US08312793B2

A first hydraulic circuit leads, as clutch control pressure, pressurized oil supplied from a first hydraulic pump, to a transmission control device after regulating the pressurized oil, and leads, as torque converter operation oil, pressured oil to a torque converter, and leads pressurized oil to an oil cooler. Through a second hydraulic circuit, pressurized oil from a second hydraulic pump is distributed to a circuit portion downstream of the pressure regulation valve and upstream of a safety valve and to a circuit portion downstream of the torque converter and upstream of the oil cooler. A flow control device changes a proportion of a rate of flow in the second hydraulic circuit so that a proportion of the rate of flow to the circuit portion downstream of the torque converter and upstream of the oil cooler increases as pressure at an entrance of the torque converter increases.
US08312788B2

A motion transmitting remote control assembly (20) of the type for transmitting motion in a curved path by a flexible core element (22) in a conduit (24) is secured to a support structure (76) having a U-shaped slot. A support body (66) defines a groove (84) having first and second legs (86, 88) for abutting parallel edges (78) of the U-shaped slot, and a bottom leg (90) connecting the first and second legs (86, 88) for abutting a bottom edge (80). Slider arms (94) movably supported within female guides (92) are urged against snap-in retainers (102) by biasing spring members (104) establishing a locking position. A pair of locking tabs (106) projecting from the slider arms (94) into the groove (84) engage notches (82) in the parallel edges (78). An inclined face (112) is defined along the lower surface (112) of the locking tabs (106) for wedging engagement with the parallel edges (78) of the U-shaped slot to move the slider arms (94) axially to an insertion position.
US08312776B2

An apparatus and method for determination of susceptibility of asphalt concrete materials to moisture damage. An asphalt sample of known bulk specific gravity (density) is placed inside a chamber filled with water, which is capable of heating the sample to a predetermined temperature. The chamber is pressurized by introduction of air pressure to a flexible membrane that decreases the volume within a chamber containing the sample and water, increasing the pore pressure in the sample. The pressure is then released and allowed to come to ambient pressure. This process is repeated a predetermined number of times (cycles). When a selected number of cycles are complete, the asphalt sample is removed from the chamber and its bulk specific gravity (density) measured again. The difference between the density before and after conditioning is an excellent method of rating the degree at which moisture would deteriorate asphalt samples due to introduction of moisture. The cyclic nature of the increased/decreased pore pressure is observed to significantly decrease bulk specific gravity (density) for poor quality asphalt designs. Furthermore, the sample conditioned by this method can be used for other conventional mechanical test methods, such as tensile strength and modulus determination. Computerized controls are used to automate the procedure and to record and display data from sensors.
US08312771B2

The disclosed embodiments include a method, system, and device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium. The novel method includes transmitting a non-beamformed or beamformed ultrasound wave into the medium, receiving more than one echoed ultrasound wave from the medium, and converting the received echoed ultrasound wave into digital data. The novel method may further transmit the digital data. In some embodiments, the transmitting may be wireless. The novel device may include transducer elements, an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the transducer elements, and a transmitter in communication with the analog-to-digital converter. The transducers may operate to convert a first electrical energy into an ultrasound wave. The first electrical energy may or may not be beamformed. The transducers also may convert an echoed ultrasound wave into a second electrical energy. The analog-to-digital converter may convert the electrical energy into digital data, and the transmitter may transmit the digital data.
US08312768B2

Disclosed embodiments include an apparatus for water sampling and analysis, the apparatus comprising: (a) a device for water sampling at a plurality of depths comprising a hosepipe and a plurality of internal independent pipes with a plurality of sampling inlets at a plurality of water depths, and (b) a pumping system to pump a sample of water collected using the device for water sampling at a plurality of depths to an isolated module for analysis. According to one embodiment, the apparatus is an autonomous multi-parametric buoy with capabilities for multi-depth water sampling, self-maintenance, monitoring, data collection, transmission, and analysis.
US08312767B2

Methods and apparatuses for detecting radial flows of conductive fluid are provided. In an embodiment of the present invention, shields are used to prevent or reduce circulating electrical currents from causing a voltage difference that would adversely affect the measured voltage difference between two adjacent electrodes. The shields may be a conduit through which conductive fluid may flow. Groups of sensors, e.g., two or more, may be placed within the shield. The shields may have any cross-section shape. Generally, once the circulating electrical current flow between the electrode pairs is substantially reduced or eliminated, only the voltage difference from the localized induced electric field remains. This way, a true induced voltage may be measured, and thus an accurate value for the fluid velocity may be determined.
US08312765B2

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring reverse flow of fuel vapors and/or air through a vehicle fuel vapor recovery system, the fuel vapor recovery system coupled to an engine intake of a boosted internal combustion engine. One example method comprises, intermittently adjusting a restriction in the fuel vapor recovery system during boosted conditions, and indicating degradation based on one or more of a change in a pressure value, or based on a change in flow in the fuel vapor recovery system.
US08312764B2

An apparatus (1) for detecting mechanical features of materials, in particular metal materials, comprising an indenter (10) adapted to be pushed against a sample material (15) in which it penetrates for a depth (h) and responsive to the hardness of the materials same. The apparatus (1) provides means for generating a measured force (F) and a transmission gear (35) which changes the rotational motion of shaft (40) of motor (30) into a linear reversible movement. The force generated is then amplified in a hydraulic way and transmitted to the indenter (10). This solution allows to lighten and to reduce the size of the mechanisms for generating the force, reducing also wear and mechanical backlash, as well as costs and overall dimensions. An advantage is also to measure with precision the stroke of the indenter with corresponding control in precision of the penetration (h) of the indenter in the sample material.
US08312759B2

Systems and methods for collecting portions of a target sample are disclosed herein. A method for detecting the presence and/or properties of a target sample can include selectively collecting a portion of a target sample with a sample collector and detecting, with the sample collector, the presence of one or more properties of the microscopic portion of the target sample. The method also includes analyzing, with the sample collector, the one or more properties of the microscopic portion of the target sample. Based on the analysis, the method further includes reporting, from the sample collector, a real-time indication of the analysis of the one or more properties of the target sample. The method can also include at least partially removing the microscopic portion of the target sample from the sample collector. The methods and systems disclosed herein can be used, for example, in systems or environments directed to quality assurance, preventative maintenance, safety, hazard warnings, homeland security, chemical identification and surveillance, and/or other suitable environments.
US08312737B2

A refrigeration system includes a compressor. A heat rejection heat exchanger is downstream of the compressor along a refrigerant primary flowpath. An expansion device is downstream of the heat rejection heat exchanger along the primary flowpath. A heat absorption heat exchanger is downstream of the expansion device along the primary flowpath. An economizer heat exchanger is between the heat rejection heat exchanger and the expansion device along the primary flowpath. The economizer heat exchanger includes a first portion configured to provide heat transfer from the primary flowpath to a first economizer flowpath. The economizer heat exchanger includes a second portion configured to provide heat transfer from the primary flowpath to a second economizer flowpath.
US08312734B2

An improved air-source heat pump for residential and commercial use, employing two closed refrigerant systems having different refrigerants in cascade relationship to each other to address efficiency and space concerns, with the first closed refrigerant system partitionable into a first sub-system and a second sub-system, with the first sub-system working in conjunction with the second closed refrigerant system in heating mode and the second sub-system working independently in cooling mode.
US08312733B2

The invention concerns the power systems utilizing renewable power sources, in particular, refers to the systems utilizing wind and solar energy and may be used for the independent power supply both in cold and hot climate. The independent energy supply system (IES) contains a wind generator setup for electric power production and a solar collector. The solar collector is connected with a heat storage. IES also includes an electric energy storage battery, inverter, and automatic control system for IES connected through the heat and electrical load sensors with actuating mechanisms. IES is also equipped with the stabilization system for rotor speed of the wind generator that includes a network regulator with a control unit for a resistive load, electric current sensors and rotor speed sensor. The resistive load is the system of thermal electric heaters (TEHs). The energy dissipated on TENs is to be accumulated in the heat storage. The absorption cooling machine may be included in the IES, and the TEHs may be placed inside its generator. IES contains the device for wind generator blades turning. The heat exchanger of the solar collector is located inside the absorption cooling machine generator.
US08312731B2

A refrigeration apparatus includes an outdoor unit having a first compressor and a second compressor connected in parallel with each other, a first oil separator attached to the first compressor and connected to a suction pipe of the second compressor via a first oil return piping including a pressure reducing device, and a second oil separator attached to the second compressor and connected to a suction pipe of the first compressor via a second oil return piping including a pressure reducing device. The suction pipes of the first and second compressors are connected together. The first compressor is a variable-speed compressor, and the second compressor is a constant-speed compressor. A solenoid valve selectively forming a bypass circuit with respect to the pressure reducing device, is connected in parallel with the pressure reducing device of the first oil return piping. The solenoid valve is opened when the first compressor is restarted.
US08312729B2

A flow discouraging system includes a stator assembly, fins, and a rotor assembly. The stator assembly includes stationary components forming a side wall including an annular groove defined by an outer axially-extending surface, an inner axially-extending surface, and a radial surface. One or more outer axial fins disposed in the annular groove extend along the outer axially-extending surface of the side wall. One or more inner axial fins disposed in the annular groove extend along the inner axially-extending surface of the side wall. One or more radial fins disposed in the annular groove extend axially from the radial surface of the side wall. The rotor assembly is disposed adjacent to and is spaced apart from the stator assembly to form a portion of a cavity and includes an annular rim extending at least partially into the annular groove and disposed between the outer and inner axial fins.
US08312722B2

A fuel nozzle with active cooling is provided. It includes an outer peripheral wall, a nozzle center body concentrically disposed within the outer wall in a fuel and air pre-mixture. The fuel and air pre-mixture includes an air inlet, a fuel inlet and a premixing passage defined between the outer wall in the center body. A gas fuel flow passage is provided. A first cooling passage is included within the center body in a second cooling passage is defined between the center body and the outer wall.
US08312720B2

In an internal combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas turbocharger, which includes a compressor with a compressor wheel arranged in an inlet tract of the internal combustion engine and a turbine with a turbine wheel coupled rotationally to the compressor wheel and arranged in an at least two-path exhaust gas tract of which is connected to an exhaust gas guide section of the turbine including at least a first spiral channel coupled to the first exhaust path and a second spiral channel coupled to a second exhaust gas path, two guide vane elements are arranged upstream of the turbine wheel and downstream of respective spiral channels which are formed corresponding to a first degree of asymmetry A1 determined as a quotient Θ of a first mass flow parameter and a second mass flow parameter which is between 0.4 and 0.8.
US08312700B2

A tine assembly is used with an agricultural machine such as a harvester or hay merger. The tine assemblies mount on a reel that rotates about an axis extending transverse to the direction of travel. The tine assembly includes a first tine and a second tine, each having a main extended portion and a lateral portion extending transverse to the main portion at a mounting end of the tines. The lateral portions mount into tabs or opposite ends of a sleeve. The sleeve or tabs and mounting end of the tines are enclosed by a molded mounting portion that also includes a reinforcing arcing element configured for mounting to the reel bar. The arcing element includes orifices that allow for easily bolting and unbolting the tine assemblies for easy attachment and removal.
US08312699B2

A spur attachable to a boot. The spur includes a body having a first arm, a second arm, and a neck. A first bar having eyelets is attached to a distal end of the first arm and a second bar having eyelets is attached to a distal end of the second arm. The first arm and the second arm are configured to be forward relative to a heel of the boot and the neck is configured to be rearward relative to the heel of the boot.
US08312695B2

An apparatus (2) and a method for making packs (30) of at least two beverage containers (20) are disclosed. Using a conveyor, (15) the beverage containers (20) are fed to a station (10), at which the beverage containers (20) can be guided into a separate holding element (16). The station (10) has at least two rigid guiding elements (50), which are positioned in the station in transport direction of the beverage containers (20) in such a way that they run towards each other and thus clamp the beverage containers (20) in the holding element (16).
US08312692B2

A support block for supporting objects on a roof is a molded elastomeric block with a substantially hollow core. The support block can be used as is or in a system whereby a galvanized steel channel is secured to the top wall of the block accommodating the mating of a variety of clamps. In some embodiments, the block is elongate and generally flat and supports a roof mounted object thereon when two or more blocks are supported parallel and spaced apart from one another with the object spanning between the blocks.
US08312686B2

A process for the manufacturing of longitudinal profile such as a tongue and a groove on boards wherein the process includes the steps; a) shaping a substantial part of the profile cross-section by means of milling with a milling tool Fine shaping undercuts in at least the groove of the board by means of broaching utilizing at least one broaching tool.
US08312684B2

A blast resistant window blind system includes a blind system comprising a plurality of parallel blind slats, a plurality of spaced pane engaging members, and first and second mounting bodies coupled to the pane engaging members and anchor members disposed at first and second opposite ends of said opening, wherein the pane engaging members are secured to the mounting bodies and coupled thereby to the structure. At least one energy dampening device is coupled to the pane engaging members, allowing the pane engaging members to extend a selected amount toward the inside of the structure upon impact of the window pane, wherein the blind system and pane engaging members cooperate to restrain the window pane from being blown into the inside of the structure and conform to the inside surface of the window pane during impact therewith to distribute the restraining force across the window pane.
US08312681B2

A leaktight frame (10) for a window (3) suitable for securing the window (3) to a carrier structure (2), has first and second sealing gaskets (11, 12) respectively suitable for being arranged on a first periphery (3′) of the window (3) and on a second periphery (2′) of the carrier structure (2), the frame (10) being provided with releasable holder elements (20) for clamping the first and second gaskets (11, 12) onto the window (3) and the carrier structure (2).
US08312678B1

A roof framing structure (20) is disclosed, and includes a plurality of primary supports (30) (e.g., rafters) that may be disposed in parallel relation and extend along the roof pitch (14). One or more secondary supports (40) extend between each adjacent pair of primary supports (30). Each secondary support (40) is of a triangular cross-sectional configuration, and may extend orthogonally to the various primary supports (30).
US08312668B2

A combination and accessory for a firearm having a receiving mechanism such as a Picanny rail or similar mechanism. A bracket is used to secure an accessory to the firearm via the receiving mechanism. The bracket mechanism uses a holder configured to encircle a portion of the accessory and a securing bracket adapted to engage the receiving mechanism. A manually operated compression mechanism simultaneously engages the securing bracket with said receiving mechanism and the holder with said accessory for a firearm.
US08312662B2

End plate sling adapter securable to a rifle for a sling, includes a fastener element, sling adapter clamp and locking insert. Sling adapter clamp has a collar defining a central opening extending therethrough, and a pair of fastener housings arranged at respective ends of the collar defining a gap therebetween. Each housing receives a fastener therein such that the fastener extends across the gap and is adjustable to reduce its width. Locking insert has an upper portion with a threaded cradle accommodated within central opening and meshing with a threaded portion of a rifle buttstock receiver extension, and a lower portion extending into the gap.
US08312661B2

A folding rifle stock has a forward portion for securing to a rifle action having a barrel and trigger. The stock has a rear portion having a shoulder-engagement surface. The forward portion and rear portion are pivotally connected and movable between an extended position and a folded position. The rear portion includes a grip positioned adjacent to a trigger location on the front portion, so that a finger on a user's hand gripping the grip may operate the trigger when the stock is in the extended position. The hinge may be directly connected to a metal bedding block in the front portion. The hinge may be adjustable to take up slack due to wear, with a tapered hinge pin, and with one hinge portion configured to selectable clamp a threaded portion of the hinge pin. The hinge may include a latch to lock the stock in the extended position, and the lock may include a wedging cam element to generate torque to bias the stock to the extended position.
US08312653B2

A collapsible tradeshow display includes curved end panels that provide for easier attachment and eliminate the possibility of dramatic disengagement of the panel from the display. Each end panel has a generally planar body comprised of a resilient material having a tendency to return to a generally flat configuration when in a curved configuration. A pair of side margins extend along opposing vertical sides of the body, each having a bridge portion attached thereto. A connecting means can connect the bridge portions to retain the panel in the curved configuration.
US08312650B2

In a wear assembly for securing wear members to excavating equipment, a spool is used with a wedge to hold the wear member in place. The spool is formed with at least one laterally extending arm at its upper end in lieu of an axial arm such as used in a conventional C-shaped spool. In this way, the spool can be easily supported in the assembly as the wedge is installed. The spool does not fall through the opening and no special care is needed to prevent it from falling. The spool also holds itself in place when the wedge is driven into the passage. As a result, installation of the wear assembly is easier and less hazardous. In addition, the lateral support reduces the risk that the spool will suffer spreading.
US08312642B2

A laundry machine having a steam generator is disclosed. A heater is controlled, such that steam generation coincides with a predetermined time period, whereby the steam supply time is enabled to be controlled with relative accuracy. If an error occurs when water is being supplied to the steam generator, then an error message is displayed such that a user may be informed of the error. If a predetermined time period has elapsed, then a pump is stopped to prevent an excessive amount of water from being supplied to the steam generator.
US08312640B2

A cloth dryer includes heat-pump (30), rotary tub (5) for accommodating clothes (4) to be dried, blower (12) for supplying air heated by heat radiator (23) to rotary tub (5), and heat-exchange air flow paths (22, 24) for circulating the air stayed in rotary tub (5) through heat radiator (23) via heat absorber (21). Fins striding over heat absorber (21) and heat radiator (23) allow integrating absorber (21) and radiator (23) into one body which can be thus placed within air-flow paths (22, 24). Heat-transfer reducing section (32) is formed on the fins between heat absorber (21) and heat radiator (23) for reducing the heat transfer via the fins between heat absorber (21) and heat radiator (23). The foregoing structure can prevent frost and ice produced on heat absorber (21) from growing, so that a compact cloth dryer excellent in drying performance is obtainable.
US08312628B2

A method for manufacturing a liquid discharge head includes heating the surface portion of power line that is to be in contact with a member made of resin, thereby forming, from a precious metal layer and a nickel layer, an adhesion layer made of an alloy containing precious metal and nickel as major components.
US08312620B2

Equipment for manufacturing a stator comprises a coil conduction mechanism which can supply a current to input terminals of a stator, and a heater mechanism having first and second panel heaters which are provided to face the stator. Heat is generated from a coil by supplying a current to the coil from the coil conduction mechanism and sealants filling the stator are heated. On the other hand, the first and second panel heaters are heated by supplying a current and the sealants are heated from the outside. The operation is controlled such that the heating temperature for the sealants by heat generated from the coil and the heating temperature for the sealants by the heater mechanism are uniform.
US08312616B2

A method of joining pipe elements in end to end relation includes using a coupling having two or more segments connected to one another end to end surrounding a central space. The coupling also has at least one gripping body positioned between two of the segments. The pipe elements are inserted into the central space. The segments and the gripping body or bodies are moved toward the central space. The segments have arcuate surfaces which engage the outer surface of the pipe element. The gripping body or bodies have gripping surfaces which engage the outer surface of the pipe elements.
US08312613B2

A method of manufacturing a percussion drilling assembly, the method including providing a tubular case having a central axis and a lower end with an inner surface and an outer surface, providing a driver sub having a central axis, an outer surface, and an upper end, providing a annular locking member including an annular body, an inner finger extending radially inward from the body, and a first outer finger extending radially outward from the body, positioning the annular locking member about the driver sub, and threading the upper end of the driver sub to the lower end of the case. The inner surface of the lower end includes internal threads and the outer surface of the lower end includes a groove. The outer surface of the upper end includes external threads and the outer surface axially below the outer includes a groove.
US08312606B2

At least one embodiment generally relates to an installation assembly for an opening in a workpiece that includes a swaged collar, an inner member, and an outer member. The swaged collar has a first end, a second end, and a main body extending between the first end and the second end. The main body includes an inner surface defining a passageway through the collar. The inner member has a mandrel section for expanding the outer member. The inner member is used to expand the outer member and to keep the outer member in an expanded state.
US08312597B2

A hinge cup for furniture hinges having a cup part which can be mounted in a bore in a furniture part such that it can be inserted in a recessed manner, and having, provided on the cup part in the state mounted in the bore, anchoring parts which can be spread open and have external bearing surfaces which are curved arcuately in a manner substantially corresponding to the radius of the bore and can be pressed via tension elements against the wall of the bore, wherein the tension elements can be moved via an eccentric mechanism in the insertion direction of the hinge cup at right angles to the mounting plane of the latter, and the anchoring parts are spread when the tension elements are moved in the direction from the insertion end of the hinge cup to the mounting surface thereof.
US08312596B2

A hinge assembly (4) for the connection of two panels (10, 12) at their adjacent edge regions (8d) to allow said panels to rotate up to 360 degrees relative to one another, the hinge assembly comprising an elongate member (20) providing two opposing curved surfaces adjacent the edge of each panel, said member co-operating with at least one pair of intermeshed gears (24), the assembly including connector means (34) for attaching each panel to said member and a bubble seal (22) disposed between the edge of each panel and each curved surface of the member.
US08312592B2

The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus (10) for releasing and transporting particles away from an area to be cleaned, comprising: a housing (6) having an opening (8) to be positioned on an area (1) to be cleaned;—a member that is movable within the apparatus for generating an airflow to release and transport particles away from the area; wherein the member comprises an airflow-generating surface (12) arranged within the housing (6), said airflow-generating surface in its operating condition lacing the area (1) to be cleaned and having a direction of movement that is substantially parallel to said area so as to cause an airflow parallel to said area. The apparatus according to the invention requires less energy for releasing and transporting particles away from an area to be cleaned.
US08312587B2

A self-rotating mop has a mop head, a rotating rod, an actuating assembly and a top pole. The rotating rod is connected securely to the mop head and has spiral channel. The actuating assembly is mounted between the rotating rod and the top pole and has an actuating sleeve and an actuating ring. The actuating sleeve has multiple upper ratchets, and the actuating ring has multiple lower ratchets and multiple curved ribs. The curved ribs of the actuating ring engage the spiral channel of the rotating rod. When the top pole is pushed downward, the upper and lower ratchets engage with each other to force the rotating rod to rotate and move upward. When the top pole is pulled upward, the upper and lower ratchets disengage with each other and the actuating ring is rotated to allow the top pole for moving upward.
US08312585B1

Disclosed is a cleaning device for cleaning a driver used in a disk drive manufacturing process. The cleaning device includes: a body; a replaceable cleaning pad mounted in the body; and a cover mounted to the body over the cleaning pad, in which, the cover includes an opening to receive the driver and to expose a portion of the cleaning pad to receive and clean the driver. The cleaning device further includes a cleaning pad rotation mechanism mounted in the body that connects to the cleaning pad and rotates the cleaning pad. The cleaning pad rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the cleaning pad such that an unused portion of the cleaning pad is exposed to the opening for receipt of the driver and the cleaning pad rotation mechanism may be activated to rotate the cleaning pad.
US08312579B2

A pivoting device for pivoting of segments (4) which are pivotable relative to one another of a bearing construction (2), providing a bearing surface (3) for a mattress, a cushioning element or the like, of an item of furniture for sitting and/or lying on, in particular a bed. In order to produce a pivoting device which requires a comparatively small installation space while also having safe operation, the invention proposes a pivoting device which includes an electromotive drive device (13) which is arranged on the end face between two neighboring segments (4).
US08312577B2

The invention relates to a side grate for a bed, particularly for a hospital bed and/or a nursing bed. In order to provide a side grate configured in a novel manner, the invention provides a side grate that is supported on a support post (34) of the bed in a height adjustable manner on the end, and in a freestanding manner on the other side.
US08316458B2

A license issuing server manages information about a plurality of software applications including an installable software application and a yet uninstallable software application, such as an unreleased software application, in association with a product code. Upon receiving a request for a license file which can identify the product code from a client device, the license issuing server generates a plurality of license files corresponding to information about a plurality of software applications managed in association with the product code and collectively issues the license files to the client device.
US08316455B2

Accessing a data set with secret and non-secret data. A method includes accessing a data set image. The data set image comprises secret data. The data set image is derived from an authorized data set associated with a master key that authorizes access to the secret data. The master key is not provided with the data set image. The method further comprises restoring the data set image to a computing system to create a degraded data set. Data in the degraded data set other than the secret data is accessed without restoring the master key.
US08316446B1

Methods and systems for blocking unwanted software downloads within a network. Such methods may thereby prevent (i) downloads of spyware from one or more identified locations, and/or (ii) certain outbound communications from the network and/or may also permit software downloads only from specified locations. In general, the policies are defined by rules specified by a network administrator or other user.
US08316438B1

Network management to establish and maintain the health and security of a computing network, such as a home network. A network management tool may identify the media access control (MAC) address for each device in the network, and allow a user to identify which devices are authorized to be a member of the network. If the network gateway device supports MAC address filtering, a user can then employ the network management tool to configure the router to exclude non-authorized devices from joining or remaining in the network based upon their MAC addresses. Further, the network management tool may allow a user to configure a wireless gateway device to stop broadcasting its service set identifier (SSID), change the SSID, or both, identify to the user when a wireless gateway device is using encryption, and, if so, what type of encryption. Still further, the tool may monitor the status of various software applications on devices in the network, and then alert a user if the status of any of the devices in the network requires attention. Further, the network management tool may provide recommendations to a user for correcting or changing the status of the monitored software applications.
US08316427B2

An enhanced personal firewall system having an inter-firewall connection listener which binds to a specified communications port and listens for inbound and/or outbound connection requests; and an inter-firewall controller which establishes a trusted communications through a local firewall and a remote firewall by exchanging public keys, a signed trusted computer firewall request, and using the keys to determine if a local key storage indicates previous authorization to trusted communications. If not, then a user of the targeted resource is notified and prompted to authorize the access. If so, then the firewall rules protecting the targeted resource are modified, even if temporarily, to allow the requesting firewall to have trusted access.
US08316426B2

A mobile terminal for securely communicating with a network includes a user identity module (UIM). The UIM is in operable communication with a user equipment module and includes a password provisioning module (PPM), a password generating module and a response generation module (RGM). The user equipment module includes a client application. The PPM is configured to store a password. The password generating module is in operable communication with the PPM and configured to generate the password. The RGM is in operable communication with both the client application and the PPM. The RGM is configured to generate an authentication response from the password in response to a request from the client application.
US08316425B2

A method of authenticating a document, typically a printed document, is disclosed. The method comprises: (a) processing a first area of a source document according to a first authentication level to generate first authentication data; (b) processing a second area of the source document according to a second authentication level to generate second authentication data, the second authentication level being different from the first authentication level; (c) generating barcode data representing at least the first and second authentication data; and (d) carrying out at least one of: (d1) embedding the barcode data to the source document to generate a processed document; and (d2) printing the barcode data on a recording medium.
US08316423B2

The image forming apparatus has: a network communication unit capable of communicating with a web server via a network; a web browser that accesses the web server via communication by the network communication unit, and acquires an activation key from the web server; and an activating unit that activates an optional function with the activation key. The key management server machine has: an activation key generating unit that generates an activation key corresponding to an optional function of an image forming apparatus; and a web server that receives identification information on the image forming apparatus and identification information on the optional function, and transmits an activation key to the image forming apparatus, the activation key corresponding to an optional function specified by the identification information on the optional function.
US08316420B2

The present invention relates to a method and system for controlling access rights to dynamically instantiated portal applications in a portal environment, wherein new instances of a portal application and respective access control information on resources used in the application are generated dynamically from an automated programmed mechanism, and wherein a user-application role mapping is demanded for the portal application by a respective runtime access control function implemented at the portal environment. The method includes: assigning an individual user-to-application role mapping to a respective individual one of the created instances of the portal application, wherein for each incoming user request to one of the created instances the runtime access control function checks a target application instance identifier, which identifies an individual application instance desired to be addressed by the incoming request; and granting access rights to incoming user requests according to the application roles as they are defined for the target application instance.
US08316418B2

Computer-implemented system and methods for authenticating the identity of a person, for example a customer (1) of an E-Commerce web site (15). The web site or other verification “client” (110) contacts a verification engine (10, 100) (“Authentex”), which may be implemented as a web server (604). The verification engine (10), in turn, has limited access to a plurality of independent, third-party secure databases (21, 112) which are maintained by Trusted Validators (3, 610, 620, etc), which are entities such as banks that have a pre-existing relationship with customer (FIG. 4), and due to that relationship, acquire and maintain “out-of-wallet” data (4) that may be useful to authenticate the identity of the customer. That confidential customer data—held by the third-party “Trusted Validators”—is not disclosed.
US08316417B2

Method for the dynamic secure management of an authenticated relational table forming part of a database; the method comprises the following steps: store the authenticated relational table in a secondary memory' with a high storage capacity and a slow data access time; maintain an authenticated skip list within the authenticated relational table in order to create an authentication superstructure; determine a signed hash or basis value which characterizes the entire authenticated relational table; authenticate the presence or otherwise of a set of elements belonging to the skip list via a root path suitable for calculating a check hash value comparable to the signed hash value which characterizes the entire authenticated relational table; and validate the result of the authentication step by checking that the check hash value calculated by means of the root path is equal to the signed hash value that characterizes the entire authenticated relational table.
US08316416B2

A first device has a display that is able to show information. The information is to be exchanged with a second device. The information is cleared from the display following receipt of an indication from the second device that the information has been successfully inputted at the second device.
US08316414B2

Apparatuses, methods, and systems for reconfiguring a secure system are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a configuration storage location, a lock, and lock override logic. The configuration storage location is to store information to configure the apparatus. The lock is to prevent writes to the configuration storage location. The lock override logic is to allow instructions executed from sub-operating mode code to override the lock.
US08316411B2

A system is provided for the storage of content on a network and the delivery of content to subscriber locations. The system includes routers and subscriber set-top boxes in communication with each other and a main content source. Content is delivered over a packet-switching network according to a peer to peer file distribution protocol and is stored in a storage area of the subscriber set-top box, such that each subscriber set-top box is configured to transmit and receive content to and from the main content source and other set-top boxes connected to the network. The set-top boxes may identify a preferred source of content based on various factors, such as geographic distance, Internet Protocol (IP) distance, available bandwidth, integrity of the content, etc. An associated method for accessing content and a set-top box for facilitating the storage and delivery of content are also provided.
US08316407B2

A video interface kernel with a defined application program interface includes each of a plurality of core functions for interfacing with video equipment and video processing subsystems. The core functions include such functions as video capture and video output, video recording and playback, and event notification. Functions of the video interface kernel also include video analysis functions and/or interfaces to analysis subsystems, as well as interfaces to point-of-sale terminals, access control systems, and location tracking systems. An intelligent video management module facilitates managing the interactions among the other modules of the kernel, further simplifying the application level interface.
US08316399B1

Enabling a first user to send to a second user a promotional program icon used to enable recording of a program promoted by the icon includes enabling the first user to access a display of content accessible via a network environment. The display of content includes the promotional program icon, and the first user is able to select the promotional program icon and request presentation of the icon to a second user.
US08316392B2

The solution of the ad delivery platform described herein provides for the marketing and monetizing of media assets via the delivery of advertisement with on-demand video. The ad platform optimizes the delivery of ads by controlling the insertion frequency and format of the ad delivered with video streams. The ad platform provides flexible and configurable ad insertion rules to specify the insertion frequency and format for the composition of ads during playback of on-demand video media. The ad insertion rules may be based on a user profile, user behavior history, topic of the stream to be delivered, duration of the video or ad, and/or the popularity rating of the video or ad. The ad platform includes a reporting tool and usage reports to measure the effectiveness of the ad insertion rules in delivering ads to market and monetize the video media. The ad platform also includes an ad inventory management and forecasting tool for determining the available inventory of ad placement based on data collected over a period of time regarding the delivery of ads and the ad insertion rules to be used for the delivery of a desired ad. With these tools, a more effective ad campaign can be created based on the target information and optimization via the ad insertion rules.
US08316384B2

The described implementations relate to input/output (I/O) broker models for use with various devices. One implementation can dynamically match an I/O request to a suitable I/O driver. This implementation can also determine a buffering strategy for accomplishing the I/O request based, at least in part, on information obtained from the I/O driver.
US08316374B2

In a virtualized system running one or more virtual machines on a first hypervisor, a second hypervisor is installed and control of the hardware resources of the physical computer supporting the virtualized system is migrated from the first hypervisor to the second hypervisor without interrupting the operation of the first hypervisor and the virtual machines. Initially a minimal set of hardware resources is hot-removed from control by the first hypervisor, and the second hypervisor is launched on the minimal set of hardware resources. Both the remaining hardware resources and the virtual machines are then migrated from the first hypervisor to the second hypervisor until all the virtual machines have been migrated over to the second hypervisor, while the virtual machines and the first hypervisor continue running largely unaffected by the migration process.
US08316373B2

Concurrent processing of business transaction data uses a time slice-centered scheme to cope with the situation where multiple requests demand a same resource at the same time. The method divides the processing time into multiple time slices, allocates each request to a corresponding time slice, and iteratively processing requests according to their corresponding time slices. The method does not require the requests to be processed one by one, and therefore does not cause a situation where other requests have to wait until the current request has been completely processed. Moreover, if a certain time slice has been allocated multiple requests of a same type, the requests are collectively processed as if they were a single request to reduce the frequencies of resource locking and unlocking, as well as the waiting time in a queue for resource access.
US08316372B2

Embodiments of the invention include a method of selection of server in a system including at least one dispatcher and several servers, in which system when a new task of a given class arrives, then the dispatcher assigns the task to one of these servers, characterized that the selection of the servers by the dispatcher is based on the MIPN (Multiclass Idle Period Notification) information, which is sent by the servers to the dispatcher.
US08316369B2

The scheduling of dataflow components in a dataflow network. A number, if not all, of the dataflow components are created using a domain/agent model. A scheduler identifies, for a number of the components, a creation source for the given component. The scheduler also identifies an appropriate domain-level access permission (and potentially also an appropriate agent-level access permission) for the given component based on the creation source of the given component. Tokens may be used at the domain or agent level to control access.
US08316350B2

A system and method of interface visioning to improve extendibility and flexibility in modular software design. A first super class implements a first interface. A second super class implements both a first interface and a second interface. Each super class has a unique version designation. An access class is instantiated when a feature using an interface is requested. The access class identifies from the feature the version designation and provides access to the appropriate interface through either the first super class or the second super class.
US08316348B2

The present invention provides an approach and corresponding framework that separates data from its formatting/view by generating the dynamic JavaScript (data) as a set (e.g., at least one) of JavaScript (data) objects, without any HTML formatting. Then, a set of JavaScript functions can be created that takes the set of JavaScript objects as a parameter, and outputs all or a subset of this data object in a format determined by this JavaScript function. In general, these formatting functions can be static, rather than dynamic, JavaScript. This approach has the advantage of providing a much greater degree of formatting flexibility, without the need for each new format to establish a connection with the back-end system providing the data.
US08316335B2

Multistage synthesis of hardware function operation descriptions is provided, which facilitates placement of logic cells in an integrated circuit design layout, and includes: parsing hardware function operation descriptions of a circuit to identify multiple instantiations of a type of logic function; performing, without shape restriction, a first synthesis on each logic function type identified as having multiple instantiations and producing an irregular-shaped logic unit layout for that logic function type; establishing an irregular-shaped blocking mask corresponding to a respective irregular-shaped logic unit layout produced by the first synthesis; creating a partial circuit layout by placing each irregular-shaped blocking mask multiple times corresponding to the multiple instantiations of the respective logic function type; and performing, employing the partial circuit layout, a second synthesis on the balance of the hardware function operation descriptions of the circuit outside the multiple instantiations of the logic function type.
US08316334B2

A method of reducing the number of hold violations in an integrated circuit comprises: determining a segment, wherein the segment is a connection between a plurality of points; associating at least one path with each segment, wherein the path is a connection of points including a starting point and an endpoint; determining a weight for at least one said segment, wherein the weight is determined by a number of paths associated with the at least one said segment; ranking the segments in a matrix based upon the determined weight associated with at least one of the segments; and inserting a buffer at least one of the segments based upon said ranking.
US08316331B1

An improved method and system for stitching one or more islands of an integrated circuit design is disclosed. Multiple connected island objects in the IC design are first identified. At least one of the multiple identified connected island objects is then modified to form a modified island object. The modified island object may then be stitched into the multiple identified connected island objects. In some embodiments, stitching a modified island object may be implemented by tracking the endpoint(s), port(s), or node(s) of the connected island object being modified and stitched.
US08316330B2

A method and system for designing an electric or electronic circuit. A method may include providing a description of a device; including at least one feature of the device in the description; adding an information pertaining to the at least one feature; configuring the description to detect a relationship between the information and the at least one feature; and generating a message conveying the relationship. The method may include generating one or more derived files. The one or more derived files may be generated or processed by a word processor. Systems based on the foregoing method are also described.
US08316329B1

Double patterning is achieved with a single reticle while maintaining the integrity of in-scribe patterns and without blading the reticle. In-scribe structures may or may not be double patterning. For example, elements such as electrical test structures might have features that are so closely spaced that double pattering is desired. However, elements such as optical alignment marks might not require double patterning. For those elements for which double patterning is not desired, a first sub-array of the reticle has a pattern for the element, whereas the corresponding location in a second sub-array has a blank. By the corresponding location, it is meant the location on the reticle that would be exposed to the same target region to which the element would be exposed if the reticle were used for double patterning. Thus, the blank prevents target region from being exposed more than once.
US08316318B2

Tools that can be used to enhance visibility into various business processes, using named calculations and/or configured columns to produce customized display grids for displaying data from a database are presented. Such tools may provide the ability to develop, within a business application (and/or in conjunction with a business application) visibility solutions that are customized to that end user's business, without the need for expensive redevelopment and/or extensive customization of the business application itself.
US08316314B2

A novel software application method, as integrated with various scientific instruments, is introduced herein that allows new capabilities to be added to the language at runtime without, if desired, having to re-compile the application. As part of the software capabilities, the macro programming language presented herein enables automated connection between inputs and outputs of action statements within a script with visual feedback for configuration verification. As another aspect, the macro programming language of the present invention provides for automation of different spectroscopic applications, which if desired, also allows for the automatic generation of a configurable user interface connected to the intent of the macro.
US08316309B2

A computer-implementable method enables a user to customize navigation of User Interface (UI) resources that are displayed on a computer User Interface (UI). A computer receives, from a user, an input of user-created metadata. This user-created metadata is associated with one or more UI resources that are depicted on a UI. In response to a user inputting specific metadata, the computer retrieves one or more UI resources that are associated with the specific metadata that has been input by the user. These retrieved one or more UI resources are displayed on the UI.
US08316308B2

A method for controlling configuration display screens within a client-host multi-source system, including transferring look & feel parameters from a host device to a client device, setting parameters of a configuration program for the client device, according to the look & feel parameters transferred by the transferring, generating, by the configuration program, a graphic image of a screen, the graphic image conforming to the look & feel parameters, and displaying the graphic image on a display screen of the host device. A system and a computer-readable storage medium are also described and claimed.
US08316307B2

A method and apparatus for abstracting Internet content is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a terminal device having a User Interface (UI) element that links a Graphical User Interface (GUI) element to each Internet resource identifier (IRI) of one or more subject matters of interest defined in a profile by an end user, and presents said one or more GUI elements in a GUI window without association to an Internet browser. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08316304B2

A network-management device includes a map storing unit and a map state storing unit. The map storing unit stores therein a map created based on information on network devices. The map state storing unit stores therein a creation state indicating that creation of the map is in process or completed in association with the map. When creation of the map is in process, disclosure of the map is prohibited, and all the network devices are notified that creation of the map is in process. When creation of the map is completed, it is checked whether all the network devices are laid out on the map. When all the network devices are laid out on the map, disclosure of the map is permitted.
US08316300B2

An apparatus and method for presenting an embedded visual media player included in a web page in a floating mode is disclosed herein. The status of the embedded visual media player and/or the position of the embedded visual media player relative to the current viewable area of a window are monitored to initiate the floating mode. The floating mode keeps the embedded visual media player within the viewable area while the web page is scrolled.
US08316299B2

An information processing apparatus performing a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, includes: display control means for displaying, on the display, an item associated with predetermined content; detection means for detecting a contact of a user with the touch panel; determination means for determining whether or not the contact of the user is released, the contact being detected by the detection means; selection means for completing, when the determination means determines that the contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by the display control means on a position where the contact of the user was detected by the detection means until just before; and playback means for playing back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by the selection means.
US08316297B2

A method for providing comprehensive documentation information of complex machines and systems, in particular an injection molding machine is disclosed. Each of the machine components has a storage device that stores information specific for the machine component; in addition, an individual identification is assigned to each of the machine parts. An overall documentation of the machine is generated by combining the component-specific information from a first documentation memory and the part-specific information from a second documentation memory. The overall documentation is displayed on an output device to allow an operator to determine an up-to-date machine configuration and machine state and to intervene in operation and maintenance of the machine.
US08316294B2

A method for assisting the evaluation of medical image data is disclosed. In at least one embodiment of the method a current layout is displayed which presents a particular arrangement of image series or individual images which are generated using one or more data records. Further, at least one executable work step is displayed which has at least one associated further layout, wherein the further layout involves at least the arrangement being changed, and, in particular, other information from the data records or other data records are used for generating the image series or images. Finally, a check is automatically performed to determine whether execution of the displayed work step requires a layout change in which the current layout is replaced by the further layout, or the current layout can be retained.
US08316292B1

A system and method identifies different versions of the same document in a document collection. The system and method creates multiple candidate identifiers for each document based on information associated with the document, and processes the candidate identifiers according to language specific rules. The system and method compares the processed candidate identifiers for similarity, and identifies different versions of documents based on the similarity.
US08316278B2

Methods and memory systems are provided that detect bit errors due to read disturbances. A main page of a flash memory in a memory system is read. A bit error in data that is read from the main page is detected and corrected. In parallel with reading the main page, a bit error is detected in data that is read from a dummy page of the flash memory.
US08316269B2

An enhanced semi-explicit solution for HARQ feedback channel indexing in wireless communication systems is disclosed. The HARQ feedback channel indexing method may be applied to the HARQ feedback channel transmitted in the downlink, as well as the HARQ feedback channel transmitted in the uplink.
US08316260B1

A method for storing data. The method including receiving a request to write data. In response the request, selecting, a RAID grid location in a RAID grid to write the data, writing the data to memory, updating a data structure to indicate that the RAID grid location is filled. The method further includes determining, using the data structure, whether a data grid in the RAID grid is filled, where the RAID grid location is in the data grid and based on a determination that the data grid is filled: calculating parity values for the RAID grid using the data, determining a physical address in persistent storage corresponding to the RAID grid location, writing the data to a physical location in persistent storage corresponding to the physical address, and writing the parity values to the persistent storage.
US08316259B2

A method, system and article of manufacture for the storing convolution-encoded data on a redundant array of independent storage devices (RAID) is described. The convolution-encoded data comprises error correction coded data to eliminate the need for parity as used in conventional RAID data storage. The number of storage devices may vary to accommodate expansion of storage capacity and provide on demand storage.
US08316253B2

A method of controlling a portable electronic device includes receiving a power-down command, determining an automatic power-up date and time based on an earliest one of a next preset power-up and a next time-dependent event reminder, entering a power-down state, monitoring a date and time, and automatically powering up at the automatic power-up date and time.
US08316251B2

In various aspects, a portable electronic device includes electrical components supported by a housing, the electrical components including a user interface coupled to a processor and a storage medium including an emergency power storage module coupled to the processor. The portable apparatus further includes one or more power storage devices configured to provide electrical energy to the electrical components, at least one power storage device operably controlled by the emergency power storage module to provide emergency electrical energy to the electronic components for an emergency communication.
US08316250B2

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and system, the method including, in some embodiments, processing a computational load by a first core of a multi-core processor, and dynamically distributing at least a portion of the computational load to a second core of the multi-core processor to reduce a power density of the multi-core processor for the processing of the computational load.
US08316249B2

Various systems, methods, and computing units are provided for variable scaling of computing elements. In one representative embodiment, a method comprises: receiving a plurality of computing resource levels; and providing one of the plurality of computing resource levels to each of a plurality of computing elements, each computing element having an associated output, the provided voltage level based upon associated output significance.
US08316241B2

The present invention provides a data transmitting apparatus in which a device information obtaining unit obtains device information of a device connected to the data transmitting apparatus; a verification unit verifies validity of a data receiving apparatus, based on the device information obtained by the device information obtaining unit; and a control unit performs control as to whether to obtain the device information through a wireless communication unit or obtain the device information through a wire communication unit, and as to whether to transmit image information encrypted by a first encryption unit from the wireless communication unit or transmit image information encrypted by a second encryption unit from the wire communication unit when the verification unit verifies that the data receiving apparatus is authorized.
US08316239B2

The presently claimed invention relates generally to gaining access to secure systems. One claim recites an apparatus including: an image or video sensor for capturing image or video data; and a multi-purpose computer processor configured to: decode machine-readable information encoded in captured image or video data representing a plurality of physical objects, each instance of machine-readable information includes identifying information; determine an order in which the physical objects are presented to the image or video sensor for evaluation via the identifying information; and comparing the order to a predetermined sequence to determine whether to allow access to a remotely located computerized system. The apparatus may be housed, e.g., in a cell phone. Other combinations and claims are provided as well.
US08316238B2

An approach for tracking documents using image processing is disclosed. Auxiliary information corresponding to compressed digital information is extracted. The auxiliary information is used to output text lines, which undergo a hash function (e.g., checksum operation). In this manner, individual hash values are generated, as well as an overall hash value of the entire file of text lines. A reference set of hash values are maintained to identify other compressed digital information.
US08316228B2

A device having an encryption module in communication with first and second communication ports may facilitate connecting to an access network, without requiring a non-secure hard drive to initiate the network access. The encryption module may define a normal mode and a bypass mode. In normal mode, data from the first port may be sent encrypted to the second port, for communicating securely in an encrypted environment. In bypass mode, data from the first port may be sent unencrypted to the second port. The data being sent may be intercepted and presented to the user for approval in a human readable format. The user may confirm that the data is appropriate for being sent unencrypted. This data may be sent unencrypted in response to a request for information (e.g., an assent to terms and conditions) from the access network, such as at a hotel or public wireless hotspot, for example.
US08316221B2

A method and a system for personalizing electronic elements, by replacing, in a non-volatile memory of each of the electronic elements a first secret key with a second secret key, by a secure authentication module automatically generating the second key after having restored the first one from an identifier of the element being personalized, including conditioning, on the authentication module side, the provision of the second key to a current element to the reception of a message confirming the key replacement of at least one preceding element.
US08316218B2

A wake-and-go mechanism is provided for a microprocessor. The wake-and-go mechanism looks ahead in the instruction stream of a thread for programming idioms that indicate that the thread is waiting for an event. if a look-ahead polling operation succeeds, the look-ahead wake-and-go engine may record an instruction address for the corresponding idiom so that the wake-and-go mechanism may have the thread perform speculative execution at a time when the thread is waiting for an event. During execution, when the wake-and-go mechanism recognizes a programming idiom, the wake-and-go mechanism may store the thread state in the thread state storage. Instead of putting the thread to sleep, the wake-and-go mechanism may perform speculative execution.
US08316216B2

In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having a register file to store vector data, an address generator coupled to the register file to generate addresses for a vector memory operation, and a controller to generate an output slice from one or more slices each including multiple addresses, where the output slice includes addresses each corresponding to a separately addressable portion of a memory. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08316213B1

Systems and methods for managing mapping information for objects maintained in a distributed storage system are provided. The distributed storage system can include a keymap subsystem that manages the mapping information according to object keys. Requests for specific object mapping information are directed to specific keymap coordinators within the keymap subsystem based on a consistency based hashing schema. The hashing schema is updated and distributed to other components within the distributed storage system based on a defined distribution model.
US08316200B2

A microcomputer includes a flash memory and a flash controller that controls access to the flash memory, the flash memory including a protection information storage section that stores protection information, the protection information indicating whether or not access to a given area of the flash memory is available; the flash controller including a flash protection section that performs a protection process relating to access to a given area of the flash memory based on the protection information; and the flash protection section performing the protection process relating to access to the flash memory when an access target is data.
US08316198B2

A data processing system has a plurality of storage systems. In this system, data replication is performed at high speed and efficiency while maintaining data integrity. In addition, when failure has occurred in a configuration element, the time necessary to resume the data replication is reduced. In accordance with an instruction from first host computer, updating of replication-target data and creation of a journal are performed in a storage system A, and updating of replication data and creation of a journal are performed in a storage system B. A storage system C retrieves a journal from the storage system B in asynchronization with the updating, and performs updating of replication data. When failure has occurred in the storage system B, a journal-retrieving end is altered to the storage system, and the replication data is updated in accordance with the retrieved journal.
US08316195B2

One embodiment provides a storage system and a data transfer method of a storage system, and particularly a storage system and a data transfer method of a storage system that can achieve higher data I/O performance even when hardware resources are limited.
US08316189B2

A method of rescinding ownership of a cache line in a computer system includes constructing a table of caching agent representations in which each caching agent representation is accompanied by a validity indicator. The method continues with receiving a cache line sharing list, with each entry of the cache line sharing list indicating the potential ownership of the cache line by one or more caching agent representations that correspond to an entry of the sharing list. The method also includes conveying a snoop packet to a caching agent when the logical conjunction of an entry of the cache line sharing list that corresponds to a caching agent representation and the accompanying validity indicator meets a predetermined Boolean condition.
US08316182B2

In response to read and write requests for data blocks at logical storage locations, a block mapping device determines physical storage locations on the storage devices. Read requests switch over secondary storage devices to the active mode when they are in the passive mode. Write requests write data blocks only to the primary storage devices. Secondary storage devices that have not been accessed for a minimum activation time may be switched over from the active to the passive mode to save power consumption and cooling. Data migration and data recall policies control moving of data blocks between the primary and secondary storage devices and are primarily based on threshold values.
US08316181B2

Embodiments of systems and methods for a storage system are disclosed. More particularly, in certain embodiments desired locations of storage devices may be zeroed out during operation of the storage system and areas that have been zeroed out allocated to store data when commands pertaining to that data are received. Specifically, in one embodiment a distributed RAID system comprising a set of data banks may be provided where each data bank in the set of data banks may execute a background process which zeroes areas of the storage devices of the data bank. When a command pertaining to a logical location is received a zeroed area of the physical storage devices on the data bank may be allocated to store data associated with that logical location.
US08316176B1

A non-volatile semiconductor memory is disclosed comprising a memory device including a memory array having a plurality of blocks, each block comprising a plurality of memory segments. A plurality of logical block address (LBA) ranges are defined each identifying a plurality of LBA addresses, wherein at least one block is assigned to each LBA range. A plurality of write commands are received from a host, wherein each write command identifies at least one LBA. Data is written for each write command to the memory device. During a garbage collection operation, a memory segment storing valid write data is identified to be relocated, and the valid write data is relocated to a memory segment in a block of the corresponding LBA range.
US08316170B2

A method for transmitting data via network nodes of a particular network has the following steps: coupling the network nodes to a respective number of coupled end devices via a bus having a transmission line and a receiving line in an interlinked arrangement; providing a first number of first frames which are defined in accordance with the particular network and each comprise safety-related data; providing a second number of second frames which are defined in accordance with the particular network and each comprise non-safety-related data; and transmitting the provided first frames and the provided second frames via the bus in a predetermined sequence, a respective time interval between two respective first frames transmitted via the transmission line and two respective first frames transmitted via the receiving line being set as a function of a determined sampling rate of the audio data by the coupled end devices, and at least one respective second frame being transmitted via the transmission line and via the receiving line within the respective time interval.
US08316162B2

A tape drive, tape drive recording system, and method are provided for improving tape speed selection during data transfer. The tape drive comprises a buffer, a tape for recording the data to be temporarily stored in the buffer, and a read head. The tape drive further comprises a reading controller that initially sets a tape speed such that a drive transfer rate matches a host transfer rate as closely as possible and that drives the tape at the tape speed. To address backhitching caused by one or more host transfer halts, the reading controller subsequently adjusts the tape speed such that the drive transfer rate is lower than the host transfer rate by recalculating the host transfer rate in consideration of the host transfer and the host transfer halt and setting the tape speed such that the drive transfer rate matches the recalculated host transfer rate as closely as possible.
US08316152B2

Methods and apparatus for machine-to-machine communications are disclosed. A communications server provides a way for application servers on the Internet to communicate with a plurality of physically remote devices that do not have “traditional” Internet connections. Communications between an application server and its remote devices are normalized by the communications server so that the need for a variety of wired and wireless protocols remains transparent to the application server. In addition, the application server may initiate communications with remote devices using dynamic IP addresses, because the communications server discovers dynamic IP addresses using a non-IP based protocol.
US08316150B2

A system remotely accesses information on a non-addressable access control module, such as a cablecard module, over a communications network. The system includes a host device configured to interface with a network server remotely located from the host device and the access control module. The host device includes a table populated by information provided by the access control module in response to host a query. The host device provides at least a portion of the table to the server through the communications network in response to a server query to a network address of the host device.
US08316148B2

A method and apparatus for obtaining a real time media stream provided as a plurality of media fragments from a plurality of remote nodes in a communications network. A first series of media fragments satisfying a first selection criterion is requested from a first remote node and a further series of media fragments satisfying a further different selection criterion is requested from at least one further remote node. When combined, the first series of fragments and the further series of fragments provide the complete media stream.
US08316144B2

Described herein is a policy-based Internet Protocol (IP) network wherein the Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning across various network devices is managed by policy processing via a user interface including a graphic user interface. The user interface incorporates information made available by a server, such as lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) server, having a repository, and thereby allows for a consistent set up voice-over IP devices, video devices and network data devices with minimal entries by the user. Further, the user interfaces allows for efficient policy creation and editing.
US08316142B2

The invention provides an external in-line device (“Subnet Box”) placed between a network and an access point to achieve secure Wi-Fi communications without needing to modify the access point. The Subnet Box comprises an embedded token and will authenticate users based on pre-stored access rights. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the Subnet Box comprises: a first communications port for intercepting data packets communicated to and from a wired communications network; a second communications port for intercepting data packets communicated to and from a wireless access point, wherein the wireless access point is an edge device of the wired communications network; a database comprising a number of serial numbers each associated with a client token and a secret cryptographic key; and a processor for determining whether a computing device having a client token can access the wired communications network via the wireless access point. The processor establishes a secure tunnel between the computing device and the first communications port.
US08316141B2

A wireless communications system may include a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices to permit users to send and receive wireless electronic mail (email) messages. Each device may be enabled for email communication based upon user acceptance of terms and conditions (T&Cs) in a corresponding user selected language and in a corresponding version at a time of acceptance. The system may further include a resource deployment server which may include a database module for storing the corresponding user selected language and version for the accepted T&Cs for each user. The resource deployment server may also include a service module cooperating with the database module for enabling user review of the accepted T&Cs in the corresponding user selected language and version thereof, and independent of any subsequent change in the user selected language of a given mobile wireless communications device and independent of any subsequent change in version of the T&Cs.
US08316137B2

A method and apparatus for ensuring network address uniqueness is described herein. An address manager determines whether any link-local addresses associated with peripheral devices connected to a mobile device would conflict with a network assigned global address. The address manager negotiates with the network to avoid conflicts.
US08316136B2

The functionality of communications standards and protocols that are application-layer specific are overlaid on an IP-based infrastructure, by employing an IP DNS server as the registration host for IP and other communications standards based and protocol based communications. Communication can occur at either the IP layer or the communications standards or protocol application layer. At the IP layer, a host application can interrogate network nodes. To extend this service to other communications standards or protocol communications, device registration and resolve services are implemented on the DNS server. Similar to the manner in which an IP-based service uses a native, IP-based DNS resolve request, a host can utilize a resolution request against the communications standards and protocol-enabled DNS server for standards and protocol application-layer interrogation of endpoints.
US08316135B2

A highly scalable primary server is provided to serve an increasing number of users and remote devices. Instead of communicating with a primary server using an expensive communication protocol, a remote device communicates with a secondary server using a less expensive protocol to determine whether the primary server desires to communicate control instructions to the remote device. When the primary server has a request to control the remote device, the primary server creates a table entry to the secondary server to notify the remote device of a request to communicate. Upon polling the secondary server and learning of the created table entry, the remote device establishes a communication connection with the primary server to receive the instructions for controlling the remote device. In this manner, the demand for resources needed for communication with the primary server is significantly reduced.
US08316133B2

A thin client system includes a thin client server, a thin client terminal, and a session management server. The thin client server contains a plurality of execution sections respectively provided for tasks. The session management server is configured to assign the thin client terminal to a specific one of the plurality of execution sections.
US08316123B2

A retail environment can include a plurality of client devices communicatively coupled with the server. A first client device of the plurality of client devices begins downloading a new boot image from the server via a first connection. The first client device monitors a transfer rate of the new boot image against a threshold. If the first client device determines that the transfer rate falls below the threshold, then the first client device broadcasts a request to other client devices of the plurality of client devices for the boot image. If a second client device of the plurality of client devices affirmatively responds to the request, then the first client device begins downloading a second portion of the boot image from the second client device via a second connection, and monitoring a cumulative transfer rate of the downloading over the first and the second connections.
US08316115B2

A method and system for dynamically sharing performance information among multiple computing nodes. One implementation involves dynamically obtaining performance information from deployments of an information technology (IT) product/solution at said computing nodes, and transmitting the obtained performance information to a server over a communication network for storing the obtained performance information in a knowledge database. The server operates to dynamically determine new configuration information based on the information in the database, store the new configuration in the database, and provide the new configuration information to said deployments by transmitting the new configuration information over the network.
US08316114B2

Updating an Internet Protocol (IP) address database includes: obtaining transaction address data from a transaction information database, the transaction address data including IP address information and geographical address information received during user transactions; processing the transaction address data to identify specific transaction address data that have overlapping geographical address information and contiguous IP addresses; and updating the IP address database according to the overlapping geographical address information and the contiguous IP addresses.
US08316111B2

The invention provides methods of placing programmatic packages in a clustered environment.An exemplary method of placing programmatic packages in response to a state change in a clustered computing system is presented including: receiving the state change; in response to receiving the state change, ordering programmatic packages, where each of the programmatic packages is configured with a package priority, the package priority representing a user designated assignment of programmatic importance from high to low; placing the programmatic package having a highest package priority on a configured node, the configured node included as part of the clustered computing system; and for each of a remaining programmatic packages, placing each of the remaining programmatic packages on a node set in accordance with a user-specified package dependency, the node set included as part of the clustered computing system.
US08316110B1

Systems, methods, apparatus and software can implement clusterizing processes on existing standalone server application installations. A server computer system on which a server application resides is renamed from its original name. Cluster software is installed on the server computer system. A virtual server is created to represent the server application to client applications and users. The virtual server is given the original server computer system name and can also be given the server computer system's network address. Cluster functionality can further be extended to allow a virtual server to failover to any other node available in a cluster.
US08316109B2

A number of improvements in network adapters that offload protocol processing from the host processor are provided. Specifically, mechanisms for handling memory management and optimization within a system utilizing an offload network adapter are provided. The memory management mechanism permits both buffered sending and receiving of data as well as zero-copy sending and receiving of data. In addition, the memory management mechanism permits grouping of DMA buffers that can be shared among specified connections based on any number of attributes. The memory management mechanism further permits partial send and receive buffer operation, delaying of DMA requests so that they may be communicated to the host system in bulk, and expedited transfer of data to the host system.
US08316108B2

A method and apparatus for obtaining a real time media stream provided as a plurality of media fragments from a plurality of remote nodes in a communications network is described. Media fragments are requested from the plurality of remote nodes. A series of media fragments is received from at least one of the plurality of remote nodes. A selection criterion is determined for identifying the series of data fragments, and a blocking request is sent to at least one other of the plurality of remote nodes, the blocking request instructing the at least one other node to block the media fragments satisfying the selection criterion from being sent.
US08316107B2

Machine-readable media, methods, apparatus and system are described. In an embodiment, a model client platform may generate a file image comprising an incremental file stored on a first model block of a model storage unit of the model client platform; generate a file description image comprising file description stored on a second model block of the model storage unit, wherein the file description comprises a position of the first model block in the model storage unit; and upload the file image and the file description image to a server connecting with the model client platform. An ordinary client platform may generate an ordinary block bitmap indicating usage status for each ordinary block of an ordinary storage unit of the ordinary client platform; and receive the file description image from the server connecting with the ordinary client platform.
US08316106B2

A system includes a plurality of edge routers and a route controller. The edge routers are configured to direct requests from a client system to one of a plurality of cache servers. Each of the cache servers is configured to provide content to the client system in response to the requests. The route controller is configured to receive demand information from the edge routers, estimate an optimal request distribution based on the demand information using a bicriteria approximation algorithm, and provide each of the edge routers with route information.
US08316104B2

A collaborative system that includes automatic monitoring and management of reflector/servers and clients. The reflectors are in a logical cluster although their physical locations may be anywhere in the world. Reflector to reflector performance and status is continuously monitored. If a reflector-to-reflector link goes down or is underperforming, the reflector cluster is rerouted to provide desired performance. Clients are monitored and provide information via the network to register/management servers. A best path for the client capabilities is calculated and established. If network performance deteriorates, there are a tiered selection of session modifications that are initiated to compensate. These include reducing video detail levels, reducing number of video streams, reducing size of video windows, adjusting frame rate, and other corrective measures. The client software includes the ability to accept plug-in applications and functionality for customizable operation.
US08316101B2

Scalable hosting of user solutions is provided. A system for hosting application software includes a local server, one or more remote servers, a configuration database and a content database. The local server includes a web front end module that processes a request from a client computer over the Internet to host application software on a server. The web front end module determines whether the local server or the one or more remote servers will host the application software. The remote server includes a back end module that manages the installation and operation of application software hosted the remote server. The configuration database includes topology information that has descriptions of the server computers that can host application software. The content database includes information on the content of the software applications to be hosted on a server computer.
US08316089B2

Techniques to manage media content for a multimedia conference event are described. An apparatus may comprise a media content manager component operative to generate a visual composition of decoded media streams for a multimedia conference event. If it is determined that the total number of decoded media streams is greater than the total number of available display frames in a visual composition then an active group of decoded media streams may be selected from among the total number of decoded media streams for mapping to the available display frames based on speech activity. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08316087B2

A peer-to-peer communication system, including a service manager for managing peer-to-peer services, a zone manager for managing zones, each zone including at least one peer-to-peer service and a window display layout therefor, and a privacy manager for restricting access to a zone, to a select group of users. A method is also described and claimed.
US08316085B2

A contents delivery system and method using object redirection, and a GSLB switch thereof are provided. When a client requests a web server to provide a page embedded object, the web server embeds the URL representing the position of the object in an HTTP 302 redirection message and transmits the HTTP 302 redirection message including the URL to the client. A GSLB switch corresponding to the URL transmits the IP address of a specific host server selected from at least one host server storing the object to the client. Accordingly, load of the web server decreases and flexibility in change of a CDN solution is secured.
US08316084B2

A system and method for facilitating presentations over a network comprise a service component adapted to interface with a user over the network and one or more distribution channels over the network a create module adapted for creating a media presentation with one or more media resources based on user input, a collect module adapted for gathering media resources based on user input, and a style engine adapted for automatically loading the gathered media resources into the selected style.
US08316083B2

Disclosed herein is a system and method for client interoperability. In one embodiment, a method for client interoperability comprises establishing a network connection between a client and a proxy. The client requests a connection factory from the proxy. The proxy then obtains the connection factory from an application server using a Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI). Using the connection factory, a connection to a connection host from the client is created. When the client sends a message, the proxy receives the message and routes the message to a destination server. Similarly, when the client receives a message, the proxy receives the message from a destination server and passes the message to the client. The client can be specifically configured to extend JMS operability to a desired language. In one embodiment the client is a .NET client.
US08316079B2

A method and apparatus for reliable mashup. The method includes the steps of: intercepting a data update request submitted by a client browser to one or more of a plurality of services for providing mashup page data; performing consistency validation on the data update request using consistency rules; and, in response to a successful validation, forwarding the data update request to the one or more of the plurality of services.
US08316074B2

A network-accessible memory (NAM) element comprises a substrate, a memory mounted to the substrate, network interface circuitry and logic circuitry. The network interface circuitry implements a network physical layer and is mounted to the substrate. The logic circuitry is mounted to the substrate and is coupled to the network interface circuitry and the memory, and is configured to operate as a memory controller to control access to the memory by a host processor which is external to the NAM element through the network interface circuitry. The NAM element can be interconnected with other NAM elements to form a larger NAM storage device.
US08316068B2

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention comprise a method for compressing data for storage in memory. According to one embodiment, the method forms a set of values based on a monotonically ordered series of look-up table values. For one or more paired values in the set, the exemplary method generates a difference of the values in the pair. After replacing one of the values in the pair with a value based on the differences to modify the set, the exemplary method stores final values based on the modified set in memory. The present invention also comprises memory for storing the look-up table values. One exemplary memory comprises a decoder, an encoder, and one or more patterns of crisscrossed interconnect lines that interconnect the encoder with the decoder. The patterns of crisscrossed interconnection lines may be implemented on one or more planar layers of conductor tracks vertically interleaved with isolating material.
US08316063B2

Provided is a technique for a data-driven database which frees a user from having to be conscious of a sequence in which instructions of a program for accessing a database are described, an interrelation of data items, and the like, and from having to describe redundant instructions. A data-driven database processor includes: schema definition storage means 2 for storing a schema definition of a database 24; derived definition storage means 3 for storing a derived definition describing a cause-and-effect relationship that exists when a value of a given data item is derived from a value of another data item; derived definition processing means 26 for generating a trigger program 27 that makes a chain of changes to values of data items based on the cause-and-effect relationship described in the derived definition; and a database management system 23 for executing the trigger program 27 when a change is made to the other data item that affects the value of the given data item.
US08316060B1

A planning and search system are described wherein a graph search and segment matching are used to handle very large searches at a higher speed.
US08316056B2

A social networking system receives a query associated with a user and, in response, provides a combined result set comprising objects stored by a social networking system that match the query. The combined result set comprises multiple result sets obtained from different search algorithms. The various objects stored by the social networking system may be of different types representing different concepts, such as user objects, application objects, event objects, location objects, group objects, and hub/page objects, any of which may be included in the result set. The objects of the result set may be further filtered, ordered, and/or grouped based at least in part on known relationships of the user with the objects, such as geographic distances between locations associated with the user and the objects.In one embodiment, one of the search algorithms identifies second-order connections of the user by referring to a connection index that stores a list of the connections of the users. The search algorithm may also identify a number of mutual connections that the user shares with the second-order connections.
US08316054B2

A system and method of performing risk assessment of a dataset de-identified from a source database containing information identifiable to individuals is provided. The de-identified dataset is retrieved comprising a plurality of records from a storage device. A selection of variables from a user is received, the selection made from a plurality of variables present in the dataset, wherein the variables are potential identifiers of personal information. A selection of a risk threshold acceptable for the dataset from a user is received. A selection of a sampling fraction wherein the sampling fraction define a relative size of their dataset to an entire population is received. A number of records from the plurality of records for each equivalence class in the identification dataset for each of the selected variables. A re-identification risk using the selected sampling fraction is calculated. The re-identification risk meets the selected risk threshold is determined.
US08316053B2

A document management apparatus performs a first process to delete an object that is not to be presented to a user from document information registered in a database. The document management apparatus then performs a second process to determine whether a vacant block created as a result of the deleting of the object can be filled with another object. If it is determined by a CPU of the document management apparatus that a proper object to be put in the vacant block is not found, a third process is performed to adjust a layout associated with the vacant block. The document management apparatus then performs a forth process to provide a preview of a document with an adjusted layout thereby allowing a user to confirm the adjustment.
US08316048B2

A method and apparatus for managing a data structure for multi-processor access are described. According to one embodiment, a request for a data structure is received. In response to the request, the requested data structure and a corresponding spin-lock are fetched from a computer readable medium. Once fetched, the requested data structure and corresponding spin-lock are stored in a single cache line. Following, in one example, exclusive access to the data structure is provided.
US08316047B2

Disclosed is a system for, and method of, determining whether records and entity representations should be linked. The system and method include assigning to each pair of entity references a match value reflecting the likelihood that the entity references are related. Based on the match values, each entity reference may then associated with a preferred entity reference. Pairs of entity references that are mutually preferred may then be identified and linked. The process may be iterated to generate further links.
US08316041B1

A lexical mapper enables efficient text mining via use of lexical identifiers such as numerical identifier values. For example, the lexical mapper receives a collection of text-based strings associated with a document. Based on values of the strings, the lexical mapper maps the text-based strings to a set of lexical identifiers. In lieu of using the character strings, text mining applications process the numerical identifier values to analyze the document.
US08316037B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for assisting users in performing searches. In one aspect, a query for a search session is received from a user device. A first set of search results responsive to the query is provided to the user device. Search results interaction data are received from the user device that identifies actions that are in response to the search results and taken at the user device. The search results interaction data are analyzed to determine that a remedial search operation should be performed, the remedial search operation determining a second set of search results responsive to the query and providing the second set of search results to the user device for presentation to the user.
US08316034B2

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system identifies and extracts data structures embedded within a data stream, and comprises a computer system including at least one processor. The system analyzes the data stream and identifies data structure definitions corresponding to analyzed data stream portions. The data structure definitions each define a structure of a corresponding data structure, and are configurable to accommodate various types of data structures within the data stream. The corresponding data structures within the data stream are generated by extracting information from the data stream in accordance with the data structure definitions. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for identifying and extracting data structures embedded within a data stream in substantially the same manner described above.
US08316027B2

Presented is a method for obtaining a single set of media search results from a search of media sources. The method includes providing a search query, executing a search of each of the media sources for media based on the provided search query, generating results of the searches, and consolidating the results of the searches into the single set of search results that include a list of media items with associated metadata. The method further includes organizing the media items into groups. Each of the groups includes media items that have similar content. The similarity of the content is defined by the media items' associated metadata meeting a metadata matching threshold. The method further includes filtering the groups, sorting the groups of media items with respect to each other, sorting the media items within the groups, and displaying the groups of media items.
US08316021B2

Systems and methods for search engines are disclosed wherein the search engine results and the information on which such are based are altered based on users specifically providing feedback to the search engine the appropriateness of one or more of the search results provided in response to a search query made by the user to the search engine. Therefore, the search engine is a dynamic and evolving ranking system for determining search results to be displayed to users in response to a search query.
US08316008B1

A method of performing a file search with specified attribute criteria includes generating or having access to a file system image of the data storage system. A substantially sequential scan of the file system image can then be performed. Based on the scan, a list of inodes (called a specified criteria inode map) on the file system image that have the specified attribute criteria can be built. This sequential scan eliminates the random scan of the file system image, thereby dramatically reducing the total time associated with reading of the inodes. A file tree of the data storage system can then be walked to find inodes (in the file tree) that match inodes in the specified criteria inode map. A list of files that correspond to matching inodes can thus be quickly and easily generated.
US08315999B2

A method for managing storage and access to data files stored in a storage delivery network comprising a plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes, the method including: receiving a file request from a user, wherein the user is associated with a service level agreement (SLA) containing one or more policies governing handling of file requests from the user; determining if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node; if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node, redirecting the file request to the predetermined storage node; otherwise, identifying all storage nodes from the plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes that are near enough to the user based on one or more predetermined criteria; identifying a nearest storage node from among the near enough storage nodes; and redirecting the user request to the nearest storage node.
US08315986B1

A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for protecting data, comprising receiving information about objects stored on a plurality of hosts, determining whether an object needs to be backed up, and if the object needs to be backed up, requesting each host having the object to provide a portion of the object to a target. Information about the objects and backup may be stored in an index. A requesting host may request an object to be restored to a target. It is determined whether the object is available at the backup and at other hosts, and the backup and hosts having the object may be requested to provide portions of the object to the target, which may be the requesting host. The index may be used to determine availability of the object at the backup and other hosts.
US08315984B2

A system and method for “on-the-fly” de-duplication of data before storing the data in a storage system. A data de-duplication module illustratively cooperates with protocol servers and a file system of a storage operating system executing on the storage system to implement the novel de-duplication technique. The de-duplication module illustratively generates a block store, an index file and a hash table on storage space provided by the storage system. The hash table is utilized for tracking fingerprints and locations of blocks within the block store. The index file is utilized for storing directory information identifying the contents of data containers stored on the storage system, while the block store is utilized to store raw data blocks that comprise the data containers.
US08315973B1

A host of a multi-device file system may instruct an external data mover implementing a third party copy to move data from one storage device to another without the host reading or writing data as part of the move. The data being moved may remain accessible through the file system after being moved. A host may instruct an external data mover to write moved data to multiple mirrored devices. A host may instruct the data mover to move data between storage classes in a multi storage class file system. A journaling file system may utilize an external data mover implementing a third party copy to move data from a system log to another storage destination and may also instruct the data mover to move metadata as well as data.
US08315971B1

An apparatus includes an analytic network process (ANP) storage memory that stores an ANP weighted supermatrix representing an ANP model; and a processor in communication with the ANP storage memory. The processor is configured to facilitate measuring an instantaneous rate of change of alternative scores with respect to a fixed node of the ANP model, to determine a marginal influence of the fixed node. Also, the processor is configured to facilitate maintaining a same proportionality in the stored ANP weighted supermatrix as an importance of the fixed node is changed to measure the instantaneous rate of change.
US08315966B2

A system and method provides a solution to the problem of applying end-to-end requirements of connectivity, security, reliability and performance to configure a network and ultimately assign network components to the network. All requirements are modeled as constraints and a constraint solver does the resolution. Not every constraint to be solved is solved by the model-finder. Instead, we “factor away” subsets of a constraint that can be efficiently solved via a special-purpose constraint solver, such as an SQL/Prolog engine, linear programming system, or even an algorithm, leaving behind a constraint that truly requires the power of model-finding, and that is often efficiently solvable by existing model-finders. Such constraints are compiled into quantifier-free constraints that are Boolean combinations of constraints of two forms x=y and x=c where x, y are variables and c is a constant. Such constraints can be efficiently solved by modern SAT-based model-finders. The system intelligently removes the quantifiers instead of having the model-finder remove the quantifiers. An “unsatisfiability-core” analysis efficiently guides the search for configurations to change to restore consistency.
US08315964B2

Technologies for a human computation framework suitable for answering common sense questions that are difficult for computers to answer but easy for humans to answer. The technologies support solving general common sense problems without a priori knowledge of the problems; support for determining whether an answer is from a bot or human so as to screen out spurious answers from bots; support for distilling answers collected from human users to ensure high quality solutions to the questions asked; and support for preventing malicious elements in or out of the system from attacking other system elements or contaminating the solutions produced by the system, and preventing users from being compensated without contributing answers.
US08315963B2

A method for splitting a dataset relating to an anatomical tree structure (12) comprises establishing a plurality of seed points (24) within the tree structure; establishing a length of a path (20) along the tree structure from each of the plurality of seed points (24) to each of a plurality of other points (14); establishing a Euclidean distance (26) from each of the plurality of seed points (24) to each of the plurality of other points (14); associating with the seed point (24) a measure representing a likelihood that the seed point is the root point in dependence on the established lengths (20) and distances (26); identifying the root point of the tree structure (12) as the seed point (24) associated with a maximum measure representing the likelihood that the respective seed point is the root point; and establishing the principal bifurcation point (64) in dependence on the root point.
US08315955B2

A method of equalization used to estimate a transmitted signal given a received output is presented herein. The equalization method involves modeling a transmission channel as a Hidden Markov Model (HMM). The HMM channel is evaluated as a finite state machine. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo technique of sampling and computation is then utilized to estimate the transmitted signal.
US08315939B2

A data processing system manages collateral risk associated with a trade of a financial instrument includes a processor and a memory that contains a database configured to store a ruleset relating to determining eligibility of collateral to be considered for a desired trade. A search module searches for accounts that could potentially accept a security position based upon established search criteria. Search results are stored in the memory, and are used to identify one or more security positions eligible for use as collateral for the trade. A collateral analysis module determines a collateral preference ranking by at least applying the ruleset via an algorithm executed by the processor so as to confirm an eligibility of security positions eligible for use as collateral for the trade by testing in accordance with the ruleset. The processor outputs a relative collateral preference indication via a user interface.
US08315929B2

According to the invention, a process for transferring funds between a payor and a payee in an online transaction is disclosed. In one step, information is received from the payor for debiting a bank account associated with the payor. Authorization is transmitted to the payee to request debits from the payor. The total of all debit requests does not exceed an amount that is authorized. A first request is received from the payee to debit the customer a first portion of the amount. A first debit is initiated from the bank account for the first portion of the amount. A second request is received from the payee to debit the payor a second portion of the amount. A second debit is initiated from the bank account for the second portion of the amount.
US08315928B1

Systems and methods are described for validating a model that generates cash flow distributions. The systems and methods receive a first set of data and generate a second set of data, associated with the first set of data, based on a set of rules. The system may further request a first set of reports from the first processor and generate a second set of reports based on the first and second sets of data. The reports are compared.
US08315918B1

The present invention is related to electronically allocating finite or limited resources. In an embodiment, a computer system is configured to receive bids over a network from a first plurality of users for a limited number of units, the bids including associated bid amounts. A data store is operable to store the bid amounts. Program code is stored in computer readable memory and is configured to determine which bids are winning bids, determine a unit price for units associated with the winning bids, wherein the unit price associated with the winning bids is based on the lowest winning bid amount, and units can be tickets.
US08315909B1

Computer-based methods, computer readable media, and computer program products for intelligently processing primary transactions in which users interact with automated point-of-sale terminals. Various aspects of these methods comprise, at least in part, providing the automated point-of-sale (POS) terminals, which are operable to facilitate primary transactions that involve specific items selected by the user. These methods also include obtaining information representing respective current demand parameters that are associated with the POS terminals, and conducting the primary transactions with the user. The method then analyzes the current demand parameters to determine whether to offer an upsell transaction to the user.
US08315905B1

Two directional data exchange between a mobile navigation system and a listing system enables pricing models and analytics that are responsive to trips initiated in response to location based listings on the navigation system. The data exchange may include information to present the listing to the user, track whether the user elected to begin navigating to the destination based on that listing, intermediate status as the user progresses towards the destination, and an indication that the user arrived at the location. The data may be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the listing in bringing customers to a physical location associated with the listing. The data may be applied in a performance-based pricing model by which pricing for the listing is based in full or in part on the number of trips initiated and/or completed as a result of the listing.
US08315897B2

Features of electronically embodied games are logically categorized, analyzed, and compared. Features are preferably organized according to a hierarchical classification scheme, according to a classification scheme that is not strictly tautological. All suitable feature sets are contemplated, including sets corresponding to characteristics of personifications of players and non-players, types and/or uses of game space, methods of rewarding a player, etc. In other aspects comparisons are made between an evaluation game and one or more sets of historically available games. Such sets can be grouped by genre and the number of games in such sets can range anywhere from a single game to hundreds of games, or more. Reporting and guidance can include providing a risk assessment score or other risk analysis, feature assessment (prevalence), market placement, business model analysis, dynamic trend analysis, clustered pattern recognition, and image analysis.
US08315881B2

According to some embodiments, content filtering is provided for a digital audio signal.
US08315876B2

A headset includes a voice print match application or speech recognition application. The voice print match application receives a user speech corresponding to a submitted voice print phrase key upon determining a donned condition, where the user speech is compared to the predetermined voice print phrase key to validate an identity of the headset user. The speech recognition application receives a user speech corresponding to a password or PIN and recognizes the password or PIN. The recognized password or PIN is compared to a valid password or PIN to validate the identity of the headset user.
US08315875B2

An email system for mobile devices, such as cellular phones and PDAs, is disclosed which allows email messages to be played back on the mobile device as voice messages on demand by way of a media player, thus eliminating the need for a unified messaging system. Email messages are received by the mobile device in a known manner. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the email messages are identified by the mobile device as they are received. After the message is identified, the mobile device sends the email message in text format to a server for conversion to speech or voice format. After the message is converted to speech format, the server sends the messages back to the user's mobile device and notifies the user of the email message and then plays the message back to the user through a media player upon demand.
US08315872B2

A speech synthesis system can select recorded speech fragments, or acoustic units, from a very large database of acoustic units to produce artificial speech. The selected acoustic units are chosen to minimize a combination of target and concatenation costs for a given sentence. However, as concatenation costs, which are measures of the mismatch between sequential pairs of acoustic units, are expensive to compute, processing can be greatly reduced by pre-computing and caching the concatenation costs. Unfortunately, the number of possible sequential pairs of acoustic units makes such caching prohibitive. However, statistical experiments reveal that while about 85% of the acoustic units are typically used in common speech, less than 1% of the possible sequential pairs of acoustic units occur in practice. A method for constructing an efficient concatenation cost database is provided by synthesizing a large body of speech, identifying the acoustic unit sequential pairs generated and their respective concatenation costs, and storing those concatenation costs likely to occur. By constructing a concatenation cost database in this faction, the processing power required at run-time is greatly reduced with negligible effect on speech quality.
US08315867B1

Systems and methods for analyzing communication sessions are provided. A representative method includes: recording the communication session; identifying those portions of the communication session not containing speech of at least one of an agent and a customer; and performing processing on the recording of the communication session based, at least in part, on whether the portions contain speech of at least one of the agent and the customer.
US08315864B2

Provided herein are systems and methods for using context-sensitive speech recognition logic in a computer to create a software program, including context-aware voice entry of instructions that make up a software program, automatic context-sensitive instruction formatting, and automatic context-sensitive insertion-point positioning.
US08315860B2

Encoding a sequence of digital speech samples into a bit stream includes dividing the digital speech samples into one or more frames and computing a set of model parameters for the frames. The set of model parameters includes at least a first parameter conveying pitch information. The voicing state of a frame is determined and the first parameter conveying pitch information is modified to designate the determined voicing state of the frame, if the determined voicing state of the frame is equal to one of a set of reserved voicing states. The model parameters are quantized to generate quantizer bits which are used to produce the bit stream.
US08315859B2

A filter apparatus for filtering a time domain input signal to obtain a time domain output signal, which is a representation of the time domain input signal filtered using a filter characteristic having an non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristic, comprises a complex analysis filter bank for generating a plurality of complex subband signals from the time domain input signals, a plurality of intermediate filters, wherein at least one of the intermediate filters of the plurality of the intermediate filters has a non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristic, wherein the plurality of intermediate filters have a shorter impulse response compared to an impulse response of a filter having the filter characteristic, and wherein the non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristics of the plurality of intermediate filters together represent the non-uniform filter characteristic, and a complex synthesis filter bank for synthesizing the output of the intermediate filters to obtain the time domain output signal.
US08315857B2

Systems and methods for modification of an audio input signal are provided. In exemplary embodiments, an adaptive multiple-model optimizer is configured to generate at least one source model parameter for facilitating modification of an analyzed signal. The adaptive multiple-model optimizer comprises a segment grouping engine and a source grouping engine. The segment grouping engine is configured to group simultaneous feature segments to generate at least one segment model. The at least one segment model is used by the source grouping engine to generate at least one source model, which comprises the at least one source model parameter. Control signals for modification of the analyzed signal may then be generated based on the at least one source model parameter.
US08315854B2

A method and an apparatus for detecting a pitch in input voice signals by using a spectral auto-correlation. The pitch detection method includes: performing a Fourier transform on the input voice signals after performing a pre-processing on the input voice signals, performing an interpolation on the transformed voice signals, calculating a spectral difference from a difference between spectrums of the interpolated voice signals, calculating a spectral auto-correlation by using the calculated spectral difference, determining a voicing region based on the calculated spectral auto-correlation, and extracting a pitch by using the spectral auto-correlation corresponding to the voicing region.
US08315851B2

Various embodiments of phonetic keys for the Japanese language are described herein. A Kana rule set is applied to Kana characters provided by a user. The Kana characters are defined in an alphabetic language based on the sound of the Kana characters. A full phonetic key is then generated based on the defined Kana characters. A replaced-vowel phonetic key is generated by replacing a vowel in the full phonetic key and a no-vowel phonetic key is generated by removing the vowel in the full phonetic key. Kana records in a database are then processed to determine a relevant Kana record that has a phonetic key identical to at least one of the full phonetic key, the replaced-vowel phonetic key, and the no-vowel phonetic key. The relevant Kana records are then presented to the user.
US08315843B2

An objective function can be mathematically approximated using a prescribed number of sample sets of design parameters and sets of a plurality of objective functions computed corresponding to them. A logical expression indicating a relation between or among arbitrary two or three objective functions of the plurality of mathematically approximated objective functions is computed as an inter-objective-function logical expression and a region that the arbitrary objective function values can take is displayed as a feasible region in an objective space corresponding to the arbitrary objective functions. Furthermore, a point or area in a design space corresponding to arbitrary design parameters corresponding to a point or area specified by a user in the displayed feasible region is displayed.
US08315834B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to a system and a method for measuring the thickness of a coating applied to a substrate or component. Embodiments of the invention relate to measuring the distance between a surface of a component, both before and after the surface is covered with a coating material, and an optical measuring device such as a laser displacement sensor. In addition, aspects of the invention include the measurement of the temperature of the component surface before and after the application of the coating and after the component has cooled to substantially ambient temperature. In such case, a more accurate coating thickness calculation can be made by accounting for the thermal expansion of the component due to the deposition of a heated coating on the component surface. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention are particularly suited for thermal spray processes.
US08315833B2

A method for contactless capacitive thickness measurement of a flat material (10) that is placed in the fringe field (32) of a capacitor (C1,C2), with simultaneous measurement of the width L of an air gap (16) between the flat material and the capacitor plates, in which the capacities gL, kL of two capacitors (C1, C2) are measured whose fringe fields (32) decay at different rates towards the flat material (10), and in that both, the thickness D of the flat material (10) and the width L of the air gap (16) are determined on the basis of the condition that, for each capacitor (C1, C2), the measured capacity gL, kL is equal to the integral of the capacity gradient g′, k′ over the thickness of the flat material (10).
US08315830B2

Operational speed of an integrated circuit chip is measured using one or more speed measurement elements, such as ring oscillators, disposed at various regions of the chip. Each speed measuring element can include several ring oscillators, each corresponding to a different technology threshold voltage. The speed measurement data collected from the speed measurement elements can be used to determine on-chip variation (OCV). Circuitry either on the chip itself or, alternatively, external to the chip can adjust a chip operational parameter, such as core voltage or clock speed, in response to the speed measurement data. Speed measurement data can be read out of the chip through JTAG pins or an interface to an external host.
US08315827B2

A method for identifying an approximate fault location in a power transmission line comprises detecting first and second dominant frequencies in first and second recovering voltages resulting from the fault without using the velocity of either of the recovering voltages.
US08315824B2

The present invention relates to a system for detecting the remaining quantity of liquid hydrogen stored in a hydrogen storage device. In this system, the remaining quantity of liquid hydrogen is calculated accurately without being affected by the previous state in a tank. The internal pressure of the tank is detected. A fixed heat quantity is applied into the liquid hydrogen. The pressure in the tank after the application of heat quantity is detected. The volume of phase-transited hydrogen gas is calculated based on the heat quantity applied into the tank. The change amount of pressure in the tank before and after the application of heat quantity is calculated based on the pressure and the pressure. The remaining quantity of liquid hydrogen in the tank is calculated based on the volume of hydrogen gas and the change amount of pressure.
US08315818B2

The present invention provides methods, systems, and code for accurately classifying whether a sample from an individual is associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or a clinical subtype thereof. In particular, the present invention is useful for classifying a sample from an individual as an IBD sample using a statistical algorithm and/or empirical data. The present invention is also useful for differentiating between a clinical subtype of IBD such as Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) using a statistical algorithm and/or empirical data. Thus, the present invention provides an accurate diagnostic prediction of IBD or a clinical subtype thereof and prognostic information useful for guiding treatment decisions.
US08315817B2

A technique for sequencing nucleic acids in an automated or semi-automated manner is disclosed. Sample arrays of a multitude of nucleic acid sites are processed in multiple cycles to add nucleotides to the material to be sequenced, detect the nucleotides added to sites, and to de-block the added nucleotides of blocking agents and tags used to identify the last added nucleotide. Multiple parameters of the system are monitored to enable diagnosis and correction of problems as they occur during sequencing of the samples. Quality control routines are run during sequencing to determine quality of samples, and quality of the data collected.
US08315810B2

An apparatus, method, system, computer-readable medium and use for individual patient therapy planning of diseases such as cancer for different therapy modalities, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy is provided. A new aspect of the invention is that the degree of bone marrow depression of the patient is related to the count of immature blood platelets, which are measured before each treatment. Some embodiments of the invention provide an advantage allowing reducing the level of uncertainty in the prediction of the risk of bone marrow depression, and thus enabling to safely improve the therapy effect by an increase of the radiation dosage and/or chemical dosage to the individual patient while the risk for bone marrow depression is minimized.
US08315800B2

A method in a wireless communications device for transmitting current location information representing a current location of the wireless communications device. The method entails, from within a communication application executing on a processor of the wireless communications device, causing the wireless communications device to obtain the current location information representing the current location of the wireless communications device, including the current location information in a communication generated from within the communication application, and transmitting the communication that includes the current location information. The method optionally entails a further step of performing a reverse look-up of GPS coordinates representing the current location to determine address information for including in the communication. Location information, such as maps or URLs to maps can be sent directly from an e-mail application or instant messenger without having to separately launch a mapping application.
US08315794B1

A method and system for navigation of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in an urban environment is provided. The method comprises flying at least one Global Positioning System (GPS)-aided unmanned aerial vehicle at a first altitude over an urban environment, and flying at least one GPS-denied unmanned aerial vehicle at a second altitude over the urban environment that is lower than the first altitude. The unmanned aerial vehicles are in operative communication with each other so that images can be transmitted therebetween. A first set of images from the GPS-aided unmanned aerial vehicle is captured, and a second set of images from the GPS-denied unmanned aerial vehicle is also captured. Image features from the second set of images are then matched with corresponding image features from the first set of images. A current position of the GPS-denied unmanned aerial vehicle is calculated based on the matched image features from the first and second sets of images.
US08315789B2

This invention concerns the control of rotating excavation machinery, for instance to avoid collisions with obstacles. In a first aspect the invention is a control system for autonomous path planning in excavation machinery, comprising: A map generation subsystem to receive data from an array of disparate and complementary sensors to generate a 3-Dimensional digital terrain and obstacle map referenced to a coordinate frame related to the machine's geometry, during normal operation of the machine. An obstacle detection subsystem to find and identify obstacles in the digital terrain and obstacle map, and then to refine the map by identifying exclusion zones that are within reach of the machine during operation. A collision detection subsystem that uses knowledge of the machine's position and movements, as well as the digital terrain and obstacle map, to identify and predict possible collisions with itself or other obstacles, and then uses a forward motion planner to predict collisions in a planned path. And, a path planning subsystem that uses information from the other subsystems to vary planned paths to avoid obstacles and collisions. In other aspects the invention is excavation machinery including the control system; a method for control of excavation machinery; and firmware and software versions of the control system.
US08315785B2

The data communication device and method include storing road map information indicating locations of nodes and links, a time when a vehicle enters one link and an identifier of the link, and a vehicle location and the link identifier in a memory, periodically acquiring vehicle position data, identifying the link based on the road map information, and comparing the identified link with the link the vehicle has passed through a node. The device rewrites the position data and acquired time stored in the memory when receiving a result that the vehicle has not passed, determines an exit time based on the acquired time and the time of last acquired position data when receiving a result that the vehicle has passed, calculates a travel period of the vehicle, writes the exit time as an entry time, rewrites the link identification data, and transmits the travel period to a given communication destination.
US08315784B2

Predicted traffic information of a plurality of time bands is downloaded once for a mesh area. Moreover, time band range of the predicted traffic information to be downloaded is increased as distance from current position to the mesh area increases. Furthermore, the time band range is increased for the morning and the evening. Moreover, as difference between the current time and departure time becomes larger, the time band range is increased.
US08315783B2

There are provided: a pedal operation amount detection unit 12 that detects an operation amount s of the accelerator pedal 11; a speed ratio detection unit 14, 15 that detects a speed ratio e of an input shaft and an output shaft of the torque converter 2; a load pressure detection unit 16 that detects a load pressure P of the hydraulic pump 6; a speed stage detection unit 18 that detects a low speed stage of a transmission 3 capable of varying a speed stage between a low speed stage and a high speed stage; and a speed limiting unit 10 that limits a maximum speed of the engine 1 to a lower speed upon satisfaction of following speed limitation conditions: at least a pedal operation amount s is equal to or greater than a predetermined value s1, a speed ratio e is equal to or less than a predetermined value ea, a load pressure P is equal to or greater than a predetermined value Pa, and the low speed stage of the transmission has been detected.
US08315774B2

Friction-circle limit values of wheels are calculated, requested resultant tire forces and resultant tire forces of the wheels are calculated, requested excessive tire forces and excessive tire forces of the wheels are calculated, an over-torque is calculated, and a control amount is calculated. With reference to a preset map, the minimum driving force is set on the basis of a road-surface slope and a requested engine torque, and the minimum driving torque serving as a lower limit is calculated on the basis of the minimum driving force and a total gear ratio of a vehicle so as to perform lower-limit correction of the control amount.
US08315772B2

A method for shifting the braking assistant function into an activatable state, in which method: after termination of a braking force monitoring function, the braking assistant function is shifted into a non-activatable state or a non-activatable state is maintained; information about the hydraulic pressure at a predefined point in the hydraulic braking circuit is determined; and after at least one predefined condition is met by that information, the braking assistant function is shifted into an activatable state.
US08315766B2

A process and system for detecting a phenomenon limiting the visibility for a motor vehicle. The process and system comprises the steps of determining at least one point of interest in an image captured of the environment of the vehicle (CALC_H(I)); determining a region of interest in the image (CALC_ROI(I)); determining a graph of different levels of grey on the basis of said region of interest (CALC_CL(ROI)), and determining an area in said graph of different levels of grey around said point of interest (CALC_A(CL, H)).
US08315763B2

The present invention relates to a control apparatus for vehicle, and in particular, to a control apparatus for vehicle that is capable of changing an operation mode of body controller of vehicle as well as changing various electronic instruments in the vehicle. In particular embodiments, a control apparatus for vehicle that controls various electronic instruments of vehicle according to the present invention includes a key input unit that receives an operation mode selection signal for one of a plurality of operation modes for a specific body controller; and a multimedia CAN communications unit that sends the operation mode selection signal to a body controller through a gateway, receives and displays an operation mode change confirmation signal from the body controller through the gateway.
US08315761B2

A method for the control of an assembly by a control unit, in particular in a motor vehicle, wherein the assembly includes at least one component, at least one actuator associated with the component, and an additional control unit having a first non-volatile memory section that is connected to the control unit. The control unit includes a second non-volatile memory section. Classification information associated with the assembly and stored in the first non-volatile memory section is read out and transmitted to the control unit. The transmitted classification information is stored in the second non-volatile memory section. Subsequently, the classification information stored in the second, non-volatile memory section is read out and transmitted to the additional control unit. The disclosure furthermore relates to an assembly group that comprises the assembly and the control unit, with the control unit and the additional control unit of the assembly being connected to one another by a data transmission path.
US08315755B2

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a drive control apparatus for hybrid vehicles and methods of driving control. In one such embodiment, a drive controller is configured to calculate a basic motor-generator torque value based on the basic engine torque value and the target driving torque value, set a target engine torque to be the basic engine torque value and set a target motor-generator torque as the basic motor-generator torque value when the state of charge of the battery is within an allowable range, set the allowable range of the battery to be smaller when the transmission is performing the shift change operation and execute a basic value shift process when the battery is deviated from the allowable range. The basic value shift process suppresses deviation of the battery by shifting the target engine torque from the basic engine torque value and the target motor-generator torque from the basic motor-generator torque value.
US08315754B2

A vehicle brake controller that suppresses variation in deceleration when there is a changeover between regenerative braking torque and frictional braking torque due to regeneration coordination control. A controller performs the function of correcting the assist driving force. More specifically, under regeneration coordination control, the larger the value of change in regenerative braking torque, the smaller the value of change in primary piston becomes with respect to the value of change in input rod stroke.
US08315753B2

A method and apparatus for wheelchair control. The position and distance of a touch point on a touch pad is used to set speed and wheel differential control. The two major wheels of the wheelchair are controlled according to these set quantities. Exceeding either of two horizontal accelerations measured by an accelerometer limits the set speed. Wheelchair control is shut down upon exceeding a vertical acceleration limit.
US08315752B2

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for controlling motor position and creep of an electric vehicle, in which when a running vehicle is stopped, motor position control for maintaining the vehicle in the stopped position even when a brake pedal is released is performed, and then creep torque control is performed such that the vehicle is prevented from rolling backwards and suddenly starting when the vehicle is restarted after a stop on a slope.
US08315745B2

Methods and control apparatus are presented for controlling supply of electrical power to a mobile micro-grid power system, in which a master controller automatically rebalances the micro-grid by activating and deactivating individual power supplies to preferentially activate non-fuel consuming power supplies and deactivate fuel consuming power supplies so as to minimize fuel consumption for the micro-grid power system.
US08315744B2

A method and an apparatus to distribute power to a networked apparatus are provided. The apparatus may comprise a communication module to receive sensor data via a communication network connected to a plurality of sensors operatively located within a building. The plurality of sensors may be to provide sensor data identifying a presence of one or more persons in the building. The apparatus includes a policy engine including a plurality of rules, each rule associated with at least one powered device located within the building. A power control module is configured to adjust power supplied to the at least one powered device based on the rule. Power to the powered devices may be provided over a power over Ethernet network.
US08315743B2

A method and apparatus are present for sending power to a number of loads. A plurality of nodes and a number of lines connected to the plurality of nodes are selected to send electrical power from a number of sources to a number of loads based on a capacity to send the electrical power through the plurality of nodes and the number of lines. The plurality of nodes is configured into a circuit to carry the electrical power from the number of sources to the number of loads using the plurality nodes. The plurality of nodes are controlled to send the electrical power through the circuit to the number of loads using a number of agent processes associated with the plurality of nodes.
US08315740B2

The present invention provides a motion control system to control a motion of a second motion body, by considering an environment which a human contacts and a motion mode appropriate to the environment, and an environment which a robot actually contacts. The motion mode is learned based on an idea that it is sufficient to learn only a feature part of the motion mode of the human without a necessity to learn the others. Moreover, based on an idea that it is sufficient to reproduce only the feature part of the motion mode of the human without a necessity to reproduce the others, the motion mode of the robot is controlled by using the model obtained from the learning result. Thereby, the motion mode of the robot is controlled by using the motion mode of the human as a prototype without restricting the motion mode thereof more than necessary.
US08315730B2

A method for continuous, non lot-based manufacturing of integrated circuit (IC) devices of the type to each have a unique fuse identification (ID) includes: reading the fuse ID of each of the IC devices; advancing multiple lots of the IC devices through, for example, a test step in the manufacturing process in a substantially continuous manner; generating data, such as test data, related to the advancement of each of the IC devices through the step in the process; and associating the data generated for each of the IC devices with the fuse ID of its associated IC device.
US08315729B2

A system, method and/or computer program product for analyzing a functionality of at least two manufactured products obtain a first characteristic of a first manufactured product. The system acquires a second characteristic of a second manufactured product. The system identifies a common feature between the first characteristic and the second characteristic. The system identifies a distinguishable feature between the first characteristic and the second characteristic. The system determines a cause of a deviation of a functionality in the first manufactured product or the second manufactured product or both manufactured products based on the identified common feature or the identified distinguishable feature or both features.
US08315724B2

A sound reproduction and amplification system includes a digital central controller, a wireless transmitter and a plurality of addressable wireless digital receivers and digital amplifiers for driving loudspeakers or earphones, wherein Differential Pulse Width Modulation (DPWM) signals from the central control of the audio transmitter are sent to the addressable receivers, but no DPWM signals are sent unless there are changes in the target PWM signals. The control signaling is based on position mapping in each repetitive sequence of bits (i.e., each frame or word) in a digital communication channel, where only a single bit per channel per word is allotted to each receiver/amplifier/loudspeaker. If there is any change in output of any transmitter PWM from the audio processor (decoder), all the channel bits are sent to all the addressable loudspeakers.
US08315721B2

The invention pertains to a method for parameterizing an automation device, in which at least one control parameter is defined (101) in order to specify a control characteristic of the automation device and a device parameter is assigned (103) to the at least one control parameter in order to specify a device characteristic of the automation device.
US08315718B2

Control systems and methods for controlling certain systems, devices, and apparatus are described. A control system may include a memory and at least one processor. The memory may be operable to store both a Foundation Fieldbus protocol that facilitates communication with one or more Foundation Fieldbus devices and a second protocol that facilitates communication with one or more control devices. The at least one processor may be operable to access both the Foundation Fieldbus protocol and the second protocol, and to control the one or more Foundation Fieldbus devices and the one or more control devices. A network may facilitate communications between the at least one processor and both the one or more Foundation Fieldbus devices using the Foundation Fieldbus protocol and the one or more control devices using the second protocol.
US08315716B2

The invention describes a steerable sheath for percutaneous epicardial access. The invention also describes a novel lead to facilitate left ventricular pacing and efficient defibrillation.
US08315712B2

A hybrid scientific computer system with processor capable of recording, storing and reprogramming the natural electrical signals of cancer cells as found in tumors of humans and animals. The reprogramming process is designed to create a confounding electrical signal for retransmission into a malignant tumor to damage or shut-down the cellular internal electrical communication system. Altering the electrical charge on the glycocalyx of the outer cell membrane is also part of the treatment by application of ions. Confounding electrical signals are stored in a scientific cancer cell signal processor of the computer system. The invention causes cancer cell death as a medical treatment using ultra-low voltage and amperage encoded signals which are re-programmed from cancer cell communication signals.
US08315710B2

The disclosure provides a method for associating a detected therapy adjustment to a posture state and storing the association with a plurality of associations for the posture state. In a record mode, an implantable medical device is configured to store therapy adjustments for each posture state and allow a user to find efficacious therapy based upon review of the associations made during therapy. The system may determine the associations through implementation of a posture search timer and a posture stability timer. These timers allow the system to correctly associate therapy adjustments to posture states when the patient anticipates the posture change by adjusting therapy before engaging in the desired posture state. An external programmer may present a range of the therapy adjustments for each posture state to allow a user to review the therapy adjustments that have been made during the therapy.
US08315699B2

A medical device and associated method for monitoring a patient's heart rhythm sense cardiac events and detect a sudden change in the heart rhythm in response to the sensed cardiac events. Detecting the sudden change includes determining a variability of intervals between the sensed cardiac events and switching between a low variability mode of operation and a high variability mode of operation in response to the variability of intervals. During the low variability mode, detecting the sudden change includes detecting an increase in the rate of cardiac events. During the high variability mode, detecting the sudden change includes detecting a sudden decrease in the variability of the cardiac event intervals. A concerning cardiac rhythm is detected in response to detecting the sudden change.
US08315698B2

The invention disclosed includes a method and apparatus for calculation of T-wave alternas in electrocardiographic (ECG) signals; said method comprises the following method steps: (a) collecting and storing an ECG signal; (b) detecting each heartbeat T-wave in the ECG signal using an automatic detection and segmentation algorithm; (c) classifying said heartbeat T-wave as an even or odd heartbeat T-wave; (d) initializing said method by taking the first even and the first odd heartbeat T-wave as their respective initial average; (e) processing all the heartbeat T-waves in the ECG signal to generate an even heartbeat T-wave weighted average and odd heartbeat T-wave weighted average; and (f) calculating TWA using a distance metric between the even heartbeat weighted average and the odd heartbeat weighted average, said distance metric including curve matching Continuous Dynamic Time Warping (CDTW).
US08315692B2

An imaging spectrometer provides substantially simultaneous areal spectroscopy and image generation to provide improved analysis of possible skin cancer.
US08315683B2

A patient cable has a duo sensor connector having a first socket section and a second socket section. The first socket section is configured to removably attach a two-wavelength sensor. The second socket section in conjunction with the first socket section is configured to removably attach a multiple wavelength sensor in lieu of the two-wavelength sensor. A circuit housed in the duo sensor connector converts emitter array drive signals adapted for the multiple wavelength sensor into back-to-back emitter drive signals adapted for the two-wavelength sensor when attached.
US08315677B2

A folding mobile phone is provided that improves the antenna characteristics of both of a main antenna and a sub-antenna. The folding mobile phone comprises at least an upper housing 1, a lower housing 2, a hinge unit 3, a main antenna 4 located in the vicinity of the hinge unit 3 of the lower housing 2, a sub-antenna 5 located at the lower end of the lower housing 2, and a control unit for selecting an antenna to be used, the folding mobile phone comprising: an upper-and-lower-connections switching circuit 10 for connecting to a lower circuit board 7; and an upper-and-lower-boards connecting means 9 for connecting an upper circuit board 6 with the upper-and-lower-connections switching circuit 10, wherein, at the upper-and-lower-connections switching circuit 10, an electrical connection state between the upper circuit board 6 and the lower circuit board 7 is switched by turning the PIN diode on and off based on the antenna selection signal from the control unit. This provides an appropriate connection state for the selected antenna and thus improves the antenna characteristics of both antennas.
US08315676B2

An integrated circuit including ; transceiver module, a beacon miss module, and a control module. The transceiver module transitions, at predetermined times, a wireless network device from an inactive mode to an active mode. The predetermined times are based on a dock used by the wireless network device while operating, in the inactive mode. The beacon miss module counts a number of delivery traffic indication message (DM) beacons missed by the transceiver module during each of a first predetermined period and a second predetermined period. The first predetermined period is shorter than the second predetermined period. The predetermined times do not occur during either of the first predetermined period or the second predetermined period. The control module adjusts the predetermined times based on the number of the DTIM beacons missed by the transceiver module during each of the first predetermined period and the second predetermined period.
US08315675B2

A mobile device configured to control power consumption includes operational modes for a first sleep mode, a second sleep mode, a third sleep mode, an idle mode, a calling mode, and an in-call mode. A controller receives an input or detects a condition and responsively performs operations including: when the mobile device is operative in the idle mode, transition the mobile device from the idle mode to the first sleep mode in response to receiving the input or detecting the condition, when the mobile device is operative in the calling mode, transition the mobile device from the calling mode to the second sleep mode in response to receiving the input or detecting the condition, or when the mobile device is operative in the in-call mode, transition the mobile device from the in-call mode to the third sleep mode in response to receiving the input or detecting the condition.
US08315673B2

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to interacting with a target object using an imaging device of a handheld mobile device.
US08315671B2

An antenna pattern assigning method capable of avoiding interference between a plurality of base transmission stations constituting a radio system in a cellular type broad band communication. In the radio system, when assigning a fixed beam pattern different for each frequency, each of the radio base transmission station devices transmits a radio wave having a directivity pattern having a peak in the same direction in two or more different frequencies, and between adjacent radio base transmission station devices, radio transmission is performed by using different directivity patterns in the two or more frequencies.
US08315664B2

A method for setting a power control level (600) in a wireless communication system. The method includes the steps of obtaining (620) transmission information from a wireless subscriber unit, and modifying a power control level and/or a communication channel format (660) in response to said transmission information. Preferably, the transmission information is re-transmission requests from a wireless subscriber unit, which are transmitted frequently. In this manner, rapid adjustment of power control can be attained utilizing an optimal selection of the available communication channel format, followed by a fine-tuning power control operation.
US08315656B2

A method is provided by the present invention for allocating channel resources in a wireless network. The method comprises: a) transmitting at least one message which comprises information that would allow association of at least one service flow for conveying data from/to a subscriber terminal, with at least one group of service flows; b) transmitting from a base station messages adapted to provide information which relate to the allocation of resources of a channel along which data will be transmitted to/from said subscriber terminal via one or more service flows associated with that at least one group of service flows, and wherein the information comprises an identification of the at least one group of service flows; and c) transmitting data from/to the subscriber terminal in accordance with the allocation of the channel resources for the at least one group of service flows.
US08315654B2

The present invention relates to an extracorporeal blood treatment device comprising a treatment unit and a device for controlling the treatment unit for preparing and carrying out the blood treatment. The blood treatment device also comprises an internal communication unit for communicating with an external communication unit. In order to the prepare the device blood treatment, the patient sends an initiation code by means of an external communication unit to the internal communication device. Routines required for preparing the blood treatment are then started. One main advantage is that the patient, for example during home dialysis, does not need to be present when the device is preparing for dialysis and the dialysis preparation can be started when the patient thinks of returning home in time for the beginning of the preparation phase.
US08315653B2

Systems and methods are provided for routing data messages between a cellular telephone and a cordless telephone system having a plurality of cordless handsets configured to communicate with a single cordless base station when in range. Messages are received at the cordless base station via a first radio frequency transfer protocol. The message is transmitted to the cordless base station from the cellular telephone after the cellular telephone has received the message from a cellular network. The cordless base station transmits the message to a desired one of the plurality of cordless handsets via a second radio frequency transfer protocol. The desired one of the plurality of cordless handsets is chosen based on predetermined message routing settings.
US08315648B2

A method and system for determining an approximate range from a location measurement unit to a mobile device. An uplink signal from the mobile device is received by the location measurement unit, and an uplink frame marker is determined from the uplink signal. A downlink signal is received at the location measurement unit from a base station serving the mobile device, and a downlink slot marker is determined from the downlink signal. A round trip propagation delay is determined based upon the uplink frame marker and the downlink slot marker, and an approximate range from the location measurement unit to the mobile device is determined as a function of the round trip propagation delay.
US08315643B2

An efficient channel quality indicator channel (CQICH) transport method and system are disclosed. The CQICH transport method defines five types of CQI transport formats, to cover known cases of CQI feedback. The CQICH transport method further defines the format of transportation, which enables any of the five types of CQI transport formats to be transmitted.
US08315637B2

A method for transmitting a signal from a mobile station of a multi-cell environment comprises being allocated with a specific frequency partition from a base station depending on a fractional frequency reuse scheme; receiving modulation and coding scheme (MCS) level information on the specific frequency partition or a specific resource region within the specific frequency partition from the base station; controlling transmit power corresponding to the MCS level depending on a location of the mobile station within a cell, if the specific frequency partition is a frequency partition shared with a mobile station located at an edge region of a neighboring cell; and transmitting a signal to the base station at the controlled transmit power.
US08315629B2

A base station reduces interference from user equipment operating in a neighboring cell by monitoring one or more channels of neighboring base stations to receive a signal transmitted by a user equipment that is being served by one of the neighboring base stations, and detecting when a power level of the signal transmitted by the user equipment exceeds a threshold power level. The base station then uses the received signal transmitted by the user equipment to acquire an identifier of the user equipment. The base station then communicates with a network node of the mobile communication system to arrange for it to serve the user equipment itself but in only the uplink direction. The neighboring base station continues to serve the user equipment in the downlink direction in what is now an asymmetrical uplink/downlink connection.
US08315621B2

A method includes setting, by a mobile device, a notification based on the mobile device being within proximity of a predetermined location at a predetermined date or time. The mobile device detects that the mobile device is located within proximity of the predetermined location at the predetermined date or time. Subsequent to the detecting, the mobile device provides the notification.
US08315614B2

A method and apparatus for a called subscriber to send a sound for his own personal information as a ringback tone with a ringback tone replacing sound are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: HLR providing MSC with the first information about whether a ringback tone is to be replaced or not and the second information for routing to sound providing means when a called terminal is registered in MSC; MSC requesting a call connection to the sound providing means based on the first and second information when the called terminal is called; and the sound providing means call-connecting to the calling terminal, and providing the calling terminal with a specific sound, wherein the specific sound is generated by combining a subscriber information sound, which can identify the called subscriber or can represent the subscriber's character, with the ringback tone replacing sound.
US08315612B2

A terminal device includes a deletion reason-registration unit configured to register deletion target information and deletion reason information with a storage unit storing information relating to a communication destination and a communication processing unit configured to acquire the deletion reason information registered by the deletion reason-registration unit from the storage unit upon receiving information about a communication connection request issued from a device of a communication destination corresponding to the deletion target information stored in the storage unit, and executes communication processing based on the acquired deletion reason information.
US08315611B2

A communication network includes a mobile terminal designed to receive information in a target format, source servers designed to deliver information in source formats, and an intermediate server that is independent of the source servers. Information destined for the mobile terminal goes through the intermediate server. The intermediate server is designed to receive information in the source formats from the source servers, convert to the target format the information received in the source formats, transmit the information in the target format to the mobile terminal, analyze an initial request sent by the mobile terminal, use a memory zone of the intermediate server to identify one of the source servers in response to the initial request, and transmit a request relay to the identified source server to receive information in source formats from the identified source server.
US08315608B2

A method and apparatus for quickly and easily requesting content over a mobile device via a telephone network without requiring user entry of a number of pieces of information or having to forward through to certain request screens and/or browse for content. The method includes verifying a mobile device based on an incoming telephone call to a particular destination telephone number; retrieving by a content server the specific content associated with the particular destination telephone number in which contact has been initiated by the mobile device; and providing the specific content to the mobile device requesting the content. Specific content includes but is not limited to broadcast data, satellite transmitted data, and cable network data provided during a telephone call, so that a mobile device can receive everything from television shows to news broadcasts and educational shows, etc. so long it is within range of a telephone network.
US08315607B2

A system for managing and filtering incoming messages to a mobile device is configured to receive incoming messages using multiple formats, such as e-mail, Short Messaging System (SMS) messages, Multimedia Message System (MMS) messages, or other electronic messaging formats. One or more message filters are used to consolidate and display high importance messages by the device in a single location. The message filters may be configured to select incoming messages based on factors such as the identity of the sender and the destination account. After receiving a new message, the system compares characteristics of the incoming message to the key characteristics defined by one or more of the filters. If an incoming message matches one of the filters, the system adds the matching message to a list of high importance messages. The system provides a separate user interface to display the high importance messages.
US08315602B2

A communications system includes a mobile wireless communications device and an e-mail server configured to store pushed e-mail data and metadata associated therewith already pushed to the mobile wireless communications device. An aggregation server is configured to download a first set of metadata of pushed e-mail data at a first time, and generate and store a first set of hash values corresponding to the first set of metadata. The aggregation server is also configured to download a second set of metadata of pushed e-mail data at a second time after the first time, and generate and store a second set of hash values corresponding to the second set of metadata. The aggregation server is further configured to determine an updated set of metadata based upon a comparison of the first and second sets of hash values, and push the updated metadata to the mobile wireless communications device.
US08315593B2

The present invention is directed to a method for placing a call between a client in one network and a client in another network. The IP network includes a SIP server and a network gateway configured to provide access to a public switched network. The method includes receiving a SIP call request message from the first client. The SIP call request message is authenticated to thereby identify an authentic originating client. Subsequently, a database is searched to find client billing tag corresponding to the authentic originating client. The call is completed if the client billing tag is obtained, and not completed if the client billing tag cannot be obtained. Thus, the present invention provides an efficient method for billing phone calls that are placed from SIP enabled devices to a telephone connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The method of the present invention also substantially eliminates certain types of fraud.
US08315588B2

A receiver circuit is provided on an integrated circuit. The receiver circuit includes first and second power supply terminals, a ground supply terminal, a resistive element coupled between the first and second power supply terminals, and a receiver biased between the second power supply terminal and the ground supply terminal. The receiver draws a bias current through the resistive element, which varies as a positive function with a voltage on the second power supply terminal. The voltage on the second power supply terminal varies as an inverse function of the bias current.
US08315575B2

The invention relates to an integrated circuit in a mobile radio transceiver. This circuit includes a radio-frequency assembly for producing a mobile radio signal and a modulator for converting transmission data into an analogue, modulated transmission signal which is broadcast in a frequency band outside the mobile radio frequency range.
US08315572B2

Methods and devices related to wireless networking. A wireless device has multiple directional antennas and multiple backhaul radio modules which provide point to point wireless links with other wireless devices. Each radio module can use any one of the available directional antennas to link to one other routing device. Antennas are automatically selected for each wireless device by merely setting one device in a “hunt” mode and setting another device in a “listen” mode. Devices in a hunt mode cycle through the available antennas by sequentially transmitting transmit messages to devices in the listen mode using each of the available antennas in turn. Devices in the listen mode also cycle through their available antennas by sequentially “listening” for transmit messages. A listen mode device, receives transmit messages on each of its available antennas, and, after gathering the relevant data, determines which of its antennas is best suited for communicating with the hunt mode device. The listen mode device antenna which is best suited is then used to transmit a response message to the hunt mode device. This listen mode device antenna is thus configured for communicating with the hunt mode device. Similarly, when the hunt mode device receives the response message, it designates its antenna which transmitted the transmit message as being configured for communications with the listen mode device.
US08315568B1

Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving a first signal and generating an output signal indicative of radio data system (“RDS”) information. A receiver circuit of the invention can include mixer circuitry, lowpass filter circuitry, downsampler circuitry, and decoder circuitry. Advantageously, the receiver circuit can operate entirely within the digital domain, promoting interoperability with digital frequency modulation (“FM”) demodulator circuitry.
US08315559B2

A transmitter for transmitting and calibrating a phase signal and an amplitude signal. The transmitter comprises a phase modulation path, an amplitude modulation path, and a control unit. The phase modulation path transmits the phase signal. The amplitude modulation path transmits the amplitude signal. The control unit delays the signal on at least one of the phase modulation path and the amplitude modulation.
US08315551B2

An image forming apparatus includes a main body, an auxiliary discharging part disposed at one side of the main body, a cover unit to open and close the auxiliary discharging part and stack thereon paper discharged through the auxiliary discharging part, a guide member rotatably mounted to the cover unit to guide the paper when the paper is rotating, and a supporting device to support the guide member when the auxiliary discharging part is in an opened state. Since the supporting device supports the guide member when the auxiliary discharging part is in an opened state, paper being discharged through the auxiliary discharging part may be stably stacked on the cover unit, being prevented from interfering with the guide member.
US08315539B2

An image forming device includes a casing formed with an opening, a pivot member pivotably disposed in the casing so as to be selectively opened and closed, a cover disposed outward of the pivot member, a lock mechanism that maintains a closed state of the pivot member, and a link mechanism. When a first force is applied on the cover to open the cover beyond a predetermined angle, the link mechanism transmits the first force as a second force to the pivot member. The second force is in an opening direction of the pivot member.
US08315534B2

Stored DC power is supplied to a load after a return to a normal-power mode or a power-up of an image forming device. An auxiliary power supply does not supply the stored DC power to the load, and a main power supply supplies AC and DC power to the load if it is determined that a predetermined processing is performed upon a starting of the image forming device. The auxiliary power supply supplies the stored DC power to the load, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed, and the main power supply does not supply the AC and DC power to the load if it is determined that the predetermined processing is not performed upon the starting of the image forming device. A decision whether the predetermined processing is performed is based on at least one of a number of sheets, an elapsed time, and an environmental temperature.
US08315528B2

A method of data symbol recovery in a coherent receiver of an optical communications system. Two or more SYNC bursts, having a known symbol sequence and periodicity, are processed to derive an estimate of a frequency offset Δf between a transmit laser and a Local Oscillator (LO) of the receiver. A phase rotation κ(n) is computed based on the estimate of the frequency offset Δf, and applied to a plurality of data symbol estimates to generate corresponding rotated symbol estimates. The rotated symbol estimates are then filtered to generate corresponding decision values of each data symbol.
US08315521B2

An optical network terminal receives, from a user device associated with the optical network terminal, a call to a called party, and checks a table, which may be locally cached in the optical network terminal, for a network location of another optical network terminal associated with the called party. The device also establishes a connection with another user device associated with the other optical network terminal, based on the network location, and exchanges voice data with the other user device associated with the other optical network terminal via the connection.
US08315513B2

A focus detection apparatus that measures, in advance, and stores shading coefficients for light sources of different types, and in a focus detection operation, generates light source information for determining a light source that irradiates an object based on outputs from a plurality of photometry sensors with different spectral characteristics and switches the shading coefficient of a focus detection sensor among shading coefficients stored according to the light source information.
US08315503B2

A link information generation apparatus records a link information file on a recording medium on which a first folder holding a still picture file that includes still picture data and still picture imaging time information and a second folder holding one or more moving picture files each of which includes moving picture data are recorded at positions that are not in a containment relationship with each other. The link information generation apparatus includes: a moving picture specification unit (1131) that specifies a still-picture-linked moving picture imaged during a time period including a time shown by the still picture imaging time information of the still picture data; a position information obtainment unit (1132) that obtains still-picture-corresponding position information showing a position in the still-picture-linked moving picture corresponding to the still picture imaging time information; and a link information generation unit (1133) that generates link information including still picture identification information for identifying the still picture data, moving picture identification information for identifying the still-picture-linked moving picture, and the still-picture-corresponding position information, and records the link information file including the link information on the recording medium at a position not contained in any of the first and second folders.
US08315493B2

The specification describes an improved optical fiber produced by a hybrid VAD/MCVD process. The core of the fiber is produced using VAD and the inner cladding layer has a depressed index and is produced using MCVD. In preferred embodiments, the optical power envelope is essentially entirely contained in VAD produced core material and the MCVD produced depressed index cladding material. Optical loss is minimized by confining most of the optical power to the VAD core where OH presence is low, as well as by maximizing the optical power in the un-doped silica region. The MCVD substrate tube material is essentially devoid of optical power.
US08315489B2

A switching array is disclosed that has a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers having phase shifting mirrors. The switching array may be used for providing a device and system that has optical signal processing of sensing, a serialization and protocol interface, that has increased gray scale levels and sensitivities, pixel polarization detection, higher speed, lower power requirements and provides optical or electrical output for holographic optical storage to a bus or network.
US08315486B2

A method for obtaining information about a subsurface formation from acoustic signals that contain information about to the subsurface formation, comprises: providing a fiber optic having a proximal end and a remote end, with the proximal end being coupled to a light source and a proximal photodetector, wherein said fiber optic cable includes randomly spaced impurities and selectively placed Bragg gratings and wherein the fiber optic cable is acoustically coupled to the subsurface formation so as to allow the acoustic signals to affect the physical status of at least one grating: transmitting at least one light pulse into the cable; receiving at the photodetector a first light signal indicative of the physical status of at least one first section of the cable, and outputting at least one item of information to a display.
US08315485B2

A system includes a first supporting element, a first supporting element rotation module, a controller and a first optical head. The controller is configured to control a rotation of the first supporting element by the first supporting element rotation module. The first supporting element is coupled to the first optical head. The first supporting element rotation module is configured to rotate the first supporting element until text that is imprinted on a first side of a semiconductor wafer is located within a field of view of the first optical head. Semiconductors wafers of different size have text located at different locations. A method for obtaining a text imprinted on a first side of a semiconductor wafer, the method includes: determining a location of the text based on a size of the semiconductor wafer; rotating a first supporting element that is coupled to a first optical head until the text is located within a field of view of the first optical head; obtaining an image of the text by the first optical head; and translating the image of the text into text.
US08315476B1

Methods and apparatus for super-resolution in focused plenoptic cameras. By examining the geometry of data capture for super-resolution with the focused plenoptic camera, configurations for which super-resolution is realizable at different modes in the focused plenoptic camera are generated. A focused plenoptic camera is described in which infinity is super resolved directly, with registration provided by the camera geometry and the microlens pitch. In an algorithm that may be used to render super-resolved images from flats captured with a focused plenoptic camera, a high-resolution observed image is generated from a flat by interleaving pixels from adjacent microlens images. A deconvolution method may then be applied to the high-resolution observed image to deblur the image.
US08315451B2

A method and computer program for segmentation of an MRI image of tissue in presence of partial volume effects, include storing the MRI image in K-space representation as raw dataset, reconstructing N images, each represented by N sets of voxels and N sets of light intensity values, dividing each voxel into a fixed number of subvoxels equal in size, assigning the light intensity value of the voxel to its subvoxels, classifying each subvoxel according to light intensity value, identifying a totality of subvoxels classified with equal probability for a totality of tissue types, labeling the subvoxels as partial volume subvoxels, shifting N−1 images starting with the second image by one subvoxel relatively to the preceding image and gene-rating a new set of overlay subvoxels, determining a new set of probability values for the new set of overlay subvoxels and creating an overlay image of the new set of overlaid subvoxels.
US08315448B2

A medical image processing apparatus of the present invention is a medical image processing apparatus to which a plurality of color components corresponding to frame-sequentially picked-up images of an object are time-sequentially inputted while maintaining periodicity thereof, including a color component storage section that can store a first color component inputted to the medical image processing apparatus at one timing and a second color component, which is a component of the same wavelength band as that of the first color component inputted to the medical image processing apparatus at timing preceding the one timing by one cycle or more, and an image correction processing section that simultaneously reads the first color component and the second color component stored in the color component storage section and performs image correction processing.
US08315446B2

Mammogram images are processed by computer to derive automatically a value for a parameter useful in detecting differences in breast tissue in subsequent images of the same breast or relative to a control group of such images, said derived parameter being a parameter that changes alongside changes in breast density and is hence useful in assessing cancer risk. The method comprises the steps of processing each image of at least part of a breast by: computing for pixels of the image a quotient value representative of the aspect ratio of tissue structures depicted in the image; using a trained classifier to classify said pixels according to their respective said quotient values and assigning a score to the respective pixels representing their classification with respect to at least two classes; deriving said parameter that changes alongside changes in breast density based on the aggregate pixel membership scores of said classes. The classifier may be trained either by unsupervised learning or by supervised learning.
US08315442B2

Embodiments described herein provide for a system for creating a data collection of recognized images. The system includes an image analysis module that is configured to programmatically analyze individual images in a collection of images in order to determine information about each image in the collection. The system may also include a manual interface that is configured to (i) interface with one or more human editors, and (ii) displays a plurality of panels concurrently. Individual panels may be provided for one or more analyzed images, and individual panels may be configured to display information that is at least indicative of the one or more images of that panel and/or of the information determined from the one or more images. Additionally, the manual interface enables the one or more human editors to view the plurality of panels concurrently and to interact with each of the plurality of panels in order to correct or remove any information that is incorrectly determined from the image of that panel.
US08315441B2

To provide a masquerade detection system which can detect a masquerade using a photograph, a picture or the like, without using an additional device other than an image picking-up device. A masquerade detection method includes an image conversion step in which an image conversion from one flat plane to the other flat plane is carried out from a first image of an examining object picked up from a first angle into a second image of an examining object picked up from a second angle different from the first angle to generate a converted image, and a masquerade judging step in which the converted image and the second image are entirely or partially compared with each other and, if a compared result satisfies a predetermined condition, an attempt to do a masquerade is judged.
US08315439B2

The invention relates to a system that is used to aid in determining vision correction. The inventive system is characterised in that it combines: a camera which can take animated images of the subject's face along a determined visual axis; a display device which represents the images taken by the camera; an accessory which can be worn by the subject in a fixed manner on the head and which bears a plurality of visual reference marks; means which form the visual reference mark(s) and which can cover at least two determined regions in relation to the camera; and image-analysis means which can analyze the position of the visual reference marks in the images taken by the camera and deduce therefrom the position and spatial orientation of the accessory and, consequently, the subject's head when the subject is looking at a visual target, in order to ascertain information relating to the visual behaviour of the subject when the subject moves the direction in which he/she is looking.
US08315435B2

An image processing apparatus includes: a pixel difference calculator for calculating a difference value between each first pixel of a previous image and a second pixel of a present image and at a position corresponding to said each first pixel, and outputting a plurality of pixel differences; a counter counting a number of positive pixel differences and a number of negative pixel differences in the pixel differences of a sampling window; a motion level determining unit calculating a motion level of a pixel in the sampling window according to the numbers of the positive and negative pixel differences; a blending value determining unit determining a blending value according to the motion level; and an output unit adding together weights of the present and previous images according to the blending value to generate and output an output image. An image processing method is also disclosed.
US08315434B2

An optical navigation device for absolute tracking in a sub-pixel range. The optical navigation device includes an image sensor and a tracking engine. The image sensor includes a pixel array to generate a plurality of tracking images. The tracking images correspond to incident light at the pixel array. The tracking engine determines a sub-pixel displacement value of a tracking surface based on a comparison of at least two of the tracking images. The tracking engine includes a sub-pixel approximation engine and a linear approximation engine. The sub-pixel approximation engine generates an intermediate sub-pixel displacement value based on a sub-pixel approximation according to a non-linear sub-pixel distribution. The linear approximation engine generates a final sub-pixel displacement value from the intermediate sub-pixel displacement value.
US08315425B2

A method for carrying out comparison between the as-built state of an industrial plant and the associated CAD planning model, characterized in that the comparison is achieved by superimposition of unreliable components of the CAD model and digital images on the plant, whereby the superimposition is computed without any particular instrumentation within the plant, but only based on selected reliable components from the CAD model, whose physical installations are visible in the images.
US08315422B2

A miniature receiver or transducer with improved viscous damping. The receiver may be a moving armature receiver using shearing forces for damping the deflection of the diaphragm. In this receiver, the damping element, which may be a liquid, extend in a direction of the deflection of the armature or diaphragm. Another embodiment relates to a transducer where the damping element engages the diaphragm.
US08315419B2

A sound producing system includes an electro-acoustic transducer having an electromagnetic motor for moving a diaphragm of the transducer back and forth to create acoustic waves. The diaphragm has a surface that includes one or more of a surface of a dust cap of the diaphragm, a surface of a cone of the diaphragm, and a portion of a surface of a surround of the diaphragm. A solid gas impermeable cover faces the diaphragm surface and has a surface which faces the diaphragm surface. At least a portion of the cover surface has a contour which is substantially the same as a contour of the diaphragm surface. The system includes an asymmetric exit for the acoustic waves to leave a volume defined between the diaphragm surface and the cover surface.
US08315407B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for localizing a sound source in real time. The apparatus for localizing a sound source in real time includes a sound signal acquisition unit for acquiring sound signals through two or more channels. A sample delay storage unit stores a plurality of pieces of data, sampled from the sound signals acquired through respective channels, for a predetermined period of time. A correlation calculation unit calculates correlations between the channels from the plurality of pieces of sampled data stored in the sample delay storage unit. A sound source direction calculation unit calculates an azimuth angle of the sound source using both the correlations between the channels and location relationships of the sound signal acquisition unit. Accordingly, the present invention can localize a sound source in real time.
US08315404B2

An active noise control system generates an anti-noise signal to drive a speaker to produce sound waves to destructively interfere with an undesired sound in a targeted space. The speaker is also driven to produce sound waves representative of a desired audio signal. Sound waves are detected in the target space and a representative signal is generated. The representative signal is combined with an audio compensation signal to remove a signal component representative of the sound waves based on the desired audio signal and generate an error signal. The active noise control adjusts the anti-noise signal based on the error signal. The active noise control system converts the sample rates of an input signal representative of the undesired sound, the desired audio signal, and the error signal. The active noise control system converts the sample rate of the anti-noise signal.
US08315402B2

The present subject matter provides method and apparatus for real ear measurement using a hearing assistance device fitted with a cover to provide real ear sounds to a microphone of the device. The present subject matter includes a hearing assistance device cover for use in measuring coupler response and real ear coupler difference for improved real ear measurement and fitting.
US08315397B2

A first microphone device according to the present invention comprises a pair of directional microphones with high directivity in a sound collecting direction, a pair of nondirectional microphones with low directivity in the sound collecting direction, and a casing accommodating the pair of directional microphones and the pair of nondirectional microphones. The pair of nondirectional microphones is arranged so that sound collecting directions thereof are outward from both side surface walls of the casing, while the pair of directional microphones is arranged so that sound collecting directions thereof are outward from a front surface wall of the casing and intersect each other in vicinity of the front surface wall. All or a part of the pair of directional microphones is accommodated in a space sandwiched by the pair of nondirectional microphones.
US08315393B2

A secure communication system wherein message decryption may be performed while off-line, or optionally while on-line. A sender encrypts a message based on the message key and sends it to the recipient. An envelope containing a message key is created by encrypting the message key based on a verifier, where the verifier is based on a secret of the recipient. The recipient is provided the envelope, along with the message or separately, from the sender or from another party, contemporaneous with receipt of the message or otherwise. The recipient can then open the envelope while off-line, based on their secret, and retrieve the message key from the envelope to decrypt the message. In the event the recipient cannot open the envelope, optional on-line access permits obtaining assistance that may include obtaining an alternate envelope that the recipient can open.
US08315392B2

The present invention concerns the generation of a key necessary to decrypt audio/video contents by genuine decoding units. It concerns in particular a method to secure the reception of a broadcast content managed by a control center and encrypted by at least one content key, said content key or a data allowing to recover said content key being transmitted to the decoding units encrypted by a transmission key common to the decoding units, each decoding unit having at least one environment parameter known by the control center, said decoding unit receiving from the control center a first message common to all decoding units and comprising the encrypted transmission key and a second message, pertaining to said decoding unit and comprising correction data dedicated to said decoding unit, the decryption of the transmission key being made using the environment parameter and the correction data.
US08315391B2

In an information access system, a reader/writer device encrypts, with a first encryption key, an information request and a second encryption key to thereby generate first encrypted data, and encrypts the information request with the second encryption key to thereby generate second encrypted data, and transmits cyclically an information request signal that alternately carries the first encrypted data and the second encrypted data. An active contactless information storage device receives the information request signal and decrypts the encrypted data carried by the information request signal with one encryption key stored in its memory. When the second encryption key different from the one encryption key is contained in the decrypted data, the information storage device rewrites the one encryption key with the second encryption key.
US08315380B2

In an echo suppression apparatus, an adaptive filter estimates an echo path of a near end, and generates a pseudo echo signal of a reception signal received from a far end. A subtractor subtracts the pseudo echo signal from a near-end signal including an echo signal of the reception signal, a near-end sound and a background noise, thereby generating an echo-canceled signal. A background noise estimation unit estimates a spectrum of the background noise. A non-linear processing unit performs spectrum subtraction of the estimated spectrum of the background noise from the spectrum of the echo-canceled signal, and controls a gain of the spectrum of the echo-canceled signal in response to the result of the spectrum subtraction, thereby obtaining a spectrum of a transmission signal transmitted to the far end. A threshold calculation unit calculates a threshold value used to determine presence or absence of the residual echo in the echo-canceled signal. The non-linear processing unit compares the result of the spectrum subtraction with the threshold value, then controls the spectrum of the echo-canceled signal with a high gain in case that the result of the spectrum subtraction is higher than the threshold value, and with a low gain in case that the result of the spectrum subtraction is not higher than the threshold value.
US08315358B2

Strain matching of crystals and horizontally-spaced monochromator and analyzer crystal arrays in diffraction enhanced imaging systems and related methods are disclosed. A DEI system, including strain matched crystals can comprise an X-ray source configured to generate a first X-ray beam. A first monochromator crystal can be positioned to intercept the first X-ray beam for producing a second X-ray beam. A second monochromator crystal can be positioned to intercept the second X-ray beam to produce a third X-ray beam for transmission through an object. The second monochromator crystal has a thickness selected such that a mechanical strain on a side of the first monochromator crystal is the same as a mechanical strain on the second monochromator crystal. An analyzer crystal has a thickness selected such that a mechanical strain on a side of the first monochromator crystal is the same as a mechanical strain on the analyzer crystal.
US08315345B2

A timing recovery loop includes a sampler, a narrow band filter, an RMS normalize, a timing error detector, and a sample controller. The sampler samples a received signal. The narrow band filter filters the sampled received signal so as to pass an upper band edge of the received signal and not a lower band edge of the received signal. The RMS normalize sets an average power level of an output of the filter to a substantially constant value. The timing error detector detects a timing error with respect to an output of the RMS normalize. The sample controller controls the sampler in response to the detected timing error.
US08315341B2

An embodiment is a method and apparatus to decode a signal using channel information. A channel state estimator generates a tone value representing channel information. A quantizer quantizes the tone value. A combiner combines de-interleaved symbols weighed by the quantized tone value. A comparator compares the combined de-interleaved symbols with a threshold to generate a decoding decision.Another embodiment is a method and apparatus to decode a signal using averaging. A channel estimator provides a channel estimate. A multiplier multiplies a quantized output of a demodulator with the channel estimate to produce N symbols of a signal corresponding to a carrier. A de-interleaver de-interleaves the N symbols. An averager averages the N de-interleaved symbols to generate a channel response at a carrier.
US08315340B1

A high-speed synchronization circuit for synchronizing a receiving signal with a terminal at high speed and a receiving terminal including the same are provided. The high-speed synchronization circuit updates synchronization information by processing a beacon signal included in at least one time slot and maintains synchronization using the beacon signal, thereby reducing time taken to acquire synchronization and minimizing power consumption.
US08315330B2

A method of transmitting data in a wireless communication system, includes: transmitting first data via a first frame for a first wireless communication system; transmitting second data via a second frame for a second wireless communication system supporting backward compatibility with respect to the first wireless communication system; and transmitting control information with respect to the first and second frames, wherein the control information includes a frame control header (FCH) which indicates information about the second frame by using a reserved bit region of the first frame.
US08315327B2

An apparatus for transmitting a signal including the transmit data to a multiple-input capable node is provided. The apparatus comprises: at least two antennas; a multiple-input and multiple-output capable transceiver in communication with each of the at least two antennas; encoding circuitry capable of causing first data to be encoded; decoding circuitry capable of causing second data to be decoded; processing circuitry capable of causing diversity combining, the processing circuitry being in communication with the multiple-input and multiple-output capable transceiver, the encoding circuitry, and the decoding circuitry. In operation, the processing circuitry is capable of causing the apparatus to: receive a first signal, calculate weights associated with the first signal, apply the weights to transmit data, and add a cyclic prefix to the transmit data. Additionally, the apparatus is configured such that the at least two antennas are capable of transmitting a second signal including the transmit data to a multiple-input capable node.
US08315320B2

A method for reporting power headroom is disclosed. Power headroom may be reported across all carriers (wideband), for a specific carrier, or for a carrier group. The formula used to calculate the power headroom depends on whether the carrier (or a carrier in the carrier group) has a valid uplink grant. If the carrier or carrier group does not have a valid uplink grant, the power headroom may be calculated based on a reference grant. The power headroom is calculated by a wireless transmit/receive unit and is reported to an eNodeB.
US08315313B2

The present invention relates to an encoding device and a method, a decoding device and a method, an editing device and a method, a storage medium, and a program which can perform encoding and decoding so that buffer failure does not occur. Information, such as a minimum bit rate, a minimum buffer size, and a minimum initial delay time, is contained in a random access point header contained in an accessible point in a bitstream. A bitstream analyzing unit 72 analyzes an input bitstream, sets the above-mentioned information, and outputs the resulting information to a buffer-information adding unit 73. The buffer-information adding unit 73 adds the input information to the input bitstream and outputs the resulting bitstream. The present invention is applicable to an encoding device and a decoding device which process bitstreams.
US08315309B2

A method and apparatus for encoding and decoding an image. The method of encoding an image includes generating a prediction block of a current block of a current image by performing continuous motion estimation, and encoding the current block based on the generated prediction block. The current block can be more precisely predicted so that the compression rate of image encoding is improved.
US08315298B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for equalizing a received signal. A received signal is equalized by determining a data rate of the received signal; obtaining one or more equalization parameters associated with the determined data rate; and equalizing the received signal using the obtained one or more equalization parameters. The equalization parameters may comprise, for example, one or more of a gain parameter, zero control for a high pass filter and one or more threshold settings for one or more latches used during the equalizing step, such as data latches or transition latches (or both).
US08315294B2

A method for synchronizing a CDMA receiver to a transmitter when an adaptive antenna is utilized to receive transmitted data, wherein a receiving antenna system is adapted between a 360° reception angle pattern (i.e., an omni-directional pattern) and a fixed reception angle (i.e., a directional pattern) by permitting the receiver to identify a pilot signal having the largest magnitude. The receiver minimizes interference from other pilot signals by steering antenna pattern nulls toward other transmitters. As a result, the time required for the receiver to acquire a valid pilot signal is significantly reduced.
US08315287B1

A surface-emitting semiconductor laser device is provided that includes an edge-emitting laser integrated in a semiconductor material with various reflectors and a diffractive lens. The edge-emitting laser has a first section comprising an active MQW region, a second section comprising a passive region and a third section comprising a semi-insulating or un-doped semiconductor bulk layer. This configuration ensures that the injection current will pass through all of the layers of the active region, thereby preventing the occurrence of optical losses due to un-injected areas of the MQW active region. In addition, the inclusion of the passive region ensures that there is no current passing through the interface between the active MQW region and the regrown semiconductor bulk layer. The latter feature improves performance and device reliability.
US08315284B2

A laser device with frequency conversion, the device comprising a complex optical cavity comprising two cavity parts with two different levels of circulating intracavity power wherein there is placed at least one non-linear crystal (30) is placed within the cavity part of higher circulating power and an active medium (21) in the cavity part of lower circulating power, the power enhancement achieved in two steps and the total enhancement being the product of the enhancement factors in each step, providing additional freedom in design allowing both the condition for high enhancement of the interacting laser power inside the intracavity non-linear crystal and the condition for maximum power output from the laser to be satisfied simultaneously and wherein said complex optical cavity the first cavity part provides the initial step of power enhancement and comprises at least a laser cavity back mirror (20), highly reflective about a laser radiation fundamental frequency .omega., and an active (gain) medium.
US08315275B2

Apparatus and methods are provided for delivering end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. According to one embodiment, a portion of available bandwidth between a first and second network device is reserved as a Quality of Service (QoS) resource pool for real-time communication sessions among users of a first and second user community. The first network device is communicatively coupled with a packet network and associated with the first user community. The second network device is communicatively coupled with the packet network and associated with the second user community. End-to-end application QoS is provided between the first and second user communities by selectively admitting real-time communication sessions between the first user community and the second user community based upon currently available resources associated with the QoS resource pool and multiplexing the real-time communication sessions over a reservation protocol session between the first and second network devices.
US08315269B1

A system for transferring data files between a host device and a secondary device can include a bridge device forming at least a portion of the secondary device. The bridge device can have a de-multiplex (de-MUX) data path with an input coupled to a host interface (I/F), a first output coupled to a storage I/F and a second output coupled to a processor I/F. A controller circuit can have control inputs coupled to receive configuration commands from the processor I/F and control outputs coupled to control terminals of the de-MUX data path. The controller circuit enables and maintaining a data path between the host I/F and the first output of the de-MUX data path for a predetermined number of data transfers in response to at least a first configuration data input.
US08315268B1

A machine implemented method and system for communication between a computing system and an adapter is provided. An application from among a plurality of applications sends a message to the adapter with a value V. The adapter queues the message at the first storage location and writes the value V at a second storage location after the message is successfully queued at the first storage location. To determine if the message was successfully queued, the computing system reads the written value at the second storage location and compares it to the value V that was sent with the message.
US08315267B2

In asynchronous optical packet switches, scheduling packets from a buffer randomly will cause less efficient utilization of the buffer. Additionally, reordering of packets may cause problems for service quality demanding applications. According to the present invention a new electronic buffer scheduling algorithm is proposed and a switch utilizing this algorithm is disclosed. The algorithm is designed for utilizing the buffer resources efficiently, still avoiding serious packet reordering.
US08315265B2

The invention concerns a management process for a network of routers based on the technique of training by reinforcement in which priority is given to objects already present in the network over those which wish to enter.
US08315260B2

A network comprising a switch configured to switch traffic between a plurality of external interfaces via a plurality of virtual interfaces associated with the external interfaces, and wherein the traffic comprises a plurality of external virtual local area network (VLAN) identifiers (VIDs) associated with the external interfaces to select the virtual interfaces. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a frame from a physical port, obtaining an external VID from a VLAN tag in the frame, removing the VLAN tag from the frame, selecting a virtual interface based on the external VID, and delivering the frame to the selected virtual interface.
US08315259B2

First paging information is determined in advance according to the characteristics of delivered data for each channel of delivered multicast data, and the multicast data delivery frame of each channel is determined based on the first paging information. Paging information (second paging information) for a mobile station which selects a channel is determined from the first paging information determined for each selected channel. Due to this, multicast data delivery frame can be overlapped (is synchronized) with frames for monitoring for paging announcements, and power consumption for an MS in the idle mode can be reduced.
US08315245B2

The invention provides a system, method and apparatus for controlling a mass calling event in a VoIP network. The invention provides for monitoring port traffic information on a network edge device and detecting the occurrence of a mass calling event in conjunction with a call control module. Control instructions or information may then be provisioned to network edge devices to alleviate congestion. The invention enables network edge devices to gap or provide other controls to reduce call overloading. Controls for alleviating congestion include blocking the packets, providing an announcement to the call, re-routing the traffic associated with this specific mass calling event, and reducing the quality of the service.
US08315237B2

A system includes one or more wireless islands, one or more incident management applications, and one or more message management and routing (MMR) systems. Each MMR systems is configured to act as an intermediary for communication between one of the wireless islands and one or more of the incident management applications. One of the wireless islands includes a radio network. The radio network includes a plurality of remote sensor nodes (RSNs), and a gateway controller. An RSN of the plurality of RSNs is worn by ESS personnel, the gateway controller is mounted to an ESS vehicle, and the RSN is configured to wirelessly communicate with the gateway controller.
US08315235B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure propose a method for addressing MAC protocol data units which include MOB_PAG-ADV messages in an attempt to improve the success rate of decoding BS broadcast paging messages. For example, certain embodiments propose parsing and continuing to decode MPDUs with MOB_PAG-ADV messages although the corresponding CRC failed.
US08315233B2

Systems and methods of gathering WLAN packet samples to improve position estimates of WLAN positioning device. A device estimates the position of itself in response to gathering wireless signal information from WLAN access points (APs). The device includes a WLAN radio module for receiving WLAN signals transmitted by WLAN APs in range of said device, extraction logic for extracting information from said received WLAN signals to identify the WLAN APs, and logic to cooperate with a WLAN-based positioning system to estimate the position of the device based at least in part on the extracted information identifying the WLAN APs in the range of said device.
US08315230B2

A network support node which includes a local area network (LAN) interface and a cellular RF interface is provided. The LAN interface is configured to connect the network support node as a LAN node in a LAN. The cellular RF interface is configured to provide wireless communications over a wireless communication link with a base station of a cellular network, such that the network support node operates as a client end station with the base station. The network support node receives, from the LAN via the LAN interface, data of a communication session between a mobile communication device and another communication device. The network support node communicates with the mobile communication device, via the cellular RF interface over the wireless communication link with the base station, the data of the communication session.
US08315229B2

One method of wireless communication involves acknowledging that an anchor base station received a handover indication signal. Another method involves: receiving, from base stations of an active set, offset signals identifying a respective differences in time between a reference time and respective times when the base station received a ranging signal from a mobile station; and transmitting, to the mobile station, a ranging control signal in response to the respective offset signals. Another method involves transmitting, to a mobile station in response to an active set signal, a system configuration information signal including system configuration information of a base station in an active set. Another method involves determining an uplink control channel power parameter in response to channel condition signals received from base stations in an active set. Another method involves transmitting a control signal to base stations in an active set on respective control channels. Apparatuses are also disclosed.
US08315228B2

To handle a communication session at a wireless mobile communications device, after receiving an indication of current signal strength of an access point for a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) a signal strength threshold associated with the access point is retrieved. If the communication session is currently carried by a cellular network and the current signal strength exceeds the signal strength threshold, the communication session is switched from the cellular network to the WLAN. A metric is then adjusted based on timing of the switch relative to any switch of the communication session from the WLAN to the cellular network over a preceding time window associated with the access point. Based on the metric, the signal strength threshold associated with the access point is selectively adjusted. If, on the other hand, the communication session is currently carried by the WLAN and the current signal strength is below the signal strength threshold, an attempt is made to switch the communication session from the WLAN to the cellular network and a metric associated with the access point is adjusted based on whether or not the switch failed. Based on this second metric, the signal strength threshold associated with said access point is adjusted.
US08315227B2

A network architecture comprising at least one core network, each core network comprising a number of packet data gateway access supporting nodes GASNs handling mobile user station access over an access network, said core network(s) further providing access to one or more global packet data communication networks (IN), and one or more nodes holding subscriber or mobile user station related information. The GASNs are further adapted to support intercommunication over a mobility protocol interface to, at reception of a request for change of access type from a mobile user station, establish information about the previous GASN of the mobile user station, and to, using the established information, update an established communication context concerning the mobile user station or create a new communication context concerning the mobile user station such that mobility between different access network types is enabled for a mobile user station without interruption of an ongoing session.
US08315221B2

A wireless communication device configured for reducing feedback overhead for multiple component carriers is described. The wireless communication device includes a processor and instructions stored in memory. The wireless communication device receives signals on a plurality of component carriers and determines at least one feedback value based on the signals. The wireless communication device also generates at least one reduced overhead feedback message for the plurality of component carriers based on the at least one feedback value and sends the at least one reduced overhead feedback message.
US08315208B2

An apparatus and a method for detecting a femto Base Station (BS) of a Mobile Station (MS) in a wireless communication system including a macro BS and a femto BS are provided. The method includes receiving a request, from the macro BS, to monitor an UpLink (UL) signal of an MS permissible by the femto BS to access, and monitoring the UL signal of the MS permissible to access.
US08315198B2

A mobile provisioning tool system including a software provisioning tool application. The mobile provisioning tool system includes mobile devices capable of conducting wireless communication with wireless access points. A carrier network is connected with the wireless access points and a customer network that includes at least one business application. A provisioning tool application is located on a provisioning server. The provisioning tool application includes a CRM Rep component and an IT Admin component. A software provisioning tool application allows the provisioning workstation to automatically install mobile business services and configure network configuration settings on the mobile device.
US08315184B2

Systems and methods are provided for a two-way chat. In one aspect there is provided a system including a processor, which further includes a memory. The processor and memory provide a web client application. The system further includes a mobile wireless device and a centralized server. The centralized server provides a two-way chat between the web client application and the mobile wireless device.
US08315182B2

A method for reconfiguring a parameter of a medium access control layer for a mobile device of a wireless communication system includes, when a radio resource control dedicated signaling for reconfiguration of the parameter is received during activation of the parameter, starting to apply the reconfiguration of the parameter at next opportunity corresponding to the parameter.
US08315181B2

A method is disclosed for determining a mitigation strategy to limit a potential source of interference on an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) system. A new user installation request is received at a server in the IPTV system. A first geographical location of a customer premises associated with the new user installation request is received. A second geographical location of an amplitude modulation broadcasting facility is received. The first geographical location and the second geographical location are plotted. A first distance between the first geographical location and the second geographical location is determined. A first signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility is retrieved. A first mitigation strategy to limit a first interference of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility on an IPTV signal provided to the first geographical location when the first distance is less than the first threshold distance is determined.
US08315171B2

A method of managing a plurality of computing resources including obtaining a first load threshold and a second load threshold, obtaining a first load value and a second load value, comparing the first load threshold and the second load threshold with the first load value and the second load value, and changing an operating mode of a resource of the plurality of computing resources when both the first load threshold and the second load threshold are between the first load value and the second load value.
US08315169B2

An apparatus includes a checking functionality (CF) for processing data packets in a computer network that comprises a plurality of CFs. The CF includes an interface for communication with one or more source switches that route data packets to the CF for processing, a packet processing capability for processing the data packets, and logic for communicating data regarding the packet processing capability to the source switch through the interface.
US08315167B2

Apparatuses and methods for multiplexing of DS1 traffic across wired and wireless Ethernet devices. A transmitter sends data packets to a receiver through an Ethernet system. The transmitter includes a modeling module that constructs a modeled jitter buffer corresponding to a receiver jitter buffer located at the receiver. The transmitter also includes a packetizing buffer that collects data to form data packets, that inserts buffer pointers into the data packets, and that sends the data packets through the Ethernet system. A buffer pointer is determined from the modeled jitter buffer. The receiver includes an Ethernet interface module that obtains the data packets from the Ethernet system, a jitter buffer, and a depacketizer that reads a buffer pointer in the data packet and that places the data packet into a position within the receiver jitter buffer in accordance with the buffer pointer.
US08315165B2

Enhanced communication systems with various resiliency and survivability aspects are provided. Data center, cluster, network, and load balancer survivability are provided for seamless communication experience in case of data center, cluster, discovery infrastructure, or hardware load balancer failures. Call, data, and authentication survivability are provided through dynamic re-routing over alternative networks, continuous data replication, and alternative authentication mechanisms. Seamless failover is ensured through use of identical signaling protocols and data carried by protocols between primary and backup clusters. Voicemail resiliency is achieved by re-routing calls directed to voicemail over alternative paths such as PSTN connections.
US08315163B2

The present invention discloses a method for implementing load sharing among Access Points (AP), the method is applied in a wireless network including at least one Load Sharing Service (LSS), and each LSS includes at least two APs, the method includes: when receiving from a mobile Station (STA) an LSS message including information of at least one AP belonging to the same LSS and being available for the STA to access, by an AP: selecting at least one AP to be accessed by the STA from the at least one AP belonging to the same LSS and being available for the STA to access according to a predefined strategy for load sharing and load status of each AP belonging to the same LSS. The present invention further provides an AP and STA. The effect of load sharing among APs can be improved adopting the present invention.
US08315159B2

Optical By-Pass (OBP) links may be created by adding wavelengths between nodes on the network. The OBP may extend between any pair of nodes on the network. Intermediate nodes on the OBP are transient nodes and simply forward traffic optically. An OBP extends between a pair of nodes and, unlike express links, is created in such a manner that it does not affect the previous allocation of resources on the network. This enables capacity to be added between pairs of nodes on the network to alleviate congestion at a portion of the network, without changing other traffic patterns on the network. This enables inclusion of an OBP to be deterministic and of linear impact on the network. The OBP links may be statically provisioned or created on demand. Optionally, the OBP links may be crated to coincide with PBB-TE tunnels on the network.
US08315137B2

In a medium of the phase change type, a power ratio and modulation degree for use in recording are determined from a recommended pulse width value in the recommended write strategy parameters recorded in the optical disk, the recommended power ratio value, the recommended recording power value, and the characteristics of the optical recording device, and recording is carried out on the optical disk according to the power ratio value and modulation degree value thus determined. Optimal recording can be carried out even on an optical disk for which the optimal write strategy information has not been determined in advance, without the need to store write strategy information suitable for each and every optical disk.
US08315134B2

A disk has a plurality of recording layers in a laminated direction. When a defect occurs in any one of recording layers during disk manufacture, information about the defect is recorded in a read-only region in the recording layer. An optical disk apparatus determines which of the recording layers is usable based on the information about the defect read from the disk, and executes a recording/reproducing operation according to a determination result. Therefore, even when a disk with a defect in the recording layer is used, that disk may be offered to a user as an appropriately usable disk.
US08315129B1

A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head that allows even steeper magnetization reversal between adjacent magnetic domains of a magnetic recording medium and that satisfies the demands of high SN ratio and high recording density is provided. A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a pole that generates a writing magnetic field, a waveguide through which light for exciting surface plasmon propagates, and a plasmon generator that generates near-field light. The waveguide is arranged on a back side of the pole, the plasmon generator has a plane part and a projection part that is projected from the plane part to the waveguide side and that opposes the pole and the waveguide with a predetermined gap, and a projection part opposing surface that opposes the projection part in the pole is configured so as to be distant from the projection part as approaching toward the back side.
US08315120B2

A semiconductor memory device can include a first driver configured to generate a pair of first sense amplifier driving signals having an activation period at a predetermined level during command execution; and a second driver that can be configured to generate a pair of second sense amplifier driving signals for increasing a driving strength of a pair of sense amplifiers when logic values of a pair of bit lines are constant during the command execution and decreasing the driving strength of the pair of sense amplifiers when the logic values of the pair of bit lines change.
US08315114B2

Techniques pertaining the designs of memory controller are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a memory controller reduces delays in a data strobe signal of a DDR memory relative to a clock signal of a memory controller thereof. In one embodiment, the memory controller employs four IO ports, two inverters, six edge triggers and a multiplexer. By feeding back an inverted clock signal and utilizing the rising and filing edges of the clock signal, the delays in a data strobe signal of a DDR memory relative to a clock signal of a memory controller are considerably reduced or minimized.
US08315100B2

A memory array comprises a plurality of memory cells organized in a matrix of rows and columns. Each of the memory cells includes a high voltage access transistor, a floating gate memory transistor electrically connected to the access transistor, and a coupling capacitor electrically connected to the memory transistor. A first set of word lines are each electrically connected to the capacitor in each of the memory cells in a respective row. A second set of word lines are each electrically connected to the access transistor in each of the memory cells in a respective row. A first set of bit lines are each electrically connected to the access transistor in each of the memory cells in a respective column. A second set of bit lines are each electrically connected to the memory transistor in each of the memory cells in a respective column. Various combinations of voltages can be applied to the word lines and bit lines in operations to program, erase, read, or inhibit a logic state stored by the memory transistor in one or more of the memory cells.
US08315092B2

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for determining a read voltage threshold for solid-state storage media. A data set read module reads a data set from storage cells of solid-state storage media. The data set is originally stored in the storage cells with a known bias. A deviation module determines that a read bias for the data set deviates from the known bias. A direction module determines a direction of deviation for the data set. The direction of deviation is based on a difference between the read bias of the data set and the known bias. An adjustment module adjusts a read voltage threshold for the storage cells of the solid-state storage media based on the direction of deviation.
US08315090B2

A non-volatile memory array includes a plurality of word-lines and a plurality of columns. One of the columns further includes a bistable regenerative circuit coupled to a first, a second, a third, and a fourth signal lines. The column also includes a non-volatile memory cell having current carrying terminals coupled to the first and second signal lines and a control terminal coupled to one of the plurality of word-lines. The column further includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is coupled to the first terminal of the bistable regenerative circuit, and to a fifth signal line. The second transistor has a first current carrying terminal coupled to the second terminal of the bistable regenerative circuit, and a second current carrying terminal coupled to a sixth signal line. The gate terminals of the first and second transistors are coupled to a seventh signal line.
US08315077B2

[Object] The present invention provides a space vector modulation method for an AC-AC direct conversion device, which can convert input and output waveforms into sine waves and reduce the number of times of switching at an inter-sector shift.[Means to Solve] A vector state in which a line voltage of multi-phase AC output is expanded onto a two-phase static αβ coordinates is defined. Simple harmonic oscillation vector axes of a sector where an output voltage command value vector Vo* exists are defined as an X axis and a Y axis. Maximum/middle/minimum vectors in each axis, a zero vector that is an intermediate voltage of a phase voltage, and one rotation vector that is present in the sector, are set as base vectors. A switching selection pattern formed by a combination of four vectors among these vectors, which satisfies predetermined conditions, is determined by a selection means 15. On the basis of power source voltage information and output current information, an inverse matrix operation for the four vectors is executed by a duty operation means 14, and a duty solution of the four vectors is determined, then the input and output waveforms are simultaneously converted into the sine waves by the determined duties.
US08315074B2

The present abstract discloses a CMOS bandgap reference source circuit, comprising a startup circuit, a power-off control circuit, a reference voltage generating circuit and an operational amplifier. The positive and a negative input terminal of the operational amplifier both consist of two same field effect transistors and both are provided with an input controlled switch; by doing so, two field effect transistors in the positive terminal and two field effect transistors in the negative terminal work alternately between their strong inversion and cut-off region so as to drastically reduce the noises of the reference circuit, which results originally from the flicker noises of two input transistors of the operational amplifier.
US08315065B2

A multi-chip module (MCM) is described. This MCM includes at least two substrates that are remateably mechanically coupled by positive and negative features on facing surfaces of the substrates. These positive and negative features may mate and self-lock with each other. For example, the positive features on one of the surfaces may include pairs of counterposed micro-springs, and the negative features may include pits or grooves on the other surface. When the substrates are mechanically coupled, a given pair of positive features may provide a force in a plane of the other surface. Furthermore, by compressing the MCM so that the surfaces of the substrates are pushed toward each other, the mechanical coupling may be released.
US08315057B2

Disclosed is an embedded communication enclosure for housing and supporting communication devices and communication cables, comprising: an enclosure body; a cable connecting member, provided within said enclosure body to connect communication cables, where an input cable from the exterior of the enclosure body is connected to a plurality of distribution cables to be brought out of the enclosure body; and a first door connected with the enclosure body, for opening and closing the front of the enclosure body, said first door comprising a second door embedded therein to provide access to the cable connecting member; wherein said cable connecting member is arranged to correspond to said second door in such a manner that said cable connecting member is exposed to outside when said second door is opened. With the embedded communication enclosure, a two-stage stage operating interface is achieved, so that communication devices and cables housed in the embedded communication enclosure will not be undesirably influenced or accessed during frequently changing and maintaining terminal jumpers.
US08315054B2

A rack server center includes servers, an air conditioning system for bringing cooling air to the rack server, and an air exhaust system located outside the rack server. The air exhaust system includes an exhaust fan, branch pipes, controlling valves, and a main pipe. Each branch pipe is connected with a corresponding server via a corresponding controlling valve. The branch pipes are connected with an inlet of the exhaust fan. The main pipe is connected with an outlet of the exhaust fan. The exhaust fan is configured for exhausting heated air generated by the servers out of the rack server via the branch pipes. Each server is configured for controlling the amount of the heated air entering a corresponding branch pipe by controlling the controlling valve connected with the corresponding branch pipe.
US08315039B2

A surface-modified nano graphene platelet (NGP), comprising: (a) a nano graphene platelet having a thickness smaller than 10 nm; and (b) discrete, non-continuous, and non-metallic bumps or nodules bonded to a surface of the graphene platelet to serve as a spacer. When multiple surface-modified NGP sheets are stacked together to form an electrode, large numbers of electrolyte-accessible pores are formed, enabling the formation of large amounts of double layer charges in a supercapacitor, which exhibits an exceptionally high specific capacitance.
US08315031B2

The case mold type capacitor has a capacitor element, a pair of terminals, and molding resin. Each terminal of the pair is connected to a first electrode and a second electrode of the capacitor element, respectively. The capacitor element is embedded in the molding resin in a manner that a terminal section disposed at an end of each of terminals are partially exposed to outside. The molding resin has epoxy resin containing inorganic filler and a moisture absorbent mixed in the epoxy resin.
US08315020B2

A method for manufacturing a magneto-resistance effect element is provided. The magneto-resistance effect element includes a first magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material, a second magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material and a spacer layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the spacer layer having an insulating layer and a conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer. The method includes: forming a film to be a base material of the spacer layer; performing a first treatment using a gas including at least one of oxygen molecules, oxygen atoms, oxygen ions, oxygen plasma and oxygen radicals on the film; and performing a second treatment using a gas including at least one of hydrogen molecules, hydrogen atoms, hydrogen ions, hydrogen plasma, hydrogen radicals, deuterium molecules, deuterium atoms, deuterium ions, deuterium plasma and deuterium radicals on the film submitted to the first treatment.
US08315014B2

Provided are a perpendicular magnetic recording head and a method of manufacturing the same. The perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main pole including a pole tip applying a recording magnetic field to a recording medium, a coil surrounding the main pole in a solenoid shape such that recording magnetic field for recording information to a recording medium is generated at the pole tip, and a return yoke forming a magnetic path for the recording magnetic field together with the main pole and surrounding a portion of the coil passing above the main pole. The number of times that the coil passes above the main pole is smaller than the number of times that the coil passes below the main pole.
US08315012B2

A spindle motor for use in a disk drive apparatus includes stationary and rotating portions. The stationary portion includes a shaft including a thrust plate. A sleeve portion includes an axial end surface arranged opposite the thrust plate. A first seal member is arranged opposite the thrust plate on an opposite side with respect to the sleeve portion. The thrust plate preferably includes a plate communicating hole arranged to connect first and second thrust gaps defined, respectively, between the thrust plate and the sleeve portion and between the thrust plate and the first seal member. The sleeve portion preferably includes a sleeve communicating hole arranged to connect the first thrust gap with an opposite axial side thereof. A lubricant is arranged to fill a communicating channel extending from a first to a second capillary seal portion through the plate communicating hole and the sleeve communicating hole.
US08315004B2

A data recording apparatus recording data of a CD on an HDD in a manner such that the content of record in the CD is faithfully accounted for and shortening an operation time for a synchronized ripping operation. When the data recording apparatus reads, from the CD, track data managed by track, according to TOC, and records the track data onto the HDD, the data recording apparatus recognizes data unrecorded on the HDD, from among the track data recorded on the CD. This recognition process is automatically performed based on the TOC read from the CD, and album information replayed using the TOC and held by the HDD. The recording apparatus reproduces and outputs only the unrecorded data from the CD based on the recognition result concerning the unrecorded data. In this way, the data already recorded on the HDD is not transferred from the CD to the HDD. The operation time for the synchronized ripping operation is reduced accordingly.
US08315001B2

A lens barrel has a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group, a first support frame for supporting the first lens group, a second support frame for supporting the second lens group, a first driving unit, a shutter unit, and an aperture unit. The first lens group has an overall negative refractive power, and includes a prism. The second support frame is driven along a second optical axis by the first driving unit. The shutter unit has a shutter mechanism, a shutter drive motor configured to drive the shutter mechanism, a neutral density filter, and a filter drive motor configured to drive the neutral density filter. The shutter drive motor and the filter drive motor are disposed flanking the second optical axis when viewed in a direction along the second optical axis.
US08315000B2

Provided are a small image pickup lens which ensures a wide angle of view, permits various aberrations to be excellently corrected and is applicable to an image pickup element having a high pixel density, an image pickup apparatus using the image pickup lens, and a mobile terminal using the image pickup apparatus. The image pickup lens employs a structure which includes, in order from the object side, an aperture stop, a first lens with positive refractive power, a second lens with negative refractive power, a third lens with positive refractive power, and a fourth lens with negative refractive power, and the image pickup lens is designed to satisfy predetermined conditional expressions.
US08314997B2

A zoom lens barrel includes a fixed barrel, a guide barrel received in the fixed barrel, a cam barrel received in the fixed barrel and housing the guide barrel, a zoom barrel sandwiched between the guide barrel and the cam barrel, and a lens cover covering on the zoom barrel. The cam barrel includes a flange radially formed on an end close to the lens cover. The zoom barrel includes a ring portion protruding out from an end close to the fixed barrel. A step surface is formed between the outer side surface of the zoom barrel and that of the ring portion. When the zoom lens barrel is in an unfolded state, the step surface interferingly resists against a bottom surface of the flange, to limit an axial movement between the cam barrel and the zoom barrel.
US08314985B2

A high-speed optical modulator based on Surface Plasmon-Polariton (SPP) at the hetero-junction of a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) tunneling diode and including a phase-matching optical element, such as a prism or gold-lattice structure, is described. An investigation using the coupled mode theory shows that the applied bias across the hetero-junction changes the optical reflectance of an optically coupled MIS tunneling diode, such as a prism-coupled MIS tunneling diode or a gold lattice-coupled MIS tunneling diode, while the modulation efficiency achievable of the device depends on the thickness of the metal film used to construct the tunneling diode.
US08314984B2

An optical deflection device for a display application includes a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper surface region defining an upper surface plane. The optical deflection device also includes one or more electrode devices provided overlying the upper surface region and a hinge device including a silicon material and coupled to the upper surface region at a predetermined height above the upper surface plane. The optical deflection device further comprises a plurality of landing pads including a silicon material and coupled to the upper surface region at the predetermined height from the upper surface plane and a mirror structure. The mirror structure includes a post portion coupled to the hinge device and a mirror plate portion coupled to the post portion.
US08314983B2

A nonvolatile nano-electromechanical system device is provided and includes a cantilever structure, including a beam having an initial shape, which is supported at one end thereof by a supporting base and a beam deflector, including a phase change material (PCM), disposed on a portion of the beam in a non-slip condition with a material of the beam, the PCM taking one of an amorphous phase or a crystalline phase and deflecting the beam from the initial shape when taking the crystalline phase.
US08314974B2

An image reading apparatus to prevent reading quality from deteriorating when two reading units respectively read a first side and a second side of a document with different capabilities, and a method of controlling the same includes an automatic document feeder to feed a document, a first reading unit to read a first side of the document fed by the automatic document feeder, and a second reading unit to read a second side of the document fed by the automatic document feeder. A control unit to control an operation of the image reading apparatus determines at least one of the first reading unit and the second reading unit as a reference reading unit in a both-side reading mode in which both sides of the document are read and controls a transport speed of the document such that the document is transported at a speed to allow the reference reading unit to read the document.
US08314971B2

Image data including color separation data and gloss data of an image is input. The color separation data is quantized to generate a color signal. The gloss data of the image is quantized on the basis of the color signal and gloss data related to a recording medium, a color material, and a gloss control material to generate a gloss signal. An image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of the color signal and the gloss signal using the color material and the gloss control material.
US08314969B2

An image processing apparatus includes a processor and a storage device to store instructions which cause the processor to operate as a specially programmed processor. The processor executes a multi-application in which a plurality of applications is combined, each of the applications configured to input, process, and output image data; displays a screen including display areas to enter input- and output-setting items; displays a multi-application screen including a feedback display area; identifies, when a content of the input- and output-setting items is changed for one application of the applications, another application for which a content of the input- and output-setting items is changed by the setting change for the one application; identifies a difference before and after the change in the content of the input- and output-setting items of the another application; and switches a display of the feedback display area in accordance with the difference to setting-change-influence information.
US08314963B2

A printing information service system and a method of providing printing information, based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. The system and method retrieve a printing status of a user of a printer, locate the user from among users each having a RFID card by determining whether personal identification information stored in the RFID card of the user is acquired depending on a communicating distance between the RFID reader equipped in the printer and the RFID card of the user, and provide information by displaying the printing status of the user identified by the personal identification information, on the printer, when the personal identification information is acquired as a result of the determining. The system and method provide printing information to different locations of the user, and individually informs the print completion status, thus greatly improving the convenience of printing by the user.
US08314962B2

An operation control program controls a computer provided in an image forming apparatus to serve as: a service section which discriminates an operation of a service requested by a user, and constructs a job corresponding to the operation by selecting one or a plurality of job scenarios prepared in advance as constituting element of the job and using the selected job scenario; and a job performing section for executing sequentially a processing indicated by each job scenario constituting the job constructed by the service section.
US08314956B2

A printing system comprising: a terminal device; and a printing apparatus. The terminal device comprises: a job information generation unit for generating job information including identification information on a job issuer, and identification information with respect to the permitted recipient; and a job information transmission unit for transmitting the job information generated by the job information generation unit. The printing apparatus comprises: a permitted recipient information reception unit for receiving the identification information with respect to the permitted recipient; a job information reception unit for receiving the job information transmitted from the job information transmission unit; and a job execution unit for executing a printing process based on the job information including identification information with respect to a permitted recipient, which matches the identification information with respect to the permitted recipient received by the permitted recipient information reception unit, and outputting printed material related thereto.
US08314950B2

An approach is provided for using settings mismatch tolerance levels to handle mismatches between print job settings and printing device settings. A print driver generates a graphical user interface that allows a user to select a print settings mismatch tolerance level from a plurality of print settings mismatch tolerance levels. The print driver determines whether a mismatch exists between a set of print settings specified for the particular electronic document to be printed and a set of print settings specified for a printing device on which the particular electronic document is to be printed. If a mismatch exists, then the print driver performs one or more actions corresponding to the particular print settings mismatch tolerance level to address the mismatch.
US08314945B2

A communication device has a process unit, a network interface, a communication interface, an interface control unit, a device control unit, and a relay unit. The network interface communicates with a terminal device connected to a network. The communication interface communicates with a locally connected peripheral device. The interface control unit controls the communication interface and transmits control data to the peripheral device, the control data being for controlling the peripheral device. The device control unit generates the control data for the peripheral device in accordance with an instruction entered from the processing unit, and transmits the control data to the interface control unit. The relay unit extracts the control data for the peripheral device from a packet received by the network interface, and transmits the control data to the interface control unit.
US08314923B2

Systems and methods are provided to selectively measure one or more conditions, such as temperature, wind speed, and angle of inclination, that may assist a golfer in making a play. If it is not permissible to present to the golfer additional information (e.g., an adjusted distance, temperature, wind speed, or a suggested club) that may assist a golfer in making a play, only a line-of-sight distance to a target on a golf course may be displayed. Modular rangefinders are also provided in which a dongle is coupled to a rangefinder to provide unique functionality. For example, a TGR™ dongle may provide golf specific functionality, such as calculating an adjusted distance that the golfer may use to play an inclined shot and a TBR® dongle may provide hunting specific functionality, such as calculating an equivalent horizontal distance that a hunter may use for precise shooting on an incline.
US08314919B2

A liquid crystal display device 10 of the present invention includes a liquid crystal panel 11 and a lighting device 12. The liquid crystal panel 11 has a liquid crystal layer 50 between a pair of glass substrates 31 and 41. The lighting device 12 supplies illumination light to the liquid crystal panel 11. The glass substrate 31 at least has a colored portion including a nonbridging oxygen hole center in an area that can block light to luminance defect area X that is a possible cause of a luminance point defect.
US08314912B2

Provided is a liquid crystal display device including contact hole parts in a gate line driving circuit, and light shielding layers formed of a metal material on a color filter substrate, where an insulating film is formed so as to cover the light shielding layer of the color filter substrate in a region on the array substrate, the area being opposed to the contact hole parts.
US08314910B2

A display substrate includes a pixel electrode and a photoalignment film. The pixel electrode is disposed on a base substrate. The pixel electrode includes a first sub-electrode, a second sub-electrode separated from the first sub-electrode, and a micro-slit pattern disposed on at least one of the first and second sub-electrodes. The photoalignment film is disposed on the pixel electrode to respectively divide the first and second sub-electrodes into a plurality of domains.
US08314904B2

A pixel structure of a reflective display includes a first sub-pixel for reflecting a first color light, a second sub-pixel for reflecting a second color light, and a third sub-pixel for reflecting a third color light. The first color light, the second color light, and the third color light have different colors. The second sub-pixel and the third sub-pixel are aligned side by side and arranged on the same side of the first sub-pixel. A position of the first sub-pixel is corresponding to positions of the second sub-pixel and the third sub-pixel. A pixel area of the first sub-pixel is greater than that of the second sub-pixel, and is greater than that of the third sub-pixel.
US08314896B1

The pivoting remotely controlled television holder apparatus provides for improved television viewing whether fitted with a flat screen television in one embodiment or a CTR television in an alternate embodiment. The pivoting remotely controlled television holder apparatus pivots a flat screen television in the vertical plane. The apparatus also pivots a television in the horizontal plane. The apparatus further raises and lowers a television. These pivoting, raising, and lowering functions are performed remotely via the remote. The alternate embodiment of the apparatus is suitable for a CTR television and offers side to side movement whereby the television is taken through an arc to pivot the viewing screen in the horizontal plane.
US08314895B2

An image display system attached to a ceiling of a vehicle includes a main body, attached to the ceiling, having a first housing recess and a second housing recess which is positioned further backward than the first housing recess in a length of the vehicle; a rotatable monitor portion having a display screen, wherein a contained state in which the display screen is contained in the first housing recess and an unfolded state in which the display screen protrudes from the first housing recess are switchable by rotating the display screen, and the display screen is oriented toward a back seat of the vehicle in the unfolded state; and a controller having an operation-face for controlling operation of the image display system, wherein the controller is detachably contained in the second housing recess in a manner such that the operation face is positioned facing downward.
US08314894B2

In the usage of table projection of a projection type display, depending upon a sitting position of a participant of a conference, the participant views an image projected upon a table as an inversion image turned upside down, resulting in poor visual recognition. In order to improve visual recognition, images are rotated, synthesized and displayed in accordance with the viewing direction of each participant. More specifically, the projection type display is provided with a two-image synthesizing unit for synthesizing two images obtained by processing an input image by two image rotation units for rotating the input image by a first angle and a second angle different from the first angle, into one image on a screen. The projection type display is also provided with an image rotation unit and an image inversion unit for two-image display on a screen.
US08314890B2

In an image processing apparatus, a min-max pixel difference value computing unit computes the difference between the maximum and minimum pixel values in a first image portion including a target pixel and neighbor pixels. A maximum adjacent pixel difference value computing unit computes the maximum value among the difference values between adjacent pixels in the first image portion. An image change feature value computing unit computes a feature value corresponding to the suddenness of image change in the first image portion. A filter coefficient computing unit computes filter coefficients. A sharpen filter accepts, as input, pixels forming a second image portion including the same target pixel as the first image portion and neighbor pixels, and computes an output pixel value for the target pixel.
US08314885B2

An image-clock adjusting circuit is provided and includes a phase comparator, a clock controller, and a timing generator. The phase comparator receives a power source signal and a vertical synchronous signal and compares a phase of the power source signal with that of the first vertical synchronous signal for producing at least a phase comparison signal. The clock controller receives the phase comparison signal and the vertical synchronous signal, produces a pixel clock signal and intermittently adjusts a clock width of the pixel clock signal. The timing generator receives the pixel clock signal and adjusts the vertical synchronous signal into an adjusted vertical synchronous signal being nearly in phase with the power source signal. Therefore, The effect suppressing the phenomenon of the color rolling with the simpler circuit is accomplished.
US08314884B2

An adaptive blending MCI method and device thereof are disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention. The adaptive blending MCI method uses adjacent four motion vectors to get the corresponding pixels, and uses linear interpolation equation to blend four pixels to reduce block artifacts. The method uses adaptive weighting coefficient to favor reliable motion vector to avoid bad motion vector degrade image quality.
US08314883B2

A mobile communication station including a camera and having a grip for being gripped by a user during use of the communication station, the grip having a first compact configuration and a second configuration in which the grip is expanded relative to the first configuration to improve the grip of the user on the communication station when the grip is in the second expanded configuration.
US08314878B2

An image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup substrate on which an image pickup device is mounted on an object side; an optical unit having a lens for imaging an object light on the image pickup device; a blade member adjusting an amount of the object light entering into the lens; a drive unit having a motor driving the blade member; and a motor substrate supplying the motor with a drive power. The optical unit is provided in the image pickup substrate. The drive unit is provided in the optical unit so as to be spaced apart from the image pickup substrate. The motor substrate is provided in the drive unit so as to face the image pickup substrate. The conductive member electrically connecting the image pickup substrate with the motor substrate is disposed between the image pickup substrate and the motor substrate.
US08314877B2

A lens barrel includes: at least one lens group which constitutes an imaging optical system; a lens frame which retains the at least one lens group; and a retaining frame which retains the lens frame, the at least one lens group being capable of moving from a collapse position to a photographable position, at least one cam member being arranged between the lens frame and the retaining frame, and tilt of the lens frame relative to the retaining frame being changed by moving the at least one cam member.
US08314868B2

A solid state imaging device includes: an AD conversion section having a comparing section, which receives a reference signal from a predetermined reference signal generating section and which compares the reference signal with an analog signal to be processed, and a counter section, which receives a count clock for AD conversion and performs a count operation on the basis of a comparison result of the comparing section, and acquiring digital data of the signal on the basis of output data of the counter section; a count operation period control section controlling an operation period of the counter section on the basis of the comparison result; and a driving control section controlling the reference signal generating section and the AD conversion section such that for the signal to be processed, data of upper N−M bits is acquired in first processing and data of lower M bits is acquired in second processing.
US08314864B2

A horizontal evaluation data generation section calculates an average value of pixel signals in a vertical optical black region based on given pixel data in the horizontal optical black region and outputs the calculated average value to an evaluation section. A vertical evaluation data generation section calculates an average value of pixel signals in a vertical optical black region based on given pixel data in the vertical optical black region and outputs the calculated average value to the evaluation section. The evaluation section outputs a gain value according to the difference between the two sent average values to a computing section. A smear information memory stores pixel signals in a line in the vertical optical black region. The computing section multiplies the pixel data stored in the smear information memory by the sent gain value, and subtracts the multiplied pixel data from the pixel data imaged by the CCD.
US08314861B2

Multiple capture assist marks (markers for capture assistance) to be synthesized with video captured by a camera unit 10 is generated by an OSD unit 20 through the control of a control unit 100. These capture assist marks are synthesized with the video from the camera unit 10 by synthesis means and displayed. In this case, an operation unit 110 is used to accept input of an instruction about the capture assist mark from a user. Based on this instruction input, the control unit 100 controls the OSD unit 20 and a baseband processing unit 30 to synthesize the capture assist mark corresponding to the instruction with a video signal from the camera unit 10.
US08314860B2

A recording media control apparatus is disclosed which includes: a host interface configured to connect recording media to a recording media unit, the recording media being subject to the writing and reading of data thereto and therefrom, the recording media unit incorporating an internal temperature sensor; an access request section configured to make either a data write request or a data read request to the recording media unit; a temperature status determination section configured to request temperature acquisition from the recording media unit in a predetermined cycle and, based on the acquired temperature, to determine temperature status of the recording media; and an access control section configured to transmit a command to the recording media unit via the host interface in response to an access request from the access request section and the temperature acquisition request from the temperature status determination section.
US08314854B2

Disclosed is an apparatus for photographing an image using a digital camera capable of providing a preview image, including: an image sensor for capturing an image of a subject; a first image signal processor for processing at least one captured image as a sequent image in order to display the captured image as a preview image on a display window and detecting a face area from the captured image; a buffer for storing the image including at least one detected face area; a capture button for capturing a still image during outputting the sequent image as the preview image on the display window; a second image signal processor for processing the captured still image using the capture button; a controller for controlling to store the captured still image and information related on the face area detected from the first image signal processor prior to the input of the capture button; and a memory for storing the processed still image together with the information related on the detected face area.
US08314834B2

An endoscope device including an insertion part including an observation optical system and a measuring optical system, wherein the endoscope device is provided with a characteristic value comparing circuit which compares previous characteristic values and current characteristic values to identify previous characteristic values corresponding to the current characteristic values, and when storing the current characteristic values, current characteristic values corresponding to the previous characteristic values, identified by the characteristic value comparing circuit, are stored in a storage circuit together with various information. According to the invention, for inspecting turbine blades of jet engines, automation (labor-saving) of the inspection process by reducing the number of the inspection steps is realized and the difficulty in the inspection of analysis areas is eliminated.
US08314829B2

Architecture for exploiting satellite microphones and employing other techniques of conference room camera/microphone systems to significantly improve the true positive rate (reduce false positives) in sound source localization (SSL). Techniques for realizing the improvement include using an LED emitter to determine the precise location of the satellite microphones on a table, using the base SSL and external sounds to determine the approximate location of the satellite microphone on the table, using the satellite microphone phase to improve the SSL performance, using the satellite microphone amplitude to improve the active speaker detector (ASD) performance, and using the satellite microphones to estimate camera zoom.
US08314821B2

A method of controlling thermal printing based upon print density. The method includes receiving pre-formatted data representing information to be printed on two sides of a thermal print media from a computer by a processor of a thermal printer, analyzing the pre-formatted data by the thermal printer to determine different types of data to be printed with different print densities by the processor, determining an average print density of the different print densities by the processor, determining that the average print density is greater than a predetermined average print density by the processor, determining a power level required to print the data, and directing first and second thermal print heads to print the data based upon the required power level by the processor.
US08314813B1

A system includes a memory, a specialized processing unit and a processor. The processor receives data from a user and creates a first set of objects in a first structure based on the data. The system further creates, contemporaneously with the creation of the first set of objects and based on the first set of objects in the first structure, a second set of objects in a second structure, where the second set of objects is optimized for use by the specialized processing unit, and stores the first and second sets of objects in the memory. The specialized processing unit executes an algorithm based on the second set of objects.
US08314807B2

In an embodiment, a memory controller includes multiple ports. Each port may be dedicated to a different type of traffic. In an embodiment, quality of service (QoS) parameters may be defined for the traffic types, and different traffic types may have different QoS parameter definitions. The memory controller may be configured to schedule operations received on the different ports based on the QoS parameters. In an embodiment, the memory controller may support upgrade of the QoS parameters when subsequent operations are received that have higher QoS parameters, via sideband request, and/or via aging of operations. In an embodiment, the memory controller is configured to reduce emphasis on QoS parameters and increase emphasis on memory bandwidth optimization as operations flow through the memory controller pipeline.
US08314806B2

A controller is described that includes wiring to transport notification that a FIFO that holds data to be used to display content on a display has reached a threshold. The controller also includes first control circuitry to turn on a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit to cause logic circuitry within the controller downstream from the PLL to begin to receive a first clock in response to the notification. The logic circuitry is to transport data read from a memory toward the FIFO. The controller also includes second control circuitry to cause the memory to use a second clock provided by the controller in response to the notification.
US08314799B2

An enhanced motion behavior framework, in which an input is received from a user corresponding to an object to be animated and one or more animation parameters to be applied to the object, the one or more animation parameters are applied to the object, and an animation of the object is displayed based on the application of the one or more parameters to the object.
US08314782B2

Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including a display section; a light radiating section; a plurality of light converging lenses; and a plurality of light receiving devices, wherein the display section includes pixel areas each used for creating a pixel section, and sensor areas each used for creating one of the light receiving devices; the light radiating section outputs light and radiates the output light to the display section from a particular-side surface of the display section; each of the light converging lenses is created in one of the sensor areas each located in the display section and converges light generated by the light radiating section on a focal point inside the display section, passing on the converged light to the other-side surface of the display section; and each of the light receiving devices is created in one of the sensor areas to serve as a device for receiving light which arrives at the other-side surface of the display section as light reflected by a subject of detection.
US08314772B1

A computer mouse including a base and rotatably coupled controller that permits only circular arc motions where only two radii of curvature are permitted and the radii differ in length. Hand translation is prevented by the device. A contoured hand engaging surface on the controller includes a raised palm seat with a spiral hand seat around the palm seat. Ergonomically-configured selectors are described. The hand motions permitted by the mouse are constrained by a toroidal shape at the interface between a base and a rotatably-movable controller. Selectors include one or more one finger activated keys mechanically linked to an internal electrical selector switch. A thumbwheel selector is also located in the controller.
US08314763B2

A display device includes; a panel, a timing controller generating an embedded clock data signal combining image data and a clock signal, and a column driver driving the panel in response to the embedded clock data signal. The data bits within the embedded clock data signal are communicated at one of three voltage levels in a three-level signaling scheme, and the timing controller determines one of the three voltage levels for a current data bit (DIN[n]) within the embedded clock data signal in relation to a voltage level of a previous data bit (DIN[n−1]) within the embedded clock data signal.
US08314762B2

A LCD device adapted to reduce data lines and prevent the deterioration of picture quality characteristics. The LCD device includes: a substrate defined into a plurality of pixels; a plurality of data lines arranged in a first direction on the substrate to divide the pixels in twos; a plurality of gate lines arranged on the substrate in a second direction crossing the first direction; thin film transistors each disposed on the pixels to be electrically connected to the respective gate lines and data lines; pixel electrodes each disposed on the pixels, to be electrically connected to the respective thin film transistors; and compensation electrodes each overlapped with the pixel electrodes adjacent to the respective gate lines in the center of an insulation film, to reduce parasitic capacitances between the pixel electrodes and the gate lines.
US08314751B2

A dual-display electronic device includes a housing, a first type of display panel mounted on the housing, and a second type of display unit received in the housing. The housing defines a receiving space therein and an opening communicating with the receiving space. The second type of display unit is slidably received in the receiving space and includes an second type of display panel. A first magnet is mounted on the second type of display unit, a second magnet and an electromagnet are mounted on the housing respectively. When the electromagnet is powered off, the second magnet attracts the first magnet to keep the second type of display panel hiding in the receiving space. When the electromagnet is powered on, the electromagnet attracts the first magnet to make the second type of display panel slide out of the receiving space.
US08314749B2

A wireless device having vertically and horizontally polarized antenna arrays can operate at multiple frequencies concurrently. A horizontally polarized antenna array allows for the efficient distribution of RF energy in dual bands using, for example, selectable antenna elements, reflectors and/or directors that create and influence a particular radiation pattern. A vertically polarized array can provide a high-gain dual band wireless environment using reflectors and directors as well. The polarized horizontal antenna arrays and polarized vertical antenna arrays can operate concurrently to provide dual band operation simultaneously.
US08314747B2

A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and circuit board carried by the housing and having RF circuitry comprising at least one RF component and plurality of other components mounted on the circuit board. An RF metal shield is secured to the circuit board and surrounds and isolates the at least one RF component and plurality of other components within the RF metal shield. An RF absorber is positioned adjacent an area of the RF component that radiates energy to aid in reducing energy radiated from the RF component into the RF metal shield.
US08314732B2

A method of classifying items from reflected signals returned from said items is disclosed, the method comprising: processing said return signals to discriminate between a first set of signals indicative of items of interest and a further set of signals indicative of clutter; identifying items from said first set of signals and classifying them as a first class of item; processing said further set of signals to identify a second set of signals indicative of further items of interest; identifying items from said second set of signals and classifying them as a second class of item.
US08314722B2

The invention refers to a new keyboard based in a polymeric, copolymeric or composite film (11) with piezo- and pyroelectric properties capable of receiving a tactile signal and giving a respond in the form of an electrical signal. The system described in this invention includes one or more keys (10), being each one of them made by a piezoelectric film (11) with electric conductive contacts, transparent or not, above and below the piezoelectric film and with the inferior layer of grounded electrodes (13). The present invention allows the use of just one piezoelectric film (11) without external power supply, the use of electrode connections which form the keys (10) that converge in one side of the keyboard and are available in the spots (12) to make the connection to the active filter circuits instead of amplifiers in the electronic readout, as well as the possibility of introduction of new functionalities in these keyboards identical to the ones of tactile sensors, upon distinction between a pyroelectric and a piezoelectric signal from a particular key, differing the signals generated by pressure variation or by temperature variation.
US08314720B2

Provided is a method and a terminal for executing a function of a terminal according to data transmitted and received through a human body, which includes detecting a touch in a human body communication signal input unit, wherein the human body communication signal input unit is in a human body communication key mode; determining a number detected touches and determining a number pulse signals transmitted during a time in which the touch is maintained when the touch is detected; and executing a function corresponding to the human body communication signal.
US08314712B2

An apparatus is disclosed for facilitating spoilage detection in bulk grain storage bins via dust-free or substantially dust-free air sampling. Dust particles are passively removed from sampled air without the use of barrier filters or electrostatic screens, but instead through the use of a non-linear pathway that is open at one end and closed at the other end. A system is disclosed that incorporates a coiled pathway as an air inlet element combined with a carbon dioxide or other gas detector element to provide an integrated detector module suitable for permanent installation in a dusty bulk grain storage bin environment to provide spoilage gas measurements over time. The system may communicate data to a central data storage system via cellular telephone or long range radio frequency data transmission. Alerts and alarms are generated and transmitted electronically to users via email, SMS text, automated phone messages and other means.
US08314710B2

The present invention relates to a system for determining particle transmittance Tx of a filter for use with a particle detection system to provide a filter warning for aspirated particle detection systems by detecting a level of first particles having a size indicative of smoke particles and which pass through the detection system; determining an integrated smoke hours value by integrating the detected level of first particles over time; estimating the smoke particle transmittance Tx of the filter by applying a predetermined weighting operation to the integrated smoke hours value. An empirical measure of a filter's particle transmittance Tx, due to at least first particles having a size indicative of smoke particles may be achieved by way of integrating a level of such first particles passing through a particle detection system over time to determine the proportion of smoke particles arrested by a filter, “integrated smoke hours”. The “integrated smoke hours” value is, generally, a measure of cumulative filter blockage over time by smoke like particles and is a measure of a given amount of ambient smoke detected and recorded by a smoke detector system and integrated over the time of exposure of the smoke detector system to the ambient smoke. Using this method it is not necessary to infer the actual “filter load” per-se or, the actual particle mass trapped in the filter.
US08314706B2

A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based identification device can comprise first and second RFID antennas. When first and second RFID antennas are in a first arrangement, the resonant frequencies of the antennas can be away from an interrogation frequency such that no identification information is transferred. When the first and second RFID antennas are in a second arrangement, the resonant frequency of the identification device shifts such that identification information, including biometric data, is transferred.
US08314701B2

The invention relates to a method for the traceability of plants after field planting and during the whole productive and commercial cycle, by means of the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Tags technology, comprising: 1) marking of the plants by the grafting of radio-frequency microchips containing information relating to the plant it-self, directly in the trunk or other parts of the plant or by means of external systems; 2) handling and display of the traceability data by means of a suitable software system.
US08314699B2

Methods, systems and other embodiments associated with charging merchandise items are presented. A method of charging merchandise items includes displaying merchandise items at a consumer display so that the merchandise items can be handled by a consumer. A first powers supply charges a portion of the display that does not include the merchandise items and a second power supply charges the merchandise items. The merchandise items are charged at the display on a multiplexed basis. An alarm is generated if the first power supply or the second power supply looses power but not if the first and second power supply loose power.
US08314697B2

An alarm device includes a first detecting unit and a controlling unit. The first detecting unit has an isolating circuit, a first enabling circuit, a second enabling circuit and an output circuit. The isolating circuit generates an adjusting signal according to an input signal. The first enabling circuit generates a first enabling signal according to the adjusting signal. The second enabling circuit generates a second enabling signal according to the first enabling signal. The output circuit outputs a first detecting signal according to the second enabling signal. The controlling unit outputs a control signal according to the first detecting signal. The control signal controls an electronic device to operate under a standby mode when the first detecting signal refers to an abnormal status.
US08314696B2

There is provided a baby monitoring system comprising a baby unit and a parent unit, the baby unit being for use in the vicinity of a baby or child, the baby unit detecting noise and transmitting a corresponding stream of audio samples to the parent unit, the parent unit comprising a visual indicator; and a processor for analyzing the stream of audio samples to determine a noise history and for providing a first control signal to the visual indicator such that the visual indicator provides a visual indication of the noise history.
US08314692B2

A speedometer displays a numeric representation of the speed of a vehicle, and further displays an indicator above the numeric representation to indicate the speed of the vehicle is above an established speed limit, or displays the indicator below the numeric representation to indicate the speed of the vehicle is below the established speed limit. The chromaticity of the indicator may be varied in relation to a magnitude of a speed differential between the speed of the vehicle and the speed limit to visually and intuitively indicate to an operator of the vehicle the magnitude of the speed differential.
US08314681B2

A system and method are disclosed for using a single key to authenticate a user with respect to multiple user access points and to allow a single access point to authenticate multiple keys having different physical characteristics. The system may comprise an access control system that includes an insertion receptacle for receiving a physical key, and a translation device for observing the physical characteristics of the key and translating those characteristics into electrical signals. In a learning mode, the electrical signals are transmitted to a processor and stored in memory. In a verification mode, the electrical signals are transmitted to the processor and compared with the previously-stored signals. If the processor concludes that the signals match the signals stored in memory, then the processor instructs a lock actuation mechanism to actuate an access control device to allow the user access to a location. The translation device may comprise a laser light reader, a piezoelectric crystal, a variable resistor, an electromagnet, or an image acquisition device. A method of using the system is also disclosed.
US08314679B2

A monitoring system includes a controller, a number of input devices, a number of digital sensors, a number of analog sensors, and a number of alarms. Each input device comprises a switching circuit, an input circuit, and a connector. The connector is connected to a digital sensor or connected to an analog sensor and a first power source in series. The controller controls the switching circuit of the input device to receive a digital signal of the digital sensor or an analog signal of the analog sensor and output a corresponding detection signal. The input circuit transmits the detection signal to the controller. The controller controls the corresponding alarm to work according to the detection signal.
US08314672B2

A magnetic attachment system for attaching a first object to a second object. A first magnet structure is attached to the first object and a second magnet structure is attached to the second object. The first and second objects are attached by virtue of the magnetic attraction between the first magnet structure and second magnet structure. The magnet structures comprise magnetic elements arranged in accordance with patterns based on various codes. In one embodiment, the code has certain autocorrelation properties. In further embodiments the specific type of code is specified. In a further embodiment, an attachment and a release configuration may be achieved by a simple movement of the magnet structures. In a further embodiment, the magnetic field structure may comprise multiple structures based on multiple codes.
US08314671B2

A key system for enabling operation of a device. The key system is based on magnets arranged according to one or more codes. The codes may act as a unique identifier or key, requiring a matching part to operate the device. Thus, the code can act like a key that will only achieve lock when matched with a like (complementary) pattern. The codes may be from a set of codes having low cross correlation among codes in the set, for example Kasami codes or Gold codes.
US08314670B2

A mechanical switching device including a base member, at least one pair of elongated conductor members mounted on the base member, each conductor member with a conductor end, wherein the conductor ends of the pair of conductor members are separated by a gap, a middle member mounted on the base member, a switch member adapted to establish and disestablish an electrical connection between the conductor ends of the pair of conductor members. Each of the conductor members includes an opening in which a respective protruding part is received. The protruding parts are provided on and extend from the middle member so that the conductor members are electrically isolated and protected from the surrounding environment around the device.
US08314664B2

The present invention relates to a power coupler for hyperfrequency signals. The single-section coupler with microstrip lines comprises a dielectric substrate, a main line and a secondary line comprising a coupling section, the lines being deposited on the substrate, the main line being substantially rectilinear and uniform over its entire length, the coupling section comprising a protuberance at each of its ends, the protuberances being interlinked by a portion of conductive line of which the section, the shape and the disposition are adapted to minimize the coupling between said portion and the main line relative to the coupling made between the protuberances and the main line. The invention applies notably to the measurement of the power of a signal passing through a transmission line.
US08314663B2

A directional coupler that has a degree of coupling that is close to constant and is to be used in a predetermined frequency band includes a main line between a first outer electrode and a second outer electrode. A sub-line is provided between a third outer electrode and a fourth outer electrode and is electromagnetically coupled with the main line. A low pass filter is provided between the third outer electrode and the sub-line and has a characteristic in which attenuation increases with increasing frequency in a predetermined frequency band.
US08314658B2

A power amplifier comprises a plurality of primary inductors provided on a substrate in a circular geometry as a whole; a plurality of amplifier pairs; a secondary inductor; and a connection wiring. Each amplifier pair is coupled to two ends of a corresponding primary inductor, and amplifies and output to the corresponding primary inductor a pair of first and second signals given as differential input signals, respectively. The secondary inductor is provided adjacent to the primary inductors in a circular geometry, further combines and outputs signals made by combining first and second signals in each primary inductor. The connection wiring is provided inside the primary inductors on the substrate and electrically couples middle points of respective primary inductors with each other.
US08314656B2

Coefficients W0, W1 and W2 to be used in finding a new quadratic function f2(W) indicating dependence of a distortion component on an coefficient by the least square method are obtained as values that satisfy a relational expression f1(W0)=f1(W2)=f1(W1)+P (where P is a true value) on the basis of a quadratic function f1(W) indicating unupdated distortion component coefficient dependence.
US08314653B1

The present disclosure relates to a first active tunable low-noise RF bandpass filter that includes at least a first transistor element and a tunable frequency selective degeneration circuit coupled to a first non-inverting output of the first transistor element. The first active tunable low-noise RF bandpass filter combines low noise amplifier (LNA) and tunable bandpass filter functionalities into a single active RF bandpass filter. The tunable frequency selective degeneration circuit uses degeneration at frequencies outside of a passband of the active RF bandpass filter to increase feedback, thereby decreasing gain of the active RF bandpass filter. By decreasing the gain, linearity of the active RF bandpass filter may be improved in the presence of strong interfering RF signals, thereby enabling elimination of passive bandpass filter elements, such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters, without degrading reception of in-band RF signals.
US08314648B2

An embodiment of the present invention provides a power supply circuit including a charge-pumping booster section which uses switching elements provided only by N-channel transistors yet does not have a problem of voltage drop by threshold value. When a boosted voltage is obtained at a first terminal of a first capacitor in a booster section, a booster control section supplies this boosted voltage to a third capacitor, to boost the voltage further thereby turning ON a first transistor. When a boosted voltage is obtained at a first terminal of a second capacitor in the booster section, the booster control section supplies this boosted voltage to a fourth capacitor, to boost the voltage further thereby turning ON a second transistor. This arrangement eliminates a problem of voltage drop by threshold value in the first and the second transistors which serve as output-side switching elements.
US08314642B2

A rising edge or a falling edge is finely adjusted, or a dead time and a period are adjusted with high accuracy. A waveform processing circuit includes: an integration circuit 11 receiving a rectangular or substantially-rectangular pulse and outputting a gradually increasing or decreasing signal obtained by integrating the pulse signal; a reference signal output circuit 12 outputting a constant value or a varying value as a reference signal; and a comparison circuit 13 comparing the output of the integration circuit with the output of the reference signal output circuit and outputting a pulse rising or falling at a timing when the difference between the outputs varies.
US08314623B2

A system includes a first module, a second module, and a third module. The first module determines a first temperature and a first power dissipation value of a thermistor based on a resistance of a first resistor connected in series with the thermistor. The second module, after disconnecting the first resistor and connecting a second resistor in series with the thermistor, determines a second temperature and a second power dissipation value of the thermistor based on a resistance of the second resistor. The third module determines a thermal dissipation factor based on the first and second temperatures and the first and second power dissipation values, and corrects temperature sensed by the thermistor based on the thermal dissipation factor.
US08314622B2

A detection membrane (11) is joined to a first surface (10a) of an electrolyte membrane (10), and hydrogen gas is supplied to a second surface (10b) thereof. If the electrolyte membrane has a defect (10c), hydrogen gas leaks to the first surface, resulting in a change in electric resistance of the detection membrane near the defect. The defect is recognized by this change. FA hydrogen electrode (14) is joined to the second surface, and an electric circuit (17) is connected between the detection membrane and the hydrogen electrode. Hydrogen gas supplied to a space facing the hydrogen electrode is ionized at the hydrogen electrode, and hydrogen ions permeates through the electrolyte membrane and hydrogenates the detection membrane. Whether or not hydrogen ion conductivity is uniform is examined by measuring electric resistance of the detection membrane, which varies depending on the amount of hydrogen ions, for each of regions.
US08314616B2

In a magnetic resonance method and apparatus for determining a magnetization transfer constant a first MR signal sequence is acquired from an object being examined using a spin echo based imaging sequence, a second MR signal sequence is acquired from the object being examined using a spin echo based imaging sequence having basically identical imaging parameters to the first MR signal sequence, with the exception that the energy level of the RF pulses for exciting the magnetization in the first MR signal sequence and the energy level of the RF pulses for exciting the magnetization in the second MR signal sequence are different. The magnetization transfer constant is determined based on the signal differences between the first and second MR signal sequences.
US08314613B2

Disclosed are an electrochemical biosensor which comprises a production lot information identification portion, on which information is recorded in a magnetization mark, and a measuring device which can automatically identify the production lot information of the biosensor with the insertion of the electrochemical biosensor into the measuring device. The electrochemical biosensor and the measuring device thereof can record production lot information in the form of magnetization marks on an electrochemical biosensor strip and read the information as digital signals through a magnetoresistance sensor device, which can be mounted on the surface of a circuit board using Surface Mounted Technology (SMT). Without the need for a high-priced filter or a complicated calculation system, the magnetic detector system has a simple construction and realizes economic efficiency in the construction of the measuring device. Also, the measuring device automatically identifies the production lot information recorded on the biosensor, so that inconvenience and the frequency of errors, which occur when a user personally inputs the production lot information, can be reduced, with the result that the measured values can be conveniently and accurately acquired.
US08314597B2

A load driving apparatus is provided. The load driving apparatus is configured to output an electrical signal to a load. The load driving apparatus includes a driver and an average voltage/current detector. The driver receives an input voltage and a control signal. The driver tunes the electrical signal according to the control signal. The average voltage/current detector receives the electrical signal outputted to the load and generates the control signal by comparing the electrical signal and a reference signal.
US08314592B2

An energy storage unit has several storage elements (2, 2′) which are switched in series and a charge redistribution circuit (6, 6′). The latter is installed in such a manner that the voltage of the storage element (UELn, UEln′) is measured and compared with a voltage threshold value (UTHRn, UTHR, UTHRn′, UTHR′). When the threshold value is exceeded by a storage element, it removes charge from said storage element, thus reducing its voltage. According to one aspect, a storage-related temperature determination is conducted, and the threshold value is set variably in dependence on the determined temperature (Tn, T) in such a manner that it is reduced as the temperature increases. According to a further aspect, the threshold value is set variably in dependence on the current vehicle operating state, in such a manner that it is set higher for relatively brief periods of time when the storage or removal requirement is relatively high. According to an additional further aspect, the threshold value is set lower for storage elements with a relatively advanced age than for those with a less advanced age.
US08314591B2

A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.
US08314585B2

A servo system is provided for controlling movement of a flexible structure having multiple masses and elements. Each element couples a respective two of the masses and functions as a spring when the flexible structure is subject to a linear or rotational input at or above a frequency at which the respective element exhibits flexure. The servo system includes multiple sensors, where each sensor is disposed relative to a respective one of the masses to sense a respective acceleration. A motor having a torque input may operatively be configured to output one of a linear or rotational force on the first mass based on a torque signal present on the torque input. A servo controller that receives each sensed acceleration from each sensor may generate a compensation feedback signal based on a sum of sensed accelerations. The torque signal may be output to the motor based on the compensation feedback signal.
US08314584B2

The invention relates to a motor arrangement, in particular for use in an electronic steering system, comprising a polyphase motor (1) in a motor housing (10); a housing element (14), which forms a part of the motor housing (10); an electronic isolating relay module (2, 40) in order to switch one or more motor phases such that their current does not flow in the event of a fault; wherein the isolating relay module (2, 40) is arranged in the housing interior on one side of the housing element (14).
US08314580B2

A DC-motor (46) actuates a highly-reduced reduction gear of an actuating drive for a flap or valve in order to regulate a gas or liquid volume flow, particularly for heating/ventilation/climatization, or fire or room protection. Current flow in the stator coils (A, B, C) is commutated in a program-controlled manner without integrated position sensors. Algorithms enable counting rotations of rotor (54) of the DC-motor (46). Problems related to the principle of motor rotation speed at low rpm are prevented. The DC-motor (46) includes a stator (44) having three stator coils (A, B, C) which extend over 3n stator poles (52), and an annular-shaped permanent magnet rotor (54) having 2m permanent magnet segments with alternating polarity (N, S), a coaxial cup-shaped external rotor (110) and a coaxial drive shaft (108), whereby n and m are whole multiplication factor numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) and are different from each other. Drive shaft (112) comprises, preferably, a spring (120) for the automatic return in case of current interruption.
US08314578B2

A hybrid powertrain system includes an electric motor/generator unit having a multiphase asynchronous AC machine electrically connected to a multiphase bridge inverter. A high-voltage capacitor is electrically connected between positive and negative sides of a high-voltage DC power bus. High-voltage DC bus pre-charge circuits are electrically connected between gate drive bias power supplies and the multiphase bridge inverter. A low-voltage battery electrically charges the high-voltage DC link capacitor via the gate drive bias power supplies and the high-voltage DC bus pre-charge circuits when the high-voltage energy storage system is disconnected from the high-voltage DC power bus.
US08314577B2

An energy converter includes magnetic coils of N phases (N is an integer of 3 or more), and a PWM drive circuit for driving the magnetic coils of N phases, wherein the magnetic coil of each phase can be independently controlled by the PWM drive circuit.
US08314569B2

A lighting system (100) includes light sources (110, 115, 120) and a light wand (250) configured to control the light sources in response to user input. The light wand (250) is configured to copy a light attribute of a first light provided from a first light source, and paste the copied light attribute into a second light source so that the second light source provides a second light having the light attribute of the first light.
US08314568B2

A fluorescent lamp driving method drives a fluorescent lamp by using an alternating current driving signal generated by an inverter circuit using direct current power as an input. The driving signal is supplied from the inverter circuit to a load including the fluorescent lamp. The method includes the steps of, by using a sum current detecting circuit, detecting a current change in the signal, by using a control circuit, controlling the driving signal generated by the inverter circuit on the basis of the current change detected by the sum current detecting circuit, and controlling a current of the supplied signal to be constant, by using a temperature detecting circuit, detecting the temperature of the fluorescent lamp, and, by using a correction circuit, on the basis of the temperature of the fluorescent lamp detected by the temperature detecting circuit, correcting the controlling the current of the supplied signal to be constant.
US08314566B2

In one embodiment, an LED lamp has a generally bulb shape. The LEDs are low power types and are encapsulated in thin, narrow, flexible strips. The LEDs are connected in series in the strips to drop a desired voltage. The strips are affixed to the outer surface of a bulb form to provide structure to the lamp. The strips are connected in parallel to a power supply, which may be housed in the lamp. Since many low power LEDs are used and are spread out over a large surface area, there is no need for a large metal heat sink. Further, the light emission is similar to that of an incandescent bulb. In other embodiment, there is no bulb form and the strips are bendable to have a variety of shapes. In another embodiment, a light sheet is bent to provide 360 degrees of light emission. Many other embodiments are described.
US08314565B2

A solid-state light engine comprised of light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured into a bridge rectifier with a current limiting module coupled to the LED bridge rectifier. The light engine may be packaged for high temperature operation. Optionally, the LEDs comprise wavelength-converting phosphors with a persistence that is a multiple of the peak to peak current period, to smooth and mask ripple frequency pulsation of emitted light.
US08314564B2

A capacitive full-wave circuit for LED light strings makes use of capacitors and diodes together to drive a LED string with full AC waves. Different from the conventional four-diode full-wave rectifying circuit, one embodiment of capacitive full-wave circuit includes two capacitors and two diodes. Because of the large imaginary impedance, the capacitors not only limit and the voltage and current through the LEDs, but also consume almost no electrical power. The electrical current-voltage performance can be further improved by introducing four resistors with a cost of some additional power consumption. A LED light string module with the capacitive full-wave circuit is also presented, with the capacitive full-wave circuit integrated inside of a front power plug and a back power socket.
US08314558B2

A vehicle exterior lamp is provided with an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) with rows and columns and each LED positioned at an intersection thereof. An LED is illuminated by selectively applying a signal to the row and column corresponding to the LED position. A vehicle headlamp lighting system is provided with an array of LEDs with rows and columns, and each LED positioned at a row and column intersection. The lighting system has a control module for selectively illuminating the LEDs by applying a signal to the rows and to the columns corresponding to the location of the LEDs to be illuminated. A vehicle headlamp is provided with an optical structure for reflection and refraction of light and LEDs. Light emitted by the LEDs interacts with the optical structure and exits the headlamp in a generally perpendicular direction to the LED emitted light.
US08314551B2

Provided are an organic light-emitting display device and a manufacturing method of the organic light emitting display device. The organic light-emitting display device includes: a substrate; a display unit formed on the substrate; an encapsulation substrate formed above the display unit; a first sealant bonding the substrate and the encapsulation substrate; a filler formed between the substrate and the encapsulation substrate; and a second sealant interposed between the first sealant and the filler so as to separate the filler from the first sealant, wherein a distance of a portion of the substrate and the encapsulation substrate is smaller than that of other portions of the substrate and the encapsulation substrate. Accordingly, penetration of impurities, such as oxygen or water, from the outside into the organic light emitting display device is prevented.
US08314549B2

This invention relates to a hat emitting device which comprises at least one layer that contains an organometallic dendrimer having a core comprising a metal cation. The invention also relates to organometallic dendrimers and methods for producing the same.
US08314546B2

The invention relates to a luminous panel (100) comprising: a transparent flat substrate (1) having an edge face (13), two main faces (11, 12) and a given thickness; at least one direct light region (31, 32) by means of a light source (2) associated with one of the main faces (12); a source (2) of visible and/or ultraviolet radiation, said radiation being guided by total reflections in the thickness of the substrate; and at least one extraction zone (41) for extracting the guided radiation, said extraction zone being associated with one of the main faces in order to form another luminous region (33) separate from the direct light region, and, on the same side as the main face (11) associated with the extraction zone (41), the direct light region (31) has a lower luminance than the luminance of the other luminous region (33).
US08314545B2

An organic EL (electroluminescence) element capable of efficiently recombining holes and electrons in a light emitting layer and also improving efficiency and lifetime of the element. The element comprises electrodes 1 and 2, the light emitting layer 4, and transport layers 3 and 5 that transport holes and electrons to the layer 4. The layer 4 contains compound functioning as electron accepting dopant and/or substance functioning as electron donating dopant. Accordingly, it is possible to optimize the injection valance of holes or electrons into the layer 4.
US08314544B2

The present invention relates to an inorganic light-emitting device, and more particularly, to an inorganic light emitting device having superior mechanical strength and a long lifespan, and which is capable of maintaining uniform and high efficiency of light emission, and has transparent and flexible characteristics. The inorganic light emitting device of the present invention includes a first electrode, a fluorescent layer formed on the first electrode, and which includes a plurality of nanowires made of inorganic light-emitting materials, and a second electrode formed on the fluorescent layer. The fluorescent layer is coated with the plurality of nanowires.
US08314541B2

A radiation-emitting arrangement comprises, in particular, a carrier element (1) having an at least partly non-transparent main surface (10) and arranged on the carrier element (1), an organic radiation-emitting component (2) having an organic layer sequence (23) with an active region between an at least partly transparent first electrode (21) and an at least partly transparent second electrode (22). The active region (29) is suitable for generating electromagnetic radiation (91, 93) in a switched-on operating state. The radiation-emitting arrangement has a radiation exit area (3) for emitting the electromagnetic radiation (92, 93) on that side of the organic radiation-emitting component (2) which faces away from the carrier element. (1) The at least partly non-transparent main surface (10) of the carrier element (1) is perceptible by an external observer through the radiation exit area (3) in a switched-off operating state of the organic radiation-emitting component (2).
US08314540B2

A color converted light emitting apparatus is provided that has excellent light emission characteristics and can be manufactured while a viscosity suitable for a printing method is maintained. The color converted light emitting apparatus can include a light emitting element and a color conversion layer containing a phosphor that is excited by light emitted from the light emitting element and which emits fluorescent light. The color conversion layer can further contain, as first and second thickeners, two types of particles with different average primary particle diameters. The average primary particle diameter of the second thickener can be less than one half of the average primary particle diameter of the first thickener. By appropriately adjusting the average primary particle diameters and the amounts of the thickeners added, the light emission characteristics and the emission chromaticity can be improved. For example, the first thickener can be adjusted to be present in the amount of at least 30 wt % and less than 100 wt % based on a total weight of the first and second thickeners.
US08314533B2

A supporting structure for an actuator body, which can prevent reduction of vibration of an actuator body and maintain a contact state of a driver element with an abutment body in a stable manner even when the driver element receives reactive force from the abutment body is realized.An ultrasonic actuator (2) includes an actuator body (4) for generating vibration, driver elements (8), provided on a mounting surface (40a) of the actuator body (4), for outputting driving force, a pressing rubber (62) for pressing the actuator body (4) to a stage (11), a case (5) to which the actuator body (4) is coupled, and a plate spring (61) for elastically supporting the actuator body (4) relative to the case (5). The plate spring (61) supports the mounting surface (40a) of the actuator body (4) on which the driver elements 8 are provided.
US08314531B2

In a piezoelectric-actuator driving circuit for driving a piezoelectric actuator, an amplifier circuit amplifies a signal output from a feedback circuit and supplies the amplified signal to a non-inverting amplifier circuit and an inverting amplifier circuit. The non-inverting amplifier circuit amplifies the output voltage of the amplifier circuit with a predetermined gain and applies the amplified voltage to a first terminal of the piezoelectric actuator. The inverting amplifier circuit inverts and amplifies the output voltage of the amplifier circuit with the same gain as that of the non-inverting amplifier circuit and then applies the amplified voltage to a second terminal of the piezoelectric actuator through resistors. The feedback circuit amplifies a difference between voltages at respective ends of the resistor and supplies the amplified difference to the amplifier circuit.
US08314530B2

A carbon brush holder with improved air vents includes a body, a housing, and an exhaust lid, which are provided with corresponding fixing structures for their convenient assembly or disassembly. The exhaust lid is formed with a diverging air channel. By the exquisite configurations of the fixing structures provided on its components, the carbon brush holder is easy to assemble and disassemble so as to facilitate replacement or repair of parts settled in the carbon brush holder. Besides, since the exhaust lid in the present invention has the diverging air channel opened at two sides thereof as the air vents, it significantly improves the efficiency in dust expelling and heat dissipating, thereby effectively preventing the air vent from blocked and preventing overheat caused by poor exhaust.
US08314522B2

A printed circuit board (PCB), in particular for an electric motor, has two opposite main surfaces with at least one main surface carrying electrical components. A plurality of outer end faces extend between the two opposite main surfaces. One of the outer end faces is provided with a metallization that is connected to a ground conductor on the PCB.
US08314521B2

A vehicle drive device (1) comprises a motor unit which is provided with a motor case (10), a motor cover (23), a stator (20), a rotor (24), a rotor shaft (25), a resolver (15) for detecting the rotation angle of the rotor (24), a temperature sensor (12) for detecting the temperature of a stator coil (21), a rotor bearing (17) for supporting the rotor shaft (25), a terminal base (11) to which the terminals of U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase from the end of the coil are connected, and to which a resolver harness (14) and a temperature sensor harness (13) are also connected, and a delivery pipe (30) which has a clamp part (35) for holding the resolver harness (14) and delivers a cooling oil to the end of the coil.
US08314518B2

The invention relates to a method for monitoring the output of an electromechanical actuator of the rotary-linear type in order to detect a gradual seizing thereof, wherein said method comprises: measuring the intensity, representative of the motor torque, of the electrical current powering an induction winding of the actuator and the axial stress undergone by an actuator rod; calculating the ratio (axial stress undergone by an actuator rod/motor torque) representative of the global output of the actuator and of its present state; and generating an evaluation of the present condition of the actuator based on its present state and optionally on previous stored states and on outer parameters.
US08314517B2

A wall mountable electric timer that is capable of switching power to a load between an “on” state and an “off” state in accordance with a programmable schedule. In some cases, the electric timer may be programmed such that a user can program the electric switch by interacting with only a first button and a second button of a user interface. Alternatively, or in addition, the electric switch may include a power stealing circuit, a series of setup menus, a visual indicator to indicate the operating state of the load, and/or a randomly generated schedule.
US08314511B2

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for allocating current (20) from a distributor (22), having a maximum rated current, among a plurality of load circuits (24), including a variable load circuit (24α) that benefits from a full load current allocation but is operable at a lower current allocation. The invention provides for measuring the instantaneous current reserve of the distributor (22) as the maximum rated current of the distributor (22) less the instantaneous current flowing from the distributor (22) to the plurality of load circuits (24), and limiting the instantaneous current of the variable load circuit (24α) to the full load current of the variable load circuit (24α) if the instantaneous current reserve is greater than zero, and the sum of the full load current of the variable load circuit (24α) plus the instantaneous current reserve, if the instantaneous current reserve is less than or equal to zero.
US08314510B2

A method for selecting an electric power supply and a circuit thereof are provided. The method includes detecting whether there is an output signal from a high electric power source, connecting a low electric power source with input of a transformer if there is no output signal from the high electric power source, disconnecting output of the transformer with a general circuit if there is no output signal from the high electric power source, transforming a voltage received from the low electric power source, and outputting the transformed voltage to a control unit. By disconnecting the output of the transformer with the general circuit, the low power source may reduce waste of an electric power.
US08314505B2

A gas turbine engine arrangement comprises a core engine, a power turbine and a propulsor. The core engine comprises at least one compressor and at least one turbine arranged to drive the at least one compressor and the core engine is arranged in a casing. The power turbine is positioned downstream of the at least one turbine and the power turbine is arranged to drive the propulsor. An electrical machine is arranged upstream of the at least one compressor. The electrical machine comprises a stator and a rotor and the electrical machine comprises a motor/generator. A first clutch selectively connects the rotor of the electrical machine to the power turbine and a second clutch selectively connects the rotor of the electrical machine to the at least one compressor of the core engine.
US08314495B2

Even when a stiffener is omitted, the semiconductor device which can prevent the generation of twist and distortion of a wiring substrate is obtained.As for a semiconductor device which has a wiring substrate, a semiconductor chip by which the flip chip bond was made to the wiring substrate, and a heat spreader adhered to the back surface of the semiconductor chip, and which omitted the stiffener for reinforcing a wiring substrate and maintaining the surface smoothness of a heat spreader, a wiring substrate has a plurality of insulating substrates in which a through hole whose diameter differs, respectively was formed, and each insulating substrate contains a glass cloth.
US08314494B2

A conductive cap material for a copper region may be provided with enhanced etch resistivity by taking into consideration the standard electrode potential of one or more of the species contained therein. For example, instead of a conventionally used CoWP alloy, a modified alloy may be used, by substituting the cobalt species by a metallic species having a less negative standard electrode potential, such as nickel. Consequently, device performance may be enhanced, while at the same time the overall process complexity may be reduced.
US08314479B2

An LED package includes a die pad having a bottom surface, an upper surface and a centrally located recessed cavity. The recessed cavity has a chip attach surface between the bottom surface and upper surface and sidewalls that extend from the recessed chip attach surface to the upper surface. The package additionally has leads arranged on opposing sides of the die pad. The leads have a bottom surface that is coextensive with the bottom surface of the die pad and an upper surface coextensive with the upper surface of the die pad. An LED chip is attached to the chip attach surface. The package further includes a package body having an encapsulant which fills space between the die pad and leads forming a bottom encapsulant surface that is coextensive with the bottom surfaces of the die pad and leads.
US08314475B2

One example of the present invention is a nanoscale electronic device comprising a first conductive electrode, a second conductive electrode, and an anisotropic dielectric material layered between the first and second electrodes having a permittivity in a direction approximately that of the shortest distance between the first and second electrodes less than the permittivity in other directions within the anisotropic dielectric material. Additional examples of the present invention include integrated circuits that contain multiple nanoscale electronic devices that each includes an anisotropic dielectric material layered between first and second electrodes having a permittivity in a direction approximately that of the shortest distance between the first and second electrodes less than the permittivity in other directions within the anisotropic dielectric material.
US08314474B2

Various on-chip capacitors and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing a capacitor is provided that includes forming a first conductor structure on a semiconductor chip and forming a passivation structure on the first conductor structure. An under bump metallization structure is formed on the passivation structure. The under bump metallization structure overlaps at least a portion of the first conductor structure to provide a capacitor.
US08314462B2

A semiconductor device may include an insulating layer and a semiconductor electrode on the insulating layer. An area of increased electrical resistance may separate a contact area of the semiconductor electrode from an active area of the semiconductor electrode. In addition, a metal contact may be provided on the contact area of the semiconductor electrode opposite the insulating layer.
US08314456B2

Isolated conductive nanoparticles on a dielectric layer and methods of fabricating such isolated conductive nanoparticles provide charge traps in electronic structures for use in a wide range of electronic devices and systems. In an embodiment, conductive nanoparticles are deposited on a dielectric layer by a plasma-assisted deposition process such that each conductive nanoparticle is isolated from the other conductive nanoparticles to configure the conductive nanoparticles as charge traps.
US08314451B2

An organic field-effect transistor includes: source and drain electrodes; a semiconductor layer made of an organic semiconductor material placed at least between said source and drain electrodes; a gate electrode suitable for creating an electric field that increases the density of mobile charge carriers in the semiconductor layer in order to create a conduction channel in this semiconductor layer between the source and drain electrodes when a voltage VG is applied to the gate electrode; and an electrical insulator layer interposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer, characterized in that it further includes a piezoelectric layer placed close to the conduction channel, in the semiconductor layer between the source and drain electrodes or on the opposite side of the gate electrode with respect to the electrical insulator and semiconductor layers, alongside the source and drain electrodes, said piezoelectric layer being electrically isolated from said source and drain electrodes and from the semiconductor layer.
US08314450B2

A solid-state imaging device includes: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of vertical transfer channel regions and a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions arranged in a matrix; a plurality of vertical transfer electrodes, each constructed of a gate electrode and a first metal light-shielding film, formed via a gate insulating film; a transparent insulating film formed in gaps existing between the vertical transfer electrodes above the vertical transfer channel regions; and a second metal light-shielding film formed via a first interlayer insulating film to cover at least the vertical transfer channel regions.
US08314447B2

A semiconductor including a lateral HEMT and to a method for production of a lateral HEMT is disclosed. In one embodiment, the lateral HEMT has a substrate and a first layer, wherein the first layer has a semiconductor material of a first conduction type and is arranged at least partially on the substrate. Furthermore, the lateral HEMT has a second layer, wherein the second layer has a semiconductor material and is arranged at least partially on the first layer. In addition, the lateral HEMT has a third layer, wherein the third layer has a semiconductor material of a second conduction type, which is complementary to the first conduction type, and is arranged at least partially in the first layer.
US08314444B2

A piezoresistive pressure sensor is provided, which can prevent the occurrence of ESD breakdown due to the nearness of interconnection layers of a resistive element according to miniaturization thereof. The piezoresistive pressure sensor is so configured that respective semiconductor resistive layers on both sides of an arrangement are formed to be relatively longer than an adjacent semiconductor resistive layer, and thus a corner portion of a semiconductor connection layer that extends from the respective semiconductor resistive layers on both sides of the arrangement and a corner portion of the semiconductor interconnection layer that is nearest to the corner portion of the semiconductor connection layer, between which the ESD breakdown occurs easily, can be separated from each other.
US08314443B2

A device includes a semiconductor structure comprising a light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. The semiconductor structure includes an n-contact region and a p-contact region. A cross section of the n-contact region comprises a plurality of first regions wherein portions of the light emitting layer and p-type region are removed to expose the n-type region. The plurality of first regions are separated by a plurality of second regions wherein the light emitting layer and p-type region remain in the device. The device further includes a first metal contact formed over the semiconductor structure in the p-contact region and a second metal contact formed over the semiconductor structure in the n-contact region. The second metal contact is in electrical contact with at least one of the second regions in the n-contact region.
US08314439B2

A light emitting diode (LED) is provided along with a method of making the same. The LED includes a conductive n-type region formed on a substrate; an active region formed on the n-type region; a first p-type region formed on the active region; a plurality of nanostructures formed on the first p-type region to carry out light extraction from the active region, the nanostructures having a diameter less than 500 nm; a second p-type region regrown on the first p-type region to form a non-planar surface in combination with the nanostructures; and a p-type electrode formed on the non-planar surface.
US08314435B2

An organic light emitting diode display is disclosed. The organic light emitting diode display includes a plurality of subpixels that emit light of at least three colors, the plurality of subpixels each including a first electrode, an organic light emitting layer, and a second electrode. Each of the organic light emitting layers of at least two of the plurality of subpixels includes at least two electron transport layers. The organic light emitting layer of at least one of the plurality of subpixels includes at least one electron transport layer.
US08314428B2

A thin film transistor including a lightly doped drain (LDD) region or offset region, wherein the thin film transistor is formed so that primary crystal grain boundaries of a polysilicon substrate are not positioned in the LDD or offset region.
US08314422B2

A light emitting device is provided. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer, a first dielectric layer over a cavity where a part of the light emitting structure is removed, a second electrode layer over the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer over the light emitting structure above the cavity, and a first electrode over the second dielectric layer.
US08314414B2

A light emitting device, a method of manufacturing the same, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system are disclosed. The light emitting device may include a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer, and an active layer interposed between the first and second conductive semiconductor layers. The first conductive semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second conductive semiconductor layer may include Al. The second conductive semiconductor layer may have Al content higher than Al content of the first conductive semiconductor layer. The first conductive semiconductor layer may have Al content higher than Al content of the active layer.
US08314411B2

There is obtained a particle beam therapy system in which the beam size is reduced. There are provided an accelerator 14 that accelerates a charged particle beam; an irradiation apparatus that has a beam scanning apparatus 5a, 5b for performing scanning with the charged particle beam and irradiates the charged particle beam onto an irradiation subject; and a beam transport apparatus 15 that has a duct for ensuring a vacuum region or gas region that continues from the accelerator 14 to a beam outlet window 7 disposed at a more downstream position than the beam scanning apparatus 5a, 5b, and that transports the charged particle beam exiting from the accelerator 14 to the irradiation apparatus.
US08314409B2

An improved method of directing a charged particle beam that compensates for the time required for the charged particles to traverse the system by altering one or more of the deflector signals. According to one embodiment of the invention, a digital filter is applied to the scan pattern prior to digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion in order to reduce or eliminate over-shoot effects that can result from TOF errors. In other embodiments, analog filters or the use of signal amplifiers with a lower bandwidth can also be used to compensate for TOF errors. By altering the scan pattern, over-shoot effects can be significantly reduced or eliminated.
US08314407B2

An optical system for illuminating a sample with a line beam includes a light source, a beam shaper for transforming the beam of light emitted by the light source into an intermediate astigmatic image, and an imaging system for transforming the intermediate astigmatic image into a final astigmatic image and for illuminating the sample. The beam shaper provides different non-unity magnifications in a lateral plane and in a transversal plane, and comprises a toroidal entrance surface for implementing the angular magnification and angular reduction and a toroidal exit surface with finite radii of curvature.
US08314405B2

Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring a fluorescence lifetime. The apparatus for measuring the fluorescence lifetime comprises an excitation light generator that generates excitation light to be irradiated on a sample including fluorescence molecules; a fluorescence photon collecting unit that collects a plurality of fluorescence photons generated by irradiating the excitation light on the sample; a light sensor that converts the collected fluorescence photons into a fluorescence electrical signal; and a fluorescence lifetime signal processor that determines the fluorescence lifetime by calculating the average time of the fluorescence electrical signal with respect to a predetermined apparatus delay time. According to the above configuration, the present invention can accurately and precisely measure a fluorescence lifetime in a short measurement time by easy calculation.
US08314402B2

The invention concerns a corrector (9) for chromatic and aperture aberration correction in an electron microscope with six multipoles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) which are disposed in the optical path (7) one after the other symmetrically with respect to a symmetry plane (8) for generating quadrupole fields (1′, 2′, 3′, 4′, 5′, 6′) and octupole fields, wherein the quadrupole fields (1′, 2′, 3′, 4′, 5′, 6′) of all six multipoles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) are consecutively rotated through 90° with respect to one another, thereby generating a mirror-symmetrical exchange symmetry of the axial fundamental rays (xα, yβ).In accordance with the invention, the following is provided for correcting azimuthal coma: A double multipole (10) with a multipole element (11) upstream of the symmetry plane (8) and a multipole element (12) downstream of the symmetry plane (8), which generates two octupole fields (11′, 12′) of the same orientation as the quadrupole fields (1′, 2′, 3′, 4′, 5′, 6′) and two further octupole fields (11″, 12″), which have opposite poles and exert a force on the electrons in a direction rotated through 90° with respect to the above-mentioned octupole fields (11′, 12′) in the principal sections (x, y). The six multipoles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) generate octupole fields (1″, 2″, 3″, 4″, 5″, 6″) with the same orientation, and the adjustment of the poles and of the field strengths of the octupole fields (1″, 2″, 3″, 4″, 5″, 6″, 1″, 12″) is used for the above-mentioned correction.
US08314392B2

A high frequency radiation transceiver is presented. The transceiver comprises an electrodes' arrangement, comprising two or more electrodes, where two of said electrodes are accommodated in a spaced-apart relationship defining a cavity for free space propagation of electrons between them. One of said two electrodes is configured to be responsive to an external input optical signal to emit an electron flux towards the other electrode. Said two or more electrodes are configured to define first and second electrode portions, the first portion having at least a region thereof exposed to said electron flux and operable as an antenna feeding port causing an electric current in said second portion and the second portion being configured and operable as an antenna radiating portion.
US08314388B2

An optical, non-contact sensor for measuring the thickness or weight of layered products and particularly those that contain a light-reflective substrate incorporates a reflective surface to cause incident radiation from a light source to plurality of time within the layered products before being detected in a receiver. A diffusing element can be incorporated as a diffuse source of illumination. The Lambertian-type light scattering generated by the diffuse element causes the incident light to interact multiple times with the layered product resulting in enhanced sensor sensitivity to selected components in the layered product and measurement error induced by specular reflection of the light from the reflective substrate is minimized.
US08314386B2

An X-ray spectrometer systems and methods are provided for implementing signal detection for use on electron-optical beam lines and microscopes. The X-ray Spectrometer System (XSS) includes an X-ray detector (XD) measuring the X-ray signal and positioned proximate to a specimen. An environmental isolation window together with an electron beam stop is disposed between XD and the specimen. The environmental isolation window and the electron beam stop protect XD from electrons directly transmitted through the specimen. An electron detector is located between the electron beam stop and the specimen allowing the measurement of scattered electrons. The XD measures an X-ray signal in the X-ray spectrometer system.
US08314381B2

A reflector for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for reflecting ionized atoms and/or molecules, with an entry opening and with an arrangement of successively arranged ring electrodes extending away from the entry opening along a longitudinal axis of the reflector is illustrated and described, as is a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The object of providing a reflector for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer or providing such a mass spectrometer, with improved mass resolution at a high detection probability, is achieved by virtue of the fact that the ring electrode closest to the entry opening serves as a correction electrode and is at an opposite electric potential compared to the other ring electrodes, that a screening electrode is provided on the side of the entry opening facing away from the ring electrodes and that the screening electrode lies at a potential that differs from that of the ring electrodes, more preferably at earth potential.
US08314371B2

Methods and apparatus for rapid thermal processing of a planar substrate including axially aligning the substrate with a substrate support or with an empirically determined position are described. The methods and apparatus include a sensor system that determines the relative orientations of the substrate and the substrate support.
US08314370B2

A cooking device includes, on its upper surface, an operation unit and a display unit. The operation unit includes a mode selection key for selecting one of a plurality of control modes, output increasing/decreasing keys for increasing and decreasing a set output and a set temperature, and time increasing/decreasing keys for increasing and decreasing heating. The mode selection key is separated from the time increasing/decreasing keys on the opposite side of the output increasing/decreasing keys. The display unit includes a numerical value display section for displaying a numerical value of a set value in the selected control mode, an output display section for displaying the set value for heating output, and a mode display section for displaying a cooking mode selected by using the mode selection key. The numerical value display section is separated from the mode display section on the opposite side of the output display section.
US08314364B2

The invention relates to a method for operating an electric add-heater in a motor vehicle having at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell as a power source and an electric generator which is connected with the cell and is driven by a drive engine of the motor vehicle and by which an electric add-heater can be supplied with current when the drive engine is running.It is provided according to the invention that in case of need the add-heater can be supplied with current even when no current is supplied by the generator, by switching over the add-heater to at least one electrochemical cell as a power source, monitoring the charging condition of at least one electrochemical cell, and interrupting the power supply of the electric add-heater realized by the at least one monitored electrochemical cell again when the charging condition of the at least one monitored electrochemical cell has dropped below a lower limit value.
US08314355B2

In a gas insulated breaking device which accommodates open/close elements including a puffer cylinder which compresses an insulation gas and extinguishes an arc and a contact finger which has a slide contact portion which is brought into slide contact with a slide contact portion of the puffer cylinder in the inside of a vessel in which the insulation gas is sealed, a relatively soft plating film is formed on the slide contact portion of the puffer cylinder, and a relatively hard plating film is formed on the slide contact portion of the contact finger, and the silver plating film of each slide contact portion has an inner layer thereof formed of a soft film and an outer layer thereof which constitutes a surface portion formed of a hard film.
US08314344B2

A wiring board, includes a substrate main body; a piercing electrode configured to pierce the substrate main body; a first wiring pattern provided at a first surface side of the substrate main body, the first wiring pattern having a pad, the pad being electrically connected to one end part of the piercing electrode, the pad being where an electronic component is mounted; and a second wiring pattern provided at a second surface side of the substrate main body, the second surface side being situated at a side opposite to the first surface side, the second wiring pattern having an outside connection pad, the outside connection pad being electrically connected to another end part of the piercing electrode.
US08314338B2

A wired circuit board includes a first wired circuit board and a second wired circuit board disposed to be opposed to the first wired circuit board in the same plane. A first opposed surface of the first wired circuit board facing the second wired circuit board and a second opposed surface of the second wired circuit board facing the first wired circuit board include at least two types of interfitting surfaces extending in different directions so as to mutually interfit the first opposed surface with the second opposed surface.
US08314336B2

A rectangular ceiling tile proportioned for use in a standard rectangular ceiling grid module formed by grid tees, the tile having a pair of conductors arranged to feed low voltage electrical power from the grid elements to an electric or electronic device carried on the tile, the conductors each extending to an edge or edges of the tile and adapted to make physical contact with a conductor carried on a grid element when supported on such grid element.
US08314334B1

An electrical device cover with a lid coupled to a base assembly includes an adapter that couples to the base through sliding lateral to the opening in the base. Particular implementations of an adapter include adapters with “L-” or other-shaped engagement tabs and adapters includes straight, flat or pin-shaped engagement tabs.In particular implementations using an engagement tab, the adapter may be moved toward the base either before or after sliding parallel to the base surface, and thus engages with the base. In other implementations, the adapter is simply slid parallel to the base surface to engage with the base.
US08314333B1

A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box that includes a bracket having a wall structure that defines a front opening is disclosed. First and second arms extend from the bracket and may each include an attachment wall extending from a front edge of the bracket and a support wall extending from the bracket behind the attachment wall. The attachment wall may include an electrical box mounting aperture therethrough. The bracket is configured for attachment to an adjacent electrical device mounting box by aligning the electrical box mounting apertures of the first and second arms with electrical box mounting apertures of the adjacent electrical device box. In addition, a gap between the attachment walls of the first and second arms is larger than an outer wall height of the adjacent electrical device mounting box.
US08314330B2

An umbilical for subsea installation has a core of at least two longitudinal elements like cables, tubes and solid and/or hollow filling elements and a cover surrounding the core. At least one of the hollow filling elements is provided with several perforations and the cover is permeable for sea water, thereby allowing seawater to fill the interior of the filler elements as well as the interstices between the cable, tube and the filler elements and the cover when the umbilical is submerged.
US08314329B2

A dye-sensitized solar cell module which is characterized by providing a pair of opposed substrates 10 and 17 in which at least one of the substrates is transparent and a plurality of conductive layers 11 and 18 are formed in parallel with one another on the each opposed surface of the substrates, a plurality of adjacent photoelectric conversion devices 1a and 1b formed in a state of being electrically connected in series between the pair of conductive substrates 11 and 17, and insulating layers 16 formed between the adjacent photoelectric conversion devices 1a and 1b, wherein the photoelectric conversion devices 1a and 1b have a porous semiconductor layer 12 adsorbing a dye, an electrolyte layer 13 and a catalyst layer 14 and the insulating layer 16 is formed by dividing into two or more times in the direction of a substrate thickness.
US08314321B2

An apparatus for transforming an input sound signal includes a synthesiser which manipulates, in accordance with a manipulation parameter, a pitch deviation envelope to derive a manipulated pitch deviation envelope. A filter transforms the input sound signal from a resampling of the input sound signal with respect to the manipulated pitch deviation envelope. The manipulation parameter may be a user-defined peak pitch deviation of an output sound signal. Another apparatus for transforming an input sound signal includes a synthesiser which manipulates, in accordance with a manipulation parameter, a pitch deviation envelope selected with reference to the manipulation parameter to derive a manipulated pitch deviation envelope.
US08314319B2

A plurality of musical instrument is connected to a server device through a network to form a storage system. The musical instrument generates performance data, and sends the performance data to the server device every time the performance data is generated. The server device receives the performance data sent from the musical instrument. The server device has a clock unit that measures date and time, and a storage unit that stores the performance data received by the receiving unit. Further, a file generation unit of the server device divides a polarity of the performance data stored in the storage unit into blocks based on the date and time of the performance data measured by the clock unit when the performance data is received by the receiving unit, and generates performance files corresponding to the blocks of the performance data.
US08314312B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH938231. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH938231, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH938231 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH938231.
US08314311B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH000359. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH000359, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH000359 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH000359.
US08314303B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1024197. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1024197. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1024197 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1024197 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08314300B1

A novel soybean variety, designated XBP32002 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP32002, cells from soybean variety XBP32002, plants of soybean XBP32002, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP32002. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP32002 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XBP32002, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP32002. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP32002 are further provided.
US08314295B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5624041. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5624041. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5624041 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5624041 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08314291B2

A plant with modified flower morphology is produced by suppressing a function of a transcription factor involved in determining the polarity of plants. More particularly, a plant with modified flower morphology is produced by the steps of obtaining a transformed cell by introducing a chimeric DNA in which a DNA encoding a transcription factor involved in determining the polarity and a functional peptide converting a transcription factor into a transcription repressor are fused; and regenerating a transformed plant from the transformed cell.
US08314286B2

A thin, flexible absorbent structure comprising a flexible substrate and an aqueous liquid absorbing material disposed on said substrate, wherein said aqueous liquid absorbing material comprises a homogeneous mixture of a hot melt adhesive and an aqueous liquid absorbing polymer, wherein the aqueous liquid absorbing polymer is present in the mixture in an amount greater than 1% by weight of the mixture and the aqueous liquid absorbing structure has an absorbency greater than about 5 g/g, and a Gurley Stiffness less than about 400 mg and a caliper less than about 4 mm.
US08314284B1

The diaper change alerting means includes an oblong sensor, speaker, processing means, and powering means. The oblong sensor is positioned about a main portion of the diaper where said sensor can detect the presence of moisture associated with soiling of the diaper. The alerting means can be integrated into the design of a reusable diaper or a removable embodiment that fits within a pouch located about the main portion of a disposable diaper. The processing means receives a signal from the oblong sensor, and transmits an alarm in the form of music via the speaker.
US08314283B2

A medical wrap includes a flexible, sheet-form substrate with a discrete medical function delivery region having a surface adapted to be placed against a patient's skin to provide a desired medical effect. The substrate carries a field of fibers exposed on one side thereof for engagement by fastener elements, and an array of fastener elements extending from a side of the substrate opposite the exposed fibers. The fastener elements each have a respective stem extending integrally from a film of resin disposed in a band across the substrate and encapsulating surface features of the substrate. The fastener elements are constructed to snag the exposed fibers when the substrate is wrapped about a patient in an overlapping manner, to secure the wrap about the patient with the medical function delivery region in a desired position. The wrap is useful as a hot or cold pack, medical dressing or drug delivery device.
US08314281B2

The service life and deactivation rate of a paraffin isomerization catalyst is improved through use of a new sulfur guard bed containing a chloride additive. This sulfur guard bed, which contains supported CuO material having an increased resistance to reduction, shows such improvement. Thus, the danger of run-away reduction followed by a massive release of water and deactivation of an isomerization catalyst is practically eliminated. The fact that the guard bed material preserves the active metal phase-copper in an active (oxide) form is an important advantage leading to very low sulfur content in the product stream. The sulfur capacity per unit weight of sorbent is also significantly increased, making this sorbent a superior cost effective sulfur guard product.
US08314279B2

A process to perform selective catalytic oxidation of four-carbon alcohols to produce four-carbon olefins with yields greater than 90%. The process includes providing a supply of oxygen gas and a butanol fuel, atomizing and evaporating the fuel to produce a vapor, mixing the vapor with the oxygen to form a fuel mixture, reacting the fuel mixture in the presence of a heated solid Rh/Al2O3 or Al2O3 catalysts.
US08314275B2

A process for stabilizing pyrolysis oil has been developed. The process involves heating the pyrolysis oil at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 85° C. under a reducing atmosphere for a time to stabilize the oil. The reducing atmosphere or gas is preferably hydrogen.
US08314270B2

The present invention relates to compounds which are inhibitors of the 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 1 enzyme. The present invention further relates to the use of inhibitors of 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 1 enzyme for the treatment of non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, lipid disorders, metabolic syndrome and other diseases and conditions that are mediated by excessive glucocorticoid action.
US08314267B2

Catalytic processes for the conversion of 2,5-dimethyl furan (DMF) to para-xylene are described. Para-xylene is a key product that is currently obtained commercially from petroleum sources. However, it has now been determined that the cycloaddition of ethylene to DMF provides an alternative route to para-xylene. Advantageously, the DMF starting material for the processes may be synthesized from carbohydrates (e.g., glucose or fructose), thereby providing a pathway that relies at least partly, if not completely, on renewable feedstocks.
US08314266B2

A process for manufacturing esters from acid and alcohol and a system thereof are provided, wherein the system includes a reactive distillation column, a sidestream reactor packed with catalyst, and a decanter for conducting the method. The method is carried out by (a) extracting a first mixture of acid and alcohol from the reactive distillation column, for then feeding the first mixture to at least one sidestream reactor packed with catalyst to obtain a reaction product; (b) feeding the reaction product from the sidestream reactor to the reactive distillation column, allowing a second mixture of alcohol, ester and water to be separated from a top end of the reactive distillation column; (c) feeding the second mixture into the decanter to separate an organic phase from an aqueous phase; and (d) separating esters from the organic phase. The method and system allow the esters to be extracted without using a plurality of recovering columns and decanters, and are capable of improving packing/changing catalyst in a single reactive distillation column.
US08314265B2

Novel amic acids and amic esters can be thermally converted into corresponding arylene diimides. These amic acids and amic ester can be used as precursors to prepare semiconducting thin films that can be used in various articles including thin-film transistor devices that can be incorporated into a variety of electronic devices. In this manner, the arylene diimides need not be coated out of solvent in which they may be insoluble, but they can be generated in situ from a solvent-soluble, easily coated amic acid or amic ester.
US08314251B2

The present application relates to certain compounds and to methods for the preparation of certain compounds that can be used in the fields of chemistry and medicine. Specifically, described herein are methods for the preparation of various compounds and intermediates, and the compounds and intermediates themselves. More specifically, described herein are methods for synthesizing Salinosporamide A and its analogs that includes forming a compound of formula (VIII).
US08314247B2

A hydrazone derivative of formula [I]: wherein Ring A is aryl or heteroaryl, Ring T is heteroaryl or heterocycle, R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen atom, halogen atom, cycloalkylsulfonyl, etc., R3 and R4 combine each other together with the adjacent nitrogen atom to form substituted or unsubstituted heterocycle, R5 is hydrogen atom, halogen atom, cyano, nitro, tetrazolyl, etc., and R6 is hydrogen atom, etc.; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is useful as a glucokinase activation agent.
US08314209B2

The invention herein disclosed provides for methods for the synthesis of polymers from monomers. In particular the method provides for the synthesis of polynucleotides from mononucleotides in the absence of catalytic enzymes. The method comprises providing an aqueous solution having a plurality of phospholipid molecules and monomer molecules; subjecting the aqueous solution to fluctuating temperature conditions; subjecting the aqueous solution to fluctuating cycles of drying and hydrating conditions; subjecting the aqueous solution to fluctuating [H+] conditions; the fluctuating conditions thereby allowing formation of a chemical bond between at least two monomers to create a polymer. The invention is of particular use in the fields of molecular biology, structural biology, cell biology, molecular switches, molecular circuits, and molecular computational devices, and the manufacture thereof.
US08314208B2

A method is disclosed for carrying out peptide synthesis comprising deprotecting an Fmoc-protected amino acid with piperazine while applying microwave irradiation to the deprotection reaction.
US08314197B2

Process for producing a degassed polymer powder, by a) feeding i) a principal monomer, and ii) one or more comonomers in an amount of at least 5000 ppmw relative to the principal monomer feed rate, and iii) optionally an added alkane having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, fed in an amount of at least 1000 ppmw relative to the principal monomer feed rate; into a polymerization reactor. The monomer and comonomers react to form a polymer including residual hydrocarbons having one or more hydrocarbons with 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and b) passing the polymer to a degassing step where it is contacted with a purge gas to remove some of the residual hydrocarbons.
US08314186B2

An adhesive composition for use in bonding of a polarizing plate is prepared from acrylic-based polymer graft-polymerized and modified by a reactive silane coupling agent with a specific grafting position and an ordinary cross-linking agent. Compared with unmodified acrylic-based copolymers, the adhesive composition thus synthesized demonstrates high adhesion property, cohesion property, elasticity property and high durability and, when used in bonding of the polarizing plate, flexibly follows dimensional changes of the polarizing plate in a high-temperature high-humidity atmosphere, alleviates the phenomenon where the polarizing plate demonstrates uneven distribution of residual stress due to dimensional changes of the polarizing plate, and prevents light leakage and uneven color which might otherwise occur to the polarizing plate due to the aging, cracking, or peeling of a conventional adhesive.
US08314185B2

A vulcanizable rubber mixture and its use for rubber products, which need good grip in wet or icy conditions, in particular vehicle tires and vehicle tire treads, but also technical rubber products like belts on conveyor systems, technical hoses, or vibration dampers and impact dampers. The vulcanizable rubber mixture includes from 10 to 100 phr of a block copolymer functionalized at least at one chain end (terminally) for binding to fillers, at least one filler and, optionally, additives. The block copolymer contains a statistically or microsequentially polymerized copolymer comprising a conjugated diene and an aromatic vinyl compound, and has, polymerized onto at least one end of the main chain, a terminally functionalized block of different structure to the main chain, which structure is homopolymeric or copolymeric, from 5 to 250 monomer units long, and composed of at least one of the mers of the main chain copolymer.
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