US08440334B2
A rechargeable battery including a case containing an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly having a coated region and an uncoated region, a lead member inside the case, the lead member surrounding at least a part of the uncoated region of the electrode assembly and having a first thickness, an electrode terminal connected to the lead member, and a current collecting plate having a second thickness that is thinner than the first thickness and coupled to the lead member and to the uncoated region.
US08440332B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a perpendicular magnetic recording medium that reduces the noise of granular recording layers, obtains sufficient overwrite characteristic that suppresses an increase in the magnetic cluster size, and allows high-density recording. According to one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising substrate having thereon at least soft magnetic layer, nonmagnetic intermediate layer, a perpendicular recording layer and protective layer formed in that order. The perpendicular recording layer consists of three or more layers of first recording layer, a second recording layer, and a third recording layer from the side nearer to the substrate. The first recording layer and the second recording layer have a granular structure comprising a grain boundary of an oxide surrounding ferromagnetic crystal grains containing Co and Pt, and the third recording layer has a non-granular structure mainly comprising Co and not containing an oxide. The grain boundary of the first recording layer contains Si, Cr and oxygen, and at least one element selected from Ti, Ta and Nb, and the grain boundary of the second recording layer contains Cr and oxygen, or contains Cr and oxygen and at least one element selected from Si, W and V.
US08440325B2
An electronic device containing a hole transporting semiconductive polymer comprising a first repeat unit comprising a first nitrogen of a triarylamine in the polymer backbone and a second nitrogen of an arylamine pendant from the polymer backbone, characterised in that said semiconductive polymer performs the function of transporting holes to or from a semiconductive material in said device.
US08440322B2
The copper alloy (lining) prevails in an overwhelmingly large amount in a plain-bearing layer structure. Cu of the plain bearing copper-alloy diffuses into the Sn-based overlay diffuses into the Sn-based overlay and detrimentally impairs the performance of the overlay. The present invention takes a measure against this problem. An Sn-based overlay having a thickness of 3 to 19 μm is deposited by electro-plating without an intermediate layer for diffusion prevention on a plain-bearing layer, which contains Sn and Ni in a total amount of more than 4 mass % to 20 mass % (the minimum amount of Sn is 4 mass %) and has a hardness of Hv 150 or less.
US08440318B2
A water-soluble substrate, and more particularly a water-soluble substrate that is resistant to dissolution, and methods of making the same are disclosed. The water-soluble substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface. A coating is applied to, and substantially covers at least one of said first and second surfaces. The elongation ratio between said coating and said water-soluble substrate is at least 1. Articles, such as pouches, made from the water-soluble substrate, are also disclosed herein.
US08440308B2
The method of manufacturing shoes of the present invention comprises a pre-step of heating a following reactive hot-melt adhesive to melt it and providing the melted adhesive on a joining surface of at least one adherend, an ultraviolet treating step of irradiating the adhesive with ultraviolet light having irradiation energy more than 100 mJ/cm2 and less than 1200 mJ/cm2 to polymerize a polyurethane prepolymer, and a joining step of overlaying a joining surface of another adherend on the adhesive to bond both adherends together.The reactive hot-melt adhesive contains a polyurethane prepolymer having an (meth)acryloyl group and an isocyanate group at the end of a molecule, and a photopolymerization initiator. The polyurethane prepolymer includes a non-crystalline polyol and a crystalline polyol, wherein the non-crystalline polyol is contained from 20% by mass to 90% by mass with respect to the whole polyols. The viscosity of the reactive hot-melt adhesive at 80° C. is 300 Pa·s or less.The method of manufacturing shoes of the present invention can simplify a work process and shorten working hours, and it is possible to manufacture shoes having excellent durability.
US08440300B2
Coated polyoxymethylene moldings comprising at least one polyoxymethylene homo- or copolymer A), and also, if appropriate, further additives B), which has been coated on the surface with at least one binder C) and one formaldehyde scavenger D), wherein the binder C) used comprises a polyalkylene oxide C1 or a polyvinyl ester C2 or a graft polymer C3 composed of C1 and C2 or a mixture of these, and the formaldehyde scavenger D) used comprises at least one hydrazide compound.
US08440297B2
The instant invention generally provides polymer organoclay composite comprising a molecularly self-assembling material and an organoclay, and a process of making and an article comprising the polymer organoclay composite. The instant invention also generally provides a fiber comprising the polymer organoclay composite, and a process of fabricating and an article comprising the fiber.
US08440295B2
A sliding element having a sliding surface, wherein a substrate forming the sliding surface is formed with a resin layer, the resin layer has a plurality of porous parts on its surface, and the porous parts are impregnated with a fluorinated oil. Preferably, the resin layer contains a first resin and a second resin having a melting point higher than that of the first resin, and the porous parts of the resin layer are formed by heating the resin layer at a temperature of at least the melting point of the first resin and less than the melting point of the second resin, and exposed at the surface of the resin layer by grinding the resin layer.
US08440293B2
A laminated tape includes: an adhesive material layer; a first polyolefin layer provided on one side of the adhesive material layer; and a second polyolefin layer provided on the other side of the adhesive material layer. The laminated tape is sandwiched between opposing base films of a packaging body to be welded. The polyolefin used for the first polyolefin layer and the second polyolefin layer is of the same type. The thickness of the respective layers of the laminated tape is preferably defined so that the thickness of the first polyolefin layer and the adhesive material layer is 30 μm or more and the thickness of the second polyolefin layer is less than 30 μm.
US08440292B2
Provided is a multi-layer article comprising an electrically conductive metal layer adheringly contacting the surface of a polymeric composite film less than 500 μm in thickness, having a surface, the polymeric composite film comprising a polymer and a plurality of surface-modified hexagonal boron nitride particles dispersed therewithin. A process of film casting onto a conductive metal layer is provided.
US08440291B2
A borderless emblem for securing to a first fabric by heat and/or pressure includes a fabric base, an emblem design applied to a front surface of the fabric base and a layer of thermoplastic adhesive material bonded to a rear surface of the fabric base. The first fabric has a predetermined weave pattern and a predetermined color. The fabric base has an outer peripheral edge and is constructed of the same or substantially the same fabric as the first fabric. The fabric base has a base color that is the same or substantially the same as the predetermined color. The fabric base is cut from a fabric utilizing a laser cutter which heats a portion of the fabric base proximate the outer peripheral edge. The laser cutter finishes the outer peripheral edge of the fabric base without including a stitched or other border.
US08440289B2
A composite for geotechnics and building, with an impermeable layer, comprising a sheet element that is impermeable to fluids and has, monolithically therewith, elements that protrude on the first and second faces, on at least one of the faces there being a layer that is integrally coupled to the protruding elements to form, at the first and/or second faces, two separate drainage and/or protection and/or grip systems adapted to withstand intense compression along a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the sheet element.
US08440288B2
An easily applicable adhesive sheet includes a base sheet and an adhesive layer provided on the base sheet and which includes, in a surface portion thereof, air passages each including a plurality of grooves opening at an end edge portion of the adhesive sheet. Each groove has an opening width of 3 to 100 μm; the distance between adjacent grooves is 1 to 100 μm; each air passage has a width of 7 to 900 μm; and the distance between adjacent air passages is 200 to 3,000 μm. The easily applicable adhesive sheet can be smoothly applied to an adherend without formation of blisters (i.e., even when air bubbles are formed between the adhesive sheet and the adherend upon application thereof, air is easily released), and which exhibits excellent appearance after application thereof to the adherend.
US08440287B2
A vehicle interior material of the present invention is a vehicle interior material that is disposed in a lower side of windshield glass inside a compartment and includes a grain structure including a concavity and a convexity on the upper face thereof, the vehicle interior material including at the convexity of the grain structure, a diffuse reflection face that is inclined with respect to a general upper face of the grain structure.
US08440278B2
The use of 3-pyridinol and 5-pyrimidinol derivatives for adjusting the reactivity and the gel time of resin mixtures and/or reactive resin mortars based on radically polymerizable compounds is described. Furthermore, a resin mixture and a reactive resin mortar containing the 3-pyridinol and 5-pyrimidinol derivatives for adjusting the reaction time and the gel time, and having improved storage stability and good low temperature hardening properties, are described.
US08440268B2
Oxygen gas, for example, is introduced into a film forming chamber, and high-frequency power is supplied to a plurality of monopole antennas arranged above a silicon substrate (101) in the film forming chamber to generate a plasma of the introduced oxygen gas, thereby supplying atomic oxygen (123) onto the surface of an aminosilane molecular layer (102). This plasma generation is performed for about 1 sec. With this operation, the adsorption layer (102) adsorbed onto the surface of the silicon substrate (101) is oxidized, thereby forming a silicon oxide layer (112) corresponding to one atomic layer of silicon on the surface of the silicon substrate (101).
US08440266B2
A developer nozzle supplies a developer onto the surface of a substrate rotating around a vertical axis, while a pure water nozzle supplies pure water onto the surface of the rotating substrate. The pure water nozzle is spaced apart from the developer nozzle and located on an outer side of the substrate with respect to the developer nozzle. The pure water restricts flow of the developer on the substrate and causes the developer to spread toward a clockwise side of the substrate when the substrate rotates in a clockwise direction. A liquid film containing the developer and the pure water is formed on the substrate. The developer nozzle and the pure water nozzle are spaced apart from each other to suppress splattering of the developer and the pure water due to collision of the developer with the pure water.
US08440260B2
A diruthenium complex such as tetra(μ-formato)diruthenium(II,II) or tetra(μ-formato)(dehydrate)diruthenium(II,II), a material for chemical vapor deposition which comprises the complex, and a method of forming a ruthenium film from the material by chemical vapor deposition.
US08440257B2
Methods of forming fasteners are disclosed. One method comprises dispersing polymer particles into a contact release surface, transforming the polymer particles into an at least semiliquid state of a suitable viscosity for a time sufficient to transform into preform projections having contact edges, contacting and fixing a front surface of the base with the terminal ends of at least some of the preform projections, removing the base, thereby separating the preform projections, from the release surface, and forming engaging projections projecting from the front surface of the base.
US08440256B2
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a method of forming a coating on a glass substrate using combustion deposition. A glass substrate having at least one surface to be coated is provided. A reagent is selected. A precursor to be combusted with the reagent is introduced. Using at least one infrared burner, at least a portion of the reagent and the precursor are combusted to form a combusted material, with the combusted material including non-vaporized material. The glass substrate is provided in an area so that the glass substrate is heated sufficiently to allow the combusted material to form the coating, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate. The coating may be substantially uniform. In certain example embodiments, a silicon oxide coating may be deposited, which increases visible transmission of the glass substrate by at least about 1.7%.
US08440253B2
A droplet discharge amount measuring method for measuring the amount of droplets of a functional solution discharged from a droplet discharge apparatus, the functional solution containing a solid component and a solvent, includes discharging droplets of the functional solution from the droplet discharge apparatus onto a test surface, drying for allowing the solvent on the test surface to evaporate from the droplets so that solid dots be left and measuring the volume of the solid dots using an imaging technique, wherein in drying, the droplets are condensed as the solvent evaporates therefrom, and thus the resulting solid dots have smaller areas than the parent droplets upon landing on the test surface.
US08440247B2
The present invention relates to a method for preparing flavored teas by using wood, and flavored teas prepared thereby. More specifically, the present invention relates to a preparation method of flavored teas with excellent palatability and flavors in which the method uses natural wood along with the appropriate flavoring time and temperature settings, and flavored teas prepared thereby.
US08440246B2
By containing non-polymer catechins in high concentration, the physiological effects of the catechins are manifested, minerals indispensable to the living body are fortified, and the storage stability of a beverage is improved. A packaged beverage containing: (A) from 0.05 to 0.5% by mass of non-polymer catechins; (B) from 0.0012 to 0.12% by mass of calcium; (C) from 0.00012 to 0.006% by mass of magnesium; (D) from 0.000048 to 0.0024% by mass of zinc; (E) from 0.00004 to 0.002% by mass of iron; and (F) from 0.01 to 20% by mass of a sweetener, wherein a content mass ratio [(B)/(A)] of the calcium (B) to the non-polymer catechins (A) is from 0.001 to 1.0; (J) a percentage of gallate bodies in the non-polymer catechins is from 5 to 55% by mass; and pH is from 2.5 to 5.1.
US08440217B1
A contact lens product, a method and system for forming the contact lens product, and a method of using the contact lens product. The contact lens product includes a soft disposable contact lens loaded with a drug and the carriers which carry the drug. The lens has a mechanical and optical structure formed by the core polymer included within the lens. The contact lens product is configured to have the drug released from its carrier continuously into an eye of a mammal while the contact lens product is adhered to the eye of the mammal during a continuous period of time, the drug being configured to treat or prevent at least one adverse condition of the eye of the mammal during the continuous period of time. The mammal may be a human being or a veterinary animal.
US08440209B2
The invention relates to adhesives for medical applications and methods of their preparation and use.
US08440203B2
The present invention discloses methods for protecting newborn calves against neonatal diarrhea by vaccinating pregnant cows and/or pregnant heifers, while minimizing the number of separate occasions producers are required to assemble the cattle.
US08440202B2
The invention relates to methods for the induction of an immune response to dengue virus. The method of inducing an immune response against dengue virus comprises administration of a non-replicating immunogen followed by a boost with a tetravalent live attenuated viral vaccine. Another aspect of the inventive subject matter is a method of inducing an immune response against dengue virus using a heterologous prime-boost regimen with the priming immunogen comprising a DNA expression system, an adenovirus expression vector or a Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicon system and the boosting immunogen comprising the same without the DNA expression system. Each expression system contains DNA sequences encoding dengue viral proteins.
US08440198B2
The present invention is related to the field of wound healing or tissue regeneration due to disease (i.e., for example, cardiovascular diseases, osetoarthritic diseases, or diabetes). In particular, the present invention provides compositions and methods comprising molecules with linked α-gal epitopes for induction of an inflammatory response localized within or surrounding damaged tissue. In some embodiments, the present invention provides treatments for tissue repair in normal subjects and in subjects having impaired healing capabilities, such as diabetic and aged subjects.
US08440191B2
The present invention relates to proteins which specifically bind to IgA1 and which have been modified to comprise either O- or N-linked glycans. The invention encompasses methods for decreasing IgA1, preferably abnormally glycosylated IgA1, in an individual by administering to the individual a glycan-modified IgA1 binding protein of the invention. The invention also encompasses a method for the treatment of a disease characterized by IgA1 deposition wherein a glycan-modified IgA1 binding protein is administered to an individual in need thereof.
US08440185B2
Compositions and methods for preventing, reducing or inhibiting immunologic disorders are provided. Suitable compositions include one or more LIGHT-HVEM antagonists. LIGHT-HVEM antagonists include compounds that inhibit, reduce, or block the biological activity or expression of LIGHT and/or HVEM. LIGHT-HVEM antagonists can reduce or inhibit the binding of LIGHT to HVEM, but do not significantly modulate the binding of LTβ to LTβR. Suitable compositions include antibodies and antibody fragments, decoy polypeptides, small molecule inhibitors and inhibitory nucleic acids. Methods for using LIGHT-HVEM antagonists to reduce or inhibit T cell activation and survival are also provided. Therapeutic uses for LIGHT-HVEM antagonists to prevent or treat immunologic diseases and disorders including graft rejection, graft-versus-host disease, inflammatory immune responses, and autoimmune disorders are provided.
US08440182B2
Provided herein are methods for treating a subject suffering from phenylketonuria by administering a phenylalanine hydroxylase (“PAH”) and/or a phenylalanine ammonia lyase (“PAL”) to the subject under conditions effective to deliver the phenylalanine 4-hydroxylase and/or PAL to the subject's small intestine. Also provided are methods for increasing the therapeutic activity of a phenylalanine 4-hydroxylase by thiolating the phenylalanine 4-hydroxylase. In addition, provided are oral dosage forms that include a phenylalanine 4-hydroxylase and/or a PAL and an enteric coating.
US08440178B2
The present invention generally relates to the field of obesity. In particular the present invention relates to the use of probiotics to treat obesity. One embedment of the present invention relates to the use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CGMCC 1.3724 and/or Lactobacillus rhamnosus NCC 4007 for the preparation of a composition to support weight management, promote weight loss and/or to treat obesity.
US08440177B2
The present invention relates to the use of a particular type of adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs), which exert immunosuppressive properties, in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of the graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) produced after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
US08440165B2
A method includes operating a gas loading system with a source of one or more isotopes of hydrogen, a gas loading chamber containing a number of metallic nanoparticles, the metallic nanoparticles being selected to provide for a predetermined hydrogen cluster formation density, a vacuum system, and a valve system in communication with the gas loading chamber, the source of one or more isotopes of hydrogen and the vacuum system; providing the gas loading chamber with a first quantity of the one or more isotopes of hydrogen from the source of one or more isotopes of hydrogen; monitoring an operating temperature; and cycling a loading pressure of the gas loading chamber using the source of one or more isotopes of hydrogen in response to providing the gas loading chamber and monitoring the operating temperature.
US08440160B1
This disclosure relates generally to processes for the production of elemental sulfur from Syngas, in the power plant, or Low BTU Gas fields and more particularly to processes the mixture of the 100% syngas or low BTU stream with the 100% SO2 recycle gas; with an additional stream comprising oxygen such as air, oxygen-enriched air, or substantially pure oxygen is added to the SO2 recycle stream prior entering the Claus reactor for producing elemental sulfur. The combination of innovation schemes comprises the sulfur recovery unit, the SO2 recovery unit and the gas turbines or boilers to promote a cost effective options by reducing the number of steps in an efficient manner and to achieve near 100% sulfur recovery with significant cost and energy saving. The SO2 gas is recycled from the SO2 recovery unit to the sulfur recovery unit by using one of the regenerable solvent.
US08440152B2
A process for recovering metals from a stream rich in hydrocarbons and carbonaceous residues by means of a treatment section, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: sending said stream to a primary treatment, effected in one or more steps, wherein said stream is treated in the presence of a fluxant agent in a suitable apparatus, at a temperature ranging from 80 to 180° C., preferably from 100 to 160° C., and subjected to liquid/solid separation in order to obtain a clarified product essentially consisting of liquids and a cake (oilcake); possibly subjecting the separated cake to drying, in order to remove the hydrocarbon component having a boiling point lower than a temperature ranging from 300 to 350° C. from the cake; sending the cake, possibly dried, to a secondary thermal treatment comprising: a flameless pyrolysis of the cake effected between 400 and 800° C., preferably between 500 and 670° C.; an oxidation of the pyrolysis residue effected in an oxidizing environment and at temperatures ranging from 400 to 800° C., preferably from 500 to 700° C.
US08440147B2
Devices for generating discrete flow of liquids in response to a driving force, for example centrifugal microfluidic devices for generating discrete flow in response to a constant driving force. The device includes a supply structure for supplying liquid at an inflow rate to a discretization structure in response to a driving force. The discretization structure is shaped to define an outlet and a level to which the discretization structure fills with liquid flowing from the supply structure before dispensing the liquid at an outflow rate through the outlet in response to the driving force. The device is arranged such that the outflow rate from the discretization structure is greater than the inflow rate into the discretization structure, thereby periodically emptying the discretization structure to create a discretized flow from the outlet. The devices find applications in liquid mixing, for example for diluting samples, such as blood plasma samples.
US08440142B2
A dual-mode non-thermal plasma reactor includes an air-buffering chamber, a magnetic element provided on the air-buffering chamber, a first electrode disposed in the air-buffering chamber, a second electrode disposed in the air-buffering chamber opposite to the first electrode, a high-voltage power supply connected to the first and second electrodes and an air-swirling chamber located between the first and second electrodes. The air-swirling chamber includes a first isolating film covering on an internal side of the first electrode, a second isolating film covering on an internal side of the second electrode and an isolating tube placed between the first and second isolating films. An air passageway is defined through the first and second isolating films. An air-swirling space is defined by the first and second isolating films and the isolating tube. The isolating tube includes at least one tunnel in communication with the air-swirling space.
US08440134B2
A furnace system has a furnace, particularly an arc furnace, for melting metal, and a cleaning device for removing and/or avoiding bulk goods from or in a furnace opening. The cleaning device has a movable thrust arm for carrying out a thrust movement, and a movement device for moving the thrust arm between a parking level and an operating level. The use of a furnace opening is further made more flexible in that a work platform forming a work level is present, from which the furnace opening is accessible and which carries the cleaning device. The work level has a recess through which the thrust arm can be guided during the movement thereof between the operating level positioning above the work level, and the parking level positioned below the working level.
US08440131B2
A technical problem is to fully make up for a restricted upper limit to the preform body wall thickness. An object is to provide a bottle which is narrow-mouthed and yet has a substantially expanded body. The molding process comprises steps of: (1) injection molding a preform in the shape of a test tube taller than the bottle wherein the preform has a cylindrical mouth opening portion disposed in an upper part of the preform, and wherein the mouth opening portion of the preform serves also as a mouth opening portion of the bottle product; (2) thermally shrinking the preform from an initial height so that portions other than the mouth opening portion of the preform would have a height that is smaller than that of the bottle; and (3) setting this thermally shrunk preform in a blow mold and biaxially drawing and blow molding the preform into the bottle.
US08440125B2
Disclosed is a method for producing polyethylene films which have high resistance to deformation or elongation under loading in tension. The method comprises orienting in the machine direction (MD) a high density polyethylene film at a draw-down ratio effective to give the film an MD tensile strength at yield greater than or equal to 50,000 psi, wherein the HDPE has a density greater than 0.940 g/cm3.
US08440118B2
A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display (LCD) device wherein a photolithography technique is replaced by soft lithography is disclosed. The method includes: forming a thin film transistor array substrate; forming a color filter substrate; bonding the thin film transistor array substrate and the color filter substrate; and applying a liquid crystal between the thin film transistor array substrate and the color filter substrate, wherein at least one of the forming the thin film transistor array substrate and the forming the color filter substrate includes a pattern forming method using a soft mold. The pattern forming method may be a soft lithography process that includes: contacting a soft mold having a particular pattern with a surface of a buffer layer and applying a constant heat to the soft mold and buffer layer to transfer the particular pattern onto the buffer layer.
US08440116B2
Disclosed herein are a dielectric fluid composition and a method thereof. Also disclosed are viscosity modifiers and a method of lowering the viscosity of an oil-based dielectric fluid. The composition includes an oil with a high mono-unsaturated fatty acid content and one or more fatty acid alkyl esters, each having a fatty acid and an alkyl moiety, wherein the alkyl moiety of the fatty acid alkyl esters has 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and wherein both the oil and the fatty acid alkyl ester are in the range of 40%-60% v/v of the dielectric fluid composition. The viscosity modifier includes one or more fatty acid alkyl esters with an alkyl moiety and a fatty acid moiety, wherein the alkyl moiety has 1 to 4 carbon atoms. The method of lowering the viscosity includes blending the viscosity modifier and a vegetable oil-based dielectric fluid in a ratio of 40:60-60:40.
US08440115B2
A target for sputtering or a tablet for ion plating, which enables to attain high rate film-formation and a nodule-less, an oxide sintered body suitable for obtaining the same and a production method therefor, and a transparent conductive film having low absorption of blue light and low specific resistance, obtained by using the same. It is provided by an oxide sintered body having indium and gallium as an oxide, characterized in that an In2O3 phase with a bixbyite-type structure forms a major crystal phase, and a GalnO3 phase of a β-Ga2O3-type structure, or GalnO3 phase and a (Ga, In)2O3 phase is finely dispersed therein, as a crystal grain having an average particle diameter of equal to or smaller than 5 μm, and a content of gallium is equal to or higher than 10% by atom and below 35% by atom as atom number ratio of Ga/(In+Ga) or the like.
US08440112B2
Atomized Cu—Cr alloy powder, 20 to 30 percent by weight of Thermite Cr powder and 5 percent by weight of electrolytic Cu powder are mixed together and undergo solid phase sintering treatment to form an electrode material for vacuum circuit breakers. The gross content of Cr of the electrode material is 30 to 50 percent by weight. In manufacturing the electrode material for vacuum circuit breakers, such powders are mixed together and then undergo compression molding to be formed into a compressed compact. The compressed compact is performed solid phase sintering at a temperature lower than the melting point of Cu in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to prepare a solid phase sintered body.
US08440107B2
A catalytic reforming method is disclosed herein. The method includes sequentially supplying a plurality of feedstocks of variable compositions to a reformer. The method further includes adding a respective predetermined co-reactant to each of the plurality of feedstocks to obtain a substantially constant output from the reformer for the plurality of feedstocks. The respective predetermined co-reactant is based on a C/H/O atomic composition for a respective one of the plurality of feedstocks and a predetermined C/H/O atomic composition for the substantially constant output.
US08440104B2
A phosphor of formula I is included in a phosphor composition in a lighting apparatus capable of emitting white light, Ca3-x-zSrxCezM12M2AlSiO12 (I) wherein M1 is Hf, Zr, or a combination thereof; M2 is Al, or a combination of Al and Ga; z<3−x; and 0.2>x≧0. The lighting apparatus includes a semiconductor light source in addition to the phosphor composition.
US08440103B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a binder resin composition usable for an inorganic fine particle-dispersed paste composition which is excellent in thixotropy and storage stability, has scarcely changeable screen printability with the lapse of time, and can be fired at a low temperature, and to provide the inorganic fine particle-dispersed paste composition.The present invention is directed to a binder resin composition, which contains a binder comprising a (meth)acrylic resin, an organic compound having 3 or more hydroxyl groups, and an organic solvent, the content of the organic compound having 3 or more hydroxyl groups being 0.1 to 15 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the (meth)acrylic resin.
US08440101B2
Provided are a liquid crystal composition containing, as a first component, a polymerizable compound represented by general formula (I): R11—S11-L11-(M11-L12)m-M12-L13-(M13-L14)n-Z11 (I) and a liquid crystal display element using the liquid crystal composition.
US08440099B2
A stabilized composition consists essentially of unsaturated hydrocarbon-based materials, and a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of a hydroxybenzophenone and a nitroxyl radical based stabilizer.A stabilized composition consists essentially of unsaturated hydrocarbon-based materials, at least one polar liquid and a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of a hydroxybenzophenone, a nitroxyl radical based stabilizer and a hydroquinone based stabilizer.A method for stabilizing unsaturated hydrocarbon-based precursor material against the polymerization comprises providing a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of a hydroxybenzophenone and a nitroxyl radical based stabilizer.A method for stabilizing a mixture of unsaturated hydrocarbon-based precursor material with at lease one polar liquid against the polymerization comprises adding to the mixture, a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of a hydroxybenzophenone and a nitroxyl radical based stabilizer.
US08440094B1
A process for chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate having a polysilicon overburden deposited over silicon dioxide is provided using multiple dilutions of a chemical mechanical polishing composition concentrate to polish the substrate, wherein a first dilution of the concentrate used to polish the substrate is tuned to exhibit a first polysilicon removal rate and a first polysilicon to silicon dioxide removal rate selectivity; and wherein a second dilution of the concentrate used to polish the substrate is tuned to exhibit a second polysilicon removal rate and a second polysilicon to silicon dioxide removal rate selectivity.
US08440076B2
A water treatment unit comprising a bath (2) delimited by a bottom wall (3) and a lateral wall (4) developing in elevation from a whole perimeter of the bottom wall (3), means for supplying (14) the water to be treated into the bath (2), at least an aeration device (5) have dissolving functions in collaboration with the means for supplying (14), for introducing a flow of oxygen or ozone into the water contained in the bath (2) in order to saturate the water and/or to give rise to foam, means for eliminating (6) the foam, at least an outlet section (13) of the treated water from the bath (2). The bath (2) develops prevalently horizontally and internally comprises a dividing wall (7) which divides the internal volume of the bath (2) into a turbulent water zone (2a) and a calm water zone (2b).
US08440073B2
An aquarium detritus removal and filtration system of the present invention is different from the conventional aquarium filtration system which are not able to deliver detritus settle in an aquarium bottom right to a lift pump for removal. The present invention is mainly comprised of a flow generating device, a flow guiding structure, a screen plate and a lift pump. The flow generating device generate directed flows across the bottom of the aquarium and the flow guiding structure guide these directed flows right to the inlet of a lift pump, so that the lift pump can in take water containing all detritus in the aquarium and deliver these water to a filtering device for filtration
US08440067B2
The invention relates to a process for removing small amounts of water and possible further constituents from alkali metal amalgam, wherein the alkali metal amalgam is brought into contact with an element which is insoluble in mercury and catalyzes the reaction of water with the alkali metal amalgam and the possible further constituents to form hydroxides and hydrogen.
US08440064B2
An electrode module capable of improving productivity by integrally bonding a current collector and a pair of electrodes using a protective film. The current collector receives power from an external power supply, and the pair of electrodes receives power from the current collector. The current collector and electrodes are integrally bonded by thermocompression using a protective film.
US08440059B2
The invention relates to an electrolytic cell for obtaining aluminum, including a pot shell, at least one cathode block arranged at least partially in the pot shell, at least one anode suspended above the cell and dipping into the upper portion of the electrolytic cell, and an insulation at least partially covering the internal surface of the pot shell and located between the cathode block and the pot shell, the pot shell and the elements that it contains delimiting a crucible intended to receive an electrolytic bath in contact with the cathode block, characterized in that the insulation is at least partially made of carbon-based blocks having a heat conductivity lower than 1 W/m/K.
US08440057B2
A linked coke drum connection to minimize the stresses experienced by the joint between the coke drum and the supporting structure of the coke drum is described. The connection may be attached to a circumferential connection plate attached to the coke drum or directly to the drum. Some embodiments connect to a segmented circumferential connection plate. The connection includes a coke drum link, a connecting link, and a ground link. The links are pivotally connected with connecting pins. As the coke drum is heated and expands, the connecting link pivots outwardly about a point centered in the connecting pin in the ground link.
US08440042B2
A method of fabricating shell purfling strips having sufficient flexibility to be placed within a curved configuration. The shell purfling strips may be placed, as a single unit, in curved channels which require the strip to bend. The flexibility results from a laminated structure comprising a layer of binding material overlain by an organic shell layer, with a bonding agent attaching the layers together. The organic shell layer comprises a plurality of precisely placed breaks along its length. The binding material retains the individual fragments of the shell layer in the strip, but because the binding material comprises a flexible material, such as rubber, the layer of binding material is sufficiently flexible to allow the purfling strip to flex longitudinally and transversely. The shell purfling strips may be attached in parallel relationship to other perfling components allowing installation as a unit.
US08440040B2
A tape adhering device including: a drawing roller for drawing out a tape; a tape fixing means for fixing one portion of the tape drawn out from the drawing roller; a tape drawing means for drawing out a predetermined amount of tape, which is fixed by the tape fixing means, from the drawing roller between the tape fixing means and the drawing roller; and a tape adhering means for adhering the tape, which is located in the downstream of the tape fixing means, onto an object to be adhered under the condition that fixing operation of the tape by the tape fixing means is released.
US08440032B2
A press having oppositely arranged lower and upper master tools, at least one having an elongate pressing tool which is vertically displaceable in a groove in the master tool, and two lateral pressing tools arranged between the main surfaces of the master tools, on each side of the groove. The press also having at least two mold inserts, arranged on the pressing surface of at least one of the master tools, having the form of an elongate rod extending along substantially the whole of the longitudinal extent of the press and having a substantially U-shaped, outward-facing cross-sectional form, and which are displaceably movable, at least to a limited extent, along the horizontal pressing surface of the master tool transversely to a longitudinal extent of the press, and at least one partition wall arranged between the mold inserts on the pressing surface of at least one of the master tools.
US08440027B2
A domestic dishwasher includes a compartment casing comprising a corrosion-resistant metal, and a frame comprising a metal that is more corrosion-resistant than the compartment casing.
US08440020B2
Apparatus for continuously producing flexible semiconductor devices through deposition of a plurality of semiconductor layers onto a moving flexible substrate by using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) processing, where at least two successive layers are deposited in the same deposition chamber onto the substrate traveling in opposite directions. Computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of a digital computer comprising software code portions for determining and controlling all the necessary parameters for the production of flexible semi-conductor devices in a such apparatus when said computer program product is run on a computer. Roll-to-roll method for producing flexible semiconductor devices, wherein a plurality of semiconductor layers are deposited in the same deposition chamber onto a flexible substrate moving in opposite directions. Flexible semiconductor device produced with said method, where the penetration rate of one semiconductor layer into its neighboring layer is remarkably low.
US08440016B2
A ground granulated blast furnace slag for sulfate resistant cement comprising a mixture of ground granulated blast furnace slag with an alumina content of 12 to 17.5 mass % and high dissolution rate gypsum of 2 to 6 mass % of gypsum converted to mass of SO3.
US08440014B2
The bright pigment of the present invention includes flaky particles and a metal oxide layer coating at least a part of the surface of each flaky particle. The bright pigment or the flaky particles of the present invention have a particle size distribution in which the particle size at 99% of the cumulative volume from the smaller particle size is 48 μm or less, and the maximum particle size is 62 μm or less. The flaky particles are made of a material having a refractive index in the range of 1.4 to 1.8. The flaky particles have a thickness distribution in which the frequency of the particles having a thickness in the range of 0.8 μm to 1.9 μm is 90% or more by volume, or the frequency of the particles having a thickness in the range of 0.01 μm to 0.35 μm is 90% or more by volume.
US08440012B2
Acoustic wave devices and methods of coating a protective film of alumina (Al2O3) on the acoustic wave devices are disclosed herein. The protective film is applied through an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The ALD process can deposit very thin layers of alumina on the surface of the acoustic wave devices in a precisely controlled manner. Thus, the uniform film does not significantly distort the operation of the acoustic wave device.
US08440011B2
The present invention generally relates to an additive package for warm-mix asphalt formulations for the pavement of road surfaces, said additive package comprising a) surfactant component, and b) an asphalt rheology modifying component, wherein said asphalt rheology modifying component comprises at least one of a i) a wax component and ii) a resin component. The invention also relates to a warm mix asphalt having improved compaction at lower temperatures, and to a pavement made from said warm mix asphalt.
US08440010B2
In an inkjet recording system using an ink in which a coloring material is dispersed in a solvent with a dispersing agent, printing density is improved by causing aggregation of the coloring material contained in the ink that has been ejected onto a printing medium. In an inkjet printing method, printing is performed by ejecting one of first and second inks onto a printing medium, and then successively ejecting the other ink so as to overlay it on the one ink. The first ink includes a first solvent, a coloring material, and a dispersing agent. The second ink includes at least a second solvent capable of changing solubility of the dispersing agent to cause aggregation of the coloring material when it is mixed with the first ink. For example, when one of the first and second solvents includes a water-insoluble organic solvent, the other can include a water-soluble organic solvent.
US08440006B2
An apparatus 100 for scrubbing flue gas 122, the apparatus 100 including a tower 140 having an inlet 120 receiving a flow of flue gas 122 and a recycle tank portion 142; a fluid 162 disposed in the recycle tank portion 142; and an aerator 150 having at least one opening 152 for introduction of an oxygen-containing gas 154 into the fluid 162, wherein the at least one opening 152 is positioned to release the oxygen-containing gas 154 at least at a distance greater than or equal to a predetermined radial distance F from the inlet 120, the predetermined radial distance F being equal to at least 10% of a diameter of the recycle tank portion 142.
US08440003B2
A liquid degassing apparatus is arranged to limit pervaporation through a membrane by attenuating pressure oscillations developed by a vacuum pump. The attenuation is obtained through a combination of one or more flow restrictors and added volume chambers fluidly interposed between the degassing chamber and the vacuum pump. The pressure oscillation attenuation may further inhibit cross-contamination of pervaporated solvents among a plurality of distinct degassing chambers.
US08440001B2
Preferred embodiments of the invention relate to systems for removing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or related compounds, or odors associated with same. The systems include adsorbents, odor adsorbing fabrics, masks, clean air members and clean air supply assemblies.
US08439999B2
A device for capturing gas included within a produced-water stream is described. Gas and water pressure coordination is not required. Controls prevent liquid entry to the gas system and prevent gas entry into the water system. A gas/liquid separator receives an inner vessel lower end. A separator inlet receives a combined fluid stream. A liquid line passes into the inner vessel and down into the separator below the inlet so that liquid separated from the combined stream will flow up the liquid line. Motor valves are in the liquid line and in a gas line. The gas line extends from the inner vessel upper end. The gas line conveys gas from the inner vessel upper end to a gas collection system. A top float in the inner vessel activates the gas line motor valve. A bottom float in the inner vessel activates the liquid line motor valve.
US08439998B2
In sintering a metal powder after pressure molding into a given configuration, random amorphous flaky metal fine powders (10) are used as metal powder materials. In addition, spherical particulate metal powders 11 are used as main materials, and random amorphous flaky metal fine powders 10 having finer particle size than the metal powders 11 and produced by fracturing a metal fracture material by means of high-velocity gas swirling flow are used as sub-materials, and molding and sintering are performed in a state of dispersing the sub-materials (10) in the main materials (11). Thus, despite being a power metallurgical product, it is possible to obtain a metal product having a dense metallographic structure and excellent in properties such as mechanical strength.
US08439992B2
An auto ignition type autothermal reformer (ATR) performs reproducible ignition using a catalyst that performs ignition without a separate ignition unit, such as an igniter or heating wire, and a fuel cell system having the ATR. The ATR includes a reaction container having a first opening through which a fuel is introduced into the reaction container and a second opening through which a reformate is discharged from the reaction container, the fuel having a mixture of an aqueous primary fuel solution and hydrogen peroxide; a first catalyst disposed adjacent to the first opening in the reaction container, the first catalyst being a granular catalyst; a second catalyst disposed at the rear portion of the first catalyst to promote an autothermal reforming reaction; and a third catalyst disposed at the rear portion of the second catalyst to promote an oxidation reaction.
US08439981B2
A soluble solid hair coloring article having anionic direct dye and one or more soluble porous solids containing nonionic surfactant, anionic surfactant, or a mixture thereof, such that the soluble porous solid has a density of from about 0.03 g/cm3 to about 0.15 g/cm3; and methods of applying the soluble solid hair coloring article to hair.
US08439972B2
Devices, methods and kits are described for reducing intraocular pressure. The devices include a support that is implantable within Schlemm's canal and that may restore or maintain at least partial patency of the canal without substantially interfering with transmural or transluminal fluid flow across the canal. The devices utilize the natural drainage process of the eye and may be implanted with minimal trauma to the eye. Kits may include a support and an introducer for implanting the support within Schlemm's canal. Methods may include implanting a support within Schlemm's canal, where the support is capable of restoring or maintaining at least partial patency of the canal without substantial interference with transmural or transluminal fluid flow across the canal.
US08439965B2
An angioplasty stent comprises a body comprising a plurality of successive segments connected in pairs by bridge means so that the successive segments can be oriented relative to one another for the purposes of bending of the body in any direction defined by a linear combination of respective orientation axes defined by the bridge connection means. During the radial expansion of the stent, the axial contraction of the segments resulting from the opening-out of the respective loops is compensated by axial projection of the bridge elements from the respective concave portions. The wall of the body comprises arms for supporting a lumen as well as regions which are selectively deformable during the expansion of the stent, the arms and the selectively deformable regions having different cross-sections and/or cross-sectional areas. At least one portion of the body may have a substantially reticular structure, the branches of which define geometrical figures identifiable as fractals.
US08439959B2
A full-body non-invasive laser scanner for mapping or measuring a patient's body and for treating a patient's body with laser energy comprises a patient support, one or more laser devices, a laser guidance system, a control center, and optionally feedback sensors. The patient support aids in maintaining body alignment during treatment, and the laser devices are moveably positioned on a laser guidance system such that they can be driven about a stationary patient. To map and contour a patient's body, the patient aligns himself on the patient support. With the control center, an operator chooses whether to map, contour, or map and contour the patient's body either manually or according to preprogrammed treatment protocols. The carriage assembly translates and the laser devices apply laser energy to the surfaces of the patient's body according to the chosen protocol. Feedback sensors provide data for mapping the contours of the patient's body.
US08439958B2
A polyaxial bone screw assembly includes a threaded shank body having an upper capture structure, a head, a retaining ring and a nut. The external capture structure surface includes a threaded portion and a smooth portion; the smooth portion for slidably mating with the retaining ring and the threaded portion for rotatable attachment to the nut within a cavity of the head. The nut fixes the retaining ring to the shank and also provides a tool engagement formation for driving the shank body into bone.
US08439952B2
The invention provides a connecting rod for bone anchors such as pedicle screws. The rod is constructed to include a main shaft portion that is not bioresorbable and a tip portion that is bioresorbable. The tip facilitates percutaneous insertion into a patient's body. After placement of the rod, the bioresorbable tip is resorbed preventing post-operative complications such as impingement of adjacent spinal facet joints.
US08439949B2
A method for augmenting a facet joint. The method includes exposing the posterior aspects of a spinal motion segment in a first incision, preparing an access path through a separate postero-lateral percutaneous incision using a drilling instrument that traverses through at least a portion of the lamina and an inferior facet articulation surface, and terminates within the facet joint gap, and injecting augmentation filler into the facet joint gap.
US08439947B2
A system for implanting an anchor into bone, the system comprising a curved cannulated guide for percautaneous insertion, having a proximal end and a distal end; a flexible drill insertable through the curved guide from the proximal end to the distal end, the flexible drill having a shaft having a flexible portion; and a flexible inserter for inserting a suture anchor into a bore at the anatomical site formed by the flexible drill, the flexible inserter having a shaft having a flexible portion, wherein the flexible portions of both the flexible drill and flexible inserter include a series of discrete, interlocking segments.
US08439934B2
A delivery device for positioning and deploying an implantable device within a lumen is provided. The delivery device includes inner and outer tubular members slidable to each other between at least a first hold position and a second release position, a handle and a deployment mechanism adapted for an operator to use a first hand for operating the delivery device and moving the tubular members between the first and second positions. The delivery device further includes a protective member adapted for insulating at least a portion of the outer tubular member from the tendency of the operator to use his or her second hand to grab the outer tubular member during operations or from other external forces.
US08439931B2
Embodiments of instrumentation and methods are provided for the insertion of intervertebral disc prosthesis. The instrumentation of the embodiments comprises a guide comprising at least two lateral faces, at least one upper plate, at least one lower plate, at least one retainer, a cage defining an insertion axis for the prosthesis, and an angle adjuster adapted to adjust an angle formed by the insertion axis and an antero-posterior sagittal axis; and at least one separator sized to maintain a gap between the upper vertebra and the lower vertebra. Methods for implanting a prosthesis using the disclosed instrumentation comprise implanting a pin in the median sagittal axis of a vertebrae; measuring the dimensions of the intervertebral space; choosing the prosthesis; choosing the guide; adjusting the angle adjuster; positioning the guide adjacent to the intervertebral space; inserting the prosthesis into the guide; and inserting the prosthesis into the intervertebral space.
US08439927B2
A hand-held laser device that can simultaneously provide multiple types of low level laser therapy treatments to multiple areas of a patient's body simultaneously. The device enables laser light of different pulse repetition rate, different beam shapes and spot sizes to be applied to a patient's body. The device includes multiple laser sources. In the preferred embodiment, two semiconductor diode laser sources simultaneously provide two separate laser beams from separate probes, one laser beam producing laser light at a first pulse repetition rate and the other producing laser light at a second pulse repetition rate.
US08439925B2
This disclosure is directed to minimally-invasive devices, methods and systems for treating vertebral diseases and injuries using multiple therapeutic procedures through small access portals of sufficient dimension that minimize trauma to the patient. More particularly, disclosed herein are devices, methods and systems for an intraosseous transiliac-transsacral surgical approach through the iliac ala and sacral ala that can be used for a variety of surgical procedures within the lumbar spine.
US08439922B1
Systems and methods for a guide assembly for introducing a bone anchor to an operative target site. The guide includes an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve. The outer sleeve has a distal anchor engaging end, a proximal end, and a central passage extending from the distal end to the proximal end. The inner sleeve may be situated in the central passage of the outer sleeve. The inner sleeve is movable being between a first position and a second position. The first position permits insertion of the bone anchor in the central passage. The second position releasably fixes the bone anchor to the guide assembly.
US08439921B2
Method and apparatus for preparing bone and cartilage transplants for the reconstruction of the acetabulum, femoral head, or both with tissue engineered osteochondral constructs or and osteochondral allograft transplant.
US08439915B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for manipulating an anatomical feature within the body of the patient. An implant such as an internal jackscrew is implanted at the anatomical and has first and second attachment points that secure to spaced-apart locations on the anatomical feature, an internal rotor coupled to the jackscrew, and is configured to drive motion of the jackscrew to manipulate the anatomical feature. The system further includes an external rotor that is magnetically coupled to the internal rotor such that rotation of the external rotor at an exterior location to the patient's body affects a corresponding internal rotation of the internal rotor to manipulate the anatomical feature.
US08439914B2
The present disclosure provides an external fixation strut for an external fixation device having a ball joints that can be attached to the outer or inner surface of the ring and locked to increase overall stability of the external fixation device. Some embodiments of the fixation strut include a first ball joint coupled to a first end portion of a strut housing, the strut housing having an axial bore defined therethrough. A second ball joint is coupled to a second end portion of a threaded elongated member. The threaded elongated member is threadably coupled to an adjustment mechanism, which is rotatably coupled to an upper end portion of an adjustment sleeve. The adjustment sleeve is slidably disposed in the axial bore of the strut housing, and is used to effect coarse strut length adjustments. Gradual strut adjustments are effected by translating the elongated member.
US08439912B2
A surgical instrument includes a housing having an elongated shaft extending distally therefrom. An end effector for treating tissue is supported by the elongated shaft. One or more tensile members extend at least partially through the elongated shaft. A proximal end of a tensile member is operatively coupled to at least one actuator and a distal end is operatively coupled to the end effector such that manipulation of the actuator induces movement of the tensile member to move the end effector. A de-tensioning mechanism is operatively associated with the tensile member to move the tensile member between a first relaxed configuration and a second stressed configuration. The de-tensioning mechanism includes a spacer insertable into a cavity defined in the housing to move the tensile member to the first relaxed configuration and removable from the cavity to move the at least one tensile member to the second stressed configuration.
US08439910B2
An electrode tip for use in performing electro surgical operative procedures to concentrate electrical energy communicated to the patient tissue is disclosed. The electrode tip includes a main body that can receive electrical energy from an electrosurgical generator. The main body includes a working surface defining a flash edge. The working surface communicates the electrical energy to patient tissue during an operative procedure. The flash edge concentrates the electrical energy as it is communicated to the patient tissue. The concentration of the electrical energy from the flash edge reduces excessive tissue damage surrounding an incision site and improves the efficiency of the electrode tip.
US08439908B2
Devices and methods are provided for the ablation of regions of the digestive tract to achieve hemostasis and to eradicate chronically bleeding lesions as occur with gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE), portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG), radiation proctopathy and colopathy, arteriovenous malformations, and angiodysplasia. Ablation is typically provided in a wide-field manner, and in conjunction with sufficient pressure to achieve coaptive coagulation. Ablation, as provided the invention, starts at the mucosa and penetrates deeper into the gastrointestinal wall in a controlled manner. Ablation control may be exerted by way of electrode design and size, energy density, power density, number of applications, pattern of applications, and pressure. Control may also be provided by a fractional ablation that ablates some tissue within a target region and leaves a portion substantially unaffected. Embodiments of the device include an ablational electrode array that spans 360 degrees and an array that spans an arc of less than 360 degrees.
US08439898B2
An endoscopic tissue anchor deployment device includes a handle, an elongated shaft defining an internal lumen, and an end effector attached to the distal end of the elongated shaft. A tissue anchor catheter is removably inserted through the lumen of the elongated shaft, the catheter having a tissue anchor assembly that is deployable from its distal end. In some embodiments, the handle includes a pin and track assembly that define a series of handle actuation steps corresponding to deployment steps for the deployment device end effector and the tissue anchor catheter. In some embodiments, the handle includes a catheter stop member that prevents movement of the tissue anchor catheter under certain circumstances, and a handle stop member that prevents actuation of the handle under certain circumstances.
US08439894B1
A negative pressure bandage is formed in a two chamber configuration having a lower chamber from which fluids and exudates are collected from an open wound on the patient and an upper chamber that is used to store the collected fluids and exudates removed by an application of a vacuum to the lower chamber. An impermeable layer separates the upper and lower chambers to keep the wound dry and promote healing. A vacuum port interconnects a fluid collection member located in the lower chamber with the upper chamber to allow the application of a vacuum that collects and removes fluids and exudates from the lower chamber. The vacuum pump can be remote and attached to the bandage by tubing or be incorporated into the bandage to provide a self-contained negative pressure bandage. An absorptive pad can be located in the upper chamber to collect and gel the collected fluids.
US08439892B2
A therapeutic agent delivery system that includes a catheter having a proximal end and an opposite distal end. The catheter has a body with a lumen defined therein. The body of the catheter includes a non-bulbous region having a substantially uniform outer diameter and a bulbous region made from an elastically deformable material. While in a first state the bulbous region has a maximum outer diameter greater than the substantially uniform outer diameter of the non-bulbous region; and while in a second state the maximum outer diameter of the bulbous region is reduced relative to that while in the first state.
US08439884B2
The present invention relates to a component (1) making it easier to fasten a stoma bandage (6) to skin. According to the invention, the component comprises a plastic film (2) coated with a layer (3) of a soft and skin-compatible silicone elastomer which adheres to skin. The component also has a through-opening (4) intended to be applied around a stoma.
US08439881B2
A surgical access device is provided having a cannula and obturator. The cannula has a housing and tube section with an anchor located about the tube section. The obturator has a mechanism to deploy the anchor and adjust the cannula length. The anchor is moveable between a deployed and undeployed state where the undeployed state facilitates insertion and removal of the access device and the deployed state assists in fixation of the cannula in an anatomic structure. Anchor deployment is independent of cannula length adjustment.
US08439880B2
A flow control system includes a drip chamber having lower and upper wall sections and a collapsible wall extending between the lower and upper wall sections, a downwardly depending valve seat attached to the lower wall section, and a valve member disposed in the drip chamber, attached to the upper wall section and having a valve surface engageable with the valve seat. The system also includes a driver rotatably engaged to the lower and upper wall sections. Upon rotation of the driver in a first direction, the collapsible wall of the drip chamber moves between a collapsed condition in which the valve seat is sealingly engaged with the valve surface and an extended condition in which the valve seat is sufficiently spaced from the valve surface to form a flow passageway between the valve surface and the valve seat and permit flow through the opening of the drip chamber.
US08439869B2
A method for percutaneously implanting a medical catheter, such as a gastrostomy feeding tube, and a medical catheter implanting assembly. In one embodiment, the implanting assembly includes a gastrostomy feeding tube, an inner sheath and an outer sheath. The feeding tube has an internal bolster integrally formed at its distal end. The inner sheath includes a bore extending distally from its proximal end to a point prior to its distal end and a transverse window communicating with the bore. The outer sheath includes a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal bore. The outer sheath is inserted over the inner sheath, and the feeding tube is inserted into the inner sheath, with the internal bolster being folded and tucked into the window and retained therein by the outer sheath. Movement of the outer sheath relative to the inner sheath to expose the window allows the bolster to decompress.
US08439868B2
The present disclosure relates to balloon catheter medical devices. Some balloon catheter medical devices may include a balloon surface having paclitaxel embedded in a low-molecular weight matrix substance adhered thereto and dried. The dried paclitaxel may be immediately releasable after coming into contact with tissue. Other balloon catheter medical devices may include a balloon surface having a lipophilic proliferation inhibitor, an inflammation inhibitor, or an antioxidant adhered thereto.
US08439862B2
A device for dispensing fluid to a patient and indicating a fluid flow condition. The device includes a reservoir configured to provide a source of fluid under pressure. A continuous flow path in fluid communication with the source of fluid provides a continuous and substantially constant flow rate of fluid from the source to a patient. The device further includes at least one pre-biased indicator in fluid communication with the continuous flow path. The pre-biased indicator is configured to provide a discrete visual signal that the pressure of the fluid in the continuous flow path is different from a predetermined level of pressure, thereby indicating a fluid flow condition.
US08439855B2
A massaging device in the shape of a rod with an essentially cylindrical end element with a sleeve. The device has a flexible sleeve and a drive element to produce an oscillating deformation of the sleeve.
US08439853B2
An electric moxibustion device includes a tubular case having a front end opening, a heater unit placed near the front end opening in the case, and a heatproof rubber cap removably attached to the front end of the case. The heater unit comprises a heat transfer metal plate and a heating element which is fixed on the back surface of the heat transfer metal plate and generates heat using power from an external power source or a battery. The cap and the case are configured for holding an absorbent-retentive member which absorbs and retains a medical fluid between the discharge opening of the cap and the heat transfer metal plate in the case. The case has a thermoregulation circuit built-in which can change the temperature of the heating element in a stepwise manner, and push buttons for temperature adjustment are provided on the outer periphery of the case.
US08439850B2
This disclosure relates to cervical sizing devices and related kits and methods. In some aspects, a cervical sizing device includes an elongate arm and a member positioned at a distal end region of the elongate arm. The cervical sizing device can be used to determine an approximate size of a cervix when the member is brought into contact with an outer surface of the cervix.
US08439848B2
A blood testing device that can perform blood testing having lighting intensity independent of the number of times of piercing. The blood testing device (21) has a cover unit (20) removably installed on negative pressure chambers (25a, 25b). The cover unit (20) has a circular tube section (20b) surrounding the optical axis of a laser unit (26) and having a predetermined length in the direction of the optical axis, a cover glass (20d) placed on the optical axis of the laser unit (26) so as to be located at that end of the circular tube section (20b) which is on the laser unit (26) side, and a slit (20e) for interconnecting the inside of the circular tube section (20b) and the negative pressure chamber (25a) outside the circular tube section (20b).
US08439847B2
A combination exo-endocervical sampling device includes a shaft that includes a first end opposite a second end, and a combination exo-endocervical sampler configured to simultaneously collect endocervical cells and exocervical cells. The combination exo-endocervical sampler is coupled to the second end and includes a pair of opposing wings disposed transverse to the shaft and a brush extending from the wings along a central axis of the shaft. Each of the opposing wings includes a plurality of flexible loops configured to collect exocervical cells.
US08439842B2
A method of operating an ultrasound signal generator includes generating a stimulus signal and receiving a returned signal. The Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of the returned signal is computed. The SNR is compared to an optimal SNR range. A control signal is generated to control the transmission power of the stimulus signal. A new stimulus signal is generated at the new transmission power. A device for collecting and analyzing a quasi-periodic signal includes a SNR calculator that computes the SNR of a returned signal. A signal analysis selector selects between a first and a second signal analysis technique. A transmission power controller compares the computed SNR with an optimal SNR range for the selected technique and modifies the transmission power as a result of this comparison.
US08439835B1
Embodiments of systems and methods for providing protocols for administering an aspect of care are presented. Specifically, certain embodiments relate to a sepsis diagnosis and management protocol which may have been segmented according to the severity of the sepsis, where the care directives provided by the differing segments of the protocol will be of differing intensity or invasiveness based upon the severity of the patient's disease. Embodiments of such protocols may be implemented in conjunction with computer systems to aid in providing that aspect of care in conjunction with a particular patient.
US08439830B2
A cannula assembly includes a tubular element forming a lumen, a deployable portion of the tubular element, and an electronic component mounted to the deployable portion of the tubular element. The tubular element has a proximal end and a distal end adapted to be inserted into a body cavity. The deployable portion of the tubular element is engaged near the distal end of the tubular element so as to transition between a closed position and an open position. The electronic component is at least partially disposed in the lumen when the deployable portion is in the closed position.
US08439829B2
An endoscope includes, an insertion section, a distal end section body has an observation window, a liquid feed path which is formed to supply a liquid to the distal end section body side, a gas feed path which is formed to supply a gas to the distal end section body side, and a nozzle having a confluent portion which makes confluent the liquid supplied from the liquid feed path and the gas supplied from the gas feed path, and a jet outlet which jets a gas/liquid mixture fluid, which is mixed in the confluent portion, toward the observation window, wherein the nozzle is configured such that an angle, which is formed between a direction of a flow of the liquid toward the jet outlet and a direction of a flow of the gas toward the jet outlet, is set at an obtuse angle of 90° or more.
US08439826B2
A medical instrument including a distortion detection probe disposed in an insertion portion to be inserted into the interior of an examinee provided with a plurality of FBG sensor sections that detect distortion of the insertion portion, a coordinate calculation section that calculates first three-dimensional coordinates of the respective FBG sensor sections according to a first three-dimensional coordinate system whose origin is a predetermined position based on the detection results of the FBG sensor sections, a coordinate system setting section that sets a second three-dimensional coordinate system based on the first three-dimensional coordinates of the respective FBG sensor sections, a coordinate transformation section that transforms the first three-dimensional coordinates of the respective FBG sensor sections into second three-dimensional coordinates according to the second three-dimensional coordinate system set by the coordinate system setting section and a shape display section that displays the shape of the insertion portion based on the second three-dimensional coordinates transformed by the coordinate transformation section.
US08439818B2
An apparatus for inducing sleep includes an audio generator, a signal generator, and a signal processor. The audio generator generates audio signals. The signal generator generates electrical signals with a frequency between 0.4 HZ to 4 HZ. The signal processor adjusts amplitudes of the audio signals according to the frequency, and outputs the adjusted audio signals.
US08439814B2
Blanks used in the manufacture of nappies/diapers are folded on a machine comprising a first aspirating roller (5) by which single blanks (2) are advanced in succession toward a second aspirating roller (6) rotating counter and substantially tangential to the first roller (5) at a folding station (T). The first roller (5) is equipped with movable restraining elements (8) designed to engage an intermediate part of each advancing blank (2), so that a leading half of the blank remains free to be taken up by a transfer mechanism (11) operating between the first and second rollers (5, 6) in an area upstream of the folding station (T), and transferred from the first roller (5) to the second roller (6); as the two rollers (5, 6) rotate, the trailing half of the blank (2) retained on the first roller (5) by the restraining elements (8) is drawn closer to the leading half, whereupon the two halves converge gradually until flattened one against the other on passing through the folding station (T), which coincides with the point of tangency between the two rollers (5, 6), and the fold in the blank (2) is complete. The transfer mechanism (11) swings pendulum fashion, moving in sympathy with the first roller (5) when the leading half of the blank (2) is taken up and detached from this roller and in sympathy with the second roller (6) once the leading half of the blank has been released to this same second roller.
US08439808B2
The invention is a bicycle trainer to which a standard bicycle temporarily attaches for exercise and simulated rides. A lifting mechanism raises and lowers the front tire, and in preferred embodiments, a frame engages the rear tire to hold the rear tire in an elevated position against a resistance cylinder. The trainer includes support arms that connect to the bicycle and pivot the bicycle in an arcuate path back and forth in relation to a resistance cylinder. The resistance cylinder can thereby vary resistance against back tire revolution.
US08439798B2
In a hydraulic apparatus for an automatic transmission having a torque converter with a lockup clutch and CVT, there are provided a first control valve for controlling hydraulic pressure supply to the lockup clutch oil chamber, a first electromagnetic solenoid valve for controlling operation of the first control valve, a second control valve for controlling hydraulic pressure supply to the CVT pulleys, a second electromagnetic solenoid valve for controlling operation of the second control valve, a switching valve interposed between the oil chamber and the first control valve. In the apparatus, when detecting that the first control valve or first electromagnetic solenoid valve is failed and the lockup clutch is locked in engaged condition, current supply to the second electromagnetic solenoid valve is stopped so that it operates the switching valve to disengage the lockup clutch, thereby enabling to forcibly release the engagement without manipulation by the operator.
US08439791B2
A multi-speed transmission includes an input member, an output member, a stationary member, and a first and a second compound planetary gear set. The first compound planetary gear set has a first, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth member. The second compound planetary gear set has a first, a second, a third, and a fourth member. The first member of the second compound planetary gear set is continuously connected for common rotation with the output member. An interconnecting member continuously connects the first member of the first planetary gear set for common rotation with the second member of the second planetary gear set. The transmission includes seven torque-transmitting mechanisms that are engagable to establish up to fifteen forward speed ratios between the input member and the output member.
US08439790B2
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.
US08439789B2
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.
US08439788B2
In a vehicle differential unit according to an embodiment of the invention, a planetary carrier that is a rotatable member that rotatably supports planetary gears is formed of cylindrical members that are unable to rotate relative to each other on the rotational axis of a pair of output shafts. The vehicle differential unit has a thrust force generation portion that receives a driving force from a drive source of a vehicle and generates a thrust force along the direction of the rotational axis of the pair of output shafts, and a relative movement limiting portion that limits a relative movement between the cylindrical members along the axial direction due to the thrust force when the vehicle is in the drive mode.
US08439776B2
A hockey stick shaft includes an elongate, rectangular tube having a length and a plurality of side walls. The plurality of side walls define an elongate inner chamber of the tube. The chamber extends along the length of the tube. The plurality of side walls includes a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, and a pair of opposite third and fourth side walls separating the first side wall from the second side wall. A support member is positioned within the chamber and extends along the length of the tube. The support member divides the chamber, and connects the first and second side wall walls to one another.
US08439763B2
The wedge clutch assembly is a clutch assembly for power tools, drilling rigs and like machinery utilizing rotating drills. In at least one embodiment the wedge clutch assembly has a pinion shaft adapted in shape to support a pinion gear, a bronze clutch cup, an optional thrust bearing, and a steel wedge clutch spring washer retained by a fastener. A further embodiment is particularly adapted for installation in the hub of a watercraft propeller. This watercraft propeller clutch embodiment deletes the clutch cup and includes opposite end caps to seal the assembly.
US08439762B2
A torsional damper includes a torque limiter and a damper. The torque limiter includes at least two friction members, allows transmission of torque, and prohibits transmission of excessive torque. The damper absorbs torsional vibration through resilient deformation of a spring. The torque limiter is a wet torque limiter in which the friction members are arranged in an oil chamber filled with lubricating oil. The damper is a dry damper in which the spring is not immersed in the lubricating oil.
US08439761B2
A gaming cabinet includes a first side panel, a second side panel disposed away from and substantially parallel to the first side panel, and a video display carried between the first and second side panels, wherein the video display is arranged substantially perpendicular to the first and second side panels. The gaming cabinet further includes a translatable gaming deck carried between the first and second side panels, wherein the translatable gaming deck is arranged substantially perpendicular to the first and second side panels and the video display, wherein the translatable gaming deck is configured to be linearly translated away from the video display, and wherein the translatable gaming deck is configured to be rotated to a position substantially parallel to the video display when linearly translated away from the video display.
US08439758B2
The invention refers to a method for encouraging a user to comply with his/her medication regimen, comprising the steps of: registering a group of parameters related to a medication intake of said user, which parameters include a time parameter and a user identifier; sending said group of parameters related to a medication intake of the user to a server (40); computing a time difference between said time parameter received and a time parameter associated to said user identifier previously recorded in the server; assigning said user with a pre-established number of points depending on the value of said time difference; and providing said user with information regarding his/her points obtained for the medication intake, including a summary of their medication compliance status using appealing personal awareness. providing symbolic rewards (e.g., listening to a favorite song, being surprised with a family photo, reading a joke) to said user if he/she complies with his/her medication regimen providing means to said user to contact/remind other users in case they forget to take their medication.
US08439757B2
An entertainment device is configured to receive a limited range wireless signal from at least one other entertainment device when adjacently arranged in close physical proximity to at least one other entertainment device, and to responsively operate in a first mode or a second mode based on whether the other entertainment device is adjacent a first side or second side. In the first mode, the entertainment device initiates one or more wireless activation signals to control an audio/visual element of another entertainment device. In the second mode, the entertainment device receives wireless activation signals from another entertainment device to control activation of an audio/visual element of the receiving entertainment device. Each device is interchangeable between operation in the first mode of controlling at least one other entertainment device and the second mode of being controlled by another entertainment device based on position of one entertainment device relative to the other.
US08439750B2
A game apparatus includes a camera, and with this camera, images in a plurality of poses decided in advance are imaged. From the imaged image in the plurality of poses, an image of a game character in each pose is created. In a battle game and a match-up game, the image in the pose corresponding to a motion according to an operation by a player is read, and by utilizing the read image in the pose, a character is displayed on a battle screen and a match-up screen.
US08439736B2
Various embodiments of extended play gaming systems and methods are disclosed. One method embodiment, among others, comprises providing a user interface that enables extended play in an electronic game, and providing an opportunity for increased compensation that varies based on when extended play is terminated.
US08439731B2
A compact inexpensive coin separating and transferring apparatus can separate coins and reliably delivering each one to a rotating transferring body. Coins or tokens are contacted by a holding surface on a pusher unit formed so as to project from an upper surface of a rotary disk to permit the coins to be sorted one by one and stored. The coins are each pushed by the pusher unit along a circumferential-direction of a fixed guiding ledge positioned above the rotary disk. The coin reaches a stationary state at a predetermined delivery position on a delivery support ledge. A holding ledge has a predetermined diameter formed at an outer perimeter edge of the pusher. The coin is removed by a rotary transferring body from the delivery position, and physical properties can be detected by a sensor while moved along a sensor-part guide.
US08439729B2
Loading caps suitable to mount to product chutes for rucking sleeves of covering material onto a chute body include a conical or frustoconical upper portion.
US08439718B2
Method for fabricating an organic EL display panel having an EL region at every cross of first and second electrodes, including the steps of forming a plurality of first electrodes at regular intervals on a transparent substrate, forming an insulating layer in regions other than the EL regions, forming second supplementary electrodes on the insulating layer, forming an electric insulating barrier between adjacent EL regions perpendicular to the first electrodes, forming an organic EL layer in each of the EL regions with a shadow mask, depositing an electrode material on an entire surface inclusive of the organic EL layer, to form a plurality of second electrodes electrically connected to the second supplementary electrodes, and forming a protection film on an entire surface inclusive of the second electrodes.
US08439717B2
A device for manufacturing an active matrix substrate including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, in which a short-circuit defect in the active matrix substrate is detected and repaired, includes a stage (30a) configured to place a test substrate (19) which will become the active matrix substrate, a defective pixel detector (40a) configured to input a test signal to the test substrate (19) placed on the stage (30a), and electrically detect coordinates of a defective pixel in which a short-circuit defect has occurred, and a defect position identifier (50) configured to input the test signal to the test substrate (19) placed on the stage (30a) to cause the defective pixel detected by the defective pixel detector (40a) to generate heat, and sense the heat generation in the defective pixel using far-infrared thermography, thereby identifying a position of the short-circuit defect in the defective pixel.
US08439712B2
An electrical connector for a power cable having a lead assembly which forms electrical connections between wires in the cable and contacts to one side of the cable.
US08439710B2
An electrical connector includes a housing having a top and a bottom. An upper connector portion is formed at the top of the housing. The upper connector portion has upper contacts. A lower connector portion is formed at the bottom of the housing. The lower connector portion has lower contacts. A card slot is formed between the upper connector portion and the lower connector portion. The card slot is configured to receive a substrate having upper plug contacts and lower contacts. The upper contacts of the upper connector portion are configured to engage the upper plug contacts of the substrate. The lower contacts of the lower connector portion configured to engage the lower contacts of the substrate. A biasing member is coupled to the lower connector portion. The biasing member is configured to bias the substrate toward the upper connector portion to align the upper plug contacts of the substrate with the upper contacts of the upper connector portion.
US08439704B2
A connector has a plurality of mating blades in the form of circuit cards, arranged horizontally in a vertical stack. The circuit cards are supported in a vertical array in mating portions of the connector and are enclosed by sidewalls of the mating portions. In order to support the circuit cards, the sidewalls of each mating portion are slotted and the circuit cards are provided with mounting wings that extend outwardly therefrom and which are received in the slots. Reentrant notches are provided in the circuit cards adjacent where the wings extend out from the bodies of the circuit cards.
US08439699B2
A lever type electrical connector has a case. A connector terminal is provided in the case so as to be slidable in a first direction, and is operable to engage with a mating connector terminal by being moved in the first direction. A handle is connected with the connector terminal. A first lever is pivotably attached to the case, and is connected to the handle. The first lever is operable to be moved so as to move the handle in the first direction. A first lock arm is pivotably attached to the case. A first end of the first lock arm is operable to be come in contact with the mating connector terminal. A second end of the first lock arm opposite to the first end is operable to be disengaged from the handle when the first end is urged from the mating connector terminal. The second end is operable to be engaged with the handle so as to prevent the handle from moving in the first direction when the first end is not urged from the mating connector terminal.
US08439679B2
The invention is an extractor for roots of broken teeth. This extractor has a square head spiral. That square head spiral has a spiral anchor and a square head with optional depressions in the sides of that square head. In that square head opposite the spiral anchor is a threaded hole. Included is a generally cubical square head socket with a lower square opening. There is a centrally located passage through the top of that generally cubical square head socket. The invention also has a thumb screw device with a rotator knob part and a threaded section. In operation the square head spiral anchor is screwed into the patient's broken tooth and the cubical square head socket is placed over the square head. The rotator knob part is threaded into the square head threaded hole. The extractor for roots of broken teeth is ready to remove the root of the broken tooth. The square head socket may have an extension. The invention includes a process for removing roots of broken teeth using the above device.
US08439676B2
The present invention relates to a periodontal interdental tray and to a periodontal medicament tray syringe that can be used in conjunction with the periodontal interdental tray of the present invention, or can be utilized by itself or in conjunction with other periodontal trays already on the market. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to treatment of periodontal disease, and in particular to a dental tray syringe and method for delivering medicaments into areas of the mouth either supragingival or subgingivally to treat the infected areas.
US08439668B2
A container for holding a combustible is provided, the container having a first portion for receiving the combustible and a second portion containing an extinguishing substance, characterized in that the extinguishing substance is in thermal contact with the first portion and is adapted to be set free if it exceeds a predefined temperature. Also provided is a candle comprising such a container, wherein the first portion contains candle wax, lamp oil or petroleum gel, and a wick.
US08439666B2
A laminate nanomold includes a layer of perfluoropolyether defining a cavity that has a predetermined shape and a support layer coupled with the layer of perfluoropolyether. The laminate can also include a tie-layer coupling the layer of perfluoropolyether with the support layer. The tie-layer can also include a photocurable component and a thermal curable component. The cavity can have a broadest dimension of less than 500 nanometers.
US08439663B2
A mold apparatus comprising a release liner removably securable to a mold tool face by a liner vacuum system configured to hold the release liner in place against the tool face, the liner vacuum system comprising at least one liner vacuum port extending and providing fluid communication between the mold face and a vacuum source. The liner vacuum system is actuable to hold the release liner in place against the tool face in advance of and during material injection and during curing and may be further actuable to subsequently release the tool from the liner, leaving the release liner to be peeled from the cured material.
US08439656B2
A liquid pump for an internal combustion engine having a housing in which a pump rotational shaft is accommodated, in particular a water pump of a heat exchanger circuit of a vehicle, and an eddy current arrangement is provided at least partially inside the housing of the liquid pump. The invention furthermore relates to a device for heating a liquid.
US08439651B2
A booster pump system, for boosting a flow of water from a water source, includes a housing having a retractable handle. The booster pump system also includes a water pump positioned within the housing. The pump has an inlet and an outlet, and is designed to raise the pressure of the flow of water by an amount in a range of 20-200 pounds per square inch. The pump is also designed to raise the flow rate of the flow of water by an amount in a range of 0.5-5 gallons per minute. The booster pump system further includes a hose reel positioned within the housing, where the hose reel supports a garden hose attached to the outlet of the pump.
US08439647B2
A turbine airfoil (20) fabricated as an assembly of U-channels (22A-E), each U-channel having a closed side formed by a cross wall (25), an open side (26) opposite the cross wall, and two side walls (27) extending from the cross wall to the open side. The U-channels are attached to each other in a parallel, closed-side to open-side sequence, forming a series of cooling channels (23) oriented span-wise (S) in the airfoil. A first of the U-channels (22A) has a curved cross wall forming the leading edge (24) of the airfoil. A last of the U-channels (22E) may have side walls (27) that converge to form a trailing edge (28) of the airfoil. Alternately, a solid trailing edge (22E′) may be attached to a last of the U-channels. Each U-channel may be bonded to an adjacent U-channel using half-lap joints (30).
US08439632B2
A thermal module includes a fan device having a fan and a fan housing for covering the fan. A vent is disposed on the fan housing. The thermal module further includes an airflow guiding device installed on the fan housing and disposed on a side of the vent for guiding airflow into the vent.
US08439623B2
Methods and systems are provided for handling materials, including materials used in semiconductor manufacturing systems. The methods and systems include linear semiconductor processing facilities for vacuum-based semiconductor processing and handling, as well as linkable or extensible semiconductor processing facilities that can be flexibly configured to meet a variety of constraints.
US08439620B2
A speed nut for engaging a member includes a housing including a first wall having a first opening therethrough for receiving the member and a second wall facing the first inner wall, the first and second walls defining a cavity therebetween; and a plurality of engagement elements arranged in the cavity about a longitudinal axis of the housing to form an opening therebetween, at least one of the engagement elements being freely movable in the cavity between a first position wherein an inner surface of the at least one engagement element is spaced from the longitudinal axis by a first distance for engaging the member and a second position wherein the inner surface of the at least one engagement element is spaced from the longitudinal axis by a second distance greater than the first distance for receiving the member through the opening.
US08439617B2
A self-tapping insert is installed in a pre-existing bore hole in a workpiece by rotating the insert, causing cutting threads on the exterior of the self-tapping insert to cut new threads. Engagement threads on the exterior of the self-tapping insert engage the new threads to retain the self-tapping insert within the workpiece. The self-tapping insert may comprise internal threads which are used to replace damaged threads in the workpiece. The means of installing the self-tapping insert may include a drive bolt having threads which make up into those of the self-tapping insert's internal threads. The self-tapping insert is aligned within the bore hole by means of a detachable pilot, which is connected to the insert with attachment means. The attachment means include the pilot being attached to the drive bolt. The pilot may be attached to the drive bolt means of left-handed threads in an axially-centered aperture of the pilot and matching left-handed threads on the end of the drive bolt.
US08439614B2
A drop-in anchor includes a tubular sleeve having a first end and an expandable second end. The sleeve tapers in inner diameter from the first end to the second end at a sleeve taper angle. A plug is insertable in the sleeve such that when the plug is driven into an installed position in the sleeve the second end expands. The plug tapers at a plug taper angle from a head end to a tip end. A difference between the sleeve taper angle and the plug taper angle is about one degree or more.
US08439612B2
An adaptor for cargo control systems is provided that can adjust to accommodate length, width, and height variances between parallel tracks in a cargo control system. The adaptor includes a crossbar, first and second length and height adjusting mechanisms, and first and second width adjusting mechanisms. The first and second length and height adjusting mechanisms are affixed to first and second ends of the crossbar, and the first and second width adjusting mechanisms are affixed to the crossbar along the length of the crossbar.
US08439582B2
A print apparatus is supplied that feeds continuous paper with suppressing its swelling caused by perforations or crease. In the print apparatus, a platen is furnished opposite to a printing section; a medium support member is furnished capable of changing an interval from the platen and supports a record medium toward the platen; and a medium support auxiliary member is furnished on the opposite side to the platen in the medium support member, and when the medium support member is made to separate from the platen, the medium support auxiliary member is made to protrude from the medium support member.
US08439577B2
The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector, and in particular to a Subscriber Connector (SC)-type push/pull optical fiber connector and to a method of forming and using such a connector. The SC-type optical fiber connector (101) is made up of an optical fiber (8), a cylindrical ferrule (14), a ferrule holder (16), a spring biasing means (17), a ferrule holder carrier (50), an inner housing (120), and an outer housing (40). The optical fiber (8) is held within the ferrule (14) and the ferrule (14) is held by the ferrule holder (16). The ferrule holder (16) is engaged within a receiving portion (54) of the ferrule holder carrier (50), said holder and carrier being relatively moveable with respect to each other along the ferrule axis (5) between limits defined by an interaction between the ferrule carrier (50) and the ferrule holder (16).
US08439554B2
A whisk attachment for use with an automated mixer is disclosed. The whisk attachment includes a coupling member, at least two coil members, and a brace. The first coil member has first and second ends attached to the coupling member to define the first coil member having a substantially parabolic shape. The second coil member also has first and second ends attached to the coupling member to define the second coil member also having a substantially parabolic shape. The brace is attached to each of the first and second coil members to resist relative movement of the first coil member with respect to the second coil member.
US08439553B2
The present invention relates to a mixer for concrete and similar mixtures, of the type composed of a parallelepiped tank (2) internally provided with one or more mixing shafts (3), each of them driven into rotation by a corresponding motor unit (UM) in external position with respect to the tank (2), which comprises, with the necessary connections, an electric motor (4), a gear motor (6) and a cascade of intermediate and reducing gears interfaced with the end of the corresponding mixing shaft (3), characterized by the fact that it is provided with a low-power auxiliary motor (10) connected with the main motor (4), designed to be actuated to drive into very slow rotations the mixing shaft, associated to the main motor (4) during the internal cleaning operations of the tank (2).
US08439552B2
A backlight unit of a display apparatus is provided. The backlight unit includes a display housing, a light source which is arranged along an inner circumference the display housing, a light guide plate through which light of the light source is transmitted, and which forms surface light, an optical sheet which is disposed on an upper side of the light guide plate to upwardly diffuse the light of the light source transmitted through the light guide plate, a plurality of first fixing units, each of which fix both the light guide plate and the optical sheet, a plurality of second fixing units which support only the light guide plate, and a support frame which is connected to the display housing to fix the optical sheet to the display housing provisionally, and has a window formed on a surface corresponding to the light guide plate to allow light to pass therethrough.
US08439539B2
Disclosed is a low-beam lamp unit including an LED, a projector lens disposed on an optical axis, a reflector reflecting light of the LED toward the vicinity of a back focus of the projector lens on a vertical cross section, a shade having a front edge portion disposed in the vicinity of the back focus of projector lens to block a portion of light reflected by the reflector, and a re-reflection surface integrally provided in the back of the front edge portion to re-reflect the portion of reflected light blocked by the shade to the projector lens. In the low-beam lamp unit, at least a portion of the re-reflection surface has a light diffusion portion which is a continuously curved surface that is convex toward the reflector in the vertical cross section.
US08439537B2
A vehicular lighting fixture unit can include a projector lens placed on an optical axis extending in a vehicle front-rear direction. A light-emitting element can be placed between the projector lens and a rear-side focal point of the projector lens at a position lower than the optical axis so as to emit light substantially vertically upward. A phosphor can be placed so as to be closer to a vehicle rear side than the rear-side focal point. A first reflecting surface can reflect the light from the phosphor so as to condense the light toward the optical axis. A second reflecting surface can be placed substantially vertically above the light-emitting element at a position at which the second reflecting surface does not block the reflected light from the first reflecting surface. The second reflecting surface can reflect the light from the light-emitting element toward the phosphor.
US08439534B1
A mobile lighting apparatus includes a portable frame such as a moveable trailer or skid having a light tower thereon. The light tower is moveable from a stowed position to a deployed position. A hydrogen-powered fuel cell is located on the portable frame to provide electrical power to an array of the energy efficient lights located on the light tower.
US08439533B2
A reading device, such as a reading lamp or reading spotlight, is provided for use in a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle with immovable properties or ships. The reading device for example can be used in passenger cabins and/or cockpits of aircraft. The reading device includes, but is not limited to an LED light source with a color temperature that can be adjusted with the color “warm-white” to “cold-white”, a primary optics or lens advantageously designed as a converging lens, and a secondary optics or lens to focus the light emitted by the light source onto a surface, such as a reading plane to be illuminated.
US08439528B2
A glass LED bulb, which includes a body of glass, the body having at least one hollow portion, and at least one LED contained within the at least one hollow portion. A thermally conductive material is preferably included within the at least one hollow portion. The body of glass can be bulb-shaped or alternatively shaped like an incandescent bulb.
US08439525B2
The present invention, in some embodiments, provides a luminaire operable to enhance the uniformity of light distributed from the luminaire thereby mitigating diminished illuminance at the periphery of an illuminated area.
US08439523B2
A laser device including a concave mirror converging beamlets from a plurality of high efficiency diode lasers to a focal point, an integrating convex mirror placed at or near the focal point reflects a first portion of the beamlets back to the concave mirror and allows a second portion through to a light transmitter. The second portion of beamlets exists the light transmitter as a homogenized uniform laser beam having substantially uniform convergence and focus.
US08439522B2
An angle-adjusting LED lighting apparatus includes an LED light source on which LEDs and a printed circuit board electrically connected to the LEDs are mounted. A lens diffuses light illuminated from the LEDs, and a case houses the LED light source and the lens. At least one portion of an outer surface of the case is circular-shaped, an uneven part is formed at the circular-shaped outer surface of the case, and an engaging groove is formed inside the uneven part and penetrates the case along a length of the case. The apparatus includes an angle-adjustment member having an uneven surface that engages with the uneven part on one surface, and an engagement fixing member that engages with an outer fixing member on which the lighting apparatus is to be mounted using an engaging member. The engaging member penetrates the angle-adjustment member and is inserted into the engaging groove.
US08439520B2
A collimated light source with solid-state light emitters in which the solid-state light emitter is optically coupled to a high refractive index reflector optic, which reduces the cone angle of the light input to the reflector optic. Reducing the cone angle allows the reflective surface of the reflector optic to be reduced in size compared with a conventional reflector in air. The solid-state light emitter is mounted near the light output surface to further reduce the size of the collimated light source. The highly collimated light beams of different colors generated by multiple collimated light sources enable the lighting assembly to use a decussate optical filter having dichroic filter elements to combine the light beams to provide the compact lighting assembly having a configurable output light color.
US08439516B2
A device with at least two light sources operating in context with each other under electronic control of illumination angle and intensity in order to create a wide angle stereoscopic view of the area. The device uses multiple switched sources of light situated at an angle in reference to a light source positioned along the longitudinal axis of system. The device works by sequentially switching each individual light source on and off in selected patterns at a frequency equal to or higher than 30 Hz. The device covers a selectable illumination area at variable view angles from the focused forward beam from over 3 steradians in the Left, Right, Up or Down direction, or to more than 6 steradians in full-view mode, when an axially aligned center source is present. The device finds applications, in automotive, aircraft, watercraft, space vehicles, flashlights and other fields of human activities.
US08439505B2
A method for calculating a position adjustment amount of projected image includes a first image step of obtaining first image data which is obtained by an image capturing device imaging first feature points which are displayed using light modulated by a first light modulation device, a second imaging step of obtaining second image data which is obtained by the image capturing device imaging a second feature point which is displayed using light modulated by a second light modulation device, an adjustment amount calculation step of calculating an adjustment amount based on the first image data and the second image data.
US08439493B2
A wide format printer that has an ink supply, a feed line coupled to the ink supply, a return line coupled to the ink supply, a plurality of printheads collectively spanning a paper path more than 432 mm (17 inches) wide, each of the printheads being fluidically coupled to the first and second conduits and, a bypass line coupling the feed line to the return line.
US08439492B2
A cartridge includes: a liquid container adapted to contain a liquid; a filler port provided to fill the liquid into the liquid container; a supply port connected with a liquid supply tube provided in the printing device; a connection port provided to communicate with the liquid container; a liquid detection chamber adapted to vary volume according to inflow or non-inflow of the liquid through the connection port; a flow path arranged to connect the liquid detection chamber with the supply port; and a member provided to have the filler port, the supply port, the liquid detection chamber and the connection port arranged on one identical surface. The surface of the member has the supply port and the filler port arranged on one direction side relative to center of the surface, and the connection port arranged on an opposite direction side to the one direction side relative to the center. The liquid detection chamber is located between the connection port and the supply port.
US08439487B2
A method for creating composite droplets for use in an ink jet system includes a first fluid (1) brought into contact with a second fluid within a set of channels (5,14). The interface between the fluids is characterized by an interfacial tension. The first fluid forms spaced droplets (8) within the second fluid, the composite of the first and second fluids passing through an orifice (6) to form a jet (9).
US08439483B2
A liquid ejection head includes a chip having a liquid ejection pressure generating element and an electrode terminal for electrically connecting the liquid ejection pressure generating element to an external source, an electrical wiring board having a lead wiring to be electrically connected to the electrode terminal, and a lead sealing material for covering an electrical connection portion between the electrode terminal and the lead wiring. The lead sealing material contains an epoxy resin which has an average number of functional groups per molecule of more than two and is solid at 25° C., an acid anhydride curing agent having a polybutadiene backbone, a curing accelerator, and an inorganic filler.
US08439480B2
This aims to provide an inkjet recording apparatus which prevents a beading or a color bleeding in a recording system using a line head, and an inkjet recording method. The inkjet recording apparatus comprises an ink line head equipped with nozzle rows having a plurality of nozzles arranged at a predetermined pitch for discharging inks containing coloring materials, and a fixing liquid line head equipped with nozzle rows having a plurality of nozzles arranged at a predetermined pitch for discharging fixing liquids to enhance the fixtures of the inks to a recording medium. The inkjet recording apparatus performs the records by discharging the inks and the fixing liquids from the individual line heads to the recording medium while moving the recording medium and the individual line heads relatively in predetermined directions. The inkjet recording apparatus is characterized in that the nozzle rows of the ink line head and the fixing liquid line head are arranged such that they are deviated from each other by one half of the predetermined pitch in the nozzle row direction.
US08439477B2
A method of characterizing an array of resistive heaters, a first resistive heater of the array having a nominal sheet resistance, a first nominal length and a first nominal width, the method includes (a) providing a first configuration test resistor disposed proximate the first resistive heater, the first configuration test resistor including a second nominal length and a second nominal width, wherein the second nominal length is different from the first nominal length; (b) measuring a resistance of the first resistive heater; (c) measuring a resistance of the first configuration test resistor; and (d) determining the actual sheet resistance and the actual length of the first resistive heater based on the measured resistances of the first resistive heater and the first configuration test resistor.
US08439473B2
An ink-jet printer includes an ink jet head which jets liquid droplets of an ink onto a recording medium; a scanning mechanism which reciprocates the ink-jet head in a forward scan direction and a backward scan direction; a transport mechanism which transports the recording medium in a transport direction intersecting with the forward and backward scan directions; and a jetting controller which controls the ink-jet head. The jetting controller has a reference jetting amount setting section which sets a reference jetting amount based on an input image data for each of a plurality of scans of the ink-jet head, and a jetting amount adjusting section which makes a jetting amount be smaller than the reference jetting amount with respect to an overlapping area at which liquid droplet jetting areas of the forward scan and the backward scan partially overlap each other.
US08439467B2
An image forming device includes a print head that performs a bi-directional printing including a forward print and a reverse print, and a convey-amount determining unit that determines a conveying amount based on a value relating to an amount of offset between a first position on the recording medium at which a first test image is formed in the forward print and a second position at which a second test image is formed in the reverse print. The recording medium is conveyed the conveying amount prior to one of the forward print and the reverse print.
US08439461B2
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a main body in which a storage chamber is provided and a door on which an image is provided. The door is pivotably coupled to the main body. The door includes a door panel defining an outer appearance of the door, a pattern processing part disposed on a side of the door panel to realize the image, and a glass member fixed to the door panel. According to the refrigerator, an elegant outer appearance of the door is realized to satisfy consumers' desires and increase consumer confidence.
US08439460B2
A domestic appliance for installation in a furniture frame, the appliance includes an essentially rectangular body, and two vertical cover sections affixed to the front vertical edges of the body, which extend laterally beyond the vertical edges onto the furniture frame. A horizontal cover section is pushed in between the vertical sections along an upper front edge of the body.
US08439459B2
A latch system for a sliding member and a stationary member has upper and lower bodies fixed to the sliding member; an anchor block fixed to the stationary member; a release body slidably connected to the anchor block such that the release body can move relative to the anchor block; a lower arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the lower arm being attached to the release body; a control arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the control arm being rotatably attached to the second end of the lower arm; and a swivel cam having a first end and a second end, the first end of the swivel cam being rotatably attached to the second end of the control arm. When the sliding member is in a closed position and the release body is in a normal position, force exerted on the sliding member in an opening direction causes the second end of the swivel cam to engage a closed position detent on the upper body and causes the release body to push against a surface of the lower body, such that the upper body is prevented from moving in the opening direction.
US08439451B2
A cooling system for the gear case in the ranging arm of a longwall shearer, the ranging arm including a plurality of single gears mounted in a row within an elongated housing. The cooling system includes a coolant injection system in each of the single gears, each coolant injection system including a longitudinal opening in the gear axle, and a coolant injection tube mounted inside the longitudinal opening. The coolant injection tube has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the longitudinal opening. A coolant supply line is connected to and in communication with the coolant injection tube, and a coolant outlet is connected to and in communication with the longitudinal opening adjacent the one end of the longitudinal opening, so that coolant leaving the end of the coolant injection tube travels back along the coolant injection tube and then out of the gear axle thereby removing heat from the single gear.
US08439441B2
A lumbar assembly has a wireframe for attachment to a frame of a vehicle seat. The wire frame has first and second spaced apart side members. First and second flexible lumbar support bands are each mounted to a wire frame side member, and each have a lateral portion extending inboard with a guide member. The guide members of the first and second lumbar support bands cooperate so that the lumbar support bands are adjusted in a fore and aft direction by translating the lateral portions relative to each other along the guide members.
US08439412B2
A motor vehicle forward structure is provided with at least two vehicle chassis beams, at least two crash boxes, which are arranged at the front ends of the vehicle chassis beams, and at least one transverse beam structure, which is secured to the crash boxes. The transverse beam structure exhibits two transverse bumper carriers with a first transverse bumper carrier above the crash boxes, and a second transverse bumper carrier below the crash boxes. The crash boxes are fixed in a left and right end area of the transverse beam structure, between the transverse bumper carriers and at the ends of the vehicle chassis beams.
US08439401B2
A caution pole for embedding in a support medium for drawing attention to potential hazards includes a generally elongate pole body with a proximate end portion formed with a pointed tip for insertion into a support medium, a metal impact cap fitted over the end opposite the proximate end portion of the pole body, the impact cap including a generally cylindrical body having an access opening on one end thereof and a substantially planar surface opposing the access opening, and a clip disposed on the pole body having a base and an arm capable of securing an attachment to the caution pole.
US08439400B2
An impact absorber is provided in a trim of a vehicle for protecting a waist portion of a passenger. The impact absorber includes: a first portion corresponding to the pubis of the passenger; and a second portion corresponding to the ilium of the passenger. Stress generated in the first portion when the passenger hits the trim has a first predetermined value or less, and stress generated in the second portion when the passenger hits on the trim has a second predetermined value or more, the second predetermined value being greater than the first predetermined value.
US08439399B2
An airbag having a base end, a front panel and at least one panel opposing the front panel, the airbag having a cutout in the front panel, an inner perimeter of the cutout having first and second sides, a first panel having first and second edges, the first edge of the first panel is attached to the first side of the cutout, a second panel having third and fourth edges, the third edge is attached to the second edge of the first panel and the fourth edge is attached to the second side of the cutout, wherein the first and second panels define a slit in cutout of the front panel, and a tether attached along a backside of the slit and attached to an inner surface of the at least one panel opposing the front panel of the airbag.
US08439398B2
Inflator connectors for inflatable personal restraints and associated systems and methods are described herein. An inflator connector configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology, for example, can include a body having an attachment portion and a sleeve portion and a coupling rotatably received in the sleeve portion. The attachment portion of the body can include a first bore having a first engagement feature positioned toward a first opening for operably engaging at least one of an inflator and a gas tube. The sleeve portion can include a second bore in fluid communication with the first bore. The coupling can include a second engagement feature positioned toward a second opening for operably engaging the other of the inflator and the gas tube.
US08439395B2
An airbag and an airbag device, which are capable of readily improving expansion characteristics of the airbag and reducing manufacturing cost, are provided. An airbag 11 for occupant at passenger's seat includes a first bag 21 and a second bag 22 which is provided inside of the first bag 21. An outside top face portion 36 of the first bag 21 and an inside top face portion 46 of the second bag 22 are brought into a sheet-like intimate contact with each other, and are detachably jointed at the jointing portion 51. The jointing portion 51 is comprised of a breakable seam line 52. Gas is supplied into the second bag 22 to thereby expand the first bag 22, and is supplied into the first bag 21 via a gas distributing portion 48 to thereby expand the first bag 21. In a case where an occupant exists at a predetermined position, the jointing portion 51 breaks away, and the first bag 21 then expands to its maximum. In an OOP state in which the occupant exists in the proximity of the airbag device 1, a head part of the occupant holds the outside top face portion 36 and disallows breakage of the jointing portion 51, so that expansion of the first bag 21 to the occupant side can be restrained and the occupant can be protected with an appropriate force.
US08439383B2
A bicycle frame can have a main frame, a sub-frame and a shock. The sub-frame can move in relation to the main frame and the shock can be used to regulate that relationship. A linkage can also be used to regulate the relationships and control the rotation. The shock can further have a pair of extension arms to span a seat tube which is part of the main frame.
US08439378B2
Vehicle suspension assemblies including air spring assemblies and components of the vehicle suspension assemblies are described. A vehicle suspension assembly that is attachable to a pair of vehicle frame rails includes a pair of support beams and a cross member, such as a cross tube, extending between and connected to the pair of support beams. Each support beam includes a locator-tab and each air spring assembly includes a locator-tab-slot for receiving a locator-tab of a support beam. The cross tube is fastened to the air spring assembly via a retention strap that wraps around portions of the cross tube. The locator-tabs and locator-tab-slots may be operable, alone or in combination with the retention strap, as a lateral restraint. In this regard, the lateral restraint may restrain the air spring from moving in a lateral direction between two frame rails to which the vehicle suspension assembly attaches.
US08439373B2
Described herein is a hydraulic suspension system mounted on a vehicle, including a plurality of hydraulic suspension units having a section of the vehicle corresponding thereto, and a hydraulic power device in communication with the plurality of hydraulic suspension units for providing a hydraulic fluid under pressure to actuate the plurality of hydraulic suspension units. The hydraulic suspension system mounted on a vehicle further includes a plurality of hydraulic valve assemblies associated with each of the plurality of hydraulic suspension units, wherein the plurality of hydraulic valve assemblies are in fluid communication between the plurality of hydraulic suspension units and the hydraulic power device, and a control device for controlling each of the hydraulic valve assemblies associated with each of the plurality of hydraulic suspension units.
US08439370B2
A stair-climbing device including a support unit, a climbing unit driven by a motor and a control unit for controlling operation of the climbing unit, wherein a detection unit is provided for detecting the current position of the support unit with respect to one or several steps of a stair which includes at least one non-contact sensor, wherein the detection unit provides signals to the control unit, which signals contain information about the current position of the support unit with respect to one or several steps of the stair, and wherein the control unit is adapted to control operation of the climbing unit depending on signals of the detection unit.
US08439362B1
A casino game method and system is set forth for house banked games such as Blackjack, Baccarat, Pai Gow and the like where each participating player makes a first wager to participate in the house banked game and a second wager to form a player competition pot. The first wagers are resolved according to the rules of the game. The second wagers are combined into a pot which is awarded to the player having the highest or lowest hand ranking. In the event of a tie the pot may be shared or carried over to subsequent hands until there is a single winner. The system provides for a host processor communicating with player terminals from which the players can control the game action. To provide a profit to the casino, at least a portion of the pot is awarded if the house hand has a certain holding.
US08439356B2
A cassette having a scissor type linkage for displacing a received substrate payment from an initial receiving guide to a storage arrangement is powered by a two bar drive linkage. The two bar drive linkage has one bar connected to said housing and the free end of the other bar member connected adjacent a central pivot of the scissor type linkage. A link member is connected to the pivot connection of the bars to each other with an opposite end connected to a worm driven crank arm. The drive linkage provides a mechanical advantage as a payment substrate is added to the storage arrangement.
US08439351B1
A method of determining an amount of media in a stack of media that is disposed within a media holding receptacle of an imaging system, the method includes providing a stack-compressing element configured to contact a first piece of media in the stack of media; providing a sensor to detect a position of the first piece of media; applying a first compressive force to the stack of media via the stack-compressing element in contact with the first piece of media; applying a second compressive force to the stack of media via the stack-compressing element in contact with the first piece of media, the second compressive force being greater than the first compressive force; and using the sensor to detect the position of the first piece of media after the second compressive force is applied to the stack of media.
US08439347B2
A sheet conveying device includes an attractive separation unit and a contacting and separating device. The attractive separation unit includes an attraction belt arranged to face the upper surface of a sheet stack, two rollers that stretch the attraction belt taut, with the upstream-side roller in the sheet conveying direction supported to be movable in substantially upward and downward directions within a predetermined range with respect to the upper surface of the sheet stack, and a charging device which charges a surface of the attraction belt. The contacting and separating device swings the attractive separation unit to make the attraction belt come into contact with and separate from the sheet stack, with a fulcrum of the swing of the attractive separation unit set to a position upstream in the sheet conveying direction of the upstream-side roller in the sheet conveying direction.
US08439332B2
Apparatus and method for stringing aerial cables through tower structures using aircraft without requirement that a person be present on the tower while the aircraft is performing the stringing operation are described. An elongated needle-like threading member to which a sock line is attached and having spaced-apart projections emanating therefrom at different directions around the threading member, is directed by the aircraft pilot through a block having a pulley suspended by an insulator or other tower structure, the projections in cooperation with the block preventing the threading member from being pulled rearwardly under tension from the sock line. A device adapted for grabbing and releasing the threading member and attached to an aircraft haul line, permits the threading member to be hauled forward through the block once the aircraft flies to the other side of the tower and reattaches the grabbing device to the threading member.
US08439327B2
A blowout preventer having a first elongated cavity extending along a first axis and a second elongated cavity extending perpendicular to and intersecting the first elongated cavity, a shear block provided in the first elongated cavity and configured to slide along the first axis, where the shear block has a frontal face facing the second elongated cavity and configured to slide towards the second elongated cavity; and a shear blade configured to be attached to the shear block and also configured to shear a tool provided in the second cavity when the shear block slides towards the tool. The frontal face of the shear block has at least a pin region configured to enter a tail region of the shear blade such that the pin region and the tail region form a dovetail joint or the shear block has the tail region and the shear block has the pin region.
US08439324B2
The invention relates to an adjusting device, in particular for the seat of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one first rail (lower rail (1)) and one second rail (upper rail 2)) which is embodied in a displaceable manner in relation to the first rail, in addition to a spindle (4) which is connected to the first rail and a drive housing (14) which can be penetrated by the spindle and which is arranged on the second rail, said drive housing being provided in order to receive at least one gear element which co-operates with the spindle. According to the invention, the drive housing is secured in a directly positive manner to the associated rail but also in a manner whereby the height can be adjusted.
US08439321B2
A stand for a surgical microscope is suggested that is provided with vertical and horizontal supports, articulation units and a displacer for displacing the optics carrier in an X direction extending horizontally and transversely to an oblique pivot axis. A balancing apparatus is provided for balancing an optics carrier held by a pivot support of the displacer. The optics carrier is rotatable around a first rotational axis in relation to the pivot support. The balancing compensates for the use with and without a microscope holder and with and without add-on units. The balancing apparatus is provided with Y and Z displacement units comprising respective slides. The weight of a second slide of the Z displacement unit compensates the weight of the optics carrier with and without the microscope holder and with and without the add-on units via the first rotational axis.
US08439316B2
A support collar (1) for long articles (10), in particular cables, pipes and/or the like, comprises a sheet-like structure (2) provided with: a flat top end portion (4), having an opening (5); two side portions (6) perpendicular to the top end portion (4) and each having a respective engaging element (7) for engaging the support collar (1) on a support plate (8) or on a top end portion (4) of another support collar (1). The side portions (6) and the top end portion (4) delimit an area (9) for partially housing an article (10) to be supported. The collar (1) also comprises retaining means (11) for keeping the long article (10) stably joined to the sheet-like structure (2). The retaining means (11) comprise at least one retaining clip (12) provided with two gripping arms (13) which extend inside the housing area (9). The gripping arms (13) can be elastically splayed so as to engage with the long article (10) and retain the latter inside the housing area (9). The gripping arms (13) press elastically the article (10) in directions transverse to the longitudinal extension thereof.
US08439312B2
The present system and methods enable simultaneous momentum dumping and orbit control of a spacecraft, such as a geostationary satellite. Control equations according to the present system and methods generate accurate station-keeping commands quickly and efficiently, reducing the number of maneuvers needed to maintain station and allowing station-keeping maneuvers to be performed with a single burn. Additional benefits include increased efficiency in propellant usage, and extension of the satellite's lifespan. The present system and methods also enable tighter orbit control, reduction in transients and number of station-keeping thrusters aboard the satellite. The present methods also eliminate the need for the thrusters to point through the center of mass of the satellite, which in turn reduces the need for dedicated station-keeping thrusters. The present methods also facilitate completely autonomous orbit control and angular momentum control using.
US08439311B2
An aerial refueling boom may include a refueling boom assembly and a pivot assembly for attaching the aerial refueling boom to a tanker aircraft. The refueling boom assembly may include a main boom section and a hollow telescoping boom section. The hollow telescoping boom section is adapted to be moved between a retracted position within the main boom section and an extended position extending from the main boom section for in-flight refueling of an aircraft. The pivot assembly may include an aircraft attachment plate to attach the pivot assembly to the tanker aircraft and a refueling boom attachment plate to attach the refueling boom assembly to the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly may also include a plurality of actuators pivotably coupling the aircraft attachment plate to the refueling boom attachment plate.
US08439310B2
An aircraft comprises: a fuselage; a front pair of wings; a rear pair of wings; and a pair of bodies, each body interconnecting, at a distance from the fuselage, the front and rear wings that are situated on the same side of the fuselage.
US08439291B2
It is provided a webbing winding device with good assembly characteristics of components in a second lock unit. In the webbing winding device, due to a leading end of a spring tab of a guide plate interacting with ratchet teeth of an internal ratchet and a second lock base rotating in the pull-out direction in this state, relative rotation occurs between the guide plate and the second lock base, and a second lock pawl is meshed with the ratchet teeth of the internal ratchet. Since this configuration is not a configuration in which relative rotation between the guide plate and a second lock base is induced by bias force of bias means, such as a compression coil spring or the like, there is no bias force received in the rotational circumferential direction when the guide plate and the second lock base are being assembled, resulting in easy assembly.
US08439269B2
A method includes applying coded personal information for an individual on a rear surface of a card, printing personal information for the individual on a printed product, and adhering the rear surface of the card to an exterior surface of the printed product. The printed product can be mailed without protective packaging covering the card.
US08439260B2
A method, apparatus, and system for decoding and recognizing barcode information by using a general camera such as one in a mobile device is disclosed. The invention uses a set of compact point spread functions (PSF) with a squared-shape distribution to restore blurred barcode image for quick and efficient decoding and recognition. Image pre-processing methods are applied to reduce noise and normalize pixel grayscale. On each normalized image, the invention checks if the image contains barcode lines. If there is a barcode, the invention tries to identify the beginning and ending positions of the barcode. The invention selectively decodes multiple scan lines across the barcode and match against predefined barcode models. The best matched barcodes are saved in the history buffer.
US08439258B1
An anti-counterfeit system comprises an item with at least one marker affixed thereto. The marker comprises a chemical signature having at least one chemical, and indicates the source of the item. The marker is detectable in the item to reveal whether the item is authentic or counterfeit. In at least one embodiment, the marker comprises a chemical signature that is unique to a particular entity and is affixed to items authentic to that entity. Further, a method of determining the authenticity of an item comprises isolating an item for testing, determining the presence of a marker, analyzing the marker for a chemical signature, comparing the results of the analysis to a chemical signature unique to a particular entity, and determining from the comparison whether the item is authentic or counterfeit. In some embodiments, the method further comprises quantifying the results of the analysis, such as the chemical(s) discovered therein.
US08439252B2
A method for bonding two partially form-fitting surfaces of two metal bodies which contain the same metal is carried out by generating a first layer on the surface of a first one of the two bodies, the first layer containing a mixture of the metal and the oxide of the metal; generating a second layer on the first layer, the second layer containing the metal but less oxide of the metal than does the first layer; placing the partially form-fitting surfaces of the two metal bodies adjacent to each other; heating the bodies placed adjacent to each other to a temperature which lies in a target range below the melting point of the metal and above the eutectic temperature of the eutectic of the metal and the metal oxide; and holding the temperature within the target range over a predetermined or a controllable duration of time.
US08439251B2
To permanently apply lead terminals to corresponding electrodes of electronic or electro-optic components, a. providing a frame including a tensioned wire, b. providing a holding jig including at least one seat in which the components can be removably and temporarily retained, c. applying the components to the seats with the respective electrodes aligned along a respective longitudinal direction, d. applying the holding jig to the frame and orienting the same so that the longitudinal direction corresponds to the direction of the tensioned wire, the tensioned wire being thereby brought substantially in contact with (all) the electrode(s) aligned to each other on a corresponding row of components, e. electrically and mechanically bonding the tensioned wire to the corresponding electrodes, and f. cutting the wire to separate the components from each other thereby forming a respective lead terminal for each electrode.
US08439247B1
An ultrasonic welding system for securing a first work piece to a second work piece includes a welding assembly and a loading assembly disposed adjacent to the welding assembly. The welding assembly includes an ultrasonic controller, an ultrasonic transducer, and a welding tip. The ultrasonic transducer is configured to impart an ultrasonic vibration to the welding tip in response to an electrical signal received from the ultrasonic controller. The loading assembly is configured to generate a pressure load between the welding tip and the first work piece, and includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator is configured to apply a substantially constant load to the welding assembly, and the second actuator is configured to apply a dynamically variable load to the welding assembly.
US08439246B1
An exemplary surgical apparatus for treating tissue may include an anvil; a jaw pivotally connected to the anvil; and a first cartridge detachably connected to the anvil, holding staples of a first size; where a first clamp gap between the anvil and first cartridge is set by the connection between the first cartridge and jaw. An exemplary cartridge for a surgical stapler may include a cartridge housing; a plurality of staples held within the cartridge housing; and a sled slidable within, and retained by, the cartridge housing, including a central platform, at least one wedge connected to the central platform, and a knife rotatable relative to the central platform.
US08439243B2
A nailer device includes a housing having a nozzle portion formed in an upper end thereof. A motor and a rotary-linear motion transmission mechanism are arranged in the housing and the rotary-linear transmission mechanism functions to couple an output shaft of the motor to a striking rod disposed in the nozzle portion to thereby move the striking rod in a reciprocating manner. A bias device exerts a force on the striking rod towards the outside of the housing along a longitudinal direction of the striking rod.
US08439232B2
A manual pump action dispenser for dispensing at least one liquid from a container, the dispenser comprising a base and a cap (114) having an outlet (144) for the liquid, the base being mountable to or forming part of a container and the cap (114) being mountable to the base for movement relative to the base between a rest position and an actuated position, the dispenser further comprising a flexible insert (116) locatable between the base and the cap (114) to define a first pump chamber (122) for dispensing said at least one liquid, the insert being adapted to engage with the base to define an inlet through which said at least one liquid to be dispensed can enter the first pump chamber, the dispenser further comprising an inlet valve operable to enable liquid to enter the first pump chamber (122) through the inlet and an outlet valve arrangement operable to control the release of liquid from the first pump chamber through the outlet, in which the insert also defines a second pump chamber (123) for dispensing a second fluid.
US08439229B2
A closure for a liquid container is provided between the container and a liquid dispenser head. The closure includes an intermediate body between the dispenser head and the container. The dispenser head can be rotated with respect to the container, without unscrewing the closure, except when the intermediate body is manually prevented from rotating.
US08439227B2
A viscous liquid material discharging method and apparatus can minimize the problem of wear of a sealing member due to friction, and minimize a rotational force required at the time of starting discharge of a highly-viscous liquid material. The apparatus includes a screw having a helical blade which is axially provided over a surface of a rod-like member, a rotation driving mechanism for rotating the screw, a main body having a screw insertion bore in which the screw is inserted, a liquid material supply port formed in a lateral side of the screw insertion bore, and a liquid material supply flow passage communicating with the liquid material supply port, a sealing member which is disposed in the screw insertion bore and through which the screw penetrates, and a nozzle mounted to the main body and communicating with the screw insertion bore.
US08439224B2
A protective cover mechanism includes a housing, a protective cover and a latching piece. The housing includes an opening defined therethrough. The latching piece is assembled to the housing adjacent to the opening and comprises two holding arms. One holding arm defines a first locating portion and a second locating portion. A protective cover comprises a hinged post formed thereon, the protective cover is rotatably assembled to the housing by means of the latching piece with the hinged post held between the two holding arms. The protective cover is configured for selectively covering or exposing the opening of the housing as the hinged post is rotated from the first locating portion to the second locating portion.
US08439217B2
An apparatus including a flange topped by a fitting including a trap adapted to seize and drive a lid of a barrel for opening the same and two inflatable gaskets equipping the flange and the trap that are inflated for clamping the container and the lid of the barrel at the connection thereof. Contamination inside the barrel and inside the upper enclosure will only spread over small surfaces of the apparatus between the gaskets and to the connection of both parts of the barrel.
US08439216B1
A two-part container for preserving material samples during storage and transport is separable and can be sealed with the presence of an elastomeric O-ring and internal threads on each part of the container. In the configuration at which the threads first engage between the two halves of the container, there is a small hole in the outer top part just above the O-ring of the bottom mating part. When the two container parts are mated and the sealing O-ring is below the small hole, inert gas can be made to flow through an inlet valve, into the container, and out through the small hole. In this configuration, the inert gas flows through the container and purges the atmospheric gas, replacing it with inert gas. After a period of time, the two container parts are rotated so that the sealing O-ring moves above the small hole. This will stop the flow into and out of the container. After this, the gas inlet valve is closed to seal the inert gas in the container. After the valve is closed, the pressure in the container is increased by screwing the two parts of the container in relation to each other such that the volume of the container is decreased. Prior to opening, the efficacy of the container can be checked by releasing the gas while the container is in the compressed state.
US08439210B1
A storage unit for wigs. The unit is attached to a door and hangs from the top of the door. The unit has head-shaped pedestals on which wigs are mounted as well as a ventilated accessory storage container and accessory supporting hooks which are pendently supported from the accessory storage container.
US08439203B2
A vibratory screening machine includes a primary screening area and a pre-screening assembly including a frame and screen assemblies. The screen assemblies are secured to the frame and form a pre-screening surface. The frame is attached to the vibratory screening machine such that the concave pre-screening surface is above the primary screening area.
US08439189B2
The present invention is directed to a container for delivering a nutritive substance. In an embodiment, the present invention comprises a container that protects a nutritive substance from contact with the contents of the container and from contact with the atmosphere until the consumer is ready to use or consume the product. When desired, a seal on the container is altered such that the nutritive substance can come into contact with the container contents, delivering the nutritive substance thereto.
US08439188B2
A method is provided for storing a medical device. One step of the method includes providing a medical device having an initial tensile strength. The medical device is placed into a storage container so that at least a portion of the medical device is immersed in a hydrophobic liquid. Next, the medical device is stored in the storage container for a period of time. The initial tensile strength of the medical device is substantially preserved over the period of time.
US08439184B2
The invention relates generally to a roofing shingle apparatus and more particularly to an improved such apparatus for high speed shingle making generally when handling a double shingle line (one line overlaid on the other with the high side of each line on opposite sides to make a single mostly even thickness) in a more compact arrangement from the cutter to the stackers and catchers, but not limited to a slower single line of shingle making that uses a flipper at the discharge of the catcher shuttle and not limited to a four wide overlaid to four thicknesses of shingles in one line and scissor cut, not described in detail herein, before entering a single line delivery belt section. The main purpose of this invention is to have control of the shingles coming off the cutter at a speed of up to two times the line speed of present machines, accelerate the shingle pack in a positive controlled manner for exact separation and without slowing down prior to the catchers, distribute the shingle packs to any one of four catchers for controlled stopping and feed the packs into respective stackers for distribution to the packaging machines.
US08439165B2
A saw horse combination includes two saw horses. Each saw horse has a beam, first and second brackets disposed respectively at the ends of the beam, and legs pivotably attached to the brackets for supporting the beam. A locking mechanism is also provided for connecting the first and second horses. The locking mechanism includes a first latch movably connected to a bracket of the first saw horse, and a second latch movably connected to a bracket of the second saw horse. These latches are movable between a first position where the latches do not engage and a second position where the latches engage.
US08439158B2
An acoustic resonator adaptable to a sound chamber is designed to decrease a sound pressure while increasing a particle velocity of medium particles in a low frequency range without increasing the overall size thereof. The acoustic resonator is constituted of a pipe member having one opening end and a resistance member embracing a high resistance region and a low resistance region. The resistance member is inserted into the pipe member such that one end thereof matches the opening end of the pipe member while the other end thereof is disposed at a predetermined position inside a hollow cavity of the pipe member. The high resistance region embraces an antinode region of the particle velocity distribution with respect to a standing wave occurred in the hollow cavity at a resonance frequency, thus causing an acoustic phenomenon decreasing the resonance frequency compared to a single unit of the pipe member.
US08439157B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a muffler mounting structure configured to be able to prevent fastening parts from slackening by reducing the thermal conductivity from an exhaust port to the muffler mounting bosses and an engine including the muffler mounting structure. An engine of the present invention 100 includes a cylinder block 101 or the cylinder head 10 constitutes a combustion chamber 105 with a piston 104, an exhaust port configured to communicate with the combustion chamber, and a muffler mounted to an outlet of the exhaust port, wherein the muffler is mounted with a muffler mounting boss into which a fixing part is fitted, and the muffler mounting boss is connected to a fin formed in the cylinder.
US08439154B1
An improved vibration damping apparatus is provided for use with window structures, including windows used in vehicles, aircraft, and spacecraft. The vibration damping system includes at least two separate layers of solid material that are typically substantially clear at visible wavelengths, in which the two layers are spaced-apart by a predetermined distance to form a space or gap therebetween. This gap will be of a size and shape to enhance vibration damping when it is filled with a gaseous compound, such as air. The air-film vibration damping system created by the above structure can be applied to an external pane of a window structure, or to the interior pane of a window structure, or perhaps to both an exterior pane and an interior pane of the same window structure, if desired.
US08439151B2
An apparatus includes a hydraulic power steering motor. A continuously variable transmission has an input shaft rotatable under the influence of force transmitted from the engine and an output shaft operable to drive a pump. The continuously variable transmission is operable to drive the pump at a first speed when one of the input and output shafts of the continuously variable transmission rotates at a first speed. The continuously variable transmission is operable to drive the pump at a second speed when the one of the input and output shafts rotates at a second speed. A centrifugal sensor is connected with the one of the input and output shafts. The centrifugal sensor transfers rotational movement of the one of the input and output shafts to a linearly displaceable input member of the continuously variable transmission to change the speed at which the pump is driven.
US08439149B2
A brake equipment of the driver-seat-direction changeable vehicle includes: a driver-seat-direction detector configured to detect whether the driver seat is facing the one or the other side, in the travel direction, of the wheel-side vehicle body; a braking unit configured to brake one-side wheels, which are located closer to the one side, in the travel direction, of the wheel-side vehicle body, and other-side wheels, which are located closer to the other side, in the travel direction, of the wheel-side vehicle body, while controlling brake-force distribution between brake forces of the one-side wheels and the other-side wheels in such a manner that the brake-force distribution becomes a set brake-force distribution based on ideal brake-force distribution characteristics; and a switching unit configured to change the set brake-force distribution in accordance with the direction of the driver seat detected by the driver-seat-direction detector.
US08439139B2
A method of controlling a hybrid construction machine capable of preventing a system from being rendered inoperative without increasing a capacitance of a capacitor and of inhibiting delay of a swing operation relative to an operation command at the time of swing operation, and the hybrid construction machine are provided. For this purpose, at the time of discharge of the capacitor, actual torque command values are respectively generated by referring to an assist torque limit value corresponding to capacitor voltage of a generator motor and a swing power running torque limit value corresponding to the capacitor voltage of a swing motor, as well as, at the time of charge of the capacitor, an actual target output value of the generator motor is generated.
US08439132B2
A microtunnelling apparatus and system that includes an external drive system having rotational and linear thrust drive means, a drill head section having drill rotor and drill rod and connecting to intermediate drill rods allowing extension of the boring hole created by the drill head section driven by the drive system. The drill head includes a modular construction having a plurality of circular disc like elements, a bearing module, a steering module, a spacer module, and a mounting module, for axial alignment and abutment and mounting within a cylindrical steering shell. Directional steering of the drill head includes a plurality of substantially radially extending channels in steering module, each with an hydraulically movable protuberance movable by control means to redirect the outer steering casing and thereby redirect the drill head section mounted on the distal end of the drill rods.
US08439130B2
An apparatus and method are provided for obtaining formation data while drilling. The apparatus may include a drill string and a plurality of sensors. At least two of the plurality of sensors are spaced apart along the drill string a approximately the same distance as a length of a segment of the drill string. The segment of the drill string is either added to or removed from the rest of the drill string as the drill string moves in the borehole during a drilling operation. The method may include providing numerous sensors along a drill string and repeating a cycle of various functions. The cycle may include performing an operation moving the drill string relative to the borehole and stopping movement of the drill string. Additional functions may include changing an overall length of the drill string and performing the formation property while the drill string is relatively stationary.
US08439129B2
An anti-stall tool in an oil well drilling assembly that controls reciprocation of the drill bit by a controller that alters weight-on-bit (WOB) depending upon measured downhole pressure or torque at the downhole motor. The controller receives preset high and low working pressure limits for the downhole motor and keeps the drill bit rotating by maintaining WOB during normal drilling operations, increasing WOB if sensed working pressure indicates that drill bit loading or torque is undesirably low, and reversing WOB by retracting the drill bit if excessive working pressure or torque is sensed.
US08439123B2
A device for protecting flammable fluid reservoirs, or the regions in immediate proximity thereof, from the hazards due to impact and reservoir rupture, and subsequent potential of fire, corrosion or other damage or injury due to contact with reactive fluids. Such impacts may arise from collisions, such as encountered in transportation systems, or structural or thermal failure and/or rupture of components and systems, or separation of system components. Such a device may be formed as a close-fitting shroud over such components, or surrounding fittings and junctions of mating components in such systems, or mounted near the location of such components in the direction of impact or failure. Such a device may have a pattern of pre-scored lines to facilitate break-up of the device upon impact or thermal stress. Upon activation, the device shall discharge material contents that prevent or extinguish fires, neutralize corrosive or caustic materials, or otherwise protect equipment and personnel of the hazards from the protected component or system fluid contents. Such a device may be constructed of more than one individual component to optimize outer surface break-up behavior while accommodating desired cost, thickness and weight goals achievable by the use of other materials that comprise the remaining components of the device.
US08439117B2
A vortex-controlled variable flow resistance device ideal for use in a backpressure tool for advancing drill string in extended reach downhole operations. The characteristics of the pressure waves generated by the device are controlled by the growth and decay of vortices in the vortex chamber(s) of a flow path. The flow path includes a switch, such as a bi-stable fluidic switch, for reversing the direction of the flow in the vortex chamber. The flow path may include multiple vortex chambers, and the device may include multiple flow paths. A hardened insert in the outlet of the vortex chamber resists erosion. This device generates backpressures of short duration and slower frequencies approaching the resonant frequency of the drill string, which maximizes axial motion in the drill sting and weight on the bit. Additionally, fluid pulses produced by the tool enhance debris removal ahead of the bit.
US08439116B2
A method of inducing fracture complexity within a fracturing interval of a subterranean formation comprising characterizing the subterranean formation, defining a stress anisotropy-altering dimension, providing a wellbore servicing apparatus configured to alter the stress anisotropy of the fracturing interval of the subterranean formation, altering the stress anisotropy within the fracturing interval, and introducing a fracture in the fracturing interval in which the stress anisotropy has been altered. A method of servicing a subterranean formation comprising introducing a fracture into a first fracturing interval, and introducing a fracture into a third fracturing interval, wherein the first fracturing interval and the third fracturing interval are substantially adjacent to a second fracturing interval in which the stress anisotropy is to be altered.
US08439115B2
A method of treating a hydrocarbon-containing formation including injecting a scale inhibiting well treating fluid into a well, wherein the well treating fluid includes a self-diverting acid that includes about 1% to 20% by volume of at least one viscoelastic surfactant selected from a family of compounds described by where R3 contains at least 10 carbon atoms, p=1-6, R2 contains 1-6 carbon atoms and R1 contains 1-6 carbon atoms; and up to about 20% by weight scale inhibitor.
US08439113B2
A liner string for a well has a liner hanger assembly at an upper portion of the liner string. A profile sub is located at a bottom portion of the liner string. A bottom hole assembly is latched to the profile sub. The operator lowers the liner string into the well with a drill pipe string and rotates the drill pipe string to rotate the drill bit to deepen the well. At a selected depth, the operator releases the bottom hole assembly from the profile sub and reverse circulates drilling fluid from a liner annulus surrounding the liner string, pumping the bottom hole assembly up the liner string. When the bottom hole assembly reaches the lower end of the drill pipe string, it latches to a catcher tool located at the lower end of the drill pipe string. The operator moves the liner hanger assembly into setting engagement with the casing string, releases the drill pipe string from the liner string, and retrieves the drill pipe string along with the bottom hole assembly.
US08439092B2
A tire tread provided with a plurality of grooves delimiting blocks and/or ribs and having an average depth H. This tread has a tread surface designed to come into contact with the roadway only along a plurality of raised contact lines. The raised contact lines intersect one another to delimit, on the tread surface, a plurality of contiguous first cavities each formed by a wall which is recessed radially inwardly from the tread surface. The walls of the first cavities are intersected by respective second cavities situated radially.
US08439090B2
A tire is described that includes a casing designed to be inflated to a service pressure and equipped to accept a functional object, such as an electronic circuit, for example, by means of a two-part fastener 10, such as a touch-close fastener, for example. A first part of the fastener is attached to a wall of the casing, while the second part can be joined to the first part when placed in contact with the first part to attach and keep the object on the casing when the tire is in service. The first part of the fastener includes a thin backing fixed to the wall of the casing and possessing a structural elongation capacity greater than or equal to that of the wall to which the thin backing is fixed. The presence of the thin backing does not significantly hinder the elongation of the wall of the casing when subjected to the stresses encountered during use of the tire and, where relevant, during its manufacture. Connection elements between the first and second parts give these parts a certain looseness with respect to each other so that the object held by the second part of the fastener is not subjected to all or some of the stresses occurring in the wall during operation.
US08439074B2
A faucet spout and method of manufacturing the same in which a layer of structural plastic is injection molded in two or more pieces and joined to form an armature having a waterway through it. A platable plastic layer is overmolded on some or all of the armature to provide a detailed decorative surface that is plated by deposition of a metal or metal alloy coating.
US08439073B2
A high temperature gate valve including a valve body formed to define first and second ports and an exit, each of which has a length-wise dimension greater than a height-wise dimension, and a door, having a length-wise dimension greater than a height-wise dimension, coupled to the valve body to occupy and move between positions at which the door prevents fluid communication between one of the first or the second port and the exit and intermediate positions at which fluid communication between the first and the second port and the exit is permitted.
US08439072B2
Embodiments of the invention include a system and method for controllably delivering hydrocarbon gas to a hydrocarbon gas-fueled device. According to one embodiment, a valve having an open state and a closed state is used to control the flow of hydrocarbon gas from a pressure vessel to a supply line. A hydrocarbon gas sensor detects airborne hydrocarbon gas and generates a signal in response. A controller automatically moves the valve to the closed state in response to the signal from the hydrocarbon gas sensor while the valve is in the open state. The controller automatically releases liquid sealant to the supply line in response to a continued signal from the hydrocarbon gas sensor after at least attempting to move the valve to the closed state.
US08439071B2
A vortex breaker fits over an outlet of a vessel. The breaker has a basket disposed on a base with an opening communicating with the vessel's outlet. The basket has a cylindrical sidewall screen with profiled wires arranged around bars that extend from the base. The basket also has a top screen attached to the sidewall screen. The top screen has wires arranged across a plurality of bars. Fluid flow passing through the screens is directed by the profiled wires and the bars. Below the top screen, a baffle plate diverts the fluid flow passing through the top screen to the periphery of the top plate. Inside the basket, a flow modifier has a vanes attached to the base and disposed radially around the base's opening. At least some of the vanes have cross-tees extending from the vane's sides to break the radially directed flow inside the basket.
US08439061B2
The present invention relates to an emergency ram air inlet valve, also designated as an ERAI valve, of an aircraft. The valve includes an actuating element for opening and/or closing the valve and a controller operatively coupled to the valve, by which the valve can be set at different open angles. The open angle is set as a function of a temperature prevailing or preset in the aircraft cabin.
US08439058B2
Disclosed is an anchoring system for a portable shelter that includes a plurality of anchor assemblies each having a support surface for supporting one of the legs of the portable shelter above the ground when the leg rests on the support surface such that the anchor assemblies are positionable under the legs of the portable shelter to support the portable shelter above the ground. Each anchor assembly includes a container, a retainer and an attachment. The container forms a hollow interior space for holding weighting material and has a removable lid forming the support surface. The retainer blocks the leg from sliding off of the support surface. The attachment includes an anchor plate located within the hollow interior space and below the weighting material and a cable extending from the anchor plate and out of the container for attachment to the tensioning line.
US08439055B2
An umbrella assembly for providing cover to a user pushing a stroller or similar device includes a clamp mechanism structured to be coupled to a portion of the stroller and an umbrella portion selectively coupled to the clamp mechanism. The umbrella portion is selectively rotatable relative to the clamp mechanism among a plurality of positions.
US08439034B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, computer program products, and circuits for conserving oxygen during the delivery of oxygen to a user. Embodiments of the invention use a microphone to detect breathing sounds indicative of different portions of a breathing cycle. Sounds not related to the breathing cycle are filtered out of the signal. Using the breathing sounds, a microprocessor differentiates inspiration from other portions of the breathing cycle. When inspiration is detected, a valve is transitioned to permit the flow of oxygen from an oxygen source to a user to deliver an appropriate bolus of oxygen. The microprocessor can also detect fault conditions, such as, for example, apnea, failure to deliver a bolus of oxygen, and restrictions in the flow of oxygen from the oxygen source to a user.
US08439032B2
A system for wireless data communication for use with a breathing assistance system configured to provide breathing assistance to a patient is provided. The system includes a wireless notification module, one or more wireless repeaters located remote from ventilation system, and a wireless receiver located remote from the one or more wireless repeaters. The wireless notification module is coupled to a ventilation system and configured to wirelessly transmit data received from the ventilation system. The one or more wireless repeaters are configured to receive the data wirelessly transmitted by the wireless notification module, and wirelessly transmit the received data. The wireless receiver is configured to receive the data wirelessly transmitted by the one or more wireless repeaters, and communicate the received data to a user remote from the ventilation system.
US08439030B2
An improved tee type nebulizer unit for medicinal use that delivers a mist of properly sized aerosol particles of medicament to the patient. A uniquely configured air flow baffle assembly, which is strategically positioned within the tee of the nebulizer unit, markedly increases the rate of liquid-to-aerosol conversion compared to prior art tee type nebulizer units. More particularly, due to the positioning and sizing of the air channeling pathways within the air flow baffle assembly, an increase in rate of aerosol mist production by factors of 200%-300% is realized.
US08439024B2
A multi-purpose crossbow cocking device having two handles attached by a draw cord or string. Slidably affixed to the cord are a pair of pulley members having hooks that engage a bow string of a crossbow. The handles may have an inner cavity. One or both of the handles may contain one or more Allen wrenches pivotally connected to the handle within the inner cavity. In its retracted position, the Allen wrench is housed within the inner cavity. In its extended position, the distal end of the Allen wrench is placed external of the handle's inner cavity and may be used to drive a bolt or screw with a hexagonal shaft head. The Allen wrenches may be different sizes.
US08439018B2
A heated fuel injector system and controller that includes a temperature sensing means to provide closed-loop control of a heating element heating fuel dispensed by a heated fuel injector. Closed-loop control provides more accurate temperature control of the heating element so that fuel heating is provided as quickly as possible while also protecting the fuel from being boiled and protecting the heated fuel injector from being damaged by excessive temperature. By monitoring how the signal from the temperature sensing means varies over time, fault conditions such as a lack of fuel flow, and fuel ethanol percentage may be detected.
US08439017B2
A method for operating a fuel vapor control system included in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine is provided. The method may include storing positive pressure or negative pressure in an isolated fuel tank, transferring at least a portion of the positive pressure or the negative pressure to an evaporation canister region, and determining degradation of the evaporation canister based on a pressure response of the evaporation canister region while the evaporation canister region is isolated from the fuel tank. In this way, it is possible to utilize pressure that may be passively generated in one portion of the system, even during shut-down engine operation, to verify the integrity of another portion of the system.
US08439005B2
A two cycle engine has an exhaust port provided in a side portion of a cylinder, and a scavenge air port provided in the side portion of the cylinder so as to be symmetrical with a plane passing through a center in a cylinder circumference direction of the exhaust port and an axis extending to inside of the cylinder, the scavenge air port is structured such that an axis extending to inside of the cylinder from an opening of the scavenge air port extends in such a direction as to be away from the exhaust port of the cylinder, and is divided in a cylinder axis direction by a dividing portion.
US08438989B2
The present invention discloses a surface feed-in electrode structure for thin film solar cell deposition, relating to solar cell technologies. The surface feed-in electrode structure uses a signal feed-in component with a flat waist and a semicircular feed-in end to connect the signal feed-in port by surface contact. The signal feed-in port is located in a hallowed circular area of a center of the backside of a cathode plate, and feeds in an RF/VHF power supply signal. An anode plate is grounded. The cathode plate is insulated with a shielding cover, and a through-hole is configured on the shielding cover. The effects include that, by using the surface feed-in at the center of the electrode plate, the feeding line loss of single-point or multi-point feed-in configurations can be overcome. Uniform large area and stable discharge driven by the RF/VHF power supply signal can be achieved, and the standing wave and the skin effect can be effectively removed. The production efficiency can be improved and the cost can be reduced.
US08438988B2
A powdering device includes: a powder placing member having a placing section on which a powder fed from a storage container is placed; a first scraping member for scraping the powder on the placing section of the powder placing member, so that a constant amount of the powder remains on the placing section; and a second scraping member for scraping off the resultant constant-amount powder remaining on the placing section, and the powdering device transfers the scraped powder with an air flow, and sprays the powder thus transferred onto a printed sheet.
US08438986B2
A hybrid inflatable kayak is configured to rival the handling and speed of skin-on-frame or hard-shell kayaks, while simplifying the assembly and disassembly process. The hybrid inflatable kayak includes an internal frame assembly that cooperates with inflatable bladders and inflatable thwarts giving the kayak an improved watershed capacity and also an improved combination of weight, stability, speed, structural strength, and portability. The internal frame assembly includes a bow rib, a stern rib, and a number of frame members that attach together and extend lengthwise from bow to stern. Front and rear thwarts are inflatable and urge against the frame members and side bladders to put the frame members in tension, make the outer cover sufficiently taut, and provide a faster and more structurally robust design.
US08438980B2
A loading and unloading device includes a removable base (10) having dimensions adapted to those of the loading bed (26) of a handling trolley (62), the base having a generally planar upper face (12) for receiving goods (32) and being surrounded by a peripheral edge (14) for retaining the goods (32), a lower face (16) shaped so as to maintain the base (10) on the loading bed (26) of the trolley (62), and four side faces (18) connecting the upper face (14) and the lower face (16).
US08438972B2
A cookie support system has a lower component, an upper component, and a coupling component. The lower component includes an elongated first section having a hollow cylindrical portion configured for sipping a liquid by a user and a second section coupled to the first section and having parallel side walls with an open top portion and a bottom portion configured for receiving a cookie. The bottom portion is formed of an arcuate face coupling the side walls. The upper component includes a first section formed of parallel side walls with an open bottom portion and a top portion formed of an arcuate face coupling the side walls. An elongated second section is coupled to and protruding from the first section. A coupling component between the lower and upper components is configured to thereby open and separate the lower and upper components for positioning a cookie there between.
US08438970B2
A rotisserie self-basting drum is designed to allow a user to cook rotisserie style meat at home without using a large, commercial built oven. The device may be made of stainless steel or other suitable material. A series of channels are formed into a shell to collect cooking juices that fall from a cooking food item during a cooking cycle. The rotating drum transports the juices from the bottom of the food item to the top of the food item where the juices spill from the channels onto the food item for basting. The drum may be in one section or two sections latched together that slide over a spit containing the food item.
US08438956B1
In one embodiment, a torque-indicating driver includes a handle configured to receive applied torque. One or more flat springs are coupled via a housing to the handle at their proximate ends. The one or more flat springs are configured to angularly deflect elastically in response to the applied torque. A hub is coupled to a distal end of the one or more flat springs, the hub having a torsion rod extending therefrom. The torsion rod is configured to apply torque to a load. An outer sleeve at least partially covers the housing. One or more plungers are affixed to the housing and configured to engage one or more holes or depressions disposed at predetermined locations in the outer sleeve. Engagement with the holes or depressions creates auditory and tactile feedback perceivable by a user of the torque-indicating driver to indicate when a particular torque level is reached.
US08438955B2
Adaptations, apparatus and methods are disclosed for associating various utility tools with a nut driving tool. The adaptation of includes a receiver connectable to one side of the nut driving tool adjacent to a socket driver. A utility tool mounting body includes a base portion releasably engageable with the receiver and a station portion on the base portion releasably engageable with the selected utility tool. The utility tool of this invention includes a head having a mounting interface, the station portion releasably engageable with the mounting interface of the utility tool head. In one embodiment, the utility tool is reaction unit for engaging a nut or a fitting body. In other embodiments, utility tools for tube cutting, sawing, and/or bending, and/or grasping of adjacent fitting types or fitting sizes are provided.
US08438954B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for attachment to a line pull tong tubing joint make-up system on an oil rig, having tongs attached to two sections of pipe with one tong connected to a line pull apparatus, having a fluid-operated clutch connected to pressurized fluid source and the other tong connected to a piston-cylinder assembly. The apparatus has: a pressure transducer connected to the piston-cylinder assembly to sense the internal pressure in the piston-cylinder assembly and generate an output signal; a valve operable in response to a valve control signal, the valve located in the connection between the clutch and the pressurized fluid source movable between a first position, permitting fluid flow from the fluid source to the clutch and a second position interrupting flow between the fluid source and the clutch; and a controller operably connected to the valve and transducer, programmed to provide a valve control signal to move the valve between the first and second positions in response to the output signal from the pressure transducer, whereby the line pull apparatus is engaged and disengaged. The controller has a display, memory and clock.
US08438950B2
The shank (12) of a disposable rotary cutting tool (10) comprises a pipe section (16) cut from a drawn metal pipe. The tool head (14) is formed from a cut-out (18a, 18b) of a drawn metal sheet or a section of a metal tube by non-cutting machining. The pipe section (16) and the tool head (14) are advantageously attached by force fitting.
US08438947B2
A bicycle crank arm has a body member and a cover member that at least partially overlies a peripheral surface of the body member. The body member includes a crank axle attachment portion that has a crank axle receiving opening. A slit extends from the peripheral surface of the body member to the crank axle receiving opening. A fastener bore extends transversely through the slit for adjusting the crank axle receiving opening in size. The peripheral surface of the body member has abutments located on opposite sides of the slit. The abutments are arranged relative to the slit such that the abutments move closer together as the crank axle attachment portion is squeezed to decrease the crank axle receiving opening in size. The cover member contacts the abutments and moves with the abutments as the crank axle attachment portion is squeezed to decrease the crank axle receiving opening in size.
US08438946B2
The present invention generally pertains to a handlebar assembly for a bicycle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a handlebar assembly comprising a hollow body in which are routed control cables needed for breaking and gear shifting.
US08438944B2
A telescope lock mechanism for a steering column includes a plurality of strap teeth located at an upper jacket of the steering column, each strap tooth of the plurality of strap teeth having a strap tooth peak. A plurality of lock teeth are located at a lower jacket of the steering column. The plurality of locking teeth are rotatably secured at the lower jacket, such that when the plurality of locking teeth are rotated into an engaged position with the plurality of strap teeth, a plurality of lock teeth peaks are substantially non-parallel to the strap tooth peaks of the plurality of strap teeth.
US08438938B1
A load cell in accordance with the present invention comprises an insert defining a hub having a central opening dimensioned to receive a shaft. The insert is removably fixed to the shaft, and a cylindrical sleeve is configured and dimensioned to surround the insert. The sleeve is machined with interior notches. The insert is suspended and rotatably fixed within the sleeve by flanges which are integral with and project from the insert's hub into the sleeve's interior notches. The flanges are configured to respond with deformation to forces applied to the shaft, and strain gauges bonded to the flanges exhibit changes in resistance according to the degree of flange deformation.
US08438931B2
A semiconductor strain sensor having a strain sensor chip composed of a semiconductor substrate having a piezoresistive element as a strain detection section. The semiconductor strain sensor has a stable characteristic for a long period of time and a stable conversion factor of a strain generated in the strain sensor chip corresponding to a strain of an object to be measured, within a strain range of a size to be measured. The strain sensor chip is bonded to a metal base plate with a metal bonding material. The metal base plate has two or four extending members, which protrude from a side of the strain sensor chip for attaching the strain senor chip to the object to be measured. Preferably, a groove is arranged between a metal base plate undersurface area, which corresponds to the bonding area where the strain sensor chip is bonded to the metal base plate, and the undersurfaces of the extending members, and a protruding section sandwiched by the grooves is arranged on the undersurface of the metal base plate.
US08438922B2
Each of first and second oscillators includes a detector portion and a driver portion. The detector portion includes a stationary detector electrode and a detector weight, which includes a movable detector electrode opposed to the stationary detector electrode. The driver portion includes a driver weight having a movable driver electrode, which oscillates the detector portion, and a stationary driver electrode opposed to the movable driver electrode. The driver weights of the first and second oscillators are directly connected through a driver joint beam. The detector weights of the first and second oscillators are directly connected through a detector joint beam.
US08438921B1
A measurement container with any number of graduated scales based upon total volume of application or based upon standardized consumer sized product vessels, with the adaptability to measure large or small amounts. The container will have a pour spout to ease introductions into batches. The measurement container will also include a handle and hand grab, to ease lifting and pouring with both hands.
US08438918B1
An apparatus for the testing of downhole an injection assembly prior to installation of the injection assembly in the completion string is disclosed. The apparatus is comprised an injection tubing, an injection sub, an injection valve, an injection sub test block, a pressure foot, a pressure foot test block, and means for introducing pressure at a desired level. The injection sub test block, pressure foot, pressure foot test block are interchangeably engageable with the injection sub for testing in a sequence to allow the pre-testing of the connections of components of the injection assembly at the surface of the well.
US08438917B2
Methods for long-term gravimetric monitoring of carbon dioxide stored in a geological formation are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods include the following: joining gravimetric sensors with sidewalls of boreholes in the geological formation at various vertical depths; using the gravimetric sensors, measuring a local gravitational field or a gravity gradient at a first time to develop baseline gravimetric data; reading and transmitting the baseline gravimetric data to a data recording device exterior to the boreholes; using the gravimetric sensors, measuring a local gravitational field or a gravity gradient after the first time to develop post-baseline gravimetric data; reading and; transmitting the post-baseline gravimetric data to the data recording device; and quantifying the carbon dioxide stored in the geological formation by comparing the baseline gravimetric data to the post-baseline gravimetric data to determine both vertical and horizontal positioning of the carbon dioxide stored in the geological formation.
US08438913B2
A clog resistant wing union pressure sensor is provided that includes a transmitter housing and a flange section. The flange section is coupled to the transmitter housing and has a pressure port formed therein that includes an open first end, a closed second end, and an inner surface that defines a bore between the open first end and the closed second end. The closed second end is defined by a pressure sensitive diaphragm and has a diameter. The pressure port has a depth defined between the open first end and the closed second end, the bore is tapered between the open first end and the closed second end, and is further defined by a rounded transition between the inner surface and the closed second end, and the diameter of the closed second end is greater than twice the depth of the pressure port.
US08438912B2
A detection device (10) includes: covers (1-3); an oscillator (4); antennas (9, 11, 12), a testing space (13), and a minute space (14). The testing space (13) and minute space (14) are formed in the covers (1-3). The minute space (14) is open to the testing space (13). The oscillator (4) is disposed in the testing space (13) such that its edge portions are inserted into the minute space (14). The antenna (9) works together with the antenna (12) to apply an electromagnetic field to the oscillator (4). The antenna (11) works together with the antenna (12) to receive a reception signal composed of a vibration signal from the oscillator (4).
US08438911B2
A method of determining a leak in a pumping system includes determining a metered flow rate of a fluid through a first channel, determining a measured flow rate within the channel, and identifying an amount of a leak in the pumping system as the difference between the metered flow rate and the measured flow rate.
US08438904B2
An apparatus for sensing analyte is provided. The apparatus may include a plurality of sensor array columns, each sensor array column including a plurality of sensors, each sensor being adapted for sensing one or more parameters in reaction to the presence of one or more analytes and output a current therefrom in accordance with level of the sensed parameter, a heating element for selectively heating one or more of the sensor array columns, a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) array including a plurality of VCOs, each VCO adapted to receive an output current from one of the plurality of sensors from each of the plurality of sensor arrays and for and generating an output oscillation frequency in accordance with the level of the received output current, and a counter array including a plurality of counters, each counter adapted to receive an output from a corresponding VCO and count a number of oscillations over a predetermined time.
US08438898B2
Methods and systems for preparation of calibrant infusion fluid sources are disclosed. In one embodiment, a precise volume of glucose is injected into a saline-solution filled calibrant infusion fluid source proximate in time to conducting a calibration procedure. The glucose concentration in the calibrant infusion fluid source is subsequently calculated based on the measured weight of the saline-solution, as determined prior to glucose injection, and the volume of glucose injected. This method provides a highly accurate and convenient manner for use in a hospital environment, for example, with an intravenous blood glucose sensor system. In another embodiment, a premixed calibrant infusion fluid source is provided that includes saline solution and a predetermined concentration of glucose. In such embodiments, shelf life problems related to water evaporation are mitigated by hermetically covering or otherwise hermetically containing the calibrant infusion fluid source up until the point of use.
US08438887B2
A door lock assembly for a door. The door lock assembly includes a handle assembly, a latch bolt assembly disposed within a portion of the handle assembly and a mounting assembly that movably couples the handle assembly to a door panel member. The latch bolt assembly includes a movable latch bolt that translates relative to the handle assembly between an extended position and a retracted position.
US08438866B2
A defroster is provided in a refrigerator, in which a damper mounted to an inlet to a circulating duct controls air to flow in a reverse direction toward an evaporator to maximize a defrosting efficiency by using not only radiant heat but also convective heat. The defroster includes the evaporator, a heater that defrosts the evaporator by radiation, and a flow controller that controls air circulated by a fan to flow in a reverse direction toward the evaporator in defrosting.
US08438865B2
A cooling system (10) for cooling an aircraft device (12) comprises an evaporator (14, 16, 18) for receiving a fluid (F) which is to be evaporated, a first adsorber (24) which contains a medium (28) for the adsorption of the fluid (F) which is evaporated in the evaporator (14, 16, 18), as well as a second adsorber (26) which contains a medium for the adsorption of the fluid (F) which is evaporated in the evaporator (14, 16, 18). A control system (22) is adapted to establish or to interrupt a fluid connection between the evaporator (14, 16, 18) and the first and/or the second adsorber(s) (24, 26).
US08438863B2
A cooling system comprises a container that is conductively coupled or convectively coupled to a thermoelectric device to selectively cool and/or heat the container. A climate controlled container system for a vehicle includes a container or cavity and a conduction element configured to cool the cavity. In some embodiments, the cooling system comprises a housing, a housing inlet, a fluid passage and one or more thermoelectric devices and fluid transfer devices positioned within the housing.
US08438856B2
A combustor for an industrial turbine includes a single transition piece transitioning directly from a combustor head-end to a turbine inlet. The transition piece includes an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface bounds an interior space for combusted gas flow from the combustor head-end to the turbine inlet. The outer surface at least partially defines an area for compressor discharge air flow. The transition piece includes a plurality of apertures configured to allow compressor discharge air flow into the interior space. Each of the plurality of apertures extends from an entry portion on the outer surface to an exit portion on the inner surface.
US08438853B2
A combustor end cap assembly having an improved cooling configuration is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention are directed towards an apparatus and method for cooling an effusion plate of the combustor end cap assembly. The combustor end cap assembly also incorporates an impingement plate having a plurality of cooling holes with the impingement plate positioned a predetermined distance from the effusion plate. The cooling fluid passes through the impingement plate and is directed towards and onto the effusion plate for cooling of the effusion plate.
US08438852B2
A combustor section is provided and includes one or more annular quaternary fuel manifolds mounted within an annular passage defined between a casing and a cap assembly of a combustor through which air and/or a fuel/air mixture flows upstream from a fuel nozzle support, the manifold including a body to accommodate quaternary fuel therein, the body defining injection holes through which the quaternary fuel is injected into a section of the passage at a location upstream from the fuel nozzle support.
US08438847B2
A heat-pipe electric power generating device includes a heat pipe having an evaporating end and a condensing end, a non-magnetic shell connected to the condensing end, a generator stator coil disposed at the outer of the non-magnetic shell, a turbine disposed in the heat pipe, a driving axle connected to the turbine and extended into the non-magnetic shell, and a magnetic element disposed at the driving axle and located in the non-magnetic shell. A vapor flow flowing to the condensing end is generated at the evaporating end. The vapor flow drives the turbine to move the magnetic element, such that the generator stator coil generates an induced current. In addition, a hydrogen/oxygen gas generating apparatus and an internal combustion engine system having the heat-pipe electric power generating device are also provided.
US08438842B2
An exhaust gas purification device is provided. The device includes: in an exhaust gas passage for a combustion exhaust gas containing a nitrogen oxide, a hydrocarbon, and an oxygen in a larger amount than a theoretical reaction amount with respect to the hydrocarbon to flow therethrough, in order from upstream, a first catalyst part for selectively reducing a nitrogen oxide; a plasma discharge part for generating a plasma; a second catalyst part for selectively reducing a nitrogen oxide; and a purifying catalyst part for purifying a reducing agent.
US08438835B2
A method of assembling a gas turbine engine includes providing at least one heat exchanger assembly including a heat exchanger and a lobed mixer extending downstream from the heat exchanger, wherein the mixer includes a plurality of lobes that each define a first chute and at least one second chute that extends between each pair of adjacent spaced-apart lobes, and coupling the at least one heat exchanger assembly within a bypass duct of the engine such that the at least one heat exchanger assembly is coupled to at least one of an outer engine casing and an inner engine casing of the turbine engine.
US08438832B1
A turbine engine includes a fan section that rotates about a longitudinal axis and a compressor section. The turbine engine also includes a fan exit stator located between the fan section and the compressor section, the fan exit stator including an airfoil. The airfoil defines an entrance angle with respect to a leading edge of the airfoil and a line parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the airfoil defines an exit angle with respect to a trailing edge of the airfoil and a line parallel to the longitudinal axis. A difference between the entrance angle and the exit angle is between about 45° and about 65°. The turbine engine also includes a turbine section, and a portion of the compressor section is driven by a portion of the turbine section.
US08438825B2
An applicator head for cutting yarn into segments of yarn and depositing the segments of yarn on a deposition surface. The applicator head includes a single mechanism that moves the yarn towards said deposition surface and also cuts the yarn into segments.
US08438824B2
A harvesting header includes a header frame, a cutterbar assembly mounted to the header frame, and a conveyor assembly supported behind the cutterbar assembly to receive crop severed by the cutterbar assembly. The conveyor assembly includes a pair of side conveyors and a fore-and-aft draper located between the side conveyors. The header further includes a central crop-conveying member that overhangs the rear margin of the fore-and-aft draper and a floor pan that at least partly defines a transition area. The floor pan presents a forwardmost edge adjacent to and rearward of the rear margin. The forwardmost edge is located above a lower run of the draper to direct severed crop materials from the upper run of the draper and to facilitate crop material flow through the transition area.
US08438816B2
A composite panel comprises an outer skins and an inner core. The inner core includes a frame, an elastomeric material disposed between at least a portion of the frame and the outer skin, and a foamed polymer filler. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the same.
US08438814B2
Hard panels formed from a wood-based material and having a decorative layer for floor coverings are provided, at least on two opposite edges, with coupling devices made in one piece with the panels wherein similar panels may be coupled together to form a floor covering, wherein these coupling devices provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of coupled panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of coupled panels. These coupling devices are constituted of a tongue and a groove. The top side of the tongue has a protrusion that cooperates with a meshing recess located in the lower side of the upper lip of the groove of the coupling devices, and a portion extending generally parallel with the plane of the panel to form a contact surface cooperating with the lower side of the upper lip of the groove.
US08438810B2
A vapor retarder system includes a vapor retarder sheet. At least one and typically a plurality of parallel spaced-apart tie-straps are located adjacent an inner surface of the sheet, and the tie-strap extend across a width of the sheet and are connected to the sheet at multiple connection locations that are spaced from each other along a length of the tie strap. The sheet includes drape regions where the sheet is disconnected from the tie straps between successive connection locations. The tie-straps and drape regions ensure that the vapor retarder sheet is installed over roof purlins with the proper drape between the purlins to obtain the required insulation R-values. A fall-protection net or sheet can also be constructed and/or installed in the same manner.
US08438808B2
Disclosed are frame members and mullions for a window frame that comprise a reinforcing member that is surrounded by an outer plastic layer. The outer plastic layer is held securely to the reinforcing member as a result of a waist banding effect that comprises an inward force created by the outer plastic layer as it cools and contracts around the reinforcing member. In addition, lobes are formed in the reinforcing member that assist in holding the outer plastic layer to the reinforcing member. Window inserts can be removed and replaced using adapters and removable brackets. Frame members and mullions can be built sufficiently strong to provide structural support. The frame can also be used to hold photovoltaic cells and protective coverings for photovoltaic cells. Structural members are also disclosed that have reinforcing members with apertures, debossing, scarification and/or indentations that secure the thermoplastic layer to the reinforcing member.
US08438792B2
Rigid insulation products are provided, including a single unitary insulating member having slots for receiving the ends of floor joists. The insulating member may be pre-attached to a wood member, which functions as a joist header, or may be attached to a joist header during construction.
US08438790B2
Support structure for solar collector for use in cylindrical parabolic collectors to support a cylindrical parabolic reflector and an absorbing tube The structure includes a main bearing structure on which a plurality of support arms for the parabolic mirrors are supported The main bearing structure is formed by two rectangular lattice grids, a top one and another bottom one, in a parallel and overlaying arrangement, linked together by four laterally-disposed mini-lattices, in twos at each end, and by a plurality of external lateral ties bars and internal diagonal tie bars.
US08438788B2
A rainwater collection apparatus is formed with an outer sleeve member that is adapted to connect with upper and lower downspout portions, and with an internal colander that is operable to collect and filter the rainwater flowing through the upper downspout portion. The colander has an upper flanged edge that removes water flowing along the inside surface of the downspout, a filter area including a plurality of apertures for the passage of rainwater into a catch basin, and a support flange that rests on a base ledge formed on the outer sleeve to define the catch basin. A discharge spout drains the collected rainwater from the catch basin to a remote storage container. An internal opening in the colander allows the passage of debris and the overflow of rainwater from the catch basin through apertures in the colander for discharge through the lower downspout portion.
US08438786B2
A flexible venue system includes a system that can be configured in multiple ways depending on the type of event being hosted. This system can be applied in whole or in part to telescopic seating platforms or similar structures which may include multiple usable tiers, movable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, and the potential for at least one partially retracted configuration. The system may include any or both of a program support system integrated into or assembled to the system prior to retraction; and vertically adjustable seating configurations for use with the platform systems. The present invention is intended to aid in venue changeover and reduce overall cost, instructions and labor required to do so.
US08438784B1
An automated vehicle cargo door system comprises a cargo door comprising a plurality of panels hingeably assembled to one another, a pair of door tracks, a plurality of wheels rollingly assembling the door to the door tracks, a drive motor, a linear motion controller operably engaged with the drive motor, and a linkage removably engaging the linear motion controller and the cargo door. A release mechanism comprises an operational component located external to a vehicle cargo area. The release mechanism is in operative communication with the linkage, wherein the linkage can be disengaged from the linear motion controller by the release mechanism, thus allowing a user to open the cargo door should the motor become inoperable.
US08438779B2
Described herein is an indoor greenhouse that includes a rack unit, an outer layer that surrounds the rack unit and defines a greenhouse interior, at least one light surrounded by a light enclosure, a cooling system, and a ventilation system all disposed in the greenhouse interior. The ventilation system includes a fan, a filter and at least one duct that cooperate to exhaust air out of the exhaust vent opening. The rack unit includes a top, a bottom, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. The outer layer includes a top, a bottom, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween that correspond to the similar portions of the rack unit. The outer layer also has intake and exhaust vent and light cooling openings defined therein. The cooling system includes at least one duct that cooperates with the light enclosure to define an air path between the intake and exhaust light cooling openings.
US08438778B2
Apparatus for selectively applying a liquid plant chemical such as a herbicide to a plant includes a hollow tubular reservoir, an integrated funnel handle at the upper end of the reservoir, and an applicator tip at the lower end of the reservoir. The applicator tip includes a valve and a wick that allows the chemical to be dispensed in a controlled manner onto a specific plant, avoiding chemical drift. A protective cap fits over the applicator tip during storage, while retainer tabs keep the protective cap from squeezing the wick. The retainer tabs may be sharp enough to prick the plant to place the chemical internally.
US08438776B2
A fake bait having an adjustment device includes a main body, an engaging member and a resistant board. The main body has an accommodation trough at a head portion thereof and an inclined board in the accommodation trough. The engaging member has a toothed section which is biased by a resilient element. The resistant board has a toothed portion to engage with the toothed section of the engaging member. The engaging member and the resistant board are received in the accommodation trough and located on the inclined board. When the resistant board is pulled, the resistant board biased by the resilient element of the engaging member is adjusted forward or backward through the teethed portion of the resistant board to engage with the teethed section of the engaging member, providing a positioning effect.
US08438773B2
A mount for mounting an accessory to a weapon has a base portion and an upper portion each with fore-aft axes. A first and a second link interconnect the upper portion and the base portion for articulation between a use position and a storage position. The upper portion in the use position is disposed above the base portion and the upper portion in the storage position is disposed to a side of the base portion. The fore-aft axis of the base portion and the fore-aft axis of the upper portion are parallel to one another in both the use position and in the storage position.
US08438757B2
Embodiments of footwear, in particular, a shoe, sandal or boot, may reduce the effort and improve the performance of walking, running, hiking, marching, and various other gaits as well as jumping, hopping, and other motion involving the ankle and lower leg and Achilles tendon, through integration of force-carrying mechanisms within footwear that manage the forces and energy associated with such motion by productively harvesting and storing energy during dorsiflexion motion and releasing and returning energy during plantar flexion. One structural element of such footwear may comprise a top collar yoke having anterior and posterior gussets forming a channel and a shoe comprising a rotation zone supporting the channel and an elastomeric zone forming a tension spring via an elastomeric overlay or otherwise providing a spring-like member approximately parallel to and to assist the Achilles tendon during locomotion.
US08438749B2
A drive mechanism for dehydrating a mop. The drive mechanism includes a base (10); a driven gear (12) rotatably mounted on the base; a propeller shaft (121) having a lower end rotated by the driven gear and an upper end to rotate a rotation barrel (21); a driving gear (11) meshing with the driven gear; a spinning shaft (111) to rotate the driving gear; a drive member (13) having a spinning shaft hole (131) meshing with the spinning shaft; an elastic member (14) biased between the drive member and a housing (20) to move the drive member downward relative to the spinning shaft; and a pedal (15) pivotally mounted on the base to move the drive member upward relative to the spinning shaft. The driving gear has a diameter greater than that of the driven gear to drive the driven gear to rotate the rotation barrel easily and quickly.
US08438743B2
A disclosed sensor assembly for detecting movement and a position of a wing flap includes a sensing device that generates a signal corresponding to a position of the flap. The sensor assembly includes a linkage that is attached to the movable flap for mechanically communicating movement of the flap to the sensing device. The linkage includes a first pivot shaft mounted to the flap that is disposed about a first axis and a second pivot shaft attached to the first pivot shaft for movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis.
US08438742B2
A physical template for deploying an earth-based sensor network. The physical template includes a physical mesh. The physical mesh is configurable as a surface-covering structure that includes a plurality of nodes. A node of the plurality of nodes is to position a sensor for deployment of the sensor within a specified distance of a location on a surface of the Earth. A sensor-network-deployment system including the physical template for deploying an earth-based sensor network, and a method for deploying an earth-based sensor network utilizing the physical template are also provided.
US08438730B2
A method of assembling an inkjet printhead comprising providing a printhead chassis; providing a support surface; affixing a printhead die to a die location portion of the support surface; affixing a portion of an attachment surface of a flexible circuit to the support surface adjacent to the die location portion of the support surface; electrically connecting the printhead die to the flexible circuit; affixing a spacer member to a surface of the flexible circuit that is opposite the attachment surface; applying an encapsulating material in contact with the printhead die, the flexible circuit, and the spacer member; and curing the encapsulating material.
US08438728B2
A number of flat tubes, flat tube heat exchangers, and methods of manufacturing both are described and illustrated. The flat tubes can be constructed of one, two, or more pieces of sheet material. A profiled insert integral with the flat tube or constructed from another sheet of material can be used to define multiple flow channels through the flat tube. The flat tubes can be constructed of relatively thin material, and can be reinforced with folds of the flat tube material and/or of an insert in areas subject to higher pressure and thermal stresses. Also, the relatively thin flat tube material can have a corrosion layer enabling the material to resist failure due to corrosion. Heat exchangers having such flat tubes connected to collection tubes are also disclosed, as are manners in which such tubes can be provided with fins.
US08438727B2
A method of manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board having interlayer insulating layers and conductor layers repeatedly formed on a substrate, via holes formed in the interlayer insulating layers, and establishing electrical connection through the via holes, including containing an electronic component in said substrate, forming a positioning mark on said substrate based on a positioning mark of said electronic component, and conducting working or formation based on the positioning mark of said substrate.
US08438720B2
A coil component, in which a space on an outer periphery of a winding interposed between a pair of flange portion is coated with a resin with magnetic powder, has a problem of long-term reliability that a thermosetting resin expands and contracts due to change in a temperature and the flange portions are fatigued to be broken. An object of the present invention is to provide the coil component of which core is hardly broken even when the resin with magnetic powder expands and contracts and a method of manufacturing the same. In order to solve the above-described problem, the method of manufacturing the coil component according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a coil component including a drum-shaped core including a winding core portion and a pair of flange portions provided on both ends in an axial direction of the winding core portion, and a winding wound around the winding core portion, including applying a mold releasing agent for providing a gap on at least one of opposed surfaces of the pair of flange portions, winding the winding around the winding core portion, applying a resin with magnetic powder formed of a thermosetting resin to a space on an outer periphery of the winding interposed between the pair of flange portions, and thermally curing the resin with magnetic powder.
US08438716B2
A method of manufacturing furniture, such as sofas, that have a lower exposed front rail with corner block portions. The method including injection molding the front rail with the corner block and assembling it to side rails and a rear rail whereby there are no exposed junctures at the corner blocks on the front rail.
US08438712B2
An auto-aligning linear motion apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a leadscrew. The apparatus also includes a nut arrangement configured to surround the leadscrew, wherein the nut arrangement includes at least a nut, a nut bracket, and a floating collar. A shoulder screw is inserted through a nut bracket slot of the nut bracket and a nut slot of the nut to rest at least partially within the floating collar. One dimension of the nut bracket slot is larger than a dimension through a cross-section area of the shoulder screw to enable the shoulder screw to move within the nut bracket slot to adjust the nut arrangement as the leadscrew is rotated to maintain a concentric relationship between the nut arrangement and the leadscrew.
US08438707B2
A fastener is provided with a snap-fitting leg to be pushed through an opening of a panel, the snap-fitting leg including a flat rigid core which extends in an axial direction and at least one curved flexible flange having an inner longitudinal edge running alongside the core which is separated from a free outer longitudinal edge of the flange by a web with a concave inner surface. A stiffening rib is provided on the concave surface of the web of the flange. The rib connects to the free outer longitudinal edge of the flange at two remote points substantially aligned in the axial direction.
US08438706B2
A vacuum press fit zipper assembly designed for watersports apparel and gear and other water related applications. Overmolding construction forms an effective seal around the entire perimeter of the fastener assembly, and a vacuum fit is created between the two mating portions of the zipper assembly.
US08438705B2
A double layer zipper includes two zipper tapes, each zipper tape having a seal strip covered on transverse top and bottom edges and one longitudinal side edge thereof and stitched with the associating interlocking series of teeth, and an interlocking series of teeth formed of a series of coils and respectively fastened to each of opposing top and bottom sides of each of the zipper tapes, each coil having a coil head and a coil body connected to the front side of the coil head, the coil body having a recessed face disposed adjacent to the associating coil head, two flank portions disposed at two opposite lateral sides of the recessed face and a neck connected between the recessed face and associating coil head so that each coil has a tadpole-shaped profile.
US08438702B2
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a flexible hinge comprising first and second layers; the first layer comprising an elastomer and the second layer comprising a composite fabric.
US08438693B2
A vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body capable of standing and inclining, an electric blower accommodated in the cleaner body, a floor nozzle capable of cleaning a surface while the cleaner body inclines, a mode detector detecting whether the cleaner body stands or inclines, and a controller controlling a power supplied to the electric blower. The controller is operable to supply a first power the electric blower if the mode detector detects that the cleaner body inclines, and to supply a second power lower than the first power to the electric blower if the mode detector detects that the cleaner body stands. This vacuum cleaner prevents the electric blower from overheating.
US08438692B2
The invention relates to a wiper blade (1) that comprises a bearing structure (20) in which a flexible vertebra (23) is longitudinally inserted and on the sides of which are formed openings (25a, 25b, 26a, 26b, 27a, 27b) exposing the side edges (23a) of the vertebra (23), as well as a connector (50) that is fitted substantially transversally onto the bearing structure (20) at the level of the openings (25a, 25b, 26a, 26b) and that is blocked in terms of movement in the fitting direction thereof by the portions of the side edges (23a) protruding from said openings (25a, 25b, 26a, 26b). The invention is characterized in that the connector (50) includes at least one deformation (70a) extending inside a notch (71a) formed in the vertebra (23) at a portion of a side edge (23a) and accessible via an opening (27a).
US08438687B2
A system for cleaning a hot food preparation includes a cleaning tool including a handle and a detachable base. The handle and detachable base comprise a polymeric material, where the melting point of the polymeric material in the handle is lower than the melting point of the polymeric material in the base. The system includes a scrubbing pad support member that is configured to engage and secure a scrubbing pad and connect the scrubbing pad to a handle or a base of a cleaning tool. The handle of the tool is constructed to be reused numerous times whereas the detachable accessories, e.g., the scrubbing pad support member and/or a scrubbing pad, are disposable. A method of molding the scrubbing pad support member is also provided.
US08438685B2
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for cleaning or otherwise treating a floored surface that includes a platform adapted to support the weight of an operator. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is capable of generally performing 360° turns to facilitate the treatment of difficult to access portions of the floored surface.
US08438678B2
A bedding foundation has a wire core which may be nestably stacked with numerous other such assemblies for transportation, thereby avoiding the need to compress and tie multiple assemblies for shipping. The wire core which includes an upper wire grid made of four distinct border wires and support wires extending between two opposing border wires. Each support wire has flattened valleys below the plane of the upper wire grid, each flattened valley being adapted to be secured to a wooden base frame. The wire cores, wooden bases and corner guards may be shipped separately.
US08438673B2
A removable and interchangeable soap dish and/or other fixture which has a wall mount segment having a male connector with screw holes. The mount is L-shaped with the wall side and connector both rectangular shaped and connected perpendicularly. Protruding out from the mount and perpendicular to the male connector is a handle. The mount is attached to any wall using standard screws which fit into the screw holes. A female slot which is shaped and designed to receive the male connector is molded inside the fixture. A securing devise at the end of the slot allows the male end to slide in then lock into place. Attach the fixture to the wall mount by lining up the female slot and male connector and apply pressure to push them together. The locking device is deactivated by applying minimum pressure to the fixture as it is pulled away from the mount.
US08438668B2
A stabilization strap apparatus for a helmet having a shell with at least one chin strap having a left section and a right section connected to the shell, includes an adjusting assembly shaped to fit a rear occipital portion of a wearer's cranium; and a left occipital strap section and a right occipital strap section, each strap section having a first end securable respectively to the left section and the right section of the at least one chin strap, downwardly of and spaced-apart from the casket shell and a second end slidably attached to the adjusting assembly.
US08438664B2
Rescue harness devices are designed for incorporation into protective coats of firefighter or other types of first responders such that when deployed, the rescue harness forms a closed loop that cinches around an upper torso region under the armpits of an individual donning the protective coat, to thereby positively secure the individual and pull directly on the individual's body.
US08443460B2
A method for characterizing an atomic force microscopy tip using a characterization structure having two inclined sidewalls opposite one another and of which at least one actual lateral distance separating the two inclined sidewalls corresponding to a given height is known, the method including scanning the surfaces of the inclined sidewalls by the tip, the scanning being carried out while the tip oscillates solely vertically; measuring, for the given height, the lateral distance separating the two inclined sidewalls, the measurement incorporating the convolution of the shape of the tip with the shape of the characterization structure; and determining a characteristic dimension of the tip as a function of the measured lateral distance, and of the actual lateral distance.
US08443459B2
A high-bandwidth SPM tip scanner includes an objective that is vertically movable within the scan head to increase the depth of focus for the sensing light beam. Movable optics also are preferably provided to permit targeting of the sensing light beam on the SPM's probe and to permit the sensing light beam to track the probe during scanning. The targeting and tracking permit the impingement of a small sensing light beam spot on the probe under direct visual inspection of focused illumination beam of an optical microscope integrated into the SPM and, as a result, permits the use of a relatively small cantilever with a commensurately small resonant frequency. Images can be scanned on large samples having a largest dimension exceeding 7 mm with a resolution of less than 1 Angstrom and while scanning at rates exceeding 30 Hz.
US08443454B2
A method and apparatus for preventing illegal reuse of Digital Right Management (DRM) content in a portable terminal is provided. The method includes performing user authentication when there is an attempt to restore a Right Object (RO) backup file, and identifying information on the RO backup file to be pre-restored in a terminal, and determining if the RO backup file can be restored according to the identified information.
US08443452B2
A URL monitoring system may use a user's browsing history to generate a score for the user. The score may be used to permit or deny access to a URL. The score may be used to represent the user's intent when browsing, and based on that intent, the user may be allowed access to a URL with conflicting classifications. The score may be also be used as a trustworthiness score so that a user who browses responsibly may have their score increased over time, and a user who browses irresponsibly or inappropriately may have their score decreased. The scores may be calculated and maintained on a user's client device, edge device, or other device within a network.
US08443449B1
Upon detection of a suspicious file, a client computer sends feedback data to an anti-malware service over the Internet. Files that are not suspicious or that are known clean are not reported; files that are known malware are acted upon immediately without needing to report them to the anti-malware service. Upon detection, no alert or warning is provided to the user of the client computer. The anti-malware service correlates data from other detection engines on the client computer or from other client computers and determines whether the file is malware or not. A new virus pattern is generated if the file is malware and includes the virus signature of the file; the new virus pattern is distributed back to the client computers. If not malware, no action need be taken, or, the virus signature of the file is removed from existing pattern files.
US08443447B1
One embodiment relates to a computer-implemented method for detecting malware-infected electronic mail messages. A server computer monitors an email account which is associated with a unique email address for receipt of an email message, the unique email address being associated with a unique contact in an address book on a client computer. The server computer determines that an email message addressed to the unique email address has been received and performs automated analysis to confirm that the email message contains malware. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
US08443442B2
A real-time, signature-free, blocker prevents buffer overflow attacks. The system and method, called SigFree, can filter out code injection buffer overflow attack packets targeting at various Internet services such as web services. Motivated by the observation that buffer overflow attacks typically contain executables whereas legitimate client requests never contain executables in most Internet services, SigFree blocks attacks by checking, without any preknowledge of the real attacks, if “executable” instruction sequences can be blindly disassembled and extracted from a packet. Being signature-free, the invention can block new and unknown buffer overflow attacks. It is immunized from almost every attack-side code obfuscation method, and transparent to the servers being protected. The approach is therefore suited to economical Internet-wide deployment with very low deployment and maintenance costs. SigFree can also handle encrypted SSL packets. An experimental study shows that SigFree can block all types of code-injection attack packets without yielding any false positives or false negatives. Moreover, SigFree causes negligible throughput degradation to normal client requests.
US08443437B2
A method and apparatus for providing a security system. The method includes the steps of providing an identity card for use by a person entering a secured area of the security system, reading the identity card at an entry point to the secured area, randomly generating an alphanumeric key upon the occurrence of a predetermined event, writing the alphanumeric key into the identify card at the entry point, reading the card within the secured area as a request for access to a computer and granting access to the computer by the person, but only when an alphanumeric key is found on the card that matches the generated alphanumeric key.
US08443436B1
A computer-implemented method for diverting children from restricted computing activities. The method may include maintaining a list of safe computing activities, maintaining a list of restricted computing activities, and detecting a child's attempt to perform a restricted computing activity identified in the list of restricted computing activities. The method may also include selecting a safe computing activity from the list of safe computing activities. The method may further include, in response to the child's attempt to perform the restricted computing activity, blocking the restricted computing activity and initializing the safe computing activity selected from the list of safe computing activities. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08443435B1
A VPN handler of a client device is described that provides VPN connectivity by automatically creating multiple split VPN tunnels that provide direct access to different VPN concentrators of an enterprise based on specific resources requested by the client device. A local VPN concentrator normally used by the client device may provide the VPN handler with a resource list that provides a mapping of the resources of the enterprise network to the multiple VPN concentrators that have been deployed to provide secure access to those resources. The local VPN concentrator may dynamically update the resource list on the client device so as to control the construction and use of the split VPN tunnels by the VPN handler based on changes to the enterprise network. The split tunnel approach may be transparent to applications executing on the client device and may be easily deployed to the client devices of the enterprise.
US08443432B2
A method for calibrating a temperature float of a one time password token and a device thereof are provided in the invention relating to the information security field. The method includes steps: the one time password token measures a current ambient temperature at intervals of a first predetermined time, retrieves a data table for a characteristic value relating to the measured temperature, and calibrates a current time value inside the token according to the characteristic value at intervals of a second predetermined time. The one time password token includes a timer module, a measuring module, a retrieving module, a table storing module, a calibrating module, a triggering module, a generating module and a displaying module. The invention calibrates time differentiation of the one time password token caused by the temperature float.
US08443431B2
A method is provided for Authenticator Relocation in a communication system applying an Extensible Authentication Protocol, or the like, which provides replay protection and mitigates the rogue ASN-GW problem during relocation of the Anchor Authentication, and without conducting re-authentication of the MS. The method of the invention optionally allows secure refresh of the MSK.
US08443429B1
A method of integrated signon is provided comprising receiving a login request to begin a desktop session, the login request comprising a first user identification and a first user password. The method comprises authenticating the first user identification and the first user password using data stored in a first authentication domain. The method comprises starting the desktop session and receiving a request from the desktop session to access an application associated with a second authentication domain. The method comprises retrieving authorization data associated with the second authentication domain from the first authentication domain based on the first user identification and the user password. The method comprises sending the request to access the application associated with the second authentication domain with the authorization data to the application associated with the second authentication domain. The method comprises the application associated with the second authentication domain authorizing the requested access.
US08443427B2
According to one aspect, there is provided a method of controlling access to a network resource. The method comprises receiving a request to grant a user access to the network resource, the request including a user identifier, determining whether the received user identifier is stored in a local user data store associated with the resource, and where it is not so determined determining, from user details stored in a master user data store, whether the user is authorized to access the resource, and where it is so determined obtaining a password, and storing the obtained password and user details in the local data store associated with the network resource.
US08443424B2
A method and system for reducing the proliferation of electronic messages is disclosed. An electronic message or a portion thereof is transmitted by the server system. A spam notification signal may be received related to the electronic message or the portion thereof. Access to said electronic message is restricted solely in response to receiving the spam notification signal.
US08443415B2
A method and system of supporting transport and playback of signals, such as audio, video, and data signals. A reference model configured to support transport of signals according to a baseline, extended mode (1), and extended mode (2) architecture, and a subscriber video device (SVD) configured to support playback of the signals transported according to any of the architectures.
US08443395B2
An apparatus, method and data structure for generating at least one table in a broadcast environment, are provided. The apparatus includes a generator to generate an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT). The ETT has program guide information for an n-hour span and has a transmission interval. The ETT has a transmission interval and program description information according to the EIT. The transmission interval of the EIT is shorter than the transmission interval of the ETT.
US08443390B2
A service distribution system supports creation of a personalized and virtual service broadcast that can be selectively clipped and cached based on content descriptors of popularity, freshness, etc. A method for selectively receiving broadcast of one or more content items associated with a service to provide a unicast or multicast user experience is described. The method may comprise: detecting a characteristic of a service, or detecting a characteristic of one or more content items, wherein the one or more content items are associated with the service, and wherein the characteristic is generated by a mobile operator and pertains to an objective measure of current user interest, selectively receiving by broadcast, to the mobile device, one or more content items associated with the service based on the characteristic, and storing the one or more content items associated with the service for access through a user interface of the mobile device.
US08443389B2
A system and method for making program recommendations to users of a network-based video recording system utilizes expressed preferences as inputs to collaborative filtering and Bayesian predictive algorithms to rate television programs using a graphical rating system. The predictive algorithms are adaptive, improving in accuracy as more programs are rated.
US08443385B1
A system and method for scheduling advertisements in a television service network environment. An ad scheduler prepares an ad insertion schedule based on channel change statistical information and avail time information. The scheduler evaluates the statistical information, time durations between adjacent avails in a presentation stream, and the relatedness of market segments assigned to a plurality of advertisements. It schedules the ads into presentation stream groups based on this evaluation. The statistical ad scheduling allows the system to eliminate “forced” switching between multiple presentation streams, whereby system wears and malfunctions can be decreased.
US08443380B2
A web services system provides web services interfaces to applications having native interfaces with different types of synchrony. The web services interfaces can have the same or different type of synchrony than the underlying application. The web services layer translates a web services request from a client to corresponding function calls to applications. Upon receiving a response from an application, the web services layer translates the response back to a web services format and forwards it to the client. A naming convention is used to define the names of the data types and operations in the web services interface corresponding with data types and functions of the application. A function prefix can be used to specify a namespace in the web services interface unique to the application. A web services namespace is assigned to tokens so that requests for asynchronous web services are diverted to a general web services routine.
US08443363B1
A computer includes a plurality of activity modules in multiple virtual machines. An activity module performs an activity, such as malware detection, in a virtual machine. A monitoring module receives virtualized infrastructure information of the computer comprising a hardware configuration of the computer and a virtual machine configuration of the computer. A scheduling module determines, based on the virtualized infrastructure information, scheduling instructions for an activity module. A supervisor communication module causes the activity module to execute based on the scheduling instructions. The scheduling instructions minimize hardware resource conflicts between the activity module and the other activity modules of the computer.
US08443358B1
An exemplary method for a hot pluggable virtual machine comprises authenticating a user within an active host environment on a host device, executing a virtual machine driver, configuring a guest environment, and activating the guest environment for the virtual machine on the host device.
US08443352B2
The specification of a string within source code written in a programming language is received. The source code is processed for ultimate execution of a computer program encompassing the source code, by at least performing the following. It is determined whether the string specified is a short string or a long string. The string is processed in accordance with a first manner where the string is a short string. The string is processed in accordance with a second manner where the string is a long string.
US08443350B2
A system and method for modeling simulation and game artificial intelligence as a data management problem are described. A scripting language provides game designers and players with a data-driven artificial intelligence scheme for customizing behavior for individual agents. Query processing and indexing techniques efficiently execute large numbers of agent scripts, thus providing a framework for games with a large number of agents.
US08443341B2
A system for, method of and computer program product captures performance-characteristic data from the execution of a program and models system performance based on that data. Performance-characterization data based on easily captured reuse distance metrics is targeted, defined as the total number of memory references between two accesses to the same piece of data. Methods for efficiently capturing this kind of metrics are described. These data can be refined into easily interpreted performance metrics, such as performance data related to caches with LRU replacement and random replacement strategies in combination with fully associative as well as limited associativity cache organizations. Methods for assessing cache utilization as well as parallel execution are covered.
US08443338B2
An assembly aggregate comprising a virtual, logical view of an arbitrarily defined collection of intermediate code and metadata can be authored, factored, accessed, modified, and distributed. Multiple physical containers of assembly information can be aggregated to create a single logical assembly called an assembly aggregate. An assembly can thus be redefined as a logical view against (or projection over) the assembly aggregate. Such an assembly can be targeted to the requester: that is, an assembly can be redefined according to tool and/or execution context rather than conforming to explicit or implicit requirements enforced by the runtime.
US08443335B2
A word processing or spreadsheet application is augmented by a plug-in and templates for computer aided design of electronic hardware entities. The plug-in utilizes the application programming interface to provide a menu system and executable code which inserts templates, reads and validates data entered into the template, computes addresses, annotates addresses and error messages back to a word processing document for display in the editor of the word processing document, and upon selection and request, generates output files for target simulators or synthesis tools.
US08443334B1
A method for designing a system to be implemented on a target device includes computing slack potential of paths between components on the target device after timing analysis. A graphical representation of the slack potential and slack for the paths is generated. The graphical representation identifies that a design change is required for a first portion of the system associated with a first path and that a change in placement is required for a second portion of the system associated with the second path.
US08443324B2
A method, system, and computer program product for improved routing using layer ranges in the design of an integrated circuit (IC) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. Using an application executing in a data processing system, a score is computed for a net in a set of nets routed using a set of layers in the design. The set of nets is sorted according to scores associated with nets in the set of nets. A layer range from a set of layer ranges is assigned to a net in the sorted list such that a net with a higher than threshold score is assigned a high layer range.
US08443310B2
A pattern correcting method of an embodiment computes a distribution of pattern coverages on a design layout of a circuit pattern in the vicinity of a position that becomes an error pattern in a case where an on-substrate pattern is formed. Then, an area on the design layout in which a difference in the distribution of the pattern coverages becomes small by adding an addition pattern is set as an addition area. Next, addition pattern candidates to be added to the addition area are generated, an addition pattern to be added to the design layout is selected from the candidates on the basis of a predetermined selection criterion, and the addition pattern is added to the addition area.
US08443309B2
A method for optical proximity correction (OPC) model accuracy verification for a semiconductor product includes generating a multifeature test pattern, the multifeature test pattern comprising a plurality of features selected from the semiconductor product; exposing and printing the multifeature test pattern on a test wafer under a process condition; generating an OPC model of the semiconductor product for the process condition; and comparing the test wafer to the OPC model to verify the accuracy of the OPC model.
US08443302B2
A contactless display system enables a user to interact with a displayed image by moving a finger, or pointer, toward a selected portion of the image. Images can be enlarged, or translated dynamically in response to detected movement. Operational methodology can be manually switched between contact-type and contactless operation to enhance flexibility.
US08443296B2
A progress displaying system and the method thereof are provided. The system and the method thereof are applicable to mileage calculating devices. By generating progress displaying graphs during mileage calculations according to the moving speeds and completed percentages at different time points, and continuously showing progress displaying graphs until the completed percentage is completely fulfilled, the system and the method thereof can achieve the goal of vividly reflecting user's current status during the progress display.
US08443295B1
Existing statistics reporting methods tend to be inflexible and difficult for operators to understand and use effectively. A graphical user interface is provided whereby operators are able to view a state/event model of an automated system and using that graphical user interface make changes to existing statistics, define new statistics and analyze existing statistics. As a result of user inputs made at this graphical user interface changes are effected in a statistics reporting application in order to generate actual values of the statistics. In some embodiments Unified Modeling Language (UML) is used to provide the state/event model and extensions to UML are described which improve the ability to create and modify definitions of statistics.
US08443289B2
A display instruction apparatus transmits a display screen on which symbols representing network devices connected to a network are displayed to a client terminal connected to the network; and transmits, when a drag-and-drop operation between symbols of network devices is received from the client terminal, an instruction for executing a predetermined process between the network devices that are subjected to the drag-and-drop operation to the network devices.
US08443281B2
The present invention provides a method and system for constructing a labeled treemap with balanced layout. A range of possible densities of leaf nodes based on designated weights of the leaf nodes and a designated treemap region is determined. A range of possible densities is then searched for a density that could be fitted on and a labeled treemap that could fit on the density. The labeled treemap is presented on a specified display region. By introducing the concept of density into labeled treemap, the present invention ensures the area of region occupied by each leaf node in the constructed labeled treemap is approximately corresponding to the weight of the node, and avoids the case of invisible leaf node in a treemap.
US08443279B1
An image capture device in an endoscopic imaging system receives a video stream generated by an endoscopic video camera. In response to automatic recognition of a spoken utterance while the video stream is being received from the endoscopic video camera, the image capture device associates with the video stream an annotation that corresponds to the spoken utterance. The image capture device provides the video stream to a display device for display, such that the annotation can be overlaid on one or more frames of the video stream displayed on the display device.
US08443271B1
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. For example, data processing systems are disclosed that include a data decoding system. The data decoding system includes a data decoder circuit and a simplified maximum likelihood value modification circuit. The data decoder circuit is operable to apply a data decode algorithm to a decoder input to yield a first decoded output and an indication of at least one point of failure of the first decoded output. The simplified maximum likelihood value modification circuit is operable to identify a symbol of the first decoded output associated with the point of failure, and to modify a subset of values associated with the identified symbol to yield a modified decoded output.
US08443268B2
A method of performing interleaving and a data transmission apparatus are disclosed, in which interleaving is performed for input data streams using bit reverse ordering (BRO) operation. A method of performing interleaving for input data streams comprises writing respective bits of the input data stream in a row direction of a memory matrix in accordance with the input order, performing row permutation for index of each row of the memory matrix using an R-bit (R is an integer) bit reverse ordering (BRO) operation, performing pruning for a row which satisfies a given condition, performing column permutation using BRO operation for index of each column of the memory matrix, and reading to output each bit in a column direction of the memory matrix where the column permutation has been performed.
US08443266B2
A data processing method includes checking an error on a first header, and determining whether or not to correct the error on the first header based on an error correction count for an first error correction processing block including the first header.
US08443258B2
A memory device includes a semiconductor memory including a plurality of memory cells, and a controller including a buffer which temporarily stores data, a data pattern check circuit which checks a predetermined data pattern of data that are stored in the buffer and are to be stored in a plurality of neighboring ones of the memory cells, and sends an address in accordance with a result of the check, and a data correction circuit which corrects a value of data at the address that is sent, and sends the corrected value to the semiconductor memory.
US08443254B2
A method of encoding input data using a low density parity check (LDPC) code or decoding the encoded data is disclosed. Each index of a model matrix is expanded to an index matrix which includes two or more indexes. Each index included in the index matrix indicates a specific sub-matrix, and can be replaced with a corresponding sub-matrix to generate a parity check matrix.
US08443253B2
A turbo decoding device includes a memory unit that stores data in an interleaving process performed in a process of decoding a coded signal encoded with a turbo code and an access unit that accesses the memory unit to read and write the data. The memory unit includes memory circuits and is formed as one memory space by coupling the memory circuits. Furthermore, the memory circuit functions as a first bank configuration by which a first capacity is assigned to each bank or a second bank configuration by which a second capacity is assigned to each bank in accordance with a combination of the memory circuits. Moreover, the access unit selects by which of the first bank configuration and the second bank configuration the memory unit functions in accordance with a communication method of a coded signal and accesses the memory unit in accordance with the selected bank configuration.
US08443240B2
Disclosed is a gaming machine capable of data restoration.
US08443235B2
Proposed are a highly reliable storage system capable of inhibiting the problematic operation or change of state in the storage system, and a known problem information management method capable of improving the reliability of the storage system. The storage system is provided with a storage apparatus including a storage medium for storing data, and a management apparatus for managing the storage apparatus. The management apparatus includes an apparatus-side known problem information storage unit for storing known problem information as information concerning a problematic operation or a change of state, a maintenance management terminal operation controller for receiving a user's operation or change of state and creating history information according to the operation or change of state, and an apparatus-side known problem information search unit for searching, from the apparatus-side known problem information storage unit, known problem information corresponding to the history information, wherein the maintenance management terminal operation controller inhibits the operation of the searched known problem information.
US08443227B2
A processor includes a microarchitecture for working around a processing flaw, the microarchitecture including: at least one detector adapted for detecting a predetermined state associated with the processing flaw; and at least one mechanism to modify default processor processing behavior; and upon modification of processing behavior, the processing of an instruction involving the processing flaw can be completed by avoiding the processing flaw.
US08443226B2
Systems and methods for reducing the cost and time required for diagnosing and fixing electronic devices are provided. A host electronic device may be configured to generate a log of events that it experiences. A help component may access the generated log and analyze the log to detect if the host device has experienced a problem. Data may then be exchanged between the help component and the host device in order to fix the detected problem.
US08443224B2
A circuit and method for synchronizing signals between asynchronous clock domains within digital electronic circuits decouples asynchronous clocks. The timing of the slower clock is used to prevent read and write to counters so that write signals from the fast clock domain can be directly used in the slower clock domain when the counters are not toggling. This feature removes the need for sampling and holding the data on the fast clock, which would require consume additional power and require additional circuit area.
US08443212B2
A computing device executes a boot process. During boot process execution, the computing device initiates automatic calibration of a battery connected to the computing device.
US08443203B2
A semiconductor memory system includes an external memory, an internal memory, and a one-time programmable (OTP) memory. The external memory includes a kernel, a public key, first boot information used to authenticate the public key and generate a test secret key, and a second boot loader verifying integrity of the kernel. The internal memory includes a first boot loader that verifies integrity of the second boot loader and generates the test secret key. The OTP memory includes second boot information generated using the public key and a secret key. Since the secure boot method and the semiconductor memory system using the method do not need an additional OTP memory to store a secret key unlike conventional technology, the capacity and recording time of the OTP memory can be reduced to about half compared to the conventional technology.
US08443202B2
A method of authenticating users to reduce transaction risks includes indicating a desire to conduct a transaction and determining whether the transaction requires access to protected resources. Moreover, the method determines whether inputted information is known, determines a state of a communications device when the inputted information is known, and transmits a biometric authentication request from a server to an authentication system when the state of the communications device is enrolled. Additionally, the method includes validating the communications device, capturing biometric authentication data in accordance with a biometric authentication data capture request with the communications device, biometrically authenticating the user, generating a one-time pass-phrase and storing the one-time pass-phrase on the authentication system when the user is authenticated, comparing the transmitted one-time pass-phrase against the stored one-time pass-phrase, and granting access to the protected resources when the transmitted and stored one-time pass-phrases match.
US08443194B2
The invention relates to a method of authentication and session key agreement for secure data transmission between a first and second data communication entity in an electronic data transmission system. Furthermore, the invention relates to an electronic transmission system to perform a method of authentication and session key agreement.
US08443190B2
The present invention relates to a method for securing a two-way communications channel between at least a network N1 and a network N2 with a lower level of security than N1, and a device to implement the method. The method comprises at least the following steps: defining one or more types of data authorized to be transmitted from N1 to N2; routing a datum to an encryption/decryption module or to a filtering module, according to the datum type. The invention notably allows communications to be established between a plurality of networks with different levels of security.
US08443189B2
An approach is provided for selecting one or more trust factors from trust factors included in a trust index repository. Thresholds are identified corresponding to one or more of the selected trust factors. Actions are identified to perform when the selected trust factors reach the corresponding threshold values. The identified thresholds, identified actions, and selected trust factors are stored in a data store. The selected trust factors are monitored by comparing one or more trust metadata scores with the stored identified thresholds. The stored identified actions that correspond to the selected trust factors are performed when one or more of the trust metadata scores reach the identified thresholds. At least one of the actions includes an event notification that is provided to a trust data consumer.
US08443183B2
A pre-boot loader reduces the boot time of an operating system (OS). An OS is typically loaded by its own OS loader. A pre-boot loader is typically a software module in the system firmware or the pre-boot environment that loads the OS loader, which in turn loads the OS. In one embodiment, the pre-boot loader bypasses part or all of the steps performed by the OS loader, which shortens the loading time of the OS loader and the OS. In another embodiment, bypassing the steps of the OS loader reduces dependency on the system firmware functions. The system firmware takes advantage of this to further reduce boot time, by executing the pre-boot loader earlier instead of waiting until the full completion of system initialization by the system firmware.
US08443180B2
A method for operation system startup includes steps of switching on hardware startup; determining whether there is a trigger signal; reading an initial parameter from a storage device, and loading the initial parameter into a startup program when there is no trigger signal, executing the startup program; and entering operational system.
US08443173B2
A data processor which executes instructions described in first and second instruction formats. The first instruction format defines a register-addressing field of a predetermined size, while the second instruction format defines a register-addressing field of a size larger than that of the register-addressing field defined by the first instruction format. The data processor includes: instruction-type identifier, responsive to an instruction, for identifying the received instruction as being described in the first or second instruction format by the instruction itself; a first register file including a plurality of registers; and a second register file also including a plurality of registers, the number of the registers included in the second register file being larger than that of the registers included in the first register file.
US08443171B2
The present invention provides a system and method for runtime updating of hints in program instructions. The invention also provides for programs of instructions that include hint performance data. Also, the invention provides an instruction cache that modifies hints and writes them back. As runtime hint updates are stored in instructions, the impact of the updates is not limited by the limited memory capacity local to a processor. Also, there is no conflict between hardware and software hints, as they can share a common encoding in the program instructions.
US08443163B1
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for tier-based slice allocation and data relocation in a data storage array. The method is performed at a data storage array including physical data storage capacity being logically divided into one or more logical units (LUs) and each of the one or more LUs being further subdivided into one or more slices, where the data storage array includes a resource pool being divided into a plurality of resource groupings, where each resource grouping includes one or more resources of a common type. The method includes receiving a slice allocation request for allocating a slice from the data storage array, where the slice allocation request includes at least one constraint. In response to receiving the slice allocation request, a slice that honors the at least one constraint is allocated.
US08443159B1
A computer-implemented method may include creating a first full backup of a set of data units at a first time. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying one or more data units in the set of data units that have been modified since the first time. The computer-implemented method may further include creating a second full backup of the set of data units by providing copies of the one or more data units that have been modified since the first time and storing references to copies of one or more data units in the set of data units that have not been modified since the first time. The references may be configured such that the second full backup is a standalone backup that is independent of any other backups.
US08443154B2
A system for sharing data between computer processes. The system includes a processor configured to implement a method that includes executing a plurality of independent processes on an application server, the processes including a first process and a second process. A shared memory utilized by the plurality of independent processes is provided. A single copy of the data and metadata are stored in the shared memory. The metadata includes an address of the data. The first process initiates the storing of the data in the shared memory. An address of the metadata is transferred from the first process to the second process to notify the second process about the data. The second process determines the address of the shared memory by reading the metadata. The data in the shared memory is accessed by the second process.
US08443153B1
A storage system provides highly flexible data layouts that can be tailored to various different applications and use cases. The system dynamically balances performance with block sharing, based on service level objectives (SLOs). The system defines several types of data containers, including “regions”, “logical extents” and “slabs”. Each region includes one or more logical extents. Allocated to each logical extent is at least part of one or more slabs allocated to the region that includes the extent. Each slab is a set of blocks of storage from one or more physical storage devices. The slabs can be defined from a heterogeneous pool of physical storage. The system also maintains multiple “volumes” above the region layer. Each volume includes one or more logical extents from one or more regions. Layouts of the extents within the regions are not visible to any of the volumes.
US08443149B2
In an embodiment, a plurality of keys are evicted from a first cache at a primary server. A first key is evicted from the first cache because the first key satisfied a first evict policy during a first time range. A second key is evicted from the first cache because the second key satisfied the first evict policy during a second time range, but the second key did not satisfy the first evict policy during the first time range. The plurality of keys are added to a batch file. If the batch file is full, the batch file is sent to a replica server, and the batch file requests the replica server to evict the plurality of keys from a second cache at the replica server. If the batch file is not full, the batch file is not sent to the replica server.
US08443147B2
A memory interleave system for providing memory interleave for a heterogeneous computing system is provided. The memory interleave system effectively interleaves memory that is accessed by heterogeneous compute elements in different ways, such as via cache-block accesses by certain compute elements and via non-cache-block accesses by certain other compute elements. The heterogeneous computing system may comprise one or more cache-block oriented compute elements and one or more non-cache-block oriented compute elements that share access to a common main memory. The cache-block oriented compute elements access the memory via cache-block accesses (e.g., 64 bytes, per access), while the non-cache-block oriented compute elements access memory via sub-cache-block accesses (e.g., 8 bytes, per access). A memory interleave system is provided to optimize the interleaving across the system's memory banks to minimize hot spots resulting from the cache-block oriented and non-cache-block oriented accesses of the heterogeneous computing system.
US08443146B2
A technique for performing cache injection includes monitoring an instruction stream for a specific instruction sequence. Addresses on a bus are then monitored, at a cache, in response to detecting the specific instruction sequence a determined number of times. Ownership of input/output data on the bus is then acquired by the cache when an address on the bus (that is associated with the input/output data) corresponds to an address of a data block stored in the cache.
US08443124B2
A physical layer device (PLD) includes a first serializer-deserializer (SERDES) device and a second SERDES device. Each SERDES device includes an analog portion with a serial port that is configured to communicate serial data with various network devices, and a digital portion that is configured to communicate parallel data with other various network devices. The PLD includes a first signal path that is configured to route serial data signals between the analog portions of the SERDES devices, bypassing the digital portions of the SERDES devices. Therefore, the SERDES devices can directly communicate serial data without performing parallel data conversion. A second signal path is configured to route recovered clock and data signals between the analog portions of the SERDES devices, but still bypassing the digital portions of the SERDES devices. The recovered clock and data signals are then regenerated before being transmitted over a network device.
US08443123B2
Disclosed herein are a UPnP control point and a UPnP device based on the UPnP network and a connecting method using the same, in which a service connection is performed. The service connection is restrictedly performed using a configuration file defined to allow or deny a connection with a specific device on the UPnP network, so that only devices specified by a user can be connected.
US08443117B2
A connection expansion device connected to devices includes a plurality of ports to which devices are connected, a storage unit configured to record device information obtained from each port, and a processing unit configured to specify, based on the device information, a port in which an abnormal device exists, invalidate device information belonging to the port, and cause the storage unit to hold device information of a normal device.
US08443113B2
A communication apparatus is configured to execute testing of whether or not the responding module is correctly responding to the plurality of commands transmitted and received between a transmission module and a reception module, the testing being performed via a loop-back mode transmission and reception path configured such that the reception module receives the command transmitted by the transmission module; and during the testing, following procedure is performed, which includes: transmitting the specific command by the transmission module; receiving the specific command by the reception module via the transmission and reception path; deactivating reception of the specific command; and transmitting a command different from the specific command subsequent to transmitting the specific command by the transmission module.
US08443112B2
A transmitting section 7a outputs a transmission signal to the side of a transmission line 1. A first switching section Qa1 outputs the transmission signal to the transmission line 1. A second switching section Qa2 outputs the transmission signal from the transmission line 1. A receiving section 9a receives the transmission signal from the transmission line 1. A first detecting section 13a detects the transmission signal flowing through the first switching section Qa1. A second detecting section 19a detects the transmission signal flowing through the second switching section Qa2. When the transmission signal from the transmitting section 7a is not detected at both the first and second detecting sections 13a and 19a, a selecting section 15a selects the receiving section 9a and outputs a reception signal.
US08443099B2
In embodiments of dynamic media asset delivery, a media asset can be requested from a content distributor for playback at a client device. The client device can receive the media asset over a communication network, and receive a request to playback the media asset for viewing as the media asset is being received. The client device can then playback the media asset for viewing in a display format, where a quality of the display format is based at least in part on a time duration between when the media asset is requested and when the request to playback the media asset for viewing is received.
US08443091B2
A method and application server for providing different services and performing service changes in a multimedia communication system. When a first client invites a second client to join a multimedia session, the server learns which media types are supported by each client, including first and second media types supported by the server. The first client then sends the server a request on a media control channel to transmit media of the first and second types. The server verifies the requested media types are supported by the second client and sends the first client a grant for the requested media types. The server receives a first media burst of the first media type from the first client and retransmits the burst to the second client, and then receives a second media burst of the second media type from the first client and retransmits the burst to the second client.
US08443086B2
An approach is provided for reassigning and sharing loads to peers with a same identity, which is based on a threshold. The peers are configured to store indexes of a key and to share the same loading (i.e., indexes) of the key to the peers with same secondary identities in different zones. The secondary identity is derived and has a modulo relationship with a first identity of the peer. The threshold indicates maximum number of indexes stored in each peer. Therefore, the loading are distributed evenly to peers in different zones, which achieves load balance to a decentralized structured peer-to-peer network.
US08443074B2
Constructing an inference graph relates to the creation of a graph that reflects dependencies within a network. In an example embodiment, a method includes determining dependencies among components of a network and constructing an inference graph for the network responsive to the dependencies. The components of the network include services and hardware components, and the inference graph reflects cross-layer components including the services and the hardware components. In another example embodiment, a system includes a service dependency analyzer and an inference graph constructor. The service dependency analyzer is to determine dependencies among components of a network, the components including services and hardware components. The inference graph constructor is to construct an inference graph for the network responsive to the dependencies, the inference graph reflecting cross-layer components including the services and the hardware components.
US08443068B2
A method includes creating a plurality of user preference profiles. Each user preference profile includes at least one of a profile format without active user preference profile indication, a profile format including an active user preference profile indication, and a profile format specific to each device of a user. The plurality of user preference profiles are stored in a shared server. One or more user preference profiles corresponding to a plurality of devices are activated. The one or more user preference profiles are provided to an application server. The application server implements preferences included in corresponding user preference profile. A system includes a plurality of devices of the user, a plurality of clients corresponding to the plurality of devices, an application server corresponding to the plurality of clients, and a shared server for storing a plurality of user preference profiles.
US08443065B1
At least one existing neighboring network device is connected to a newly deployed network device in a communications network. A network manager is connected remotely. The newly deployed network device is configured to determine its physical network connectivity by propagating a discovery protocol frame to the at least one existing neighboring network device. The frame in an example includes a field having a query that solicits from the existing neighboring network device the physical network connectivity data of the newly deployed device. This device is also configured to receive in response to the query, its physical network connectivity data and network data address of the network manager in a response, transmit its physical network connectivity data to the remote network manager, which in turn is configured to transmit provisioning data to the newly deployed network device based on the received physical network connectivity data.
US08443060B2
Remotely installing a new printer on a client workstation that communicates via a network with a control point terminal by, in the control point terminal, performing an operation to add the new printer on the client workstation, and in response to the operation being performed, the control point terminal transmitting identification information of the new printer being added to an agent in the client workstation, and in the client workstation, the agent receiving the identification information from the control point terminal, in response to receiving the identification information of the new printer, the agent automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the received identification information, the agent automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information, and the agent creating a locally managed instance of the printer.
US08443049B1
Messaging patterns for a plurality of subscribers are obtained and analyzed to determine a “trust score” that is an indication of the likelihood that a given message for a particular subscriber is of interest, as opposed to unwanted, e.g., spam or telemarketing phone calls. Subscribers establish or set trust score thresholds and call processing actions to take based on the thresholds and the trust score for a given incoming communication. For example, if a subscriber establishes a processing action of “block call” for calls with a “low” threshold trust score, and an incoming message (email, SMS, instant message, or phone call) has a trust score of “low” or “very low”, the message is blocked. Conversely, if the trust score for the message is “high” and the user has specified to pass through “high” trust score messages, the message is passed through. Various algorithms can be used compute trust scores based on messaging patterns.
US08443045B2
A computer-implemented method and system are provided for storing selected e-mails, including the content of the e-mail and attachments, in a document management system. A user initiates storage of the e-mail by a user-actuated control that is added to the interface of his e-mail application. The e-mail is then copied, indexed and stored in a separate document in the document management system, and attachments to the e-mail are embedded in the separate document. The font and graphics of the e-mail may be stored in the separate document as they as they appeared in the original document. The text of the e-mail may be stored in the binary format that is native to a word processor associated with the document management system.
US08443042B2
An information processing apparatus used by a first user, includes a generating unit adapted to generate recommendation information at least including an identifier for uniquely identifying a content recommended on the basis of preference information of the first user, and a sending unit adapted to send the generated recommendation information to another information processing apparatus which is used by a second user who is the same as or different from the first user and adapted to present the content recommended on the basis of the identifier included in the recommendation information.
US08443041B1
A system and method allows a user to view communications exchanged between other participants within an online chat room without the user becoming a participant within the online chat room. The online chat room enables ongoing exchanges of electronic communications between two or more participants whose participation within the chat room are mutually revealed to each other. A user is enabled to perceive the existence of the online chat room without the user becoming a participant within the online chat room. Selection of the online chat room by the user is received. Responsive to user selection of the online chat room and without the user becoming a participant within the online chat room, at least some of the communications exchanged between the participants within the online chat room are made perceivable to the user as the communications are exchanged.
US08443039B2
A Virtual Collectible Distribution Network generates and distributes Virtual Collectible objects, each potentially possessing unique properties, over a computer network such as the Internet, to a group of users. The Distribution Network utilizes a client-server system. The client software can be standalone or embedded in another application, such as a web browser or game. In one scenario, the client software observes certain behaviors of the user, and communicates such behavior to the server, which process is transparent to the user. The server, based on the communications from the client, predefined algorithm, and other factors, may decide to award the user with a Virtual Collectible.
US08443035B2
One or more collaboration computers connected over the network may collaborate using their web browsers. Each collaboration computer may have one or more window locators that uniquely identify a web browser window on the browser. The web browser window can be a window where one or more events occur during the collaboration. One or more document locators may be derived from information describing a document path from the respective web browser window to a document within the respective web browser window. The document path can be a path in a hierarchical structure that includes the document and the respective web browser window. One or more transfer data structures may contain the window locator and the document locator and may be passed to and from the collaboration computer through a network connection to enable a collaboration session.
US08443029B2
A round-far-reround mode (preferably in a BID encoded Decimal format) of a floating point instruction prepares a result for later rounding to a variable number of digits by detecting that the least significant digit may be a 0, and if so changing it to 1 when the trailing digits are not all 0. A subsequent reround instruction is then able to round the result to any number of digits at least 2 fewer than the number of digits of the result. An optional embodiment saves a tag indicating the fact that the low order digit of the result is 0 or 5 if the trailing bits are non-zero in a tag field rather than modify the result. Another optional embodiment also saves a half-way-and-above indicator when the trailing digits represent a decimal with a most significant digit having a value of 5. An optional subsequent rewound instruction is able to round the result to any number of digits fewer or equal, to the number of digits of the result using the saved tags.
US08443025B2
Wavelet thresholding using discrete wavelet transforms is a sophisticated and effective approach for noise reduction. However, usage of integer arithmetic implies that not the full range of input values can be used. A method for selectively reducing noise in a digital signal having a first range of values comprises steps of decomposing the digital signal to a plurality of frequency sub-bands, wherein before, during or after the decomposing the digital signal or at least one sub-band is expanded by one or more bits to a second range of integer values, removing in at least one of the frequency sub-bands values that are below a threshold, re-combining the frequency sub-bands, after removing said values that are below a threshold, into an expanded output signal, and de-expanding the expanded output signal, wherein a signal having the first range of values is obtained.
US08443024B2
A time domain filter receives a double sideband (DSB) input in the frequency domain and compresses this input into a time domain signal filtered by a time gate for providing a time filtered signal that is then expanded back into the frequency domain as a single sideband (SSB) output with one sideband being filtered by the time gate for translating DSB signals into SSB signals well suited for communicating chirped modulated signals as SSB signals along an electrical line or optical fiber without dispersive nulling of the communicated signal.
US08443015B2
An information processing apparatus acquires and transmits content identification information stored in the storage unit to the other apparatus, determines whether the information processing apparatus has received the content analysis results from the other apparatus and if it is determined that the content analysis result acquisition unit has received the content analysis results from the other apparatus, causes the storage unit to store the content analysis results and if it is determined that the information processing apparatus has not received the content analysis results from the other apparatus, perform processing to obtain content analysis results by analyzing the content data stored in the storage unit to cause the storage unit to store the content analysis results by associating with the content data stored in the storage unit and also perform processing to transmit the content analysis results to the other apparatus.
US08443014B2
Data processing systems and methods are disclosed that utilize the Home Banking Computer Interface (HBCI) protocol for secure communication with a web service. Usage of the HBCI protocol protects the communication of a requester with the web service against eavesdropping and tampering. Further, implementation of a dual control business procedure is facilitated.
US08442997B2
A remote server is arranged to respond to a request from a user terminal for the download of a media file to cause a unique water-marked copy of a media file to be generated and sent to the user terminal. At the same time the remote server is arranged to access a seal server, which causes an electronically sealed record of the transaction to be generated and stored in a download database. Subsequently, if a suspect media file is identified the sealed record provides evidence of the original transaction which led to the water-marked copy of the media file being issued and hence the original source of the unauthorised copy of the file. Control of distributed media files can be enforced by imposing penalties in the event that unauthorised copies corresponding to the distributed water-marked media files are identified.
US08442988B2
A cell-specific dictionary is applied adaptively to adequate cells, where the cell-specific dictionary subsequently optimizes the handling of frequency-partitioned multi-dimensional data. This includes improved data partitioning with super cells or adjusting resulting cells by sub-dividing very large cells and merging multiple small cells, both of which avoid the highly skewed data distribution in cells and improve the query processing. In addition, more efficient encoding is taught within a cell in case the distinct values that actually appear in that cell are much smaller than the size of the column dictionary.
US08442986B2
Methods and apparatus identify groups of files based on symbols corresponding to an underlying data stream of original bits of data that are determined to be informationally important. The resulting symbols of a selected group are ordered according to how effectively each symbol characterizes the selected group of interest. The subset of symbols is used to find similar files from a general population of files to the files in the group of interest. Additionally, groups of common files can be identified from a general population of files and a group selected therefrom for use in identifying a subset of symbols which characterize the selected group for use as a filter to identify further like files.
US08442979B2
Creating, i.e. rendering, markup language documents having multiple content portions, respectively, from multiple sources. A set of displayable non-alphanumeric visual indicators, e.g. colors, is associated with each content portion, each indicator respectively representing the status of one of said set of content reviews. Then an implementation is provided enabling a user at the receiving display station to sequentially and collectively proceed through said sets of content reviews to which the content portions in the multiple content displayed may have been subjected, and displaying at each content review step only the indicators representing the status of said content review for all of the content portions subjected to said content review step.
US08442978B2
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for trust propagation. The method according to one embodiment comprises calculating a first feature vector for a first user, calculating a second feature for a second user and comparing the first feature vector with the second feature vector to calculate a similarity value. A determination is made as to whether the similarity value falls within a threshold. If the similarity value falls within the threshold, a relationship is recorded between the first user and the second user in a first user profile and a second user profile.
US08442977B2
A process includes receiving an archive of video data comprising a plurality of archive descriptor types, and applying a query to the archive. The query includes a number of N query descriptor types for a query object. The process further includes determining a difference between each query descriptor type and corresponding descriptor types of the archive, and storing each difference as a point in an N dimensional space. The process further includes identifying an archive object that is similar to the query object as a function of proximities of the differences to an origin of the N dimensional space.
US08442975B2
An image processing apparatus includes a designator which designates each of one or more characteristic images included in a scene image as a reference characteristic image. A searcher searches for a specific folder in which a dictionary image adapted to the reference characteristic image is associated with, from among one or more folders in which one or more dictionary images are respectively associated with. A first storage stores the scene image noticed by the designator into the specific folder discovered by the searcher. A first creator creates a folder in which a dictionary image equivalent to the reference characteristic image is associated with, corresponding to non-discovering the specific folder by the searcher. A second storage executes a process of storing the scene image noticed by the designator into the folder created by the first creator, in association with a creating process of the first creator.
US08442974B2
A method and system for ranking Web pages in a Web search engine is described. One illustrative embodiment receives a Web search query from a particular user, the query including at least one keyword; identifies one or more Web pages that contain the at least one keyword; determines, for each of the one or more Web pages, a raw page ranking; adjusts the raw page ranking of each of at least one Web page among the one or more Web pages based on direct evidence of how interesting that Web page is to users to produce an adjusted page ranking, the direct evidence being derived from clickstream data collected from the users; and presents, as search results, the at least one Web page to the particular user in accordance with the adjusted page rankings.
US08442971B2
In an embodiment, a first driver source specified by a first execution plan that implements a query is designated, and a second driver source specified by a second execution plan that implements the query is designated. A portion of the first execution plan and a portion of the second execution plan are executed. If a unique identifier of a first row returned by the executing the portion of the first execution plan does not match all unique identifiers of all rows from the second driver source that were saved to a result set by the executing the portion of the second execution plan, then the first row returned by the executing the portion of the first execution plan is added to the result set and the unique identifier of the first row that was returned by the executing the portion of the first execution plan is added to a unique identifier log.
US08442963B2
A system and method for compiling geospatial data for on-line collaboration is provided. A database of categories is maintained. Each category includes one or more waymarks and is associated with at least one variable having one or more attributes, which each specify a type of data storable under that variable. A search is performed and one of the categories is selected. A new waymark is formed under the selected category. First, geospatial data defining a location is received from a user. Second, metadata describing a physical object associated with a location is received. One or more of the attributes, which each specify the type of data in agreement with the metadata is defined. Third, the geospatial data is compiled with the metadata for the new waymark. The new waymark is stored under the selected category. The new waymark is published on-line.
US08442955B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to co-migration in a shared pool of resources with similarity across data sets of a migrating application. The data sets are processed and profiled. Metadata is reviewed to remove duplicate elements and to distribute the processing load across available nodes. At the same time, a ranking may be assigned to select metadata to support a prioritized migration. Non-duplicate data chunks are migrated across the shared pool of resources responsive to the assigned prioritization.
US08442949B1
A computer-implemented method for using data archiving to expedite server migration may include: 1) archiving data from at least one source computing system to an archiving system in accordance with an archiving policy, 2) altering metadata associated with the archived data on the archiving system so that the metadata references a desired target computing system instead of the source computing system, and then, upon bringing the target computing system online, 3) restoring at least a portion of the archived data from the archiving system to the target computing system. Various other methods, systems, and configured computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08442945B1
Example apparatus and methods concern no touch synthetic full backups where a new backup is created using information about previous backups but without reading data from the existing backups. The no touch synthetic backup can be created by correlating file system information, backup specification information, and dedupe system information. One example method includes accessing a set of target extents associated with a synthetic backup image overlay specification and accessing a set of source extents associated with a file stored in a previous backup image. The set of source extents are selected so that they can provide data sufficient to cover the data described in the set of target extents. The method includes creating a set of correlation extents that bridge the gap between the original specification and the final specification.
US08442944B2
The invention relates to computer readable medium storing program code which when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform a method for creating a quick recovery volume of a primary data set used by a first computer in a backup storage system, which includes identifying a snapshot image of the primary data set generated by a snapshot application, creating the quick recovery volume of the primary data set from the snapshot image of the primary data set and controlling transfer of data from the first computer to an archival storage unit. In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for creating a quick recovery volume of a primary data set that includes creating a snapshot image of the primary data set and creating a quick recovery volume of the primary data set from the snapshot image of the primary data set.
US08442937B2
A first database and a second database have different schemas. An activity in a workflow accesses a data item in a list by invoking a method in an interface of a list object. The list comprises a collection of data items. Each data item in the list comprises an item key field specifying an item key. No two data items in the data item collection have item key fields specifying a shared item key. In addition, each data item in the list comprises a set of additional fields. Each field in the set of additional fields has a value derived from the first database or each field in the set of additional fields has a value derived from the second database. In this way, the activity can be implemented without knowledge of the different schemas of the first database and the second database.
US08442932B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that assist in making decisions, valuing a choice or action, promoting creative solutions, and reducing risks. Among other situations, the systems and methods consider situations where the user or users are evaluating a possible single choice or several alternative choices. The criteria to evaluate the decisions are input into a grid, and the user or users rate the one or more alternatives against the different criteria. Given several alternative choices or options, the system and method provides the probability each alternative is the right selection. In one embodiment, the system implements a Bayesian approach. The systems and methods may estimate the value of an option or choice, where the value might be financial or other metric, and may estimate the value of a risk, opportunity or factor that might influence the result. The systems and methods may estimate the amount the chance of being surprised or missing some relevant consideration has been reduced by the analysis. The possibility of black or gray swans can also be estimated, in the phraseology of Nassim Taleb. Systems and methods so disclosed may be employed in financial analyzes, project or strategy selection, betting, resolution of disagreements, intelligence analysis, and so on.
US08442928B2
Content filtering of data containers is based on defining content types, receiving identifiers of a set of rules applicable to each content type, and determining dependence of at least one rule on other rules. The identifiers are sorted into rule strata where rules within each rule stratum are independent of each other and rules within each rule stratum beyond a first stratum depend on at least one rule of at least one preceding rule stratum. Upon receiving a data container of multiple components from a network, a content type is determined for each component. Rules of rule strata specific to a content type of a component are applied starting with rules of a first rule stratum and proceeding sequentially to selected rules of succeeding rule strata. An apparatus for content filtering stores processor-executable instructions for arranging rules in rule strata and sequentially applies successive rules to data containers.
US08442926B2
A string matching unit 110 specifies a category of an input document 801 by string matching of the input document 801 and a classifying keyword shown by matching condition information 109. Learning data 209 shows statistic information of each category. A classifying unit 220 specifies the category of the input document 801 based on a correspondence ratio of the input document 801 and the statistic information shown by the learning data 209. A correct answer comparing unit 120 compares the category specified by the string matching unit 110 and a category of correct answer information 803. A learning unit 210 compares the category specified by the classifying unit 220 and the category of the correct answer information 803. An error rate calculating unit 310 calculates a classifying error rate of a string matching filter unit 100 and a learning filter unit 200 based on the comparison result of the correct answer comparing unit 120 and the comparison result of the learning unit 210. A result outputting unit 320 outputs the category specified by the filter having a smaller classifying error rate as a classified result 301 of a classifying target document 804.
US08442923B2
An electronic document sorter is trained to classify documents based on their temporal qualities. The invention can be used in environments such as automated news aggregators, search engines and other electronic systems which compile information having temporal qualities.
US08442922B2
Systems, methods and software are disclosed for capturing and/or importing and processing media items such as digital images or video (202) associated with a sporting event such as a marathon or bicycle race (FIG. 3). The media items are processed, including bib number or facial recognition if necessary (204, 206, 504), to associate them with an individual participant. Other input sources may include spectator uploads (506), external web sites and media sharing (508) or soda! networking (510) services. The system (500) aggregates, organizes and generates content, and distributes it (580) via various output channels, which may include event web sites (256), personal feeds (250), and other output channels (260, 254, 252, FIG. 4). Preferably, selected content is associated with at least one individual participant in the event, and that content is automatically distributed to channels that are associated with that individual participant.
US08442909B2
A method begins by generating, for each of a plurality of merchant devices, an offer data file to produce a plurality of offer data files. The method continues by: compiling, for one issuer device, an options data file for a group of credit cards based on at least one of the plurality of offer data files; transmitting the options data file to the issuer device; receiving, from the issuer device, at least one selection from the options data file to produce an options program file for the group of credit cards; receiving, from a card holder device associated with one of the group of credit cards, a selection of at least one option from the options program file to produce at least one selected option; and processing transactions of the one of the group of credit cards in accordance with the at least one selected option.
US08442908B2
Systems and methods for asset valuation, whole loan processing and inventory management is described. The systems and methods may include modules. An asset valuation tool may use multiple data sources for producing current and predicted future values and historical and intermediate data points on a requested timeline. A loan information pricing tool may perform unlimited volumes of loan program eligibility and multi-variable pricings on a user desktop. A workout activity tracking tool may capture, monitor, measure and report on a loan workout process including direct hosting and integration of the asset valuation tool and the loan information pricing tool. The present invention may offer diverse and competitive modular components as well as an integrated and innovative platform that does not exist in the market.
US08442906B1
In some embodiments, a comprehensive computer system and method (See FIGS. 1, 1a, 2) for automating and facilitating the performing and processing of tasks, information transfer, and information storage associated with the home sale (See FIG. 3a), mortgage origination (See FIG. 3b), and settlement process (See FIG. 3c), and the home mortgage refinancing origination and settlement process (See FIGS. 1b, 1c, 2a) (or performing other business processes), over a distributed computing network are disclosed.
US08442904B2
A computer implemented method for determining implied orders in an electronic trading system is provided. The method comprises receiving a first set of one or more real orders, wherein the orders are not tradable against each other. One or more implied orders are identified within the first set of real orders. Market data corresponding to the implied orders can also be identified. At least one additional order is received and the tradability of the additional order is determined against the real or implied orders within the first set of real orders. A resting set of orders is determined from those real and implied orders within the first set of orders not affected by the tradability of the additional order. Implied orders are determined from within the set of resting orders.
US08442903B2
An internet-based system for organization and collection of specialized debt that is delinquent; an example of specialized debt being healthcare debt.
US08442897B2
The invention relates to financial products that provide a return that is a function of future sales/revenues, preferably gross sales/revenue, over a specified period of time. One embodiment of a method for creating such a financial product includes providing standard forms to an issuer and underwriter and standard terms to an issuer and investors. The terms to the issuer include providing capital to the issuer in exchange for a return that is a function of future sales over a specified period of time. The process further includes creating instruments representing investment in the financial product. The process creates the instruments in sufficient numbers and in appropriate denominations to facilitate trading in the financial product.
US08442894B2
Embodiments of the invention provide for systems, devices, apparatus, methods and computer program products for payment card-issuing entities to guarantee merchant payment in card-not-present-transactions and, more specifically, automatically guaranteeing merchant payment in card-not-present transactions based on the payment card-issuing entity authenticating the customer prior to the transactions. By guaranteeing merchant payment in card-not-present transactions, the merchant's risk associated with such transaction is greatly reduced.
US08442892B2
The present disclosure is directed to generating REIT-based pure property return indexes. First, REIT return data is compiled from each REIT of a plurality of REITs at a predetermined frequency. Then, the generated REIT return data is de-levered and processed according to exposures to each of a plurality of target characteristics to obtain coefficients reflecting each REIT's weight in an index. Finally, an index is generated according to the REITs, the obtained coefficients, and the weights.
US08442889B2
A system for allocation asset based portfolio investment and management provides model portfolios which are selected by correlation to investor's responses to a questionnaire concerning time frames and risk tolerance. Recommended model portfolios are presented to investors by asset allocation class percentages only, without identification of any specific securities of fund holdings of the portfolio and without enabling the participating investor to choose or delete specific assets for inclusion in the recommended portfolio. The system enables the investor only to alter the asset allocation. The model portfolios are professionally overseen and managed for compliance with projected returns and conformance to the assigned asset class. The system can be executed on paper or in the form of computer software run locally or on a network.
US08442880B1
Systems and methods are defined for facilitating the audit process involving a business client, an auditor, and a third-party providing confirmations for the client upon the auditor's request. More specifically, an auditor receives an audit number from the audited client as evidence of authorization for requesting confirmation from a third-party, such as a bank or related business entity. The confirmation request submitted by the auditor will be stored in a network-based computer system and transmitted to the relevant third-party. The third-party then provides necessary confirmation data in response to the request and has the confirmation data transferred to the auditor through the computer system over the Internet. The involved third-party can be a bank or financial institution, another entity in business relationship with the client, or any other entity that ahs access to the requested data associated with the client.
US08442879B2
Methods include, prior to arrival of the incoming shipment of packages at a distribution facility, automatically determining an unload score for the incoming shipment based on electronic shipment data, the electronic shipment data including and the unload score being at least partially based on at least two or more of: a total number of packages in the incoming shipment, a number of products in the incoming shipment, and a conveyability of the packages in the incoming shipment, automatically comparing the unload score to a threshold unload score, sending instruction for directing a truck carrying the incoming shipment to at least one automated or manual receiving door when the unload score is at least equal to the threshold unload score, and sending instruction directing a truck carrying the incoming shipment to the other of the automated or manual receiving door when the unload score is less than the threshold unload score.
US08442874B2
The present invention relates to a flight selection method using a computerized device. The method includes the step of processing flight data relating to flights to produce display data. The display data is displayed by a remote computer in accordance with a flight search query. The display data includes flight representations displayed relative to a timeline. At least one flight representation is associated with more than one fare indicator to provide for a more compact display of flight information.
US08442870B1
A system and method for generating a greeting card selection interface is provided. In some embodiments, the greeting card selection interface may be used to electronically sell or offer paper greeting cards or electronic greeting cards. The greeting card selection interface may overcome design challenges and improve the shopping experience by allowing the user to shop for cards in a quicker and more intuitive fashion, reducing the time that the user needs to select one or more cards of interest while providing appropriate detail that consumers of greeting cards typically require before making a purchase. Various improvements to the shopping experience include sizing, formatting (including layout), positioning, obtaining appropriate images, and obtaining information related to greeting cards that optimize the electronic shopping experience.
US08442865B2
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for integrating ecommerce marketplaces. An ecommerce integration framework has definitions for common data entities that are commonly used by multiple ecommerce marketplaces for listing items. Definitions for common operations that can manipulate the common data entities are provided. An application programming interface is provided that uses the common data entities and common operations to enable enterprise resource planning systems to exchange data in a standardized format with ecommerce marketplaces. Catalogs of items to be sold in ecommerce marketplaces can be created and managed using a customizable structure. The customizable structure enables catalogs to be created in a hierarchical manner with at least one parent catalog and zero or more child catalogs. Data values specified in a respective child catalog override data values specified in the parent catalog. A method for communicating with a particular ecommerce marketplace using an ecommerce integration framework is described.
US08442864B2
A system and method for allowing users to download modified software applications for digital devices, such as mobile phones, computers, electronic devices and mobile devices capable of wireless communication by the provision by the user of an authentication code that is validated to determine that the user is permitted to download and use a modified software application for the digital device. The system authorizes the user to download and use a modified software application and provides advertisements, directly associated with the campaign's authentication code(s), to the modified software application as it runs on the digital device, where the modified software application has been modified to accept and display advertisements on the digital device. The invention further includes allocating credits to authentication codes and deducting credits based on a credit value assigned to each modified software application and/or digital product, such as a digital song. The invention further includes the capability to track the usage of such modified software applications based on the authentication codes.
US08442858B1
A method is provided for subscriber data insertion into advertisement requests. The method includes receiving a request for advertising content for a subscriber from a publisher. The request contains a unique subscriber identifier associated with the subscriber. The method further includes obtaining carrier controlled subscriber data related to the subscriber based on the unique subscriber identifier. The method additionally includes inserting the carrier controlled subscriber data into the request.
US08442856B2
A translation support apparatus manages a series of processes related to a translation work of an original text and a proofreading work of a translation. A payable translation fee may be calculated by subtracting a reduction fee calculated based on a proofread record and a reduction fee table from a prescribed translation fee calculated based on the translation and a prescribed translation fee table.
US08442816B2
Audio data representative of a music piece is converted into data components in respective different frequency bands for every unit time interval to generate time frequency data pieces assigned to the respective different frequency bands. From the generated time frequency data pieces, detection is made as to each sustain region in which an effective data component in one of the frequency bands continues to occur during a reference time interval or longer. A feature quantity is calculated from at least one of (1) a number of the detected sustain regions and (2) magnitudes of the effective data components in the detected sustain regions. The music piece is classified in response to the calculated feature quantity.
US08442815B2
An information apparatus for use in mobile unit, which is mounted on a mobile unit, includes a broadcast receiver receiving a signal containing a station name; a recognition dictionary registering the station name; and a recognition section that, referring to the dictionary, tunes to the station associated with the station name. The apparatus further includes a recognition dictionary update section updating the dictionary in response to signal reception; and a dictionary update deciding section that decides, based on the update mode of the dictionary during updating, if any change occurs between the station transmitting the signal and the update mode, and alters, if change occurs, an update frequency of the dictionary by the dictionary update section in response to a traveling condition of the mobile unit or to a receiving condition of the signal.
US08442809B2
The invention relates to ecological environment monitoring based on native animals functional state control. The method includes exposure a test animal to IR radiation using an optical radiation source and a transmitting optical fiber; receiving the reflected IR radiation using a receiving optical fiber; converting the reflected IR radiation to an electrical signal; determining a sample of values of the signal periods and the sample dispersion; and forming a danger signal when the threshold value exceeds the sample dispersion. The system contains a cardiac activity sensor which includes a transmitting and receiving optical fibers, an optical radiation source and optical radiation receiver; an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter and a computer. The output end of transmitting fiber and the input end of receiving fiber have the same direction and are positioned at a distance R satisfying the inequality (πd2P)0.07−2.2(1/(πd2P))0.02≦R≦(πd2P)0.07+2.2(1/(πd2P))0.02.
US08442803B2
The present disclosure measures radiation doses on different directions. A partition is used, which has a certain attenuation ratio. With the partition, radiation doses on different directions can be determined without knowing the thickness or material of the partition.
US08442802B2
A method of diagnosing an air conditioner and mobile terminal equipment for performing the method are provided. The method of diagnosing the air conditioner using mobile terminal equipment includes beginning diagnosis of the air conditioner, displaying a diagnostic result of the air conditioner on a screen, and displaying a countermeasure for the diagnostic result.
US08442801B2
A method and apparatus are provided for estimating the location of a portable device. The method includes providing a plurality of location anchor and enhanced location anchor transceivers within a region, each operating from respective predetermined locations, a portable transceiver measuring a signal parameter from the transceivers, a location engine determining a location of the portable transceiver based upon the signal measurements and the respective predetermined locations of the transceivers, each of the enhanced transceivers measuring a signal parameter from some of the location and other enhanced transceivers, the location engine calculating an estimated location for each of the plurality of enhanced transceivers and calculating a location error based upon the estimated location and predetermined location of the enhanced location anchor transceiver.
US08442799B2
A system for smoothly executing information processing in the case where information processing is executed to all of the information in relation to a target area, and at the same time other information processing is executed in parallel thereto. In information processing system 10, each of a plurality of mesh groups differing from one another is decided as a first mesh group through an n-th mesh group (n=2, 3, . . . ), respectively. A predetermined information processing is executed to the mesh information group in relation to each mesh group in the order from the first mesh group to the n-th mesh group. The load of the information processing system for the predetermined information processing is reduced by executing the predetermined information processing for each mesh information group.
US08442796B2
A system and method for testing and calibrating electronic contactless payment devices including reference payment cards and readers. The contactless payment devices transmit data by load modulating a subcarrier of an RF carrier signal. The system and method involve use of a common mode rejection (CMR) circuit to demodulate a received load-modulated data signal and to extract the data signal. The CMR circuit also generates a synchronous clock signal, a sample & hold signal and a sample & hold clock signal. Further, the input signal is feed to a zero-crossing detector and digital delay which in combination with an Analog-to-Digital Converter circuit is used to recreate the load (i.e. modulating) signal and to eliminate the large carrier portion of the selected input signal.
US08442790B2
A robotic controller for autonomous calibration and inspection of two or more solar surfaces wherein the robotic controller includes a drive system to position itself near a solar surface such that onboard sensors may be utilized to gather information about the solar surface. An onboard communication unit relays information to a central processing network, this processor combines new information with stored historical data to calibrate a solar surface and/or to determine its instantaneous health.
US08442775B2
A system and method for monitoring dissolved uses in insulating oil of power transformers and other high voltage equipment includes an orifice for accessing the insulating oil, and using a monitoring system to sample the oil and measure the concentration of different gases dissolved in the oil to determine what is going on inside the high voltage equipment.
US08442774B2
Embodiments of this invention provide methods, systems, and apparatus for determining whether a fetal chromosomal aneuploidy exists from a biological sample obtained from a pregnant female. Nucleic acid molecules of the biological sample are sequenced, such that a fraction of the genome is sequenced. Respective amounts of a clinically-relevant chromosome and of background chromosomes are determined from results of the sequencing. The determination of the relative amounts may count sequences of only certain length. A parameter derived from these amounts (e.g. a ratio) is compared to one or more cutoff values, thereby determining a classification of whether a fetal chromosomal aneuploidy exists. Prior to sequencing, the biological sample may be enriched for DNA fragments of a particular sizes.
US08442759B2
A method for communicating navigational information to a telematics unit. The method comprises receiving route requirements; calculating a plurality of portions of a route, each portion calculated according to different sets of criteria, the criteria determined from the route requirements; and sending the plurality of portions to the telematics unit. The portions of the route can be provided to the telematics unit sequentially, with non-final portions including a trigger for indicating to the telematics unit when to request the next portion. The portions can also be provided to the telematics unit as a complete route comprising concatenated route portions.
US08442757B2
When setting a spot by designating a desired position on a map displayed on a display unit, a spot setting menu picture is displayed in the vicinity of the designated position, thereby improving the visibility of a positional relation to improve operability. A navigation device (1) is provided with an input unit (13) which designates a spot on the displayed map, a spot position detection unit (16) which identifies the spot designated by the input unit (13), a menu display position determination unit (17) which determines the display position of the menu picture (38) for selecting an item for setting the spot identified by the spot position detection unit (16), and a mark display unit (18) which displays a spot setting mark (36) which indicates a touch-operated position on a display screen. The menu display position determination unit (17) detects the display position of the spot setting mark (36) and determines the display position of the menu picture (38) in accordance with the display position of the spot setting mark (36).
US08442756B2
A navigation apparatus includes a base unit fastenable to a dashboard at a driver's seat of a vehicle, a front panel unit attachable to and detachable from the base unit and with a display displaying map data, and a microcomputer adapted to perform a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data. The navigation apparatus is configured such that a part of the front panel unit projects from a surface of the dashboard toward a user seated in the driver's seat, as viewed from side, when the front panel unit is attached to the base unit. With this, the degree of freedom of front panel unit attachment/detachment with respect to the base unit is improved without sacrificing the appearance of the navigation apparatus.
US08442754B2
An apparatus, method and medium detecting landmarks with a mobile device. The apparatus includes a storage unit to store rules of landmarks that correspond to connection relations among items representing a user's living patterns, an analysis unit to statistically analyze the collected log information representing a current living pattern of the user, a landmark probability inferring unit to infer in probability the landmarks according to the analyzed log information based on the stored rules, and a landmark selection unit to select a final landmark by mutually analyzing the stored rules and the inferred landmarks.
US08442750B1
A traffic control system can include a remote control station and a plurality of traffic control assets. Each asset is networked to the control station with a radiofrequency (RF) transceiver and an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU can receive commands from the control station. In response, ECU can activate a light, or an audio device that is located on the traffic control asset. To move and position the traffic control asset can include at least two wheels and a corresponding motor for each wheel, which can be operated by the ECU to maneuver the traffic control asset according to the user's needs. The traffic asset can be a stop sign or a traffic cone. In some instances, the traffic control asset can have a flat configuration, for convenient storage and a deployed configuration, which can be established from the control station.
US08442747B2
An engine system includes a first module that determines a cylinder of an engine to be in one of M prediction types and generates a distance from intake signal indicating a number of prediction steps the cylinder is away from an intake stroke. M is an integer greater than or equal to 3. A second module determines a cycle type of the cylinder. The cycle type indicates a number of combustion cycles the cylinder has experienced from a last restart of the engine. A cylinder air charge module estimates an air mass within the cylinder based on the distance from intake signal and the cycle type.
US08442745B2
In control executed by a fuel supply apparatus having a delivery passage that delivers fuel to a fuel injection valve, a fuel pump that pumps the fuel from a fuel tank to the delivery passage, and a check valve that allows the fuel to flow out of the delivery passage into the fuel tank, that opens when a first fuel pressure on the delivery passage is higher than a second fuel pressure on the fuel tank by at least a set pressure, when the first fuel pressure is lower than a lower limit pressure being higher than the set pressure in a case where fuel injection is to be stopped, the fuel pump is controlled so that the first fuel pressure rises to or above the lower limit pressure, and after the first fuel pressure has reached or exceeded the lower limit pressure, the abnormality diagnosis is executed on the check valve.
US08442741B2
Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent drivability from being deteriorated. An ECU is operative to set a reduction speed threshold value to determine a driver's braking intention on the basis of the correlation in the depression amount of an accelerator pedal, the depression amount of a brake pedal, and a travel state of a vehicle caused by the depression amounts of the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal. The ECU is further operative to change the reduction speed threshold value on the basis of the detected drive state to compare the travel state calculated on the basis of the detected drive state with the changed reduction speed threshold value to determine the driver's braking intention, thereby making it possible to determine the driver's braking intention without detecting the operation amount of a driver and to accurately estimate the driver's braking intention. This makes it possible to change the reduction control between executed and not executed, and to improve the drivability.
US08442738B2
A patient handling device, such as a bed, stretcher, cot, or the like, includes a motor for driving one or more wheels to assist in the movement of the device. At least one proximity sensor is positioned on the device in order to detect the presence of one or more objects that may lie in the path of the device when it moves. A controller on the device determines the distance between itself and the object and automatically controls the speed of the device in a manner designed to reduce the likelihood of a collision and/or to mitigate the impact of a collision. The automatic speed control of the device may follow one or more predetermined profiles that correlate certain parameters, such as a distance to the object or relative velocity, with a maximum acceptable speed of the device.
US08442733B2
A skip shift device performance detecting method used to more accurately enable skip shift diagnostic execution in a manual transmission equipped vehicle where a skip shift has been requested and a transmission clutch remains engaged. Where a skip shift request ceases during clutch engagement, a timed loop is used to monitor if clutch disengagement occurs before the loop times out. Where clutch disengagement occurs before the loop times out, skip shift diagnostic execution is enabled. Where the loop times out before disengagement, skip shift diagnostic execution is disabled. Where the skip shift is requested and the clutch remains engaged, the skip shift request is monitored to determine whether it is withdrawn before clutch disengagement. If it is withdrawn before clutch disengagement, the aforementioned timed monitoring loop is executed. If it is not withdrawn before clutch disengagement, execution of the skip shift diagnostic is enabled.
US08442725B2
An occupant protection device includes: a controller; first and second bus lines; a first collision sensor arranged on a side of the vehicle, and transmitting a first signal to the controller via the first bus line; a second collision sensor arranged on a center of the vehicle, and transmitting a second signal to the controller via the second bus line; and a third collision sensor arranged on a front side from the first collision sensor, and transmitting a third signal to the controller via the second bus line. The controller determines the collision on the side of the vehicle based on the first and second signals. The controller determines the collision on a part of the vehicle based on the third signal, the part disposed on the front side from the first collision sensor. The controller activates an occupant protection element.
US08442708B2
A system is provided for pacing a powered system traveling along a route separated into a plurality of block regions. Each block region has a respective signal. The system includes a controller configured to receive a status of the signal in an adjacent block region to a current block region of the powered system. The controller is configured to determine a time duration between a change in the status of the signal in an adjacent block region. The controller is further configured to determine an expected status of the signal to be experienced by the powered system in the plurality of block regions, based upon the time duration and a route parameter of the plurality of block regions.
US08442707B2
The present invention relates to continuous descent approaches that ensure the greatest certainty in arrival time. The continuous descent approach is flown by maintaining an aerodynamic flight path angle, thereby allowing a ground speed to be followed with greater accuracy. An improvement is described that accounts for turns made during continuous descent approaches that may otherwise cause a drift away from the desired ground speed, and hence arrival time. A correction to the aerodynamic flight path angle is used that produces a compensatory change in the potential energy of the aircraft upon completing the turn to balance the anticipated drift in kinetic energy.
US08442706B2
A system and method to facilitate approach of a VTOL aircraft to an offshore facility includes inputting a waypoint for a landing platform of an offshore facility into an aircraft module, inputting an offset distance from the landing platform into the aircraft module, inputting a minimum descent height into an aircraft module, and inputting a final approach inbound course toward the landing platform into the aircraft module.
US08442696B2
Setting safety function, as appropriate, according to a user environment is enabled, thereby enhancing safety function. According to selection information from a safety function selection unit 120, a function setting unit 116 sets arbitrary function among a plurality of functions as safety function pertaining to usage of a gas. When operating conditions for safety function are fulfilled, a monitoring unit 112 detects malfunction, which would arise during usage of a gas, and outputs a safety signal to a control unit 114 in accordance with the set safety function. In accordance with a safety signal from the monitoring unit 112, the control unit 114 cuts off a gas supply when an event fulfilling operating conditions for the set function has arisen. When an event fulfilling operating conditions for an unset function has arisen, a communication unit 124 reports occurrence of malfunction pertaining to unset function to the monitoring center 200.
US08442693B2
The disclosure provides systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments, the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity, wherein the humidity screen interprets a percentage of humidity for a user. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided. At least one attribute of a presentation of the home screen is selectable by a user.
US08442692B2
According to a method for performing adaptive friction compensation of an actuator including a wave gear drive, there is used as a friction compensation current applied to a motor drive current a static friction compensation current is when a motor shaft stops with a deviation, and a Coulomb friction compensation current ic in other circumstances. The static friction compensation current is is obtained by adding a compensation amount isr of a monotonically increasing ramp function to a compensation amount iss of a step function, and a step-function compensation amount ics is used as the Coulomb friction compensation current ic. Since the amount of friction compensation can be changed adaptively based on the data during positioning-control response, a motor shaft can be stabilized at a target angle without prominent accompanying vibration, even if the ambient temperature changes and the friction characteristics of the wave gear drive fluctuate.
US08442686B2
An articulated arm robot includes a support part capable of extending and contracting upward and downward, a first arm part with one end joined to the support part through a first joint to be rotatable about a yaw axis and having a second joint rotatable about a roll axis between both ends, a second arm part with one end joined to the other end of the first arm part through a third joint to be rotatable about the yaw axis or a pitch axis, an end effector part joined to the other end of the second arm part through a fourth joint to be rotatable about the yaw axis or the pitch axis, and drivers that respectively cause the first to fourth joints to rotate and the support part to extend and contract, and a controller that performs drive control of the drivers of the first to fourth joints by switching the arm between a SCARA mode where the first, second and third arm parts rotate only in a horizontal plane and a perpendicular mode where the second and third arm parts rotate only in a vertical plane.
US08442685B2
In an embodiment of the present invention, with the purpose of more accurately calculating a disturbance torque generated by an external force acting on a robot, friction parameters contained in algorithms, such as a friction coefficient and a dead-zone threshold value, are dynamically changed based on the mode of operation, the operation speed, and the like. In this manner, a drive torque is estimated with high accuracy.
US08442681B2
A desired motion evaluation apparatus of a legged mobile robot uses virtual surfaces (S3a, S2a, S2b) to approximate a plurality of surfaces to be contacted (FL, WL1, WL2) in an operating environment of the robot (1), and calculates translational forces (required virtual surface translational forces) to be applied from virtual surfaces (S3a, S2a, S2b) to the robot (1) in order to implement a translational motion of the desired motion of the entire robot (1). The desired motion evaluation apparatus evaluates the desired motion on the basis of the required virtual surface translational forces.
US08442677B2
An apparatus and method for assuring effective backup for sensor failure in robots, by utilizing a single extra sensor attached between the end actuator and the base. The single extra sensor provides absolute back-up for any single encoder failure that may occur in the system, and statistically significant back-up for any double encoder failure. A single additional sensor effectively provides the robotic system with one redundant information input to the robot control algorithm, which can be used in order to determine whether any of the other control sensors, or even the additional sensor itself, has failed and is delivering an erroneous reading, and hence to warn the operator of the failure. A single additional sensor also provides useful warning of the simultaneous failure of two sensors, since the likelihood that two sensors fail simultaneously in a mode that makes the failures undetectable, can be regarded as statistically insignificant.
US08442672B2
A method and a device monitor the transport of an object, particularly of a piece of mail that is provided with a delivery point, to which the object is transported. A sorting system reads the delivery point and generates a first attribute vector differentiating the object from all other transported objects. The first attribute vector and the read delivery point are stored. At the conclusion of the transport a second attribute vector is generated for the object. The object is identified by the second attribute vector. A central computer determines from which of those objects, having run through the sorting system at a predetermined period, the information transmitted originates.
US08442662B2
A measurement parameter input control method and a measurement parameter input control device are provided which can intuitively change measurement parameters, which are set for a target device and are necessary for various measuring processes, with high operability. The measurement parameter input control device includes: a parameter processing section that acquires measurement parameter information including measurement parameters from a target device and that rewrites changed parameters which are measurement parameters after the changing to the target device; a parameter identifying section that identifies the types of the parameters in the acquired measurement parameter information and outputs soft key constructing information for constructing a parameter setting soft key based on the identified measurement parameter information, a display control section that includes a soft key controller displaying and controlling the parameter setting soft key based on the measurement parameter information on a display screen of a display unit on the basis of the soft key constructing information from the parameter identifying section; and an input unit that operates the parameter setting soft key displayed on the display unit.
US08442656B2
A cardiac lead adapted for fixation at least partially within a cardiac vessel. The lead includes, in one embodiment, an elongate lead body defining a proximal region and a distal region including a distal end region having at least one electrode and a distal tip. The distal end region is configured such that the electrode and the distal tip can be implanted in the cardiac vessel. Stiffening structures in the distal region of the lead are adapted to stiffen selected portions of the lead for fixation of the electrode within the cardiac vessel. In some embodiments, the stiffening structures include an implantable member adapted to be implanted in a lumen of the lead. In other embodiments, the stiffening structures include a sheath adapted to be deployed over the lead body. In still other embodiments, the stiffening structures are integral to the lead and/or the lead body.
US08442654B2
A lead for brain stimulation includes a lead body having a distal end. At least one cable extends within the lead body, each cable comprising at least one conductor. The lead further includes a plurality of electrodes coupled to the at least one cable. Each of the plurality of electrodes defines a cutout portion that receives and attaches to a one of the at least one cable.
US08442652B2
In a medical implantable lead of the type adapted to be implanted into a human or animal body for monitoring and/or controlling of an organ inside the body and a method for connecting such a lead to an organ in the human or animal body. The lead has a fixation arrangement at a distal end, and the fixation arrangement is adapted to penetrate into the tissue of the organ to fixate the lead to the organ. An electrode member is provided to receive and/or transmit electrical signals from or to the organ. The electrode member is resiliently pre-strained toward the distal end of the lead and is provided with an electrode surface such that the electrode surface will resiliently abut toward the outer surface of the organ when the fixation arrangement is fixed to the tissue.
US08442641B2
Apparatus for use with an external non-visible light source is provided. The apparatus comprises an intraocular device configured for implantation in a human eye, and comprising an energy receiver. The energy receiver is configured to receive light emitted from the external non-visible light source, and extract energy from the emitted light for powering the intraocular device. The intraocular device is configured to regulate a parameter of operation of the intraocular device based on a modulation of the light emitted by the external non-visible light source and received by the energy receiver. Other embodiments are also described.
US08442640B2
An aspect relates to a system for providing baroreflex stimulation. An embodiment of the system comprises a heart rate monitor to sense a heart rate and provide a signal indicative of the heart rate, and a baroreflex stimulator. The stimulator includes a pulse generator to intermittently generate a stimulation signal to provide baroreflex stimulation for a baroreflex therapy, and further includes a modulator to adjust the stimulation signal based on the signal indicative of the heart rate such that the stimulation signal provides a desired baroreflex stimulation corresponding to a desired heart rate.
US08442638B2
An approach to providing disordered breathing therapy includes delivering electrical stimulation therapy modifying a patient's baroreflex response. Disordered breathing therapy may be delivered in response to prediction or detection of disordered breathing events. Various conditions affecting the patient may be evaluated and the baroreflex therapy modified. The therapy may be modified to improve therapy efficacy, to reduce an impact to the patient and/or to mitigate therapy interactions.
US08442637B2
Exemplary septum assemblies include first and second housing components each defined by at least an inner surface, at least one sealing strip disposed at least partially on at least one of the inner surfaces of the housing components, and a compression member at least partially surrounding the housing components.
US08442633B2
A system comprising implantable device, the implantable medical device including an intrinsic cardiac signal sensor, an impedance measurement circuit configured to apply a specified current to a transthoracic region of a subject and to sample a transthoracic voltage resulting from the specified current, and a processor coupled to the intrinsic cardiac signal sensor and the impedance measurement circuit. The processor is configured to initiate sampling of a transthoracic voltage signal in a specified time relation to a fiducial marker in a sensed intrinsic cardiac signal, wherein the sampling attenuates or removes variation with cardiac stroke volume from the transthoracic voltage signal, and determine lung respiration using the sampled transthoracic voltage signal.
US08442628B2
A differential voltage sensing method for achieving input impedance matching comprises the steps of: providing a first bio-potential signal to a first variable resistor for generating a first signal; providing a second bio-potential signal to a second variable resistor for generating a second signal; differentially amplifying first and second signals for generating a third signal; selecting an operation band of the third signal for generating first and second logic signals; and dynamically adjusting one of the impedances of the first and second variable resistors according to the first and second logic signals, wherein each of the first and second bio-potential signals has a common signal voltage level and a differential signal voltage level.
US08442625B2
A volume of a patient can be mapped with a system operable to identify a plurality of locations and save a plurality of locations of a mapping instrument. The mapping instrument can include one or more electrodes that can sense a voltage that can be correlated to a three dimensional location of the electrode at the time of the sensing or measurement. Therefore, a map of a volume can be determined based upon the sensing of the plurality of points without the use of other imaging devices. An implantable medical device can then be navigated relative to the mapping data.
US08442608B2
There is disclosed a system and methods to estimate physiological parameters. In accordance with embodiments a method is disclosed which includes generating distribution data for a plurality of signals. The method may also include deconvolving one of the plurality of signals from the other plurality of signals to produce clean signals. The clean signals may then be used to calculate physiological parameters.
US08442596B2
A communications interface provides for communications between a wireless communication device and a hearing assistive device. The communications interface converts a signal, including an audio signal, received from the wireless communication device into a format recognizable by a hearing assistive device. The communications interface generates a communication signal including the audio signal based on the converted signal and transmits the communication signal to the hearing assistive device using a low power radio frequency transmission protocol. The hearing assistive device converts the communication signal received from the communications interface into a usable format, extracts an audible signal from the communication signal, and manipulates the extracted audible signal according to a criterion associated with a user of the hearing assistive device.
US08442594B2
A communication device includes a receiving unit, a number obtaining unit, and a reminder unit. The incoming receiving unit receives an incoming call request from a caller. The number obtaining unit obtains a phone number of the caller from the incoming call request. The reminder unit includes a reminder state, and a non-reminder state which is default. The reminder unit generates a prompt to remind a callee to accept the incoming call when in the reminder state, and does not generate a prompt for the incoming call when in the non-reminder state. The reminder unit changes into the reminder state from the non-reminder state when the phone number of the caller is not listed in a phonebook of the communication device and request duration of the incoming call reaches a predetermined value.
US08442588B2
In a system that includes electronic equipment such as a computer or power adapter and that includes electronic devices such as cellular telephones, media players, and other devices, cables may be provided with wireless transceiver circuitry. Each cable may include a power path without including data lines. When a user desires to power a device, the cable may be used to connect the device to the electronic equipment. The power path in the cable may deliver power from the electronic equipment to the electronic device. Data may be conveyed between the electronic equipment and the electronic device wirelessly, using the wireless transceiver circuitry in the cable. The cable may have first and second connectors at respective ends of the cable. The wireless transceiver circuitry may be contained within the first connector or within the first and second connectors. The wireless transceiver circuitry may be identified using an identifier.
US08442586B2
A system and method for automatically determining a type of electrical interface used by a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (“UICC”) card. In one embodiment, a wireless device includes a UICC card port, and UICC detector. The UICC detector determines which of a plurality of electrical interfaces are provided by a UICC card coupled to the UICC card port. The UICC detector configures the UICC card port in accordance with a provided electrical interface of the UICC card.
US08442583B1
The communication device comprising a voice communication implementer, a calculation implementer, an icon software implementer, a multiple language implementer, and a remote control implementer.
