US08512462B2
Azo compounds represented by general formula (1) or salts thereof are provided as highly water-soluble colorants which have hues of yellow, orange, brown or red, and excellent color development properties and which, when used in various recording processes, particularly in an inkjet recording process, ensure various excellent fastnesses such as light fastness, ozone fastness, and fading balance. Ink compositions containing the colorants are also provided. In general formula (1), R1 to R8 are each independently a hydrogen atom, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, or the like; and X is C1-8 alkylenediamino, xylylenediamino, or the like.
US08512452B2
The present invention provides a hot-trap device (1) comprising an enclosure (2) with at least one inlet (3), at least one outlet (5) at least one heating means (7) and at least one collector means (10) for the conversion of reaction by-products into products, wherein the collector means is arranged within the enclosure between the inlet and the outlet has a diameter that substantially matches the diameter of the enclosure and has at least one opening (18).
US08512445B2
The present invention relates to systems and processes for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in a carbon dioxide-containing gas. In particular, the carbon dioxide-containing gas is contacted with a carbonate-containing solution. At least a portion of carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide-containing gas is absorbed in the carbonate-containing solution to produce a carbon dioxide-, carbonate-containing solution. A heat recovery mechanism is employed to recover heat from the carbon dioxide-, bicarbonate-, carbonate-containing solution exiting the chamber to maintain the temperature of the chamber within a range of from about 50° C. to about 90° C.
US08512444B2
With a method and a system for treatment of a hot crude gas generated by an entrained flow gasification system, removal of the compounds that contain sulfur and carbon is supposed to be undertaken in such a manner that hot gas is made available for further use. This is achieved in that a desulfurization (7) follows the gasifier (2), in series, in the flow path of the hot gas, followed by a solid separation (8, 9), whereby behind the solid separation (8, 9), a partial stream (13) of the gas is provided downstream by way of a water quench (14), a Venturi scrubber (15), a crude gas cooler (16), as well as an H2O separation (17) and a compressor (18), the flow path (19) of which is passed back, cooled, into the circuit, behind the gasification (2) and ahead of the desulfurization system.
US08512434B2
A molded respirator is made from a monocomponent monolayer nonwoven web of continuous charged monocomponent meltspun partially crystalline and partially amorphous oriented fibers of the same polymeric composition that have been bonded to form a coherent and handleable web which further may be softened while retaining orientation and fiber structure. The respirator is a cup-shaped porous monocomponent monolayer matrix whose matrix fibers are bonded to one another at at least some points of fiber intersection. The matrix has a King Stiffness greater than 1 N. The respirator may be formed without requiring stiffening layers, bicomponent fibers, or other reinforcement in the filter media layer.
US08512432B2
A composite filter media structure includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a base substrate that includes a nonwoven synthetic fabric formed from a plurality of fibers with a spunbond process. The base substrate has a filtration efficiency of about 35% to less than 50%, measured in accordance with EN 1822 (1998) test procedure A nanofiber layer is deposited on one side of the base substrate. The composite filter media structure has a minimum filtration efficiency of about 70%, measured in accordance with EN 1822 (1998) test procedure.
US08512423B2
A surface layer of an anode body containing niobium is converted into a dielectric layer by a method for a chemical formation, which comprises step I of electrolytically forming an anode body comprising niobium in a chemical forming solution containing nitric acid and phosphoric acid at a temperature within a range from 40° C. to a boiling point of the chemical forming solution, step II of heat-treating the electrolytically formed anode body at a temperature within a range from 150° C. to 300° C., and step III of electrolytically forming the heat-treated anode body in a chemical forming solution containing nitric acid and phosphoric acid at a temperature within a range from 40° C. to a boiling point of the chemical forming solution. A cathode is formed on the dielectric layer to obtain a solid electrolytic capacitor element, and the element is sheathed to obtain a solid electrolytic capacitor.
US08512421B2
A polyurethane derivative and a composition thereof are disclosed. The polyurethane derivative of the present invention has a structure of formula (I). The polyurethane derivative and the composition thereof can be used for increasing light fastness.
US08512413B2
A prosthetic knee joint includes: (a) a femoral member comprising rigid material with a convex, wear-resistant femoral contact surface including a convex ridge; (b) a tibial assembly including: (i) at least one cup comprising rigid material with a body and a rim substantially thicker than the body defining a wear-resistant cup contact surface; (ii) a rigid base; and (iii) a spring support interconnecting the cup and the base, the spring support elastically deflectable permitting controlled pivoting of the at least one cup; (c) wherein the cup contact surface bears against the femoral contact surface, transferring axial and lateral loads between the cup and femoral member, while allowing pivoting between the cup and femoral member; and (d) wherein the at least one cup allows the rim to deform elastically, permitting the cup contact surface to conform in an irregular shape to the femoral contact surface, when the knee joint is loaded.
US08512409B1
Described herein are devices, systems and methods for minimally-invasive treating spinal conditions. In one aspect, disclosed is an intervertebral fixation device having a housing sized to be positioned between adjacent inferior and superior vertebrae. The housing includes an internal volume defined by an inferior coupling element, a superior coupling element, and first and second sidewalls. The device includes at least one flexible element coupled to an internal surface of at least one of the inferior or superior coupling elements. The at least one flexible element projects into the internal volume of the housing when in a first configuration. The device includes at least one fixation member coupled to the flexible element and sized to extend through a corresponding aperture in the inferior or superior coupling element.
US08512408B2
A spinal implant for positioning in a space formed between vertebral members. The implant includes a number of sections that are pivotally attached together at pivot axes. The pivot axes include connectors that extend through at least a portion of the sections and are configured for the sections to be pivotally attached for the implant to be flexible to facilitate insertion into the space and to be configurable to the space. One of the sections may include a receptacle that is contained within the section. The receptacle has a fixed size and shape that holds bone growth material. The fixed size and shape of the receptacle prevents the bone growth from escaping during flexing of the implant.
US08512405B2
The present invention provides a novel split barbed fixation device for tenodesis, soft tissue reattachment of tendons and ligaments to bones. The insertion device is adapted for an entirely arthroscopic approach while achieving fixation strength with ultimate pullout resistance comparable to interference screws. The device includes an integrated tendon grasper that provides for easy manipulation of the tendon arthroscopically while eliminating the need for external whip stitching of the tendon, thereby reducing preparation time. The device further includes elements that prevent the fixation implant from being destabilized or rotating during deployment and manipulation, including: a depth limiting sheath, a first implant retainer, a first implant retaining step, a tendon grasping needle tube, and an implant keyway for mating the implant to the tube. The implant itself comprises two separate portions mating along a diagonal and having barbed surface features in opposite directions, only one of which contacts the tendon.
US08512403B2
An annuloplasty ring for repairing a cardiac valve includes an expandable support member having oppositely disposed proximal and distal end portions and a main body portion between the end portions. The proximal end portion of the support member includes a plurality of wing members that extend from the main body portion. Each of the wing members includes at least one hook member for embedding into a cardiac wall and the valve annulus to secure the annuloplasty ring in the valve annulus. The annuloplasty ring may be expanded into full contact engagement with the annulus of the cardiac valve by an inflatable balloon. Methods for repairing a cardiac valve using the annuloplasty ring are also provided.
US08512402B2
Systems of releasably connecting staple line buttress material to the jaws of a surgical stapling instrument are provided. The systems include retainers configured to engage the buttress material and releasably retain the buttress material on the jaws of the surgical stapling instrument prior to stapling tissue. In certain embodiments, the retainers remain with the jaws of the instrument after stapling of tissue. In alternative embodiments, the retainers remain with the buttress material after being stapled to tissue.
US08512393B2
Embodiments are described for closing vascular access ports, such as arteriotomies, which involve placement and deployment of an expandable device configured to prevent blood flow across a subject arteriotomy while also keeping disturbance of intravascular flow to a minimum. Suitable prostheses may comprise one or more frames constructed from lengths of flexible materials, such as shape memory alloys or polymers. Such frames may be coupled to sheetlike or tube-like structures configured to spread loads, minimize thrombosis which may be related to intravascular flow, and maintain hemostasis.
US08512388B1
A stent delivery catheter system having a catheter with stent releasably mounted on a stent retention portion of the catheter for delivery and deployment within a patient's body lumen, and a method of mounting the stent on the stent retention portion of the catheter. The method generally includes exposing the stent retention portion and/or the stent to a solvent, the solvent being in the vapor phase. The vapor phase solvent typically softens the stent retention portion of the catheter, and/or, in one embodiment in which the stent has a coating on the stent body, the vapor phase solvent softens the stent coating. In a presently preferred embodiment, the stent polymeric coating has a therapeutic agent, and the method of the invention prevents or inhibits disadvantageously affecting the therapeutic agent coating during mounting of the stent on the catheter.
US08512386B2
An infant phototherapy device comprises a housing assembly, a light source carried by the housing assembly, and a panel mode assembly including a panel mode adaptor arranged to be detachably connected with the housing assembly. The panel mode assembly further comprises an elongated flexible light pipe and a light emitting panel, the light pipe providing light communication between the light source and the light emitting panel, so that when the panel mode adaptor is connected with the housing assembly, light emitted by the light source is transmitted through the light pipe to the light emitting panel. A suspension structure is arranged to suspend the housing assembly, wherein when the panel mode adaptor is disconnected from the housing assembly and the housing assembly is suspended from the suspension structure, light emitted from the housing can be projected onto a patient.
US08512384B2
A bone plate having a shape of an “X”. The bone plate includes an upper side, an underside facing the bone, a middle part and, adjoining thereon, a peripheral region, which encloses the four extensions of the “X” and in which four plate boreholes are accommodated. The plate boreholes have means, which are suitable for the rigid, angularly stable anchoring of bone screws which may be introduced therein.
US08512383B2
A method of attaching an extension to a bone anchor for use in percutaneous spinal surgery is provided that comprises the steps of: providing a bone anchor including a first portion for attachment to a vertebra and a second portion for attachment to a connecting element, the bone anchor including an extension coupling surface; providing an elongate hollow extension having a distal end and a proximal end, the extension having a rotationally movable anchor engaging member projecting radially from the distal end thereof; placing the distal end of the extension adjacent the bone anchor; and rotating the anchor engaging member to engage the extension coupling surface on the anchor and couple the extension and the bone anchor.
US08512382B2
The present invention relates to an alternatively monoaxial and polyaxial pedicle or other similar surgical screw that can be used in a polyaxial manner and then locked or otherwise secured at a desired angle or orientation, i.e. used in a monoaxial manner, prior to engaging a rod or other similar stabilization member with the pedicle or other similar surgical screw. In other words, the present invention provides a pedicle or other similar surgical screw that can be selectively used in either a monoaxial or polyaxial configuration, as is desirable in a particular application or at a particular point of a given surgical procedure.
US08512380B2
A posterior fixation system includes a saddle member, an anchoring member, an occipital plate, an occipital rod, and a cross-link connector. The anchoring member anchors the saddle member to bone. The saddle member includes a pair of upright portions that define a channel. The channel is adapted to receive an orthopedic rod, and the saddle member can include a hole to receive the anchoring member. The saddle member and the anchoring member can be coupled so as to allow multi-axial movement of the members. The anchoring member in one embodiment is a screw coupled to the hole of the saddle, and in another embodiment, the anchoring member is a hook. The offset member may be coupled to the saddle member to allow for offset connection of rods. Connection of individual rods can be accomplished by connecting the rods with the cross-link connector. The cross-link connector has an integrally formed cylindrical member that couples a pair of coupling portions together. The cylindrical member can be bent along multiple axes. The occipital plate secures the rods to the occipital bone of the skull. The occipital plate has a cross-shaped plate with a plurality of apertures defined in the plate and at least one saddle member coupled to the plate. Alternatively, the occipital rod can be secured to the occipital bone.
US08512376B2
Method and apparatus for internal fixation of an acromioclavicular joint dislocation of the shoulder
An apparatus and method for surgically reducing and internally fixing a shoulder acromioclavicular joint dislocation are disclosed. The apparatus preferably comprises a button and a washer, the washer being flexibly secured to the coracoid process of the scapula by means of a bone screw, the button and washer being secured together by means of a first suture. A second suture is provided secured between the button and a needle, such that the needle and associated button, may be advanced through a hole drilled through the clavicle, wherein the button and the washer may then be tightened, reducing the coracoclavicular distance, by means of the first suture connected therebetween, to reduce and hold a desired acromioclavicular joint dislocation.
US08512370B2
The present invention provides a head-rest pillow that aids the user in sleeping by relieving their sinus congestion discomfort and snoring that may be associated with such congestion. The pillow comprises a core layer that has plurality of firm balls sewn in it forming compartmentalized section. The core layer is covered with a batting layer that is sewn all around the core layer for purposes of cushioning and providing comfort to the user. This combination of core and batting layer and inserted in a hollow pillow case that covers the core and batting layer, providing a head-rest pillow for a user to use.
US08512361B2
Devices and methods for anastomosis are provided. The devices can include a first and a second member of a generally hollow open configuration. The first and second members may each include a rigid part and an elastic part arranged circumferentially of the rigid part. The devices may also include a connection member for interlocking the first and second members such that anastomosis is obtained at a contact area in-between the elastic parts. The methods can include arranging an elastic part inside a tubular structure at a first end of the tubular structure, folding an edge of the first end over the elastic part, and mounting the elastic part on a rigid part, forming a first member. This may be repeated at a second end of the tubular structure, forming a second member, and the first and second members may be locked to each other by a connection member.
US08512358B2
A suturing needle is disclosed having a main longitudinal axis, a distal sharp portion and proximal portion along said axis. The distal portion is hollowed, and the hollow is approximately parallel to said axis. A further embodiment of the suturing needle is disclosed such that the distal portion comprises a notched open bore located at the needle's extreme distal end. Other embodiments of the suturing assembly are described accommodating a suture in the needle bore.
US08512351B2
A device and related methods of use are provided for the capture and removal of various unwanted objects present within the body's anatomical lumens. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the device includes a sheath, an elongate member, and a retrieval assembly connected to the elongate member and retractable within and extendable from a lumen of the sheath. The device includes one or more legs releasably connected to a portion of the retrieval assembly in response to movement of the elongate member relative to the sheath.
US08512347B2
Systems for distracting a facet joint and positioning a permanent implant in the joint are disclosed. The implants serve to retain a distracted position of the facet joint which is achieved with positioning of the leading end of a distraction tool in the facet joint and then distracting or enlarging the joint a desired amount. The permanent implant could be part of the distraction mechanism which can be separated from the delivery tool once the joint has been distracted or an auxiliary implant may be positioned before the distraction mechanism is removed from the distracted joint. The permanent implants can be solid, mechanical devices that may have fixation means thereon to hold them in place or injected fluids such as hydrogels or fluids confined within balloons.
US08512341B2
A cutting tool (1) for cutting bone, comprising: a body (2) having a proximal end (4) and a distal end (6); and at least one primary cutting surface (8) disposed at the distal end (6); wherein the at least one primary cutting surface (8) is shaped so that when, in use, a torque is applied to the proximal end (4) of the body (2), the at least one primary cutting surface (8) cuts a conical or frustoconical shaped cavity in the bone. A method for cutting bone using such a cutting tool (1).
US08512338B2
Photodynamic bone stabilization systems are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a photodynamic bone stabilization system includes a catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end adapter, a distal end releasably engaging an expandable portion, and a longitudinal axis therebetween; a light-conducting fiber configured to transmit light energy to the expandable portion; a light-sensitive liquid monomer comprising an initiator, wherein the initiator is activated when the light-conducting fiber transmits the light energy to initiate polymerization of the light-sensitive liquid monomer; and a cooling medium configured to control polymerization temperature, wherein the catheter comprises an inner void sufficiently designed to pass the light-sensitive liquid monomer into the expandable portion, and wherein the catheter comprises an inner lumen sufficiently designed to pass the light-conducting fiber into the expandable portion and configured to circulate the cooling medium.
US08512336B2
An end effector assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument is provided. The end effector assembly has a first jaw member having a first pair of tissue contacting surfaces and an insulator disposed therebetween. The end effector assembly also has a second jaw member that includes a second pair of tissue contacting surfaces, a pair of insulators disposed between the second pair of tissue contacting surfaces, and a cutting element disposed between the pair of insulators. The relative movement of the first jaw member toward the second jaw member causes the insulator of the first jaw member and the pair of insulators of the second jaw member to pinch tissue disposed between the first jaw member and the second jaw member.
US08512331B2
This disclosure relates generally to electrosurgical methods and devices. In one embodiment, an electrosurgical device is provided suitable for applying phase controlled RF energy to a treatment site. The electrosurgical device comprises a multi-electrode electrosurgical probe electrically coupled to a plurality of RF generators. Also provided are methods of use of such an electrosurgical device, as well as other electrosurgical devices. The methods and devices disclosed herein find utility, for example, in the field of medicine.
US08512329B2
A microwave antenna assembly includes first and second elongated conductors, and a dielectric body portion. The first elongated conductor is associated with a first radiating portion at least partially along the length thereof. A second elongated conductor is disposed within the first elongated conductor and is associated with a second radiating portion at least partially along the length thereof. The dielectric body portion is disposed along the length of at least one of the first and second elongated conductors and the dielectric body portion includes two or more radial partition of dielectric material having difference dielectric constants.
US08512324B2
The present invention advantageously provides a method and system for cryogenically ablating large areas of tissue within the left atrium. In an exemplary embodiment a cryotherapy device includes a catheter body having a substantially fixed diameter, a proximal end and a distal end; a first lumen for permitting passage of a cooling fluid from the proximal end to the distal end; a second lumen permitting return of the cooling fluid from the distal end to the proximal end; and an ablation element expandable from a first diameter that is substantially the same as the diameter of the catheter body to a second diameter that is at least twice the diameter of the catheter body, the ablation element having a surface portion that conforms to the uneven surface topography of the cardiac tissue. The ablation element can include one or more balloon and/or a flexible element that is deformed by moving the distal end of the catheter toward the proximal end of the catheter. The surface of the balloon can further be shaped by regulation of pressure within the one or more balloons. In an exemplary method a tissue ablation device is provided and tissue in the antrum of the left atrium is ablated with the device. In an exemplary method, only tissue in the antrum is ablated, and the ablation is created by freezing tissue.
US08512321B2
Apparatuses and methods for the treatment of glaucoma are provided. The instrument uses either cauterization, a laser to ablate, sonic or ultrasonic energy to emulsify, or mechanical cutting of a portion of the trabecular meshwork. The instrument may also be provided with irrigation, aspiration, and a footplate. The footplate is used to enter Schlemm's canal, serves as a guide, and also protects Schlemm's canal.
US08512320B1
The invention is directed to a method for correcting vision in a patient by modifying the refractive index of cornea tissue. The method comprises identifying and measuring the degree of vision correction of the patient; and determining the position and type of refractive structures to be written into the cornea tissue of the patient to correct the patient's vision. The refractive structures are written by irradiating select regions of the cornea tissue with focused laser pulses having a wavelength from 400 nm to 900 nm and a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 10 nJ. The refractive structures are characterized by a positive change in refractive index in relation to non-irradiated cornea tissue of the patient.
US08512306B2
A tamper evident safety seal includes a first band, a second band and first and second arms connecting the first band and the second band. The seal is positioned around a radiopharmaceutical container and further includes a connector assembly having a connector and a break away portion that, when separated, provides visual evidence that the seal has been broken.
US08512305B2
An absorbent article is provided including a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The core defines a wearer facing side oriented towards a wearer when the article is being worn and an opposed garment facing side. The core includes a storage layer that also defines a wearer facing side and an opposed garment facing side. The core further includes a first core wrap sheet covering the wearer facing side of the storage layer, and a second core wrap sheet covering the garment facing side of the storage layer. The first core wrap sheet is joined to the second core wrap sheet along at least one stripe of juncture. The stripe of juncture extends in at least one of the transversal and longitudinal directions.
US08512295B2
A rigid needle shield (10) for covering a distal end of a syringe is provided. The rigid needle shield includes an elongated flexible member (20) connected to a sidewall of the rigid needle shield for moving the rigid needle shield between a first relaxed position and a second flexed position. When in the first relaxed position, the elongated flexible member is substantially within the rigid needle shield. However, when the elongated flexible member is moved to the second flexed position, the elongated flexible member extends beyond a proximal end of the rigid needle shield to engage a needle hub or a shoulder of the syringe to move the rigid needle shield distally relative to the syringe.
US08512292B2
An infiltration cannula and method of using the infiltration cannula during an infiltration procedure are disclosed herein. The infiltration cannula has a flexible cannula and a hub. The cannula has a proximal end and a distal end. The cannula also has a plurality of apertures disposed in a pattern about the distal end. The apertures are configured to infiltrate fluid into the subcutaneous or muscle tissue of a patient. The hub is configured to be held by a person performing the infiltration procedure. The hub has a first end and an opposing second end. The first end is attached to the proximal end of the flexible cannula and the second end includes a connector configured to connect to an input source for receiving the fluid to be infiltrated into the subcutaneous tissue of the patient. The fluid flows from the connector, through the hub and into the cannula.
US08512290B2
An agent delivery device includes an outer tubular body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end, an inner tubular body positioned coaxially within the lumen of the outer tubular body, the inner tubular body having a distal end configured for puncturing tissue, a proximal end, and a lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end of the inner tubular body, and a suction port located at the distal end of the outer tubular body, the suction port being in fluid communication with the lumen of the outer tubular body. The inner tubular body may be fixedly or slidably secured to the outer tubular body. The agent delivery device may further include a monopolar or bipolar electrode and/or a radio-opaque marker carried at the distal end of the device.
US08512282B2
An elongate shaft of a medical catheter including a thermoset polymeric tubular member including a skived distal portion. The skived distal portion includes a distally extending trough having a convex surface and a concave surface. A thermoplastic tubular sleeve may be positioned over at least a portion of the skived distal portion of the thermoset polymeric tubular member. In some instances, the thermoplastic tubular sleeve includes a crescent-shaped tubular portion defining a crescent-shaped lumen. The trough of the skived distal portion may extend through the crescent-shaped lumen. The thermoplastic tubular sleeve is thermally bonded to the inner and outer tubular members of a distal section of the elongate shaft at a guidewire port joint.
US08512279B2
The present invention relates to a syringe (1) for use in spectroscopy to identify drugs within the syringe (8). The syringe comprises a optical window section (8) either integral with or attached to the syringe (1). The optical window section (8) has predetermined physical and optical properties that allows radiation to pass through in a known manner to facilitate spectroscopy.
US08512275B2
A medical fluid autoconnection method includes: enabling acceptance a pierceable connector that is capable of fluidly communicating with a source of medical fluid into a moveable holder; temporarily fixing a spike to a medical fluid pumping machine; automatically detecting whether the pierceable connector has been placed into the moveable holder; if the pierceable connector is sensed as being placed in the moveable holder, moving the holder so that the spike pierces the pierceable connector; and enabling medical fluid to be pumped from the source through the connected spiked and connector.
US08512251B2
An ultrasound transducer includes a substrate and a lower electrode layer, a lower insulating layer, an upper insulating layer, and an upper electrode layer. The lower insulating layer and the upper insulating layer are arranged to be opposed to each other via an air gap section. The upper insulating layer and the lower insulating layer are different in a material and thickness and satisfy Equation 1 below. In Equation 1, K1 represents a relative dielectric constant of the lower insulating layer, K2 represents a relative dielectric constant of the upper insulating layer, T1 represents thickness of the lower insulating layer, T2 represents thickness of the upper insulating layer, ρ1(x) represents a charge density distribution in the lower insulating layer, and ρ2(y) represents a charge density distribution in the upper insulating layer. 1 K 1 ∫ 0 T 1 x × ρ 1 ( x ) ⅆ x = 1 K 2 ∫ 0 T 2 y × ρ 2 ( y ) ⅆ y ( Equation 1 )
US08512246B2
Method and apparatus for providing a peak detection circuit comprising a diode including an input terminal and an output terminal the input terminal of the diode configured to receive an input signal, a capacitor operatively coupled to the output terminal of the diode, an output terminal operatively coupled to the capacitor and the output terminal of the diode for outputting an output signal is provided. Other equivalent switching configuration is further provided to effectively detect and compensate for a voltage droop from a power supply signal, as well as to electrically isolate the voltage droop from the system circuitry.
US08512240B1
The present invention is for a method and system for pain classification and monitoring optionally in a subject that is an awake, semi-awake or sedated.
US08512235B2
A system for accessing a surgical target site and related methods, involving an initial distraction system for creating an initial distraction corridor, and an assembly capable of distracting from the initial distraction corridor to a secondary distraction corridor and thereafter sequentially receiving a plurality of retractor blades for retracting from the secondary distraction corridor to thereby create an operative corridor to the surgical target site, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site.
US08512219B2
Lumen-traveling biological interface devices and associated methods and systems are described. Lumen-traveling biological interface devices capable of traveling within a body lumen may include a propelling mechanism to produce movement of the lumen-traveling device within the lumen, electrodes or other electromagnetic transducers for detecting biological signals and electrodes, coils or other electromagnetic transducers for delivering electromagnetic stimuli to stimulus responsive tissues. Lumen-traveling biological interface devices may also include additional components such as sensors, an active portion, and/or control circuitry.
US08512213B2
Cigarette filter rods having individual objects positioned at predetermined intervals therein are prepared by transferring the individual objects from a rotating horizontal pan to a rotating vertical wheel and then depositing the object into a web of filter tow. Each object is positioned within the moving web of tow. The web filter material and the objects positioned within the web are introduced into a rod-forming unit wherein the rod is formed. The rate of feed of the filter tow, the rate of rotation of the horizontal pan and the vertical wheel are controlled relative to one another such that objects are positioned at predetermined intervals along the rod. Cigarette filter elements having well controlled amounts of flavorant contained therein can be made from the rods.
US08512212B2
Adjustable press arm apparatus and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an exercise machine includes a load, a force-transferring assembly operatively coupled to the load, and a movable press arm operatively coupled to a press arm adjustment assembly that is selectively engageable with the force-transferring assembly. The press arm adjustment assembly includes a moveable swing member having an indexing portion, and an engagement device coupled to and moveable with the swing member, the engagement device being adapted to operatively engage the force-transferring assembly. A locking device is coupled to the press arm and moveable between first and second position to selectively coupled and uncouple the press arm from the load.
US08512208B2
A braking system and method provided for a utility vehicle pneumatically coupled to a trailer. The system has an electronic control unit, a valve device that can be electrically connected by the at least one electronic control unit, the valve device building up pressure for the trailer braking system when connected, causing the trailer to brake, and a pressure sensor which detects the pressure for the trailer braking system and transmits a corresponding signal to the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit can influence the pressure generated for the trailer braking system by pulsed connection of the valve device, taking into account the pressure detected by the pressure sensor for the trailer braking system. The electronic control unit only allows the pulsed connection for braking the trailer when the service brake of the traction-vehicle is not activated, when conditions are such that the braking of the trailer could be useful in spite of a non-active service brake of the traction-vehicle, and when such an anti-jackknifing process is required by a signal generator.
US08512193B1
A method for lubricating an axle assembly can include: coupling a pair of tapered roller bearing to opposite ends of a differential housing; placing the differential housing into a carrier housing assembly such that the tapered roller bearings support the differential housing on the carrier housing assembly for rotation about a first axis; collecting a lubricant proximate a side of one of the tapered roller bearings opposite the differential housing; and rotating the differential housing about the first axis to cause the one of the tapered roller bearings to move a portion of the collected lubricant through the differential housing. A related axle assembly is also provided.
US08512191B2
A variable speed control device of a power winch includes a low-speed transmission mechanism and a high-speed transmission mechanism, and a clutch mechanism is fastened to a gear box for switching between the high-speed transmission mechanism and the low-speed transmission mechanism; the high-speed transmission mechanism includes a shifting gear (16) arranged at a top of the gear box (14) and driven by a controller; said shifting gear is connected to a connecting rod positioned in an axle hole of the gear box; the low-speed transmission mechanism is a planetary gear mechanism.
US08512189B2
A hybrid powertrain is provided for a vehicle that has a first axle and a second axle. The hybrid powertrain includes an engine, a stationary member, and an electrically-variable transmission that has a first and a second interconnected planetary gear set and a first and a second motor/generator. The engine, the first motor/generator, the second motor/generator and the first axle are each operatively connectable for rotation with a different member of the first and the second planetary gear sets. The powertrain has an electric drive unit that has reduction gearing and a third motor/generator. The third motor/generator and the second axle are each operatively connected to a different member of the third planetary gear set. The powertrain is operable in a compound-split operating mode.
US08512187B2
Multi-mode operation is provided for an electrically variable transmission for a motor vehicle. The multi-mode electrically variable transmission provides for multiple gear ratios and power flow configurations including fixed gear operation. An improved input-split planetary gear set configuration is provided for the multi-mode electrically variable transmission. The multi-mode electrically variable transmission may be operated in its desired efficiency and/or performance range more frequently. Further, the transmission reduces clutch torques and provides improved functionality in range-extended electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles. The multi-mode electrically variable transmission is provided with a fixed gear operating capability for improved highway cruising and incorporates a reverse gear for reverse operation.
US08512178B2
A bow hunting broad-head system having a mechanical cutter which opens after impact. The broad-head flies to its destination with minimal drag and having good balance. After impact, the tip opens to a larger diameter creating a devastating wound and releases the payload inside the animal.
US08512171B1
A batter training apparatus and method for training batters to attain optimal biomechanics for most effectively hitting a ball, with a proper rotation of a batter's hips and proper follow through with a batter's arms, wrists and shoulders. The training apparatus includes a belt worn over the hips that has a cable extending behind and between the hips. A tether connects the belt to a support post, preventing forward motion of the batter's body, but allowing and conditioning the hips to rotate. The support post sits at the rear of a platform that is about the size of a batter's box. An elastic cord connected to a forward arm and attached to the front of the platform, pulls a batter's wrists, arms and shoulders forward during proper follow through, conditioning the batter to swing the bat efficiently.
US08512164B2
An iron-type golf club head is disclosed having a first piece including a portion of an iron-type face. A second piece including a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a hinge region, and a front opening for receiving the first piece is also disclosed. A first contact surface of the first piece is connected with a second contact surface of the second piece at a contact interface. A continuous weld extends along the contact interface attaching the first and second pieces together at the contact interface. The continuous weld includes a fusion zone occurring substantially on the iron-type face outside the hinge region of the club head.
US08512162B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf simulation apparatus and a method for the same, which reproduce the trajectory of a golf ball hit by a golfer to give a sense of reality to the golfer by identifying a current golf club and applying information about the identified golf club in a simulation result, the object can be accomplished by the provision of a golf simulation apparatus for simulating a golf course, including a sensing unit for sensing at least one of a golf ball hit by a golfer and a golf club used by the golfer in a simulated golf course, a club identification unit for identifying the golf club used by the golfer in the simulated golf course, and a simulation unit for simulating.
US08512159B2
Apparatus for driving a swing for an occupant of a certain mass and size where the drive mechanism includes a pneumatic power system and linkage for oscillating swing arm brackets. The power system is interconnected between the brackets and a stationary support and is self-compensating for variations in load related to natural frequency of the certain mass and wind resistance relative to occupant size. The power system includes a piston/cylinder arrangement where the piston is drivingly connected to at least one of the swing arm bracket supports and grounded to a stationary support. An automatically self-indexing valve control unit is attached relative to the piston/cylinder arrangement. The valve includes a reversing trigger arm carried by either the piston or cylinder configured to reset pneumatic flow direction with each oscillating piston stroke. The power system timed and is self-compensating for variations in natural frequency due to occupant mass and air resistance.
US08512150B2
A distributed computer system is provided for collecting player information. Further, a scoring system is provided that rates a player based on one or more elements of the collected information. Players may be rated with respect to a number of characteristics. Responsive to a determined rating or score, action may be taken by the distributed system with regard to the player. For instance, the player may be provided a complimentary offer, provided an award, and invitation to come to a gambling location, presented an advertisement, or other action may be performed involving the player. Further, the distributed computer system may permit a player to manage their frequent player accounts and receive complimentary offers based on a set of criteria specified by the player.
US08512149B2
In one embodiment, a method provides for providing a game advisory notice to players of a wagering game. The game advisory notice may comprise, for example, an estimated amount of play time that can be expected to be achieved given a specified bankroll for the wagering game. In another example, the game advisory notice may comprise an estimated bankroll that is expected to be sufficient to fund a specified amount of play time for the wagering game.
US08512146B2
The casino table yield management data processing system has a minimum bet change recommendation generator receiving casino table occupancy and player betting data and generating recommendation data based on casino game operations model data and business rule data. A timing filter determines when recommendation data is to be presented to an operator. A quantification filter calculates revenue value data of implementing a minimum bet change and determining whether recommendation data is to be presented to an operator.
US08512134B2
A system and method is provided for incentivizing players to visit a gambling location. In one aspect, a qualified person is invited to play an electronic game which has a plurality of outcomes, at least one of which is a winning outcome. In one embodiment, the qualified person may be required to redeem the outcome at the gambling location. In another embodiment, the person may be required to redeem the outcome at a redemption location.
US08512132B2
Disclosed herein are techniques and equipment for providing a multi-currency progressive jackpot system. In addition to a primary jackpot currency, other currencies may participate in the jackpot as well. If any currency wins the jackpot, the jackpot resets for all currencies.
US08512130B2
A gaming system that is controlled by a central controller and includes a plurality of gaming machines. Each of the gaming machines includes a game operable upon a wager by a player, a plurality of winning symbol combinations including a designated winning symbol combination and a probability of achieving the designated winning symbol combination. At least two of the gaming machines have different probabilities of achieving the designated winning symbol combination. The gaming system includes a designated award and a triggering event. After an occurrence of the triggering event, the central controller is programmed to change the probability of achieving the designated winning symbol combination for at least one of the gaming machines such that each gaming machine has an equal probability of generating the designated winning symbol combination.
US08512129B2
Systems and methods for real-time interactive wagering on event outcomes are presented. Clients are first qualified and given wagering limits before being allowed to interactively wager on event outcomes. Event outcomes may be based on, for example, financial markets and indices, sporting and entertainment events, casino performances, and natural phenomena such as weather and earthquakes. Events on which wagers can be placed include both those with known and unknown outcome probabilities, and wagers can be a fixed-odds type or a spread-bet type. Wager transactions, including acceptances and confirmations, are executed in real time. Clients can customize displays of events on which they are authorized to wager. Real-time client credit management, automatic dealer hedging, automatic price-spread adjustments, and automatic client and dealer defined wagering limits are also provided.
US08512126B2
A gaming system is disclosed which comprises a plurality of display positions disposed in a display area, a symbol selector arranged to select a plurality of symbols for display at respective display positions, and an outcome evaluator arranged to determine whether the selected symbols correspond to a winning outcome with reference to at least one of a plurality of defined win lines. Each of the defined win lines comprises at least one display position, and at least some of the win lines comprise differing numbers of display positions. A corresponding method of gaming is also disclosed.
US08512119B2
Various embodiments are directed to gaming systems, gaming devices, and methods for presenting tournament games. According to one method, a player tracking card is received at a gaming device. Tournament entry points are incremented as the base game is played. In one embodiment, tournament entry points are based on a predetermined percentage of a player's wager for base game play. The player is presented with one or more tournament games for play when the player has accumulated a sufficient number of tournament entry points. A tournament game selected by the player is initiated on a secondary display of the gaming device. In one embodiment, the secondary device has an embedded processor that is separate and distinct from a main processor of the gaming device. Once the tournament game is initiated, the player is presented with the option to have the tournament game automatically played. Accordingly, a player is able to play the base game while the tournament game is automatically played on the secondary display.
US08512110B2
The invention relates to an air distribution duct (2) integrated in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle comprising at least one rigid hollow crossmember (1) that reinforces the structure of the vehicle, characterized in that the duct (2) is made by extrusion and is placed in the crossmember (1) at a distance from the inside wall of the crossmember.
US08512109B2
The effect of a windshield for a saddle-type vehicle such as a low-slung type of motorcycle or three-wheeled vehicle is enhanced, and pressure is sufficiently adjusted in an open space at the back of the windshield using an inventive windshield system. The vehicle includes a leg shield in front of legs of a rider, and a step space rearward of the leg shield. The windshield system includes a windshield which is provided with an air outlet that opens upward. An air inlet provided at the front of the vehicle communicates with the air outlet other through a duct, and the air outlet opens to the upper center of the windshield. Pressure adjusting outlets, for adjusting pressure in a space around the rider by blowing air toward the step space, are provided separately from the air outlet.
US08512107B1
A knife includes a body that includes a handle section, a blade housing section, and a blade that includes a skinning edge and a cutting edge. The guided skinning edge extends below a bottom edge of the blade housing section, wherein proximity of the bottom edge to the guided skinning edge enables the bottom edge to function as a guard that prevents the skinning edge from entering a carcass deep enough to damage meat and internal organs of the carcass during field dressing. The hook cutting edge extends above a top edge of the blade housing section, wherein the top edge terminates in a hook portion that extends beyond the hook cutting edge and lifts skin and hide of a carcass away from meat and internal organs of the carcass as the cutting edge is moved through the carcass during field dressing, preventing the cutting edge from contacting meat and internal organs of the carcass.
US08512099B2
A device for double-sided processing of flat workpieces has upper and lower working discs forming between them a working gap containing a carrier disc with cutout(s) for workpiece(s), the carrier disc having circumferential teeth by means of which it rolls on an inner and an outer gear wheel or pin ring, wherein the gear wheels or pin rings have a multiplicity of gear or pin arrangements which engage the teeth of the carrier discs during rolling, at least one of the pin arrangements having a guide which delimits movement of the margin of the carrier disc in at least one axial direction, the guide formed by a circumferential shoulder or a circumferential groove.
US08512091B2
A valve and retainer assembly particularly useful for latex balloons includes a valve body and a band valve. The valve body has a radial shoulder where the neck and mouth of a latex balloon may be received to affix the balloon to the valve body. A hollow stem communicates with the radial shoulder, and a one-way valve allows gas to be introduced through the stem into the balloon affixed to the retainer portion. A valve and retainer for filling first and second balloons further includes a slide disk having a seal sleeve that intimately fits over the stem portion, such that the sealing slide disk selectively slides along the stem portion so that the seal sleeve can selectively cover the at least one second balloon fill aperture; and a flexible band covering the at least one fill aperture of the fill portion.
US08512087B2
The present invention relates to a loading system for transferring at least one medium between a first installation and a floating vessel, comprising an anchoring device which can be fixed relative to a seabed, at least one elongated first transfer element, which is normally vertically oriented in an installed state, at least one flexible second transfer element arranged in the extension of the first transfer element by a swivel arrangement which is mounted between the first and second transfer element. The swivel arrangement is rotatable at least about a longitudinal axis of the first transfer element. A free end of the second transfer element, in an installed state when the system is not being used, is located freely suspended in the body of water. The invention also relates to a retrieval system and method.
US08512084B1
An underwater thruster includes a housing unit having a first opening, a cover unit connected to the housing unit and covering the first opening, a supporting unit connected to the housing unit, a motor having a driving shaft that extends through the first opening, a magnetic core unit connected to the driving shaft, a plurality of magnetic intermediate units disposed on the supporting unit and driven by the magnetic core unit, a magnetic surrounding unit driven by the magnetic intermediate units in a rotational speed smaller than the rotational speed of the magnetic core unit, and a propelling unit connected to the magnetic surrounding unit and having a plurality of angularly spaced-apart blades.
US08512083B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for connecting connection parts between power apparatuses. The apparatus of the present invention comprises: a cable constituted by a conductive wire, and an outer coating which covers the conductive wire; socket means having a first housing, and a conductive connection element which is arranged in the first housing and which has an insertion groove, wherein the socket means is installed in a power apparatus to form a connection part for electrically connecting the cable to the power apparatus; and plug means which has a conductive ring fitted to the conductive wire exposed by removing the outer coating from one end of the cable, and which is arranged at the cable and fitted to the first housing of the socket means such that the conductive ring is inserted into the insertion groove of the conductive connection element so as to electrically connect the cable to the power apparatus. The present invention provides an apparatus for connecting connection parts between power apparatuses which interconnects power apparatuses through a cable plug-in connection method to accomplish remarkable effects in the aspects of economical advantages, safety, and ease of maintenance and recovery from failure, etc.
US08512077B2
A device for connecting high voltage cable having a connection element comprising of first and second sleeves, each having a protrusion on a top for receiving first and second conductors of a first and second high voltage cables and fixing the first and second conductors by pressure; a contact bump being coupled to the protrusion in a sliding manner and an electrode unit having a key hole that the contact bump contacts with, wherein the first and second sleeves are coupled in a manner of male and female coupling.
US08512075B2
A connector is provided that can easily insert a connecting terminal into a terminal accommodating hole of a housing and assuredly connect the connecting terminal to a connecting terminal of a mate side.Under a state that a connecting terminal 2 is held in a terminal accommodating hole 30 of a housing 3, when a slider 33 is slid to the terminal accommodating hole 30 side, a circumferential engaging part 35 abuts on an abutting surface 22a to rotate the connecting terminal 2 in the circumferential direction. Thus, the abutting surface 22a is held so as to be parallel to a slide direction of the slider 33.
US08512074B2
Apparatus of components and methods for connecting and sealing a pothead to an electrical cable used in an oil well environment, are provided. Electrical leads are anchored in insulating members retained within the pothead. The leads inserted into passages formed through the insulating members each having an elliptically shaped portion. Channels are formed along the surface of the passages and along the circumference of the elliptically shaped portions. Boot seals are provided in the elliptically shaped portions and circumscribe the electrical leads. A hydrocarbon-based liquid is applied to the boot seals to cause them to swell and occupy the space between the leads and the insulators, including the channels.
US08512071B2
A SATA connector assembly is provided with an insulating housing, a plurality of data and power terminals, a PCB and an FFC, wherein the data and power terminals inserted in the insulating housing, the PCB secured to the insulating housing, the FFC soldered on the PCB, the data and power terminals are electrically interconnected the FFC by the PCB. The provision of the unitary construction feature of FFC can save the production cost due to its eliminating cable management equipment and the step of cable managing processes.
US08512065B2
A receptacle comprises a simplex body with a front portion and terminals. A rear housing encloses female connectors and a ground connector, which are attached to corresponding terminals. Insulation displacers comprise conductive elements that cut through insulation on each side of power-supply wires. Features of both waterproofing and insulation displacement are therefore combined.
US08512064B1
An integrated electric connector includes a main body, a first electric connector, a casing, a second electric connector, a third electric connector, and a guiding member. The first electric connector is at least partially protruded from the main body and connected with a transmission cable. The second electric connector is installed in the casing, and connectable with the first electric connector. The third electric connector is disposed on the casing and connected with the second electric connector. The guiding member is connected with the casing. The first electric connector is guided by the guiding member to be detachably connected with the second electric connector. The first electric connector is directly connected with the electronic device, or the first electric connector is indirectly connected with the electronic device through the second electric connector and the third electric connector.
US08512053B2
A power cable or data cable system includes an integrated electrical connection adaptor configured to be mechanically coupled to the cable system when not in use. The adaptor is coupled to the cable system using clasping features formed in the body of the adaptor or a tethering element. Thus, the adaptor is conveniently located for use and cannot be lost. In some embodiments, the tethering element serves as a cable management system that enhances portability of the cable system by bundling loops of the cable system together.
US08512046B2
A method of surveying a population of voters concerning a pool of contestants to obtain a consensus comprises generating a digital list of all possible pairs, triplets or quadruplets of contestants in the pool and/or sublist of such small subsets of contestants in a subpool such as a social network, presenting to voters in the population at a web site each small subset of contestants in the digital list and/or digital sublist, and for each small subset of contestants presented prompting the voter to select a preferred contestant among the contestants that appear in the small subset of contestants. The voters may also be contestants. A tally of preferred contestants among all voters is assembled as is a tally among contestants from the subpool, and contestants may be ranked. The voting may be applied to costume contests, pet contests, political elections, market surveys and other data collection methods.
US08512038B2
A high volume suction tube for use in dentistry to remove detritus during oral procedures, such as providing a tooth filling, including a cap that alleviates tissue obstruction without impeding efficient suction and removal of the detritus.
US08512030B2
The present invention relates to a blow-molding machine for thermoplastic pieces and containers, which is designed to work simultaneously with two or more molding lines, wherein said machine comprises an extrusion set (2), and a blow-molding set (3); said blow-molding set (3) is coupled to the extrusion set (2); said blow-molding set (3) is formed by an extrusion head (4), at least one blowing station (5), and at least one molding station (6). In addition to increase the productivity, the blow-molding machine disclosed herein also allows a slight increase in the diversity of finished products, provided that they are made from the same material (type of thermoplastic material) with similar dimensions. The main advantages of using the blow-molding machine are directly related to the fact that the production is increased in an exponential way, without the need to use other blowing stations, and using almost the same physical space of a conventional similar machine.
US08512027B2
A belling machine (1) forms end sockets equipped with an integrated seal on pipes (3) made of thermoplastic material using a forming mandrel (4) on which an annular seal (5) was previously placed, diametrically expanded, coaxially and in a predetermined position. A loader (8) for loading the annular seal (5) on the mandrel (4) is able to move between a arming position, in which the loader is spaced from the belling axis (b) and does not interfere with the mandrel (4) movement along the belling axis (b), and a loading position, in which the loader is coaxial with the belling axis (b) and is located between the mandrel (4) back position, disengaged from the pipe (3) and the mandrel (4) forward position, inserted in the end (30) of the pipe (3). An annular seal (5) is placed in a positioner (10) which holds it in an operating position for the action of an arming device (9). After the seal (5) has been picked up from the positioner (10), the arming device (9) armes the loader (8) with the annular seal (5) when the loader (8) is in the arming position.
US08512023B2
Embodiments relate to injection mold assemblies that include superhard materials, such as polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”), and related injection mold presses, components, and methods. The superhard materials are positioned to define at least a portion of a mold cavity for injection molding. Superhard materials may be fully or partially encapsulated by a substrate and the superhard materials and substrate may be secured to the injection mold. Superhard materials may be formed or otherwise separated from a substrate and secured to the injection mold without support of a substrate. Superhard materials may also be attachable to an injection mold to define only a portion of a mold cavity. In an embodiment, an injection mold insert includes a superhard material for insertion into a generic cavity within an injection mold assembly.
US08512017B2
A compression mechanism is configured to be used in a scroll compressor. The compression mechanism includes a fixed scroll and a movable scroll. One of the fixed scroll and the movable scroll is a cast iron molding fabricated through semi-molten die casting, and the other of the fixed scroll and the movable scroll is a grey iron casting.
US08512010B2
A suction pump, in particular a breast pump, comprises a bleed valve with a bleed opening, a bleed body which seals the bleed opening and an electromagnet for operating the bleed body. The bleed body may be operated such that upon opening the valve initially only a partial region of the bleed opening is released and subsequently a greater part thereof or the whole bleed opening is released. The suction pump provides a large functionality with the smallest size and, furthermore, is cheap to produce and easily assembled.
US08512007B2
A compressor system and method of operating same are provided for the compressed air supply of a commercial vehicle, wherein the compressor system includes a compressor for compressed air generation, a transmission for transmitting torque from a drive motor to the compressor, a clutch for disconnecting the connection between compressor and drive motor, and a control unit for opening and closing the clutch. The control unit is capable of opening the clutch in the event a settable maximum allowed compressor speed or motor speed of the drive motor is exceeded and to close the open clutch temporarily when the motor speed is greater than the maximum allowed motor speed.
US08512005B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ion pump system etc. having a high air-exhausting capacity and vacuum-maintaining capacity and capable of adjusting drive modes suitable for the uses thereof. The subject problem is solved by an ion pump system (7) comprising a casing (1), a first electrode group (2a,2b) provided in the casing (1), a second electrode group (3a,3b) provided on the outer periphery of the first electrode group (2a,2b), and outer magnets (4) for providing a magnetic field in the casing, wherein the first electrode group (2a,2b) and the second electrode group (3a,3b) are constituted as a plurality of layers alternately disposed around the center axis (11) of the casing (1).
US08512003B2
A turbine blade includes first and second tip ribs extending from a tip floor to define a tip cavity. An exit ramp bridges the ribs and rises in elevation aft from the floor.
US08511999B1
A turbine rotor blade of the spar and shell construction, the spar including a tip end with a dovetail shaped groove extending from the top, and a tip cap includes a dovetail shaped slot that engages with the spar groove to retain the tip cap in place. A shell made from a high temperature resistant material is secured in place between the platform and the tip cap. The platform includes a core extending into a hollow space formed by the shell and discharges impingement cooling air against the backside wall of the shell. The spar and the platform include fir tree configurations so that an assembled blade can be inserted into a slot of a rotor disk.
US08511995B1
A turbine rotor blade with a platform includes platform cooling channels on the pressure side and the suction side of the platform. The cooling channels are formed from straight section that generally follows a contour of the airfoil in order to provide cooling to as much of the platform surfaces as possible. Pressure side cooling channels have a V-shape from inlet to outlet. Suction side channels branch off from a common channel located along a suction side edge of the platform.
US08511991B2
A composite turbine blade and a method of manufacture thereof is disclosed. The composite turbine blade comprises a turbine blade portion comprising a first material and a first tip plate comprising a second material. The turbine blade portion has an exterior wall and an interior wall surrounding a hollow interior cavity, and a top surface extending from the exterior wall to the interior wall bounding an orifice that is fluidly connected to the hollow interior cavity. The first tip plate may be attached to the turbine blade along the top surface and extending from proximate the exterior wall of the turbine blade across the orifice to cover the orifice.
US08511988B2
A method for monitoring blade frequencies of a wind turbine and a monitoring system for performing the method are provided. An accelerometer or G-sensor is placed into a nacelle of a wind turbine and thereby measuring the vibrations of the nacelle. To extract the vibration signals originating from each blade, the vibration signals are combined with the measuring signals from the azimuth angle sensor (rotating angle), which is normally used for pitch control. To further extract each blade frequency a Fast Fourier Transformation is used on the modulated G-sensor signals. To further monitor a severe and alarming change in each blade frequency, each blade frequency is compared to the other blade frequencies and an alarm is set when a given level is reached.
US08511986B2
A bearing mounting system for use in a gas turbine engine having a low pressure turbine supported on a low pressure shaft through a support rotor comprises a low pressure turbine case, a forward bearing and an aft bearing, and a forward support structure and an aft support structure. The low pressure turbine case surrounds the low pressure turbine. The forward bearing and the aft bearing are positioned on the low pressure shaft to straddle the support rotor. The forward support structure and the aft support structure connect the forward bearing and the aft bearing, respectively, to the low pressure turbine case. The low pressure shaft extends axially between the forward bearing and the aft bearing. In one embodiment, the turbine comprises a plurality of adjacent rotor disks, and the support rotor comprises a conical support connecting one of the rotor disks with the shaft.
US08511984B2
Systems are provided that may be used to diffuse and deflect the flows of gas into a plurality of gas flows. A gas flow, for example, exhaust gas, may be diffused, that is, spread out by the diffuser. A flow deflector may be coupled to the diffuser so that the gas flow may result in a plurality of gas flows. By diffusing and allowing a plurality of gas flows, improved gas flows may be achieved.
US08511972B2
A seal member for use in a channel between a transition seal structure and a vane seal structure in a gas turbine engine. The seal member includes a spring member and a sheathing assembly. A first end of the spring member is affixed to either the transition seal structure or the vane seal structure. The second end is free to move within the channel. The sheathing assembly includes a main body and a plate portion. The main body surrounds the spring member and is affixed to the second end thereof. The plate portion extends from the main body and is adapted to extend toward the other of the transition seal structure and the vane seal structure. The spring member provides a bias on the sheathing assembly such that the plate portion engages the other of the transition seal structure and the vane seal structure to limit leakage through the channel.
US08511960B1
Embodiments of the invention provide threaded elements alone, in mating pairs, or in conjunction with other elements. Embodiments of the invention also provide for design and fabrication of such threaded elements without violating minimum feature size design rules or causing other interference issues that may result from the fabrication of such thread elements using a multi-layer multi-material electrochemical fabrication process.
US08511955B2
A spiral body lock including a mandrel; a sleeve; and at least one of the mandrel and sleeve including a male component, the other of the mandrel and the sleeve including a recess receptive to the male component at least one of the recess and the male component being helically configured and method.
US08511940B2
A support structure for an offshore device and a method of assembling and installing the support structure, is provided including a vertical guide sleeve having, three elongated guide sleeves positioned around the vertical guide sleeve, and various braces connecting the elongated sleeves and the vertical guide sleeve. The support structure also includes a transition joint including a cylindrical portion for connection to an offshore device, such as a support tower of a wind turbine assembly, and a convex portion connected to the vertical guide sleeve. The transition joint may include a strengthening material in contact with an inner surface. The vertical sleeve, elongated sleeves, braces, and transition joint can be assembled onshore with lower piles installed in the elongated sleeves, this guide portion of the structure transported to the offshore location, and then piles driven to secure the structure to the floor of a body of water. The support structure minimizes the costs and time associated with material, assembly, and installation, while possessing sufficient strength, and effectively and efficiently handling and transferring loads from the wind turbine to the support surface throughout operation and while maintaining excellent fatigue resisting characteristics to withstand the extensive cyclic loading induced by the wind and waves.
US08511939B2
The shore side of a shore line water barrier is protected from flooding caused by storm surge over-topping the barrier. Water overtopping the barrier, such as from wind waves crashing against the barrier, is trapped, impounded and accumulated between a parapet atop the barrier and walls on the sides of a buoyant gate unit taller than the parapet and walls and normally resident below grade on the shore side of the barrier, hinged about an axis generally parallel to the barrier and spaced from the parapet by a distance not less than the height of the gate unit. The accumulated overtopping water is applied to rotationally float the gate unit from the horizontal position initially principally by buoyancy and then principally by hydrostatic pressure to drive the gate unit to an upright position to oppose storm surges having a water level higher than the parapet.
US08511938B1
A flood flaps vent for sealing a building crawlspace includes: (a) a vent box portion including open opposite front and rear ends on either end of a vent passageway, the vent box including a top box portion with at least one flap slot adjacent a rear end portion of the vent box, and an opposite bottom box portion; (b) at least one flexible flood flap extending across the open rear end portion, with its upper edge seated in the flap slot, other side flap edges of the flood flap being unattached; and (c) a grate portion over the open front end portion of the vent box; the flood flap occluding the rear end portion of the vent box when it is in an at rest, home position. This simplified abstract is not intended to limit, and should not be interpreted as limiting, the scope of the claims.
US08511932B2
A control and switchover system is provided for controlling milling depth and/or slope of a milling drum of a road construction machine during a milling operation to create a milled surface. The system controls the milling depth and/or slope at least in part on a measurement made with a first sensor. Without interrupting the milling operation the system switches over the control of the milling depth and/or slope to control based at least in part on a measurement made with a second sensor.
US08511930B2
A cover for a road system device provided with a frame comprises: a blocking member and a base body defining a covering surface for the road system device, extending in a cover plane, and having a housing for receiving the blocking member. The housing and the blocking member are adapted for blocking the cover relative to the frame or to a neighboring cover. The housing is adapted to maintain the blocking member relative to the base body autonomously and to oppose a movement of the blocking member in a direction extending perpendicular to the cover plane and tending to move the blocking member away from the covering surface. The invention is applicable to access manholes for underground installations.
US08511925B2
A liquid supply device utilizing a rotating cam mechanism for supplying a liquid. In the liquid supply device for smoothly supplying a liquid with the assistance of pressurizing action, switching operation by the rotating cam mechanism can be carried out reliably.A rotating cam mechanism 16 which can move the liquid housing tube 14 forward and backward includes a rotating cam 40 movable between a front position and a rear position and a pressurizing space 18 to be compressed to be able to pressurize an inside of the liquid housing tube 14 when the tip end chip 32 is in the protruding position is provided in a rear portion in the rotating cam 40.
US08511907B2
A fiber optic splice housing and integral dry mate connector system. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic connection system includes optical fiber sections in respective conduit sections. Each of the conduit sections is received in the housing assembly. An optical connection between the optical fiber sections is positioned within the housing assembly.
US08511905B2
A printing press includes a roller having a first antifriction bearing and a second antifriction bearing. The first antifriction bearing has rolling bodies, a first ring and a second ring. One of the two rings forms an outer ring and the other of the two rings forms an inner ring. Roller sockets are configured as quick action changing devices for receiving the anti-friction bearings during insertion of the roller into the printing press. The first antifriction bearing is configured as an axial floating bearing with a considerable axial movement play of the rolling bodies between the latter and one of the rings. The second antifriction bearing is configured as an axial locating bearing without such a considerable axial movement play. A centering device centers one of the rings relative to the other.
US08511904B2
A ready-to-install needle bearing including a thin-walled outer ring (1) that is shaped without cutting and is provided with radially inwardly-facing stop rims (2) on both sides. Needle rollers (7) roll between the stop rims (2) on an associated external raceway (9). The inventive needle bearing is characterized in that an associated internal raceway (10) is formed by a thin-walled inner ring (3) which is shaped without cutting and is fitted with radially outwardly-facing stop rims (4) on both sides. The needle rollers (7) roll in a cageless manner or are disposed in a cage such that a captive ready-to-install needle bearing unit is created by using a positive gripping action, thus dispensing with the need for a part that is to be mounted having to act as a raceway.
US08511898B2
A method of fabricating a bearing surface for a gas or air bearing is described. The method comprises taking a bulk bearing portion having at least one bearing surface region and providing a coating on the bearing surface region to define at least one gas pocket. The at least one gas pocket has a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the coating. In one example, laser ablation is used to remove part of the coating to form the gas pockets. The coating may be an anodized coating and the bulk bearing portion may be formed from aluminum. An air bearing component formed using the method is also described.
US08511894B2
A PET imaging system includes a measurement subsystem, a data acquisition subsystem, and a reconstruction subsystem. The measurement subsystem detects deflection in a patient pallet, and generates deflection information based on the detected deflection. The data acquisition subsystem receives the deflection information from the measurement subsystem and PET measurement data corresponding to a plurality of coincidence events from a PET scanner, and communicates the received deflection information and PET measurement data to the reconstruction subsystem. The reconstruction subsystem includes a processor that reconstructs a PET scan image using the deflection information and the PET measurement data communicated by the data acquisition subsystem.
US08511893B2
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations a cover sheet and a frame of a X-ray imaging detector are attached through interlocking apparatus that provides a strong attachment between the cover sheet and the X-ray imaging detector frame and that also reduces the complexity of the attachment and reduces the number of fasteners required between the cover sheet and the X-ray imaging detector frame.
US08511887B2
A cement mixing method and apparatus for mixing cement used in cementing oil wells casing and the mixer used in that method. The mixer employs a straight bulk cement inlet, five annular recirculation jets and five annular water jet orifices located downstream of the recirculation jets so that all of the jets discharge at an angle towards the mixing chamber and the discharge from the water jet orifices intersects with the flow from the recirculation jets. This five jet, intersecting flow design allows for more thorough wetting of the cement powder with a smaller, lighter, less expensive and more durable mixer that is less inclined to foul and easier to clean.
US08511883B2
A light guide apparatus for a backlight module is provided. The light guide apparatus comprises a light guide plate and an electrical component. The light guide plate is configured with a circuit thereon. The electrical component is attached to the light guide plate and electrically coupled to the circuit. The light guide apparatus integrates a light guide panel, a circuit and an electrical component together for obtaining simpler structure and lower cost.
US08511879B2
Disclosed are a light emitting apparatus and a display apparatus having the same. The light emitting apparatus comprises a light guide plate comprising a groove in a side surface thereof, and a light emitting diode unit, in which at least a portion of the light emitting device unit is inserted into the groove of the light guide plate.
US08511877B2
A projection assembly is arranged to be added onto or built into at least one LED-unit or other light-unit of an illuminated object that has more than one LED or other light source to cause the object to be illuminated and show the object's design or appearance while also offering illumination to people. The illuminated object may include all kinds of seasonal lighting, regular light fixtures, track lights, desktop lights, and battery operated lights having more than one light-unit or LED-unit.
US08511869B1
The decorative window candle top includes a bracket and a plurality of interchangeable decorations that when attached places the interchangeable decoration in front of and adjacent to the electric light bulb of a window candle light. The interchangeable decorations personalize the appearance of the window candle light, and come in a variety of styles. The bracket is positioned between the candlestick and the light bulb and includes a pair of mounting pins. The mounting pins are used to enable attachment of one of the interchangeable decorations.
US08511863B2
According to an embodiment, a luminaire includes a thermal radiation member, and a light source unit provided on a front side of the thermal radiation member. The thermal radiation member has plural support walls provided on a rear surface radially about a substantially central portion of the rear surface toward an outer periphery, and plural thermal radiation fins provided on the rear surface, being away from each other and substantially parallel to each other toward the outer periphery from neighboring wall surface sides of the plural support walls. The light source unit includes a light-emitting element.
US08511860B2
A mirror module includes a mirror. The module includes a mirror housing. The module includes a mounting box that fits into the housing. The module includes a motorized element disposed in the mounting box. The motorized element having a mirror mounting plate which holds the mirror, and a base plate which is attached to the mounting box through an axis screw at a central axis of the module about which the motorized element rotates.
US08511857B2
A light source includes first to nth light emitting modules (n is a natural number that is two or more than two) each having a plurality of light emitting elements and connectors that are electrically connected to the light emitting elements. The connector of the first light emitting module is disposed near an angular point (hereinafter, referred to as “rotational central point”) of a region defining the first light emitting module. The light emitting elements and connector of the ith light emitting module has a layout structure defined by a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation of the light emitting elements and connectors of the first light emitting module by an angle (i−1)/n×360° about the rotational central point, wherein i is a natural number which satisfies 2≦i≦n.
US08511853B2
A point light source includes a light-emitting portion, a first lead and a second lead. The first lead and the second lead are electrically connected to the light-emitting portion. The first lead and the second lead respectively have a wedging portion. The wedging portions can be matched with each other. A light source module using the point light source is also provided. The light source module includes at least one light source assembly. Each light source assembly includes a plurality of the point light sources connected in series. Adjacent two point light sources are wedged to each other in series by a combination of the wedging portions of the adjacent first lead and second lead.
US08511845B2
A backlight unit and a display device including the backlight unit are discussed. According to an embodiment, a light generating device comprising: a first layer; light source devices disposed on the first layer and configured to emit light; a reflection layer disposed on the first layer and configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source devices; a second layer covering the light source devices and the reflection layer; a diffusion layer disposed on the second layer and configured to diffuse the light emitted from the light source devices; and an auxiliary layer having light shielding members placed between the second layer and the diffusion layer, the auxiliary layer being separated from the second layer so as to create an air space between a surface of the second layer and surfaces of the light shielding members, the air space extending along the light source devices.
US08511841B2
A vehicular blind spot indicator mirror includes a transparent glass substrate having a mirror reflector coated onto the substrate. Visible light reflectance by the mirror reflector coated substrate is at least about 40 percent visible light reflectance for visible light incident upon a front side of the mirror reflector coated substrate. A blind spot indicator light display is disposed to the rear of the mirror reflector coated substrate and emits visible light upon a detection by a blind spot detector. Light emitted by the display passes through the transparent glass substrate to be viewed by a viewer viewing from the front side of the substrate. The display is operable, when electrically powered and when operated in the vehicle during day time driving conditions, to exhibit a display luminance of at least about 60 foot lamberts as measured with the display placed behind, and emitting light through, the transparent glass substrate.
US08511833B2
An image projection apparatus includes a lamp, an air duct configured to lead air from a cooling fan to the inside of a reflector of the lamp, an exhaust duct configured to lead first air, second air, and third air to an exhaust port formed in a housing of the image projection apparatus, the first air passing the inside of the reflector, the second air being drawn from a first inlet port in the housing and passing an area that faces an outer surface of the reflector, and the third air being drawn from a second inlet port formed in the housing, wherein a first area that blends the first air with the third air, and a second area that blends blended area from the first area with the second air and leads resultant air to the exhaust port are provided inside of the exhaust duct.
US08511831B2
An optical device includes a main body having a light incident surface, a light emitting surface provided facing the light incident surface, and a light-reflecting side surface provided from a periphery of the light incident surface to a periphery of the light emitting surface. In the optical device, the light incident surface, the light emitting surface and the light-reflecting side surface are mirror-finished, and a supporting portion configured to support the main body is provided on the light-reflecting side surface.
US08511827B2
The present invention relates generally to a head-mounted projection display, and more particularly, but not exclusively to a polarized head-mounted projection display including a light engine and a compact, high-performance projection lens for use with reflective microdisplays.
US08511820B2
A device for accommodation training includes a primary light and a sensor supported by a housing and configured to be worn atop the head of the user to capture light reflected by the retina. One or more alignment lights may be provided, along with mounts for adjusting the positioning of the lights and sensor. A feedback signal such as an audible tone is produced as a function of the detected light, providing confirmation to the user that a desired control over the ciliary muscle has been achieved.
US08511807B2
A phase change ink imaging device includes a transfix apparatus configured to apply ultrasonic action to ink pixels deposited onto an image bearing surface to facilitate transfer and/or fixing of the ink pixels to print media.
US08511805B2
A drive assembly has a moveable drive head, which is able to engage a plunger in a cartridge containing a liquid. The cartridge has a plunger moveable by the drive head to extract the liquid from the cartridge.
US08511803B2
The invention relates to a cartridge for ink-jet printer, comprising a cartridge body, a protective cover moving relatively to the cartridge body under pressure, a detection mechanism for cartridge and a detection mechanism for remaining ink volume, wherein the detection mechanism for cartridge includes the first and second detecting units respectively matching to the first and second sensors on the printer. The said second detecting unit includes a shelter unit, a fixed shaft set on the cartridge body, a sliding shaft on the protective cover and a reset unit of the shelter unit, wherein the shelter unit connects with the rotating shaft of the fixed shaft, rotates around the fixed shaft under the pressure of the sliding shaft and resets together with the protective cover under the effect of the reset unit of the shelter unit. It is the shelter unit rather than the movable lever at the middle of the detection mechanism for remaining ink volume that finally shelters from the light emitted by the emission unit of the second sensor, so it will not be influenced by remaining ink volume.
US08511796B2
A system is provided that includes first means for pre-charging a node to a first potential where the node coupled to a switch configured to control current through a firing resistor and second means for selectively discharging the node to a second potential across a path that has only one transistor between the node and the second potential.
US08511790B2
An image processing method includes a conversion step of converting input image data into ink color data corresponding to respective use amounts of one or more types of color inks and a clear ink. In the conversion step, the input image data is converted into ink color data so that the use amount of the clear ink used in ink color data using a black carbon-containing ink becomes equal to or larger than that of the clear ink used in ink color data using no black carbon-containing ink.
US08511787B2
The sequence of the acquisition of a correction value of a conveying error depending on the eccentricity of the conveying roller (correction value for eccentricity) and the acquisition of a correction value of a conveying error depending on the outer diameter of the roller (correction value for outer diameter) is considered to acquire a precise correction value for outer diameter. A test pattern to acquire the correction values for eccentricity and for outer diameter is formed with an area exceeds the area corresponding to an integer multiple of the circumferential length of the roller. The correction value for eccentricity and that for outer diameter are acquired in this sequence. The fluctuation in the conveying error is reduced by the application of the correction value for eccentricity, and the influence of the excess area is made smaller before the correction value for outer diameter is acquired by averaging the conveying errors.
US08511785B2
A method for operating an image receiving member in a phase change ink printer has been developed. The method includes selectively rotating the image receiving member past an activated heater to heat a first portion of the image receiving member to a first predetermined temperature that is greater than a second temperature to which a remaining portion of the image receiving member is heated by the heater.
US08511782B2
A method for printing on a curved surface includes determining if a surface of a workpiece is curved, cutting an image to be printed into at least two printing areas if the surface is curved, and printing the printing area of the image on each surface of the workpiece. If the surfaces of the workpiece are not curved, the printing system directly prints the image on the workpiece. The printing system includes a rotating mechanism and a printer including an inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles. The workpiece is positioned on the rotating mechanism. The rotating mechanism rotates each surface of the workpiece to face the inkjet head and the inkjet head prints each printing area on it.
US08511779B2
By suppressing deviation of dot-formation positions stemming from insufficient accuracy in conveying a printing medium due to eccentricity of a conveying roller, a printed image in which unevenness is less visible is obtained. An accumulated amount of conveyance errors is decreased by narrowing a nozzle-use range and reducing a conveyance amount over an entire printing region according to a mode used for printing an image in which the coverage of a printing medium is low due to a small number of ink colors to be used, for example, a mode used for printing a monochrome image by using a black ink dominantly in all of the density regions.
US08511761B2
A household appliance (1) comprising a body (2) which is disposed into the furniture, a door (3) which allows access into the body (2) and moves by rotating around a horizontal axis and which is opened by holding a handle, a hinge (4) which connects the door (3) to the body (2), and a decorative panel (5) which is slidably mounted onto the door (3).
US08511760B2
A roller element bearing 40 track bushing system embodiment for track link assemblies 14 capable of being used on a vehicle 10 having an endless track 12. Each track link assembly 14 has a track shoe assembly 20 defining a front pin bore 22 and a rear pin bore 24. Each track link assembly 14 has a front pin 26 at least partially disposed within the front pin bore 22, and a rear pin 28 at least partially disposed within the rear pin bore 24. The embodiment discloses at least one roller element bearing 40 disposed within the front pin bore 22 around a portion of the front pin 26, at least one roller element bearing 40 disposed within the rear pin bore 22 around a portion of the rear pin 28. The roller element bearings 40 cooperate to prolong the useful life of the track link assembly 14.
US08511759B2
A method of controlling a trailer brake system using a trailer brake controller positioned within a passenger vehicle is provided. The method includes obtaining intended braking inputs and developing an effective baseline trailer brake controller output profile based thereon. The method scales the effective baseline trailer brake controller output profile in response to an adjustable gain setting set by an operator. A vehicle velocity is obtained and used to calculate a correction factor to the effective baseline trailer brake controller output profile. The effective baseline trailer brake controller output profile is then adjusted using the correction factor to generate a corrected trailer brake controller output signal.
US08511756B2
A surface mining system removes material from a surface mining block that has a substantially vertical and laterally extending mining face. The surface mining system generally includes a miner moveable in a lateral direction along the mining face, a face conveyor extending along the mining face, and conveyor translation devices associated with the face conveyor and operable to move the face conveyor toward the mining face as material is removed. The miner includes a rotating cutting member mounted to an end of a vertically ranging cutting arm and operable to remove material from the mining block. The face conveyor includes a discharge portion and is operable to convey material removed from the mining block toward the discharge portion. Each conveyor translation device includes a secured configuration substantially fixed with respect to the mining face and an unsecured configuration moveable with respect to the mining face.
US08511755B2
A flat housing (1) holds a belt (4) which can be extended against the force of a spring, the belt being blocked to further extension as soon as the belt clasp (3) is situated in the belt buckle.
US08511749B2
A modular child restraint system for use in vehicles comprises a base and interchangeable attachable seats where the seats are for different stages of childhood development. The system can further comprise additional bases adapted to other uses such as strollers and infant swings. A common engagement mechanism allows the various seats to be moved from one base to another. One such system comprises a base and a seat configured to rotate relative to one another when engaged. The seat can also lock in a position relative to the base. The base includes a visual indicator to show that the seat is secured to the base.
US08511747B2
A collapsible chair includes a collapsible seat having a front portion and an opposing rear portion and a collapsible back. The collapsible back includes a first back support member and a second back support member. Each of the first back support member and the second back support member includes an arcuate portion extending toward the front portion of the collapsible seat. A back membrane is coupled to the back support members and spans a distance between the back support members.
US08511740B2
A vehicle door comprises an outer door panel, and inner door panel, and a reinforcement member. The outer door panel includes a pair of vertically extending free ends and a pair of horizontally extending free ends forming a peripheral edge portion. The inner door panel is rigidly attached to the peripheral edge portion of the outer door panel such that an internal door cavity is defined between the outer and inner door panels. The reinforcement member is disposed in the internal door cavity. The reinforcement member includes a first attachment portion rigidly attached to an inner surface of the outer door panel at a first location adjacent the peripheral edge portion of the outer door panel, and a second attachment portion rigidly attached to an inner surface of the inner door panel at a second location.
US08511733B2
A panel end cap storage unit is disposed on an instrument panel end cap adjacent a vehicle door and is configured such that the unit is not accessible when the vehicle door is closed. In this way, the present invention provides a nonvisible secure storage unit that is only accessible when the adjacent vehicle door is open.
US08511730B2
Apparatus and method for engaging an article. The apparatus has a base portion, an end portion disposed adjacent the base portion. The end portion is moveable in relation to the base portion generally along the longitudinal centerline. One or more bands are joined to and extend between the base portion and the end portion. At least one of the bands bends away from the longitudinal centerline when the end portion is moved toward the base portion from the disengaged configuration to the activated configuration.
US08511719B2
A flow-passage connecting device for connecting flow passages of first and second members, including: a joint to be attached at one end to an end portion of the passage of the first member and to be connected at the other end to the passage of the second member, the joint having a hollow space through which a fluid flows; a joint support portion for supporting the joint when the joint is attached, such that a positional adjustment of the joint in a direction perpendicular to a joint attachment direction is permitted within a first position-adjust range; and a position-adjust-range limiting portion disposed distant from the end portion of the passage of the first member in a direction opposite to the attachment direction and configured to limit the positional adjustment of the joint in the perpendicular direction within a second position-adjust range smaller than the first range when the joint is attached.
US08511718B2
A pipe and connector assembly of an appliance is provided. The assembly has a pipe for connecting to a fluid system of the appliance; a transition section fluidly connected to the pipe; a connector portion for connecting to the external fluid supply by way of a twisting motion between the external fluid supply and the connector portion; an anti-torque plate fixed rigidly to the transition section, the anti-torque plate having an engagement area; and a shoulder element for attaching the anti-torque plate to a chassis of the appliance. A shoulder portion of the shoulder element is positioned to engage the engagement area of the anti-torque plate such that movement of the anti-torque plate in a plane that is parallel to the twisting motion is restrained by the shoulder portion engaging the engagement area, and movement of the anti-torque plate is permitted along a length of the shoulder portion.
US08511710B2
An airbag device capable of reducing the volume of an airbag while still securing occupant restraining capability. The occupant seat airbag device is disposed inside a vehicle front-rear direction curved section of an instrument panel facing both towards the vehicle top-bottom direction top side and vehicle front-rear direction rear side. The airbag is configured including a pair of outer deployment sections that receive gas supplied from an inflator and inflate and deploy separately from each other in the vehicle width direction, and an inner deployment section formed by a connecting a cloth around substantially the entire periphery of the outer edges of the pair of outer deployment sections. An occupant side deployment section of the inner deployment section does not receive gas supplied from the inflator and deploys as the pair of outer deployment sections deploy.
US08511699B2
A modular wheelchair assembly is adapted to be reconfigured between a fixed angle of tilt, a dynamically adjustable tilt-in-space configuration with the tilt axis being near the user's knees and a dynamically adjustable tilt-in-space configuration with the tilt axis being near the user's center of gravity. The reconfiguration is achieved by modifying a limited number of selectively removable components of the support assembly or the pivot assembly of the wheelchair.
US08511695B2
A scooter features a top tube attached to the top portion of a steering column and handlebars having handgrips and stems, with the stems sized to be received within the open ends of the top tube when in a use configuration. A handlebar holder housing covers a top portion of the steering column and a portion of the top tube and includes holding bores sized to receive the handlebar stems when the handlebars are in a storage configuration. The handlebar stems are provided with spring pins that engage use apertures and storage apertures formed in the top tube and housing, respectively, when in the handlebars are in the use and storage configurations. A cord passes through the top tube and is fastened to the handlebars. The handlebar holder housing includes cord slots in communication with the holding bores and receive the cord when the first and second handlebars are in the storage configuration.
US08511694B2
An apparatus for assisting people with walking wherein those apparatus are reconfigurable to provide seating in either the forward-facing, or the rear-facing direction, includes a foldable, wheeled frame assembly, a seat mounted to the frame, and a reversible cross-arm, or backrest, for reconfiguring the apparatus from a rear-facing seating arrangement to a forward-facing seating arrangement. In a further aspect, hinged arms, one on each side of the frame assembly, are operable to at least partially rotate in a plane adjacent to the plane of the frame to which it is attached, thereby offering alternative positions of the arms that are convenient to the forward-facing seating position and the rear-facing seating position.
US08511691B2
A conduit coupling system, sealing device, bell and method of use are disclosed herein. The system comprises at least two piping components, and a sealing device. A first component has a bell and a second component has a spigot, the spigot is adapted to mate with the bell. The bell comprises a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the first component. The bell has a concave annular inner surface and a diameter of the annular inner surface adjacent to the first end of the bell is greater than a diameter of the annular inner surface adjacent to the second end of the bell. The sealing device comprises a locking segment comprising a convex outer surface and a K-type gasket coupled to a locking segment or a non-restraining anti-extrusion segment. The sealing device is adapted to fit between the bell and the spigot.
US08511686B2
A gaming apparatus including a top surface and four side walls connected each other and to the top, the top having a game surface such as a 64 block checkerboard pattern of a first and second color, the game surface having cutouts; eight rods running crossways under the top surface and attached to two side walls; multiple rollers accessible to a player through the cutouts in the top surface. Preferably the game surface is angled on two opposing sides of each cutout to aid in rotation of the rollers underneath the game surface. The game apparatus may be adopted to play checkers, chess, backgammon or similar games. The game apparatus may also be embedded into tables or walls.
US08511677B2
A sheet guide includes a base on which a sheet is placed; a pinion which is rotatably provided on the base; a pair of racks which are extended in a sliding direction, which sandwich the pinion therebetween, which are engaged with the pinion to move opposite to each other in the sliding direction; a pair of positioning members which are provided at one end portions of the pair of racks respectively; a sliding guide which is formed in the base and which guides the pair of racks in the sliding direction; and a contact portion which is provided at a side of at least one rack of the racks; a first supporting member configured to press the contact portion to urge the at least one rack against the pinion; and a second supporting member configured to support the other end portion of the at least one rack.
US08511675B2
A sheet feeding device includes a sheet storing portion storing sheets stacked on a stacking surface thereof; a feeding roller feeding each of the sheets by rotating while being in contact with a topmost one of the sheets; a support member having a support surface that supports downstream-side part, in a sheet feeding direction, of the sheets and, at the time of sheet feeding, being movable perpendicularly to the stacking surface while lifting the downstream-side part of the sheets with the topmost sheet kept in contact with the feeding roller; and a stopper member configured to come into contact with leading ends of some sheets to be fed by the feeding roller and to stop sheets other than the topmost sheet. The support surface of the support member slopes upward, with respect to the stacking surface, toward a downstream side in the sheet feeding direction.
US08511668B2
A sheet feeding device includes a sheet carrying unit and an attraction separation and conveyance device. The sheet carrying unit is configured to carry thereon a sheet stack. The attraction separation and conveyance device is configured to electrostatically attract the uppermost sheet of the sheet stack and separate and convey the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack, and is placed between the upstream end and the central position in a sheet conveying direction of the sheet stack located at a sheet carrying position and having a minimum sheet size compatible with the sheet feeding device.
US08511663B2
A screen installation device is used for assembling a screen plate to a frame, the screen installation device, and includes a positioning device and a plurality of connection devices. The positioning device is for locating the frame. The connection devices are detachably assembled to the positioning device and are arranged around the screen plate, and part of each connection device is located and retained between the screen plate and the frame to create a constant width gap between the screen plate and the frame.
US08511649B1
A model engine carburetor capable of adjusting oil automatically when decelerating is mounted on a model engine. The model engine carburetor has a first adjustment room and a second adjustment room. The first adjustment room and the second adjustment are separated by an elastic membrane. When the model engine is decelerated at a very short time from a high speed, the model engine will generate negative pressure to draw out the air in the first adjustment room and the elastic membrane will be deformed to generate vacuum suction. The overmuch fuel oil is drawn to the second adjustment room to adjust the ratio of the oil gas. The model engine can run smoothly when the speed is decelerated at a very short time.
US08511646B1
A coupling assembly separably couples a vertical support formed of an anchor pole, a vertical post and a mast to a helicopter. A top rail is pivotally coupled to an upper extent of the vertical support. A coupling plate is coupled to the vertical support. A winch is attached to the coupling plate. The top rail has ends with interior and exterior sheaves rotatably coupled to the ends of the top rail. A cable has a distal end positionable over an engine of the helicopter and adapted to be attached thereto. The cable has a proximal end attached to the winch for withdrawing and extending the cable.
US08511640B2
A ball valve has a valve housing (2) receiving ball spindle (6) pivoted around an axis in the housing (2). A ball body (12) as a blocking element is between the input part and the output part of a media passage (4) of the housing. The flow opening (14) located in the ball body (12) is alignable with the passage (4) for unblocking the ball valve by turning the ball spindle (12). The ball body (12) is supported on two identical end sections (8, 10) connected to and axially spaced from the ball body (12). The support on at least one end section (8, 10) is a support cover (26) having integrated slide bearing elements (34, 36) detachably mounted on the housing (2).
US08511636B2
A household appliance, in particular a dish-rinsing or dish-washing machine, with a base support onto which the appliance unit is mounted and which is supported on a floor by means of appliance feet. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a least one appliance-foot support, which is connected to the base support by means of a tension element, is provided for the base support.
US08511632B2
A suspension system for a cryostat includes a coupling mechanism, a fixation body, and a pin. The coupling mechanism is joined to an outer vessel and coupled with a strap. The fixation body is joined to an inner vessel. The fixation body extends between a front side that faces the coupling mechanism and an opposite receiving side with an interior channel extending from the receiving side to the front side. The channel defines a front opening in the front side and a rear opening in the receiving side. The pin is loaded into the fixation body through the rear opening in the receiving side of the fixation body with the strap looped around the pin and extending through the front opening to the coupling mechanism. The pin secures the coupling mechanism to the fixation body via the strap by engaging the fixation body inside the channel.
US08511621B2
A device for piloting includes a piloting member connected to at least one member for driving the craft, an electromechanical support box including, for each pivot connection, at least one actuating motor of the piloting member constituted of an electromagnetic actuator including a movable armature integrally formed with the piloting member and equipped with at least one permanent magnet having a magnetic moment parallel to the axis of the pivot connection, and an electromagnetic circuit including a fixed armature, arranged to allow the movable armature to move in the air gap zone, the magnetic moment of the movable armature sweeping each radial surface portion, and at least one coil winding which is dependent in position on the fixed armature and is capable of generating electromagnetic torque on the movable armature.
US08511613B2
An aircraft comprises an airframe, an electric propulsion system, a number of battery pods, and an engagement system. The number of battery pods has a physical connector system. The engagement system is attached to the airframe and is capable of engaging the physical connector system to connect the number of battery pods to the airframe.
US08511611B2
A panel assembly for an aircraft comprises a panel rotatably connected to a support structure and moveable between a first position and a second position. The panel has an aerodynamic surface with a slot at one edge thereof which receives a portion of the support structure when the panel is in the first position. The assembly further comprises a resilient seal member which occupies the slot when the panel is in the second position. The panel may be an aircraft flight control surface, or an aircraft landing gear bay door.
US08511606B1
A method and apparatus comprising a platform, a battery system, a power generation system, a number of charging stations, and a controller. The platform is configured to house a number of unmanned aerial vehicles. The power generation system is connected to the battery system. The power generation system is configured to generate electrical energy from an environment in which the platform is located, and store the electrical energy in the battery system. The number of charging stations is connected to the battery system. The controller is connected to the battery system and is configured to receive sensor data from the number of unmanned aerial vehicles, generate information from the sensor data, and send the information to a remote location.
US08511604B2
A gas turbine engine includes a spool along an engine centerline axis which drives a gear train.
US08511602B2
A ducted fan air-vehicle capable of generating control moments. The ducted fan air-vehicle includes an air duct, a fan, a center body, a plurality of control vanes. The vanes are independently controlled and are deflected in the same direction but at different angles, thereby providing an increased control moments to the vehicle compared to the prior art. The increased pitching moment allows for additional control authority. Additional control authority is useful in forward flight and is especially desirable when the ducted fan air-vehicle is maneuvering in unsteady or turbulent winds or with various types of cargo that may effect the vehicle center of gravity location.
US08511600B2
A two-roll toilet paper dispenser automatically transfers a new roll into dispensing position once the previous roll is spent or nearly spent. A spring-loaded plate senses the decreasing diameter of the first roll, and once it reaches a predetermined minimum, actuates a linkage that permits a mandrel carrying the two rolls to drop down within the dispenser body and position the second roll for dispensing. The mandrel and track structure permits reloading the dispenser without removing the mandrel. The rolls of toilet paper have adapter plugs in one end only, to ensure that the rolls are placed in the correct orientation within the dispenser.
US08511595B2
A refiner (1, 18, 19) for refining fibrous material has at least one first refining surface (11) and at least one second refining surface (4), which are arranged at least partly substantially opposite to one another in such a manner that a refiner chamber (12) is formed between them, to which the material to be defibrated is arranged to be fed. The first refining surface or the second refining surface has openings formed through them and through which fibrous material to be refined can be fed into the refiner chamber or through which refined fibrous material can be removed from the refiner chamber. In addition, a method for refining fibrous material, a refining surface of a refiner and a blade segment for a refiner.
US08511587B2
A shower head has a nozzle, a shell, a water inlet, and an assembly for holding the nozzle. The assembly has an upper plate made of a first plastic material and has a first opening having a first diameter through which the nozzle extends, a lower plate made of a second plastic material and has a second opening through which the nozzle extends, and an elastomeric middle plate has a third opening having a third diameter that is smaller than the first or second diameter through which the nozzle extends and is in contact therewith. The first material and the second material are ultrasonically welded together to trap the middle plate therebetween and the first opening, the second opening and the third opening are roughly coaxial with each other.
US08511585B2
A drip irrigation emitter has first and second inlets through which liquid enters the emitter from an irrigation pipe, an outlet through which liquid exits the emitter, and a first flexible diaphragm portion seated on the second inlet and serving as a valve. Liquid at a pressure in the pipe that is below a predetermined level enters the emitter via the first inlet and travels along a first flow restricting path before exiting via the outlet and liquid at a pressure in the pipe that is above the predetermined level biases the first flexible diaphragm portion so that liquid can enter the emitter via the second inlet and travels along a second flow restricting path before exiting via the outlet.
US08511580B2
Comprises a vessel (1) that houses the active liquid substance to be diffused, such as a fragrance, insecticide or other, through a breathable membrane (2) that closes the vessel (1) and comprises a porous part (3) placed near and parallel to the breathable membrane (2) in order to prevent the deformation of the membrane (2) when a vacuum is generated as the vessel (1) is emptied. The porous part (3) has a number of openings (4) through which passes the liquid to ensure its contact with the membrane (2) at all times for a homogenous evaporation and it occupies part of the volume of the vessel (1), absorbing the active substances, the non-volatile substances remaining in said porous part (3) after the vessel (1) has no more volatile components.
US08511577B2
A thermostat includes a plurality of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) wire connectors including a connection to at least one call relay wire. The thermostat may also include a powering circuit, including a rechargeable battery, which is configured to provide electrical power to the thermostat by power stealing from a selected call relay wire. The power stealing may include an active power stealing mode, in which power is taken from the same selected call relay wire that is used to call for an HVAC function, and an inactive power stealing mode in which, in which no active call is being made. The powering circuit may be configured to substantially suspend (or at least reduce the level of) power stealing for at least a first time period following each transition of the thermostat from between operating states.
US08511576B2
A thermostat includes a plurality of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) wire connectors for receiving a plurality of HVAC control wires corresponding to an HVAC system. The thermostat also includes a thermostat processing and control circuit configured to at least partially control the operation of the HVAC system and a powering circuit coupled to the HVAC wire connectors and configured to provide an electrical load power to the thermostat processing and control circuit. The powering circuit has a power extraction circuit configured to extract electrical power from one or more of the plurality of received HVAC control wires up to a first level of electrical power, a rechargeable battery, and a power control circuit. The power control circuit is configured to provide the electrical load power using power from the power extraction circuit and the rechargeable battery.
US08511573B2
This disclosure relates to storing a secure application directory within a contactless smart card. The contactless smart card include secure memory area for storing software applications and may include a default application directory for listing the software applications stored within the contactless smart card to an external card reader. A second application directory is stored with an access key and a listing of a second set of software applications within the same contactless smart card. The second application directory includes improved application directory entries, where each application directory entry includes an application identifier, a starting memory block byte value, and a size byte value for each of the second set of software applications.
US08511565B2
A method of providing information to a user via a printed substrate. The substrate chas a graphic image and coded data indicative of a region identity associated with the substrate and of a plurality of locations on the substrate. The method includes the steps of: (i) receiving interaction data indicative of the region identity and a position of a sensing device relative to the image; (ii) identifying and retrieving a page description corresponding to the printed substrate using the region identity; (iii) generating a query expression including search terms; (iv) forming a request using the query expression; and sending the request to the user. At least one of the search terms is associated, in the page description, with a zone of the graphic image containing the position of the sensing device.
US08511556B2
A card reader may include a reader-side non-contact communication antenna, a transfer path through which a card is transferred, a transfer mechanism to transfer the card, a controller to control the transfer mechanism, and a regulator to regulate transfer of the card. The reader-side antenna may be provided proximate to the transfer path. The regulator may be positioned such that the reader-side antenna can communicate with a card-side antenna on the card. The controller may control the transfer mechanism to move the card closer to the regulator or away from the regulator after the card has stopped once, so as to enable communication between the reader-side antenna and the card-side antenna.
US08511554B2
A display device which includes a housing, a plurality of separately movable indicators in the housing, each indicator including a plurality of symbols, an electrically operable actuator and a controller for controlling operation of the actuator whereby each indicator is independently movable to a selected position to display a selected symbol.
US08511544B1
An automated banking machine operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The automated banking machine includes a card reader operative to read card data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. The automated banking machine also includes a display and a printer to produce records of financial transactions carried out with the machine. The machine is operative to cause a computer determination to be made that the card data corresponds to an authorized machine user. The automated banking machine may also include a storage device that is operative to unlock a secured area including information thereon that is used by the automated banking machine to carry out financial transfers.
US08511542B2
A voice prompt method includes obtaining an image of a user and storing the obtained image as a characteristic image when users successfully log onto an automated teller machine; taking photographs of the location surrounding the automated teller machine at predetermined time intervals to obtain real-time images; judging whether the person of the characteristic image is the same as the person in the real-time image; detecting whether the distance between the user and the automated teller machine is larger than a predetermined value if the person in the two images is judged to be the same; and generating a voice prompt to remind the user not to forget to remove his/her bank card if the distance between the user and the automated teller machine becomes larger than a predetermined value. An automated teller machine is also provided.
US08511534B2
An ultrasonic horn used in, for instance, a wire bonding apparatus and formed with mounting flanges, including a slit and a cross-sectional shape varying portion; the slit being on the central axis in the horn's longitudinal direction and extending fore and aft relative to the center of the mounting flanges, the length of the slit(s) being equal to or greater than the width direction of a flange region that is between the opposing flanges, and at least a part of the cross-sectional shape varying portion being on the outer surface of the horn at a slit region in which the slit is formed. The stress center point in the cross-section of the ultrasonic horn at the flange region is positioned more to the inside than a straight line joining the stress center points in the cross-sections of the ultrasonic horn at the front and rear end portions of the slit.
US08511532B2
A fastener driving tool includes a flywheel rotated by a drive unit and having a wheel rim formed with teeth, an impact member having a mating toothed unit movable with a carrier frame to engage the teeth so as to be swept thereby to an end-stroke position to enable a striking rod to drive a fastener into a targeted workpiece, and an actuating unit configured to actuate the carrier frame to move from an upper position to a lower position in response to a triggering action of a trigger so as to move the mating toothed unit from an disengaging position to an engaging position.
US08511530B2
A stapler includes an enclosing portion that encloses staples, a clinch portion that bends a staple, and a projecting portion that projects the staple from the enclosing portion, inserts the staple to a sheet bundle, and bends the staple in cooperation with the clinch portion to bind the sheet bundle. In addition, a guide portion guides the staple projected by the projecting portion toward the sheet bundle. The guide portion has guide surfaces for guiding the staple from an inlet adapted to receive the inserting ends of the staple to an outlet that is formed narrower than the inlet such that the staple is projected by the projecting portion toward the sheet bundle side, and the projecting portion projects the staple to the guide portion, moves the staple along the guide surfaces to deform the staple in a horseshoe shape, inserts the pair of inserting ends to the sheet bundle, and bends the staple in cooperation with the clinch portion to bind the sheet bundle.
US08511529B2
An oscillation reducing suspension device for a fan motor of a combustion-powered tool includes a holding web member mounted on a cylinder head and having a central opening to be sleeved on the motor, first and second retaining members disposed to hoop around the motor, and first and second damping members each disposed between the holding web member and a respective one of the first and second retaining members so as to counteract an axial vibration force, thereby minimizing the impact of the axial vibration force.
US08511519B2
The apparatus of the present invention is a pet pantry having storage containers for pet-related equipment, accessories, medication, or other items, and also pet food storage and dispensing. The food dispensing mechanism allows for measured food dispensing, providing volume adjustment mechanisms to dispense a desired quantity of pet food. The food dispensing mechanism is a single movement handle or button dispensing the desired quantity of food. The pet pantry is also modular allowing for adjustments to a pet owner's specification.
US08511510B2
A medical instrument sterilization container has a plurality of walls and a rotatably displacing cover. A rotatable device is integral with the cover. An elongate slot is formed in a side of the container for receiving the rotatable device. The rotatable device is slidable within the elongate slot.
US08511508B1
A case for eyeglasses or other articles includes a pair of catches with each catch mounted to an opposite side of the case near its upper end. Elongate, flexible latches are also mounted on opposite sides of the case in cooperative alignment with the respective catches. Each latch includes a base secured to the case and a pocket-gripping member at its distal free end. Each latch is inherently biased outwardly from the case so that the pocket-gripping members engage opposite sides of a shirt or blouse pocket interior when the invention is in use, preventing the case from falling from the pocket when a user bends over. The latches are manually squeezed when in their deployed configuration to place them into their stored, catch-engaging configuration. The latches are manually removed from the catches to deploy them into their pocket-engaging configuration.
US08511504B2
A demisable fuel supply system for a satellite includes a pressurized aluminum alloy tank with an aluminum alloy propellant management device therein. The propellant management device (PMD) can have any capillary action surface tension fluid transport features known in the art. Selected inner surfaces of the tank and the PMD are covered with a titanium based coating to guarantee propellant wettability and corrosion resistance of the fuel supply system.
US08511500B2
There is disclosed a container for receiving and sealing material in an internal cavity. The container is configured to be shiftable about an intermediate hinge portion and provides a dispensation port defined by a frangible connected panel of the container. The panel can be reclosed after initial severing of the frangible connection upon initial opening.
US08511498B2
A method for manufacturing an enclosure for an electronic device including forming the enclosure, forming one or more locating cavities on a surface of the enclosure, attaching one or more blanks to the enclosure using the one or more locating cavities, and processing the one or more attached blanks to form a desired shape thereof. The enclosure may be formed from a fiber-in-matrix material. A layered fiber-in-matrix type material, such as CFRP, may be used.
US08511497B2
A collapsing garbage can is shown as a feeder for garbage bags. A five sided design is taught where top and bottom punch out sections secure the top section relative to the bottom section. Top sections of the can to be made of absorbent or recyclable materials such as paper and cardboard while the base is made of a water resistant material so it may be used on a variety of surfaces. The sides of the top and bottom section flex so that it may fold flat and be expanded. The top section may be collapsed down inside the bottom section to reach a bag in the bottom section so when the top section is raised; the bag comes up with the top section.
US08511494B2
A four-sided, clam-shell-like container is formed from a preformed, rigid U-shaped cross-section. The U-shaped member has a base wall and opposing side walls. The base and side walls and the intersection of the base and side walls are rigid. The base wail has a thickness having a slot is formed therein. The slot extends longitudinally along a length of the base wall and is formed in an inner surface thereof into the thickness of the base wall. The slot defines base wall sections adjacent and connected to one another by a portion of the thickness of the base wail. The base wall portions and the side walls adjacent thereto are foldable inward along the slot so as to form a four-sided, generally rectangular shaped cross-section container such that ends of the side walls are near one another and are foldable outward for stacking and storing the U-shaped members.
US08511485B2
A display rack that permits a vendor of goods to display goods for sale in an advantageous way, that permits maximizing the number of items that can be displayed in a fixed linear space.
US08511479B2
A device for separating and isolating components of a biological fluid comprising a container for containing the fluid to be processed, a tube cap assembly for closing the container while providing filling and extraction communication therewith, a float assembly disposed within the container for funneling and controlling biological fluid flow into an inverted domed shaped isolation chamber within the float and controlling the biological fluid flow out of the isolation chamber for effecting an encapsulation or a sealed isolation of at least one component or fraction of the biological fluid flow within the isolation chamber during a centrifugation process. The device further comprising a flexible tube for connecting an extraction passageway disposed within the float assembly and an extraction valve of the tube cap assembly for allowing extraction of at least the one component or fraction encapsulated or isolated within the chamber.
US08511475B2
A plate type rotational centrifugal separator for separating one or more components of a feed stream includes a rotatable first outer carrier and a rotatable second inner carrier coaxially arranged in the first outer carrier. The first outer carrier supports one or more curved plates which are flexibly connected to the second inner carrier. A feeding arrangement disposed at one end of the separator supplies a feed stream to be separated, and a discharging arrangement disposed at the opposite end of the separator discharges separated streams. Confined spaces are defined between adjacent curved plates and the first outer and second inner carrier for separating the feed stream under influence of centrifugal forces. The first outer carrier is axially removable from the second inner carrier for removing components collected on the plates.
US08511462B2
A packet for containing at least two products of different kinds. According to particular aspects of the invention, the second product is located in a compartment separate from the first and easily accessible so that the user can take it out and, if necessary, put it back into the packet.
US08511458B2
A bag-making and packaging machine including first through third transportation devices provided between a positioning conveyor that positions bags fed out from a horizontal-type bag-making machine and a supply conveyor that supplies the bags to a conveyor magazine-type bag-supply apparatus of a packaging machine, wherein the first transportation device suctions and raises the bags from the positioning conveyor and changes them into a vertical attitude with the bag mouth portions facing downward, the second transportation device takes the bags held by the first transportation devices by gripping them with the gripping members, horizontally transports them to a prescribed position while rotating them, and then the third transportation device suctions and takes up the bags from the second transportation device, changes them to a horizontal attitude with the bag mouth portions facing in the bag feed direction and then places them on the supply conveyor.
US08511453B2
A friction lining for a clutch disk for a frictional clutch which is manufactured from a preform article wound from strand material and subjected to a hot pressing process. Glass fibers of the friction lining are at least partially replaced by mineral fibers for minimizing abrasive behavior. The short glass fibers and other components such as aramide fibers, polyacryl nitrile fibers as well as artificial mineral fibers are processed into a non-woven fabric in a carding step and strips of the fabric, with the inclusion of at least one metal wire, are twisted to form the strand material. The strand material manufactured in this manner is impregnated with binding agent and filling agents and is processed into a preform.
US08511444B2
A shock absorber includes an external control valve which controls the damping characteristics of the shock absorber. The external control valve controls the flow of fluid between the lower working chamber of the shock absorber and the reservoir chamber and between the upper working chamber of the shock absorber. The damping characteristics are dependent on the amount of current being applied to a solenoid valve which controls a fluid valve assembly. A soft fluid valve assembly is disposed in series with the fluid valve assembly to allow for the tuning of the damping forces at low current levels provided to the solenoid valve.
US08511443B2
Braking bands of discs for disc brakes, capable of both the efficient discharge of heat and of high mechanical performance at low weight are provided.
US08511442B2
A brake disk is described that has a friction ring and a disk pot that is connected to the friction ring via connecting elements. On the webs of the friction ring, bearer webs are fashioned into which the connecting elements extend. In addition, the bearer webs are fashioned in such a way that cooling air can flow around them.
US08511440B2
A rotor is provided for use with a vehicle brake assembly that includes a forcing member operable to urge a friction member into mechanical communication with the rotor to thereby oppose movement of the same. The rotor includes a rotor body with an annular rim portion having first and second opposing contact faces. One or more loose-mass damper systems are interposed between the first and second contact faces, and operable to dissipate kinetic energy directly therefrom. Each of the loose-mass damper systems includes at least one mass operable to repeatedly impact against first and second inner faces respectively opposing the first and second contact faces to reduce oscillation of the rotor. Reducing oscillation of the rotor is independent of temperature and pressure. The loose-mass damper systems are preferably oriented proximate to an outer peripheral edge of the annular rim portion generally circumferentially equidistant from one another.
US08511423B2
An acoustic diode includes a phononic crystal medium, a nonlinear acoustic medium, a aluminum tubes contain the phononic crystal medium and the nonlinear acoustic medium. The phononic crystal medium is fabricated by alternately laminating a water layers and a glass layers in a periodic manner.
US08511412B2
A pair of lateral side frames that are fixed along vehicle side members extending in a front-back direction of the vehicle on both sides of the vehicle in a width direction, a front frame that is fixed between front end parts of the lateral side frames, a rear frame that is fixed between rear end parts, and a base frame that is fixed between the front frame and the rear frame are provided. A front mounting frame for fixedly mounting the front side of a battery module on the front side of the base frame, and a rear mounting frame for mounting the rear side of the battery module on the rear side are provided respectively in the width direction of the vehicle.
US08511409B2
A pressurized air system is provided. The air system includes a compressed air tank, a turbine coupled to, and in fluid communication with, the compressed air tank and structured to convert mechanical energy, an electric motor, the electric motor coupled to and in electrical communication with the turbine and having an output shaft, an electrical compressor structured to compress air, the electrical compressor coupled to and in electrical communication with the turbine, the electrical compressor also coupled to, and in fluid communication with the compressed air tank. Wherein the turbine receives compressed air from the tank and the turbine generates electricity. Further, a portion of the electricity is directed to the motor and the remaining electricity is directed to the electrical compressor, and, whereby the electrical compressor provides compressed air to the compressed air tank.
US08511408B2
The present invention provides, in a vehicle driving apparatus that includes an internal combustion engine 6 and electric motors M1 and M2, a control device that can provide both confined noise reduction and fuel efficiency improvement. A control device 40 includes a confined noise reduction means 98 that controls the electric motor, to reduce confined noise caused by the variation of torque that is provided from the internal combustion engine, so that the electric motor provides variation of torque in opposite phase to the variation of the torque that is provided from the internal combustion engine.
US08511407B2
A hybrid fuel cell vehicle with a multi-power source and a multi-drive system includes: a plurality of primary power sources sharing a single main bus terminal and connected in parallel to each other; a plurality of drive systems receiving power from the main bus terminal to generate output torque so as to drive vehicle wheels and connected in parallel to each other; and an auxiliary power source sharing the main bus terminal and disposed between the primary power sources and the drive systems to supplement power shortage of the primary power sources.
US08511391B2
A method of coupling segments of a borehole conduit is disclosed. The method includes: positioning a first conduit segment at a location selected from a surface location and a downhole location, the first conduit segment having a first end and a second end, the first conduit segment including a pin connector at the first end; orienting the first conduit segment so that the first end is located uphole relative to the second end; and coupling a second conduit segment in operable communication with the first conduit segment, the second conduit segment having a box connector at an end of the second conduit segment that is configured to engage the pin connector of the first segment.
US08511384B2
A method for producing oil and/or gas comprising a method for producing oil from an underground formation comprising injecting an enhanced oil recovery formulation and a gas into a first well in the formation; forming a mixture comprising the enhanced oil recovery formulation and the oil in the formation; forming a gas cap with the injected gas; forcing the formulation and oil mixture towards a second well in the formation; and producing the formulation and oil mixture from the second well.
US08511380B2
Apparatus having a first outer tubular member and a first inner tubular member. The first outer tubular member and the first inner tubular member can define a first space therebetween. The first inner tubular member can have a first internal bore. The apparatus can further include a second outer tubular member and a second inner tubular member. The second outer tubular member and the second inner tubular member can define a second space therebetween. The second inner tubular member can have a second internal bore. A first coupling flowpath can be positioned between the first and second spaces. A second coupling flowpath can be positioned between the first and second internal bores. A selectively closeable flowpath can be positioned between the first coupling flowpath and the second coupling flowpath.
US08511376B2
A slip assembly (60) for securing a tool in a well includes an upper and a lower c-ring slip body (12, 14) each including an outer gripping surface (16, 18) and inner gripping surface (20, 22). An actuator member (68) is axially movable relative to both slip bodies and includes a camming surface (70) for engagement with the upper and lower slip bodies. The slip assembly withstands high axial loads, and forces are equally distributed between the slip bodies.
US08511365B2
An apparatus for suspending above a shooting location comprises an inflatable panel and a plurality of attachment points from which the panel may be suspended. An inflation apparatus directs air into the panel through an air inlet to inflate the panel.
US08511360B2
An assembly and method for manufacturing a composite reinforcement for unitizing a structure are provided. According to one embodiment, the assembly includes a base having a plurality of pins extending outwardly therefrom to define a structure about which a composite fiber is wound to define a composite reinforcement preform. The assembly also includes a plurality of mandrels positioned adjacent to the base and at least a portion of the composite reinforcement preform, and a cap that is positioned over at least a portion of the plurality of mandrels. The cap is configured to engage each of the mandrels to support the mandrels and the composite reinforcement preform during a curing process to form the composite reinforcement.
US08511353B2
A fuel tank opening and closing device is equipped with a flap valve mechanism having an opening and closing member for opening and closing an inlet inside a tank opening forming member. The nozzle positioning guide mechanism has a first support mechanism of an opening peripheral edge of an introduction port of an insertion path of a tank opening forming member, a second support mechanism having an introduction guide surface formed on the top surface of the pressing member of the opening and closing member, and a positioning ridge line that has a curvature almost the same but slightly larger than the outer diameter of the fueling nozzle and which touches by line contact on the outer peripheral surface of the fueling nozzle at the insertion completion position, and a third support mechanism having a valve positioning member which regulates the degree of openness of the opening and closing member by touching the inner wall of the tank opening forming member.
US08511351B2
A fuel delivery system of an aircraft refueling vehicle that is configured to distribute fuel from a hydrant pit valve at an airport. The fuel delivery system includes a first hose including a coupler that is configured to be fluidly connected to a hydrant pit valve at an airport to receive fuel from the hydrant pit valve. A fuel passageway is fluidly coupled to the first hose. An on-board fuel tank is fluidly coupled to the fuel passageway. A second hose is fluidly coupled to the fuel passageway. The second hose includes a nozzle that is configured to be coupled to a refueling point on an aircraft to distribute fuel into a fuel tank of an aircraft. A valve is coupled to the fuel passageway to control the flow of fuel to and from the aircraft refueling vehicle.
US08511348B2
A system and method for dispensing a beverage are provided. The system includes a liquid dispensing machine having a dispensing area capable of receiving a container, a scanner adjacent to the dispensing area, a container that is capable of being placed in the dispensing area, and annular barcode indicia extending around an exterior surface of the container and centered around a generally vertical axis of the container. The scanner can read the annular barcode indicia when the container is placed in the dispensing area at any rotational orientation relative to the scanner.
US08511347B2
A system and method for installing and removing a flow restrictor assembly in a shower, while prevents tampering with the flow restriction system thus installed. Tampering is prevented by concealing the flow restrictor assembly behind a shower wall, attached directly to a water supply line. The system further prevents tampering by concealing the tool-hole necessary for its removal behind a flow restrictor disk, so that there are no visible means of removing the flow restrictor assembly. The flow restrictor assembly threads onto a showerhead arm and the flow restrictor assembly with the attached showerhead arm threads directly into the water line. When the showerhead arm is unthreaded, the flow restrictor assembly remains connected to the water line by an external screw thread. The flow restrictor must be removed to reveal the tool-hole which may only then be engaged by a tool for removal.
US08511341B2
A marine fuel backflow preventer and overfill alarm for use with marine vessels includes a housing provided for in-line installation in the fuel fill inlet line and directs fuel entering the a fuel filling inlet generally directly to a fuel filling outlet such that the fuel passes freely through the back flow preventer while being directed to the vessel fuel tank. The housing further functions as a reservoir for containing fuel which has accumulated therein due to over-filling and/or that has been carried into the housing via the fuel tank vent line. By providing a fuel containing reservoir disposed in-line the present invention thus functions to prevent unintended fuel spillage into the environment. The back flow preventer further includes an electro-mechanical float switch that automatically activates an alarm upon sensing the presence of fuel within the housing. The alarm provides the fuel filling attendant a prompt warning that an overflow condition is being experienced such that the flow of fuel may be terminated prior to spillage into the environment.
US08511332B2
A valve of the “Snap-In” type is intended to be mounted directly on the rim of a vehicle wheel fitted with a “tubeless” tire. The valve is secured to the rim through which it passes via a groove produced at the base of a bulb extended by a rubbery coating of an internal nozzle of the valve. The groove collaborates elastically with a hole in the rim, on the periphery of which hole it becomes lodged, the mass or the volume of the bulb being smaller in its region (A) toward the interior of the rim by comparison with its region (B) directed toward the exterior, this reduction taking place near the groove intended to collaborate with the hole in the rim, both in the part thereof that surrounds the nozzle and in the part thereof that is in contact with the bottom of the rim.
US08511324B2
A washing/drying machine according to the present invention is capable of efficiently performing a drying operation to reduce a drying period. The washing/drying machine includes a tank (11) for storing used water, and the water is circulated from the tank (11) for dehumidification of air circulated through a drying air duct (20). Since the water is circulated from the tank (11), a great amount of water can be supplied as dehumidification water for higher dehumidification efficiency. The amount of the circulated water (the amount of cooling water (dehumidification water)) is reduced in a first half of a drying process, and increased in a second half of the drying process. As a result, the drying efficiency is improved during the drying operation, thereby reducing the drying period.
US08511313B2
A protective shield. The protective shield is provided in a generally cupped structure sized to accommodate and shaped with sufficient volume to receive therein adult human female genitalia. The protective vaginal shield includes a soft, flexible outer lip that is generally configured in the shape of an arcuate section made through an ovoid shape substantially along the longitudinal axis thereof. Extending inwardly and downwardly from the outer lip are outer sloping sidewalls. A longitudinally extending nose portion is provided. Inner sloping sidewalls extend from the outer sloping sidewalls to the longitudinally running nose portion. In one embodiment, the inner sloping sidewalls comprise a pair of opposing concave shaped structures, to provide a secure handle grip. In an embodiment, the protective shield may be provided in a disposable material.
US08511311B2
The present invention provides in some embodiments, an endotracheal tube with subglottic secretion suction and a detachable suction line. The endotracheal tube is an elongate tube having an outer wall defining an elongate central lumen and an elongate suction lumen. An inflatable cuff is attached near a distal end of the elongate tube. The shoulder of the inflatable cuff is inverted in order to increase the diameter of the cuff from its distal end to its proximal end. The endotracheal tube also includes a connector to couple the suction lumen to a source of suction to remove subglottic secretions from the area above the cuff.
US08511303B2
An exhalation breath-actuated nasal deliver device for and a method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, the delivery device comprising: a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of a subject; a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales; and delivery unit, as one of a mechanical delivery pump or a nebulizer, for delivering a substance to the nosepiece; and an actuation mechanism for actuating the delivery unit in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece, and preferably when at least one or both of the pressure at or the flow rate through the nosepiece exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US08511301B2
There is provided a liquid formulation ejection device which improves reliability of inhalation even in a case where a preejection is performed and resolves a concern about hygiene. The liquid formulation ejection device (1) ejects a liquid formulation in a form of liquid droplets into an inhalation flow path (20) and allows a user to inhale the formulation. The liquid formulation ejection device (1) includes an ejector (11) for performing normal liquid droplet ejection for inhalation and liquid droplet preejection not for inhalation, and a discharger (13, 14, 28) for removing liquid droplets ejected by the liquid droplet preejection out of an inside of the inhalation flow path (20).
US08511287B2
A fuel injector system for raising fuel to its supercritical state and injecting the supercritical-state fuel to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. A plurality of injector embodiments provides alternative ways to heat the pressurized fuel to its supercritical state. Injection of supercritical fuel into the combustion chamber is known to improve fuel entrainment and reducing ignition delay to thereby increase combustion rate, which leads to an increase in fuel efficiency. According to some embodiments, the system provides for preventing coking that may otherwise occur in an exhaust gas heat exchanger used for preheating the high pressure fuel. In other embodiments, engine cold start assistance is provided by storing pressurized, heated fuel in an insulated container.
US08511285B2
An evaporated fuel treatment apparatus collects vapor, generated in a fuel tank, in a canister. A bypass passage is provided for an intake passage. An ejector is placed in the bypass passage to generate a negative pressure by air flowing in the bypass passage. When the negative pressure occurs in the ejector, the vapor collected in the canister is drawn from the canister to the ejector through the purge passage and then purged from the bypass passage to the intake passage. An open/close valve placed in the ejector is configured to allow or block the flow of air from the intake passage to the bypass passage according to a pressure difference between the pressure in an upstream portion and the pressure in a downstream portion of the bypass passage during engine operation.
US08511284B2
A fuel supply apparatus of an internal combustion engine is provided which can discharge air bubbles or air from within fuel supply paths while increasing pressure within a common rail up to a predetermined pressure level before a start of the internal combustion engine, can reduce a period of time of cranking from when an ignition switch is switched on and which can reduce noise that occurs when the air bubbles or air are being discharged.The fuel supply apparatus is provided with a flow rate control valve that adjusts a flow rate of fuel supplied to the common rail and a pressure control valve that reduces the pressure within the common rail. The fuel supply apparatus is further provided with: a pre-start drive control portion that performs a pre-start drive of an electromagnetic low pressure pump before the start of the internal combustion engine; a flow rate control valve control portion that maintains the flow rate control valve in an open state while the pre-start drive is being performed; and a pressure control valve control portion that maintains the pressure control valve in a closed state and performs a control that opens the pressure control valve at least once for a short time period while the pre-start drive is being performed.
US08511276B2
Provided is a cat-and-mouse type internal combustion engine of concentric two-rotor/six-piston type, which has a cooling chamber in its cylinder housing and which needs neither any lubricating oil nor any valve mechanism so that its structure is simple and compact and can be easily manufactured. Further provided are a variable correlation type crank for a constant-pressure burning (CPB) engine of a variable compression ratio, and an inertial correlation type crank for a premixed compression ignition (HCCI), thereby to realize an internal combustion engine, which matches fuels of various kinds and which has a high energy efficiency and a clean exhaust gas.
US08511272B2
A horizontal groove extending horizontally when an alternator bracket is fixed to a cylinder block of a vehicle engine is formed in the alternator bracket. A shank of a bolt inserted through mounting pieces of an alternator is inserted into the horizontal groove from a horizontally lateral direction toward the cylinder block to support the bolt on a lower surface of the horizontal groove. After insertion, the bolt is restrained from moving toward an opening of the horizontal groove. Since the insertion of the bolt into the horizontal groove is facilitated, and the weight of the alternator is borne by the lower surface of the horizontal groove, a burden on a fixing portion is reduced, and it becomes easy to position the alternator and hold it when it is fixed. Thus, the accessory can be mounted on the cylinder block with satisfactory work efficiency and with support accuracy kept high.
US08511270B2
An ECM 2 performs an idle-stop operation on a vehicle internal combustion engine 4 in an idle operation state. The ECM 2 is supplied with power from a battery 3. The ECM 2 restarts the internal combustion engine 4 upon request by supplying power from the battery 3 to the starter motor 5. The ECM 2 is programmed to determine if the ECM 2 has experienced an unexpected restart during an engine start-up operation (S1, S2), and prevent the idle-stop operation from being executed on the internal combustion engine 4 when the determination is affirmative. Thus, starting failure of the internal combustion engine 4 from an operation-ceased state can be prevented without preventing the idle-stop operation from being executed excessively.
US08511269B2
A cylinder head for an internal combustion engine includes a casting having a number of camshaft support bulkheads. Each of the support bulkheads has a portion of a parent bore bearing for mounting a camshaft. A bulkhead thrust surface is formed in an outer surface of at least one of the support bulkheads. A camshaft is rotatably mounted upon the support bulkheads. The camshaft has at least one thrust bearing member abutting a bulkhead thrust surface which is provided with lubricating oil by means of a radially extending, surface-piercing lubricant distribution channel formed in the bulkhead thrust surface, such that oil flowing in the parent bearing will be caused to be deposited upon the bulkhead thrust surface as well as upon the camshaft thrust surface.
US08511267B2
While an operating angle or a lift of an engine valve (211) is modified within a predetermined operating angle range or lift range, variation in an opening timing of the engine valve (211) is suppressed by displacing a rocker shaft (216b) relative to a drive shaft (213) such that an opening timing variation of the engine valve (211) accompanying angular variation in a straight line linking a center of the drive shaft (213) and a center of the rocker shaft (216b) and an opening timing variation of the engine valve (211) accompanying variation in a distance between the center of the drive shaft (213) and the center of the rocker shaft (216b) cancel each other out.
US08511266B2
A valve control apparatus is provided for an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a variable phase angle mechanism configured to continuously change a valve opening phase angle of a valve, a variable valve mechanism configured to continuously change at least one of a valve opening duration and a valve lift of the valve, and a controller configured to control the variable phase angle mechanism and the variable valve mechanism. The variable phase angle mechanism is configured to set the valve opening phase angle at a retarded phase angle in a startup operation as compared with a normal phase angle in a normal operation. After an engine stop command is generated, the controller controls the variable valve mechanism such that an integrated valve opening value is increased to be larger than an idle state integrated valve opening value in an idle state.
US08511259B2
Method for reducing emission of pollutants from an internal combustion engine including at least one combustion chamber. A fuel emulsion is injected into a combustion chamber; the fuel emulsion is ignited in the combustion chamber in the presence of air; and the internal combustion engine is operated so as to reduce peak combustion temperature in the combustion chamber. The fuel emulsion has a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, water, at least one emulsifier and at least one oxygen-containing water soluble organic compound. A considerable reduction of particulate emissions is obtained by using this fuel emulsion while maintaining or even further reducing the NOx level which is already reduced by the engine itself.
US08511252B2
An apparatus for applying a fluid to a convolutely wound roll of web substrate is disclosed. The apparatus provides for a fluid applicator having a manifold and a first surface. The fluid is fluidly displaceable from the manifold to the first surface through at least one opening disposed therein. The convolutely wound roll of web substrate is disposable upon the first surface. At least a portion of the fluid is fluidly displaced from the first surface to the convolutely wound roll of web substrate. Any of the fluid not fluidly displaced from the first surface to the convolutely wound roll of web substrate is not displaceable back into then manifold.
US08511247B2
An underwater traveling vehicle includes: a vehicle body 2; an endless track means 3 which is rotatably mounted to the vehicle body 2; a drive means which is provided in the vehicle body 2 so as to drive the endless track means 3; and a thruster 4 which is provided in the vehicle body 2.
US08511246B2
An offshore floating production, storage, and off-loading vessel has a hull of generally cylindrical or polygonal configuration surrounding a central double tapered conical moon pool and contains water ballast and oil and/or liquefied gas storage compartments. An adjustable water ballast system induces heave, roll, pitch and surge motions of the vessel to dynamically position and maneuver the vessel. The moon pool shape and other devices on the vessel provide added virtual mass for increasing the natural period of the roll and heave modes, reducing dynamic amplification and resonance due to waves and vessel motion, and facilitate maneuvering the vessel. A disconnectable turret buoy at the bottom of the moon pool connects risers and mooring lines.
US08511244B2
A method of assembling a prosthetic valve using sheets of material, such as pericardium material, polymer or bioengineered film, or other material. The method provides an accurate and repeatable system of making pericardial valves in which sheets or pieces of material are held securely in place relative to each other throughout the steps of assembling the valve. In addition, methods of the present invention include maintaining consistent alignment of the fixtures and pericardium material throughout the valve assembly process and utilize features that make the tooling components easy to assemble and handle. Certain aspects of the invention can be used to help establish a repeatable sewing and cutting technique for creating a pattern shape for valve leaflets, establishing stitch lengths, and determining the exact placement of stitches.
US08511237B2
Structure for mounting batteries in a guideway electric vehicle driven by a battery-driven motor is provided, with which balancing in weight of the vehicle is properly achieved, batteries can be cooled enough, battery rooms are completely sealed from the passenger room, and running stability of the vehicle is ensured.The battery mounting structure is composed such that battery rooms (35) for mounting battery modules (33) comprised of a plurality of batteries are formed on a floor (9) of the vehicle in both sides adjacent side walls (11) of the vehicle respectively, each of the battery rooms (35) being partitioned from the passenger cabin of the vehicle hermetically by a partition plate (37); suction openings (41) for introducing outside air into the battery room (35) are provided in the floor (9) or side wall (11) of the vehicle in each battery room (35), and exhaust openings (41) for releasing air to the outside of the vehicle are provided in the side wall (11) thereof in each battery room (35); whereby the battery module (33) in each battery room (35) can be cooled by outside air.
US08511234B2
A device and system for towing snow sleds either alone or with one or more riders along the surface of a snow cover slope to a higher position includes a tow cable extending continuously along a closed loop path between the starting position and the arriving position along the slope. Tow cable pulleys are located at the starting position and the arriving position upon which the cable is supported and driven. A drive motor is operatively connected to one of the cable pulleys and operating to rotatingly drive the pulley to drive the cable through the closed loop path. One or more tow hooks are connected in series at spaced intervals to the tow cable for conjoint movement therewith. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08511231B2
A less than lethal projectile and method of producing the same comprising of a sealed filled polymeric pouch containing a shot within. The sealed filled polymeric pouch is formed in a form, fill, and seal machine. An automatic loading ammunition machine is fed empty shell casings; the ammunition machine automatically loads the empty shell casing with pre-determined quantities of wad, primer, and gun powder, and subsequently moves the sealed filled polymeric pouch into a projectile compartment of the empty shell casing producing a fully-loaded shell casing to be loaded into a barrel of an ammunition. The polymeric pouch is capable of being inserted into various shell casings depending on the intended use thus allowing for officers and soldiers to select from an array of munitions when confronted with a situation where less than lethal means are required.
US08511229B2
A microcavity structure. In an illustrative embodiment, the microcavity structure includes a first substrate, which has a region of interest. A second substrate with a perforation therein is bonded to the first substrate. The perforation coincides with the region of interest. In a specific embodiment, the first substrate is implemented via a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The region of interest includes one or more circuit components, including an actuator, such as a bridgewire, thereon or therein. A smoothing layer is included between the PCB and the actuator. A bonding gasket adheres the first substrate to the second substrate. The perforation accommodates energetic material that is selectively ignited via the actuator.
US08511228B2
A thermal indicator using indicia formed by opaque ink applied to a thermal imaging material element is described. The ink is substantially the same color as the imaging element background and remains substantially hidden until the imaging element background changes color when heated. Time-temperature exposure indicating labels can be prepared using a printer with direct thermal type and ink jet type print heads.
US08511226B2
A way of dealing with challenges to the pepper processing industry and pepper growers is to mechanize pepper processing, including the de-stemming of whole peppers. The present example provides a method for mechanically de-stemming whole peppers. The method provides for the recognition of a pepper's shoulder and or interior regions and stem in order to generate a control signal to initiate a process to de-stem the pepper. In particular, several implementations of the method are provided that may include a mechanical system, a laser system, a machine vision system, a combination of a machine vision system and the laser system, and other equivalent implementations. Additionally disclosed, are methods of processing whole peppers utilizing automated de-stemming.
US08511220B2
Various embodiments are directed to a beverage maker. The beverage maker may include a brew system, an indicator to indicate at least one of a cleaning and a maintenance need of the beverage maker, and a control circuit. The brew system may include a reservoir to receive a liquid, a heater to heat the liquid, an expendable filter structured to filter impurities from the liquid for at least a predetermined number of brew cycles, and a container for receiving a beverage brewed from the filtered liquid. The control circuit may include a processor configured to receive a signal from at least one sensor indicative of an end of a brew cycle, increment a brew cycle counter by one count at the end of each brew cycle, and activate the indicator when a value of the brew cycle counter is equal to the predetermined number of brew cycles.
US08511219B2
A sealing system for a pump includes a housing having an internal chamber adapted to receive a portion of a plunger. A primary seal is translatable within the chamber in sealing relation with the housing. The primary seal includes first and second elastomeric members adapted to sealingly engage the plunger. The first and second elastomeric members are spaced apart from one another a distance greater than or equal to a maximum stroke of the plunger. A secondary seal is spaced apart from the primary seal and adapted to sealingly engage the plunger. A chamber contains a barrier fluid in contact with the primary seal and the secondary seal. A pressurizing device maintains a pressure of barrier fluid at a magnitude greater than a peak pressure of a fluid pumped by the plunger such that the pumped fluid is restricted from entering the barrier fluid chamber.
US08511215B1
A personal protection shield for use with a weapon, such as a firearm, may be used to protect the operator of the weapon. The shield may include one or more ballistic plates and one or more mounting assemblies to mount a ballistic plate to the weapon.
US08511212B2
A miter saw includes a base, a table rotatably mounted on the base, a blade and motor assembly pivotally coupled to a frame support that is attached to the table, and a power cord coupled to the blade and motor assembly. The frame support, the base, and/or the blade and motor assembly also comprises a handle portion that includes a grip with an opening disposed at an outer end thereof, with the grip also having a pair of arcuate surfaces disposed at opposing sides thereof for retaining the power cord when wrapped around both surfaces.
US08511211B2
A power miter saw of the type which has an upper fixed blade guard and a lower swinging blade guard for covering the lower reach of an installed blade when the saw is in its rest position and for exposing the lower reach of the saw blade when moved to its operational position, the saw comprising an adjustable length elongated linkage mechanism interconnecting a frame support and the lower blade guard for moving the lower blade guard in response to movement of the saw between the rest and operational positions, such that the lower blade guard covers the lower reach of the blade when the saw is in its rest position and uncovers the blade when the saw is moved to its operational position, the linkage mechanism permitting the exposure of a blade arbor to facilitate changing of the blade.
US08511210B2
A method of cutting a laminated material 10A made of at least first and second plates that are laid one on another and fixed together includes holding the laminated material 10A between a pad 71 and a clamp base 73, so that an edge 14a of the first plate 14 is positioned between an edge 71a of the pad 71 and an edge 73a of the clamp base 73; and cutting a protrusion of the second plate 12 protruding from the edge 14a of the first plate 14 by moving a punch 75 along the pad 71 in a direction from the second plate 12 toward the first plate 14 and by using the first plate 14 as a die to cut the protrusion of the second plate 12. The method is capable of precisely cutting the protrusion of the second plate 12 protruding from the edge 14a of the first plate 14 through a reduced number of processes.
US08511202B2
An operation restricting device includes an operation knob to be turned by a user, a rotor member to rotate integrally with the operation knob, a case member enclosing the rotor member to be rotatable therein, a stopper member being movable along a radial direction of the rotor member in the rotor member, the stopper member restricting a rotation of the rotor member by engaging with a wall part of the case member, a spring for always providing a spring force biasing the stopper member outside the rotor member in the radial direction, a solenoid to retain a plunger by being energized, and a link member rotatably engaging with the plunger. When the solenoid is energized, the turning of the operation knob allows the stopper member to move back into the rotor member against the spring force such that the engaging of the stopper member is released.
US08511197B2
A robot arm assembly includes a support arm, a lower arm rotatably connected to the support arm, an upper arm rotatably connected to the lower arm, a first driver for driving the lower arm, a first transmission transferring power from the first driver to the lower arm, a second driver for driving the upper arm, and a second transmission transferring power from the second driver to the upper arm. The first and second drivers are mounted on the support arm. The second transmission includes a belt assembly, a beveled gear assembly driven by the belt assembly, and a speed reducer coupled to the upper arm.
US08511184B2
Device for taking samples from the bottom boundary layer of a water body, consisting of compact bottom sediments, overlying water-saturated mud layer, and near-bottom water layer directly connected with the latter, belongs among oceanographic devices. Disturbance of the probes' structure is avoided by the construction of the device with several shorter tubes with their inlet holes being located at different heights, instead of one long sampling tube. There are distinctive tubes for taking samples from layers at different heights from the bottom. The sampling tube divided into sections is furnished with isolating valves that divide the interior of the tube into layers isolated from each other. Soft and regulated drop of the device is achieved using the inflatable contact belt. Using an upper inflatable balloon avoids the vertical stability of the device and raising it to the surface without cabling.
US08511177B1
A system and method are provided for monitoring the structural integrity of one or more blades in a blade-based device, such as a wind turbine. Physical and electrical (e.g., lightening) sources of damage, wear and the like are considered. Generation of power for sensor and communication circuitry may be integrated into the system. Timely and cost-effective repair of any structural or weather-related damage or other issues may be provided, thereby improving operating efficiency and safety of blade-based devices.
US08511176B2
An embodiment of the subject invention is directed to a jack incorporating one or more strain gauges. The one or more strain gauges can be positioned on, within, or integral to the jack. When a load or force is applied by the jack, one or more materials within the jack are deformed or displaced as a result of the applied load. The one or more strain gauges are used to measure the deformation or displacement and thus measure the strain. The measured strain can be used to determine the magnitude of the load applied by the jack. In an embodiment, a plurality of strain gauges are used and the resulting strain measurements can be combined to determine the applied load.
US08511173B2
Provided is a displacement amplifying device which uses Pascal's principle and is insusceptible to temperature change. A main body (1) is provided with an accommodation space (11) for accommodating a medium (2) therein. The medium (2) is provided with a fluid (21) with a positive thermal expansion coefficient and a movable body (22) with a negative thermal expansion coefficient. The movable body (22) is displaced according to the movement of the fluid (21). The medium (2) is provided with a small-area first movable surface (23) and a large-area second movable surface (24). The displacement of one of the first movable surface (23) and the second movable surface (24) is transmitted to the other via the medium (2). In the displacement amplifying device, even if the volume of the fluid (21) is changed by the temperature change of the medium (2), the amount of change of the volume of the medium (2) as a whole can be kept low by the volume change of the movable body (22).
US08511167B2
A gage having a motion detection mechanism magnetically attached to a pressure sensing diaphragm. The motion detection mechanism is magnetically coupled to a pointer rotation mechanism configured to indicate the position of the diaphragm and the corresponding pressure sensed by the diaphragm.
US08511161B2
A physical amount detecting device includes: one pair of first driving vibration arms are bending-vibrated in a Z-axis direction with a first phase, one pair of second driving vibration arms are bending-vibrated in the Z-axis direction with a second phase that is a reverse phase of the first phase, the one pair of the first driving vibration arms and the one pair of the second driving vibrating arms are vibrated in a Y-axis direction with opposite phases by a Coriolis force that is generated in accordance with angular velocity of a X-axis rotation, and one pair of detection vibration arms are bending-vibrated in the X-axis direction with opposite phases in accordance with vibration of the one pair of the first driving vibration arms and the one pair of the second driving vibration arms in the Y-axis direction.
US08511149B2
This invention provides a device for detecting an analyte in a liquid sample, comprising a cup body (7), a lid (1) and a base (15), wherein, said the cup body (7) comprises a liquid storage chamber (9) and a test strip groove locating in one side of liquid storage chamber, the storage chamber (9) and the test strip groove communicates each other through a small hole in the bottom of liquid storage chamber, the test strip groove is configured with a test strip plate, said lid being able to seal the opening of the cup tightly, said opening of cup being directly connected with the liquid storage chamber.
US08511146B2
The disclosed portable apparatus for determining leaks in air ducts includes a wheeled cabinet having hand-graspable handles for transport. A front, covered equipment readout includes displays for air duct flow, air duct pressure, blower speed, and smoke generator operation. An on-board variable speed blower control knob also is included on the front panel. Housed within the cart is a variable speed blower, a silencer, a smoke generator, power supply, and multiple venturis of different diameter for different sized air ducts to be tested.
US08511140B2
An apparatus and a method of chemical analysis entail acquiring a chromatogram, median filtering the chromatogram to produce a model baseline, smoothing the model baseline to reduce noise, and subtracting the smoothed model baseline from the acquired chromatogram to produce a modified chromatogram having a substantially flat baseline.
US08511132B2
The invention relates to a bending press (1), in particular a press brake (2), for producing workpieces (3) by bending between a bench beam (11) equipped with at least one bending tool (4) disposed in a stationary arrangement on a machine frame (5) and a pressing beam (14) equipped with at least one bending tool (4) which can be displaced relative to the bench beam (11) in linear guides (13) of the machine frame (5) by means of at least one drive means (19) secured to a support bearing device (25). The support bearing device (25) is provided in the form of at least one mounting plate for at least one drive means (19). The latter constitutes a mounting ring for the drive means (19), some regions of which are provided with orifices or peripheral recesses surrounding the mounting ring and weakened zones (38) are provided in the pressing beam (14).
US08511127B2
The invention relates to a method for changing rolls, in particular, working rolls (7, 8) and/or intermediate rolls in a roll stand, such as a roughing down stand or finishing stand for rolling thick sheet iron. Said rolls comprise back up roller sets (5, 6) and working roller sets (7, 8). One individual locomotive mechanism (9) is used for changing the working rolls (7, 8) and/or for changing the back up rolls (5, 6) and/or for inserting or withdrawing a roll changing seat (11) by supporting the rolls on each other and subsequently withdrawing in the axial direction of the rolls on the operational side of the roll stand, from a roll hall (1) in a roll workshop (2) and back and for installing novel roll sets. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out said method.
US08511122B1
The present remote key device includes an annular frame member disposed about a central axis. The frame member includes an inner frame portion that defines a central void region interior thereto, which is adapted to house a remote access transmitter device therewithin.
US08511120B2
Electronic locking system to secure consumable item in an image forming device and a method therefor
An electronic locking system to secure consumable items in an image forming device and a method therefore. In one embodiment of the invention, an electronic locking system to secure media sheets includes a media tray to hold media sheets, a tray receiving member for receiving the media tray, and a controller. The tray receiving member includes a drive device and a plunger. The plunger is moved by the drive device between a locked and an unlocked position. The controller is configured to control the drive device to move the plunger to engage a portion of the media tray in the locked position and to move the plunger to disengage from the portion of the media tray in the unlocked position. The electronic locking system, incorporating the controller, provides an effective and efficient way to lock/unlock the media tray and eliminates the use of mechanical keys.
US08511118B2
By employing a deadbolt construction for virtually eliminating the ability of the shackle to be removed from the housing by the application of excessive force, an effective, easily produced, padlock is achieved which also incorporates two separate and independent locking systems formed in a single padlock. In the present invention, a single housing and a single shackle assembly are employed and are constructed for enabling the shackle to be released from locked engagement with the housing using either a rotatable dial combination construction or a key activated tumbler construction. Furthermore, the rotatable combination defining dials, which controls the release of the shackle using the preset combination, are coaxially aligned, peripherally surrounding the key controlled tumbler/cylinder. As a result, a compact construction is realized, as well as an efficient and effective release construction which is shared by both the combination controlled section as well as the key controlled section.
US08511116B2
The inventive washing/drying machine is capable of cleaning water while performing a laundry process, and uses water filtered by a filter for dehumidification in a drying process, thereby achieving water saving. The washing/drying machine (1) includes a washing tub (3), a water circulation passage (55, 57, 26, 59) through which water is circulated from the washing tub (3), a circulation pump (25) provided in the water circulation passage, a filter unit (15) for filtering the water circulated through the water circulation passage to trap foreign matter, a gas-liquid mixer (27) for mixing cleaning air containing ozone generated by an ozone generator (19) with the circulated water, a drying air duct (20) for use in the drying process, air blowing/heating means (70) for circulating air from the washing tub (3) through the drying air duct (20) in the drying process, a duct water supply passage (24) for supplying the water filtered by the filter unit (15) to the drying air duct (20) for dehumidification, and a drying pump (23) for pumping out the water filtered by the filter unit (15) through the duct water supply passage.
US08511112B2
A refrigeration cycle apparatus which is capable of performing matching of the volumetric flow rate without performing pre-expansion it obtained. A refrigeration circuit includes a compression unit including a main compressor and a second compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator interconnected with pipes, and a sub-compression mechanism driven by power recovered by the expansion mechanism, a suction side of the sub-compression mechanism is connected to a compression process of the compression unit, a discharge side of the sub-compression mechanism is connected to an inlet side of the gas cooler, and flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the sub-compression mechanism is controlled.
US08511106B2
Provided is refrigeration appliance that includes a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment for storing food items in a refrigerated environment. The refrigeration appliance also includes at least one door restricting access into at least one of the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment. A heated mullion including a substantially-planar, externally-exposed surface is provided to cooperate with a seal provided to the door. An ice chute extends at least partially through the door for dispensing ice through the door. The ice chute includes a fastener for coupling the ice chute to a door liner and maintain the position of the ice chute relative to the door liner during installation of an insulating material in the door.
US08511105B2
A water vending apparatus is disclosed. The water vending system includes a water vapor distillation apparatus and a dispensing device. The dispensing device is in fluid communication with the fluid vapor distillation apparatus and the product water from the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the dispensing device.
US08511103B2
A method and system for controlling operation of a vapor compression system (13) includes monitoring at least one component condition of the system (13), comparing a predetermined setpoint to the at least one component condition, and loading or unloading at least one of a first compressor (18) or a second compressor (20) of the system (13) in response to the comparison of the predetermined setpoint to the at least one component condition.
US08511098B2
An example engine assembly includes a first attachment structure secured to an engine casing or an engine liner, and a second attachment structure secured to the other of the engine casing or the engine liner. A sliding member is held by the first attachment structure and is slideable relative to the first attachment structure between a first position and a second position. A pin structure moves with the sliding member between the first position and the second position. A link is pivotally connected to the second attachment structure and the pin structure.
US08511093B2
A power generation plant comprises a plant control device (600) including two switchable control modes, i.e., a gas-turbine load control mode (7a) and a steam-turbine load control mode (7b). When the control is performed with the gas-turbine load control mode (7a), a fuel valve (104a) is controlled based on a load of a whole generator set (100), and a steam regulating valve (203a) is controlled based on an exhaust pressure of a steam turbine (202a). When the control is performed with the steam-turbine load control mode (7b), the fuel valve (104a) is controlled such that a valve opening degree thereof is maintained constant, and the steam regulating valve (203a) is controlled based on a load of the whole generator set (100).
US08511087B2
Disclosed is a gas turbine fuel injector and swirler assembly, including: a delivery tube structure arranged on a central axis of the fuel injector and swirler assembly, a first fuel supply channel arranged in the delivery tube structure, a shroud surrounding the delivery tube structure, swirl vanes arranged between the delivery tube structure and the shroud, a radial passage in each swirl vane, communicating with the first fuel supply channel, a set of apertures open between the radial passage and the exterior surface of said each swirl vane, wherein a second fuel supply channel is arranged in the delivery tube structure extending to a downstream end of the delivery tube structure and a mixer with lobes for fuel injection is arranged at the downstream end. Further disclosed is an assembly method for assembling a fuel injector and swirler assembly.
US08511085B2
In one aspect, the present invention provides a direct evaporator apparatus for use in an organic Rankine cycle energy recovery system, comprising: (a) a housing comprising a heat source gas inlet, and a heat source gas outlet, the housing defining a heat source gas flow path from the inlet to the outlet; and (b) a heat exchange tube disposed within the heat source flow path, the heat exchange tube being configured to accommodate an organic Rankine cycle working fluid, the heat exchange tube comprising a working fluid inlet and a working fluid outlet. The direct evaporator apparatus is configured such that at least a portion of a heat source gas having contacted at least a portion of the heat exchange tube is in thermal contact with heat source gas entering the direct evaporator apparatus via the heat source gas inlet. An organic Rankine cycle energy recovery system and a method of energy recovery are also provided.
US08511079B2
In one embodiment, a hydraulic circuit has an input shaft, at least one positive displacement hydraulic pump, a plurality of positive displacement hydraulic motors, and at least one fluid line operatively connecting the at least one positive displacement hydraulic pump to the positive displacement hydraulic motors. In operation, the at least one positive displacement hydraulic pump is placed in an operative condition. At least one of the positive displacement hydraulic motors is also placed in an operative condition. A flow rate of fluid in the fluid line is measured, and the remaining positive displacement hydraulic motors are switched between an operative condition and a bypass condition according to the measured flow rate of the fluid.
US08511076B2
A mixing and/or evaporating device (7) is provided through which exhaust gas can flow axially. The mixing and/or evaporating device (7) is arranged in an exhaust gas-carrying line of an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, especially of a motor vehicle, with a plurality of blades (8), which are arranged distributed in the circumferential direction and which project inwardly from an outer wall (9). Each blade (8) has a profile (10) at least in an area adjoining the outer wall (9) in the axial direction (14), in which profile a discharge edge (12) has an offset (16) in the circumferential direction (15) in relation to the leading edge (11). A reduction of the flow resistance of the device (7) can be achieved if the profile (10) has an angle of incidence (17) each in relation to the axial direction (14) at the leading edge (11) and at the discharge edge (12), which angle is in a range of −10°, inclusive to +10°, inclusive.
US08511070B2
A technique is provided that can complete reduction and release of SOx from a storage-reduction type NOx catalyst in a shorter period of time in a SOx regeneration treatment of bringing an air-fuel ratio and temperature in the storage-reduction type NOx catalyst to a state where the reduction and release of the SOx is possible by alternately executing rich burn in which burning in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine is performed at a rich air-fuel ratio and lean burn in which the burning is performed at a lean air-fuel ratio. By supplying fuel to exhaust gas from a fuel addition valve provided to an exhaust pipe during a lean period in which the lean burn is executed, the temperature of the storage-reduction type NOx catalyst is maintained at a temperature that enables the reduction and release of the SOx. During a rich period in which the rich burn is executed, a rich atmosphere of the storage-reduction type NOx catalyst is achieved to cause the reduction and release of the SOx. Further, the SOx is reduced and released from the storage-reduction type NOx catalyst also during the lean period by achieving a rich air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas by the fuel addition from the fuel addition valve.
US08511065B2
An engine with an emissions control arrangement includes an engine including an intake and an exhaust system, an EGR system comprising a conduit between the exhaust system and the intake and an EGR controller between the exhaust system and the conduit, the EGR controller being adapted to control EGR flow from the exhaust system to the intake, a reduction agent introduction system adapted to introduce a reduction agent into the exhaust system, and a controller arranged to adjust EGR flow and reduction agent introduction as functions of each other.
US08511064B2
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for controlling catalytic processes, including catalyst regeneration and soot elimination. An alternating current is applied to a catalyst layer and a polarization impedance of the catalyst layer is monitored. The polarization impedance may be controlled by varying the asymmetrical alternating current. At least one of water, oxygen, steam and heat may be provided to the catalyst layer to enhance an oxidation reaction for soot elimination and/or to regenerate the catalyst.
US08511052B2
A windrow merger including three pickup and transfer units, a folding system, and a plurality of float mechanisms. The folding system employs simultaneous rearward, outward, and upward folding motion so as to ensure none of the units interfere with the other units while folding, and likewise while unfolding. The folding system can further fold and unfold each of the three pickup and transfer units at the same time. During merging operations, the plurality of float mechanisms of the windrow merger limits the range of motion of each pickup and transfer unit. The float mechanisms further transfer a portion of the weight of each pickup and transfer unit from the ground to the frame of the merger. The units of the windrow merger can also include a rub rail having a surface that reduces swirling or clumping of material as the material is conveyed toward an end of the windrow merger.
US08511051B2
Berry, such as grape, harvesting machine includes a plurality of superimposed shakers formed by flexible bars, and attached through their ends to two vertical shafts. At least one shaft is an oscillating actuation shaft controlled by a mechatronic shaking control permitting an oscillating movement. The mechatronic shaking control includes an eccentric system connected to the actuating shaft through a connecting rod, and the rotation axis of the eccentric system is mounted with an orientation adjustable in a plane parallel to the median plane of the machine so that any modification of this orientation permits to modify the amplitude of the oscillating movement of the actuating shaft, and, consequently the amplitude of the shaking movement of the shakers.
US08511040B2
A panel, in particular floor panel, with a core of wood material or a wood material/plastic mixture, a top side and a bottom side, which panel has on at least two opposite lateral edges a profiling corresponding to one another such that two identically embodied panels can be connected and locked to one another by an essentially vertical joining motion in the horizontal and vertical directions, wherein the locking in the vertical direction can be brought about by at least one tongue element movable in the horizontal direction, which element snaps into place during the joining motion behind a locking edge extending essentially in the horizontal direction, is characterized in that the tongue element is formed in one piece out of the core.
US08511034B2
A hybrid contoured load-spreading washer is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the washer includes a washer body having a composite layer and a metal layer bonded to the composite layer and a fastener opening extending through the washer body. A floor beam seat track attachment assembly and a method of transmitting a load from a seat track to a floor beam web in a seat track attachment assembly are also disclosed.
US08511026B2
A cladding and drywall construction system is based on a load-bearing structure (11), large-surface flat constructive elements (1) which have joining pieces including male elements (6), anchoring pieces of the male elements to the load-bearing structure and fixed profiles (20) which are anchored to the load-bearing structure (211) and sliding profiles (14) which are mounted on the fixed profiles (20), which can move along them. The fixed profiles (20) and the sliding profiles (14) have, respectively, opposite holes (7) and openings (5), through which the male elements (6) are inserted for their blocking by the openings (5), through the sliding movement of the sliding profiles (14).
US08511025B2
A building including a metal joint is provided with a damping member that is mounted between at least a pair of structures and yields in accordance with relative displacement between the structures. The damping member includes strength-suppression device that suppresses an increase of strength after yield, and exerts a damping effect with rocking or expansion and contraction of at least one of the structures.
US08511023B1
Mounting systems for attaching metal suspended ceiling panels to form a decorative rectangular array. In one system the panels are mounted on bolt slot grid runners spaced from the wall and trimmed with island ceiling trim. In another system, panels are mounted on unique backer boards that protect the panels against physical damage by resisting compressive forces on the face of the panels.
US08511021B2
The disclosure describes, in part, techniques for designing, fabricating and installing structural caps with a core and composite sleeves to be coupled to structural members of a foundation, such as an installed radial array of batter angled micropiles. These structural caps with sleeves are lightweight and, thus, more portable to difficult-access sites. Once at the sites, operators may fixedly couple these caps to the micropiles or other structural members to form a foundation for a structure to be installed at the difficult-access site.
US08511018B2
The Vinyl Siding Outside Corner Mounting Block, made of molded plastic, nailed approximately two feet apart to the outside verticle corner of a structure with one 8d box nail, makes the application of the vinyl siding outside corners simple, fast and accurate.
US08511016B2
A boxable corner bead for finishing drywall corners that is made from two flanges with a protruding nose section. This bead can be made in regular, bullnose, or flex trim type arrangements. Once the bead is attached to a drywall corner, it can be mudded on both sides of the corner without waiting for the mud on the first side to dry. This is because of the shape of the nose which allows a mud dispensing box to apply mud on one side without getting mud on the nose. The box can then be immediately moved to the other side, where that side can be mudded. The nose itself is prepared to directly receive paint or texture, and hence does not need any mud. A version of the device has a raised trapezoidal, triangular or bull-nose section with a V-groove cut in the back. The bead hinges around the V-groove to match any corner angle. Both sides can be mudded as with the fixed bead. The beads can be used with both interior and exterior corners.
US08511003B2
In general, the present invention is directed to anchoring devices, and more specifically to a wall anchoring device and method of installing same requiring no soil excavation.
US08511002B2
A magnetic bird screen for an opening of a steel structure such as a bridge or the like includes a magnetic sheet sized to cover the access opening and at least partially overlap the steel structure at the opening so that the sheet is magnetically secured to the steel structure. The sheet has a plurality of spaced-apart holes sized sufficiently large to permit the passage of air and water therethrough and to be used as finger holes for installation and removal and sized sufficiently small to prevent the passage of pigeons therethrough. The sheet can be folded or rolled upon itself so that the sheet remains secured at one side of the opening or the sheet can be entirely removed when it is desired to have access through the opening.
US08510998B1
Embodiments of an anti-theft apparatus for deterring theft of an article is disclosed. In one embodiment, an anti-theft apparatus comprises a post and a cage removably lockable to and cantileverly extendable from the post for removably enclosing at least a portion of the article to be protected from theft. The cage comprises a top portion formed from a plurality of top members and a plurality of side members extending downwardly from respective outer ends of the top members, and a plurality of spaced apart bands oriented approximately perpendicularly and connected to respective side members of the top portion.
US08510997B2
A door construction includes a door, comprising an outer panel, and adapted to cover an opening formed in a vehicle body; a side impact bar, disposed in an interior of the door, and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body; a window regulator, disposed in the interior of the door, and operable to raise and lower a window glass; and a plate-shaped member, disposed in the interior of the door, and adapted to support the window regulator. The plate-shaped member is connected to the side impact bar. The plate-shaped member has a shape following the outer panel. A width of the side impact bar and a width of the window regulator are overlapped with each other in a width direction of the vehicle body.
US08510988B2
Self-watering plant container includes a container used to hold a living plant and soil and a container to hold a pool of water or nutrient solution underneath the plant/soil container where the water may be absorbed by the living plant through a permeable bottom in the plant/soil container. Self-watering plant container includes an airspace layer located between the bottom of the plant/soil container and the top of the water or nutrient solution pool in order to prevent excessive moisture or water from being absorbed into the plant/soil container, thereby preventing root rot. Self-watering plant container achieves this partly by special funnel shaped root-pruning aeration apertures in the bottom of its plant/soil container that allow very small roots and root hairs to grow through the bottom of plant/soil container and into the water reservoir below, while forcing larger roots back into the plant/soil container, and also allowing for aeration of the plant/soil container.
US08510980B2
A reset apparatus for use in a firearm, comprising: a compression spring; a biasing member has a first end and a distal end wherein the compression spring is attached proximate to the first end of the biasing member; a notch disposed on the biasing member for cooperation with a trigger bar, wherein the trigger bar comprises a longitudinal axis defined by a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion is mechanically cooperated with a firearm trigger; and wherein the compression spring communicates a force through the biasing member and onto the trigger bar in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the trigger bar.
US08510976B2
The present invention is a portable literature display. The preferred embodiment features a collapsible stand and sign, with a literature carousel that mounts upon the stand. The carousel is formed from a plurality of closable clamshell cases mounted upon a plurality of cross-beams and secured together in a ring. Leg flags are also provided to increase visibility.
US08510960B2
An improved spool construction for carrying a length of cutting line in a trimmer head housing on a flexible line rotary trimmer wherein the spool comprises separately molded upper and lower sections of single piece construction that are pressed together in a snap fitment to define a cylindrical body portion, at least one flange projecting radially therefrom and a line receptor channel having a smooth interior surface that traverses the spool and communicates opposed open outer channel ends in the flange that are radially alignable with opposed line openings in a housing skirt, with an open channel portion in a lower spool surface to provide access to the channel intermediary of the open channel ends with the spool operatively connected to the housing for line loading and replacement without having to interrupt the operative connection between the spool and the housing.
US08510953B2
A process and apparatus for simultaneously securing opposite parallel edge flaps of a flexible cover sheet to opposite parallel edge faces of a wall panel. A pair of wiping devices move downwardly and wipe the edge flap against the edge faces and transversely tension the cover sheet. Top sweep devices move down into holding contact with the cover sheet adjacent the parallel edge faces to maintain the transverse tension in the sheet. The edge flaps are then deflected and adhesive applied to the edge faces and back surfaces of the edge flaps. The wiping devices then again wipe the flaps downward into pressed contact with the edge faces to create an adhesive securement therewith.
US08510951B2
The present disclosure generally relates to a method for producing lens patterns on a roll which is used to produce optical films wherein the method comprises forming a resin film on a roll comprising a plated layer which has been surface-plated with copper (Cu) or nickel (Ni); producing a preliminary lens pattern by striking the surface of the resin film on the roll with a chisel; etching with an etching solution the roll having the preliminary lens pattern formed thereon; and removing the resin film, and a roll for producing optical films comprising lens patterns formed thereon by the same method.
US08510940B2
A method of fabricating a multi-trace via substrate is disclosed. A substrate at least having a first surface and a hole is provided, wherein the hole has a hole wall. A first conductive layer is formed on the entire surface of the substrate and the hole wall. A photoresist layer applied over the entire surface of the first conductive layer is selectively patterned to define a plurality of laterally separated regions on the first conductive layer. A patterned photoresist layer is used as a mask and a second conductive layer substantially thicker than the first conductive layer is electroplated on the laterally separated regions. The patterned photoresist layer is removed. The portion of the first conductive layer not covered by the second conductive layer is substantially removed to form a plurality of laterally separated traces extended on the first surface and through the hole.
US08510939B2
Polymer materials are useful as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision, cochlear stimulation to create artificial hearing, and cortical stimulation, and many related purposes. The pressure applied against the retina, or other neural tissue, by an electrode array is critical. Too little pressure causes increased electrical resistance, along with electric field dispersion. Too much pressure may block blood flow. Common flexible circuit fabrication techniques generally require that a flexible circuit electrode array be made flat. Since neural tissue is almost never flat, a flat array will necessarily apply uneven pressure. Further, the edges of a flexible circuit polymer array may be sharp and cut the delicate neural tissue. By applying the right amount of heat to a completed array, a curve can be induced. With a thermoplastic polymer it may be further advantageous to repeatedly heat the flexible circuit in multiple molds, each with a decreasing radius. Further, it is advantageous to add material along the edges. It is further advantageous to provide a fold or twist in the flexible circuit array. Additional material may be added inside and outside the fold to promote a good seal with tissue.
US08510930B1
A manufacturing method of shield type motor includes the following steps: a): providing an iron core; b): providing a plastic shell and having the exterior face of the plastic shell press against the interior face of the iron core; c): providing a plurality of connected enamel-covered coils for being wound around the bobbin; d): providing a wire fastener for bundling the first material of plastics and the second material of plastics; e): providing a protecting jacket to be connected to the plastic shell and for containing the plurality of enamel-covered coils; f): providing a mold to let the iron core place in the mold and having the first material of plastics teem into the mold; g): having the second material of plastics teem into the mold; and h): removing the mold to expose a main body.
US08510919B1
The goal of this buckle and belt assembly is to honor those individuals who have served, or are serving, in the military of their respective country. Accordingly, this disclosure describes a belt buckle structured and used in such a way as to safely display a dog tag of the honored military individual in a clear and safe manner.
US08510918B2
A two-piece cable tie for bundling a plurality of objects, such as cables or wires, includes a front portion that is insert-molded onto a connective segment of a flexible strap, the front portion being constructed out of a higher tensile strength plastic than the strap to maximize the load rating of the tie without significantly increasing material costs. In one embodiment, the connective segment of the strap is shaped to include a pair of opposing semi-circular cutouts in its side rails to enhance the strength of mechanical bonding achieved by the front portion around the strap. In addition, the connective segment is shaped to include a circular hole that is offset longitudinally from the opposing cutouts, the diameter of the circular opening not exceeding 40% of the maximum width of the strap to ensure the integrity and strength of the strap along the entirety of its length.
US08510917B2
A tying article which is formed into one piece used for tying objects, where the tying article has at least two sets of all-in-one ratchet sets at its surface, which are distributed along two sides separated by boundary pieces and each side has at least one bar-like bodies, where the ratchet set of each bar-like bodies is made up of at least two ratchets. When binding an article, the tying article can be divided into two parts. The first part is the enclosing part that loops the tied article, and the second part is the extending part that protrudes from the enclosing part. The extending part is again divided into two branches, where the seizing face of a corresponding ratchet of each branch is clenched by the enclosing part served as a detent. Once the binding works, the extending part tends to shrink back, but the seizing face of the ratchet is clenched by the enclosing part served as the detent, which enables a tight binding between the two and an adjustable binding as well.
US08510913B2
A door hinge unit in a refrigerator which pivots a door on a refrigerator body, and holds the door to maintain an opened state or a maximum opened state at a predetermined position for preventing the door from hitting an external object and a hinge shaft from breaking, and minimizes a friction surface between a male member and a female member of the hinge for making movement of the hinge smooth and preventing the hinge from causing noise.
US08510909B2
Electrical household appliance comprising a base (1) for the generation of steam, having a liquid tank (6) mounted removably on a receiving socket (10) and having a steam generator located outside of said tank (6), the steam generator being supplied by gravity by a supply line from the tank (6) and having a steam outlet through which the steam can escape towards a work tool, such as a crease-removing brush, said supply line comprising an inlet orifice located on the receiving socket (10), and said tank (6) comprising a closed enclosure (61) having only one outlet orifice (52) which connects the said inlet orifice when the tank is placed on the receiving socket (10), which appliance is characterized in that said tank (6) connects leaktightly onto said receiving socket (10) and in that said appliance has a vent line admitting air to the outlet orifice (52) of the tank, said vent line having one end connected to the exterior which is higher than the outlet orifice (52) of the tank.
US08510900B2
A wringer for mops and the like comprising a united structure made of plastic material with two rocking bodies 1 separated by “V”-shaped channeling 2 and which are joined at the bottom by middle fins 3, the rocking bodies 1 having elastic hinge elements 14 and end portions 9 of elastic structure through which the wringer is anchored to the mouth of the mop bucket 10, the end portions 9 having spring elements 15 for recovering the rocking bodies 1. In addition the wringer 4 can have middle indentations 22 for allowing placement of a device for filtering cleaning water, which comprises a tray support 5. This device for filtering cleaning water is placed under the wringer 4. When water passes through the filtering device that is under the wringer 4, reaches the bucket already filtered with fewer dirt particles.
US08510896B2
A wiper device for a vehicle may include a lower pivot shaft integrally coupled at a lower end thereof to a link lever that may be rotated by a force transmitted from a wiper motor, thus enabling the lower pivot shaft to rotate, wherein the lower pivot shaft includes a coupling protrusion protruding integrally from an upper end of the lower pivot shaft, an upper pivot shaft seated on an upper surface of the lower pivot shaft, the upper pivot shaft having a coupling recess integrally formed on a lower surface thereof to selectively fit the coupling protrusion therein, wherein an arm head may be integrally coupled to an upper end of the upper pivot shaft that protrudes above a cowl top panel, and a shaft holder secured to the cowl top panel while engaging therein a coupled portion between the lower pivot shaft and the upper pivot shaft.
US08510895B2
The invention relates to a display device (38) for a wiper blade (10) made up of a plastic piece with a display field (40, 42, 44) with means (52) for clipping to the wiper blade (10). According to the invention, said device has the same cross-sectional profile as a spoiler (30) for the wiper blade (10) of flat bar construction, wherein the inner profile (50) of the display device (38) matches the outer profile (32, 34, 36) of the spoiler (30).
US08510884B2
A pneumatic seat cushion system (10) has a deformable cushion (11) having a seating surface (12) and a self inflating cushion bladder (14) positioned beneath the seating surface (12). The self inflating cushion bladder (14) has an airtight envelope (15) containing compressible material (16) which is in air communication (19) with a displacement bladder (18) such that when in use the airtight envelope (15) and the displacement bladder (18) form a closed system from which no air can enter or escape. When there is no person seated on the seating surface (12), the self inflating cushion bladder (14) is inflated and the displacement bladder (18) is deflated. When there is a person seated on the seating surface, the weight of the person compresses the compressible material (16) so as to partially deflate the self inflating cushion bladder (14) which results in the contained air passing into the displacement bladder (18) which becomes fully inflated.
US08510883B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for a method for securing a patient for a medical procedure and specifically for an innovative headrest system for securing a patient for an ocular imaging procedure. The approach avoids the need for linkages and sliding rods and such. Instead, it relies on three independently movable face rests (two for the forehead or temples and one for the chin) each with a deformable cushion that is urged into conformity with the patient's head and chin during an adjustment phase of operation. Once a comfortable position and suitable conforming shape is achieved, the positions of the face rests are rigidly fixed and the shape of the cushions are rendered rigid and non-deformable, by application of a light vacuum, for the procedural or imaging phase of operation.
US08510882B2
An apparatus for mounting an anatomical positioner on a patient care platform includes a clamping mechanism for allowing an operator to quickly and securely join the apparatus to the patient care platform. Guide rails are joined to the clamping mechanism. The guide rails extend away from the patient care platform. Slides slidably join to the guide rails to allow the operator to position the anatomical positioner to impart a force on a patient on the patient care platform. The slides include brakes for at least stopping movement in a direction away from the patient care platform, and brake releases for releasing the brakes. Supports join to the slides for supporting the anatomical positioner. The supports have restraints for allowing the operator to quickly secure and adjust the anatomical positioner, whereby the anatomical positioner is positioned by the operator to impart the force on the patient and locked in place.
US08510880B2
A device is disclosed for facilitating rotation of a mattress in a horizontal plane carried by a box spring or a platform. In order to facilitate rotation, slick surfaces between the mattress and the box spring or platform are selectively placed in contact in order to reduce the normal friction therebetween. The slick surfaces may be provided by two (2) separate covers; one cover for the mattress and one cover for the box spring or platform. A first cover is provided with a slick and non-slick surface. In order to further facilitate rotation, a second cover includes a slick surface on one side and forms part of a levitation device. The other side of the second cover may be formed with a slick or a non-slick surface. A levitation device creates an air cushion between the mattress and the box spring under the influence of an air supply which lifts the mattress and allows the mattress to be rotated in a horizontal plane virtually effortlessly.
US08510878B2
A portable, foldable yoga mat/meditation mat includes a plurality of linear indentations so that the mat can be folded into various sizes and used in various aspects. For example, when the mat is unfolded along all linear indentations (i.e., in a completely unfolded state), the mat could be used as a typical yoga mat. When the mat is folded along some but not all linear indentations, the mat could be used as a comfortable meditation or sitting mat. When the mat is folded along all linear indentations, the folded mat becomes a portable sized block which can be easily carried in either customized or non-customized carriers and conveniently stored with other regular shaped items.
US08510862B1
The invention relates to a leg pad for a hockey player. The leg pad extends along a longitudinal axis and comprises an upper portion, a bottom portion and a band. The upper portion has a knee cap for covering a knee joint of the player. The bottom portion has an upper shell for covering a substantial part of a shin of the hockey player and a lower shell for at least partially covering the shin and ankle of the hockey player. The band extends along part of a periphery of the upper shell and part of a periphery of the lower shell. The band interconnects the upper shell and the lower shell to one another wherein the lower shell is movable relative to the upper shell between a first position and a second position in response to flexion of the ankle.
US08516608B2
The invention relates to a method for decoding a probabilistic anti-collusion code intended to identify at least one sequence of code present in a multimedia content having been used to create an illegal copy of this multimedia content, this method comprising a step of estimating the collusion strategy used to constitute the illegal copy associated with a step of identifying the sequences having been used in creating the illegal copy. The estimation of the collusion strategy used and the identification of sequences having been used to create the illegal copy are carried out sequentially and iteratively in order to refine the precision of each of these according to the following steps: Creating two parameters, a vector of probabilities of the presence of a sequence in the collusion and a vector of probabilities θ representing the collusion strategy; Initializing the iterative method by initializing one of the two parameters; Estimating the parameter vector of probabilities of the presence of a sequence in the collusion; Estimating the parameter vector of probabilities θ of the collusion strategy which maximizes the probability of the collusion strategy; Iterating the steps c) and d) until a determined number of iterations or until convergence of the parameter vector of probabilities θ of the collusion strategy; Identifying at least one sequence of the code present in a multimedia content having been used to create the illegal copy.
US08516605B2
The present invention provides for a security system for an electronic device that, in one embodiment, includes a processor with a software access key encrypted thereon and a software application with a processor access key encoded therein so that operation of the electronic device and execution of the software application requires both the software access key and the processor access key.
US08516602B2
An apparatus may include a processor configured to generate an access rights filter based upon a set of access rights settings. The processor may be further configured to generate an authorization key accepted by the generated access rights filter. The processor may be additionally configured to distribute one or more of the access rights filter and authorization key to an access rights management entity.
US08516600B2
An information processing device, for executing content reproduction processing from an information recording medium, includes a security information processing unit for determining output messages based on security check information in a content reproduction sequence, and outputting a message output command accompanied by selection information of the output message to a user interface processing unit, and a user information processing unit for obtaining message information based on the selection information input from said security information processing unit and outputting to a display unit.
US08516598B2
A method and an apparatus for editing Digital Rights Management (DRM) content in a portable terminal are provided. The method includes if an event for editing a DRM file occurs, allowing a user to set use purposes of the DRM content of the DRM file; and specifying the use purposes of the DRM content in an editable box of the DRM file. Thus, use purposes of DRM content of a multi-DRM file can be specified using an editable box of the multi-DRM file.
US08516588B1
A string detection system preferably includes a buffer for receiving data and parsing that data into strings, and a content addressable memory, connected to the buffer, for receiving the strings and comparing each string with entries in the content addressable memory. This string detection system may be incorporated in an intrusion detection system that monitors a data stream addressed to a host device or network. In an intrusion detection system, the string detection system monitors the data stream for strings which match attack signatures.
US08516584B2
Method for detecting malicious behavioral patterns which are related to malicious software such as a computer worm in computerized systems that include data exchange channels with other systems over a data network. According to the proposed method, hardware and/or software parameters that can characterize known behavioral patterns in the computerized system are determined. Known malicious code samples are learned by a machine learning process, such as decision trees, Naïve Bayes, Bayesian Networks, and artificial neural networks, and the results of the machine learning process are analyzed in respect to these behavioral patterns. Then, known and unknown malicious code samples are identified according to the results of the machine learning process.
US08516583B2
In accordance with the present invention, a system, method, and computer-readable medium for aggregating the knowledge base of a plurality of security services or other event collection systems to protect a computer from malware is provided. One aspect of the present invention is a method that proactively protects a computer from malware by using anti-malware services or other event collection systems to observe suspicious events that are potentially indicative of malware; determining if the suspicious events satisfy a predetermined threshold; and if the suspicious events satisfy the predetermined threshold, implementing a restrictive security policy designed to prevent the spread of malware.
US08516580B2
A method and system for testing a file (or packet) formed from a sequential series of information units, each information unit within a predetermined set of information units, e.g., each information unit may correspond to a character within the ASCII character set. An information unit-pair entropy density measurement is calculated for the received file using a probability matrix. The probability matrix tabulates the probabilities of occurrence for each possible sequential pair of information units of the predetermined set of information units. The computed information unit-pair entropy density measurement is compared with a threshold associated with an expected file type to determine whether the received file is of the expected file type or of an unexpected file type. The probability matrix may optionally be generated from the received file prior to calculating the density thereof. The probability matrix may optionally be predetermined based on the expected file type.
US08516570B2
The present invention is an image forming device capable of executing an authentication print printing. The image forming device includes: an authentication print detecting unit which detects whether to execute a job as the authentication print printing by referencing predetermined data; an authentication unit; a user authentication unit which outputs the result of the user authentication; a job executing unit; a user interface; and a user interface input mode switching unit which switches an information input/output mode of the user interface, wherein, an instruction to execute a first process can be received, and wherein the first process includes processes in which: the execution of the authentication print printing starts based on the result of the user authentication output by the user authentication unit; and the result of the user authentication is invoked so that the information input/output mode of the user interface is switched to a login mode.
US08516568B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for filtering data in a neural network environment to filter out inappropriate content. In some embodiments, a data signal including a sensible representation is received. The sensible representation included in the data signal is produced in a sensible format. From the sensible representation in the sensible format, a clean copy of the sensible representation can be generated such that any inappropriate content present within the received data signal is not reproduced in the clean copy. Optionally, additional filtering can occur before and/or after the generating of the clean copy. The (filtered) clean copy of the sensible representation is sent to a network. Embodiments can permit the filtering of input to and/or output from a network.
US08516562B2
Systems and methods for authenticating electronic transactions are provided. The authentication methods employ a combination of security features and communication channels. These security features can be based, for example, on unique knowledge of the person being authenticated, a unique thing that the person has, unique personal features and attributes of the person, the ability of the person to respond, and to do so in a fashion that a machine cannot, and so forth. Methods for enrolling the person prior to authentication are also provided, as well as systems for enrollment and authentication.
US08516554B2
A Dynamic Web Service server may facilitate custom Enterprise Application interface development with little or no developer input by dynamically creating a web service for performing a particular transaction according to a transaction map. An Enterprise Application client device may create a transaction map by “recording” a transaction between an Enterprise Application client and an Enterprise Application server and mapping transaction fields to a custom interface generated to collect data for re-performing the recorded transaction. The Enterprise Application client device may call the dynamic web service, and the Dynamic Web Service server may then perform the recorded transaction using input data collected in the custom interface.
US08516549B2
Methods and apparatus are described for facilitating communication among a plurality of entities via an interoperability network. Each entity has policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the entity via the interoperability network. A message is transmitted from a first one of the entities to a second one of the entities. The first entity has first policy data corresponding thereto and the second entity has second policy data corresponding thereto. The transmitted message was handled in the network according to combined policy data representing a combination of the first and second policy data.
US08516548B2
Methods and apparatus are described for facilitating communication among a plurality of entities via an interoperability network. Each entity has policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the entity via the interoperability network. A message is transmitted from a first one of the entities to a second one of the entities. The first entity has first policy data corresponding thereto and the second entity has second policy data corresponding thereto. The transmitted message was handled in the network according to combined policy data representing a combination of the first and second policy data.
US08516546B2
Methods and apparatus are described for facilitating communication among a plurality of entities via an interoperability network. Each entity has policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the entity via the interoperability network. A message is transmitted from a first one of the entities to a second one of the entities. The first entity has first policy data corresponding thereto and the second entity has second policy data corresponding thereto. The transmitted message was handled in the network according to combined policy data representing a combination of the first and second policy data.
US08516542B2
Methods and apparatus are described for facilitating communication among a plurality of entities via an interoperability network. Each entity has policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the entity via the interoperability network. A message is transmitted from a first one of the entities to a second one of the entities. The first entity has first policy data corresponding thereto and the second entity has second policy data corresponding thereto. The transmitted message was handled in the network according to combined policy data representing a combination of the first and second policy data.
US08516534B2
A media processor having a controller operable to recognize a portion of a video stream in an Interactive TV (iTV) network having video compression artifacts corresponding to a stored model and perform model-based video correction of the portion recognized using synthetically generated images of objects in a captured video scene. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08516530B2
In one embodiment, a method for reducing the network load of an event-triggered video system comprising transmitting a first ‘play’ indication by a controlling process over a data network, to an appropriately configured video encoding process, transmitting first video data by the encoding process in response to receiving the first ‘play’ indication, the first video data being transmitted over the data network through a communication channel established over the data network between the encoding process and a recording process and receiving the first video data by the recording process.
US08516512B2
A tilt adjusting device for an optical pickup head (OPU) is fixed on a chassis of an optical drive. The device includes a first screw and a secondary guide rail. The secondary guide rail includes a guide rail part, a base part, an extension part, and an elastic element. The guide rail part is embedded into a rail notch of the OPU and the extension part has a first end and a second end connected with the base part and the guide rail part. A first compressible space is defined between the base part, the elastic element and the chassis. The first screw is penetrated through the base part and the first compressible space and screwed in the chassis. By changing a screwed depth of the first screw in a screw hole, an altitude of the guide rail part is correspondingly adjusted.
US08516497B2
Method and system for process sharing in a medical imaging system are disclosed. A first application system is provided capable of processing data within a second application system. A process sharing system residing outside of the second application system is configured for enabling process sharing of the first application system within the second application system. The first application system comprises a front-end unit that is made operable within the second application system by a process launcher upon occurrence of an event to facilitate processing of data accessible from the second application system through communication with the process sharing system via a pre-defined interface. The process launcher is generated by the process sharing system and deployed on the second application system.
US08516495B2
Systems and methods for domain management in a virtualized computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises collating advice received from one or more domain advisors connected in the virtualized computing environment; resolving any conflicts among the advice received from said one or more domain advisors; utilizing the collated advice to generate a placement plan comprising a plurality of operations for virtual machines in said virtualized computing environment; and executing the one or more operations in the placement plan, wherein one or more domain handlers may be called to update the virtualized computing environment before, during or after execution of one or more operations from among said plurality of operations in the plan.
US08516481B2
Embodiments of the disclosure describe system and methods for virtualized system. In this regard, the virtualized system comprises a virtual machine manager (VMM), the virtual machine manager comprising policy settings that are directly configurable by an administrator, wherein the policy settings are measured as part of a measured launch of the virtual machine manager; and at least one virtual machine that is managed by the virtual machine manager.
US08516479B2
A VMM disables an interrupt interception flag on at least one CPU to execute, upon reception of an interrupt, an interrupt handler code of an OS, and enables the interrupt interception flag on the at least one CPU to execute, upon the reception of the interrupt, an emulator in the VMM. When, to a virtual machine, an I/O device is assigned in a dedicated form, and when the CPU is assigned while the interrupt interception is disabled, a destination of the interrupt from the physical I/O device is set to the corresponding CPU on which the interrupt interception is disabled. When, to the virtual machine, the I/O device is assigned in a shared form, or when the CPU is assigned while the interrupt interception is disabled, the destination of the interrupt from the physical I/O device is set to the corresponding CPU on which the interrupt interception is enabled.
US08516463B2
A mechanism for allocating statement frontier annotations to source code statements of a software program is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes generating statement frontier annotations during translation of source code statements of a software program on a computer system. The method further includes allocating the statement frontier annotations to the source code statements, wherein a statement frontier annotation indicates a frontier of a source code statement to which the statement frontier annotation is allocated.
US08516457B2
Disclosed are embodiments a computer-implemented method, a system and an associated program storage device that provide for automatic programming language grammar partitioning to solve the “code too large” problem. The embodiments partition a particular programming language grammar into logical subsets based on a set of partitioning heuristics and using a dependency graph that is preprocessed so as to be devoid of any cyclically connected grammar rule nodes. For each logical subset, textual code for a corresponding portion of a parsing program can be generated and then converted into machine-readable code for that corresponding portion of the parsing program. Thus, small amounts of textual code for portions of a parsing program are discretely converted into machine-readable code, thereby avoiding the “code too large” problem. The machine-readable code for all portions of the parsing program can then be merged and the parsing program can be executed in order to parse a corpus.
US08516456B1
A system and method are disclosed that compiles a sub-expression associated with an inexact pattern contained in a regular expression into a plurality of microprogram instructions that can be stored in contiguous locations of an instruction memory. At least one of the microprogram instructions includes a next instruction address and a fetch length value, where the next instruction address indicates the instruction memory address of the next instruction to be executed and the fetch length value indicates the number of sequentially-executed instructions that are to be fetched from contiguous locations of the instruction memory.
US08516445B2
A method for testing software under test (SUT), including selecting a type of coverage for testing the SUT, and receiving from a human operator a Boolean predicate to be used in evaluation of the SUT. In response to the type of coverage and the predicate, a test of the SUT is generated. The method also includes performing an execution of the test so as to identify elements of the SUT that belong to the selected type and that are exercised by the test. The method further includes automatically evaluating the predicate for each of the identified elements, and determining the elements exercised by the test for which the predicate evaluates to true to be covered elements of the SUT.
US08516441B2
A software optimization device includes performance data storage unit to store data indicating performance of each system call, corresponding to a plurality of system calls, system call extraction unit to extract a system call described in a program source and similar-system-call detection unit to detect, from among the system calls the data indicating the performance of which is stored in the performance data storage unit, a system call having a function similar to that of the system call extracted by the system call extraction unit and having a performance better than that of the extracted system call.
US08516431B2
A design rule check system includes: a design rule check unit that performs a design rule checks on wiring information which indicates a wiring pattern of a net on the basis of a design rule which includes a constraint condition of a wiring pattern; and a screening processing unit which generates information about an error for each clock frequency of each net based on a result of the design rule check and outputs the information to an indicating device.
US08516427B2
The exemplary embodiments provide a program binder for a resilient integrated circuit. An exemplary IC comprises a plurality of composite circuit elements, a state machine element (SME), and a plurality of communication elements. Each composite circuit element comprises an element interface and a selected circuit element which may vary by element type, and which may be configurable. An exemplary program binding method includes assigning a first action to a first computational element having a first type; assigning a second action to a second computational element having a second type; and establishing a first data routing, through a selected communication element, between the first computational element and the second computational element. In the event of detection of a fault with a composite circuit element or a communication element, the various actions may be re-assigned and new data routings established.
US08516425B2
A system and method are provided for reducing signal skew. The method includes receiving a netlist having components and connections among the components. Each connection has at least one signal wire. A plurality of net groups is identified, each net group including at least some of the connections and for which equivalent routing is desired. For each net group, the method includes systematically routing connection paths between the components for the connections, each connection path extending between an output of one of the components and an input to at least one other of the components and including at least one path fragment. Routing includes, for at least one of the connections of the net group, routing at least one grounded shielding wire in a routing channel adjacent and parallel to at least one of the path fragments of the connection path.
US08516424B2
A system for, and method of, performing static timing analysis. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a CVS tool configured to determine a cell-based voltage supply corresponding to each of a plurality of cells in an integrated circuit design and (2) an STA tool configured to derate the each of the cells based on the corresponding cell-based voltage supply.
US08516420B1
In one embodiment of the invention, a multi-CCC current source model is disclosed to perform statistical timing analysis of an integrated circuit design. The multi-CCC current source model includes a voltage waveform transfer function, a voltage dependent current source, and an output capacitor. The voltage waveform transfer function receives an input voltage waveform and transforms it into an intermediate voltage waveform. The voltage dependent current source generates an output current in response to the intermediate voltage waveform. The output capacitor is coupled in parallel to the voltage dependent current source to generate an output voltage waveform for computation of a timing delay.
US08516418B2
A relational database may be integrated into an integrated circuit design and analysis environment as the persistent data store for data associated with the design. This design data may include two or more abstractions of the design, such as layout data models and timing data models, in some embodiments. Design data may be partitioned in the database and indexed according to various attributes. The use of a relational database may facilitate cross-probing of design data corresponding to different abstractions of the design. The relational database may be queried to produce design reports and to identify design errors or weaknesses. Reports may be graphical or tabular, and may be displayed, printed, stored, or posted for viewing. Proposed modifications to a design may be investigated by modifying data in the relational database, rather than in the actual design. Design reports may be re-generated and compared with corresponding reports for the un-modified design.
US08516409B2
A method and circuit for implementing die stacking to distribute a logical function over multiple dies, die identification and sparing in through-silicon-via stacked semiconductor devices, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. Each die in the die stack includes predefined functional logic for implementing a respective predefined function. The respective predefined function is executed in each respective die and a respective functional result is provided to an adjacent die in the die stack. Each die in the die stack includes logic for providing die identification. An operational die signature is formed by combining a plurality of selected signals on each die. A die signature is coupled to a next level adjacent die using TSV interconnections where it is combined with that die signature.
US08516405B2
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a technique of, and system for simulating, verifying, inspecting, characterizing, determining and/or evaluating the lithographic designs, techniques and/or systems, and/or individual functions performed thereby or components used therein. In one embodiment, the present invention is a system and method that accelerates lithography simulation, inspection, characterization and/or evaluation of the optical characteristics and/or properties, as well as the effects and/or interactions of lithographic systems and processing techniques.
US08516402B1
A method for automatically decomposing a shape of an IC design layout into two or more shapes in order to resolve a double patterning loop violation involving the shape. The method decomposes the shape by introducing one or more splicing graphs on the shape. These splicing graphs serve as cuts to be made on the shape. By decomposing the shape into several shapes and assigning the shapes to alternating masks for the same layer, the method breaks the double patterning loop. That is, no pair of the shape and other shapes that form the loop will be assigned to the same color for a mask after the shape is decomposed. In some embodiments, the method introduces splicing points to more than one shape of the loop-forming shapes when necessary. Some embodiments minimize the number of splicing points introduced to the shape(s).
US08516398B2
A method for displaying written text during the preparation of a text message to be transmitted by a mobile radio terminal. Written text entered by a user is displayed. A graphical text message break is displayed between characters of the written text associated with a first text message payload and characters of the written text associated with a second text message payload, the first and second text messages used to transmit the written text as a multipart text message.
US08516393B2
An apparatus, system, and method for presenting images in a multiple display environment. The present invention includes a computer-readable medium with instructions for receiving from a primary user a selected portion from a primary screen, where the selected portion is one of an image and a portion of a program. The selected portion is then displayed on one or more secondary screens. The primary user is presented with a tool to compose the secondary screen, and can also see the secondary user's input to the system. The invention also includes dynamically updating the secondary screen in response to changes in the program that result in a change in the display on the primary screen. Also disclosed is a multi-screen laptop computer ideally suited for multi-screen presentations, and a dual-monitor display device which can be easily connected to a computer to facilitate multi-screen presentations.
US08516390B2
A system for providing visual information to a user, the system comprising a central unit and a portable unit adapted to communicate with each other and wherein: the central unit is adapted to: identify the information to be provided to the user, the information being an image comprising a plurality of lines of text, provide first information relating to a plurality of suitable croppings, sizes, resolutions, and/or aspect ratios of the image, provide second information as to one or more position(s) between two adjacent lines of text, forward the first and second information, as well as the image, to the portable unit, portable unit comprises: means for receiving the first and second information and the image, a display adapted to provide visual information to the user, and means for controlling the display in one of at least three modes, wherein: in a first mode, the image is converted into a first altered image by adapting the image of the visual information to a first size, cropping or resolution as derived from the first information, in a second mode, the image is converted into a second altered image by adapting the image of the visual information to a second size, cropping or resolution as derived from the first information, and in a third mode, a part of the image of the visible information is provided on the display, the part being a part of the image solely on one side of one or more of the positions of the second information.
US08516388B2
A method of displaying a browser including a text field and a terminal for implementing the same are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method includes displaying a browser including at least one or more text fields, selecting a specific text field from the at least one or more text fields, and enlarging the selected text field. If a terminal user selects a specific text field, the selected text field is enlarged or a text field input window is generated. Accordingly, the present invention facilitates the terminal user to input prescribed information to the selected text field.
US08516382B2
In the graphical display object system, a user can create a class of graphical display objects such that the various members of the class may share common features. In addition, the graphical display object system builds the graphical display objects based upon the common class definitions as well as the custom features of the graphical display object.
US08516381B2
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for suggesting actions to users of an immersive virtual environment based on previous user actions within the virtual environment. Generally, characteristics of actions performed by various users of the virtual environment may be stored in a searchable actions index. Subsequently, the actions index may be used to suggest actions based on similarity of the stored characteristics to those of a current user and/or actions. The suggested actions may be presented to the user as graphical indications visible within the user's view of the virtual environment.
US08516380B2
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for abstracting conversations between avatars within a virtual world. In one embodiment, the user of an avatar observing a conversation between other avatars may be presented with an abstracted version of the conversation. The abstraction may be performed so as to enable the user to determine the general topic or nature of the conversation, without receiving sensitive or detailed information included in the conversation. In one embodiment, the abstraction is performed by substituting words of the conversation with fewer words, or words having a more general meaning. The degree of abstraction performed may be based on a level of trust between the observer and the users engaged in conversation.
US08516370B2
A script including a plurality of actions to process in a session associated with a system is generated via a user interface, where the script includes both actions and metaactions. The actions correspond to commands associated with the session to be executed on the system, and the metaactions correspond to a selected plurality of the commands. The script is generated by receiving the actions and the metaactions to process on the system via the user interface associated with the session for interfacing with the system, capturing the actions and the metaactions, and saving the captured actions and metaactions to generate the script.
US08516368B2
An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive an instruction from a user to access portions of content associated with pages of an electronic document. The apparatus also includes a control unit configured to identify a page of the electronic document currently displayed to the user. The control unit is further configured to generate, in response to the instruction, sequential images corresponding to a transition between the identified page and a successive page, based on at least a position of the identified page within the electronic document.
US08516366B2
A method and system allows a user to add content to a displayable content container (e.g., web page) that specifies at least one modifiable portion, where the modifiable portion is served by a server operated by one entity, but provided to the server by a service operated by another entity. The modifiable portion is attributable to the one entity and remaining content in the displayable content container is not editable by the users. Other features, such as user authentication mechanisms, are also described herein.
US08516358B2
A method for graphically linking articles may include the steps of forming a first link between a selected article and a first linked article; forming a second link between the selected article and a second linked article; and interactively displaying the first link and the second link to the user.
US08516354B2
A method for reducing uncorrectable errors of a memory device regarding Error Correction Code (ECC) includes: performing majority vote according to data read at different times at a same address in order to generate majority vote data corresponding to the address; and checking whether the majority vote data has any uncorrectable error in order to determine whether to output the majority vote data as data of the address. An associated memory device and the controller thereof are further provided.
US08516353B2
Techniques are provided for transmitting and receiving a mother code in an incremental redundancy hybrid automatic repeat-request protocol. Each bit position of the mother code may be mapped to an output symbol, and each output symbol may be mapped to an antenna for transmission. One or more transmissions of symbols contained in the output symbols may be performed, where each transmission may include puncturing the mother code by selecting one or more symbols from the of output symbols, and transmitting each symbol in the one or more symbols on an antenna corresponding to that symbol. The mother code may be decoded, in part, by determining combinable bits contained within a set of received symbols, and computing one or more log-likelihood ratio values corresponding to each symbol in the set of received symbols.
US08516348B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for detecting storage medium defects. As one example, a media defect detection system is disclosed that includes a data detector circuit that applies a detection algorithm to the data input and provides a hard output and a soft output. A first circuit combines a first derivative of the hard output with a derivative of the data input to yield a first combined signal. A second circuit combines a second derivative of the hard output with a derivative of the first combined signal to yield a second combined signal. A third circuit combines a derivative of the soft output with the second combined signal and a threshold value to yield a defect signal.
US08516343B2
Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for retiring storage regions. A determination module (a) determines that data stored in an Error Correcting Code (“ECC”) chunk contains ECC correctable errors, and (b) determines a bit error count for the ECC chunk. The ECC chunk is read from non-volatile solid-state storage media. A threshold module determines if the bit error count satisfies an ECC chunk error threshold. A storage region error module determines if a storage region that contains at least a portion of the ECC chunk satisfies region retirement criteria. The storage region may include a first portion on a first solid-state storage die and a second portion on a second solid-state storage die. A retirement module retires the storage region, including the first portion and the second portion in parallel, in response to the storage region containing at least a portion of the ECC chunk and satisfying the region retirement criteria.
US08516340B2
A data handling system includes a compressive sensing unit that receives a source date file. A sparseness module compressive sensing unit generates a sparse source data file by inducing sparseness into the source data file. A measurement module within the compressive sensing unit generates a compressed sensed source data file from the sparse source data file and based on a sensing matrix. The compressed sensed source data file is to be transmitted to a remote data storage facility for storage. A recovery unit generates the source data file from the compressed sensed source data file retrieved from the remote data storage facility and based upon the sensing matrix.
US08516336B2
An improved latch arrangement for an electronic digital system is disclosed. The latch arrangement comprises a certain number of standard latches configured as configuration-switch latches which are modified only by shift operation and/or during Error Checking and Correction (ECC) action, and a corresponding number of standard latches configured as Error Checking and Correction (ECC) latches storing Error Checking and Correction (ECC) bit data used to check latch data of said configuration-switch latches.
US08516332B1
Circuits, architectures, methods and algorithms for joint channel-code decoding of linear block codes, and more particularly, for identifying and correcting one or more errors in a code word and/or for encoding CRC (or parity) information. In one aspect, the invention focuses on use of (i) remainders, syndromes or other polynomials and (ii) Gaussian elimination to determine and correct errors. Although this approach may be suboptimal, the present error checking and/or detection scheme involves simpler computations and/or manipulations than conventional schemes, and is generally easier to implement logically. Since the complexity of parity-based error correction schemes increases disproportionately to the number of potential error events, the present invention meets a long-felt need for a scheme to manage error detection and/or correction in systems (such as magnetic recording applications) where there may be a relatively large number of likely error events, thereby advantageously improving reliability and/or performance in channel communications.
US08516327B2
A method of performing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) in a multiple-antenna system includes receiving a plurality of codewords through an uplink channel, generating acknowledgment (ACK)/not-acknowledgment (NACK) signals respectively for the plurality of codewords, and transmitting the plurality of ACK/NACK signals through a downlink channel in association with a resource used in transmission of the uplink channel. ACK/NACK signals for each codeword in multiple antenna system can be transmitted.
US08516320B2
IEEE 1149.1 Test Access Ports (TAPs) may be utilized at both IC and intellectual property core design levels. TAPs serve as serial communication ports for accessing a variety of embedded circuitry within ICs and cores including; IEEE 1149.1 boundary scan circuitry, built in test circuitry, internal scan circuitry, IEEE 1149.4 mixed signal test circuitry, IEEE P5001 in-circuit emulation circuitry, and IEEE P1532 in-system programming circuitry. Selectable access to TAPs within ICs is desirable since in many instances being able to access only the desired TAP(s) leads to improvements in the way testing, emulation, and programming may be performed within an IC. A TAP linking module is described that allows TAPs embedded within an IC to be selectively accessed using 1149.1 instruction scan operations.
US08516302B2
A communication system enabling wireless transmission of messages via packets; and a method of operating the system provides for improved accuracy in the transmission of a message, particularly for overcoming signal distortion associated with the phase changes and varying multipath found in transmissions from the locomotive of a moving train. The maximum benefit of forward-error correction (FEC) with Reed-Solomon (RS) coding is applied for a message payload that is significantly shorter than the fixed length of a packet, with lesser coding being performed with longer payloads.
US08516296B2
A system and method for interfacing redundant devices to a distributed control system, includes a first and second redundant field bus modules communicably coupled to the distributed control system and to one another via switches. A pair of redundant field devices are coupled to the switches, one FD having an address. The FBMs adopt respective roles as master FBM and tracker FBM, so that the master FBM is configured to capture data from the one FD using the address, and to pass any data changes periodically to the tracker FBM, through the switches. The master FBM is configured to point to the other field device in the event the other field device has assumed the address. The FBMs are configured to switch roles in the event communication is disrupted between the master FBM and the FD having the address.
US08516288B2
IO buffers that operate with an IO power supply system and cut cells that isolate the IO buffers from each other are disposed on the periphery of an always-on power supply area and a power supply cut-off available area. A signal indicating the holding of an IO output(s) output from the always-on power supply area is wired so as to go round the IO buffers and the cut cells. The cut cell includes a level shifter that operates with an IO power supply system. The cut cell shifts the level of signal indicating the holding of IO output so that the signal level conforms to the power supply system of IO buffers, and outputs the resultant signal to the IO buffers.
US08516281B2
An access instruction associated with accessing a target location in a disk is obtained. A number of units until the target location is accessed is calculated. It is determined whether there is time for the group of logic to transition from a lower power state to an operational state; the determination is based at least in part on the number of units between a current location of a read head associated with the hard disk system and the target location which is different from the current location of the read head and a warm up time associated with the group of logic. If it is determined there is time, the group of logic is put into the lower power state.
US08516280B2
A computing system is provided that includes a web page search node including a web page collection, a web server, and a search page returner.
US08516262B2
Techniques are disclosed for efficient computation of consecutive values of one-way chains and other one-way graphs in cryptographic applications. The one-way chain or graph may be a chain of length s having positions i=1, 2, . . . s each having a corresponding value vi associated therewith, wherein the value vi is given by vi=h(vi+1), for a given hash function or other one-way function h. A given one of the output values vi at a current position in the one-way chain may be computed utilizing a first helper value previously stored for another position in the one-way chain between the current position and an endpoint of the chain. After computation of the given output value, the positions of the helper values are adjusted so as to facilitate computation of subsequent output values.
US08516261B2
A method for sending a message includes randomizing a signature generation key with a random number to calculate a randomized signature generation key, encrypting the random number with a public encryption key to calculate an encrypted random number, signing a message with the randomized signature generation key to calculate a signed message, and sending the signed message and the encrypted random number to a recipient.
US08516255B2
The present invention discloses an apparatus and method of transferring data from a first device to a second device. The method includes transmitting a request to transfer the data from the first device to the second device, receiving, at the first device, a decryption key to allow transfer of the data stored in a memory of the first device, receiving, at the second device, an encryption key, and transmitting the data from the first device to the second device using peer-to-peer communications. The method also includes encrypting the data at the second device using the encryption key, storing the encrypted data in a memory of the second device, receiving, at the first device, an acknowledgement from the second device, the acknowledgement indicating that the data has been encrypted and stored in the memory of the second device, and deleting the data from the memory of the first device.
US08516245B2
A validation authority for certificates searches for and verifies paths and certificate revocation lists periodically, and classifies the paths into valid paths and invalid paths in accordance with the results of the validations, so as to register the paths in databases beforehand. Besides, in a case where a request for authenticating the validity of a certificate has been received from an end entity, the validation authority judges the validity of the public key certificate by checking in which of the valid-path database and the invalid-path database a path corresponding to the request is registered. On the other hand, in a case where the path corresponding to the validity authentication request is not registered in either of the databases, the validity of the public key certificate is authenticated by performing path search and validation anew.
US08516236B2
A portable desktop device and method for host computer system hardware recognition and configuration are provided. The portable desktop device causes on a first boot, the host computer system to recognize hardware devices connected thereto, and to configure hardware configuration files of the portable desktop O/S in accordance with the recognized hardware. Once the hardware configuration files have been configured, the system is rebooted. On the second boot, the host computer determines that the portable desktop has been configured for its hardware, and initiates start-up of the portable desktop.
US08516231B2
An interrupt support determining apparatus and method for an equal-model processor, and a processor including the interrupt support determining apparatus are provided. The interrupt support determining apparatus determines whether an instruction input to a processor decoder is a multiple latency instruction, compares a current latency of the instruction with a remaining latency if the instruction is a multiple latency instruction, and updates the current latency to the remaining latency if the current latency is greater than the remaining latency.
US08516221B2
An apparatus and method for coalescing TLB entries on-the-fly at virtual address translation time is disclosed. A search is made for a requested virtual address translation in the VHPT. Further searching is performed for additional VHPT entries meeting certain coalescing and compatibility criteria. The compatible VHPT entries are coalesced and stored in the TLB into a single combined TLB entry.
US08516214B2
A memory access control device for controlling access to a plurality of memory devices with differing latency, controls, when performing a first access and then a second access, the timing of performing the second access, according to a memory device accessed in the first access and a memory device accessed in the second access.
US08516213B2
A defect resistant EEPROM emulator (110) uses one or more redundant and/or spare blocks (213) in addition to active and alternate blocks (211, 212) and stores a duplicate copy of EEPROM data records either in the active and redundant blocks or in duplicate rows in the active block to ensure that EEPROM emulation can continue without data loss in the event a catastrophic failure occurs within a block.
US08516210B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for creating a snapshot of a shared volume that is application consistent across various nodes of a cluster. The invention enables a snapshot of a volume to be initiated on one node which causes all applications in the cluster that use the volume to persist their data to the volume prior to the snapshot being created. Accordingly, the snapshot is application consistent to all applications in the cluster that use the volume. The invention also enables applications on various nodes to perform post snapshot processing on the created snapshot. The invention can be used in an existing backup system that is not cluster aware to enable the existing backup system to create application consistent snapshots of a volume shared by applications across multiple nodes of a cluster.
US08516206B2
A generation section periodically generates access frequency information for identifying an access frequency of each data item according to a status of write access of the data item transmitted from a host device to a storage device. Whenever access frequency information is generated by the generation section, a determination section determines whether to write data saved in a hard disk into the storage medium, or to hold a saved state of the data. A write section writes data into the storage device according to determination by the determination section.
US08516204B2
The present invention provides a storage control device which enables the time between failures to prolong as much as possible, though it uses HDD's whose mean time between failures is relatively short. The storage control device controls spindle motors in a manner that a spindle motor is rotated regarding the HDD of data which can access from a host computer and a spindle motor is stopped regarding the HDD of data which are clearly judged that a host computer does not access the data. Whether the host computers can access the HDD or not is judged by the fact that whether the memory region (internal logical volume) provided by the HDD is in mapped to the host logical volume or not which is recognized by the host computer and is able to access thereby.
US08516196B2
A processor may include several processor cores, each including a respective higher-level cache; a lower-level cache including several tag units each including several controllers, where each controller corresponds to a respective cache bank configured to store data, and where the controllers are concurrently operable to access their respective cache banks; and an interconnect network configured to convey data between the cores and the lower-level cache. The controllers in a given tag unit may share access to a resource that may include one or more of an interconnect egress port coupled to the interconnect network, an interconnect ingress port coupled to the interconnect network, a test controller, or a data storage structure.
US08516190B1
Systems and methods for using RAID with ATA mass storage devices can benefit from operating system optimizations for avoiding unaligned write accesses. When the ATA mass storage devices in the RAID array have different physical sector sizes, the largest physical sector size is reported as the physical sector size for the single disk represented by the RAID array. The operating system can optimize accesses that are aligned with all of the physical sector sizes within the RAID array. Additionally, any storage devices that have a first logical sector that does not have an offset of zero, are configured to ignore all logical sectors in the first physical sector. Accesses to the first logical sector are mapped to the second physical sector. A logical sector alignment of zero is then reported to the operating system for the RAID array, enabling the operating system to avoid unaligned writes.
US08516189B2
A method, apparatus, and system of a software technique for improving disk write performance on raid system where write sizes are not an integral multiple of number of data disks are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes configuring a queue module to place an amount of data of a write operation into a data buffer module associated with a memory system if writing the amount of data to the memory system would generate a read-modify-write operation to occur, using the data buffer module to temporarily store the amount of data, writing the amount of data from the data buffer module to the memory system. The method may include algorithmically determining the amount of data to place in the data buffer module as a portion of the write operation that may cross a boundary between a striped sector unit (SSU) and/or an other SSU.
US08516186B2
A RAM disk driver 112 receives the user's specification for the capacity of a RAM disk 122 via an operation screen image 10 (step S20). The RAM disk driver 112 sets a continuous region in an OS invisible area, which is beyond management of an operating system installed in a computer, on a RAM 120 for a storage area of the RAM disk 122 having the user's specified capacity (step S30). When the user's specified capacity is greater than the capacity of the OS invisible area on the RAM 120, the RAM disk driver 112 reduces the range of an OS visible area, which is managed by the operating system, on the RAM 120 and sets the storage area of the RAM disk 122 in the expanded OS invisible area. This arrangement effectively boosts up access to the RAM 120 as the primary storage in the computer.
US08516179B2
A processing system on an integrated circuit includes a group of processing cores. A group of dedicated random access memories are severally coupled to one of the group of processing cores or shared among the group. A star bus couples the group of processing cores and random access memories. Additional layer(s) of star bus may couple many such clusters to each other and to an off-chip environment.
US08516178B2
In one embodiment, a system having a non-volatile programmable memory and a controller is provided. The system has data pins that are configured to be accessed in one of a first mode and a second mode such that, in the first mode, the system receives information using one of the data pins and, in the second mode, the system receives information using four of the data pins. The system also has a command pin that is configured to receive a first command, a second command, and a third command, the first command requesting a current operation mode of the data pins, the second command requesting operation voltage information of the system, and the third command setting the system into one of the first and second modes. Additionally, the system has a power signal pin configured to receive power for the system.
US08516176B1
Multiple devices may be simultaneously programmed using JTAG circuitry or a JTAG operation. The output of a master device's programming may be used to verify the programming of one or more slave devices. The comparison of the master device's programming output to a slave device's programming output may be handled by a logic circuit. The logic circuit may signal the result of the comparison by, for example, a LED.
US08516170B2
A computer implemented method for writing to a software bound ring buffer. A network adapter may determine that data is available to write to the software bound ring buffer. The network adapter determines that a read index is not equal to a write index, responsive to a determination that data is available to write to the software bound ring buffer. The network adapter writes the data to memory referenced by the hardware write index, wherein memory referenced by the write index is offset according to an offset, and the memory contents comprise a data portion and a valid bit. The network adapter writes an epoch value of the write index to the valid bit. The network adapter increments the write index, responsive to writing the data to memory referenced by the write index. Further disclosed is method to access a hardware bound ring buffer.
US08516167B2
A system includes master modules, at least one multiport slave module, and a scheduler connected by a system bus. The scheduler is configured to provide scheduling information to the multiport slave module. The scheduling information includes master categorization information and anticipated burst information. The anticipated burst information is based on a scheduler determination for an anticipated bus access by an anticipated master module. The master categorization information categorizes the anticipated master.
US08516163B2
A serial buffer includes queues configured to store data packets received from a host. A direct memory access (DMA) engine receives data packets from the highest priority queue having a water level that reaches a corresponding watermark. The DMA engine is configured in response to a DMA register set, which is selected from a plurality of DMA register sets. The DMA register set used to configure the DMA engine can be selected in response to information in the header of the read data packet, or in response to the queue from which the data packet is read. Each DMA register set defines a corresponding buffer in system memory, to which the data packet is transferred. Each DMA register set also defines whether the corresponding buffer is accessed in a wrap mode or a stop mode, and whether doorbell signals are generated in response to transfers to the last address in the corresponding buffer.
US08516161B2
An computer program product, apparatus, and method for facilitating input/output (I/O) processing for an I/O operation at a host computer system configured for communication with a control unit. The computer program product includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes the host computer system obtaining a transport command word (TCW) for an I/O operation. The TCW specifies a location of one or more I/O commands and a flag set to indicate that the location is an indirect address. The host computer system extracts the location of the one or more I/O commands and the flag from the TCW, gathers the one or more I/O commands responsive to the location specified by the TCW and the flag, and then forwards the one or more I/O commands to the control unit for execution.
US08516159B2
Asynchronous file operations in a scalable multi-node file system cache for a remote cluster file system, is provided. One implementation involves maintaining a scalable multi-node file system cache in a local cluster file system, and caching local file data in the cache by fetching file data on demand from the remote cluster file system into the cache over the network. The local file data corresponds to file data in the remote cluster file system. Local file information is asynchronously committed from the cache to the remote cluster file system over the network.
US08516149B1
An information retrieval system having: a client adapted for accessing a plurality of file sets stored on one of a plurality of file servers; a plurality of file servers configured to operate with a federated file system namespace; and a memory for storing re-direction information accessible by the client for identifying a request issued by the client for a file set at a first location in the namespace where the file set is located at a second, different location on one of the file servers and wherein the client in examining the re-direction information in the memory, re-directs the request to the second location in accordance with the re-direction information.
US08516143B2
A device, method and computer program product for transmitting data within remote application are disclosed. The method includes the following steps: detecting a connection attribute with a receiver; selecting an available transmission condition according to the detected connection attribute; and transmitting an audio data and/or a video data to the receiver responsive to a determination that the available transmission condition is fulfilled.
US08516140B2
In one embodiment, a scheme is disclosed for negotiating schema information relating to one or more content types of a message body comprised within a message of a communication protocol. A communication protocol message such as a SIP or HTTP message is generated by a sender towards a recipient, wherein the message includes a message body. A schema indicator is provided in the communication protocol message to indicate acceptability of variations of a content type of a message body or body part in a response from the recipient.
US08516139B2
A multicast processing section constructs, when it is determined that a received packet is a packet on a multicast packet and multicast group management protocol, a table showing a correlation between a host device and a multicast group in a port number-multicast physical address correlation storing section as well as in a multicast router-connected port storing section according to the received packet, and controls to transfer a packet for each multicast group between a multicast router and host devices according to the table.
US08516125B2
Systems and methods of performing a simplified data transfer are provided. For example, a method of simplified data transfer may involve downloading an index of files accessed or modified on a home computer onto a handheld device from an online data storage server, displaying on the handheld device a user selectable list of files based on the index of files, issuing a request for a file selected by a user from the list of files from the handheld device to the data storage server, and receiving the file selected by the user onto the handheld device from the data storage server.
US08516119B2
Systems, devices and methods are described for determining attributes identifying media items from other media items. A first video sequence of a first media item is received from a media source, the video sequence including one or more images having first banner information embedded therein. The attributes of the first media item are determined. The determined attributes of the first media item can then be stored or otherwise processed as desired.
US08516115B2
A method for transferring information in a communication system whereby one or more subscriber units may communicate, the system comprising a network having a connection controller, one or more subscriber information stores and at least one application provider, the method comprising registering a subscriber unit with the network, including transmitting from the subscriber information store associated with that subscriber unit to the connection controller information indicative of the access of that subscriber unit to application services: and in order to enable access to services of the application provider, transmitting from the connection controller to the application provider at least one of: a. an indication of the address of at least one unit from which the application provider may retrieve subscriber specific information related to the services of the application provider; and b. subscriber specific information related to the services of the application provider.
US08516109B2
Obtaining information relating to a local environment of a terminal of a local network and to providing the terminal, via an application server, with at least one service adapted both as a function of the information relating to an access session of the terminal and the information relating to a local environment of the terminal. The local environment information of the terminal is obtained from an autoconfiguration server via a session server and it is provided to the application server.
US08516105B2
In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect devices participating in a conference; monitor the devices for an attribute corresponding to an attention level of each of the devices; and determine whether each device is active based on the attention level.
US08516095B2
Apparatus and methods provide a mechanism to enhance the communication capabilities of wireless users. Various embodiments include apparatus and methods to manage operational features of a mobile wireless device using a parameter for the mobile wireless device set in another mobile wireless device. This mechanism allows for remote administration of the mobile wireless device. In various embodiments, such a parameter can be correlated to directed action to be conducted by a wireless server, where the wireless server identifies the directed action, corresponding to the parameter, during transferal of the parameter from the mobile wireless device in which the parameter is set to the mobile wireless device that is managed using the parameter or a derived parameter. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08516074B2
To improve the efficiency of media delivery over the Internet, a system and a method are provided for caching remote media files and retrieving cached media files, comprising hardware and software modules as well as steps for storing a remote media file into the cache and retrieving the cached media file based on a signature created by hashing only discrete parts of the media file. The signature is a key for finding the cached media files in the cache upon subsequent requests for the same media file, even if it is received from a different internet location. Media files may be adapted to the characteristics of different media clients, and adapted media files may be equally cached.
US08516073B2
A method of information transfer, comprising receiving an event report and sending the event report if the report matches event report subscription information. A policy and charging rule function (PCRF) and mobile communication system are also disclosed in the present invention, thereby enabling the system to save network resources and increase the utilization of network resources.
US08516069B1
Systems and methods are described for communicating overhead data in a way that complies with applicable protocols while using return-link bandwidth more efficiently, for example, by providing a shared memory at an interface between lower layers and higher layers of a protocol stack. In one exemplary configuration, a shared dynamic buffer is provided at the interface between a closely coupled client optimizer and link layer of a user system. For example, the dynamic buffer is used to supplement or replace the FIFO queue typically at the interface between Layers 2 and 3 of the OSI protocol stack for the TCP protocol. The client optimizer continually and efficiently maintains current status data in the shared memory (e.g., ACK or NACK data, FEC data, partial packets, etc.). This status data can be uploaded by the link layer according to upload bandwidth allowances granted by a protocol partner.
US08516068B2
A system and method for processing messages being composed by a user of a computing device (e.g. a mobile device). Embodiments are described in which the performance of certain tasks is initiated before a direction is received from a user to send a message being composed by the user. This may involve, for example, “pre-fetching” security-related data that will be required in order to send a message that is in the process of being composed by the user securely. Such data may include security policy data, certificate data, and/or certificate status data, for example.
US08516067B2
A system and method are directed towards managing interoperability between disparate IM networks. A clearinghouse server is provided that receives IM messages from disparate IM networks. The clearinghouse server examines the IM message to determine it is in a compatible protocol for a destination IM network. If the IM message is incompatible a translation service is used to translate the message into a compatible protocol. The translation service further determines if the destination IM network supports a feature employed by the received IM message. If the feature is supported or can be translated to a supported feature, the translation service will also perform the feature translation. Otherwise, the translation service may return an error message indicating that the received IM message includes an unsupported feature for the destination IM network. Upon satisfactory translation, the clearinghouse server forwards the translated IM message towards the destination IM network.
US08516062B2
An information management system may store information related to tasks to be performed by workers in an organization. Workers in the organization may communicate with the information management system using email messages. The information management system may not require a login or authentication procedure, and workers may interact with the information management system without the need to log in to the information management system. A worker may send an email to the information management system that includes an action type parameter. The action type parameter may indicate a task such as updating a database to indicate that a task has been completed, reassigning a task from one worker to another, or transmitting a report to a worker. The information management system may then perform the action indicated by the action type parameter.
US08516058B2
A method and computer program product for dynamically sharing tags associated with an email including associating one or more tags with an email after the email has been sent. The one or more tags are made accessible to at least a portion of one or more email users.
US08516056B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to instant messaging and real-time communications systems and provide a method, system and computer program product for automated partner list management in a real-time communications system. In one embodiment, a real-time communications data processing system can include a real-time communications server, a history log configured to record user interaction records for different users of the real-time communications server, a set of partner lists for the different users, and partner list management logic coupled to each of the real-time communications server and history log. The partner list management logic can include program code enabled to remove individual ones of the different users from a single one of the partner lists which individual ones of the different users meet at least one configurable criteria.
US08516045B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automatic notification and response based on communication flow expressions having dynamic context. A message is provided from a sender to at least one recipient in accordance with a communication flow having a plurality of potential paths. The communication flow is controlled by a communication flow expression having a dynamic context, wherein the communication flow expression contains at least one primitive keyword indicating how the message should be processed. The dynamic context of the communication flow expression may be established using one or more labels or a context function. A number of primitive keywords are provided that allow a communication flow expression to react to a dynamic context.
US08516035B2
Improved techniques that facilitate the use of podcasts are disclosed. The improved techniques can pertain to publishing, hosting, accessing, subscribing, managing, organizing, searching, browsing, transferring, and/or playing podcasts. According to yet one aspect, tags are embedded into syndication feeds that may be made available for distribution by an online media store to facilitate the organization, browsing and searching of podcasts. In accordance with one embodiment, one or more keyword tags may be embedded at the feed and/or episode levels of a podcast, thereby enabling the keywords to be associated with the feed and/or episode. In accordance with another embodiment, two or more category tags may be embedded at the feed and/or episode levels of a podcast, enabling the feed and/or episode to be categorized according to two or more categories.
US08516030B2
A carry look-ahead circuit generates a generate output for generating a carry, from a plurality of inverted generate inputs and a plurality of inverted propagate inputs to peer bits of a first operand and a second operand including a plurality of bits. The carry look-ahead circuit includes a circuit that receives the inverted generate inputs excluding the inverted generate input of a most significant bit among the inverted generate inputs and the inverted propagate inputs and generates an inverted pseudo generate signal of the generate output; and a circuit that receives the inverted generate input of the most significant bit among the inverted generate inputs and the inverted pseudo generate signal and outputs the generate output.
US08516028B2
A system and method for providing memory bandwidth efficient correlation acceleration. A correlation accelerator or correlator (e.g., an X*Y correlator) can be configured in association with a processor of a wireless communication system for correlating an input signal data sequence (X) and its shifted versions with a reference data sequence. Shifted versions (including the 0-shifted or the original) with respect to the input signal data sequence can be generated for each column (Y columns) of a sliding window in the correlator in order to reduce an input bandwidth requirement. Each input signal data and the shifted versions can be concurrently multiplied with the reference signal data and the results can be summed together in order to generate an output signal data profile. The output signal data profile can be stored into an accumulator register in order to reduce an output bandwidth requirement.
US08516025B2
A system includes a plurality of datapaths, each having structural arithmetic elements to perform various arithmetic operations based, at least in part, on configuration data. The system also includes a configuration memory coupled to the datapaths, the configuration memory to provide the configuration data to the datapaths, which causes the datapaths to collaborate when performing the arithmetic operations.
US08516023B1
A context-based file system (CBFS) receives a request to perform an operation in a hierarchy of directories from a virtual host running on a node in a storage server, the hierarchy having a parent-child relationship and a root directory. An identifier is obtained for the virtual host from an operating system. A directory associated with the virtual host is selected from the hierarchy based on a type of the operation and a position of the directory in the hierarchy. A result is received as a result of performing the operation on the selected directory.
US08516022B1
For automatically committing a file of a file system to a WORM committed state when the file has not been modified for a certain period of time, a file server maintains a list of file identifiers and periodically scans the list to check whether or not the certain period of time has expired for each file on the list. If so, the file is committed to the WORM state. The file server also enforces an in-place lock in response to a client request to modify or delete a file when the certain period of time is found to have expired for the file. A minimum modify time and a maximum modified time are included in each entry of the list of file identifiers in order to skip entries and to reclaim memory of entries during the periodic scan.
US08516021B2
Systems, Methods, and Computer Program Products are provided for concurrent checkpointing and modifications in a transactional clustered file system (CFS). Shadow data segments, whose contents are identical to an original data segment currently being written by a checkpoint operation, for users that require access for modification to data segments concurrently being written within a checkpoint operation.
US08516015B2
A method, apparatus, and computer product are provided for implementing changes to a file system of computing device. A virtual file system is created as a copy of a hierarchical structure of a file system of a computing device. The virtual file system appears as the actual file system when displayed and is a graphical representation of the file system. Changes can be made to the virtual file system without affecting the file system. Responsive to the changes, an appearance of the virtual file system is correspondingly modified to reflect the changes. Responsive to the changes, commands are generated corresponding to the changes. The commands reflect changes to the virtual file system, and the commands are stored. The commands are provided for execution on the computing device, and the commands cause the file system of the computing device to reflect changes made to the virtual file system.
US08516012B2
In various embodiments, a method comprises defining a plurality of translating references for an object, generating a common information model (CIM) with a processor of a system, the CIM comprising one or more functional object attributes of the object, generating a first instantiation of a user information model (UIM), the first instantiation of the UIM comprising one or more user-associated attributes of the object, interfacing with the CIM using the first instantiation of the UIM, and translating one or more user-associated attributes of the first instantiation of the UIM to the one or more functional object attributes of the CIM using the plurality of translating references.
US08516003B2
A system, method, and computer program product for modeling, the user appears to have a body of information in a data structure that can be manipulated independently of an underlying database. In an embodiment of the invention, the data structure is an entity cache.
US08516002B2
Mechanisms are provided for optimizing file data compressed using deflate mechanisms such as the ZLIB Compressed Data Format Specification and the DEFLATE Compressed Data Format Specification. Deflate mechanisms output different deflate file data depending on specific file data parameters. An optimization tool decompresses the deflate file data and outputs an optimized data stream. When a client application attempts to access the deflate data, the tool deoptimizes the optimized data stream and applies the same deflate algorithm to generate deflate file data. Although the deflate algorithm is applied without using the file data parameters used to generate the original deflate file data, substitute deflate file data is produced.
US08516000B2
A system receives context data associated with a context and a user. The system then associates the context data to a user identifier and retrieves data associated with the context. The system then filters the data according to the context data to create result data. In another embodiment, the system also receives context data from a plurality of users, where the context data pertains to one or more attributes of a context. The system then using the context data ranks the one or more attributes of the context to create ranked data and generates a user interface based on the ranked data. In yet another embodiment, the system communicates context data associated with a context and a user to a server, and receives result data created by the server filtering data retrieved based on the context data. The system then generates a user interface based on the result data.
US08515998B1
Methods for providing a framework for document objects located on a network are detailed. One method includes steps for creating one or more link directories for storing link relationships between document objects located on the network and for enabling users of the network to create link relationships between a first document object located on the network and a second document object located on the network. The method may also include steps for allowing users to assign attributes describing the link relationships and the document objects related by the link relationships and for managing the presentation of link relationships. One method of managing the presentation of link relationships to a user uses the assigned attributes to determine which link relationships are presented to the user and the manner in which the link relationships are presented.
US08515996B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to automatically populating a database of names and secrets in an authentication server by sending one or more lists of one or more names and secrets by a network management software to an authentication server. Furthermore, some embodiments provide that the lists being sent are encrypted and/or embedded in otherwise inconspicuous files.
US08515984B2
A search term suggestion engine of a computing device receives characters of user data as the characters are input. The user data is at least part of a search term to be provided to one of multiple applications to search for the search term. An indication of multiple suggestion sources is received from the one application, and one or more suggested search terms are obtained, from the multiple suggestion sources, based on the received characters. One or more suggested search terms can also be obtained from the multiple suggestion sources based on one or more linguistic alternatives for the received characters. The one or more suggested search terms are combined into a combined set of suggested search terms, and the combined set of suggested search terms is returned to a search user interface for presentation to the user.
US08515956B2
A method and system for clustering a plurality of data elements is provided. According to embodiments of the present invention, a bit vector is generated based on each of the data elements. Bit operations are used to group each data element into a cluster. Clustering may be performed by partition clustering or hierarchical clustering. Embodiments of the present invention cluster data elements such as text documents, audio files, video files, photos, or other data files.
US08515954B2
A set of ordered predicted completion strings are presented to a user as the user enters text in a text entry box (e.g., a browser or a toolbar). The predicted completion strings can be in the form of URLs or query strings. The ordering may be based on any number of factors (e.g., a query's frequency of submission from a community of users). URLs can be ranked based on an importance value of the URL. Privacy is taken into account in a number of ways, such as using a previously submitted query only when more than a certain number of unique requestors have made the query. The sets of ordered predicted completion strings is obtained by matching a fingerprint value of the user's entry string to a fingerprint to table map which contains the set of ordered predicted completion strings.
US08515942B2
A first query is retrieved by a computing device. A second query is retrieved by the computing device, wherein the second query is linked to the first query. A derivative query is generated by the computing device based, at least in part, upon merging at least a portion of the second query with at least a portion of the first query, wherein generating the derivative query includes retrieving the first query and the second query prior to generation of the derivative query. The computing device determines whether the derivative query contains one or more conflicts. If it is determined that the derivative query contains one or more conflicts, the one or more conflicts in the derivative query are resolved by the computing device.
US08515920B2
A computer-implemented method and an apparatus for use in a computing apparatus are disclosed. The method includes determining a context and a data requirement for a candidate action to be selected, the selection specifying an action in a workflow; and filtering the candidate actions for relevance in light of the context and the data requirement. The apparatus, in a first aspect, includes a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device, performs the method. In a second aspect, the apparatus includes a computing apparatus programmed to perform the method.
US08515919B1
Techniques for optimizing data migration are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for optimizing data migration may comprise receiving a request for initiating a data migration application and migrating, via at least one computer processor, at least one data file from a migration list during the data migration application. The method for optimizing data migration may also comprise monitoring the migration of the at least one data file and determining whether the at least one data file is active during the migration of the at least one data file. The method for optimizing data migration may further comprise deferring the migration of the at least one data file based at least in part on a determination that the at least one data file is active and recording information associated with the at least one data file if the at least one data file is active.
US08515914B2
Various embodiments are provided for facilitation of data retention using logical objects. Following an operation creating a redundant copy of the data performed on a scheduled interval, a logical object containing a number of managed file versions, represented by a number of member objects for a recovery point, is created. The logical object is assigned a policy of a data retention policy construct associated with the recovery point. The logical object is adapted for reassignment between policies of the data retention policy construct associated with various recovery points. During the reassignment, the plurality of member objects representing the plurality of managed file versions are logically retained instead of performing a data copy operation to associate the plurality of managed file versions with another recovery point.
US08515913B2
A file management apparatus includes a register unit that registers on a memory a first information set mapping a link file to a file and registers on the memory a second information set indicating a storage location of the file if the file is newly stored or if the link file pointing to the file is generated, a processor unit that performs a process to determine a storage location of a file pointed to by the accessed link file in accordance with the first information set and the second information set registered on the memory, and a process to access the file stored at the determined storage location, and an update unit that updates the second information set indicating the storage location of the file such that the second information set indicates a storage location of the file subsequent to the movement of the file.
US08515910B1
A set of virtualized computing services may include multiple types of virtualized data store differentiated by characteristics such as latency, throughput, durability and cost. A sequence of captures of a data set from one data store to another may be scheduled to achieve a variety of virtualized computing service user and provider goals such as lowering a probability of data loss, lowering costs, and computing resource load leveling. Data set captures may be scheduled according to policies specifying fixed and flexible schedules and conditions including flexible scheduling windows, target capture frequencies, probability of loss targets and/or cost targets. Capture lifetimes may also be managed with capture retention policies, which may specify fixed and flexible lifetimes and conditions including cost targets. Such data set capture policies may be specified with a Web-based administrative interface to a control plane of the virtualized computing services.
US08515898B2
Executing a plurality of transform stages in an extract, transform and load (ETL) job including, for each of the transform stages, receiving a plurality of input row identifiers (RIDs) corresponding to a first plurality of source database table rows in a source database table. Data is retrieved directly from a subset of the source database table columns in the first plurality of source database table rows based on the input RIDs and transform logic. Partial row data including data from the subset of the source database table columns is generated for each of the first plurality of source database table rows. Transformed data is generated based on the partial row data and to the transform logic. Output RIDs corresponding to a second plurality of rows in the source database table that include a least a subset of the transformed data are output to a downstream stage.
US08515896B2
Intrusion features of a landing page associated with sponsored content are identified. A feature score for the landing page based on the identified intrusion features is generated, and if the feature score for the landing page exceeds a feature threshold, the landing page is classified as a candidate landing page. A sponsor account associated with the candidate landing page can be suspended, or sponsored content associated with the candidate landing page can be suspended.
US08515886B2
Efficiently simulating an Amari dynamics of a neural field a, the Amari dynamics being specified by the equation (1) where a(x,t) is the state of the neural field a, represented in a spatial domain (SR) using coordinates x,t, i(x,i) is a function stating the input to the neural field at time t, f[.] is a bounded monotonic transfer function having values between 0 and 1, F(x) is an interaction kernel, τ specifies the time scale on which the neural field a changes and h is a constant specifying the global excitation or inhibition of the neural field a. A method comprises the step of simulating an application of the transfer function f to the neural field a. Simulating an application of the transfer function f comprises smoothing the neural field a by applying a smoothing operator (S).
US08515885B2
Embodiments of the invention provide neuromorphic-synaptronic systems, including neuromorphic-synaptronic circuits implementing spiking neural network with synaptic weights learned using simulation. One embodiment includes simulating a spiking neural network to generate synaptic weights learned via the simulation while maintaining one-to-one correspondence between the simulation and a digital circuit chip. The learned synaptic weights are loaded into the digital circuit chip implementing a spiking neural network, the digital circuit chip comprising a neuromorphic-synaptronic spiking neural network including plural synapse devices interconnecting multiple digital neurons.
US08515873B2
A system and method of processing paper checks that divides into two independent paths the processing of a data file representing a check and the digital image of the check. The data files and image files are separated both in time and in space. The digital image files are deposited as an image or substitute check if deemed ACH ineligible through image exchange. WIC checks are handled through image exchange. Vendor identifiers required for WIC processing are added to the check after scanning. The system identifies the state of the check and the particular store accepting the check in order to determine where to place the overlay and which vendor identifier to use.
US08515868B2
A system of accessing through a financial processing network multiple accounts associated with a single financial card. Data is input to the financial network in addition to the transaction data and the account identification data that is read from the card. This additional data permits the proper account to be accessed. The data may be input at the point of sale as an account selection. In this instance, the selection may be used to route the transaction data through the financial processing network or may be used to read data regarding one of multiple accounts encoded on the card. The data may also be stored as conditional routing rules at transfer points in the financial processing network. In this instance, the transaction is routed to the proper account based on the stored rules.
US08515867B1
Methods and systems consistent with the present invention overcome the shortcomings of existing trading systems by providing an invoiceless trading system that creates incentives for customers to pay suppliers within a predetermined period of time, such as a settlement period. Specifically, the invoiceless trading system enables a customer to obtain a discount on orders placed with suppliers in return for an immediate payment (e.g., within 24 hours) by the customer. The supplier receives payment within the predetermined period of time, and the customer receives additional cash benefits by providing an early payment to the supplier. To communicate with and transfer funds between customers and suppliers, the invoiceless trading system may use an electronic gateway and a settlement bank. In addition to creating an incentive to embrace e-commerce, both customers and suppliers avoid the need to manually process orders and use invoices to complete transactions.
US08515866B2
In connection with a sales transaction, product information is directly collected from the product provided with a label or tag that can be electronically scanned by, for example, optical scanning technology or radio-frequency scanning technology. The product information is electronically provided to the buyer in the form of an electronic receipt.
US08515865B1
Methods, systems, and products charge a battery in a vehicle. A charging station selects charging parameters based on a vehicle identification number associated with the vehicle.
US08515864B2
This web enabled system is capable of facilitating the management of unlimited projects within which an unlimited number of parties may participate to complete an unlimited number of stages, substages and tasks. The system facilitates the efficient disbursal of monies while reducing the inefficiencies that result when money is not timely disbursed. It uses a quasi-escrow system to secure waivers and distribute money simultaneously. Projected timelines for completion, tracking of materials used and materials stored, and partial payments and releases are all managed by the system based on inputs by participating parties. Allowed inputs are governed by each party's function and the password security level provided therefore, in balance with checks against required approvals or releases by other affected parties and intrasystem consistency checks.
US08515855B2
Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for presenting sale offers over an electronic network system. In one implementation, a method may comprise storing, in a database, a sale offer including terms to purchase a good or service at a predetermined offer price, the predetermined offer price being a discounted price less than a market value of the offered good or service in a commercial marketplace. The method may also comprise setting, using at least one processor, parameters for presenting the sale offer, the parameters including a limited duration during which the sale offer may be accepted, the limited duration being based on an available quantity of the offered good or service. Further, the method may include presenting the sale offer to an individual who visits at least one website accessible over the electronic network system, the individual matching a targeted group of individuals.
US08515851B2
A method for generating an index of securities includes selecting index constituents and weighing the selected index constituents by a measure (“an intangible asset measure”) of quality and/or value of the intangible assets of constituent entities. The index constituents can be selected from a set of potential constituents based on an intangible asset measure of each constituent in the set, and the selected index constituents may then be weighted by a desired measure or methodology or weighted equally, or by an intangible asset measure. Another method for generating an index of securities includes combining groups of constituents, which are selected based on an intangible asset measure, to be index constituents and weighing the index constituents by a desired measure or methodology.
US08515850B2
The system and method described herein may be used to forecast realized volatility via wavelets and non-linear dynamics. In particular, a volatility time series that includes daily volatility values associated with a security may be decomposed into wavelets via multi-resolution analysis and dynamical properties associated with the individual wavelets may be analyzed to identify deterministic and non-deterministic wavelets and produce a volatility forecast derived from a fit computed on the deterministic wavelets. For example, the wavelets may be analyzed to discover time delay, Theiler, and embedding dimension values associated therewith, which may be used to project volatility values associated with each wavelet. The projected volatility values associated with each wavelet may then be summed to produce a volatility forecast associated with the security.
US08515849B2
Techniques are described for constructing benchmark-adjusted relative performance indexes that reflect total performance of a traded, target security relative to a benchmark instrument. Also described are derivative instruments such as exchange-traded futures and options that allow investors to take precise hedging or speculation positions on target security relative to the benchmark instrument.
US08515844B2
Systems and methods of on-line credit information monitoring and control. In one embodiment, a server computer accesses and retrieves credit information relating to a consumer. The server computer may also provide a user interface with active links associated with credit items. The links may allow the consumer to communicate directly with a credit service. The server computer may offer additional credit-related services such as credit report retrieval, credit monitoring, notifications, identity theft management, interest rate calculations, historical archives, and account management.
US08515843B1
A computer-implemented method includes generating, using an embedded client application, a keyword context for a container document holding the embedded client application; generating, using the embedded client application, a geographic context associated with a device on which the container document is displayed; submitting the keyword context and the geographic context to a remote server; and displaying an interactive application using information obtained in response to the submission of the keyword context and geographic criteria.
US08515840B2
A computer program is provided that causes a computer to enable a user to make an electronic payment via a communication network. A user is authenticated to a server computer. The computer retrieves identification information stored in a memory region of the computer, and transmits the identification information to a server computer via the communication network. In addition, the computer displays a personal-finance toolbar on a portion of the display screen, and the computer receives from the server computer, via the communication network, financial information of at least one financial account corresponding to the user. The computer displays, on the tool bar, at least some of the financial information received from the server computer. The computer concurrently displays on the display screen the tool bar and a Web page of a Web site, which is a purchase page on which the user may input purchase information. The computer automatically inputs the purchase information to the purchase page in response to activation of an icon on the toolbar, wherein the computer obtains the purchase information from at least one memory region of the computer.
US08515833B2
Embodiments of multilayer provisioning of networked contact centers comprise providing a support service, via a distributor, to a tenant, responsive to receiving a request from the tenant to modify the support provisioning the modified support service to the tenant.
US08515828B1
A product recommendation system and method identify product characteristics from customer reviews using a semantic analysis of the product review text. The semantic analysis identifies negative sentiment keywords associated with one or more product characteristics in the customer review and assigns each negative sentiment keyword a value. The value of each identified negative sentiment keywords is then used to calculate a score for the product characteristic to which the negative sentiment keyword is correlated. A product recommendation report comprising the identified products, their product characteristics, a list of scored product reviews, or a combination thereof is then presented to the end user.
US08515823B2
A computer system and method is disclosed for pre-qualifying vendors for buyers and/or industries using vendor criteria information associated with buyers and/or industries and vendor qualification information associated with vendors. Vendors and buyers enter the vendor qualification information and vendor criteria information, respectively, into a database in a hierarchical and relational manner. The computer system compares entered vendor qualification information to stored vendor criteria information to pre-qualify vendors for buyers and/or industries. The computer system further monitors the stored vendor qualification information and requests updated vendor qualification information from the vendors to maintain vendor qualification on a per industry and/or per buyer basis.
US08515818B2
A method for providing a map view is disclosed. The method comprises enabling selection of a departure and a destination among a plurality of location items; determining a route between the selected departure and the selected destination; determining necessary maps for covering said route; determining locally unavailable maps among said necessary maps; and acquiring said locally unavailable maps. Corresponding apparatus, server, system, user interface, and computer program are also disclosed.
US08515812B2
A method and a system that identify seller ads to potential buyers within a network-based commerce system are provided. The method and system may operate to receive a request including a product identification from a seller, and assign to the seller, based on a distance function and the product identification, a matching identification entry included in a set of identification entries. The request may also include financial metrics. The method and system may further include operations to identify one or more seller ads associated with the matching identification entry, as determined by a distance measured between the matching identification entry and at least one extracted identification entry extracted from a selected content page and included in the set of identification entries. The identification of the one or more seller ads may also be determined by a relevance function based on the financial metrics.
US08515803B2
Systems and methods for initiating and conducting an automated survey are disclosed herein. According to some implementations, a computer-readable medium may be encoded with computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions includes logic adapted to receive a notification of the occurrence of a trigger event associated with a service performed for a customer. The computer-executable instructions further include logic adapted, in response to receiving the notification, to initiate an automated survey to be offered to a survey recipient. Additional logic is adapted to conduct the automated survey. The instructions also include logic adapted to receive survey result information from the survey recipient in response to the automated survey.
US08515792B2
The invention provides a system and method for chargeback cost allocation in an information technology (IT) system including multiple resources. The method includes categorizing cost attributes of different resources into multiple levels defining a cost attribute hierarchy, defining different chargeback groups for resources with similar cost attributes and chargeback policies at different levels of the hierarchy, and performing chargeback cost allocation by allocating the cost for resources at each hierarchy level independently using chargeback policies defined for the resources at that hierarchy level.
US08515789B1
A method optimizes revenue or profit for a gambling enterprise, such as a casino. The method employs a plurality of different gaming units, such as table games and electronic gaming devices, in the gambling enterprise. A plurality of counts is employed, one of the counts for each of the different gaming units. A plurality of decision functions is employed, with at least one of the decision functions for each of the different gaming units. Revenue or profit optimization is employed as an objective function. Optimal values for the counts for each of the different gaming units are determined from the decision functions and a plurality of constraints in order to optimize the objective function.
US08515773B2
A system and method for enabling distribution and brokering of content information are described. A request to download data is transmitted to a server. Information on multiple content providers storing data obtained from the server is received. Finally, identification information for one content provider, which allowed the download of data, is transmitted to the server along with payment for the download of data.
US08515767B2
Codebook indices for a scalable speech and audio codec may be efficiently encoded based on anticipated probability distributions for such codebook indices. A residual signal from a Code Excited Linear Prediction (CELP)-based encoding layer may be obtained, where the residual signal is a difference between an original audio signal and a reconstructed version of the original audio signal. The residual signal may be transformed at a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT)-type transform layer to obtain a corresponding transform spectrum. The transform spectrum is divided into a plurality of spectral bands, where each spectral band having a plurality of spectral lines. A plurality of different codebooks are then selected for encoding the spectral bands, where each codebook is associated with a codebook index. A plurality of codebook indices associated with the selected codebooks are then encoded together to obtain a descriptor code that more compactly represents the codebook indices.
US08515758B2
Some implementations provide for speech recognition based on structured modeling, irrelevant variability normalization and unsupervised online adaptation of one or more speech recognition parameters. Some implementations may improve the ability of a runtime speech recognizer or decoder to adapt to new speakers and new environments.
US08515756B2
A method and device are configured to receive voice data from a user and perform speech recognition on the received voice data. A confidence score is calculated that represents the likelihood that received voice data has been accurately recognized. A likely age range is determined associated with the user based on the confidence score.
US08515746B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for selecting training data. In an aspect, a method comprises: selecting a target out of vocabulary rate; selecting a target percentage of user sessions; and determining a minimum training data collection duration for a vocabulary of words, the minimum training data collection duration corresponding to the target percentage of user sessions experiencing the target out of vocabulary rate.
US08515737B2
In some embodiments, a non-transitory processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions that when executed cause a processor to select a narrative content template based at least in part on a predetermined content type associated with a real-world and/or virtual event. The code further represents instructions that when executed cause the processor to select a narrative tone type. The code further represents instructions that when executed cause the processor to, for each phrase included in an ordered set of phrases associated with the narrative content template, select, based at least in part on the narrative tone type, a phrase variation from a set of phrase variations associated with that phrase, and define, based on the selected phrase variation and at least one datum from a set of data, a narrative content portion associated with the real-world event. The code further represents instructions that when executed cause the processor to output, at a display, the narrative content portion.
US08515734B2
An integrated language model includes an upper-level language model component and a lower-level language model component, with the upper-level language model component including a non-terminal and the lower-level language model component being applied to the non-terminal. The upper-level and lower-level language model components can be of the same or different language model formats, including finite state grammar (FSG) and statistical language model (SLM) formats. Systems and methods for making integrated language models allow designation of language model formats for the upper-level and lower-level components and identification of non-terminals. Automatic non-terminal replacement and retention criteria can be used to facilitate the generation of one or both language model components, which can include the modification of existing language models.
US08515733B2
A method, device and computer program product for parsing linguistic input data by a computer system, in accordance with a grammar of a Formalized Natural Language. The grammar of the Formalized Natural language is a text grammar representing an infinite set of texts of type Text and is stored in electronic form in a computer readable medium constituting a text grammar device. This text grammar is defined by a set of four elements W, N, R and Text. W is a finite set of invariable words of type Word, to be used as terminal, elementary expressions of a text. N is a finite set of non-terminal help symbols, to be used for the derivation and the representation of texts. R is a finite set of inductive rules for the production of grammatical expressions of the Formalized Natural Language, and Text is an element of N and start-symbol for grammatical derivation of all texts of type Text of the Formalized Natural Language. Linguistic input data to be parsed are received from an input device acquired and parsed by the computer system in accordance with the Formalized Natural Language of the text grammar device. A physical representation of a syntactic and semantic structure of the parsed linguistic input data is provided by a data output device.
US08515729B2
The display language of a site may be changed to another alternate language by users of a site at any time. For example, a first user may access the same site in its default language (i.e. English) and a second user may access the site using their preferred language (i.e. French) even though the default language of the site is different from their preferred language. The language of the site may be changed from one language to another language at any time a user is accessing the site. Application content changes are identified by the site helping to ensure consistency between the default language and the alternate languages.
US08515726B2
A method of, and apparatus for, predicting the performance of a data storage resource forming part of a networked electronic data store is described. The method includes representing the data storage resource as a plurality of separate virtual storage components, each virtual storage component representing a part of the data storage resource and having at least one operational state selectable from a pool of operational states. The method further includes obtaining resource profile data from the data storage resource, and modeling the performance of the data storage resource by assigning, from the pool, an operational state to each virtual storage component to fit the resource profile data. Thus, the data storage resource can be represented as a collection of virtual storage components, each having a dynamically-assignable operational state. This enables the modeling of the performance of the data storage resource to be simplified significantly.
US08515722B2
System and method of modeling mono-glycerides, diglycerides and triglycerides in biodiesel feedstock
A computer-implemented method and system of modeling physical properties of biodiesel feedstock are presented. The invention method and system include (i) estimating values of a physical property of constituent fatty acid fragments of a mono-, di-, or triglyceride, and (ii) computing a value of the physical property of the mono-, di-, or triglyceride by expressing the value of the physical property of the mono-, di-, or triglyceride as a sum of the estimated values of the physical property of constituent fatty acid fragments thereof. The method and system further include repeating steps (i) and (ii) for different mono-, di-, and/or triglycerides, resulting in a plurality of computed values of the physical property of different mono-, di-, and triglycerides. The determined value of the subject physical property enables blending of the biodiesel feedstock in production of biodiesel.
US08515720B2
A method for fracture modeling of a field. The method includes receiving, using a central processing unit (CPU), a structural model of the field, the structural model comprising field data, restoring each of a plurality of geological layers from the structural model to create a plurality of boundary conditions, iteratively forward modeling each of the plurality of geological layers, defined by one of the plurality of boundary conditions, using geomechanical properties by and redetermining the fractures resulting from the internal stress and the internal strain for each previously processed geological layer of the plurality of geological layers using the geomechanical properties, when each of the plurality of layers is forward modeled, generating, using the CPU and geostatistical modeling, a fracture model with the fractures resulting from the internal stress and the internal strain of the plurality of layers, and presenting the fracture model for use in planning a field operation.
US08515719B2
In an apparatus anomaly monitoring system, a model creation module (2) creates an ensemble of models formed of predictive models of an objective variable (Y) for each explanatory variable (X) based on regression analysis with using a plurality of state data items (DS) measured from an apparatus (1) to be a target. With using this, a monitoring execution module (3) monitors a state of the apparatus (1) to detect the anomaly. More particularly, the explanatory variables (X) are categorized into a collinearity item (XA) and an independency item (XB) to create an individual model for each of the collinearity items (XA) with using the collinearity item (XA) and the independency item (XB). With using the ensemble of these models, a predicted value of the objective variable (Y), an error span between the predicted value and a measurement value, an ensemble error span, and others are computed.
US08515718B2
A method and a device for visualizing a workpiece in a visualized model of an automated installation. In accordance with the invention, the method comprises making available a selection device to the user of the visualized model of the automated installation, visualizing the automated installation together with the workpiece and centering the workpiece in the visualized model of the automated installation, where the selection device is used by the user to preselect the workpiece.
US08515707B2
A system, a computer readable storage medium including instructions, and a method for determining an attitude of a device undergoing dynamic acceleration. A difference between a first accelerometer measurement received from a first multi-dimensional accelerometer of the device and a second accelerometer measurement received from a second multi-dimensional accelerometer of the device is calculated. A Kalman gain is adjusted based on the difference, wherein the Kalman gain is used in a Kalman filter that determines the attitude of the device. An attitude of the device is determined using the Kalman filter based at least in part on the Kalman gain, the first accelerometer measurement, the second accelerometer measurement, and a magnetic field measurement received from a multi-dimensional magnetometer of the device.
US08515689B2
A method for determining the location of underground cables and pipes is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes measuring a set of electromagnetic field magnitudes and phases at a plurality of positions while traversing a target line parallelly using 3D electromagnetic coil sensors, the 3D electromagnetic coil sensors being orthogonally oriented to the target line, modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic field magnitudes of a single underground conductor at each of the positions to form a set of values corresponding to a set of individual models for the target line, determining which of the set of individuals models is a best model, determining confidence information at each of the positions based on a comparison between the measured set of complex electromagnetic magnitudes and phases and the best model, and determining parameters at each of positions related to the target line from the best model.
US08515687B2
A hose fault detection system includes a hose assembly including a hose having first and second conductive layers. The hose assembly has an electrical characteristic. A fault detector is in electrical communication with the first and second conductive layers. The fault detector includes an indicator operatively connected to the hose assembly. A method for monitoring the structural integrity of a hose assembly includes providing a fault detection system having a hose assembly including a hose having a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The hose assembly has an electrical characteristic. The electrical characteristic of the hose assembly is compared to a threshold value. A visual indicator in operative communication with the hose assembly is illuminated when the electrical characteristic goes beyond the threshold value.
US08515679B2
Disclosed herein is a system and method for increasing the fidelity of measured genetic data, for making allele calls, and for determining the state of aneuploidy, in one or a small set of cells, or from fragmentary DNA, where a limited quantity of genetic data is available. Genetic material from the target individual is acquired, amplified and the genetic data is measured using known methods. Poorly or incorrectly measured base pairs, missing alleles and missing regions are reconstructed using expected similarities between the target genome and the genome of genetically related individuals. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, incomplete genetic data from an embryonic cell are reconstructed at a plurality of loci using the more complete genetic data from a larger sample of diploid cells from one or both parents, with or without haploid genetic data from one or both parents. In another embodiment of the invention, the chromosome copy number can be determined from the measured genetic data of a single or small number of cells, with or without genetic information from one or both parents. In another embodiment of the invention, these determinations are made for the purpose of embryo selection in the context of in-vitro fertilization. In another embodiment of the invention, the genetic data can be reconstructed for the purposes of making phenotypic predictions.
US08515672B1
Systems and methods to incorporate master navigation system resets during transfer alignment are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises: a set of local inertial sensors; a local navigation processor coupled to local inertial sensors, the local navigation processor receiving inertial navigation data from local inertial sensors and converting the data into a navigation solution; a local Kalman filter (LKF) coupled to the local navigation processor and a master Kalman filter (MKF), the LKF receiving the navigation solution. The LKF receives from the MKF a Precision Transfer Alignment Message (PTAM) that includes at least one navigation aid measurement. The LKF inputs the navigation aid measurement into a measurement formation algorithm and calculates a measurement residual. The LKF receives from the MKF a Reset Transfer Alignment Message (RTAM) that includes a bias correction. The LKF inputs the bias correction into a state propagation algorithm to add to a navigation state.
US08515666B2
A method of displaying a map on a portable electronic device entails requesting map data that includes label data for at least one map label for a map feature known alternatively by a first name and a second name. The method further involves determining, based on a predetermined criterion, which of the first name and the second name is to be displayed on the portable electronic device. The predetermined criterion may be, for example, the current location of the device, a carrier identifier, or a personal identifier containing geographically relevant information from which a preferred map label may be inferred.
US08515663B2
A system, method, and apparatus for delivery route assistance. A method includes receiving a delivery location and an image associated with each of a plurality of items and determining a planned delivery route for delivery of the items. The method also includes displaying execution instructions for the planned delivery route to a delivery operator and, at each delivery location, displaying to the delivery operator a count of items for delivery at the delivery location and the image associated with each such item. The method further includes recording information associated with an actual delivery route and reconfiguring the planned delivery route when the actual delivery route is different from the planned delivery route. The method also includes displaying a comparison between information associated with the planned delivery route and the recorded information associated with the actual delivery route.
US08515657B2
An information providing device, having a route acquisition unit that acquires a reference travel route between two points, a route finding unit that finds a fuel-saving travel route between the two points, a fuel cost calculating unit that calculates a difference in cost of fuel between the reference travel route and the fuel-saving travel route based on fuel consumption and a fee of fuel, a communication cost calculating unit that calculates a communication cost concerning the fuel-saving travel route, and a control unit that executes control for transmitting predetermined information to a terminal device based on the result of a comparison between the difference in cost of fuel and the communication cost.
US08515647B2
A method for controlling the wastegate in a turbocharged internal combustion engine including the steps of: determining, during a design phase, a control law which provides an objective opening of a controlling actuator of the wastegate according to the supercharging pressure; determining an objective supercharging pressure; measuring an actual supercharging pressure; determining a first open loop contribution of an objective position of a controlling actuator of the wastegate by means of the control law and according to the objective supercharging pressure; determining a second closed loop contribution of the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate; and calculating the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate by adding the two contributions.
US08515641B2
A method for assisting the driver of a vehicle in detecting suitable parking spaces for the vehicle, a measuring unit detecting potential parking spaces as the vehicle passes by and the length and/or depth or width of a detected parking space being ascertained. A detected parking space is evaluated as a function of the ascertained length and/or depth regarding the possibility of parking the vehicle in this parking space, and the drive and/or braking device of the vehicle is controlled or regulated in such a way that the vehicle is automatically braked if the evaluation of a detected parking space yields the result that the vehicle can be parked in this parking space.
