configured to sense the remotely operated vehicle. The control system is coupled to the sensor tracking system and is configured to remotely control the remotely operated vehicle. The control system includes a synthetic view generator configured to construct a virtual model of the remotely operated vehicle and its surrounding environment based upon an input from the sensor tracking system. The control system also includes a graphical user interface configured to display a synthetic view of the virtual model. In addition, the control system includes a synthetic viewer control configured to manipulate an orientation of the synthetic view.
US08301309B1
An evapotranspiration (ET) unit includes a processor and a memory for storing a historical set of components of ET data. The processor can communicate with one or more environmental sensors each capable of generating a signal representing an actual value to be substituted for a corresponding one of the components of the historical set. Preprogrammed algorithms enable the processor to calculate changes to a set of watering schedules of a predetermined watering program of an irrigation controller based on any substituted actual value and the remaining historical set of components. The ET unit 10 communicates the changes to the irrigation controller. Optionally the ET unit 10 can receive and store a downloaded actual set of components of ET data and preprogrammed default algorithms calculate the changes to the watering schedules solely based on the downloaded actual set of components of ET data, thus alleviating any need for utilization of the historical set of components of ET data and any actual values generated by the environmental sensors.
US08301297B2
The present application relates to a system and method for sorting mailpieces prior to their delivery to the postal authority. The system and method allow for the running of different first pass sort schemes on multiple sorters in a sorting facility without stopping operations for no-count mode, without losing mailpiece tracking, or waiting for all first pass sorting to complete before re-running the mail that was not sorted to the finest depth of sorting. With the present application, mailpieces that can be run a second time can be run concurrently during first pass without the high risk no-count mode or loss of data integrity.
US08301295B2
A system and method for processing mailpieces within a mail transportation and distribution system includes first and second distribution centers, and an electronic parcel compartment facility located near the second center. Data, about the mailpiece and recipient, is acquired from the mailpiece. Destination information for a compartment facility is associated with the mailpiece. The information is compared with a registered customer database. A re-routing instruction is ascertained from the customer data. The second center is ascertained. The mailpiece is sorted in the first center based on the destination. Data about the mailpiece and destination is transmitted to a second data processor of the second center. The mailpiece is transported to the second center. Information identifying the mailpiece is acquired with a reading device. The destination is determined based on information identifying the mailpiece, which is sorted based on the destination. The information is transmitted to a mobile device.
US08301290B2
Disclosed are a system and a method of correcting systematic, design-based, parametric variations on integrated circuit chips to minimize circuit limited yield loss. Processing information and a map of a chip are stored. The processing information can indicate an impact, on a given device parameter, of changes in a value for a specification associated with a given process step. The map can indicate regional variations in the device parameter (e.g., threshold voltage). Based on the processing information and using the map as a guide, different values for the specification are determined, each to be applied in a different region of the integrated circuit chip during the process step in order to offset the mapped regional parametric variations. A process tool can then be selectively controlled to ensure that during chip manufacturing the process step is performed accordingly and, thereby to ensure that the regional parametric variations are minimized.
US08301286B2
A remote high-performance computing material joining and material forming modeling system (100) enables a remote user (10) using a user input device (20) to use high speed computing capabilities to model materials joining and material forming processes. The modeling system (100) includes an interface module (200), an application module (300), a computing module (400), and a scheduling module (500). The interface module (200) is in operative communication with the user input device (20), as well as the application module (300), the computing module (400), and the scheduling module (500). The application module (300) is in operative communication with the interface module (200) and the computing module (400). The scheduling module (500) is in operative communication with the interface module (200) and the computing module (400). Lastly, the computing module (400) is in operative communication with the interface module (200), the application module (300), and the scheduling module (500).
US08301283B2
A method for outputting audio-visual media contents on a mobile electronic device is provided. The method may include receiving a request for the output of an audio-visual media content which is stored in a compressed format in a memory in a mobile electronic device; checking of whether a copy of the requested media content is stored in an uncompressed format in a nonvolatile memory in the device; and outputting the stored copy of the requested media content instead of the requested media content if a copy of the requested media content is stored in an uncompressed format in the nonvolatile memory in the device.
US08301278B1
Methods and computer-readable media are provided for the delivery of digital content to mobile devices. An audio content, a video content or an audio-video content is associated with a web page and the web page is published to a server location suitable for viewing. Once the web page is selected, the content is sent to the wireless device through streaming or by initiating a download. After the content is available to the device, an application programming interface executes the content for the user to listen, view or both.
US08301275B2
A method and device for controlling a process variable based upon a set point is disclosed. A process variable is measured, and a proportional term is assigned to a manipulated variable that is based upon a product of a proportional gain coefficient and an error magnitude between the process variable and the set point. An integral term is added to the manipulated variable under a first set of conditions, and a derivative term is added to the manipulated variable under a second set of conditions different from the first set of conditions. The sum of the proportional term, the integral term, and the derivative term is output, resulting in the process variable being responsively adjusted thereto.
US08301273B2
In order to provide functions in an industrial automation system having control units which are coupled via a communication network, functions of the automation system are made available by services. Components of a service are subdivided into service-specific components and into components which can be reused by a plurality of different services. Service-specific components and reusable components have a standard configuration interface. Service components are linked to a service by a service configuration unit via the standard configuration interface. Functions for monitoring and/or controlling a defined quality of service are assigned to the reusable components.
US08301269B2
A non-communicative lumen for electrode assemblies of medical implants, in particular prosthetic hearing implants, is provided by the present invention. The non-communicative lumen prevents the lumen within the cochlea from being able to transport fluids, cells, bacteria, tissue, etc., with the lumen outside the cochlea, and vis versa through the incision or cochleostomy. The lumen may have a cavity or slit that receives a stylet during insertion of the electrode assembly.
US08301255B2
A connector assembly includes a lead or a lead extension, a connector, and a retention assembly disposed in the connector. The connector includes a connector housing defining a port at a distal end of the connector, and a plurality of connector contacts disposed in the connector housing. The port is configured and arranged for receiving a proximal end of the lead or the lead extension. The connector contacts are configured and arranged to couple to at least one terminal disposed on the proximal end of the lead or the lead extension. The retention assembly includes a retention mechanism that can be engaged and reversibly disengaged without the use of tools beyond conventional operating-room surgical instruments.
US08301247B2
A method of modifying the force of contraction of at least a portion of a heart chamber, including providing a subject having a heart, comprising at least a portion having an activation, and applying a non-excitatory electric field having a given duration, at a delay after the activation, to the portion, which causes the force of contraction to be increased by a least 5%.
US08301239B2
Various system embodiments comprise a medical device, comprising a flexible tether, a neural stimulation circuit, and a controller. The flexible tether is adapted to be fed into a patient's throat. The flexible tether includes a plurality of electrodes. The neural stimulation circuit is adapted to deliver neural stimulation. The controller is adapted to control the neural stimulation circuit to provide a neural stimulation therapy using at least one electrode from the plurality of electrodes, and to implement a neural stimulation test routine. The neural stimulation test routine is adapted to assess neural stimulation efficacy for electrode subsets of the plurality of electrodes to identify a desired electrode subset for use in delivering the neural stimulation therapy to elicit a desired response.
US08301235B2
A medical device and associated method for discriminating cardiac events sense cardiac signals that includes determining whether a first match score is within one of a first match zone corresponding to a first cardiac event, and a second match zone corresponding to the first cardiac event, and determining whether a second match score is within one of the first match zone, the second match zone, and a third match zone corresponding to a second cardiac event different from the first cardiac event. One of increasing and decreasing an event counter is performed in response to both the determination of whether the first match score is within one of the first match zone and the second match zone and the determination of whether the second match score is within one of the first match zone, the second match zone, and the third match zone.
US08301233B2
Techniques are described for detecting a condition of a patient using a probability-correlation based model that integrates a plurality of parameters associated with the condition. A medical device that operates in accordance with the techniques obtains a plurality of parameters associated with the condition of the patient. The medical device obtains probabilities that the condition of the patient exists based on each single parameter separately and correlations between each of the parameters and the other ones of the parameters. After obtaining the probabilities and correlations associated with each of the parameters, the medical device determines whether the condition of the patient exists based on the determined probabilities and correlations. Such techniques may be particularly effective for use in distinguishing whether a rhythm of a patient is treatable, e.g., VT or VF, or non-treatable, e.g., SVT.
US08301232B2
A personal monitoring device has a sensor assembly configured to sense physiological signals upon contact with a user's skin. The sensor assembly produces electrical signals representing the sensed physiological signals. A converter assembly, integrated with, and electrically connected to the sensor assembly, converts the electrical signals generated by the sensor assembly to a frequency modulated inaudible ultrasonic sound signal. The ultrasonic signal is demodulated from an aliased signal produced by undersampling.
US08301222B2
Provided is a device for measuring biomedical data from a testee, with a recording system for taking the data and a first hardware component for displaying the data. A device for electrical separation of the data is arranged in a connector line for transmitting the data from the recording system to the first hardware component for displaying the data. At least a duplication of the data for data processing purposes is thus guaranteed. The data processed in said manner are used for a method for real-time stimulation of a testee.
US08301220B2
The invention relates to a medical system comprising a detection device for detecting an object in at least two dimensions by x-rays. The detection device is constructed to detect the object and to produce data comprising a 2D data record or a sequence of 2D data records over time representing the object in a projection through the object in two dimensions and to output the data. The medical system comprises at least one storage device with a data input actively connected to the detection device and which is constructed to receive the data at the input side and to write on a storage medium, in particular a portable storage medium, in such a way that the storage medium represents the data so it can be read out again. The medical system is constructed to digitally transmit the data from the detection device through to the storage device.
US08301219B2
Various systems and methods are provided for monitoring patient physiological data without the need for adhesives or wires to be connected to a patient. The system is also fully functional without the need for manipulation or intervention by a care provider or medical personnel. In particular, the system can include a pad having a plurality of electrical contacts or electrodes formed thereon in a predetermined pattern. The electrodes can be configured to sense electrical signals produced by a patient's body. A controller in communication with the electrodes can be configured to select and process signals from the electrodes and send the information derived from the electrical signals to an output device for displaying resulting physiological data so that the patient can be monitored.
US08301214B1
Superconducting integrated circuits require several wiring layers to distribute bias and signals across the circuit, which must cross each other both with and without contacts. All wiring lines and contacts must be fully superconducting, and in the prior art each wiring layer comprises a single metallic thin film. An alternative wiring layer is disclosed that comprises sequential layers of two or more different metals. Such a multi-metallic wiring layer may offer improved resistance to impurity diffusion, better surface passivation, and/or reduction of stress, beyond that which is attainable with a single-metallic wiring layer. The resulting process leads to improved margin and yield in an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of Josephson junctions. Several preferred embodiments are disclosed, for both planarized and non-planarized processes. These preferred and other methods may be applied to digital circuits based on Rapid Single Flux Quantum logic, and to quantum computing using Josephson junction qubits.
US08301211B2
A watch type mobile terminal includes: a main body having a wireless communication module; a band connected with both ends of the main body; a buckle unit mounted to the band and detachably attaching the band to the user's wrist through a connection and releasing operation; and a signal generating unit mounted in the buckle unit, electrically connected with the main body and generating a signal for turning on power of the main body when the buckle unit is connected.
US08301210B2
A communication device includes a first casing, a second casing, a hinge, a keyboard and an antenna. The hinge is connected to the first casing and the second casing, so that the first casing is capable of rotating with respect to the second casing. The keyboard for inputting data is disposed at the second casing. The keyboard can be a QWERTY keyboard, a AZERTY keyboard, a QWERTZ keyboard or a DVORAK keyboard. The antenna for sending or receiving a communication signal is disposed in the first casing or the second casing.
US08301208B2
The receiver includes a low noise amplifier, a local signal generator, a first mixer, a second mixer, a first amplifier, a second amplifier, a first A/D converter, a second A/D converter, and a signal level detection unit. A detection signal from at least one terminal of the first A/D converter is supplied to an input terminal of the signal level detection unit, thereby generating a reception start signal from the output terminal. Before an RF reception signal is received, a first signal processing unit containing the first mixer, the first amplifier, and the first A/D converter is controlled to an active state, and a second signal processing unit containing the second mixer, the second amplifier, and the second A/D converter is controlled to a low power consumption state. After the RF reception signal is received, the second signal processing unit is controlled to the active state.
US08301204B2
A CPU 11, in the condition where the limited mode is not set, outputs the data arbitrarily selected by a user operation from a display unit 18 and a sound speaker 23, and in the condition where the limited mode is set, predetermined data is output instead of data specified by the user. As a result, in the case in which data is output according to the operation of a function included in an electronic device, even if no limitation is imposed to that function, the output of data or information, which the third party should not know about, can be prevented merely by setting the limited mode, in which limitations are imposed on the operation.
US08301203B2
[Object]To provide a terminal with a display function such as a mobile phone that allows a user to select easily desired image information from stored image information.[Constitution]When a user selects one file from a list screen of reduced images M5 in a first display state and then performs a switching operation to move to a second display state, a display control section 110 enables a comparison screen mode. Specifically, the display control section 110 sends out image signals for intermediate images M7, M8, and M9 corresponding to the selected file and anterior and posterior to the selected file to a liquid crystal display device 500, thereby to display the intermediate images M7, M8, and M9 on a second display surface 21. The three intermediate images M7, M8, and M9 are shown in maximum sizes within the second display surface 21.
US08301201B2
A cellular phone of the present invention comprises upper housing 10 and lower housing 20 connected together for displacement relative to each other. Upper housing 10 incorporates liquid crystal unit 30 which includes light source 35 and liquid crystal panel 34 illuminated by light emitted from light source 35. Lower housing 20 incorporates an input device. Upper housing 10 comprises slit 13 which communicates with the interior and exterior of upper housing 10, and light guide means for guiding light emitted from light source 35 to slit 35. Operating unit 21 of the input device arranged on lower housing 20 is illuminated by light which is guided by the light guide means and which is emitted to the outside of upper housing 10 through slit 13.
US08301193B1
A mobile communications device, method, and medium are provided for enhanced video communications for hearing-impaired users. A hearing-impaired call mode can be selected by a user, causing the device to establish a hearing-impaired call mode configuration. Establishing a hearing-impaired call mode configuration can include disabling a microphone and speakers and enabling an adjustable camera. The adjustable camera can tilt, pan, change focus, and the like to maintain a region of interest within a viewing angle of the camera.
US08301187B2
Provided are an apparatus and methods for recovering video information when operating in an area that impairs an electromagnetic field of a transmit/receive signal during a video telephony of a portable terminal. A method of which includes determining a number of buffers for storing intra coded (I) frames to be received, transmitting the number of the buffers to a counterpart terminal together with a VFU signal, acquiring video information by storing I frames received from the counterpart terminal, and generating video frames using the acquired video information.
US08301181B2
A basestation for a cellular communication system has an interface, for connection to a computer network, and also includes an oscillator, for generating wireless transmit and receive frequencies. A controller receives timestamped response messages from a time server over the computer network, each response message being subject to a network propagation delay, which is a sum of a minimum network propagation delay and a jitter component. For each received response message an apparent network propagation delay is determined as a function of a difference between a first timestamp applied by the time server and a second timestamp based on a clock derived from said oscillator. A subset of the received response messages are selected, whose network propagation delays include minimal jitter components. The frequency accuracy of the oscillator is then determined based on changes over time in the apparent network propagation delays of the selected received response messages. The oscillator can then be adjusted based on this frequency accuracy.
US08301178B1
Femtocell radio access network (RAN) devices are typically small, low-cost base stations that may be deployed in areas, for example, where macro-cellular RAN coverage is poor or congested. Thus, wireless communication devices (WCDs) using femtocell devices may benefit from improved wireless coverage, while traffic is offloaded from the macro-cellular RAN. As the use of femtocell devices in residences and businesses continues to grow, it may be advantageous to allow WCD users to use telephony devices coupled to the femtocell device to answer incoming calls for their WCDs. For example, a femtocell device may receive an incoming call request for a WCD, determine that the WCD is eligible for an extended handset service, and then cause a telephony device to alert for the incoming call request.
US08301174B2
A mobile communication terminal is disclosed. The mobile communication terminal includes a wireless communication unit receiving another user's image for video communication and real-time location information of the other user; a display displaying the received other user's image and the real-time location information of the other user; and a controller controlling the wireless communication unit and display such that both the real-time location information and the other user's image are displayed together.
US08301167B2
A global positioning system (GPS) instant friend-making and cash flow services system includes a mobile device connected to a mobile network through a mobile base station, and then connected to a main server, a telecommunication server and a short message server, and provided for at least one user to carry out related operations of a GPS instant friend-making and cash flow services program, a certification program and a short message program, such that a global positioning satellite is used for a GPS instant friend-making service. In addition, at least one mobile device is connected to a financial server through the mobile base station for outputting at least one user's personal datum and at least one financial datum to perform a cash flow certification before initializing a cash flow service.
US08301156B2
Technologies for load balancing among neighboring cells of a mobile wireless communication network can reduce traffic congestion and improve network system capacity. Load balancing can be accomplished by adjusting various radio access network parameters. Such adjustments may be made at the cell level or at the neighboring cell level. The adjustments can be applied iteratively in response to various collected operational statistics. The adjustments can adapt cell size and cell shape as well as adapt handover to maximize system resource and hardware utilization. An iterative process of optimization can periodically collect performance statistics and network configuration from a mobile wireless network. The collected information can be periodically analyzed to determine parameter adjustments. Configuring additional capacity from the communication network can prevent or substantially delay the acquisition of additional hardware resources to mitigate system capacity issues.
US08301152B2
A disclosed base station includes a communication unit configured to receive from a mobile station a first report signal including base station specification information specifying a base station, reception quality information indicating reception quality of a signal received from the specified base station, and change request information requesting to change communication quality between the mobile station and the specified base station; and an automatic area control unit configured to determine whether the base station is specified by the base station specification information, to obtain location information indicating the location of the mobile station if the base station is specified by the base station specification information, and to change at least one base station parameter based on the reception quality information and the location information to change the reception quality at the location of the mobile station.
US08301150B2
A method is provided of controlling transmission power of a picocell base station. The method comprises the steps of the picocell base station:transmitting a signal at a first power; receiving a report from a mobile terminal that the signal is received within a predetermined quality range; dependent upon receiving said report instructing the mobile terminal to report as to the number of neighboring macrocells detected by the mobile terminal; and controlling the transmission power of a further signal dependent upon said number.
US08301148B2
Embodiments of a system and method for wireless communication are provided. In certain embodiments, a base station provides a first zone using a first version of the communication standard and a second zone using a second version of the communication standard. In certain embodiments, the base station determines whether a mobile station communicating with the base station in the first zone can support the second version of the communication standard used in the second zone. When the mobile station can support the second version of the communication standard, the base station can send a command to switch the mobile station to the second zone.
US08301142B2
A femto GW provides a network connection to an MS that is radio-accommodated in a femto BS. Upon reception of a position registration confirmation for the MS, if the MS has been radio-accommodated in a BS or the femto BS within a specific calling area including a calling area for the femto BS immediately before reception of the position registration confirmation, and the MS that has been radio-accommodated in the specific calling area is withdrawing itself from the calling area, a transmission stop command for stopping radio transmission to the MS is sent to the femto BS.
US08301139B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides for the ad-hoc configuration of femtocells using spectrum sensing for the selection of spectrum channels. One or more embodiments of the invention determine frequency bands that are not reserved by macrocells in a location, and perform spectrum sensing to determine communication channels in unreserved frequency bands that are being used by other femtocells in range. In this manner, femtocells can be deployed and configured in an ad-hoc manner without external coordination or control between deployed femtocells.
US08301134B2
There is provided a main device of a cordless telephone system that performs communication with at least one additional device, each of which includes a search unit that intermittently searches for a radio wave generated from the main device, and a search stopping unit that stops execution of the search unit after a state in which the search unit does not receive a radio wave continues for a predetermined time. The main device includes a radio wave generating unit, an operation stopping unit that stops an operation of the radio wave generating unit, and a temporary returning unit that temporality recovers the operation of the radio wave generating unit and stops the operation of the radio wave generating unit after the additional device executes multiple searches by using the search unit after stopping the operation of the radio wave generating unit, but before the predetermined time elapses.
US08301131B2
A method for transmitting data in a mobile radio communication cellular network, wherein setting up, maintaining and terminating a data communication channel between a caller and a called party located in the cellular network are implemented by the exchanges of signaling messages. A caller and/or a called party each is located in a local zone of the cellular network. The method includes: a first detecting phase if the caller and the called party of the communication are located in the same local zone of the cellular network, according to a detection strategy including a step of analyzing all or a portion of the signaling messages; and then triggering a local loopback operation of all or a portion of the data exchanged between the caller and the called party, in the case where the detecting phase confirms the local nature of the communication between the caller and the called party.
US08301130B1
An electronic device, referred to as a beacon gateway, capable of communicating an incoming call on one phone to a second phone operating on a different telecommunications network is described herein. A landline phone, voice-over-Internet-protocol phone (VOIP phone), cable phone, and mobile phone may be connected to the beacon gateway. When one of the phones receives an incoming call, the beacon gateway rings the other phones with ring tones indicative of the receiving phone. Additionally, a user can elect to make a phone call across one network (e.g., wireless) from a phone that communicates calls across a different network (e.g., landline). Moreover, a thin client operating in a mobile device is configured to handle communicating inbound calls and outgoing calls on mobile device to other phones connected to the beacon gateway.
US08301129B2
A method for answering a communication includes the steps of receiving an incoming communication sent by a sender and intended for a communication device of a recipient and answering the communication with an injected audio, video, text, and/or graphic message. The injected message indicates to the sender, in effect, that the recipient is presently unable to respond to the communication but is or will be made aware of the communication. The method further includes the step of providing a promise fulfillment feature that alerts the recipient to the communication and any promise to follow-up with the sender made in the injected message.
US08301125B2
A system for targeted delivery of advertising including the steps of: (i) receiving a navigation request from a mobile communication facility including a user selection of a first advertisement displayed on the mobile communication facility; (ii) receiving an indicator input including (a) a geographical location and (b) queries or accesses to content associated with a plurality of other mobile communication facilities within the geographical location; (iii) dynamically creating second and third advertisements configured to be displayed on the mobile communication facility based on the navigation request and/or the indicator input, and a rendering capability of the mobile communication facility; (iv) transmitting the second advertisement to the mobile communication facility; (v) caching the third advertisement until a determination is made that the user is situated in a different geographical location; and (vi) transmitting the third advertisement to the mobile communication facility.
US08301112B2
A Mobile Alert Network service includes identifying an Alert Area related to an Event Location, identifying a group of subscribers in the Alert Area, and broadcasting an Alert Message to the identified subscribers in a push-to-talk-equivalent environment. The Alert Messages can alert the subscribers about the cause of the alert, offer message related choices, and offer event related choices, such as promotion information or offers. The MAN Service may include an Alert Information Service, a Subscriber Selector, and a Broadcast Module to generate an Alert Message. The event related choices may be generated based on campaigns by Ad-insertion Agents. A Wrapper Framework can be downloaded to manage Alert Messages, a mailbox, and to update on board applications. An on-board logger can provide a detailed account of the operations of the handset and its user. A Sensor Array can be used to determine the location of users, based on the self-identification information, broadcast by the cell phones.
US08301111B2
A system with a mobile switching center (MSC), a service control point (SCP) and an emergency center (EC). The mobile switching center (MSC) sets up a call between a mobile station (2(i)) and the emergency center (EC), sends first data including raw location data as to where the mobile station (2(i)) is located to the emergency center (EC), and sends a service invocation to the service control point (SCP) to invoke an Intelligent Network service to start searching for second data relating to the mobile station, including more accurate location data as to where the mobile station is located. The service control point (SCP) receives the service invocation, starts the Intelligent Network service to search for the second data and sends the second data to the emergency center (EC) once said second data becomes available.
US08301110B2
Devices and systems provide for proximity based selection of an implantable medical device for far field communication with an external device. By using a proximity communication that is limited to the IMD of interest during the selection process, the external device can eliminate those IMDs that are in range of far field communications but are able to receive the proximity communication. Thus, information may be shared via a proximity communication that is validated via a far field communication, or shared via a far field communication as a challenge and then validated via a proximity communication. The proximity communication may be used to initially limit the number of devices that respond to a discovery request and then subsequently used to select the intended implantable medical device as well as automatically select the appropriate therapy application corresponding to the selected IMD.
US08301106B2
Stacked CMOS power amplifier (PA) and radio frequency (RF) coupler devices and related methods are disclosed. The stacked device includes a CMOS PA die configured to receive a transmit input signal and to output an amplified transmit signal, and a RF coupler device configured to receive the amplified transmit signal, to output an antenna transmit signal, and to output an RF signal proportional to the antenna transmit signal. The CMOS PA die and the RF coupler device are stacked on top of and electrically coupled to each other, and the CMOS PA die and the RF coupler device are combined within a single semiconductor package. In some embodiments, the RF coupler device is positioned on top of the CMOS PA die, and in other embodiments the CMOS PA die is positioned on top of the RF coupler device.
US08301102B2
An apparatus, a method and a system for correcting a phase imbalance are described. Embodiments may measure the phase imbalance inherent in a tuner and use the imbalance measure to correct the output of the tuner. Embodiments may include a tone generator to produce a single frequency tone and a tuner to receive the single frequency tone and output an intermediate frequency. The intermediate frequency may be corrected by a correction loop. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08301086B2
Apparatus and methods for providing transmit signals in polar transmitters are described. A modulation signal may be provided from a VCO to low noise and low power signal paths and selectively combined based on a desired output power level. CMOS and CML divider circuits may be used to implement the low noise and low power signal paths respectively, and logic may be provided to select desired signals from the low noise and low power signal stages based on the desired output power level.
US08301079B2
An adaptive inductive ballast is provided with the capability to communicate with a remote device powered by the ballast. To improve the operation of the ballast, the ballast changes its operating characteristics based upon information received from the remote device. Further, the ballast may provide a path for the remote device to communicate with device other than the adaptive inductive ballast.
US08301078B2
A method for communicating data from a source to a destination using a plurality of relay stations in a wireless communication system is provided. The method comprises grouping the plurality of relay stations into at least one relay station group; receiving in a relay station group a subset of data transmitted from the source; sharing information between relay stations in the relay station group for forwarding to the destination the received subset of data transmitted from the source; determining a forwarding scheme for transmitting the received subset of data; and transmitting the received subset of data to the destination using the forwarding scheme.
US08301076B2
Two or more wireless devices can be independently controlled by their respective users, a mixer component, or a leader wireless device to perform audio recording, convert the recorded audio into a standard or proprietary audio stream format, and transmit the audio stream to a server. The real-time clocks of two or more participating wireless devices can be synchronized. A wireless device can insert timestamps into the audio stream to facilitate the mixing operation. Mixing of the two or more audio streams recorded by wireless devices can be performed by a mixer component either in real time (contemporaneously with the recording) or asynchronously with respect to the recording. The mixing can be performed in a fully automated mode, and/or in an operator-assisted mode.
US08301072B2
A guiding roller unit has a holder to be mounted on a mount, and a guiding roller rotatably supported by the holder. The holder includes a base, two bearings and widening preventing plates attached respectively to the bearing. The base, the bearings and the widening preventing parts are integral to each other. The base is mounted on the mount. The bearings stand from opposite ends of the base and rotatably support the roller. The widening preventing plates extend in directions opposite to facing directions of the bearings. The holder enables the roller to be attached and detached with leading ends of the bearings elastically widened with respect to base ends thereof connected with the base while being detached from the mount, whereas it prohibits widening of the leading ends of the bearings by contacting the mount in response to forces acting in widening directions while being mounted on the mount.
US08301066B2
A fixing device includes: a belt member provided to be circularly movable having a width; a first fixing member disposed inside the belt member; a second fixing member disposed in press contact with the first fixing member across the belt member, and forms a passing portion with the belt member, through which a recording medium passes; and a pressing member disposed along a width direction of the belt member and downstream of the passing portion in a moving direction of the belt member, in which the pressing member has a surface and brings the surface in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the belt member to press the belt member against the second fixing member. The surface is curved toward the second fixing member along with a move from an end portion to a center portion in a longitudinal direction of the pressing member.
US08301061B2
The adjustment method aligns printing engines in a print assembly that is capable of printing on a receiver to form one or more final prints and includes corrections for cross-track misregistration. These adjustments are made in one embodiment by aligning two or more printing engines in an x and y direction relative to a paper path cross track reference and then aligning each printing engines in a cross track direction (z direction) relative to the paper path cross track reference based on measurements in the cross track direction (z direction) relative to the paper path cross track reference.
US08301037B2
In one embodiment, a coherent optical receiver has an optical detector coupled to a digital processor. The optical detector mixes a received modulated optical signal with a local-oscillator signal to produce a digital measure of the modulated optical signal. The digital processor processes the digital measure using a primary carrier- and data-recovery (CDR) stage and one or more secondary CDR stages serially connected to one another. The processing performed in each secondary CDR stage is decision-directed and uses the symbol estimate generated by the preceding CDR stage to obtain a respective estimate of the carrier-phase offset and a respective symbol estimate. Since each subsequent CDR stage typically improves the accuracies of its estimates compared to those of the preceding CDR stage(s), the receiver has a lower bit-error rate than a receiver employing a single CDR stage.
US08301035B2
An optical communication apparatus includes an optical signal transmitter for outputting an optical signal, an optical switch device for switching a route of the optical signal, a drive controller for supplying a drive current for controlling a route switching to the optical switch device, a cooling device for cooling the optical switch device on the basis of a control signal, a temperature controller for transmitting the control signal to the cooling device in order to keep a measured temperature at a specific temperature, where the measured temperature is related to a temperature of the optical switch device.
US08301017B2
A plurality of video streams and STN_table are recorded in the local storage 200. Each of the plurality of video streams is a secondary video stream to be played together with a primary video stream, and includes picture data representing a child image to be displayed in Picture in Picture that is composed of a parent image and the child image. In the STN_table, entries of secondary video streams that are permitted to be played are described in the order of priority.
US08301014B2
A signal recording/reproducing method and apparatus, signal record medium and signal transmission/reception method and apparatus, whereby a signal recorded on a signal record medium can be identified as being an original signal or a copied signal. A CPU 11 generates, at a pre-set time interval, an identification signal having a meaning at a pre-set time interval, and an identification signal addition circuit 3 adds the identification signal to the video signals and/or the audio signals. A sector forming circuit 5 and circuit components up to a recording/reproducing head 14 record the video signals and/or the audio signals and the ancillary identification signal on an optical disc 12.
US08301012B2
An image reproducing apparatus which reproduces image files stored in a recording medium, comprising: a retrieving unit adapted to separately retrieve for a first image group recorded in accordance with a first file rule and a second image group nonconforming to the first file rule; a determination unit adapted to determine a reproducing order for an image group which has been completely retrieved by the retrieving unit upon discriminating the first image group and the second image group; and a reproducing unit adapted to reproduce an image group for which the reproducing order is determined, wherein the retrieving unit starts retrieving for the second image group when finishing retrieving for the first image group, and the reproducing unit reproduces an image group, which has completely been retrieved by the retrieving unit, in a reproducing order determined by the determination unit.
US08301008B2
Enhanced history buffer systems and methods are operable to temporarily store program content for program events. An exemplary embodiment receives program content corresponding to each of the plurality of program events, generates a unique discrete program content file in the enhanced history buffer for each of the plurality of program events, and stores the received program content for each of the plurality of program events in the associated one of the discrete program content files. Each discrete program content file begins at a known starting location in the enhanced history buffer and ends at a known ending location in the enhanced history buffer.
US08301005B2
Apparatus and methods provide for cables with secured terminations. For some embodiments, a cable includes an inner tube surrounding an optical fiber, an aluminum tube surrounding the inner tube, and armor tubing surrounding the aluminum tube. The aluminum tube resists collapse of the inner tube at bends in the cable, inhibits or prevents hydrogen from reaching the fiber, and facilitates termination of the cable. For example, terminating the cable may include crimping the armor tubing to deform the aluminum tube into gripping engagement with an outside of the inner tube and an inside of the armor tubing. In some embodiments, a retention assembly secures the fiber relative to the inner tube and includes a retention tube secured to the inner tube and a packing sleeve squeezed into gripping engagement with the fiber by radial inward deformation of the retention tube where the packing sleeve is disposed in the retention tube.
US08300996B2
An optical bus is described for optical signal broadcasting. The optical bus can include a substrate and input optical waveguides formed on the substrate. First and second sets of output optical waveguides can also be formed on the substrate. Optical power splitters on the substrate can have an input and multiple outputs. The optical power splitters can be optically coupled to an input optical waveguide and can split an input optical beam into multiple output optical beams. The optical bus can include a waveguide shuffle network formed on the substrate. The waveguide shuffle network can include intersecting optical waveguides and can optically couple outputs from each of the optical power splitters to the first set of output optical waveguides and optically couple different outputs from each of the optical power splitters to the second set of output optical waveguides.
US08300990B2
An optical waveguide is described. This optical waveguide may be defined in a semiconductor layer, and may include a vertical slot that includes an electro-optic material having an electric-field-dependent index of refraction, and the electro-optic material may be other than a semiconductor in the semiconductor layer. Alternatively, the optical waveguide may include a vertical stack with two semiconductor layers that surround and partially overlap an intermediate layer, which includes the electro-optic material.
